Dragoman Transcreation: Recent Episodes
UMIT OZAYDIN
These podcasts are for everyone who want to improve their spoken and written English. It will benefit business communicators, students, academics as well as translators and interpreters. We are experimenting with voices, ideas, AI and having lots of fun. Please share our posts and help us reach a greater audience.
We’ve all met someone who speaks multiple languages and thought, “Well, that person is quirky.” But what if that quirkiness isn’t about personality at all? What if it’s about the way the multilingual brain actually works? Speaking several languages doesn’t just help you order tapas in Madrid or negotiate in Berlin — it rewires how [...] The post Hidden Power of Multilingual Minds appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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International events, diplomatic missions, business meetings, and multilingual conferences require smooth communication in several languages. Yet, one persistent misconception continues to cause costly mistakes: the idea that simply “knowing English” qualifies someone to act as an interpreter or translator. The truth is clear: language proficiency is not binary — it’s a spectrum. And when it [...] The post Why “I Know English” Is Not a Qualification: The Critical Role of Professional Interpreters appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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Emergency situations call for immediate action. In these instances, it is crucial to have a remote interpreter ready to offer you live interpretation services over the phone or using apps like WhatsApp and Viber. Healthcare is the most common reason when immediate interpretation is needed because we are living in an increasingly global world with [...] The post Over-the-phone Interpretation Services appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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Hiring professional translation services is critical to create a positive business image for your hotel or restaurant business. Professional translators know how to localize your services accurately to foreign languages. Multilingual menus or hotel brochures are a crucial part of increasing your customer satisfaction. When tourists visit your place, they will feel more comfortable if [...] The post How to translate restaurant menus and hotel brochures appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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English language is the number one language that benefits from the AI revolution. In fact, 17 languages dominate the digital world according to CSA Research data. These 17 languages are called Tier-1 languages. Understanding each language's economic potential is vital for enterprises to go global and expand into new markets. English helps you reach to [...] The post Which languages benefit more from Language AI and AI translation? appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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HIA (Heritage Impact Assessment) reports are used to analyze the possible impact and consequences that new development can have on UNESCO’s World Heritage properties. While we work with exceptional certified translators that deliver accurate and high-quality translations, we go the extra mile of having a native proofreader go over the translation and increase the readability even more, so that it is as if the text was written in that language in the first place. The post H.I.A. (Heritage Impact Assessment) REPORTS TRANSLATION appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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A CAT tool (or computer aided translation tool) is a software that helps professional translators and proofreaders to collaborate on translation projects. Key features include the following: Translation memory: Translation memory is an archive of past translations. The post What is a CAT Tool? appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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There are several factors that can help the translator decide whether to translate the names or not. Read my article and decide for yourself. The post How to translate names appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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In the high-stakes field of medical translation, accuracy and timeliness are key. Particularly when dealing with documents like patient reports that often contain repetitive or similar sentences, a CAT (Computer Assisted Translation) tool is a great aid. By leveraging translation memory and terminology management functionalities of Nubuto, medical professionals can ensure that vital information is [...] The post The Vital Role of CAT Tools in Medical Translations: Enhancing Accuracy and Efficiency appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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Bidirectional interpreting on Teams meetings make it easier for corporations to launch meetings with live simultaneous interpreting. Microsoft does not provide interpreters, Dragoman does. Call us to book your online interpreters for Teams. Our lead time is 24 hours. The post Book interpreters for Microsoft Teams appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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Zoom AI is awesome. Features include Meeting Summary, Meeting Questions and Smart Recordings. Meeting Questions are especially useful for attendees who are late, AI quickly catches them up and they can continue following the conversation from there. It can also let you know if your name was mentioned or if any questions were directed to you in your absence. The post How does Zoom AI Companion work appeared first on Dragoman Language Solutions.
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The article discusses the importance of effective management for hybrid meetings, which combine onsite and online participation, emphasizing the need for constant team communication, reliable internet, and proper equipment setup. It recommends using Zoom's advanced features to facilitate smoother interactions and maintain engagement among participants. The piece also notes that these practices are trusted by prominent organizations like the UN and EU and offers further assistance for those interested in organizing hybrid meetings.
Dragoman offices can provide certified, notarized and apostilled translations in many regions and languages of the world. However, many government and private institutions prefer the translations to be performed or reviewed by translators holding either an ITI or CIOL certification.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opens every year on the third Tuesday of September. If you are attending or organizing an event in New York during the UN week, make sure to book your interpreters and interpreting equipment well on advance.
Every now and then, we receive a translation content that sends us down the emotional roller-coaster. Like I said, a good professional is to be able to detach from the content and simply do their job.
Immigrating to a new country is a major undertaking. You’ll have to go through an extensive legal process in order to earn the right to work and live in the country of your choice. These tips will help you overcome common obstacles for new immigrants. Dragoman Language Solutions offers expert translation services tailored to your needs at every step of your immigration journey.
In the post-pandemic world, going digital goes beyond country borders. A big part of expanding a business internationally is to ensure that you are understood other markets and cultures. Website localization includes many levels of adaptation from content and graphics to navigation and compatibility. In this post, I will focus on content transcreation, which [...]
It is possible to enable language interpretation on your Microsoft Teams account. Having an option to enable interpretation and invite a professional conference interpreter to their meeting will make event organizations much easier.
Frequency response is the quantitative measure of the output spectrum of a system or device in response to a stimulus, and is used to characterise the dynamics of the system. That would require a uniform (flat) magnitude of response up to the bandwidth limitation of the system, with the signal delayed by precisely the same amount of time at all frequencies.
Using the right microphone is essential when joining an online meeting for two main reasons: your voice will be heard clearly and the conference interpreters can translate your speech with ease. You may be hearing your colleague but still the sound quality may not be high enough for simultaneous interpreting.
Infoport or simulport is a mobile interpreting system that one can easily carry in a tiny case and use for simultaneous interpreting to a small group of people, typically for short durations. Please feel free to drop us an email and we will be happy to discuss your particular use case to understand whether an infoport suits your needs or perhaps you may go for a full ISO standard interpreting booth and sound equipment.
Given the popular hashtag #kyivnotkiev, Ukrainians want to use Kyiv. Kiev is closer to Russian pronunciation and it is a remnant of the Soviet past. Kyiv sounds more Ukrainian. Ukraine is a sovereign state and it is their utmost right to name, call and ask the world to call their capital city the way they [...]
