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Isn´t it a buzzkill when you think you´ve found a great freemium on the interweb only to later discover that the feature you´re interested in is blocked by a paywall?
What would it mean if carbon capture and storage automagically took place?
How do you go about your exit strategy when you run into a frenemy on the street?
Confused by this vernacular? Chillax! The latest edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English defines these newest English phrases and more.
Released on August 19th, the dictionary dedicated to the use of language in everyday life features 200 new words and phrases. Ranging from bromance to toxic debt and geoengineering, these words reflect the cultural, political, technological and social goings-on of the English-speaking community in recent years.
In monolingual terms, these additions can be a bit disorienting.
In multilingual terms, however, they can prove discombobulating.
How is the translator or interpreter to deal with these new words, many of which are extremely specific to one culture, political system or even nation? How can one capture the meaning, sound and context of a term like staycation? And what about chill pill, matchy-matchy and LBD?
The challenges posed by these linguistic developments represent both gratification and frustration, and only time will tell how language industry and language itself evolve.
Portable Document Format (PDF) files have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Thanks to improved technology and convenience of design, they are popping up at a high rate.
The PDF can prove both friend and foe to the translator and can be especially tough for those not all that familiar with the format.
Find advice and information here in a summary of Jamie M. Lucero’s article on PDF files and translation.
Why All the Fuss?
The motives behind the increased popularity of PDFs are manifold. In principal, PDFs serve like hardcopy – meaning all original design elements stay in place and printing is not necessary. They are easily circulated via e-mail and read with free software (like Adobe Reader). Moreover, they offer protected content that allows for text searching.
What seems to be the problem?
PDF documents are for viewing – not for modifying – and therefore cannot be used directly as the basis for translation. A new file must be created, and the process can be both time-consuming and frustrating.
With the right approach, however, PDFs can be handled quite well.
Translation Approaches
There are two basic approaches to the translation of a PDF file.
Approach 1: Create Blank File
This strategy is best for simple files of one or two pages in length with little formatting. It requires the creation of a new blank document, the typing of the translation into that document and the re-creation of the format of the original PDF.
The advantage here is that translation can start immediately – no file preparation is necessary.
Downfalls appear in the fact that TMs and CAT tools cannot be used in this instance. In other words, the new document must be completely re-created. This could create issues with exactitude of formatting and increase the chances of omitting text.
Approach 2: Convert PDF Source File
Fit for larger PDFs with more pages and heavy formatting, this is an especially worthwhile option for those who use TMs and CAT tools in their work.
The process is simple: convert the file, fine-tune the formatting and translate.
As mentioned, this strategy is ideal for those using CAT tools in their work. It also preserves formatting and greatly reduces the risk of omitting text.
That said, conversion tools can be expensive, file preparation can take a long time, and while technology in this area is good, it is not yet great, and files are not always perfectly converted.
Conversion Assessment
If the selected strategy is PDF conversion, there are many considerations to be made.
The following should be assessed:
1. Number of pages, images, tables and charts.
2. Complexity of images, tables and charts, including information contained in images, non-standard placement (for example, in margins), text in images and large graphic sizes.
3. Heavy formatting like colors, fonts and columns.
4. Non-selectable text.
5. Document restrictions that prevent the document from being copied.
Such assessments may seem annoying, but they can help one to avoid many obstacles in the future and even influence the decision as to whether a project can be completed successfully (or is worth taking on).
Conversion Strategies
After these considerations are made, it is finally time to convert the file. Again we find two different approaches to doing so:
Strategy 1: Manual Conversion
Manual conversion is performed when no software tool is available.
It entails selecting the Select Copy File to Clipboard in the Edit menu and pasting text from the PDF into a new MS Word document.
After, the new MS Word document and the PDF should be compared, and all formatting adjustments should be made. One should identify fonts that are difficult to make out and make the necessary alterations. Page breaks may be inserted to match the PDF and sentences joined that were broken by paragraph marks.
