How Incorrect Language Usage and Translation Can Alienate Your Audience
by Keylingo
Sometimes, very small differences in intonation can make a big difference to the meaning of a phrase. Comedian Loyiso Gola, who is from South Africa, talks about how this happens in the movie Black Panther in one of his comedy shows.
Incorrect Usage of Xhosa in Black Panther
The language spoken in the mythical country of Wakanda in Black Panther is Xhosa. And as Loyiso points out, Xhosa is a tonal language. So even a small mistake can alter the meaning completely. And since most of the actors in the movie were American, they couldn’t speak Xhosa fluently, and people who actually spoke the language had difficulty understanding it.
Incorrect Usage of Foreign Languages in Hollywood
Of course, this is a mistake that’s constantly made in Hollywood. You’ll come across various actors acting as if they can speak a language which they have absolutely no training in. If the audience is one that doesn’t understand the language either, then that’s fine. But the moment that movie reaches an audience that actually understands, it ends up alienating that entire audience.
The whole point of using that language was to find common ground with the audience that spoke it. And the movie fails to achieve that.
Don’t Alienate Business Associates or Customers
Similarly, when you translate something for business reasons, you have to get a good translator. This is because a small mistake in translation can lead into long-ranging consequences. You don’t want your business associates in a different country to get the wrong impression. Neither do you want to alienate an entire nation of potential consumers!
A Good Translator Conveys Meaning and Tone
So you need a good translator who is conscious of the nuances of translation. You need someone who will be able to maintain a positive tone in your message. And they should also be able to convey your meaning accurately. You don’t want to end up in a Black Panther type of situation. Although people who spoke Xhosa appreciated the effort to use a real African language, they were mostly put off by the fact that it was done incorrectly throughout the movie.
Contact us to learn more about translating your document in an accurate and positive manner.
Related Articles
Is Monolingualism Costing Your Business?
Corporate monolingualism is the restrictive practice of operating an international business using only a single language. It limits market penetration and causes severe revenue leaks, whereas investing in professional localization ensures your brand connects with a global target audience, satisfies compliance, and accelerates cross-border growth. Why do monolingual operations leak corporate revenue? Monolingual operations are…
Multilingual Website Localization Services for Global Enterprises
Multilingual website localization services are comprehensive technology and language solutions that adapt digital content for international markets. They automatically sync, translate, and culturally optimize your digital presence, enabling seamless global market expansion without placing a heavy operational burden on your internal IT departments. Why Enterprise Brands in Atlanta Need Managed Multilingual Website Localization Services Many…
Beyond File Uploads: Is Your Translation Portal Bionic?
A modern translation management system (TMS) is an AI-native localization portal that orchestrates global content workflows, automates manual file exchanges, and delivers full cost visibility. It enables international enterprises to scale operations efficiently while maintaining complete control over linguistic accuracy and brand consistency across all target markets. The 2026 Paradigm Shift: Why Global Enterprises Need…
here
for you
We’d love to learn more about your translation and localization needs.