The Hindu Business Line : Babel babble

ENGLISH might be the international language of business, but if it is your first language and you are addressing a multinational audience it is easy to be misunderstood. Native English speakers can unthinkingly distort an essential message to an audience of mixed cultures by their use of humour, for example. If you are faced with the prospect of making a presentation or leading a discussion in a mixed-culture environment, you would be well advised to keep it short and simple.

Do not assume that all participants speak or understand the amount of English that you do.

Strip your address of irony and double-negatives. "I'm not suggesting you couldn't solve the problem" might leave the listener confused, for instance. Try "we all know you could solve the problem, but..."

Expect to take more time to achieve your objective.

For the most important messages, use alternative media visual aids, images, handouts, professional translations — to ensure that your points are understood.

Consider using professional interpreters to enable all participants to contribute equally.

Keep to one idea per sentence — this is useful in a monolingual environment too.

Make positive, direct statements. For example, instead of "we don't want to hurry you, but..." you could try "we need this as soon as possible. Is this a problem for you?"

Ask people to repeat what they have understood.

Expect and look out for other ways of referring to things. For example, when English managers agree to `table' a document, they will include it in the agenda.

When their American colleagues agree to `table' a topic, they will exclude it.

Provide regular, concise summaries of your discussions.

Paraphrase and repeat a question before answering it — another useful tool in a monolingual environment.

Agree with other participants to exchange notes after the meeting to check what each has understood and agreed to act on.

(Edited extracts from Financial Management, a journal of CIMA, London. www.cimaglobal.com)

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