Today Translations

15 Facts About Spanish Language

Posted on 27 January, 2012 by Greg Jacobs

Spanish is a very popular and diverse language derailed from ancient languages evolving to the language it is today and also spoken widely worldwide. This has created many opportunities for translation agencies across many countries to provide services such as ‘English translator to Spanish’ and Vice versa, ‘Spanish translator to English’.

This article had been created to share 15 popular facts about the language Spanish language.

There are 329 Million Native Spanish speakers in the world.
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, behind Mandarin.
Spanish language is a family language of the Romance and Indo European language.
Latin and Arabic have had the biggest influence on the Spanish language.
Spanish is an official language of 21 countries. (Spain, Columbia, Peru, Venezuela,Ecuador, Guatemala, Cuba, Bolivia, Honduras, Paraguay, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Equatorial Guinea, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Uruguay.)
Spanish has native speakers in 44 countries, making it the forth most geographically widely spoken language, behind English (11 2 countries), French (60 countries) and Arabic (57 countries).
Countries with Spanish as official language
Mexico contains the largest population of Spanish speakers with over 110million speakers.
Spain is the third largest population of Spanish speakers with 46.5 million speakers, behind Mexico and America.
Spanish language is the second most studiedlanguage in the world, behind English.
Spanigh language studied geographically
Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
Spanish is one of the twenty-one offical languages of the European Union.
There are minor differences in vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation between Spanish in Spain and Spanish of the Latin America.
Due to fast growing presence in demographic and culture of the USA, particularly states of the Sun Belt, Spanish is the most popular second language learned by Native speakers of American English.
The Sun Belt Region
Spanish is the third most used language on the internet.
In 2010, Spanish is the fifth most used language on Twitter with 4%, behind Malay (6%), Portuguese (9%), Japanese (14%) and English (50%).

Filed under: Uncategorized, Translators, NEWS, languages | Tagged: Spanish translation, spanish, spanish language, spanish translator | Leave a Comment »

2012: The year of the dragon

Posted on 24 January, 2012 by Greg Jacobs

On Monday the 23^rd of January 2012, the Chinese year of the dragon was ushered in which symbolises vitality, unrestrained enthusiasm, exhilaration, intensity and good luck. Of the traditional Chinese holidays, the New Year is the most important.

The Chinese New Year marks the end of the winter season with the festival beginning on the first day of the month in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival which is on the 15^th day.

It is quite typical for the Chinese New Year celebrations to include families gathering and having and annual reunion dinner. The New Year will also be celebrated in countries with significant Chinese populations, such as China including Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

In countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States, the Chinese New Year is not an official holiday but nevertheless many ethnic Chinese gather for large celebrations. In addition to this Australia Post, Canada Post, and the US Postal Service issue New Year themed stamps which reflects just how far Chinese culture impacts on the Western culture.

The biggest event of the Chinese New Year’s Eve is the dinner, which can be compared to Christmas dinner in the West. Food you can expect to see includes pig, duck, chicken and sweet delicacies. It is also quite common to see fish served as it symbolises potential prosperity in the year to come.

The traditional way to finish the Chinese New Year celebrations is with one of their most significant discoveries, fireworks, which were originally thought to scare away evil spirits. It is also common to buy gifts for your parents, give your children money in red envelopes and to dress in red as the colour red is thought to drive away bad luck.

The Chinese New Year traditionally an opportunity to reconcile, forget all grudges and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone. This auspicious and ancient holiday, having been observed annually in China for more than 5,000 years, is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar.

Chinese translation in London and other major western cities will almost certainly have seen their Chinese translation service increase in recent years as the economic prosperity of China has boomed and trade with the West has continued to increase.

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Countries Unite to Wish for a Better World

Posted on 16 December, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

With the Eurozone in crisis and much of the Western world reeling under a mountain of debt, politicians are wrestling with some tricky issues. The talk is of bail-out packages, ‘Robin Hood’ taxes, austerity measures and referendums.

But perhaps governments could do a lot worse than take a good look at the latest initiative from Today Translations. With the world coming to the end of a troubled year, we wanted people to have a platform where they could make a wish for a better future.

One simple question

With that in mind, and in the spirit of the upcoming festivities and holiday season, we contacted our linguists from around the world this week and asked this one simple question:

‘If you were to make one wish on behalf of your native country and your people, what would it be?’

We set no limits on what we expected in our answers and asked for answers to be as bold or reserved as they liked and within 24 hours, we were inundated with over 100 responses, indicating either that our linguists have too much time on their hands or that there are a lot of people out there with great ideas for improving our world. Here are some of the best of them:

Political

All corrupt politicians and judges behind bars and people who don’t accept corruption as a natural thing - Brazil

May the Euro find the way it deserves – to the cemetery of currencies – as soon as possible - Italy

I am pretty sure that a wish that covers most of the Greeks these days would be: ‘no more crisis and for things to get better’ - Greece

Humorous

My wish is that American people stop thinking that dipping your fries in mayonnaise is disgusting – this is one of our national dishes! - Belgium

Be nicer to the Norwegians - Denmark

Miscellaneous

I am sure I speak on behalf of all Polish people if I ask for more daylight during autumn and winter days. Pleeeeease! - Poland

So, in short, if the hopes and dreams of a multinational band of linguists are anything to go by, we all want the world to get out of debt, smile more and enjoy a peaceful New Year.

To see all the responses we’ve had to date, go to our Wish page.

Or why not add your own wishes below with a comment! What’s your wish for your country?

Filed under: Christmas, Interpreters, language translation, NEWS, translation services, Translators, translators london | Tagged: christmas, christmas wishes, translation, translators | 1 Comment »

Translation trends – Emerging markets for translation

Posted on 14 December, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

In uncertain economic times it is particularly difficult and risky to accurately predict future trends. While the United States, the UK and Europe face a serious debt crisis, sluggish economic growth at best and rising unemployment, translation service providers are set to benefit from the growing economic strength of countries in Asia, Africa and South America.

For some industries such as the medical and pharmaceutical the trend is very strong. Multinational corporations have been quick to set up more research and development facilities and conduct more clinical trials in some Asian countries. Africa is also viewed as somewhat of a sleeping giant with huge potential for investment.

What does this mean for translators and translation agencies?

