This past weekend, Vancouverites were given the opportunity to enjoy the large variety of cultures at the European Festival in Burnaby. Unfortunately, it was raining cats and dogs on Saturday, but Sunday made up for it with sunny, warm weather. It was perfect for a Sunday stroll at the European Festival! Representatives of the European countries Located in beautiful Central Park, you could find participants from all over Europe: Armenia, Greece, Russia, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iceland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia, Lithuania, Spain, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Montenegro, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Turkey, France, Portugal, Ukraine, Germany, Romania and the United Kingdom. The festival took place at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. Tents representing different European countries were set up all along the track. This was perfect since you could walk around without missing a country! European customs and traditions Traditional garments and beautiful jewelry were not the only things that you could find at the European Festival. Volunteers described their cultures, explained the traditions and customs they practice. They also explained what kind of meals they eat. (If you want to know more about the food, just scroll down, it was delicious!). There were German books up for grabs and delicious Swiss chocolate. You could write down well wishes for the Queen’s 90th birthday, and paint your own Easter eggs in the traditional Ukrainian method using beeswax and dye. A lot of fun for the whole family at the European Festival The festival wasn’t only a great chance for adults to explore the diverse cultures of Europe, it also served as a huge playground for children! There...
Dictionaries and the Development of the English language Did you know that the word “nice” originally meant “stupid”? Or that “decimate” used to mean “to kill one in every 10”? The development of the English language keeps evolving , and we don’t even realize it. Anne Curzan, professor of English at the University of Michigan, studies how the English language works and how it has changed over time. In her TED Talk, she explains how various words have developed and what makes a word “real”. People usually think a word is real when it appears in the dictionary. However, most slang words don’t, even though they fill important gaps in the English language. Curzan notes that dictionaries are not timeless since words and languages change all the time. For example, if you wanted to write a business letter, would you use a dictionary from 1910? Probably not. You would use a recent dictionary. And why? Because we usually don’t use the terms any more that have been used 100 years ago, since language is constantly developing. Languages back then Curzan gives interesting examples during her speech. In 1875, Dean Henry Alford said that “desirability” is a terrible word. In 1760, Benjamin Franklin complained about the word “colonize”. However, today, these words appear in every dictionary and no one doubts their validity. Many words develop from other languages as well. In Germany for example, people use a lot of English loan words and sometimes mix both the German and English language to create new ones. These words may sound English, but English native speaker wouldn’t understand them. “Handy” is the...
Mother’s Day in Vancouver Dear readers, This Sunday, May 8, 2016, sons and daughters all over the world will celebrate Mother’s Day. On this special day, they concentrate on the wellbeing of their mothers. (Actually, this should be done every day, not just once a year…) Anyway, if you are in need of some ideas on how to spend Mother’s Day in Vancouver, here are some suggestions for you! Brunch Brunch is always a good idea. It’s about food and, let’s be honest, everyone loves food! You can either prepare something at home (your mother will be so proud– lots of kisses will follow), or treat your mother to brunch at a fancy restaurant. You can enjoy a nice breakfast at The Teahouse, (Stanley Park) on Mother’s Day in Vancouver and spend the rest of the day walking through the park. Spa Day A mother’s life can be very stressful. Mothers work, prepare meals for their loved ones, do the housework, and look after their children. And no matter how old their kids are, even if they don’t live at home anymore, mothers still worry about them. Mother’s Day is the best opportunity to give back to your mother for all her hard work! And a good way to do this would be to spend Mother’s Day in Vancouver relaxing at one of Vancouver’s best spas. VanDusen Gardens If your mom loves the outdoors, you should definitely go for a walk through the VanDusen Botanical Garden, where there will be live music, a photo booth, and pop-up café in celebration of Mother’s Day in Vancouver. (The weather is supposed...