While this method is effective, it is extremely time-consuming and works best when minimal formatting is required. Agencies or translators having to work with PDFs on a regular basis will find it inconvenient.
Strategy 2: Automatic Conversion
This approach assumes that software tools for such conversions are available.
Some agencies and translators may choose to use the conversion tool included in Adobe Acrobat that is included with purchased licenses of the software. This, however, is not recommended, as the results are often quite poor.
Instead, it is best to purchase third-party tools that are designed specifically to convert PDFs to MS Word files, retaining formatting and requiring few post-conversion adjustments. Many such software programs can even work with non-selectable text thanks to optical character recognition technology.
The following third-party tools are recommended:
Solid Converter PDF (www.soliddocuments.com)
ABBYY PDF Transformer (www.pdftransformer.com)
PDF Converter (www.nuance.com/pdfconverter/converter)
Reconversion
Many clients request that the translated document be returned to them in PDF. If this is the case, the use of a software tool is required.
The most obvious tool is Adobe Acrobat, which has a Word-to-PDF function. In the case that this technology is not available, the document can be converted using the free “Save as PDF” add-in available from Microsoft.
Third-party software tools are also accessible, including:
PDF 995 (www.pdf995.com)
BullZip PDF Printer (www.bullzip.com)
CutePDF Writer (www.cutepdf.com)
PrimoPDF (www.primopdf.com)
Are PDFs Worth It?
After all of these strategies, considerations and approaches, one question remains: Are PDFs worth it?
Translators and agencies will do no harm in asking their clients whether the original document in MS Word or another document format is available. Because documents and content are not generally created in PDF format, these files should exist. That said, this does not always mean that they do exist (or that they can be found).
If this is the case and the PDF file must be handled, the terms of such handling must be set. Translators and agencies may adjust their rates and negotiate formatting requirements in consideration of the time file conversion will take. They may even choose to turn the project down entirely.
Ideally, PDF files would never have to be dealt with in translation. This is unfortunately not the case. These files do not have to be dreaded, however, if they are approached with the right problem-solving attitude of prudence and practicality.
Article based on “PDF Files and Translation” by Jamie M. Lucero. The ATA Chronicle, Volume XXXVII Number 8.
Take a look at most business news sources today, and you’re sure to find at least one article on social media. One of the hottest topics in business strategy discussion today, it has certainly caught the world’s attention.
That said, not all of this attention has been flattering.
While there does exist a large chorus of consultants, strategists and professionals chanting in favor of social networking, a significant body of resistance remains as well.
Some argue that online outlets such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are the keys to economic and professional success, the wave of the future in marketing and sales. Others, however, insist that these entities are fads that in the long-run will prove to be largely useless and a waste of time.
Between these two poles are the rest of us. We are curious about how far social media can go in helping us to achieve our professional goals, feeling weary of over-doing it but also unsure about missing out.
Coping with social networking is complex in all industries, and that of translation is no different. It comes with its own set of challenges.
First and foremost, the products we are selling are not as tangible as, for example, the iPhone. In fact, our true end-clients – those who read the words we translate – are essentially unaware of our existence. Whereas Apple can take to Twitter to get instant and direct feedback on its latest innovation, we have no such luxury.
And in terms of marketing, it is difficult to know whether the company decision-makers we need to reach are really out there. And even if they are, how do we know that they are looking at us?
There is no need to get down on social media in translation and localization just yet, though. In fact, those in our industry really possess a unique opportunity when it comes to this latest form of business communication.
Take a look here at a few reasons why.
1. We Work Globally
Our colleagues, partners, clients and resources are located all over the world. Social networks allow us not only to strengthen our professional ties to these individuals but also to develop more personal relationships that could, in the long run, prove quiet fruitful. Social media facilitates the “putting of a face to a name” among parties who may never meet in person.
