Although, I watched a few issues Of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a show from the early 90s, I didn’t watch it regularly. But, I saw one episode that I found poetic and profound. In the episode called Darmok and Jalad on The Ocean, the people called The Children of Tamar were considered incomprehensible by The Federation and therefore formal relations could never be established.

After yet another failed attempt at conversation, the Tamarians forcibly transported Captain Picard along with their own captain to a seemingly uninhabited planet.

I will tell you what happens next in Tamarian: Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra.

It means: communication or friendship as a result of shared struggle. Apparently, in the Tamarian history, there is a story of two individuals, Darmok and Jalad,who shared a struggle of some kind which created a bond between them and an understanding of each other.

Of course, the hero Picard eventually understands that they speak in metaphors.

It was all rather poetic. In the final scene, Picard was finally able to communicate in their language.

When someone did not know the Tamarian stories, they couldn’t understand their language of metaphor and of course Kadir beneath Mo Moteh. Meaning they experienced a ‘failure of communication’ or simply ‘failure.’

When you create content that is for the purpose of helping your potential buyers, you need to speak their language. It’s easy to take a pot shot at incomprehensible scientific content or assembly instructions, both of which have long been the fodder for jokes. But it is less obvious when your content is not so different from our everyday language. You could possibly miss that you aren’t actually speaking their language.

Avoid Kadir beneath Mo Moteh with these three steps:

• Make a lexicon of the leading words and phrases comparing your language with ‘theirs.’
• Be watchful for shifts in expressions or interests that should inform how you write, which phrases are best.
• Join a community where you can tap the discussion to inform how your users/readers/buyers talk about you, your service, or what they want or need. If one doesn’t exist, create one.

Happy Kira at Bashi.