Showing posts with label uk based. 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.
Thursday, 13 February 2014
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X, Y and Z

X, Y, Z The final three letters of the Roman alphabet and yet again there are discrepancies between their pronunciation in both the Spanish and Portuguese alphabets.

Spanish pronounces X as "eh-keess" but this letter is pronounced differently depending on where it appears in a word. For instance, it follows the English "eggs" sound of "exam" when the Spanish equivalent "examen" is spoken. However, "experto" likewise follows the English "expert" by using the softer sounding "ecks", or even in the Spanish word for "sixth", "sexto".

Of course, depending on where the Spanish speaker is from there may be more consistent pronunciation of the "eggs" sound and the "ecks" sound throughout the spoken language. Spanish also has a further pronunciation of X and that is the same as the Spanish letter J which requires the guttural "ch" sound like that in many Scottish words.

In the Portuguese alphabet the letter "x" is "sheesh", however Portuguese pronunciation of the alphabet goes a little further than Spanish or English with 'x' having four primary sounds. Firstly, in 'xícara', Portuguese for cup, x is pronounced as "sh" as in "shop", the word xícara being pronounced shee-kah-rah with emphasis on the first syllable.

However, the letter does adopt a more familiar sound, that of "ecks" in a word such as "fênix" or "fénix", meaning phoenix. The "ecks" sound of the Portuguese "x" is softened somewhat when it precedes a consonant and "contexto" is an example of this. This softer pronunciation is also heard in some other words such as the Portuguese for "next" which is "próximo".

Translations2u is a uk based translation company specialising in Portuguese to English translation, as well as English to Portuguese services, in addition to providing English to Spanish translation or a Spanish to English translator for all our clients' business and legal requirements.
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
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Burn's Night - a Scottish tradition

Burns’ Night is a special Scottish celebration which commemorates the life and works of a famous poet from Scotland named Robert (Rabbie) Burns who contributed greatly to the country’s culture and history.  The date of the festivities is always either on or close to January 25th, the day of Burns’ birthday.  Burns’ Night has many different components including a dinner known as “Burns’ Supper,” toasts, the reading of famous Burns poetry, the playing of bagpipes and more.  It is also typical for attendees to wear traditional Scottish clothing such as kilts and dresses made from the wearer’s family tartan.

The typical order of events, though the celebration may be formal or informal, is fairly consistent.  There is normally music playing to welcome the guests and in a more traditional Burns’ Night celebration the musical entertainment would be live bagpipers.  Next, the event’s host formally welcomes their guests and reads a prayer prior to serving them a meal.  The prayer is called “The Selkirk Grace” but it is also often referred to as “Burns’ Grace at Kirkcudbright.”  Then, comes the meal’s most revered ingredient known as the haggis is brought into the room in a procession that includes bagpipers, the celebration’s host and the chef. 

While this grand entrance parade takes place, guests clap enthusiastically in anticipation of the delicious food. Whisky will be served to accompany the meal and there is an address and a toast to the haggis prior to dinnertime that includes the Burn’s poem “Address to a Haggis”.  Finally, it’s time for the dinner itself and, after eating, there is an array of entertainment to culminate the evening that incorporates music, poetry reciting and speeches.

The dinner itself consists typically of traditional Cock-a-leekie soup, Haggis, Tatties (potatoes), Neeps (turnips), Clootie Dumplings and pudding.  The alcoholic beverages are also quite important.  Scottish whisky is always served and is often accompanied by a quality selection of wines and ales.

Burns’ Night is a lively and traditional Scottish celebration that really shows how vibrant the country’s culture is.  

It is an event that brings people together to commemorate a famous Scottish person who made a difference to Scottish people and their culture.  The night is filled with great entertainment, food, traditions and company.  While the evening is extremely important in Scotland in particular, it is also celebrated in other countries where Scottish heritage is commonly found around the world including Canada, Australia and the United States.

Translations2u is a uk based translation company offering legal translation and other document translation services.