Rapport International » interpretation

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

Wendy Pease — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:27:58 +0000

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, she added, it doesn’t always work out smoothly. Cultural differences and having quite a bit of vernacular “lost in translation” is an ongoing issue.

“Sometimes we understand the words they are saying, but we have to really slow down and try to figure out exactly what they are asking,” she said. “The words might be clear, but the meaning might not be.”

If only it were as simple as typing a few foreign words into a computer program and getting out a clean, error-free and understandable translation.

“(Computer programs) are good enough if you need to get the general gist of a private email or conversation,” said Nabil Freij, owner of GlobalVision International Inc., a company whose Westboro headquarters is run by his sister, Micheline Freij, director of global operations. “But if your interest is to look professional, you need to find a professional.”

Wendy Pease, owner of Rapport International in Sudbury, said, “Even through a difficult recession, this (interpretation and translation) industry continues to grow.”

The industry consists of three main avenues of service, and they are often confused with each other.

Interpretation is the real-time service, mostly used for face-to-face exchanges.

Translation is a transfer of written content from one language to another.

Localization refers to the final tier of the process, which allows for websites and literature to be translated within a cultural context.

“Doing the actual translation is only 60 to 70 percent of localization,” said Mr. Freij.

Unlike Ms. Pease’s company, in which translation projects are done exclusively by people, Mr. Freij’s company has developed unique computer software that has a memory for past projects, and employs people to continually update that database. If selling in a particular country, he said, consumers will want to see the right cultural innuendos, currency, and jargon, which are fluid and ever-changing.

But while the global industry is booming, those who provide interpreting/translation services are also in high demand locally, as public schools, courts and hospitals have a duty to make sure the people they serve are able to understand.

“Court interpreters provide an invaluable service to individuals who utilize their services on a daily basis in courthouses throughout the commonwealth,” said Erika Gully-Santiago, of the Supreme Judicial Court’s public information office.

In fiscal 2011, interpretation services were used in more than 90,000 court situations, in 69 different languages.

At least a third of Ms. Pease’s business comes from the public sector. Her company provides interpreters for parents of students coming into public school systems, helping them to understand what is happening at their children’s school. Additionally, though many hospitals employ full-time interpreters, some use resources such as Rapport International when admitting non-English-speaking patients, especially during off hours. In emergency situations, Ms. Pease said, those exchanges often take place over the phone.

The need for translation services continues, as more and more companies — including MacNeill — are sheathing new products in “global packaging,” which contains warnings and instructions in as many as seven of the most common languages.

According to Ms. Pease, cultural considerations can be a big issue for those engaged in interpreter-aided conversations. For example, she tells the story of a Hispanic patient at a local doctor’s office. Because an interpreter wasn’t available, the hospital asked a Spanish-speaking housekeeper to help, and the patient was alarmed to learn she needed stomach surgery.

“She didn’t really need surgery, but the doctor had used the name of a procedure the housekeeper didn’t understand, and she was not in a social position to question the doctor,” Ms. Pease said.

While many agencies and organizations are required to provide interpretation and translation services, some businesses do so voluntarily. Citing the huge population of “new Americans” in the Worcester area alone, Ms. Pease said businesses, particularly in retail, might be missing out on entire markets of customers and clients by not translating menus and signs.

“Local companies who are trying to accommodate people who don’t speak English have a huge opportunity to increase their revenues,” she said.

Wikipedia

Wendy Pease — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:15:46 +0000

Wikipedia has become one of the world’s largest and perhaps most powerful tools to access information. However, until recently it had one major drawback: Most of the content is available only in English. To date, there are approximately 3.4 million articles in English, while only one-third as many articles are available in the second most prevalent language, German.

A Labor of Love

Wendy Pease — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:11:54 +0000

Did you know that “labor of love” refers to work done strictly for the pleasure and satisfaction of doing it, and not for money. It comes from the New Testament of the Bible and refers to doing God’s work as a labor of love.

