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...
Dear Language Friend, A comic is a graphic medium in which images support a sequential narrative. The origin of the genre dates back to Ancient Greece. Originally a comic (from the Greek κωμικός, kōmikos “of or pertaining to comedy”) was a humorous work. It wasn’t until the 19th century when the comic in its now familiar form began to spread among European and American artists. When the first comic strips began to appear in newspapers in the early 20th century, they emerged as a popular mass medium. It didn’t take long for the strips to be gathered together in cheap booklets called comic books. Their scope soon embraced all kinds of literary genres, beyond just humor. Nowadays comics can be found in a wide variety of media in different countries all over the world. In France and Japan, for example, comics – called bandes dessinées and mangas, respectively – have acquired huge popularity, even finding their way into the national curriculum. However in many countries such as the US, the educational potential of comics is yet to be fully explored. Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann. Thanks for reading! Controversial Debate about the Educational Value of Comics in the U.S. In the 1930s debates raged in the US regarding whether or not comics should be used for educational purposes. One argument was that they increase students’ motivation and help them remember their lessons more easily, thereby making the teaching process more effective. One study from back then revealed that by the 1940s, more than 90 % of all 8 – 14 year olds and 65% of all 15 – 18...
Translation from English to Spanish | Vancouver | Toronto | Ottawa | Montreal | Los Angeles | New York Spanish is the third-largest spoken language in the world; it is spoken by almost 420 million people. Because of this, translation from English to Spanish is very important for expanding business opportunities. We would like to share some important information regarding translation from English to Spanish for your business in the USA and Canada. Language Varieties of Spanish The first point to note regarding translation from English to Spanish is the specific type of Spanish that is required. Translation from English to Spanish is not the same in every Spanish-speaking country. You may already know that Spanish is spoken in more than 20 countries as a native or official language, and each country has its own history, culture, social systems, and more. Needless to say, Spanish in Spain is different from Spanish in Latin America, and furthermore, Latin American Spanish is different in each Latin American country. Take the word ‘T-shirt’ as an example. ‘T-shirt’ in English is translated as ’remera’ in Argentina, ‘playera’ in Mexico, and ‘camiseta’ in Central America and other countries. If you have no clue which Spanish you should translate to, the safest option is to translate into a neutral Spanish that will be widely understood. Tricky Translations from English to Spanish The second point to note regarding translation from English to Spanish is difficulty. Which do you think is easier, translation from English to Spanish or translation from English to Japanese? Translation from English or other Western languages to Japanese is not easy, since Japanese...
Dear Language Friend, We hope 2011 has been fruitful so far and that we will work with you in the near future! In the following newsletter we discuss interpreting text during translation and the potential danger that has brought about throughout history. There are no two languages that are so similar to one another that it is possible to do a word-for-word translation. Because of that, no translation software can translate a complex text accurately and in the appropriate style. Think of all the difficulties that may arise when a text has to be adapted to a foreign culture. Considering this, a quality translation needs to be the product of human intelligence. Translators do not just have to have expert linguistic knowledge; they also need to have broad social and cultural backgrounds. This experience very often strongly influences the interpretation of the text. Please read on to see that this interpretation bears potential danger when controversial topics are concerned. Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann. Thanks for reading. Violence Against Translators Over The Centuries Are translators considered an endangered species? They have been persecuted, tortured and even killed over the history of translation. But what makes translating such a dangerous profession? The answer is obvious. It is the age-old dilemma every translator is confronted with: should (s)he deliver a literal translation that is very close to the original, which might not sound natural, or should (s)he submit a free translation, which sounds nice from an aesthetic point of view but deviates somewhat from the original. The French philosopher Voltaire compared translations to women, advising that they are either beautiful or...
We understand the importance of using the correct terminology and style to translate your document. Rest assured that we only use qualified and experienced translators who are meticulously selected to meet the specific requirements of your project. Therefore we are able to accommodate even the most specialized translation requests related to the technical, engineering, medical, legal, financial and other fields. LingoStar will translate your documents and proofread any translated or written text in the subject areas listed below. Contact us to discuss your requirements and see below for some examples of fields that we specialize in. We can also provide certified and notarized translations of official documents in any of the specializations below. Our Canadian and USA-based clients trust our translation services in the following fields: Agriculture Translation Automotive Translation Business and Commercial Translation Education and Research Translation Financial and Banking Translation Health Care Translation Legal Translation Life Sciences Translation Marketing and Media Translation Mechanical and Engineering Translation Mining and Geological Translation Software and IT Translation Tourism and Sports Translation Please also refer to our Past...
