This is how translating and tattooing jointly came under the media spotlight in August 2010. Tian is the creator the aforementioned blog and he offers proper translations of tattoos that use Chinese characters. Readers send in their photos of any such tattoos and Tian provides an honest translation – often one which is far from the intended meaning. In an interview with CNNGo, Tian stated that 90 percent of enquiries originate from people when it’s too late, in other words, after the tattoo has already been carried out. There are currently around 400 entries displayed on his blog. For example, a tattoo thought to mean ‘beautiful’ turned out to mean ‘calamity, disaster, catastrophe’. There are also many instances where people have unwittingly used Japanese characters instead of Chinese.

Nobody is immune from the collision of a mistranslation and a tattoo. It is a bad combination resulting in what can only be described as an avoidable linguistic faux pas. Singer Rihanna is the latest celebrity to have fallen into this trap and when photos emerged of her new French language tattoo ‘rebelle fleur’, French speakers and linguists alike commented on the fact that it did not make sense as a phrase. Similarly, back in 2000, the BBC reported that David Beckham’s tattoo of his wife’s name (Victoria) written in Hindi script was misspelt and read ‘Vihctoria’ instead.

Although these articles are treated with an element of light-heartedness, it is in no way a slight on tattoo artists who are certainly masters of their trade. However, not all tattooists are linguists (and vice versa!) and nor should they expected to perform as such. But when a client fails to consult a language professional in the selection and design of a new tattoo, this is one decision that could leave its mark in more ways than one!

Sources: http://hanzismatter.blogspot.com/; www.hollywoodlife.com; BBC; www.cnngo.com

Tattoos, translations and tears: when a mistranslation can really get under your skin! is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

Talking Tutor is just one of the numerous bilingual pedagogical resources that the organization EMAS UK has to offer. According to their website, the device currently supports over 10,000 teachers and 100,000 children in UK schools. Described as a ‘translating, speaking IWB (Interactive White Board) Avatar’, it covers 24 languages*, but openly welcomes requests for the provision of additional languages. The company name itself is linguistically rich: a combination of the Malay words ‘Emas’ and ‘Masuk’ that mean ‘Golden’ and ‘Welcome’ respectively.

Talking Tutor works whereby text typed into a computer is run through an automatic translator and text-to-speech software generates audio output in the form of an on-screen virtual tutor that speaks in the target language. A teacher, for example, would type a message in English, and the pupil would receive this message in their native language (and vice versa). It boasts a 95% accuracy rate and provides contextual rather than literal translations. It can also be used at parents’ evenings, in reception areas, and as a teaching aid in Modern Foreign Languages classes.

EMAS UK provides a host of multilingual teaching aids. There is the Resource Library that covers over 200 languages and which is updated both for content and additional languages on a monthly basis; the award-winning Two-Can-Talk communicator that comprises a bilingual keyboard and real-time multilingual audio output; Text Tutor, that deals with the written word and translates documents such as worksheets and parent letters; and in October 2010, a range of bilingual and multilingual school books is to be launched.

Manor Park Primary School is one of the first schools in Birmingham to use the Talking Tutor technology and the software has already been hailed as ‘invaluable’. The improvements in the quality of life for children who do not speak English as a first language (The Telegraph reports that this figure currently stands at close to one million) cannot be denied. But there are also other long-term advantages: children’s increased knowledge of and interest in other languages and cultures; the positive knock-on effects that this will have for school children throughout the UK in relation to their linguistic ability; and the early exposure to foreign languages in an educational context.

Talking Tutor has certainly gone to the top of the class in Manor Park Primary school and it is a powerful tool that looks set to combat social exclusion through access to language services in schools nationwide. Ten out of ten!

* English, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish

Sources: The Birmingham Mail; The Telegraph; www.emasuk.com

Birmingham school adopts automatic translation system for its multilingual pupil population is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

Following ten years of research and collaboration, Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (AÀA) (Gaelic place-names of Scotland) was unveiled to the public on 19 August. Through partnerships with local authorities and organizations such as Ordnance Survey, a database of Gaelic place-names has been compiled in order to ‘agree correct forms of Gaelic place-names for maps, signs and general use’. Described as a ‘treasure trove for Scotland’s historical, environmental and linguistic heritage’, The Translation People couldn’t wait to take a look at the language resources available – and we weren’t disappointed!

