Chinese Localization

March 8th, 2007

Analysys International says the combination of search engine with e-commerce is drawing people’s attention.

According to the report, in the first quarter of 2006, revenues from Pay per Click Search Engine Bidding reached RMB 175 million; revenues from fixed position search engine advertising reached RMB 9 million; and revenues from real-name keyword registration and advertising services reached RMB 120 million. Analysys International says the combination of search engine with e-commerce is drawing people’s attention. To advertisers who deal in international trade, Google has advantages on multi-language advertising, such as Korean and Japanese ad-words advertising.

However, in major areas such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang, Baidu is more favored by online marketing advertisers. The market size of real-name keyword registration and advertising services has undergone negative growth.

Analysys International says localization and building marketing channels has become the most urgent work to do for Google in China. Localization does not simply mean language localization. User experience, marketing channels and even payment habits will affect the progress of a foreign firm to adapt to Chinese market.

Excerpt from: Promotion World press release of June 21, 2006

Language Translation, Inc. offers quality translation and localization services for your web content localization needs. Whether you need services in Chinese or another language, we are here for you!

Bonnie Bruneau

Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

Chico Localization Program Receives Business Education Grant

March 8th, 2007

The Localization Program at California State University, Chico, will get half a million dollars from a United States Department of Education grant.

“The Localization Program, headed by Professor Nitish Singh, Department of Marketing, College of Business, has been awarded half a million dollars through the Business International Education Program grant by United States Department of Education and matching funds from other organizations.

This federal grant will help CSU Chico College of Business implement one of the first programs in International E-Business/Localization in United States of America. The Business International Education grants given by the Federal Government are meant to promote education and training that will contribute to the ability of United States business to prosper in an international economy.”

Extract from the CSU Chico Localization Program Website

Localization of websites and software needs to be part of every international company’s global business strategy. Language Translation Inc. in San Diego specializes in localization, translation and interpreting. From complex web projects to face-to-face language interpretation for foreign visitors, we are ready to meet all of your company’s language service needs. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free quote. “We speak your language…and theirs.”

Betty Carlson

Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

CAT & Localization

March 8th, 2007

Translators who use these tools offer advantages to the smart buyer.

What is CAT? Computer Aided Translation (CAT) is utilized by professional translators and agencies who are already fluent in the languages they are translating. CAT tools often include terminology management tools and translation memory to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of translations. With the right CAT tools, you can realize the following benefits:

  • Localization cost savings through repetitive word discounts
  • Higher quality translations
  • Rapid return on investment
  • Faster turn-around
  • Language Translation, Inc. makes sure that your message is appropriately conveyed by matching the language and culture of your audience. We provide superior translation and localization of your software or website by taking advantage of the latest advances in Computer Aided Translation.

    Bonnie Bruneau

    Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

    America needs Mandarin speakers –or does it?

    March 8th, 2007

    Many Americans now believe that learning Chinese will be a key to future career success.

    Given China’s ascension as a global economic power, many Americans now believe that learning Chinese will be a key to future career success. A recent article in The Guardian Weekly reports on this phenomenon, and explains the problems American schools will face as they attempt to integrate Mandarin into their curriculum. The article estimates that 100,000 American schoolchildren and students are studying Mandarin Chinese, either in private, public or specialized schools. But the shortage of qualified teachers in the USA will certainly curb the development of Chinese courses.

    The complexity of this language represents another barrier. Take a look at Wikipedia’s lesson one in Mandarin and see if you are up to the task! This is why some critics of the Chinese craze conclude that since the Chinese are going to learn English anyway, young Americans would be better off improving their math skills rather than struggling with a language they may never master.

    For the moment, it is likely that no one in your company speaks or writes fluent Mandarin. That’s why Language Translation Inc. works with qualified translators and interpreters in Mandarin and over 40 other languages. We also provide the project management and localization services which are so crucial to doing business in foreign cultures. Language Translation, Inc. has been in document translation business for 17 years. With a database of over 1,100 translators, we select the most qualified according to their areas of industry specialization.

    Betty Carlson

    Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

    AJAX & Localization

    March 8th, 2007

    AJAX is a web development technology that creates interactive web applications.

    There are various technologies that can be utilized to implement language localization on a web site, and AJAX is just one of them. Sometimes a combination of computer programming techniques can be used. AJAX, or Asynchronous JavaScript And XML, is a web development technology that creates interactive web applications.

    AJAX increases the interactivity, usability and speed of a web page by having the server alter small amounts of information. This means that the web page does not need to reload each time a change is made. AJAX Frameworks offer different technologies, and the demand for AJAX rich technology is increasing in Brazil.

    Certain AJAX components can be used for localization, and Language Translation, Inc. stands ready to serve you with over 17 years of expertise in document translation, interpreting services, and software/website localization.

    Bonnie Bruneau

    Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

    30th Internationalization & Unicode Conference Announces Speakers

    March 8th, 2007

    Unicode is an industry standard created to allow symbols from all of the world’s writing systems to be consistently represented by computers.

    “The Unicode® Consortium today announced that a Keynote Panel titled, “Where Would We Be Without Unicode?” has been added to the program for the 30th Internationalization & Unicode Conference (IUC). The conference will take place November 15-17, 2006, in Washington, D.C., USA. The full conference program is available online here.

