The Dynamics of Language and Sociolinguistic Norms

Posted On October 23, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Language change is a well-documented phenomenon and one that has contributed greatly to the idea of language as a dynamic, evolving form of communication. This evolution manifests in everything from vocabulary to syntax, punctuation and accent. Because it encompasses so many influences over a period of time, language change is generally too gradual to make a significant impact within a generation. A common example of this has been borrowing words or expressions from another language, since contact between different cultures and languages was historically less common than it is now.

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yet modernization, globalization and technological development are all factors which hasten that change, particularly in spoken communication. The rules governing written text have traditionally been slower to accept changes than spoken language, and such changes are often first rejected as degradations of the language before they are finally accepted. Such has been the case throughout history.

This poses a particular challenge for linguists and others working in the translation industry, as it can often be difficult to determine whether a new form has been “accepted” or is still outside of a language’s norms. As translators, we are constantly having to monitor the sociolinguistic environments of the languages that we work with. And if localization is a focus, it is that much more important.

Ironically, while social media often represents the place where language degradation first occurs, it is also where changes to written expression first become used, popularized, and accepted by groups on a large scale. While written expressions such as “x favor” will likely never become an accepted form of formal communication, other trends – like the frequent omission of tildes, for example – may one day become so common that they are eventually incorporated into the formal usage of Spanish as well.

As many linguistics professors have argued before, the first order of business is to drop our notion that the “correct” usage of a language exists with prescriptive rules. If nothing else, it frees us to analyze the changes taking place and use professional judgement regarding when to incorporate them.

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Take a Butcher’s at Cockney Rhyming Slang

Posted On October 17, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, English Language, Languages, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

What exactly is Cockney Rhyming Slang and where does it come from? Is it still used today? Was it developed for particular social or political reasons?

There are many worthy questions surrounding the use, creation and development of Cockney Rhyming Slang and there’s a lot of fun to be had too in the practice of this fun English language feature.

Where does the term Cockney Rhyming Slang come from and what is a Cockney?
The origin of Cockney Rhyming Slang is not completely clear. Many people attribute its development to the underground vernacular that was spoken by London thieves (in particular, those based in East London, Cockney being the term now used to loosely refer to Londoners with East London accents).

Cockneys were and – at the very core of it all  –  still are working class people from London. The term, Cockney, is derived from the word cockeneyes (a word which was developed in the 14th century) which means “eggs that are misshapen.”

The term is now used to refer to the majority of East-London born Brits, but when it first originated during the 17th century, it was more specifically used to refer to anyone born within the sound of Bow-bells, the bells found in the tower of St. Mary-le-Bow. The term is still used in a relatively derogatory way, but there are very few people who still use Cockney Rhyming Slang as a way of conversing on a daily basis.

The idea behind Cockney Rhyming Slang originating from London thieves comes from the idea that these professional tricksters wanted to develop a kind of language that authorities or spies listening into conversations would not be able to understand. However, as the language was never particularly widespread, no well-documented, it is difficult to be certain about this idea.

Church of St Mary-Le-Bow by Thomas Bowles, 1757.

How does Cockney Rhyming Slang work?
The title of this post makes use of Cockney Rhyming Slang as an illustration of how the language feature is constructed. The word “Butcher’s” in the title actually forms part of a longer rhyme (commonly understood by all Cockneys) even when taken completely out of context and when removed from the original and longer rhyme, as it appears here in the title.

The full Cockney Rhyming Slang which includes the word “Butcher’s” is actually, “Butcher’s Hook” which rhymes with the English verb “to look” and therefore when a Cockney wants to take a “look” at something, he or she might say, “Let’s have a butcher’s” without necessarily having to complete the entire rhyming and adding the word “hook” on the end of the sentence.

In another example, picture yourself at home looking for something to take to work that you frantically cannot find. A Cockney might suggest “going up the apples” in order to look for the missing item. “Apples” comes from the Cockney Rhyming Slang, “apples and pears” and “pairs” rhymes with “stairs.” Therefore, when someone tells you to “go up the apples,” he or she is actually suggesting that you try going upstairs.

