Why tone matters: making the right impression in German markets
The German saying, “Der Ton macht die Musik” (the tone makes the music) states an important fact of everyday communication: it is not just what you say that’s important, but also how you say it. It might seem ironic to some that German has a proverb on the importance of considerate communication, given the language and its speakers’ reputation for being direct and sometimes slightly blunt. However, it might be that preference for efficient and precise communication that makes German all the more nuanced and complex.