Language

Clarifying meaning

When an instructor called for “originality” in his students’ essays, what did he mean? A Filipina student thought originality meant going to an original source and explaining it; a student from Massachusetts thought originality meant coming up with an idea entirely on her own. The professor, however, expected students to read multiple sources and develop a critical point of their own about those sources. In subsequent classes, this professor defined originality as he was using it in his classes, and he gave examples of student work he judged original.

This brief example points to the challenges all writers face in trying to communicate across space, across languages, across cultures. While there are no foolproof rules, here are some tips for communicating with people from cultures other than your own:

Listen carefully. Don’t hesitate to ask people to explain or even repeat a point if you’re not absolutely sure you understand.
Take care to be explicit about the meanings of the words you use.
Invite response—ask whether you’re making yourself clear. This kind of back-and-forth is particularly easy (and necessary) in email.
Remember that sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. A visual may help make your meaning absolutely clear.