World Services

Lost in Translation – Malaysians, Bad Subtitles and the Government

2012-01-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

We all suffered through old foreign movies with bad lip synching and grammatically improbable subtitles before (e.g. most of Jackie Chan’s old films, like the picture above).

Apparently, this is a universal phenomenon as Malaysians are graced with subtitles like “clothes that poke eye.” The Malaysians joke that it isn’t even “Manglish”. Sadly, as far as the Malaysians are concerned, the bad subtitles aren’t movie exclusive— they’re encroaching into real life.

Earlier this week, the Star Online reports that the Malaysian Defense Ministry’s official site was littered with horrible, garbled translations.

Prime examples were located on the site’s guidelines for “ethical clothing.” It included gems like “collared shirts and tight Malay civet berbutang three”, “long-sleeve batik shirt with collar/mongoose fight made in Malaysia” and “shine closed”.

When these mistranslations made it onto the social media circuit the Defense Ministry reacted immediately by taking down pages, posted a clarification and promised to make corrections. However, the damage was already done.

And according to Star Online, this isn’t the first time that Malaysian government eschewed the use of professional interpreters/translators either.

In April of last year, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his entourage were greeted with a welcoming banner rife with Chinese syntax and grammatical errors. The translation read: “Official welcoming ceremony, with him Wen Jiabao His Excellency’s official visit Malaysia.”

Malaysian officials apologized to the Premier and the incident was subsequently widely reported in China.

Bad subtitles in foreign movies are hilarious, if albeit cringe worthy, but it sure doesn’t translate well in real life.

*Source – The Star Online

Lost in Translation - Hilarity This Way

2011-12-23T09:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas weekend ishere, and what better way to lead us into the holidays but another edition of “Lostin Translation”!

Have to give the Welshcredit— with signs warning motorists of “exploding workers” or that they’reheading down the “Shear Madness” (or in Welsh, “Mad Sheep Shearing”), itcertainly can get distracted drivers to actually pay attention to the road!

Apparently, bilingualmistranslations like these are so commonplace in Wales that a book is beingpublished about it titled Sygmraeg—the name used for bad translations. It even includes a sign between Cardiff andPenarth notifying cyclists that they have an “inflamed bladder” and acontradictory warning to pedestrians in Cardiff to “Look Right” in English and “LookLeft” in Welsh. How confusing!

Other gems include awine shop that reads in English: “Wines and Spirits” except the Welsh istranslated to “Wines and Ghosts.” Or the sign that reads “Business open asusual” and “Business not open” in Welsh.

Most famous of thesewas a sign placed in a Swansea roadside: “No entry for heavy good vehicles.Residential site only,” but in Welsh read, “I’m not in the office at themoment. Send any translation work.”

The mistranslationswere collected by Welsh language magazine Golwegafter readers started submitting them to its satirical column by Jac Codi Baw.

Happy Holidays fromWorld Services!

*Source: WalesOnline

Lost in Translation - The Price of a Word

2011-11-30T09:33:00.001-08:00

What could cost taxpayers in New South Wales tens of thousands of dollars? New taxes? Construction projects? None of the above— the bill is tagged to the alleged mistranslation of the Indonesian word “push” after it caused a criminal trial to be aborted.

The problem arose when a juror who spoke Indonesian wrote a note to the judge about “some discrepancies in the translation” of the questions tasked to an accused Indonesian smuggler. The juror cited two examples:

1. The phrase “did you stop anyone moving” was allegedly mistranslated as “did you push anyone”.

2. The word “push” was allegedly used versus the word “deny”.

The juror’s allegations were aimed at the second interpreter used for the case after the first one was criticized by the smuggler’s lawyer.

Ultimately, Judge Freeman agreed that the case had to be aborted as the juror who made the allegations shared his observations with rest of the jury.

“In a sense, that juror has become like a witness in the trial … Now that is a situation which we can't allow to exist, because at the end of the trial I have to be in a position where I say to you that the evidence upon which you reach your decision is that which comes from the witness box,” the judge said.

*Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Top 5 Interpreter Mistakes

2011-11-18T09:05:00.001-08:00

We all make them— and we are quick to gloss over them. We are talking about the “m” word: “mistakes.” Interpretation mistakes, however, are difficult to gloss over when communication can be a one-way street. Once something is spoken... it’s out there to be heard! Today, we have listed the top 5 common interpretation mistakes as a frontline defense for both new and experienced interpreters!

