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Don't call me posh!

I still remember an incident that happened years ago. It was a winter evening and I had arranged to meet some friends in a coffee shop in Soho. Some of us got there on time but, as it is always the case, some people were slightly late (you know what they say about the Mediterranean punctuality?ˆ¦).

When Carlos finally arrived, he apologised for being over half an hour late; however, since it was more or less expected, the apology was immediately accepted. Carlos had been shopping in Oxford Street and he totally forgot about the time because he was fully focused in the search of a blue woollen jumper.

"Carlos, you've been shopping in Zara. Very posh!" said Magda with a smile on her face, as she was the first one to notice the bag.

"What do you mean?", asked Carlos with his strong Spanish accent. He had arrived in London only a few months before.

"Nothing" replied Magda "...just that Zara is a very nice shop. I like it" she added with a tone of surprise.

"Yes, it's nice, but it's not posh. I am not posh, don't call me posh!" demanded Carlos, who was by now clearly upset.

Magda was utterly confused by Carlos' reaction. She did not understand how he could be so upset about her compliment.

Some remarks in life are universally subjective. For some people, regardless of their nationality, Zara can be a posh shop, while others would consider it reasonably priced or even inexpensive. In this, your purchasing power will play a crucial role.

On the contrary, in certain situations, your own specific cultural knowledge can lead you to misinterpret things. When I explained to Carlos that in Britain "being posh" is generally something positive and desirable he could not believe his ears. He assumed that the term would have the same connotations in the UK than in Spain, where it is used to refer to spoilt children in a derogatory way.

Carlos apologised to Magda, who was relieved and happy when the confusion was clarified.

Over coffee I wondered: if just the opposite connotations assigned to the same adjective in different countries can provoke uncomfortable situations and misunderstandings, how crucial is it to have the right cultural and linguistic knowledge when translating vital documentation such as contracts, agreements or financial reports? How necessary is it to find a qualified interpreter that can enable clear and effective communication in legal cases where millions of pounds are at stake?

Accuracy is essential in cross-cultural communication, and it can only be achieved by those professionals with the right linguistic and cultural knowledge.

Looking back now, I think that this little misinterpretation in the coffee shop could have been more significant than I ever thought in deciding that I would make a career of translation.


This article was contributed by one of our project management team.

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