The growing economic influence of Asia, Africa and South America is great news for the translation industry. Foreign investment into these regions and domestic growth within these emerging economies brings with it the need for high quality translation services.

Africa in particular is home to a plethora of languages. Nevertheless the vast majority of business in Africa is carried out in English, French, Portuguese or Arabic at present and so translators of these languages and translation businesses that will benefit most.

India is much like Africa in the sense that there are hundreds of languages. However unlike Africa, which is a continent made up of lots of independent countries, India is one country and it has two official languages which are standard Hindi and English. There is already a great deal of translation taking place between the UK, other European countries and the United States.

In the long term many economists see India as outgrowing China economically which will present fantastic opportunities for translation agencies and freelance translators alike. In recent years there has been huge investment in China which has benefited Chinese translation services in places like London and New York. Investment in India and the domestic growth will have the same positive impact for Indian translation services providers around the world.

For translation agencies in places like London and New York it is essential to understand as best as possible the trends in language and international business in order to adapt to changing times. Whilst existing and traditional translation markets will continue to play a key part in business for say a London based translation agency, it is the emerging markets and languages which will provide further opportunities to expand and grow business.

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Chinese patent translation speeds up

Posted on 7 December, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Chinese translators in London and patents have an interesting and almost symbiotic relationship. It may not be an area of business many would associate with the translation industry but when you consider that patents are frequently submitted for not just one country but an entire region, for example Europe, that can require a great deal of translation and translation services.

It will therefore be good news for businesses to hear that the European and Chinese patent agencies signed an accord which is aimed to speed up patent translations in both languages in an effort to improve access to the offices’ information for researchers, scientists and inventors.

In a joint e-mailed statement the European Patent Office (EPO) and the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China agreed to work together to give free access to a Chinese-English translation service available through the internet by next year.

“The agreement breaks new ground in the relationship between both regions in that it will bring the wealth of technology contained in patents to the fingertips of innovators on both sides, removing language as a delimiting factor,” said Benoit Battistelli, president of the Munich, Germany-based EPO.

The market for technology and the pace of technological development today is quite amazing. In fact, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2010 the number of patent application filed reached about 1.8 million in 2010.

It is hard to underestimate the impact technology has on mankind, society and our planet. Consider that the Wright brothers first flew in 1903 and one hundred years later mankind has permanent presence on the International Space Station. One can’t help but wonder where mankind will be one hundred years from now?

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The Most Popular Languages on Twitter

Posted on 18 November, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Today Translations recently came across this amazing map documenting the languages used on Twitter across the world. Eric Fischer collected data on the languages used by Twitter and created a map that is insightful and beautiful.

As a translation agency offering translation services in London, we have seen a significant change in the way people communicate through social networks and online. There is an increasing amount of linguistic variety as more and more people become Internet users.

Eric’s map shows us two things. Firstly, what languages are being used most on Twitter and secondly, which countries and areas are using Twitter the most as well. Western Europe shines brightly as being densely used but what about other locations? Let’s take a look at the maps for each continent.

Europe

Unsurprisingly, Europe is one of the most densely populated areas for Twitter use and linguistic diversity. Specifically, Western and Northern Europe is lit up (please note than English is coloured grey and therefore may not stand out as much).

According to Alexa, the top five European countries that use Twitter are: United Kingdom (5.4% of traffic), Spain (3.5%), Germany (3.4), France and Russia (with 2.6% each). However, when looking at Eric’s map we can see that there is strong Twitter usage in all of Western Europe.

Other interesting points include:

A strong usage of Catalan in Spain
Netherlands has one of the highest uses (The Netherlands also has the highest Twitter penetration for Internet users in the world)
Belgians tweet in Dutch and French
German is used a lot in Switzerland and Austria
Sweden is the most prolific Scandinavian country for Twitter use
The Mediterranean countries of Greece, Turkey and Cyprus are all strong users of Twitter
Russia, Czech, Hungary and Latvia are the Eastern European countries that tweet the most

Unsurprisingly, as the largest country in the world, Russia’s tweets are spread out across a vast expanse. For many of the former Soviet countries, Twitter usage is comparatively much smaller.

Asia

In Asia, you can see a different picture. Japan and South Korea dominate Twitter usage in East Asia with China, despite government restrictions, showing a small level of Twitter usage. As Chinese to English translators, it would be increasingly important to understand the social network usage in China. In South East Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are the most popular countries for Twitter.

In Central Asia, India is the only country with any Twitter usage and even then it does not seem to have the same penetration level as other nations. What is interesting to note is the prevalence of English in India for Twitter. Whilst Hindi is the official language of the government, English is used almost exclusively for Twitter.

Africa and the Middle East

Africa is perhaps the continent that has the least amount of Twitter usage. Aside from small areas in West and East Africa, the most popular Twitter country is South Africa. Twitter usage in Africa is again mostly in English despite the rich linguistic diversity of the continent. Along the North African border there are strong uses of European languages like French reflecting the regions colonial past.

In the Middle East, there is a significant usage of Twitter in Arabic and an isolated pocket of Hebrew in Israel. Quite clearly, the growth of Twitter in this region will be centred around the MENA region. Throughout the Arab Spring, the usage of social media has often been commented on by media around the world.

Americas

North and Central America

North America is dominated by English with some isolated usage of French in the French speaking region of Canada. Interestingly, there is a clear distinction in Twitter usage between the East and West Coasts of the USA with the Mid-West. The Mid-West has much fewer Twitter users.

Mexico introduces Spanish as one of the most widely used languages on Twitter for North America but there is a lot less merging than one might expect. Especially considering Spanish is spoken by 12% of the United States population in the home.
Central America is dominated by Spanish.

South America

South America is dominated again by Spanish but also Portuguese (in Brazil).
However, what is interesting is that Twitter usage in South America is spread thinly for Spanish speaking countries and is mostly situated around Chile and Colombia whilst comparatively, Portuguese dominates the region.

Whilst South America may look comparatively ‘quiet’ compared to Europe or North America, it is clearly well engaged in social media, with several social networks having millions of users in this geography.

As a translation company, we understand the value of international communication. Social networks and the Internet has allowed many more people to communicate instantaneously than ever before. Today Translations envision a greater utilisation of simultaneous interpreting and consecutive interpreting through online media.

