Mother Tongue vs. English in Tech

The Bug Has Been Fixed! Le Bogue a été Corrigé! 🎉

In companies located outside English-speaking countries, where everyone at a department or company level is proficient in the local language but operates on a global scale, a key question often arises: Which language should we use in different situations? 🌍 Do we embrace the beauty of our native tongue or choose the logic of using the global business language, English? 🤔

As someone working in a French company with a local, French-speaking tech department and global ambitions, this question is ever-present. It’s especially relevant in software engineering — a field where English has always been the lingua franca (ever heard of ASCII?).

While going fully English may seem ambitious and logical, my experience suggests that this transition requires caution. Assess the general English proficiency of the team, particularly their verbal skills, and don’t underestimate the potential impact on communication. Speaking a foreign language can discourage people from sharing their opinions in meetings and may result in losing important nuances during discussions. 🗣️

A Practical Framework for Language Use 💡

Here’s the framework I follow, with examples based on the tools we use at my company:

Use Native Language for Short-Lived and Ephemeral Situations 🕒

Meetings: Whether in-person or virtual (e.g., Google Meet), stick to the local language for fluidity and comfort.

Slack Chats: Quick back-and-forth messages are easier in the native tongue.

Discussions on GitLab Merge Requests: While some prefer English here to match the language used in code, switching between French for verbal discussions and English on GitLab feels unnatural. Consistency in language helps avoid confusion.

Coffee Machine Chats ☕: Actually, do what you want here 😉

Use English for Long-Lived Documents 📜

Code Comments: English is a must here for readability and global understanding.

Documentation on Notion:

• Most documents should be in English for longevity and accessibility.
• Exception: Some meeting notes that are expected to remain in a draft state. Translating on-the-fly during meetings often feels awkward.

Code Keywords: These should remain in English, except if you use Rouille.

What About Onboarding Non-Native Speakers? 🌐

When onboarding people who don’t speak the local language, you’ll need to immediately switch to English for everything. While this shift is a great opportunity for team members to step out of their comfort zones, it must be well-supervised to ensure a smooth transition. 🌱

Fortunately, we’re in an era where LLM-powered translation tools can provide on-the-fly voice translation, making this transition easier and less intimidating. These tools could be a game-changer for companies aspiring to become fully English-speaking. 🤖

Conclusion ✍️

As this article is intended to be long-lived, it’s written in English — naturally!