In about a week, I’m going to have the opportunity to speak to a primarily Mexican audience through an interpreter.
Now, I’m culturally illiterate. I’m not particularly proud of it, but I haven’t spent a lot of time in Mexico, so I don’t have much understanding of Mexican culture.
I’m just curious as to whether or not there are any major cultural differences with regards to public communication. I mean, are there any major faux pas that I’m in danger of committing? Are there differences in the interpretation of gestures, eye contact, vocal variation, et cetera?
If it matters, I’ll be speaking in a church.
Any help from you, o all-knowing ones, would be quite appreciated.
I’ve given a couple of presentations in Mexico, about 3/4 in Spanish. It can be very awkward to speak while someone interprets, so be patient with that. Keep it simple. Mexicans tend to be more polite and formal than we are, so it’s good to start with thanking a lot of people, mentioning what an honor it is to be invited, etc. In my experience, people in Mexico enjoy humor in speeches (like everyone does, I guess) and especially like it when Norteamericanos are self-effacing. I’m sure there’s a lot more a native of Mexico (or N. American living in Mexico) could add to this. The only other thing I’d suggest is learning enough to at least give some of your greeting in Spanish. - Jill
What Jill said.
Talk to the translator in advance, give him/her a copy of a script. Discuss any particular needs on your part and ask for any needs on the translator’s part. The audience won’t really be hearing you, remember – they’ll be hearing the translator. So be super-friendly and cooperative with the translator.
Keep it simple. Avoid jargon or slang, avoid metaphors. If you are using technical terms, discuss them with the translator in advance.
Jokes are good, but choose your jokes carefully. Puns or wordplay, for instance, usually don’t translate. (The translator says, “The speaker has made a humourous remark. Please chuckle appreciatively.”)
Be careful of gestures. The American “OK” gesture of finger and thumb making a circle is considered a rude gesture indicating female genitalia in many South American countries (I don’t know about Mexico specifically.)
Mexicans (broadly speaking) are more concerned with building personal relationships than are Americans. Thus, as Jill says, thanking people is a good start. Doing similar things to build rapport or relationship with the audience is also useful. You start out by sort of “introducing” yourself – not a recital of credentials, but some sort of “who you are” kind of anecdote, perhaps. I have co-presented with Mexican speakers, and they will often ignore the content of the presentation in favor of building rapport with a small audience (much to the shock of my American-mindset that thinks the content is the most important part of the presentation.)
I guess I’d also suggest, as with any presentation, that you think hard about what it is you want to convey, about the purpose of the presentation. If you’re making a sales pitch (where building up their confidence in you and respect for you is critical), you’d handle it different than if you’re giving a technical demo (where the content IS the most important part.)
Good luck!
Just for the record, I have just recently asked my Mexican wife what that very hand signal means; it’s exactly the same for them as it is for us. However, that’s northern-Central Mexico! Many things have have different meanings in different parts of the country.
Having lived and worked in Mexico, I tried to take notice to how their business presentation attitudes were different from ours. I didn’t notice ANYTHING other than the Mexicans generally weren’t very punctual (the 6am meeting always got started around 6:45, for example). On the other hand, this was a large, American corporation, so they may merely have adapted to us before I got a chance to see the “real” them.
Thankee all for th’replies, I appreciate it. For those who wonder, things went dandily, and I give some of the credit to the great minds at the SMDB.