Anthony | January 27, 2012
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Don’t be evil? Is Google flexing its muscle, or just manipulating the marketplace?

Google search engines are the new high street marketplace

Back in June when the online community was talking about Google+ and what it would mean to the world of search engine management, my take on the situation was, that Google couldn’t afford another failure, especially after the flop that was Google Buzz, (and you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking, Google what?)- They had to make it work.

I have previously predicted that despite Google’s supposed “fair” methods of working out which order pages appear in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), Google would have to start prioritising signals from Google+, forcing people within the marketing and online communities to embrace the social network whether they liked it or not.

Low and behold, in early January 2012, Google announced the “Search Your World” update, which prioritises search results based on content that you and your network of Google Plus connections have “+1’d”. This is yet another step to empowering the already super popular (please read – well funded, large marketing budget) brands while pushing down the smaller brands and one-man-band type websites, placing yet another hurdle to overcome when looking to achieve success in the online world. I liken this move by the search giant to the death of the local village high street, caused by the rise of giant supermarkets such as Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s.

When Google Plus was launched, they did a very good job of creating an air of exclusivity about it, only allowing a certain number of people to join at a time. This left people clambering for an invite and see what all the fuss was about. Within weeks of the release of Plus+, Google was boasting join-ups in excess of 64 million.

What Google haven’t been so forthcoming with is numbers of returning visitors and active users after sign up. I know that after the initial excitement (followed by extreme disappointment) many of the people who signed up, myself included, have never returned to their profile, choosing to continue with their Facebook and Twitter profiles which are already heavily populated with their friends, photos and other key information. So it comes so no surprise to me that Google launched their “Search Plus Update”.

However this still leaves me wondering how successful Google Plus+ will actually be? Like me, SEO and marketing professionals will suddenly start taking an unnatural interest in Plus+ again, fearing the impact on their careers. But will this bear any weight on the average, search algorithm oblivious Google user who frankly doesn’t know or care what their friends think and simply wants to surf the net. If people want to share content with their friends, surely they will continue to publish links on the Facebook walls and Twitter feeds?

It is only natural that the other major social network players are nervous – no doubt their backsides are going like a rabbit’s nose attempting to guess at Google’s next strategic move. So when I read in The Guardian that developers from Myspace, Twitter and Facebook have joined forces to create a browser add-on called ‘Don’t be evil’ not only were my suspicions confirmed, but I also found myself in agreement with their cause.  It would be interesting to see the number of people who install this browser add-on, but again this will most likely depend in the number of people who actually understand anything about the whole search situation, or even care. For people who are none the wiser they probably won’t even notice their SERPs are being weighed up by this, in the same way they don’t understand the hundreds of other intricacies that feed into why search engines present you with the results they do. Therefore I suspect that Google are banking on getting away with making such changes with minimal protest.

So where does that leave people within the translation services sector?  So many freelance linguists rely heavily on Google search results and online profile for the generation of revenue and work, in a highly competitive market. When the online marketplace rules are being changed so frequently, in order to manipulate the results, I have to stress that it is so important that individuals begin to pay more attention to announcements from Google and ask – what does this mean for my business? To finish with the analogy of the high street I used earlier, website owners need to treat their websites like their own shop floor, and constantly adapt it depending on customer feedback, new technology, and to negotiate the state of flux search engines operate in. This is not a passing trend, and many millions of people are already three or four steps behind.

Category: Localization, Technology, Translation, Translation Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Anthony | January 26, 2012
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What does the Year of the Dragon mean for Chinese interpreters?

The Chinese are celebrating their New Year festival

 

This week the world celebrates Chinese New Year. 2012 is the year of the Dragon, when it is said in Chinese astrology, that big things and great fortune come to pass. For many Chinese interpreters working throughout the developed world, we predict that their services are set to become more valuable than ever, as the global community increases its reliance on China.

Despite a recent wobble in Chinese market performance, sustained by the persisting Eurozone crisis, there is little doubt that the tide of international prominence is turning towards China. European countries including the UK are desperately looking to court the Chinese, with most recently George Osborne offering the UK as an offshore platform from which the Chinese can trade their Renminbi currency.

