Nov 29, 2013 | Blog
Learning a second language is a must in some parts of the world. Not only does it break cultural barriers, but it also creates potential business opportunities. Most start learning English in school because they believe that it will help their future careers. There are different ways of learning languages, such as studying abroad, acquiring language-learning software and private or group tutoring and classes. With the rise of the Internet, it is easy to find free courses online in most languages. In this article, we are going to talk about BBC Online Free Lessons, which provides good learning resources in a variety of languages. Online Learning Resources Provided The BBC learning website provides free learning resources in 40 languages based on different subjects. However they focus mainly on Mandarin, Spanish and French, three of the most useful languages in business besides English. For each language, there are several topics that beginners can pick up easily such as introducing yourself, ordering drinks and food, and numbers, etc. Spanish Besides Spain in Europe, most Spanish speaking countries are located in South and Central America. Spanish is spoken in more than 20 countries including Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru. It is the most studied foreign language in the United States and it is not uncommon to see Spanish signs and hear Spanish spoken in most American cities. Beginners can download key phrases in an MP3 file to learn the most common spoken Spanish in daily communication such as greetings, booking hotels and meeting people, etc. In addition, they also provide holiday phrases for people who want to travel to Spanish countries... read more
Nov 29, 2013 | Blog
Mandarin is spoken by over one billion people throughout Asia, including China, Singapore and Taiwan. Mandarin has become an imperative language in business gradually replacing English on account of China’s growing economy. However, most people might ask what the difference between Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese is and why Chinese people use different written text in different countries. In translation, oftentimes our clients are confused by Mandarin and Cantonese and where Chinese people speak them. We hope this article will work out your questions and clear up some of the complexities of one of the most difficult and oldest languages in the world. Mandarin and Cantonese are spoken languages. Maybe the most confusing of aspect is why we never see the words in either Mandarin or Cantonese, because they are two spoken dialects of Chinese language. Their difference is dependent on the region they are spoken in, not on their written characters. Mandarin is widely used in Mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore as an official language whereas Cantonese is specifically targeted in China’s Guangdong Province and in Hong Kong. Simplified and Traditional Chinese are written languages. Written Chinese has been used for several thousand years and was standardized during Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 BC). Until today, although there are many varieties of spoken Chinese dialects, but there are only two primary written systems: Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Simplified Chinese The proposal for simplified characters started as early as 1906. The purpose of simplified Chinese not only made the characters faster to write and easier to memorize, but also boosted literacy rate. After Chinese Civil War ended in... read more
Nov 28, 2013 | Blog
“Mobile computers are spreading faster than any other consumer technology in history.” With the fast development of mobile technology and especially smartphones during the last few years, mobile applications have boomed in a way that most mobile users are regular users of mobile applications. This is why app developers are very interested in localizing and translating their applications. It is certain that doing so will reach markets in other languages and countries and augment the number of people who know about and download their apps. To achieve this, it is best to make sure the user experience is up to the standard, in other words, go for a user-friendly localization technique. A mobile user is much more likely to download and use applications that are in his/her own native language, which is why localizing an application starts with translation. It is essential to find a good translator to do the job, as a bad translation is worse than no translation at all: poorly translated content will put off your clients and make them think the app is not worth downloading. Localizing mobile apps does not only consist of translating the information. There are other factors to take into account, for instance, the layout design. Some languages have words that are longer and take up more space than others, like German for example. Also, app developers should look out for languages with different character types such as Chinese or Korean. Localizing your app will make sure your layout design is appropriate for the type of language used while remaining stylish and retaining the original aesthetic. In addition, localizing your app... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes, this is sometimes called ‘whispering’ or ‘whisper’ interpreting. Please follow the procedure stated above in order to receive a quote for this service. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. Please email us at info@lingo-star.com with your contact information and requirements so that we can issue you a quote for our services. Please include your full name, company name, phone number, mailing address, the language pair(s), date and time, location, length of tour, pick-up point and number of persons involved. Also advise if you have a set itinerary or require the tour guide to provide one. Please be advised that we cannot provide the transportation for the tour. This will have to be arranged with another... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Unfortunately we are not able to provide this service at this time because we need advance notice in order to secure interpreters’ availability. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
While we can try and see if a qualified interpreter is available, it is very unlikely that we can secure their availability with such short notice. Please give us at least 2 to 3 weeks advance notice. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
While we can try and see if a qualified interpreter is available, it is very unlikely that we can secure their availability with such short notice. Please give us at least 2 to 3 days advance notice. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
We generally require at least 2 to 3 days advance notice to secure the availability of a qualified interpreter for business/legal meetings, conference calls, and medical appointments. For conferences/events, court proceedings and any other event for which you require a certified conference, certified court or professional simultaneous interpreter, please allow several weeks of advance notice, as interpreters are extremely busy and book up far in... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. Please email us at info@lingo-star.com with your contact information and requirements so that we can issue you a quote for our services. Please include your full name, phone number, mailing address, the language pair(s), type of medical appointment, date and time, exact location, and estimated length of the... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. Please email us at info@lingo-star.com with your contact information and requirements so that we can issue you a quote for our services. Please include your full name, company name, phone number, mailing address, the language pair(s), type of court proceeding, date and time, exact location, number of persons involved and estimated length of the court... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. Please email us at info@lingo-star.com with your contact information and requirements so that we can issue you a quote for our services. Please include your full name, company name, phone number, mailing address, the language pair(s), purpose of the conference call, date and time, number of persons involved and estimated length of the call, as well as reference material, itinerary, and description of the technical nature or specific technical knowledge... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. Please email us at info@lingo-star.com with your contact information and requirements so that we can issue you a quote for our services. Please include your full name, company name, phone number, mailing address, the language pair(s), theme and topics covered at the conference or event, date(s) and time(s), and exact location, as well as reference material, itinerary, and description of the technical nature or specific technical knowledge... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. Please email us at info@lingo-star.com with your contact information and requirements so that we can issue you a quote for our services. Please include your full name, company name, phone number, mailing address, the language pair(s), purpose of the meeting, date and time, exact location, number of persons involved and estimated length of the meeting, as well as reference material, itinerary, and description of the technical nature or specific technical knowledge... read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
All of our pricing is in Canadian dollars. Please advise if you require your quote or invoice to be provided in alternate currencies. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
No. No tax applies to clients outside of Canada. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
No. Your quote will be adjusted to reflect the taxes applicable to your province. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes, please contact us if you require Trados or other CAT Tools for your project. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. We charge for every word unless an entire paragraph or page is repeated EXACTLY in multiple documents. If this is the case, please make a note of this in the source document and we will confirm the final word count prior to project confirmation. read more
Nov 25, 2013 | Promotions
Yes. Generally we prefer that the source text be provided in MS Word format, without any HTML code, images, etc. However, if this is not possible, please advise which web pages you require to be translated. Additional time is necessary to create an MS Word document with all the source text ready for translation and additional administrative fees may... read more