Lost in Translation
@justdroppingby (296)
Philippines
March 25, 2010 7:18am CST
I was working on a project for a client. We ended up arguing, er, negotiating because the client kept on wanting to have a 'survey' done, even after the contract had mentioned that the poject does not cover the conduct of a survey. This went on for almost an hour until I realized that what he really wanted was to know the methodology of the project. He just kept using the word 'survey' and i took it to mean the actual conduct of polls. Glad both of us were in a good mood and it didn't end badly; we even had a good laugh afterwards.
This also usually happens between me and a friend. We call it "the wavelength difference"; she can be talking on and on about a subject that is miles apart from what I have in mind.
Me and my college friends have a running joke. There are three main problems in the world - Greed. Oppression. Exploitation. And a fourth - miscommunication. What do you think?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@Nemonezonicamidecus (247)
• Italy
25 Mar 10
Miscomunnication is very frequent when people of different sectors need to work together. Biologists need to coope with informaticians but they speak different languages: that's why a new professional figure is often necessary, in this case the bioinformatician! Maybe for translators an intermediator would be a good idea.
@justdroppingby (296)
• Philippines
27 Mar 10
Sorry, but your post got me started on this crazy idea:
Cook + Mathematician = Mathemacook!
Painter + Horticulturist = Horticultural painter!
Musician + Actuarian = Musical Actuarian!
Comic-book artist + Physicist = Comic physics artist!
Sorry, that is corny, but I do know actual people who do fit these descriptions. Personally, I am a Biocomputerculinary artist, among other things. LOL. Cheers!
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
25 Mar 10
I would add arrogance and ignorance.It is hard when two people can't get on and reamin on the same wavelength. It happens here sometimes. With differences of cultures and having friends who are using their second or even thirs language, English to speak to me, the wires get crossed! The most difference I find is when I speak to my best friend. He Is English. If you think the gap between an English speaker and a non English Speaker is bif, you haven't tried to understand British English! But it is fun. I have learned many great terms and noe I use them often.
@justdroppingby (296)
• Philippines
27 Mar 10
Yes, I'll have to agree on that. Some people think they're always right sometimes. And then there are others who simply just don't care :p
I'd like to think that the language barrier gives a dash of fun to the discussions here at MyLot. I'm glad that for the moment there's no audio or video chat capability here - just imagine the different inflections and nuances in actual speech we'd have to get the hang of!
1 person likes this
@arakawaii (270)
• Philippines
25 Mar 10
Yup, miscommunication is a big problem specially when the use of words are used differently...
