Dec 26, 2010 | Translation News
Dear Language Friend, Recently a friend asked me, “You don’t want to come home for Christmas?’’ My answer was that I would love to but a flight from Canada to Europe for a short stay in Germany over the holidays is just too expensive. How could she know how much I miss the Vorweihnachtszeit, the time before Christmas, in Germany? We have so many nice traditions, ranging from A, Adventskranz (Advent wreath) to Z, Zimtsterne (Cinnamon biscuits). This year, though, it is time to broaden my horizons and explore Christmas traditions all over the world. This is the focus for our December newsletter. Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann. Thanks for reading. Christmas Traditions all over the World Advent in Germany: A Time for Contemplation and Celebration On the last Sunday in November, four weeks before Christmas, the first Advent is celebrated in Germany. This day introduces the Adventszeit, the holy time before Christmas. Advent means arrival and refers to the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve. On the first Advent we light the first candle of our Adventskranz, the Advent wreath, which contains four candles in total. Each week one more candle is lit; so that on the last Sunday before Christmas all four candles burn. On Christmas Eve, it is the Christkind, not Santa Claus, who brings the presents for children and adults in Germany. This is why the most famous of all the German Christmas markets in Nürnberg is called Christkindelmarkt. By the way, there are more than 2,500 Christmas markets all over Germany and by now they can be found all over the world, even...
Nov 26, 2010 | Translation News
Introduction One of the most difficult challenges translators face in their work is translating idioms.These are figurative expressions that have developed over time, and often, are specific to a language, or a certain dialect of a language.They can be words or short phrases that make perfect sense to some, but are easily misunderstood by anyone not overly familiar with that particular dialect. Idioms are said to be a part of culture, not language, because they reflect more the lifestyle and customs of people, rather than the way those people communicate. Contributed by Cecilia Rose. Thanks for reading. Popular Idioms Here are some examples of popular English idioms that would be hard to translate: A piece of cake – something easy to accomplish. “I was worried about passing the English exam, but it was a piece of cake!” Cake is often used to symbolize leisure and privilege, as in this other example: Icing on the cake – an added bonus. “I knew I did well on the exam but getting an A+ was the icing on the cake.” Cold turkey – to quit something suddenly, typically a bad habit, or drug addiction. “He’s not the kind of person who can just slow down, he has to quit drinking cold turkey.” It is commonly thought that this idiom comes from the goose bumps that form on an addict’s skin during a withdrawal. Others, however, believe it derives from the phrase ‘talk turkey’, which means to state something in a plain manner. To cry wolf – to lie, pretend or fake something for no good reason. “That’s what he gets for...
Oct 26, 2010 | Translation News
Dear Language Friend, Bilingual upbringing will help – not prevent – learning. Early exposure to more than one language makes language acquisition in later life easier. Rest assured that LingoStar will advise you what to do to turn your children into little language experts. Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann Thanks for reading! What is meant by the bilingual upbringing of children? Raising your children to speak and understand two languages is known as bilingual upbringing. Ideally, parents should be native speakers so that the child will get a native speaker’s command of both languages. In a wider sense, though, bilingual upbringing can include bilingual parenting in a foreign language if one or both of the parents are not native speakers. In any case, it is rare that children become completely equilingual, or a native speaker in both languages. This newsletter focuses on bilingual upbringing of children by both native and non-native speakers. This is not as extraordinary as it might seem to many of us in the Western world. For example, in many African countries, bilingualism or even multilingualism is very common. How does one introduce and maintain bilingualism in the family? There are many different methods, however two of the most important ones are the OPOL approach, which stands for One Person One Language, and the Time or Place Oriented Method, which means that the whole family uses one particular language in a particular place or at a particular time. In either case, the proficiency the children acquire will highly depend on the language skills of the parents and other relatives. But why should a...
Jul 27, 2010 | Translation News
Dear Language Friend, Summer is now in full gear and we hope you are enjoying it as much as we are. Last month, we delved into the depths of sayings and phrases from around the world. This time around, we are covering a frequently asked question in our industry: what is the difference between translation and interpretation? Contributed by Chiao Samsenesena. Thanks for reading. Aren’t they all translators? Many people are confused about the difference between translation and interpretation, but it is actually quite simple to explain: Translation means taking written material from a “source language” and rewriting it in a “target language”. Usually, a translator only translates into his or her native language. Writing skills and perfectionism are to be expected from a good translator. Interpretation, however, consists of listening to an oral speech in the source language and delivering it in the target language. Speaking skills, good concentration and an exceptional memory are essential qualities for an interpreter! Even though they require different skills and aptitudes, translation and interpretation are strongly related. Below are a few characteristics that apply equally to both translators and interpreters. A common love of language First of all, both are perfect jobs for those who love languages. Being a translator or an interpreter requires thorough knowledge of at least 2 languages. It is essential to master both languages so that the target text or speech sounds natural, as if it were not a translation/interpretation at all. In order to do so, translators and interpreters must have a sharp understanding of the cultures they deal with and be able to communicate...
May 27, 2010 | Translation News
Dear Language Friend, Last month we explored the differences between European French and Canadian French. The same language can have so many varieties! To continue with this theme, we will now deal with the differences between expressions and phrases in different cultures. You know, those little sayings we all use; they can be really different from one language to another! Contributed by Myriam Berrou. Thanks for reading. Another word is another world Each culture and each language has its own way to describe the world. To give just one example among many, the Inuktitut has more than a hundred words to refer to “snow”, depending on the color, the substance, etc. The vision of the world changes according to the language used to describe it. Proverbs, sayings, adages or phrases can vary greatly depending on the language or on the region of the world. They are our cultural inheritance and remind us that every language has a wealthy linguistic history. Do you remember where those expressions come from? And you, can you remember? We all use proverbs, adages, sayings or phrases often in everyday life. We all know a few of them, like All that glitters is not gold, He who laughs best, laughs last or in French, Les chiens ne font pas des chats (literally, Dogs don’t make cats), or The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. But do we really know how or why they came to be? Some of them are even several centuries old. For instance, do you know where these expressions come from? And what they originally meant? An apple a...
Apr 27, 2010 | Translation News
Dear Language Friend, “One man’s frankness is another man’s vulgarity.” – Kevin Smith Rest assured that LingoStar will help you find your way through the language jungle! Our example this month: French. Contributed by Marie Springinsfeld. Thanks for reading. French on both sides of the pond Like English and Spanish, the French language is used in many different parts of the world: France, Belgium, Switzerland, Africa, the Caribbean, and of course, Canada, to name a few. These varieties of the same language, or dialects, are the result of cultural crossovers (migrations, influences from neighboring countries, colonization). At LingoStar, we differentiate between ‘standard’ European French and Canadian French. But what is the ‘standard’? In Canada, there used to be a hierarchy that placed European French at the top, as the standard, and Canadian French somewhere below. However, since the 70’s, French Canadians have been more and more active in upholding and defending their distinct dialect. For European French speakers, reading and most of all hearing Canadian French can be a bit strange. With a little patience, however, these two groups can come to understand each other. ‘Kids’ or ‘balls’? Well, it depends, but you’d better know the difference! Some words refer to different things. For example, a European French speaker in Canada will be advised to be careful with the word ‘gosses’, as it means ‘kids’ in France, but ‘balls’ here! Even though Canadian French has been strongly influenced by English in the past, it seldom borrows English words nowadays. French Canadians have come up with ingenious terms to counteract the use of English words. In France, borrowing...
