Term of the Week: Fluency

Why does a technical communicator need to know this?

In the localization industry, fluency is a key concept. It goes far beyond the basic definition of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Fluency includes understanding the intricacies of language and cultural nuances, as well as mastering expressions, colloquialisms, and even onomatopoeia[Duolingo 2014]. Clients expect their translations to relay the same ideas as the original source content. Language professionals must not only constantly work to remain expert in both the source and target languages, they must be fluent in the industry they specialize in.

Cultural fluency is key to global customers. It takes more than physical expansion and translated documents to satisfy global clients. The one-size-fits-all approach does not work with global customers, and many large corporations have paid dearly for failing in this area.

With a clear insight into those markets, as well as deep knowledge of consumer preferences, localization vendors can help clients avoid such mistakes. A customized approach feels real and authentic to consumers. Companies can then increase customer engagement on global websites, build trust, and expand brand awareness.

It is crucial to think like the customer and to be culturally fluent to secure revenue growth. Business professionals doing business internationally have to be culturally fluent to work together effectively.