This new feature has important implications for people emailing across languages, particularly for businesses that need to communicate with local teams around the world. As explained by Google, this move was in response to the positive reception this service had received while it was still a part of Gmail labs.

While some people in the translation industry might denounce the move as further reducing the need for human translators, I would have to disagree. I believe that most people will use this service in a way that is similar to that described by CNN journalist John D. Sutter who stated “Like many people, I use Google Translate as a starting point for translation, but don’t necessarily trust that it will get everything right. It’s great for getting the gist of a news story that’s published in Japanese or Finnish, but if I need to write a formal letter to someone in one of those languages, I’d get human help.” In other words, I believe that most people will use this service for informal or personal emails, situations where they were not using professional translators to begin with. Therefore, having this service already in Gmail will simply make their lives easier, and will not lessen the need for human translators.

I think that most users of automatic translations realize that the output they are going to receive will be far from perfect. For example, my mom uses Google Translate occasionally when she has to translate emails into Spanish. Once, when writing an email to my Spanish-speaking boyfriend, she used Google Translate to figure out how to say, “You are welcome” in response to my boyfriend telling her “thank you.” Based on the Google Translate output, she wrote “Usted es bienvendio,” which is what you would say when welcoming someone into a place (like “Welcome to my home”). While my boyfriend and I got a good laugh from the email, it is just one example of how a machine translation is not perfect. However, in some instances, it is all that is needed. On the other hand, translation agencies such as Trusted Translations can be used for more formal translation needs. Trusted Translations can even provide you with a Free Quote if you are looking for an accurate and reliable translation (in other words, if you want to avoid situations such as the one experienced by my mother).

When translating, there’s always going to be a way to make the text better, to touch it up; there’s always another way of saying it. We choose words and construct sentences already knowing that there are other options. What’s more, since language isn’t static, what’s been translated will have to be translated again at some future time because, just like people, translations grow old and beg to be renewed every so often.

For example, if we take a look at the beginning of Shakespeare’s Richard III in Spanish, we’ll see the differences between the different translations. In 1951, Luis Astrana Marín published the following translation: “Ya el invierno de nuestra desventura se ha transformado en un glorioso estío por este sol de York, y todas las nubes que pesaban sobre nuestra casa yacen sepultas en las hondas entrañas del Océano.” On the other hand, Pedro Mairal translated the same passage as follows (and using verse): “Ahora ya el invierno de nuestra mala suerte/Se convirtió en verano por este sol de York/Y toda la tormenta que amenazó la casa/Se hundió en la entraña oscura del océano.” Let’s take a look at one more example, (though there is a great number of other versions still). Andrés Bello renders it thus: “Ya el invierno de nuestra desgracia se ha convertido en un glorioso estío por este sol de York, y todas las nubes que pesaban sobre nuestra casa yacen sepultas en las hondas entrañas del mar.”

Translating often presents itself as an open invitation to a never-ending endeavor; that said, and though it may strike us as a daunting task, it isn’t really. Instead, it is an infinite celebration of language, a constant remaking of the world and of language itself. At Trusted Translations, we strive for renewal on a daily basis, so don’t hesitate to consult us if you need to translate from scratch, edit or “update” a finished translation.

To read the original Spanish post go to http://blog-de-traduccion.trustedtranslations.com/la-traduccion-eterna-2012-05-10.html

They are here!

Planet Earth. Saturday 12th September 2048.

Huge spaceship. Humongous. Hovering over Sao Paulo, USB⁽¹⁾. A few others in other big cities. Finally they are here!

They send us a message but nobody understands what it means. Quickly, let’s get in touch with Trusted Translations, the one and only translation services in the world now. “Can you give us a quote for a trustlation⁽²⁾, 50,000 words from Intergalactic Standard, Milky Way flavour (is-MW), into English (en-CN) and Spanish (sp-US). Driver: price, quality and time.”

Would we be able to understand them if anyone from out there ever has the courage to get in touch? In Arthur Clarke’s “Childhood’s End” the Aliens had done their homework, and they spoke fluent English. How convenient!

In Carl Sagan’s “Contact” we had to work it out ourselves because they don’t actually come here. They just send the message. And he proposes to solve the riddle of decoding it with a nifty trick. It is based on mathematics. We start receiving a series of pulses. 239 … 241 … 251 … 257 … What’s up with these numbers? Bus routes? Ah, no, they are all prime. They keep coming 263 … 269 … Ok, intelligent source, little doubt about that. And from here the story unravels.

In a way, I simpatize with Clark’s position. If they are capable to come all this far from Betelgeuse, or wherever, they’d surely be able to speak every human language and then some. Ant language. Anything.

