Language barriers are an issue for all of us. Florida Gulf Coast University has an abundance of exchange students, and what we need to know is that the skills we will learn here will seriously help us in the work force. Countless jobs include dealing with people international, but it is important to know how to deal with the differences in cultures. When speaking through the internet it is extremely easy to take things the wrong way. Here are some key points on how to avoid those awkward situations.- Some countries (such as America) like to make e-mails concise as politeness not to waste the other persons time. However, other countries find this a way of showing a dislike for the person.
- Avoid using American "sayings". They too can be easily confusing and what is worse your reader can not look them up. In short, use language that is most likely to be found in a dictionary so your reader can look up words they do not know and will have a better understanding of your letter.
The best way to guarantee you a successful international correspondence is to do research on the culture of your reader. The more you understand the person as a whole, the higher your chances are for mutual understanding.
Writing That Works, Walter E. Oliu, 2006
Ha ha...loved the cartoon. Why do people think that if they speak loud, someone will understand them? Nice voice in this post. Just a few grammatical issues.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I have personally experienced difficulty in communicating with people from other cultures. I think that studying their culture can help a lot.
ReplyDeleteI work in Bonita Springs with mostly spanish speaking people. It is difficult to communicate but you learn ways to communicate without words to know what the person is trying to say.
ReplyDeleteNice graphic, and the tips are correct some people do not undersand the words we use, so its common courtesy to not make them feel confused purposely.
ReplyDelete