Interview with Jian, Translator from English to Chinese (Mandarin): First things first, we would love to learn more about you: why and when did you decide to become a translator/interpreter? Where did the idea come from, and have you ever considered doing anything else? I started to work as a freelance translator since 2002. I fell in love with this self-employment style almost since day one. I do have considered doing other things, but only for couple days, then I’ll be back to translation work again. What is, according to you, the best way to learn a foreign language? How did you learn your languages? You have to start to learn a foreign language from a early age, the early the better. What are the challenges of being a translator/interpreter? What are the perks? To discipline yourself and make your house like an office. Thank you very...
Interview with Bryan, Translator from English to Korean: First things first, we would love to learn more about you: why and when did you decide to become a translator/interpreter? Where did the idea come from, and have you ever considered doing anything else? Well, it must have been my new year’s resolution for the year 2010, trying to make the most of who I am and what I have been doing in my life, embracing and affirming who I am and how I have lived my life. Since I came to Canada, I had been struggling with my strange new language called English for quite a few years and it dawned on me that I can actually make use of that experience and the result of my long struggle. And I think I made a good decision. And I must confess that translation is still my part time job, although I like it very much and I think I am getting better and better in what I am doing. I have other jobs that I cherish with all my heart. I guess I believe in killing two birds with a stone. (Only figuratively, of course. As a vegetarian, I am strongly opposed to killing any bird or any animal for that matter.) And so far, translation has been one of the two (or three?) birds. And I love all my dead birds. How different is being a translator/interpreter from what you had expected? Well, I found translation involves more than just language skill: time management, marketing skill, computer skill, and a bunch of software. What is, according to...
Interview with Louis-Benoit, Translator from English and Spanish to French: First things first, we would love to learn more about you: why and when did you decide to become a translator/interpreter? Where did the idea come from, and have you ever considered doing anything else? During my studies I have always been giving a lot importance to grammar, rules of citation and style guidelines, proper translation of specific terms, and best ways to develop ideas in my essays. I might was focusing a little too much on it…I’m not sure I always had much better marks because this part of my essays were really faultless. 6 months ago, after a semester in a Master program of Urban Planning I realised the job I already had in translation was definitely the best fit to my personality and abilities. So I decided to get a professional accreditation and really make my living with my passion for languages. How different is being a translator/interpreter from what you had expected? I had no idea CAT tools were so important in the translation industry. What is, according to you, the best way to learn a foreign language? How did you learn your languages? I think doing an immersion is something very important to learn a foreign language. This is what I did to learn Spanish when I was a teen. I stayed 6 months in Costa Rica, living with a local family who didn’t speak a word at all of English or French. Only after 2 months, I was feeling very comfortable speaking Spanish but, I knew I was still making a lot of...
What is Language Interpretation? Language interpretation – the process of “translat[ing] orally or into sign language the words of a person speaking a different language”[1] – is a field too often confused with translation. As its name indicates, “interpretation” is the action of explaining the meaning of something. Indeed, an interpreter needs to convey information from one language to another – and from one person to another – very quickly, without being able to carry out any terminology research, and this process can be done by explaining what the speaker said rather than by translating verbatim. Simultaneous or Consecutive? Within the field of interpretation, it is important to make the distinction between two branches: simultaneous and consecutive interpretation. In consecutive interpretation, the interpreter listens to the speech while taking notes and renders his or her translation a few seconds later. This type of interpretation requires special note-taking skills. In simultaneous interpretation, the interpreter listens to the speaker with headphones and renders his or her translation at the same time. It is usually a more popular type of interpretation during large-scale meetings and conferences, and requires a high level of skill from the interpreter. How Does It Work? Rapidity and accuracy are mandatory in interpretation, and a mistake can have dramatic effect; whether it be in court interpretation or politics. This accuracy cannot be achieved unless interpreters work in a group, so they usually work in teams of two, taking turns every 20 minutes. A prime example of how hard interpreting can be occurred at the UN general assembly that was held in New York in September 2009. During this...
Foreign language translation is the process of transforming a written text from one language into another language. However, it is not a simple conversion; often cultural subtleties have to be taken into account. Translation is not only about languages, it is about people, history, culture, ethics, and much more. A translator has to be knowledgeable in all these fields and has to be willing to carry out research for each new translation he or she receives. A freelance translator is a translator that works from his/her own office – often in his/her home – and translates documents sent to him/her by translation agencies or clients. This type of work allows them to be independent and in charge of their own workload and schedule. Read on to be introduced to some of our translators and learn more about them! {showhide titlebottom2=”true” title=”Spanish l English l Canadian French Translator” changetitle=”Close” template=”rounded-content,arrow-orange”} Spanish | English | Canadian French Translator Name: Louis-Benoit Job title: Translator Native Language: French Language Pair(s): English to French, Spanish to French Country of Residence: Canada Specialization(s): Politics and Economics Working with LingoStar since: 2009 Favourite quote: “Utopia lies at the horizon. When I draw nearer by two steps, it retreats two steps. If I proceed ten steps forward, it swiftly slips ten steps ahead. No matter how far I go, I can never reach it. What, then, is the purpose of utopia? It is to cause us to advance.” –Eduardo Galeano Click here to read our French translator Louis-Benoit’s interview! {/showhide} {showhide titlebottom2=”true” title=”Italian l French l English Translator” changetitle=”Close” template=”rounded-content,arrow-orange”} Italian | French | English Translator Name: Sharon Job title: Translator/reviser Native Language: English Language Pair(s): Italian...
