A Voice Can Make All the Difference

With technology changing at rapid pace in today’s world it can also change the way we learn and take in information. Technology can take us from one style of learning one year to a totally different style of learning in another.

If you think back to just a few years ago normal learning structure was to teach someone through information delivered in person, possibly paired with a notebook, and then the knowledge tested with a paper test. This way of teaching is still out there and very effective.

Then video came along and more video was being used in the classroom and online instead of reading and Power Point presentations. With video came the additional use of using audio and that allowed for more variety in the training.

Any good trainer knows that everyone learns differently and a variety of training modules should be used in any program being delivered to a group. Who presents that information can drastically change how much information is retained by the participants. Language is a big part of that delivery.

Many believe that “French is French” no matter where it has originated from, but nothing can be farther from the truth. French originating in France is spoken much different than the way it is spoken in Quebec. Someone from Louisiana will speak quite differently than someone from New Brunswick. Reading language in a book may seem the same but when spoken it can be quite different. Much of this is due to the slang of the region or country, accent of the people, and much more. People from that region also are used to hearing people talk and relate better to people from their own region.

This brings us back to training. If people relate better to those where they live, then it makes sense that they would retain information better if it was presented in a way that they can understand it better. Have you ever watched a presentation where the presenter had a strong accent or was hard to understand? How much of the information did you retain?

So if you are developing training materials for different regions of the country and it requires audio or video included then make sure that the person doing the voice over work is from that region if possible. Your audience will appreciate it because they will retain more information and understand the presentation better. It will show that you care about the participants and the culture of the area. Try it and see!

About the Author

Carmen Outridge owns Outridge Translation Services offering English to French translation services for those operating in the Province of Quebec. She has been in the translation industry for over 30 years and is originally from Quebec. Services include document translation, presentation translation, web translation, and voice-over work. If you have documents you need translated then visit www.outridgetranslation.com and have your translation completed the way Quebec expects it!