{"id":5815,"date":"2017-05-30T12:44:40","date_gmt":"2017-05-30T18:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetingone.eu\/eu-fr\/?p=5815"},"modified":"2018-12-04T12:26:32","modified_gmt":"2018-12-04T19:26:32","slug":"idioms-in-a-global-virtual-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetingone.com\/eu-fr\/blog\/idioms-in-a-global-virtual-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Avoid Idioms in a Global Virtual Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Idioms and slang \u2013 they\u2019re part of our everyday expressions and life.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

\u201cLaid an egg.\u201d \u00a0\u201cGoing postal.\u201d \u00a0\u201cCut to the chase.\u201d \u00a0All common phrases Americans use every day. \u00a0Each is understood within our borders, and all capture some part of the American perspective and heritage.<\/p>\n

But what happens when they\u2019re introduced into the contexts of online training with a multicultural audience? \u00a0Will those learners understand American idioms in a global virtual classroom?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\"global
\nMany global businesses are shifting to training their international teams in a new way. As opposed to traditional face-to-face sessions, these organizations are opting for the more affordable and very interactive setting of virtual classrooms. \u00a0And our little idioms have come along for the ride. \u00a0(Idiom intended.) \u00a0All too often our colloquialisms present a difficulty to learners\u00a0who are not natives.<\/strong> \u00a0(Heck, there are expressions one part of our country uses that the rest of us don’t understand!)<\/p>\n

We forget that we must adjust our American and Western training practices to accommodate successful phrasing\u00a0for learners who may speak English as a second or third language. \u00a0If we don’t, there can be unintended\u00a0miss-communication\u00a0when we teach in a global virtual classroom. \u00a0This is especially true of idioms.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s consider how a few American idioms could leave a learner baffled and confused.<\/p>\n

\n

American Idioms in a Global Virtual Classroom<\/span><\/h2>\n

“Hit it out of the park.”<\/span><\/h3>\n

Baseball has been an immensely popular sport in the U.S., and its cultural impact has been significant. \u00a0When we use the phrase “hit it out of the park,” we pull on that knowledge shaped by our American background.<\/p>\n

The challenge with Idioms is that there is often context a non-native speaker won’t understand.<\/strong> \u00a0If you say to a learner, “Hey, Dev, way to hit it out of the park,” they may have no idea what you mean. \u00a0First of all, to understand what you’re getting at, they need to have a working knowledge of baseball’s rules. \u00a0Then, they must understand that “out of the park” is another way to describe a home run.<\/p>\n

Where “Hit it out of the park” simply means to do something very well, an individual who’s unaware of the rules of baseball isn’t going to understand what they’ve hit (or its relation to some park). \u00a0Your compliment potentially turns into a source of embarrassment for the person who fails to grasp the expression.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Coors<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

“In the ballpark…”<\/span><\/h3>\n

Keeping with baseball related phrases, we often use the phrase “in the ballpark” when guessing at a number. \u00a0“Hmm, I’d say it’s in the ballpark of….” \u00a0Where does that even come from?<\/p>\n

Well, when a batter hits a ball, it’s most likely going to land somewhere in the ballpark. \u00a0We just aren’t going to be sure where. \u00a0(Now, if they just jack it, maybe it will go out of the ballpark, but that’s beside the point.)<\/p>\n

Although your audience may understand the context, by using “in the ballpark of” rather than something simpler, “it’s roughly…,” you’re adding\u00a0unnecessarily to your learners’ cognitive load. \u00a0This can hinder their ability to keep pace with the conversation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Each of these examples, though so common to we Americans, capture the challenge idioms present to training in a global virtual classroom<\/span>.<\/strong> \u00a0Each usage has the potential to throw a learner off. \u00a0If nothing else, using these little phrases can leave your audience busy trying to process and understand what was intended, rather than staying attentive to the session.<\/p>\n

\n

International Idioms – Would you be able to grasp their meanings?<\/span><\/h2>\n

To further illustrate the challenge idioms present, we thought it would be fun to introduce three idioms from MeetingOne’s international background – and a few other terrific examples from around the world.<\/p>\n

\n

“First cab off the rank.”<\/span><\/h3>\n

Our first example comes from Australia. \u00a0Despite the fact English is shared between Australia and the US, the above phrase may not make sense to an American.<\/p>\n

