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LingoStar’s Blog 
Welcome to LingoStar’s blog! On this page, you can find a lot of interesting and useful information about the translation industry. Explore topics on website translation and localization and how successful localization can influence your business to help your company grow and go global.
Language Blog Topics
On this blog, you can also learn about professional translators and interpreters, multilingual search engine optimization (SEO), the importance of socializing and networking and translators’ professional ethics. Quite often we write posts about the languages of the world, other cultures, and their traditions. Not only do translators convert texts from a source language to a target language, but they also help people communicate with each other, help establish international contacts, and are often prominent figures in the social, economic, and political life. Lastly, of course, we want you to have fun, so on our blog, you can find many posts that will entertain you and, hopefully, make you smile!
We hope you enjoy our blog and discover a lot of interesting things!
Certified Translators in Canada : How to Become one
Methods to become a certified translator in Canada Whether you want to be a certified translator or you’re just interested in learning more about this profession, here are some interesting facts that you may want to know. The translation industry in Canada in 3 numbers: Per capita, Canada has the highest number of university programs in translation The average translator salary in Canada is around $54 000 A Bachelor’s degree is often required (language major preferred) What is a certified translator? Certified translators are language professionals whose translations are considered valid and accepted as official documents by all governing authorities in Canada, regardless of the province or territory where they obtained their certifications. Certified translators are often specialised in one or two fields. They comply with provincial and/or territorial translation associations’ standards. These associations grant this title according to several criteria. How do they get their certifications? All certified translators, interpreters and terminologists have their title granted by provincial or territorial regulatory bodies. Each has its own evaluation methods and works independently. However, there is a national regulatory council responsible for the application of uniform standards for the professional certification to ensure translation quality and protect the public. The Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) represents all certified translators, interpreters and terminologists in Canada. Most provincial or territorial regulatory associations in Canada are members of this council. In order to be eligible for certification, all translators have to be accepted as members of their respective provincial or territorial associations. Each provincial or territorial association uses different processes to select its members. These processes are well described on their... read more
A Little Trick to Learn New Languages
How to Watch TV Shows and Movies to Learn New Languages Everybody learns grammar when studying a foreign language in school. However, is this really the best way to become bilingual? As a French-speaking person, I learned English grammar, but I can only write and speak with ease because I try a original solution to learn new languages with a few fun tricks. Why learn English? I began to learn English in elementary school at the age of 10 and continued on to my high school graduation. However, I always learned the same thing every year. At first, I found learning English pretty boring and difficult, but my growing love for music and especially for English-speaking artists led me to try to understand what was said in the songs I was enjoying. This was how my crusade for a better understanding of English began. The Attempts My first attempt was to read books in English. But when you do not have a high level of English, a foreign sci-fi book must come with at least one dictionary to understand every hard word you come across. You need to take breaks in your reading to search for the right meaning of these words. There is no doubt that this can kill the momentum and with it, your interest in the story you are reading. My second attempt was to change the language of my devices. I decided to change the language of my phone and my game station but the result wasn’t great, since I wasn’t really reading anything new. Since I had been using these devices all the time... read more
Chinese opportunity : How to do Business in China
Chinese market: What’s new? The Chinese and Marketing channels Chinese consumers are changing. They open more and more to the Western marketing channels and practices. However the rise of the local communication platform WeChat and its growing number of users threatens the email marketing strategies. According to Chinese authorities, half of the population now has access to the internet, although this access can be unstable due to government crackdowns – such as the one initiated in February 2018. The overwhelming majority of Chinese internet users – around 95% – connect via their smartphones. A responsive design for your website is thus crucial, especially for e-commerce websites, which must provide users with the best user experience possible. As for payments, local payment gateways – such as Alipay or WeChat – are increasingly popular and used on a daily basis. Using these payment solutions could help you earn your customers’ trust and develop your business more rapidly. Communicate with customers Earning trust from your customers also means addressing them in their language. As mentioned previously, Chinese consumers tend to trust local brands and companies more and more. Therefore, adapting your business techniques to the local culture and language can help you significantly. Mandarin is a very subtle language and if you decide to translate your brand or tagline, you need to have native speakers do the job. In the 1980s, KFC – the American fast food restaurant – learned this the hard way when their first restaurant opened in China. Their famous “finger lickin” good” tagline became “Eat your fingers off” after a mistranslation, which didn’t sound very appetising. Knowing your... read more
Business Communication: Learn about Cultural Differences