2. We Speak Variedly
Most, if not all, language professionals are multilingual and reside in countries in which at least one of their languages is not prevalent. Sites such as Twitter can serve as important tools in such instances. Feeds with links to different articles help us to keep up on the linguistic cultures and trends from which we distanced. Not convinced? Tweeting has more subtle benefits as well. Short linguistic consultations such as word connotations and punctuation placements can be posted and hopefully answered by followers.
3. We Live Technologically
The professional life of the translator depends largely upon the computer. E-mails, CAT tools and word processors are at the center of our work. Since we’re already connected, why not venture into Facebook or LinkedIn? Not only can they help us to make important networking connections, but they can also serve as much-needed breaks from a high-volume project.
4. We Think Linguistically
Even though you may not be immersed in the world of social networking yet, many individuals in the language industry are. As a matter of fact, there already exists a flourishing online community of language lovers. Social media is an excellent forum for the sharing of information, thoughts and advice from which all can benefit.
Social media is not going anywhere, and translation industry members avoiding it are doing themselves more harm than good.
Though it may not be right to jump onto the bandwagon with full force, it’s an area worth at least dipping your toes into and testing the waters.
We at Win & Winnow are on the lookout for a Localization Project Manager to join our in-house team in Buenos Aires.
Find below a description of what we’re looking for and what the position entails.
LOCALIZATION PROJECT MANAGER
DESCRIPTION
You will be working at a language service provider based in Buenos Aires specializing in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian and French localization projects. The Project Manager will directly interface with our clients on a day to day basis and manage an in house team of translators as well as outside resources for translations, DTP and engineering.
POSITION SUMMARY
The successful candidate will help manage the overall localization efforts coming from the customers. The Project Manager will be responsible for the delivery of localized software products and documentation. The Project Manager will act as a main point of contact between the customers and resources.
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Manage translation and testing activities for multiple projects
• Manage schedules for localization activities with multiple linguist resources
• Report directly to the customers and closely collaborate with project managers overseas on multilingual projects
• Ensure the quality and timeliness of deliveries
• Work with other in house and outside translators and editors to provide high quality and timely translations
ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Degree in Business, Engineering, Linguistics or Computer Science
• Minimum 3 years of experience in managing localization projects
• Native Spanish speaker
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills
• Experience with CAT tools and basic knowledge of L10N engineering tasks
• Experience in managing in house resources and external vendors
• Sound knowledge of Project Management methodologies
• Proven ability to lead multiple teams
• Exceptional communication abilities and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects in parallel
• Proactive person who takes initiatives in managing projects and improving processes
Interested in working at Win & Winnow?
Contact us at recruitment@winandwinnow.com.
Meet the key members of the Win & Winnow team.
Type the word “translation” into your news search engine of choice, and you can be sure that at least one title that pops up contains the phrase “lost in translation.” One of the most popular phrases in the English language, it is a theme repeated tirelessly by writers and speakers who are too lazy, too uncreative and too exhausted to express their ideas in newer, fresher ways.
This is not to say that the refrain has lost all meaning, for it is an eloquent way of expressing a principal complexity involved in transferring linguistic content from one language to another. Much may be lost in translation – tone, humor, culture, reference, etc.
That said, have we reached a point that the phrase “lost in translation” has become cliché? Has it perhaps become so much so that its significance, its gravity, is what has really begun to dissipate?
Or worse, is the phrase’s overuse rendering the translation’s connotation one of an aura of inevitable failure?
Instead of getting caught up by what is lost in translation, perhaps it is time to take a look at what is gained.
In the corporate world, translation is an imperative means of growth and expansion. It is a way to reach world markets that are integral to success in today’s globalize economy.
A recent SDL webinar revealed the statistic that the vast majority of consumers make purchasing decisions based on content and not on physical contact. Simply put, people decide what to buy based upon what they read and see about a product. Moreover, that same webinar revealed that consumers report a preference to products and services sold to them in their own languages.
Taking this information into consideration, there can be no doubt that in business terms, much is to be gained in translation, especially in monetary profits.
