We've spent a lot of time laughing in our office this past week. Why? "Builder's tea," "the dog's b*******," "a cup of Joe": these are just some of the terms our mix of Americans and Brits have been translating and teaching one another. While English is everyone's first language, the obvious differences and idiosyncrasies, even among cultures that share a common tongue, got me thinking. Am I using language and marketing-speak that resonates with my audience? And isn't "listening" just as important as "talking"? Understanding the vernacular that people use about your brand and business is critical to marketing it …

What does mobile search mean, anyway? I was thinking of this when Thumbplay, a site for mobile entertainment downloads, sent over news of its SMS vertical search service. How does this fit in with all the ways consumers can search mobile devices? And where can advertisers reach these consumers?