Translation and Language Industry Observations
Translation and Language Industry Observations
Having turned in thousands of translation jobs, we are experienced with all kinds of source texts. Sometimes the text is clearly understood and simple to translate. Sometimes we get text-from-hell which is riddled with mistakes and/or ambiguities. How should these occurrences be handled? It should be mentioned that as an online translation company, it is …
South Korea has now become a top country many people want to visit. It’s the land of the exciting K-Pop, K-dramas, world-famous kimchi, 12-step skincare routine, tech giants Samsung – you name it. And if you plan to visit the country or simply just to feel even more connected with the culture, the Korean language …
A new Google application has been developed with the aim of preserving and teaching indigenous languages which are also endangered. This includes Maori, Creole, Yiddish, Yugambeh and others. The app is written in open source, and learning is done by photographing objects and translating them in real time. This was announced this week on the …
Digital nomads make the most of the interconnected modern world to make the entire world their office. Digital nomads typically work in fields such as computing or writing, where it’s possible to complete their work online and they have no need to be based in any fixed place. Topping the list of digital nomads are …
Convertibles have been around for years. I myself never owned one, but I did rent one on a business trip to San Diego in 2016. And man was it fun! There was one hitch though: when I put the top down, my new suit got stuck in the retractable thing and nearly got ripped up. …
Are you interested in Korean culture? Are you involved in international diplomacy or trade? Are you a soldier or teacher traveling to Korea? Or are you, perhaps, a traveler planning a trip to Korea sometime in the future? Whatever reason you have for being interested in Korea, a good place to start is learning their …
Last week we received the following email from a potential customer. This is what he wrote: I hope that all is well. My name is Anthony and I lead our regulatory/compliance efforts at XYZ Parfums. We’re developing some new aftershave products, and need to have “aftershave” translated into a few different languages for packaging for …
I just came across an interesting article about Straker Translations, a large and well-known translation company. And I was surprised to read that Straker is losing money. Having owned a small translation business over the last years, I am wondering how a translation company can lose money year over year and still remain in business. …
I just got an email from a translation company that I never heard of, wishing me Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. Now I am not Irish, and otherwise may not have known that it’s Saint Patrick’s Day. And even now that I do know it, who cares? Will I drink green beer? Nah. Will I learn …
In a move announced this week, online translation company One Hour Translation has rebranded into BLEND Localization. As part of this move, the company also raised $10 Million from a venture capital company. As someone in the translation industry who has followed OHT from its inception, I want to share some of my thoughts on …
You know you want to learn another language. But of all the fascinating and beautiful languages in the world, which one do you pick? While it’s a challenge to learn any new language, some are much easier for English speakers to master than others. By choosing a language that’s relatively easy to learn, you can …
Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world and is the second most common language spoken in the United States after the English language. Among Americans, Spanish also holds the distinct honor of being the most studied language in both primary and secondary learning establishments. To get a jump start in …
This post is based on some emails I received from one of our translators. It illustrates how badly the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged Seattle and the outlying areas. I wanted to share this with our readers: I am now up in Bellingham, a small college town 90 miles up the coast from Seattle. Seattle (where …