Communication Challenges

the language

The Challenge: Because English is spoken by such a large majority of the population in England, it may be difficult to get by well without speaking at least the basics. British English also has its own word choice, phrases, and slang when compared to other varieties such as American English; these may also differ depending on the region of England or the dialect. Consequently, even some English speakers may come across unfamiliar words. The sheer number of accents and dialects within the country presents an additional challenge– due to differences in pronunciation, it may be quite difficult to work out what another person is saying.

Tips: If you are not very familiar with the English language, consider buying a phrase book or learning helpful words and phrases for travel before your trip. In this case, it may be also beneficial if possible to travel with an interpreter, tour guide, or friend that speaks the language. Even for those that speak English, it may be helpful to familiarize yourself with unique British words and slang. If you know which particular area of England you will be traveling in or which dialects you will most likely encounter, consider watching videos and listening to audio samples to attune your ear to that particular pronunciation. If you don’t understand someone, don’t be afraid to say so, ask them to explain, or slow down!

Resources: You can find many lists of English phrases and British slang on the internet such as the following:

https://parade.com/1293790/marynliles/british-slang-words/

https://preply.com/en/blog/travel-english-vocabulary-phrases/

Consider watching and listening to British programming if it’s available to you, such as news, “Britcoms”, talk radio, and podcasts. Youtube can also be a great resource for finding videos and examples of particular accents and dialects.

https://www.bbc.com/reel: You can watch some short videos here without a subscription

http://radio.garden/search: Radio garden and other apps like it allow you to listen to radio stations from all over the world. Talk or news stations are particularly helpful.

There are also quite a few free apps and online programs for learning English or increasing your skills, such as Duolingo.

distance

The Challenge: To some people from other cultures, the British may seem unfriendly, standoffish, or difficult to get to know. For some of the English, personal questions are considered impolite to ask directly, and in fact, even introducing yourself bluntly in a social context (such as “Hi, I’m…) is not the normal method. Generally, it is not expected or required to engage in conversation with strangers, and while it may vary a bit depending on region, in public situations (like standing in line or taking mass transit), it’s quite common for people to not even acknowledge each other. However, it’s important to understand this isn’t meant as rude or unfriendly; the English value privacy and exhibit a high level of consideration for not intruding or imposing on others.

Tips: Be respectful of privacy and personal space. For example, if there are multiple seats available on a bus or subway, choose a place that is not directly next to a stranger. If you find yourself next to someone, follow their lead; if they do not engage in conversation with you, respect the fact they may wish to be left alone. In conversation, avoid asking personal questions too directly, including asking about their job and personal life. If you are not very familiar, try sticking with safe and neutral topics (such as the weather or sports) and let the other person guide the conversation to other, more personal topics if they wish.

Keep in mind that English people aren’t necessarily unfriendly or unwilling to socialize! It may just take longer to get to know them and require some patience. Try going to pubs, where the social atmosphere is a bit more relaxed and it’s more acceptable to strike up conversations with strangers. It is also easier to establish a relationship with people when you are working towards a common goal or share an interest. It’s quite common for coworkers to get friendly with each other and spend time together outside of work; joining a sports team or other club may also be a good way to meet others.

I'd like to note that in my interviews with both Holly and Becky and John, they stressed the warmth and openness of the English people.

Resources:

Read more about patterns in conversation and social behavior of the English (and more!) by social anthropologist Kate Fox here.

politeness

The Challenge: Politeness is very important in the English culture, and not saying “please, thank you, and sorry” may cause you to seem very rude. However, due to this very same politeness, it may be difficult to tell when you have offended an English person as they are unlikely to directly tell you so. You may find yourself thinking an encounter went very well and be surprised later to find that the other person avoids you or feels differently. Additionally, phrases such as “we must have lunch together soon” are better seen as pleasantries rather than promises or invitations. Although they may indicate the other person enjoyed talking with you or would be happy to meet again, they might also just be a graceful way to leave a conversation. Politeness may also lead English people to make offers they expect you to refuse, such as taking you to the airport even though it’s highly inconvenient or impractical. This may cause some awkwardness, embarrassment, and difficulties if you do accept.

Tips: Remember to always be polite, even in service contexts. For example, it’s common and expected for you to thank a taxi driver or cashier. It’s not abnormal for even the purchase of a couple of small items to involve two “please”s and three “thank you”s. When an English person makes you an offer, seriously consider how much of an imposition it is to them to follow through with it.
For larger favors, insist that it’s unnecessary even if you appreciate it; for smaller things, it may still be best to refuse initially before accepting if they insist. Conversely, if you are offering assistance or a favor yourself, they may refuse even if they want to accept; allow them the opportunity to accept again while expressing how you really don’t mind or it isn’t much trouble.

humor

The Challenge: Jokes may often be expressed with “deadpan” delivery or a straight face. Because they might not smile or laugh, it may be hard to tell when they are joking. In English culture, it can be considered that there is never a wrong time or place for humor as well; this may cause some people to be offended or feel that their English counterpart is not taking a situation seriously enough. It should also be noted that they are fond of teasing and banter, particularly in closer relationships; this may mistakenly be seen as insulting or hurtful.

