New Campagin for English Speakers: Learn 1,000 words of another language

Posted On October 3, 2013By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

English is widely recognized as, if not the most important language, at least one of the most important languages in the world. As such, there is a great interest in learning it. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are always in demand and non-native speakers are usually eager to find ways to improve their English. Unfortunately, native English-speakers do not often have the same enthusiasm for learning other languages. Perhaps the popularity and importance that the English language enjoys makes English-speakers feel that they don’t need to speak any other language. It isn’t surprising that the British, as well as other English-speakers, have earned a reputation of being lazy with respect to linguistic ability.

1000words

As a result, in Great Britain, a campaign has recently developed with the intention of opening Brits’ minds and ears to different languages. The “Speak to the Future” campaign encourages everyone to learn at least 1,000 words of another language. The 1,000 word figure was set because that is enough words to have a simple conversation yet it is a realistic and attainable goal for anyone.

The effort is an attempt to improve, not only the language abilities of Great Britain’s people, but also their cultural awareness and adaptability. Learning a language opens one’s eyes to the culture of the people who speak it. The British have suffered the reputation of being “lazy” when it comes to learning and speaking different languages. And not speaking different languages has probably limited their abilities to relate to different cultures. The campaign aims to prove that the people of Great Britain are ready to engage with the rest of the world and with the world’s many languages and cultures.

Great Britain isn’t the only place that is infamously known for its limited linguistic scope. The United States suffers a similar reputation because many Americans cringe at the sound of languages that are not English. There is evidence that this attitude may be changing, thanks to globalization. More and more, people in first world, English-speaking countries are realizing that the world is much greater than the limits of their national boundaries. As a result, they are seeing the importance of being able to communicate in different languages.

The movement is not without some resistance. Not everyone wants to learn a new language. As we referred to in a previous post, learning a language requires you to go out of your comfort zone. Doing so is necessary for growth and development, but many would prefer to not deviate from what is comfortable.

The popularity of the English language, throughout the word, has given native English-speakers a great excuse not to leave their linguistic comfort zone. The bad news is that it has limited them and prevented them from learning things that could enrich their lives. Efforts, such as this recent campaign in the UK, attempt to expand the horizons of native English-speakers who are otherwise comfortably sheltered from languages that could open wonderful new doors for them.

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September 30: Happy International Translation Day!

Posted On September 30, 2013By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Languages, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Did you know that the Bible has been translated into 310 languages and that some of its text passages have been translated into 1597 languages and dialects? Did you know that the works of Lenin have been translated more often than Shakespeare’s dramas (321 compared to 93) or that Jules Verne was published in more languages that  Karl Mark (238 against 103)? And did you know that Asterix and Tintin have been both translated into 41 languages and dialects?

Who said that translators didn’t have a day to celebrate their profession? The International Translation Day is celebrated on 30th September on the feast of St Jerome, the bible translator. St Jerome has always been considered the patron saint of translators.

St. Jerome

The International Federation of Translators promoted celebrating St Jerome’s Day worldwide in 1953. All across the globe different celebrations and activities were organized to raise social awareness about the huge impact that translators and their work have on society: from users’ manuals to literature pieces to scientific discoveries, all of them can be globally known because a translator has made that possible.

Thirty-eight years later, in 1991, the FIT launched the idea of an officially International Translation Day to show the solidarity of the worldwide translation community in an effort to promote the translation profession in all countries, and not necessarily only in Christian ones.

The International Translation Day also offers us all with a great opportunity to draw attention to the importance of translators and interpreters in the world as they often remain invisible and unacknowledged, despite their huge contribution to communication and interaction in all sorts professional and social spheres.

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Why it’s Not Too Late to Learn a Language

Posted On September 27, 2013By TranspanishIn Languages/  No Comments

A popular myth is that if you don’t start learning a language from an early age, you can never really learn it. If you choose to believe this, chances are that you will believe you are “too old to learn” and will not bother trying. Although children have an impressive capacity for learning more than one language, that doesn’t mean that adults can’t also achieve great things with a foreign language as well. However, as an adult, you will have to be firm with your inner (defiant) child who might be a little resistant to what is not familiar or comfortable. See, real children have adults who do this for them. Mom, Dad, Grandma, a teacher (whose lessons are not optional) or some authoritative figure guides their learning by communicating with them in the language. Children learn to communicate in the language because they don’t have a choice.