Many people assume that they can directly speak to their laptop when they are in a Zoom meeting and it may be good enough for a personal gathering among friends. However, choosing the right microphone makes a huge difference during professional meetings, especially when simultaneous interpreters are used. Wireless or Wired? They look cool but [...]
Feeling conflicted about choosing a singular or plural verb for a tricky subject? Well, we all have been there. The subject-verb agreement may sometimes be confusing, even for native speakers. First, you should remember that it is the subject that determines the number of the verb. For example, look at this sentence: All anyone wanted [...]
Hybrid meeting (event) is a broad definition and rather vague. It may mean connecting a small board meeting to online attendees via webcam and desktop sound system. Or it can refer to HD cameras, professional video crew, delegate microphones in front of every speaker and onsite headsets to transmit different languages. Interpreter may join onsite [...]
Finally Cisco Webex launched its interpretation feature. It is currently available on limited clusters and soon will be rolled out to the entire Webex users. To enable simultaneous interpretation, you need to login to your admin panel and toggle the slide bar to right. You can choose to add as many languages as you wish [...]
What makes a good translation? You probably heard this question in your introductory translation class or read it in the first few pages of the book you decided to buy to help you acclimate to the industry. A classic (yet still the most popular) answer is having a native/near-native command of the source and target [...]
Hyphen use has been largely a matter of personal preference. The lack of definitive answers to hyphenation might create confusion, especially for non-native speakers and new writers. However, we, fortunately, have general guidance from the AP Stylebook on how to use hyphens. You should primarily use hyphens to clarify meaning or produce a single idea from [...]
A new era for translators is coming or has already come. Roles and tasks are changing. New skill sets are required.
The tsunami of artificial intelligence is unprecedented. How can translators, translation agencies and academia manage this tsunami?
There is so much hype around machine translation and language AI. Here is Taia's angle on machine translation. And they call it an art.
Simplicty, saving time, visibility and eliminating manual tasks are the secrets of a successful, modern translation agency.
Second episode of Umit - Matia interview. Listen and discover what makes Taia unique among other localization platforms.
One of the key elements of writing well is to understand the use of relative clauses. For non-native speakers, and especially for my fellow Turkish colleagues, abuse of relative clauses is common and easy to overcome mistake. Please do not take me wrong, I am not suggesting that relative clauses are totally useless and therefore one must never use them. I am only trying to show you how to reduce them. Here is an example from Izmir Train – the IZBAN. […]
Use decimals and commas for English figures as follows: General Figures: 22,500 people, 1.5 million cars, 42.8 square meters Money figures: $4,564.54, $4.5 million, 5.67 billion Turkish lira Percents: 43.8 percent, 43.8% Note: Decimals and commas in Turkish figures are reversed; use the English format. Source Dragoman Style Guide for Figures
The AP Stylebook cautions against using abbreviations or acronyms that the reader would not quickly recognize, and Dragoman prefers spelling out acronyms and abbreviations on first reference. Incorrect: The CBRT‘s latest interest rate hike, the third this year, drew a muted response from international investors. Correct: The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey‘s (CBRT) latest interest rate hike, the third this year, drew a muted response from international investors. Correct: A top former war crimes prosecutor has […]
- Use figures for decades: the 1990s, the ’90s, the mid-1990s. 2. Use an apostrophe before the decade if abbreviated as in the ’80s, the turbulent ’60s. 3. Spell out the decade when used at the beginning of a sentence: Nineteen-eighties business models are no longer sufficient. 4. Follow the “less than 10” as in the fifth century, the 15th century, mid-eighth century, mid-12th century, ninth-century literature, 17th-century poets. 5. B.C. follows the year or century as in 88 B.C. […]
The following text is taken verbatim from the book, 300 Days of Better Writing: A daily handbook for improving your writing written by David Bowman (2010) “Artificial superlatives are words like really, super, and very. People use them in an attempt to get the reader excited about some idea or topic. Consider these sentences. “The Broncos are really great. They are having a very good year.” The problem is that these words don’t actually add anything to the meaning. For […]
We got used to think that some people were just born with an ability to learn languages and for some, it is just not their cup of tea. Human`s brain may surprise you very much and if you decide on learning to do something or to learn a foreign language, because this is what this post is going to be about, there is nothing what could possibly stop you from doing so unless it is you. How you might ask? […]
If you subscribe for this service, you can reach qualified interpreters in over 100 languages within 20 seconds. You can have both video and audio calls with your patients, clients and counterparts.
This article was originally published on Linked In. A year ago, 90% of all interpreting jobs were lost on this planet. Agencies were reporting losses in tens of millions of dollars. Now we are talking about the new normal, RSI (remote simultaneous interpreting) and VRI (video remote interpreting) have become a daily routine. What is going to happen next? Interpreting (consecutively) for government agencies, public services, immigration centers and hospitals will continue growing. The current remote format is here to […]
In this episode of our video cast, I interviewed Sean Hopwood of Day Translations, Inc. Sean generously shared his wisdom on remote work, people, engagement and success drivers of online meetings.
Sean Hopwood, CEO, Day Translations
Sean Hopwood is the CEO of Day Translations, a thriving translation and localization company operating in over 100+ languages worldwide. He built it from scratch by going door to door asking people if they required translations, and today he has a fully remote team from all over the world & is helping individuals and companies expand their operations abroad. He has worked with Fox News, TED, Bayer, Facebook, HBO, AT&T, and more.
Umit Ozaydin, CEO, Dragoman Translation
Umit Ozaydin is the founding manager of Dragoman Translation in Turkey. He has been a conference interpreter, trainer, publisher and technology evangelist for over 20 years. Umit is also a seasoned traveller with so many stories from all continents of the planet. Partner, tester, early-adopter, user and reseller of over 20 applications and platforms.
