Advice and Information for the World Traveller on Many Destinations

Archive for June, 2009

Fluent command of the English language is a fundamental skill that is required for both English and Spanish translators in order to be successful in the field of translation services. Nowadays, direct and professional communication is very important, and the quality of English translations must be excellent, since it is a reflection on the business in general.

English-speaking countries are a dominant power in the global financial and commercial markets, which is why the United States maintains vigorous economic ties worldwide. Because of this, English translations from different languages are an enormous advantage and help.

English has different dialects, depending on where it is spoken. In Australia, Britain, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, differences can be seen in several aspects, such as vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and tone. Therefore, a certain translation must be adapted based on the needs of recipients.

Particularly with Spanish to English translations, there must be a profound understanding of the culture and the English language, which is essential for making a translation successful. When Americans are involved in business in a Spanish-speaking country, professional Spanish translators are necessary.

Spanish companies desire to develop globally. Some are involved in limited or domestic markets, while others are involved with technological innovations. Everyone tends to internationalise their industry to sustain development rates and investment returns. These companies must make use of excellent Spanish-English translations to be able to engage in the US market.

Certified translators whose native language is English and who speak fluent Spanish are more suitable for Spanish to English translations. They will interpret information and translate it into various vernaculars. This method requires both English and Spanish translators and proofreading by experts in the necessary field.

Customs, social rules, and traditions are experienced every day by people in different countries. Often, people do not think about these things because they are already accustomed to them. Customs in each country differ according to culture and this is one of the things that makes UK culture so interesting. The UK has many cultural characteristics that a person should know about if he wants to enter the country.

The UK respects the different religious beliefs of its people. All religious practises can be performed in the UK with total freedom. One of the best things about the UK is the presence of major religions from around the world, such as Sikhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. There are also churches and synagogues present in every area of the country. By keeping up with the religious routines in the country, a person will not only feel a link to his homeland but he will also develop friendships with other people more easily.

Food in the UK reflects various ethnic influences. Most UK supermarkets sell different ingredients and spices from Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa, as well as what might be considered more traditional British fare. A wide variety of delicacies are also offered in other places in the country. Most families in UK eat the traditional “Sunday Roast” but they also enjoy other types of foods ranging from Italian pizza to Asian cuisine, like Singapore noodles. Different kinds of food are also served on several occasions and events, including the celebration of Bonfire Night every 5th of November.

UK culture does not only include religion, food, and festivities; it also offers several cultural attractions, which are based on cultural history. Aside from historical sites, the UK is also a place where you can relax and find inspiration.

Translation, as a means of transposing thoughts and interpreting languages, takes on a significant role in drawing different cultures together. Such a function is evident in the context that defines the meanings of another group’s culture – especially when dealing with a totally foreign language.

Translation is defined as the transposition of ideas that are expressed in the language of a specific social group. Unlike other interpretations, translation appropriately expresses the thoughts of other groups entailed in the process of cultural en-coding, re-coding and de-coding.

Language is an essential aspect of culture without which a social group cannot function. Thus, in the contemporary world of mass, global communication, inter-cultural and multicultural influences can only be absorbed and understood when language is translated. How can changes and cultures influence us if we don’t understand them? Of course, we first have to know about and understand them before we realise the changes and their impact on us. This is an example of the importance of translation of language and thoughts in the spread and influence of cultures.

As different cultures come into closer contact, multicultural considerations arise. Multiculturalism – having different cultures thriving within a society – causes a significant impact and changes in the lives of almost everyone around the world.

Owing to this phenomenon, translators are then faced with alien and foreign cultures (language, in particular) and messages that are totally unfamiliar to them that have to be interpreted correctly. Consequently, translators are tasked to make cross-cultural translations that are dependent on their understanding of the culture they are working with.

English translators are in demand nowadays, especially in the business world. Brochures, manuals, business communications, user guides, financial reports, yearly reports, and research papers are some examples of business areas in which translations are needed. Documents relating to several industries also fall into this class, such as information technology, healthcare, and advertising. With the aid of professional English translators, interpreting texts and documents will be an easy task.

