Archive for Cultures

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 | September 29, 2011
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Left slanging

This week, the latest edition of Jack Speak – an in-depth guide to the slang phrases used by the Royal Navy – has been published by long time chronicler Rick Jolly. Jack Speak is a great example of how quickly creative use of language can work its way into modern lexicon.

Slang is all around us and it is often a key component of our spoken word, but more often than not the slang terms are unique to a certain group from a particular city or region, age group, vocation or class and do not penetrate beyond their circles.

What makes Jack Speak so special is that the wide scope of the language means it can be transferred to everyday use in a way that Medical Slang, for example, cannot. Looking through examples of Jack Speak it is clear to see a blend of functional bluntness, military jargon, and euphemism.

The Royal Navy is an interesting petri dish for the English language – a melting pot of different classes, regional dialects, hierarchy, different levels of education, all thrown together in an isolated organisation that is used to working in the most extreme conditions at sea. And then it is brought ashore by the sailors and it weaves it’s way into common usage.

Here are some of the most common examples of Naval Jack Speak still in popular use, originally found here:

• If food is collected from the galley kitchen as soon as it is ready and still hot it is referred to as Piping hot

• Toe the line. Each sailor was expected to step forward to a chosen line and give his name and duties. The phrase is used when asking people to meaning to conform to rules and authority, as well as obey orders.

• Pig’s Ear, a term for something messy, refers to an upper deck urinal used by sailors when on watch.

• The expression all above board refers to things being open to inspection as they were on the top deck of the ship and could be easily viewed. Now we use it to show that a deal is transparent and legitimate.

• Similarly, Copper bottomed, which refers to something being an idea or investment being worthwhile originates from when copper plates were fixed to wooden ships hulls to minimise worm attack and prevent the build-up of barnacles and weed – therefore providing long term strength and reliability.

• Showing your true colours relates to Naval etiquette which, while allowing false colours or flags to be displayed when approaching an enemy ship, insists that true colours are flown once battle begins and fire is exchanged.

Doing a bit of reading into this subject got us thinking – are there any other examples in any other languages of slang terms developed and used by one set of people having such a profound influence on the use of the mother language overall? Has the language of the French Foreign Legion enlivened the French language or does the lingo of the old west live on in US cities?

Category: Accents, Cultures, Dialects | Tags: , , , ,
Anthony | September 15, 2011
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Speak English or lose benefits – is it really as simple as that?

 

On Tuesday, UK PM David Cameron announced a welfare policy that unemployed people who can’t speak English will lose benefits, on a sliding scale, unless they take an education course and show willing to learn the language.

On the whole, this is a common sense approach to an obvious issue that has been bothering the UK electorate for a number of years. Why should the hard pressed British taxpayer have to pay for those who, for whatever reason, do not learn the language on entry to the country?

Those on benefits who cannot proficiently speak English will be made to attend free language courses taught by trained professionals (hopefully creating another source of work for a number of trained linguists), and failure to attend will lead to sanctions on their benefits package. This move is designed to prevent people shirking job opportunities and remaining on benefits, on the shaky ground that they cannot speak English.

On the other hand, the government proposals could put many migrant workers into a Catch-22 situation where they still struggle to find work in an economy where even the lowest paid and most menial jobs are no longer available, but lose out on a portion of money until their standard of English reaches a level acceptable to the Job Seekers Allowance board.

Is this all to placate the White Van Man In The Street Brigade, and deliver a few more column inches and headlines? Who has the final say on whether someone can speak English well enough?

Furthermore it is estimated that there are up to 70,000 unemployed people in the UK citing a lack of English skills preventing them getting a job. But that is just three per cent of the 2.51 million people out of work overall. It feels as if the policymakers are not tackling the main causes behind mass unemployment and are instead tinkering with the problems on the periphery, in the search for easy to swallow and headline grabbing soundbites.

Once again, the simplification of the issue into terms of black or white does not do justice to the complexities of the situation, and although the policy is likely to help move many migrant workers on from the UK and off the government’s books (by creating a stand-off between claimant and JSA) it will cause more problems for the genuine claimant, without significantly reducing the amount of money government needs to pay out to the unemployed.

Category: Cultures, Languages, Translation | Tags: , , ,
Emma | September 1, 2011
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Observing Japanese culture

Sushi rolls

Sushi is often associated with Japanese culture

The Japanese are well mannered people. You can even call them perfectionists, as most of their ways help get the best out of life. Japanese people have a set of rules for almost everything they do, and they follow these rules obediently. This article focuses on the set of rules which are observed while eating and drinking. If you are in Japan, following these rules (even if not properly) would be highly appreciated by the locals.