Adults, however, usually do have choice. They already speak one language and if speaking a different one feels uncomfortable or inconvenient, they can say, “I don’t speak _______,” and not make any effort to learn or try. This happens even with people who are consciously trying to learn a new language. As soon as it starts to feel “too hard,” they tell themselves, and everyone else, that they just can’t do it. Then, other people agree with them, which promotes and enforces the myth that it really is difficult for an adult to learn a new language. If you believe that you can’t do it, it is very unlikely that you will bother trying.

Another myth is that you have to be some kind of genius or have an Ivy League educational background to speak more than one language. If that is the case, then all those migrant workers and immigrants from humble villages of poor countries, who do unskilled labor for very modest salaries in foreign countries and learn a completely different language in the process, must be a lot smarter than you. Maybe they are and maybe they’re not. However, if they can learn a new language, why can’t you? The answer is probably because they have to in order to survive and you do not.

Although being an adult, in your comfort zone, can certainly serve as an “obstacle” if you let it, you also have a number of factors on your side.

You already have a solid base

If you learned anything about English grammar at any point during your educational history, you already have a linguistic base. You already understand the concept of verbs, nouns, articles, etc. It’s true that these are not exactly the same in another language, but at least it’s a start.

You understand how it can enrich your life

Even if you don’t need a foreign language in order to survive and even if no one is forcing you to do it, you probably understand what an additional language can offer you. In addition to opening doors for you professionally, speaking an additional language presents opportunities for exciting travel and cultural experiences. It will also help you appreciate new and different music and literature. Such benefits might mean little to a small child or adolescent, but they provide additional motivation to a sensible and curious adult.

You have more self-discipline

Although you might not have someone like a parent or teacher telling you that you have to learn, you have an idea of how it will benefit you and, as such, you will be more motivated to make the effort. That is, if you don’t buy into the myth that it’s “too hard.”

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The Miami English: A New English Dialect Is Born

Posted On September 25, 2013By TranspanishIn English Language, Latinos, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  1 Comment

It has always been said that languages are living creatures. Apparently it is an undeniable truth since a new English dialect is born: the Miami English. Young men and women that were born or have grown up there, whether from Latin origin or not, speak it at schools, universities and, of course, on the white sanded beaches of Miami.

According to language experts, this phenomenon is not new at all, especially in the United States. As it has already occurred in cities such as New York, Boston or Texas, the English spoken in Miami is suffering a series of changes motivated by the demographic changes in the area. In other words, the influence of the Caribbean and Latin American culture cannot be denied.

Even though this is not a new phenomenon, experts agree on the fact that this Miami English is something more than just speaking English using a particular accent. Philip Carter, an American Linguistics professor that’s been living in Miami for two years explains the characteristics of the Miami English.

Speakers of Miami English:

  • Usually refer to friends with the word “Bro”
  • Use plenty of times words as: “like”, “a lot”, “totally”, “oye”, “dale”, “super”
  • Use invented words such as “irregardless” or “supposebly”
  • Speak it mostly using nasal sounds, especially the girls.
  • Borrow some grammatical structures from the Spanish language.
  • Speak really fast
  • Stick to the five Spanish vowel sounds.
  • Do literal translations from the Spanish language into the English one.

Despite some prejudice that has arisen against the Miami English, the influence of this new dialect can be appreciated beyond the community of young men and women. In fact, it has become a regional dialect that is associated to the south of Florida.

Read more here (article in Spanish)

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Upcoming Translation Events in October

Posted On September 20, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  No Comments

October will definitely be an interesting and busy month for translators. Look at all the translation related events that will take place everywhere in the world this month!

1ST

PROZ Translators’ Boot Camp

From 12:00-19:00GMT

Tips, tricks and best practices to bring your translation business to the next level.

2ND

PROZ CAT Tool & Software Day

From 12:00-21:00GMT

Leading CAT tool vendors will offer product demonstrations and software support and sales staff will answer attendees questions live.

Marcom Translation Process –Challenges and Solutions [Webinar]

Organized by the Localization Institute. The webinar will answer why translations of marketing communications fail; culture challenges; integration of marketing communication and translation processes; three major translation risks to mitigate during the development phase of marketing communications strategy; and best practices.

