Language Lines - Newsletter

June 2008

From the Editor

Welcome to the June edition of Language Lines!

In this issue of Language Lines we talk about the Top Five Trends in Language Translation and Interpreting that the language service industry is buzzing about. We also cover the all important Three Steps to Accuracy when dealing with a translation project. Finally, a quick look at how the English Language is Changing Faster than Expected.

In this month's “Language Laughs” we have "Round-trip translation". A humorous look at machine translation and the fun you can have with it.

For more frequent updates about language services and their importance in the global marketplace, consider subscribing to our news blog.

Adriana Nevin | Corporate Sales Manager | anevin@languagetranslation.com

 

Featured Articles

 

Top Five Trends in Language Translation and Interpreting

As I scour the Internet daily for the latest in language translation and interpreting news, certain trends appear. All over the country – indeed, all over the world – the language service industry is talking about:

1. The never-ending search for accurate computer-assisted translation. Most major IT companies, such as Google, are working tirelessly on this project – but 100% accurate machine-assisted translation is not foreseeable in the near future.
2. A shortage of translators and interpreters in strategic languages. For security and/or business reasons, the US could use more translators and interpreters in difficult yet key languages such as Mandarin, Hindi and Arabic.
3. Problems meeting courtroom and medical interpreting needs. Within the US, hospitals and courts are struggling to provide interpreting services for non-English speakers. This leads to increasing debate about who is qualified to interpret, especially in medical contexts where time is of the essence.
4. Telephone interpreting bridging geographical gaps. Considered one of the possible solutions to the above shortages, over-the-phone interpreting services are being offered by some language service providers.
5. A growing interest in foreign language learning. Long considered linguistic ignoramuses, both young and adult Americans are now jumping on the language-learning bandwagon. Teaching programs based on new technology make language learning more accessible, and Americans are discovering the pleasure and benefits of communicating in languages other than English.
   

Based in San Diego, California, Language Translation Inc. has been providing language translation and interpreting services to US and international companies since 1989. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

/ Betty Carlson

Language Translation: Three Steps to Accuracy

Communicating around the world has never been easier; yet ineffective or inaccurate language translation remains a potential barrier to making contact with an international clientele.

The language translation process involves rewriting “source language” material into another language. Effective translation is so accurate that the translated documents appear to have been originally written in the second language, or the “target language.”

Needless to say, your company’s audience must understand what you are saying, down to the last nuance. Even a slight error in translation can cost you valuable business and harm your reputation.

To ensure accurate translation results every time, Language Translation, Inc. follows a three-step process:

• Your translation is carried out by a professional translator who is a native speaker of the target language.
• The document is then passed on to an editor who checks it for content, grammatical and spelling accuracy. As in any publishing endeavour, the editor may also offer suggestions to improve document clarity and consistency in style.
• Finally, the translation is proofread and its format is checked.

 

At least three professionals work on the actual translation, and for large jobs, a project manager is assigned to coordinate the different tasks involved.

At Language Translation Inc., specialized project managers oversee our ten-step localization process to ensure accuracy and client satisfaction. Our company offers translation, interpreting and localization services in over 40 languages. Contact us for a free quote.

/ Betty Carlson

English Language Changing Faster Than Expected

A huge project to update the Oxford English Dictionary has been accelerated because English vocabulary and expressions are changing so quickly.

“A 60-strong team working on the first revision of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has spent the past decade covering just four-and-a-half letters - from M to the middle of words beginning with Q.

But staff have now broken from their painstaking methods to concentrate on words whose meanings are changing the fastest.

Tony Thorne, of King's College London, said…‘The rate of change is accelerating because language is so much more accessible via the internet. There are dozens of websites that celebrate new language and encourage people to play with it.’”

(Extract from “Language change forces dictionary update” by David Thomas, Telegraph.co.uk)

Today, language and technology are indeed changing at a breakneck pace. That’s why it’s important to turn to a professional language service provider for your company’s language translation needs.

Language Translation, Inc. has been serving major US and international companies since 1989. “Let us show your how good translation should be.”

/ Betty Carlson  

 

Cross-cultural communication can bring about amusing errors and misunderstandings. Share a few language laughs with us…

Round-trip Translation

"A round-trip translation is a recreational spin-off of machine translation and computer-assisted translation software, such as Systran's and Altavista/Yahoo!'s Babel Fish language translation tools.

A user may start translating a block of text between languages to arrive back in the original language, albeit with a derivative end result. The goal of round-trip translations is usually amusement, so while variances are desirable, whether or not they are actually amusing is a subjective call."

(Extract from “Round-trip translation ” from Wikipedia.com)

Let's start with the classic sentence:

"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog".

From English to Arabic back to English we get:

"Fox Brown rapid jumps over a dog Sloth"

Not too bad... but I think we can do better. Let's try a different sentence. How about a line from an inspirational quote:

"Work like you don't need the money."

From English to Japanese back to English we get:

"You do not have to work for money"

Nice thought, but then what would we work for? Fun?

How about we finish up with a nice little children's rhyme:

"I'm a little teapot
Short and stout
Here is my handle
Here is my spout

When I get all steamed up
Hear me shout:
Tip me over
and pour me out!"

From English to Arabic back to English we get:

"I am a little jug of tea
In the short term and beer Stoute
Here is my deal with
Here my flow

When I get steam until all
I hear me cry:
More advice from me
It is for me!"

From English to French back to English we get:

"I am a little teapot
Short and Stout
Here is my sleeve
Here is my spout

When I get all steamed up
Listen to me shouting:
Tip on me
and for me!"

So, as you can see, machine translation can be fun but not always accurate. You are welcome to try some humorous translation combinations yourself by using Google Translate.

/ Shannon McCollough

 

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