Writing for International Audiences
When your readers span countries and first languages, writing that works perfectly in Britain can confuse or mislead elsewhere. Writing for international audiences means stripping out the assumptions that do not travel beyond your own market.
It also lays the groundwork for translation, making that process cheaper, faster and more accurate later — clear source text is the single biggest factor in a good translation.
What Trips Up Global Readers
Some of the most natural-sounding writing is exactly what causes problems across borders.
- Idioms and slang that do not translate.
- Local references, sports metaphors and humour.
- Ambiguous date formats such as 04/05.
- Currency, units and examples tied to one country.
Writing With Translation in Mind
Shorter sentences, plain vocabulary and consistent terminology translate more reliably and at lower cost. Reusing the same word for the same thing, rather than varying it for elegance, helps both human and machine translation get it right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is British English a problem internationally?
Usually not, but be aware of spellings and terms that differ from American or other variants, and pick one standard.
Should we translate everything?
Translate what matters most to each market first; you rarely need every page in every language from day one.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.