[OSList] Bi-lingual open space

[Katia Van Belle]

Hello Chuni,


I live and work in Belgium, where two languages are spoken: appr 60% of the people have Dutch as their mother tongue, and 40% speak French. We are all supposed to speak and understand the other language well. In practice that is not always the case, although it is true for many of us.

In all of the organizations in and around Brussels (our capital), you will find this mix of languages, and in many cases it is solved by mutual respect: either we each speak our own mother tongue during a meeting, or - when one of the persons in the meeting doesn't master the language enough - people will use the language of that one person. Some organizations choose to use English as the common language (so no-one has the "benefit" of speaking the language better than the other)  ;-)

When hosting an Open Space meeting, we bring two facilitators. One will speak French to the participants, the other will speak Dutch. When opening, explaining the principles and the law, etc... every facilitators speaks in turn. For example, my colleague Dave will explain the first principle in French. Next, I explain the same principle in my own wording (= a little differently) in Dutch, and continue with the second principle in Dutch. Then my colleague Dave will explain principles 2 and 3 in his own words. Etc...

So the majority of the people, who understand both languages, will have heard everything twice, but with a different wording, humor, style... so they don't mind. And everyone has heard the opening explanations in their mother tongue.

For announcing the sessions, we have people announce the topic in their own language only. The session will be held in the language that the convener prefers... and that will probably depend on who shows up, how well everyone speaks both languages, etc... The result is that sometimes the same topic is announced in two different languages by two different participants. While the conveners might later decide to merge these together, we notice that they rarely do. Usually the two sessions end up discussing totally different parts of the same topic and are both useful. Often one or more participants will join both sessions and take care of the cross-polination.

Reports are made in the language chosen by the convener. However, after the event the sponsor may decide to have them translated and made available in both Dutch and French. 

For the closing circle, again everyone is invited to speak their mother tongue. If we feel that translation during closing circle is needed, the facilitators take care of that (so an announcement made in Dutch will be repeated by Dave in French, and an announement made in French will be translated by me in Dutch.

In our country & culture, that works quite well. It keeps things easy and smooth, and low cost, yet the most important things are made available in both languages so that everyone has understood them well.


Kind regards from Belgium,
Katia


Katia Van Belle
Propellor - changing projects
www.propellor.be