The legacy trusted corporate conferencing platform Webex finally unveils its interpreting addon. Starting from December 2020, Webex Legislate, a seperate Coscio product for parliaments, legislatures, courts and international organizations, began offering simultaneous interpreting capabilities. We met with Cisco product managers online and reviewed some of the available use cases. The current product is a very nice, secure package. It is highly customizable. Interpretation is performed in virtual booths (rooms). Sign language interpreting can also be provided. Interpreters video will be […]
Dragoman pruža usluge titlovanja velikim medijskim kucama, odjeljenjima za korporativnu komunikaciju i PR agencijama. Tursko tržište titlovanja je u velikom usponu, naročito zbog prisutnosti Netflix-a na trzistu. Mnogi pružaoci OTT usluga su zainteresovani za ulazak na tursko medijsko tržište. Takođe, turske serije postaju sve vise popularne i to ne samo na području Bliskog Istoka i [...]
According to the AP Stylebook and several other guides, when writing about people with disabilities; Avoid using terms such as “handicapped” or “cripple.” Clearly define the type of disability if you can. If this is not possible, you can use “people with disabilities” or “disabled people.” Example: Inappropriate: Services for the handicapped and their families Use: Services for people with disabilities and their families Avoid language that suggests pity such as “suffer from”, “afflicted with,” “victim of,” or “stricken with.” […]
Montenegro passport gives you visa-free access to over 120 countries including the Schengen zone. There are three ways to become a Montenegro citizen: By employment or business ownership: Takes 10 years By marriage: Takes five years By investment: Takes three – six months Business option: Montenegro gives temporary residence permits so easily but not the citizenship. If you start a business in Montenegro or employed by a Montenegrin company, the passport police gives you a temporary residence permits within 3 […]
SYSTRAN & DRAGOMAN LANGUAGE SERVICES LAUNCH THE BEST ENGLISH-TURKISH MACHINE TRANSLATION MODEL EVER MADE Paris, July 1st, 2020: SYSTRAN, leader in advanced machine translation solutions, announces the release of the best English to Turkish neural machine translation model ever built. The model has been trained with data from a trusted translation company in Turkey: Dragoman Language solutions. With the launch of SYSTRAN Marketplace, SYSTRAN opened their proprietary translation technology developed over last 50 years to enable a community of worldwide […]
Given the pandemic conditions, we all observe physical distancing rules. There are flight restrictions and many other local lockdown measures. World’s newest household brand Zoom is also becoming popular in online wedding ceremonies. Do we organize your wedding? No, you organize your wedding and we help you transform it into a Zoom Wedding. Now, if you are preparing for a transnational marriage, we are here to help. Our interpreters join the ceremony via Zoom and translate everything live for your […]
Online meetings and video conferences were less than 3% of the entire conference industry until only a few months ago. Starting from March and with the global lockdown measures, on-site interpreting was literally obliterated. We found ourselves in an almost 100% remote video format. It is impossible to know what the event industry look like once the pandemic is over, but it is safe to assume that the share of online meetings will not go back to 3%, it will […]
The following text is taken verbatim from the book, 300 Days of Better Writing: A daily handbook for improving your writing written by David Bowman (2010) “An introductory adverbial phrase is a phrase at the beginning of the sentence that tells something about the main verb, such as when it occurred, how, or to what degree. Consider this sentence. “After reading the newspaper, John felt relaxed.” The phrase “after reading the newspaper” tells when John felt relaxed. This phrase is an introductory […]
The following text is taken verbatim from the book, 300 Days of Better Writing: A daily handbook for improving your writing written by David Bowman (2010) “(Note to our friends in Great Britain: reverse the tip in the next paragraph, and you will probably do fine.) When providing a direct quote or using quotation marks to indicate that you are writing about a word or phrase, the comma or period that ends the phrase or sentence should be placed inside […]
A percentage point or percent point is the unit for the arithmetic difference of two percentages. For example, moving up from 20% to 42% is a 22-percentage point increase, but is a 110 percent increase in what is being measured. Let’s see this with an example: Source Text: Trump’s job approval has risen from 44 percent on March 16 by 5 percentage points to 49 percent nine days later on […]
Using too many ‘thats’ will rob your sentences of their pace and spontaneity. This is especially true for verbs of speech or thought such as say, think, know and so on. Read or listen this example carefully: Bolton said that he will make a statement about the share repurchase plan on Monday. Better: Bolton said he will make a statement about the share repurchase plan on Monday. But not all thats are the same. Although some thats sound superfluous, not all […]
Writing long sentences will alienate your readers and would even cost you your customers. Try to shorten your sentences whenever possible: Long: The company will invest $2billion in a new semi-conductor manufacturing plant in San Jose, California, which will have living quarters for engineers, a school, a swimming pool and a recreation center. Better: The company will invest $2billion in a new semi-conductor manufacturing plant in San Jose, California. The plant will have living quarters for engineers, […]
Zoom has become an essential part of our lives during the global lockdown. Families, friends, teachers, schools, government agencies and private corporations are using Zoom on a daily basis. For us, the interpreting agencies, Zoom offers another great possibility: remote language interpretation. If you have a paid Zoom account (minimum Pro account plus a webinar package), you can add simultaneous interpreting to your meetings in up to eight languages. Advanced settings of Zoom can be tricky and if you are […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word as Alternatives because Explanation “As” is sometimes used to mean “because.” But do not use it if there is any chance of ambiguity. In the example below, “as” could mean “because” or “when.” Example Avoid “We […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word while Alternatives although, whereas Explanation Avoid using “while” to mean “although” or “whereas” if there is any chance of ambiguity. In the example below, “while” could mean either “although” or “at the same time that.” Example […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word since Alternatives because Explanation Do not use “since” to mean “because” if there is any chance of ambiguity. In the example below, “since” could mean “because” or “from the time that.” Example Avoid “Since we won […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word actual Alternatives current, present. Explanation “Actual” is sometimes used to refer to something that is happening now. However, in English it means “real” or “existing”. Example Avoid “This appropriation is intended to cover basic salaries of […]
