Businesses justify not using language translation services with many excuses. The bulk of these excuses are founded on common misconceptions. Here are the most common:
· It costs too much: Just like most other services, you get what you pay for. However, when you compare the total price with the total cost, language translation services come out far ahead. The cost of not investing in professional services can be astronomical not just from a financial perspective, but from a company image point of view. You also greatly limit the number of markets you penetrate and consequently, sales. When you compare how labor intensive language translation is, it’s clear the going rate now for these services is very competitive.
· I don’t need it for my industry: You won’t be able to make that call until you give it a chance. Maybe you don’t need it where you currently operate your business. But ‘your industry’ exists in other countries in the world, and they probably have the same viewpoint. The first ones to take the chance and challenge the norms are usually the first to pioneer great things for their industry. If you can reach out to others in your field by talking their language, you can open up endless possibilities with suppliers, customers and even the international media.
· It’s too long and complicated: Yes, it can be if you try to do it yourself. Right now there is a company that can manage your entire language translation needs as well as integrate them with other world class support services. This means not only are your language translation needs covered, but your other promotional needs such as copywriting, search engine marketing, advertising or even your hosting are taken care of. The result is your message goes faster and further than anyone else’s. Details
· I only speak one language: If you’re concerned you won’t be able to understand your customers when they communicate with you, rest easy. The company you choose to do your language translation can take full responsibility for this and make communication with anyone speaking a foreign language a breeze. Just make sure you partner with a company that doesn’t restrict itself to language translation, but has the infrastructure and resources to combine language translation with other services for optimal results.
· My company isn’t ready yet: If you don’t take the initial step, your company will continue missing out on potential sales. In fact, launching a new facet of your business will force your company to adapt for the better. That way, it’s well equipped to face other challenges along the way.
Archive for December, 2009
Language Translation Misconceptions
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009Language Translation Services Aren’t as Fun!
Saturday, December 12th, 2009When it comes to experiencing the culture of a foreign country, sometimes a slow pace is the better pace.
I lived in Guatemala for a while. I remember learning Spanish and having red-cheek moments when I âmessed upâ the language. My face would burn and I would once again tell myself to just shrug it off and keep going. I was going to learn Spanish! If youâve ever wanted an experience more than you cared about the possibility of awkward embarrassment, then you probably remember how easy it was to progress during that time. Despite my embarrassments, I never would have coveted language translation services because I wanted the learning experience.
I remember a particular time I was coming out of church and there were groups of people standing in a sunny courtyard. It was very pleasant as many sunny days in Guatemala areânever too hot. I was familiar with some of the faces but still struggling with the language. I was determined to be friendly however and so I said what I could and smiled as much as possible at some of the people around me. Finally the group of people that I was standing byâafter some polite and limited conversation– said ânos vemosâ which is basically like saying âwe will see each other again. â I however was more familiar with the phrase ânos vamosâ which means âletâs goâ so I started to follow them. When I was favored with an explanation of my discomfiting mistake, it was amusing for them and not quite as amusing for me but let me assure you that language translation services would never have taught me so much. Language translation services can be an undesirable protection against personal language experience.
Another time when I was with a group of young single adults. It was a beautiful day and we sat around talking a bit, smelling the meat cooking and just enjoying one another and the wonderful weather. Before we were going to eat, I started playing basketball with some of the girls. They were very friendly with me and we enjoyed ourselves. After our scrimage, a Guatemalan girl (Nancy) and I laid down on the pavement and enjoyed the beautiful day. I said something about my parents âmis papasâ (the accent is supposed to be on the second syllable) with the accent on the first syllable. Nancy didnât know what I was saying because instead of talking about my parents I was talking about fries or potatoes! It was another embarrassing moment to add to my list but I wouldnât substitute language translation services for that fun experience. Language translation services can be an undesirable protection against personal language experience.
I remember later on when my parents and grandparents came to visit. I was enthralled with the idea of them coming to the land that I had fallen in love with. I loved the people, the weather, the colors, even some of the smells and I couldnât imagine someone else not falling in love with my beloved Guatemala. However, when my parents and grandparents arrived they didnât seem enthralled. In fact, their reactions were very different than mine. They, like many others (just a fact and not a judgment) responded to a new culture the easy wayâwith language translation services. I was a part of that service, as was a temporary tour guide who annoyed me because I wanted to be surrounded with Spanish, Spanish, Spanish! I couldnât understand why my relatives didnât want to bathe in the mistakes that a foreigner has the opportunity to make. Language translation services only kept us safe. Language translation services dampened considerably a trip which I thought would be different. Language translation services can be an undesirable protection against personal language experience.