Translation Risk Management [Webinar]

Organized by the Localization Institute. What is translation risk management? How is risk defined in translations? What is a tolerated risk and what kind of risk factors must you address prior to the start of the project?

3RD

PROZ Recruitment Virtual Event

From 12:00-16:00GMT

To help freelancers get more work. Translation agencies will be looking for translators in specific language pairs.

3RD-5TH

ELIA Networking Days (St. Julian, Malta)

Organized by the European Language Industry Association.

4TH

PROZ Networking Marathon

From 10:00-20:00GMT

4TH-6TH

Translation Forum Russia 2013 (Rosa Hutor, Russia)

The conference is held in English and Russian with simultaneous interpretation provided for all session track.

5TH

IAPTI 2013 – International Conference (London, UK)

International Translation Day Event: At the Top of your Game: Perfecting your Language Skills

Organized by the Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society and the Washington Court Interpreters.  (Seattle, Washington, USA)

7TH-8TH

Localization Project Management Certification (Santa Clara, California, USA)

Organized by the Localization Institute

9TH-11TH

Localization World Sillicon Valley (Santa Clara, California, USA)

CFI 11th Annual Continuing Education Conference (Oakland, California, USA)

Organized by the California  Federation of Interpreters

10TH-11TH

Methodological Challenges For Contemporary Translator Educators (Krakow, Poland)

Organized by the International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies. It will deal with topics like transferable skills training, student internships, transfer of knowledge between university and work place and self-training.

12TH

A Witness to History (Philadelphia, PA, USA)

Organized by the Delaware Valley Translators Association

MITI Conference on Interpretation and Translation (Novi, Michigan, USA)

Organized by the Michigan Institute of Interpretation and Translation

14TH-18TH

Advanced Medical Interpreting (Monterrey, California, USA)

The course focuses on improving interpreting skills in simultaneous, consecutive, and sight translation modes as applied in the healthcare setting.

16TH

Choosing a Localization Vendor [Webinar]

Organized by the Localization Institute. This seminar will cover ways to identify the best vendor for a company’s needs, and will discuss standards of service to expect when working with a vendor.

17TH

Cloud-based Translation Management Systems For Start-Up LSPs & Freelancer Groups (Mountain View, California USA)

Organized by The International Multilingual Computing User Group (IMUG).

18TH-19TH

KATS International Conference (Seoul, Korea)

Organized by the Korean Association of Translation Studies.

20TH-23RD

VI International Congress of the Spanish Language (Panama City, Panama)

It aims at analyzing the past, present and future of books written and published in the Spanish language.

24TH-25TH

7TH Colloquium on Translation Studies in Portugal (Lisbon, Portugal)

24TH-26TH

9TH Annual Meeting: Language Culture and Identity (Tarragona, Spain)

25TH-26TH

Interpreting Studies At The Crossroads of Disciplines (Maribor, Slovenia)

Organized by the University of Maribor.. The conference aims to address the results of this interaction between IS and other disciplines; the benefits of interdisciplinarity for IS; and what impact these different approaches have had on research.

Translation Technology Terminology Conference (Zagreb, Croatia)

The conference offers a variety of content and offers opportunities to meet fellow translation-industry professionals and share or exchange ideas.

31st-Nov 1st

China International Language Industry Conference (Shanghai, China)

Organized by the Translators Association of China, Shanghai Language Services Center for Cultural Trade.

 

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The Country with the Best Spanish

Posted On September 18, 2013By TranspanishIn Spanish Language, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 4 19 Comments

In the numerous Spanish-speaking countries throughout the world, the language varies greatly from one country to another. Because the Spanish language reaches so many different peoples and cultures, it is not surprising that it takes on many different forms. So, which one is the best? Is the Spanish in one country really better than that in another? Well, yes and no. Perhaps it isn’t fair to generalize but that is what we do when we want to get a general idea of how things are.

So, apologies aside, it is often considered that Colombia has the “best” Spanish. It is said that the Spanish spoken in Colombia has a very “neutral” accent. However, that can be a matter of opinion. One might say that just as the Mexican accent is Mexican, the Colombian accent is Colombian. It may be a matter of opinion which accent is “neutral” or “better.” Although the Colombian accent, as well as the Colombian Spanish, is considered by many to be the “best” and “most pure,” it depends on who you ask.

