English is the lingua franca of the digital world - 55% of the most visited websites today are in English. With a digital device and an internet connection people around the world are able to access knowledge, but how much do non-native speakers understand content presented in English? Of the estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide who use English, 75% or over 1 billion people are non-native English speakers. In the US, an English-speaking country, there are 25 million people who have limited English proficiency. What are the types of challenges users with limited English proficiency face when they try to comprehend information in English? What solutions have been used and/or researched that will alleviate or resolve the issues? Find out in this presentation: how non-native English speakers differ from native speakers; what content writing styles, content layout, UI design, and video/audio media considerations help non-native English speaking users.

1. MindtheLanguageGap
Non-NativeSpeakers
By C. Keiko Funahashi
keiko@ckeikofunahashi.com
SXSW 2014
Presentation Proposal
for

2. [Source] http://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_language/all
55%
MostVisitedWebsites
English

3. 1.5 billionpeople understand Englishat varying levels

4. NativeEnglish
speakers 375 million
375 million
750 million
[Source] http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-elt-future.pdf
SpeakersofEnglishas
anadditionallanguage
English
language
learners

5. understanding another language
requires a lot of brain power!
Decipher
Process
Comprehend
Evaluate
Scan
By the way…

6. Criesofnon-nativeEnglishspeakers

7. OK!
Message!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
YOUR MESSAGE HAS BEEN SENT.!
Con… congra…Example1
Allcapitalletters

8. Back where?Example2
Idioms
Back to Square One!

9. How to Tie a Tie!
Show me the picture!Example3
Visualsupport
Start with the necktie inside out, with the wide
end on the right, extending about 12 inches
below the narrow end on the left. Then cross
the wide end under the narrow end. Take the
wide end over and under the narrow end. Pull
[Source] http://www.tie-a-tie.net/pratt.html

10. Findout@SXSW2014…
§ How do non-native English speakers process English
differently compared to native speakers?
§ What common conventions used in content presentation
get in the way of non-native English speakers?
§ What content writing styles help non-native English
speakers understand the content better?
§ What adjustments to visual design aspects such as content
layout and UI design help non-native English speakers?
§ How can video/audio media and player design help non-
native English speakers understand recorded content better?