Selfies Everyone has taken at least one in their life. Young people, especially, love to take a lot of selfies. They are popular, and a fast and easy way to share moments with your friends. You take a selfie and can send it within seconds to your partner, best friend, or parents, or share it on Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook. Have you ever wondered which city takes the most selfies? Most people would assume a North American city, since there are so many locations perfect for selfie – taking (think New York, San Francisco or Hollywood…). Which city takes the most selfies? Well, they would be surprised to hear it isn’t an American or Canadian city, but Makati City in the Philippines! In any given week, the residents of Makati take 258 selfies per 100,000 people. They are followed by Manhattan, N.Y. with 202 selfies. Makati City is where politics, showbiz and nightlife meet, and since this is one of the biggest business districts in the greater Metro Manila area, a lot of selfies are taken there. The Philippines want to show their status because they are proud of themselves, what they do, and of their country as well. They are working their way out of poverty and to show their success, they take a lot of selfies! What about Canadian cities? Well, Canadians do take selfies, but way less than the Philippines. Check out the chart below! Here at LingoStar, we have professional translators who are native speakers of Tagalog. We also have a range of other services to offer such as revising, updating and localizing your content...
Richmond’s Chinese and English population Richmond, located south of Vancouver, has grown into a modern and multicultural city. Its population of 213,000 people makes it the fourth largest city in B.C; and with an immigrant population of 60 percent, it has the highest in Canada. Over the years, Richmond has become a dynamic and multi-ethnic community, and 50 percent of its residents are Chinese. After World War II, large numbers of Asian immigrants from China and Hong Kong settled there and today many Chinese and English speakers call Richmond home. Advertisement signs in both languages In Richmond, there is advertising in both Chinese and English. Recently a huge debate has arisen regarding Chinese only advertisement signs, and whether or not they should be banned. This debate was sparked by Budweiser’s January 2016 advertisement of their beer in Chinese, with only a few words appearing in English. The Richmond city council voted against banning signs that are only in Chinese, but advised that at least 50 percent of advertisement signs should be in English. The Translink bus advertisement in Chinese which was not well received either. This debate has led to misunderstandings, since some residents think that Chinese people do not respect the English language community. However, this doesn’t hold water in the above case, since Budweiser is an American company, not a Chinese one. Furthermore, the problem is not as extensive as it seems since, in fact, less than five percent of advertising signs in Richmond are in Chinese only. Most of these businesses do not even realize that they are deterring business from English speakers. Advertisement in Chinese...
Germans and beer The Germans. Organization and structure? Yes, please! We Germans love rules and have them for everything. And I really mean EVERYTHING. What else do we love? That’s right! German Beer! And how are rules and beer related? Well, let me show you. Why do people always use beer and Lederhosen to describe Germans? Because we know how to brew good German beer (and needed some hardwearing pants…). There are over 1300 breweries in Germany, and so what do the orderly Germans do to guarantee high-quality beer? We lay down rules! And since beer is such an important part of German culture, we pay a lot of attention to the brewing method. By the way, the translation of “Prost” is “Cheers!” And if you are looking for some German beer in Vancouver, there are a lot of pubs where you can try some. The German Beer Purity Law The Reinheitsgebot (translation: “German Beer Purity Law”) is a series of regulations limiting the ingredients of beer made in Germany. This goes back to 1516, Bavaria, Germany, when beer could only be made from water, barley and hops. The law passed in order to prevent price competition with bakers for wheat and rye, in an attempt to ensure the availability of affordable bread. The rules were so strict that breweries were punished for producing impure beer! And the Bavarian government wasn’t kidding… “Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that in future in all cities, markets and in the country, the only ingredients used for the brewing of beer must be barley, hops and water. Whosoever knowingly disregards or transgresses upon this ordinance,...
Speaking a second language is also beneficial for YOU Being able to speak a second language is a real asset. It will open doors for you in a way you would never imagine. As reported by recruitment agencies, speaking foreign languages one can result in a rise of 8-20% of your salary. Also, the benefits of being bilingual are numerous in any given career. A multilingual employee may be trusted with new duties and responsibilities simply because of their ability to speak another language. They might also get the chance to go abroad as part of their job, and become a location, independent professional. Of course, with the development of the internet, it is possible for anyone to go abroad and gain experience. However there are many dialects around the world, so knowing the language of the place you’re visiting is an advantage. Furthermore, knowing the local dialect allows communication with others and total immersion in the culture of a country. Speaking a second language also helps you to create a multicultural environment and social network. It is an opportunity to get to know clients or colleagues whose languages you’re familiar with. Gaining a higher level in a foreign language Even though speaking another language may help boost your work opportunities, this does not necessarily mean having to be fluent. If some proficiency is an advantage, recruiters may be happy with just the basics – being able to welcome prospective new clients from overseas with a few polite phrases is always a good thing. There is room for all levels, but if you think you want to learn more and prove your skills...
