Communicating with non-English speakers

In our multicultural society, we’re often in a position where we need to communicate with people who speak a language other than our own. That’s also increasingly true as business becomes increasingly globalized.

Americans have traditionally relied on the other person to speak English. Today, that approach is often not accepted. Suppose, for example, you get a promotion to a position that has you working with clients in China (or Germany, France, Italy….). You don’t speak the language. The client is probably going to make allowances for that, initially. But after a while, this is going to get old.

They are going to start shifting business to your competitor. Why? Here are some things your competitor might have done:

*Took the time to learn a few facts about the client’s culture.
*Took the time to learn a few words and phrases in the client’s language.
*Used an electronic pocket translator in a meeting with the client.
*Has started learning the client’s language.

But don’t think you're going to be immune to language barriers by dint of learning a few languages. There are eight major languages in Europe alone, plus the major Asian languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Tagalog. It’s unlikely you’re going to learn all of these any time soon.

Maybe you had Spanish or French in high school. How much of that do you remember? If your company assigns you to handle a new account in China, will that long ago training do you any good?

One solution to such predicaments is to take a language course for the specific language you need. But getting up to speed is going to take a while. And sure, you can shorten the calendar on that by devoting more of each evening to language studies. But you may not have that much evening to spare.

Another solution that appeals to many people is using an electronic translator. These are pocket-sized devices that two people can use to help bridge the language gap.

Of course, I like this solution because my company sells electronic translators ( www.Mindconnection.com/Translators ). But these devices solve only part of the larger puzzle in communicating with non-English speakers.

When you’re dealing with people whose native language isn’t English, the communication situation is not totally about the technical skill of language fluency or translation ability. It’s also about the attitude you communicate.

Suppose your company is exploring a new venture, and delegates from another country visit your offices. You can tell right away that English isn’t their native language; in fact, they aren’t very good at it.

You know a few words of their language, and you have a pocket translator. But that’s not at all the same communication situation as if you grew up next door to each other.

How can you accommodate these people in a way that reduces stress and aids communication? Here are some tips:

*Use simple, common words wherever possible. These are the ones the other people probably learned.
*Speak in short sentences. These are easier to process than are long sentences.
*Speak slowly. When you speak quickly, the foreign language speaker may find it difficult to discern the individual words.
*Speak in semi-staccato. Deliberately leave “spaces” in your words.
*Avoid adjectives or adverbs. These just add translation load.
*Don’t shout. The issue isn’t that they are hard of hearing.
*Use and read body language . Frequently make eye contact. Use relevant, meaningful gestures.
*Use pen and paper. Not for text, but to draw. You don’t have to be a great artist to make meaningful representations on paper. Anyone can draw a glass with water being poured into it from a pitcher, for example.

What about correcting the other person’s diction or word use? Yes, it’s acceptable within fairly narrow limits. It is not acceptable to pollute the conversation with a stream of corrections.

So, what are those fairly narrow limits? When the other person asks you for “how do you say…?” or seems to be struggling for the right word or how to say it, your help is being sought. It’s OK then to offer the correct word or pronunciation. Smile when doing it, and take a tone of suggestive helpfulness rather than one of correcting the other person.

Another time is when you don’t understand. Start off by saying you don’t understand. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.” You then might ask the person to try to write it out, or you might suggest a word. But make it a process where you are both working together to figure it out.

Language differences can be a barrier. Or, they can bring two people closer through their mutual efforts to cross the language barrier. Whether it’s personal or business, the effort you make to understand the other person speaks volumes about you.

While language lessons and electronic translators are extremely helpful, always be sure your tone and your actions communicate respect for the other person. If that respect is the only message that really gets through, you’ve managed to communicate the most important message. If you fail to communicate that, the other messages probably won’t much matter.