I work for a company that does business in continental Europe. I am not aware that anybody here who would be involved in negotiations in these jurisdictions speaks those languages. I am fairly sure we get shafted. Regularly.
I am equally certain that nobody has tried to rectify this shafting.
On the other hand, I recall with particular amusement one colleague who had returned from a closing meeting in France. Around the table were our lawyers, the other side’s lawyers, our agents, their agents and the other side. He said, in possibly the worst example of jingoistic racism that I have ever heard “And then they all start talking in French. I don’t trust them. I’m sure they are all in it together and all know each other and conspire against us for their own financial gain.†Intriguingly he was a second-generation Indian immigrant. I am absolutely certain that our advisers were not conspiring against us!
I happened to be the mug sent for a similar deal the following year. Now, I don’t claim fluency in French. However… I do speak some. And then at the point where the lawyers were having a fight and the entire deal was about to collapse, I was in a position to bring some calm to the meeting – in French. Does anybody here even care? No….
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Languages for Business new
Languages for Business new