All over the world, people think, speak, read and write in different languages, and the number one of those languages is not English. So as you’re reading this right now, chances are there are non-English speakers translating it so they can read it too. More than 70 percent of the Internet’s websites are in English, and of the rest, only about a quarter of all those other websites can be read by those who speak English. Some don’t have the time or natural aptitude for a foreign language, and there is still a significant communication barrier.
Through emails, phone calls, face-to-face interactions, and websites, communication is a constant and often instant barrage for anyone. In business, proper communication is essential. Even if you have the best speech, lack of understanding will be the only thing that will stop any business from moving forward. In academia, knowing the most important information in your field will often require knowing what’s going on internationally, and much of the academic literature and materials won’t necessarily be in your native language. For example, in scientific research in Spain, the desire to expand its global business of bringing products, services and new advances led to an increase in the desire for translations of works in Spanish.
The question of how to resolve that communication barrier arises from the seemingly obvious choice to use translation services in one way. For many, this may mean machine translations. By putting the text into a translation service on the computer, the basic gist of the text is preserved. However, details are lost and, depending on the ambiguity of the word choice, the translation can seem almost as confusing as the original. Because much of the meaning of the original language can be based on subtext, many have suggested that machine translation is a place to start, but it is not an effective method on its own. However, that is not to say that no one is trying to solve that problem. In Europe, much research is being done to develop even more accurate software for automatic speech-to-speech translation. For now there are other methods available.
The classic approach to this communication barrier comes in the form of a person. After all, qualified translators can be the best investment a company has. Qualified translators will have extensive translation training, with high fluency in both the language you require and English. With a qualified translator, the risk of business going wrong is greatly reduced, and in the scientific, medical or academic field, it makes it much easier to learn about the main advances.
In general, the communication barrier will never go away as long as there are different languages that people need to speak. Fortunately, there are tools, both electronic and human, that help bridge the gap in the hope of clear communication and better understanding globally. As long as people continue to take advantage of the tools available, the barrier will cease to be a barrier and become less of an obstacle to get around.