One reason Colombian Spanish is considered to be the most pure, is because, compared to other Spanish-speaking countries, it has little influence from other countries or languages. In places like Puerto Rico and Belize, where both English and Spanish are spoken, there is often an overlapping of the languages and as such, the Spanish has been somewhat altered. Mexico’s proximity to the United States as well as the presence of American and Canadian tourists has allowed many English words to creep in. Take for example the verb “check,” meaning to verify. Not long ago, this would have translated to verificar but somehow the term has become widely known as checar. Argentina has a history of European immigration, which has influenced its Spanish. Because Italian and Spanish are quite similar, it is only natural that the Italian presence has influenced the Spanish of Argentina. Again, it is a question of who you ask because some may say that some of the best Spanish in the world is in Mexico or Argentina.

Spain has a very distinct Spanish. Some people like it and others do not. It is true the Spanish in Spain is quite different from that spoken in most of Latin America. Not only is the Spanish (from Spain) accent distinct from other Spanish, but they also make use of vosotros. Although Spain’s Spanish is different and may sound a bit strange to some Latin Americans, Spain is, after all, the birthplace of the language. So some may say that they should set the rules for what is correct.

Perhaps the most important points to consider are the particular individual who is speaking the language and the context in which he or she is speaking. If you go to a poor area of Colombia where many of the people do not have access to education, it is very unlikely that you will hear a high level of Spanish. However, if you attend a business meeting in Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic, you most likely will hear Spanish correctly spoken.

Perhaps we should develop our own opinion on where the best Spanish is spoken and which “kind” of Spanish we prefer. To do so, it is important to have many experiences with Spanish speakers from a wide variety of backgrounds and nationalities. In the meantime, if you are trying to improve your Spanish, rather than worrying about where the best Spanish is, just start using it as much as you can.

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Origin of the Word “Futon”

Posted On September 11, 2013By TranspanishIn Did you know?, English Language, The origin of.../  No Comments

Futons have become an ordinary furniture piece and it is very likely that you are reading this article comfortably seated on one. But, have you ever wondered about the etymological origin of the word?

Western futon

Japanese Origin

English (as well as Spanish) borrowed the word from the Japanese and the Chinese, and it means “round cushions filled with cattail flower spikes”.

A Traditional Japanese Bedding

Futons can be easily found in Japanese homes. They are padded mattresses and quilts that can be plied and stored away during the day so that the room can be used not only as a bedroom. In fact, what we call futons in Japan are combinations of a bottom mattress and a thick quilted bedcover.

Futon Japan

Japanese Futon

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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Posted On September 10, 2013By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments
Photo: Exequiela Goldini

September is a very special month for Hispanics in the United States as the Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated all across the country. Since 1989, from September 15 to October 15, US celebrates the rich tradition and culture that the Spanish and Latin American population has brought to the nation.

According to the last census, the Hispanic population in the US is the nation’s largest ethnic minority representing a 17% percent of the total inhabitants with 53 million people.   As we have already mentioned in other articles, the number of Spanish-speaking people living in the United States has increased steadily within the last ten years and everything seems to indicate that this tendency will continue in the years to come. In fact, only from July 2011 to July 2012 it has increased 2.2%.

Why on 15th September?

The celebration of the Hispanic Heritage Month starts on 15th September because many Latin American countries celebrate their independence anniversary near that date: Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the Hispanic Heritage Week in September 1968, and it was the Congress under the administration of President Ronald Reagan that made the celebration a month long.

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Machine Translation or Professional Translation?

Posted On September 6, 2013By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Since Google Translate made its first appearance in the translation market, many people thought that translators had seen their days. In fact, many believed that these language professionals were no longer needed: why spend money in hiring their services when there was an automatic translation machine that could deliver the same results? But, is a machine translation as accurate as a human one?

Relying on a machine translation allows users to have a document translated in seconds whereas a human translator would take hours or even days to do it. However, speed has nothing to do with accuracy and this is quite an important point you should bear in mind.

How does automatic translation work?

