TransAction Translators Blog

Luis Suárez: a Lesson in Cultural Context

Richard — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:20:53 +0000

Liverpool footballer Luis Suárez was recently handed an 8 match ban for the racial abuse of Manchester United footballer Patrice Evra. In Suárez’s native Uruguay reactions to the decision have veered from bemusement to outrage, with suggestions that the language used would not have been viewed as offensive in Rioplatense Spanish.

Getting Your Business On The Map

Richard — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

For businesses of all sizes, operating internationally is an essential factor in both short-term survival and long-term growth. Thankfully, whether bringing investment to the UK or looking to export, there are a number of services out there to help make doing business internationally as easy as possible.

Why it makes sense to centralise your translation process

Richard — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Managing a number of language service providers can cause serious problems with regards to linguistic consistency, as well as bringing the added time-consuming complications that come with dealing with a large and disparate range of suppliers. We look at why it makes sense to centralise your translation services.

Students from Meadowhead School get a taste of translation

Richard — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:09:18 +0000

Students from Meadowhead School were given a taster of life in the language industry with a visit to TransAction Translators in Sheffield last week.

Are Language Skills Undervalued in the UK?

Richard — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:19:14 +0000

With many university language departments facing cuts in the light of the current economic crisis, we ask if language skills are undervalued in the UK.

Translation: a job for the professionals!

Richard — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:59:11 +0100

When times are tough and money is tight (sound familiar?) businesses will look to reduce expenses in any way possible. One way in which companies of any size do this is to ask bilingual members of their staff to carry out their translation work, rather than using the services of a professional translation company. Business Development Manager Sabine Panneau recently outlined why doing this can be extremely costly in the long-term.

The Translation Industry: Is There Still Room For Quality?

Richard — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:02:05 +0100

With research suggesting that translation buyers prioritise speed and cost, is there still room for quality in the translation industry?

Translation in Humanitarian Work

Richard — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:55:54 +0100

It has been suggested that translators perform an ‘invisible’ job, with the work they do going unnoticed and largely unheralded. Nevertheless, translators provide a vital service in bridging the gap between languages and cultures, and nowhere is this service more important than in the work of humanitarian group Translators Without Borders.

Technology and the Language Industry: Driving New Growth

Richard — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0100

The language industry continues to grow, thanks to its ability to combine new technology with human linguistic capabilities. Here we run down a few of our most important technological tools.

A Modern Bromance?

Richard — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:46:28 +0100

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary celebrates its centenary this year and, just like one hundred years ago, technology and social trends dominate the latest editions. In keeping with its illustrious history, there is no shortage of controversy surrounding new entries with ‘retweet’, ’mankini’ and ‘cyberbullying’ among the latest inclusions.

Breaking down Barriers?

Richard — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:02:35 +0100

For small businesses looking to trade across the EU, working among the different types of contract law within the various member states can represent a major, often insurmountable, logistical and financial hurdle. However, the European Commission is discussing a solution which may provide an alternative to existing international business practices.

A Fond Farewell

Annika — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:06:41 +0100

This is my final blog post for TransAction as I will be leaving this week to relocate to London.

I ...

TransAction's Top Tweets

Annika — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:41:41 +0100

Our most popular tweets of the last few weeks.

When One Door Closes, Another Opens

Annika — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:00:00 +0100

Paula recently completed some work experience at our offices. Similarly to TransAction Project Manager Rich Furlong, she has decided to move from teaching into the translation.

The British: too polite to be honest?

Richard — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:00:00 +0100

There are a few things that we pride ourselves on here in Britain: our sense of humour, a stiff upper lip and, of course, our unfailing politeness. However, in a business context, what we might consider to be courteous language can actually be confusing or even misleading to our European counterparts.

Translation or Transcreation: What's the Difference?

Annika — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0100

In order to stay competitive in a crowded market, many translation companies are becoming ‘boutique’ and specialising only in the translation of a particular type of text. This may mean that they focus specifically on financial, legal or technical translations, believing that this specialisation allows them to offer a better quality of service to their customers.

TransAction's Top Tweets

Annika — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:07:32 +0100

Our most popular tweets of the last few weeks.

SMEs: Standing Strong

Annika — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +0100

This post is a summary by Silvan a local student who recently completed work experience at TransAction, of the W£lcome article that appeared in this summer’s edition of the UKTI publication, Springboard.

“Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.” Why do business translation blunders happen?

Annika — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0100

Our recent tweet linking to an article discussing the pitfalls of poor translations proved very popular. With more and more UK business opting to translate their websites to reach more international clients, an increasing number of companies are relying on free, online machine translation tools to do the job: often with negative consequences.

Challenge Annika

Annika — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:00:00 +0100

TransAction’s Marketing Manager Annika Vale is on a 124-mile charity mission to raise £500 for Diabetes UK.

TransAction's Top Tweets

Annika — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:48:38 +0100

Our most popular tweets of the few weeks.

Languages Sheffield Survey 2011

Annika — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:28:44 +0100

Languages Sheffield are currently drafting Sheffield's City Languages Strategy, which will cover all sectors in the city that use or learn languages or provide language services such as translation agencies and freelance translators and interpreters. We are therefore collecting information on the translation and interpreting services available locally.

TransAction’s Top Tweets

Annika — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:00:00 +0100

Our most popular tweets of the last month:

Machine Translation: Is This the End?

Annika — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:00:00 +0100

A quick glance at any translation forum, #translation Twitter feed or online search result will leave readers in no doubt about the ongoing and growing debate surrounding the application of machine translation. This heated debate has been fuelled by the presence of online translation tools such as Babel Fish and Google Translate whose popularity has had such an impact that even those unfamiliar with the industry are aware of the potential of machine translation.

Lost in Translation: Our Holiday Horrors Amnesty

Annika — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100

No doubt many of you will stumble across language faux pas on your summer holidays. Seny your translation blooper snaps to us for a chance to feature in our August newsletter!

Investigate, Assess, Modify: Three Steps to Export Success

Annika — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0100

Recent research conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) found that over two thirds of UK businesses are looking to expand overseas. The value of the pound against the dollar and the euro has certainly made exporting a particularly appealing option in recent months. However, it should not be forgotten that the recession is worldwide. In order to succeed, companies need to take the time to ensure that they are targeting the right country and the right customers.

Turning Tourism into Turnover

Annika — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100

The London 2012 games are expected to attract 10 million visitors over the course of their 27-day programme. As businesses focus on how they will profit while the international spotlight is on the UK, will they make the mistake of overlooking the tourism sector in the interim?

TransAction's Top Tweets

Annika — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:41:42 +0100

Our most popular tweets of the last few weeks:

Why You Should Use TransAction Translators

Annika — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:00:00 +0100

And if you're still not convinced, listen to our clients!

5 Reasons Why Translation is Like Riding a Bike

Annika — Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 +0100

We often take our ability to ride a bike for granted but I imagine that, for most of us, mastering two wheels was probably one of the biggest and most memorable achievements of our tender years.