In several previous issues, Global Communicator has touched on cultural and linguistic points of consideration for people doing business outside of the U.S. Many of these tips involve measures for "saving face", avoiding major cultural taboos, and information about local languages. Although English is far more worldwide in its distribution than all other spoken languages (it is an official language in dozens of countries), it is only the third most common native language behind Chinese and Hindi. English also has become the most useful language to learn for non- English speakers interested in international travel. But is it enough for U.S. travelers to only be prepared to communicate in English when traveling to other countries? If your life and freedom depended on it, would you bank on English as the de facto international language? Probably not.

Travel and tourism is an inherently international industry, and is already one of the largest online market sectors. Take, for example, the surge in medical tourism (patients going to a different country for either necessary or elective medical procedure). This is fast becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry. Also known as global health tourism, it is said to be one of the fastest growing industries in global healthcare and in the travel industry. The American Medical Association says an estimated 150,000 Americans received healthcare overseas in 2006, with almost half of the procedures being for medically necessary surgeries.

Medical, legal, and business jargon can be confusing enough in English. Travelers can take several steps to ensure that they are linguistically prepared for their trip to a non-English speaking country and avoid being lost without translation.

Translate your medical history BEFORE you travel. Detail any major illnesses, medication, allergies, etc. and avoid abbreviations. If you do have a medical emergency and no one can speak English, you can at least produce this document with your vital healthcare information. Find a professional translation agency to do it for you. Don't rely on free websites or translation software.

Ask that information be provided to you in English. If not, does the conference, legal or government office, or medical facility have access to on-site interpreters? Or, do they have other English-speaking staff?

Use a telephone interpreting service. There are several companies that provide immediate access to interpreters via telephone. You can even bring along a prepaid interpreter card. These cards provide pay-as-you-go interpretation between English and a number of other languages.

Know your emergency contact. Ask the consulate, your travel agent, hotel concierge, or other local, English-speaking person if there is an emergency resource available, similar to a "9-1-1" service.

Bring resources with you. Carry a foreign language translation dictionary or a pocket translator with you at all times in case you do run into difficulties and need a little help making yourself understood.

Ask for tools. Some restaurants, airports, government offices, etc. have cards with common images on them that you can point to your illness, need, or food choice. You can also bring your own along. This is an especially good idea for people with severe allergies, i.e. to peanuts.

Learn basic phrases. It's always a good idea to learn a few words and phrases in advance of your trip. For example, "I do not speak German. Do you speak English?" is a good start in addition to the basic greetings and culturally appropriate gestures.

Find out more
Global Language Solutions (GLS) provides professional translations in 100+ languages. Contact us for more information. For additional information about the travel industry, visit this issue's Useful Links or Upcoming Events.