In Texas, there is a classic phrase centered on a cowboy’s “ten gallon hat.” However, the largest can actually only hold a few quarts.
This inaccurate phrase is based on a linguistic misunderstanding, as “Galon” is the Spanish word for “braid.” The native Mexican cowboys – vaqueros – wore as many as ten braided hatbands on their sombreros…so ten galon hats. The English speakers heard “gallon.”
There is another English misinterpretation, the “White Rhino.” If you go on a safari in the African brush, the “White Rhino” and the “Black Rhino” appear to be the same color “grey.” The difference is that the “White Rhino” has a “wide”, square mouth.
When I was on a project, we bought hoodie sweatshirts for the global team, as they were popular to wear in North America. No one in Great Britain wore them, because it was considered a sign that you were in a gang. They requested (and were denied) to have a raincoat instead of a hoodie – due to cultural differences, as well as weather!
How do you prevent global miscommunications?
