Crowdsourcing translation – a positive step for the deaf and hard of hearing
Amara is a large source of non-profit, crowdsourcing translations. The platform was launched by the creators of YouTube to translate as much video content on the web as possible, into as many languages as possible, as quickly as possible and as cheaply as possible. What are the positive aspects of crowdsourcing translations? More and more […]
Machine translation far from replacing human translators
Machine translation has been around for over 20 years now, with new software, programs and web applications being developed at an impressive rate. One of the main reasons for this relates to the importance of the Internet in our daily lives and its subsequent effect: globalization. However, despite the continued efforts and creative ideas of […]
What are the Top Language Industry Trends of 2014?
Advances in technology, in particular mobile technology, combined with the constant growth in social media communication, are the two driving forces behind the expected demand for professional language and translation services in 2014. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net According to Renato Beninatto, the CMO of Moravia, we will see “major growth in the [language] industry this […]
What are the advantages and disadvantages of crowdsourcing translation?
Some believe crowdsourcing to be a viable option for the translation industry and others are concerned that speed, quantity and low costs are no match for quality human translations. Crowdsourcing is a relatively modern process, normally undertaken online, which enables a crowd of people to join together to complete a work-related project or raise a […]
Ten questions you should ask a translation provider before hiring them
Hiring the services of a translation provider can be a difficult task, whether you’ve had experience in the area before or not. There’s a number of fundamental concerns to cover before signing a contract with anyone, most of which can be carefully covered by asking the right questions. Translation providers unable or unwilling to respond […]
Don’t be a nincompoop!
British English is full of fun and fanciful terms. The phrase, “Don’t be a nincompoop!” is just one prime example. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net “Nincompoop,” meaning fool or idiot, was traced back to its first usage in the 1670s by Jonson in his Dictionary of 1755. He believed the word to have come from the […]
You wouldn’t Adam ‘n’ Eve it!
With the passing of yet another year, the world has already begun to look forward toward a fresh start and a new beginning. What better duo than Adam and Eve, the starry couple from the very beginning of time, to send us bouncing into 2014 with a cockney rhyming slang phrase on the tips of […]
Where does the word Christmas come from?
“Christmas” is an Old English word, constructed from the combination of two words, namely “Christ” and “Mass”. The first recorded Old English version of the phrase, “Crīstesmæsse,” dates back to 1038, but by the Middle Ages the term had already morphed into “Cristemasse;” a slightly more modern version of the phrase. The origins The two […]
Three tips for dealing with translation scammers
Clients looking for expert translators always run the risk of stumbling into a scam. There are many fake translators who apply for translation work across the Internet and who promote their fake skills and qualifications by using profiles that they have stolen from real translators with just some of the details (like the email contacts) […]
One of the biggest translation industry scams affects both translators and clients
Most translators work online on a freelance basis and get paid via the Internet. High levels of trust must exist between the translator and the client which, in most cases, can only be developed over time. Therefore, it’s necessary within the industry to take risks when embarking on a new working relationship. The problem is […]
