Archive for Languages

Emma | May 30, 2012
No comments

UK language education policy remains rudderless, as EU institutions adapt

Politecnico di Milano

Politecnico di Milano

One of Italy’s leading universities Politecnico di Milano has announced that from the academic year 2014-15 most courses will be taught in English rather than Italian, predicting that in the coming decade, most other Italian universities will follow suit. One of the reasons the university has proposed the change is to make Politecnico di Milano graduates more employable, as well as attract a higher calibre of international student.

I have always been acutely aware of the poor record the UK education system has in giving students the tools or the desire to learn and maintain an effective second language – particularly in the important FIGS languages, but this story highlighted again for me how far the UK education system lags behind its European counterparts in thought and flexibility to adapt. While Politecnico di Milano is looking to raise the bar for its students, by pushing them on to use another language in all courses, the UK education system is losing thousands of students studying modern languages at a chronic rate each year.

It is a policy that will only see the UK become further isolated from Europe in business and culture over the coming years.

Working in the language services industry I know many people who use English as a second language, and apart from the distinct accents (and sometimes not even that) you would never know that this was the case.

So I asked one of my Italian friends what the recent announcement from Politecnico di Milano meant to her. “My personal opinion is definitely favourable to this, considering the embarrassing situation of English fluency in the Italian Universities, so it could be a first step to start with and finally reach the level of other European countries in the use of English.”

It would seem her opinions are more widely shared than you would expect. In a recent survey held by Italian news site Ilsole24ore.com,  44% of people were in favour of the changes. Granted this is still the marginal minority but I would expect people to be sceptical in the early stages.

With the current economic situation this is a smart move by the University; giving students a much better chance of gaining a job upon graduation. Could a similar move in UK institutions provide our student population with more opportunities?

In December 2002 the government produced the report,  ‘Languages for all: Languages for life – A strategy for England’ [1], which outlined the then Labour government’s commitment to transform the capabilities of UK students in modern languages over the next 10 years. Yet the failure of this strategy has been stark. Since 1998, the number of pupils sitting a language GCSE has plummeted from 444,700 to only 273,000 in 2010[2].

In the meantime, there have been lots of grand proclamations, but little in the way of definite direction. On the 22nd March 2012 The Lords EU Committee called on the government to make language courses compulsory in primary and secondary schools across the UK, in an effort to improve the flexibility of students to work in the EU. The committee’s Chairman, Baroness Young of Hornsey, said:

“There’s no question that the EU can continue to play a significant role in helping Member States modernise their higher education systems [...]

“The Erasmus programme, in particular, is an excellent scheme, which rightly enjoys a strong reputation across Europe and which helps to deliver the kind of well-rounded graduates we want to see entering the job market. However, the UK’s participation has been historically low compared to other large Member States. Making language learning compulsory in both primary and secondary school would be one way of increasing the UK’s participation in addition to taking steps to ensure a more diverse range of participants.

“The Government must place higher education at the heart of their growth agenda in order to maintain and contribute to the economic and social wealth of the UK and Europe as a whole.”[3]

However none of the supporting literature states if or when the UK government intend to increase participation in the proposed Erasmus programme.  A cohesive policy remains beyond the Government’s grasp, and with current economic constraints, I fear that we will be looking back on these most recent select committee reports in 2022 having not developed a strategy or solution.

[1] https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DfESLanguagesStrategy.pdf

[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-15135560

[3] http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/eu-social-policy-and-consumer-affairs-sub-committee-g/news/higher-education-report/

Category: Languages | Tags: , ,
Anthony | January 26, 2012
No comments

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
No comments

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 | December 22, 2011
No comments

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 | November 17, 2011
13 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 | September 27, 2011
2 comments

Required skills for translators and interpreters

Interpreting

There's more to interpreting and translation than you think.

This is a guest post from Sarah, a blogger for Pimsleur Approach who provides language learning programs such as Pimsleur French and Pimsleur German.

Interpreting is easy, right? All you have to do is translate the words from one language into another. If you were born into a bilingual home, this should be a breeze!

