Conflicting Language

Before choosing Oxford as my destination for studying abroad this summer, I looked at numerous program options. I'm not going to lie to you, one of the prominent reasons for favoring the UK is the fact they speak English. Foreign language has not been my particular forte, and I didn't want to try and juggle a language barrier along with sightseeing and school work. However, communicating with British natives has not been the piece of cake I assumed it would be.

Though we all speak the same language, it doesn't mean we have the same culture. Of course I knew before traveling abroad that though similar, the US and UK are not the same. After all I am an avid consumer of Doctor Who, Sherlock, and just about any program stamped with the seal of BBC. That should have given me a clear enough picture of British culture, right? Just Kidding. Even though I prepared for a bit of culture shock, the one thing I didn't really consider is the use of various slang. (Fun Fact: I still have not heard one person refer to the restroom as "the Loo" in almost two weeks of being here. I'm kind of disappointed by this.)

The best example of this miscommunication can be taken from our first Sunday cookout dinner at the college. Two university girls working for the summer were stationed at the drink table. As a group of friends and I approached, they informed us our options were water, orange squash or cranberry squash. The group of us looked slightly horrified as we quickly expressed desire for only the water. How odd must the British people be to serve squash as a drink! As I was preparing to walk away, one of the British girls asked me if we didn't have squash in America. Baffled, I told her we did but usually only ate it in vegetable form and not liquidated. After a moment of deep confusion the girl burst into laughter and said, "Oh, no! It's only flavored water! No wonder you whole lot were looking at us as if we're insane." So my first lesson learned in England is that "squash" basically equals Crystal Light.

It still bewilders me that the comprehension of one word can change the entire meaning of a conversation. Just because a word or phrase has a contrived meaning to me doesn't mean it's the same for everybody else. This conversation truly reminded me of the fact that all media specialists have to understand their target audience before crafting a message. It's easy for meanings to get lost behind words especially across cultures.

This idea plays significantly into what our class discussed while on an excursion to The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine last Tuesday. Their current vaccination campaign is tasked with making sure people on a global scale are getting vaccinated for various diseases in order to prevent outbreaks across the world. Never before did I realize how daunting of a challenge this could prove to be. Growing up in such a privileged country, immunizations have been something I've grown up with. Every fall, the majority of us rush to get our flu shots, fearing the time getting sick would take out of our busy lives. This trend does not hold true for all people globally, even some within our own country. There are religious objections, trust issues, other concerns that are more prevalent, and more. With a situation like vaccination, it is crucial to understand all colloquialisms of the targeted audience, because messaging is key. The way information is presented can truly control successful campaign or a flop.

Every once and a while it's nice to have a blunt reminder that not all people think similarly. I look forward to being able to take my newfound awareness and apply it as I go forward, whether it's talking to a local on a street corner or crafting a post in my future career.