If you ask a group of Aussie participants to engage in an activity, and one says in response, “All right. \u00a0I’ll be the first cab off the rank,” you may wonder what taxis have to do with anything. \u00a0Well, the statement is a commonly used expression for volunteering.<\/p>\n

\"Aussie<\/p>\n

Maybe you picked up on the intention behind the phrase easily. \u00a0Having “first” in there does help. \u00a0But it is still important to recognize that even cultures sharing the same language may not understand each other’s expressions.<\/p>\n

\n

“Talking\u00a0about little cows and little calves.”\"global<\/span><\/h3>\n

Uh…what does that have to do with anything?<\/strong> Translated from Dutch to English,\u00a0the original Dutch\u00a0phrase is, “Over Koetjes en Kalfjes Praten.<\/span>”<\/p>\n

The phrase captures the idea of small talk – “talking about the weather.”<\/strong> \u00a0If you were a participant in a training and the host (jokingly) started asking you about cows, you might find yourself a bit confused. \u00a0Without the cultural context, “over koetjes en kalfjes praten” may be intelligible, but not understood.<\/p>\n

\n

\"global<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spirit of the stairs.”<\/span><\/h3>\n

“L’espirit d’escalier” – “The spirit of the stairs” – is a fascinating expression that comes to us from our French friends!<\/p>\n

Ever find yourself leaving a heated discussion only to realize the perfect comeback moments later? \u00a0“L’espirit d’escalier” is used to capture that very feeling.<\/p>\n

You can imagine how confusing it would be if someone used the phrase during a training.<\/strong> \u00a0“The spirit of the stairs?” \u00a0Sounds like a spooky novel, or something. \u00a0The phrase is well understood among the French.<\/p>\n

\n

“Talking is silver, silence is golden.”\"global<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is a Vietnamese phrase (more a proverb) is spoken as “L\u1eddi n\u00f3i l\u00e0 b\u1ea1c, im l\u1eb7ng l\u00e0 v\u00e0ng.” \u00a0What’s interesting here is that this expression captures something important about proper Vietnamese business culture.<\/p>\n

Like in many Far East nations, efforts to “save face”<\/a><\/span> are common in Vietnam.<\/strong>\u00a0 If there is disagreement over a topic, those parties at odds may remain silent for some time to keep from offending, and losing face. \u00a0The Vietnamese also privilege seniority in the business place. \u00a0So, subordinates or junior team members are likely to defer to the highest ranking member to answer questions. \u00a0(That said, answers are often made by committee.)<\/p>\n

\n

\"global
\n\u201cOne who\u00a0can\u00a0not read the air.\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n

In Japan, individuals often speak implicitly, expecting a listener to infer what it is they are suggesting. \u00a0Those who don\u2019t pick up on what is implied acquire the title of \u201ckuuki yomenai<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/em>,\u201d meaning \u201cone who can\u00a0not read the air.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Kuuki yomenai” reveals how cultural intelligence can improve training with multicultural audiences. \u00a0<\/strong> Like the Vietnamese example above, this idiom represents Japanese culture on a greater whole. \u00a0If you expect a Japanese learner to be as forthright as an American, you may wind up putting everyone in an awkward situation.<\/p>\n

(By the way, the Japanese are far more forgiving of Westerners, so don\u2019t stress out about being dubbed a \u201cKY” as a foreigner.)<\/p>\n

\n

Score Better Global Virtual Classroom Interactions<\/span><\/h2>\n

What\u2019s important to note is that all of these idioms we\u2019ve included come with long histories that represent their culture of origin<\/strong>. \u201cHit it out of the park\u201d and “in the ballpark” capture American\u2019s reverence for a longstanding pastime: baseball. \u00a0\u201cKuuki Yomenai\u201d\u00a0reveals the importance of nuance and subtlety so entrenched in Japanese society.<\/p>\n

Every culture shapes the way people think and perceive their world. When it comes back to training, these perspectives impact the ways learners will participate and engage content in a global virtual classroom.<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\"Live<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n


\nDo you have international trainings on the horizon?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Have you prepared the content to engage learners with diverse backgrounds?<\/strong>\u00a0 MeetingOne and Virtual Gurus hosted a webinar on this very topic! \u00a0Watch the recording here: \u201cCultures Unite! Creating Multicultural Virtual Classes that Work<\/a><\/span><\/strong>!\u201d<\/p>\n

Here’s what you will learn while watching the recording.<\/p>\n