Day Translations Blog

Be On Your Guard, It's April Fools' Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:41:00 +0000

It's April Fools' Day once again. This year, April 1, the designated date for April Fools' or All Fools Day, falls on a Sunday. Coincidentally, it also falls on Palm Sunday, the traditional start of the Roman Catholic observance of Holy Week. But there is nothing holy about April Fools' Day.

Every April 1st, it is important to be on one's guard because certified jokesters, pranksters, hoaxers and punksters are surely cooking up devilish practical jokes that can cause some level of embarrassment to the victims of their childish gags. If you have family or friends who love to dish out practical jokes, make sure you are ready to take it or come up with your own before the day ends!

History of April Fools' Day

The origin of April Fools' Day is not set in stone. No one can seem to give a definite account as to why exactly April 1 was designated as Fools' Day. Several sources say April 1 was chosen because of the shift of New Year's Day. Thousands of years ago, New Year was not on January 1. There was a time when the first day of the year was celebrated sometime between the last week of March and first week of April. The Romans and the Hindus for instance started the year close to or on April 1 following the date of the vernal equinox. During the medieval times, New Year was set on the Feast of the Annunciation, which was on March 25. When the calendar was changed from Julian to Gregorian, by order of Pope Gregory XII in 1582, the first day of the year was moved to January 1.

The French was one of the first who adopted this change. But within France itself, not everyone knew about the change. There were also citizens who opposed the change outright. These were the people who continued to celebrate New Year's Day every April 1st. As a result, some of those who embraced the change played tricks on those who did not. The latter were often sent on "fool's errands" as a form of harassment. This harassment eventually evolved into prank playing, a practice that spread to England, Scotland and other parts of Europe. Eventually, the tradition of playing pranks on April Fools' Day landed on the shores of the New World and continues to this day.

Several sources mention other suspected origins of April Fools' Day. British writer Geoffrey Chaucer for instance is credited by some sources as the first person that made reference to trickery played on April 1. The ancient festival of Hilaria, a Roman tradition celebrated on March 25, is mentioned as a possible precursor to April Fools' Day. Pagan and Christian traditions, too are being connected to this day of fun and trickery. It is hard to say which of these supposed origins is the right one. The only thing certain today is that the practice of playing practical jokes during April 1 is widely accepted in many countries across the globe.

Days of trickery around the world

For those countries that observe April Fools' Day on April 1st, some only "allow" practical jokes to be played until noon while others let the pranks go on the whole day. In the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, anyone who dares to play a joke after the clock strikes at 12 noon is labeled the "April Fool." Traditionally, French and Italian youngsters arm themselves with paper fishes and tack these on other people's backs, hoping not to be noticed. They would then yell out "april fish!" in French ("poisson d'avril!") or Italian "pesce d'aprile!"

In other countries, practical jokes are played not on April 1st but on other days. Spain for instance celebrates "día de los Santos Inocentes" or the Day of the Holy Innocents on December 28. This day was believed to be the day when King Herod had the first male sons slaughtered during the time Jesus Christ was born. Thus, the day is also referred to as "Massacre of the Innocents." "Day of the Holy Innocents" is also observed in traditionally Catholic countries that were once ruled by Spain like Mexico and the Philippines. In Belgium, December 28 is Childermas or Holy Innocents' Day. The typical prank executed by children during this day is to lock their elders in a room. The children will only let out their elders if their elders pay a ransom in the form of treats, money, toys and other things.

The Persians, now todays Iranians, celebrate their New Year around the time of the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 21. Norouz or Persian New Year is typically the start of spring. Sizdah Bedar, the 13 day after New Year, traditionally falls on April 1, thus coinciding with April Fools' Day in other countries. There are many traditions on this day. One is called "Dorugh-e Sizdah" that means "the lie of the 13th." This is likened to the April Fools' Day tradition of tricking other people. On Sizdah Bedar, Iranians lie to others or play pranks on each other. Some believe that this prank-tradition is the oldest in the world since, according to one source; it dates back to 536 BC.

Prima aprilis (April 1 in Latin) serves as the day when the people of Poland would play pranks, practical jokes and hoaxes, a custom inherited from the Germans. It is expected that April 1 in Poland would be the time when naive people would find themselves believing fanciful stories and preyed upon by jokesters.

Hunt-the Gowk Day is April Fools' Day in the Scottish Isles. A "gowk" means cuckoo or foolish person. A person is usually sent on a fool's errand during this day. The "gowk" is basically given the run-around delivering a sealed message from person to person. The Danes and Swedes get to play jokes on others on April 1 and May 1.

In Korea, during the Joseon dynasty (1392 - 1897), the 1st snowy day of every year gave the members of the royal family and their courtiers leave to lie or fool one another. Bowls with snow were usually sent out to unsuspecting people. Anyone who received a gag bowl filled with snow needed to grant the wish of the sender. This was viewed as a harmless prank back then and it still continues today in modern day Korea.

Why is it called a practical joke?

Trick, prank, gag, shenanigan and jape all refer to one thing: a practical joke. It is a trick played with mischievous intention on another person for a variety of reasons. Some are just for fun while others are played to embarrass a person, put him in an uncomfortable situation or make him look or feel foolish. Depending on the practical joke, some jokes are lighthearted and harmless while others are downright cruel.

Why is it called practical? Because practical jokes are often physical in nature. These type of jokes are concrete rather than verbal or written in nature. An example of a practical joke is putting a whoopee cushion on the seat of the intended victim. This is usually done in a place where other people would be in hearing distance of the fart sound the whoopee cushion would make once sat on. Different types of novelty items are available and used widely by pranksters in their quest to get one over their intended victims. Fake vomit, fake poop, fake severed body parts, exploding cigarettes or cigars, hand buzzers, cockroach gums, itch powder and stink bombs are just a few gag items commonly used not only during April Fool's Day but anytime anyone wants to play a practical joke on an unsuspecting person.

Harmless hoaxes in the past

Days before April Fools' Day, people expect hoaxes to be played not just by ordinary people but also by companies, organizations and media outlets all in the spirit of fun. On the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) news program Panorama back in 1957, they ran a hoax involving Swiss peasants and, of all things, spaghetti. In the video, they showed gleeful peasants in Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from trees. The spaghetti harvest hoax was believed by many viewers, some of whom called the BBC to find out how they, too, can grow spaghetti! This hoax is the number 1 hoax in the Museum of Hoaxes list of "Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time."

Fast food giants Taco Bell and Burger King played pranks, too on their customers. In 1996, a full-page advertisement ran in the New York Times stating that Taco Bell acquired the historic Liberty Bell. As a result, the company was going to rename it "Taco Liberty Bell." Of course many Americans were up in arms. By 12 noon of April 1 that year, it was announced by Taco Bell that the whole thing was a hoax. The hoax was such a successful marketing ploy that it generated so much free publicity for the fast food giant. The Museum of Hoaxes lists the Taco Bell hoax as number 4 in its "Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time."

In 1998, Burger King announced that on April 1 a new burger called the "Left-Handed Whopper" was to rollout of its restaurants. What's so special about this particular Whopper? The burger chain said that this burger was engineered in a way that the condiments would slide out from the right side instead of the left side of the burger. Many went to order the "Left-Handed Whopper." Of course there was no such Whopper.

British mogul Sir Richard Branson pulled his own prank a day before April Fools' Day in 1989. Outside of London, motorists saw what appeared to be a flying saucer making its descent on the city. Unfortunately, instead of the UFO landing in Hyde Park as originally planned by Bronson, the craft landed in a small field outside of London. The police who responded to calls made by locals found not ET but the chairman of Virgin Records stepping out of his saucer looking hot air balloon.

Popular pranksters who do not wait for April Fools' Day

Aside from Branson, there are a number of celebrities known for playing pranks on their co-workers, friends and anyone else they could fool. These are people who do not wait for April Fools' Day to victimize some hapless, unsuspecting individuals. Actors Mel Gibson and George Clooney are well-known pranksters. Brad Pitt, one of Clooney's closest pals, is often the target of his pranks. But Pitt himself can dish out creative pranks of his own. Will Ferrell, Sarah Silverman and Sacha Baron Cohen have had their share of foolery and pranks throughout their lives.

Kudos should go to actor Ashton Kutcher for making money from pranking and punking famous celebrities. Kutcher was host of the MTV show "Punk'd" where celebrities find themselves at the receiving end of practical jokes. But before Kutcher, there was Allen Funt, the creator of Candid Camera. The show used hidden cameras to capture practical jokes played on ordinary citizens. Candid Camera had a successful run from 1948 to 2004.

On April Fools' Day, don't be played for a fool! If you plan to be the one dishing out the jokes, make sure they are fun and lighthearted, not mean and cruel. On the other hand, if you find yourself in the fool's shoes, be good-natured about it. You can always exact revenge on your jokester next year.

Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. will never play you for a fool. They will always tell you the truth and provide you with 100% professional translation and interpretation services. Your complete trust in their services is important to them. So, don't hesitate to contact them any day of the year, including on April 1st.

Be One With the Earth on Earth Hour 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:22:00 +0000

Mark the date: Saturday, March 31, 2012. Mark the time: 8:30 to 9:30 in the evening (local time zone). The event? Earth Hour 2012! Join billions of people worldwide in supporting Mother Earth through Earth Hour 2012! Help heal the planet by switching off all non-essential lights. It's one way to visibly show your commitment to the planet Earth in slowing down the negative consequences of global warming and climate change.

The very first Earth Hour was held in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Now, on its 6th year, Earth Hour has moved beyond the Australian continent and is an anticipated global event that is eagerly participated in by people who have committed themselves to protecting the planet. Each year, Earth Hour organizers and supporters encourage and urge people to be part of this worldwide initiative. It is a worthwhile campaign that everyone should be part of. After all, the global warming and climate change will affect each and every person's way of life.

The Earth is running a fever

Earth, the third planet from the sun is suffering from a fever. Its temperature is continuing to rise resulting in a condition called global warming. The oceans alone are 50% warmer today compared to before. This global warming is affecting the climate. Although the Earth's climate has been changing since the dawn of time, today's climate changes are not only due to natural causes but are also caused by the way people have chosen to live and survive on the planet.

Over a century ago, the industrial revolution brought about the use of coal, oil and naturally occurring gases. People needed these energy sources to power factories, vehicles, machineries, and light their homes. The world has been relying heavily on fossil fuels to keep the world running. Unfortunately when burning these fossil fuels to create energy, carbon dioxide (a type of greenhouse gas) is released into the Earth's atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane (which naturally exist in the Earth's atmosphere) do not allow heat to escape the atmosphere. This is a good thing because type of gases keeps the planet warm enough so that plants, animals and humans can continue to live on this planet. However, when humans, through their inventions and way of life, add extra greenhouse gases, that's when Earth's global warming becomes an environmental issue. This rise in temperature affects the climate and distorts the delicate balance enjoyed on land, in seas and within the atmosphere. A warmer Earth can cause ice shelves to melt causing massive flooding; catastrophic changes in weather patterns that can harm plants, animals and people; and, other negative effects on the natural environment of the planet.

This is why scientists, environmentalists, educators, economists, politicians, business leaders, governmental and non-governmental organizations, celebrities and ordinary citizens who care for the planet continually trying to find ways, according to their own capabilities, to spread the word about global warming and climate change, including its devastating effects and what steps each and everyone can take to reduce their carbon foot-print.

So much information about global warming and climate change is available not only on the web but also from books, periodicals, videos and other media formats. Make sure to take the time to educate yourself about these topics.

The idea of Earth Hour was born

The Aussies in the Land Down Under were responsible for this simple, doable and concrete environmental campaign. The seed of the idea was planted way back in 2004. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Australian started to look for ways to rally the people of Australia to take on climate change. The project that they came up with was entitled "The Big Flick." It was a project that gave everyone the opportunity to personally make them responsible and accountable for the Earth's future.

By 2006, plans for the Earth Hour campaign were in its final stages. In the same year, the eye-opening documentary of former United States Vice President Al Gore, "An Inconvenient Truth," came out. Suddenly, climate change and global warming were becoming buzzwords. Also that year, the Stern Report came out outlining the effects of both buzzwords on the global economy. Government sat up and took notice because an economist and not a scientist was giving out warnings on what will happen should the world not take seriously the effects of climate change on the quality of life here on Earth.

Finally, in 2007, Sydney, Australia became the first venue for Earth Hour. On March 31 of that year, Earth Hour commenced at 7:30 in the evening one hour after. An estimated 2.2 million Sydney citizens (children to adults, powerful CEOs, politicians, celebrities, business leaders and business owners) flicked the switch in order to shut off non-essential lights. It was estimated that about 2,100 businesses in Sydney joined the campaign.

For the following year, the plan was to bring Earth Hour to other locations within Australian. But as fate would have it, what begun as a uniquely Australian movement quickly became a movement that would be embraced by the rest of the world. Toronto, Canada was the first to join Australia in this unique event. Soon, around 400 cities and towns (within 35 nations) across the globe pledged to put off their lights. A global initiative for the planet was born.

Earth Hour is always held sometime during the last weekend of March. Why? Because this is when the Spring equinox and the Autumn equinox occur. At this time, in both hemispheres, sunrise and sunset are nearly exactly 12 hours away from each other.

This makes certain that majority of the cities joining the global event would be in darkness as the movement went from location to location around the world.

The years that followed the first Earth Hour

In 2007, the organizers of Earth Hour probably had no idea just how huge their campaign was going to get. By 2008, 371 cities representing over 35 countries switched off their lights from 8 pm to 9 pm. Earth Hour 2008 was held on March 29. The conservative estimate of the number of people who participated in this unique event was 50 million.

The following year, Earth Hour began at 8:30 pm on March 28, 2009 and ended at 9:30 pm. The estimated number of people who joined Earth Hour on this Saturday night was in the hundreds of millions. The participants represented over 4,000 locations in 88 countries.

The 2010 Earth Hour was held on March 27 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. A record breaking 128 nations as well as territories joined the campaign against global warming. Iconic landmarks and renowned buildings across the globe were enveloped in darkness for one hour. Some of these buildings and landmarks that switched off their lights in 2010 were:

Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia)

Parthenon (Athens, Greece)

Big Ben (London, United Kingdom)

Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)

Forbidden City (Beijing, China)

Brandenburg Gate (Berlin, Germany)

Last year's Earth Hour was kick started in New Zealand and Fiji and ended in Samoa, in the South Pacific. It was held on March 26, 2011 with 1.8 billion citizens from a whopping 5,251 cities and towns, representing 135 countries participating in the event. The countries that officially joined Earth Hour last year were Azerbaijan, Chad, Gibraltar, Iran, Jamaica, Lebanon, Lesotho, Palestine, Suriname, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Trinidad and Tobago and Uzbekistan. The rise in number of participants (people, businesses, buildings and landmarks) for this global event affirmed the notion that people do care about the issue of global warming and climate change.

2011 also marked the launching of Beyondthehour.org, which gives people a venue for them to recount their personal stories, offer their own suggestions on to help the cause, and make personal pledges for the healing Mother Earth.

The different social networking sites have greatly contributed to getting more people involved in Earth Hour. These sites helped push Earth Hour in the consciousness of its users and fans. There is no doubt that Earth Hour 2012, which is scheduled for 8:30 in the evening on Saturday March 31 will surely break last year's record in terms of number of participants.

New to Earth Hour?

You don't have to put every light off (although do so if you can). Lights out or flicking the switch means turning off lights that are considered non-essential in your homes or offices. If you own a business or your company or facility would like to join the cause, talk to you building manager about turning off all non-essential lighting during Earth Hour.

You may want to plan ahead for Earth Hour. Organize a get together with family and friends for Saturday night. While enjoying the hour of darkness, instead of swapping ghost stories, brainstorm about what other sustainable steps you can all do to help stop the ill effects of climate change.

How YOU can propel Earth Hour's noble cause

It is so easy! Call people, text people, send emails, instant messages and more informing them of this global campaign for the planet. If you are into social networking via the Internet, click the "Like" button on the Earth Hour Facebook page and invite friends to "like" it, too. You can also follow Earth Hour's Twitter account at @earthhour. Another way to raise awareness is to add the Earth Hour logo to your webpage or the web banner to your site. Make a wallpaper tribute to Earth Hour for your desktop, laptop or tablet computer. You can also add links to Earth Hour and WWF sites on your website or post videos related to this environmental movement.

If your city or town or even country hasn't signed up yet for Earth Hour, start the ball rolling and become an organizer for Earth Hour! Visit Beyondthehour.org for details.

The organizers behind Earth Hour challenge everyone to step out of their comfort zones and accept a dare or two. The "I Will If You Will" challenge, which you can find on Earth Hour Global Channel on YouTube, is a good way to find out if you are up to the task of walking the talk when it comes to doing your share for the planet.

There are several challenges to choose. Some are truly unique, some are fun and engaging, and some have concrete impacts on the environment. Victoria Secret Model, wife and mother, Miranda Kerr's challenge is for 500 people to upload their own "I Will If You Will" challenge. If her challenge is met, she will conduct a free yoga class. The Washington D.C. Climate Change team is challenging 500 people to dare their respective mayors to prepare for the impacts of climate change. If 500 people accept their challenge, the team will organize a flash mob and post a video of this seemingly spontaneous dance performance on the web. If no challenge is challenging enough for you, you can create your own and challenge other Earth lovers out there.

Going beyond the Earth Hour

Earth Hour is just the starting point. Everyone should go beyond Earth Hour by committing to reducing his or her own negative effects on the environment. Some ways you can help the planet heal itself are:

- Turning off lights when not in use

- Using energy saving light bulbs

- Installing motion sensor lighting fixtures

- Turning off electrical appliances and electronic gadgets when such items are not in use for a long time

- Practice: Recycle, Reuse and Reduce

- Join (or even organize) groups within your community and your workplace that are focused on creating and implementing programs that combat climate change

- Register your commitment to Earth Hour via the Earthhour.org website

The effects of global warming have started long ago. Unfortunately, people are only starting to sit up and take notice now. Global warming is a clear and present threat to the existence of all life on Earth. The time to commit to fighting the devastating effects of global warming and climate change is now. This environmental problem does not rest only on the shoulders of scientists, environmentalists, politicians, and celebrities, the World Wildlife Fund, 1st world countries or Fortune 500 businesses. Climate change affects people of all ages, genders, races, social and economic standings, political leanings and religious beliefs.

The damage that global warming and climate change have wrought in the past cannot be undone. But by doing your share and working with others, it is possible to mitigate the future effects of this impending disaster. Remember that nothing is unachievable if billions of people band together for a common cause.

Be part of the solution today! Go beyond putting off the lights during this year's Earth Hour. Work on creating and pursuing sustainable measures to combat global warming and climate change.

Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. support Earth Hour. Join them on Saturday, March 31, at 8:30 pm for this global environmental event.

Über and Other German Loanwords

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 05:35:00 +0000

"Oprah is so über rich!"
"Those boots are über-hot!"
"My car is über fast, not to mention über sleek."
"What an über-difficult exam that was!"

Outside of Germany, the word "über" has been used more than enough times in the media and by teenagers, young adults and those wanting to be part of the hip and in crowd. What does the word über mean and where did it come from?

Über is a loanword from the German language. It is both a prefix and a word in its own right. The letter "u" has an umlaut (two dots above the letter) when spelled. As a loanword in English, über is most often used to emphasize something, to say that something is big, superior or over the top, among other things. It über denotes an increase in quantity or elevation. Über can also mean elite, superior, predominant, over, and something in excess. The actual meaning of the word über will always depend on the context in which the word is used. It is a widely used loanword in pop culture that is sometimes spelled in English as "uber" or "ueber" and appended to a word either with or without a dash.

Über's entrance into the English language

Credit is often given to Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher, for the introduction of the German term über into popular culture. Nietzsche used the word "Übermensch" in one of his philosophical writings in order to describe the more elevated state of being that men should aspire for in life. This was back in 1883. English playwright George Bernard Shaw, imported the term via his play Man and Superman (1903); the word "superman" being used at times as a translation for Nietzsche's "Übermensch."

Adolf Hitler was said to have used Nietzsche's "Übermensch" to describe the Aryan master race. Jewish American Jerry Siegel, a comic book creator, picked up the term and used it in "The Reign of the Super-Man," a short story he wrote in 1933. In Siegel's story, Superman was not yet a champion of good but an evil mastermind." Joseph Shuster, the man who illustrated Siegel's short story, worked with Siegel to revamp the Superman character. Finally, in June1938, the superhero Superman made his first appearance in Action Comics as a champion for peace and justice.

One Internet source attributes the entrance of über into the English language to a punk band in the 80s called Dead Kennedys. One of their songs is entitled "California Uber Alles." Another source credits the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer with popularizing the word über among the younger generation. The title character of the series, Buffy, together with her friends, had to fight Turok-Han vampires, nicknamed übervamps, in the final last season of the widely popular series. Print media outside of Germany have been using the word über for many years. Time, Newsweek, Rolling Stones and various fashion magazines have at one time or another used über in their articles. It was not uncommon to hear media-hungry American celebrity wannabes spewing über once in a while.

Is über über used?

The word über has evolved in its usage beyond Nietzsche's original intention. Unfortunately, borrowed words more often than not do not retain their subtleties when used within another language. The original word's real purpose is not fulfilled when transported to a different language.

From movies to television to newspapers and magazines, when people want to refer to something of great quantity, superiority or excess, they would at times use the word über. Some like to use the word über in place of the word super, hyper or mega. Constant use of über can become irritating. For example, hearing teens and young adults saying something is "über hot," "über fun," or "über cute" annoy a lot of people who believe that there are better words in the English language to use instead of the German über.

In fact, in 2005, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) included über in its Banished Words List for that year. Every year since 1976, LSSU comes out with a List of Banished Words. The words that make it to this infamous list are words that have been overused in media and elsewhere. People have been voting for the banishment of über for many years already. But it was only in 2005 that the German import landed on the Banished Words List. It seemed that people were just over the whole "replace all words synonymous to super, big, superior, and amazing with über."

Other German loanwords

Über is not the only German word that has crept into the English language. There are others that you may be using without knowing that it is part of the language from Deutschland.

Why borrow words? For the simple reason that some words in one language do not have an exact translation in another language. English borrows a lot of words from different languages such as French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese. English, which is a Germanic language, borrowed quite a number of German words, mostly nouns, verbs and adjectives.

Some of the loanwords from the German language used in English communication today are:

Angst - anxiety or deep fear within one's self

Blitzkrieg - "lightning war" is the literal translation but used to mean fast strategy or swift offensive in English

Bratwurst - type of sausage

Delikatessen - shop selling prepared or ready-to-eat foods

Doppelgänger - a look-alike of another person

Frankfurter - another type of sausage

Gestalt - literally means "shape or form" but the word is used in psychology as well as philosophy to refer to wholeness as a result of individual concepts coming together

Gesundheit - translated as "health" but used instead of the phrase "bless you!" after a person sneezes

Kaputt - means broken

Kitsch - describes an item that is gaudy, cheap or sentimental

Kindergarten - translation is "children garden" but used in English to refer to a place or educational institution where young children begin their education

Poltergeist - a ghost that is noisy and disruptive ghost

Pretzel - salty food made from baked dough

Sauerkraut - a boiled cabbage dish

Wanderlust - a person's yearning to go places or travel

Zeitgeist - literal translation is "time ghost" but is used in English to describe the prevailing political and cultural trends of a particular time in history

These are but a few of the borrowed words from the German language. Borrowing words will continue to be the norm especially as the world grows smaller and smaller due to globalization and the Internet. Know which words in your language are borrowed and learn how to use them properly. That way, you neither misuse words nor über use them.

Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. know when to use and not to use the word über and other loanwords in their work. If you want to have accurate translations or interpretations of your documents and oral communications, count only on them to do the job for you. Visit their websites to find out more about their über services.

Women on the Guinness World Records

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:25:00 +0000

March is National Women's History Month! Klieg lights are focused on what contributions women are responsible for both in the past and in today's society. In nations like the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, events are lined up to give tribute to women who have done great things not only for womankind but for the whole world as well.