The database currently contains around 1,000 entries and offers a Gaelic / English glossary; the etymology of each name; typographical information; grid references that link to a map; and language notes offering further information. For example, Edinburgh is Dùn Èideann in Gaelic and means Eidyn’s fort; and Argyll is Earra-Ghàidheal and means coastland of the Glens. As it is a work in progress, further additions are anticipated including the insertion of sound files to help with pronunciation.

Also going live was the first bilingual website about the Scottish Isle of Iona. Offering a comprehensive insight into the island’s 4,000-year history in both Gaelic and English languages, it also boasts a series of bilingual educational resources, visitor information, and a timeline of the island’s history. ‘Iona has a long association with Gaelic. It was the spiritual heart of Gaelic-speaking Scotland in early mediaeval times, and many of its place names are still in Gaelic’.*

Both websites are bilingual and offer a linguistically and visually stunning panorama of the Gaelic language – they are sure to become a hit with linguists the world over!

* Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop from Press and Journal article: (http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1888108)

Sources:

Iona history site: www.ionahistory.org.uk

Gaelic place names database: www.ainmean-aite.org

www.highland.gov.uk; www.pressandjournal.co.uk

Gateways to Gaelic is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

On 31 August 2010, the Guardian reported on this initiative and listed some of the phrases that have come up including, ‘pins and needles’ and ‘feeling under the weather’. It was stressed that the nurses attending the course have excellent skills in English, but need a few pointers when it comes to this particular aspect of the English language. It is hoped that these classes will avoid the situation whereby a patient was escorted to the shop, rather than to a toilet, to ‘spend a penny’.

Classes consist of an induction course and follow-up sessions where staff can discuss any other phrases that they have picked up on the wards and deal with “‘dialect, idiom and colloquialism, covering phrases such as ‘spick and span’, higgledy-piggledy’” and ‘tickled pink’.*

This topic also made an appearance in the Telegraph when it was reported how social media networks have been responsible for a UK-wide revival in regional dialects. It details that the speed of communication on these sites is such that people are ‘more likely to lapse into colloquialisms’, which in turn means higher visibility of these phrases on the Internet and therefore increases the speed at which they are picked up outside of the local community. Language is a constantly changing entity, but with the advent of social media sites such as Twitter and FaceBook, these dialects are spreading at a much higher rate than before.

Some interesting phrases listed in the article from the Independent include ‘dreckly’ meaning ‘directly’ (Cornwall); ‘scran’ meaning ‘food’ (Liverpool); ‘mardy’ meaning ‘moody’ (Manchester); ‘cob’ meaning ‘bread roll’ (Midlands) and ‘taraabit’ meaning ‘goodbye’ (Birmingham).

These idiomatic expressions and words from regional dialects often pose a barrier to fully understanding any foreign language. Directly tackling this problem by offering professional language courses is a step forward for the NHS in a bid to improve service users’ care. Providing linguistic information that may not usually be found in a dictionary, but which is certain to come up in everyday life is certainly a top notch initiative. Mint!

* www.guardian.co.uk/society (August 31 2010)

Sources: The Guardian, The Telegraph

Foreign nurses get language lessons in local dialects is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

The Guardian reported on this new exhibition and starting with print formats, it explained the delights on offer: the oldest copy of the Old English poem ‘Beowulf’ recorded 1,000 years ago; the first printed book in English dating from the 15th Century (Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye); the first English dictionary published in the 17th century; lists of slang words and their etymology; and a letter written by Henry V in the 15th century – significant because it is the first example of the English language being used by an English king.

More recent developments in the languages’ history include a 1920s BBC received pronunciation guide ‘in which broadcasters are told to pronounce combat as cumbat and housewifery as huzzifry’*; a Victorian pronunciation guide entitled ‘Poor Letter H’ in which the readership is advised not to drop their h’s (e.g. “‘house not ‘ouse’”*); and posters and comics throughout the years.

A poem dating from 1867 proves how the language used in text messages today originated from the 19th century: ‘I wrote 2 U B 4’ being one salient example. Here past and present meet, and in the same way, the exhibition also takes advantage of modern technology to present other examples of English language developments. Visitors are invited to read sections from selected texts for inclusion in a ‘sound archive’ that chronicles how regional accents have developed over time; an audio track offers examples of Stanley Unwin’s invented language ‘Unwinese’: an automotakaty (automatic) hit; and interactive workshops for schools aimed at developing skills in ‘language analysis and interpretation’ (www.bl.uk).

The English language was also in the news in August 2010 when it was announced that the next edition of the Oxford English Dictionary may only be available online. According to an article published in the Independent, the decline in demand for printed dictionaries combined with the increased demand for e-books is the reason behind this possible development. However, all is not lost for those who prefer the printed versions, as it is thought that it will be over a decade until a decision is made as the third edition is less than 30% completed.