There is a basic set of rules which are to be observed in all cases. These are table manners, most of which are observed in other parts of the world as well. For example, burping loud is considered very bad manners in Japan. If you burp in a public place, people will stare at you as if you killed someone. Japanese like to observe silence while eating and any kind of noise is considered bad. Talking is allowed but only if it is at a volume which does not disturb others. Talking about unwanted topics is forbidden, topics related to the washroom or something similarly disgusting should not be discussed, especially when you are at a public restaurant. Indulging in disgusting acts, such as picking or blowing your nose, also shows a lack of etiquettes.

Here in Japan, before you start eating you are supposed to say “itadakimasu,” which means I accept. When you are finished you should say “gochisosama” which means thank you for the meal. When you are done eating, you should put everything back in place where they were before you started eating. This is especially observed in case one used chopsticks, they are supposed to be put back into their paper covers and back on the holder.

Now let’s come to the meals. Almost every Japanese cuisine requires using chopsticks, and with that comes a set of rules. First off, we will discuss the don’ts. Do not eat from the serving chopsticks, it is considered as an act of illiteracy. The chopstick should not be used as a fork, the Japanese offer food to the dead this way.
Do not use chopsticks to pass and accept food as bones of a cremated body are passed like this. Do not use chopsticks for any other purpose except eating.
Grab the chopsticks in one hand, align them parallel with the other hand and then adjust the first hand. Now you are holding chopsticks the proper way.
When you order a dish that is served with chopsticks, put it in your plate and eat it using your own chopsticks. Hold the item with the chopsticks and finish it off rather than putting it back on the plate. Women are required to put their other hand underneath the food while carrying it from the plate/bowl to their mouth.

If you are having a liquid meal, such as a soup or a rice dish, they should be served in bowls. While eating, lifting the bowl near you is considered polite. One should first finish the liquid and then eat the solid leftovers with a chopstick.
When we talk about drinking, again Japanese courtesy comes up. The server should offer others first rather than pouring it himself/herself. The server should occasionally check other people and fill them up as soon as needed. You should empty the glass as soon as possible if someone wants to serve you.

About the author

Over the last 3 years, Andrew has learnt the subtle and fascinating manners of the Japanese culture. When he is not sharing his passion for Japan, Andrew provides training on how to properly use sushi makers and especially nigiri machine

Category: Cultures | Tags: , , , ,
Anna | August 2, 2011
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Two kiss or not two kiss? That is the question.

Yet another international business etiquette conundrum.

My sister is lucky enough to have left the rain-soaked UK and moved to the much more pleasing climate of Toulouse in the South West of France. One year into her exciting new life and she has secured a great job but has encountered a rather large cultural hurdle that she has struggled to overcome, despite being fluent in French.

There are blogs-a-plenty out there regarding international business etiquette covering things like handshakes, eye contact, business cards, dining with clients and other cultural differences that need to be taken into account when doing business in other countries.  However, there isn’t an awful lot in the public domain about how and when you should “bisou” (kiss) a colleague.

In the UK and the US a handshake is reserved for first introductions or contacts that you meet infrequently. It isn’t something that tends to be used with people that you see every day in the office and a simple “good morning” will usually suffice.

So, imagine you’re suddenly in a professional environment where colleagues greet each other in meetings with a kiss on each cheek. Now, this seems simple enough; you watch what other people are doing and replicate, right?  Wrong.

Even world leaders get it wrong.

It seems that there are some people you kiss and some you do not. There are some that everyone in the room kisses but that you don’t know well enough to, so they recoil in horror at your over familiar gesture.  Then, when your handshake is met with someone leaning in to bisou you, imagine the offence you may have caused with your cold, formal, British greeting.

My sister obviously did what any sensible person would do. She asked her French friends what the “rules” are.  It soon became clear that this approach wasn’t going to be particularly helpful however. Some said it was unusual to kiss in a working environment and had never come across this during their careers in France, while others got into huge debate around what that rules are. I decided to help her by asking a French intern at my UK workplace who was equally baffled and couldn’t provide a clear answer. The results of our combined market research into the rules of this element of business communication….there are no rules.