Wrong. Both interpreting and translating require not only fluency in two languages but a deep grasp of concepts, tones, and intention as well. A good interpreter is an artist, retaining the feel of a message as it moves from one language to another. Employers will pay well for virtuoso performances.

Interpreting and translating are a little different. Interpreters work mainly with spoken words while translators work with written texts. They rely on very different skill sets and lead down diverging career paths. Simultaneous interpreters must be good at listening, thinking fast, and anticipating the end of a speaker’s sentence while consecutive interpreters translate after a block of text has been completed, often taking notes as they go. The former might sit in a booth at the UN, speaking to diplomats directly, while the latter might work on the set of Law and Order. Or, you know, as a legal interpreter for a client who doesn’t speak English.

Translators often work from home and must have a firm grasp of the written word in both languages. Translating work is subtler, requiring the translator to capture an author’s voice and flow while also keeping abreast of any cultural references that will need explaining. Think, for a moment, how many different synonyms there are for the word “hungry.” An interpreter must draw on the first that comes to mind, while a translator can take more time to carefully choose the most fitting word.

Both careers generally require a bachelor’s degree to rise to the top of the profession, and those who specialize will have the best opportunities for career growth. This might mean going for a dual degree in another subject like, for instance, law, in order to become a judiciary interpreter. Medical interpreters likewise do best when also trained in that field, and can fill a variety of roles from bedside interpreter to translator of brochures, and pharmaceutical labels.

Perhaps the most coveted and competitive kind of interpreting work takes place at conferences put on by anyone from the United Nations to a corporation.  Conference interpreters can work both behind the scenes to prepare materials for the event and the day of. For interpreters looking to travel, being a guide accompanying US visitors abroad can also be exciting work. Localization translators are currently high in demand, as many global companies need help translating the documents for their products into English. Here again knowledge of the local culture is key to avoiding internet memes like Engrish.com.

Earnings are generally middle class, though top earners can bring in nearly $80,000 per year. Hours are flexible for freelancers, and the demand for both interpreters and translators is sure to grow as the world becomes ever more connected. If you’re currently learning your second language, you can better your career prospects by paying close attention to the interpretation needs in the country of your choice. For instance, the United States will see increases in the need for Spanish language interpreters as the population continues to grow. Gaelic, not so much.

A career in this industry can be both stimulating and rewarding. And, hey, if Ikea ever decides to put words in their instruction manuals, you’ll be golden!

Category: Interpreting, Languages, Translation | Tags: ,
Anthony | September 15, 2011
One comment

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: , , ,
Lori Thicke | September 5, 2011
One comment

Translators without Borders and the Horn of Africa crisis

Translators without borders logo

Lori Thicke is the founder of Translators without Borders, the US-based charity that assists in translating more than two million words, each year, for NGOs such as Médecins sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders), Médecins du Monde, Action Against Hunger, Oxfam US and Handicap International.

There has been an overwhelming response from the public regarding the recent drought crisis in the Horn of Africa with the British public alone donating over £42 million. However, my charity organization, Translators without Borders, is warning that lack of access to knowledge in local languages is significantly hampering the administration of medical aid and making it more likely that crises like this one will continue to happen.

It is estimated that there are around 10 million people in the Horn of Africa (Source: UN World Food Programme) desperately in need of medical supplies and food. Funds are needed, but what isn’t on the radar of this crisis is that translation is critical for aid workers in the region to be able to communicate with the people they are helping.

People in situations like this often can’t understand instructions and other important information because they don’t speak English. Aid workers must provide on the spot interpreting, regardless of their language skills. This lessens the effectiveness of relief efforts. Also, by denying people full access to information in areas like health, technology and agricultural best practices, the lack of translation also keeps people from benefiting from global knowledge, which makes them more vulnerable to crises.

Translation is often a forgotten element of humanitarian work, yet it is essential for communication, whether between Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and their international staff, or between the staff and the people they are caring for. Translators without Borders is working with NGOs and ministries of health in the Horn of Africa to help combat this very problem. The first language we are concentrating on is Swahili, the Lingua Franca of Africa that is spoken by around 100 million people in this hard-hit region.