Are you as old as I am and therefore able to name the NBA team the legendary basketball player Clyde Drexler is most commonly associated with? If you are getting somewhat on in years and you also follow NBA basketball, then you would answer: Portland Trail Blazers. What I will focus on throughout the rest of my entry is the verb “to blaze a (new) trail.” If you set an example by being the first to do something, you blaze […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word deepen Alternatives improve, increase, bolster, boost, develop. Explanation “Deepen” is a difficult word to use correctly. In addition to its literal meaning (e.g., deepen a well), it can also be used figuratively to mean “to increase,” […]
to empower If you empower someone, you give that person authority or power to do something (The Oxford English Dictionary). Here is an example sentence: The prime minister said, “We have to give more power to women to create a more equitable society.” The prime minister said, “We need to empower women to create a more equitable society.” Which sentence would you and, most importantly, your reader prefer? You’ve guessed it right if you have chosen the second one. Why […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word aim (with the aim to) Alternatives with the aim of (doing something), with a view to (doing something, not do something). Explanation This expression actually takes of + the gerund. Example Avoid “List of specific recommendations […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word allow (to), permit (to), enable (to) Alternatives make it possible to, allow us to, enable us to, allow (an assessment) of. Explanation When used to mean “make it possible to,” “allow to” cannot be used without […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word concern, concerning, for what concerns Alternatives with regard to, in respect of, in terms of. Explanation We often find paragraphs in reports that begin with “concerning XYZ, the Court found that” instead of “with regard to.” […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word important Alternatives large, substantial, significant. Explanation “Important” is often wrongly used to mean “big” (“the most important power station in France”); it actually means: “strongly affecting the course of events or the nature of things” or […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word control, to control, a control Alternatives audit, check, verify/verification, inspect/inspection, safeguard. Explanation To control does not usually mean “to audit,” “check” or “verify” and “a control” is not normally “a check” or “an inspection.” Its most […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word modify Alternatives amend, change. Explanation When referring to changes to legislation, “amend/amendment” are better words than “modify/modification.” In other contexts, the word “change” is a more common alternative. Example Avoid “The Commission … undertook to make […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word do Alternatives perform, carry out, undertake. Explanation “To do” is a rather weak word: “to perform” and “to carry out” are often better. Using them also avoids the rather common confusion between “to do” and “to […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word inform Alternatives announce, declare, state etc. Explanation Like “to allow,” “to inform” requires a direct object (inform the public/us/them etc.) and cannot be used without one except in passive sentences (“we were informed of something,” for […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word within the framework of, in the framework of Alternatives in connection with, as part of, under etc. Explanation Like “foresee,” “in the frame of,” meaning “in connection with,” “in the context of” or “within the scope […]
Many of our customers fall into a trap that befalls even experienced journalists. What’s more, many readers won’t even notice the error I’m talking about. What is this error? The false range. Understandably, our customers love to highlight the broad nature of the work they do and the products they manufacture. To highlight this, they therefore often use the phrase ranging from… to, but incorrectly. A range requires “a set of objects, persons, topics or attributes within a limited set.” Yet what is […]
Pre-boarding announcement Good afternoon dear passengers. This is a pre-boarding announcement for flight TK 1 0 1 to Istanbul. We are now inviting passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you. Final boarding call This is the final boarding call for passengers Jane and John Taylor booked on flight 3 7 2 […]
Pre-boarding announcement Good afternoon dear passengers. This is a pre-boarding announcement for flight TK 1 0 1 to Istanbul. We are now inviting passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you. Final boarding call This is the final boarding call for passengers Jane and John Taylor booked on flight 3 7 2 […]
Pre-boarding announcement Good afternoon dear passengers. This is a pre-boarding announcement for flight TK 1 0 1 to Istanbul. We are now inviting passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you. Final boarding call This is the final boarding call for passengers Jane and John Taylor booked on flight 3 7 2 […]
Do you use this: % symbol, or this: percent (spelled out)? Read this article to understand Dragoman Style, which is mainly based on the AP Style Guide and enriched by Diana Hacker’s, Brian Garner’s and Strunk & White. 1. The word percent is one word. Do not use U.K. spelling, i.e., per cent. 2. Always spell out percent in paragraph content as in 30 percent, 3.5 percent, 66 percent. 3. For percents “less than 1” use zero before the decimal […]
Text messaging, or texting, is the act of typing and sending a brief, electronic message between two or more mobile phones or fixed or portable devices over a phone network. The term originally referred to messages sent using the Short Message Service (SMS); it has grown to include messages containing image, video, and sound content (known as MMS messages. The sender of a text message is known as a texter, while the service itself has different colloquialisms depending on the […]
This article was originally published on our blog Dragosfer a couple of years ago. It focuses on how to eliminate junk words in Turkish to English translations. As part of our consolidation efforts, I wanted to include it in this knowledgebase. Avoiding junk words is a much wider topic and a good habit to acquire. We are open to publishing your articles and more tips on plain language. Turkish language is usually long winded and redundant. Translators should learn how to avoid unnecessary words […]
Video remote interpreting (VRI) has recently become more popular with advances in broadband internet connectivity. Why not, it feels much more natural when you can put a face to a name and see the person interpreting for you. Video interpreting is also key to ensure that the interpreter is alone in an isolated room. Please bear in mind that video remote interpreting is typically charged at slightly higher figures, compared to phone interpreting. Key recommendations: Minimum 10 x 10 […]
When using “between” to specify a date or number range, we must replace the hyphen with and. Incorrect: Demirkent served in senior executive roles between 1936-68. Correct: Demirkent served in senior executive roles between 1936 and 68. So, please do not add a hyphen between numbers or dates, if you are constructing the phrase with “between”. You may find a related article on dashes in here.