Filed under: languages, linguistics, translation services | Tagged: translation services | 1 Comment »

New York translation seeking expansion

Posted on 11 October, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Translation service agencies and freelance translators around the world play a key role in assisting with immigration. The movement of people around the world and between countries has been happening for hundreds of years and so long as people wish to escape tyranny or better their lives or their children’s lives, the migration of people will continue.

In the early 20^th century North America was the destination for millions of immigrants. In fact it is estimated that by 1910 13.5 million immigrants were living in the United States. It is thanks to these numerous waves of immigration that America was able to prosper so rapidly and become such a diverse country full of different languages and cultures.

Although the levels of immigration are nowhere near those of 1910 or perhaps will ever be, the group New York Lawyers for the Public Interest estimates 2.5 million immigrants in New York require help understanding English.

In light of this, Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered state agencies to translate documents and provide interpreters in six languages for immigrants seeking public services. The project aims to translate social service documents, websites and a variety of other documentation into Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Russian, French and French Creole.

Highlighting the situation, Secretary of State of New York, Cesar Perales said children of immigrants have often had to act as interpreters, relaying to officials why their mothers need government help to feed their families. He called it “one of the greatest indignities” he ever saw.

New York is one of the great cities of the world. It is home to all kinds of culture and language and the network of translators and translation agencies gives a voice to those who cannot. Hopefully those without a voice in New York will soon be heard.

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Most Popular Languages on the Internet

Posted on 16 September, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Ever wondered what the most popular language is on the Internet? Today Translations has looked at data collected by Internet World Stats and there is some really interesting data.

Overall, Internet usage has grown nearly 500% in the last 11 years. Over 2 billion people are now online – this represents just under a third of the world’s entire population.

(Please note, this refers only to language and not countries and therefore the number of users takes into account overseas diasporas and populations with the same official language/mother tongue).

Chinese on the Internet

Chinese has quickly become one of the most widely used languages on the Internet. Over half a billion Internet users speak Chinese. In China, there are approximately 485 million Internet users (meaning approximately 35 million Chinese-speaking Internet users are not based in China). Overall, Chinese has seen its growth increase by nearly 1,500% in just over a decade.

Here are some other interesting metrics:

Facebook Subscribers : 504,660 (only .1% of China’s online population has Facebook)
China equates for over half of Asia’s Internet users.
China’s Most Popular Website: Baidu.com is the 6^th most popular website globally (Alexa).

But what about the rest of Asia?

If you know anything about Japanese or Korean culture, you will be unsurprised to see Japanese and Korean’s inclusion in this top 10 list.

Japanese on the Internet

Japan has long been one of the most online countries in the world and has one of the highest Internet penetrations (the percentage of the population who are Internet users). The number of Internet users has doubled to just fewer than 100,000,000 according to the latest data. Japan represents just over 10% of Asia’s Internet population.

Facebook Subscribers: 3,812,460 (3.8% of Japan’s online population has Facebook)
Japan’s Most Popular Website: Yahoo.co.jp is the 12^th most popular website globally (Alexa).

Korean on the Internet

Korean also has quite a high penetration level – 55% of all Korean speakers are online, this may be reflective of North Korean Internet usage being much less than South Korean Internet usage. Indeed, there are no accurate estimates for North Korean Internet usage. Indeed, if you look at data for just South Korea, there is an Internet penetration of over 80%.

Facebook subscribers (South Korea): 3,697,020 (9% of South Korea’s online population)
South Korea’s Most Popular Website: Google.com is the most popular website globally (Alexa).
South Korea’s Most Popular Native Website: Naver.com is the 172^nd most popular website globally (Alexa).

What is interesting from both the Japanese and Korean statistics is that they have only doubled their Internet user numbers. Whilst this is still significant growth, it is a lot slower compared to many other languages’ growth over the same period. This is reflective of their original penetration level being much higher than other languages already.

Arabic on the Internet

Arabic is the language which has seen its number of Internet users grow the most. In the 11 years since the turn of the millennium, the number of Arabic speaking people online has grown by over 2,500%. There are now over 65 million Arabic speaking Internet users. What’s even more amazing is that this represents just 19% of the total Arabic speaking population. The countries with the most Internet users:

(* these are the top ten most populous members of the Arab League)

The Arabic speaking world has grown most significantly over this period of 11 years. However, what is really amazing is the small penetration levels (ranging from a tiny 1.1% to 43.6%). It is clear that Arabic, unlike Japanese or Korean, still has a massive growth ahead of it.

In the Middle East, the UAE is the Arabic speaking country with the highest level of Internet user penetration (69%). This is followed closed by Qatar (66.5%). Israel has the highest online penetration (70%) but the vast majority of speakers speak Hebrew as their mother tongue.
In Africa, Morocco has the highest level of Internet penetration (41%), followed by Tunisia (34%).
Most popular website in Egypt (country with the most Internet users) is Facebook.com, (the 2^nd most popular website globally), followed by Google.com.eg – the 146^th most popular website globally.

Russian on the Internet

Russian has also experienced high levels of growth. Russian has grown 1,825% – one of the highest growths for any European language. In Russia, there are 59,700,000 Internet users – this represents 12% of Europe’s Internet users. Similarly, with a penetration of just 41%, it is clear that there is room for Russia to expand its number of Internet users.

Facebook Subscribers: 4,648,080 (7.8% of Russia’s Internet users have a Facebook account).
Most popular website: Yandex.ru – the 22^nd most popular website globally (Alexa.com)

Finally, the most popular European languages on the Internet. Spanish, Portuguese and English are no longer just European languages and it is arguable that they are seeing their growth outside of Europe.

German on the Internet

Let’s first look at German which has seen the smallest growth of the European languages (174%). Germany has a very high level of penetration (80%) and it represents 14% of Europe’s overall Internet population. Furthermore, Germany also has 19,459,280 Facebook users – almost a quarter of the entire population. The most popular website in Germany is Google.de, the 20^th most popular website in the world.

French on the Internet

French has seen quite considerable growth (398%) and in Europe, France represents 9.5% of total Internet users. Indeed, France represents 75% French Internet users. This equates to 14.5 million French speaking Internet users outside of France.

Spanish and Portuguese on the Internet

Spanish and Portuguese Internet users have increased the most out of any traditional European language. However, let’s look at their growth outside of Europe by comparing Spain and Portugal with Mexico and Brazil (the two most populous non-European Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries).