Business Communication: What Should I Know? The way we communicate in the workplace can vary significantly from one country to another. Although there are some international rules, you may need to understand your partners’ cultures to improve business communication and build a long-lasting business abroad. Although cultural differences in terms of body language tend to fade, there are still some particularities to take into consideration. Eye contact Making eye contact is a proof of attention in Western and Latin American countries but is also a sign of dominance – or worse, aggression – in Japan. It can therefore create embarrassing situations. Make sure your eye contact is very brief. Handshakes It is now common around the world to handshake your co-workers in a business context, apart from a few exceptions such as Thailand, or in some Muslim countries between men and women. In countries where physical contact is considered rude, such as Japan, handshakes should be brief and limp. Also, you will exchange business cards, and should have yours translated into Japanese. It’s a very common practice to give one’s business card when meeting someone in a professional context. Personal space In Latin American countries, even in a professional context, casual touching and physical proximity during a conversation are commonplace. Whereas people can consider it inappropriate in the UK or in Germany, it creates a climate of trust in Latin American countries. Emotional display It is not always professional to show how you feel to your co-workers. In some countries though, you can share your personal opinions or state of mind more freely than others. In China for example,... read more
Introducing The Future Of Translation
New Technology in Translation Technology and with it the future as it was imagined in the 1980s is upon us more than ever in 2018. Two of the best examples are the Nike Air Mag and the Hoverboard, seen in the movie “Back to the Future”. Also seen in sci-fi movies, instant translation is more and more a reality. Here are some new technological innovations that can change our way of understanding a foreign language. Logbar – ili The “ili” is a little device from the Japanese-based company Logbar. Their technology only as big as your thumb, it is an instant translator that allows you to have a conversation with somebody that speaks another language. You talk through the device and it translates instantly to the person you are speaking to. The product contains its own OS (operating system) that allows the instant translation. In addition, it works without any internet connection and has its own dictionary. The device is mostly for travellers and only supports English, Chinese, and Japanese for now. Unsurprisingly, the device has already received an award from the CES (The International Consumer Electronics Show) in 2016 and was on pre-sale at a price of $199. It officially opened to the market in January 2018 at a price of $249. Logbar website To pre-order or order the product Watch: The story behind ili Waverly Labs – Pilot Translating Earpiece The Pilot Translating Earpieces are small earplugs that give you instant translation directly in your ears. The device promises you clear instant translation by using the latest in speech recognition technology to understand other languages. The first... read more
Free Certificated MOOCs everywhere!
Can I study online for free? MOOCs are online classes that anyone can take on the internet. Before the internet, students could take classes remotely, meaning they did not attend the class in person. This was called “distance education”. The first ever distance education class was advertised in 1728 in The Boston Gazette. The ad read: a new method of learning – lessons mailed weekly. The professor was Caleb Phillips and he taught “Short Hand” which, indeed, was a method of abbreviated writing. Since then, people have not stopped finding innovative and convenient ways to learn. Although this started with limited participation mailed lessons, we now have ended up with Massive Open Online Courses. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are the latest trend in distance education and learning. What are “MOOCs”? MOOCs are online classes available to people everywhere through open access on the internet. In addition, participation is unlimited so any number of people can take the same class. They can be on almost any topic. MOOCs often provide interactive education modules. Some MOOCs are worth academic credits, but most are not. Some may offer a certificate upon completion, like for instance, computer literacy. What MOOCs can I take? MOOC options are almost unlimited. Nowadays, there are so many online classes that it might be difficult to decide what to take. Options vary from the basics of digital photography, or arts and crafts like carpentry, however, you will find more complex topics like psychology, medicine or even physics and chemistry. Where do I find MOOCs of interest? There are many websites that offer them. Here is a list... read more
These Free Online Language Courses will make your life easier!
Free Online Language Courses Are you interested in learning a new language? Learning languages has never been easier: Free Online Language Courses are here to help you make your dream come true. When thinking about learning a new language, we usually make up a list of excuses not to. One of them is “I don’t have the time to go to a language school”. There is also “I do not have enough money to pay for it”. This may have been true years and years ago, but not now. Thanks to technology and the Internet, all languages are at our fingertips! We are now able to study languages for free, online, at our own speed, and as many as we want. Yes, it’s true! There are many free online language courses that you can look up before deciding on one. Here we made a list of the four most popular free online language courses. Read this information about the most popular and Free Online Language Courses: Website Pros Cons Languages Prices Duolingo Duolingo itself is free. Lessons go deep. Speaking, writing, listening and reading exercises are equally balanced in each lesson and each language. Good for long-term and committed learners. Mobile app and website offer the same. You can join clubs related to the language you are learning. Duolingo Plus, a more complete version of Duolingo, is paid. Fast conversational skills are not developed, so it is not good for tourists trying to pick the language up before traveling. There is no chat option to interact with native speakers. Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Irish,... read more
I want to immigrate to Canada. What should I do?
