Posts Tagged ‘Business’
Are you learning English for Business? Congratulations. Improving your language skills can be a great way to move into a better job or even get the job you’ve been dreaming of for a long time. But, have you asked yourself this very important question? Exactly what business are you studying for? This is a question many English language learners never really ask! You see the language we use changes depending on the situation. The type of business, the work environment, and many other factors will influence the language used in one business from another. Of course some of the language and communication purpose stays the same, but a lot is different. This isn’t really too hard to understand, but lets look at a simple example to really clarify what I’m talking about here. Imagine two people who work for different companies in different industries. One works for http://yahoo.com as a programmer in the internet industry, and another works as a check-in attendant for British Airways in the airline transportation industry. Both require business English, but quite clearly the language the programmer uses to talk with “The Boss” will be very different from the language the check-in attendant uses. You won’t hear the programmer asking a client “Do you want an aisle or window seat?” very often. Nor will you find an airline attendant telling his or her supervisor that the latest sub-routine has a bug in it that is causing client’s computers to crash. This just makes simple sense… [Read More...]
As far as international languages go for business communication, English reigns supreme and high above all others. No other language even comes close to being used in an international setting to close deals both large and small. Something most people donât know is that a lot of the time deals are bought and sold not with native English speakers but rather with speakers who use English as a second language. English is a way to advance in the business world and English as a second language speakers know this all too well. Learners must go through all the necessary steps from grammar to idioms to speaking, as every other expert English speaker must do before becoming proficient. But is all this highly structured learning necessary, the answer is both yes and no. Students should understand a term known as âlinguistic imperialismâ which is defined by its creator Robert Phillipson as “the dominance asserted and retained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages”. What this means to non native English speakers is that native English speakers may expect other people who do not speak English as a first language to understand their expectations and culture. By learning a specific type of English such as Canadian English or British English, you will be better able to interact with Canadian speakers than if you hadnât bothered to learn British English to its fullest. However if you learn the English language at its basic… [Read More...]
You may be surprised to learn how many business deals have gone awry, or just never got off the ground due to misunderstandings during negotiations. Deals are reached when each party can clearly understand what the other wants and expects, and they are able to establish a meeting of the minds. This can be very complicated if there is a language barrier. Would you trust your entire deal to your translator? Sometimes translators are not able to convey a message in the way that was intended because there is simply no direct translation between languages. Learning English can help you to better understand the expectations and desires on the other side of the table in a business meeting, and also to convey your own needs and positions. Learning English will help reduce unnecessary time between contract re-writes and re-negotiations due to misunderstandings that can take place in a meeting. You might be surprised at how often this happens during international business dealings. Learning English will help you to reduce or even eliminate these awkward situations, and will also enable you to improve your business practices in general. You should also be aware that once you have mastered English, you will be able open up your business to entirely new, untapped markets; markets that you would have never been able to reach had you not learned the language. There is a great deal of money to be made in many English-speaking countries, no matter what the industry. Learning English using… [Read More...]
The United States can be a very lucrative country with which to do business. The standard of living in America is high, and even bearing in the mind the recent economic downturn, the dollar is still strong compared to many other currencies throughout the world. One issue many international countries encounter when doing business with the United States, is that it can be difficult to find a representative who speaks English fluently, and with proper business mannerisms. A few of the reasons that learning English will help you do business with the United States include: * Learning English will Help You Appear Professional: While you may be a very professional person, and completely serious about your proposal, delivering it in a foreign language or broken English is considered to be very unprofessional in the United States. It is important that you are able to convey your offer or service in a manner that is not only understandable, but also sincere. * Learning English will Help You Develop Personal Relationships: It is very difficult to develop a personal relationship with a fellow business associate if you have never actually been able to speak to them. Speech – and understanding speech – goes a long way toward building trust with most people, as we pick up on mannerisms and body language when a person talks. * Learning English Shows Dedication: Making the effort to speak English also shows that you have the dedication required to go the extra mile to ensure… [Read More...]