Examples of Cockney Rhyming Slang
Have fun incorporating some of these popular Cockney Rhyming Slang expressions into your daily conversations and find out whether you have any friends who happen to be Cockneys and who can follow what you’re saying without difficulty.

“Bacon and Eggs” – rhymes with “Legs” – “She has such long bacons.”
“Bees and Honey” – rhymes with “Money” – “Hand over the bees.”
“Crust of Bread” – rhymes with “Head” – “Use your crust, lad.”
“Rabbit and Pork” – rhymes with “Talk” – “I don’t know what she’s rabbiting about.”
“Scarpa Flow” – rhymes with “Go” – “Scarpa! The police are coming.”
“Trouble and Strife” – rhymes with “Wife” – “The trouble’s been shopping again.”
“Uncle Bert” – rhymes with “Shirt” – “I’m ironing my Uncle.”

Videos on Cockney Rhyming Slang
Take a “butcher’s” at these two interesting videos on Cockney Rhyming Slang taken from YouTube (one of which includes the loveable Stephen Fry) whenever you get the opportunity and use the chance to brush up on what you know.


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FUNDEU and RAE: Two Essential Sites for the Good Use of Spanish

Posted On October 2, 2012By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators/  No Comments

Spanish, like most modern languages, is suffering from a lack of care and a candid disregard for the correct use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and tense.

Indeed, it is particularly concerning when members of the press, media and communications also fail to possess a clear understanding of how the language is correctly constructed. Fortunately, Fundéu (Fundación del Español Urgente) and RAE (Real Academia Española) are two sites that can be relied on.

As the world becomes more focused on technology, as we continue to send text messages that read, “Toy en el trabajo” or “Q hacés dp?,” and as we grow to accept the use of anglicized terms or “Spanglish” phrases such as marketing, pen drive and marketa, it doesn’t seem so important to know what the correct version should be. Understanding Spanish grammar, placing the tilde in the right place and knowing the difference between “a ver” and “haber” is growing out of fashion fast.

The rising issue today is that even amongst journalists, a group of professionals which, by nature, should be devoted to the delivery of flawless written material, also contribute to the production of grammatically correct written documents. As journalists tweet and post about their press releases all over the Internet, there is little concern for grammar and for the enrichment of the Spanish language.

This is why the work undertaken at both Fundéu and RAE is so important. Individually, both Fundéu and RAE act as guardian angels, working to promote, maintain and support the constant production of grammatically-correct Spanish across all spectrums of society.

A brief overview of RAE
The primary mission, the backbone off of which everything hangs, at RAE relates directly to the common union of all Spanish speaking societies through the correct use of the Spanish language. Even though Spanish is a language which changes, sometimes radically, from place to place, the roots of the language are fundamentally the same.

RAE aims to promote and maintain the use of these common traits in order to encourage Spanish speakers to pay more attention to the correct production of texts, for whatever purpose, in their native language.

One of the most impressive elements of the work done at RAE is the language guide, accessible via its website www.rae.es. This incredibly complete digital guide / dictionary covers all kinds of doubts and queries that the Spanish speaker might have about how to correctly construct a text in his or her native language. What’s more, the team at RAE is on hand to respond to these inquiries whenever possible.

RAE is also responsible for the publication of two texts. The first is entitled La Nueva Gramática de la Lengua and the second is an update of Spanish orthography. At 700 pages long, the text is particularly dense, but this is why RAE has also produced a reduced version, which covers the most important elements and a pocket book version to always have easily to hand.

 


A quick peek at Fundéu
Fundéu is a non-profit organization and was created by Efe and BBVA. Its prime objective is to ensure that the media and other forms of communication contribute to the correct use of the Spanish language. Indeed, the foundation believes that the media, the Internet and journalists in particular have a responsibility to produce quality, well-written texts at all times.

