Phenomenon of a message being misunderstood or not accurately conveyed due to language or cultural differences is called message lost in translation. If you want to find out more about it, check this article!
How to communicate with people in other language?
There are several ways to avoid a message lost in translation when communicating with people who speak different languages or come from different cultural backgrounds. First of all, you should use clear and concise language. Keeping messages simple will minimize the risk of misunderstandings. Second thing is being aware of cultural differences. Maybe you are not able to know all the differences at the beginning, but at least try to check somewhere those that are the most common. The last but not least is asking for feedback from your interlocutor to ensure that your message was understood.
Messages lost in translation in companies
Probably, at least once in a lifetime, each of us has had the opportunity to hear about a case of incorrect translation of a company’s name or advertising phrase. This happens even to the largest companies, such as Pepsi. However, this can bring millions of losses, so it is worth knowing what to do to minimize the risk of inadequate translation. First of all, always check the translated name with a native speaker. This will greatly minimize the risk of error.
