by Michael Bastin | 11 Jul, 2019 | E-learning, Education, International Development, Training
Just like literature, cinema is a great way to set off on a journey of discovery into other cultures, languages and ways of life. This interest in capturing other perspectives through the camera lens has produced many classic and modern films dealing with the subject of translation, either as a subject in itself or as a backdrop for some of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
Check out our top ten!
Arrival (Denis Villeneuve, 2016)
An outstanding work of science fiction by the director of Blade Runner 2049 Denis Villeneuve, starring the hugely talented Amy Adams as a translator given the task of communicating with some rather chatty aliens. The film delves into the process of translating an unfamiliar language and the potential effects of language barriers.
Can she save the world with her translations?
Charade (Stanley Donen, 1963)
In what will always be one of Stanley Donen’s best films, Audrey Hepburn plays the role of a conference interpreter who sets off on a riveting adventure alongside Cary Grant, in arguably one of the sexiest couples of the last 100 years (we are, of course, open to differences in opinion)!
We wonder how many interpreting and translation careers were launched by this film?
Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2005)
Of course, we can’t talk about translation in film without mentioning this cult classic. Directed by the fantastic Sofia Coppola, the film takes place in Japan, where two Americans on holiday – Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson – discover the delights of cultural misunderstandings and the difficulties of finding yourself far away from home, even when just for a few days.
We particularly enjoy the scene with a Japanese translator and a very confused Bill Murray!
The Terminal (Steven Spielberg, 2004)
What’s the first thing you might need when detained in an airport? A good translator, of course (just ask Tom Hanks)! This film by Steven Spielberg tells the true story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian political refugee who had to live in an airport from 1988 to 2006.
The Interpreter (Sydney Pollack, 2005)
In this political thriller, Nicole Kidman plays the role of a conference interpreter who accidentally overhears a conversation between two politicians which could put her life in danger.
This film is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat with its action-filled plot, and hearing the incredible Nicole Kidman speaking French at the start of the film is a charming moment. This film is guaranteed to please all Kidman and translation fans!
Spanglish (James Brooks, 2005)
This down to earth comedy is a real must-see. The title says it all: the film deals with the meeting of two cultures – American and Spanish – and all the cultural and linguistic misunderstandings that come with it. Everything would have been much simpler with a professional Spanish translator! Claro, hombre.
Okja (Bong Joon-ho, 2017)
Not necessarily a film about translation, but a very interesting exploration of friendship and modern industry by Netflix. In this case, it is the translation of the film itself which is interesting.
As we saw with the recent film, Roma, the film’s subtitles were the subject of much debate.
Dealing with the linguistic differences between English and Korean is no mean feat, and at times things can get lost in translation in the subtitles. For example, in an attempt to translate a Korean joke about language learning, a character simply says their name and the subtitles say “Try learning English. It opens new doors!”
An Impossible Love (Catherine Corsini, 2018)
Once described by a member of BeTranslated who will remain anonymous as “to be avoided like the plague” we’ve included this film to hear your reviews! This romance by Catherine Corsini, based on the novel by Christine Angot, tells the emotional tale of the wonderful Virgine Efira and an abusive and sadistic translator played by Niels Schneider. Don’t worry, our language professionals are nothing like this unsavoury character and will respond to your demands in a much more civilised manner.
Welcome to the Sticks (Bienvenue chez les ch’tis, Danny Boon, 2008)
Perhaps not the subtlest film of all time, but certainly one with a lot of character. This hit French comedy includes some hilarious scenes of cultural and regional differences and lots of slapstick humour. Not to mention the admirable subtitling effort into English!
Chuck Norris vs Communism (Ilinca Călugăreanu, 2015)
This comedy documentary is a fascinating insight into the world of audiovisual translation and looks at just what happens when issues of censorship and politics come into play.
The film tells the story of the illegal importation and dubbing of American action and religious films to Romania in the 1970s and 1980s, and the political consequences of this cultural exchange.
What do you think? Is there one we missed out? We would love to hear about your favourite translation and interpreting films!
Or, alternatively, if you’re looking for the Nicole Kidmans and Amy Adams of translation services, contact us for a free quote or to find out more about our services!
by Michael Bastin | 12 Jun, 2019 | Education, Careers, Professional Translation
Thinking of studying translation in the United Kingdom or Ireland?
