How is English really being used in international business?

Good question.

Languages are funny things. They aren’t even “things,” actually. They are living, breathing organisms, growing and changing every moment depending on how people use them. English is a perfect example.

The English that is now spoken in international business differs greatly from the native English variety you learned to model in school. This is why it is so important for native and non-native English speakers alike to learn the new rules of speaking English appropriately in international settings.

What we’re now seeing in business is a focus on clarity, not purity. So what if your grammar isn’t perfect or you mispronounce a word. As long as your message is understood, that’s all that matters.

At the same time, if we can increase the ease with which our messages are understood by learning to speak more clearly and by having more patience with our international clients and colleagues, we can decrease costly misunderstandings.

It’s time to start looking at English in a new way. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be clear.