The widespread use of English in international business makes it easy to assume writing your content in English is enough. All you need is to simply avoid slang and culturally specific English language phrases and vocabulary.
But it is not always that simple. Miscommunication can still loom. And through no fault of your own.
First ask yourself these questions:
- Do you have a large number of non-native English speakers who read your English content?
- Will you need to translate your English language content into several languages?
If you answer yes to either or both of these questions, then you need to take a closer look at your own communication. This will help you avoid miscommunication.
There are two main reasons for the new trends in writing Global English or International English.
1 – Make Communication Easy
The rise in proportion of non-native English speakers online presents a unique perspective.
If you want to communicate well across non-native English speaking cultures, you need to adjust your communication.
2 – Make Translation Easy
An international company today often needs a website in over a dozen languages. In fact, international companies usually have content in well over 20 languages. And this number is increasing every year.
When you invest in multiple translations you will greatly appreciate starting with the right source text.
- Your source text is easier to translate
- The various translations will be more representative of your original text.
Another Perspective On Avoiding Miscommunication
During the recent Olympics in China examples of translation errors were widely available online. Most were comical, some portrayed bad translation skills or the bad use of translation tools.
In international business you have a choice to make:
- Will you or will you not take a step towards other cultures?
And will you do this with your own communication?
- Will you communicate as you do at home?
- Or will you make an effort to adapt your communication for everyone?
You see, if you really want to connect with different cultures, and especially with non-native English speakers, you need to turn towards them.
- You need to be open to other cultures.
- You need to adjust your communication…and your English.
When you adjust your English communication, your English becomes what is referred to as International English, or Global English. It is English that is very easy to understand for different cultures.
International English or Global English is also a great source base for translations.
More on Internationalizing Your English:
- A Multicultural Writer Gets More International Readers?
- Adjust Your Own English Communication To Meet Other Language Levels
- Americans Need International English Too
- Culture-Free Communication
- Customize Your Content For Different Cultures
- English For International Appeal
- Focus On Your Cultural Communication
- International English For Better Communication With Global Audiences
- Internationalize Your Own Communication
- Is International English In Your Future?
- Translation Friendly International English
- What Flavor Is Your English?
- What Is International English?
- Where To Learn How To Write International Or Global English
{ 3 comments }
Cindy, you're right, and the need of making everything easy to translate is true for everything build around your site: marketing materials your partners around the world will translate, powerpoint presentations, brochures and so on. I remember a phrase in particular that defined our software product that sounded great in English, was great to position us in a certain range of products, but was really difficult to translate. We had do adapt it, of course, but a simpler, more common phrase would have made everyone's lives a lot easier
Yes. And have you noticed how some of the big global websites that use those simple phrase for translation seem to lose part of their soul. It's a hard thing to balance.
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