The problem with this approach is that it is highly unlikely to ever happen. The amount of energy involved in interstellar travel is so great that no serious civilization would be inclined to spend it on this kind of trivial pursuit.

So, maybe fortunately, we would never be able to meet each other face to face … or whatever they use as face. But we can TALK to each other.

Then we take the opportunity to ask things very important for us:
“What will be the price of oil next month?”
and twelve hundred years later the answer: “We don’t know!”.

But back to 2048 …

The IT Department of Trusted Translations was in the middle of the celebrations for Programmer’s day⁽³⁾, but a handful of them were available to descypher the message: “We worship the oddest prime of them all, big power to 2. We have been here in 1024⁽⁴⁾, but you were not ready yet …” The rest was just white noise. Or maybe that’s the way they giggle.

(… to be continued …)

Notes:
⁽¹⁾ United States of Brazil.
⁽²⁾ trustlation: a quick and reliable translation.
⁽³⁾ Programmers day is the 256th (2⁸) day of the year. It’s on the 13th of September most years, but the 12th when it’s a leap year.
⁽⁴⁾ 2 to the power of 10 (2¹⁰) is 1024, to the power of 11 is 2048.

But beyond these fairly common terms, there’s also the less common jargon of the textile industry, which deals with things like types of weave, different tie cuts or shoe manufacturing techniques. I was quite surprised when I discovered that my own knowledge of the topic was derived almost exclusively from English—rather than from my native Spanish. This meant that I had to do some research to confirm that pata de gallo (rooster’s foot) was in fact the Spanish translation of a design pattern which I had always known as “houndstooth.” Through my research I also learned that in other countries the houndstooth pattern is known by its French name, pied-de-poule, and, if Wikipedia is right, the Czechs call it Pepito (whose origins I would love to know).

The flipside of this linguistic situation is that, in turn, most English-speaking fashionistas will often resort to French terms and speak of prêt-à-porter fashion (ready-to-wear clothes) and haute couture (exclusive, trend-setting fashion) or use Spanish terms such as sombrero (a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat worn in the U.S. Southwest and Mexico) and matador jackets (inspired by the short jackets worn by bullfighters).

To read the original Spanish post go to http://blog-de-traduccion.trustedtranslations.com/el-lexico-de-la-vestimenta-2012-05-02.html

So when I began working in this area, I realized – as with most subjects – there is significantly more than meets the eye; in no time, I found myself both intrigued and enlightened by the whole topic. Did you know that the term “hearing impaired” can actually be offensive? “Hard-of-hearing” or “deaf” is preferred. Moreover, American Sign Language (ASL) has a code of ethics, and one that is very highly regarded by interpreters. Let’s rewind though.

Before going into more detail, it is essential to state that ASL is just one of many, many languages used by the deaf community. We tend to overlook the fact that there is no universal language for this community; actually, the language practically varies by country. For example, those who use British Sign Language (BSL) cannot understand ASL! And so, since I have worked primarily with ASL – the most common form used in North America – my proceeding thoughts, though possibly true for all forms, are my experience with ASL and no other language.

Moving forward, did you know there are facial expressions and postures in ASL, not just hands? As a result of the movements, it can become physically exhausting, not to mention mentally; for this reason, when using interpreters, breaks become essential about every 30 minutes or so. In fact, some settings may require a ‘team’. For example, we have used two interpreters for training sessions and long meetings. The backup interpreter is there to communicate anything missed by the main interpreter, and they switch roles also about every 30 minutes.

Likewise, content can have a lot of technical language and acronyms, which can make it even more draining; it is a good idea to use notes, outlines as well as any visual aids including charts for medical settings in almost any interpreting session.

Furthermore, for visual considerations, the deaf person is the one who will be watching both you and the interpreter; for this reason the interpreter should be opposite the deaf person so they can watch. In other formats such as groups, a semi-circle is a good option, and when it comes to an auditorium or large room, the interpreter usually stands at the front and therefore the deaf person should be close enough to see. This brings forth another dynamic- video and telephone conferences: a topic for a whole other entry!

As evidenced above, an ASL interpreting session essentially requires a devised plan. Another efficient way to manage a session is for everyone to have a ‘turn’ speaking so the deaf person can understand. However, speak at your natural pace; if the interpreter needs you to slow down, they will ask and often will wait for you to finish a thought. What also may seem basic can be somewhat of a test when you find yourself saying “tell him” or “tell her” and looking at the interpreter; but it is important to talk as you normally would while looking straight at the person.

