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 Internet entrepreneur Charles Duncombe, just one spelling error on a company’s website can lead to a 50% decrease in online sales. He estimates that Internet retailers lose millions every week due to spelling slip-ups.

Consumers look to attention to detail in spelling and grammar as important indicators of a website’s credibility. Spelling mistakes and poor grammar sound alarm bells for potential customers concerned about spam or phishing. While there seems to be a more tolerant attitude toward spelling and grammar mistakes on social media sites such as Facebook, websites marketing products and services can’t afford to take a lax approach to spelling blunders.

For more information on this story, visit BBC News.

Translating for Non-profits

Non-profit organizations and NGOs focus on improving the lives of others through diverse initiatives targeted at issues such as housing, social welfare, the environment, health care, education and human rights. These organizations typically require translation services to effectively explain their vision to a global audience, carry out their campaigns and fundraising efforts, and to communicate with those whom their programs benefit and serve. The social impact of materials translated for non-profit organizations must be carefully considered, along with the fact that virtually all agencies of this type function under budgetary constraints.

In the United States alone, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of non-profit organizations taking action to better the lives of the Latino community through their programs and initiatives. Non-profit organizations aimed at serving Hispanics are particularly vital to recent immigrants, who benefit from assistance without the difficulty of the language and culture barrier. Some of the largest non-profits devoted to the U.S. Hispanic community include the ASPIRA Association, Hispanic Housing Development Corp., the National Council of La Raza, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Non-profit agencies are particularly involved in South America, with many organizations choosing to focus on Brazil. The non-profit sector in Brazil is expanding, with U.S. companies such as Walmart supporting philanthropic activities in Brazil as a means to establish a presence in this fast-growing, influential economy. It’s essential for Brazilian non-profit organizations looking to solicit donations from corporate entities and foundations abroad to translate their materials from Portuguese.

A non-profit organization in its initial stages may have little to no budget for translation services. In this case, non-profits will sometimes connect with student translators or linguists just starting their careers who are in need of “résumé builders.” Experienced translators – who are likelier to turn out a high quality translation – often work for more established NGOs or non-profit agencies at reduced rates, as a way to give something back to the community.

If you’re a representative of a non-profit organization or NGO, click here to learn more about Transpanish’s discounted translation rate for non-profits.

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Hispanic Employees in the Workplace

Hispanic participation in the workplace continues to grow, with Latino workers accounting for 15% of the U.S. workforce in 2010, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics. Latinos are projected to make up 18% of the total American workforce by 2018. Working in industries such as construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and agriculture, Latinos make an important contribution to the U.S. economy.

Although one can safely generalize to a certain degree about Hispanic culture, employers must recognize that Spanish-speaking workers hail from a number of different countries, each with its own culture and norms. Employers who make the effort to personally connect with their Hispanic employees, showing that they are valued and respected, will reap benefits in the end.

One way that employers, particularly supervisors, can demonstrate their commitment to Hispanic workers is by taking the time to learn basic Spanish. When communicating with employees, it is best to avoid the use of slang words, since their meanings can vary widely from country to country. In addition, employers should take care when using hand gestures, as they can sometimes be misinterpreted by those coming from a different cultural background.

Employers should be wary of imposing discriminatory language policies on Latino employees. Valuing Hispanic workers’ culture and the Spanish language builds an atmosphere of respect between employer and employees, rather than one of inferiority and isolation. Employees should be allowed to speak Spanish at work, particularly while on break. By refusing Latino employees the right to communicate in Spanish, employers deny them the ability to express their cultural heritage on the job.

According to the report “The Hispanic Labor Force in the Recovery,” in 2009 Hispanic workers experienced the highest rate of work-related fatal injuries at 3.7 incidents per 100,000 full time equivalent workers, compared to 3.4 for whites and 3.0 for blacks.” In light of this statistic, the availability of Spanish-language materials for Hispanic employees, including manuals, handbooks, and safety information should be a top priority for employers.

Due to the language barrier, literacy and other limitations, Hispanic workers are sometimes more difficult to reach through traditional means of communication. Hence, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requires employers to present information concerning workers’ rights, safety and health training materials, information and instructions in a language that employees can understand. Materials should be translated by a professional Spanish translation service – not just a bilingual employee – and it is best to use neutral Spanish, as terminology often differs from one country to another.

Additionally, Latino workers respond well to training conducted in person, with ample use of visual aids. In situations where large amounts of complex verbal information must be relayed to employees (e.g. training sessions, safety meetings), consider hiring a Spanish interpreter to ensure maximum comprehension.

With ethnic diversity and the inclusion of Latinos in the American workplace part of the new reality, the business community, workplace trainers and human resource personnel must develop an improved understanding of and sensitivity to language barriers and cultural differences. In the end, these efforts will enable businesses to stay competitive by supporting a productive, stable and safe workforce.