1. Hot & Cold Potato – We all read the hilarious (or appalling) headlines of celebrities and politicians with a hot mic. Most interpreters though have the opposite problem— having the microphone ON. The solution is a simple one: be sure the microphone is on and ready to go. Although, the parallel is also true: be wary of hot mics!

2. Bonjour! Como estas? – Another common problem for interpreters: realizing you were speaking in the wrong language; this especially holds true for interpreters that are proficient in several languages. It happens to even the most experienced interpreters and the best defense is to remember your audience and listening to yourself.

3. A Phrase is Worth 1000 Words – Direct interpretations are not always… well, direct. Expressing that “it’s a beautiful day” as “it’s a beautiful day” may be technically correct, but it might not be the way the locals express it. It’ a lot of work, but be up to date on your jargon, phrases, and even historical use of words.

4. What You Say? – It’s going to happen: you’ll mishear something and say it as something else. For example, one interpreter heard “concrete welds” when the speaker was saying “concrete wells.”

5. Google It! – No, no, and just NO. The problem is that incidents of interpreters using Google Translate or similar browser-translated programs have actually happened. Certified, government and private contracted interpreters resorting to Google Translate. Just don’t do it!

Lost in Translation - Another Gov't Fumbles a Foreign Interpretation

2011-11-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

The Feds messed up— big time. According to a story from Talking Points Memo, lawyer Haytham Faraj claimed that authorities fumbled a translated conversation between his client—alleged Syrian spy Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid—and his wife via a flawed translator and even used Google Translate.

Faraj claimed that government “has demonstrated a serious deficit in its ability to translate recorded conversations from Arabic into English.” Talk about déjà vu— considering that just a month ago an Iranian refugee almost ended up being deported because of a government interpreter that also took creative liberties with the translation.

In this case, Faraj asserted that the Feds even misrepresented Soueid’s Arabic name by simply typing the words of his English name into Google’s translate program. He continued that the government translator even went far as to take “extensive liberties” between Soueid and his wife and transformed it “into a sinister warning that has no basis in fact.”

The lawyer cited a government transcript of the conversation which has Soueid saying “God Damn you - you - I will deal with you later” and observed that only the word ‘you’ was said within that statement and the rest was a “fabrication.”

Faraj continued:

“Within the same paragraph, the translator takes even graver liberties with the truth. The translator writes “you are talking to me over the phone- and this phone belongs to Intelligence agency - I am not supposed to be talking on it.” The translator missed a clear announcement of the words “over there,” the non possessive “telephone” and then “the intelligence service/agency” rather than “this phone belongs to the Intelligence Agency. To a listener fluent in Arabic, the speaker clearly indicates that he was not free to speak on the telephone because the intelligence service monitors phone calls. And that statement fits contextually within the tone, volume, and playfulness of the back and forth dialogue between husband and wife who defiantly and jokily states “Me, the intelligence service knows me…I...I am not afraid of the intelligence service.” Anyone aware of Syrian language, culture and life in Syria understands that Syrians constantly assume their calls are being monitored. Syrian culture is rife with humor about the Mukhabarat listening in on conversations. Such cultural aspects of Syrian life are commonly known and should be understood by anyone undertaking to translate a Syrian dialect conversation into English. The errors and fabrications in the Government translation are troubling, twist the meaning and portray a conversation that is disconnected from reality.”

So, all in two sentences the government translator reportedly botched the English translation and made contextual and cultural errors. Several questions come to mind in this case and the one last month with the Iranian refugee in Canada: Are these cases of bad contracting? Or are these cases of contractors hiring uncertified Arabic translators? Or was this all due to a shortage of Arabic translators since 9/11, according to Talking Point Memo.com?

*Source: Talking Points Memo

Road to Success

2011-10-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

It is discouraging to watch the storm of economic uncertainty hovering over the country, and seeing job-seekers pursuing one elusive opportunity after another; interpreters and translators included. More than ever, resumes are important first-and-sometimes-only-impression to employers and is crucial to snatching that crucial interview.

World Services is always on the lookout for interpreters and translators all across the country. For you interpreters and translators looking for work, we have compiled a list of tips and advice for your resume to be considered should you decide to apply for us!

1. Be sure to include on-the-job accomplishments, these can be more telling than just a list of responsibilities!

2. Edit, edit, edit! Proofread and spell-check before submitting. As interpreters and translators, a.k.a. language professionals, demonstrate that you know how to use the written word or your abilities will be put into question.

3. Maintain a consistent format throughout your resume (keep margins, headers, and listing of responsibilities the same).

