English is a West Germanic language that originated from the Anglo-Frisian dialects brought to Britain by Germanic settlers from various parts of what is now northwest Germany and the northern Netherlands. The resident population at this time was mainly speaking Common Brittonic – the insular variety of continental Celtic, which was influenced by the Roman occupation. This group of languages (Welsh, Cornish, Cumbric) cohabited alongside English into the modern period. The language we know as English today was exported to other parts of the world through British colonization and became the dominant language in Britain and Ireland, the United States and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many of the British Empire’s former colonies like India, other far-eastern countries and parts of Africa. In effect, we distinguish four main variations of the English language today: British English, American English, Australian English, and Canadian English.

Modern English

Due to the influence of the United States and its globalized efforts in commerce and technology, American English became the de facto global lingua franca in the second half of the 20th century, specifically at the end of the Second World War. This is especially true in Europe, where English has since largely taken over the former roles of French and Latin as the language of business, the arts, and diplomacy, for sharing scientific and technological information, and communication across national boundaries. While the English language is uniform with major variations in spelling present between American English and British English, the dialect or accent is usually the factor that enables one to distinguish the various types of English out there. From the thick Kenyan English to the French-themed Canadian English, the many varieties of accents are as diverse as they are beautiful. Apart from accents, there is a tendency for people to mix English with their native language to form a hybrid variety of English that is as colorful as the culture of that country.

Language varieties

British English is the language spoken and written in the United Kingdom or, more broadly, throughout the British Isles. Slight regional variations exist in formal, written English in the United Kingdom. The larger cities in the United Kingdom have developed their own regional dialects and accents over time, making it easy to recognize someone from Manchester (Mancunian), Newcastle (Geordie), Liverpool (Scouse), Birmingham (Essex or Brummie), Scotland (Scottish), and indeed London. In London, the capital city of the UK, the clearest form of English, also called R.P. (Received Pronunciation) or “Queen’s English”, is spoken. But then there is the more local, less business-oriented underbelly of the language, and probably the most famous British accent of all: Cockney, the language of East London. It developed as the dialect of the poorer working classes in the East End of London, and it’s still regarded as a marker of ‘true’ East London heritage. Cockney replaces words with similar-sounding words, making it virtually unintelligible for non-Cockney speakers. For example: people replace words with another word that’s an abbreviation of an unrelated phrase that rhymes with it: like dog and bone to mean telephone.  Strange, right?

Another distinct variety of British English is Hiberno English, which is spoken in Ireland. In the spoken language, specifically, there are quite a few variations compared to Standard British English. Due to the influence of Gaelic, which is the second official language in Ireland next to English, some of the grammar in Hiberno English may seem a bit strange to non-Irish ears. The simple construct of “I ate” in Hiberno-English, for example, becomes “I’m after eating”, which follows the Gaelic sentence construction.

Translating into English?

The idea, therefore, that simply translating website or marketing content into “English” and be done with it is quite tricky. As always, you need to consider your audience and specific target groups. Some business owners may still believe that simply translating their content or using AI-generated text will be enough to connect with their audience. But marketing isn’t just about being grammatically correct. It is about understanding culture, trends, and emotions. It’s not about having a “perfect” accent or using fancy words. It’s about knowing what makes your audience tick and how to make them “tick” for you!

And that means fluency. Fluency in the sense of knowing how your audience speaks, what specific phrases are used in the target market, and what are cultural no-nos. Given the history of Ireland and England over the past 800 years, mixed with the fierce national pride of the Irish, P.R. English advertisements, for example, would experience a resounding flop. Advertising slogans that would do well in Australia, may not do so well in India. This kind of fluency can only be achieved by professional translators, who are fully immersed in the target culture. Only seasoned linguists will be able to make the connection between tongue-in-cheek references in the source language, and find a matching phrase in the target language.

Bottom line

While English is most certainly the new lingua franca in business and marketing, localizing the language for its intended market is a crucial step. Cultural understanding is not just about avoiding missteps; it’s about leveraging insights to enhance consumer connection. By acknowledging the complexities of the many varieties of the English language, cultural and societal norms, and – of course – consumer behavior, language professionals can overcome these challenges and craft compelling narratives that resonate across borders.



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autor_eurotext_100Author: Eurotext Editorial Team

We explain how internationalization works, provide tips for your translation projects and outline some of the technology and processes used. We also report on current e-commerce developments and cover a range of language-related topics.