Thanks to the development of its website www.fundeu.es, Fundéu has been able to spread its work all over the world and it has been able to make a positive impact in a very short space of time. In fact, Fundéu, with a Twitter following of 126.321 (at the time of going to print) shows just how helpful technology can be in the repairing of language rules that have been lost in time.

Add to that number by following its tweets @Fundeu when you get the chance.

The use of correct Spanish, Spanish which obeys a common code of grammatical rules, does not have to continue down the road of destruction and indifference. The work of RAE and Fundéu provides two clear examples of institutions who still care about and value native language structures.

Fundéu’s channel in Youtube:

 

 

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How To Avoid Bad Clients

Posted On October 1, 2012By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  No Comments

As we all know, many translation jobs involve one-time or first-time clients. This is true even for the most seasoned translators with developed client lists, or agencies depending on repeat business. And because so many jobs involve an unknown client, we can find ourselves with more exposure to risk than other, non-freelancing professionals. What is this risk, exactly? Well to put it un-delicately, getting a bad client.


Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What makes a client “bad”?

A bad client doesn’t necessarily have to be an unprofessional one. True, not getting paid for work that you completed according to specifications, or seeing those specifications mysteriously change without warning, can put a translator’s frustration level right up there near the top. Sometimes, though, all it takes is an unrealistic expectation. Like no warning that the English to German translation was actually old English, or that the ten pages due tomorrow were in 0.2 size font. Fortunately for us, most companies – whether they have an online presence or not – have an online reputation. They key is looking beyond their company website and digging into the places where other translators go.

Places to do your due diligence

The best way to make sure you are dealing with reputable companies is to participate in the community. Since most professional communities these days, particularly in the translation industry, tend to have a global reach, the best places to do this are sites dedicated to translation professionals in particular, or freelancers in general. They don’t have to be job boards per se, but any place where contractors can provide feedback on the clients they work with is likely to be a good source for checking out a potential client. Other sources of information include user-generated and third party-moderated databases like the Better Business Bureau (limited to North American companies), or sites that connect freelancers with companies that outsource.

Some of these sites are:

Even if you tend to cross industries, like many freelance professionals do, checking out a client before you accept a job is always a good idea. The same goes for agencies that employ many contractors, although some of these already maintain internal databases of approved clients. Of course if you’re a contractor, the reverse is also true – your potential client might read up on you!

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Social Networking Verbs Enter the Collins English Dictionary

Posted On September 28, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, English Language, Tips for Translators/  No Comments

“Google It”
“Bing It”
“Facebook Me”
“Tweet Me”
We all use these phrases which have now become familiar household verbs and nouns, so much so that the Collins English Dictionary has made a number of updates recently to officially include these relatively new terms from the technological age in their English language records.

Language constantly evolves, which is one of its most beautiful and fascinating elements. It is therefore only natural that in a world obsessed with the Internet and online communication, the Collins English Dictionary should decide to officially recognize the importance that these terms have in our lives on a daily basis.

Recent Collins English Dictionary Updates
What is perhaps most interesting about the recent developments to the Collins English Dictionary is that the range of new language entries, reflective of our technological world, covers a really wide spectrum. For example, in addition to the more obvious inclusions, like the verb “To Facebook,” the following have also been included:

amazeballs
bashtag
Bing
cyberbully
cyberstalking
FaceTime
hyperconnectivity
IM
liveblog
livestream
SMS
touch-ready
tweetup
Twitterer
Twittersphere

English Dictionary Inclusion is still a serious matter
It is also important to recognize that the developments found in the Collins English Dictionary have been researched into and pondered over with care and deliberation. A few months ago, the Collins English Dictionary began to crowdsource for information on the modern uses of the English language. It is the first dictionary to work in this way and the move seems to be particularly pertinent to our time.

A word in any language can only really ever become a word when enough people start using it. Therefore, after receiving about 4,400 submissions and plowing through the information with patience and dedication, the Collins English Dictionary has finally released its newest version of the English language in use in 2012.