Although Spain has a lower number of Internet users, its penetration is double that of Mexico’s. What is amazing is Facebook’s dominance in Mexico. Over 80% of all Internet users have a Facebook account.

Again, Brazil has a lower user penetration level compared to Portugal but the number of Internet users is over 14 times larger. For these two countries, it is clear that the growth in Internet users will be from the complete linguistic family and not from their linguistic roots.

English on the Internet

Finally, English which, despite slower growth compared to many other languages, is still the most popular language on the Internet in terms of users. However, English, like many other languages, has a complicated language history and is spoken across many parts of the world.

Looking at the most popular English language countries on the Internet is a very complicated task! English is the official language of many different countries, yet an official language does not mean it is the majority first language people learn.

For example, India has English as an official language with government and parliamentary communication conducted in English. However, the percentage of people who speak English as a first language is very small compared to its overall population. Likewise, the number of English speakers in Nigeria (where it is an official language) is only 53% off its overall population – much less than the UK, where almost 98% of its population speaks English.

In conclusion, it looks as though Chinese will become the most used language on the Internet in 2011 or 2012. The growth rate has been phenomenal and this is reflected in Chinese Internet habits.

Baidu, China’s answer to Google has already taken over Bing (Microsoft’s search engine), as the third most popular global search engine and is fast on the heels of Yahoo!. Google remains the largest search engine due to its stalwart position in many different locations. Similarly, taobao.com, China’s answer to eBay, is ranked 16^th in the world by Alexa – above eBay.com at position 21.

It is clear that Chinese Internet consumption is growing at an extraordinary rate!

Today Translations is a leading translation services provider in London. As a translation company in London with a network of over 2,000 translators, Today Translations can translate and interpret in over 160 languages. Services include: Russian translators, Chinese translators and Arabic translators.

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Student Offer – 30% off Certified Translation, August 2011 Only!

Posted on 3 August, 2011 by todaytranslations

*offer valid until 30th August 2011 and can only be redeemed once per person

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The Ever Growing Need for Translation Services in the EU

Posted on 27 July, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Recently, the Euro Zone member states met in Brussels to discuss bail-out options to help deal with the ongoing economic crisis. This was a very important step for the Euro Zone, for the Euro and for the wider global economy.

With 17 members states speaking a wide variety of different languages but sharing one, single currency, communication within the Euro Zone can be a complicated affair. The languages spoken in Euro Zone meetings and conferences vary depending on which countries are in attendance. The information that is being shared needs to be translated into multiple languages at any given time so that other representatives can understand what is going on and have the same level of participation.

English is the most widely spoken language of the 23 official European Union languages, followed by German and French. Approximately 50% of all EU citizens have some proficiency in English. However, only 13% of European Union citizens speak English as their native language (the language with the most native speakers in the EU is German).

This still leaves the vast majority of citizens within the European Union not being able to fully understand English. The numerous languages and complex political nature of the EU creates a substantial demand for translation services in the EU and in the Euro Zone.

The European Union languages with the highest number of native speakers are:

Today Translations provides exceptional translation services to and from all of the above languages and provides translation and interpreting services in over 160 languages. Our full range of services includes simultaneous interpreting, consecutive interpreting, document translations, website localisation and much more.

This trend for translation services is expected to continually increase and is arguably even more important within the EU and Euro Zone now than it ever was in the past.

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90% of languages expected to disapear by 2050

Posted on 28 April, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

For professional translation service providers, the efforts by Google to make translation redundant through their online translation machine are frustrating. Any decent translation agency will state that an online translation machine will never be able to replicate the skill, intuition, knowledge and experience of a professional human translator.

However, translation is all about language and while we might think that there is a seemingly endless supply of languages, they are in fact declining in number at an alarming rate.

For the most part the decline in the number of languages spoken around the world is perfectly natural. It is the result of the uncontrollable force of economic and cultural globalization which has come to favour languages such as Mandarin, Spanish, English, Hindi, Arabic, Portuguese and Russian.

To appreciate just how quickly so many languages are disappearing perhaps the following statistic will help put it in context. It is estimated that 90% of the 7000 languages currently spoken today will be extinct by the year 2050.

With this in mind it is highly encouraging that Google had added Cherokee as a supported language on its search engine as it is classified as endangered. There are approximately 300,000Cherokee speaker sin the US and by working with them Google has managed to preserve a language at risk of extinction.

Language is part of culture so the preservation of language is vital to the preservation of culture. Native Americans were settled for thousands of years before Europeans arrived which ultimately began the decline of the Native American languages. So by preserving this language disappearing completely, Google has saved a piece of true American culture.

In the long term, it will be impossible to save every remaining language from extinction, but exactly what will happen to the way language is used is hard to say. Perhaps your translation company will only have a dozen languages or so to translate?

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2 billion tune in to watch Royal wedding

Posted on 26 April, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

On Friday the 29^th of April, it is estimated that around 2 billion people will tune in to see Prince William and Kate Middleton tie the knot. Images of Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Pall Mall along with all the pomp and ceremony will be transmitted all over the world.

For any fan of the British Royal family, there is no bigger occasion and number of arriving tourists demonstrates that the affection for the British royal family has in no way waned. It is expected that London will be welcoming at least an extra one million tourists over the wedding period.

For many businesses in and outside of London the wedding is a tremendous opportunity. Certainly the hotel industry, transport industry, restaurants, retailers and various other tourist services are set for a bumper week.

With so many international visitors there is also an increase in demand for professional translators. TV stations and their crews from all over the world have arrived in London and they are some of the people who might need the services of a translation company. International dignitaries, diplomats and tour operators may also require additional resources over the period just to cope with demand.

Because of the sheer number of tourists, accommodation will be limited and with excellent transport links coming into and out of London, the surrounding areas and even further afield will benefit. For example many tourists will use the royal wedding as part of a wider UK holiday.

It is an interesting paradox that while thousands of tourist flock to London, millions of Londoners flea the city and go abroad or as trends suggest, holiday in the UK. Domestic tourism has grown significantly since the recession as people spending habits have changed.

Clearly what hasn’t changed is the international fondness for the British Royal family. Exactly what this is down do is hard say and will also depend on where you are from. However, the British royal family as an institution dates back nearly a thousand years and forms a significant part of culture and identity.

