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Find out more about these seven tips below:
Speak slower
Speak clearly
Simplify your language
Cut out the slang, jargon and metaphors
Watch your body language
Understand cultural nuances
Use local terminology...correctly
This is the most important tip, and while it might seem obvious, it is key to being understood by an international audience, and so many native speakers forget to slow down as soon as they get on stage.
Speak slower—about 30%-40% slower than a normal, conversational pace.
Most non-native speakers need slightly more time to absorb and then understand what you are saying, if you are speaking too rapidly, you could potentially lose your audience.
Focus on taking longer pauses. Break up long sentences and ideas with a 2-3 second pause, and add a 3-5 second pause at the end of a sentence.
Lack of pauses, and speaking quickly, can make the ideas and words run together, and it is pretty easy to get confused if you are not 100% fluent in the language or do not speak it every day.
Find out more about speaking slowly and using pauses here:
Enunciating and articulating is a must.
It is easy to get lazy with speech habits. Skipping out on the endings of words and mumbling, instead of carefully using the tongue, lips, and teeth to form the entire word.
The result is that words can run together (like “gonna” and “whadja”), and the meaning of what you are trying to say can be lost or misinterpreted.
Be careful to pronounce the end consonants in every word that you say. This is an especially common mistake with words like “comin’” or “goin’”.
Without clear enunciation, words can take on different meanings. For example: “bein’” ends up sounding like “bean” instead of “be-ing”.
Avoid using contractions (like can’t, mustn’t, would’ve), as they can easily cause confusion as they are not used uniformly around the world and can substantially change the meaning of a sentence:
Saying:
“I can’t imagine a worse result.”
Could be heard as:
“I can imagine a worse result.”
Speak clearly by using:
“I cannot imagine a worse result.”
Be on the lookout for furrowed brows or quizzical looks. It probably means that the audience has not fully understood what you have just said, and it can be worth going back and repeating the last statement again with more clarity or in another way.
Use simpler words in shorter sentences.
Make an effort to emphasise the key words in each sentence more clearly.
Try and simplify a sentence wherever possible. Avoid using complex and obscure sentences.
Break up sentences more frequently then you would in everyday conversation—while the average spoken sentence is around 15 to 20 words, try cutting this in half to 7 to 10 words.
Don’t use a complex word when a simpler word will do, for example: say “get” instead of “acquire”, or “do” instead of “implement, or “send” instead of “transfer”.
We’ve heard it said that English second-language speakers are able to understand at the level a 12-year-old native English speaker, but there is a definite risk in “dumbing down” your content— you could come off sounding condescending.
Your audience is made up of capable, intelligent people who need a little more time to absorb what you are saying.
We are not advising you to use using simpler words because your audience are not intelligent or don’t have the vocabulary—it is likely they know the definition of the word “transfer”, but as it is not as common as “send” it will take them micro-seconds longer to process, which is unnecessary if there is a simpler word that will just as easily get your meaning across.
Want to read more on this topic? Check out these articles:
Complex topics don't have to be boring: 3 ways to make your message more engaging
Getting blank looks when speaking? Here is what you should do.
Addressing a multicultural audience | Presenting in Dubai: 6 Tips from an expert speaker
Use simple, neutral language.
A surprising amount of English can be made up of slang, colloquialisms, jargon, buzzwords, cliches, idioms and acronyms.
What exactly are they and why are they a problem?
Here are some definitions and examples to make sure we are on the same page:
Slang and colloquialisms: Words or phrases that are used regionally (like Americans or Brits,) or socially by a specific group of people (such as teenagers, sports, or military,) which are not widely used outside of that region or specific group of people.
Examples: killing me, bail, cammies, moonbeam, bae, couch potato, piece of cake, jonesing, John Hancock, woke, jelly, shook, go off.
Issue: Your audience are unlikely to understand slang, and as it changes frequently, with new words being added, it is hard to stay on top of, especially for audiences where English is their second language.
Note: Both Americans and the British love using sports terms. There are hundreds of sports expressions used in everyday language that might not make sense to an international audience. Check out the list here.
Jargon and buzzwords: Words or expressions used within a specific industry or professional group that are not normally understood outside of that field.
Examples: Game changer, the helicopter view, face time, in the pipeline, fiscal conservative, media firestorm, compensatory damages, malfeasance, disrupt, affordance, real-time data.
Issue: when you use jargon you reduce the ability of an audience to understand your message, and it is often difficult to figure out what terminology means. Read more about removing jargon in this article: Reach more people: cut the jargon and speak for a broader audience
Idioms and clichés: expressions or phrases that have a meaning when used together that is different from the words used individually. Specifically, clichés are ridiculously overused idioms.