On a more personal level, however, there are very humanistic gains made in translation. For an example of this, one needs to look no further than his or her own physical body and, more specifically, health.
In June, Newsweek published an article written by Randy Nieves of Terra that explores the difficulties non-English natives face in the flawed U.S. healthcare system. In the piece, Nieves speaks of the many barriers confronted by these individuals, ranging from finding physicians to understanding insurance policies. He does take on other political questions not pertinent to the issue at hand here, but his message is clear – translation is an issue of humanity and altruism.
Beyond these two concrete cases, the gains of translation, both subtle and substantial, are endless. And though there is no denying that translation does have its shortcomings, it may be time to send the clichéd “lost in translation” idiom to the bench.
Find out what we can help you to gain in translation.
Richard Michi of Global Lingo explains the often overlooked value of website transcription in this guest post.
Sounds like an odd question. How can such an ‘old fashioned’ practice as transcription help my website?
The answer is simple. Most website designers and Search Engine Optimisation specialists know that adding video and podcasts is a great way to add interest and links to your site. This increases the likelihood of your site moving up the natural rankings, which is the nirvana for most company websites.
 Transcription adds even more weight to your SEO
As great as podcast and videos are on your website, there’s one thing they don’t add – Search Engine Optimisation value.
That’s because Google, Yahoo, Bing and all the other search engines can’t index or crawl the content of the recordings. That’s where transcription adds extra SEO value, and the reason is simple: transcribing the content of the video or podcast makes the content searchable.
No doubt your content contains valuable keywords to drive traffic to your site; otherwise, what would be the point of adding it? So having all that great information tied up in files that the search engines can’t crawl can be a wasted opportunity for your website.
Transcription adds to the user experience as well
Having the content transcribed can add significantly to the user experience too. Some of the best examples of this are the TED Talks. On the site open any of the videos of their amazing talks and click on the open interactive transcript link and you’ll see what I mean. Not only have they included a full transcript of the presentation, but by clicking on a sentence in the transcript the video jumps to that point in the speech enabling the user to bypass the need to mess around with the scroller at the bottom of the video.
So transcribing content is very worthwhile for your website
So I’m pretty sure you can see how the ‘old fashioned’ art of transcription can add loads of value to your website SEO as well as to your users’ experience. It’s a simple process because you already have the content, just not in a searchable format, so that’s where professional transcribers come into their own and add real value to your digital content.
In a recent speech, former British minister Chris Bryant referred to French as a “useless modern foreign language.” Needless to say, the notion was not all that well received.
The point at which it Bryant was getting – that students should focus on languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic and Portuguese that are more prevalent today – is quite relevant. Apart from English, these are the tongues that are currently or will soon be the biggest players in world business and politics. And while French was a significant force in diplomacy a half a century ago, this is simply not the case today.
Beyond the specifics of this most current debate, however, lies one essential question: What is the purpose of language?
When we think in terms of the motives behind Bryant’s assertion, we take on language as a tool and translation as one of its many uses. It becomes a means of straight-forward communication, a way for us to connect on a direct and simple level to others. In this sense, words are questions of convenience, of negotiation, of money and of politics and of order.
However, we all know that language is relevant in much more than business and politics, for it is the primary mechanism we possess to express our being. Our words represent the unrepresentable; our punctuation the form of our thoughts.
Though the relevance of Bryant’s assertion cannot be denied, the danger of its connotation, when taken out of context, is frightening. The purposes of language are endless, and declaring any one tongue useless is unequivocally misguided.
At Win & Winnow, we work with language of all purposes, ranging from medical to legal and beyond.
 Funny as it may seem, I never thought much about English until my life was translated into Spanish.
Prior to heading off to college out East, I had barely even hit the tip of the iceberg on the question of accents (I grew up, like many Midwesterners, remarkably unaware of the fact that my speech sounded much more like that of a Fargo character than any newscaster or sitcom actor I saw daily on the TV). And if I was basically oblivious to the linguistic differentiations within the U.S., how was I to have an idea of the English language on an international scale?