All submissions had to go through an intensive review process by the lexicographers employed at Collins to prove that it is being used widely enough and has sufficient longevity to stand the test of time. For this reason, submissions such as, “Mobydickulous” and “Tebowing” were, not surprisingly, allowed to make the final cut.

 

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The Use of Voseo

Posted On September 21, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Spanish Language, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Voseo involves the use of an alternate pronoun and conjugation of the second person singular form in some Spanish dialects. The majority of Spanish speakers use tú as the more intimate/familiar form of address; however, in countries where voseo is employed, the word “vos” is used alongside of or as a replacement for tú.

Use of voseo in a Mafalda comic strip, created by Argentine cartoonist Quino.

While the use of vos is perhaps most closely associated with Paraguayan Spanish and the Rioplatense dialect of Argentina and Uruguay, voseo is also widespread in some parts of Central America, particularly Costa Rica and Nicaragua. To a lesser extent, Spanish speakers in Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador employ voseo. Pockets of voseo can also be found in other regions within Latin America, including parts of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

In addition to the use of the pronoun “vos,” voseo includes a special conjugation of verbs in the present indicative and affirmative imperative tenses, and in most countries, the subjunctive mode (with the Río de la Plata area being the major exception). Conjugations vary widely depending on the region. For example, in Argentina, the standard tú puedes in the present indicative tense becomes vos podés; however, in Chile the same verb is conjugated as podís and in Venezuela, podéis.

In Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, the use of the pronoun “vos” and its accompanying conjugations has almost completely supplanted tú in both spoken and written language. Voseo is considered the norm at all levels of society and can be observed on TV and radio, in literature and music. In contrast, Chileans restrict the use of voseo to informal situations, and even then, the pronoun “vos” is frowned upon. In other words, the voseo conjugation is utilized but paired with the pronoun “tú” (e.g. tú podís). When Chilean speakers use the pronoun “vos,” it’s generally considered offensive.

Spanish speakers who utilize voseo also replace the independent pronoun “ti” with vos. For example, “creo en ti” becomes “creo en vos.” However, the direct and indirect object form “te” stays the same (e.g. tú te pones/vos te ponés). The possessive pronouns used with the tú form also correspond to vos: tu(s), tuyo(s), tuya(s). Lastly, the prepositional pronoun “contigo” changes to “con vos.”

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Do you Write Correctly in English?

Posted On September 17, 2012By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Tips for Translators/  No Comments

Even if you think you know how to write correctly in English, particularly if you are a native English speaker writing in English, there might be a number of things you are doing wrong on a regular basis having unwittingly falling into bad habits.

English grammar is, when compared to most Latin-based languages, relatively straightforward, as there are less verb conjugations to worry about and less verb tenses to take into consideration. English writers don’t have to think about gendered adjectives and gendered nouns either, which makes English grammar even less complicated to learn and perfect.

Having said all that, it is fair to say that English writers, particularly native speakers, can be lazy when it comes to correct English grammar precisely because of the fact that the grammar is less demanding and it is at this moment that bad habits start to set in.

What are some of the most common English grammar mistakes?
Most English grammar or punctuation errors, even within the world of professional writers and journalists, show up in the use of commas, hyphens, capital letters, spelling, contractions (through the use apostrophes), the incorrect use of double negatives and the construction of compound tenses.

Thanks to the huge surge in technological development over the past fifteen years, the need for speed means that children are adopting text message writing styles for school-based writing tasks, replacing words like “you” with “u” and “be back later” with “b bk l8r.” The interest and emphasis placed on “good” English writing is not as strong as it used to be and it is becoming more and more evident by the day.

Is there a difference between British English and North-American English?


Yes! There are many differences between British and North-American English and those differences are important. The problem is that there are almost always so subtle that they slip most people by.

