It is clear that we language professionals have a special passion for languages, which we share with many others. Even though these people may not work directly with them, they enjoy knowing the existence of other languages, their configuration, and of course, learning them. Language learning is an activity that holds a huge cultural aspect … Read more
Summertime’s approaching again, bringing a strong boost to those commercial activities that promote leisure, and reinvigorating the economic systems in different regions. It is not by chance that the English language has the common expression “to feather one’s nest”, alluding to those specific times when a person or company does profitable business under particular circumstances. … Read more
Plain language helps you disseminate your scientific findings among a broader audience. Find out how to simplify your technical content. Lay readers struggle to understand scientific information written by and for experts. Jargon, intricate ideas and convoluted phrasing result in texts such as: The patient is being given positive pressure ventilatory support. Among some academic … Read more
Translation is closely related to creativity. Although many people think that it involves interlinguistic exchanges, where one unit of meaning that exactly corresponds to the unit of meaning expressed in the source language is selected in a target language, the truth is that translation is an exercise that often entails an enormous effort of reflection, … Read more
Our current era will undoubtedly be marked by technology’s arrival and fast-paced evolution, as well as by the dire consequences that poor resource management has brought about for planetary dynamics. This little musing is but the result of an emerging phenomenon that we like to call “environmental consciousness” and which we could define as the … Read more
False friends can change the meaning of your message. Avoid the pitfalls caused by these foes of effective communication. False friends look innocent. That is, until you use that familiar-sounding word in a foreign language, only to realize its meaning is different than you thought. Because your listener’s reaction makes it clear that you put … Read more
The language services industry is a sector that is vulnerable to attacks by ill-natured people who directly or indirectly aim at businesses, primarily to obtain economic benefits. Fraud is now a common occurrence in our society and we are all vulnerable to different types of attacks: telephone calls in which callers claim to represent a … Read more