It was not until I found myself living here in Buenos Aires, working in English teaching and later translation, that I gave my native language any real thought.
It was then that the revelation came.
I don’t speak English. I speak American English. My linguistic background leaves me stumped by words like lift and till, causes a pause when the z of realize is replaced by an s, and makes me giggle just a little at the pronunciation of the word garage – as well as the names of my favorite Harry Potter characters. Moreover, when I move beyond the watered-down British vs. American English dichotomy, I am confronted with even more variations from Australia, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and more. And though I am sometimes tempted to brush off other versions of my native language for the sake of arrogance or convenience, now that I am aware of them, I cannot ignore them at work or in life.
What have I learned from this eye-opening English language experience in a Spanish-speaking land? Quite a bit.
1. In the U.K., I like biscuits. In the U.S., I do not.
2. When an acquaintance from the other side of the pond tells me he is going to wash up, he won’t be getting into the shower as I may assume. Instead, he is probably doing the dishes.
3. Holidays may not be limited to Christmas, Easter and the 4th of July and could take place at any time in the year for an extended period of time.
4. In New York, we debate about whether we wait in line or on line. In London, one can wait in or on the queue.
5. In England and the United States, 12/09/2010 may be read as dates that are nearly three months apart.
6. In Wisconsin, the sand and salt put on slippery roads in a blizzard in the U.K. are called grit, which in South Carolina is something one eats for breakfast.
7. I do not like the British spelling of behaviour; however, I do prefer travelling.
8. Spell check can be set not only to different languages but also to other countries. My computer is set to British English.
While I am still no expert on the nuances of British and American English, I am now at least aware.
I now know that hockey may be played on ice or on grass and that football could involve a quarterback or a goalie. While the term fortnight invokes for me memories of Shakespeare, for a speaker of British English, it is simply two weeks. Top up means refill, naff means not very good, and the punctuation mark with which I conclude this sentence might not be called a period – it could also be a full stop.
By Emily Stewart
Win & Winnow Communications has expertise in both American and British English and produces quality translations for target audiences on both sides of the pond.
Let’s be honest – when most people think of language, the first thing that comes to mind is not often fun. Linguistics and translation are not generally considered light topics and often invoke more images of studious academics surrounded by books and manuscripts than anything else.
Nevertheless, the world of language is complex and one upon which humor and pop culture are not lost.
Want proof?
Look to the internet and these three websites that show the sunnier side of semantics.
Fundéu
Of the three sits on this list, that of Fundéu is the most “serious.” Dedicated to the good use of the Spanish language in the media, it has expanded significantly since its 2005 foundation into an important reference of the Spanish language today.
Two sections to check out – Dichos y refranes and Se decía, se dice. The former provides a list of popular sayings in Spanish, indicating not only their meaning but when they should be used. The latter provides updated versions of words and phrases. Both are great not only for natives but also for foreigners looking to pick up on some common idiomatic expressions and also avoid some pretty awkward mistakes.
Omniglot
Omniglot proclaims itself a “guide to the writing systems and languages of the world.” Less formal than Fundéu, this multilingual guide features information that is insightful yet lighthearted.
A great section for travelers (or just the curious) is “Simple foreign phrases,” which provides localized versions of common phrases and idioms. There, one can find a lot of great information, ranging from the all-too-familiar “I don’t understand” to cliché pieces of wisdom like “Out of sight, out of mind.”
Mox’s Blog
For those looking for a less dense and more visual take on linguistics and translation, Mox’s Blog is fantastic. A glimpse of what is to come is set in the blog’s writer’s ironic introduction, “Mox is a young but well educated translator. Two PhDs, six languages … and he hardly earns the minimum wage.”
The blog features comic strips depicting the sometimes tough environment of translation, looking at many real issues of those in the industry today – rates, discounts, project management, etc. – through laughing eyes.
Fatalism, irony and hope are all wrapped up in Mox’s Blog.