This is such an appropriate time to look into the Guinness World Records (known as the Guinness Book of World Records until 2001) and see what the records held by women are. Some of the women who are part of the short list below (there's a lot more in the Guinness website) excelled in their respective fields like science, entertainment, politics, sports, etc. Others are on the list simply because they are special women in their own right. So here's to the Women on the Guinness World Records!

First Female President

Guinness records list Sun Yat-sen's widow, Soong Ching Ling, as the first female to become head of state of any republic. Known worldwide as Madame Sun Yat-sen, she was Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and subsequently became acting co-Chairman of the PRC from 1968 to 1972. Before her death, she held the office once again in 1981 as Honorary President.

However, Guinness also recognized another woman as the first female president of a republic. This woman was Gen. Juan Perón' s widow, María Estela Martínez de Perón. Isabelita, as she was commonly known, became president on July 1, 1974 when her husband died. She stayed in office only for 2 years. A military coup deposed her from her presidency on March 24, 1976.

Longest Serving Female Prime Minister

Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, gave the world its First Woman Prime Minister (at least in the modern times) She was Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike. Prime Minister Bandaranaike also holds the record for Longest Tenure for a Woman Prime Minister. This was from 1960 to 2000.

First British Female MP

In 1918, Madame Constance Georgine Markievicz was the first woman to gain a seat in the British House of Commons. However, she never took her seat apparently due to her Irish Republican views. Viscountess Astor, who won in 1919 as Member of Parliament (MP) for Plymouth Sutton, was the first woman to officially sit as an MP.

First Female Four-Star General

Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody is the U.S. Military's first female four-star general. She was 55 (in 2008) when she received her unprecedented promotion. General Dunwoody is Commander of the Army Material Command. She overseas the task of sending equipment and supplies to U.S. military commands worldwide.

First Female to Be First Lady of More Than One Country

Today, people know Graca Machel as the third wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela. She married Mandela in July 18, 1998. But Machel was once the spouse of the Samora Machel, who was President of Mozambique from 1975 up to 1986. But beyond being famous because of her association to presidents of two different countries, Machel is a humanitarian who advocates for women and children's rights. She speaks Tsonga, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.

First Female Nobel Prize Winner

Everyone who passed elementary knows Marie Curie. She was the first woman awarded a Nobel Prize in Physics. French born Curie was working with Pierre Curie, her husband, on Professor Henri Becquerel's radiation phenomena. The Nobel Prize in Physics, which was awarded to all 3 of them in 1903, was divided into two. One half for Becquerel and the other was jointly awarded to the husband and wife team.

First Woman to Win the Nobel Prize for Literature

Selma Lagerlöf of Sweden was bestowed the Nobel Prize for literature back in 1909. She was a teacher with a passion for writing. One of her best works was Gösta Berlings Saga. Lagerlöf was born in 1858 and died on 1940.

Most Olympic Medals in Single Games

Maria Gorokhovskaya, a native of Ukraine, was an accomplished gymnast. During the Helsinki Olympics in Finland back in 1952, she bagged 2 gold medals and 5 bronze medals.

Most Olympic Medals Won

Larisa Semyonovna Latynina, who represented the USSR, won the most Olympic medals. This was from 1956 and 1964. Latynina's medal count was 18. That's 9 golds, 5 silvers and 4 bronze medals. Latynina also has the Guinness record for winning the most Olympic gold medals for an individual event. She won a total of 9 gold medals, 4 in 1956, 3 in 1960 and 2 in 1964 all for gymnastics.

First Woman to Play with the Harlem Globetrotters

The world-renowned Harlem Globetrotters, a group of highly skilled basketball entertainers has always been an all male group, at least until 1985. On January 1, 1985, Lynette Woodard, the 1984 team captain of the U.S. Olympic Basketball Women's Team, joined the Harlem Globetrotters to entertain the world through basketball.

First Woman to Lead the Indianapolis 500

High-speed car racing is not just for men. Danica Patrick became the very first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500, not once, not twice, but thrice. This was in May of 2005. She wasn't the first woman on the tracks but among her female counterparts, she had the highest start and finish in the event's history.

First Woman to Fly an Airplane with Her Feet

Everyone is in awe of Jessica Cox. This Filipino American was born on February 2, 1983, without arms. Yet, on October 10, 2008, she received her pilot's license to fly a plane. Her license allows her to fly light-sport aircrafts up to 10,000 feet. She controls a plane with both her feet. Because of this extraordinary feat (no pun intended), Jessica is a good role model and the perfect motivational speaker not only for young girls but also for anyone who has challenges that they need to overcome.

First Female to Break the Sound Barrier

Men have flown faster than Mach 1 (the sound barrier) many times over before American Jacqueline Cochran broke the sound barrier herself. This female aviator flew a jet-powered aircraft past Mach 1 on May 18, 1953. Born in 1906, Cochran set speed records during her time as a female aviator. In 1967, when Cochran was 60 years old, she achieved 8 speed records proving that age was just a number.

First Female to Fly Across the Atlantic Solo

Who doesn't know the name Amelia Earhart? This Kansas native was a true trailblazer for womankind. From May 20 -21, 1932, Earhart made her first transatlantic flight on a single-engine Lockheed Vega. It took her 13 hours and 30 minutes to complete her solo flight across the vast Atlantic Ocean starting from Newfoundland, Canada to Northern Ireland. Earhart made 2 attempts to circumnavigate the globe without success. She was lost at sea sometime during her second attempt on July 2, 1937. To this day, no one knows what happened to Earhart and her navigator.

First Female to Sail Around the World Solo and Non-Stop

Australian Kay Cottee left Sydney, Australia on the yacht christened First Lady on November 29, 1987. On June 5, 1988, after 189 days, she returned to become the first woman to sail around the globe alone and non-stop.

First Female Combat Pilot

Sabiha Gökçen was born in Turkey. She was the adopted daughter of former Turkish President Mustafa Kamal Atatürk. Gökçen was schooled in the Eskisehir's Military Aviation Academy where she became an aviator and subsequently the world's first woman combat pilot. All in all, she flew 32 combat missions out of her 8,000 flight hours.

First Female to Row Two Oceans Solo

Rowing across the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean is no simple task. But, Roz Savage accomplished it on June 3, 2010. Savage, a British national, took 103 days, 5 hours and 43 minutes to cross the Atlantic. Her row across the Pacific took about 249 days.

First Woman in Space and First Woman To Do a Spacewalk

USSR's Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova was the first female cosmonaut to orbit planet Earth. Her journey in space began on June 16, 1963 aboard Vostok 6. The spacecraft, which made 48 orbits, landed on June 19.

The first woman to perform a spacewalk was Svetlana Savitskaya, also from the USSR. Savitskaya had the additional distinction of being the second female cosmonaut in space. This was on July 25, 1984. She was part of the Soyuz T12/Salyut 7 mission.

First Female to Win an Oscar for Best Director

One-time wife of mega-director James Cameron, Kathryn Bigelow, became the first woman to ever receive an Academy Award for Best Director. This was on March 7, 2010, for her movie Hurt Locker. Ironically, Cameron was also nominated in the same category that year for his blockbuster movie Avatar.

Oldest Female Author

Sarah Louise Delaney penned the book entitled "The Delany Sister's Book of Everyday Wisdom" together with her sister Elizabeth. Louise was 105 when the book was published in 1994 while Elizabeth was 103.

First Billion-Dollar Author

The Harry Potter Series (7 books in all) was J.K. Rowling's ticket to the billion-dollar club. A citizen of the United Kingdom, Rowling made money not only from the sales of her novels but also from the Harry Potter movies and other business ventures related to her best selling books. Harry Potter books have been translated into 55 languages.

One last record that may be interesting to mention but has nothing to do with a female Guinness record holder is the record for the Most Male Dominated Society. According to Guinness, the autonomous republic of Mount Athos, which is a peninsula in Greece, is not accessible to females. There are 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries on Mount Athos and a number of dependencies. It is said that the reason for the ban on females is to make living a celibate life easier for the monks. But what is interesting is that, according to the Guinness website, female domestic animals are part of this ban!

Oldest Female Bodybuilder

She is not your typical bodybuilder. Ernestine Shepherd, who was born in the U.S. on June 16, 1936, has the distinction of being the oldest competitive female bodybuilder. At 74, she can put any young woman (and man) to shame with her six-pack, her strength, stamina and zest for life.

Oldest Person to Climb Mt Everest (Female)

Proving that no one is too old to climb, Japanese Tamae Watanabe reached the top of the highest mountain in the world on May 16, 2002 at exactly 9:55 in the morning. She was 63 years and 177 days old at that time.

Oldest Female to Climb the Seven Summits Including Kosciuszko

Climbing the seven summits of the world is any serious mountain climber's dream. The seven summits are: Mount Everest (Asia), Denali AKA Mount McKinley (North America), Aconcagua (South America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Vinson (Antarctica), Mount Elbrus (Europe), and Mount Kosciuszko (Australia) or Carstensz Pyramid (Australasia/Oceania).

Jeanne Stawiecki of the United States climbed all of them. Her last was Mt. Everest in Nepal. This was on May 22, 2007. Stawiecki was 57 years old and 36 days when she reached the famous summit. On top of this, Stawiecki has completed marathons in all continents.

Most Ascents of Mt Everest By a Woman

When Nepalese Lakpa Sherpa reached the summit of Mt. Everest on June 2, 2005, she became the woman to beat in the category Most Ascents of Mt Everest (Female). Her American husband, George Demarescu, was with her when she established the record. Demarescu was on his 7th climb of Mt Everest at that time. During her 2003 climb, Sherpa was with her sister Ming Kipa Sherpa, who because the youngest person to conquer the tallest mountain of the world.

In the Guinness World Records you will find more women who have done extraordinary things as well as women who broke records for simply being who they are. There are many other records that women hold that are not even part of the Guinness list. During this Women's History Month, remember the great women in recent history and in the past who have made contributions, both big and small, to the world that you now live in. Women break records everyday. Although not all of these records make it to the Guinness World Records, they are still special and important to the women and the people who love and support them.

Oldest Person (Female) and Oldest Actress

Jeanne Louise Calment has seen it all. Or at least she saw more than most people will ever see in their lifetime. Guinness has her in two records, Oldest Person (Female) and Oldest Actress. Calment was born in France on February 21, 1875 and died on August 4, 1977. She lived for 122 years and 164 days.

Calment saw two world wars, the development of modern cars, airplanes, television and other items and the fast-paced changing of the world around her. World events (social, political, economic, etc.) passed her by and she was quoted as saying that her life was too short. She once said that she met the great artist, Vincent Van Gogh. She acted in a film playing herself when she was 114 years of age. The film was Vincent and Me.

Her lifestyle was far from sedentary. At 85, she took up fencing. At 100, she could still ride a bike. Calment enjoyed life to the fullest and it showed. One time French President Jacques Chirac referred to Calment as the grandmother to the French people.

Oldest Living Female

American Besse Cooper is one for the books. She is the oldest living person today at 115 years and 200 days (and counting). She hails from Tennessee but now lives in Georgia. Cooper's husband Luther died in 1963. She has 4 children and a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Shortest Woman (Living)

When Jyoti Amge from India was measured last December 2011, she was only 24.7 inches or 62.8 centimeters high. Jyoti's measurements were done the same day she turned 18. Bridgette Jordan, a native of Illinois, U.S.A, held this record previously.

Shortest Woman

Pauline Musters of The Netherlands was born on February 26, 1876. Nicknamed Princess Pauline, she died at the tender age of 19 in New York City. Her measurement at the time of her death, which was on Mar 1 1895, was 24 inches or 63 centimeters.

Tallest Woman (Living)

On January 1, 2010, representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records found the tallest woman alive in China. Her name is Yao Defen. Defen stands at 7 feet and 7 inches or 233.3 centimeters.

Tallest Woman

The Tallest Woman ever was also from China. Her name was Zeng Jinlian from the province of Hunan. She was measured at 8 feet and 1.75 inches or 2.48 meters at the time of her death on February 13, 1982.

Shortest Woman to Give Birth

American Stacey Herald is the shortest woman to give birth. She measures 28.5 inches or 72.39 centimeters. Her first child was born on October 21, 2006 followed by another child on January 1, 2008. Another child followed in November of 2009.

Oldest Woman to Give Birth to Her Grandchildren

Yes, to her grandchildren. Jacilyn Dalenberg of the U.S.A. was the surrogate for Kim Coseno, Dalenberg's daughter. Dalenberg delivered her daughter's three baby girls on October 11, 2008 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Most Children Delivered at a Single Birth to Survive

Nadya Suleman owns the record for most children delivered at a single birth where all infants survived. On January 26, 2009, Suleman gave birth to 6 boys and 2 girls in California. Conceived via In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), the 8 children were delivered via Caesarian section. The media christened Suleman as Octomom. Apart from the octuplets, Nadya has 6 more children. That's a total of 14 children in all for the Octomom.

Longest Beard on a Female Living Person

Vivian Wheeler's beard made headlines when her beard was measured on April 8, 2011. This American woman's beard was 10.04 inches or 25.5 centimeters long starting from the follicle all the way up to the tip of the beard.

Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. may not be part of any Guinness World Records but they do their best in their area of expertise: translation and interpretation. Contact them each time you need professional translation and interpretation services. You'll be sure to receive nothing less than highly professional work.

South Africa's 11 Official Languages

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:37:00 +0000

Though South Africa is far from Bolivia's record of having the most number of official languages (that's 30 official languages for Bolivia), South Africa is probably in the top five. The country has 11 official languages recognized by its Constitution. Why is this so? Most likely for the simple reason that South Africa is a very diverse country in terms of its people and culture.

South Africa sits at the southernmost tip of the African continent. It is bordered by the Indian and Atlantic oceans as well as by the countries Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland. South Africa, which is formally referred to as the Republic of South Africa, is populated by multiple ethnicities with diverse languages and cultures. Almost 80% of the country is made up of black Africans. The country also has large European and Asian (mostly Indian) communities. Due to the long history of the country, there are communities of racially mixed ancestry that call South Africa their home. Of the 11 official languages, two have been traced back to European languages.

Afrikaans

Afrikaans, previously known as Cape Dutch, originated from Dutch dialects of the 17th century making it one of the two official languages with a European origin. In its linguistic evolution, Afrikaans has adopted several words from Bantu languages (spoken in areas of east, central and southern Africa), Khoisan languages (spoken by southern African ethnic groups) and from Malay and Portuguese. But the bulk of Afrikaans is 90% to 95% Dutch in origin.

Native Afrikaans speakers comprise 13.35% of the population (almost 6 million people) based on the 2001 census. This makes it the 3rd most used mother tongue in South Africa. With its wide racial and geographical distribution, this West Germanic language is widely understood and spoken by members of the population who speak a different mother tongue. Apart from South Africa, Afrikaans is also spoken in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana.

English

After the Dutch, the British ruled South Africa. The Cape was seized in 1795, thwarting the advances of the French. In 1803, the Dutch once more gained control of South Africa. But by 1806, the British were back once again. The British brought with them their language, English, the second language from Europe.

English, also a West Germanic language, is the language of business, commerce and government. It is a subject taught in all schools and used as a medium of instruction in a number of educational institutions. But even so, in a 2001 census, only a mere 8.2% (3.67 million) of the South African population speak English.

Just like in other countries that have adopted English as part of their language pool, South African English has words and phrases that cannot be found in British English or American English. These South African English words came from other languages and dialects of Africa like Afrikaans. South African English also has words coming from Indian languages.

Ndebele

The Ndebele language is classified under the Bantu languages, specifically with the Nguni group. There are several variants of the Ndebele language. The South African Ndebele or IsiNdebele, which is spoken by the amaNdebele (South African Ndebele people), is considered closer to the Zulu language. A tonal language, Ndebele speakers in South Africa constitute only about 1.6% of the whole population based the 2001 census. Ndebele is heard in the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Northwest region.

Northern Sotho

There are several names by which Northern Sotho goes by. Northern Sotho is the English name; Sesotho sa Leboa is the name of the language among its indigenous speakers. Northern Sotho also goes by the names Pedi and sePedi. As of the 2006 census, there were 4.1 million Northern Sotho speakers in South Africa. This figure is not far from the 2001 census. In fact, the number of speakers of this language is higher back in 2001 with 4.2 million people, representing 9.39% of the South African population back then. Northern Sotho is spoken in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces. It is the 4th most common South African language.

Southern Sotho

Southern Sotho is sometimes referred to as Sesotho, Southern Sesotho, Suto, Souto, Suthu, Souto or Sotho language. It is the most spoken language in the Free State, which is located right at the border of Lesotho. Southern Sotho is also spoken in the province of Gauteng and in the North West. In the Kingdom of Lesotho, Sesotho is one of its official languages together with English. The 2001 census in South Africa puts the number of speakers of Southern Sotho to 7.93% of the total population, which is roughly 3.5 million. It is also the 2nd or 3rd language of part of the population in Johannesburg as well as Soweto and Tshwane.

Swazi

Also known as Swati, sisSwati or isiSwazi, Swazi is one of the Bantu languages spoken in South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique. According to the 2001 census, approximately 1.19 million people (2.7% of the population) in South Africa speak the language. Most Swati speakers are found in the area of eastern Mpumalanga at the border of Swaziland. Other speakers are in Gauteng province. In the Kingdom of Swaziland, Swazi and English are the official languages. Swazi is related to other Bantu Nguni languages like Northern Ndebele, Xhosa and Zulu, which are official languages in South Africa.

Tswana

The other name for Tsawana is Setswana. Spoken by 8.2% (3.67 million) of the South African population as stated in the census of 2001, this language is a Bantu language that serves as one of the two official languages of Botswana (English is the other). Tswana speakers are also found in Namibia and Zimbabwe. In South Africa, most Tswana speakers are in the North West, which borders Botswana. It is also spoken in the following areas: Northern Cape, Gauteng and Free State. A number of Shakespeare's works have been translated into Tsawana.

Tsonga

The number of Xitsonga or Tsonga speakers in South Africa according to the census of 2001 is about 1.9 million or 4.44% of the population. Many of the Tsonga speakers can be found in the area of the Limpopo River Valley. Gauteng and Mpumalanga are the other provinces where you can find Tsonga speakers. Tsonga, at one time or another has been referred to as Tonga, Thonga, Shitsonga, Shangaan and Shagana. Outside South Africa, it is spoken in some areas of Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Venda

Tshivenda, Chivenda and Luvenda are the other names for this Bantu language. The Venda people speak it. The number of native speakers counts for a minority compared to speakers of the other official languages. The 2001 census shows that roughly 1 million South Africans, representing 2.3 % of the total population, speak the language. Most of these Venda speakers are in the Limpopo province while others lived in Gauteng. Venda speakers are also present in Zimbabwe.

Xhosa

Both spoken in South Africa and Lesotho, in 2001, the number of Xhosa speakers in South Africa registered at 7.9 million (17.64% of the population). A 3rd of its native speakers are in the Eastern Cape. Others are in the Western Cape, Free State, North West and the province of Gaunteng. Xhosa, a Bantu language, uses the Latin alphabet in its written form. It is similar to Zulu. Alternate names for Xhosa are Xosa and Koosa.

Zulu

The 2001 census states that 23.8% of the total population of South Africa speaks Zulu or Zunda. That translates to roughly 10.67 million inhabitants. Among all the languages spoken in South Africa, Zulu is the most common. This is because the largest ethnic group in the country is the Zulu people. The Zulu nation rose into renown back in the earlier part of the 19th century. In Zulu, the language is referred to as isiZulu. This language is widely understood within South Africa and spoken in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. It is present in all the provinces of South Africa in varying degrees of usage. In 2005, more than 50% of the population understood Zulu language.

Going by the 2001 census, the most widely spoken language among the 11 official languages of South Africa is Zulu, followed by Xhosa and Afrikaans.

Unofficial languages

Below are several unofficial languages recognized by the South African nation. These are used officially, although in a limited capacity, in places where these unofficial languages are somewhat widespread.

Fanagalo

Khoe

Lobedu

Nama

Northern Ndebele

Phuti

San

South African Sign Language

European languages

Because of the population of white South Africans, there are several European languages being spoken in the country. These are:

Arabic

Portuguese

German

Greek

French

Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Telugu and Gujarati

Other South Asian languages

The number of official and unofficial languages (and dialects) spoken in South Africa attests to its rich culture. Different communities make up the nation of South Africa, making it a fertile melting pot of ethnic groups. Hopefully, as the population of the country grows, so does the number of people who can speak more than two of the official languages. Globalization, as it creeps into South Africa and the other African nations, can have a negative effect on the different native African tongues. The African people should protect their culture and languages, preserving them for future generations to come.

Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. can help you translate a wide range of South African languages. When you find yourself in need of professional translation or interpretation services, make sure to contact only these two language companies. You are guaranteed to be in good hands.

Stronger Women towards a Peaceful Future: A Continuous Legacy of the International Women’s Day

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:37:00 +0000

2012 Theme: Connecting Girls,
Inspiring Futures

“This is our moment! A time for us to celebrate, commit, and connect to create a future that can inspire a world that is harmoniously equal and at peace.”

It’s 8^th of March and it is again the time of year when women from all over the world unite as they celebrate International Women’s Day in different languages. IWD is a special and joyous occasion that commemorates all the amazing achievements and valuable contributions in political, economic, and social communities of women in the past, present, and the future.

Believe it or not, International Women’s Day began as a political feature by the Socialists back in 1909 from which it was quickly acknowledged in Eastern Europe and Russia. Even after it has lost its political purpose on these countries, this annual celebration still continued so that men could express and display their appreciation and love to their mothers, wives, and sisters making it quite similar to Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. As this occasion started to blend and become recognized by other powerful countries such as the United States, the political agenda behind this day became stronger especially when the United Nations stepped in and decided to support this special event along with its state members.

The First National Women’s Day

A little more than a century ago, IWD was first known as the National Women’s Day which was initially celebrated on February 28, 1909 after the declaration of the Socialists Party (of America). It was in 1910 when a German Socialist named Luise Zietz was struck on how important this celebration could be especially if the whole world was involved. It could be the perfect time to raise awareness for all women that they have rights and at the same time, remind the rest of the globe about the fact that everyone was equal. After proposing that it must be held annually and must be called International Woman’s Day to promote equality between sexes and the right to vote in political elections, 100 women representatives from 17 major countries have unanimously agreed that it was the right thing to do. The next year arrived and in March 18, 1911, the first International Women’s Day was officially celebrated by thousands of people across the globe including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and other European Countries. Although the United States continued to celebrate National Women’s Day every last Sunday of February, they hold the same advocacy which made both events one of the most controversial occasions in the world.

International Women's Day in Abye, Sudan

It was the first time that an official holiday has been marked to support and promote women’s rights through different protests against sexual discrimination especially in employment ventures, various programs to honor the martyrs particularly in the Paris Commune, and strong shout outs about suffrage. All of a sudden, women, with their pent up thoughts, finally became expressive and vocal about their opinions, causing a lot of old fashioned men to become mortified and get angry. But the voices were so loud and over the years, women at last, were seen in a new light, with men treating them with a different kind of respect that cause them to finally accept that everyone was equal in this world. And this was all because of this annual celebration that made many women stronger in the process.

IWD and Modern Countries

Today, over 25 countries consider this day as an official holiday. These are: Zambia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Moldova, Laos, , Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Eritrea, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Cambodia, Cuba, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Armenia, and for women only in China, Madagascar, and Nepal.

Similar to the American "Hallmark Hollidays", International Women's Day provides a chance for Cameroonian women to buy 5000 francs worth of brightly coloured fabric. They also get to drink in the bars, which isn't usually accepted in village

Other nations such as Cameroon, Croatia, Romania, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Chile do not see IWD as an official holiday but they nevertheless observe and celebrate this day almost religiously by giving gifts and flowers to their wives, mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and colleagues.

