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When I was living in China, I learned to make things hyper-explicit because often they were being read by people whose command of English kept them from picking up what I thought were obvious signals.
James Fallows
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of clear communication, especially in a multicultural context where language barriers exist.

James Fallows reflects on his experience living in China, highlighting the need for hyper-explicit communication when speaking or writing in English to individuals who may not fully grasp the language. This underscores the idea that assumptions about shared understanding can lead to miscommunication, particularly when cultural and linguistic differences are present. By making messages clearer, one can ensure better comprehension and avoid misunderstandings.

Themes

CommunicationClarityUnderstandingLanguageCultural Sensitivity

In practice

Example use cases

In a multicultural team meeting, I used this quote to stress the importance of clear communication.

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