Writing in International English for a Global Audience

When you're writing for audiences for which English is not the native language, you run into problems with clarity and miscommunication. To overcome this obstacle, you are encouraged to write in international English, which means that you must un-Americanize your writing so that anyone who understands the English language can fully comprehend your writing.

Writing in international English for a global audience isn't difficult if you are consistently cognizant of your words. If you aren't paying attention, you might use slang or words with double meanings that can easily be miscommunicated for a non-native English speaker or even for a translator. Your job is to make this as easy on your global audience as possible.

1- Use Both Active & Passive Voice

Some cultures -- such as that of America and the UK -- prefer the active voice in most formal writings, while other cultures -- such as Japanese or Chinese -- often find the active voice to be condescending and would prefer passive phrases. When writing in international English, try to use both the active and the passive voice interchangeably. This will have a better effect on a global audience and will make your translator's job much easier.

2- Be Clear Rather than Indirect

In our American culture, we are often indirect in an attempt to be polite, skirting the real issue with the full knowledge that the other party catches our drift. This isn't the case when writing for a global audience because your indirection will most often be confusing. For example, rather than saying, "We hoped you might cut us some slack," the preferred sentence would read, "We would appreciate it if you gave us more time." This is much clearer and is less likely to cause confusion.

3- Avoid Using Abbreviations and Brand Names

When writing in international English, your goal should be to create as little room for confusion as possible. One of the hallmarks of the English language is the prevalence of abbreviations and brand names, both of which can be found in most American publications. A global audience, however, is not going to understand all of these little idioms, so avoid using them in your writing. For example, rather than saying, "I needed a Coke," say, "I needed a soda. And for abbreviations, spell out the full word (Captain) rather than using the abbreviated version (Cpt.).

4- Avoid Ambiguity

Some words in English have double meanings that should be avoided. For example, the word "since" can mean either "from then until now" or "because". Therefore, a sentence starting with, Since you went to the game..." would be confusing. Instead of "since", you would want to use "after" or "because". Any ambiguities could be misinterpreted in the translated text, so read over your writing carefully to avoid them.