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Chevy Chase Learns the Meaning of “Bendensin”
EDITOR’S NOTE: In this issue, we provide a “star-studded lineup” of high-level executives from the Defense and Intelligence communities within the U.S. Government who share their insights on how to win business within their sector. I want to personally thank them because every single one delivered in spite of Hurricane Isabel and the closing of the Federal Government for two days. But first, some advice from Chevy Chase and his new-found Turkish friends… Startled and thrown full-throttle back in time to Saturday Night Live episodes on U.S. television, I stared open-mouthed at my Turkish TV screen, as Chevy Chase (the real thing, not just some computerized rendition) stared back at me. He was apparently just as bewildered to be stumbling into various Turks popping up in New York City. In a series of hysterically funny and hugely popular commercials here in Turkey, the American comedian and actor appears as a rather uptight American businessperson, trying to come to grips with his neighbors requesting “Cola Turka.” While other countries may be boycotting American products, one of Turkey’s most well-known and respected companies, Ülker, has chosen to launch a new cola drink (in a red and white can, of course) with subtitled commercials (in Turkish, not English!). The theme song even champions the “American Dream.” Each commercial is a priceless electronic portrait of cross-cultural communication (gone somewhat awry) and globally pervasive consumer habits. In the first one, another American actor, David Irwin, plays an American cowboy (complete with his bolero and Stetson hat) who turns up in Chevy’s corner diner, sipping Cola Turka, as Chevy (self-absorbed) drinks his morning coffee and tries unsuccessfully to avoid conversation. However, the Turkish cowboy eventually shocks Chevy by offering to pay for his coffee (“Bendensin, bendensin”), even though he is a total stranger. Chevy is then forced to engage himself with the outside world, like it or not.  The same happens all the time in the business and government sectors. It’s always easier to remain in our own little “cocoons,” dealing with the familiar. However, international business and “guarding national security” both require just the opposite. Building relationships with others in business is now crucial for success. Understanding how to build mutually beneficial partnerships both internally and externally is no longer an option; only those companies that do so prosper over the medium- and long-term. And so it is with nations and governments. In this issue, we will explore what the U.S. Government is doing to meet its pressing multilingual needs to build an inner strength, of which it currently has little. We will investigate what, if anything, has changed since the LISA Global Strategies Summit in Foster City earlier in March this year. At that time, high-level executives from the U.S. Defense and Intelligence Agencies described the situation and their critical needs (slides from their presentations are available to LISA members here).  In our first article, Unclassified and Uncensored: An Interview with Glenn Nordin, U.S. Department of Defense (premium), the Assistant Director for Language at the U.S. Department of Defense reveals the top five priorities for the federal language community over the next 12-18 months. He also provides advice on the implementation process and insights into where some vendors “go wrong” in their dealings with the U.S. Government. This article also includes a sidebar from Everette Jordan, the Director of the new National Virtual Translations Center (NVTC) for the FBI.  The latter’s challenge of meeting its multilingual requirements is daunting. It may never, ever come close since these efforts are slamming into the deeply-ingrained pattern of immigrants to America shedding languages, accents and cultural practices, almost always within a generation, in order to take full advantage of the economic system in which the vast majority have chosen to participate. The merits of this practice really aren’t important, since that’s the reality.  Investing in technology is the easy part, but changing long-held practices (that appear to work) is very, very difficult. So, what is our responsibility in the GILT (globalization, internationalization, localization and translation) industry, as service providers, as consumers and as a professional organization, when working with U.S.-based concerns, both public and private? Above all, it is to enable these organizations to develop their globalization reflexes. With Americans, this struggle is ongoing, and the war will never be won. Remember, as recently as eighty years ago, 22 U.S. states had passed laws prohibiting foreign language teaching! How, concretely then, can those of us committed to the international community help others to develop their globalization reflexes in our everyday work? Here are some suggestions: As providers of services and products to the U.S. private and public sectors, it is our responsibility to…
As private or public sector consumers of multilingual services and products, it is our responsibility to…
As the GILT industry’s professional organization, it is LISA’s responsibility to…
We would also like to bring to your attention the following three opportunities: 
And, don’t forget this week, offer to pay for someone’s coffee, tea or cola and see what happens! |
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  8-12 December 2008 |