We’re able to work together because I speak pretty good Spanish
My company has an office in South America. The head person in charge in the office in South America is a native of his country, but we’re able to work together because I speak pretty good Spanish. Sometimes, because of the language barrier but also due to stresses of the workplace, and our need for him to manage more effectively and our frustrations with each other, we have gotten into disagreements. Today that history, and our language barrier, came to a head. After he was upset by something small, I took him to be very upset, and tried to pull rank on him. He said that I “pierdo los papeles facilmente”. Because “papel” means not only paper in Spanish, but “role” or “part”, I understood this to mean “I confuse my role easily.” or in other words, I forget my place. Otherwise, how could he mean that I lose my papers easily? That wouldn’t make any sense. When I took him to mean that I don’t know my place, or that I forget my place, I very mad, and really started causing a ruckus. It turns out that “to lose ones papers” in Spanish is a somewhat common expression that means to lose one’s cool. In response to his comment that “I lose my cool easily” I went ape on him. That’ll teach him that I lose my cool. I hope I remember this lesson for a long, long time. Be patient. Don’t think you know everything. Don’t jump to conclusions. Or you’ll end up apologizing several times and still looking foolish.