An agenda is a list of meeting activities. It shows the time, room and topic of each session. A session may be in the form of a workshop, panel discussion, seminar or conference and will typically end with a Q & A. An agenda may also be called a docket. Individual sessions should also have their internal agenda. Ideally, event organizers publish the agenda on advance and also provide a print copy at the event venue. A good agenda is […]
Dragoman prefers preceding initialisms with a definite article. An initialism is an abbreviation formed from initial letters. They require “the”, because they are pronounced letter by letter. Incorrect: Trump told world leaders to support overhauling U.N. Correct: Trump told world leaders to support overhauling the U.N. An acronym, on the other hand, is a word made up from the first letters of the name of something such as an organization. For example, NATO is an acronym for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Because they are pronounced as words, there is no need to precede them with definite article: […]
This piece is a part of our capitalization series. Proper capitalization in English is tricky. Stay tuned with our Language Tips for more. 1. If magazine or journal is part of the title, use upper case New York Magazine Journal of the American Medical Association 2. If magazine or journal is not part of the title, use lower case Time magazine 3. Capitalize the article the if part of the title of a newspaper, magazine, or journal The Washington Post […]
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine’s “natural” or un-paid search results. In general, the earlier (or higher ranked on the search results page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine’s users. SEO is an integrated part of website localization because translating your content into other languages will guarantee search engine […]
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom. Trade conventions typically focus on a particular industry or industry segment, and feature keynote speakers, vendor displays, and other information and activities of interest to the event organizers and attendees. Professional audio & video equipment are essential to […]
Spelling is the writing of one or more words with letters and diacritics. In addition, the term often, but not always, means an accepted standard spelling or the process of naming the letters. In the sense of a standard, spelling is one of the elements of orthography and a prescriptive element of alphabetic languages. Spellings attempt to transcribe the sounds of the language into alphabetic letters, but phonetic spellings are exceptions in many languages for various reasons. As English is […]
American Psychological Association (APA) style is an academic format specified in The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, a style guide that offers academic authors guidance on various subjects for the submission of papers to the publications of APA. The APA states that the guidelines were developed to assist reading comprehension in the social and behavioral sciences, for clarity of communication, and for “word choice that best reduces bias in language. APA is one of the style guides used […]
MLA Style Manual is a publication by the Modern Language Association. As a style guide, it is probably the most commonly used reference by writers, researchers and academics. Lead authors are Domna C. Stanton and David G. Nicholls. The Manual has been out in the market for over 50 years. Updated in 2016, the eight edition of the MLA Style Manual offers complete, up-to-date guidance on writing scholarly texts, documenting research sources, submitting manuscripts to publishers, and dealing with legal issues […]
A court is a tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law. In both common law and civil law legal systems, courts are the central means for dispute resolution, and it is generally understood that all persons have an ability to bring their claims before a court. Modern courts often need court interpreters to […]
A compound modifier (also called a compound adjective, phrasal adjective, or adjectival phrase) is a compound of two or more attributive words: That is, more than one word that together modify a noun. Compound modifiers are grammatically equivalent to single-word modifiers, and can be used in conjunction with other modifiers. When localizing a compound modifier, you may not find an equivalent phrase in your target language. In those cases, you will need to seach for a synonym or translate one […]
Game localization or game globalization refers to the preparation of video games for other locales. This adaptation to the standards of other countries covers far more than simply translation of language. There are different areas, such as linguistic, cultural, hardware and software, legal differences, graphics identity and music. Globalization refers to general Eastern/Western variations, while localization refers to several regional sub-divisions within the globalization. In-context localization platforms make game localization easier. Recent advances in cloud technologies enable faster and better […]
Tone is a literary technique that is a part of composition, which encompasses the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work. Tone may be formal, informal, intimate, solemn, somber, playful, serious, ironic, condescending, or many other possible attitudes. Each piece of literature has at least one theme, or central question about a topic, and how the theme is approached within the work is known as the tone. Tone in public relations is also dictated […]
In linguistics, prosody is the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. Prosody may reflect various features of the speaker or the utterance: the emotional state of the speaker; the form of the utterance (statement, question, or command); the presence of irony or sarcasm; emphasis, contrast, and focus; or other elements of language that may not be encoded by grammar or choice of vocabulary. Prosody is probably the biggest challenge for translators and interpreters in their quest to master multilingual communication. […]
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) (also known as external dispute resolution in some countries, such as Australia) includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. It is a collective term for the ways that parties can settle disputes, with (or without) the help of a third party. Highest form of alternative dispute resolution is an arbitration. Arbitration often requires interpreting because the parties are international and prefer […]
A dragoman was an interpreter, translator and official guide between Turkish, Arabic, and Persian-speaking countries, delegations and politicians of the Middle East and European embassies, consulates, vice-consulates and trading posts. Dragomans would typically speak Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and several European languages.
Turkish, also referred to as Istanbul Turkish or Anatolian Turkish, is the most widely-spoken of the Turkic languages, with over 100 million native speakers. Speakers are located predominantly in Turkey, with smaller groups in Germany, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Northern Cyprus, Greece, and other parts of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia. The roots of the language can be traced to Central Asia, with the first known written records dating back nearly 1,300 years. Follow our blog posts, translation tips, videos, books […]
A sign language (also signed language or simply signing) is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses manual communication and body language to convey meaning. This can involve simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker’s thoughts. Every nation has their own sign language. There is one international sign language, but with very limited words. Even British Sign Language is different then the American […]
In sign language, orientation (ORI) refers to the distinctive relative orientation of the hand when signing. Orientation is one of five components of a sign, along with handshape (DEZ), location (TAB), movement (SIG), and facial-body expression. Every language has its own signs, even British Sign Language is different then the American Sign Language.
In sign language, expression refers to distinctive body postures and facial expressions that accompany signing, and which are necessary to properly form words. Expression is one of five components of a sign, along with handshape (DEZ), orientation (ORI), location (TAB), and movement (SIG). A major component of expression is mouthing. However, not all signs have an inherent expression.
In sign language, location, or tab, refers to specific places that the hands occupy as they are used to form words. In Stokoe terminology it is known as the TAB, an abbreviation of tabula. Location is one of five components of a sign, along with handshape (DEZ), orientation (ORI), movement (SIG), and facial-body expression. Different sign languages make use of different locations. For more information please contact Dragoman Translation offices.
In sign language, handshape, or dez, refers to the distinctive configuration of that the hands take as they are used to form words. In Stokoe terminology it is known as the DEZ, an abbreviation of designator. Handshape is one of five components of a sign, along with location (TAB), orientation (ORI), movement (SIG), and facial-body expression. Different sign languages make use of different handshapes.
In sign language, movement, or sig, refers to the distinctive hand actions that form words. In William Stokoe’s terminology, it is the SIG, an abbreviation of signation. Movement is one of five components of a sign—with handshape (DEZ), orientation (ORI), location (sign language) (TAB), and facial-body expression. Different sign languages use different types of movement. Some treatments distinguish movement and hold—signs, or parts of signs, that involve motion vs.
