Archive for 'General'

Learning A Second Language Boosts Toddlers’ Brain Function

A recent article by FYI Living looked at a study that tracked the affects of a toddler learning a second language.  The study found that the bilingual toddlers outperformed their peers in an area known as “executive functioning”.   In toddlers, executive functioning influences sorting shapes but as adults, this skill influences mental tasks such as planning, strategizing, organizing and goal-setting.  This is especially interesting because executive functioning has often been found deficient in children with ADHD and autism.

 

As noted in ..read more

In global economy, ‘lost in translation’ not an option

Here is an article written by Amanda Roberge that appeared in Telegram.com.

Similar to the Got Milk? campaign in the U.S., the Hay Leche? campaign in Spanish-speaking countries translated to “Are you lactating?” for locals.

MacNeill Engineering Worldwide, manufacturer of CHAMP brand athletic products, is based in Marlboro, but manufactures all of its products in Hong Kong.

According to Jessica Georgenes, the company’s marketing manager and tour coordinator, English is the language spoken at business meetings, no matter where they are held. However, ..read more

Patents for Humanity Challenge

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is encouraging businesses to apply their patented technology to address the world’s humanitarian challenges.  The Patents for Humanity Challenge is offering applications in four categories: medical technology, food and nutrition, clean technology, and information technology.

Applications are being accepted through August 31, 2012.  For more information, visit usa.gov.

Yoko meshi (yo-ko-me-she)

Yoko meshi is a Japanese noun.  Definition: A metaphor for the stress of trying to understand another language.  ”Yoko” means horizontal and “meshi” means boiled rice.  The literal translation of the phrase is a meal that is eaten sideways.  Given that Japanese is read vertically and most languages are read horizontally, the expression captures the mind-bending challenge of processing words in new ways.

 

Whole Living magazine, Jan/Feb 2012

Executive Order 519

Executive Order 519 is an important order instituted by the State of Massachusetts because it ensures that all agencies provide “services to ensure that they foster access and equal opportunity for all persons, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, or veteran status.”  This is important at Rapport International because one of the ways that the State agencies can comply with E.O. 519 is by translating their website, documents, applications, etc. into other languages so that ..read more

Chillola.com

There is a great website called chillola.com that teaches young kids their first words in foreign languages.  You can choose from English, Spanish, French, German, or Italian.  There are online activities as well as printed worksheets.  You pick the language and your child can learn in a variety of categories including letters, numbers, colors, fruits, and animals.  The website is kid friendly and a lot of fun.  Check out chillola.com for hours of enjoyment (and learning) with your kids!

School Choice International

I just read an interesting fact from School Choice International which reports a tablet computer has been developed in India to retail for $35 which will help widen access to educational technology for children in rural areas.

Since 1998, School Choice International has helped thousands of families around the world to find the right schools for their children.  School Choice works with placements for individual families and with corporations who are relocating employees.

The company website explains, “Our expert education consultants are trained to look beyond the ..read more

How to Write Marketing Copy for Global Marketing

1. Use clear language.

Do not use slang, colloquialisms, or improper grammar. Catchy marketing phrases do not work across cultures and languages – sometimes they don’t even work in different countries with the same language. Electrolux was thrilled in the UK with the response to their slogan “It sucks”. They could not understand why it was not well received in the United States!

2. Drop local references or specific country places.

Unless you plan on changing the marketing copy for each country that speaks the same language, ..read more

Top 10 Most Spoken World Languages

Chinese – With more than 30% of the world’s population in China, Chinese is on the top of the list.  It has several dialects and is spoken as a first language by some 835 million people.  An additional 100 million speak it as a second language. Spanish – The Spanish colonized much of the world leading to many Spanish speaking countries.  There are 329 million people who speak the Spanish language. English – A huge colonial influence can be seen as the ..read more

10 Things I Know About Language Translation

10.  Just Do It. 

A huge share of the business market is being missed if you are only targeting English speaking audiences.  Less than 10% of the world’s population speaks English as their first language, yet if information about a product is in a person’s native language, that person is four times more likely to purchase.

9.  Provide Good Copy

Providing well written English copy is the most important first step to insure a quality foreign language translation.

8.  Quality of Linguist

Use a ..read more

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