An often quoted Golden Rule for translators is that they should translate only into their native language. This seems straightforward enough. But what if your native language has many variants? As a British translator, I am occasionally asked to use American English (AE) in the target document. (More often, neither British English (BE) nor American English is specified and I am left either to ask or make an educated guess.) I believe honesty is the only option and always inform the agency that, while I am fairly familiar with the major differences between BE and … Continue reading →

Some may call it an inability to switch off from work; others may call it ‘maintaining a professional interest’. Language is everywhere. As a translator, it is impossible to switch off completely ­– not even in the most glorious of surroundings. The surroundings don’t come much more glorious than those of the Alhambra in Granada, which I recently had the fortune to visit. Yet my memories are not just of Moorish architecture, breath-taking views of the city below and the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. I must have spent a whole five minutes marvelling at … Continue reading →

It’s is becoming increasingly valuable for businesses to be able to communicate in local languages. This short article re-emphasises the importance of adopting multi-lingual marketing strategies and forming partnerships with professional translation agencies. Businesses relying on basic online tools will struggle to reach out to local markets and build credible brands. http://www.managers.org.uk/news/essential-communicate-local-languages-b2b-arena

An often quoted Golden Rule for translators is that they should translate only into their native language. This seems straightforward enough. But what if your native language has many variants? As a British translator, I am occasionally asked to use American English (AE) in the target document. (More often, neither British English (BE) nor American English is specified and I am left either to ask or make an educated guess.) I believe honesty is the only option and always inform the agency that, while I am fairly familiar with the major differences between BE and … Continue reading →