Yesterday I mentioned the current trend towards International English in white papers. Susan Oakes asked whether International English was American or British language. And I thought this merited a longer reply here.
First, let’s have a look at this video:
[display_podcast]
British & American English Have More Differences Than Just Spelling
As you can see from this video, when you live and work in both of these countries, you usually notice the cultural differences between British English and American English. These cultural differences go beyond different spelling. In many cases you need explanations, or interpretations and even a British-American dictionary to explain both:
- Country specific vocabulary
- Different meanings for the same word
In addition, there are a series of cultural differences in how British people use their language and how the Americans use theirs. Even if both languages are called English there is a learning curve to go through to become fluent in the communication used on both sides of the Atlantic.
For native English speakers this learning curve is not usually a big deal. There are few areas where mistakes in interpretations can have serious consequences.
But for non-native English speakers who learn English one way, these cultural specificities add on another layer of difficulty and are not easy to translate into other languages. In some cases, these extra difficulties can have serious consequences. For example, when complicated machinery or health issues are involved any possible misinterpretation can have serious consequences.
The problem is that these misinterpretations increase with the use of culture specific English:
- Whether it is American English for people who studied British English,
- Or British English for people who studied American English as a foreign language.
Why Are Businesses Moving Towards International English?
Website globalization does seem to be a big factor behind the trend. Here are three reasons why:
Global Website Templates. Businesses are having their website translated into more and more languages. The number of languages available on websites is steadily increasing. This brings the need for website templates to make multiple translations easy. And multiple translations mean that you need to start off with text that is easy to translate into multiple languages. If you do not “clean up” your English before sending it for multiple translations you will have:
- Translations which say different things in the different languages
- Increased translation costs
To avoid this the original text in English is made very easy to understand for non-native English speakers. The grammar is amended to get rid of any possible misinterpretation during translation. Some people use the term “Global English”. This process usually also improves the original text in clarity and consistency.
Wider Audiences. Globalization also brings English speakers with different cultural backgrounds, and different ways of speaking English. Companies also feel the obligation to improve their English for these wider audiences. This is what is happening with white papers. And even if British English is the official version for the EEC, many large companies are choosing American spelling and an internationalized English. This is simply because that is the best way to communicate with their global markets.
Politically Correct. One translator who works for a large Swiss multinational company, told me that the company directives to implement International English was initiated to avoid favoring one way of speaking over another within an international environment. This might be a sign in global awareness for being polite to all English speakers.
Should You Use British Or American Spelling?
The spelling really does not matter as internationalization your English is about improving the understanding of your content across a wide number of different cultures.
You can choose either British or American spelling. Most businesses choose to use the spelling that is easiest for their biggest, or most important, client base. But any decision process that makes sense works well.
I think that the choice of spelling used to have more of a political reason before. Companies in Europe or in former British colonies used to always opt for British English. But now with website globalization and widespread American English software it is often easier to consider American English.
International English is more about taking out the cultural quirks that make it difficult for other cultures to understand. I always think of it as aseptically treating the content. When you navigate between cultures non-stop and actively seek to connect with people (some people don’t try), your language changes naturally over time. You learn what to avoid and what to say and how to say things to make it easier for a wide audience to understand.
Where Can You Find International English Guidelines?
This is a problem. I have not found a good set of guidelines. And I believe this is because we are in the middle of this movement and there are different players. There are:
- British English evangelists and American English evangelists.
- People who only see the need for Global English with translations in mind and others who only want to communicate with as many people as possible.
You can find guidelines written by a few people in these different groups, written from their particular viewpoint. All of these groups of people would benefit from taking a more global understanding of the issues at hand.
This is why I like to look at the non-native English professionals who do not have any guidelines to follow. They need to be understood in today’s world, so they simply jump in, and learn what works and what does not work.
The main reason why people adopt International English is to improve communication across a wider international audience. There are no definitive rules and guidelines for International English currently available. This is an area where you need to apply a good dose of common sense and flexibility. An international background does help too. You can find a link to the guidelines I use below. Keep in mind that you will need to adapt these guidelines to your business.
- Are your marketing materials for one specific culture, or an international audience?
- How do you decide whether you need British or American spelling to reach an international audience?
- When would you think of using International English for your website and marketing materials?
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
- Global English To Avoid Miscommunication
- 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
What you need to know about International English:
More in these Get International Clients Business Guides
 | Want to learn how to avoid cultural blunders? Subscribe to this blog feed. Need to turbo charge your cultural skills? Get my short cross-cultural communication tips. Ready for serious international marketing? Skype me or email me & let's grow your business. |