2011 IWD: The Centennial Celebration

March 8, 2011 was the 100^th anniversary of International Women’s Day and various festivities were held from over a hundred countries to memorialize all the women and how they portray an important part on the economic and social successes in the globe. It was one of the biggest celebrations to date starting with the president of the United States proclaiming March to be the “Women’s History Month.” Obama declared that everyone must unite and remember all the achievements and astounding accomplishments that have been made by women in the past and that have molded the world today. It was also announced that the fight against violence and sexual abuse on women must never falter and must continue to go on to further keep these hideous things from happening or growing. Millions of schools from across the nations celebrated through different programs and demonstrations that featured the importance of this memorable day for everyone.

2012 International Women’s Day

Afghan Girls in Traditional Clothes

“Empowering Women—End Hunger and Poverty” is this year’s United Nation’s theme for IWD to continuously educate women about their rights and worth particularly those who are indigent or living in rural areas. It is an occasion wherein people are encouraged to greet and honor women who have endlessly fought against poverty and hunger. Today is also a time for everyone to gather and help the mothers, wives, and sisters of soldiers and civilians who have died and have gone missing during combat in an ongoing war that has killed many brave men and women, fighting for their country. Finally, it is a time to teach your daughters to become a strong and honest individual that can keep the world balanced and harmonious in the future.

Whether or not you are living in a foreign country or have a friend or loved one working abroad, it would be a great idea to open your minds and hearts to different cultures to completely appreciate and enjoy the essence of this important occasion. One can easily understand the lifestyle of others by making an effort to learn their language so you can truly see the beauty of their womanly ways. So if you need professional assistance that can teach you how to interpret other languages through seamless translation services, it is highly advisable that you contact Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc.

So to all the women in the world, may you have a glorious International Women’s Day!

Photo Credits:
Wikimedia Commons, rbairdpccam, Doddamalluraprameya(Back in Bengaluru) and NewsHour

Tarzan, Ape-Man and Linguist (100th Birthday on March 9)

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:52:00 +0000

Poster for Tarzan of the Apes
film, 1918

One hundred years ago, Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel about a feral child who was raised by great apes somewhere in the African jungles was published in a magazine. The novel was called Tarzan of the Apes. It was about Tarzan's adventures in the jungle and his encounters with both humans and animals. In 1914, Burroughs' novel was finally published in book form. Today, there are hundreds of works based on Burroughs' character Tarzan in different media. Tarzan of the Apes has spawned several comic books, movies, television shows and even a stage play.

The heroic adventurer celebrates his 100th birthday this year. There hasn't been much interest in Tarzan lately because there are no new movies or television shows about Burroughs' ape-man. The last Tarzan movie that enjoyed worldwide release was an animated Disney movie back in 1999. One of the closest adaptations of Tarzan of the Apes was the 1984 film Greystoke The Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes. The best way to learn more about Tarzan is through Burroughs' novels. Here's a sneak peak into the fictional character Tarzan and the man who created him.

The man behind Tarzan

Edgar Rice Burroughs

American novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 1, 1875. After being discharged from the military, Burroughs took on different jobs before working for his father's company in 1899. He was married to Emma Centennia Hulbert who bore him 3 children. Burroughs, after a string of low paying jobs, began writing fiction. "Under the Moons of Mars" was his first serialized work. Soon after, he completed "Tarzan of the Apes," which was published in a magazine in October 1912.

Burroughs was not a gifted writer but he was a master storyteller. He also had the knack for exploiting his most well-known character, Tarzan, by having the character come out not only in his novels but also in comic strips, television shows, movies and in merchandise (Tarzan toys and Tarzan clothing, food items and more) stores. The ape-man's popularity soared and the fictional character became a cultural icon.

During World War II, Burroughs became the war's oldest correspondent. He was nearing his 70s then. After suffering a number of health issues, Burroughs suffered a heart attack that caused his death at the age of 74 on March 19, 1950.

Burroughs was a prolific writer during his time. He wrote stories with themes that revolved around science fiction, fantasy, westerns and historical romances. He wrote several fictional stories set on the planet Mars. Burroughs renamed the 4th planet from the sun Barsoom. One of the Barsoom books was about a character named John Carter, an earthling who found himself transported to Barsoom. John Carter's popularity is expected to rise this year with the showing of the Disney movie John Carter in cinemas on March 9.

Apart from having around 70 novels to his name, a crater on Mars was named in Burroughs' honor. A district in San Francisco has a connection to Burroughs. Tarzana, California was named after Tarzana Ranch, the home of Burroughs. Several writers, including Arthur C. Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey), Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451) and James Cameron (Avatar), said that Burroughs influenced their craft.

Burroughs' ape-man

The fictional character Tarzan was born John Clayton. He was the son of English parents, John and Alice Clayton, the Lord and Lady Greystoke. His parents both found their deaths in the jungle under different circumstances. The infant Clayton (Lord Greystoke) was adopted by a tribe of Great Apes called the Mangani. Kerchak was the head of this ape tribe. He was given the name Tarzan, which meant 'white-skin' in the language of the apes. Kala served as Tarzan's ape mother.

Tarzan eventually discovered his family's cabin and this was were he found out about his human heritage. Using the books he found in the cabin, Tarzan taught himself how to read. Tarzan grew up to become a skilled hunter. He used this skill to avenge his ape mother's death when a hunter killed Kala.

Kerchak became envious of Tarzan because the 'white-skin' was gaining popularity among the apes due to his physical skills. The ape leader attacked Tarzan one day. The fight between the two led to the death of Kerchak. Leadership of the ape tribe fell upon Tarzan's shoulders.

When Tarzan was around 20 years old, he met Jane Porter, an American woman who was marooned in the same place where Tarzan's parents were years before. Jane was with her father and a few others. Jane eventually went back to America and Tarzan followed her to the concrete jungle. The two ultimately married and at one time lived in England. Tarzan and Jane had a son named Jack (given the ape name Korak). In later books, Tarzan and Jane returned to the jungles of Africa. That was where his other adventures took place.

Burroughs' character Tarzan was Caucasian. He was depicted in the novels as tall, handsome, strong, and athletic, with keen senses and reflexes. Tarzan had long black hair, grey eyes and tanned skin. The man of the jungle was brave, loyal, devoted, steadfast, firm, intelligent and largely ethical in his ways. He was also described as generous, gracious and forceful when need-be. Tarzan was more comfortable in the jungle than in America or in England. Burroughs' ape-man was a true child of the jungle.

Tarzan the linguist

Tarzan was well known for his physicality. What many may have overlooked was that the ape-man was a gifted linguist who learned languages in a matter of days. According to one article entitled “Burroughsian Language Banks” by David Arthur Adams, a known Edgar Rice Burroughs scholar and writer, Tarzan knew at least 29 languages and dialects. His research on all the Tarzan novels led him to the conclusion that Tarzan had the gift of understanding oral as well as sign languages. One must understand that the Tarzan novels are fictional. Therefore, some of the dialects he was said to have learned did not actually exist in real life.

Of course Tarzan's first language had to be the language of the apes that adopted him, the ape language Mangani. His second language was French. He learned this via a French officer by the name of Lt. Paul D’Arnot. Tarzan rescued the French lieutenant from a tribe of cannibals. It was also from D'Arnot that he learned English. When he met Jane Potter, they first communicated through gestures. Arabic was learned from his encounters with Kadour ben Saden.

Tarzan also spoke the tongues of the Waziris and the Oparians. The ape-man learned dialects of both the African east and west coasts. His encounters with Germans gave him the opportunity to learn the German language. Tarzan communicated with the Ant Men or the Minunians. He picked up the sign language of the Alalus and spoke the dialect of the Bagalla tribe.

Not surprising at all, Tarzan knew Latin from his exposure to Caesar's legionnaires but only very little of the ancient language. He knew the Bagego dialect, the language of the Gilaks and many more. Tarzan also learned the languages of other animals like that of Tantor, the elephant and Numa, the lion.

Based on the series, Tarzan spoke French, English, Arabic (including the dialects Gallas, Shiftas, and Kafichos), German, Latin, Dutch, Portuguese and ancient Mayan. The native dialects he spoke or at least understood were Waziri, the West Coast mongrel tongue, Swahili, Pal-ul-don (a pithecanthropus language), Alalus sign language, Minunian dialect, Bagalla dialect, Bagego dialect, Gilak dialect (from those who live in Pellucidar, a place located beneath the surface of the earth according to Burroughs), Athne language, and the dialects Bansuto, Utenga, Bukena, Buiroo, Zuli, Kaji, Bantango, Bantu and Babago. Tarzan also understood African drum language.

It is quite possible that the ape-man new more languages and dialects because of his extraordinary gift of learning tongues. Tarzan was a well-traveled adventurer who met people of different tribes and races. Some languages and dialects he had mastery over while others he learned only enough of them in order to get his message clearly across.

Those who grew up reading or watching Tarzan may only remember him as the man swinging from tree to tree yelling "Ah-ah-AHHHH...ah-AHH...ahahahahahhhhh!!!!!!" But there's more to his character and background. He was an American superhero who came before the likes of Superman, Batman, and Captain America. He fearlessly interacted with wild animals, helped humans and animals in distress, and did what he could to protect his environment. Before it became fashionable to care for the environment, Tarzan was already championing Mother Nature's cause.

Tarzan celebrates his centennial this year. Get to know the real Tarzan by reading Burroughs' novels about the loincloth wearing man of the jungle. Join the world in celebrating an iconic character, a champion of men, beasts and the environment.

Tarzan's linguistic skills would surely come in handy in the world today. If you need the services of linguists, all you need to do is contact Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. They only hire professionals to do interpretation or translation work. So drop them a line anytime for any inquiries.

Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons (Tarzan) and Wikimedia Commons (Edgar Rice Burroughs)

Born on February 29 – So You are a Leapean!

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:05:00 +0000

Top of front page of New Orleans "States" newspaper
for Sunday, 2 January 1916

Or maybe you are a Leaper. Both terms actually mean one and the same thing. A Leapean or Leaper is a person born on February 29, leap day. It is only during leap years when the Gregorian calendar registers an extra (intercalary) day in February. Otherwise, February only has 28 days. If you haven't heard yet, 2012 is a leap year!

Leap year is a fun year. A woman is given the license to be bold and seek the hand in marriage of the man she fancies. The man is not obliged to say yes unless he wants to. But saying no has its consequences both for the man and the woman.

After 2012, the next leap year is 2016. So get to know more about this quadrennial event to better prepare you for its next occurrence.

Why the leap year?

As per the Gregorian calendar, each year has 365 days. The planet Earth turns on its axis 365 times before it fully orbits its star, the sun. The Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and each year is a solar year. But the fact is, the Earth does not really turn 365 times. Rather, each year, the third planet from the sun turns at an approximate rate of 365.25 times on its axis. So there are 365-1/4 days in each solar year.

For the Gregorian calendar to catch up to this scientific fact, it was decided that every 4 years, an additional day should be added – February 29, making that particular year 366 days instead of 365. Technically, this makes any year that is evenly divisible by 4 a leap year and that year will have 366 days.

But, there is an exception to this divisibility rule owing to the fact that a solar year is actually even less than 365-1/4 days. Not all years that are divisible by 100 can be considered leap years unless these years could also be divided evenly by 400. For instance, 1900 was not a leap year but 2000 was. 2100 will not be leap year but 2400 will be a leap year. A lot of arithmetical and algorithmic computations went into these rules and exceptions just to make sure which years needed that one extra day in February.

Leaping over a day

The concept of leaping comes in when you look at when a particular calendar date would fall within a week. If December 25 falls on a Friday and the following year is not a leap year, Christmas day will fall on a Saturday that succeeding year. But if the following year is a leap year, you will be greeting people "Merry Christmas" on a Monday instead.

In 2010, Christmas was on a Saturday. The following year, it was on a Sunday because 2011 was not a leap year. This year is a leap year. And Christmas will be on a Tuesday instead of a Monday. In 2013, not a leap year, Christmas will be on a consecutive day of the week, Wednesday.

Ladies’ choice

Some called it "ladies’ choice" while others called it "ladies' privilege." These terms simply mean that during leap years in certain countries like Ireland, women were given the privilege to go up to a man and propose marriage. This tradition, dating back about 400 years ago, was believed to have involved two Irish saints – St. Bridget and St. Patrick. St. Bridget made a deal with St. Patrick allowing females to propose marriage to males every 4 years. It was to balance out the traditional male-female roles, or so sources say.

Men who say no to women proposing marriage to them were "required" to give the women either a kiss or a silk gown, but only if the women wore red petticoats when they asked the question. In some European countries, men were required to give spurned women 12 pairs of gloves. Why gloves? To hide the fact that the spurned ladies had no engagement rings on their fingers. It was one way to hide the embarrassment from prying eyes.

Men's downfall

In the Philippines, leap year is the time when a man might find himself getting duped into marrying a woman he is not quite ready to marry or even uninterested in. This unfortunate situation is called "pikot." "Napikot" meant the man was forced into an untimely union.

Unlucky day

February 29 = bad luck or misfortune. Couples tend not to get married during leap years and especially during leap days in Greece. While in Scotland, February 29 is like Friday the 13th. The Scots believe that it is unlucky for one to be born on this extra day.

A truly unique birth date

Since leap day, February 29, generally comes only once every four years. It is considered a very special day by people born one this date. Persons born on this date celebrate their birthdays only during years when February has an extra day beyond the 28th. Otherwise, they get to choose whether to celebrate on February 28 or March 1. For many Leapeans, it makes more sense to celebrate their birthdays on the 1st of March because it comes right the last day of February.

Leapeans technically have 75% fewer birthdays compared to those who were not born on February 29. Once upon a time, it was believed that Leapean infants were harder to raise and prone to medical conditions. Even crops that were planted during leap years were given a bad rap. A long time ago, farmers believed that certain crops (like peas and beans) would not grow properly. According to one source, Scots had a saying that says something like "it was never a good sheep year when it was a leap year."

Those who are proud to be Leapeans can join the "Honor Society of Leap Year Babies." The group behind the society wants to promote awareness regarding leap years and be a venue where Leapeans can connect with their fellow February 29 celebrators. The society has roughly 10,000 member Leapeans to date.

Leapeans you may know

· Pope Paul III (1948) - last Renaissance pope

· John Byrom (1692) - English poet and hymnist, invented shorthand system

· Gioacchino Rossini (1792) - Italian composer of William Tell and The Barber of Seville

· Antonio Guzman Blanco (1828) - Venezuelan president

· Herman Hollerith (1860) - American statistician and inventor of the electric tabulating machine

· Stanley Swash (1896) - Woolworths CEO

· William A. Wellman (1896) - American movie director whose film "Wings" won the very first Oscar Best Picture Award

· Jimmy Dorsey (1094) - Saxophonist, songwriter, composer and conductor

· Leonard S. Shoen (1916) - Founder of U-Haul rental system

· Dinah Shore (1916) - American singer, actress and talk show host

· Carlos Humberto Romero (1924) - El Salvadorian president

· Dennis Farina (1944) - American actor

· Gonzalo Lira (1968) - Chilean-American filmmaker and novelist

· Antonio Sabato, Jr. (1972) - Italian-born American actor

· Ja Rule (1976) - American rapper

And many, many more.

Ms. Dawn's leaptionary

Raenell Dawn, born on a leap day, co-founded the Society for Leapeans. She is also said to be the woman behind the leaptionary, a dictionary of leap year related words. Here are just some of the words you will find in her leaptionary:

Leapean, Leaper, leapy - person born on February 29

Leapling - infant Leapean

Leapette - a female Leapean

Leapster - a male Leapean

LeapGram and LeapGramp - grandmother and grandfather, respectively, of a Leapean

Leapless - person not born on leap day

Leapover - a Leapean's sleepover birthday party

Leaprechaun - an Irish Leapean

Leap day and leap year celebrations are going on all over the world. If you don't have an event to go to, make one! If you know a Leapean, make sure he or she celebrates her special day to the hilt.

The next leap day is in 4 years. This gives women more than enough time to muster the courage to ask the men of their dreams to marry them. Men on the other hand have to make sure that they marry the right women ASAP before someone else asks them on the next leap day. Leapeans can start planning a grand celebration for their next true birth date. Non-Leapeans can also plan their own fun leap day events. A leap year and its corresponding intercalary day is something anyone can look forward to and have fun with, whether he or she is a Leapean, a leapy or a Leaper.

Leap year or not, Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. will always provide you with the most professional translation and interpretation services. Contact them any time, any day.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Oscars, A Truly Global Event

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:09:00 +0000

The Oscars, A Truly Global Event

Lights! Cameras! Oscars! Sunday night's Oscars, more formally known as the 84th Annual Academy Awards, was, as usual, a night of glitz, glamor, triumph and loss. More than a billion people spent over three hours watching the events of the night unfold. Viewers, whether in the Hollywood and Highland Center (formally referred to as The Kodak Theater) or in front of television screens, were waiting with excitement to find out who would bag golden statuettes this year. People were also interested to see if Billy Crystal, who has hosted the Oscars for 8 years prior to last Sunday's telecast, still had the comedic chops to ensure that the whole night would not turn into a snooze fest. Although, the night had its shares of highs and lows, Crystal proved to the world that he was still the host to reckon with, at least for this generation of moviegoers. Of course, Bob Hope will always be the best.

Some of the winners of the 84th Oscar night were shoo-ins, while others may have scored an upset. One of them is Meryl Streep. Streep, who was not a favorite to win Best Actress for her role as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," took home the prize. This is her third statuette after a record of 17 nominations. Many were actually rooting for "The Help" actress Viola Davis, who had already won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics Choice Award for the same movie.

What's interesting about the winner of the top prize, Best Picture, was that the film was a silent movie and shown in black-and-white. The movie was only the second silent movie that won an Oscar for Best Picture since 1929, the first time the awards were given out. The lead actor of the movie "The Artist," popular French actor Jean Dujardin, took home the Best Actor trophy. This was not a first time win for a non-American actor or actress and it would not be the last. Although the Oscar Awards has always been viewed as an American event, it continues to acknowledge talents from all over the world in its different categories.

Who is Oscar?

Oscar is the nickname of the prestigious award given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or AMPAS. Back in May 11, 1927, AMPAS was established by a group of film studio bigwigs who wanted to create an elite organization that would help improve the image of the film making industry and serve as mediators during labor disputes.

The AMPAS headquarters is in Beverly Hills, California. The professional organization dedicates itself to the advancement of motion picture arts and science. AMPAS is not only concerned about the acting side but also the other craft branches like directing, producing, script writing, cinematography, editing and more. Members are mostly from the United States. However, filmmakers outside of the US can also seek membership in AMPAS for as long as they are deemed qualified to join the prestigious organization. Today, AMPAS has more than 6,000 members.

Each year since 1929, the Academy has been giving out awards of merit specifically for distinctive achievement in specific film making related categories. Many changes in the nomination, voting system and announcement of winners have occurred since the first awards were given to ensure that the gold statuette is bestowed only to the most deserving individual or individuals for their work of the previous year. The formal awarding ceremony is well known worldwide and is now shown annually in over 100 countries around the end of February or the beginning of March.

The Oscar statuette's official name is the Academy Award of Merit. There are several stories concerning how the statuette got its nickname Oscar. But to the winners, the origin of the award's name is probably of no consequence. They may be more concerned about where to place their 8-1/2 pound, 13-1/2 inch high gold statuette home.

2012 84th Academy Award Winners

Christopher Plummer, Best Supporting Actor

The five most anticipated categories during each year's Oscar awards are for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. This year's winners are:

The Artist (Best Picture)

Jean Dujardin/The Artist (Best Actor)

Meryl Streep/The Iron Lady (Best Actress)

Michel Hazanavicius/The Artist (Best Director)

Octavia Spencer/The Help (Best Supporting Actress)

Christopher Plummer/Beginners (Best Supporting Actor)

Two films dominated in this year's Academy Awards with five Oscars each: "The Artist" and "Hugo." "The Artist" received the coveted Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.

"Hugo," a Martin Scorsese film, won Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects

Meryl Streep, Best Actress

Other winners were:

The Iron Lady (Best Makeup)

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Best Editing)

Separation" from Iran (Best Foreign Language Film)

Undefeated (Best Documentary)

Rango (Best Animated Feature)

Man or Muppet (Best Original Song)

The Descendants (Best Adapted Screenplay)

Midnight in Paris (Best Original Screenplay)

The Shore (Best Live Action Short)

Saving Face (Best Documentary Short)

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" (Best Animated Short)

Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (Best Director)

Oscars look at talent rather than nationality

The prestigious award giving body may not be as inclusive as the United Nations but still it has recognized quite a number of non-American talents in the past and it will continue to do so for as long as Academy rules are adhered to and the person or persons truly exemplify excellence in their respective fields. A big number of non-American directors have been nominated and consequently won Best Director nods for their excellence in film direction. In the acting categories, ideally, Academy voters look for standout performances when choosing Oscar winners regardless of nationality. Actors and actresses born outside of the US and/or holding non-US passports (or have dual citizenships, with one being American) have also been recipients of Oscar awards.

Best Actor

Add caption

In this year's Best Actor category, Jean Dujardin ("The Artist") received the much-desired Oscar, the first Frenchman to do so.

Before him were Australians Peter Finch (who was born in England) and, Geoffrey Rush and Russell Crowe (who were born in New Zealand), Maximillian Schell and Paul Muni (Austria), Sidney Poitier (The Bahamas), Emil Jannings (Germany), Paul Lukas (Hungary), Daniel Day-Lewis (dual citizenship of the Republic of Ireland and the U.K.), Roberto Benigni (Italy), Jose Ferrer (Puerto Rico), Yul Brynner (Russia) and from the U.K. George Arliss, Charles Laughton, Ronald Colman, David Niven, Victor Mclaglen, Robert Donat, Laurence Olivier, Rex Harrison, Ray Milland, Anthony Hopkins, Paul Scofield, Alec Guinness, Ben Kingsley, Jeremy Irons, and Colin Firth.

Best Actress

For Best Actress, the most recent recipient who was not American by birth was Marion Cotillard of France. She won for "La Vie en Rose" in 2008 during the 80th Oscar Awards. Cotillard has the distinction of being the first individual to receive an Oscar for her French language performance.

Other winners were Nicole Kidman (citizen of both the US and Australia), Marie Dressler, Mary Pickford and Norma Shearer (Canada), Claudette Colbert and Simone Signoret (France), Luise Rainer (Germany), Anna Magnani and Sophia Loren (Italy), Natalie Portman (a citizen of both Israel and the US), Audrey Hepburn (The Netherlands and the UK), Charlize Theron (South Africa, now an American citizen), Ingrid Bergman (Sweden), and from the UK, Olivia de Havilland, Greer Garson, Joan Fontaine, Glenda Jackson, Julie Andrews, Vivien Leigh, Julie Christie, Elizabeth Taylor (dual citizenship UK and US), Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Jessica Tandy, Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer, best known for playing Georg Ludwig Von Trapp in "The Sound of Music" and this year's winner of Best Supporting Actor for "Beginners," hails from Canada. On a side note, at 82 years old, Plummer has the distinction of being the oldest recipient of the Academy Award.

Other international winners in this category were Heath Ledger (Australia), Joseph Schildkraut and Christoph Waltz (Austria), Haing S. Ngor (Cambodia), Barry Fitzgerald (Ireland), Anthony Quinn (Mexico), Benicio del Toro (Puerto Rico), Javier Bardem (Spain) and from the U.K Edmund Gwenn, Hugh Griffith, John Mills, George Sanders, Donald Crisp, Peter Ustinov, Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Him Broadbent and Christian Bale.

Best Supporting Actress

Non-American Best Supporting Actress winners in the past were Cate Blanchett (Australian), Anna Paquin (New Zealand/Canada), Juliette Binoche (France), Katina Paxinou (Greece), Brenda Fricker (Ireland), Miyoshi Umeki (Japan), Rita Moreno (Puerto Rico), Lila Kedrova (Russia), Penelope Cruz (Spain) and the following from the U. K. Peggy Ashcroft, Wendy Hiller, Margaret Rutherford, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Rachel Weisz, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Tilda Swinton.

Two years when Europeans took top acting honors

There were two years in the history of the Academy Awards when Europeans lorded over the acting awards. During the 1964 37th Academy Awards, the winners were British Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews and Peter Ustinov, and Russian Lila Kedrova.