Differences lie in a number of areas including anything from small changes to spelling (one letter differences) and the replacement of one word for another, to different ways of phrasing an idea. For example:

1. “programme” in British English becomes “program” is the US
2. “industrialisation” in British English becomes “industrialization” in the US
3. “enquiry” changes to “inquiry”
4. “trousers” becomes “pants”
5. “she hasn’t gotten a handle on things” would always be written in the US as “she hasn’t got a handle on things”

Which websites are best for checking English grammar doubts?
There are a number of sites that you can visit to check all grammar doubts when producing a piece of written copy in English, but some of the best and most trustworthy sites include the following:

The BBC has a great site on grammar, pronunciation and language queries which helps non-native speakers improve their English grammar just as much as it clarifies niggling doubts for natives: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/

The University College of London (UCL) maintains an excellent online grammar course / resource site which can be used to put any grammar doubts you might have to rest: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/

The Student Room is another excellent site. It is more of an online community with lots of forum threads to hand which deal with all kinds of English grammar problems that you might encounter: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=634990

Wordreference is excellent for dealing with grammar queries that might emerge thanks to doubts that occur when translating. The forum threads are the most useful for checking out these kinds of doubts: http://www.wordreference.com/

 

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Seal the Deal: Presenting and Following up on Translation Quotes

Posted On September 7, 2012By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators/  1 Comment

If you’re a freelance translator, you probably send out translation quotes several times a week. Chances are that you never hear back from some of those potential clients. What do you do in those situations? Do you contact the client, or do you let that project just slip away? Here are some tips to help you seal the deal when it comes time to present and follow up on quotes that you’ve sent out for translations.

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Inexperienced translation buyers may approach you about a quote before they’ve fully evaluated their needs. Don’t hesitate to ask plenty of questions to get a solid handle on the client’s requirements and expectations. Take charge and outline the steps of the process for clients if they seem unsure.

Agree upon how and when you’ll follow up with the client when you deliver the quote. A phone call, email or face-to-face meeting within one week of the original contact with the client is usually a reasonable time frame.

When you initially present your quote, make sure you convince the client of the value of your particular services and how his or her business will benefit by choosing you for the project. If you wind up chasing down the client, ask yourself why the client seems hesitant to work with you. What questions and objections did you fail to cover?

The most critical thing to remember is to maintain contact with the client. Let go of the expectation that the client will get back to you after receiving your quote; always follow up. If the client doesn’t call or email, cut back on the frequency of your contact but continue to pursue the project until you get a “yes” or a “no.” Remember that some clients take longer to decide than others.

Keep in mind that you are most likely competing against other translators for this client’s business. Sometimes it’s not the project quote itself but rather the follow-up that proves to be the deciding factor for the translation buyer.

 

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Use and Origin of the word “che”

Posted On September 4, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Languages, Spanish Language, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  5 Comments

It’s difficult to walk the streets of Buenos Aires without hearing the word “che” at some point. In fact, Spanish speakers in some countries such as Mexico so strongly associate this word with the people of Argentina that they’ll occasionally refer to an Argentine as “un che.” Although most commonly used in Argentina and Uruguay, particularly in the region of the Río de la Plata, usage of the word “che” is not exclusive to these two countries. Neighboring Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil sometimes get in on the act too (although the word is spelled tchê in Portuguese-speaking Brazil).

Ernesto “Che” Guevara

So, what exactly does the word “che” mean? Che is an interjection that’s generally used to call attention, similar to how the word “hey” is used in English. It can also be used to express disgust or surprise in the way that “man” or “dude” is employed. The word is almost exclusively used in informal settings, among friends and/or family.

Examples:

“Che, Fede…¿salimos hoy de noche?” // “Hey, Fede…are we going out tonight?”

“Che, no lo puedo creer.” // “Man, I can’t believe it.”

There are several theories that attempt to explain the origins of the word “che”:
Some linguists speculate that che arrived to Argentina and Uruguay with Italian immigrants from the Veneto region of Italy. The Venetian dialect word “ció” is used much in the same way that che is employed.
Others feel that the roots of the word “che” lie in one of the region’s indigenous languages. In Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche people of Argentina and Chile, che means “person” or “people.” Che is defined as “man” in the Tehuelche and Puelche languages. Lastly, che bears the meaning “my” or “I” in the language of the Guaraní people of northeast Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.

