Dear Language Friend,
Hello and Welcome to the first issue of our information newsletter on the HOW, WHY, WHEN and WHERE of languages. In this edition I’ll be sharing my top 3 tips on HOW to make learning another language easier. I’ll also try tempt you to see the movie The Interpreter with Nicole Kidman and, at the same time, explain WHY interpreters are different from translators. Find out WHEN to attend our free French lesson and WHERE to access free online translation.
Thanks for reading,
Lenka de Graafova, Managing Director.
Top 3 Tips for Learning a Language
Tip #1 Find a spouse or partner who speaks a foreign language. I’m not kidding. That’s how I learned my languages. However, keep in mind that even though I do speak five of them each language does not equate to a foreign language speaking partner!
Tip#2 Listen to the lyrics of your favourite foreign language songs. When I was learning English as a teenager (Czech being my mother tongue), I was constantly playing Beatles songs and transcribing their lyrics. I did this 8 days a week, to the total dismay of my parents, of course.
Tip#3 Sign up for our language course.
We will be offering Spanish, French, Mandarin, Czech & Business English courses starting the weeks of December 5th 2005 and January 23rd 2006. All levels are welcome. Classes of 3-7 students are taught by professional teachers. These 2-hour language sessions will take place once or twice a week in Vancouver, Burnaby or, alternatively at your office. Other language courses can be arranged upon request.
– Course fees (valid till 30 January 2006 only; excluding GST):
– Spanish, French, Mandarin & Czech: $ 395 (20 lessons; 2 hours/week).
– Business English for Foreigners: $ 1,860 (3-week intensive course; 20 hours/week).
The Interpreter vs. The Translator
When I first started networking in Vancouver, I heard a rumour that translators talk. Naturally they do seeing as they are human. But professionally, it’s the interpreters who do the talking. Interpreters are commonly mistaken for translators by the general public. However, unlike translators, who exclusively translate written documents, interpreters execute verbal translations, which means they orally convert one language into another, live and on location, e.g. from English into French.
When the film The Interpreter came out, featuring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, I was naturally keen to go see it. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s interested in the operations of the U.N. and its multilingual environment. Ironically, even the film promoters mislabelled Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) a translator! What’s the point of naming the film The Interpreter then!?
Translation Projects
I’ve included a list of our recent projects to give you an idea of what our day to day interactions with languages look like. Special thanks to our 30 freelance translators and proofreaders!
– Promotional material for an educational institute in Calgary: Translation from English into Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Russian & Turkish.
– Promotional material for an election candidate in North Vancouver: Translation from English into Farsi, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog & Traditional Chinese.
– Informational material for an outdoor activities company in Vancouver: Translation from English into French & Spanish.
– Scientific study for a manufacturer of honeybee health products in the United Kingdom: Translation from English into Simplified Chinese.
Language Solutions Projects
– Voice-Over: Greek voice recording for a mining corporation, Eastern Greece.
– Voice-Over: Czech voice recording for a TV commercial on Multicultural Channel program, Vancouver, Canada.
– Video Game Testing: Czech localization testing, Brighton, United Kingdom.
– Interpreting: French & English simultaneous interpreting for a sports organization, Regina, Canada.
– Guided Tour: Italian & Greek guided tour of Vancouver & Victoria, Canada.
SPECIAL OFFER: WEBSITE TRANSLATION
NEW CLIENTS WELCOME:
LingoStar provides FREE TRANSLATION of your HOME PAGE!
Some conditions apply.
SPECIAL OFFER: FREE FRENCH LESSON
NEW STUDENTS WELCOME:
LingoStar will be holding an introductory French lesson on Thursday, December 1st, at 6 pm at a Vancouver downtown location to be determined. Coffee and croissants provided.
It’s totally free! Meet your future French tutor and classmates! Please RSVP to reserve your spot.
