Christian Hertzig: Race, Ethnicity, Culture or Religion (Emphasis on Languages spoken in Morocco).
According to the US Census Bureau, around twenty percent of people in the US speak two or more languages. This is vastly different than that of Morocco, with natives understanding Arabic, Amazigh, and French (and occasionally English and Spanish). Personally speaking, I am an individual who only understands English. The societal issue lies in making connections with individuals who do not share a common language. Humans have been built to communicate, understand, and resonate with each other to form connections. However, doing so without a translator can inhibit our learning and potential relationships with others.
From my short time here in Morocco, I have been extremely impressed with the breadth and depth of the different languages that the locals speak. It is fascinating to listen to a Moroccan describe a detailed experience or event in English and then quickly switch to Arabic or French. My inspiration for this discussion came today on our tour of iberry’s farm. I realized that one brother of iberry was able to give an adequate tour in English. However, his brother was only able to speak Spanish and was not able to be involved as much in the discussion and experience. My mind continued to wander as I listened to their business processes. Given that a large majority of their clients come from other countries across Europe: how do they communicate? More broadly speaking, how do international teams and trade partners effectively communicate with each other, and how are connections built with this language barrier? According to “The impact of language barriers on trust formation in multinational teams,” language barriers shape both emotional and cognitive reactions, which impact perceived trustworthiness and the willingness to trust. The study also shows that surface-level language differences can be perceived as deeper divides, influencing team dynamics (Tenzer, 2014). Lack of a shared language can create an idea of mystery about a person and cause us to make pre-determined assumptions. We should strive to find shared commonalities to avoid pre-conceived notions and a lack of trust amongst those we simply cannot understand.
Over my time here in Morocco, my goal is to build a relationship with an individual who does not speak English. I do not want to make any prior assumptions about them, just due to a language barrier. I am also increasingly motivated to learn a new language when I get home, and believe that would be a great continued learning experience as I eventually enter the workforce and interact with people from all over the world.
Tenzer, Helene, et al. “The Impact of Language Barriers on Trust Formation in Multinational Teams - Journal of International Business Studies.” SpringerLink, Palgrave Macmillan UK, 19 Dec. 2013, link.springer.com/article/10.1057/jibs.2013.64.
Christian, I really enjoyed reading your reflection—it brought up such a real and important point about how language can either build bridges or put up walls between people. I totally agree that language barriers don’t just make communication harder, they can actually affect how we perceive and trust one another. You did a great job connecting your personal experience at the farm to a broader global issue, especially in business and leadership. One fact you could’ve included to deepen the discussion is that Tamazight (the Berber language) only became an official language of Morocco in 2011, after years of activism by the Amazigh community (Ennaji, 2014). This shows how language in Morocco isn’t just a tool for communication; it’s deeply tied to identity and power, too.
ReplyDeleteI liked reading this post knowing your major. You approach the topic from a human-perspective, but also a practical business and finance-minded one. The practicalities of being able to communicate apply to both spheres. Great sentiments. Also it was great rolling with you and the crew in Morocco.
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