At first she dreaded running the morning gauntlet, filled with fear around who she was going to offend on that particular day with her clumsy British salutations. However, time has passed and she is getting the hang of it, based on getting to know the individuals, following their lead and not worrying as much about getting things wrong occasionally.

I am sure that nobody was genuinely offended in those initial months in the new job. However, it would be interesting to know if anybody has encountered similar confusion and if, hidden away somewhere, there are concrete rules to help us Brits fit in more quickly in the rest of Europe!

Category: Cultures |
Emma | June 30, 2011
3 comments

How the international language barrier is affecting the financial services sector

Currency from around the world

The language of money

Despite many of the world’s banks and financial institutions operating on an international scale every day, more and more reports are showing that the language barrier remains one of the key factors negatively affecting the financial services sector. As multiculturalism flourishes, banks face losing customers, and individuals cannot protect their money as language difficulties prevent effective communication.

The language barrier

People decide not to use banks for a wide range of different reasons. Some people may feel that they don’t need to hold an account or require financial services, others may have suffered bad experiences such as of mishandled account and overdraft fees, in addition with monthly maintenance fees, or problem with the minimum balance. All of these can result from language barriers.

For example, in the United States, there are twenty-three million Americans who do not use English as their primary language. Although there are extensive federal and state language access laws, there is lack of proper and comprehensive implementation within banking institutions, and the poor enforcement of the laws leaves millions of people with limited English proficiency to suffer a much lower quality of financial services than those that can understand English.

In many businesses, the language barriers can have dire consequences. The negative effect on businesses usually starts with the cultural differences, which pose additional problems by creating misunderstandings in workplaces. Language barriers are a major cause of problems between the immigrant workers and the native ones.

Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that immigrants in situ make up around 15% of the labor force in the United States. More than half of these workers are from Latin America and almost a quarter from Asia. Amongst these, only about 40% can speak good English when they arrive in the U.S. Mostly, the western states are likely to see the largest increases in immigrants, followed by the south and the south eastern states. Immigrants will account for half of the growth in the country’s working-age population by the year 2015.

The problem of effective communication across the language barrier in banks is going to be with us for many years. Thought and action must be given now into how these problems can be solved to enable large numbers of people to benefit from better financial services.

This post was contributed by Jack Hudson

Category: Cultures, Languages, Translation | Tags: , ,
Anna | April 27, 2011
3 comments

Language fit for a royal wedding…but not for everyday use.

"One must speak properly".

 

With just two days to go until the wedding of Prince William and his bride-to-be, Kate Middleton, it seems like the ideal time to once again consider the use of The Queen’s English in today’s society.

I have a vested interest in this topic as my mother grew up in Inverness where, according to linguistic experts, the best Queen’s English is spoken.  I had my speech corrected from an early age and, to be honest, I still have it corrected today.  However I am pleased that this is the case as it has definitely been an advantage to me in my chosen career of communication – although my colleagues can vouch for the fact that I can by no means claim to be a grammar or pronunciation Queen!

Award winning films, such as The Queen and The King’s Speech, which have been viewed around the world by millions, have allowed this old fashioned way of speaking to be shared on a global scale but does it make sense to protect this form of the English language, which is now considered by many to be dated, indefinitely?

English has changed significantly over the years.  The term, “The Queen’s English”, dates back to the 16th century and I’m not sure that anyone from the Elizabethan age would understand what some recent entrants to the Oxford English Dictionary, such as OMG, actually mean!

The Queen’s English Society certainly has a strong view, with its president publishing a very interesting article in The Independent newspaper highlighting concerns around the dumbing down of the English language.

So, should we be encouraging native English-speakers to adopt the traditional and regal way of speaking or does it confuse people trying to learn English as a second language?  Similarly, does it complicate things for the translation community. English translation of a company’s literature, brochures and websites might read strangely to English speakers if adhering to the rules of the Queen’s English and most businesses hope to convey their brand and messages using a conversational style and tone that has become commonplace in today’s marketing collateral.  At the same time, however, would you dismiss a job applicant’s CV if it was written in an informal style and do you still expect job seekers to submit a CV written in the Queen’s English? It seems to me that there is a time and a place for the most traditional use of the English language and I am sure that the royal wedding attendees will be putting their Queen’s English into practice this weekend.

One final point for those champions of the English language.  All languages evolve over time and let us not forget that English in fact a West Germanic language that originates from Anglo-Frisian dialects!

Category: Cultures, Languages, Translation | Tags: , ,
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