Looking at potential translation degrees to study abroad in an English-speaking country as opposed to obtaining a translation degree in French speaking country like Belgium?
With beautiful campuses, vibrant student life and a reputation for academic excellence, studying your degree in the UK, Northern Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland is always a good choice!
If you are looking to work in the field of translation or interpreting, it is crucial to lay down a solid foundation before trying to find work.
Many universities in the UK and Ireland specialise in language courses, as well as offering translation and interpreting degrees.
Consider the types of translation degrees available
There are many options available to you. Some choose to study an undergraduate degree in one or two foreign languages (some universities even allow you to choose three) and then follow up their undergraduate three or four-year Bachelor or four-year MA Hons with a Masters in translation or interpretation.
Some, however, prefer to stick to a specialised undergraduate degree in the field of their choice. The latter may only be possible for those who can prove their language proficiency before embarking on the course.
We have put together a definitive list of the English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and Northern Irish universities that offer translation degrees and training courses.
Keep in mind that we have only included degrees focusing uniquely on translation – all these institutions and many more also offer BSc or MA Hons language degrees.
Undergraduate translation degrees
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Unfortunately, we didn’t find any undergraduate translation degrees in Northern Ireland.
Still determined to study in this beautiful part of the world?
Why not start your academic career with an undergraduate language degree?
Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University in Coleraine both offer great course programs for prospective language students.
Republic of Ireland
Postgraduate translation degrees
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
As you can see, there’s no shortage of options for future students looking to further their studies in translation and interpreting.
Languages are becoming an increasingly popular career choice in the UK and Ireland, with students not only going into translation and interpreting but also language teaching, international journalism, media, and academia.
Still not convinced?
Many of our professional translators here at BeTranslated studied at one of these institutions and are now providing quality translation services under our name.
What do you make of our list? Have we missed any important universities?
We want to hear from you! If you’re thinking of studying in another country, check out our full list of university translation courses worldwide.
by Michael Bastin | 5 Jun, 2019 | Property Translation, Translation, Travel and Tourism
Property documentation translation is too important to be left to amateurs or to automatic machine translation engines such as Google Translate.
Even the smallest mistake could have disastrous consequences on your estate agency or holiday letting agent, causing a significant drop in your ROI. Find out just how to save your company from falling into this common trap…
The importance of working with professional translators
Your agency has everything it needs to succeed: an attractive website, beautiful photos of your properties, outstanding customer service, and your purchase or rental advertising is bringing in client after client.
Nevertheless, make sure you don’t lose your way when it comes to the translation of property documentation from English into any language your client may require.
Our professional translation agency specialises in the translation of property contracts and knows all the ins and outs of these documents, always making sure to maintain total accuracy.
These documents are the key point of contact between a future buyer or tenant and can make or break a deal.
We understand the importance of a well-translated contract, and we are always sure to provide our customers with a polished final translation.
Hire qualified, native translators
Our team of certified linguists have years of experience in the tourism and property sector and are therefore well-equipped to provide you with a contract in the language of your choice, respecting all the clauses of the original.
Do have a Russian buyer interested in a seaside villa or apartment? No problem!
BeTranslated’s translators based in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg will be assigned the task of translating the contract of sale into Russian.
The same applies to Chinese, Korean, Czech, or Arabic clients: we are happy to translate into any language commonly used in the property sector.
How to stand out in a booming sector
Our online translation agency also provides copywriting and SEO services for your property and tourism blogs in a large variety of languages – the perfect option to attract potential buyers from all around the world.
This customer outreach and marketing will help you stay a cut above the rest.
Our team of certified linguists can give you a helping hand to create quality content to turn even the biggest homebodies into potential international buyers or renters of property in the UK, USA, Spain, or elsewhere!
BeTranslated: your number one agency for property documentation translation
Our translation agency holds a sterling reputation in the property and tourist accommodation sectors and, in addition to legal documents such as contracts, we have an excellent track record providing content for blogs and rental sites all over the world.
This is thanks to the passion and work ethic of our team of language professionals who specialise in the field of property sale and rental in the UK and abroad.
We work with all file formats (even PDF) and on all online platforms such as WordPress or Drupal. Need a translation of a blog piece urgently from English into Spanish? No problem!