Sure. In a legal setting, a business setting, or in a technical setting there is a time for language translation services—and speedy ones at that. However, there is a time and a place when a slow pace is the better pace.
Language Translation Software – Instantly Write in 75 Languages!
Sunday, December 6th, 2009In today’s stressful economic times, thousands of people in America and around the world are facing the daunting reality of job losses, pay cuts, and a seemingly endless supple of bad economic news. National unemployment in the U. S. has hit a 17-year high, resulting in the layoffs of hundreds of thousands of our valuable work force.
During such a difficult period, many people are searching for ways to boost their resumes, increase their job prospects, and showcase themselves as potential employees. Employers looking to cut corners are willing to hire new applicants who present themselves as educated, efficient, and hard-working.
But how can you make yourself shine?
The first place to start is language. Being able to fluently and correctly speak the English language is a priority for a majority of employers in America. Not being fluent in the language is one of the biggest problems facing a large portion of today’s unemployed workers. Bridging this language gap will prove to be the key in fighting the surmounting job losses facing the world economy.
Language problems don’t only affect America’s lower working class, but also employees and potential employees of virtually any industry. Making a language or grammar error during and interview or application can be the deciding factor in the decision to not hire you. Employers expect professionalism, intelligence, and attention to detail, and without proper grammar you will be unable to convey these vital traits.
Below this post you will find link to resources which can help you achieve your language and grammar capabilities. Mastering this difficult language will give you the confidence to succeed, and the ability to make yourself shine in an incredibly difficult world job market.
How bad can poor translations affect your business? Back in 2005, the Wall Street Journal ran a story about a slight mistranslation, which caused a wave of panic in currency trading. Imagine all the folks who let their stocks go for cheap because of such a simple mistake.
If your business regularly depends on foreign contacts, the importance of a translation setup that you can rely on cannot be stressed enough. When you’re taking careful watch of news and events in certain countries, there’s no better place to get them than local sources. Oftentimes, they will be written in some foreign language you don’t have familiarity in and you’ll need to rely on a translation to get the complete picture.
For accurate and detailed translations for your business, nothing beats hiring in-house personnel who are capable in both the foreign vernacular and your native tongue. However, even the best translators will falter given the task of interpreting dozens upon dozens of news pieces daily.
As such, the best language translation solutions often come as a combination of both trained language experts and a capable translation software. Good language translation applications can automatically convert news sources into English or some other language, which your human translator can then fix up to correctly reflect meaning and context. As such, your in-house employees can accomplish in a shorter time frame.
For many businesses, information is power. Good communication is crucial. Arming yourself with knowledge of the right circumstances will help you make the correct business decisions.
The Problems With Language Translation
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009Anyone who has ever tried to translate between two different languages will understand the problems associated with language translation. These problems have been bugging translators for years. It is not easy to capture the same meaning when translating between two completely different languages. Language is a communication tool. It can be used in many different ways to express either the same idea, or a completely different idea. The problem arises when translators attempt to translate word for word. This can be disastrous because the context in which the words are used is not taken into consideration. For example, in the English language, the word “market” can mean the stock market, or the fish market. Simply translating the word market to another language without taking into account the context can change the original meaning completely. Therefore, the human mind is till required to do a translation job well. But the entire translation process can be very time consuming because this means the translator has to read the entire text and rewrite everything in a different language. Some translators have turned to technology for help. They use software to help with the translation. Unfortunately, most translation software in the market today cannot accurately obtain the semantic meaning of a sentence. So the software has to resort to word for word replacement. And as we have just mentioned above, word for word replacement does not work for translation services. The translator is better off without the software. Here is when another problem arises. What happens if a translator fails to understand the meaning of the original text? This can happen because of cross cultural differences. For example, the word “dude” is used as a friendly term between buddies. There may be no equivalent of the same word in another language. So the translator is faced with this problem: What is another word that can be used to express the same meaning? Sometimes, there is a close substitute. Other times, the translator is not so lucky and has to settle for a word that has a totally different meaning. This depends on the language. In today’s high tech world, the best software translation services are offered by the search engines. However, the technology is only meant to translate to a level where the reader can still make out what the passages of text are trying to say. Search engines continue to use such software because it is their role to find and deliver content to the end user in the quickest possible manner. However, the output generated by such software is still far from decent. The reader has to make smart guesses just to make out what the translated text is trying to say. In view of the above, if you are looking to translate one language to another for publishing purposes, you have to rely on skilled human translators. This is because, to date, there is no technology available that is powerful enough to replace the human mind’s ability to see and understand things in context. That is one up for the human mind against technology.