With François Hollande struggling to improve the French credit rating and the ‘European project’ on rocky ground, we’ve noticed how quickly governments are embracing national identity before an impending election. This doesn’t just go for political tactics, however, as language and culture are being given much needed attention. A number of European countries are wrestling with their own national identity, with their focus firmly fixed inwards. Language represents huge pride to people, and none more so than people in the UK.
The Institut de France has nurtured the French language to the point where ‘Frenchisms’ are now a permanent fixture in British phraseology. French wordsmiths look at the impact of their language and culture on the rest of the world, and instil it on a global scale. Phrases such as ‘au fait', 'raison d'être', 'joie de vivre’ and, let's not forget, ‘c'est la vie’ are uttered in passing every day in Britain. The office environment can be a breeding ground for indirect and exotic phraseology. ‘Fully informed', 'reason for existence', 'joy of living’ and ‘that’s life’ are just as effective as their French equivalents. Ezra Pound once said: “Use no superfluous word, no adjective which does not reveal something,” and maybe he had a point.
Here at SilverDoor, direct language is key to how we communicate. We're always aware of how languages intertwine, and how different words and phrases can mistakenly replace the English meaning. This doesn’t stop us from striving for perfection. By being conscious of the way we communicate, we expel unnecessary language that doesn’t serve a purpose. The functionality of direct language in an office environment provides a backbone and voice to all forms of communication. Corporate/exotic vocabulary can sometimes get lost in translation and collectively we to try to make our language as clear and concise as possible.