The property boom in China may also be over, but the country remains the World’s factory, at a time when the developed and First World continues to readjust itself from the hangover of the 2008 financial crisis, with the economy growing at a rate of 8.9% per year. Other factors including strong company balance sheets, high levels of savings, favourable demographics, and ongoing urbanisation mean that international investors will continue to look at China as an ideal prospect, and business owners will still use the region as an offshore manufacturing base.

This of course offers great opportunities for linguists with Chinese as a language, based in the developed world. Not only can they facilitate smooth communication, they can act as a vital prism through which our differing cultures can be understood. The suspicion with which China views the rest of the world within diplomatic circles, and the wariness that Western governments show in their dealings with the Chinese leadership means that interpreters and translators have an invaluable role in keeping the channels of communication open and messages clear, especially as Chinese culture is increasingly embraced throughout the world.

The 20th Century is often referred to as The American Century, as the World’s first superpower emerged from the rubble of the European and Asian empires. It is beginning to look likely that the 21st Century will be dominated by the rising health and wealth of China. As the developed world comes to terms with this power shift, demand for Chinese speaking experts will only grow, offering a new avenue of work for the many Chinese people who have moved to the West to improve their knowledge and skills.

The importance of a good Chinese interpreter will only increase in the years to come, and 2012 could be the year when it all began.

 

 

 

Category: Cultures, Interpreting, Languages | Tags: , , , ,
Anthony | January 11, 2012
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Herculean effort from Linguists required for 2012 Olympics

The eyes of the world will be on London in 2012

 

With less than 200 days to go before the 2012 London Olympics opens with a star-studded ceremony, many of the preparations for the athletes and the organising committees are now into the final stages. Over 205 different nations from across the globe will be represented by athletes at the Games, as well as a large flotilla of coaches, nutritionists and support teams taking part in the Games.

This year isn’t just one of the biggest in the lives of the Athletes and Londoners – it is set to be a massive year for linguists and language service providers (ALS link) of all disciplines, as they communicate the greatest show on Earth to a watching audience.

It is predicted that 3.5 billion people are set to watch the games on television during the month of August, with an estimated 350,000 people visiting London to see events unfold at the Olympic park, on the London Docklands.

With the event providing such a high level of international interest, the demand for top quality linguists is huge. In Beijing in 2008, every official document, rulebook, and instruction was produced in over 55 languages . Not to mention the amount of interviews with athletes, coaches and VIPs that need to be interpreted for transmission to the watching global audience.

While all the eyes in the UK will be on the growing hopes of a talented Team GB, UK-based linguists could be the unsung heroes of the games.

Following the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the Chinese State honoured more than 1,700 linguists for their work and ‘outstanding contributions’ during the games. The following passage demonstrates what a fantastic opportunity it is for a Linguist to become established in the industry, gaining a valuable once-in-a-lifetime experience.

    “A team of more than 1,700 translators and interpreters, including 400 professionals and 1,300 volunteers, provided simultaneous interpretation, consecutive interpretation and written translation for some 2,000 international conferences and press conferences in up to 44 languages during the games, said Zhao Huimin, an official with the committee.

    “They helped more than 11,000 athletes and some 25,000 registered media workers from some 200 nations and regions, he said.”

In addition, besides the events at Olympic Park, there is also the Festival of Britain with over 300 cultural events running alongside the main attractions, while British tourism experts are expecting a further influx of tourists to see the Queen’s jubilee in before the Olympics in June 2012.

Although it may not feel like it on these gloomy mornings in January, for UK-based linguists there is much to look forward to in the summer of 2012.

Category: Cultures, Interpreting, Languages | Tags: , , , , , ,
Emma | January 9, 2012
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The Need for Chinese Translation

Below is our first guest blog of 2012 from Saira Akhtar, a freelance writer and blogger (Saira’s blog can be accessed here: www.translationr.com). Saira discusses the growing importance of good Chinese translation as the country grows in economic and cultural strength and international influence:

 

China is not only known to have the largest population in the world but it is also finally being recognized as a leading frontier when it comes to its products. We can find the works of the Chinese people in almost every part of the world, and there is a growing need for a Chinese translation.

