Beware Falling Cats and Dogs

Last night I told my three-year-old daughter that it was "raining cats and dogs." She looked out her window very excitedly and said, "Where?!"

It's a small reminder that there are many common phrases whose meanings are acquired through socialization, and without shared social experiences--or with only three years of that experience--the phrases are more confusing than illustrative. I've faced this challenge before when trying to write text for eLearning courses that feels authentic and real for an international audience.

It's common knowledge that learning through scenarios can be very powerful, but the learning is most effective when the context, speech, and emotions of the characters feel true-to-life. But the more true-to-life you try to be in your writing, the more colloquialisms and metaphors start to emerge.

It's possible to balance universal understanding with authenticity, but it can be very challenging. I'd like to hear from you: How do you balance the two? What phrases or metaphors have you had to explain for international audiences?