Spanish Possession

Wendy Pease — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Did you know that in English, we use the apostrophe “s” to show ownership or possession. In Spanish, the apostrophe “s” does not exist so instead they use the word “de”, meaning “of” to show possession.
Example:
English: My sister’s son is my nephew.
Spanish: The son of my sister is my nephew.

From the Hispanic PR Blog…

Wendy Pease — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:03:01 +0000

“If you or your company haven’t thought about how to reach the Latino audience, now is a good time, especially with the release of the Census data in early 2011. According to recent reports, the buying power of Hispanics in the U.S. will reach $1.3 billion by 2014 – or twice as fast as the general market.
An amazing convergence is happening in marketing today: the growth of the U.S. Hispanic population is coinciding with the growth of digital media. In fact, Hispanics worldwide are increasingly using the Internet and social media to not only keep in touch with family and friends but they are also searching for product information, comparing prices, printing coupons, and shopping online.
Is your brand ready?”

How to Review a Translation

Wendy Pease — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:14:59 +0000

1. Make sure the reviewer is fully bi-lingual.

Use a reviewer who is truly bi-lingual. Taking Spanish in High School does not make a person qualified to review your translation for accuracy.

2. Make sure the reviewer is familiar with your company and industry.

The reviewer needs to be familiar with standard terminology and jargon in order to provide a precise and accurate review.

3. Track all edits.

Keep track of all changes when editing the original copy to save costs on translation edits.

4. Writing is subjective

Make sure the reviewer is looking for errors, mistakes, accuracy of terminology and quality of meaning. Writing is subjective and so is translation. If the translation is correct, but not the same writing style as the reviewer, do not allow for changes to the wording.

5. Keep the meaning the same.

If you are going to allow the reviewer to change the translation to another meaning which the employee feels is more appropriate, make sure the changes are agreed upon with the translation company and the original translator.

6. Have the original translator review the edits.

The original translator should review and accept the edits. If the translator does not agree to the edits, there should be an explanation.

What’s For Dinner Tonight?

Wendy Pease — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:33:25 +0000

Have you ever walked through China town looking for a good place to eat? If you rely on the store front signs, you may find yourself in trouble. It is too bad these owners didn’t use a professional foreign language translator. Can you imagine eating at the Golden Shower Restaurant or perhaps the Pho Dung Noodle House? But this problem is not just in China Town. I know there are some other good restaurants that could benefit from quality translation services. I have a friend who lives near the Vagina Tandori Restaurant which is around the corner from the Phuket Thai Restaurant in New York City.

So, the next time you are hungry don’t bother walking the streets of China Town. Instead, grab your Fu King Chinese Restaurant menu or order some Fuk Mi Sushi from the local Japanese place. Your mother might not be thrilled but your boyfriend will be excited.

I am sure there are plenty of American restaurants who don’t fair any better in foreign countries. Restaurants that plan to do business internationally should consult a translation agency before naming any establishments. A name that sounds great in one language may have a completely different meaning when translated to another. Customers are serious about their food and interpretation is everything!

Rapport International, a translation and interpretation company based in metrowest Boston, MA is one good source for all foreign language market research. This company will make sure you are not giving your restaurant the unfortunate name equivalent to Dirty Dick’s or the Happy Crack.

Networking between Languages

Wendy Pease — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:31:36 +0000

If you are doing business with people from other countries, who would you want to be translating your conversation – a real person or a computer? Right now, 70 percent of the 300 million uses on Facebook are outside the United States. People are making contacts all around the world but one of the obstacles is the different languages. It is apparent that the need for quality translation services is ever increasing.

In order for people to network, do business, and make social contacts between countries, Facebook needs to offer translating services. They have started doing this by counting on the free services of volunteer translators as well as a few paid professional foreign language translators.

Facebook relies on real people to suggest translations and then allows a number of people to weigh in and vote on the phrase or suggest a better translation. So far, their strategy is working but Facebook can not rely on the free services of a small group of people forever.

Google is attacking the problem in a very different way. Google is using computers and mathematical equations to translate the Web’s content. Computers learn how to translate by examining text that is already on the web. Google also offers a widget that others can use to translate their web content.