Translating one language to another has always been considered a hard job. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to interpret Chinese into English or vice versa. Chinese is regarded as one of the most difficult languages, when it comes to translation as the languages are based on very different systems.

If you are required to translate Chinese papers into English as part of your job there would be no time for you to learn Chinese first. This is the reason that there are a variety of facilitates obtainable on the sell today that can surely assist you in such scenarios.

But do we really need to go to the trouble to translate the Chinese language? You might find it unnecessary now, but this will change in time and the language barrier can really be a pain. It can be frustrating and a source of miscommunication. In this era where China is slowly influencing many aspects of western life, we should know a thing or two about their language. Here are some of the things that increasingly require translations from Chinese.

1.       Chinese movies – Nowadays, the Chinese movie industry is getting awards for its brilliance. People are interested on what the Chinese can offer for movie buffs. For example, Chinese movies like “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” or “House of Flying Daggers” were popular around the world when these movies were released despite the language barrier. But thanks to subtitles in a wide range of languages being added a wider audience has been able to enjoy the film.

2.       Equipment made in China – China is known for its innovative craftsmanship and its products are consumed worldwide. The creativity is  superb, which is why people are using Chinese products. Chinese people are very loyal to their roots and most of them are not fluent in speaking or reading English so it is understandable that their inventions are written in Chinese. For this reason, some manufacturers translated some of the Chinese characters into English to accommodate the much larger market.

3.       Talking to a Chinese citizen – Due to the fact that Chinese people are everywhere, knowing a little something about their language can give you an upper hand . If you are in the field of business and you are engaging a deal with a Chinese person, it is better to know their language, rather than relying too much on any assigned interpreters. This might be the purpose of an interpreter, but if the client sees you as someone who will make an effort to bridge the language gap, this will definitely impress your client.

Learning a language like Mandarin or Cantonese does take a lot of time and dedication. But this should not discourage you – it is never bad to learn something new. You never know when you can use the knowledge that you get from learning Chinese.  Get to know more on Chinese translation.

Category: Business Management, Cultures, Translation | Tags: , , , , ,
Emma | December 22, 2011
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Undeniable proof that football is the language of opinions and context

Show racism the red card

Is Suarez really guilty of racism?

Frequent visitors to Translation Blog will know that I am partial to writing about translation and the use of language in football; and thank the beautiful game for being so topical in this respect on a semi-regular basis. On this occasion, the topic is based on a cultural argument rather than misinterpretation.After a two month investigation by the English FA, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. Obviously feelings surrounding the decision are mixed. Liverpool FC released a statement outlining that they were “very disappointed” in the ruling, however I’m sure United fans up and down the land welcomed the news with open arms.

I am sure the FA have carried out a thorough investigation, based on the facts that have been released to the media, and my relatively extensive knowledge of footballing history, I can see both sides of the argument.

The argument from Suarez and Liverpool was that the term in question, “El Negrito” does not always carry negative connotations when used in South America, which is where the Uruguayan lived until moving to the Netherlands when he was 19. According to Tim Vickers from BBC sport, “Among Suarez’s team-mates these days is Maxi Pereira, who is known as “El Mono” – the monkey. It is a nickname which, apparently, is given and accepted with no offence meant or taken. It appears to be used in the same spirit that Alvaro Fernandez is called “El Flaco”, which means skinny.” When you learn of this context it is easy to see why a shadow of doubt has been cast upon the accusations.

Football, for those involved both on and off the pitch, is a game filled with high emotion, and it would not be the first time a player has overstepped the mark in the heat of the moment. But Suarez only came to England in the early part of 2011. So is it conceivable that when under pressure the cultural difference in language terms are forgotten, or is 11 months in a country enough time to expect someone to adjust to social norms?

