For more clarity...
Language is a part of our daily lives. As communications experts, we want to take a closer look at this topic, and provide you with some thoughts for reflection on language and understanding. Today, we want to explore how language is changing, and explain our position on the clarity of terminology.
Let’s go!
Reflection 1—Language is always changing
Language is dynamic. It is constantly changing and developing through use. For years, linguists have observed two trends:
- Changes in language through internationalization
- Specialized technical languages—where English is predominant
But what does this mean? Both trends lead to a simplification of sentence structure and grammar. At the same time, new words are introduced to our vocabulary. The latest research shows that the German language now has 5.3 million words, including adapted words from other languages. With increasing globalization, language is becoming more multilingual.
If the only goal of language is to promote understanding, it becomes more functional, often shorter, and, according to strict criteria, more often ‘incorrect.’ The limits of this unrestricted use of language can be seen when we use terminology relevant to concepts and processes that require a shared understanding. In this case, we need clarity.
Reflection 2—English, Denglish, or maybe just German
In the business world, English is considered the universally understood Unicode. And even in German conversations and writing, English terms are no longer uncommon. But are we using the correct English terms or pseudo-anglicisms—as in the case of the German word Handy for cell phone?
Or are we using “Denglish,” meaning an English term that is used in Germany with a completely different meaning. Such as saying, “Ich bin heute im Home Office” to mean, “I’m working from home today.” In America, the term is generally used to describe the room in your house or apartment where you’ve set up your office. In the UK, the Home Office is what our American friends call their “Department of Homeland Security.” No wonder our British friends are confused when we say we are working today in the Home Office!
In the world of business consulting, sometimes a newly-coined word becomes something of a hallmark, i.e., “words you own” as a strategy to differentiate your company from competitors. This is totally fine, as long as the meaning is clear to the person you are talking to, and it does not detract from clarity. But why do we sometimes find it so difficult to call some things by their actual name?
IReflection 3 – Calling a spade a spade—an example from a client project
Communicating simply, clearly, and accurately is our specialty and our top priority. Our approach is:
Simple doesn’t mean simplistic. Clear doesn’t mean blunt. Accurate doesn’t mean pedantic.
As a communication and consultancy agency for Human Resources projects, we communicate complex issues. In our customer projects, we must sometimes untangle language confusion. If there is no common understanding, there can be no meaningful communication.
Let’s take the word “Grading” as an example. You can test this by entering the following sentence into Google, Perplexity, or another search engine, “What is Grading?”
The results were interesting, weren’t they? We assume that in the HR context, Grading is generally understood, but what if the term is simply used in communications with various target audiences as a technical term, without any description or explanation?
Let’s try that out!
If you speak German, read these two sentences and answer the question. Which is easier to understand? The German-English mix, or plain German?*
Do you get it now?
A
Unsere Job Architektur und unsere Gradinglogik sind elementare Bestandteile unseres fairen und transparenten Compensation Systems.
B
Unsere Stellenarchitektur und unsere Stellenbewertungslogik sind elementare Bestandteile unseres fairen und transparenten Vergütungssystems.
*If you don’t speak German, here’s a short explanation. Using the English terms, and at times a mix of English and German, such as “Gradinglogik,” is generally more difficult for those unfamiliar with the technical HR terms.
Why do we sometimes make things unnecessarily complicated?
So, why the preference for the English term “Grading,” which a lot of people won’t immediately understand? There are two reasons for this, in our opinion.
- Some specialist English terms lack a concise German translation. If you must include a long explanation of a term, and the approximate German translation, you might raise questions that aren’t easy to answer. You may decide to stick with the English term, even with the risk of an inconsistent understanding (and incorrect use.)
- With the German word “Stellenbewertung,” meaning “Grading,” there’s another reason for caution. In the word “Stellenbewertung,” we find the words “Wert” or “Wertung,” meaning “value” or “evaluation/judgment.” In German, both words have a slightly judgmental connotation. The word “Wert” is generally positive, but when used in relation to a person, it can imply the value of a person. And this is where it gets tricky. In the word “Wertung,” this is even more pronounced because it is the equivalent of a judgment. As in a sport such as the long jump, when we talk of a “Wertung” of work performance, it is an assessment, and can be seen therefore as judgmental.
Note: With the upcoming European Pay Transparency Directive, the topic of grading and remuneration will become even more critical. It’s worth ensuring clarity now. We would be happy to advise you, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Reflection 4: Our understanding of language
Language always contains connotations or associations. These vary depending on the individual, location, region, and country—and that’s a fact. What we can do is explain the terms so that everyone understands them. This creates transparency, comprehension, and, ultimately, trust. As communicators, this is our core competency. In the interest of our customers and their employees.
We are translators of specialist terms and human understanding, and our goal is to create trust through excellent communication.
We started our series on the HR Jargon Jungle some time ago to bring precisely this clarity. You can follow the series on LinkedIn. If you are struggling with a specific example of HR jargon, let us know, and we’ll include it in a future post. We look forward to discussing language with you – either in a public setting, or in an individual meeting, if you prefer.
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Your contact person
- simone[@]unequity.com
- +49 (0) 174 / 310 78 27
- Simone Schmitt-Schillig
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