Fluent Speaker Delusion
There is an interesting term used widely in various job descriptions and competency requirements, called "fluency" in terms of linguistic skills.
For some reason, it’s “fluency” what many CEOs, HR Managers, and other decision-makers expect from a candidate. But is this what they are really looking for?
Let's take a quick look at a simple definition of fluent: “Able to express oneself easily and articulately” (Google), or “Capable of flowing, […] fluent materials” (Merriam-Webster.) The term actually comes from the Latin fluens (“flowing”) — present active participle of fluō (“I flow”). Basically, it means “I flow.”
Recently I was impressed by how fluently a garbage collector was communicating with his colleague who was carrying out the same duty. Later I was moved by the communicative fluency of my hairdresser. She was definitely "able to express herself easily and articulately." A pizza deliveryman standing at my door also impressed me with his “flowing” speech, especially after he received a generous tip.
So, what's the point?
In my opinion, the “fluency” requirement may be OK for hiring a garbage collector, hairdresser or pizza delivery worker to do their jobs. However, I would question applying the “fluency” criteria to a language service/translation/localization industry, communications, or similar fields that require something more than “I flow.”
When we hire translators, proofreaders, and similar professionals — I want to find out their proficiency level. I want to see their portfolio showing their competence in the field.
In such a case, I prefer another term, proficiency — advancement in knowledge or skill (Merriam-Webster), the fact of having the skill and experience for doing something (Cambridge Dictionary).
In other words, how professional is your "fluent" communication? What specifically shows your competence in language(s) or communications? How many books, articles, stories, etc. have you written? What type of content have you produced (ads/marketing content, fiction, software localization)? Have you written/produced/created anything at all? These are the questions I ask.
The fact that somebody is “fluent”, has a “diploma”, or similar credentials doesn't necessarily mean he or she is able to create value to your customers. “Fluent” is not enough.
To conclude, I suggest using “fluency” as a general term for non-linguistic roles, whereas “proficiency” for language-related fields. “How professional is your fluency?” — That’s the question I normally ask and encourage every HR Manager or decision-maker to do the same.
How about the pizza deliveryman? Could he be a secret genius, an excellent translator, or an outstanding writer? Yes, why not? Jack London "grew up working-class. [...] He rode trains, pirated oysters, shoveled coal, worked on a sealing ship on the Pacific and found employment in a cannery." However, "in his free time he hunkered down at libraries, soaking up novels and travel books."[1]
? Oles Dmytrenko, Kyiv, Ukraine, 2020
SOURCES
- [1] https://www.biography.com
- https://www.dictionary.cambridge.org
- https://www.google.com
- https://www.merriam-webster.com
- https://www.thesaurus.com