In fact, many of the points made in my ‘Did I just say that’ and ‘English abroad’ posts on this very blog could be used in this argument. I assume that similar points were taken into consideration by the FA before it decision was reached.Of course these things are rarely without their grey areas but the intense, often tit-for-tat rivalry between the two clubs also brings into question the accusations and defence. According to the Liverpool defence of Suarez, Patrice Evra (who has been involved in two previous race-related disputes during his career) is supposedly the only player throughout the entire game who heard the slurs which can raise doubt; on the other hand if you are well aware that you are in the wrong it can be all too easy to plead ignorance.At the time of writing Suarez has been given 2 weeks to appeal the 8 match ban and £40,000 fine, but is being backed to the hilt by Liverpool and its players. It will be interesting to see how that appeal progresses. I’m sure both club and player are acutely aware of how their next move will either add or detract from the validity of their case.
Category: Cultures, Languages | Tags: , ,
Anthony | December 21, 2011
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Is the future of MT now in your hands?

Yesterday, the following survey dropped into Translation Blog’s inbox, and we thought we should share it with you – not least because there is a chance to win an iPad2 in January – which would be a great start to the New Year.SmartMATE, a full Machine Translation (MT) and Translation Memory (TM) platform designed for use by almost anyone who needs to translate text from one language to another, caused quite a stir at a number of conferences and exhibitions such as TAUS and Localization World in 2011.

We got in touch with Richard Stangroom at SmartMATE.co to give him the chance to explain in more detail. The SmartMATE team want translators and interested people to have a go on the system, build an engine and use the platform, before letting them know what you think by answering the short survey. The link to that survey is here (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/smartmate_feedback) and at the bottom of the page.

Richard tells us:
Over the last six months we have been offering users free trials of the SmartMATE system with a selected band of individuals and companies, giving them a chance to get their hands on the system and have a play with its features. We then listened to the feedback, continued to develop it and now we have it ready, in Beta at least.

As a result of the initial tests with users not only did we build an editing environment, but we also decided to roll our Translation Memory and Machine Translation systems into this one web-based system.

The full SmartMATE platform, which includes the ability to build your own MT engine, full TM integration, the use of your own glossaries, and the new editing environment will be launched for commercial use in January, so we are keen to get as much feedback as possible now, in order to find and fix any remaining issues with the system. This is where the readers of Translation Blog can help us.

We want to give you free use of the system until the full launch – and you will still qualify for a 30 day trial. Not only that, but for your assistance, you will also be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win an iPad2!

The system is built on XML Localisation Interchange File Format (XLIFF, .xlf format) and supports this perfectly, although we have also built in file filtering for MS-Word (.doc/.docx, but not .rtf). All these documents will be supported by the editing environment. Pure text (.txt) and SDL Trados Tag Format (.ttx) are also supported for MT and TM only.

We’re particularly keen to hear what you think of the quality of our MT, and if it matches the experience of the people who regularly use the technology, such as Bartosz Rogowski, a Polish translator, who had this to say:

“The problem with machine translation was always that you had to choose between two options; using a system that relied on C++ expertise, which leads to a lot of sleepless nights, or buy an inferior ‘out of the box’ ‘one size fits all’ solution, that may not meet your quality standards. SmartMATE has solved the problem by bridging the gap between these two options, improving the quality of the output and being very easy to use.

“SmartMATE lets you build different engines that will, for instance, imitate incomprehensible jargon used by your customers, and will remember the 1500-item list of terminology that your other customer requires. A great new tool for translators!”

Once again, to qualify for the competition, have a go with SmartMATE  by registering at www.smartmate.co, and then fill out this quick survey once you have finished: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/smartmate_feedback .

Category: Free Translation, Machine Translation, Translation, Translation Blog | Tags: , , , , ,
Anthony | November 17, 2011
10 comments

Why speaking English might be easier for Northern Europeans in contrast to Southern Europeans

A guest blog from Susanna Cha, recent MSc. Graduate in International Marketing Management:

If you are from Northern Europe and are considering taking an English test, you might find it easier than southern Europeans. This may be explained from a media related viewpoint that I would like to share with you. Please note that it is just a theory that is generalised – and that it obviously depends on the individual, as everyone is different.