4. Identify languages that you are only 100% proficient. One semester of language X does not make you an expert.

5. Details! Point out all the experience you have as an interpreter/translator including any translation or interpretation certificates (Bridging the Gap, medical of court, ATA, NAJIT, etc.), company name/dates, projects and work done on the job.

6. Don’t have interpreting experience? Go volunteer at a local non-profit organization, school, hospital/clinic or foreign communities to get some!

Is your resume already all set and prepped to submit? Have all your paperwork in order as well, including: cover letter, copies of any certifications you may have, a list of cities that you are available to work and accurate contact information. Good luck out there on the job hunt!

Lost in Translation - Siri Strikes the Scots

2011-10-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Despite being the butt-end of jokes (literally) in Japan, Apple’s Siri is again lost in translation— this time with the Scots. Scottish iPhone 4S users are discovering that Siri’s new voice recognition app is unable to understand their accents and is instead interpreting their dialect to bizarre and perplexing results.

According to the Daily Mail, irate messages have proliferated tech websites and forums and videos have even cropped up in YouTube; some videos even receiving more than 17,000 hits in just a week.

In one such video, a Scottish voice can be heard asking Siri: “Gonnae no dae that.” The phone bafflingly replied with: “Going Akila.”

“Can you dance with me?” is hilariously translated as “Can you dutch women.”

“We have tested out Siri a number of times with many different accents, such as Scottish, Welsh and Irish. We are not too sure if Apple is looking into this, we have been trying to find out,” said Mark Chubb, a gadget expert for Phones Review. “We will try and find out more, but at the moment it looks like a few will miss out on using this new Siri feature.”

Apple, for now, has refused to comment on the issue.

*Source: Daily Mail Online

Exotic Cursing & The Best Cover for a Foreign Spy

2011-10-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

Exotic Swearing

Bulletstorm was to be an over-the-top shooter game with large weapons and its arsenal of ridiculous swear words— well, less on the cursing in retrospect, creative director of the Polish development team People Can Fly Adrian Chmielarz admitted:

“Do you know any swear word in a foreign language? German, French, Polish? When you say it out loud, no biggie, right? Not a problem to use it during a family dinner, I assume?

“That is how all the f-bombs sounded to us. Being Polish, all the strong language in Bulletstorm was just exotic and fun to us. We did not feel its power. In other words, Epic thought this is what we wanted and respected our creative vision, while we had no idea this vision was a bit more than we really wanted.

“It was only at the end of the development, when I read the Polish translation of the game, that I realized how dirty we were. I swear a lot. A LOT. And yet still I ...kind of blushed.”

Playing with a foreign language’s curses may be fun and exotic, but it does not translate over well as Chmielarz learned.

*Source: Gamasutra

Best Cover for a Foreign Spy

Modern spies are seen through the Hollywood lens of James Bond or Mission Impossible— suave agents with an assortment of identities suited for any situation. Real spies are more practical in their choice of cover however— like a foreign interpreter for instance, but even that cover is not infallible. This month, Russian revealed that it arrested a Chinese man posing as an official interpreter for spying.

The Russian Federal Security Service said Tun Sheniyun was arrested in Moscow last year for allegedly trying to obtain secret documents about Russia’s missile systems.

The FSB released a succinct, short statement on the issue:

“The investigation established that the Chinese national (was) working on assignment from the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China.”

Being an interpreter provides the perfect excuse for being in a foreign country without much scrutiny. It is certainly not enough to be caught pursuing classified documents on missile systems, however.

*Source: Global Post

A Tale of Interpretation and Costs

2011-10-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

What happens when a hospital misuses its translations services? One hospital found out the hard way in the form of a bill that jumped by 80% in just a year.

According to numbers from the Freedom of Information Act, Ispwich Hospital paid out a whopping £27,000 pounds— up from £15,000 pounds last year.

“It would appear from various reports coming out of Ipswich Hospital that there are problems with how management are coping with things like this and managing their sums,” explained Prue Rush, a Suffolk health campaigner.

“We looked at where the demand was increasing and looked at whether we could provide the service in a different way,” responded a spokeswoman for Ispwich Hospital.

The spokeswoman said the hospital commenced a review after discovering the rise in costs. The hospital had to ensure the “correct translation service” was used for the “correct situation” even though not all of its services were used in the “right way,” she continued.

“I think we have seen many more patients more quickly, and inevitably that means an increase in demand,” the spokeswoman finished.

