Тунникова В.А., Шаталова Е.А.

Ростовский Государственный Экономический Университет (РИНХ), Россия

The language barrier in international trade and ways to overcome it.

People very often underestimate language attitude for making their way up to the top. At the same time employers complain about skills shortage. There is an information gap in language skills, in particular in English skills, by employees.

Today a communication between partners and colleagues is going more important by developing commercial, economic and political relationship. Now the English language is a mode of communication between representatives of international companies. It is an ability to maintain correspondence and competently communication to create company’s image and establish its reputation in the world business community. The modern trend of increasing interest in learning English by people, who deal with international companies, is a basis of introduction a language politics by international companies.

It is no secret that an ignorance of language is one of the cause of barriers in business communication. As a result there are a lot of problems by company’s activity in a foreign country. There are many causes of unsuccessful business receipts abroad because of incorrect translation or ignorance of local traditions and manners. There are some problems of cross-culture aspects if a seller has no understanding and desire to learn about the country where he is going to sell his production in this case.

Languages barriers between transactors also occur during negotiation and conclusion of contract. There are a lot of problems when partners from different countries torture words because of lack of English knowledge during negotiation. That’s why good language skilled employees are at the forefront of world business community.

It is a usual practice for European and Asian people to speak several languages. In these countries one of the languages is a basis of international communication. But when none of the sides of negotiation has partner’s language attitude English is used as an universal mode of communication. English is considered to be a business language over the past 50-70 years worldwide. Therefore the English knowledge is going binding criterion by recruiting. Putting language skills into practice employers encourage employees to learn a foreign language. In this situation young people are going to make a conscious choice. Besides the impact of language barrier isn’t estimated in materials but in company’s reputation during the negotiation.

Nowadays international companies use English as negotiating language and contract’s language. It is also used in presentation, writing business letters and calling.

Specificity of the English language is that each a separate area has its own particular language and has its own specifics. Business medical vocabulary, in the case of the English language, may be different from business English vocabulary of managers, and some terms and expressions, which in one region represent one item or action in another industry may have a different meaning.

The second specificity is a knowledge of own branch. It is requirement to have the branch knowledge to study terms in English. Besides it is very important to know right use of words. It is better to learn English at work. For instance, the usage of accounting term “intangible assets”. Every economist, accountant or financier will understand what is meant. It remains only to translate correctly the meaning of the term in the Business English language- «intangible assets». But an unskilled employee, who doesn’t deal with the accounting records, costing, will have a lot of problems with translation. Because first of all it is necessary to clear the meaning of accounting term “intangible assets”, to translate it correctly.

Also scientists note typical business language and volitional nature of the functional-style shade requirements. Such documents as acts, regulations, orders, instructions, directives, instructions, certificates, official letters, perform informing, instructing and stating the functions in various spheres of economic and administrative activity that the grammatical level is expressed in the use of the imperative and constructions with the verb “let” as well as the use of structures and other modal verbs.

The using of politeness form is the important part of business communication in English. Therefore, the whole documents, which are used by establishing relationships or discuss any issues with foreign partners, are very formal. For example, commercial and juridical vocabulary is used during contract’s conclusion. It is impossible to translate any paper with no idea of sales contract, force majeure and other terms of the contract. If unskilled person, unlike a manager, reads the words “goods” he will not understand the right word sense.

Every manager, who is anxious about the successful operation of his company in foreign markets and strong ties with foreign partners, knows that overcoming the language barrier is a one of the most important aspects of the international trade development To solve these problems company’s CEO introduce the language policy in the framework of which specific recommendations are developed, namely, the need to recruit staff, taking into account existing applicants have the linguistic competence, subjecting them to the necessary testing; initially it is necessary to stipulate the level of demand for communicative competence of the employees; to use translation services; to invest in language training of staff, travelling abroad; to make the most of linguistic knowledge of employees during work in teams, to involve the company professionals who are native English speakers, and more.

The problem of communicative competence formation is very crucial at the moment. It has a reasonable explanation: in a modern society employers are looking for a good skilled employee, possessing the culture of business communication at a high level.

In conclusion, we suppose that the language barrier and its overcoming is extremely important in international trade. The solution to this problem is directly related to how well- language policy is built by senior management in such companies. The study of English business vocabulary is important for any professional working in the company having a foreign connection.

Literature:

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3. Статья «Проблема преодоления языкового барьера в ведении бизнеса»; автор: Ковальчук А.С. Журнал «Актуальные проблемы экономического и социального развития предприятий пищевой промышленности», № 4/2014.

4. Kluach, K. International sales: the language barrier finally overcome

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