Spanish Ranks as World’s Second Fastest Language
A recently published study in the journal Language presented evidence that Spanish ranks as the world’s second fastest commonly spoken language, just behind Japanese. Linguistics researchers from the University of Lyon in France discovered that native speakers of Spanish talk faster than speakers of languages such as English, German or Mandarin Chinese; however, the trade-off […]
How Translation Rates Are Set
While some translators or translation agencies may charge per line, per standard page of text, or even per hour, the most common method for determining translation rates is to calculate them on a per-word basis. Translators work from the original or source text to create the translation, also known as the target text. Translators use […]
The Meaning of ‘Pibe’
In Lunfardo, the word “pibe” means kid or boy. While the word is unique to the Rioplatense dialect, experts in Lunfardo disagree on its origins. Some say that “pibe” is derived from the word “pive” of the Genoese dialect of Italian, meaning “errand boy” or “apprentice.” Another possible candidate for the forerunner of “pibe” is […]
Transpanish Announces New Manual Translation Page
Transpanish is pleased to announce a new page describing the company’s manual translation services. As the business world continues to diversify, so do the customer bases and workforces of many companies, necessitating the translation of employee handbooks, technical manuals, and guides into other languages. We offer companies Spanish-English and English-Spanish translations of manuals, handbooks, and […]
Should Translators Work for Free?
Everyone knows you can’t get something for nothing…or can you? These days, it seems that many big name Internet properties, particularly those involved in social media, are trying their darnedest to get users to contribute their knowledge and expertise with no promise of remuneration, a practice commonly referred to as crowdsourcing. But as a professional […]
Marketing Your Business in Times of Economic Crisis
“Successful companies do not abandon their marketing strategies in a recession; they adapt them.”[1] — John Quelch of the Harvard Business School With today’s challenging economic climate, both in the United States and abroad, businesses must do more to actively market their products and services. An aggressive marketing strategy is called for in an economic […]
The Meaning of ‘Atorrante”‘
Argentine Spanish is strewn with words and colorful phrases from Lunfardo, a rich vocabulary born on the streets of Buenos Aires in the second half of the 19th century. Now considered a fixture of the Spanish language in Argentina (especially in and around Buenos Aires) and Uruguay, linguists cite the use of Lunfardo as a defining […]
Translation and Interpretation Challenges in the Field of Criminal Justice
Professionals specializing in court interpretation and translation provide an extremely important service during criminal justice proceedings. However, despite these professionals’ best efforts, controversy over the interpretation of testimony or translation of legal documents frequently arises in court cases. Mark Cohen, a New York defense attorney with Spanish fluency, remarked that interpreters encounter occasional difficulties when […]
Apostrophe Use in English
The correct use of the apostrophe in English is problematic for both natives and English-language learners alike. Refresh your understanding of the rules of apostrophe use with the following simple explanations. Apostrophes are used to form contractions, the shortened form of one or two words created by omitting letters. The apostrophe takes the place of […]
Spelling Errors Cost Companies Millions in Lost Sales
Poor grammar, errant punctuation, and typographical errors all spell disaster for online sales. When it comes to Internet sales and marketing, shoddy websites filled with spelling gaffes rarely get a second chance to impress. In fact, most visitors make up their minds about the quality of a website in just six seconds. According to British […]