For the 2007 80th Academy Awards, the top acting awards recipients were non-Americans – British and Irish Daniel Day-Lewis, French Marion Cotillard, Spanish Javier Bardem and British Tilda Swinton.

Foreign language films

The Best Foreign Language Film Award, an Academy Award for Merit, was first given in 1957, during the 29th Academy Awards. The award for this category is given to the country (as represented by the film's director) rather than to a specific individual or group. Prior to 1957, foreign language films were only given a Special or Honorary Achievement Awards. The Academy's definition of a foreign language film is a full-length feature film not produced in the U.S. and primarily contains non-English dialogue. A foreign language film can be nominated for other categories granted it has been released commercially in the Los Angeles County and the film adhered to other special rules for those categories.

Records show that as of 2008, a total of 24 foreign language movies have received Oscars in non-Best Foreign Language Film categories. None have received an Oscar for Best Picture, yet (with only five making it to that category). In 2000, the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" from Taiwan received the most number of nominations, 10 to be exact, including Best Picture. It won 4 Academy Awards. "Fanny and Alexander," a film from Sweden, also won 4 Academy Awards. "Letters from Iwo Jima" (Japanese) is the last foreign language movie to receive a nomination for Best Picture. That was in 2006.

This year's winner is from Iran, a moving domestic drama entitled "A Separation." This movie bested Belguim's Bullhead, Israel's Footnote, Polland's In Darkness and Canada's Monsieur Lazhar.

In the last decade or so, the following films took home the Best Foreign Film Award for their respective countries:

Taiwan’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Bosnia & Herzegovina’s No Man's Land (2001)

Germany’s Nowhere in Africa (2002)

Canada’s The Barbarian Invasions (2003)

Spain’s The Sea Inside (2004)

South Africa’s Tsotsi (2005)

Germany’s The Lives of Others (2006)

Austria’s The Counterfeiters (2007)
Japan’s Departures (2008)

Argentina’s The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)
Denmark’s In a Better World (2010)

Italy has won the most number of Best Foreign Language Film Awards with 13 gold statuettes, followed by France with 12, Spain and Japan with 4 each, and Sweden, Soviet Union, Denmark and The Netherlands with 3 awards each. European films have received the most awards in this category. But as film making becomes more sophisticated in countries outside of Europe in terms of writing, acting, directing and other aspects, one can only hope that more foreign language films from Asia and other continents will be nominated for the category of both Best Foreign Language Film and Best Picture.

The Academy Awards remains to be a most anticipated event in Hollywood by anyone who loves films, whether they are part of the movie industry itself or are simply moviegoers or the occasional Hollywood kibitzers. The Oscars and its parent organization AMPAS will always have their share of supporters and critics from all corners of the globe. But one thing will remain the same, among all the other award giving bodies in the U.S. and elsewhere, only the Oscars can deliver so much star power, so much excitement and so much controversy.

After all, where else can you find the likes of Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Brad and Angelina and many more talented and respected Hollywood heavyweights sharing the night with an adorable and equally talented canine named Uggie from "The Artist", a world famous green amphibian named Kermit, and THE fabulous pink swine Ms. Piggy? Only at the Oscars!

Academy voters need top-notch translators of foreign language films in order to understand movies with non-English dialogue. You too will need professionals in translation or interpretation if you are faced with material in a language foreign to your own. For services like this, contact only the best: Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. These sister companies will ensure that you get the most professional translation or interpretation services you will ever need.

Photo Credit: by David Ortmann, Beacon Radio

The Language of Cacao, Cocoa and Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:07:00 +0000

Tons and tons of chocolates are bought and received the world over not only on Valentine's Day and other special holidays, but each and every day. It is a favorite gift item that many enjoy receiving, even those who say they are on a diet. Chocoholics cannot get enough chocolates and the sight of little kids with chocolate covered faces is truly adorable. But not many of the chocolate-loving population really wonder where chocolates come from or what the difference is between the terms "cacao" and "cocoa". All they know is that it is darn good stuff.

Chocolate as a way to everyone's heart

Chocolate comes in many forms. When one hears the word chocolate, the chocolate bar is probably one of the images that comes to mind. Chocolate is available in a variety of shapes, forms, sizes, tastes, and textures. It can be solid, semi-solid, or liquid. Chocolate can easily be molded and manipulated. During Valentine's Day, chocolate roses are a common site in bakeshops and gift stores. Nuts, candy, marshmallows, cookies, rice cereals, fruits and fruit peels, liqueurs and other ingredients are combined with chocolate to come up with treats that can be good for both the body and mind when eaten in moderation. Some swear that chocolate is an aphrodisiac that can heighten intimacy.

This wonderful gift of Mother Nature can also be used in savory cooking. In Mexico, some variations of their popular "mole" (chili based sauce) use a hint of chocolate. A number of creative chefs (and cooks) from across the globe incorporate this magical ingredient in their cooking. Diners have a different gastronomic experience when indulging in chocolate infused cuisine.

One of the best ways to enjoy chocolate is by having a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's night. Or is it having a cup hot cocoa on a cold winter's night? Is there a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa? How about between cacao and cocoa?

Cacao and cocoa, same or different?

The term chocolate is not synonymous to the word cacao or even to the term cocoa. Chocolate, whether raw or processed, is made from cacao seeds. When referring to cacao and cocoa, some believe that the words cacao and cocoa are interchangeable in usage. Others say that cacao and cocoa refer to two separate things. Whichever stand is right is not really the concern of chocolate lovers. But, if you love chocolate, it would be good to know more about these terms.

Cacao, as mentioned early, is the seed from which chocolate is born. Cacao seed specifically comes from the Theobroma cacao tree. The said tree is found in Mexico and locations within Central as well as South America. Cacao seeds have been in use since 1100 BC. People from these areas used to enjoy chocolate beverages, which they called xocolātl, meaning "bitter water." The word xocolātl is Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs. The seeds need to go through a process of fermentation before it can be enjoyed because in raw form, cacao tastes bitter and unpalatable.

Cocoa, as far as some sources are concerned, was a result of a misspelling committed by some English trader in the early days of global trading. Others believe that cocoa is simply the Anglicized form of the word cacao. According to The Great Book of Chocolate, the cacao bean, once processed, yields cocoa powder. This powder turns into paste when mashed then pounded in order to extract cocoa butter. Pulverized the rest of it results in the dry powder. In Britain and in some other countries, cocoa is synonymous to the term cocoa powder.

Someone once said that according to French chocolatier Jacques Torres, the word cocoa has no meaning for him. There is only cacao, nothing else. Other chocolate makers say that cacao and cocoa are interchangeable terms. However, when using the word cocoa, qualify it by saying cocoa bean, cocoa tree or cocoa powder to be sure. It's really confusing, this cacao and cocoa debate. To be safe, always refer to the plant from whence chocolate comes from as the cacao tree and the seeds as cacao seeds. If you want to refer to the powder, say cocoa powder. That's probably the best thing to do in this chocolate linguistics issue.

Hot chocolate or hot cocoa

Is it merely semantics or is there really a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa? When you are drinking hot chocolate, you are enjoying melted solid chocolate combined with hot milk and sugar. It is usually thick and creamy. Hot cocoa on the other hand uses cocoa powder mixed with water, sugar and some cream or milk. This makes hot cocoa less luscious than hot chocolate. Calorie-wise, hot chocolate is deadlier on the waistline due to the cocoa butter plus the type of milk used. Hot cocoa is less fattening because cocoa powder has less fat.

Chocolate-related terms

· Cocoa liquor is the liquid form of pure chocolate containing cocoa solids and cocoa butter. It is the result of the processing that cocoa beans go through. When the beans are finally ground, these become a cocoa mass or cocoa paste that when melted becomes the cocoa liquor.

· Cocoa solids are more popularly called cocoa powder or cocoa. This low-fat component is extracted from the cocoa bean and is responsible for the flavor and color of chocolate.

· Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from the cocoa bean. This pale yellow, edible vegetable fat is also known as theobroma oil. It is the component that is responsible for allowing the chocolate to melt effortlessly.

· Unsweetened chocolate is pure chocolate containing cocoa solids and varying proportions of cocoa butter. When cocoa liquor is molded into blocks you have unsweetened chocolate. Other terms used interchangeably with unsweetened chocolate are bitter chocolate and baking chocolate.

· Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate with cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, milk/milk powder.

· Dark chocolate has a high percentage of cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and sugar.

· White chocolate is not actually chocolate since it contains no cocoa solids. What is does have is cocoa butter, milk solids and sugar.

How do you say chocolate?

The French say "chocolat," while the Dutch say "chokolade." The Germans say "schokolade," the Italians say "cioccolato," the Czechs say "cokolada" and the Swedes say "choklad." In Norway you hear "sjokolad," in Poland "czekolada," in Iceland "súkkulaði" and in Hungary "sokoládé."

The Chinese say "qiao ke li," the Filipinos say "tsokolate," the Japanese say "chokoreeto" while the Indonesians say "coklat." These are just some of the many ways chocolate rolls off the tongues of chocolate lovers across the globe. If you go beyond Earth and you hear "yuch," then you are probably listening to a Klingon say chocolate in their language.

Two chocolate manufacturers, serving literature and language in their own way

Galaxy Chocolates, a chocolate manufacturer based in the United Kingdom, has been at the forefront of making reading accessible to more people especially in the U.K. The company has been working with members of the British book industry for a number of years. The chocolate manufacturer sponsors the annual Galaxy National Book Awards. Accolade is given to British authors who are the best of the best in their specific categories for a particular year. Galaxy Chocolates has also created and sponsored several book clubs, provided book reviews and book synopses, and concocted marketing promotions to entice more people to read and enjoy both a good book and tasty chocolates.

Baci chocolates nestle a whole hazelnut in a yummy hazelnut-chocolate embrace. It was marketed for young lovers back in the early part of the 20th century. An Italian company based in Perugia called Perugina makes it. Each piece of chocolate is wrapped in an elegant silver foil with blue stars and the word Bacio ("kiss") on top. What makes this chocolate special apart from its incredible taste is the paper scroll found inside the wrapper hugging the chocolate. Each scroll contains special notes expressing love or friendship. Quotes, proverbs, maxims, sayings and more are now featured on the scrolls born from the minds of classical authors, contemporary writers, Western and non-western thinkers, philosophers and artists. Each note is written in several languages including, but not limited to, Italian, English, German, and Spanish. Each multilingual note makes for great reading and is a great introduction to other languages.

Chocolate knows no language

American GIs back in World War II had chocolates in their ration packs. They were meant for their personal consumption. However, they often ended up in the hands of young children in villages where these soldiers were serving at the time. This tradition of giving away chocolates to locals continued during the various wars the Americans figured themselves in. The chocolates made the locals smile. It was like a language of friendship; a good way for soldiers to get the trust of people around them. Even if a soldier and a local speak two totally different languages, once the soldier brings out a chocolate bar, the local already knows what it can only mean...a delicious treat and a newfound friend.

Today, chocolates continue to be part of the US military ration. Whether the soldiers eat their chocolates to gain energy or give them away to spread the love, chocolates are great morale boosters for one and all.

Being the great host that he was, Montezuma, emperor of the Aztec's when Spain first set foot in Mexico, offered Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés xocolātl. This was around the 16th century. The Europeans eventually added sugar to chocolate thus transforming the once bitter ingredient into a sweet tasting and rich product. And since then, Europe and the rest of the world have been enjoying this food once offered to the Aztec gods.

Whether it is Valentine's Day, Easter, Christmas, Hanukkah or birthdays, chocolate will remain to be part and parcel of the gift giving tradition humans participate in and enjoy. Make sure you know a bit of chocolate trivia so the next time you are asked what cacao is or if you want hot cocoa rather than hot chocolate, you know what to say.

Chocolates come in many forms, tastes and textures. And not all chocolate manufacturers can call themselves the best chocolate makers. It is the same in the world of translation and interpretation services. There are a dime a dozen so called translators and interpreters who call themselves the best. If you want to make sure you only get the most professional services, contact only Day Translations Inc. or World Interpreting, Inc. They are truly the best at what they do.

Photocredit: Wikimedia Commons

Whitney Houston, A Diva Like No Other

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:46:00 +0000

"You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. You wait for a face like that, a smile like that, a presence like that, for a lifetime. When one person embodies it all, it takes your breath away." These were the words spoken by music producer Clive Days last Saturday, February 18 during the memorial of Whitney Houston. As the whole world knows by now, Houston died last February 11, breaking the hearts of family and friends and of her fans around the globe.

Houston's ballad, I Will Always Love You, took people's breaths away. Listening to her sing, The Star Spangled Banner, stirred within the souls of Americans their love and pride for their country. Dancing to her song, I Just Wanna Dance With Somebody, provided everyone an occasion to let loose and just have fun. Whatever song she was singing, she knew which emotions needed to be tapped within her to make the song truly memorable. Some of the songs she made famous were not originally hers. But because she was a singer above the rest, she made those songs truly hers and hers alone.

Houston owned the voice that many female and some male singers as well tried to match but with not much success. Even those who came close to her beautiful vocals were still not considered at par with her. She lived both a charmed life and one beset by challenges. Houston had so much more music and love to give but unfortunately, at the age of 48, her time on earth was cut short. The music that she left behind will be cherished forever by those whose hearts and souls she touched with her unbelievable golden voice.

Life, career and untimely demise

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey to John Russell Houston and Emily Houston. Houston's mother, who was well known by her nickname, Cissy, was not only a popular gospel singer during her time but also part of the female singing group called the Sweet Inspirations. The group used to perform backup vocals for the likes of Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls and Dionne Warwick. Franklin is Houston's grandmother while Warwick is her aunt.

Houston began signing at the New Hope Baptist Church at the age of 11. She often joined her mother on tours performing with her on a number of occasions. The young Houston did backup vocals for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and Lou Rawls.

She tasted fame first as a model. Houston made the cover of Seventeen Magazine in November of 1981 at the age of 18. Other fashion magazines featured the African American beauty with the fantastic smile. Houston also did TV commercials.

But she quickly grew tired of modeling and returned to her first love, singing. Houston played backup vocals to her Mom's cabaret act. When American record producer and music industry icon Clive Davis first heard Houston's singing voice in 1983, he immediately signed her up to Arista Records and the rest was history.

Through the mentorship of Davis, Houston churned out hit after hit. She made 7 studio albums plus 3 movie soundtrack albums. All of her albums had gold, platinum, multi-platinum or diamond certification. Houston won countless music awards. She had 6 Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards and 2 Emmy Awards to her name.

Houston transitioned to films via the movie, The Bodyguard, opposite Kevin Costner. Costner was initially advised to star opposite a more established singer but he would not have it. He knew that Houston was perfect for the role and waited till she was ready to take on the project. Other movies followed like Waiting to Exhale, wherein she starred with three other female African American actors, and The Preacher's Wife, playing opposite Oscar winner Denzel Washington. Before she died, Houston finished filming the movie Sparkle opposite American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.

Houston sang gospel, pop, dance, and R&B songs. Apart from being a singer, actress and model, Houston was also a songwriter, record producer and film producer. Her career spanned 35 years, from 1977 to 2012.

Her personal life had its ups and downs. Houston, who was once married to singer Bobby Brown, battled alcoholism and drug addiction. Her career was greatly affected by her personal life. And, her once golden voice became dry and hoarse. Brown and Houston had a child together, Bobbi Kristina, who will be turning 19 in March.

The Voice

Houston, in her prime, was reported as having a wide vocal range, 5 octaves to be exact. Only a few singers can lay claim to such an outstanding ability. Some sources report that Mariah Carey and the late Minnie Riperton had the same range. Whether this claim is true about Whitney or not is not really relevant at this point. What is relevant is that Whitney will always be remembered as one of the greatest singers of all time.

Houston's songs have been sung by millions of people, young and old, female and male, established artists, upcoming talents and fans from all walks of life. Many have done justice to her songs but no one can sing her classic Whitney songs with as much passion as her. The songs, I Will Always Love You, Saving All My Love for You, and The Greatest Love of All, can only be sung with perfection by Houston. In 1991, Houston sang the national anthem of the United States of America, the Star Spangled Banner, at the beginning of Super Bowl XXV. It will always be one of the best, if not the best, renditions of the national anthem ever.

Untimely demise

Last February 11, Houston was found dead, underwater, in the bathtub of her room in the Beverly Hills Hotel, in California. The real cause of Houston's demise is still unknown. The L.A. County Coroner's Office is awaiting the results of the toxicology report. The next few weeks will be tough for everyone who loved Houston; this includes her family, friends in and out of the music industry, and her loyal fans.

The invitation-only memorial for Houston last Saturday, February 18, was held at Newark, New Jersey, in the church that she loved, the New Hope Baptist Church. Among those who lovingly performed for the late pop diva were Stevie Wonder, CeCe Winans, Alicia Keys, Kim Burrell and R. Kelly. Clive Davis, Kevin Costner, Dionne Warwick, BeBe Winans, Ricky Minor (Houston's music director) and Ray Watson (the singer's security guard for over 10 years) spoke during the memorial.

Costner, Houston's leading man in The Bodyguard gave one of the most heartfelt eulogies. At one point he addressed Houston and said, "You weren't just pretty. You were as beautiful as a woman could be. And people just didn't like you, Whitney. They loved you."

Houston's "home coming" lasted for 4 hours. She was finally laid to rest alongside her father in Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, New Jersey, on Sunday, February 19.

The show must go on

Like the death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, Houston's death was felt deeply by members of the industry where she blossomed. She died on the eve of the greatest night of the music industry, the night before the 2012 Grammy Awards. Celebrities who walked the red carpet during the Grammys were asked how Houston's death affected them. All were saddened and praised Houston to no end.

During the telecast itself, several artists paid tribute to Houston, some through their performances while others during their acceptance speeches. The most moving of all was Jennifer Hudson's tribute to Houston. Hudson beautifully performed, I Will Always Love You, while trying to keep her emotions in check.

The night she died, Houston was supposed to attend the star-studded pre-Grammy party hosted by her mentor Clive Davis. The party went on as scheduled despite Houston's death that day. Davis talked about Houston's death and he said that she would have wanted the music to continue. He also said the Houston's family requested that the party go on as scheduled. Davis had only kind words for her during the pre-Grammy party (and also during her memorial that occurred days after).

An inspiration to many

A number of African American female singers credit Houston for paving the way for other female black artists to enter mainstream music. She broke down barriers just like Michael Jackson did in the 80s. MTV showed her music videos, radio stations played her songs. Music fans embraced her because she could jump from pop, dance, ballads, gospel and R&B with so much ease. Houston was, without a doubt, a phenomenon, a singer with a voice to reckon with and to fall in love with.

In singing contests across the globe, female singers often turn to Houston's songs to propel them to win. Her ballads are often chosen as competition pieces because Houston's songs like I Will Always Love You and Saving All My Love For You' are not easy to sing. Her songs can separate the singers from the singer-wannabes.

Essence Magazine' dubbed her as the 5th Most Influential R&B Stars of All Time. Accomplished artists openly declare that Houston was a big influence on their careers. Some of these artists are Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, Jessica Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé, Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, Ashanti, LeAnn Rimes, Jennifer Lopez, Leona Lewis, Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson and Lady Gaga. Many more female artists said that at the start of their careers, all they wanted to do was to sing like Houston.

The very first time Tony Bennett heard the woman with the golden voice sing, he told Davis that he "finally found the greatest singer I've ever heard in my life." Mariah Carey was heartbroken and called Houston "one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth." Oprah Winfrey said that to her Houston was "THE VOICE." The kind words and loving praises continue to this day from fellow musicians, music industry workers, celebrities, politicians, and those who simply enjoyed her voice.

Unlikely tribute thousands of miles away

Whitney's music became part of a different kind of performance many miles away from the U.S. Her song, =I Will Always Love You, was featured in one of the Dubai Fountain shows. The Dubai Fountain is located outside the luxurious Dubai Mall. It is a hi-tech musical fountain featuring water jets that can shoot out water to up to 150 meters high while in sync with colored lights and music. Billed as today's largest water fountain in the world, this musical fountain is located in Burj Khalifa Lake in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Dubai Fountain follows in the footsteps of the majestic Bellagio Hotel's Musical Fountain in Las Vegas and the Magic Fountain of Montjuic in Barcelona, Spain. Each night, the Dubai Fountain features a multimedia show with dancing water, music, lights and other special effects.

Since it's first show in May of 2009, different types of music from local and international artists have inspired fountain choreographers. Michael Jackson's 'Thriller,' Lionel Ritchie's 'All Night Long' and Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli's 'The Prayer' were already featured in the past.

Last 2010, Houston's most memorable hit, I Will Always Love You, played in the background while the water danced with the lights in sync. But it is only now after Houston's death that the water-based extravaganza, which was masterfully choreographed by a group of English College Dubai students, is being savored and enjoyed to the fullest by people around the world via YouTube and other social networking sites. The Dubai Fountain show is a one-of-a-kind tribute to Houston.

Irreplaceable

There is no doubt that there will never be another Whitney Houston. Her soulful music broke language barriers because she had the unique ability to make people feel every emotion that she herself was feeling while singing her songs. Houston sang from deep down her heart. If her voice were an animal, it would be a butterfly because it floats effortlessly from note to note without missing a bit or losing an ounce of grace. It is truly sad that she left the world too early. Her voice, her grace, her beauty and her legacy will last forever. Technology will make sure that she is never forgotten and that her music will be known by generations to come.

Whitney will be greatly missed. But she will also remembered with so much love and respect for the beautiful person and the true musical artist that she was.

Whitney Houston's songs and movies have been translated in different languages worldwide. If you find yourself in need of translation or interpretation services, contact Day Translations, Inc. or World Interpreting, Inc., via their respective websites.

Photocredit: Wikimedia Commons

Flags – Symbols and Communication Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:42:00 +0000

Many people all over the world are so used to seeing flags that they often do not stop to think what purpose these flags serve. Why are they important? What is the reason behind the colors or their designs? Flags are not mere decorations. They serve as symbols of a country, a company or organization, or a group. Millions of flags are hoisted day in and day out mostly in schools, government offices and military installations all over the world. Flags have been flying for thousands of years and it’s about time to recall what they are here for.

What is a flag?

Basically, a flag is any measure of fabric used as an emblem, symbol, standard or identification. A flag can be used as decorations or in advertising. Flags also serve as signaling devices. They come in different shapes, colors, sizes and designs. The most common shape for a flag is rectangular. Designs of the flags around the world can be either simple or elaborate. Some are easy for school children to draw while others have complicated figures prominently displayed on them. The colors and the designs found on a flag have specific meanings for the people of the country that uses that flag. Flags can be hoisted, draped or folded. Different rules of etiquette apply in handling flags depending on the country or organization that owns the flag.

Reading the flag

Military regimens were among the first groups that used flags. Armies often marched into battlefields and into conquered lands with their standard swaying in the wind. The mere sight of an enemy's flag a good distance away could already bring fear into the hearts of their opponents especially if the opponents were weaker and outnumbered. Knights during the medieval period brought their own standard during battles as well as during competitions. Pirates used to fly black flags with white skulls and crossed bones on them. Seeing these pirate flags were enough to turn boats around in fear of the merciless plunderers of the sea.

The color of the flag also sends a message. Waving a white flag means that one is surrendering. A white flag can also stand for peace. When you see a red flag, it may be a warning signal. A black flag on the other hand often means war.

The position of the flag on the flagpole can also communicate a message. When a flag is flown half-mast or half-staff (halfway below the summit of the flagpole), it often symbolizes mourning for the dead, signals distress or shows respect.

Semaphores, flag waving with a purpose

Military units used flags to communicate with their compatriots when other forms of communication devices and implements could not be used. Maritime groups used flags extensively as a means of getting messages across. This system of communication is referred to as semaphore flags.

The word semaphore comes from two Ancient Greek words: sêma and phoros. Sêma means "sign" while phoros means either "bearing" or "bearer." In this manner of conveying information over a certain distance, signalmen commonly use hand-held flags. Sometimes, paddles, rods, disks or lighted wands are also used.