    In this Keynote Panel, leaders of standards organizations will explain how they rely on the Unicode standard to forge ahead with their own standards, and how the future of Unicode, in internationalization, localization and globalization, will support their own standards programs. Other industry experts will detail how Unicode is key to enabling new capabilities and relate the business reality of supporting additional languages. Finally, the panel will discuss trends in upcoming standards and new technology that affect internationalization.”

    Extract from Unicode Consortium press release, October 26, 2006

    Language Translation Inc. specializes in translation, interpretation and localization. The latter requires specific software and computer knowledge, which is why we work with qualified localization engineers and follow a ten-step quality process on all major localization projects. “We speak your language…and theirs.”

    Betty Carlson

    Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

    American Companies Seek Foreign Language Speakers

    March 8th, 2007

    Long considered unimportant in the job market, foreign language skills are increasingly in demand.

    I live in Europe, and I can attest that Americans have a pretty poor reputation as foreign-language speakers; but I believe the tide is turning. In fact, not a day goes by that I don’t read at least one article in the American press about the growing need for foreign language skills in the USA. “Once a language degree probably meant a career in teaching or a couple of other choices. But career-placement experts say the job market is rapidly expanding for graduates with language skills,” reports Mark Pitsch in the Louisville Courier-Journal. The article cites three reasons for the increase in the importance of foreign languages: economic globalization, the need to communicate for diplomatic purposes in the wake of 9/11, and increasing cultural diversity within the USA.

    Hiring employees with foreign language skills can help your company negotiate and communicate with foreign firms, but it won’t eliminate the need for specialized language translation services. Speaking another language does not necessarily qualify one as a a good writer, translator, or interpreter. And while you may have a few foreign languages represented on your staff, in today’s global economy, your company could need translations in many different languages.

    Language Translation Inc. is a professional translation company located in San Diego, California. We have been in business for 17 years serving the U.S. and many countries abroad with document translation services, conference interpreting, and software/website localization services. “We speak your language, and theirs.”

    Betty Carlson

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

    Al-Arabic Language

    March 8th, 2007

    The prefix “–al” means “the” in the Arabic language.

    Ever hear names in the news such as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, al-Badri, Ansar al-Sunna, or al-Zarqawi? Surely, we are all familiar with al-Qaeda; literally translated, al-Qaeda means “the base” or “the foundation”. But what does “al” mean? The prefix “-al” is the equivalent of the English word “the”.

    According to a recent article, “surnames that begin with “al” often refer to the place where someone’s ancestors were born. Saddam Hussein, for example, used to be called by his family name, “al-Tikriti.” Since “al-” serves as the definite article, the name “Saddam al-Tikriti” means “Saddam, the guy from Tikrit.”

    In these cases, the last name generally ends with the letter “i,” which turns the name of a place into a description of a person. Arabic surnames can also combine the definite article with the name of a profession. Ali Hassan al-Majid, for example, was given the nickname “Chemical Ali,” or “Ali al-Kimyai”—which can be translated as “Ali the Chemist.” (Indeed, the English word “alchemy” comes from the Arabic term for chemistry combined with the “al-” prefix.)”

    If you need language translation and language translation services for your company, consider Language Translation, Inc. We offer foreign language translation services in many languages, including Arabic. Request your free quote today!

    Bonnie Bruneau

    Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

    African Book Translation

    March 8th, 2007

    Documents, books, and web sites can all be translated to fit a wider audience.

    A novelist, playwright, and journalist from Kenya named Ngugi wa Thiong’o has written a book entitled, “Free Republic of Aburiria” but is also published in a translated English version of “Wizard of the Crow”. Ngugi is the director of the University of California’s International Center for Writing and Translation (in Irvine, CA).

    The novel speaks with humor about a fight for the control of the souls of the Aburirian people. It would be interesting to read this story as it is “a translation from a language whose narrative traditions are mostly oral and heavy on performance; the tale is fantastic and didactic, told in broad strokes of caricature. Its principal political actors wear physical distortions like large, firelit masks.”

    Bonnie Bruneau

    Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

    1981 Play Called “Translations”

    March 8th, 2007

    The impact of language translation can be seen in past history as well as today.

    ““Translations” was the first play produced by Field Day Theater Company. It is set in a rural, Irish-speaking community in County Donegal in 1833. Into this world arrives a corps of Royal Engineers to conduct an Ordnance Survey of Ireland, which would map the country and ‘standardize’, or rather, anglicize, the place-names.

    Captain Lancey and Lieutenant Yolland are being assisted by Owen, son of the local hedge-school master, Hugh O’Donnell. The romantic Lieutenant Yolland is enchanted by the Irish names and culture and Maire (Owen’s brother, Manus’ fiancee) and Yolland fall in love. Yolland disappears, and as a punishment, Captain Lancey threatens to destroy several places in the County. Ironically, the names of these are read in English and Owen must translate them back into the Irish for the sake of the locals.”

    Excerpt from: “The Biography of Brian Friel” by Shirin Keen

    Achieve your goals with the right foreign language translation services at Language Translation, Inc. Check out our info on what to look for when choosing a translation company, and then fill out your free quote request.

    Bonnie Bruneau

    Language Translation Inc., a San Diego-based company has been serving the U.S. and countries abroad for over 17 years with professional document translation, certified conference interpreting, and software / website localization services.

    Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.