The odds are greatly stacked against Africa, which accounts for around 25% of the world’s disease burden, yet only has 3% of the world’s medical resources. To make matters worse a significant amount of the information that comes with the supplies available is written for the Western world. Situations such as the drought affecting Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia bring these issues into acute focus.

In light of the crisis, our main aim is to bridge the knowledge gap for locals using volunteer translators; if we can contribute to a better informed generation, prevent mothers from dying during childbirth and help people to help themselves, this will alleviate problems in the future.

Translators without Borders helps NGOs in two ways. By calling on our volunteers to carry out the translations necessary for their humanitarian interventions, organisations such as Oxfam can use funds in other areas. Typically operations such as the Horn of Africa would need around $3 million to translate texts into various languages so they can be understood by international staff as well as the local people they are helping, not to mention by the donors who are funding these operations. Our goal is to eliminate as much as we can of these costs because every dollar saved is another dollar that can be spent caring for people in the field.

Translation into local languages is more important than ever as technology today is giving us the means of delivering information into the hands of those who need it most. For the first time in history more Africans have access to a cellphone than have access to shoes or clean water. Vast stores of knowledge can finally reach nearly everyone on this planet. Translation is the final keystone to the bridge we need to build to unlock that knowledge so it can do some good.

Translators without Borders is appealing to the international community for help, either through providing translation skills or by donating money to support our work. Please visit http://translatorswithoutborders.com/ for further information. In addition, we welcome enquiries from NGOs who need translation support.

 

Category: Languages, Translation | Tags: , , , ,
Emma | August 25, 2011
2 comments

Did I just say that? Language mistakes

Girl with covered mouth

Making language mistakes is no excuse to not try.


Caution: This post and its comments contain themes of an adult nature, although at the time not intentional. This is purely to illustrate how despite slips of the tongue and language barriers, you can still convey meaning in another language.

One of my proudest moments, despite feeling very ashamed of my parents behaviour at the time, was on holiday in Majorca. My parents wanted tea with milk, but the lady serving didn’t speak a word of English. She grasped that they wanted tea but didn’t understand ‘with milk’. So (red face memory), they started mooing like a cow and role-playing the milking of udders.

To end the horrendous experience I shouted out “té con leche”, which immediately remedied the situation and stopped the poor lady calling the police.

My point in this case is that a bit of ’swotting up’ on basic terms in the local language before visiting the country can go a long way. Surely getting a bit of pronunciation wrong would be far less embarrassing than this little anecdote?

There are plenty of examples of language mistakes, and even though I have fallen victim to odd mistake, I never fail to chuckle when I read about them. My personal favourite was when I was at school; a friend had a German exchange student staying at her house. We were all innocently laughing at something she had done when she told us all to “stop pissing on her!” This only added to the hilarity but we all knew that she was trying to say ‘stop taking the mickey’.

I’m pretty sure this term only exists in English and has no German translation equivalent, so for her to even attempt it was pretty brave. And one thing is for certain, her English is far better than my German, so who am I to point the finger?

There are also other examples of English phrases which don’t carry the same meaning when translated into another language; the best example I heard recently was Justin Timberlake’s film “Friends with benefits.” When the previews hit France the film’s title did not mean anything to the French public, so it was marketed as “Sexe entre amis”, literally meaning “sex friends”, not exactly subtle.

I’m sure these instances occur in every language on a regular basis. I know when I attempt to speak abroad I’m always getting my gender references mixed up. In fact I’m willing to hold my hands up and say half the time I don’t even know so I guess – there’s a 50% chance either way right? Or I say it in such a way so that it’s not completely clear what I’ve said but emphasized what I deem to be the key indicators. Not ideal, but it conveys meaning.

I’m hoping I’m not the only person who is willing to share my experiences, personal or otherwise. If you’ve got a cringe worthy story you’re dying to get off your chest please feel free to console me by leaving a little piece of you in the comments box below. I look forward to reading them :)

Category: Languages, Translation, Translation Mistakes | Tags: , , , , , ,
Page 1 of 712345...Last »