English with Kirsty

This episode is based on an article that I wrote for the <a href="https://www.fremdsprachen-jobs.de/news/confuseanenglishspeaker/"?> Fremdsprachen Jobs</a> site about words and phrases that are used by German speakers, and that sound like English, but which don't mean the same thing, or don't mean anything in English! I decided to talk about this here because some of the topics can be applied more broadly in terms of words that might make sense to you and everyone in your office, but not to people from other parts of the world. Every language has these words and phrases, even more so as English is increasingly used for business. I chose examples from German because I am most familiar with those. Can you think of any more?

Happy New Year!Today I'm talking about three important skills for language learners. It is important to develop these skills, but they all become less relevant and necessary as our language skills improve. Find out what they are in today's episode, and let me know if you can think of any more to add! The links and other information that I mention are on the <a href="https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode195/"> show notes page.</a>

Today I'm sharing with you my conversation with Jane Eggers from Jane Eggers Translations. We share our tips and experiences when it comes to attending business networking meetings in other languages. We hope that the things that have worked for us might also work for you too if you find yourself in similar situations, or if you want to attend more of this kind of meeting to present yourself or your business in English. Even if this isn't relevant to you, many of our ideas will also work if you're taking part in meetings in English, or any other additional language that you may have.You can find out more on the show notes page:https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode194 Or, if you're interested in the business networking in English course, you can find out more here:https://englishwithkirsty.com/about-the-lessons/business-networking/ 

Nicole is the founder and Creative Director at Hynek Associates, a digital marketing and communications agency in the UK. She was born to a Czech father and British mother, giving her a unique experience and insight into culture and language growing up. Nicole started out in photography in 2005, learning the industry from the ground up. She added film to her portfolio in 2012 and has continued to grow and develop both herself and her business since that time. She has an MSc in Business Psychology and is currently a part-time PhD student in Organisational Psychology at the University of Worcester.  We talk about Nicole's experience of learning a language as an adult, the value of exploring a language with those who actually speak it, the way your personality and how you express yourself can change as you move between languages and cultures, how Nicole's experiences have helped her in her business, and the importance of really listening when you want to communicate and understand the other person well.<a href="https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode193"> Find out more on the show notes page.</a>

When we think about listening skills, it's often in the context of understanding others. Many of my multilingual clients see speaking in English as a challenge. It's a challenge that I understand too, because I also face it when I'm using other languages in which I don't feel as confident.Part of the solution to this problem is to become more used to and comfortable with listening to ourselves speaking the other language. In this episode, I explain why this is important and give some suggestions on how to do it.<a href="https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode191"> You can find the show notes page here.</a>

Jennie is the owner at <a href=https://masteryourmessaging.com"> Master your Messaging</a> and <a href=https://lovelyvoice.com> Lovely Voice.</a>   This is how Jennie introduces herself: " I’m Jennie Eriksen and I work with clients on effective online communication and messaging. As a confidence and visibility coach, I help clients who are struggling to confidently show up online with an engaging message, whether that’s a networking meeting, a Facebook Live, Webinar, Summit or maybe as a podcast guest, or speaker.I work with clients to create memorable messaging.Together we work on laying the foundations of how you talk about your business, make genuine connections, and ensure your message resonates with others so people understand what you do.This work goes hand in hand with my narration work. As a professional voiceover I write and narrate for clients worldwide. I know first-hand how difficult it can be to get your message right, every time.We talk about how to come across authentically in networking meetings, some of the benefits of attending meetings online, and, at a time when some of us are doing a lot more talking, how to take care of your voice. 

Nic is an engineer with vast experience in the IT and Telecommunications industries. He is also the National Director for Ireland at the Mindset Owners Club. He is married and has four children.Our conversation covers many language-related topics, including methods to learn a language, the experience of studying for a PHD abroad, raising multilingual children, and working in an international environment. You can visit the show notes page here.

This week I have another conversation to share with you. Eva is a Spanish translator who is passionate about international trade and the cultural and linguistic challenges linked to it. Her multilingual translation company, Genuine Translations, helps businesses break all the marketing, legal and technical translation barriers by translating their products’ labels, localising their website, providing certified translations and so much more. Eva is also the Co-Founder of Local to Global, a one-stop gateway for all exporters’ cultural, linguistic and branding requirements.We discuss Eva's work, points to consider when working with contacts in Spanish-speaking countries, and some of the problems that can arise when companies don't take the time to source quality translations.You can find out more on the show notes page.

This week I have a conversation to share with you. I was talking with Zanne Gaynor and Kathryn Alevizos from Acrobat Global about how communication is a shared responsibility, especially when you're working in international settings where some people are not using their first language.English is often used as a common language for business, but those of us for whom English is a first language have a role to play in making sure we communicate clearly. This isn't about reducing complexity or speaking to people like children, but it is about cutting out unnecessary words that don't add value, avoiding expressions that could be confusing, leaving enough time for people to process, and not making assumptions - among other things.The conversation is packed with tips about how we can be better communicators in international settings, what good experiences we all had as language learners, where people took the time to make conversations easier, and some ways in which you can help others to feel included.We also talk about Zanne and Kathryn's books, "Communication in a multi-lingual world" and "Communication in a neurodiverse world".You can find out more on the show notes page:https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode188/

This week I'm talking about the importance of becoming a better listener, how this can help you develop better business relationships, communicate more effectively, and help those around you to feel heard and understood.You can visit the show notes page here:https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode187/