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Translation helps capture market share

Posted on 6 April, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

As more and more communities go online, the importance for companies, of using translation to capture the resulting, emerging markets has never been more important.

According to Internet statistics compiled by ADOTAS, the internet advertising online magazine, 86% of Web users live outside the United States, and it is fair to say that substantial numbers of these new markets are speaking in any other language but English.

Since 2008 Arabic and Russian online audiences have increased by over 1,000%, with the Chinese close behind. As it stands, by providing content in English, Chinese and Spanish, you target approximately 60% of the current estimated 1.65 billion Internet users.

But businesses that are trading online should also recognise that by targeting the high-growth languages such as Arabic – with 530 million speakers yet currently only 49 million online – and Portuguese – with 490 million speakers yet only 73 million online, the potential for your enterprise is enormous.

That is simply because, as more of these users go online, they will undoubtedly seek services in their native language. By taking the first-mover advantage, services localised in these high-growth languages have a compelling business opportunity.

Capturing their business depends upon a combination of quality website localization, translation and international search engine optimization (ISEO). Increasingly, that business opportunity also hinges on extending multilingual campaigns to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Multi-language tweets can be a valuable tool in numerous communities around the world, but 140 characters in English do not neatly translate into 140 characters in Spanish, for example. A proven translation solution is a must for any company eager to take advantage of the direct customer.

By using Today Translations’ website translation service, you can adapt your multilingual site to the optimum extent, and capture a significant portion of these vital, emerging new audiences.

** Read the original article at Today Translations here: http://www.todaytranslations.com/blog/2011/04/06/translation-helps-capture-market-share **

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The consequences of poor translation

Posted on 25 March, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Funny translation Bear some of the following in mind, when considering, whether to use a translation service or not. You would also be well advised to think about using a quality professional translation service, rather than going on the cheap, or indeed using Google Translate.

An abortion in Portuguese may refer to either a miscarriage or an abortion. It is the verb that changes the meaning of the word. Considering how sensitive a subject this is, the importance of medical translation cannot be underestimated.

Whether for words such as this, or indeed any other medical term, its vital to ensure correct translation is carried out. That goes for instruction on medical devices, bedside interpreting and every facet of the medical sector, in what is an increasingly multilingual, globalised society.

Within the realm of health and safety, in the food and beverage sector, mistakes can also prove harmful, if not outright fatal. The following in a UK Health and Safety document could lead to problems, for example: ‘Vegetarian food must be kept separate from meat and clearly ladelled.’ Such instruction can cause all manner of confusion.

Less serious perhaps, expiry dates are still potentially harmful, not least to the image of a company’s product. Note this statement on a packet of sandwiches in Crete: –

‘Best before seven days later.’

So how are you supposed to know, if safe to eat then? The proof of the pudding is in the eating, I suppose, but I’d rather not take the chance. Companies that do not want to alarm their customers, or indeed make them ill, would do well to hire a professional translation service, particularly when targeting non native language speakers, and foreign markets.

There is humour to be gleaned from all the poor translations that litter our world, but for health and safety’s sake, along with the vital nature of the medical sector, it shouldn’t’ be treated as too much of a laughing matter.

Today Translations has considerable experience in worldwide multilingual translation within the medical and food and beverage sectors. Our translators ensure that medical and health and safety advice is accurate and fit for purpose.

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Getting the most from your translator

Posted on 17 March, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

We now live in a global economy and for companies this means communicating with customers on an international level. Speaking to customers in their native language displays your commitment to cater for their requirements. If your marketing messages are spoken or written clearly and features local culture then it gives a very positive effect.

The majority of businesses around the globe cannot afford to employ a full-time multilingual translator or copywriter. It is much more likely that you will seek the services of an expert translator or go through a translation company.

Trust is crucial when working with translators, much in the same way as when you use an electrician or plumbing service. Customers often don’t know precisely how an electrician or plumber can repair a sink or add a new socket, but they do. How a translator is able to turn a document from one language, into another is known only to the translator. Ultimately it is their coaching, experience and intuition which enable them to translate material so well.

A sensible way to obtain the most out of your translator is by working closely with them ensuring that the desired tone is accomplished. Taking shortcuts can not work in translation. If you try and rush a translator the material will suffer and so will your business. If you simply leave a translator without any direction the material will also suffer.

Timing is essential to successful translation. Leaving a translation project to the last minute will only lead to failure. It is similarly risky to make significant alterations to any translation project half way through. Translators will need to carry out research, collaborate and proofread, all of which takes time and planning. Furthermore a translator might have to wait for feedback from a colleague.

In some cases a business will need to use certified translation. With this form of translation the translated document comes with another document which says that it is correct, accurate and represents the same meaning as the original document. This sort of translation is usually a little more expensive but used only when necessary.

For any business or individual using a professional translator the greatest concern is accuracy. Although not always feasible, having the document verified is a good strategy. For personal documents the odd error might not matter but in business one slip-up could make or break a deal.

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Legal Translation into foreign languages

Posted on 19 February, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Legal systems seek to establish clearly defined rights and duties for certain individuals. However, each country has its own particular legal terminology and linguistic structures. For this reason, legal translation is essential to ensure reliable correspondence of these rights and duties from the original text into the translation.

Thus, legal translation into foreign languages is not a simple task. In fact, you need to have certain knowledge of law and order to understand the legal documents in your own language. For this reason, it only can be carried out by a qualified translator who not only understands legal terminology but also has an understanding of the common law and civil legal systems which are employed throughout the world.

One must take into account that textual conventions depend on the culture of the original text and that they probably do not correspond with those in the final text. Hence an accurate translator should identify the target language structure with the same function as that in the original document. To do this requires an exhaustive process of documentation that will lead to a reliable and accurate legal translation where every single detail has been deeply studied.

Do not spend your money and time on translation companies that do not guarantee the accuracy that a legal translation requires. Instead, rely on a trustworthy company that understands that the mistranslation of a passage in any legal document could eventually lead to lawsuits and a loss of money.

In addition, as legal translation requires very specialist knowledge it is best to only use translators who are suitably qualified to translate legal documents. Whether you require the translation of a contract, power of attorney, witness statement or the transcription of an evidentiary tape, you should be assured that the translated document returned to you will be 100% correct. Obviously, confidentiality is very important, and all documents received should remain within the strict privacy guidelines.

