SPEAKING TO DIVERSE AUDIENCES

Giving a speech or presentation to an audience of people who speak various languages
or have differing cultural backgrounds requires special tact on the part of the speaker.
Here are some tips and techniques on how to effectively engage a diverse audience:

• Enunciate clearly. If possible, try to speak with a neutral accent to better include 

all audience members.

• Don't speak too fast. Remember that the normal pace of speech in one language 

might become incomprehensible for people relatively new to that language.

• Be careful with metaphors. Some metaphors that are appropriate in one culture 

can be offensive to another. A good example is references to sports not popular or 

practiced in a certain country, or phrases that are comical in one culture yet offensive in 

another.

• Know the meanings of words outside your native language. 

Unless you are absolutely sure of the meaning and pronunciation of a word you are

 using in a given language, do not use it. In some languages, slight variations of a vowel 

will completely alter the meaning of a word.

• Avoid slang, jargon and idiomatic expressions. Diverse audiences may not 

understand slang from a given country. English phrases such 

as "that dog don't hunt" or "cool as a cucumber" might be colorful, but the meaning

could be lost on a large part of the audience.

• Be mindful of body language, eye contact and personal space. Posture, 

mannerisms and eye contact speak volumes and what is taken for granted in one culture

 might be considered offensive in another.