A saying attributed to Nelson Mandela is: ‘If you talk to man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language then it goes to his heart’. Translation of your messages into a language that your audience understands is a sure way to reach their hearts.
The quotation is supposed to have been said during Mandela’s negotiations with the South African government, though checking the provenance of the quote, there seems to be no evidence that he actually did say this. It seems to have been attributed to him as he is a respected person who said wise things – and this saying on language is certainly a wise statement.
A lot of decisions are made with emotion rather than with logic, and our native language is very closely tied to our sense of self and feelings of comfort. Your customers and suppliers may be happy to work in English, but by providing them with translations that are in their own language, you are allowing them to relax, be more comfortable about dealing with you.
“Communicate with someone in their own language” is a great philosophy that chimes with us at Accutranslate because we have seen the power of translated materials in commercial situations. Taking the trouble to put your client at ease, making it easier to do business with you, speaking to their heart not their head, is a great way to build your relations with them.
Whether it was Nelson Mandela who said this, or not, the point made is very relevant to any business looking to reach the hearts of their overseas contacts – talk to them in their own language, touch their emotions as well as their logic, and reap the rewards.
Contact la Academia to get the best translations from the heart! We’re on Freephone 0800 466 1335