Tips: Keep in mind that the English frequently use humor to de-escalate tense, uncomfortable, or negative situations; this does not mean they aren’t taking it seriously.
Try not to take yourself too seriously either– most likely no offense is meant with teasing and banter and it’s actually a positive sign they feel comfortable with you or are trying to build a sense of camaraderie!

but what do they mean... really?

The Challenge: While the popular infographic displayed here may be a bit of an exaggeration and presents these phrases without context, people from other cultures may experience a good bit of difficulty deciphering what English people actually mean, even if they understand the words themselves– particularly if they come from a very straightforward and direct background. At worst, they may completely misunderstand their counterpart’s intentions; other times, they may just find themselves second-guessing the conversation and unsure what exactly was meant. This can cause tremendous difficulties, particularly in a business setting, and make collaboration between different cultures quite challenging. When the Rover (British) and BMW (German) merger went poorly, the managers interviewed largely attributed the failure to communication issues and misunderstandings, not economic factors, making statements such as “interpreting what they [the British] mean is a special difficulty.” Notably, this may also cause difficulties intraculturally, causing the English people to guess meanings, intentions, and seriousness even among themselves.

Below we explore four contributing factors to this: negative politeness, indirectness, the use of humor, and understatement.

Negative Politeness

The English have a “negative politeness” culture. When phrasing requests, they may be indirect or try to limit the imposition. (Sorry, but would you mind… If it’s at all possible, could you…) This may particularly lead you to misunderstand the firmness of the request or how important it is to the other person that you follow through with it. In a business context, you may misunderstand what should be considered a demand, requirement, or order as a suggestion or request.

Indirectness

While the English may be very direct when it comes to communicating information, they tend to be very indirect when it comes to criticism, disagreement, and refusals. Consequently, some people do not hear a “hard no” when this is what is meant or think there is a chance their counterpart will reconsider or even that the other person agrees with them to an extent. It may be difficult to accurately determine their evaluation of your performance or actions. As a result of these factors, people may be surprised after developing false expectations of future events or thinking something is going positively.

Humor

Previously, we discussed the pitfalls of taking English humor too seriously or taking offense. However, the reverse can also be true as they may frequently use humor to express criticism or approach other topics they may otherwise find too negative. These comments may therefore be mistakenly disregarded as only a joke, but it’s important to realize an English person may still be trying to make a point or express an opinion.

Understatement

Similarly, the use of understatement may make it difficult to gauge how big a problem something is or gauge how well an English person thinks you are doing in contexts such as work. Words like “rather” and quite” are frequently used to soften statements and negative opinions. “Not bad” could mean completely amazing. “Some small technical details” could mean almost the entire project needs to be redone. “Not very pleasant” or “bit of a nuisance”, could mean something was awful, terrible, and very difficult. In some instances, this might only cause you to not realize how hard of a time a friend or colleague is having or misjudge the amount of time and effort you need to spend on a task. However, sometimes these misestimations may have more severe consequences– this very issue is also seen as contributing to the failure of the BMW/Rover merger when the team from BMW failed to read between the lines in communication with their British counterparts and subsequently did not realize the severity of certain issues in a timely manner.

How to Cope?

Pay close attention to the information and content given in conversation instead of only the delivery, and don’t dismiss it out of hand.
While the English culture is largely viewed as “low-context”, it may still be beneficial to keep an eye out for nonverbal cues and hints as to intention and meaning. For example, indirect expressions of displeasure such as muttering, pursing their lips, rolling their eyes, or raising their eyebrows (often to indicate surprise) may be used.
Judging these situations may be particularly difficult and takes practice. As you become aware of these factors or find yourself questioning meaning or intention, pay attention to the ultimate outcomes of these interactions and use them to help you make better judgments in the future.

Resources: Watch a short video about the communication difficulties in the BMW and Rover merger here.

Luke Thompson discusses and evaluates the validity of the “Anglo-EU Translation Guide” in his podcast here and provides some interesting insights.

negative interpretation

Challenge: Actions and communication styles that are common and acceptable in other cultures may unintentionally give offense or cause a negative reaction when communicating with an English person. As mentioned previously, being too direct in seeking and giving personal information may be seen as very rude or pushy. Likewise, being directly critical or blunt in your suggestions may be viewed quite negatively. In collaborative work and projects, the English prefer to reach a consensus and to feel like their opinions and suggestions are being heard. While this may be frustrating or seem slow to some people, it’s important not to be dismissive or be seen as rejecting ideas without giving them due consideration. Continuing forward before reaching an agreement or insisting on doing things your way may be seen as particularly heavy-handed and will not be appreciated.

Perhaps because of their own communication style, the English may look for subtext in conversations and perceive some phrases as dismissive or less positive than people from other backgrounds. See the image here for some examples of differences in interpretation by Americans and the British. While the video is mostly humorous, it does give a glimpse at how there can sometimes be small differences in communication and interpretation.

Tips: Pay attention to how they communicate and emulate their style when possible, such as by approaching personal criticisms carefully and indirectly. It can also be beneficial to be upfront about your cultural differences so they know what to expect or make a joke about how you might unintentionally be rude.
Try using open-ended questions instead of making statements or declarations of your decisions.
When you have offended someone, a simple apology may go a long way.
Understand that coming from different backgrounds can be a significant challenge in communication and that the other person probably understands this, too– learn from your mistakes but don’t dwell on them or let them discourage you.

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