In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition. A typical clause consists of a subject and a predicate, where the predicate is typically a verb phrase – a verb together with any objects and other modifiers. However the subject is sometimes not expressed; this is often the case in null-subject languages, if the subject is retrievable from context, but it also occurs in certain cases in other languages such as English. English is […]
Only is often misplaced in a sentence. We must be careful about its usage to avoid confusing our readers. Learning correct usage of grammatical modifiers is a hard work and it is worth all the effort. Only should go right before the word or phrase it modifies. “Only I said I cannot attend the party” means that I was the only one to decline the invitation. “I only said I cannot attend the party” means that I said nothing but […]
This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. This writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like struck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use the sentences of medium length. And […]
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word define/definition Alternatives establish, lay down, set out, draft, establishment, drafting, design. Explanation In English, “define” means “to state the precise meaning of” (for example “we have already defined the meaning of control”). It does not mean […]
Let’s clear up the confusion surrounding the use of hyphen, en dash and em dash. The hyphen (-) Dragoman follows the AP Stylebook, so we use hyphens to indicate ranges or to clarify that we are using a compound modifier. Please use no spaces before or after the hyphen. Examples: The first leg of the training was held in Şanlıurfa on May 22-23, 2019. Our state-of-the-art warehouse facilities are 80-percent automated. Each year, we endeavor to create a first-rate academic […]
This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. This writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like struck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use the sentences of medium length. And […]
The Elements of Style (1918), by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White, is a prescriptive American English writing style guide comprising eight “elementary rules of usage”, ten “elementary principles of composition”, “a few matters of form”, a list of forty-nine “words and expressions commonly misused”, and a list of fifty-seven “words often misspelled”. In 2011, Time magazine listed The Elements of Style as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923.
This article series aims to eliminate usage errors and help non-native speakers to write clearly and fluently. We suggest that you always do proper research and use style guides effectively. For anything you are not sure of, feel free to ask us. Misused word define/definition Alternatives establish, lay down, set out, draft, establishment, drafting, design. Explanation In English, “define” means “to state the precise meaning of” (for example “we have already defined the meaning of control”). It does not mean […]
Video subtitling is the art of adding subtitles (captions) to a live or recorded video. It has rules and guidelines to optimize audience experience. Subtitled videos reach higher viewing rates. Producers hire localisation companies to add subtitlies and translations to their shows. Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog or commentary in films, television programs, video games, and the like, usually displayed at the bottom (or on the top) of the screen. Subtitles have time codes, color, size, font and […]
General Style for Content Language and Syntax Contractions Quotation Marks Capitalization and Style for Headlines, Headings, and Subheadings Awards, Prizes, and Categories of Awards Titles of Books, Short Stories, Newspapers, Magazines and Journals Titles of Films and so on Academic Writing Sources: AP Stylebook and Dragoman Style General Style for Content The clients determine the final layout and preferences for magazines or journals. If the client does not have an in-house style guide or preferences, follow these rules of style. In all cases, be […]
Let’s clear up the confusion surrounding the use of hyphen, en dash and em dash. The hyphen (-) Dragoman follows the AP Stylebook, so we use hyphens to indicate ranges or to clarify that we are using a compound modifier. Please use no spaces before or after the hyphen. Examples: The first leg of the training was held in Şanlıurfa on May 22-23, 2019. Our state-of-the-art warehouse facilities are 80-percent automated. Each year, we endeavor to create a first-rate academic […]
General Rules An annual report contains a company’s achievements and financial figures and is provided to shareholders, stakeholders and potential investors. The report uses several styles of writing: descriptive, corporate, advertising, financial, and legal. Previous reports are good benchmarks. Research is key to successfully translate an annual report. Search not only on client’s website but also on other related websites for benchmarking purposes. Try to find sources in written in the target language, not translations of local corporations. Internet is […]
Work that an editor does to improve the formatting, style, and accuracy of text. Copy-editing has three main levels according to American Association of Editors and Writers: Light (Mechanical): Mostly formatting, typos, grammar and terminology Medium: Word usage and tightening sentences Heavy (deep): Changing sentence structure, words, terms, etc. Copy-editing is different than content editing, which is a much more out-of-the-box job description. Most if not all of the editing jobs in translation industry are actually copy-editing tasks. Many people […]
Nubuto is a CAT tool (computer assisted translation). It is powered by X T M International’s multi-award winning technology X T M Cloud. Nubuto is co-developed and marketed by Dragoman Translation, a language services company operating in Turkey, the Balkans and United Kingdom. For more, please visit NUBUTO website at www.nubuto.com
Style guides differ because they are written with their specific audience in mind. Bloomberg will present their copy differently to The New York Times because Bloomberg primarily focus on finance and figures. One of the principal reasons for a style guide is to ensure consistency. Our translators work from a wide range of languages and are based around the world. The style guide is what helps ensure all Dragoman output is presented in a professional, clear and uniform manner. Adhering to Dragoman […]
In linguistics, branching refers to the shape of the parse trees that represent the structure of sentences. Parse trees that grow downward as speech and processing proceeds left to right are right-branching, whereas parse trees that grow upwards as speech and processing proceeds left to right are left-branching. Taking a top-down perspective, parse trees that grow down and to the right are right-branching, and parse trees that grow down and to the left are left-branching. Sentence Branching (Or How […]
The 24-hour clock is a convention of time keeping in which the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hours, indicated by the hours passed since midnight, from 0 to 23. This system is the most commonly used time notation in the world today, and is the international standard notation for time of day. In the practice of medicine, the 24-hour clock is generally used in documentation of care as it prevents any ambiguity as to […]
As we continue to gain more clients from the medical community, a few style notes on how to translate medical files has become necessary. A full style guide has not yet been written. One option is to subscribe to the online style guide of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). In the interim, please follow these rules of style: Use the Dragoman Style Guide for Figures. This style guide applies to ALL copy. Use the Dragoman Style Guide […]
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh (ca. 2000 BCE) into Southwest Asian languages of the second millennium BCE. Translation is performed by translators. Unlike what many people think, translation and interpretation are different jobs and require different skills & competencies. Today, translation is […]
Simultaneous is an adjective that means occurring at the same time. Simultaneous interpreting is interpreting (verbally translating) a speaker as he/she speaks. This concurrent form of interpreting requires the combination of many skills of conference interpreters with specialised conference equipment. Simultaneous interpreting enables interactive communication in two or more languages and eliminates language barriers. Simultaneous interpreting is the only interpreting method that enables multilingual conferences to take place. A team of simultaneous interpreters with different working languages can practically deliver dozens […]
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete work. The editing process often begins with the author’s idea for the work itself, continuing as a collaboration between the author and the editor as the work is created. Broadly speaking, there are two branches of editing: content editing and […]
Mobile interpreting equipment is a portable set of small devices used for tour guiding or interpreting purposes. Tour guiding devices are also called infoport systems. Mobile interpreting equipment is also called a simulport system because it is designed with simultaneous interpreting in mind. Pros Mobile equipment adds comfort to whispered interpreting tasks because the interpreter would not need to lean forward and whisper to the client. Mobile interpreting equipment are also very practical for moving teams on a roadshow or delegations […]
Dragoman was founded in 2005 as an interpreting agency. In time, we evolved into a multi-language vendor of many services including on-site & remote interpreting, transcreation, app & games localization, and video subtitling & dubbing in 80+ languages. Today, we are happy and gratefull to serve over 500 Turkish and multinational corporations. Dragoman has several apps to give you accessibility, our linguists operate in the cloud and most of our services are available 24/7. Our translation & interpreting platforms are […]
For your reference, Consecutive is an adjective that means following one after the other in order. During consecutive interpreting, the interpreter then a portion of the message or the entire message in the target language, when the speaker pauses or finishes speaking. Consecutive interpreting extends across a broad conceptual spectrum, from sentence-by-sentence consecutive or short consecutive and telephone interpreting, to classic consecutive supported by a note-taking technique. Consecutive interpreting is a two-stage process, that is, source-speech comprehension followed by re-expression in another […]
An interpreting booth is a portable box or a fixed room where conference interpreters work. The size, design, insulation and ventilation of interpreting booths are defined by ISO standards. Assuring highest standards in interpreting booths is key to an efficient simultaneous interpreting experience and also important for the health and well-being of interpreters. Interpreters spend hours in their booth (or room), which is pysically their work place.