Unlike language professionals that translate documents paying attention to the general meaning of the text and carefully choosing the most appropriate words and expressions and making sure the translated version sounds natural to the reader, in an automatic translation the software performs a literal translation of the text. In other words, the original document is generally translated into the foreign language word by word, without caring about the way in which sentences are arranged in that language.

As a result, the final version is many a time a collection of words stringed together with not much sense altogether.

Machine translation sample

A text translated by Google Translate

When can an automatic translation be useful?

Even though machine translations will never give you the feeling of a natural, well translated text, there are some occasions in which they can be useful.

Automatic translation is great for personal use, especially when you are pressed with time and need to have a general idea of what a text is about and it’s not worth to hire a human translator to do it.

Other occasion in which you can use an automatic translation service is to translate Facebook posts or Twitter messages. Many times, a foreign friend writes something in his mother tongue and you’re curious about it. Copying the text in Google Translate can easily solve the mystery.

When should you avoid an automatic translation?

Generally speaking, corporate texts (memos, websites, internal manuals, financial documents and so on) as well as medical, legal and technical documents should always be translated by a human translator. In these cases, accuracy is not only a must but also it is of utmost importance that the message reaches your audience strongly and clearly.

Literary works shouldn’t be translated by a machine either. These pieces of writing demand the cultural awareness, exquisiteness and common sense of a human translator. Only a translator can choose the most accurate wording to express the poet’s or writer’s message.

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How to Make the Most of Hiring a Translator Service

Posted On September 2, 2013By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Today’s global marketplace leads business organizations to appeal to an international audience. Not only are products and services offered and requested from any place of the globe but also current and prospective clients are looking for companies that satisfy their needs and speak their own language no matter where they are located.

This being said, sending a clear, compelling and well-written message is of utmost importance. It is not only a question of politeness but of knowing what to say and how to say it in order to clinch sales. However, for most businesses, hiring multilingual copywriters is out of the question. And this is where translators arrive to the scene.

Translators are language specialists that are able to accurately express your message in another language while keeping the same intended meaning in such a way that the message sounds natural to the foreign audience, without appearing like a translation at all.

Hiring a translator is easy. There are translation agencies and freelance translators that are willing to translate your website and any other document you need. But there are some aspects you should take into consideration in order to make the most of their services.

hiring-translatorImage courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Trust in your translator

This is probably the most important aspect behind making the most of hiring a translator’s services. A good, professional translator is always on your side. In other words, he will put all his expertise in satisfying your needs: your internal documents will be easily to understand by your foreign-speaking employees, your advertising material will attract sales for a multilingual audience and your website will be convincing.

Hiring a translator will have a huge impact on your business’ global strategy as it will allow you to reach out to new markets and potential clients as well.

Be clear: Avoid misunderstandings!

Once you find a translator or translation agency you think will be a good fit for your project, the next step is to discuss prices and turnaround times. Unless you really need it done urgently, it is highly advisable that you allow the translator enough time to work on the text so that he can provide you with the best possible translated version.

If it is the first time you are working with a language professional and you are not sure whether he’s charging a fair rate for the job, don’t be afraid to request quotes from different providers. There are also some websites and organizations where you can check the average current rates. However, you should take into account that the final price will depend on the length of the text, the language it should be translated into and whether it is a general text or a text that requires a special knowledge (e.g. medical, legal). Avoid asking the translator for a “free sample”, especially if the sample to be translated is longer than 200 words. No one likes to work for free.

Special info the translator will require

While discussing the translation process with the translator, don’t forget to be very clear about your target audience. This is a valuable piece of information that will help the linguist choose the most accurate words to communicate what you want to say in a way that you speak to your customers naturally.

It is also worth mentioning if you will have more documents to translate. Remember that many translators are willing to offer discounts for large volumes of work or are more flexible with their payment requirements if they know you’ll be offering them several documents to translate.

Editorial process

Make sure the editorial process is included: The translated documents need to be proofread by a second translator to spot mistakes (grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, spelling, etc). Most translation agencies include this service in their rates.

Remember that translating is not an exact science and, therefore, there can be different versions of the same text. If you decide to hire an editor/proofreader,  ask him to be clear about which are corrections or amendments to make and which are purely suggestions regarding style or wording.

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