Understanding the link between multilingualism and business When looking for work, the first thing to do is create or update a CV that will convince an employer that you are the one for the job. A second, third, or even fourth language will surely open doors and improve your chances to enhance your career. In the USA, most people speak English, even if it is not their first language. However, not many Americans, whose mother tongue is English, can brag about being multilingual. In today’s globalized business world, it’s no longer enough to only speak one language. Due to insufficient language skills and cultures knowledge, numerous companies lose business and pass over contracts every year. Employers worldwide are ready to invest in quality workers with multi-language skills and may give preference to multilingual people. For example, since Hispanics represent 15% of the US population, Spanish is a highly predominant language for recruiters in the United States, along with Chinese due to China’s worldwide economic influence. With globalization and integration developing so quickly, multilingual people find themselves offered more job opportunities as compared to monolingual individuals. Whether the job is located in Canada, the United States, or the United Kingdom, almost any job calls for language skills, and not just for jobs like journalism, transportation, tourism, banking, but also positions in retail, catering, reception, to name a few. However specialist language jobs like language teacher, translator or interpreter, require a higher level of education and expertise. Enhance your career, bridge the Gap It is clear that adding a language to any CV can enhance your career. It multiplies your chances of...
The Importance of Localization and its Secrets Take a moment to look around you. No matter where you are, you will probably see items the entire world has heard about. Samsung TV? Nike shoes? An iPhone? All these brands have something in common; they are known all over the world. Whether you are Canadian, Chinese, French, American, Indian, or German, you can’t look at a can of Coke and wonder what it is. These companies have translated their products into so many different languages and exported them in so many different countries that you can now find them just about anywhere, even in the remote villages of Nepal nearby Mount Everest. These companies have all understood the importance of localization. The Big And The Giant So, how did big companies localize their products? What is localization? Localization is a process of product translation and cultural adaptation to account for differences in distinct markets. You can’t simply take a product made by your company and sell it in any country, as some content might be offensive to other cultures. Therefore it can be tricky to translate the brilliant idea and concepts involved behind the name of your company. For example, did you know that the name Coca-Cola comes from the coca leaves and the kola nuts used as a flavouring for the drink? Founder John S. Pemberton changed the ‘K’ of kola to C to make the name look better. Simple, concise, and the brand is known worldwide. Nonetheless, the brand encountered a certain problem when entering China. The original Chinese version of the name “ke-ke-ken-la” meant “bite the wax tadpole”....
Get your French Canadian on! A French festival in British Columbia? Yes, that’s right, the Festival du Bois is coming! For those who didn’t know, Canada is divided into two regions: English-speaking and French-speaking. French is predominantly spoken in Quebec, where most of Canada’s native French speakers live, and it is Canada’s second official language. Unfortunately, Quebec is on the other side of Canada, and if you live in B.C. and don’t want to travel that far, just visit the Festival du Bois to get in touch with the French Canadian culture right here in British Columbia! When and where is the Festival du Bois happening? Every year, at the beginning of March, the festival takes place in the Maillardville neighborhood of Coquitlam, British Columbia, which is about half an hour from Vancouver. But what is so special about this festival? It is the largest and most attended Francophone festival on the west coast of Canada! Many people from Vancouver and its neighboring districts come here to speak French, have a lot of fun, and taste some real French Canadian food. The French language – an important part of the Festival du Bois! Most of the visitors speak French while they are here, but don’t worry! You won’t need a French translator to attend this special festival. But I really recommend leaving your comfort zone and trying to speak this beautiful language, even if you haven’t tried it yet! Words like “Bonjour” (Good Morning), “Salut” (hello) or “C’est quoi?” (What’s this?) will do. And don’t hesitate to ask people what all the words mean; no one is born a master....