Legal translation involves Certificates of Accuracy or Witness Statements that may be required by certain authorities and government bodies. In this sense, some companies can also provide this authorization by a notary public. You need a specialized legal translator for whatever field of law you require for your translated documents or court interpreter.

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Chinese president lost in translation

Posted on 26 January, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Barack Obama and Hu Jintao When the world’s two most powerful leaders meet you would expect the translation service they receive is faultless. The recent visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to America’s capital cannot be underestimated as the relationship between these two countries impacts almost everyone else on the planet in some way.

Sadly President Obama is not fluent in Mandarin and President Hu Jintao is not fluent in English. As a result the two leaders communicate with each other and to the press through translators and interpreters throughout the visit.

Behind the scenes there will be additional meetings taking place between key diplomats of both countries and the professional translation they receive is crucial because all successful relationships depend on good communication.

However, on this occasion the translation the two leaders received was not always up to the standard they would have hoped. During a press conference with the Chinese leader, President Obama believed that simultaneous translation was being carried out.

This was not the case, so the interpreter had to translate a long response from Obama. This is a difficult job for a translator and Obama was clearly aware of this as he said “I apologize. I thought we had simultaneous translation there, so I would have broken up the answer into smaller bites”.

This is where the story gets really interesting. Because the question was regarding human rights and Chinese President Hu Jintao was unable to answer this sensitive question due to what he described as a “technical translation and interpretation problem” which the media believed was his way of avoiding the subject altogether.

If you watch the news conference you see that both leaders played around with their earpieces quite a bit. This is a sure sign that they are having translation problems. Later in the news conference the question over human rights was put to him again and he was happy to answer and at some length too.

What does this tell us about translating for world leaders? The answer is clear. Do not make any mistakes because media reports are now instant and can be read by millions around the world in seconds. It is also important to make sure everyone is fully aware of what type of translation is taking place.

As a final thought, have you ever wondered how the Americans and Russians avoided nuclear war? They both used an excellent translation company between 1947 and 1991 and they have been in touch with both America and China reassuring them that they will be available should they be needed.

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Learning new languages is easier than originally thought

Posted on 19 January, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Professional translator Learning new languages as an adult, some will say is impossible. You will often hear people saying how they wish they could speak a foreign language or how they should have paid attention to their Spanish, French or German teacher.

For most people, understanding how the human brain can learn a new language is just a mystery. In fact unless you are a neuroscientist there is probably very little you actually know about the brain, other than it is quite simply remarkable.

Scientists have conducted research which has led them to believe that learning a new language is possible for pretty much anyone. According to Cambridge scientists the brain can learn a new word in less than fifteen minutes.

Apparently anyone can learn a new word in a foreign language by listing to it 160 times over and over. By doing this your brain will have formed a whole new network of neurons specifically tasked with remembering that particular word. The scientists at Cambridge also found that this process actually happens much quicker than previously thought.

So what does this mean for aspiring professional translators and other linguists? Well the research suggests that practise really does make perfect. To perform world class simultaneous interpreting means going to the country of the language you specialize and immersing yourself in the words and the local culture.

The research conducted at Cambridge did not require the volunteers to repeat the word back. What this shows is the power of listening. Therefore by surrounding yourself in a foreign language, where all you have to listen to is a foreign language will, without much effort, help improve your knowledge.

The Cambridge scientists did add that by repeating words back it would probably extend the new neural networks which are created and form strong connections with the parts of the brain responsible for speech.

For language students and translation professionals, the research conducted at Cambridge University demonstrates that by using your ears alone, you can make the brain better at translation. The implications of the research could have a big impact on how we learn even though the research was initially aimed to help stroke patients regain their speech.

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Languages under threat

Posted on 12 January, 2011 by Greg Jacobs

Globalisation has transformed the world but it has also had a debilitating effect on the earth’s languages.

According to UNESCO, there are now 3,000 endangered languages worldwide. Since 1950, 350 languages have become extinct. That is out of a total of an estimated figure of 6,000 languages still in active use.

So why is it that some languages such as Welsh are thriving, and the number of speakers growing, while the Irish, for example, appear to have great difficulty in halting the Gaelic language’s steady and gradual decline? According to statistics the Welsh claim to have 611,000 speakers with just 391,000 native speakers left in Ireland.

Ironically the Irish have done more to arrest the decline than ever before, with more Gaelic being spoken on local and national radio, as well as a television channel devoted entirely to broadcasting in the national language.

Relative to the rest of the planet, the Welsh and Irish seem to have healthy numbers still speaking the native tongue.

In the rest of Europe, 49 languages are spoken by less than 10,000 people. In Brazil alone, there are 35 critically endangered languages, while in Vietnam 37 languages are in the recently released Endangered Languages Database, ranging from extinct to vulnerable.

The aforementioned Endangered Languages Database from the University of Cambridge World Oral Literature Project lists languages from around the world that are extinct, endangered or nearly extinct and it is their findings that have drawn attention to the scale of language erosion. Is it something we should be concerned about or is it all down to nature, and best left to die out, if no longer widely used?

Of course there are many people who take it upon themselves to preserve languages when everyone else seems happy to consign them to the past. Are they deluded cranks or are they doing humanity a favour?

What is apparent is that when a language is allowed to die, a great deal of culturally accumulated knowledge and ways of thinking may well die with it. Even if there seems little hope of saving it, a language can still be preserved as a museum piece to be spoken and parsed by language boffins, when the community at large long ceases to care. Even if only maintained in incubator like conditions like this, future generations have the opportunity to understand how their culture has evolved and the language that once helped to shape them.

Once a language is determined to be endangered, there are two basic steps that need to be taken in order to stabilize or rescue it. The first is language documentation and the second is language revitalisation.

Language documentation is the process by which the language is documented in terms of its grammar, its lexicon, and its oral traditions (e.g. stories, songs, religious texts).

Language revitalisation is the process by which a language community through political, community, and educational means attempts to increase the number of active speakers of the endangered language. This process is also sometimes referred to as language revival or reversing language shift.