Dear Language Friend, Our first name defines us, is part of us, and still, we often don’t think about its history. How many of us know the exact origin, meaning, and popularity of our given name? Very few, actually. Thus the LingoStar team decided to unveil the mysteries of our international team’s first names. Let’s take a closer look at the true sense (Étumon, in Greek), and at the reason (Logia, in Greek) – that is to say the etymology – of our Canadian, Czech, French, and Japanese names. Contributed by Coralie Tripier and Cecilia Rose. LENKA /leŋkə/ – Owner of LingoStar “Lenka” is a female Slavic name that was originally a diminutive of “Magdalena” or “Elena”, before being used as an independent name. “Lenka” is mostly to be found in Czech Republic and Slovakia. In Slovak, the meaning of the name is “light”, but “Lenka” is thought to be a clear reference to Magdalena, meaning “woman from Magdala”, a town that might have existed on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. However, there could also be another meaning to “Lenka”, or to “Magdalena”, as the word “migdal” means “tower” or “elevated and great”, in Hebrew. It is also a clear reference to Mary Magdalena, the apostle to apostles, the most elevated of all, hence the first one to see Jesus after his resurrection. CECILIA – /sɨˈsiːliə/ -Project Manager at LingoStar “Cecilia” is a female name derived from the Latin word “caecum”, meaning “blind”. Although it doesn’t seem at first “sight” to have a glorious meaning, especially considering that “Caecilian” is also used to describe a blind worm,...
ON THE INTERPRETER SIDE What do interpreters do? What does a “typical” interpretation job entail? An interpreter’s job is to orally communicate a message effectively, quickly and accurately from one language into another. This can be done consecutively (person speaks and pauses, interpreter follows with translation) or simultaneously (person speaks and interpreter translates simultaneously from a separate booth into a microphone and people can listen to the translation if they choose, usually through a headset). The interpreter is neutral and bound by a confidentiality agreement. What are some of the main challenges associated with being an interpreter? Interpreters are highly skilled individuals, often working under enormous pressure. Dealing with stress is probably one of the main challenges that an interpreter has to face, especially during simultaneous interpretation. The message has to be conveyed instantaneously so the interpreter has to process the information in the source language and find the appropriate words to translate the information in the target language. It can be very difficult to translate cultural references, idioms, and specialized terminology, especially on the fly. A lot of preparation time is needed, often with reference material, and interpreters are chosen depending on their education and work experience. For example, you would need someone with an engineering background to interpret at a conference in that field, or someone with experience with medical terminology to interpret at a medical seminar, etc. They all can’t be experts at everything! What are some of the “perks”/rewards of being an interpreter? One obvious reward for being an interpreter is all the traveling: conferences and meetings are held everywhere in the world and an...
We offer translation & interpretation services in Canada, the US and many other areas: Translation CanadaTranslation VancouverTranslation MontrealTranslation OttawaTranslation TorontoTranslation USATranslation New YorkTranslation Los AngelesTranslation Seattle We offer translation & interpretation services in the following language pairs: French to English TranslationSpanish to English TranslationGerman to English TranslationJapanese to English TranslationKorean to English TranslationChinese to English TranslationPunjabi to English TranslationTagalog to English TranslationItalian to English TranslationRussian to English TranslationArabic to English Translation English to French TranslationEnglish to Spanish TranslationEnglish to German TranslationEnglish to Japanese TranslationEnglish to English TranslationEnglish to Chinese TranslationEnglish to Punjabi TranslationEnglish to Tagalog TranslationEnglish to Italian TranslationEnglish to Russian TranslationEnglish to Arabic Translation and many...
Our Canadian and USA-based clients trust our translation services in the following fields: Agriculture Translation Automotive TranslationBusiness and Commercial TranslationEducation and Research TranslationFinancial and Banking TranslationHealth Care TranslationLegal TranslationMarketing and Media TranslationMechanical and Engineering TranslationMining and Geological TranslationSoftware and IT TranslationTourism and Sports Translation Please also refer to our Past...
Dear Language Friend, Planning a trip to Belgium? If so, be prepared for a complex linguistic situation. It is probably safest to speak English, which is neutral and likely to be understood all across the country, but maybe you are ambitious and want to speak the local language? Please read on… Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann and Cecilia Rose. Thanks for reading! Linguistic Regions of Belgium Belgium is divided into three regions: Wallonia in the South, Flanders in the North, and the Brussels-Capital Region. In Flanders, Dutch (often locally referred to as Flemish) is the predominant language and Dutch-speakers comprise 59% of the Belgian population. In Wallonia, French is the predominant language and French-speakers comprise 40% of the Belgian population. There is also a German-speaking minority, mainly located along the Eastern border of Belgium and Germany. A small number of elderly people still speak local dialects like Picard and Walloon, however they will likely become extinct sometime in the future. The Conflict between Flanders and Wallonia Unfortunately there is an acrimonious linguistic conflict going on between the Dutch-speakers and French-speakers, which alongside with political conflict between the regions may split the country. Each side is struggling to uphold its respective culture and language. Caught in the middle is the Brussels-Capital Region, which is officially bilingual. Because of this status, both languages have to be represented by the authorities in street signage and for official matters. Interestingly, this does not apply to the education sector and schools are either Dutch or French, though in higher academia, English is quickly becoming the lingua franca. A Country Split in Two… or is...
