There are many words in English that can be used interchangeably, but…………………………..
Today’s blog is by Margaret Stewart, Director of HR and Administration at SafeSourcing.
There are many words in English that can be used interchangeably, but sometimes you must be careful doing so.
There are many words in English that can be used interchangeably, but sometimes you must be careful doing so. Whether it is paraphrasing or using literal translations from one language to another, the results can vary from humorous, to confusing, or even deadly. For example, in 1977 a Pan Am airplane and a KLM airplane crashed into one another, killing 583 people, all because of a miscommunication due to using a literal translation of English. While this is certainly not common, it is something that we must each be careful of.
There are some instances of literal translations that are just funny rather than deadly. For example, the word hedgehog in English is translated to “needle mouse” in Japanese. The English word for gloves is translated to “hand shoes” in German. Another example is the potato is translated to “apple of the ground” in French.
Sometimes, misuse of words can affect your business as well. If you choose the right words, some may even say “buzz words”, then your business website could potentially get more traffic and likely more resulting business. The following is an example sentence that contains numerous words that help bring visitors to your site: To alleviate or avoid budget traps, some of these words can guide consumers deals, coupons, or code to buy the cheapest and best bargain deals with the best discount to easily eliminate, end, and cure and protect your purchase quick, for men, for women, for students, for guys, for girls, for children, for sale.
In addition to the uses of words already mentioned, when using contracts or other terms or conditions in your business, it is exceedingly important to choose words carefully and expand on any language that could have multiple interpretations. This may add to the amount of paperwork that a business needs, but should accurately relay the ideas or information that is intended. Carefully reading and reviewing documents can help ensure your business language is on point.
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References……………………………………………………
- Airplane Crash: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/comment/tenerife-airport-disaster/
- Literal Translations: https://thelanguagenerds.com/hilarious-literal-translations-from-different-languages/
Buzz Words: https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/increase-website-traffic/