Certified English translators are highly effective and competent in translating English into different languages worldwide, but they must be well versed in this field, conversant in the basics of the English language, its walkthroughs, and its broad scope.

English is the main language in the UK, the US, and several Commonwealth countries, such as Australia, Canada, Malta, New Zealand and other former British colonies. English is the most extensively written and spoken language in the world, with 380 million native speakers. Although Hindi, Spanish, and Chinese have more native speakers, English has the status of lingua franca in many parts of the globe because of the economic, military, cultural, and political influences of Britain during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, and American influence over the last century or so. It has been conveyed and has influenced the world through music, cinema, science, broadcasting, and the Internet. Currently, English is the second most-learned language in the world and is required in many fields and professions. This is why educational organisations and institutions around the globe mandate the instruction of English at a basic level.

Many translators support the idea that in order to translate, a person must become a certified translator. That idea is not necessarily true; however, there are some reasons why it is so in many cases. First, simply being a certified translator does not make you an excellent translator. Certification is a process that organisations apply to verify if a potential translator meets their definition of a first-class translator.

To become an efficient and good Spanish translator, for instance, a translator should specialise in various fields and kinds of texts, including corporate reports, technical handbooks, patents, scientific texts, legal texts, and many more important manuscripts. That kind of skill broadens the language know-how of the translator and makes him more competent.

Nowadays, in the computer/technical age, especially with the use of online resources and e-commerce, translation to Spanish or any other language is just a matter of a ‘few clicks’ on the mouse. Different websites offer Spanish translations, which can aid users in their translation tasks more easily and reliably. Spanish translators are competent and provide high efficiency and many are certified members of the American Translator’s Association (ATA), which is an organisation offering certification tests in several languages. Spanish translators are well-equipped after meeting eligibility requirements as well as efficient work and educational experience that test their capabilities in several tasks that they need to accomplish.

Spanish translators that are available online can provide efficient services and assure clients that they are certified and tested both by experience and time. Spanish translators are very reliable and, if needed, can help businesses to expand into the global market through use of the Spanish language.

English and French translators must be aware of several issues regarding cultures. Obviously, culture and language are associated with each other, and this must be addressed when translating between languages.

When starting to translate, English and French translators must deal mainly with their target language. In French and English translation, the translator must go between these languages and between cultures. There are many ways in which cultures and terminology vary enormously and each phrase or feeling must be conveyed correctly.

A cultural interpretation must be initially done to identify cultural nuances and implications, custom references, historical allusions, etc., which will make readers clearly understand despite the subtleties. Using the target language, texts can be re-created, with cultural distinctions made explicitly for the text to become clear and understandable. This method promotes a reliable means of balancing some delicate nuances and avoiding confusion.

In translating English to French, similar problems may arise. For example, if an English text says, “There is no silver bullet” the reader can surely understand this as “there is no ideal solution that works in every case.” Therefore, there is no need to translate this text into French because if the translator does, it will be nonsense to a French reader. A translation that will express the real meaning of the sentence or phrase would be preferable.

Culture is certainly important to English and French translators. A good translation depends on the cultural meaning of the source texts and the clear objective of the translation. Other commercial material, advertising, reports, and documents convey nuances, which must also be taken into consideration. In the areas of French-English translation, culture is an important thing that must not be ignored.

South Africa has different ethnic groups and therefore there is no single South African culture. Apartheid, a social policy that involved economic, political, and social discrimination against non-Whites in South Africa, defined four main cultural groups: Asians, Whites, Coloureds, and Blacks.

The Asians that settled in South Africa preserved their religious beliefs, which include Muslim, Hindu, and Christian. They speak English as well as Indian languages, such as Guharati, Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil. Moreover, small Korean, Japanese, and Chinese populations exist. During the past several decades, the number of Chinese in the country dramatically increased due to the flow of immigrants from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China.

The Whites have various lifestyles similar to those in Australasia, North America, and Europe. They love to cook braai, an African word for roasted meat; this is often considered the national dish. Moreover, their religious beliefs are strong, with memberships in the Dutch Reformed, Roman Catholic, and Anglican churches.

