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English is the second official language in Kenya and the Philippines, the first two countries I lived in when my husband began his tenure as a U.S. diplomat abroad. However, it is not among the first two languages most people learn. The order usually goes: tribal language first (more than 68 in Kenya and over 120 in the Philippines), followed by the primary national language (Swahili and Tagalog, respectively). English is third if learned at all.
This means conversing with a Kenyan or Filipino in English doesn’t necessarily mean you are speaking the same language. I now live in El Salvador, where communicating in my lower-intermediate Spanish is easier than with many Kenyans and Filipinos in English.
Typically, the sender is blamed when a message is not received as intended, and rightfully so. I am no exception; I made many faux pas before it dawned on me that perhaps I should adjust my communication style to match my audience. Communicating was frustrating, and I often walked away from conversations without achieving my goal. Worse, I am sure I offended people without intending to or knowing I did.
Unfortunately, you don’t know what you don’t know. I still cringe thinking about my interactions in Africa and Asia. Let me save you some embarrassment and frustration. The following lessons are critical abroad and help me convey my message more smoothly domestically.
Avoid Subtlety and Don’t Get Fancy: How Clear, Direct Language Boosts Cross-Cultural Communication
As a woman, schooled in the art of asking for things without sounding pushy, I tend to hide requests within tentative language. For example, “Please send the report by 3 pm’ becomes “Would you be able to send me the report by 3 pm? Thank you!” (The examples shared in a recent hertelier round-up) hit a little too close to home for my comfort). This tactic can undermine credibility, especially among direct reports, decreasing the likelihood of the request being handled. Abroad, it was utterly useless. For non-native English speakers, the conditional tense and a request framed as a question add grammatical complexity that obscures the message. My team had no idea what I was asking for. I now realize why my deadlines were often not met.
Furthermore, when sharing facts or opinions, keep it simple and concise. No subordinate clauses or passive voice. State your message in the affirmative tense, with just one subject and verb per sentence. Don’t get fancy with your grammar or pull out every five-dollar word you know. Save those for creative writing and conversations with people you know will understand you. When communicating to convey a message, make it as easy to receive as possible.
Why Colloquialisms and Sarcasm Don’t Work
They do not translate! Terms like ASAP and close of business are meaningless (the former is not interpreted as an acronym and is therefore undefinable, and the latter implies the business is shutting its doors for good). When your words make no sense to the listener, they rightfully blame you for their confusion and tend to ignore them. Stick with the clearest phrases: ‘as soon as possible’ and ‘by 5 pm this evening’ will make your point effectively.
Sarcasm is even more dangerous. It comes across as serious at best and insulting at worst. I tend to use self-deprecating humor to make my point. I like to think it makes me relatable and self-aware (though it may just make me sound insecure). However, when the audience is more focused on translating the words than interpreting the tone of voice and implied meaning, it sounds like pointing out one’s flaws. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn this until six months into my job in Kenya; the resounding theme of the 360 reviews my team completed was that I was insecure and unqualified for my role as their leader.
Beware of Lingo: Navigating Cross-Cultural Communication Pitfalls
Words can have different meanings in different locales. Americans call the storage space in the back of a car a trunk, but the Brits call it a boot. Likewise, a word can refer to something other than one is used to. As an American, when I hear boot, I think shoe, not car. This is easy enough to deal with once you identify the difference.
However, when those words are technical, and the concepts they represent are essentially opposite, the challenge is real. Upon arriving at the Tribe Hotel in Kenya to build a revenue structure, I was introduced to the PMS/RMS’s actual/forecast report. I took for granted that the future values represented the expectation of future bookings – the forecast as I knew it. When I asked how that forecast was generated, the standing answer was, “That is what the system says." When I asked about the On-the-Books (OTB) report, I was directed back to the same file.
It turned out that their forecast was my on-the-books. Ordinarily, I do as the Romans do when in Rome, but that seemed impossible here. Forecast and OTB refer to contradictory concepts. OTB includes the business that is already booked for a future date, the bird in the hand, so to speak. The forecast is the total business you expect to materialize, the metaphorical two birds in the bush.
To continue mixing metaphors, calling an OTB report a forecast means only counting the chickens that have already hatched (as opposed to a forecast as I know it, which counts all the chickens, even those that haven’t hatched yet). This posed a lexical problem when I introduced the practice of forecasting future business.
Bringing It Home: Practical Communication Tips for Working Abroad
These lessons were hard learned during difficult interactions for all parties involved, but they are invaluable. Miscommunication can occur in any setting, regardless of context or native language. Now, when I find that my message is not being received by native and non-native English speakers alike, I examine it through this lens. More often than not, I broke one of my rules. While my requests are not always honored and my message is not always well-received, restating it within these guidelines makes it at least more likely to be understood.
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