The signalman stands with each hand carrying one square flag attached to a short pole. The signalman positions the flags in different directions depending on the letters or numbers that form the message he needs to get across. The information being communicated by the signalman is deduced by the receiver of the message on the other side based on the position of the flags. There are eight possible directions the signalman can point to. Each letter on the semaphore alphabet will depend on the position of the arms. The two flags should never overlap except when the signalman is at rest.

Without the flags, this system of communication can still work using just the extended arms. However, by using flags, the message is more obvious especially if the distance between the signalman and the receiver of the message is quite far.

The colors of the flags betray whether the signal is sent by land or by sea. The Papa flag, white and blue flags, are used on land. The Oscar flag, red and yellow flags, are used on sea.

Today, semaphore flags are not as widely used due to advancements in technology. Marine rescue groups, police regimens, mountaineers and other groups still use visual communication systems similar to the semaphore but sometimes without the use of flags. Some scouting groups continue to teach flag semaphore to their young scouts.

National flags

National flags of states and countries became more common during the later part of the 18th century. By the 19th century, all sovereign states had their own national flags. Today, each national flag has a story to tell of its inception, its maker, and when and where it was first hoisted. National flags are to be revered and respected. There are laws in each nation as to how their national flags are to be hoisted, handled, folded, and kept.

Each national flag represents not only the country but it also represents its people. National flags are symbols of sovereignty and independence. They communicate freedom, pride and love for country. National flags are not mere pieces of fabric. Each one tells of a people's history, their culture and language.

Interesting facts about flags

· Vexillology is the study of flags.

· The flag of the United Kingdom is called the Union Flag or the Union Jack. Jack is not a name of a person. In nautical terms, the word "jack" refers to a small flag that usually indicates nationality and is flown at the front of the ship (bow).

· Old Glory is the nickname of the flag of the United States of America. It is also called the Stars and Stripes or the Star Spangled Banner.

· The pirates' black flag with the white skull and crossed bones is called the Jolly Roger.

· Denmark's flag, the Dannebrog, is the world's oldest state flag that is still in use today. Dating as far back as the 13th century, this flag features a white cross.

· The country of Netherlands has the oldest tri-color flag. It features a red, a white and a blue band.

· South Sudan is the newest nation in the world, thus it has the newest flag in the world. The country celebrated its independence last July 9, 2011.

· The Kingdom of Nepal's flag is very different from the rest of the flags because it is non-quadrilateral. It's shape? Two triangles one on top of the other. The triangles are referred to as pennons, which is the term used by vexillologist for pennants.

· According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest flag in the world on a flagpole measured 34.3 meters by 60 meters. This was the Mexican national flag flown on December 2, 2011 in Piedras Negras City in Coahuila, Mexico. Last year, the record for the largest draped flag was given to a Lebanese flag that measured 325 meters (length) by 203 meters (width).

Flags can send different messages like warning, surrender, truce, peace, war, sovereignty or plunder and pillage. They can communicate powerful messages that drive men into action. Whether brand new or tattered and frayed, flags have a way of stirring men's souls. Depending on the current mood or situation in a country, a person may feel extreme pride, great sorrow or overflowing hope for his country. A flag can inspire one to greatness and another to destruction.

Learn more about national flags and the countries they represent. It's a great way to increase your knowledge of world history, culture, languages and current events. Becoming a recreational flag enthusiast will surely open up your mind about peoples in countries both near and far.

When you need help in your translation or interpretation requirements, you don't need flags to get the attention of Day Translations, Inc. or its sister company, World Interpreting, Inc. Visit their websites. You will find all the information you need in your quest for professional translation and interpretation services.

Photocredit: Wikimedia Commons

Samba and the Frenetic Rhythm of Brazil’s Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:12:00 +0000

Fast. Fun. Lively. Energetic. Graceful. These are just some of the adjectives that describe the dance form that is synonymous with Rio’s grand carnival, the samba. Many of these types of dances originated from Latin America and have evolved into the structured dance forms that we know today. Many of the Latin dances are performed by couples while some are suited for a solo dancer, male or female. Samba, in the carnival sense is danced by everyone, whether they have a partner or not.

Samba is one of the most recognized symbols of Brazil and really a top draw for tourists and other travelers. It has become an international Brazilian icon and deeply interwoven in Brazilian culture and tradition. It is so popular that Brazil celebrates the National Samba Day on December 2 of each year.

The roots of Samba can be traced to the traditional African-Brazilian dance performed by ordinary workers and slaves during a Candomblé ceremony, usually accompanied by drums such as the atabaque, singing and hand clapping. It first appeared around the 17^th century in Recôncavo, a region in Bahai, Brazil. As is typical with informal gatherings by the indigenous people, a circle is usually formed and samba is a word equated to roda de dança. During those days, everyone is invited to participate in the dance that is characterized by spontaneous movements of the hips, legs and feet, often accompanied by clapping and sometimes drums, but traditionally accompanied by a cavaquinho guitar. The Samba music that is known today, especially the ones that became popular in the United States after the Second World War are played by orchestras with clarinets, flutes, trombones, trumpets and choros.

Samba has a syncopated beat and if you are used to watching Samba performed in the movies or on dance shows on TV, you will notice the unusually missing beat which the dancer uses to her advantage by filling the gap with intricate and exaggerated but fluid movements of the arms, hands, shoulders or body.

Samba today is included in the Latin dances performed in Dancesport competitions. And true to the high-energy character of the dance, it is complemented with costumes that reflect the vibrancy of Samba’s rhythms. The arms, shoulders, legs and torsos of female dancers are typically exposed in Samba costumes that add drama, intensity and exotic appeal to Samba. And with the frenetic pace of the dance, the costume also helps the dancers from getting overheated. Samba costumes are quite elaborate and use vibrant and bold colors with accents and embellishments that are not limited to fringe, rhinestones and feathers. Samba ensembles can be bikini style, bikini and short skirt, bra top with longer skirt or loose samba pants and top. For carnivals and parades, the ensemble can be embellished with an elaborate headdress, boa feathers and back pieces. Other costumes include the use of sheer gloves, accents for the lower legs and calves, neckpieces and high-heeled boots or sandals.

History of Samba

Just like so many of the Latin dances that evolved since the 16^th century, Samba originated from the tribal and folk dances brought by the slaves from Congo and Angola. These slaves were imported by the Portuguese into Brazil and they introduced Embolada, Batuque and Caterete. These dances were not inhibited by a prudish society and since the risqué movements included touching the navels, the Europeans considered them sinful. Actually Embolada, meaning foolish, was a dance about a cow whose horn tips were covered with a ball for safety reasons. On the other hand the popularity of the Batuque caused the passing of a law to forbid its practice. It was a lively circle dance not unlike the Charleston, with the steps in rhythm with percussion and hand clapping. In some of the gatherings by the natives, a solo couple may perform inside the circle. This is still part of the folk dances of Cape Verde.

Samba is not just one dance. It’s a combination of several dances from the African slaves and the music, sways, footwork and body movements characteristic of the Portuguese native dances and the rituals done by the native Indians such as the Lundu. It combines indigenous Portuguese dance and music as well as that of the African Bantu. As the carnival is part of the people in Brazil, particularly in Rio de Janeiro, steps taken from the Copacabana were incorporated into the Samba as it continued to evolve. But it was in Bahia that the dance form continued to develop. As Samba as a dance form becomes more formalized and the movements organized, it did not only become popular with the common folks; it was embraced by Rio’s high society and included in their ballroom dancing repertoire.

Around 1885, the graceful dance from Brazil was still called Zemba Cueca before the name became Mesemba, which means, “to pray.” And early in the 1900s, around 1914, the dance was mixed with Maxixe, another old Brazilian folk dance. Maxixe combines the moves of polka and the musical rhythms of the Habañera. Modern-day Samba still incorporates the chassé and point of Maxixe. By 1923 Samba was already gaining popularity in France and instructions on how to dance the Samba were included in a book written by Paul Boucher in 1928. During the meeting of the New York Society of Teachers of Dancing in 1938, an exhibition of Samba dancing was performed. Samba music was played at the Brazilian Pavilion during the World’s Fair in New York in 1939, attesting to the escalating interest in Samba music and the dance of the same name. “Brasil,” a Samba music that became a classic hit was composed by Ary Barroso. It became so popular that it was turned into a 1944 Hollywood musical, “Brazil” for which Ary Barroso wrote the musical score.

Some of the dance variations have incorporated the moves and rhythms of Bossa Nova. While the word “samba” may be derived from Zambo, which is what an offspring of a Brazilian native woman and an African man is called, the actual source of the name for the Samba dance is unknown.

Carioca (also what the people in Rio de Janeiro call themselves) is a version of the Samba that was resurrected in 1934 in the United Kingdom, partly due to the popularity of the 1933 movie “Flying Down to Rio” that starred Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. By 1941, the popularity of the Carioca version of the Samba spread to the United States owing to the performances of Carmen Miranda, such as in the movie “That Night in Rio.” Carmen Miranda was a Brazilian samba singer who was born in Portugal. She starred in several films in Hollywood and was also a Broadway performer. Her birth name was Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha. In the 1950s, with her social position, Princess Margaret of England also had a hand in making Samba popular in the United Kingdom. With the popularity Samba had gained in British society, it only took a while for the dance to gain foothold and in 1956, European dance instructor Pierre Lavelle became instrumental in Samba gaining international recognition as new Latin dance form.

Samba Variations

Samba no Pé

Samba has many variations and in Brazil, the frame of the dancers shows the difference. The most popular one danced during the carnival in Rio de Janeiro is Samba no Pé, a Samba that can be danced by a single person and what is usually danced whenever Samba music is played. The dancers just follow the rhythm of the music and can vary from average to very fast depending on the tempo. In Samba no Pé the women dance on the balls of their feet as they usually wear high heels while the men dance with their feet flat on the floor. The body remains straight while dancing and the knees are bent one at a time. Small foot movements are executed to the 2/4 rhythm with three steps for each measure, just like in a step-ball-change step. Hip tilt is achieved by bending one knee slightly and the weight is shifted from one leg to the other.

Samba de Gafieira

This is samba for the masses, popularly danced in a lower-class dance hall or gafieira. This type of Samba is for a pair dance but differs to the ballroom samba. This variation is typically performed in the Catete, Centro and Botafogo districts of Rio de Janeiro and became well known around the 1940s. As it developed, it incorporated some acrobatic elements and borrowed some from the Argentine Tango, although of the more relaxed type, more like a combination of tango and waltz. It is danced with the partners in arm-length open embrace or in a closer embrace chest-to-chest, lead and follow movements. The basic steps or passo basico is quite similar to the box step or quadradinho in Portuguese. The beginner’s rhythm of quick-quick-slow is done in 4 beats. The whole sequence makes 8-beat basic steps with the lead dancer moving the left foot forward on the third beat and the right foot of the seventh beat.

The lateral movements are done almost in place on the count of one and two and on five and six. The lateral exit or saída ao lado is employed to enter or to exit the more elaborate steps of the Samba de Gafieira.

Samba Pagode

On the other hand, Samba Pagode, also a pair dance, is a simpler version of Samba de Gafieira and has fewer acrobatic elements. However, this version is more intimate than other sambas. Originating from São Paulo, Samba Pagode became popular when the Brazilian music style called Pagode, which came from Salvador in Bahia gained widespread acceptance in Rio de Janeiro around 1978.

Samba Axé

A solo dance and an evolving version of samba is Samba Axé, which started around 1986 in Salvador, Bahia in Brazil during the carnival season. It is danced to the rhythm of the music that replaced the Lambada, called Axé, which was popularized by music groups like E o Tchan. Samba Axé is a fully-choreographed samba dance that draws inspiration from the lyrics of the songs that accompany it. It is likewise energetic just like the other versions of Samba and is a combination of aerobics and Samba no Pé. However, there are no basic steps in this variation since the choreography for the dance goes hand in hand with the music that is released. The Axé music is a fusion of genres from Africa and the Caribbean, such as Reggae, Calypso and Marcha and also influenced by Brazilian and African music including Carixada, Frevo and Forró. Axé means good vibration, soul or spirit and comes from a Nigerian religious greeting used in Candomblé, an African religion practiced in Brazil.

Samba-Rock

A playful version of Samba is called Samba-Rock, a nightclub dance version that originated from São Paulo. It is a combination of different Latin dance forms, including Salsa, Forró, Zouk-Lambada and Samba de Gafieira.

Samba Rhythms

Samba is a very energetic, exuberant and funky dance, accompanied by a percussionist and a singer. Hand clapping can substitute for the percussion instrument. It has a fast tempo of 50 to 52 bars per minute. The movements in Samba are flirtatious, its music infectious and its rhythms are quite lively. While you will see Samba danced in its international form today, it still retains the figures with varied rhythms characteristic of the different dances where Samba originated. The rhythms of the different variations are the distinguishing marks to identify one from the other. The Natural Rolls have a simple 1, 2 and a half beat while the Boto Fogo variation has a 1 and a 2-quarter beat. Hip movements are retained during the half beats between the steps, called the “samba tic” or a pelvic tilt. The dancers display a flat carriage of their torsos and their weights forward on their standing legs, which should be bent.

The dance is also characterized by the unique “samba bounce action,” which is described as a rhythmic and gentle action that is felt through the knees and ankles but must be shown as a carefree and effortless movement. This is a difficult action to master but is an essential move to the whole make up of Samba. The pelvic tilt, the rapid footwork, the sway and pronounced rocking motion of the dancers are essential in the proper execution of the Samba.

Samba is not a dance for beginners who want to learn Latin dancing, as it requires fast footwork even for its basic steps. The footwork requires three-step changes with a slight lifting of the knee and led with alternating feet in a fast rhythm of quick, quick, slow and a slight pause. A Samba dancer keeps the shoulders slightly forward from the waist and maintains eye contact as well as a solid but never stiff connection with the partner. Due to the fast footwork, the dancers take their steps from the inside edge of the balls of their feet to make the small stop-and-go movement of the feet and hip while stepping to the side easier. The heel-and-toe are used when moving forward and backward. Throughout the dance, the dancers’ feet should always remain in contact with the floor. Samba is a combination of quick and slow, lingering moves that produce staccato movements, displaying the dancers’ form, their body outlines and defining movements. The arms of both the male and female Samba dancers must have some tension when they hold each other, although it should appear that the lady is held gently. The male dancer on the other hand must have firm arms and upper body.

Samba music has a 2/4 beat and most of the steps are executed on a two-count that creates a quick snapping of the dancer’s feet together as well as a fast hip tic. Abrupt and smooth motions are combined in the Samba that makes it breathtaking to watch. The cabaca, reco-reco, tamborim and chocalho are some of the original instruments that accompany Samba dancers and singers.

Samba Moves

Bouncy and light should be the feel when dancing the Samba. It may be a bit difficult to master at the beginning, since you have to still have to learn to execute those small, frenetic steps and making the samba tic. There will be some flexing and bending and linear and circular movements. These moves are what create the bouncy and light look of Samba. For the couple dancing the Samba, most of the action is done by the body. It includes contractions wherein the dancer should suck in the stomach in order to tilt the pelvis back and compress it so that the pelvis can tilt forward. The contractions are also used to move the foot forward or back while the compressions are employed to recover the foot to the starting position. These movements are also combined with the straightening and bending of the knees as the dancers transfer their weights from the balls of their feet to the flats of their feet to give them the particular Samba bounce. It is not just a matter of shifting the weight. Timing is very important and the weight change is usually delayed until the last possible moment and then moving the foot swiftly into position to achieve the Samba Bounce. You can achieve this by applying some pressure on the floor with both feet except when a foot has to be quickly moved into the next position. The standing foot is used to push the body and the full weight should not rest only on one foot particularly during an “a” or ¼ beat step. Toeing off helps in keeping the balance and show off a more captivating look. The Samba Bounce is used when the timing is on “slow” “slow” (SS) and on a “slow” and “slow” (SaS) combination but not when the count is slow-quick-quick or the reverse, which is quick-quick-slow.

Samba is a one of the great Latin American dances that are truly entrancing and a joy to watch, seemingly a fast yet fluid dance when performed by experts. The flirtatiousness is seen in the facial expressions of the dancers, in the way their shoulders move to and fro and the way their arms, hands and fingers tease the partner and the beautiful small hip sashays the female partner executes.

Photocredit: Wikimedia Commons

Beyond Valentine's Day – South Korea Celebrates Special Days Every 14th of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:24:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is around the corner. In many parts of the world, especially in the United States and England (where the holiday of hearts originated), February 14 is the time for men, women and children to express their love and affection to people close to them. The color of the day is predominantly red with splashes of white and pink. Chocolates, candies, little cakes, adorable teddy bears, mushy and sometimes kitschy greeting cards, and flowers of all kinds, not just roses, are bought, sold and delivered on the week of the 14th of February. The most popular images are those of hearts and cupids.

Because of intense commercialism, Valentine's Day practices common to the US and England have invaded the shores of other countries. From Europe to Africa, South America, the Middle East and Asia, Valentine's Day is celebrated either openly or under wraps. Some countries have their own Valentine's Day traditions. Usually, it is the florist or the confectionary makers (and other commercial establishments like department stores) that push Valentine's Day into the consciousness of the people for the sake of boosting their sales.

Women take the lead in Japan and Korea during V-Day

For instance, in Japan Valentine's Day was first introduced in 1936 by a confectionary and cake company, Morozoff Ltd. The foreigners living in the country were its market at that time. Other companies followed suit with their own gimmicks and promotions. Not all Western practices were absorbed by the Japanese, though. Exchange of Valentine cards or going out on dates was not a popular practice. What was unique to Japan was the practice of ladies in the office giving their male co-workers chocolates on V-day. In return, the men would give chocolates to the women a month later, specifically on March 14. The Japanese call this day, White Day.

South Koreans have adopted the practices of their Japanese neighbors when it comes to celebrating the day of love. Females are the expected gift givers during February 14. Then on White Day, it is the turn of the males to reciprocate.

But it seems that the South Koreans have (unintentionally perhaps) one-upped the Japanese by having a special holiday on the 14th day of each month for couples in romantic relationships. The only exception is the special holiday celebrated every 14th of April (more on this later). These South Korean special holidays (not to be confused with public holidays, though) may seem corny for many but they are fun nonetheless.

Diary Day – January 14

The first month of the year brings about a certain "newness" to any romantic relationship. January 14 is designated as Diary Day in South Korea. Diaries or 12-month planners are exchanged between couples (and close friends). These are used to take note of important dates such as birthdays, anniversaries, special events and other plans. Couples are encouraged to recount times spent with each other. It's a good way to keep track of things in the relationship lest one partner wants to be the accepting end of the ire of the other.

Valentine's Day – February 14

Western Valentine's Day practices are all too common in South Korea. There are decorations of hearts, roses and cupids in red, pink and white hues. Chocolate and candy sales are up. The only difference is that women are expected to give men gifts instead of the other way around. There is a sense of obligation to this practice. Some report that women give less expensive chocolates to men whom they are mere acquaintances with or whom they are not exactly fond of. But for men they really like, they choose the more expensive chocolates. Apparently, on this day, the chocolates do the talking. This practice was more common in the workplace when it started but has since gone beyond office buildings.

White Day – March 14

South Koreans adopted this Japanese special holiday, which is an answer to Valentine's Day. This gave South Korean men the chance to respond to their female counterparts. The common gifts given by men on this day are supposed to be predominantly white in color. Roses and other flowers are expected to be white and so are the stuffed animals or plush toys. White chocolate roses, marshmallows and other white confections are some of the gifts given out by men to certain women. Jewelry and dolls are also popular gifts during White Day. Of course gift giving during this day is, like on Valentine's Day, out of love, friendship, obligation or mere courtesy.

Black Day- April 14

The 14th of April is jajangmyeon-eating day for those who did not receive anything during Valentine's Day or White Day. This special holiday is known as Black Day in South Korea. Loveless men and women are given this day to drown their sorrows in "jajangmyeon," which is black colored noodles mixed with black bean paste. Single people who wish to celebrate (or commiserate) Black Day drink black coffee and consume other black colored foods. Dressing in black from head to toe is a common practice.

Rose Day/Yellow Day – May 14

The 14th of May is dubbed Rose Day and also Yellow Day. Those in a romantic relationship exchange rose bouquets to signify their love for each other. Some couples choose to wear clothes in shades of yellow during this day. So that single people are not left out, they have their own tradition on this day. And that is to eat curry.

Kiss Day – June 14

The language of the lips is celebrated during June 14. It's Kiss Day in South Korea. Locking lips is the order of the day for all couples. A number of venues and Seoul-based businesses try their best to capitalize on Kiss Day by organizing events like kissing contests and coming out with promotions to commemorate the day.

Silver Day – July 14

Jewelry stores profit from this day as couples are expected to exchange silver rings and other types of silver jewelry or accessories on Silver Day. The silver rings may sometimes serve as a couple's promise to marry each other at a future date. Some couples choose July 14 as the perfect day to introduce their partners to their parents or tell their friends about their on-going romantic relationship.

Green Day – August 14

South Korean couples take time to visit Mother Nature on Green Day. They go hiking, take a leisurely walk in a park or engage in other activities close to Mother Nature's heart. Couples often dress in green on August 14. For those who do not have a significant other, August 14 is also of some importance to them. This is the day when partner-less single men and women drown their sorrows at being loveless by drinking "soju," a drink that comes in a green bottle. The taste of "soju" is similar to vodka but slightly sweeter.

Photo Day and Music Day – September 14

An entire day is dedicated for couple to take pictures of each other and to have pictures taken of them together. After spending the day clicking away, September 14 ends with enjoying a night of singing or listening to music at one of the many karaoke rooms ("noraebang") around town. To confirm their romantic bond, some couples exchange music CDs on this day.

Wine Day – October 14

It's not exactly a day for couples to get inebriated. Rather, it is a day to enjoy a good glass or two of wine with one's significant other. The air is cold in October making wine a great companion to a good meal during a couple's romantic date. Single people also indulge in wine for their own personal reasons. In the end, it is really the wine sellers that are happiest on October 14 because of the volume of wine they are able to sell.

Movie Day – November 14

Couples are encouraged to go out and see a movie together on this day. But since there are no rules to this celebration, catching a flick at home is probably acceptable, too.

Hug Day – December 14

Hugs are often more powerful than words and transcend language barriers. In South Korea, Hug Day encourages couples to lock themselves in a tight, meaningful embrace. It's a great way to keep each other warm and toasty during this cold winter's day. But, it is not a special confined to lovers only. Hugs can also be exchanged between family and friends. Some people go around to give hugs to complete strangers (at no cost).

If you look at the list of special holidays above, you may find yourself scratching your head and asking yourself "WHY?!" Some of these special holidays seem silly and do not make sense at all. However, South Koreans are not the only people that have celebrations and holidays that do not make sense to other races and cultures. Some holidays were born thousands of years ago and were based on time-honored traditions. Others, especially recent ones, may have been born out of self-serving reasons (mainly for increased profit for certain companies). Other holidays just sounded like good ideas at the time they were conceptualized.

Whatever the reasons are for celebrating a particular holiday (regular, religious, special, etc.), respect it, honor it or simply enjoy what it is supposed to commemorate or stand for. When you are in South Korea or any other country for that matter, remember that it is more fun to join in their unique brand of fun than spending the time making sense of what is going on. Maybe as you learn more about the culture, its people and their language, you will be able to get what all the hoopla is all about.

The professionals working for Day Translations or World Interpreting, Inc. have their own set of serious and quirky holidays to celebrate. But when work calls, expect them to be 100% in work mode. Holiday or not, their translation and interpretation services are available 24/7 all days of the year.

Photocredit: by bitchcakesny

Don't Discount the Pen & Paper (not just yet)

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:06:00 +0000

We are now in the digital age. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds that electronic gadgets are now indispensible for many. Lives revolve around what information is written or received via gadgets that are supposed to make daily life easier. Productivity is on the rise; thanks to the wonders of information technology. And when it comes to keeping track of information, the tech gurus have provided a number of different options that mimic what was once the number one way to record information – the pen and paper.