Northern Europeans, such as the Dutch, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian people are, in my opinion, generally better at speaking English compared to our Spanish, German and French compatriots. This is an opinion that is also shared by others. The main reason for this is the media.

The Northern Europeans listen far more to the English language than the Southern Europeans. How come, you might wonder? Well, we all love to watch TV and in countries such as the Netherlands, all series, shows and films that are recorded in an English speaking country (mostly America) are not dubbed or synchronized. Instead, the Dutch listen to the English language constantly and receive Dutch subtitles. In Spain, for example, all series and films that are American are synchronised by Spanish speakers, as this case study in Translation Journal shows. This is the same for Germany and France.

Now you might think that the media, somewhat, has an influence is not fully responsible for someone’s English as education plays a significant role as well. This is true, but considers that you are listening to the English language since you were seven years old. Ask any Dutch child what the English for “yes” and “no” is and I bet that 90% could tell you.

There are, however, exceptions as not everyone can speak a different language easily. Surely there are Dutch and Swedish people who cannot even form one sentence in English! But do I think they’d understand more English than your average Spanish or French person? Yes.

There is also a difference between young people and old people. Young people are generally more exposed to the media, which may suggest that only young Swedish people are “better” at understanding English. This could be true, but a Dutch show whereby a Scottish psychic called Derek Ogilvie is helping Dutch people with the loss of their friends or family, is also proving that old Dutch people can understand English very well – as this clip demonstrates!

So to sum up, I believe that Northern Europeans are better at speaking English because of their greater exposure to English in the media, specifically, their exposure to the television.

Let us know your thoughts!

Category: Accents, Languages, Technology | Tags: , , , ,
Emma | October 10, 2011
2 comments

The language of confusion

confused girl

Learning a new language can be confusing

This post has been contributed by St Georges International Foreign Languages.

Language is a vital part of the human experience and differentiates us from other animals. Academics such as Howard Gardner and Noam Chomsky suggest that our brains evolved specifically for the purpose of understanding and producing language. Why, then, are some so much harder to learn than others?

Although very young children of any ethnic background can learn to speak any language given the appropriate setting, adults do not have the same facility. Outside of what scientists term the ‘critical’ learning period, adults find it harder to learn languages and must adopt a different learning process to that of a child.

While most adults aren’t unfortunate enough to have missed out on learning a first language, many have missed out on acquiring a second. Those seeking to remedy this will find it more or less difficult depending on how the language they already speak relates to the one they seek to learn.

A family affair

For those undertaking Spanish courses London is full of reminders of the similarities between English and Spanish. The Latin alphabet makes it relatively simple for English speakers to make sense of languages that use it, such as Spanish, French, German and other languages in the Indo-European family.

English to Chinese dictionary

Westerners may find some languages more difficult

For native English speakers languages get trickier the further one moves away from the English language’s relatives. While the vowel sounds of other European languages vary more than those of English, those of more exotic languages are far more complicated. Languages such as Thai, Mandarin and Cantonese use tones that require speakers to change pitch – something many westerners find fiendishly difficult.

Learning made easier

While the numbers of different ways to learn a language as an adult are almost as numerous as the languages themselves, some are more effective than others. For those seeking to learn French London with St Georges can provide a more rewarding learning arena than home-study options.

Whatever method is chosen, the key to an adult learning any language is hard work. No language is out of reach for the committed student, a fact demonstrated by linguist Tony Traill. Traill dedicated himself to learning the !Xóõ language of Botswana. Spoken by just a few thousand people, !Xóõ has five basic ‘clicks’ and 17 accompanying ones, while its vowels include pharyngealised, plain, breathy and strident. In mastering the range of wildly unusual sounds, Traill developed a lump on his larynx, just like the native speakers.

Category: Languages | Tags: ,
Emma | October 6, 2011
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Torres blames incorrect translation

Torrez at Chelsea

Fernando Torres might be starting to regret the things he said about his Chelsea Team mates.

English football is saturated with international players, arguably more than it should be (but that’s a conversation for another time and place), and clubs face a number of challenges when it comes to dealing with such players.

