« ¡Un clásico que nunca falla ! ». Ingeniería lingüística y degustación : la invención como estrategia psicosociodinámica en el trinomio alemán-inglés-español (DE-EN-ES)

Abstract

A Timeless Classic! Linguistic Engineering and Gastronomy: Invention as a Psychosociodynamic Strategy in the German-English-Spanish Trinomial (DE-EN-ES)

The aviation industry has always been recognized for its focus on the customer experience, and airline menus are a faithful reflection of this commitment. This study highlights that these menus not only offer a wide variety of gastronomic options but also employ linguistic engineering techniques to persuade and entice passengers into making specific choices. By analyzing the menus of Lufthansa, Air Canada, and Iberia on the PUJ- YYZ-AMS-FRA route in December 2022, some of the most common strategies used in linguistic engineering were identified. For instance, German menus from Lufthansa are characterized by their rigor in nominalization and brand exposure, suggesting that the company uses food as a means to promote its brand and differentiate itself from competitors. On the other hand, Air Canada's English menus deliberately use adjectives to convince customers to choose specific options. The same technique applies in the Spanish text of Iberia, where inventions and exclamations are used to tempt passengers into selecting specific culinary choices. It is interesting to note how these strategies are premeditated and strategically applied in the linguistic engineering of airline menus. The way this type of persuasion is linguistically expressed also varies according to the language, suggesting that airlines adapt their techniques to the cultures and linguistic expectations of their customers. Ultimately, this study emphasizes that linguistic engineering is a powerful tool for companies seeking to persuade customers and enhance their overall experience. While this work focused on the menus of the mentioned airlines at a specific moment, similar dynamics are likely to be found in other texts and diverse media. Therefore, linguistic engineering provides an opportunity for companies to develop more effective persuasion and marketing strategies. The application of these strategies can not only improve original texts but also be valuable in the field of transcreation, a highly functional branch in language translation and interpretation. These tacit strategies provide insights that can be considered as an autonomous method to enhance communication and customer satisfaction.