Writing for an International Audience

Many people spend years trying to master the art of writing in the English language. We study spelling, grammar, punctuation, writing style and other important characteristics of quality authoring. Unfortunately, preparing documents for international exposure is often overlooked. In a world of increasing global exchange, it is now more important than ever to prepare documents for readers worldwide. English is widely understood in most parts of the world, but each region uses it differently. It is simply not possible to write a document that conforms to typical usage in every part of the world, but a few basic guidelines can enable any document to be read by almost anyone with a basic understanding of the English language.

Unavoidable Differences

No matter what steps an author might take, there will be some writing aspects that will be localized. Spelling is the most obvious example. Different English dialects will spell certain words differently from others. A fine example is the English "colour" in contrast to the American "color". Thankfully, either spelling will be recognized by the vast majority of readers. It might compel the reader to look twice at the word, but it will not affect their ability to read and understand the document. An author must select the locality the document will use and stick to it.

One of the first steps an author must take when adapting their writing for international reading is learning to identify what elements can be made international and what elements will remain localized. We'll cover some of the most common elements with internationally-understood standards. As an author, diligence is key. The question to ask is "is there a universally-recognized way to do this?" If the answer is "no," then a localized form is probably the right form to use.

Numbers

In many cases, number formatting will have to be localized. There is no global standard. However, as long as common conventions are adhered to closely, readers should be able to determine how to properly read numbers no matter what localization is used.