Sorry, No English: 50 Tips to Improve your Communication with Speakers of Limited English

Description

Have you ever struggled to communicate with a limited-English speaker? Have you been frustrated by unsuccessful interactions with non-native English speakers? Did you know there is a simple solution to improve cross-cultural communication in English? What most of us native speakers overlook in these situations is that the problem here may not be the limited English of the other person; it could be our English. And while we certainly can't do anything about the former, we can do a great deal about the latter. This short book gives 50 practical tools to help you become aware of and adapt your own language to completely transform exchanges with limited-English speakers and greatly increase the chances of a satisfying outcome for both you and the limited-English speaker you're trying to help or serve. And the good news is: it is not that difficult and it is entirely in the hands of the native speaker. Craig Storti is a nationally known figure with over 30 years of experience in the field of intercultural communications and cross-cultural adaptation, and the author of several standard works, including Culture Matters, a cross-cultural workbook used by the U. S. government in over 90 countries. He has successfully led workshops on cultural diversity for Fortune 500 companies, hotels such as Marriott, diplomats, civil servants, and foreign aid workers. But it was his 90-minute segments on common mistakes native speakers make when talking to limited-English speakers and how participants could improve interactions that became the most popular and useful aspect of his training. This much-needed book is ideal for anyone working in a public-facing job from government to hospitality, health care, international organizations, human resources, cross-cultural and diversity training, English as a second language teaching, foreign aid, or those with a love of language, culture and communication.

Craig Storti is founder and co-director of Communicating Across Cultures, a Washington DC-based intercultural communication training and consulting firm. With work appearing in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune, he is the author of six books. Having lived nearly a quarter of his life abroad, he lives now in Maryland. www.craigstorti.com