Take for instance mobile phones; whether they are smartphones or not, mobile phones have the capability to store information. If you own a mobile phone and want to record something like a friend's phone number, a colleague's address, the weekend movie schedule, the price of soy milk at the local grocery, the license plate number of the vehicle that sideswiped you, an idea for your child's birthday party, the title of a song you just heard, quotable quotes, or a short poem you just wrote, you can take note of all these in your mobile phone. Use the calendar of your mobile phone for important dates and the notepad for ideas and other information. If you enter the information via the phone's texting facility, you can simply save the text in the draft folder for future reference.

Apart from mobile phones, tech companies have sophisticated thingamajigs like iPods, iPads and other tablet computers that make keeping and tracking information easier. In the tech world, a notebook actually refers to a smaller, less powerful laptop computer. Laptops are also getting smaller and can easily be carried around most places. And yes, who can forget the palmtops? It seems that today's gadgets have given people many different options to the pen and paper. But can these two peas in a pod really be replaced?

Why having a pen and paper with you is still practical

It seems that many have done away with bringing pen and paper with them on a daily basis. Many rely more on their electronic gadgets and can't seem to function as well without them. They seem to have forgotten that it is still practical to have these two writing tools handy.

When attending a meeting, a lecture or some sort of event where you need to take down notes quickly, it's actually faster to write with a pen and paper rather than do some finger typing. In cases where you are allowed to electronically record a lecture or seminar, by all means use a gadget with recording capabilities. Otherwise, take down notes using a pen and paper because aside from words, you can use the pen to draw diagrams, pictures or other graphics related to the subject being discussed.

In universities and colleges, laptops, notebooks, tablets, smartphones and other devices can be distracting to lecturers and other attendees. Students are sometimes caught watching videos on their devices, checking emails and social networking sites, or surfing instead of taking notes. In office situations, office workers attending meetings do the same thing. Gadgets tend to distract the attention of their owners because of what these gadgets can do. True, the pen and paper can be a tool for doodling and all, but it offers less temptation because you cannot open a YouTube video on your pad paper or paper notebook.

The pen will never run out of battery. It may run out of ink but if you use your pen often, you will know when it needs replacing. Just to be sure, you can always bring an extra pen with you. With electronic gadgets, to make sure that you don't run out of power, you will need to tote around the charger or an extra battery. A pen and paper can easily fit into a small bag and is not cumbersome to lug around.

If you lose your electronic gadget or drop it on the floor, it can set you back hundreds of dollars to replace it or have it repaired. A pen and paper notebook is cheaper unless of course you prefer to use a Montblanc pen together with a Moleskin notebook.

When you need to leave a note for a friend outside his door or on the windshield of his car, you will need a pen and paper. If you like someone and would like to slip him your number, you will need a pen and paper.

The pen and paper will neither crash nor slow you down. It doesn't matter if you have, excuse the term, fat fingers or not. The pen and paper will respond to your strokes with the same precision each time. It will not suddenly open your browser or delete your file. It will just write what your mind tells your fingers to write.

Sure, there are dozens of applications that try to mimic handwriting and note taking. These applications have so many bells and whistles. No doubt, they are cool to use. But at the end of the day, all you need them for is to write something down. You can do that with a pen and paper.

Of course some will argue that whatever is written on the paper still needs to be recorded in your gadget's contact list, digital calendar or in a software for record keeping or printing. Therefore, why bother with writing information down on paper? Simple, because there will be situations where writing on paper is quicker than typing on a keyboard or on the screen.

What kind of pen and paper should you bring?

The choice it up to you. There are too many options in the market today for writing implements and paper. Quality, price and application should be your basis for selection.

For pens, there are ballpoint pens, fountain pens, disposable pens, multi-colored pens, roller balls, gel pens, fiber tip pens, and so on and so forth. Others prefer to use pencils. Mechanical pens are a popular choice when it comes to lead based writing implements.

When it comes to paper, there are so many types to choose from. Notebooks and notepads come in different shapes, colors and sizes. The paper inside the notebook can be a plain sheet, with pre-printed text or graphics, or lined to help you write in a straight line. You can choose from different paperweight and quality. Paper can be glossy, matte, uncoated, recycled, handmade and more. Binding can be hand-sewn, padded, spiral-bound, to name a few. Notebooks have either hard covers or soft covers, with some notebooks using thick plastic, thick cardboard, cloth or leather for the covers. Your choice of notebook should be according to how and where you plan to use it and your own personal style.

Writing with a pen and paper gives you a different feel – one that no cool gadget in the world can ever replace. Sure, gadgets today can do so many things that either entertain or increase productivity. Still, there is something special about being able to write with a real pen on a clean sheet of paper. It makes you feel connected to the past.

Literary greats did not have the benefit of electronic gadgets to record their poetry and prose. Philosophers had no laptops to write down what they were thinking. Pioneering scientists never used apps to record their discoveries in medicine, astronomy, biology, geology, etc. Inventors, builders and engineers did not have tablets when they made their plans. Castles and monuments like the Eiffel Tower, the Hoover Dam or even the Sphinx were not erected using electronic gadgets. But surely they must have used some form of writing instrument and paper to take note of important ideas, plans and discoveries. So, have a pen and paper close by all the time. You'll never know when you'll need them.

Just like a pen and paper, Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. are reliable all the way through. They provide professional translation and interpretation services that will never go out of style. If you are in need of their services, drop them a line. They will be happy to provide you with the best translation and interpretation requirements you need.

Disclaimer: This blog is not saying that the pen and paper are far better than today's digital tools and that these electronic tools should be done away with. There is nothing wrong with relying on technology for as long as it is used appropriately and responsibly. This blog is simply pointing out that it is still practical to have pen and paper on hand in case your gadget conks out. When there's no electricity to charge your gadget or a tsunami or any other devastating act of nature hits your location rendering your gadget unusable, a pen and paper is your best bet. Wet paper just needs to dry well for it to be usable again. But neither the sun nor the wind can help make your drenched or destroyed tablet, smartphone or laptop work again.

Photocredit: by Emiliantha

Happy 200th Birthday Charles Dickens!

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:40:00 +0000

February 7, 2012 marks the 200th anniversary of a beloved Victorian era writer from England, Charles Dickens. His name is known to many worldwide, not only to literary buffs but also to countless students across the globe who were made to do book reports on some of Dickens' works and to visual arts enthusiasts! Many of Dickens' novels and novellas have been turned into stage plays, movies and television shows. Through the valiant works of professional translators, Dickens can now be read in many languages.

Dickens' wrote about what he knew, the Victorian era. He created stories with vivid characters that his readers could relate to whether with sympathy, empathy, apathy or extreme dislike. Anyone who reads his works from the first word to the last will never forget the images that his words conjured. Many were too real for comfort while others were definitely unforgettable.

A literary genius is born

Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. His parents were John Dickens and Elizabeth Barrow. Charles was the second of eight children and at a very young age he experienced a life that he would later draw upon during his years as a writer. His father was imprisoned due to debt causing a 9-year old Charles to stop attending school. He had to spend time working at a blacking factory where he experienced appalling conditions which no child should ever experience. Charles felt much despair and loneliness. But fate smiled upon the Dickens family and once again, Charles was back in school. He never forgot his experiences at the blacking factory. These experiences eventually made their way into two of his works: Great Expectations and David Copperfield.

Dickens eventually became a journalist. By 1833, he worked at The Morning Chronicle as a parliamentary journalist. In 1834, 'Boz' was born. 'Boz' was the pseudonym he hid behind when his series of short pieces (known as Sketches by Boz Illustrative of Every-day Life and Every-day People) were published in The Monthly Magazine. By 1836, he was a married man having wed Catherine Hogarth in April. Pickwick Papers came out the same month.

Dickens wrote weekly periodicals, novels, novellas, plays, travel books, and other works. He also administered to a number of charitable institutions. A known theater enthusiast, Dickens once performed before Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. Travelling was also part of his life. Dickens travelled to such countries as Italy and Switzerland. He also had a chance to visit the United States twice in his lifetime.

Dickens was blessed with 10 children. He died on June 9, 1870 at his home in Rochester, England after suffering a stroke the day before. His remains lie in what is called the Poets' Corner in London's Westminster Abbey. Charles Dickens was 58 years old.

Dickens' literary offspring

Florid (flowery) and poetic are two adjectives used to describe Dickens' literary style. He is known to put comic touches to his works. Dickens was able to describe in realistic detail the London of his time and the London that he loved. In fact, some say that the city of London was the major character in most of his works. Dickens was adept at mixing fantasy and realism thus drawing in a wide range of readers from across cultures and countries.

Dickens blessed the world with many literary works to choose from both of the fiction and non-fiction sort. A number of his works seem to be autobiographical while others were definitely social commentaries of existing conditions during his lifetime. Dickens was known to criticize poverty, slavery and the social structure of Victorian England. His first-ever published work was a sketch in 1833 called A Dinner at Poplar Walk, which is also referred to as Mr. Minns and his Cousin. Soon after, more works sprung from the imagination and pen of Dickens. Among them were novels such as:

Pickwick Papers (1836-1837)

Oliver Twist (1837-1839)

Nicholas Nickelby (1838-1839)

The Old Curiosity Shop (1840-1841)

David Copperfield (1849-1850)

Bleak House (1851-1853)

Little Dorrit (1855-1857)

A Tale of Two Cities (1859)

Great Expectations (1860-1861)

One novel that went unfinished was The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Some of Dickens' short stories included:

A Message From the Sea

George Silverman's Explanation

Holiday Romance

Hunted Down

Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings

Somebody's Luggage

Some Short Christmas Stories

The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain

The Perils of Certain English Prisoners

The Wreck of the Golden Mary

Other works of Dickens' (some were written in collaboration with other writers) were:

A Christmas Carol (1843)

A House to Let

Master Humphrey's Clock (1840-1841)

Mudfrog and Other Sketches

Sketches of Boz

Pictures from Italy

The Chimes

The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices

Three Ghost Stories: The Haunted House, The Signal Man and The Trial for Murder

To be Read at Dusk

Global Dickens

Dickens was born and raised in London, calling English his mother tongue. He spoke using this language and conjured up all his various masterpieces in English. But this did not stop Dickens from entering the consciousness of people who spoke languages far different from his. Because he was brilliant at writing about characters, locations and stories, these elements in his works are almost tangible that his global readers could easily relate to them in some way or another.

Thus, some of Dickens' works have been translated into different languages such as French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and even in Urdu, just to name a few. Some books are bilingual or subtitled. You can also find translated Dickens' works in audio form online.

Various cultures are able to enjoy the fantasy, romance, melodrama, humor, action, mystery and sentimental themes of Dickens' literary pieces because of the great work that translators across the globe done. It is through the hard work and perseverance of translators that Dickens continues to be relevant to many today across continents and across cultures. It also helps that the work of Dickens continues to influence new writers today the same way he influenced Russian writers in the past like Dostoevsky. Edmund Wilson and George Orwell pertained to Dickens as his time's greatest writer.

Today's British teens have their own language. In order to bring Dickens closer to the younger generation, writer Martin Baum came up with a unique translation of A Tale of Two Cities. He translated the novel into youth slang or yoof-speak. Baum initially translated several Shakespeare works into yoof-speak because he wanted to make Shakespeare fun and accessible for the English youth. In A Tale of Two Cities, the opening lines "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" has now become "It was da best of times, and not being funny or nuffing, but it was da worst of times, to be honest." He even renamed the title "Da Tale of Two Turfs." Baum shortened and translated 16 of Dickens' works into one book he aptly titles: "Oi, Mate Gimme Some More!" Whether Dickens would approve of these versions or not is the million-dollar question.

Visual Dickens

A number of Charles Dickens' literary masterpieces have landed on the big and small screen. Major theater companies have also had great successes in putting up their own stage versions of various beloved Dickens' classics. Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickelby, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, Great Expectations are just some of Dickens' works that were brought to life on stage, film or TV. Some of the visual adaptations of Dickens stayed true to his works. Others were inspired by his stories and spun new tales based on his genius.

It may be safe to say that it is Dickens' A Christmas Carol that is the most adapted of all his writings or at least the most well known. A Christmas Carol is a beloved Christmas story about Ebenezer Scrooge and how Scrooge's outlook in life was changed after his partner Jacob Marley and three convincing supernatural beings, the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, visited him. This Dickens novella is well known by all ages because it has been adapted in so many different ways and the main character, Scrooge, has been played by countless high-profile actors from many countries and across generations.

One of the most popular versions of A Christmas Carol is Jim Henson's The Muppet Christmas Carol. This version was and is still is loved by both children and adults alike. Michael Caine plays Scrooge opposite Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit. Disney also created their own version of A Christmas Carol with Donald Duck playing Scrooge and Mickey Mouse playing Bob Cratchit. A Christmas Carol has been retold many times and many ways over and till now, the story has not gotten old. This speaks to the genius of Dickens and his ability to whip up enduring stories and characters that stand the test of time.

Dickens' enters the Internet age

Dickens could have never imagined what is going on today. Literature in all its forms is now available for free and for a fee on the World Wide Web. A number of Dickens' works are on the Internet. A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, Bleak House, David Copperfield, Great Expectations and the Pickwick Papers are just a FEW of his works available as e-books, audio books and podcasts. Through the Internet, Dickens' is easily available to technologically savvy book lovers and to students who simply need to find a more creative way to get through a long book.

Students of Dickens are given newfound references in different forms – written, spoken, and visual. Furthermore, new technologies are allowing people from across the globe to connect with each other and share their thoughts, feelings and simple musings about Dickens, his works, his characters and his life.

Last year, experts on the works of Dickens explained how new technologies are being used to introduce and advance the works of Dickens to audiences worldwide. Internet sites led by Google books and YouTube are providing access not only to many of Dickens' well-known works but also to his works that only a few Dickens' lovers appreciate. Tablets and e-readers have made it possible to accumulate a collection of Dickens' works without having to deal with loads of books. You can take with you Dickens wherever you go. With a few taps on the screen of a tablet or e-reader, you can already jump to chapter 40 of Great Expectations. Movies, TV shows and stage plays based on Dickens' works can also be viewed on computer screen. You can watch Patrick Stewart playing Ebenezer Scrooge or an animated version of Oliver Twist. How cool and convenient is that?

Dickens' works can be downloaded, uploaded, read, heard and watched online and offline at home, in school, at work, in the mall or in a cozy coffee shop. You can read Dickens while in a car, plane, train or even a canoe. Whether you are up in the mountains, by the beach, in the boondocks or at the International Space Station, you can have your fill of Dickens' literary genius. Dickens is available 24/7! His works have been translated into many different languages allowing people from different cultural backgrounds to enjoy and learn from his works. Although some lines may get lost in translation, his message transcends language barriers. Dickens' stories are universal and timeless.

Prepare yourself for the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens on February 7 by enjoying at least one or two of his works. If you have time, get to know more about the man behind Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. Don't let the next weeks pass without at least getting a glimpse of this prolific literary genius known to many as Charles Dickens.

Many of Dickens' works have been translated to meet a wider global audience. If you yourself need translation or even interpretation services, seek the help of professionals. Contact Day Translations, Inc. or World Interpreting, Inc. They are at your service any time of the day.

Photocredit: Charles Dickens. Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Neologisms or New Words in the Oxford English Dictionary

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Each year, more and more words are added to English lexicons. New meanings are given to existing words by media, politicians, celebrities, artists, educators, writers, techies and just by about anyone creative enough to a neologism. This term simply means a new word or a new phrase that is being commonly used but not yet included in mainstream language.

Changes to the English language do not go unnoticed by linguists and lexicographers. While some of the other languages in the world are being fiercely protected in their mother countries, English seems to enjoy the influx of new terms into its dictionaries. "OMG," "FYI," "Britcom," "emailed," "goldendoodle," and "brain candy" are just some of the surprising entries to the Oxford English Dictionary.

The vanguard of words both old and new

The Oxford English Dictionary or OED was born over 150 years ago. It is not just any English dictionary that presents the current-day definition of terms; more importantly, it is also a historical dictionary. This dictionary presents the history behind individual words and phrases culled from literary classics, periodicals, cookery books, film scripts and more. Because it takes a historical approach to words, you can see how certain words, and the language itself, has changed over the years.

Oxford University Press, which publishes the OED, has a language research program that exists partly in order to gather new words, new meanings or changes to the language. They decide what new words are added to their different dictionaries. The OED in particular is updated 4 times a year. The first update comes out in March and the succeeding updates are in June, September and December of the same year.

Where does the Oxford University Press find the new words? Some are found in documents that come out in the World Wide Web. Other new words are sourced from song lyrics, fictional works, scientific journals and other writings. The Oxford University Press relies on a network of readers from all over the world who serve as their eyes and ears looking out for occurrences of new words, new meanings or changes to the language.

Evidence of usage of the new words is necessary whether in print or in online sources. It is not enough to accept new words heard in conversation, in movies or television shows. Though material coming from scripts and Internet message boards are analyzed.

When multiple writers use a new word it can become a candidate for addition to the OED. The new words that are included in the updates are those that are deemed most significant and those that may be in use for a long time.

Lexicographers are facing a challenge these days since many new words achieve popularity and acceptance in a short time period. There was a time when new words, in order to be considered for inclusion, had to be in use for 2 or 3 years. This is not the case now. In today's tech age, new terms are created in a blink of an eye. Assessing whether a new word is evanescent or eternal is a job lexicographers take seriously.

2011's new words, et al

March 2011

In the March 2011 update, which features more than 1,900 new entries and changes, you can find "couch surfer" and "ego surfer." The later means a person who boosts his ego by searching for his own name on Google and other search engines. Today's ego surfer goes beyond "Googling" himself. He boosts his ego by upping his Twitter friends and Facebook followers. The former is a person who has made it a habit to sleep in other people's homes instead of getting his own permanent place.

Some purists were probably up in arms when they found out that two popular initialisms landed on the March 2011 OED update: "LOL (laugh out loud)" and "OMG (Oh my God/gosh/goodness)." Both initialisms make certain people cringe but are widely accepted by the youth and the youth-at-heart.

After sitting in the sidelines for many years, "WAG" is now part of OED. It was first used in 2002 to refer to "wives and girlfriends" of footballers in England. The acronym never caught one until the high-profile wives and girlfriends of sports figures entered the limelight and the media started to take notice of them.

From the popularity of the 'I ♥ NY' campaign came the use of the word "heart" as a verb. "I ♥ (heart) you" means "I love you." The word "heart" as a verb is equivalent to "to love."

One phrase that women (and some men) would rather not see associated with their names is "muffin top." This refers to the (often unsightly) roll of fat that appears on top of trousers that feature a low waist.

June 2011

1,800 entries made it to the June 2011 update to OED. "Brain candy" is a non-intellectually stimulating form of popular entertainment. It may stimulate the mind in a most pleasant way but it does nothing to intellectually stimulate the brain. It can be likened to "eye candy" (something visually stimulating) and "ear candy" (a sound pleasant to the ears) both of which do nothing to get you closer to getting a Mensa card.

Instead of saying "urban area (city)" you can now use the word "urb." C3PO is a "bot," short for "robot." "Enviro" is a shortened form for the noun "environment" or the adjective "environmental."

Terms that originated from the Spanish language like "lucha libre," "luchador" and "salsa verde" made it to the June 2011 update.

September 2011

About 1,500 new words and meanings were included in the third update for 2011. The update welcomes terms associated with culinary delights that use chocolate as an ingredient. In the following terms, the word "black" is used to mean chocolate as a main component of the culinary creation: "black bottom," "black and white" and "blackout cake."

Japanese popular culture continues to invade the imaginations of many across the Pacific via Japanese comic books or "manga" and animation or "anime." The September 2011 update features 2 gender-specific terms for Japanese manga and anime comics: "shonen" (for your boys) and "shojo" (for young girls).

Other interesting words are "Britcom" (British comedy), "Goldendoodle" (a mix of Golden Retriever and Poodle), "ambo" (ambulance) and "emailed" (sent via electronic mail). If you want to be hip, exaggerate the way you pronounce the word "cool" by saying is as "kewl" and spelling it that way, too.

December 2011

The December 2011 update has pushed OED into reaching a milestone. Since March 2000, when OED first graced the web with updated material, OED has included 100,000 new as well as revised entries to its dictionary. Their current running total is 102,133 entries.

"Stich 'n bitch" is an entry that means a gathering of individuals who chat or gossip while knitting or crocheting. Another entry is "va-jay-jay," a term uttered frequently by media mogul Oprah Winfrey. It means "vagina." "Abott's bobby" has nothing to do with the mammary glands. It actually refers to an endangered species of seabirds. If you want to refer to someone as your best friend, you can say he's your "boon coon" instead.

Note on OED and ODO

Oxford University Press takes charge of both OED and ODO or Oxford Dictionary Online. While the OED offers definitions as well as the historical background of words and phrases, the ODO presents words and phrases as they are used today. ODO is more on practical usage. It gets its words from a 2.3 billion 21st-century English word databank called the Oxford English Corpus. If you need assistance in using English for today's audience, ODO is your go-to dictionary.

Rapidly expanding language

New words, new meanings and changes to the English language are inevitable especially now that humans are in the digital age. Because it is so easy to communicate and share ideas, neologisms seem to pop up faster than you can say the word neologism. Some new terms added to OED have actually made their appearance in documents, letters and other forms of text many years ago. But is it only now that these new terms are being used to their full potential. It seems that no one can stop the continued growth of the English language. It will continue to evolve.

Purists have criticized the makers of OED for adding "BFF (best friends forever)" and a host of other terms they find questionable. There may be merit in their criticisms. But if you don't include these new terms into an existing dictionary, where do you put them then and how do you stop people from using them?

Some say that language is not alive and it is not supposed to evolve. Unfortunately, it seems that language has a life of its own. It is moving towards the direction dictated by society and, lately, of technology. The question now is do you use these new terms or ignore them completely?

In this age of endless "tweeting," "Googling," "emailing," and reality television, it is best to keep yourself abreast with neologisms that you can use in your daily communication with people close to you and with the rest of the world.

You can be sure that Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. take into consideration new words, meanings and changes to whichever language you use. They keep abreast with developments in language because they are dedicated to provide only the best professional translation and interpretation services. Inquire about their services any time of the day from wherever you are on the globe.

Photocredit: by etnobofin

Black History Month and African American Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:25:00 +0000

February is Black History Month, a time to focus the limelight on Americans of African descent. It started out as Negro History Week in 1926 with the aim of educating Americans on African American history. It is also known as African-American History Month in the US. It is also celebrated in Canada in February. In the United Kingdom, Black History Month is observed in October.

In the US and Canada, different events and activities are staged throughout the whole month of February in observance of Black History Month. In schools, African American history is given much emphasis in all levels from elementary to university level. Media, print, radio, television and the Internet have their own programs centering on African American history and other related subjects. Focus is placed on black Americans who have made their mark in government, education, media, literature, medicine, business, sports, and other important fields. Their contributions serve as inspirations to fellow African Americans and non-African Americans.

African Americans seem to have come full circle – from slavery to presidency. Hawaii-born Barack Hussein Obama, whose father hails from Kenya, is the United States' 44th president. But before President Obama's ascendancy to the White House, there were many other African Americans who broke the glass ceiling in different fields. And these pioneering men and women should be remembered for their contributions to black history.

From Week to Month

Carter G. Woodson was the Harvard-educated historian who founded the organization called Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). One of Woodson's goals was to educate the people of America about the history of African Americans. In 1925, he announced an event that would help realize this goal: the Negro History Week. The very first celebration of the event happened sometime in February 1926, on a week that had both Abraham Lincoln's and Frederick Douglass' birthdays, which were on February 12 and February 14, respectively. Both men were stalwarts against slavery. An interesting trivia to mention is that since Douglass' actual date of birth was unknown to him; he chose his own birthdate.

Woodson's aim was to highlight not only the history and cultural background of African Americans, but also their great achievements in different fields. It was important for Woodson that African American history become part and parcel of the whole history of America. John Hope Franklin, another historian, said that Woodson's hope was for Negro History Week to eventually "outlive its usefulness." He hoped that one day, the celebration could be eliminated because black history would already be ensconced into American history.