Although the crux of Ispwich Hospital’s woes consists of bad accounting and not from interpretation services, the moral of the story is that regardless of costs communication services remain vital in the medical industry.

“It’s vitally important that when a patient is talking to a doctor or vice versa there is a clear understanding of what’s being said,” said Rush.

*Source: EADT24

Chinese University Attracts Overseas Students

2011-10-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

Programs like Rosetta Stone, online translation sites like Babel Fish and local universities can only do so much. The best way to learn a language is still to go straight to the source, which is what a lot of overseas students have done with Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) to learn Chinese for a variety of reasons.

Adam Daniel Bruer-Zehevi for example is attending the university to open a translation company next year. “I have a business plan in Beijing, and Chinese language study is my final preparation before I open my translation company next year,” he said.

Miyuki Edo, a Japanese woman, is another language student that is studying at BFSU to hone her Chinese, “More Chinese are visiting Tokyo every year, and Japanese who can speak fluent Chinese are popular in the tourism employment market.”

Edo continued that her friends joined the university to be in the city during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Bruer-Zehevi observed that he also wanted to see the “real China and its people.”

“We also enroll a lot of students from less-developed countries who have scholarships funded by the Chinese government,” said university president Chen Yulu. “In China, only BFSU has the teaching and research resources of some less commonly taught languages, so students from these countries prefer our university.”

Yulu noted that about 1,500 oversea students are studying at BFSU this year, an increase of 500 more students compared to the record set in 2008. South Korea has the most oversea students in the university followed by Japan, Malaysia and Italy.

Future plans for the university includes attracting more students from Western countries for degree studies and foreign officials for short-term programs.

“We also welcome overseas students who have learned some Chinese in our overseas Confucius Institutes and want to further their study in Beijing,” Yulu concluded.

*Source: China Daily

Lost in Translation - Interpreter Almost Causes Deportation

2011-10-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

In a classic case of being “lost in translation” an Iranian refugee fell prey to the latest language snafu at the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) during a refugee hearing that almost got him deported due to multiple translation errors by an interpreter.

Ali Zaree is an anti-government activist that fled Iran and claimed refugee protection in Canada after authorities came to his home. In his two hour hearing, more than 40 translation errors were made in questions, answers, key words and dates.

“Even the applicant, who speaks no French and understands very little English, noticed that her English was not very good,” wrote Justice Luc Martineau.

For example, when Mr. Zaree said: “I wanted to be completely sure about what party I am active for and then I really accepted from the bottom of my heart that they are,” the interpreter instead said: “I wasn’t prepared to… to work with this party and I wanted to know better about this party… And when I get my heart that this party is the kind of party that I thought.”

“This is an important issue,” said Annie Bélanger, Mr. Zaree’s lawyer. “I have complained about translation problems many, many times. I have written to the IRB about many problems they have with their language interpreting. It puts everyone in a very difficult situation.”

Robert Gervais, a spokesman for the board defended the IRB’s record by pointing out that the IRB has the largest foreign-language interpreter program in Canada with 1,200 interpretation contractors accredited in 267 languages and dialects and that all interpreters are tested before accreditation.

“The board takes seriously the importance of high-quality interpretation in the holding of fair proceedings. The board takes every reasonable measure to ensure that interpretation is held to the highest quality standards,” said Gervais.

Justice Martineau ultimately overturned the IRB’s decision and Mr. Zaree is going to be provided a new hearing.

This was not the first time the IRB had a translation error case. Just this summer a woman that was also on the verge of deportation to her native Kenya for providing incoherent and evasive testimony was later revealed that the Swahili translator had “butchered” the translation.

In another case a refugee claim was delayed for years because a qualified Kusai translator could not be found— apparently long enough for the claimant to learn English well enough to proceed without a translator.

These cases only highlight the importance and need of accurate translations and competent interpreters, especially in situations involving foreign refugees.

*Source: National Post

2011-10-05T06:36:00.000-07:00

National Worker's Compensation and Disability Conference

The National Workers' Compensation and Disability Conference^® & Expo is the nation's leading event for anyone involved in the workers' comp and disability management industries. Hundreds of colleagues gather each year to expand their knowledge and gain new solutions directly related to their workers' comp, disability and return-to-work programs.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the conference officially kicks off Wednesday, November 9, with the Opening General Session, followed by 2-1/2 days packed with 30+ breakout sessions organized by type and level to accommodate a range of learning styles and experience. Plus, attendees have the opportunity to arrive in Vegas a day early and attend the in-depth pre-conference symposium — an excellent chance to maximize conference experience!

