Languages Create Opportunities for Understanding
While learning two or even three languages at a young age is a given for many children in other parts of the world, most American children are never exposed to a second language, let alone a third. While the United States historically has opened its arms to immigrants and their unique cultures, in recent decades, attitudes have shifted to reflect a more nationalistic stance and close-minded view toward other cultures and their languages. Simultaneously, the English language has grown in prominence, and many Americans fail to see the importance of learning another language.
Spanish in the United States: Second Language or Foreign Language?
Given the pervasive use of the Spanish language in the United States, some would argue that Spanish should no longer be considered a foreign language. With roughly 40 million people in the United States speaking Spanish, the language has permeated American society and deserves greater respect. As a highly visible and daily aspect of many […]
The Meaning of ‘Quilombo’
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 […]
Researching Neutral Spanish Terms and Dialect-Specific Terms
When creating advertising campaigns, website content, or other materials geared toward a diverse Hispanic audience, companies are wise to consider the use of neutral Spanish (sometimes known as international Spanish). Translators and writers employing neutral Spanish seek to produce a text that is universally understood by Spanish speakers by avoiding regionalisms and colloquial language that […]
How Knowing Spanish Can Help You Learn Portuguese
Knowledge of any Romance language automatically offers learners a leg-up when they undertake the study of another language in that family; however, those with a solid base in Spanish have a particular advantage when it comes to studying Portuguese, given that the two languages share a great deal of vocabulary and similar grammar. While linguistic […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