Examples: a diamond in the rough, frightened to death, the writing on the wall, read between the lines, fall head over heels, all’s well that ends well, a matter of time, get cold feet, change of heart.
Issue: Idioms and cliches can be very difficult to translate, as often the meaning is not expressed, or is not a direct translation of the words used.
Acronyms: abbreviations formed from the initial letters of words, then pronounced as a word.
Examples:FYI, FAQ, ASAP, AKA, DIY, AWOL, HR, ETA, LGBT, RSVP, YOLO, FOMO
Issue: These are nearly impossible to translate as the words have been cut out entirely.
Instead of using these potentially confusing and untranslatable words, keep your language simple and clear. If you are going to use an industry term or acronym that the audience might not know, take a moment to define it the first time you use it.
The NGO “Feel like you belong” has made a fairly comprehensive list of difficult phrases, which may be helpful.
If you would like to use an example to illustrate a point, use a common examples from nature, as they are often easier to understand.
You can use body language to emphasize words or points. While your presentation doesn’t need to become an extended version of charades, you can use gestures to emphasize what you are talking about.
For example, if you are explaining how to operate a piece of machinery, you could demonstrate what you are saying by gesturing gear shifting or pressing buttons. It shouldn’t replace what you are saying (ie. “I did this (presses button) and then this…(gesturing a gear shift)” but it can be used to emphasize your meaning and clarify your words.
This being said, be careful because some some gestures, facial expressions, and body language can have different meanings in different cultures.
3 examples:
While eye contact is considered great body language in the West, direct eye contact can be considered rude in many Asian countries and in some regions in Africa.
Nodding your head in most parts of the world means “yes” or agreement, it can actually mean “no” in some parts of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.
The “ok” hand symbol can imply something is worthless in France (zero) and could even cause offence in countries like Brazil.
There is not a universal body language when it comes to gestures, so it is better to double-check before getting on stage.
Either way, having an open body position and good posture are internationally accepted as positive body language.
It can really pay off to fully understand cultural assumptions—both yours and theirs.
Often, we automatically assume that our cultural norms are universal, but you might be surprised. What works in North America and Western Europe might be considered insensitive, taboo, or bad mannered in other parts of the world.
Learning the basic characteristics of the cultures of your audience members can help you avoid unintentionally offending them.
Here are three examples you may find surprising:
Time and punctuality: Around the world, timekeeping can be viewed very differently. While in parts of South America, running over your session by 5 minutes might not be considered an issue, doing this in Germany will frustrate your audience and be considered disrespectful. This can be applied same with showing up 5 minutes late to a pre-talk prep session.
Sex doesn’t always sell: In North and South America (and several European countries) using sexual imagery and undertones is not really an issue, and can really help you grab attention or get a message across. You might not think twice about using an image of a woman in a bikini relaxing on a beach. But this won’t always suit more conservative, religious, or family-orientated audiences, like in the Middle East or Malaysia.
Using direct or forceful language: While this might be seen as powerful or impactful in some countries, it can be considered rude in cultures who place a high degree of respect for the honor-system, such as some countries in Asia. You might think you are making a strong point, while they might consider it outright offensive.
Take a moment to read up on the cultural nuances of the country you are visiting before you get there—it might save you from making a faux pas.
Localize your language to maximize comprehensibility.
Miles, yards, or kilometers? Fahrenheit or celsius? Stones, kilos, or pounds?
Similarly, talking about a 9th-grader might not make any sense in a country that does not use that education system. You are better off just using ages.
Even when presenting in a native English speaking country, these small details can be the difference between the audience fully understanding what you are saying or not.
Localizing your words, phrases and even your stories can make you more approachable and likeable, showing that you have taken the time to try and make your talk as understandable to your audience as you can.
Where possible throw in a few words or phrases that you have learned from the native language (if there is one joint language) of your audience. Using a greeting, please, thank you, and maybe a few other keywords in your talk can go a long way in showing that you have done some research before getting on stage.
This being said, double check that you are saying the words correctly, because a mispronunciation can change the meaning of what you are trying to say quite substantially—even a different inflection or emphasis can change the meaning. Check with the organizer or a colleague who speaks the language before breaking it out.
While there is no one correct way to do things, being respectful of your audience and making an effort to be understood should be your aim when taking the international stage.
Want to learn more? Read these two great guides next:
Ready to start getting more speaking engagements from around the world? See our events board for international opportunities.
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