The exhibition is the first of its kind and as Victorians and 20th century texters alike would say, it looks set to be a G8 experience!

* The Guardian

Sources: The Guardian; The Independent; British Library; Wikipedia (Stanley Unwin)

Evolving English: A new exhibition reveals how modern-day text language is not so modern after all. And how the internet could spell the end to the print edition of the Oxford English Dictionary is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

Talking Tutor is just one of the numerous bilingual pedagogical resources that the organization EMAS UK has to offer. According to their website, the device currently supports over 10,000 teachers and 100,000 children in UK schools. Described as a ‘translating, speaking IWB (Interactive White Board) Avatar’, it covers 24 languages*, but openly welcomes requests for the provision of additional languages. The company name itself is linguistically rich: a combination of the Malay words ‘Emas’ and ‘Masuk’ that mean ‘Golden’ and ‘Welcome’ respectively.

Talking Tutor works whereby text typed into a computer is run through an automatic translator and text-to-speech software generates audio output in the form of an on-screen virtual tutor that speaks in the target language. A teacher, for example, would type a message in English, and the pupil would receive this message in their native language (and vice versa). It boasts a 95% accuracy rate and provides contextual rather than literal translations. It can also be used at parents’ evenings, in reception areas, and as a teaching aid in Modern Foreign Languages classes.

EMAS UK provides a host of multilingual teaching aids. There is the Resource Library that covers over 200 languages and which is updated both for content and additional languages on a monthly basis; the award-winning Two-Can-Talk communicator that comprises a bilingual keyboard and real-time multilingual audio output; Text Tutor, that deals with the written word and translates documents such as worksheets and parent letters; and in October 2010, a range of bilingual and multilingual school books is to be launched.

Manor Park Primary School is one of the first schools in Birmingham to use the Talking Tutor technology and the software has already been hailed as ‘invaluable’. The improvements in the quality of life for children who do not speak English as a first language (The Telegraph reports that this figure currently stands at close to one million) cannot be denied. But there are also other long-term advantages: children’s increased knowledge of and interest in other languages and cultures; the positive knock-on effects that this will have for school children throughout the UK in relation to their linguistic ability; and the early exposure to foreign languages in an educational context.

Talking Tutor has certainly gone to the top of the class in Manor Park Primary school and it is a powerful tool that looks set to combat social exclusion through access to language services in schools nationwide. Ten out of ten!

* English, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish

Sources: The Birmingham Mail; The Telegraph; www.emasuk.com

Birmingham school adopts automatic translation system for its multilingual pupil population is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

The new Danish Companies Act came into effect on 1 March 2010, with interesting linguistic amendments relating to translating and interpreting provisions. According to Mondaq (the corporate and company law website): for board meetings, ‘If a company’s Articles of Association stipulate Swedish, Norwegian or English as the group’s official languages’ then simultaneous interpretation into Danish is no longer compulsory. For the written word, it is no longer necessary for documentation to be translated into Danish and in general, company documents can now be registered in Swedish, Norwegian or English without the need for translation into Danish. For general meetings that are not conducted in Danish, Swedish or English languages, then simultaneous interpretation into Danish is not compulsory, but this decision must be reached by way of a nine-tenth’s majority vote.¹

In February 2010, The Lawyer² reported on the move towards special courts being created in Germany that allow the use of English as the main working language. ‘Submissions and witness statements could be heard in English without the need for translation, although written submissions and verdicts would still be dealt with in German’. In a bid to attract more international legal business into the country, it is hoped that the success of this pilot scheme will pave the way for creating special courts across Germany that are permitted to conduct cases through the medium of English. In June 2010³, The Lawyer stated that as a result of the pilot, a draft bill is being created which would go further than initially planned and which would also allow verdicts to be heard in English. Although many people have championed this development as it would mean more litigation business for the country, others have also raised some language concerns: there is the question of whether certain aspects of German law can be fully translated into English; there is also the concern of whether the judges involved would be fully fluent in both English and English ‘legalese’ (concerns which were also highlighted in the recent bilingual bill proposed for courts in Canada).