Community interpreting is mostly consecutive interpreting but may be a blend of simultaneous, whispered, and bilateral. Community interpreting is typically performed at courts, police stations, hospitals and immigration centers. This mode of interpreting require strong interpersonal and inter-cultural skills. Interpreters may be exposed to traumatic circumstances or need to engage with criminal individuals. Community interpreting also requires very high level of confidentiality and therefore community interpreters are often expected to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).
In whispered interpreting, interpreter sits behind the client or uses a headset and silently whispers the interpretation to the ears of the person. Whispered interpreting is simultaneous, not consecutive, although no booth is used and therefore whisper interpreting is only suitable for very short interventions. Whispered interpreting is simultaneous interpreting; one interpreter cannot work alone for longer than an hour. If your event is longer, you should book two interpreters. Some interpreters prefer mobile interpreting equipment called an infoport or simulport […]
Language interpretation is the facilitation of oral or sign-language communication, either simultaneously or consecutively, between users of different languages. The process is described by both the words interpreting and interpretation. Translation studies deal with the systematic study of the theory, the description and the application of language interpretation (interpreting) and translation. Professionals who deliver interpretation are called interpreters. Unlike what many people think, translation and interpretation are different jobs and demand different skills. There are several types of language interpretation […]
Style guides differ because they are written with their specific audience in mind. Bloomberg will present their copy differently to The New York Times because Bloomberg primarily focus on finance and figures. One of the principal reasons for a style guide is to ensure consistency. Our translators work from a wide range of languages and are based around the world. The style guide is what helps ensure all Dragoman output is presented in a professional, clear and uniform manner. Adhering to Dragoman […]
As we continue to gain more clients from the medical community, a few style notes on how to translate medical files has become necessary. A full style guide has not yet been written. One option is to subscribe to the online style guide of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). In the interim, please follow these rules of style: Use the Dragoman Style Guide for Figures. This style guide applies to ALL copy. Use the Dragoman Style Guide […]
General Style for Content Language and Syntax Contractions Quotation Marks Capitalization and Style for Headlines, Headings, and Subheadings Awards, Prizes, and Categories of Awards Titles of Books, Short Stories, Newspapers, Magazines and Journals Titles of Films and so on Academic Writing Sources: AP Stylebook and Dragoman Style General Style for Content The clients determine the final layout and preferences for magazines or journals. If the client does not have an in-house style guide or preferences, follow these rules of style. In all cases, be […]
General Rules An annual report contains a company’s achievements and financial figures and is provided to shareholders, stakeholders and potential investors. The report uses several styles of writing: descriptive, corporate, advertising, financial, and legal. Previous reports are good benchmarks. Research is key to successfully translate an annual report. Search not only on client’s website but also on other related websites for benchmarking purposes. Try to find sources in written in the target language, not translations of local corporations. Internet is […]
Expressing your feelings requires a little more then just using an adjective. Try the following common words, check out their synonyms and improve your word usage in English. Happy Content Every old person, no matter how content they seem, feels that sense of regret. Earl Woods Satisfied Are you satisfied with your working conditions? Delighted Kate Winslet was delighted with Oscar nominations. Pleased We are pleased to extend the term of our agreement. Ecstatic I feel ecstatic every time she […]
British English (or BrEn, BrE, BE, en-UK or en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, etc. from forms used elsewhere. The Oxford English Dictionary applies the term to English “as spoken or written in the British Isles; especially the forms of English usual in Great Britain”, reserving “Hiberno-English” for the “English language as spoken and written in Ireland”.
A translation memory, or TM, is a database that stores “segments”, which can be sentences, paragraphs or sentence-like units (headings, titles or elements in a list) that have previously been translated, in order to aid human translators. The translation memory stores the source text and its corresponding translation in language pairs called “translation units”. Individual words are handled by terminology bases and are not within the domain of TM. Computer assisted translation (CAT) tools are based on translation memories. They […]
Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations. The voice-over may be spoken by someone who appears elsewhere in the production or by a specialist voice actor. It is pre-recorded and placed over the top of a film or video and commonly used in documentaries or news reports to explain information. Voice-over would not normally need […]
Expressing your feelings requires a little more then just using an adjective. Try the following common words, check out their synonyms and improve your word usage in English. Happy Content Every old person, no matter how content they seem, feels that sense of regret. Earl Woods Satisfied Are you satisfied with your working conditions? Delighted Kate Winslet was delighted with Oscar nominations. Pleased We are pleased to extend the term of our agreement. Ecstatic I feel ecstatic every time she […]
Documentation is a term with many meanings, the most common of which are: A set of documents provided on paper, or online, or on digital or analog media, such as audio tape or CDs. The process of documenting knowledge, as in scientific articles. The process of providing evidence. The writing of product documentation, such as software documentation. A synonym for the term document. A synonym for the term bibliography. Multilingual documentation is part of globalization and localization efforts of multinational […]
Cross-cultural communication (also frequently referred to as intercultural communication, which is also used in a different sense, though) is a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavour to communicate across cultures. Translators and interpreters play a vital role in bridging cross-cultural gaps. Some consultancy companies offer training on cross-cultural communication to help expatriots learn and adopt to the social, cultural and business norms […]
These trials mark the end of World War II and birthplace of simultaneous interpreting. The Bavarian city of Nuremberg was chosen as the location for the trial of leading Nazi criminals after the end of World War II. The Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) trials required instant communication in four languages: English, French and Russian – languages of the victors, and German. This communication was made possible by simultaneous interpreting for the first time ever in human history.
