Designing international symbols can be hazardous “Push button, get bacon” – that’s how a joke t-shirt interprets those instructional icons from the hand dryers you often see in public restrooms. Out of context, these types of icons can be either humorous or unintelligible. Even in context, their meaning can be obscure. Now imagine that you’re …Read More
One of the first questions we ask when someone requests a translation into French is whether the audience is in Europe or Canada. Some clients want to know if there really is a difference. The answer? An emphatic “yes.” The differences are substantial. European French and Canadian French translators are not interchangeable. This doesn’t mean …Read More
In the United States, autumn brings to mind spectacular displays of fall foliage, the somber turning of the seasons, and spooky Halloween festivities. In other parts of the world, a bounty of national and religious holidays fall within a three-week period from mid-September to early October. Sometimes this succession of holidays makes my job as …Read More
Currently, more than 55 million Hispanics living in the United States represents a growing market for health care. However, barriers of language and culture can make it difficult to navigate the U.S. healthcare system. Translating content into Spanish is only one way for the healthcare industry to reach out this growing demographic. Marketing to Hispanics …Read More
Navigating the United States healthcare system can be a daunting task for native English speakers, but it can become a true barrier to medical care for Asian Americans with limited English proficiency. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 5.6% percent of the U.S. population identifies as Asian or Asian American, with the three largest ethnic …Read More
With Thanksgiving Day upon us, it seems like a good time to reflect upon the use of “thank you” in different cultures. Most Americans are trained to say “please” and “thank you” to everyone on all kinds of occasions. “Please” is the “magic word” whenever you want someone to do something for you. “Thank you” …Read More
MTM LinguaSoft partnered with Living Beyond Breast Cancer to adapt and translate guides for women living with metastatic breast cancer, into Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Chinese and Tagalog. As LBBC Senior Director Janine Guglielmino explained, the mission of Living Beyond Breast Cancer is to reach women who need information and support. Trust is central to this endeavor. …Read More
A few years ago we published a post inspired by the British newspaper The Guardian‘s question: “Does the symbol @ have a name? If not, any suggestions?” Many readers responded with “the at sign,” its boring name in English, and some explained its origin in commerce and bookkeeping. However, other readers provided translations of the more colorful names used in other languages. Some …Read More
The 1957 children’s book by Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, is a beloved holiday classic. In addition to the book, most American children know the late 1960s cartoon version of the story as well as the more recent Jim Carrey live action film. In the story, a dyspeptic green holiday hater impersonates Santa …Read More
I attended the 2016 Visitor Experience Conference in Philadelphia on October 10. Several recent developments had motivated me to attend: Sree Sreenivasan’s talk at the TechniCulture event during Philly Tech Week 2016. At the time he was the Chief Digital Officer at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. The Met’s audio-guide app is available …Read More