While everyone is familiar with the languages that dominate the world such as Mandarin, Arabic, English, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, German and Portuguese it would really take from our rich language tapestry if the present rate of erosion continues.

In the modern era, translation and interpretation from Mandarin to Portuguese or Russian to Korean are everyday activities, and long may it continue. What we do not want is an ever more one dimensional world, where only the strongest languages survive and once proud native tongues are allowed to die.

We at Today Translations hope to accumulate more translators from revived languages into the future, and if every country or region shows the positive attitude to their language that the Welsh do, then that is not an unrealistic expectation.

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French win gold for London 2012 Olympics

Posted on 14 December, 2010 by Greg Jacobs

The London Olympics in 2012 seem just around the corner. The first Olympic venue has been completed at the Lee Valley White Water Centre and the wooden track has been put down in the Velodrome. Everything is on schedule and as far as we know, on budget.

What many people will be surprised to hear is that English is not going to be the official language for the Olympics in London 2012. So if not English what other languages? Well if you were to go by the number of speakers and ignore English, Mandarin Chinese would probably take gold, Spanish silver and Hindi bronze.

The Opening Ceremony at the 1896 Athens Olympics

However the official language for the Olympic Games is not Mandarin Chinese, Spanish or Hindi. As we all know the Olympics were started by the ancient Greeks but what many people do not know is that the closest thing to an ancient Greek Olympics since the end of great ancient civilization was a national Olympic Games held in 1866 at London’s Crystal Palace.

The International Olympic Committee is the organisation which ultimately controls the Olympic Games. The organisation was created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894. Pierre de Couberrtin was French is without question a big part of the modern Olympics and so the official language for the Olympic Games is French.

If you think you will need English to French translation throughout the games, fear not. English is another official language of the Games. The BBC commentators will not be dubbed in French or trying to speak French. French will however take precedence over English at all ceremonies including the presentation of medals.

There are languages spoken from all over the world here in London, one of the world great capitals. Hosting the Olympics is a great privilege and sometimes people and the media get caught up with the cost and ignore the great tradition, the honour and the massive investment in a part of London which is really going to change lives.

For a translation company, the Olympics are a fantastic business opportunity. There will be groups of foreign officials and dignitaries from all over the world and it will be vital for them to communicate effectively which may require simultaneous interpreting or telephone interpreting.

So after originating in Greece, then forgotten for 1500 years, revived in England and Greece by a Frenchman the Olympics are a symbol of international cooperation and something all mankind can be proud of.

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More than words

Posted on 9 December, 2010 by Greg Jacobs

We, at Today Translations, are in the habit of stressing the importance of correctly translating your message. Mistranslations can make a business look foolish, but some people never learn.

We all have stories of being in foreign parts and seeing funny signs at your accommodation or oddly named products in supermarkets. For your pleasure, in this festive period, here are some more.

In Tokyo, a hotel prominently displays the sign, ‘Swindlers dangling around the hotel at night have no connection with the management.’

Not the most reassuring message about either the neighbourhood you’re staying in, or indeed the management. By disassociating themselves so pointedly from the ne’er do wells outside, are they not protesting a little too much?

Near another establishment in Cala D’Or, Majorca, guests will note that, ‘The swimming pool water is tasted twice a day by the council.’

So the public authority pools must be a step up from the common or garden pools you find in the typical hotel then? In the mind’s eye men in suits get down on hands and knees and scoop pool water into their discerning mouths twice daily. They gargle and gargle until they are satisfied.

Well if it’s good enough for them to taste, its good enough for us to swim in, so hurrah for their initiative!

On to Munich and after your long journey you might be put off from having a nightcap by the sign in one hotel room, which reads ‘In your room you will find a minibar filled with alcoholics.’

So what are we talking about here – alcoholic dwarves when you open the door? Inebriated Leprechauns that Pest Control have been unable to discourage? Besides the expense, it’s another reason not to indulge.

Next morning if you’ve braved that minibar, you may decide to give your morning meal a skip or even sleep through. This is forbidden in one inn in Egypt, where a sign declares ‘Breakfast is obligatory.’ The words seem to be an ominous warning. Dare you risk a lie in?

Later in the evening, your appetite might have recovered from force feeding, sufficiently to have dinner.

A glance at a menu if staying at a particular hotel in Switzerland might make you think twice, if you like rump steak, or ‘Cow’s bottom’ as it’s described, with painful accuracy on the bill of fare. Have the Swiss a problem with the use of euphemisms?

But you don’t have to be a non native English speaker to make mistakes with the language. As seen in one small hotel in Cornwall, ‘Will any guests wishing to take a bath please make arrangements to have one with Mrs Harvey’, you might get a lot more than you bargain for if you wish to take a bath in that West Country lodgings.

Mrs. Harvey, too, may have to dissuade the unwarranted attentions of guests eager to make her acquaintance in the tub (as seems the decorum indicated).

So whether it’s Spanish to English translation, German to English translation, Arabic to English translation, French to English translation, Japanese to English translation and indeed vice versa, you can never be too careful.

If you’re in Cornwall, Today Translations might not be able to help you, and you will just have to take your chances!

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Santa would choose Today Translations

Posted on 26 November, 2010 by Greg Jacobs

The figure of benevolence and fun we nowadays refer to as Santa Claus originated in the 4^th Century in a part of the old Greek empire, which is now modern day Turkey. So whether Saint Nicholas of Myra spoke Turkish or Greek, it is hard to establish. If the former, he would today be known as Noel Baba, the latter Άγιος Βασίλης or Saint Basil and as a Bishop he was renowned at that time for his generous gifts to the poor.

700 years later his remains ended up in Bari as the Italian city sought to profit from the remains of the Saint, or Babbo Natale in Italian, for the burgeoning pilgrimage industry of that time.

The Irish have since disputed that Italy continues to hold the relics, and say that ‘Daidi Na Nollag’ was moved again, this time to the Emerald Isle, where his final resting place is cited as Jerpoint Abbey in Kilkenny.

The international desire to own Father Christmas doesn’t stop there. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of both Amsterdam and Moscow, where he is called Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz), or in English, ‘Grandfather Frost.’ The Dutch refer to him as Kerstman.

Pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from church history and folklore, notably St Nicholas and Sinterklaas, merged with the British character Father Christmas to create the character known to Britons and Americans as Santa Claus. While the original Saint did have that distinguishing white beard, the anglicized version from the 17^th Century starts to look even more recognisable to the modern audience – a jolly, rotund man, but with a green rather than red robe.

In Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’, Father Christmas’s cheerful character continued to take shape and it was a version of that vision that came ashore in colonial America to receive its final embellishment, where the British, Dutch and American perceptions fused.

In Washington Irving‘s History of New York, (1809), Sinterklaas was Americanized into “Santa Claus” (a name first used in the American press in 1773), a figure mockingly based on a thick set Dutch sailor, common to that era, and for the first time shedding the bishop’s clothing.

In 1863, a picture of Santa illustrated by cartoonist Thomas Nast appeared in Harper’s Weekly, and then in the 1930s, artist Haddon Sundblom added the final touch in his portrayal of Santa Claus for a Coca Cola advertising campaign.

It is that image, evolved over 1600 years, that has finally etched itself in the human mind as the true Santa Claus.

In between Irving and Sundblom’s efforts, Frank Baum’s ‘The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus’ confirmed Father Christmas’s raison d’être, spreading joy by bringing toys to children around the world.

Because of all of the countries in the world he must reach on Christmas Eve, Santa doesn’t yet have the time to stop and speak, or leave notes, to children on his travels. Should he ever decide to break with protocol, Today Translations has the global capacity to cope with all of his translation and interpreting needs.

Happy Christmas!

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Time for your execution – I mean exercise!

Posted on 19 November, 2010 by Greg Jacobs

There are so many examples of poor translation, maybe a reality television programme called ‘When translations go wrong’ wouldn’t go amiss.

The latest example to catch our eye is one that embarrassed Her Majesty’s Prison Service this week.

A translation error at Lincoln Prison meant an exercise yard was labelled as an “execution yard” in the draft of an information booklet for Russian inmates.

While the people of Russia may be used to a harsh penal code throughout its history, they may have been surprised to see that tradition being carried on in British nicks.

Worryingly, the mistranslation at HMS Lincoln Prison was only picked up at the proofing stage, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, said: “This is an example where actually making sure prisoners have properly translated material is important.

“You could treat it as a bit of a joke unless you were that prisoner and you didn’t understand how the British prison service worked and came from a country that still had execution yards. It wouldn’t be a funny thing for him.”

The report praised the prison for having a better range of translated information for the 82 foreign national prisoners, but said staff had raised concerns that some translations were not “entirely accurate”.

It wouldn’t have been much consolation for a random Russian-speaking prisoner, when the warden is urging him out to exercise, and all he sees is an invitation to certain death.

It might make him pine for the Russia of old, when even the prospect of hard labour at the Gulag, was arguably better than sudden extinction in deepest Lincoln.

Perhaps the Prison service would be better off if it had come to Today Translations for its quality Russian translation.

Our Russian to English translation would mean a more humane experience for those Russians who find themselves incarcerated at her Majesty’s Pleasure.

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How to get the most from your translator

Posted on 11 November, 2010 by Greg Jacobs

Certified Translation We now live in a truly global marketplace and for businesses this means communicating to customers on an international level. Speaking to customers in their native language shows your commitment to cater for their needs. If your marketing messages are spoken or written clearly and incorporates local culture then it gives a very positive impression.

The majority of businesses around the world cannot afford to employ a full time multilingual translator or copywriter. It is much more likely that you will hire a professional translator or go through a translation company.

Trust is crucial when working with translators, much in the same way as when you hire an electrician or plumber. Customers often don’t know exactly how an electrician or plumber is able to fix a sink or add a news socket, but they do. How a translator is able to turn a document in one language, into another is known only to the translator. Ultimately it is their training, experience and instinct which enable them to translate material so well.

The best way to get the most out of your translator is by working closely with him ensuring that the desired tone is achieved. Taking shortcuts does not work in translation. If you try and rush a translator the material will suffer and so will your business. If you simply leave a translator without any guidance the material will also suffer.

Timing is crucial to successful translation. Leaving a translation project to the last minute will only result in failure. It is equally risky to make major changes to any translation project half way through. Many translators will have to carry out research, collaborate and proofread, all of which takes time and planning. Furthermore a translator might have to wait for feedback from a colleague delaying the project further.

In some cases a business will have to use certified translation. With this form of translation the translated document comes with another document which says that it is correct, accurate and represents the same meaning as the original document. This type of translation is usually a bit more expensive but used only when necessary.

For any business or individual using a professional translator the biggest concern is accuracy. Although not always possible, having the document verified is a good strategy. For personal documents the odd mistake might not matter but in business one mistake could make or break a deal.

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Crimes of translation

Posted on 3 November, 2010 by Greg Jacobs

Legal translation

A quick trawl of Google’s collation of world news on any given week leaves no doubt as to the serious implications of poor or indeed absent translation.

A man accused of murder in New Jersey is now being seen by supporters as having his human rights trampled, after a police interpreter failed to translate his request for a lawyer, while in custody.

Authorities had said that the Ecuadorian national had confessed to the murder of his wife, but now the matter is in doubt. By not directly translating the defendant, there had been an assumption that the man had waived his rights to an attorney. When a video of the interview was produced the oversight was exposed.

In New York, a Greek interpreter was dismissed by a judge for failure to interpret in a satisfactory and fluid way.

The incident occurred during the trial of Israel Feliciano, 41, who’s accused of murdering a Pizza Store Manager. The interpreter in question was deemed not good enough to translate the testimony of the murdered man’s wife, who had witnessed the crime.

The judge had the Greek interpreter replaced after noticing that the victim’s wife was unable to understand her.

Meanwhile in Ontario, Canada, it’s an altogether different problem, where it’s not about the quality but rather the quantity of interpreters available to courts.

For the want of a fully accredited Mandarin interpreter a high profile court case has been affected. Toronto grocer David Chen was in the dock controversially accused of a citizen’s arrest of a thief near his store. Chen was due to face charges of forcible confinement and assault of the thief.

It also should be noted that there is a high failure rate (34%) in tests to qualify court interpreters in Ontario, as that province rightly maintains a high quality service, and screens candidates to ensure they are meeting the level required.

That’s not unlike the quality required to be a translator or interpreter with Today Translations, where only the cream of the crop of linguistic talent are chosen to meet our clients’ needs.

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