Axtell Do's and Taboos of Using English - Softcover

E. Axtell, Roger

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0471308412 ISBN 13: 9780471308416

Publisher: John Wiley &Sons, 1995

Synopsis

"Roger Axtell is the international Emily Post."-The New Yorker

English has become the global language-the dominant language used in international trade, science, technology, and travel. But for most Americans, the potential for linguistic misunderstanding, confusion, and embarrassment when using English with nonnative speakers is greater now than ever. In this essential guide, veteran international businessman and raconteur Roger E. Axtell shows you how to use English successfully in any business or social context-and how to avoid making embarrassing or misleading statements to people who are trying to understand you. Inside you'll find:
* Valuable rules for making yourself understood when communicating with people from other cultures
* Dozens of amusing anecdotes that illustrate the potential trials and pitfalls of using American English around the world
* The important differences between American English and the English spoken in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and South Africa
* Helpful advice on using interpreters and translators
* Special sections on communicating in English with speakers of other languages, including Japanese, German, French, and Italian
* Tips on telephone conversation and dangerous cognates

About this title

About the Author

ROGER E. AXTELL is a former VP of Worldwide Marketing for The Parker Pen Company who has spent thirty years living and traveling abroad. A much sought-after speaker and seminar leader, he is also the bestselling author of several previous books, including Do's and Taboos Around the World, Do's and Taboos of Hosting International Visitors, and The Do's and Taboos of International Trade.

Reviews

Aimed at speakers of American English, Axtell's book can assist business travelers, tourists, and students who want English from over here to communicate correctly with English as spoken over there--whether that's as a first, second, or third language. He presents glossaries for translating English English, Australian English, and New Zealand English into American English. Tips for using American English beyond our shores include avoiding slang, jargon, and acronyms; enunciating clearly without any "gonnas" or "shuddas" ; and being especially careful when numbers are involved. He suggests that numbers be repeated or written out to avoid any misunderstandings that might arise from differing interpretations. His goal of creating "global communicators" stems from 30 years of living and traveling abroad for the Parker Pen Company. Having seen the disastrous results of misspoken English firsthand, Axtell offers anecdotes to stress the need for speakers to know the meaning of what they're saying where they're saying it. Written in a chatty style, this is an ideal book to read while flying over international borders. Jennifer Henderson

Axtell is the author of six other "Do's and Taboos" books treating such topics as public speaking and hosting international visitors. This latest outing in the series tackles the problems with using American English in English-speaking countries and in other lands as well. The work is divided into three parts: "Understanding American English," "Understanding World English," and "Becoming a Global Communicator." The first section offers little more than amusing anecdotes of misspoken language and a history of how American English developed. Works such as Richard Lederer's Crazy English (Pocket Bks., 1990) offer a more detailed treatment and many more examples of the ill uses of language, while Robert Mccrum's The Story of English (Viking, 1986) better explains the history of the language's development. The second section examines the differences between English spoken in America and that spoken in other English-speaking nations?information that could for the most part be found in any good travel book on the country in question. The third section provides information on using English in business and social situations, i.e., pick-up lines and synonyms for a rest room. The premise of this work is interesting, and bookstores, especially travel bookstores, will most likely want to stock it. It is, however, not suitable for any library except public libraries that either have extensive travel collections or do not own any works similar to those mentioned above.?Neal Wyatt, Mary Washington Coll. Lib., Fredericksburg, Va.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Wiley &Sons
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0471308412
• ISBN 13: 9780471308416
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224