Useful tips on how to apply if you want to immigrate to Canada. Do you want to immigrate to Canada this year? There are several things to consider when immigrating to a new country. From booking plane tickets to arriving at your new “home”, there’s nothing more important than having legal status when you immigrate. It will give you benefits similar, or very close, to the ones held by citizens. How do I know what to do? To immigrate to Canada, first, you need to decide on a Province and check on the language they speak there. There are two official languages in Canada: French and English. If you speak either, or both of them, your immigration process will be easier. You will need to take a test to prove your language skills when applying for an immigrant visa. For more information on how to immigrate to Canada check the official website of the Canadian government. Are you relocating for work or moving to Canada on your own? If you want to immigrate to Canada for work, employers usually guide workers and/or help them with the relocation process. Companies who relocate workers to branches in other countries are more familiar with the immigration process. If this is your case, contact the corresponding department in your company. If you are immigrating on your own, then you should start by checking if you’re eligible to immigrate to Canada. What kind of visa does the Canadian government offer? To immigrate to Canda, you need to check on visas first. The Canadian government offers several types. The one you need depends on which... read more
A short review of the History of Saint Patrick
Who was Saint Patrick and what he did. What is the day of Saint Patrick? The day of Saint Patrick is a religious and cultural Irish celebration, held annually on March 17th. Saint Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint. On this day, people in Ireland, as well as around the globe, celebrate Saint Patrick’s traditional death date (AD 385–461). He was a Christian bishop, missionary and apostle in Ireland during the 5th century. Believe it or not, he was not Irish. He was probably born in Scotland, but nobody knows for sure. Why was Saint Patrick famous? Saint Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish marauders when he was 16. He worked as a herder for the next 6 years. This experience made him very religious. But, one night he had a revealing dream: a mysterious voice asked him to go back to Great Britain, and he did. Once there, he had another revealing dream. In this one, he received a letter titled “The Voice of the Irish”. As he read it, he seemed to hear Irish people claiming his return to their land. He studied to become a priest and then he was appointed as a bishop. What did Saint Patrick do? After becoming a bishop, Saint Patrick went back to Ireland to preach the gospel. He converted thousands of people and built churches. It also said that Saint Patrick baptized hundreds of people in just one day. The three-leaf clover became his symbol as he used one to describe the Holy Trinity. He died in poverty on March 17th, 1461 in a city called Saul. This is the city where... read more
An Unusual Holiday? Read these 12 and celebrate them.
An Unusual Holiday: There is more to celebrate than just Carnival or Halloween. We have heard of many common holidays. They usually refer to important and remarkable moments that happened in history. But, we also celebrate holidays to emphasize an event associated with specific issues. Also, to encourage people to do something that can have a positive impact in their life or just to have fun. But, what is an “Unusual Holiday”? An unusual holiday is a bizarre, or maybe absurd celebration. Their origins can be related to specific moments in history, like our 9th unusual holiday. They can also be simply made up celebrations to give people a break from stressful days, like our 4th unusual holiday. Here we bring you a list of 12 unusual holidays. There are many more, of course. But, we hope this encourages you to research others celebrated around you. 1st Unusual Holiday: Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day January 17th: This is the day people quit their New Year’s Resolutions list for whatever reason. No need to tell you how to celebrate it. It is not clear who started this holiday or when. What seems clear is the fact that it probably is as old as making a New Year’s Resolutions list. 2nd Unusual Holiday: Public Sleeping Day February 28th: We don’t know who started this holiday. Its first celebration was in 2011. Maybe its creator took a nap while working and forgot to document this detail. The best way to celebrate it? Take a nap in a public place. Or even better, organize a pajama party at a park. You can invite all of... read more
New Year’s Resolutions
2018 Resolutions Did you make your list of New Year’s Resolutions? New Year’s is here, and we cannot yet believe it! The magic of Christmas is still in our hearts, but we are already thinking about what we are going to accomplish in this 2018. A new year always comes with lots of wishes, opportunities and the optimism of a fresh start. Are you ready to take advantage of it? What are New Year’s Resolutions? New Year’s Resolutions are things people want to accomplish in the new year. They go from simple activities like planning a trip to more complex ones like changing a personality trait or losing weight. They are meant to help you improve your life. Why can’t we stick to our New Year’s Resolutions? Only about 8% of people stick to their New Year’s Resolutions. There are many reasons why, but the main one might be making too many changes at the same time. For instance, a lot of people want to stop eating sugar, but they don’t start cutting it down a bit at a time so the change is progressive. It is a matter of being realistic and knowing ourselves: what we like, what we can do, and what we can achieve. To help you with this, we came up with a list of 5 popular New Year’s Resolutions and some useful tips to actually achieve them. Losing weight: Stay focused. This is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. People always want to be in good shape but it seems to be really difficult for everybody to make it happen.... read more
7 New Year’s Eve Foods That Give You Luck