The Expo portion of the conference brings more than 260 exhibitors together under one roof for 2 full days to display and answer questions about their products and services relevant to the workers' comp and disability management industries. The Expo provides an additional venue for attendees to gather knowledge to take home plus numerous opportunities to network with peers.

Forget Classrooms - Go Online for New Languages

2011-09-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Two things: the importance of bilingualism is growing and classrooms are going digital. Combined, these two things reveal that more than ever people are migrating to the web to learn another language. Studies show that in the U.S. alone there are increasing demands for interpreters or employees well-versed in Spanish, Arabic or Chinese. And public schools and libraries are more than happy to be the frontrunners in accommodating that demand.

According to KFYR-TV, students in Bismarck grade school are using the online program Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish. The program keeps students immersed by receiving instructions via headset and associating pictures with phrases without an English translation. Rosetta Stone is already available to consumers, but it’s a hint of a trend on the increased accessibility of language learning. Seattle public libraries are going for a different approach with LiveMocha, another online language learning service.

LiveMocha and Seattle public libraries are going to be the testing grounds for a nation-wide launch to provide free-language learning services to library patrons. Already the service is available to all 600,000 Seattle library regulars from at home or 28-hosting libraries.

“Livemocha is like a giant World Atlas filled with people and languages, and we encourage our members to become virtual tourists through language and cultural exploration,” explained Livemocha CEO Michael Schutzler.

Digital accessibility is increasingly becoming the new norm— and so is the demand to speak more than one language. Thankfully, the means for meeting the demand are mounting for those with a computer, internet access and a will.

*Source: KFYR-TV, Tech Flash

Seeking Nationwide Interpreters

2010-12-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

If you want to join our network of translators/interpreters nationwide, you can now apply by going to our website at: www.worldservicesusa.com/apply.asp

Coffee Talk - Learning Spanish Is So Easy!

2010-08-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

Our world is becoming smaller as more globalization occurs. The United States is known for its melting pot characteristic. As part of this intercultural exchange that occurs daily, learning new langauges is pivotal to staying relevant in the dynamic workforce and social life. If you are interested in learning Spanish, the most popular language to learn and the second widely spoken language in the U.S., World Services invites you to participate in Coffee Talk.

We will be launching Coffee Talk in January, just in time for you to fullfill your New Year resolutions of learning a new language. If you are tired of stuffy classrooms and hard benches of the schoolroom, then learn Spanish while sipping your latte at a local coffee shop near you! World Services has more than 50 instructors ready to help you speak your second language.

Locations available for Coffee Talk:

Atlanta

East Point

Palmetto

Stone Mountain

Gwinett

DeKalb

Alpharetta

Smyrna

Marietta

Kennesaw

Learn to speak Spanish at a coffee shop near you! No expensive classes, software, or tutors. Pick a date and location that fits your schedule, and we'll meet you there. Our experienced language instructors are friendly and will leave you feeling confident in speaking Spanish. The cost is only $25.00 per person/per class. A group of 4 is necessary! Don't hesitate, feel free to contact us at 404-486-5986 or coffeetalk@worldservicesusa.com!

Hong Kong Book Fair Seeks to Develop Global Profile

2010-07-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Hong Kong Book Fair, which is known for its sher enormity, has made an effort to modernize and expand its reach.

Maybe because most of the books are in Chinese-language material to local buyers, or because it is more like a raucous and populist event, the Book Fair has not quite found its place on the global stage yet.

"Our goal is to put it on the map internationally," said Joe Kainz, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, which organizes the fair. In this year's seven-day fair, more international authors, more English-language material, and a new area dedicated to e-books and digital media have been brought in. To help visitors who might be intimidated by that second language they learned in school, the Fair's organizers held sessions like "Chip Tsao's Reading Guide to Renowned English-language Authors."

Mr. Tsao, a British-educated local commentator, addressed a standing-room-only seminar on the first day. After a short introduction, he began reading in a slow, clear British accent while pointing to a screen with the first page of Mr. Horowitz's "Point Blank," part of his "Alex Rider" series of crime thrillers aimed at younger readers. Mr. Tsao translated difficult words into Cantonese and peppered his talk with jokes. "You don't have to run to the dictionary everytime there's a word you don't recognize," he reassured. "You don't need to know what a Beretta sub-compact, semi-automatic pistol is. You just need to know this man has a gun."