The initial response to Woodson's event was overwhelming. A number of black history clubs were born; there was a clamor for teaching materials for use in educational institutions; and, endorsements came from progressive whites and not just from white philanthropists and scholars. Negro History Week continued to establish itself as an important celebration even after the death of Woodson. When the US celebrated its bicentennial in 1976, the celebration was extended to a month. The 1st African American History Month was celebrated 50 years after the 1st celebration of Negro History Week.

Criticisms against Black History Month

There has been an ongoing debate over the observance of Black History Month. Some feel that setting aside a whole month gives people an excuse not to think about black history for the rest of the year. It also makes it seem that African American history is separate from the whole history of the United States. Others question the selection of the month of February for Black History Month since it has the least number of days compared to other months.

There are critics who even argue that Black History Month actually promotes racism. In an interview with Mike Wallace for 60 Minutes back in 2005, legendary multi-awarded African American actor Morgan Freeman questioned why his history has been relegated to just a month. He finds the whole thing ridiculous because, as he said, "Black history is American history." There are other criticisms about the celebration. Yet, Black History Month continues to be celebrated each year.

Writing, a means of expression for the oppressed

Black History Month puts the spotlight on African American achievers in various fields. Prominent black politicians, celebrities, scientists, business leaders and journalists are hailed and honored together with African American writers who have made writing their means of expressing their culture, their thoughts, their feelings and their ideals. They use written language in order to connect with their fellow African Americans and with the world as a whole.

The works of notable African American writers range from poems to essays to novels to plays and other forms of literature. Black writers wrote about slavery, political and social oppression, poverty, the civil rights movement, injustice and racism. But these were not the only subjects of their works. African American writers also wrote about their hopes and dreams, about love, of freedom, their beliefs and values, and what was good in their lives.

The language they used ranged from Standard English to a mixture of Standard English and Ebonics (ebony/phonics). Ebonics, or African American Vernacular English (AVVE) as it is sometimes referred to, is often described as a dialect very similar to the Southern American English. Other African American writers wrote in creole and other dialects.

Here are some notable early African Americans writers:

· Phillis Wheatley. A slave from Africa, Wheatley was bought by a Boston Merchant back in the late 1700s. She came to America not knowing how to speak English. Her owners took time to teach Wheatley her new adopted language and by 1773, Wheatley published "Poems on Various Subjects."

· Frederick Douglass. He wrote the "Narrative of Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave," which came out in 1845. Ten years after, his next work, "My Bondage and My Freedom," was published. His "Life and Times of Frederick Douglass" was published in 1881. Douglass was not just a writer; he was an abolitionist and fought for the rights of African American men and women.

· W.E.B. Du Bois. One of the founders of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was the author of the 1903 collection of essays entitled "The Souls of Black Folk."

· Booker T. Washington. An educator, he wrote the following works: his 1901 autobiography "Up From Slavery," "The Future of the American Negro," and "My Larger Education."

· Jean Toomer, Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston and Dorothy West. They were well-known writers in the 20s to the 30s.

· Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison and James Baldwin. They were well-known writers who published works during the 40s, 50s and 60s.

· Lorraine Hansberry. A playwright and author, she wrote the notable play, "A Raisin in the Sun" for which she garnered a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award in 1959.

· Alex Haley. He wrote the critically acclaimed novel "Roots: The Saga of an American Family." This was published in no less than 37 languages and became a much watched television series. The book claimed for Haley a Special Award from the Pulitzer Board in 1977.

· Maya Angelou. A writer, playwright, director, producer, actress, dancer, professor, activist, public speaker and more, she has won countless awards for her many works and received more than 30 honorary degrees from various institutions and organizations. The first of her autobiographies, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" published in 1969, was nominated for a National Book Award. While "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Die" a collection of poetry, garnered a Pulitzer Prize nomination in 1971.

· Alice Walker. In 1983 she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize as well as a National Book Award for her fictional work, "The Color Purple." The novel later on became a film directed by Steven Spielberg and then a musical produced by no less than notable African Americans Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey (who starred in the film version opposite Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover).

· Toni Morrison. She is recognized for her works such as "The Bluest Eyes," "Sula," "Song of Solomon," and "Beloved." She started receiving awards in the late 70s. In 1977, "Song of Solomon" gave her a National Book Critics Circle Award. Today, she continues to reap awards for her literary contributions not only in the U.S. but also in other parts of the globe. In fact, in 2011 the University of Geneva bestowed on Morrison an Honorary Doctorate of Letters.

Today, up and coming African American writers are continuing the tradition set by earlier generations of black Americans. These new crop of writers may not have the same set of experiences or lived in the same conditions as their predecessors but that does not mean they cannot achieve what the other African Americans have achieved in the past. Through their imagination, passion and expert use of language in writing a particular literary form, the new crop of African American writers can continue the legacy handed down to them.

Different public and private organizations continue to pay tribute to the different generations of black Americans who, even amidst the adversities and challenges in life achieved their own goals and are now viewed as positive role models for the new generation and for the generations to come. Black history or African American history is a big part of human history, not just the history of the United States of America.

Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. have a history of providing only the best translation and interpretation services. Contact them anytime you need their professional services.

LSSU: Banishing Words to Oblivion

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:30:00 +0000

"Whoomp, There It Is! (1994)" Lake Superior State University or LSSU has released its annual Banished Words List for 2012! The Banished Words List is a collection of words that nominators would like cleansed from the English language. At the very least, these are words that nominators no longer want to hear being used by media personalities or by the general public. The first Banished Words List was issued by LSSU in 1976. Since then, people have been nominating words that they believe should be in the list for a particular year. Although not everyone is in agreement with the words that make it to the final cut, still, it is great fun to find out why these words have been deemed over-ripe and need to be removed from the collective consciousness of society.

Why the need for a list?

LSSU wanted to point out that people have a tendency to over-use and most often, mis-use words sometimes to the point where the words or phrases become generally useless. Words and phrases like "awesome (1984 & 2007)," "you go, girl (1997)," "win-win (1993)," and "to die for (1995)" for instance have been beaten to a pulp. These words started out as interesting and useful. But alas, they eventually became as pleasant to the ears as the sound of fingernails scratching on a chalkboard. To help regain some linguistic dignity, LSSU comes up with a yearly list as a reminder to all.

LSSU and the birth of the Banished Words List

Lake Superior State University started out as Lake Superior State College in 1946. Located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, right along the border of US and Canada, the college was established for veterans of World War II who were returning after the war. By 1970, the once Michigan College of Mining and Technology branch became autonomous from its mother institution. In 1987, the college completed its transformation to all full-pledged university. LSSU offers over 60 degree programs including accounting, biology, computer science, fisheries and wildlife management, geology, engineering, criminal justice, teacher education, psychology and nursing.

It was LSSU's Public Relations Director, W.T. Rabe (now retired from the said post), who spearheaded much of the campaign to lift the small college out of oblivion and distance itself from Michigan Technological University. As early as 1971, the legendary Rabe established a group called Unicorn Hunters and instituted events like the yearly Snowman Burning, which was the then college's way to usher in the 1st day of spring.

The Banished Words List first came out in 1976. It was prepared in 1975 by Rabe and some friends at a party on New Year's Eve. Because of the popularity of the said list with the locals and with the international community, Rabe continued churning out lists since then. People have been invited to nominate words or expressions that they believed should be banished from the English language for a particular year.

Why release the list on January 1st? Rabe, a newsman himself, knew that the list would get the maximum coverage on New Year's Day because January 1st has always been what journalists term as a particularly slow news day. Each 1st of January, students, faculty, the local and international news organizations, and people who have grown fond of the list eagerly anticipate the Banished Words List. The list's popularity continues to grow especially because of its accessibility given the current state of computer technology. The 2012 Banished Words List is the 37th of its kind. It looks likes Rabe's brainchild will live on for a long time.

The first list

Since 1976, a whole slew of words have been banished by LSSU. The numbers are close to 900 to date. The words found in the very first Banished Words List are the following:

At this point in time

Call for Resignation

Détente

Dialogue

Implement and Viable

Input

Macho

Meaningful

Scenario

You can find, enjoy and criticize the different Banished Words Lists on the LSSU website. A few of the words that have appeared on the lists since its inception are:

24/7 (2000)

<3 (2009) - it is supposed to look like a heart

Absolutely! (1993)

App (2010)

Awesome (1984 & 2007)

Baby boomers (1989)

Been There, Done That (1996)

Bling or Bling-Bling (2004)

Carbs (2005)

Exact Same (1981 & 1990)

Flip Flop (2005)

Hello?! (1999)

My Bad (1988)

Organic (2008)

There are too many interesting words and phrases to mention and it would be best to read it from the LSSU site rather than repeat the same information here. In the LSSU website you can also get an explanation as to why these words made it to the list.

What's in the 2012 list?

The words and phrases that won a seat on the 2012 Banished Words List are:

Baby bump (came in second to the top word)

Blowback (corporate jargon meaning reaction)

Ginormous (used when gigantic and enormous are not big enough)

Man cave (popularized in television, movies and sports shows)

Occupy (gained popularity due to the Occupy Wall Street movement)

Pet parent (goes beyond pet owner)

Shared sacrifice (a politician's go-to word referring to sharing the burden)

The new normal (justifies new bad trends or styles)

Trickeration (why the word trickery does not suffice is a mystery)

Win the future (there must be much dislike for this politician's term that it landed in the list)

Thank you in advance (condescending much?)

AMAZING

But what got the most nominations for 2012 is, drum roll, please, "AMAZING." Apparently, more than 1,500 people put this word on the list. It seems that the alleged fault lies on journalist Anderson Cooper and media mogul/lifestyle maven Martha Stewart according to the nominators of this word. Not only were people from America and Canada gunning for "amazing," nominations were also received from as far as Scotland, England and Israel. The powers-that-be that issue the yearly list were caught by surprise because the word "amazing" was never part of any of the other lists in the past.

Is it right to banish words?

Freedom of speech, at least in some countries, essentially gives individuals the right to say what they wants to say. Of course, not unless what one is saying is slanderous and can result in a legal action. However, over-using or mis-using words may make a person appear unintelligent to the more educated crowd. There may be a sort of snobbery to the Banished Words List but at the same time it serves as a reminder that there is no need to use flowery words or meaningless words when there are better words that can communicate what you need or want to say succinctly and, more importantly, accurately.

When celebrities, politicians, media personalities and plain wannabes start dishing out over-used and mis-used words, one can't help but imagine the great writers and linguists cringing. Shakespeare must be turning over in his grave whenever someone mis-uses the language he loved.

In the end, it is up to the individual whether he wants to continue using the words in the Banished Words List or not. But when doing so, hopefully he uses the words the way these words were intended to be used in the English language. Otherwise, he might not be "on the same page (1996)" as the person he is attempting to communicate with even if that person is his "BFF (2011)."

Translation and interpretation are "ginormous" undertakings. Both Day Translations and World Interpreting, Inc. do an "amazing" job at these tasks. They hire professionals who never hide in their "man caves" or spend more time as "pet parents." Instead, their people perform "shared sacrifices" in order to come up with spot on work. "Win the future" with either Day Translations, Inc. or World Interpreting, Inc. "Thank you in advance" for the business.

Chinese New Year – Enter the Yang Water Dragon

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:43:00 +0000

Kung Hei Fat Choy!
Happy Chinese New Year!

At the heels of the Gregorian New Year is the Chinese New Year. The Chinese traditionally follow the lunar calendar rather than the solar Gregorian calendar. This year’s Chinese New Year falls on the 23rd of January. It will be the 4,710th new year based on the Chinese calendar although some references point out that it is actually the 4,709th year. For many, it is more important to find out what animal is associated to the year 2012 according to Chinese astrology.

The Chinese calendar is on a 60 year cycle. Each year is represented by a combination of one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac (known as Shēngxiào) and one of the 5 elements. The 12 animals under the Chinese zodiac, in order of their appearance, are: "rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The 5 elements are metal, water, wood, fire and earth." This year, 2012, is represented by the dragon, which is the 5th sign of the Chinese zodiac, and by the water element.

Chinese astrologers base their reading of a person's traits and his future on his animal sign and the element associated with his year of birth. Each animal has personality traits associated with it and when combined with the characteristics of a particular element, these traits are either enhanced or softened. Yin and Yang, an ancient Chinese concept, also has an effect on a person's horoscope. The odd years on the Chinese calendar are designated as Yin years while the Yang years are even numbered years. Yin is earth, female, passive and dark. Yang is heaven male, active and light.

Were you born a dragon?

In determining a person's animal according to Chinese astrology, one must never rely simply on the year of his birth. Not everyone born on 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, or on the other years referred to as a dragon year can actually call the dragon their animal sign. The animal signs are, as stated earlier, determined by Chinese astrology rather than the Gregorian calendar years. Chinese astrology is more complicated compared to western astrology.

Chinese New Year is determined by the appearance of the second new moon right after the winter solstice. This may fall sometime after January 20 and before February 21 on the Gregorian calendar. The Chinese use the lunar system to determine the start of each year. However, the beginning of each month is based on a solar system rather than a lunar system. The first month of the year is always the Tiger month which is the start of spring and often falls around the 4th or the 5th of February each year.

On the Chinese astrology calendar, the official start of the year of the Yang Water Dragon is on February 4, specifically at 18:23 (according to China's time zone). Technically, following this train of thought, anyone born on or after January 23, 2012 but before February 4 18:23 is classified as a rabbit. This need to be precise in determining one's animal sign is probably the reason why many people prefer to simply take the Gregorian year assigned to the animal sign as the basis for their personal animal sign.

Do you have the traits of a dragon?

To determine a person's real temperament and personality plus his future according to Chinese Astrology, it is essential to provide information on a person's date of birth as well as his time of birth. These two essential pieces of information are combined by Chinese fortune tellers with the animal sign, the ruling element, Yin or Yang, the sun and moon positions and the directions (north, south, east, west and its combinations) to determine and describe a person's personal characteristics and in predicting his possible future.

The dragon is the mightiest of all the animals of the Chinese zodiac. It is a well respected symbol in China appearing in palaces as well as modest homes. Dragons often appear on imperial clothing. The dragon stands for power and might, success and good fortune, and for happiness. Respected and revered in Chinese culture, the dragon of the east is far different from the feared-fire breathing dragon of the west.

People born under the year of the dragon are said to be stately, loyal, confident, strong, decisive, perfectionists, proud, confident, self-assured, dignified, noble, intellectual, energetic, fiery, passionate, vigorous, generous, magnanimous, and artistic. Sometimes they can be demanding only because they have very high standards. Dragons appear to be brash, tyrannical, conceited, arrogant, tactless, intolerant, and imperious.

The dragon is said to compatible with the following animals: rat, snake, monkey and rooster. It is least compatible with a fellow dragon, ox, rabbit, and dog.

The Water Dragon

In the case of the water dragon, the water element is said to counter the fiery nature of the mighty beast. Water provides the much needed cooling power that results in level headedness for dragons that need to make important decisions. Patience that comes from the water element will help temper the passionate dragon. The water dragon is intelligent and uses his innate wisdom in all aspects of his life.

The dragon often aspires for greatness and succeeds in life through sheer determination and perseverance. Water will help prevent burn-out caused by too overworking himself just to succeed. Because dragons tend to be impulsive and stubborn at times, the water element will make those born in the year of the water dragon more open to collaborating with other rather than overly asserting themselves.

In the company of fellow water dragons

When asked who the famous personalities born under the dragon sign are, Bruce Lee's name often comes up. However, Lee, the quintessential martial artist and the man behind the film Enter the Dragon, is not a water dragon but a metal dragon. Some of the water dragons you may know are Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (son of Lee Kwan Yew), U.S. General David Petreaus, tennis legend Jimmy Connors, authors Amy Tan, Pearl S. Buck and Anna Quindlen, actors Jeff Goldblum, Isabella Rossellini, David Hasselhoff, Liam Neeson, and Mr. T, singer/songwriter George Strait, director Robert Zemeckis, and film producer Harvey Weinstein.

It is quite exciting to find out what your Chinese zodiac sign is and consequently, what future awaits you based on your animal sign. However, your zodiac sign should not be the basis of how you see your life and how you live your life. You should always live your life to the fullest without causing hurt, sadness or despair on others. Be compassionate, humble and charitable. Good things come to good people. Whether you are a dragon, a monkey, an ox, a Gemini, a Virgo or a Libra, all you need to do is to do unto others what you want others to do unto you.

If your line of work requires translation or interpretation services, always call on Day Translations Inc. or World Interpreting, Inc. to answer your needs. Like dragons, they are perfectionists at what they do.

Chinese New Year Traditions and New Year Traditions Across the Globe

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:24:00 +0000

New Year's Day does not actually come only once a year but several times a year depending on the type of calendar one uses. For countries that adopted the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is always celebrated on January 1 of each year. The date never changes. This is the New Year often associated with the countries of the West and those that follow the Catholic faith.

In other cultures, countries and religions, their New Year's Day falls on a different month and day if you look at it through the Gregorian calendar. The day and sometimes the month may be different because they base the calculations of their respective new year's day on the cycles of the moon. The Chinese for instance follow a lunar calendar as opposed to the solar-based Gregorian calendar. For the Chinese, January 23 is the date for this year's Chinese New Year.

Each New Year brings so much hope and promise for a bigger, brighter, more prosperous and more peaceful year ahead. And to ensure that the coming year will be a great one, different cultures have different customs, traditions and beliefs that they follow. Knowledge is always a good thing and so, it will be good to know some of the traditions different countries and cultures follow. In today’s hi-tech world, many of these traditions don’t seem to make sense at all. It doesn’t hurt to follow them. Besides, many are fun and entertaining enough for everyone to participate in. So for your next New Year celebration, see which traditions you think you would want to adopt.

Spring Festival is near

New Year's Day for the Chinese is a day of rebirth. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Farmers welcome spring because it is the time for them to plant new harvest and start the cycle of life anew. Thus, the Chinese Lunar New Year is referred to as the Spring Festival.

The Chinese are known for having many traditions not only related to their New Year but to other events as well. Even the way they live their lives is peppered with time old customs and traditions, which have been passed down from generation to generation.

When it comes to the New Year's Day, the Chinese believe that what you do on this day may have an effect on your life at least till the end of the year. The Chinese are careful with their actions and would only do things that would bring them prosperity, good health and positive energy. For instance, it is a custom to only greet people that they believe would bring them positive energy and joy. The Chinese also watch what they eat ensuring that their meals for the day will bring them good health.

Some of the more common traditions practiced by the Chinese in preparation for New Year's Day include cleaning the whole house and getting rid of things associated with the past year, debts are repaid, and differences with immediate family, relatives, friends, neighbors, business associates and other people are resolved. The Chinese also make sure they have red money envelopes with new crisp bills, circular candy trays, flowers like water lilies or peach blossoms and new outfits not just for kids but for the whole family. Since red or orange is the color of New Year's Day you will see a lot of people wearing either of these two colors.

The Chinese need to have 8 round fruits on their dining tables. In some cultures, people prepare 12 round fruits instead of 8. For the Chinese, it is the number 8, not the number 12, that signifies good luck. The number 8 represents infinity. Countries with a large population of Chinese like the Philippines, Malaysia and other Asian countries follow this tradition as they usher in the New Year. If you want to follow this tradition, you have a multitude of round fruits to select from. Some of these rounded fruits are apples, oranges, grapes, watermelons, limes, blueberries, pomegranates, guavas, rhambutans, kiwis, plums, and peaches.

The pineapple, with its many “eyes,” is an important fruit for the New Year according to the Chinese. The “eyes” of the fruit symbolize success in one’s career and more opportunities for the coming year. The pineapple is placed outside doors and on windowsills.

Polka dots, crisp bills, noise makers, new undies and jumping at midnight

In the Philippines, there are some New Year’s Eve customs that the Filipinos inherited from their conquerors while others came from their ancestors. One tradition has something to do with polka dots. Many Filipinos believe that they should wear clothing with polka dot designs on them. Other cultures also wear spotted garments on New Year’s Eve. Polka dots represent money or wealth because coins have the same shape as the dots. The bigger the circumference of the polka dots, the more money is expected to come into the wearer’s life.

Many Filipinos also believe that having money on their person, whether in their pockets, wallets, or in pouches attached to their clothing when the clock strikes twelve on December 31 will ensure that they will be prosperous the coming year; the crispier and bigger (denomination-wise) the bills, the better. Coins are welcome, too.

To drive away evil spirits, the people of the Philippines, young and old, grab metal pots, pans and basins just before midnight of the 31^st and hit them with much gusto to make as much noise as possible. They often use ladles, utensils, or sticks in banging the pots. Some bang two pots together for more noise. Others place coins inside tin cans or pots. These cans or pots are then shaken minutes before the clock strikes 12 on December 31 like you would a pair of maracas. Sellers of noisemakers such as different kinds of fireworks and horns made of paper or plastic make a mean profit days and hours before New Year’s Eve in the Philippines.

Parents, grandparents and other well-meaning adults tell the children to jump as high as they can on the strike of midnight. It is believed that the children will grow a few extra inches when they do so. Some young adults who want to gain some height also jump up as high as they can. After all, hope springs eternal. In other cultures, the children jump down from chairs or other platforms with the same wish in mind.

As far as wearing new underwear is concerned, some Filipinos believe that it is good luck to usher in the New Year fresh and clean. Wearing new clothes, shoes and accessories from head-to-toe and underneath makes people generally feel good during this time of year whether they are from the Philippines or elsewhere in the world.

Colorful underwear

In South American countries like Bolivia, Brazil, and Guatemala, and in Mexico, citizens have a tradition of donning colorful underpants as they welcome the New Year. Bright colored underpants are supposed to help them catch some good luck for the New Year ahead. Red and yellow are the favorite colors. Red represents love; so those who wear this color are hoping for a good love life ahead. Yellow is all about money and prosperity. Those who practice this tradition hope to gain material wealth in the coming year. For some cultures, yellow also represents happiness. Thus, people who wear this color of underwear expect less sadness and more glee in their lives. In Spain, where the practice probably originated, red underwear on New Year’s Eve equals good luck.

12 grapes of the New Year

Eating 12 grapes before the clock strikes 12 is a custom inspired by the Spanish. People of South America and even Filipinos follow this tradition. One grape is eaten to coincide with each chime on the clock as the countdown to the New Year starts. Each grape is equivalent to one wish.

Mistletoe in exchange for a mate

Irish women who are looking for love put mistletoe leaves under their pillows before the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve. Not only are the mistletoe leaves intended for catching a future husband, the leaves also serve to ward off bad luck.

Breaking plates in front of the neighbor’s door

It is customary in Denmark for neighbors to break plates, cups, glasses and other types of crockery in front of their neighbor’s front door. Having breakable dishes thrown at their doors do not irritate the Danish people. It is actually a welcome custom. The Danes believe that the more broken pieces in front of their doors, the better. Why? Because it is a sign that they have a lot of good friends.

The Vikings’ fiery balls

In Scotland, in a place called Stonehaven, Scots celebrate the Hogmanay Festival. On the last day of the year, men walk through the streets in a parade at night swinging fireballs above their heads. They believe that these balls of fire bring purification as well as sunshine to their community of men, animals and plants. This custom has been going on even before the advent of Christianity in Scotland. It is believed to have started during the time of the Vikings. Hogmanay is also celebrated in other parts of Scotland.

Race to be first-foot

At the heels of the Hogmanay Festival is the custom of first-footing. The Scottish people race to be the first person that crosses a friend’s or a neighbor’s threshold. In the past, symbolic gifts like salt, coal, whisky, shortbread and a type of rich fruit cake called a black bun were given to the owner of the household to bring some form of luck to the recipient. The gift giver in turn receives food and drink from the owner of the house. The person who successfully becomes the “first-foot” is said to be the recipient of good luck for the whole year. Many homeowners prefer their first-foot to be a tall, dark and handsome man as they bring the most good luck.

