Caramba! Musings on Language

As expected, the trip has been filled with cultural exchanges, both in terms of learning about the local culture, as well as sharing stories from our respective cultures with the team.  A key area of interest has been languages and usage of words.

Sometimes though, this had led to unexpected results and much bemusement.

Sample this:

In my readings of “Teach Yourself Spanish” before I came to Chile, I had come across a section where someone seeking a room at a hotel, says “Caramba!”, when he hears that rooms are available. This led me to conclude that “Caramba” means “Great!”, and I used it somewhat liberally in my exchanges with my clients, to show my appreciation of their inputs. I was a bit disappointed when it did not get the reaction I hoped, indeed I thought some of them looked a bit nonplussed, but did not delve deep into it.

The mystery was solved on our last team outing before the final presentations, where Spanish speaking teammates knowledgeably (and may I add gleefully), informed me that “Caramba” could be considered a tad impolite. What the approximate meaning and association is, was communicated to me with some embellishments, both by the Spanish speaking and imaginative non Spanish speaking members of the team. I am still not hundred percent sure, and until I am, I have decided not to use the word, at least in a business context. (Don't bother looking it up on Google translate, it is open to interpretation)

While on the subject of languages, the number of languages in India inevitably startles most people, who have not been exposed to this information before.

Sample this: (on the eve of the final presentation, with spirits flowing high)

Me: I think I might as well do the presentation in Bengali- the Spanish speaking audience may understand it better, than if I attempted Spanish!

A teammate: Ah, you are going to do the presentation in Indian?

Me (in a suitably smug and icy tone): There is no such language as Indian. We have twenty plus official languages in India, and many more dialects. For example, Deepa and I have different mother tongues, Kannada and Bengali.

Another teammate (perplexed): Then how do you communicate?

Deepa sees my expression and says: We don’t. We don’t communicate. And then adds,

“If we do, we use sign language”.

Me: Yes, that’s right.

Sign language demonstrated.

We crack up.

P.S.: I have been advised by Mariann that the word I should have used with my clients is “genial”

#IBMCSC Chile3