The importance of learning Spanish in the industry

Dear reader: I am sure that you have heard the popular metaphor that says “Spanish is the language of heaven” some time.  Probably it is, but in this side of the world, the language of Shakespeare still rules most of all activities that encourage our lives.  However, which is the importance that foreign workers give to the language of Cervantes? The answer: to achieve a better labor performance and productivity in this industry.

Years ago, in Ciudad Juarez, industrial buildings began to emerge on different areas.  With them came caravans of foreigners: engineers, administrators, technicians and executives.  Before this, our engineers struggled to wield the difficult art of the English language when trying to find a solution and explanation to daily challenges of the activities inside an incipient industry.

However, a strange behavior was taken place, at least strange for me: the foreigner usually was expecting for the national to struggle in speaking English, when him was not event trying to speaking basics of the Cervantes language.  Within the 80’s and 90’s, from ten English classes we taught at Communication Dynamics/Linguaxis to our customers, only 0.5 Spanish for foreigners classes were requested.

This means, the demand was clearly leaned towards English instruction.  The mentality back then used to be that Mexicans MUST learn English, and that the foreigner had the privilege of being spoken on his language, without making the minimal effort to communicate in the language of the country opening its doors to him.

Fortunately, this attitude has changed significantly.  The demand for Spanish classes has grown exponentially in the last years.  With this change in attitude, a taste for Mexican culture has been developed also.  At the U.S. consulate, for example, the pyramid was inverted: English classes were completely discontinued, and the ones of Spanish increased surprisingly.  The mentality changed, it is not enough.

Dear reader, with language learning comes culture, the understanding, sympathy, harmony; all important elements of productive activities we perform in this industry.  Next time we see a foreigner at the office, instead of greeting him with a Hi! We can greet him with a “Quiubole,” and explain him what that means.  Maybe the Spanish Royal Language Academy will not approve such “perversion” of language, but at least we will have linguistic and cultural bridges that will make our task an activity that unifies rather than divide.

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Communication Dynamics

Phone: +52 (656) 618. 0908

Email: communicationdynamics@yahoo.com