Language Lines - Newsletter

November 2006

I.  From the Editor

We're all on information overload these days, and the expansion of American businesses to global marketplaces can seem overwhelming. What languages do people speak where? What do we need to know to plan a business trip or participate in an international conference or trade show? And how can cultural differences influence the success of international trade and negotiations?

Language Translation Inc. has created Language Lines to help you understand the increasing role of language and culture in today's global business environment. We know you're busy, so our newsletter is designed to be brief but pertinent. Look forward to monthly features about foreign language, cross-cultural communication and tips for successful international business and travel. We'll also keep you up on key news items about language, culture, and business, which have become inextricably linked both in the USA and abroad.

This month, Language Lines will focus on translation right here in the USA and how it is linked to sales. In our news section, we'll clue you in on European stereotypes of female managers, trends in international patenting and the boom in global training.

We hope you're already looking forward to December's issue, where we'll analyze India 's language landscape and vibrant economy.

As always, we would be pleased to receive any comments, questions and story ideas at: editor@languagetranslation.com .

 

II.  This Month's Feature: Language's Influence on Sales

 

A Domestic Affair: The Need for English to Spanish Translation in the US

While conventional wisdom predicts that Spanish-speaking Americans will eventually totally adopt English, a study carried out by the marketing consulting firm Hispanic USA shows just the opposite - the number of Spanish speakers will increase by 45 percent in the next 20 years, and although second and third generation Hispanic immigrants will be bilingual, they will continue to speak Spanish in the USA.
 
"We know that the number of acculturated Hispanics will continue to grow, but what this study clearly shows, is that Spanish is here to stay, and in a big way. Our study has far-reaching implications from a marketing and media perspective. The fact is that Spanish connects on an emotional and visceral level with Hispanics in a way that English does not," explains José Cancela, principal of Hispanic USA.

The study, entitled "The Future Use of the Spanish Language in the USA - Projected to 2015 & 2025" presents some surprising conclusions. Two-thirds of American Hispanics five years and older will still be speaking Spanish in 20 years, and adult Spanish speakers will increase by 53 percent by 2025. Rather than disappearing from the American language landscape, Spanish will be a vibrant and essential part of communication in the USA .

So even if your company does not have international aspirations, English to Spanish translation should be considered as part of your marketing strategy.

“Can't Read, Won't Buy”: Major Research Report Clearly Connects Language to Purchasing

The globalization research firm Common Sense Advisory has released a major report on global consumer online buying preferences. The survey of more than 2,400 consumers in eight countries ( Brazil , China , France , Germany , Japan , Russia , Spain , and Turkey ) reveals that most people prefer to buy online in their own language, and, in fact, the majority of people in some countries will pay more for a product with information in their own language.

"There is a longstanding assumption that enough people on the web feel comfortable using English, especially when buying high-tech or expensive products," explains Don DePalma, lead analyst for the report. "Nonetheless, research dating back to 1998 indicates a high propensity for people to buy in their own language. But until now, there has been no large-scale behavioral study of consumers to validate this preference."

The data collected finally substantiates this theory and reveals that more than half (52.4%) of consumers buy only at websites where information is presented in their language. The percentage of those who buy only at local-language websites jumps to more than 60 percent of consumers in France and Japan.

Even among those who can read English, more than 60 percent prefer buying from sites in their own language. And two-thirds of Russians and Brazilians were willing to pay a higher price in order to buy products with documentation presented in their own language. Organizations doing business internationally or interested in building a business case for website globalization, targeted marketing, and product localization will be interested in reading the full summary of the report; click here to register.

Three Ways Translation Can Boost Your Company's Profits

Forget political debates about whether the USA should make English the national language, and set aside the long-held notion that "everybody speaks English." Translation and its information technology counterpart, localization, are booming industries in the USA for a simple reason: quality translations can boost your company's profits. Here's how:

•  Access to Millions of Prospects : Every time you translate information into another language, you expand your potential customer base. 516.7 million consumers access the Internet in a language other than English, and that number is increasing daily as countries expand their use of computers and the Web.

•  Better B to B Communication : Take a look at a major European website portal such as Volkswagen's; you'll immediately find links to site versions in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish. A foreign businessperson will obviously choose the language that will be the easiest to understand - so translations definitely open up your site to foreign companies.

•  A more professional image for your company : Providing documents and websites in different languages proves that your company is part of the international marketplace and also shows that you respect your clients' culture.

Useful Links

Full Report: The Future Use of the Spanish Language in the USA

Hispanic USA

Top Ten States by Hispanic Population

Global Internet Statistics by Language

Common Sense Advisory

In the news

Female Managers Suffer from Stereotyping in Europe

US businesswomen may come in for surprises when they negotiate in Europe. Catalyst, North America's leading research organization working with businesses to expand work opportunities for women, reports that managers in European businesses hold stereotypical perceptions about men's and women's leadership abilities, regardless of actual aptitude and performance.

Data from four European "culture clusters" - Nordic, Anglo, Germanic and Latin - revealed a consensus that women are better at "taking care" and men are better at "taking charge." Surprisingly, countries with higher gender equality, such as Norway , Denmark , and Sweden , held the most stereotypical views of women in management!

Read a summary of the report
Download the full report

Patents Increase Worldwide

Internationally-oriented companies will be interested in a report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on October 16, 2006, which shows that companies are increasingly using the intellectual property (IP) system to protect their investments in new markets. Patent filings have exploded in northeast Asia over the past two decade; Korea and China are now in 3rd and 4th place respectively worldwide with regards to the number of patents filed in the countries' patent offices.

"This comprehensive report presents a complete picture of worldwide patent activity in an easily-accessible format. It shows the distribution of patent activity around the world and contains detailed information on some of the important trends of the patent system," said Dr. Kamil Idris, Director General of WIPO.

Read a summary of the report
Access the full report

Majority of Companies Take Part in Global Training

82% of international companies take part in global training, defined as training provided to employees, customers, and partners outside of an organization's home country, according to a study just released by Expertus, a provider of strategic training outsourcing services, and TrainingOutsourcing.com.

Among other highlights, the study yielded data about the translation of international training courses. While English is by far the most commonly used language for training (95%), many companies translate training content: 40% into Spanish, 30% into French, 25% into Chinese, and 25% into German.

Read a summary of the study
Read the full results of the study

For more news about languages, translation and localization, and international business, visit our news blog, updated three times a week.

For previous newsletters, visit our archive.

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