A Different English For Your International Audience

Culturally Customized Content

There was an interesting article published last Friday on the BBC News: New lingua franca upsets French

It is the end of this article that I find most interesting.

International business professionals are finding themselves confronted with a new breed of English language.

• Non-native English speakers have a distinct way of speaking English.
• And the native English speakers are having a hard time understanding this new form of their own language.

Some people call this new form of English “Globish”.  I have used “International English” to describe it here.  I have also heard the term “Global English”.

This Globish or International English is picked up by non-native English business professionals who need to communicate effectively in English.  They need to have results and they also need to limit cross-cultural communication blunders and barriers.

Here are some particularities of this new form of the English language:

Less Vocabulary

Vocabulary is drastically reduced.  In this article, it states that Globish only has 1,500 words.

Non-native English business professionals use their words wisely.  They get straight to the point.  They use the minimum amount of words to make their point clearly.

Less Fun

Certain things are avoided:

• Humor
• Metaphors
• All abbreviations

These are major pitfalls in cross-cultural communication.

Lack Of Personality

Native English speakers often feel that Globish leads to a lack of warmth or personality in the English language.

And in many ways this is true.

National metaphors add life to communication.  So does humor.  And abbreviations mean that you can get onto the more interesting part of your discussion faster.

But Globish speakers avoid them like the plague because they can easily create confusion, misunderstandings and this simply slows down communication.  You often only pick up the confusion or misunderstanding much further down the road.

Reasons To Use Globish

But this stark way of communicating also has a distinct advantage:

• You communicate more effectively to a broader audience

There is also another advantage:

• Globish or International English is very clear.

This is why such a wide audience can quickly understand what is being said.

• Clarity and consistency are key elements for good web content.

Globish speakers are also very good at identifying possible areas that can lead to cross-cultural confusion. They know when it is best to give more details or ask for confirmation of understanding.

• People with good Global English or International English skills are good communicators.

Yes, some of the non-native English speakers may still make grammar mistakes.  But do not underestimate their power of communication.

If you need to communicate across a wide international audience, which includes non-native English speakers, contact me to find out more about the International English copywriting services I offer.

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• Translations, Foreign Language Content and Culturally Customized Content
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