1The Hispanic Labor Force in the Recovery, United States Department of Labor

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Target an Audience of 650 Million with Spanish and Portuguese Translations

As the competition in the global marketplace heats up, companies without a strategy for connecting with customers worldwide face a strong possibility of getting left behind. Savvy companies and organizations stand to capture upwards of a combined 650 million potential customers by incorporating Spanish and Portuguese translation into their business strategy. As the influence and economic power of emerging Spanish and Portuguese-speaking markets continues to grow, companies that invest in high-quality translations to target this audience will see dividends.

Spanish is the most widely spoken of the Romance languages, both in terms of the number of speakers and the number of countries in which it is the dominant language. With approximately 400 million native speakers worldwide, Spanish is currently the second most widely spoken language overall. At present, Portuguese ranks sixth among the world’s major languages, with some 250 million native speakers around the world. Portuguese and Spanish are both recognized by UNESCO as the fastest growing of the European languages.

Why Spanish Translation?

The expanding presence of the Spanish language coupled with increased Latino buying power has cemented the Hispanic demographic’s influence in the United States. U.S. Latinos‘ buying power is expected to reach $1 trillion this year. Given the Hispanic market’s incredible growth, size, and increasing purchasing power, businesses and organizations cannot afford to overlook this segment of the population.

As the emerging markets of Latin America, particularly Chile, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, gain a stronger foothold, they become increasingly attractive sources of new clientele for those businesses looking to target new audiences. A well-crafted, Spanish translation done by a professional translator will help corporations and organizations communicate with the Hispanic community, both at home and abroad, to take advantage of the business opportunities provided by these rapidly expanding markets.

Why Portuguese Translation?

Over the last twenty years, Brazil has steadily grown to become Latin America’s largest economy. With a robust economic outlook and a population of about 190 million people, companies can no longer ignore Brazil. Given the country’s strong, stable currency and a growing middle class with a hunger for imported goods, reaching the Brazilian market appears to be more crucial than ever before for businesses. Although Brazil is the sole Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas, approximately one-half of South America’s inhabitants speak the language. In today’s global economy, it pays to be able to communicate effectively with the Portuguese-speaking population.

Brazil also expects a significant tourism boost over the next few years as the country plays host to two major international sporting events: the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Translation from Portuguese to a host of other languages will be necessary to accommodate the scores of foreign athletes, tourists and journalists who will descend upon Brazil for these events.

Translate for the Spanish and Portuguese markets to extend your business’ or organization’s reach, and connect with everyone from the customers right in your backyard to those in the far-flung corners of Latin America.

Are you looking for a Portuguese Translator? Visit TransPortuguese.
Are you looking for a Spanish Translator? Visit Transpanish.

Most endangered languages in the World

An endangered language is defined as any language that children will probably not be speaking them in 100 years. Here are the top ten most at risk languages:

1. Apiaca: Brazil

This language and way of life is threatened by the gradual creep of Portuguese into the Mato Grosso region. In 2007, the language only appeared to have one remaining speaker. This in spite of an ethnic population hovering around 192 people.

2. Bikya: Cameroon

This language might actually be extinct without ethnographers knowing it. The last contact with the only known Biyka speaker occurred in 1986. The remaining speaker also happened to be the last known Bikya in the country.

3. Taje: Sulawesi

This Austronesian language, also known as Petapa, was apparently only spoken by one person in 2000. It’s entirely plausible that it may have passed into extinction since then, but no linguist or ethnographer knows for certain.

4. Dampelas: Sulawesi

UNESCO claims that only one of the 10,300 Dampelas peoples spoke the Austronesian language as of 2000, meaning it may very well be extinct by now.

5. Diahoi: Brazil

As of 2006, there was only one Diahoi speaker in the world. Hailing from the Amazon region of Brazil, Diahoi is also known as Jiahui, Jahoi, Djahui, Diahkoi and Diarroi. Because of the isolated location, linguists and ethnographers don’t know for certain whether or not the language has become officially extinct.

Continue reading in The Telegraph

Bilingualism Delays Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease

Ellen Bialystok, a cognitive neuroscientist and research professor of psychology, has made the study of bilingualism her life’s work. After nearly 40 years of research, she has discovered that regularly speaking two languages offers a number of benefits, including a delay in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Bialystok found that there’s a significant difference between monolinguals and bilinguals in terms of how they process language. Bilingualism sharpens the mind’s ability to maintain multiple pieces of information in play and switch between them, effectively improving one’s multitasking skills.