As the interpreter is just there to facilitate communication, they should not be contributing anything to the conversation. Even questions about the subject itself should be asked to the deaf person, not the interpreter; a good time to ask the interpreter is during the break or before or after the meeting. However, the best time to start is start now! Look it up online and read up on the subject. Or, you can always ask a fourth grader.

Once someone decides that they would like to have something translated, the next step is deciding where to go to get such a service. There are many options out there, so it is important to look at a translator’s or a translation company’s qualifications. For example, Trusted Translations, as a leader in multilingual translation services, holds many certifications, licenses and awards which serve as proof of the quality of its services. These include federally-approved translation experts, board-certified medical experts, the honor of being named one of the Top 500 Hispanic-American Owned Businesses in the U.S., an SBA 8(a) certification (meaning that government agencies and contractors can receive credit for using our services), a certificate of recognition from the State of Florida for being a certified minority enterprise, and a five-year contract with the General Service Administration to provide language services to US Federal and State governments.

In addition, Trusted Translations has received positive testimonials about its services from companies such as The Coca-Cola Enterprises, Pfizer and CHAMCO Industries. Its long list of clients from the consumer, educational, financial/consulting, legal, life sciences, media and entertainment, manufacturing and non-profit industries include important multi-national corporations and institutions such as Delta Airlines, FedEx, Kraft, NASA, Accenture, AIG, Bank of America, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, ESPN, FIFA, Fox Video, MGM Mirage, Sony Pictures, Time Warner, BP, GE Appliances, Sony Electronics, Toyota, Girl Scouts, Salvation Army and Smithsonian.

With over 5,000 satisfied clients, Trusted Translations is a company you can trust. Take advantage of the company’s free quoting services to get a quote on your next translation project, and become part of the over 5,000 clients who are happy they choose Trusted Translations for their language needs.

But what happens when a file is to be translated into languages ​​that differ greatly from what we may be used to? Take, for example, Arabic. It goes without saying that the Arabic alphabet, along with the way it is written (right to left), is quite different from Western languages. So what happens in these cases? How do we translate a .ttx file into Arabic? Does InDesign work the same way in these cases?

There is one answer to all these questions: InDesgin Middle East, in versions 5 or 5.5. Both of these versions works with files that need to be translated into languages of the Middle East ​​(Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Kurdish etc.). Both InDesign and Trados, for these particular cases, use special configurations and plug-ins that structure the document so that it can be translated into those languages. Thus, both the conventional structure of Trados and the final version of InDesign will be compatible with this type of language. Simply open a TagEditor file from Middle East InDesign to see how the structure of the segments changes completely: that is, from right to left. The same applies to the final .inx version.

Please note that using the conventional version of InDesign for Arab file does not prevent cleaning the document. That is, if you clean an Arabic file from the ordinary version of InDesign, the PM will see that the file is clean, but without the required InDesign plug-ins, the clean version will appear with unrecognizable characters. This can get confusing, since a successful cleaning of the document does not guarantee a final version in Arabic. For this reason, it is essential to use a tool for support of Arabic. Of course, given the complexity of the language, processing a file from InDesign requires resources who know Arabic, because that way we can ensure delivery of better quality jobs.

(Versión en español: http://blog-de-traduccion.trustedtranslations.com/traduccion-de-un-archivo-indesign-al-arabe-2012-04-27.html)

Just as in the translation of poetry or song, when it comes to translating humor, creative freedom is of the essence. In practice, what usually happens is that a joke will undergo a complete change going from one language to another. What’s important, then, is to convey the basic idea.

We know that such elements as the style of the joke, its play on words or its double entendre are what make a joke what it is. When faced with the translation we must take these details into consideration and attempt to adapt the original sense of humor or idea to our language.

Leo Hickey, in his essay entitled “A Pragmalinguistic Approach to Translating Humor,” affirms that “It’s a well-known fact that humor doesn’t travel well; it tends to wilt across the shortest of spans, arriving unraveled, if not deceased, when moving from one language to another.” When translating a joke, we must be ever mindful not to produce a literal translation. The key is to carry the joke to the target culture of the particular translation. Not even within the same language, take Spanish for instance, can a joke be translated the same way from one country to another.

“The Funniest Joke in the World,” the famed Monty Python sketch, summarizes the point nicely. The premise of the sketch is that someone invents a joke so funny that people literally die laughing the moment they hear it. However, at the end, the Germans translate a joke from German into English, which results in: “There were zwei peanuts walking down the straße, und one was ‘assaulted’… peanut.” Luckily the joke lies buried under a monument bearing the inscription “To the Unknown Joke”!