Our linguists are ready for anything, true pioneers of the online translation world.
Does your property rental or holiday villa estate agency need a boost to reach new international markets?
A well-executed localisation project might be just the ticket! Get in touch today for a quick, free, no-commitment quote!
by Michael Bastin | 25 Sep, 2018 | Multilingual, Machine Translation, Technology
After major advances in artificial intelligence (AI) over the last few years, a second generation of chatbots has emerged.
With innovative multilingual abilities, it’s now possible to converse with multiple nationalities with just one piece of software.
So is it time for your business to join the multilingual chatbot revolution?
The lowdown on chatbots
According to Chatbots Magazine,“a chatbot is a service, powered by rules and sometimes artificial intelligence, that you interact with via a chat interface”, and the chances are you’ll already have come across one.
They’re popular with online businesses such as Starbucks and Mastercard, but many others have taken up the technology.
What does a chatbox actually do? Well, they’re mainly used for customer interaction, but also have recruitment purposes.
You’ll typically “chat” with them through a web-based application or a standalone app.
The computer programme simulates a conversation after it recognises key terms. While this was primitive until recently, the aforementioned AI advances mean chatbots now offer a beneficial prospect to businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Intrigued? You can read this WordStream article for a detailed analysis of how they work, or read on to find out more about the latest innovations.
Multilingual chatbots have changed the game
Until recently, an online user from, for example, Brazil wouldn’t find a chatbot on a UK site capable of conversing in their native Portuguese.
They’d either have to know English or communication would come to an end. But businesses now have the lucrative prospect of using a single chatbot that can understand a wide array of languages.
And by this, I mean hundreds, complemented with the capacity to respond to queries in a relevant, useful, and sales-driven manner.
Seems too good to be true? Well, it’s a reality, a state of affairs that could well make the chatbot, unknown to the business world just a decade ago, indispensable.
o long as your business plans to expand beyond a local market, of course. If it does, then the technology could lead you to greater things.
Parlez-moi, s’il vous plaît
In an increasingly interconnected world, multilingualism has now grown as an important business factor. And why shouldn’t your doors open for interested consumers from across the world?
Language barriers and a lack of the right technology have held business back for decades, now we have the technology to overcome such boundaries.
Natural language chatbots can even receive training on customer intent; it’s possible to expand an existing model to have multilingual abilities – “train” it, essentially, to learn new languages.
One example can be seen with IBM Watson. As the company explains: “The chatbot identifies the intent to return a response. Before the response is seen by the user, [the chatbot] will translate the response to the language in which the question was asked.” And it can continue to learn from there; a “forced glossary” increases the accuracy of translations.
You can customise the glossary as you learn more from interactions with customers, making you adaptable to your customers’ needs.
Expanding into an international market
If this new technology has convinced you that now is the time to reach out to a wider, international audience, remember that making this big step is about much more than chatbots.
When expanding overseas, you’ll have to consider your market carefully. You’ll need to shift from a local to a global perspective.
But if this is all sounding ideal for your business, there’s plenty to consider. While multilingual chatbots are cost-effective compared to hiring an entire phone department, they still cost money to develop.
This is if you choose to create a bespoke chatbot for your business; you can turn to ready-made chatbots. This makes the process more cost and time-effective, but you will lose out on the individuality involved in a bespoke design.
What are the bonuses involved?
In summary:
Reach a wider audience
You can connect with customers from different nationalities and effortlessly communicate with them. You can also grow your following, increase sales targets, and advance your business.
Increase customer satisfaction
There’ll be no more confused emails between varying nationalities.
Cost-effective
There’s no need to hire native-speaking customer service specialists. Your software will handle the job for them 24/7.
Future-proof
Train your chatbot and adapt it to your industry’s needs. A few multilingual errors? You can update your chatbot to constantly deliver better customer service.
Ready to chat?
Introducing a multilingual chatbot across the 10 most widely spoken languages has far-reaching potential. It could help your business reach millions of new customers.
You could create an impressive customer service department—all with one chatbot, but the decision rests with you.
Do you take up the technology and try to steal an advantage on your competitors? Or do you wait a few years for the development costs to come down and the technology to become ultra-streamlined?
Either way, it’s a fascinating development for the online business world.
