The perils of global communication
Dr. Martin Webster | TLT President's Report March 2016
How STLE is spreading its message and building a worldwide community.
STLE’s Emerging Trends report confirms that globalization will continue to have a dramatic influence on our industry.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / thesupe87
“ENGLAND AND AMERICA ARE TWO COUNTRIES SEPARATED BY A COMMON LANGUAGE.” This famous quote is often attributed to George Bernard Shaw, although whether he actually used these words remains disputed. The nearest equivalent appears in Oscar Wilde’s short story The Canterville Ghost, which includes the line, “We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.”
British and American versions of English started drawing apart almost as soon as the first colonists had settled. While the two forms have remained for the most part mutually intelligible, the differences can lead to confusion. When my wife Janet and I arrived in America 26 years ago, we discovered these differences for ourselves, sometimes with potentially disastrous or embarrassing consequences.
The differences occur in many forms. The simplest are those in which words are spelled differently. Examples include color (colour), center (centre), tire (tyre), behavior (behaviour) and numerous cases where an ‘s’ used in the UK is replaced with a ‘z,’ which incidentally is pronounced zed in the UK! It took me awhile to adjust when writing reports, although today our word processors automatically correct to the version of English being used.
In the spoken word, pronunciations also vary, and there have even been songs written celebrating the differences. It took me awhile before I could make myself fully understood when ordering tomatoes in a sandwich or salad. Trickier are the cases in which completely different words are used. Famous examples are the hood and trunk of an automobile, which in the UK are referred to as the bonnet and boot. Furthermore, a British lorry is transformed into a truck, mangetout becomes a snow pea and filling a car with petrol turns into gassing up.
There are many cases in which there is no direct translation for some phrases. For example we initially confused many of our newfound friends by suggesting that we arrange to meet in about a
fortnight. We had not realized that this English term for two weeks was not an expression used in the U.S.
However, the direst consequences can occur when the same expression has different meanings. One example that can influence business meetings is the meaning of tabling a discussion. In the UK to table a discussion means to introduce a topic for discussion at the meeting. In the U.S. tabling a motion or topic is used to defer discussion or action for a subsequent meeting. In fact I recall it was during some of my first STLE meetings in which I finally realized how the term was being used differently.
Given the pitfalls that can occur between parties using ostensibly the same language, imagine the potential problems that can occur when communicating between different languages. Business and cultural differences can introduce a further layer of complication. The STLE-sponsored Emerging Trends report confirms that globalization will continue to have a dramatic influence on our industry. Around 20% of our members reside outside of the U.S. Furthermore, many members work for companies that operate globally, and some have significant operations around the world. As part of our Strategic Plan, STLE is creating opportunities to serve our increasingly global membership.
In the January TLT, Executive Director Ed Salek reported on recent events and meetings in China that I participated in. A number of enthusiastic local STLE volunteers presented a highly successful education program that was given in Mandarin for the first time. We also are partnering with a company that specializes in helping associations gain a foothold in different overseas locations. We now have a Chinese version of the STLE Website (
www.stle.org.cn) and a local contact office in Beijing. In addition, we have formed a local advisory council that is helping STLE focus its local activities to benefit members and potential members in China.
Like the various versions of English used worldwide, there is much commonality in the needs of the global tribology and lubrication engineering community. It is already apparent that our Connect, Learn, Achieve value proposition resonates well and will form the basis for future events in China. We believe that our approach of engaging with local affiliated organizations and with local member volunteer support will help us avoid potential pitfalls.
This approach most likely will be taken in other countries as we expand our relationships outside of North America. Along the way we will make every effort to fully understand cultural differences and deliver meaningful information on membership benefits in ways that avoid misunderstandings.
Martin Webster is a senior research associate for ExxonMobil Research and Engineering in Annandale, N.J. You can reach him at martin.n.webster@exxonmobil.com.