Take a look at the Resources section of the Win & Winnow website for more helpful information about translation and localization. After you check out our glossaries, tools and acronyms, be sure to find out more about our Latin American translation services, too!
The June 2009 issue of Multilingual focuses on a topic and region with which we at Win & Winnow are highly familiar – Latin America. As a part of the dynamic Latin American language industry, we are well aware of the nuances and intricacies involved in the sector as well as driving force that has made the region a significant player in localization worldwide in recent years.
Within the issue, one particular article really stood out to us: “Website globalization for Argentina and Brazil.” The authors of the piece, Martin Spethman and Nitish Singh, explore and examine the cultural specifications of the two countries necessary to consider when localizing web content geared towards them.
Spethman and Singh spend a large part of the article exploring what they consider to be the primary cultural, social and economic characteristics of these two leading South American nations.
The authors characterize Argentina as a Spanish-language powerhouse driven by the well-educated workforce behind its large economy. They note national color symbols such as yellow as a sign of hope and black as a sign of rebellion and mention the tango and Eva Perón as two important Argentine historical symbols. They also describe the dialect of Spanish generally spoken in the country – Rioplatense Spanish. It is quite different from Peninsular Spanish, influenced by the indigenous population as well as the United States. Nevertheless, the fact that the Spanish language – regardless of dialect – is spoken in 21 countries throughout the world gives Argentina quite an advantage in international business dealings.
Brazil is introduced as a more heterogeneous society, influenced not only by its European roots but also by the African slave trade. With the largest retail sector of Latin America, it has become an increasingly significant part of the world economy in recent years – so much so that changes currently being made to the Portuguese language are largely based upon Brazilian spellings and variations instead of European ones.
The consumer values of the nations are explored as well, the authors noting the value of appearance in both Argentina and Brazil. They also highlight the importance of relationships and networks in the ways in which Argentine consumers act as well as the tendency Brazilians have of saving money in order to make large purchases.
The article goes on to evaluate both Argentine and Brazilian culture in terms of Professor Geert Hofstede´s Cultural Value Chart, which utilizes several categories to rate different societies. The categories include: individualism-collectivism, power distance, masculinity-femininity, uncertainty avoidance and context. In general, both countries rate high in terms of masculinity, collectivism, power distance and context, though Argentina is slightly more neutral.
After an extensive, albeit generalized, overview of the two countries at the focus of the article, Spethman and Singh seemingly get to the point – where does website localization come in?
The authors suggest that after identifying the predominant cultural values of the two nations, the website being geared towards them must be evaluated by way of a Cultural Customization Scorecard. Based upon the results of the scorecard, businesses and localizers will be able to better identify the cultural propriety of a website and make changes where necessary.
In order to market a website as well as measure its success, the two point to Pay-Per-Click campaigns that produce immediate results and help one to become familiar with the consumer target. The article comes to a close on an informative note, outlining domains in Argentina and Brazil and providing a link to a website containing more complete reports.
Spethman and Singh certainly make important general observations when it comes to Argentina and Brazil. Nevertheless, their article falls short in terms of depth and offers only a distant view that we, as an Argentina-based language provider, realize is quite abstract and removed.
This issue arises largely on account of their apparent dependence upon Hofstede´s cultural theory, which has in the past been criticised as overly static and essential. Not only does the chart rate cultures utilizing a Western framework (take, for example, the association of masculinity with ambition and femininity with relationships), but it also fails to allow for or even acknowledge interculturalism and multiplicity within a given society. When Spethman and Singh depend upon this rather flawed theory, they run the risk of falling into an over-simplified way of seeing the world.
Though the article may not be extremely profound in terms of its examination of two extremely complex nations, what it does do is off a quick look at an area of the world that is becoming increasingly relevant and that is deserving of more attention than it often receives. The benefit of “Website globalization for Argentina and Brazil” is the awareness it creates among readers of an economically, politically and socially significant region that has in the past been largely overlooked.
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