The Coloureds consist of mixed-raced people. Their cultures, religious beliefs, and languages are similar to the Whites. Some of the notable members of this community include the jazz musicians Abdullah Ibrahim and Jonathan Butler, as well as Springboks rugby union players Bryan Habana, Breyton Paulse, and Chester Williams.

The Blacks are the majority of South African people. They prefer to live simple lives; however, they are increasingly westernised and urbanised. They can speak Afrikaans and English aside from their native languages, such as Nguni, Sotho, Venda, Tsonga, and other indigenous languages. Most blacks are Christians, with memberships in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, as well as in the Zion Christian Church. However, others still follow traditional practices, while some still consult a sangoma, an African shaman.

There are 105 million native speakers of the German language in Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Germany. German is categorised as a Western Germanic Language, along with Dutch and English. It is one of the major languages of the world. In fact, some people believe that German will become the most-used language on the Internet in the future.  The fact that there are so many German speakers across the globe means that there are many and varied uses for German translation services.  German translators may be required to work with official documents for government organisations, with publishers on translation of books and other texts as well as on smaller projects for individuals, who may need birth certificates or personal letters translated to or from German.

Swiss German is a variety of German, used by around four million people residing in Switzerland.  This branch of the German language rarely appears in novels, personal letters, diaries, or newspapers. Other regional German dialects, or Mundarten, also seldom appear in publications and when they do, it’s mostly in comic books and folk literature.  These dialects tend to be mainly used in spoken German,

In written translations, Hochdeutsch, or High German, is used. It emerged as the standard language in the 16th century. Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible initiated the standardisation. The lexicon dictionary he used became the pattern for German translators nowadays.

America has been regarded as a ‘melting pot’, wherein people from different countries, religions and races come to the US in the hope of finding freedom, opportunities and a better lifestyle. The US culture is also diverse due to the immigrants who bring their own traditions and cultures to the country. When visiting this varied country, some knowledge of US culture will be helpful.

As a huge country rich in natural resources, the US has been the target for immigration for a long time. Today, the trend in the United States is multiculturalism, with immigrants transforming American society into a very mixed society.

Americans usually think of themselves as part of a geographical region; thus, understanding its regional features is a good way to become acquainted with Americans. People living in the East are recognised for their distinctive accent and self-reliance; while the South is probably the most colourful region in the US, where people are known for their ‘Southern hospitality’ as well as their unique accent, the ‘Southern drawl’. The Midwest is regarded as ‘America’s cultural crossroads and breadbasket’ while the West is considered the ‘last frontier’, where settlers moved to escape religious persecution, find new opportunities, and start a new life.

In the US, people refer to themselves by their first names, while some use their nicknames when introducing themselves. Americans are also proud of their independence and individuality, which they express in their clothing as well as in their decorative styles. Americans also speak frankly about topics, which others may find controversial or embarrassing. These are only some of the things about US culture that one should know when visiting this country.

Translators play a vital part in connecting people from different countries with different languages. Their main purpose is to communicate messages between persons speaking different languages. French, the official language of France and several other countries, is one of the languages that is most commonly translated.

The Translation People is one of the leading translation companies that have French translators who are native speakers. Translations from English to French are produced by the company’s expert translators, covering the legal, technical, financial, and medical fields, and well as the overall world of international business. The company is fully aware of the cultural and linguistic differences among countries that speak French; these countries include Switzerland, Canada, France, Belgium, and other countries that use the language, including some in North Africa.

The Translation People also offers French to English translation for product catalogues, user and maintenance manuals, technical specifications, quality procedures, press releases, and website content. Their translators are professionals with experience in various fields and many have specific training in the unique cultures of the countries from which they translate. The company offers high quality translations and it ensures that the translators possess the technical knowledge required for each subject.

The Translation People is a world-renowned translation company, noted for their fast and accurate service as well as their wide-ranging format. This company possesses different translators, not only for French but for other languages used all over the world; they serve as a bridge for connecting people from every nation and culture.