Managing Heterogeneous Audience Heterogeneous Audience It is defines

Managing Heterogeneous Audience

Heterogeneous Audience • It is defines as different kind of people of thing. (Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary) • Heterogeneous audience is group of people who are different Demographically with different intellectual level(high tech, Low tech, lay and multiple audience).

Guide Lines • To communicate effectively to a multicultural audience follow these guidelines • Define acronyms and abbreviations • Avoid Jargons and idioms • Watch for cultural biases/ expectation • Be careful while using punctuation marks • Do not use bias language

Define Acronyms and Abbreviations • Acronyms and abbreviations cause most problems. • To avoid communication problems , define your acronyms and abbreviation parenthetically the first time you use them.

Examples Do you know what FYI means? You probably but the one who is Japan, China, Mexico will be not able understand common acronyms. Why take the risk ? Just define it parenthetically: FYI (for your information) Do you Know What NUML means ? Might be you know but would your international readers will able to read it so why take the risk ? Define it parenthetically: (National University of Modern Languages )

Avoid jargons and idioms • The same problems applies to jargons and idioms. Words and phrases that are common expression in English but meaning less in other language. • Avoid idioms because the second language speaker, reader or listener will not be able to understand you.

Example If the computer industry says that “the system crashed so we have to reboot”. A literal translation of this jargon in any other language will be different and it will confuse them (Sweson WE 194)

Watch for Cultural Biases • Your text may include words and graphics. • As a writer or presenter you need to realize connotation of images and colors in other culture • Some time non verbal talk creates trouble for a speaker, so one must study other culture to avoid any sort of misunderstanding. • Some time some animals and fruits give a different meaning.

Examples • The idioms in the red and in the black will not necessary give the same meaning as it gives united states. • The color red is a symbol of danger in united states but in china it has a positive connotation • Apple is a sin of sin in Hinduism and Buddhism • Pork is a common word in united states but pork is a negative symbol in Muslim countries • to kiss over the cheeks is a common trait in United Arab Emirates but not in other contries

Be careful while use Slash Mark • While writing do not use such slash marks which are not translatable. For example : Slash Mark (/), we can find the meaning of slash when we try to translate any English text with slash mark it in to Urdu language.

Do not use gander bias language • many of your audience will be women. This does not constitute a separate audience category. Thus do not use gander bias language. • Gander biasness creates problem, such as omission , inequality and stereotyping

Examples 1. Biased: A nurse is trained to understand her patients’ emotions as well as physical symptoms. 2. Better: Nurses are trained to understand their patients’ emotions as well as physical symptoms 3. Biased: The average teenager worries about his physical fitness. 4. Better: The average teenager worries about physical fitness 5. Biased: The average teenager worries about his physical fitness. 6. Better: The average teenager worries about physical fitness