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Also, people use their voices in different ways, which can
lead listeners to misunderstand their intentions. Russian
speakers, for instance, speak in flat, level tones in their native
tongue. When they speak English, they maintain this pattern,
and non-Russian listeners may assume that the speakers are
bored or rude. Middle Easterners tend to speak more loudly
than Westerners and may therefore mistakenly be considered
more emotional. On the other hand, the Japanese are soft-
spoken, a characteristic that implies politeness or humility to
Western listeners.

Idiomatic expressions are another source of confusion. If a U.S.
executive tells an Egyptian executive that a certain product
"doesn't cut the mustard," chances are communication will fail.
Even when the words make sense, their meanings may differ
according to the situation. For example, suppose you are dining
with a German woman who speaks English quite well. You
inquire, "More bread?" She says, "Thank you," so you pass the
bread. She looks confused; then she takes the breadbasket and
sets it down without taking any. In German, thank you (danke)
can also be used as a polite refusal. If the woman had wanted
more bread she would have used the word please (bitte in
German).

When speaking in English to people who speak English as a
second language, you may find these guidelines helpful:

1. Try to eliminate noise. Pronounce words clearly, stop at distinct
punctuation points, and make one point at a time.
2. Look for feedback. Be alert to signs of confusion in your
listener. Realize that nods and smiles don't necessarily mean
understanding.
3. Rephrase your sentence when necessary. If someone doesn't
seem to understand you, choose simpler words; don't just
repeat the sentence in a louder voice.
4. Don't talk down to the other person. Try not to overenunciate,
and don't "blame" the listener for not understanding. Use
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