Showing posts with label language translation. Show all posts

Friday, 21 February 2014
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I translate perfectly into English too

Another aspect potential translation clients must be aware of is the need to have their translation performed by a native speaker of the language into which the translation is to be made. It is important not to overlook the fact that there are many bilingual persons out there but finding someone truly bilingual with the same level of linguistic proficiency in each language is a chore. This is why potential clients must be cautious when someone claims to translate perfectly from one language into another and vice versa. Typically, no-one really speaks more than one language for equal durations daily on a continuous basis; one always prevails over the other for some reason or another.

Some of the biggest signs of a translation having been completed by a non-native speaker of the target language are as follows. Let's take French by way of example. French punctuation typically appears in the format final word - space - punctuation mark, whereas English always follows the format final word - punctuation mark never with any space. This alone can be the bane of an editor's life as a 50 page document could contain such punctuation errors numerous times on each and every page!

Very often when the target language is drafted by non-native speakers it contains a structure that is so close to that of the source language structure that it makes no sense and only comparison with the source document can clarify the intended meaning. A typical example is the structure "the annual general meeting of the shareholders of the company" which is everso faithful to many a source language, including the French mentioned above. A structure that is easier on the ear and eye would be "the company shareholders' annual general meeting". Too many "of the's" in a text clog it up, look clumsy and lack both a professional and natural touch.

It is not to say that only non-native speakers commit such errors, the inexperienced or, dare it be said, less attentive to detail are equally guilty. Such examples highlight the need for care in the translation process and why many established translation companies include editing and proofreading in their fees. No matter how qualified, experienced and careful a translator is, translators are human beings who can overlook the odd out of place comma and hence the importance of paying a little a bit extra to receive a different language version of your document that reflects the professionalism and meaning of your original document in every sense without every "of" and "the" being literally transposed into the new version.

Translations2u is a UK based translation company. Read about us or take a look at our FAQ for an overview of how we work.
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
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First step

What happens from the translator’s perspective when you need to have a translation? Well, initial contact is always from a client or prospective client who may be an individual requiring a certified translation of a marriage certificate, for instance, or a company of virtually any size from half a dozen employees to a multi-national undertaking.

Very often clients do not provide the documents that have to be translated. This makes it difficult to quote accurately for the particular project. As a text could contain many industry or field specific references it is necessary to ascertain the exact nature of each document as a translator and editor with a particular expertise or experience could be required. Thus, before we provide a quote, we have to be sure of exactly what is required and that we have the appropriate resources to handle the client’s project.

The content is extremely important since the complexity may require our full quality assurance service to ensure as many checks as possible are performed on the translation or the text may be so standard that we can offer translation with a general review. Providing the document(s) to be translated at the quoting stage is therefore essential to ensuring that we offer clients the best deal possible.


Although we are happy to sign any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements, these are not issues to be concerned with in the majority of instances when simply requesting a quote. This is particularly the case when an individual or business representative contacts a reputable organisation with independent reviews and feedback. For instance, each page of our translations2u website has a link to our terms of business and code of professional conduct as provided by the Chartered Institute of Linguists. Professional accreditation is a step in the right direction toward ensuring the content of clients’ documents are treated in the most professional manner possible from the very first contact.

Translations2u offers multiple language combinations and business translation, technical translation and legal translation expertise including the specialist translation of Sharia law matters. Certified translations and sworn translations are available for many regions.
Saturday, 1 February 2014
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Celebrating the Chinese New Year

For the Chinese, New Year celebrations are amongst the most important events of the year and festivities take place all over the world.  The Chinese New Year is a significant tradition with history dating back over 4000 years.  To put it in perspective, the year that began on January 31st of 2014 marked the beginning of the 4712th Chinese year.

The celebrations span a fairly long time period, beginning on the last day of the last month of the year as per the Chinese calendar and running until the 15th day of the first month of the New Year.  It should be noted that the Chinese calendar is the lunar calendar, meaning that dates do not align with the traditionally recognized calendar months of a year.  As a result, the festivities will typically begin on different calendar days from one year to the next.  There is an animal associated with every upcoming New Year and it is believed that all individuals born within that year will possess certain characteristics relevant to that animal.  There are a total of 12 different animals that are cycled over the years in a rotation.

To prepare for the Chinese New Year celebrations, the Chinese participate in activities that represent bringing about a new life and new beginnings in the New Year.  They spend significant amounts of time freshening up their homes, organizing their lives, ridding themselves of problems, tackling nagging tasks and changing up their personal style.  They take these actions with the intention of turning over a new leaf and setting themselves up for success in the year to come.

Some common themes throughout the celebrations are dragons and the colours gold and red.  To begin, the colour red is a positive symbol in Chinese culture associated with power, happiness and scaring away the bad spirits.  Gold is associated with good fortune.  Gold and red are the typical colours used when decorating homes and venues for Chinese New Year festivities due to their positive symbolism in the culture.  Dragons are also commonly seen as they are recognized symbols of positive things including strength and luck.

The Chinese New Year celebrations begin with a late night feast on New Year’s Eve and a large and extravagant fireworks show when the clock strikes midnight.  From there, the events for the duration of the festivities are focused on enjoying food with close friends and family, exchanging gifts and wishing loved ones well in the new year.  To culminate the celebrations, there is a Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month of the new year.  For this event, people carefully hang and carry beautiful glowing lanterns all over the city.  The lanterns are often painted with care, boasting beautiful designs such as zodiac signs or flowers.  There is also a large parade and a traditional dragon dance.  The entire Lantern Festival is elaborate and rich in traditional culture, making it a highlight for the Chinese who celebrate it and for others who have the opportunity to experience it.

 Translations2u is a UK based specialist in English to Chinese translation and other language translation services.