I have written before about language barriers in football, with particular focus on Carlos Tevez’s refusal to learn the English language. This time it’s current Chelsea player, Fernando Torres, who has caused controversy at the club, having recently given an interview in his mother tongue of Spanish. He has since blamed the English translation of the interview for wrongly implying that he said his team mates were ‘old and slow’.

It has been reported that the club is now requesting a copy of the original interview to see if the information has indeed been translated poorly, but I for one will be very interested to find out what the results of the investigation will unveil. Putting my interests of football to one side I want to know just how easy it is for people to blame an incorrect translation when they find themselves in a potentially embarrassing situation.

Of course I’m not saying that translations are always perfect; there are hundreds of examples of incorrect translations. But do people sometimes play on these to their own advantage? If it turns out that the translation of the Torres interview is indeed correct, he’s going to be doubly embarrassed about what he allegedly said and then for subsequently trying to wriggle out of it. If you’re going to say something controversial then surely you should be prepared to stand by what you’ve said when you come under criticism?

When asked how he was going to deal with the situation, Chelsea manager Villas-Boas said, “We’d just talk. Just talk to share opinion. If it was unauthorised, I’d fine him, of course. Anyhow, it’s one player’s perspective.”

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I don’t think there is a person alive that hasn’t said something negative about their place of work at one time or another. It’s just that if the translation turns out to be accurate, Torres should have thought twice before airing his views on such a public platform.

Torres isn’t the first and most likely won’t be the last person to potentially be caught out saying something they really shouldn’t, but whether he is at fault or not will remain to be seen; watch this space…

Update

scapegoat

A good scapegoat is almost as good as a solution

 

Just 3 weeks after writing this blog it would seem that Kia Joorabchian, the agent of Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez is frantically using the ‘incorrect translation’ defence for his prize asset!

After the reported ‘confusion’ that led to Tevez not appearing for City in their Champions league fixture against Bayern Munich, Tevez’s adviser now claims that mistranslation is to blame for the post match interview in which Carlos supposedly stated that he “did not feel right to play, so he didn’t”. After initially claiming that the noise within the Allianz Arena was responsible for the misunderstanding that took place pitch side, Tevez’s agent has now had to come up with an explanation as to why the post match interview failed to show the Argentine striker in an angelic light.

I can’t help thinking that sometimes it is far too easy for people in these situations to use translators as a scapegoat. Are you in agreement?

Category: Technology, Translation Mistakes | Tags: , ,
Anthony | October 3, 2011
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CERN results show that technology continues to drive learning in all walks of life

While scientists were fascinated by findings that seem to show that the speed of light can be exceeded, in what could be the most important physics discovery for nearly 100 years, we were marvelling at another great example of how cutting edge technology is not only the result of innovation and discovery – it fuels it as well.

The CERN collider, completed in 2008, is one of the most expensive scientific instruments ever built costing 7.5 billion EUROS, and has been designed to push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe. While the collider has been unsuccessful so far in finding the fabled Higgs Boson, it has provided scientists with a series of other discoveries that is helping us to build an accurate picture of the building blocks of the universe.

In the world of language translation, technology is also playing an increasingly integral role in improving ability to communicate effectively in different languages. Each week there is a leap forward in the field of machine translation (MT) that will eventually mean that accurate, high quality translations of text from one language to another is only a few clicks of a software programme away –rather than the process of translating a text, and then needing it to be post-edited by a linguist before being able to use it. This is one such example that was launched in September: www.smartmate.co

As commerce and communication becomes an international activity on an increasingly daily basis, being able to speak to any number of people in their preferred language offers a huge advantage over other communicators and businesses, and can open many doors and fresh opportunities.

Although the common perception of machine translation is one of bizarre interpretations created by systems such as Babelfish and Google translate, the fact is that technology is driving this revolution, and there are already a number of apps for handheld devices that can instantly translate road signs, instructions and menus from one language to another.

Technology may be some way from solving the secrets of the universe, but the improving strength and capability of machine translation technology and technology that allows language to be instantly understood is set to make our world smaller, by making it easier to communicate in any corner of the globe.

Category: Translation | Tags: , ,
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