The Dictionary of the Real Academia Española states that the word is an onomatopoeia that mimics the sound made when trying to catch someone’s attention.

Finally, there are those who hypothesize that the Rioplatense che arose from the Valencian Spanish word “xe,” which is used to express surprise.

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Five Networking Tips for Translators

Posted On August 28, 2012By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  1 Comment

Translation work can be pretty lonesome sometimes. High speed internet connection at home, a professional email for work purposes and a reliable computer is all that the qualified translator needs on a daily basis. If he or she isn’t careful, it can be very easy to become a kind of recluse and feel fairly isolated from the rest of the working world in general.

This is why it is important for translators to network. It is inspiring and productive to stay in contact with new trends and to make an effort to be part of the translation community close to where you live. The problem is that not all translators really know where to start or how to network effectively.

The following tips cover some of the most useful networking strategies for translators worldwide. A daily dose of networking communication is all that it takes to turn a worn-out, stale translator into a modern, energetic master of language once more. If you love translation, but you feel that you need guidance and support every now and then, the ideas below are perfectly designed to meet your needs.

Contribute to Portals
Translation portals can be some of the best ways for translators to find support from other translators, find work and further develop their translating skills as the demands of their jobs expand.

Two of the most well-known translation portals are www.proz.com and www.translatorsafe.com. Both portals are particularly popular thanks to the extensive support and guidance translators can find via the forum discussions and translator help pages. Proz operates on a points system whereby translators who dedicate regular time to helping other industry experts and contributing to posts that have been published in the forum space earn more points. The more points a translator earns, the better their profile looks in Proz.

Positive profiles are clearly the best way forward for securing more work and better paid work too, which is why it is a really good idea to join these portals and make a constant effort to stay active on these sites as well.

Join Associations
It is also a very wise idea to join at least one translator association, particularly if you are working as a freelance translator as is the general custom of most translators across the globe.

There might be times when you need legal support or sound advice before signing a contract or launching into a long term project with any given company or independent client. As a member of a translator association, you will always have somewhere to turn should you require support of this kind.

Some of the most popular translator associations include:

1. The American Translators Association
2. The Institute of Translation and Interpreting
3. The Association of Translation Companies

Get Social
A quick search on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Termwiki will immediately highlight a long list of translators, translating companies, translating experts or translating sites that you can join and follow.

Once friends with other translating professionals, you will be able to share posts to your work and to job opportunities that come your way. The more you share, the more people will share with you in return and promote the translation work that you do. Essentially, getting social on social networking sites is one of the best and cheapest ways to spread information about your translation skills and learn about translation opportunities in record time.

Blog It
As an expert in translation, recognize that you have an important skill to share with others. Translators are in high demand across all industries, particularly in recent years as international business is now open to small businesses too via cheap, international online advertising with the likes of Google AdWords, for example.

If you start blogging about translation and translation-related topics on a weekly basis (regular posts are essential), then people interested in translation or people looking for translators will actually end up contacting you directly or following your blog and all your interesting updates.

Find your Specialization and Cut out the Middleman
This final tip is directly aimed at those translators who are looking for work and it highlights the benefits of cutting out the middleman. Ignore translator forums, translator groups and translator associations or websites and hit your potential client at the very source.

Make a decision and decide what kind of translation work you want to specialize in, if you haven’t done so already. There’s a huge difference between translators who specialize in medical translation and those who specialize in legal translation. Translating tourist material is nothing like translating novels and other kinds of creative writing.

When you know what kind of translation you want to dedicate most of your time to, head straight to the source with CV and past work examples at the ready and find out who, in your chosen industry, is in need of a translator.

For example, if your idea of a dream job is translating for hostel and tourism websites, send your CV to as many different hostels as possible and perhaps even visit some of them in person if you can.

 

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