This research examines the role of idiomatic expressions (IEs) in international business (IB) communication and non-native speakers’ (NNEs’) English proficiency. It investigates how IE affect IB communication’s effectiveness and whether IEs should be taught to NNE. We collected feedback from academics who confirmed the importance of IE and relevant business idioms from professional websites. We also assessed IE usage benefits for different cohorts working in IB settings. The results indicate that IE can enhance communication efficiency, cross-cultural social skills, monetary rewards, and satisfaction in IB. The findings support the need for teaching IE to NNE and justify inclusion in curricula.
AiB.WangL.ZhangJ. (2018). Using English as economic capital in a Chinese-Australian workplace: Implications for teaching business English in China. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 29(4), 272–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2018.1557095.
2.
BruntonM.KankaanrantaA.Louhiala-SalminenL.JeffreyL. (2019). Are strategic communication management competencies and personal attributes global? A case study of practice in Finland and New Zealand. International Journal of Business Communication, 56(2), 151–172. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488415608846
Du-BabcockB. (2013). English as business lingua franca: A comparative analysis of communication behavior and strategies in Asian and European contexts. Ibérica, 26, 99–130.
GibbsR. W. (1986). Skating on thin ice: Literal meaning and understanding idioms in conversation. Discourse Processes, 1, 17–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/01638538609544629
7.
GibbsR. W. (2014). Why idioms are not dead metaphors. In CacciariC.TabossiP. (Eds.), Idioms: Processing, structure, and interpretation (pp. 57–77). Taylor & Francis.
GriffinF. (2004). Idioms and back translation. Business Communication Quarterly, 67(4), 455–464.
10.
JamesonD. A. (2007). Reconceptualizing cultural identity and its role in intercultural business communication. Journal of Business Communication, 44(3), 199–235.
11.
KankaanrantaA.Louhiala-SalminenL. (2013). “What language does global business-speak?”—The concept and development of BELF. Ibérica, 26, 17–34.
12.
KankaanrantaA.PlankenB. (2010). BELF competence as business knowledge of internationally operating business professionals. Journal of Business Communication (1973), 47(4), 380–407. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943610377301
13.
LaviniaA.LeonteA. (2016). The Play of Familiarity and Predictability in English Business Idioms. Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, 16 (2), 223–226.
14.
LeonteA.Istratie-MacarovA. (2016). “Taking the bull by the horns” with English business idioms. Ovidius University Annals, Economic Science Series, 16(2), 233–238.
15.
MaicanM. (2017). Challenges of teaching business English in higher education. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series V: Economic Sciences, 10(59)(2), 273–280.
16.
MelitzJ. (2018). English as a lingua franca: Facts, benefits, and costs. World Economy, 41(7), 1750–1774. https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.12643
NeeleyT. (2012). Global business speaks English: Why you need a language strategy now. Harvard Business Review, 90(5), 116–124.
19.
NeeleyT.DumasT. L. (2016). Unearned status gain: Evidence from a global language mandate. Academy of Management Journal, 59(1), 14–43. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2014.0535
20.
PopA.SimM. (2015). Idioms in business communication. Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 24(2), 172–178.
21.
Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company. (2011). Basic financial statements and required supplementary information. Component Unit of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
22.
PullinP. (2010). Small talk, rapport, and international communicative competence: Lessons to learn from BELF. Journal of Business Communication, 47(4), 455–476. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943610377307
SenkbeilK. (2020). Idioms in intercultural communication. International Journal of Language and Culture, 7(1), 38–62. https://doi.org/10.1075/ijolc.00026.sen
25.
SuhodolliM. (2021). Teaching idioms to Albanian University students in Kosovo. Perspectives of Law and Public Administration, 10(2), 130–137.
26.
SweeneyE.HuaZ. (2010). Accommodating your audience: Do native speakers of English know how to accommodate their communication strategies towards non-native speakers of English?Journal of Business Communication, 47(4), 477–504. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943610377308
27.
ThavabalanP.MohanS.HariharasudanA.KrzywdaJ. (2020). English as business lingua franca (BELF) to the managers of Indian printing industries. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 22(2), 549–560. https://doi.org/10.17512/pjms.2020.22.2.36
28.
VijayaV.TiwariB. (2010). Elements in cross-cultural communication competence: Derivative of a case study comparing Indian and Japanese communication. The IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 4(3), 22–39.
29.
Virkkula-RaisanenT. (2010). Linguistic repertoire and semiotic resources in interaction: A Finnish manager as a mediator in a multilingual meeting. Journal of Business Communication, 47(4), 505–531. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943610377315
