Communication tips with chinese translation, interpretation, face to face

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How to communicate effectively with Chinese people

- through translation, interpretation & face to face

Frances Nichol

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

WWW.LAN-BRIDGE.COM

About me

• Lived in China for 6 years• Studied Chinese• Taught English, worked

with BritCham Southwest China

• Lan-bridge – top 4 LSP in China

• Translation, interpretation, language training, branding etc.

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Topic today

• What I won’t really talk about

• What I will talk about – communication in a broad sense.

– Communicating through translation

– Communicating who you are

– Communicating through interpretation

– Communicating face to face

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Translating your name

• Transliterate • 阿/伯/德/斯/尔/克/恩/特 etc

• Invent

• Mix it up

• Languages and dialects

• Learn a lesson from the US embassy in Hong Kong.

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Translating your company name

• Transliterate• Mix it up• Even better if the characters

have a related, positive meaning.• Textbook example:

– Coca Cola 可口可乐 kekou kele– Sounds like ‘pleasing and fun’

• You can also keep your name in English, for a foreign flavour

• First to file trademark system!

Example: Swedish baking equipment manufacturerSveba-Dahlen斯巴达能 reflects the sound达means achieving能 reflects energy-saving

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Translating brochures, introductions, marketing

• Content

• Wording

• Background knowledge

• Solutions:

• Translation

• Transcreation

• Copy-writing

"Let's make sure we get good capital allocation... build a

culture of ownership… productive science...

opportunity to domicile... putting together the

headcount…” Pfizer chief executive Ian Read at MP

committee hearing.

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Materials & communications in English

• Keep it short and sweet

• One topic per email or correspondence

• Proposals – send in advance

• Make it “win-win” & next steps

• Cut the buzzwords

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Websites & online

• Do you want to look foreign?

• Research

• Content – adaptation, unique content

• Technical considerations

• SEO & ads on Baidu & other search engines

• Importance of social media (WeChat, Weibo)

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Communicating through contracts

• Which language controls? Which language is just for reference?

• What is your jurisdiction? England?

• When you must have a Chinese contract

– Conforms to Chinese law & Chinese IP

– Arbitration abroad or litigation in China?

• Proofreading & checking

• A note on service contracts & sales tax

Special thanks to Dan at China Law Blog: http://www.chinalawblog.com/

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Face to face: How do Chinese people feel?

• Groups who have international experience and those who don’t

• Second language

• Nervousness, fear

• Tolerance goes both ways

• Difficulties in communicating

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Face to face

• Speak slower! & enunciate

• Avoid buzzwords and colloquialisms

• Rephrase & confirm

• Don’t assume background knowledge

• Be careful with humour

• Find positive topics, small talk

• Avoid sensitive/negative topics

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Through an interpreter

• Ad hoc/liaison/escort, consecutive, simultaneous

• Prepare well

• Ask questions to your interlocutor, not the interpreter

• Pause after every main point & short sentences

• Cut the buzzwords & idioms (again!)

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Summary

• Give yourself positive associations

• Know your audience

• Adjust your message

• Know your channels

• Slow down and simplify

• Thank you!

www.meetup.com/china-unbound

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Questions & discussion

• What problems have you faced in your communications?

• Where have you gone wrong? How did you correct it?

• What successes have you enjoyed?

www.meetup.com/china-unbound