This time of year is all about food! Yes! Because Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are full of traditional meals, desserts, and drinks to enjoy with family and friends and to celebrate the happiness of being together, we decided to come up with a list of 7 New Year’s Eve Foods That Give You Luck. Around the world, there is a common belief that certain foods can give you luck if you eat them at the right time. Also, there are many superstitions around New Year’s Eve. On New Year’s Eve, people believe that eating certain in a specific order will bring some luck, or help you to earn more money, travel or even find your soul mate. If you are the type of person that likes to do things for luck or if you are just curious about these superstitions. What do you want for the New Year? 1. Do you want to have one wish for each month of the new year? Eat grapes: In countries like Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela, people believe that you should eat one grape for each of the 12 strikes during the final countdown on New Year’s Eve. If you do so, you will have one wish per month. Don’t miss the opportunity to receive one wish for each month of the coming new year! 2. Do you need good luck and positivity? Eat black-eyed peas: It is a believe that Hoppin’ John, as these peas are also referred to, bring prosperity in the New Year. The ingredients that you use to prepare them represent money, positivity, and... read more
Students, make use of your status and check our list of useful programs
Free and useful programs for students Make use of your student status Dear students, In many countries a new semester is about to start or has already started. We want to share some tips on how to save money during your studies. Many companies provide special offers to students. We will list a few programs that can help you boost your productivity and support you while studying, and also some programs to relieve the stress of being a student. To confirm, we are not sponsored by any of these websites, programs or companies. The purpose of this post is mainly to inform you about these opportunities to save money. Some of the listed programs/offers may vary depending on your location. Do some research in your local area. Be aware, some of the listed programs are only free for a certain period of time (e.g. 6 month free trail and afterward you get a 50% discount) or they are free until you finish your studies. They will tell you that you are able to cancel at any given time, but make sure to check for hidden conditions. Ask your university as well if they have any arrangements. Getting work done Office 365 We would like to begin with the package of programs that become the standard for every student, no matter what you are studying. Office 365 includes Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and more. You can use these programs on any of your registered devices. You simply need to enter your student e-mail address. Go here for further information. Cold Turkey To avoid getting distracted when you have to prepare... read more
5 Magical Christmas Markets Around the World
Christmas Markets It’s only November but Christmas is already here! There are many Christmas traditions that we love but Christmas markets are one of our favourites. Christmas markets are special markets that are held during Christmas time. This tradition is an important part of Christmas around the world. These are not just markets, they are outdoor events. At these markets you can find gifts, seasonal food, souvenirs, clothes, and many other things. The markets are a good opportunity for small businesses and individuals to sell their products. They are also the perfect place to enjoy Christmas activities such as parades and live music. Full of Christmas lights and decorations, Christmas markets are the best way to start the season while preparing yourself for the happiest days of the year. Take a ride with us to get to know some of the most magical and beautiful Christmas markets around the world. These are sure to get you in the holiday mood! 1. Frankfurt Christmas Market, Germany: This market is one of the largest and oldest in Germany. It is located at Honey House in St. Paul’s Square. Every year, this 300-year-old building is especially booked for the market. The building, along with the decorations and the environment, create the perfect setting for Christmas shopping. It awakens the Christmas spirit in the heart of all visitors. Besides the Christmas lights and decorations that it shares with all others Christmas markets around the world, it includes some features special to Germany: delicious sausages, a wide variety of beer, and many products derived from honey. There are special attractions for kids and lots... read more
Challenges of Moving Abroad
Things you should know (and research about) beforehand Thinking of moving abroad can be scary for most people. To begin with, you don’t really know where to start. Also, you never know what’s coming ahead. Whether you are moving on your own, or for work, being organized and planning is a must to make your experience a good one. You should start by researching the country you are moving to. Keep reading to know our Challenges of Moving Abroad list. Why move abroad I am a Venezuelan-Italian woman. I lived in Venezuela most of my life, although I grew up exposed to the best of both cultures, languages, and traditions. Since I was little, my biggest dream was to live somewhere in Europe. Despite the fact that I grew up thinking of moving abroad, little did I know that moving to Switzerland would change my life so much. I did some research before moving there, but I went without a job or language training, so trying to start a new life in a new place was a real challenge! Things you should consider when moving abroad: Yes, moving abroad makes you feel out of place, without a safe ground, emotionally speaking, for quite a bit. Whether you are living on your own or moving with family or friends, the feeling of being alone accompanies you most of your day. Things get better as you settle. Use your free time to do something useful regarding your stay. Family and friends. Moving abroad means you leave your life, including family and friends, behind. Luckily, you can stay connected with them with all... read moreTranslation Blog and News
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