Auld Lang Syne

The Scots contributed one of the greatest New Year’s Eve traditions, the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.” The literal translation of the title is “old long since.” The song was part of the 1796 book entitled Scots Musical Museum. Poet Robert Burns heard an old man singing the song, which Burns then transcribed and refined to come up with the ever-popular New Year ditty. Although Auld Lang Syne is the most popular song during New Year’s Eve, people don’t seem to know all of the lyrics of this song. Auld Lang Syne reminds everyone to remember the people and events of the past with a measure of fondness. Guy Lombardo, legendary bandleader active during the years1924 to 1977, is credited with turning Auld Lang Syne into the New Year’s Eve tradition many know today.

Burning bad luck

The scarecrow not only scares birds away from crops, it also scares away bad luck according to an Ecuadorian custom. Scarecrows are filled with small pieces of wood and newspapers then burned on New Year’s Eve. The people of Ecuador who follow this custom believe that all the negative events of the past year will be erased and good luck and happiness will be in store for them for the coming year.

Fireworks

The most popular New Year’s Eve tradition throughout the globe is lighting up fireworks. A gift from the Chinese, fireworks come in many shape, form and price. Not only do fireworks supposedly ward off bad luck and drive away evil spirits, they give so much glee to those who light them and to those who watch them burn like flowers of fire in the nighttime sky. Fireworks are part of the New Year’s Eve celebrations throughout the world.

New Year’s resolutions

Before the start of the New Year, it is customary for many people to think of New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions are promises they make to themselves and also to others. Many resolutions are related to diet and exercise especially for people who want to be healthier and were remiss in being more conscious of taking care of their physical health. Some resolutions are financially motivated. People resolve to be more frugal and wise with their money. Others want to be more patient, more charitable, more attentive, more loving, or more hardworking. Some want to learn something new, take up a new sport or activity, or to be more adventurous.

The list of resolutions can be either long or short. But whether the resolution consists of only one line or fills more than one standard size bond paper, the usual problem with making a resolution is sticking to it till the end of New Year. Still, it is a good practice to make a list of resolutions because it gives a person time to reflect on his life and identify ways to become a better person. If you follow the Gregorian New Year, you can still make a New Year's resolution or two. Just make sure it is something you can follow through.

Chinese New Year is around the corner while the end of the first month of the New Year will come soon. Remember to start the 2012 on a positive note. Think before your act. Spread only kindness, love, understanding and compassion. 2011 was a trying time for the whole world. 2012 brings new hope to all. According to some doomsday sayers, the Mayan calendar predicted that the world would end on December 21, 2012. Whether this is true or not is anyone's guess. So the best thing to do is to live life to the fullest each and every day.

Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc., we wish you a Happy, Prosperous and Peaceful New Year! Here’s to 2012!

Sign Language: Not Just for the Hearing Challenged

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:25:00 +0000

One language that requires no sound, voice, or speech is sign language. It does not rely on audio like the other languages of the world. The development of sign language has made life for many people, hearing and hearing-challenged, easier, safer and more enjoyable. It has allowed hearing challenged individuals to communicate effectively with others without the use of writing implements and electronic gadgets. At the same time, it has made deaf and mute members of a community become integral members of the society in which they belong.

Sign language is transmitted visually. Hand shapes, hand gestures, movements of the arms or the body, and facial expressions are used to send a visual message to another person. What seems to be a collection of hand movements, gestures and facial expressions that hearing challenged individuals often display is a real, highly developed language. Apart from developing a finger alphabet based on a specific language, specific gestures are created for individual words. Sometimes, gestures come with matching facial expressions or body movement (or both.) Once a basic gesture is created for a specific word, it can be further developed to add more information related to the gesture. There is a constant building upon a specific gesture's meaning in order to convey additional information that the original gesture alone cannot adequately convey.

For the uninitiated, it may seem that sign language improves only the quality of life of the deaf, mute and near-deaf people. This is not true at all. Sign language has applications for people who hear perfectly every sound that can be heard in the world.

History of signing

Sign language developed in places where at least one person in the community was deaf. This is why there are scores of sign languages in the world. Some are more fully developed than others and a number have been given official status as a language for a particular country. It may be safe to say that one of the oldest, if not the oldest, ways by which humans communicated was through sign language. Before the spoken word was born, people must have relied on gestures, movements and expressions.

In the 5th century BC, Socrates already mentioned the use of sign language. In early Jewish society, sign language and lip-reading were present since the 2nd century Judea. By 1620, a Spanish priest named Juan Pablo Bonet developed a manual alphabet for use in communicating with the deaf or mute people. A Frenchman who lived in the 18th century named French Charles-Michel de l'Epee has often been credited mistakenly for creating the language of signing. He actually built upon the Old French Sign Language that already existed in Paris during his time. Some sources said that Abbé de l'Epee based his sign language method on Bonet's. Abbé de l'Epee's manual alphabet has been in use since the 18th century both in France and in North America. He opened the very first school in France that catered to deaf children.

In the United States, the first deaf school was opened by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet in 1817. His partner was Laurent Clerc, a graduate of Abbé de l'Epee's school. Gallaudet's son Edward became the founder of a liberal arts college for the deaf in the District of Columbia in 1857. The college was built and recognized through the efforts of a number of concerned and dedicated individuals including United States Postmaster General Amos Kendall. This college was the first and only one in the world. The college eventually became Gallaudet University in 1864. Today, it still stands as the only university in the world where the programs and services cater to deaf and hearing challenged students.

Sign language has continued to develop and is an invaluable visual language used throughout the world. Different cultures have their own sign language that stands side-by-side with their spoken and written languages.

Why different sign languages?

Although there exists an International Sign used during events attended by deaf delegates from different countries, each country or cultural group has its own form of sign language. Many of these different sign languages developed from a specific base language. The American Sign Language (ASL) relied heavily on the French Sign Language in developing ASL. Countries like Australia, Britain, and New Zealand, although all English-speaking nations have their own versions of a sign language.

The language of signing takes into consideration the culture where it is employed. Each culture has its own special words and phrases that are not found in other cultures. New signs were created for these unique terms in order for the community using the specific sign language to communicate effectively. Filipino Sign Language for instance was based on the ASL. But, it has signs for terms and phrases unique to the Filipino culture. Even in Mexico and Spain where Spanish is the predominant language, their sign languages are not the same.

A country's deaf population would create sign language counterparts for their own language. They may choose to use another country's sign language but only as a base to build on. If a country is made up of different regions, it is likely that each region or each dialect within that country has its own version of sign language. At the very least, regional words and phrases are incorporated into the country's predominant sign language. In the United States alone, there are three different sign languages: American Sign Language, Hawaiian Pidgin Sign Language and Plains Indian Sign Language.

Benefits of Sign Language

It is an obvious fact that the deaf, mute and hearing-challenged members of the community that benefit most from the use of sign language. They are able to work for companies who have deaf-friendly policies in place. They can also get an education from schools that have a deaf-friendly curriculum, deaf-accommodating facilities and services, faculty, and administration.

For non-deaf individuals, sign language can be used when, for some reason, verbalizing a thought, idea, request or need is not possible. When one is unable to speak due to an illness for instance, signing is a good way to let another person know what one needs or wants. In places where it is important or necessary to maintain silence, sign language can prove to be very useful. In places of worship, during chess tournaments, operas, classical music concerts, plays, movies, while hunting (so as not to spook the prey) and while participating in other similar activities where silence is golden, sign language can be used to get a message across minus the sound.

Scuba divers have their own set of gestures that they use in communicating with each other underwater. In occasions when the background noise is too loud, like in a rock concert or in a noisy dance hall or sports arena, people can communicate via sign language. In recording studios, movie sets and television sets, gesturing is common when talking is not allowed. Sign language allows communication between people separated by soundproof glass or closed windows.

For people involved in law enforcement and the military, using signs is one of the best ways to communicate without alerting suspects or enemies that may be in hearing distance. Those in the medical profession like doctors, nurses and caregivers need sign language skills when they are involved with the hearing-challenged.

Knowing how to sign fluently can develop into a career. On television, you can find at the corner of the screen a person signing what is being said verbally. You can also find people who sign at symposiums, meetings and other gatherings. This is such a big service to the deaf community. Businesses that are manned by staff who know how to sign can attract hearing-impaired individuals thus increasing the company's bottom line.

Learning how to sign gives a person new insight into the world of people who live in perpetual silence. They can appreciate the world in a new way minus the sometimes endlessly deafening din of the environment. It gives people an additional way of communicating with others. Knowing how to sign is an excellent way to be in community with the sector of society that is hearing-challenged.

Sign language is just one of the many languages in the world. For help with translation or interpretation of languages, contact Day Translations or World Interpreting, Inc. anytime of the day. They are ready to help you 24/7.

Photo Credit: by doozle

January 1st New Year’s Day – Is it for Everyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:23:00 +0000

Yes, it is for everyone who uses the Gregorian calendar. However, some nations use a different calendar even if the Gregorian calendar is widely used. It is not uncommon for certain countries and religious groups to either follow a different calendar totally or to use two calendars to track significant dates. In the case of the New Year’s Day, many celebrate it on two different dates. One date, January 1, is based on the Gregorian calendar. The other date for New Year’s Day is based on a calendar important to the culture or prevalent religion of the country.

Buddhist New Year

The dates for Buddhist New Year fall on different days of the year depending on the principles and values of the countries where Buddhism is practiced. Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka are just some of the countries that practice Buddhism. The dates are based on the Buddhist calendar, which is luni-solar. For the above-mentioned countries, New Year starts on the first day of the full moon in the month of April. In countries where Mahayana Buddhism is practiced (Vietnam, Korea and China, for example), the New Year begins on the first full moon in the month of January, sometimes even in the earlier part of February. In Tibet, the Buddhist New Year starts in March according to the Tibetan calendar.

One thing remains the same regardless of the date when the Buddhist New Year’s Day falls – the first day of the Buddhist New Year is a time for reflection and introspection. Prayers are offered and rituals are performed in worship of Lord Buddha. Practicing Buddhists visit temples as well as monasteries. Social celebrations are also part of commemorating the New Year. Households and surroundings are tidied up, people wear new clothes, visit families and close friends, share special sweet dishes, exchange gifts, and when the clock strikes 12 on the eve of the New Year, light firecrackers to usher in the New Year.

Chinese New Year

The Chinese are found all over the world. They brought with them their own culture and beliefs which they continue to practice and share with others. One of the most well known Chinese events is Chinese New Year. The Chinese follow the lunar calendar. The first day of the lunar calendar may fall on any day between January 20 and February 20. It is a big celebration with red being the predominant color of their New Year. The color red is said to bring good fortune. Small red envelopes are given out containing money to children and adults alike. Fireworks, dragon dances, and other forms of merriment happen on the eve and on the first day Chinese New Year. Special foods make their appearance on dining tables and everyone dresses up for the occasion. Even people with no Chinese blood running through their veins join the fun. For 2012, the Chinese New Year will fall on January 23 on the Gregorian calendar.

Ethiopian New Year

The Ge’ez or Ethiopian calendar, the main calendar Ethiopians use, is based on the Coptic calendar. Enkutatash or Ethiopian New Year, which is Meskerem 1 on the Ethiopian calendar, is equivalent to the 11^th of September on the Gregorian calendar. For leap years, it coincides with September 12. The word “Enkutatash” translates to “gift of jewels” and has a connection to one of the famous queens in history, Queen Sheba. When Queen Sheba returned to her country of Ethiopia from Jerusalem, after visiting King Solomon, her chiefs brought her jewels or inku in order to replenish her treasury. Enkutatash, a spring celebration, marks the end of heavy rains. Much singing, dancing and other forms of fun activities are held throughout Ethiopia.

Hindu New Year

The Hindu calendar dictates when the Hindu New Year’s Day is observed. The event usually depends on when the Sun enters the Mesha (Aries). Usually, this happens on April 13 or 14, taking into consideration whether the year is a leap year or not. It is important to note that different Hindu sects may celebrate Hindu New Year on different dates. The Hindu New Year is the start of spring, a time when nature wakes up from months of wintery sleep. To welcome the New Year, celebrations are held in Hindu communities throughout the world. Parents and elders bless children both young and old. Families and friends exchange gifts as well as good wishes for a good year ahead. This coming 2012 is very important for the Hindus because according to their beliefs, this may be the start of the Golden Age.

Iranian (Persian) New Year

In Iran and other countries of Central and South Asia where similar cultures reside, Persian New Year is celebrated according to the 1^st day of the Iranian calendar. Persian New Year or Nowruz falls on the day of the vernal equinox, usually the start of spring. This holiday was originally a Zoroastrian festival. In 2012, Nowruz will fall on March 21.

Islamic New Year

Hijri New Year (Islamic New Year) falls on the first day of Muharram. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. Some Muslims spend time reflecting on their lives at the start of the year. Others prepare for the Day of Ashura, the 10^th day of Muharram. This is the day when Muslims commemorate the death of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Husayn ibn Ali, in Karbala (in Iraq). Fasting is done during the 10^th day. Some start fasting on the 9^th and continue on till the 11^th day of Muharram. Special prayers are offered during the New Year. The Shi’a Muslims go on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Husayn where Husayn ibn Ali is buried. The customs, rituals and celebrations depend on the different Muslim groups.

The Islamic year is shorter than the Gregorian year by about 11 to 12 days. Astronomical calculations are usually the basis for determining the New Year although some Islamic groups still prefer to rely on local lunar sighting. According to the Gregorian calendar, people of the Islamic faith will celebrate Hijri on November 14, 2012. The Islamic New Year started last November 26, 2011.

Jewish New Year

The Jews celebrate their New Year in autumn. Rosh Hashanah, literally translated as “head of the year,” is their New Year. It falls on days 1 and 2 of Tishrei. Tishrei, according to the Hebrew calendar, is the seventh month of the Jewish year. Why is the New Year celebrated on the seventh month? Judaism has different “new years” for different events.

The entire month before Rosh Hashanah is dedicated to self-examination as well as repentance for sins of the past. According to the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is the “day of sounding” or “blowing of horns.” The shofar, traditionally a ram’s horn, is blown on Rosh Hashanah according to Jewish customs. Jews do not work on Rosh Hashanah. They gather for prayer in synagogues, partake of traditional Rosh Hashanah foods including honey, apples, pomegranates, and wine. For 2012, Rosh Hashanah will start on the sunset of September 16, 2012 to the nightfall of September 18, 2012.

Korean New Year

The Koreans follow a lunar calendar in conjunction with the Gregorian calendar. According to their lunar calendar, the first day of the year or Seollal will fall on January 23 of the Gregorian calendar. Seollal is given more importance as a holiday than the Gregorian New Year’s Day, although both are celebrated in Korea. The New Year’s celebration usually extends for three days in Korea. Seollal is a special time for family. The three-day holiday gives Koreans time to visit parents and relatives whether near or far. Sebae is a Korean tradition that has been observed for many years. Children dress in hanbok, which is the traditional Korean clothing, and perform a deep bow in honor of their parents and elders. The children are rewarded with crisp paper money and sometimes with traditional rice cakes and fruits. Ancestors are also given importance during the Korean New Year.

January 1^st on the Gregorian calendar is the most popular New Year’s Day in the world. However, it is also important to know other races and cultures have their own New Year’s Day. One thing that is common to all New Year’s Day is that it is a time to reflect on the past and a time to make resolutions to improve one’s self and be a benefit to others. New Year’s Day is an important milestone for everyone regardless of race, creed or status in life. It should be greeted with much hope for a better future.

Do something different this coming year. Use the services of Day Translations, Inc. or World Interpreting, Inc. if you have translation or interpretation needs. Call or email them for inquiries. Or visit their websites for more information regarding travel, language and other useful and interesting topics.

Boxing Day – It Has Nothing to Do With Muhammad Ali

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 01:24:00 +0000

A lot of you have probably heard the term “Boxing Day” at least once in your life just like millions of people across the globe. But since you don’t celebrate Boxing Day, it is likely that you never bothered to find out what it was all about. Now you can find out what Boxing Day is and what happens during this holiday.

At the heels of December 25’s Christmas celebration is Boxing Day. It’s a holiday celebrated in countries like Britain and Canada. Boxing Day has evolved into an extra day for families and friends to spend more quality time together. For retailers in countries where it is observed, it’s like Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving Day, in the United States. Almost everything goes on sale much to the shoppers’ delight.

Countries that recognize Boxing Day

The United Kingdom (England, Scotland and Wales), Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Fiji, Cook Islands, Greenland, Denmark, British Virgin Islands, Finland, Greece, and Hungary are some of the countries that observe Boxing Day. Apart from these countries, several Commonwealth countries and protectorates also celebrate Boxing Day.

In Ireland, instead of Boxing Day, they celebrate St. Stephen’s Day, which is a religious holiday. Since 1994, in South Africa, the term Day of Goodwill has replaced Boxing Day.

Boxing Day usually falls on December 26. However, since it is a bank/public holiday in a number of places, Boxing Day can at times fall on the 27th or even the 28^th of December because Christmas may fall on the weekend. The exact date when Boxing Day is observed depends largely on the national laws of the country that celebrates this holiday. In some countries, Boxing Day is not necessarily a public holiday.

Are pugilists involved?

No, Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport of boxing. There are actually several theories about the origin of Boxing Day in England. One is that it had something to do with servants getting their day of rest the day after Christmas. Servants go home to their families bringing with them Christmas boxes from their employers. Christmas boxes are equivalent to Christmas presents. In a sense, it’s a Christmas bonus.

Another possible origin of Boxing Day comes from alms given to churches during Christmas day. Boxing Day is connected to the Feast of St. Stephen, which is commemorated the day after the birth of Jesus Christ. In the Roman times, boxes made of metal or clay were placed outside churches for collections connected to the saint’s feast day. The boxes were opened, some say during St. Stephen’s Day, and the monetary collections were given to the poor and needy. The Romans brought this practice to Britain.

No one can say exactly which origin of Boxing Day is accurate. What everyone is sure of, though, is that it has nothing to do with the sport of boxing or the many boxing greats like Muhammad Ali or Manny Pacquiao who have won and lost their fights in the boxing ring. It also has nothing to do with boxing up the decorations after Christmas. Finally, it has nothing to do with throwing away the boxes in which the Christmas gifts were placed.

Presents in boxes

Traditionally, Boxing Day is a day when gifts of money, food or things are given to service people. Employers usually give out gifts in small boxes to their employees. The postman or the newspaper delivery person usually gets gifts from people on their route. Way back in the feudal times, land owners would gather their workers the day after Christmas and give them boxes with items like food, clothes, and practical goods like agricultural tools.

Boxing Day activities and more

As a post Christmas holiday, Boxing Day gives families and friends extra time to be with each other or to see other family and friends who were not part of the celebrations on Christmas Day. People visit each other’s houses or meet up in pubs for drinks to continue the holiday merry-making.

Depending on the country where Boxing Day is celebrated, people watch sports event during this holiday. Horse racing, football games, hockey games, yacht races, running events and other sports are held during Boxing Day. It is possible to catch a boxing match on Boxing Day, too. In Britain, brave souls participate in an unlikely activity, swimming in the cold waters of the English Channel. This bone-chilling activity is not limited to Britain or the English Channel though. Dips into freezing cold waters happen in other places, too.

The English love their fox hunts and for hundreds of years, they used to have yearly fox hunts on Boxing Day. Aristocratic men and women ride their steeds and bring their best hunting dogs out with them in pursuit of the elusive fox. But this tradition has since been curtailed because of the ban on canines killing their prey. People still participate in fox hunts during Boxing Day but the dogs are a given limited role in this hunting activity. Scent trails are now used instead of live game.

For Boxing Day meals, Christmas Day leftovers take center stage. Since this holiday is supposed to be more relaxed, food is not expected to be as grand as what was served the day before. In the UK, Baked Ham, Minced Pies and Christmas Cakes are popular menu items.

Boxing Day is the cousin of Black Friday

Thanksgiving in the United States falls on the fourth Thursday of November. The following day, Friday, is called Black Friday. This day ushers in the start of Christmas shopping. Stores all over the US drop the “SALE” sign while shoppers fall in line outside the shops hoping to be one of the first to grab the great bargains.

In places where Boxing Day is celebrated, retailers also go all out in luring their customers into their establishments. Before, sales used to start after New Year. But things have changed. Retailers hope to rake in profits before the old year waves goodbye. For many merchants, Boxing Day is their biggest revenue day. There are doors that open as early as dawn. Shoppers brave the long lines and patiently wait outside shops. Popular items on this day are electronics. It is not uncommon for retailers to extend Boxing Day into Boxing Week.

Those who don’t want to deal with all the chaos that goes on during Boxing Day sales can shop online. Cyber Boxing Day is popular with netizens who love to do their shopping via the web. Without leaving the comfort of their homes, online shoppers can still get the best deals from retailers that offer drop-dead prices.

Boxing Day used to be about giving to the less fortunate. It started as a holiday that centered on doling out charity and recognizing the efforts of the service people. It has since evolved into a different kind of holiday. Although some of the charitable traditions have remained, Boxing Day in many places is spent with family and friends, going to malls and stores, watching sports and other events and simply relaxing after going through the frenzy of Christmas.

Boxing Day has often been misinterpreted by people who don’t celebrate this holiday. Misinterpretation can be a dangerous thing. If in your business you need the services of translators or interpreters, make sure to call Day Translation, Inc. or World Interpreting, Inc. These companies will make sure that whatever form of written or oral communication you pass on to them, they will translate or interpret them correctly.

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad!

noreply@blogger.com (Dine Racoma) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:55:00 +0000

Christmas is probably the most well known religious holiday in the world. Christians and non-Christians alike celebrate Christmas in traditional and non-traditional ways. Part of the reason why Christmas is so popular is because it has become the biggest commercial holiday in the world. Business-savvy companies usually make a big profit during this season by tapping into the gift-giving tradition of this yuletide holiday.

But Christmas is not solely a holiday of glitz, glamor, endless parties and exchanging of presents. This Christian holiday centers on the birth of the child Jesus, who, according to Christian beliefs, is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Christmas is the story of the Nativity where Joseph led Mary around Bethlehem to look for a place where Mary could give birth to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. Joseph and Mary were turned away by all the innkeepers and had to settle for a barn. Thus, the child Jesus was born in the lowliest of places. And instead of a crib, the baby Jesus was placed on a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. Shepherds, upon the call of an angel, came to pay homage to the newborn, as did Three Wise Men, who were guided by a star. The Three Wise Men or Magis, offered gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold.

For Christians around the world, the Child Jesus symbolizes hope, peace and love. He is the fulfillment of God’s promise to his people, the promise of sending a savior. The circumstances of Jesus’ birth reminds everyone that even in the most trying of times, there is hope. That love will come from unexpected places and that peace will reign in the end.

2011 has been a very challenging year. The world has seen many tragedies many times over. There were the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that devastated Japan, earthquakes that claimed lives in New Zealand, Turkey, and other countries, unprecedented flooding in Australia, Thailand, the United States, the Philippines and other nations, other forms of natural calamities that wreaked havoc in the lives of humans and animals alike, social and political unrest including terrorist attacks that have led to physical injuries and loss of lives especially in the Middle East and Africa, financial/economic crisis in Europe especially in Greece and in other nations, plus the various social, political and religious scandals that rocked the headlines for days and weeks.

But amidst these seemingly insurmountable challenges were great examples of hope and love. Government and non-government institutions, private and public corporations, and individuals from all levels of society, did their share in helping alleviate suffering, misery, pain and hopelessness. There were poignant stories everywhere you turn. Unlikely people became heroes overnight whether they wanted to or not. The triumph of the human spirit and man’s innate love for humanity has shown itself many times over throughout the past year.

And this is what Christmas is all about. It is about sharing what you have with another person regardless of creed, race, religion, social or political affiliation. It is not the amount you give or what you give but the act of giving something wholeheartedly. The message of Christmas is loud and clear. It resonates. It shouts. It makes itself heard above the din of the Christmas carols and the blatant display of commercialism. Christmas is about spreading joy, peace and love where it is most needed. It is about being a light to someone in the dark.

From Day Translations, Inc. and World Interpreting, Inc. and its sister companies, we would like to wish everyone around the world a most blessed and peaceful Christmas!

¡Feliz Navidad!

May the spirit of Christmas continue to be with everyone everyday of the year!