When the camera zoomed on the audience, I was amused.
The audience was mostly elderly in their fifties to seventies, perhaps eighties.
"Can they understand what this Minister was saying in English?" I thought.
I may be wrong. These elderly may understand English after all.
However, I would rather err on the side to think that they are probably more comfortable in Mandarin and dialects.
Of course, the Minister couldn't deliver her speech in dialect, could she?
Why not? Is there a law that says that Minister can only deliver speeches in English and Mandarin?
Then why not deliver her speech in Mandarin? Was she told to do it in English? Was the script given to her in English? If yes, is she not bilingually proficient enough to translate it on the spot?
What does this mean for your business?
You have to speak in a language that your audience understand. In order to do that, you have to understand them first. Their level of proficiency in a certain area, their comfort level, what they like and dislike, what will make them tick.
Then your customers will understand what you want them to understand.
If your audience does not understand what you say, it doesn't matter how important or touching your speech is about.
All the Minister need to do is to have a short chat with her audience and she'll know if they understand English at all.