We have been watching a really enjoyable series on "Flix" of late called "Dark". A German series, the plot revolves around children in a small village going missing 33 years apart with time travel at its core.
Abeit a slow burner, we would heartily recommend this atmospheric, well acted series to anyone interested in the time travel genre.
But one thing that stood out to us as non German speakers (and this was surprising for Netflix), is that the English subtitles did not match the English speech dubbing. This made the series very challenging to follow and understand.
And it occurred to us that there was a wider lesson in this.
Namely, that it is important that the words we use to convey what we mean to others accurately reflect the thoughts that formed the basis of them!
Much can be lost in translation to others as we convert our own thoughts into words, and this can be an unnecessary source of controversy and stress.
There are some good and simple techniques available to ensure that what we say reflects what we are thinking.
These include:-
● Taking a moment to reflect on thoughts and emotions before speaking
● avoiding the use of complicated language and keeping speech simple
● Watching the reaction of the person we are talking to - this can be a great guide as to whether they are receiving what is being said in the spirit it is intended
● Being mindful of our body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to make sure they correspond with the meaning intended
● Politely ask the recipient if they understand the meaning of our statements if in any doubt.
Choosing words and their tone carefully is key.
Another of our few criticisms of some of the excellent interpreted material on the streaming platforms is that the voice overs do not capture the essence of the visuals on screen, as if they have been superimposed by actors performing in a contextual vacuum.
Many people who do not use the above filters can find themselves appearing to be very unpopular without understanding why.
It is always therefore prudent to take a brief moment to ask internally whether a particular thought is worth sharing or whether it is simply that - a private thought best kept to yourself! 👍☺
Happy, stress free communications!