And finally, in July 2010, The Financial Times reported that Rakuten became the first major Japanese online retailer to designate English as its official company language – to be used in all internal documentation and for it to be spoken by all regional members of staff. The press conference announced that in two years time, it was hoped that all employees would communicate in English and the press conference itself was carried out almost entirely in English. The Financial Times article states how Japanese firms are looking to further expand internationally and this has meant embracing the English language as a powerful business tool – more foreign executives are being appointed, one company is to select English as the official company language for all internal documentation that is not in Japanese; and in Rakuten, the menus in the canteen have also been translated into English!⁴

1 http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=97960
2 http://www.thelawyer.com/german-state-to-pilot-english-speaking-courts/1003387.article
3 http://www.thelawyer.com/open-for-business-the-german-commercial-court-in-english/1004799.article
4 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e1186cc-84a6-11df-9cbb-00144feabdc0.html (subscription necessary)

Denmark, Japan and Germany move towards the use of the English language in legal and commercial capacities is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

AlertNow provides audio services in 20 different languages and an email communication facility powered by automatic translation in five languages. The school currently uses a monolingual messaging system in English and in the past, translators and interpreters had been used to provide selected messages in Spanish. However, with a student population that includes more than 50 languages other than English that are spoken in the family home, the time had come to improve the school’s linguistic services.

The new system covers 20 languages, including Chinese, Russian and Spanish, and new languages are added on a yearly basis. Households choose a language preference from the list available and there is also a ‘multilingual automated attendance’ feature.

However, The Argus Leader website reports that not all language barriers will be overcome: three of the five most popular languages (Arabic, Somali and Swahili) will not be available; and as the system generates alerts using automatic translation, the school has readily admitted that these messages will be ‘literal’ and may not ‘make perfect sense’ to the recipient.

The pitfalls of automatic translation are well documented, but in emergency situations (the article cites the example of when a school lockdown was necessary following reports of a person carrying a gun outside a local school) machine translation is often the only option and ultimately better than no translation at all. And in a sector where funds are tight and interpreters are not always readily available, any improvements in multilingual communication are sure to be a welcome addition to the school community.

AlertNow allows schools to increase their language provisions, and enables parents whose first language is not English to be further included in their child’s education. The accuracy of the translations will improve with prolonged use and feedback, and with additional languages being added in the future, this is certainly a step in the right direction for multilingual communication in the education sector.

Sources: www.argusleader.com ; www.alertnow.com

American school adopts new automatic translation system for parent messages is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

The European Commission press release states that even though legislation is already in place to ensure the same standard of customer care throughout the European Union, many passengers are unaware of their entitlements in this regard. Hence this recent campaign which involves 23 different languages, multilingual leaflets and posters at train stations and airports, and a new website that is available in every official EU language. Rights regarding lost or damaged luggage, delays and cancellations are dealt with and in the near future, it is anticipated that similar campaigns will be rolled out for other forms of transport.

Another service that suffers from a lack of awareness is the European-wide emergency telephone number, 112 – a number which can be called anywhere in the EU from both landlines and mobiles, with multilingual operators in place to take calls. According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, only 25% of EU citizens are able to identify this number and 10% of callers experience language problems when using the 112 service. This prompted the creation of European 112 Day which takes place every year on 11 February. The language initiatives involved in promoting this service include a website available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish; and a website for children that is accessible in 23 languages and which includes a multilingual interactive quiz.

The languages available for the 112 service vary from country to country, along with awareness levels of the service itself. For example, the percentage of citizens aware of the 112 number range from 8% in the UK to 61% in the Czech Republic. In respect of languages offered (in addition to a country’s national languages) the UK and Sweden provide an interpreting service covering 170 languages and all major European languages respectively; operators in Finland speak Swedish and English, with French and German languages covered by interpreters; and in Romania, English and French is offered, with the additional facility to transfer a call to other emergency services that cover German, Hungarian, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

There is no doubt that hundreds of thousands of travellers across Europe will benefit from the awareness-raising campaigns of both initiatives. And taking into account the chaos caused by the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano in Iceland when volcanic ash brought Europe to a standstill earlier this year, the importance of proper translating and interpreting services, and easily accessible multilingual information cannot be stressed enough.

Sources: httpp://europa.eu

EU multilingual campaign to raise awareness of passenger rights is a post from: The Translation People - Blog

After her studies, Denise worked as an in-house translator in Lichfield/Staffordshire. During this time, she also introduced memoQ to make translation processes in the company she worked for more efficient. In her new role as Account Manager, she particularly looks forward to working with different people from all sorts of cultures and to meeting customers’ translation needs. In her spare time, Denise likes to meet friends, travel (particularly city trips), and riding horses, a hobby which she hopes she can take up again in Birmingham in the near future.

The Translation People welcome Denise Sauer to the team is a post from: The Translation People - Blog