Thus, if we are not familiar with the linguistic turns and the inside jokes of a particular country, it’s best we contact a translator who specializes in the local language. At Trusted Translations, for instance, we strive to have a team of translators from different regions so as to be able to solve these kinds of “problems” that may arise when it comes to a translation.

To read original article go to http://blog-de-traduccion.trustedtranslations.com/la-traduccion-de-chistes-2012-04-26.html

The name Amharic (ኣማርኛ – amarəñña) is taken from the Amhara district (አማራ), in northern Ethiopia, which is believed to be the birthplace of the language.

Some features:

•     Writing system: it uses a syllabary called “fidel” or “abugida”. It is a version of the Ge’ez alphabet known as ፊደል (Fidel). For better understanding, in an “abugida” consonants carry an inherent vowel. (We mentioned this also in the case of Japanese)
•     There is what is known as the transliteration of the Amharic alphabet, which is the romanization to the Latin alphabet.
•     The numbers are loans from the Greek alphabet.
•     There is agreement between the verb and its subject, as in Latin languages.
•     Like any Semitic language, the verbs in Amharic use combinations of prefixes and suffixes to indicate the subject.
•     There are three persons, two numbers (called the first-person pronouns are also honorary) and two genders (the female is also used to express smallness, tenderness and empathy. In addition, Amharic has special terms to show the gender of people and animals.)
•     Verbs indicate, through their morphology, the person, number and gender of their subject.

Due to the rapid growth of many Ethiopian communities in Europe, the USA and Canada, orders for translation into this language have increased greatly. If you need a free quote, contact us and a representative will gladly assist you.

(Versión en español: http://blog-de-traduccion.trustedtranslations.com/donde-se-habla-amharico-2012-04-25.html)

The father of it all is nice.

Noam Chomsky is a celebrity in many fields. Some translators get surprised when I mention that he is also well known in Computer Science. He invented (discovered?) a classification of grammars as formal systems according to their power of expression (or processing): the Chomsky Hierarchy.

This scheme classifies the languages generated by the grammars in four categories:

• Regular
• Context-free
• Context-sensitive
• Recursively enumerable

To each of them there is an automaton that can recognize sentences in the language:

• Finite automata, also known as Finite State Machines
• Pushdown automata
• Linear bounded automata
• Turing machines

Natural languages belong to the most powerful types of grammar, and the machine that corresponds to them is the Turing Machine.

I now present an example of a regular language, the simplest kind, to illustrate this striking correspondence between grammars and machines. Consider this grammar.

     SENTENCE-> "The" KINDSHIP "is" ADJECTIVE
     KINDSHIP-> RELATION "of" PERSON
     RELATION-> "mother" | "father" | "sister" | "brother" | "son" | "daughter"
     PERSON-> "Ana" | "David"
     ADJECTIVE-> "nice" | "tall"

With it, we are able to build sentences as inspiring as “The mother of Ana is nice” and “The daughter of David is tall”.

The corresponding Finite State Machine recognizes these two sentences, plus the other 22 that can be constructed with it (writing them down is left as an amusing exercise to the reader). It consists of a number of states joined by labeled arrows representing transitions from one state to another. There is a special initial state, and another special final state:

It would be very easy at this point to get confused, and think that “finite” in Finite State Machine refers to the fact that only a finite number of sentences can be produced or recognized by them. This is not at all the case. It refers to the fact that there is a finite number of states (the circles, seven in this case). Making a slight modification of our grammar we would be able to build sentences of arbitrary length, even if the number of states is left unchanged.

     SENTENCE-> "The" KINDSHIP "is" ADJECTIVE
     KINDSHIP-> RELATION "of" PERSON
     RELATION-> "mother" | "father" | "sister" | "brother" | "son" | "daughter"
     PERSON-> "Ana" | "David" | "the" KINDSHIP
     ADJECTIVE-> "nice" | "tall"

We have added “the” KINDSHIP as one alternative more for PERSON. In the Finite State Machine it appears simply as a new arrow going back to the second state.

Now we can build up sentences such as “The son of the sister of the mother of the daughter of David is tall”. I used to play this game with my ex-friends (they become automatically ex-friends the moment I start playing this game with them). When talking about my brother, for example, I’d refer to him as the son of the auntie of the sister of my cousin.

The Chomsky Hierarchy has been extensively studied from both ends. In Computer Science they provide the foundations of syntax for programming languages, among many other things. And many work has been put into trying to capture the structure of real languages like English with grammars and their corresponding machines for many purposes, among them translation. Translation systems based in this approach are known as “rule based”.