"I'm bowled over that there are a million people interested enough in books to show up." said the guests speakers who seemed overwhelmed by the crowds, "I was struck by how by how many young people are here. It made my old heart quite happy."

Source: The New York Times

Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/arts/30iht-fair.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

English As A Second Language Flourishes

2010-07-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

In 2007-2008 the Norriton Area School Dstrict had 615 English as a Second Language (ESL) students, and in 2008-2009 that number increased to 657. Most of the young enthusiastic English language learners are Latinos from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and several Latin American Countries.

Among the at least 20 laguages, which are sopken by the students in the district, Spanish is the majority, which is the native tongue of 95% of the ESL students. Others are Arabic, Chinese, Gujarati, French, and Vietnamese. The reason of the growth of ESL students is that most of them were born in the U.S. or came directly from their mother countires.

Li, who has been teaching ESL classes for 10 years in the district, believes that writing in English is the most difficult task for ESL students to master. Leaf, the district's ESL coordinator, states that it takes an average of five to seven years to reach English language proficiency in reading, speaking, listening, and writing.

Source from: http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2010/07/22/king_of_prussia_courier/news/doc4c437e785a60f748203787.txt

Referees’ Calls May Get Lost in Their Translation

2010-07-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

“We are used to moving our eyes left to right so we have a preference for viewing events left to right,” said Alexander Kranjec, a neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania.

Because of this preference, events moving from right to left are perceived as atypical, and referees may be more likely to call fouls, Dr. Kranjec said.

Previous studies have suggested that such directional effects are reversed in those whose languages read from right to left.

“It would be interesting to do this with Hebrew- or Arabic-speaking soccer experts,” Dr. Kranjec said.

He and his colleagues conducted the study on varsity soccer players at the University of Pennsylvania. The players assessed foul calls on images of plays, and were then asked to do the same on mirror images of the same plays.

On average, they called about three more fouls on action going right to left.

The news is unlikely to have any application to disputed calls in soccer since the referee’s ruling is absolute. It would also depend on the position of the referee and the language or languages he reads. So there’s little chance that science will calm the arguments that are as much a part of the World Cup as the games themselves.

NY TIMES http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13obrefs.html?_r=1

A version of this article appeared in print on July 13, 2010, on page D3 of the New York edition.

Three Things We Will Never Forget About The 2010 World Cup

2010-07-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

In yesterday's final, Spain scored the only goal in the 116th minute, getting a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands. Thus, Spain achieved the country's first-ever world championship, and became the eighth team to win the World Cup.

Though the South Africa 2010 World Cup is over, soccer fans will probably never forget:

1. “Goal! Goal! USA!” Landon Donovan’s stoppage-time score against Algeria was the high-water mark of the Americans’ solid run.

2. Hand of not: Luis Suarez took the most beneficial red card in history in the quarterfinals, clearly handling a sure Ghana goal late. Asamoah Gyan choked on the ensuing PK, giving Uruguay a road to the semifinals.

3. Star-struck: Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo was average at best; Argentinean Lionel Messi looked good on the field, but didn’t score any goals; injuries limited Didier Drogba; Michael Ballack didn’t even play. It was not an auspicious tournament for some of the world’s brightest lights.

Source from: http://metro.us/us/article/2010/07/12/04/2652-82/index.xml

Talk is Cheap

2010-06-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

Talk is cheap, but solid communications are priceless in this global economy. World Services can provide you or your company with dependable interpreters and translators nationwide at costs lower than other companies. Visit our website for more information!

Being bilingual is not enough

2010-06-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

Being bilingual is not enough. For interpreters, bilingualism is a start and a requisite skill, but by itself, bilingualism is not enough for interpreters to be good interpreters. For translators, bilingualism is helpful. For one thing, it enables translators to communicate better with direct clients who may be reluctant to entrust a job to a translator who cannot speak their language. However, it is not a requisite skill and its importance is far overshadowed by the importance of having a combination of subject area expertise, high-level reading skills in the source language, and excellent writing skills in the target language.

Notes: ATA Cronicle ( July 2008)

Government needs to improve foreign language capabilities

2010-06-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

Senators are exploring ways to improve U.S. agencies' ability to understand and translate foreign languages, as experts and government reports express continuing concerns that the foreign-language deficiencies may undermine national security.

"Changing threats to U.S. national security as well as the increasing globalization of the U.S. economy have greatly increased federal agencies’ needs for personnel proficient in foreign languages," the senator's office said in a release.