It’s setting new precedents and suggesting we’re heading towards a future where your sales strategy will consider dozens of nationalities. As a prospect, it’s unprecedented.
As you contemplate expanding into international markets, and all that that entails, consider how a professional translation agency could assist you in your mission.
Experienced native translators who are specialised in niche markets such as construction translation, like those working with BeTranslated, can be relied upon to provide a consistently accurate service.
If you have questions or want to request a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch today.
by Michael Bastin | 30 May, 2018 | Education, Good to Know, Languages
Idioms are expressions or phrases with figurative, non-literal meanings, that can easily confuse language learners.
They are often unique to a country or region and, as such, offer a glimpse into local cultures and ways of thinking. Learning English idioms can be great fun and very useful.
Familiarising yourself with idioms truly deepens your knowledge of colloquial, everyday language, which will give you a great advantage if you are thinking about travelling, working, or settling in that country.
If you’re heading to the UK and want to impress the locals with your English abilities, brush up on your idioms sharpish!
Turn yourself into an advanced level English speaker
If you’ve been learning English for a while and have reached a level where you can hold your own in everyday situations, it’s time to take it to the next level.
Having knowledge of some of the most common idioms will help you communicate better, and give you a deeper understanding of songs, TV shows, and books in English.
Not to mention, using them will impress any native you meet and chat with!
As idioms are often regional, native English speakers who are not from Britain could also do with studying British idioms if they plan to visit the UK.
Knowing these phrases demonstrates deeper cultural awareness and will aid in social integration, earning respect for your language skills from the Brits in no time.
A good place to start
We’ve come up with a list of 11 frequently used British idioms for you to peruse and add to your vocabulary. Once you’ve learned the real meaning of these idioms and how to use them correctly, you’ll sound like you’ve lived in the UK for years.
- You don’t know your arse from your elbow – we are not referring to someone who has a poor understanding of biology, but instead someone who has made a mistake or keeps getting things wrong. Be careful with this one, it’s best used in very informal settings!
- Working your socks off – this has nothing to do with removing anyone’s socks and actually refers to a person who is working extra hard.
- It’s a piece of cake – if the English were actually referring to cake with this one, we’d need more bakers! When used, this means that something is really easy.
- I’m over the moon – an unlikely place to be, unless we are referring to being really happy, a much more frequent occurrence.
- The ball’s in your court – not only used when playing sport as you may have guessed, it actually means that the decision or power lies with you. It’s your choice.
- You’re barking up the wrong tree – no dogs involved when using this term, or trees for that matter! It simply means that the person in question has misunderstood, or got the wrong idea.
- Biting off more than you can chew – this phrase is not about some hungry person stuffing their face with food. Instead, it refers to someone who has taken on more than they can manage.
- It costs an arm and a leg – don’t worry, no limbs have been used as a form of payment! This is a way to express that something was very expensive.
- At the drop of a hat – no reference to headgear here; this just means that something is done instantly.
- You’ve missed the boat – this doesn’t mean you’re late for your travel plans or missed your holiday, it’s an expression of being too late to make the most of something or having missed an opportunity.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – you don’t have to be a farmer to use this one! This expresses the need to wait for an outcome before assuming a result.
The importance of learning English idioms for language professionals
If you’re a language teacher, interpreter, translator, or content writer working in a foreign language or between a foreign language and your own, knowledge of idiomatic terms is crucial.
Idioms and proverbs are an ideal way to directly connect with a native speaker, crossing linguistic and cultural barriers and demonstrating mastery of their language.
This is why at BeTranslated we ensure that all our professional translators are certified native speakers, guaranteeing cultural sensitivity in our translations, both in understanding the source text and writing the final translation.
Also, students can visit sites like Studycrumb to find more advice on learning English idioms for language professionals.
Now you’re well on your way to communicating like a true English speaker!
Now that you’ve started learning some British idioms, you’ve taken a huge step towards sounding like a true native. Remember, there are hundreds of more idioms out there!
Why not challenge yourself to learn one a day for the next two weeks?
Are you working on your English in order to improve relations with British clients? Are you in need of a reliable translation service to work on your business documents, marketing material, or web content in a professional and authentic way? Contact BeTranslated today for more information or a free, no-obligation quote.
