In international communication, it is the idea and concept processing that are important. Working with the context of where and how the information will be used is more important than the language itself.
If the context and culture are correct, the proper language to use will follow.
1. As you plan to enter the foreign markets, plan for the multilingual aspect(s) of your product(s). It (they) must be part of the plan not an after the fact, patched in, idea.
2. Comprehending the culture comes before understanding the language as you prepare for the marketplace. Cultural knowledge influences basic strategies. For example, in Asia, white is the color of mourning, not purity and weddings.
3. Multilingual translation is not a service to be paid for by the piece, or by the hour. This is not like having the lawn landscaped, or the house re-wired. Work with professionals who understand the cultural, linguistic, and psychological implications and considerations of what you are trying to accomplish, and who will work until the job is correctly completed. Find people who hold these considerations as an ideal and want to work to achieve it.
4. It is not cost effective to treat localization as the orphaned, added-on, segment of the project. Words and ideas cannot be translated mechanically in a single try with good results. It can take as long to translate as to do the original writing. For example, in an interactive disc, or any other audiovisual project, the timing of the two languages must work, intellectually, as well as visually or the lip syncing will be ridiculous.
5. A planned, coordinated, approach saves hassle, time, and money. Avoid duplication of effort; there are inherent problems that arise when there are two (or more) approaches to a concept. Put one person in charge and, as usual, keeping it simple will make the bottom line difference.
6. If you end up with more than one translating service in a country, because of enormous quantity, appoint someone to be responsible for continuity. If you are working in more than one culture you will need someone to coordinate all the different pieces. Planning for this from the beginning will save grief, as well as time and money. Your finished products will look as though they came from a single mind, with an identifiable focus.
7. Invest in a cross-cultural audit before releasing anything. Piloting each discrete piece can save a lot of time and money. Focus groups should accomplish this with a minimum of expense.
8. Centralize the business communication tasks. The writing, video/audio-taping, translation, cultural decisions, typesetting, programming, printing, etc., need to be coordinated. Each, step has places where problems are lurking.
9. The devil is in the detail. In print, a single dot, or accent mark, can change the entire meaning; in audio, tonal languages need to be given attention. Pay attention to these things in your early planning.
10. Simple translation does not equal communication. Do not treat translation like word processing.
And the final tip for successful international communication is that we need to understand the people who come from another country and culture in today’s global business environment.