The concerns come on the heels of two Government

Accountability Office (GAO) reports from 2009 that found that some U.S. agencies were ill-equipped in foreign-language translation. The hearing will be one of many in the years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which highlighted a shortage of foreign-language expertise in the government.

One GAO report found that the Defense Department lacked a strategic plan for addressing language skills. Meanwhile, the other found that 31 percent of State Department officials in language-heavy posts were not qualified for their positions in 2009, up two points from 29 percent in 2005.

Experts and officials say that agencies have made varying levels of progress in bolstering their language capabilities in the last decade. But they add that there is no single quick fix and that the problem runs deep, with a lack of interagency coordination and not enough emphasis on foreign languages in U.S. education.

"The U.S. education system ... simply has not made the investment in language required to provide the government with an adequate pool of linguistic expertise from which to recruit to meet its needs," Richard Brecht, executive director of the Center for the Advanced Study of Languages at the University of Maryland, said in written testimony at a 2004 House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said in a statement that the department, which fulfills its language needs through hiring, training and contracting, "is considering the implementation of a more consolidated approach to the Department’s diverse foreign language needs."

Not lost in translation!

2010-06-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

The language industry has survived the economic crisis better than other sectors, according to a survey conducted for the European Commission. The study, the first to analyse the size of the language industry EU-wide, covers translation, interpreting, localising and globalising, subtitling and dubbing, language technology tools, multilingual conference organisation and language teaching. The survey put EU-wide turnover at 8.4 billion euro in 2008. This is set to increase by at least 10 per cent annually, over the next few years, to between 16.5 billion euro and 20 billion euro by 2015. This is one of the highest growth rates in EU industry.

"The language industry has both an economic and a strategic importance. Economic, because of its size, its resistance to the present crisis and especially its future potential. Strategic, because it is essential to preserving people's identities and culture and to coping in a globalised world. This study shows a more accurate image of the language industry in the EU and is a way to put it into the limelight on the employment market," says Leonard Orban, commissioner for multilingualism. Increasing globalisation demands translation and interpreting into new languages, as well as new language-related services.

"The industry is different from what it was years ago. It has seen the rise of new fields such as subtitling, localisation and editing. So professionals working in the field need to acquire new competences. The European Commission supports the development of such competences, for instance by promoting the European master’s in translation," Commissioner Orban said. The analysis was apparently conducted on the basis of questionnaires sent to professional associations, national authorities, individuals, language-service providers and language-service departments. The study included an analysis of each EU member state.

Spelling Bees, A Peculiarly American Tradition

2010-06-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Having started in 1925, The Scripps Bee is still very popular and has reached new heights over the past decade. "It combines performance and scholarship - two things that we Americans really enjoy," Mr. Thampy, the 2000 Champion says. He thinks spelling was pivotal to his success, teaching him "a love of learning and an attention to detail and incredible appreciation of the languages and systems that underpin our society".

However, some people criticize the bee for encouraging unhealthy levels of stress and competitiveness in its young contestants. As a reply of the concerns, Scripps Spelling Bee spokesman Tim King points out that the camaraderie and fast friendships that develop during the finals can be the proof that the kids are not nursing deep wounds.

Past Winning Words:

· 2009: Laodicean, meaning lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics

· 2008: guerdon, meaning something that one has earned or gained

· 2007: serrefine, meaning a small forceps for clamping a blood vessel

· 2006: ursprache, meaning a parent language

· 2005: appoggiatura, meaning an accessory embellishing note or tone preceding an essential melodic note or tone

This Year's Contestants

· 273 spellers made the national finals

· 68% attend public school

· 42 have no siblings

· 20 have at least one relative who previously made finals

· One speller is competing for the fourth time

· The median age is 13

· One competitor is eight

· The most popular book is Harry Potter, film is Avatar and food is pizza

Source: BBC News

How to say "World Cup" in 36 languages

2010-06-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

Not everyone calls this tournament the "World Cup". In French it’s the "Coupe du Monde". In German, it's called the "Weltmeisterschaft". In Spanish, the "La Copa Mundial" and in Italian "Il Mondiale". And in Hindi it’s "विश्व कप", which I cannot begin to pronounce.

