Be Mindful of Cultural Boundaries

With globalization, the world shrinks as barriers to trade and communication are lowered, fostering economic and technological interconnection. Culture is also influenced by globalization; each nation has its own local culture, and sometimes it goes by state. As a consequence, it has become more critical for businesses to understand the culture they are entering with their communications. Localizing content to that culture is very important to a business’s success. You wouldn’t want to offend someone in another country, just like you wouldn’t in your own nation.

Marketing internationally is not just about translating words on a page or in any other medium. You could have every word translated perfectly, but your approach or message of the marketing piece might be offensive to a particular country. Your marketing efforts would be wasted because you didn’t consider the culture.

There are many languages and even more cultures. Languages may be the same, but the cultures within them are different. For example, in the U.S, using the term “quite good” means that something was delightful. However, in the UK, using the term “quite good” means something was average and could be better. Localizing this expression would be essential, as you wouldn’t want your company or product to be “quite good” in the UK.

A component of localization services is language localization within the domain of language translation services. For example, see the spelling differences in the table below in the usage of the English language.

There are also different meanings for the same word in countries that use the same language. Find examples in the following blog posts: Canadian English Versus US English

What are Cultural Boundaries?

Cultural boundaries are invisible lines separating groups of people based on shared traits like language, religion, ethnicity, customs, and values, that influence social interactions and create identity. While often subtle, they can be perceived as delimitators (such as French-speaking Quebec vs. English-speaking Canada). They are as personal as family traditions, and these traits shape behaviors and beliefs and determine access to resources.

Learned through socialization, these boundaries define what’s familiar and acceptable within a group. They can become more permeable with globalization but remain powerful in shaping identities and differentiating cultures.

Examples of Cultural Boundaries

Cultural differences affect symbolism and what is considered proper to show in videos and images. Therefore, it is also essential to localize images.

For example, in the Muslim culture, the sole of a person’s shoe is considered extremely dirty and unclean. Thus, showing the sole of your shoe to someone is viewed as an insult. Similarly, in Muslim cultures, an image showing the sole of a shoe will not be met with a positive view. Localizing the image to one without the sole showing is a simple way to bring a more positive response to the content.

Let’s look at another example of image localization in the Arabic culture. If you have a picture of a woman wearing a Bikini, it would be seen as very offensive in that culture, and the marketing would not be successful. This is because the picture was not localized. While the image may be seen as acceptable in the U.S, it would not be acceptable in conservative Arab culture.

There are more detailed aspects of localization you might s consider, such as hand gestures. An example of a hand gesture that should be localized is the American “peace out” sign. In the U.S., it is seen as a normal gesture. However, using it in the UK is nearly equivalent to sticking up a middle finger in the U.S. It is swearing, and the British won’t respond well to it.

The hand gesture for “ok” that we use everywhere has a not ok connotation for the Brazilian population.

Cultural Boundaries to Consider in the Workplace

Cultural boundaries in the workplace ian area of this important topic.

It covers differences in communication, values, personal space, feedback styles, dress code, holiday respect, and what is acceptable or not in personal topics, including politics and religion.

As companies become multinational, these themes are vital and should be included in training and employee manuals. That is a complex theme. To illustrate, we are going to leave 2 examples for reflection:

• Use of silence: In some cultures, staying silent indicates respect for the other person and thoughtfulness. What in others might indicate disagreement and rebellion.
• Collectivism or Individualism: There are cultures that foster group work and harmony, obedience, and a lack of sharing your views. While others focus on personal goals and achievements, and foster competition to improve everybody’s work.

How to Produce Content that is Sensitive to Cultures

1. Prioritize quality over cost. If AI Translation services are used with your content, always contract human review. Do not leave your reputation to automation without review. Machine stranslaiton are getting better by the minute, but you cannot rely blindly on its quality
2. Hire Multilingual Experts. Select a trusted language service provider that has the experience and the resources to arrange the team for your project. That translation agency will have subject matter experts and linguists to manage cultural elements.
3. Quality assurance. Do not cut corners, account for the time needed for your project and for the quality check by professional reviewers. Translation services are the cost of the opportunity to have success in other languages and markets.

Localization to Other Cultures is Essential in Today’s World.

There are many cultural differences that require more than just translating content. Phrases might need to be localized, as do images, colors, and even signs. They all must be checked to avoid offending someone in another culture, which is the last thing you want to do. Remember- you are trying to attract them to your brand and products or services, but in another language.

Take a moment to think of your experiences in other cultures, and you will understand the importance of localization. Mindfulness of cultural boundaries is especially important when translating marketing materials to void misinterpretation, offending clients, and misrepresenting the brand.

The localization of video and website translation projects helps ensure relevance, builds trust in your product and services, and enables effective communication in the new language by selecting the right words, conveying the intended meanings, and designing and visualizing the content with cultural context in mind.