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Language in Business and Marketing

5/18/2018

2 Comments

 
by Sarah Olukole

What is the study of Language?  Your mind may immediately refer to the collection of words that are available and that are systematically used to a common group of people, who are of the same nationality or belong to the same community.  On a general level this definition applies, and it also covers the nature of language and its development through sound patterns, language structures and its uses.  However, the study of language in business and marketing covers the way in which, as a business, you convey your ideas and specific messages to your listeners.  There are key areas to consider when we refer to language on a more general scope - language form, language meaning and language in context.  Let us examine these areas more fully.

Language form mainly refers to the surface features of language and how they are arranged.  The focus in language form is the development of key language skills that includes both vocabulary and grammar and how it is used in context to communicate.  It can be broken down into 3 components – content, form and use.  These are the rules that govern the structure of language and its placement in communication. 

Language meaning focuses on the system of human communication and its structure through speech or writing form, so that the audience it is directed to can comprehend and make sense of what is being said.  It involves pronunciation, conversation and tones.  The grammar structure in this regard, must make a connection with the meaning. 

Language in context forms the framework of its use.  It is also important to keep in mind the phrases and sentence structures that are used.  Vocabulary and grammar are very important when used in context as it must have a great impact on listeners.  The study of language is literally a journey!

In the corporate and business world, keeping these areas in mind is crucial as it allows businesses to examine and use these language structures as a way of communicating to various audiences.  The context, meaning and form all contributes to the collaborating to get a particular message across.

The above rendering and explanations of language also applies when we are referring to the common language, as it were.  Business language though, incorporates a lot more and can be very effective in Marketing.  There is a universal underestimating of just how powerful language is and its remarkable way of influencing people.  Another interesting factor is that, Business Language involves 2 factors…

1.      Business terminologies and knowledge
2.      Business Speech / dialogue that is used to communicate to consumers

We will consider how both of these factors contribute to success for a Business…

Business terminology is an important business language as it allows us to communicate effectively.  It means that we can increase our understanding of central business ideas and terminologies and be familiar with the business world.
There are also many choices of business speech that are used to convey messages to audiences.  What you need to determine is what choice of language you are going to use.  Now because we now know the important details when it comes to language, we need to examine the significance of it in the Business field and why it is so crucial to use for results. 

The fact of the matter is that a business will mostly run on the figures that it produces, but the language that is uses to promote the business will be the main area of focus.  You want your audience to remember your business, your product and everything that is associated with it.  It is important to keep in mind that people interpret language completely differently, this means that you will need to have a more wide-ranging view of your audience and how best to channel your message to them.

Another factor about language in business is positivity!  You want your audience to connect to you and what best way to do that other than being positive about what you and your business is all about?  If you are after positive results and really want to engage with your audience, then your positive language will spur them on.  Get straight to the point, using easy to understand language with the aim of drawing them in.

You might still wonder though, what key language is mainly used in Business and why this is the case.  Let us consider…

The Business Language of Chinese (Mandarin) takes the throne!  English really is the predominant language of Business however, have a look at this contender… http://www.digitaljunglegroup.com/the-future-language-of-business-english-vs-mandarin/.  The Mandarin Chinese economy is the second-largest in the world…that’s right the world.  And it still continues to grow.  This is an impressive language to use that has a perfect advantage in the Business world.  Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world and with Business ever increasing, this is becoming a rising language to do Business.

Would you deem it of an advantage to consider improving your Business Language?  Mandarin Chinese may not seem inviting, so what can you do to give your Business Language a kickstart?  A good start could be to delve into Business related literature.  This will give you a little insight into current updates and changes that are occurring in the business environment.  Another possible suggestion is to watch business-related programmes that feature people who will use the correct business language, including both factors that we have discussed.  This will allow you to become more familiar with these terms and to use them effectively to communicate. 

When you keep these points in mind, you recognise the importance of Language in Marketing, especially if the target is to reach a more global audience. This no doubt requires accuracy, so that consumers gain the full sense of your message.  Make good use of expert translators who can do so using the appropriate elements that will allow for cultural adaptations that will reach out to your interested ones.  Language continues to evolve, making remarkable achievements, introductions from emerging markets are abounding thanks to the push to jump into advancing in this field.
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2 Comments
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6/8/2018 07:20:52 am

Thank you so much for sharing the difference between the language form, language, meaning and language context in forms. Honestly, I am a marketer, but still sometimes get confused between marketing terms. The corporate world is so big and one of the field that needed more attention is the marketing. One factor that affects economic state is the marketing. We should be careful in our language because it is the key to good deals and relationship towards company itself, government, consumers and prospect markets.

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Alexandra link
6/9/2018 01:54:47 am

Hi and thank you for your comment!

I am so glad you enjoyed reading the post and I can absolutely relate to the problem you are having with the language of marketing! It takes me ages to find the right term when I am translating marketing (or indeed any business-related) texts, if I can find anything at all!

‘Language is the tradition of nations’, Bagehot said, and this holds true for the corporate world as well. In Business, everyone seems to either mix and match to their heart’s content or follow the latest business speak fashions. German-speakers, for instance, appropriate a lot of English terms. They integrate them into their own language, adding subtle differences in meaning as they go.

One reason why I decided to study Linguistics at university is that language is such a wonderful tool to use for such a myriad of purposes and in almost any situation. It is often misused and few people realise how easy it is to create a relationship of power that is totally unwarranted. It is up to us to use language wisely and, as you say, recognise the key role it plays in our lives. As I like to say:

‘Language is like music. Learn to play it!’

So, how about we start a new terminology database (also called a ‘termbase’)? Send me a private message and we’ll chat about the project if you are interested. Everyone else who reads this is, of course, welcome to weigh in as well.

Cheerio, and have a great weekend!

Yours,
Alexandra

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