Below is a list of every translation I could find:

Afrikaans: Wêreldbeker
Arabic: كأس العالم
Belarusian: Кубак свету
Bulgarian: Световно първенство
Catalan: Copa del Món
Chinese: 世界杯
Czech: Světový pohár
Danish: Verdenmesterskab (or VM for short)
Dutch: Wereldkampioenschap voetbal
Finnish: Maailmancup
Flemish: Weireldkampioenschap sjotten
French: Coupe du Monde
Galician: Campionato do Mundo
German: Weltmeisterschaft (or WM for short)
Greek: Παγκόσμιο Κύπελλο
Hebrew: גביע העולם
Hindi: विश्व कप
Hungarian: Világ Kupa
Icelandic: Heimsmeistarakeppnin
Indonesian: Piala Dunia
Irish: Corn an Domhain
Italian: Il Mondiale
Japanese: W杯
Korean: 세계 축구
Lithuanian: Pasaulio čempionatas
Macedonian: Светско првенство
Malay: Piala Dunia
Maltese: Tazza tad-Dinja
Persian: جام جهانی
Portuguese: Copa do Mundo
Romanian: Cupa Mondială
Russian: Кубок мира
Serbian: Светско првенство
Slovakian: Svetový pohár
Slovenian: Svetovni pokal
Spanish: La Copa Mundial
Swedish: Världscupen (aka VM)
Thai: ฟุตบอลโลก
Turkish: Dünya Kupası
Ukrainian: Кубок світу
Vietnamese: Cúp bóng đá thế giới
Welsh: Cwpan y Byd

(Extracted from Worldcupblog.org)

The Advantages of Speaking 2 Languages

2010-06-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

The ability to speak a second language isn’t the only thing that distinguishes bilingual people from their monolingual counterparts—their brains work differently, too. Research has shown, for instance, that children who know two languages more easily solve problems that involve misleading cues. A new study published in Psychological Sciencereveals that knowledge of a second language—even one learned in adolescence—affects how people read in their native tongue. The findings suggest that after learning a second language, people never look at words the same way again.

Eva Van Assche, a bilingual psychologist at the University of Ghent in Belgium, and her colleagues recruited 45 native Dutch-speaking students from their university who had learned English at age 14 or 15. The researchers asked the participants to read a collection of Dutch sentences, some of which included cognates—words that look similar and have equivalent meanings in both lan guages (such as “sport,” which means the same thing in both Dutch and English). They also read other sentences containing only noncognate words in Dutch.

Van Assche and her colleagues recorded the participants’ eye move ments as they read. They found that the subjects spent, on average, eight fewer milliseconds gazing at cognate words than control words, which suggests that their brains processed the dual-language words more quickly than words found only in their native language.

“The most important implication of the study is that even when a per son is reading in his or her native language, there is an influence of knowledge of the nondominant second language,” Van Assche notes. “Becoming a bilingual changes one of people’s most automatic skills.” She plans to investigate next whether people who are bilingual also process auditory language information differently. “Many questions remain,” she says.

Source: Scientific American

Fighting Against Misused: Shanghai Is Cleaning Up Chinglish Signage

2010-06-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

For 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing replaced thousands of English signages, which included 400,000 street signs and 1,300 restaurant menus, such as Dongda Anus Hospital was rechristened Dongda Proctology Hospital; Racist Park was rechristened Minorities Park. Now it's turn for Shanghai. To greet millions of visitors, Shanghai is taking great effort to eliminate mangled English of Chinglish. "The purpose of signage is to be useful, not to be amusing," said Zhao Huimin, the former Chinese ambassador to the United Sates.

However, while the Chinese people are striving to eliminate Chinglish, Oliver Lutz Radtke, a former German radio reporter, put forward an opinion that Chinglish deserves preservation. "If you standardize all these signs, you not only take away the little giggle you get while strolling in the part but you lose a window into the Chinese mind." Jeffrey Yao, an English translator and teacher offered an example: for the warning "Keep Off the Grass", Chinese version tries to express it into a gentle way, that is "The little Grass Is Sleeping. Please Don't Disturb It." "Some Chinglish expressions are nice, but we are not translating literature here," said Mr. Yao, " I want to see people nodding that they understand the message on these signs. I don't want to see them laughing."

Source: NDTV.

Most Americans Support Arizona Immigration Law

2010-05-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

According to CBS News poll, about 52% of respondents thought the new Arizona law on illegal immigration is about right; 28% said it goes too far; while 17% held the opinion that it doesn't go far enough. Last month, after a controversial immigration bill was signed into law by Arizona Government, the percentage of Americans saying immigration a very serious problem increased to 65.

Because of the new Arizona immigration law, police got more power to question and verify someone's status. President Obama has ordered the Justice Department to review it, in his words, a "misdirected" law. He will send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border soon.

Source: CBS News

Read More: www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20005957-503544.html

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2010-05-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

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