A study published by Dr. Bialystok in 2004 showed that normally aging monolingual individuals experience a more pronounced loss of cognitive functioning than their normally aging bilingual counterparts. In later studies, the records of 400 Alzheimer’s patients were examined. The findings revealed that while bilingualism didn’t prevent Alzheimer’s disease, those who spoke two languages manifested symptoms five to six years later than the monolinguals.

For more information, read “The Bilingual Advantage” on NYTimes.com.

Dirae: The Latest Tool to Search for Terms in Spanish

Spanish speakers and students of the Spanish language now have one more handy tool at their disposal. The Real Academia Española (RAE) – the official institution responsible for policing the Spanish language – recently released the online tool known as Dirae, based on the RAE’s Diccionario de la lengua española (Spanish language dictionary). Unlike traditional dictionaries, Dirae functions as a reverse dictionary, enabling users to find words based on a set of general concepts.

Using carefully chosen search terms, Dirae also functions as an associative thesaurus, etymological search tool, and synonym finder. For example, by entering the search terms “‘del quechua’ maíz,” the tool will return Spanish words etymologically based in the Quechua language that are related to corn. Read more about this new tool and view examples of its use here [in Spanish].

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When Never to Use Google Translate

While Google Translate and similar machine translation tools do offer a means for readers to achieve a basic understanding of a text, computers fail to render the nuanced, culturally correct translations created by humans. Machine translation frequently proves useful to decipher blogs, Facebook posts or tweets in a foreign language, but this technology falls short when the occasion calls for precise language, carefully crafted wording, and subtle turns of phrase.

Machine translation will never learn to pick up on the cultural undertones and subtleties at play in language. Jokes, idioms and wordplay are largely lost on Google Translate, which fails to capture the “flavor” of the text.

The following types of translations should never be left up to Google Translate or any other machine translation tool:

  • Sales and marketing texts requiring both linguistic and cultural understanding
  • Patent translations or other technical literature where accuracy carries great importance
  • Medical and pharmaceutical texts, particularly when such information may mean a matter of life or death
  • Legal texts such as contracts, court orders, and wills, where any error in the text may have profound legal implications
  • Any document that represents the public face of your business or organization, including websites, brochures, manuals, etc.

Recently, some translation service providers have begun offering post-edited machine translations as an alternative to professional human translations; however, it is the experience of many translation agencies that it actually takes more time for a skilled translator to proofread and edit a machine translation than to create a translation from scratch.

A high quality translation of your documents, website, etc. will prove to be invaluable in terms of projecting an image of professionalism and integrity for your business or organization. Open up your product or business to an audience of some 330 million Spanish speakers worldwide through a professional translation of your text. A relatively modest investment in translated materials for your business will continue to pay dividends long into the future.

Request your Free Quote for Spanish Translations and Portuguese Translations.

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Lunfardo: Money Talk

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 characteristic of the Rioplatense dialect. Add a dash of Argentine flavor to your Spanish vocabulary with the Transpanish blog’s ongoing feature highlighting some of the most frequently used terms in Lunfardo.

While Lunfardo features a number of words to refer to money in general, it also employs several terms to describe specific currency denominations.

TermMeaning
guitaone cent [also used as a general term for money]
mangoone peso
diego [considered a non-standard term by Lunfardo purists]ten pesos
gambaone hundred pesos
lucaone thousand pesos
paloone million pesos

Unless otherwise specified, these terms always denote Argentine legal tender. If the speaker wishes to refer to a foreign currency, there are special terms that are affixed to the quantity. For example, verde is used in reference to U.S. dollars (e.g. 5 gambas verdes = 500 dollars). Speakers tack on euro after the quantity if discussing euros, the currency of the European Union (e.g. 10 lucas euros = 10,000 euros).

In addition, it’s best to use the term for the largest quantity applicable, i.e. 20 palos instead of 20,000,000 mangos or 20,000 lucas to express the sum of 20 million pesos.

Language an Obstacle for Internet Users in European Union

A recent study conducted by Eurobarometer, the European Commission’s survey research program, found that more than 50% of Internet users in the European Union (EU) sometimes access the web using a language other than their mother tongue. In addition, the study revealed that 90% of EU Internet users show a preference for websites featured in their native language.

Nonetheless, 44% of survey respondents sensed that they were “missing something interesting online” since a number of websites display information in a language they don’t comprehend.

Neelie Kroes, the European Commissioner for Digital Agenda, wrote, “If we are serious about making every European digital, we need to make sure that they can understand the web content they want. We are developing new technologies that can help people that cannot understand a foreign language.”

At the present time, the European Commission is funding 67 million euros’ worth of research projects to enhance translation techniques for online content, including the site iTranslate4, which generates machine translations of several European languages.

For more information on this topic, read this article on the news site Deutsche Welle.