The problem with Google’s plan is that computers are not able to translate modern speech and colloquialisms. Therefore there is a high potential for mistakes and errors. The list of humorous inaccurately translated phrases is ever growing.

The only real solution to this problem is to hire a quality translation service that is capable of handling all the needs of both Facebook and Google. Rapport International, a translation and interpretation company based in metrowest Boston, MA is one good source for all foreign language translation needs. Rapport can provide quality translation done by experienced translators in over 100 languages.

Language Barrier for DUI -Test Consent

Wendy Pease — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:41:06 +0000

USA Today posted an article by Laura Bruno where she explains, “When German Marquez was charged with driving while impaired, he was read a statement in English warning him of the penalties he faced if he did not submit to a breath test. Marquez, who speaks Spanish but not English, says he did not understand and did not take the test. In addition to a driving-while-impaired charge, he was charged with failure to take a breath test.”

Marquez’s attorney, Michael Blacker took the case to the Supreme Court where he argued that suspects must be informed of the consequences of refusing to take a breath test in a language they understand.

Bruno’s article explains that “In most states, drivers are deemed as having given implied consent to a breath test as a condition of being on the road and are reminded when stopped by police that refusing to do so can result in penalties as severe as those for impaired driving.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey says a lack of a translation policy holds non-English speakers to a “higher standard” of remembering what’s in the driver’s manual. The ACLU, in a statement, likens it to the importance of translating Miranda rights and court proceedings, which the state’s courts do provide.”

States fall into two categories on this issue. Some states call for “reasonable” efforts to be made by police to have those facing prosecution understand the consequences of refusing the test. Other states require the statement be read, not that drivers must understand it.

To encourage language communication, New Jersey has started providing police with a website where the statement is available in both audio and written form in the 10 foreign languages widely spoken in the state. In New York, translators are on-call 24/7 to address any translation issues that may arise. They also use cards with the warnings written in Spanish. One state has a telephone language service available to interpret into other languages. Hopefully these court rulings will lead other states to require translations.
Rapport International, a full-service language interpretation and translation company, can help states by providing telephone interpreters on-call 24/7 and by providing all the materials in a multitude of languages. Rapport International, based in metro-west Boston, is a great source for all multi-lingual needs. Rapport can provide language services done by experienced linguists in over 100 languages.

How to Become a Translator or Interpreter

Wendy Pease — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:24:59 +0000

The translation and interpretation business has become a large industry. As the US market becomes global, the need for communication in various languages expands. Many people have the skills to become a successful translator or interpreter but need the steps to break into this emerging field. Here are some of the key points to becoming successful.

Know the difference between translation and interpretation. Translation is the procedure of converting the meaning of written text from a given source language to a given target language without distorting the message. Interpretation involves facilitating oral language communication between two or more parties at the same time who are not speaking in the same language. These are two separate and distinct skills. There are very few people who can do both.

Know your language and your specialty. You don’t need to know five different languages. You need to know your native language and one other in order to work in this field. Also, know your specialty. This business requires knowledge in many areas including legal, medical, technical, and marketing. If you have a special interest or area of expertise, make sure you let that shine. Someone without a medical background is not going to be able to translate for a pharmaceutical company.

Develop relationships with other translators and interpreters. Professional translators and interpreters know each other and refer to others when they are too busy or not right for a job. Also, develop a relationship with someone who can edit your work. Editors are crucial in writing and in translation.

Develop experience and go for training. To gain experience, volunteer at schools, charities, local organizations or anywhere you can fine tune your skills. You need to have hands on experience. Also, consider some professional training. There are plenty of online courses that can help you develop your skills. You may also need to get certified in order to work in certain settings. Many legal courts require an interpreter to be certified within their state.

The translation and interpretation business is an exciting field. If you have the right skills, you can be successful. There are numerous agencies and private companies who are hiring professional translators and interpreters. Rapport International, a translation and interpretation company based in metro west Boston, MA is one good source for all foreign language translation needs and is often looking to increase their number of trained, qualified translators and interpreters. Rapport can provide quality tran