Entente Cordiale in the 21st Century

1
Entente Cordiale in the 21st Century

• The importance of cultural differences and
  information technology for todays linguists

2
Quick Introduction

• Pascal Fintoni
• 14 years in England
• Married, 2 children
• Marketing and Communications
• Specialist in Internet Marketing

• Growing interest in international communication
• UK, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Hong Kong
• Ambitions
• Interpretation
• Intl. Marketing Consultant

3
Quick Introduction

• One North East, Regional Development Agency
• Head of Business Development
• Business Support and Advice - ICT
• Promoting the region online
• Attracting international visitors and businesses

4
Anglo-French Relations

• Numerous national initiatives
• French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain -1883
  
• Twinning Links - 50 with France
• Aix en Provence - Bath
• Nice - Edinburgh
• 270,000 French nationals living in the UK
• 100,000 Britons living in France
• 12 Million British tourists per year
• 3 Million French visitors per year
• 1,800 French companies operating in the UK

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Two main themes

• Understanding the need for expertise in
  Intercultural Communication
• Embracing ICT to enhance your services and access
  to expertise

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About being bi-cultural

• Bilingual recruitment is changing, becoming
  sharper and more sophisticated. Linguistic skills
  alone are no longer sufficient to satisfy an ever
  more demanding business environment.
• French Selection, Specialist Recruitment Agency,
  Birmingham UK

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About being bi-cultural

• Why isnt language enough?
• Why is there a requirement beyond the
  spoken/written word?
• What is the journey from bi-lingual to
  bi-cultural?

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Being bi-cultural - The Journey

• 1. Innocence or Ignorance
• 2. Criticism and mockery
• 3. Comparison based on French culture
• 4. Acceptance and integration of British culture
• 5. Review of French culture from a British point
  of view
• 6. Ability to adapt to both cultures effortlessly
• 7. Take advantage of being bi-cultural to further
  personal and professional development
• Source Pascal Baudry, WDHB Consulting Group

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Being bi-cultural - The Journey

• When you ask for the time in France, they will
  teach you how to make a watch.

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Cultural Differences

• A marvellous country, a bizarre people.
• In France, the past is always present. The
  French are backward-looking people
• The French notion of time-keeping is better late
  than never.

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Cultural Differences

• In a meeting, one speaks, the other agrees with
  short words, nods of the head or interrupts to
  give his argument, or impose his opinion.
• Everybody speaks at the same time and barely
  listens to one another
• The French speak while thinking. It is a
  language of gestures and words.

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Cultural Differences

• Worth mentioning
• Business lunches
• Informal formality
• Foreign languages

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Foreign Languages in the UK

• It's reassuring to know that the French
  education system has a more enlightened approach
  to foreign languages than the British.
• Hays, Specialist Recruitment Agency
• Optional for students to learn languages
• Yet a real drive to change attitudes
• More interest in adulthood usually linked to
  professional development

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Foreign Languages in the UK

• the UK is bottom of a table of 28 countries in
  competence in languages other than English
• and nearly one in five small and medium-sized
  businesses admits to having lost business because
  its staff cannot speak the relevant
  language.Source National Centre for Languages,
  June 2005
• High demand for language and cultural services
• Risk to UKs global competitiveness

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International Trade Issues

• Over 60 of British trade is with non-English
  speaking countries. Where the language of the
  customers is not English, the UK buys more than
  it is able to sell.
• Exports m Imports m
• Germany 20,801 33,628
• France 18,880 20 223
• Netherlands 13,596 16,673
• Belgium/Luxembourg 11,371 13,171
• Spain 8,944 9,194
• Italy 8,601 11,496
• Source Talking World Class report

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Language Issues

• France represents 45 of Britain's non-English
  speaking markets
• 39 of businesses have reported lost
  opportunities due to language and cultural
  barriers.
• 75 of the world doesn't speak any English.
  Recent surveys have shown that the business
  language most in demand is FRENCH.
• source National Centre for Languages

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About Distortion
Monday 7 November 05 - BBC Radio 4 interview
I am not here to take any lessons
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Language Services in the Digital Age

• Scenario 1
• 3 partners working on translation project
• Using online collaboration platform
• Save work on secure server
• Client can check progress
• Printer can download files

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Language Services in the Digital Age

• Scenario 2
• Tom runs an international translation company
• Text translated via software
• Translations verified by editors
• Tom receives updates on hand held computer

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Language Services in the Digital Age

• Scenario 3
• Stefania Williams
• Italian/English interpretation services
• Chemical industry specialist
• Telephone interpretation US/Italy (voice over IP)
• keeps record of conversations
• Gets support from online forums

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Translation Exercise

• Scenario
• One NorthEast, the Regional Development Agency
  for the North East of England will be meeting
  with key decision makers from the Chambers of
  Commerce around Provence in March 2006.
• In preparation, representatives from One
  NorthEast would like to have the following
  translated in French
• the executive summary of the Agency's corporate
  plan
• biographies of the Chief Executive and Chairman.

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Entente Cordiale in the 21st Century

• THANK YOU!