Proofreading is the reading of a galley proof or computer monitor to detect and correct production-errors of text or art. Proofreaders are expected to be consistently accurate by default because they occupy the last stage of typographic production before publication. Proofreading of a copy or a translated texts is a kind of light copy-editing combined with facts checking. Many people assume that proofreading, editing and copy-editing are same jobs, and although they have similarities, they are different tasks. […]
Passive voice is a grammatical voice common in many of the world’s languages. In a clause with passive voice, the grammatical subject expresses the theme or patient of the main verb – that is, the person or thing that undergoes the action or has its state changed. This contrasts with active voice, in which the subject has the agent role. For example, in the passive sentence “The tree was pulled down”, the subject (the tree) denotes the patient rather than […]
Following are some of the most commonly mispronounced words in English. Listen to each word while you are reading on our blog. This exercise will improve your spoken English. For each example try to guess which option is correct: A or B? Share your comments and thoughts with us so that we can provide better recordings for you. If you need personal coaching for your English, we recommend AFFINA, a business language school. Their website is www.affina.com.tr dessert A. […]
Simultaneous interpreters need a monitor in the booth to see the presentations better. Some conference rooms are large and typically the interpreting booth is installed in the very end of the seating rows. To make the matter worse, attendants may occasionaly walk pass in front of the booth which disturbs the concentration of interpreters. Please note that simultaneous interpreting requires very sharp reflexes and a congnitive capacity to translate sentences in a matter of seconds. Interpreters need clear and uniterrupted […]
Does your venue have high speed boradband internet? Do you want to save on interpreter costs? When chosen carefully and planned-well, remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) apps are magical tools transforming any room or site into a multi-lingual conference. All you need is to download the app. Shall we just dump our conventional equipment; booths and receivers? Of course not! Remote simultaneous interpreting connects to your existence interpreting equipment and opens new revenue streams. Here are typical case scenarios: a) interpreters […]
This article was originally produced by V. Lynn Baucom for Dragoman’s in-house training curriculum. Use of indefinite articles A and an are used if the noun can be counted A shareholder identified an embarrassing error in the company’s investor presentation. A or an is used to introduce a noun when it is mentioned for the first time in a piece of writing The is used afterward each time you mention that same noun A member of the Board of Directors […]
Few tastes compare to a wild mushroom soup served at the Lufthansa Senator Lounge, Heathrow Terminal 2. And this time it felt like heaven after an amazing XTM Live London event, cheerful networking, uber intelligent discussions, all celebrating XTM International’s grand achievements. (More below) Terminal 2 is compact yet does not miss a single luxury, such as nimbling caviar & champagne, single malt whisky tasting, or shopping at Harrods. From check-in to your flight it is only a few minutes’ […]
One-third is 1/3 or one out of three. It is singular (one). Two-thirds is 2/3 or two out of three. It is plural (two). Some style guides do not use hypen, Dragoman does.
“It is considered that (…),” “it is probable that (…),” or even worse “it is of utmost importance that (…)” Do we really need these clunky phrases? Dragoman encourages translators to avoid one of the weakest sentence openers: “it is (…) that/to.” By doing so, you will not only eliminate redundancy but also have smooth and creative sentences. Let’s accept, it is a bit lazy to overuse “it is.” Wordy: It is critical not to enter into arguments with […]
Looking for an agile localization provider? You’ve come to the right place. Our secure cloud infrastructure can process your strings, localize them at every sprint and we will only charge you for new or revised content. You will save on time, management and previously translated words. You can add new files or update existing ones as we keep localizing your content. Choose us to monitor your translations real-time, add/update terminology, chat with the localization team and give instant feedback on […]
“in light of the fact that,” “with regard to,” “under the provisions of…” These trite phrases often prevent your text to be clear and smooth. Translators are under the impression that legal texts require word-for-word translations. However, Dragoman prefers being loyal to the meaning, not to the cumbersome structure of source sentences. Here are five phrases that you can eliminate to improve your legal language skills: 1. “hereinafter referred to as” Just put the described phrase into parentheses and quotation […]
Eliminating redundancy is one of the key skills to fluency, but what is redundancy or a redundant word/phrase? If you can remove a word from a sentence without changing its core meaning, that word is redundant or unnecessary. Not every redundancy is a flaw, sometimes it is helpful to add variety to your sentences. The safest way to get rid of redundant phrase is to hire a professional copy-editor. Check out the following example, it is not only redundant but […]
A translation memory, or TM, is a database that stores “segments”, which can be sentences, paragraphs or sentence-like units (headings, titles or elements in a list) that have previously been translated, in order to aid human translators. The translation memory stores the source text and its corresponding translation in language pairs called “translation units”. Individual words are handled by terminology bases and are not within the domain of TM. Computer assisted translation (CAT) tools are based on translation memories. They […]
Copy-editing on Nubuto demands basic knowledge on CAT tools. One of them is the meaning of letters and colors next to each segment. Letters show the status of segments, i.e. untranslated, matched, ICE or N. And colors refer to approved, non-approved and approved via repetitions. How to effectively use Nubuto for copy-editing purposes? Use segment filters to display a groups of segments, i.e.non-translatables 2. Be very careful when selecting & using fuzzy matches from translation memory or within the […]
Proofreading is the reading of a galley proof or computer monitor to detect and correct production-errors of text or art. Proofreaders are expected to be consistently accurate by default because they occupy the last stage of typographic production before publication. Proofreading of a copy or a translated texts is a kind of light copy-editing combined with facts checking. Many people assume that proofreading, editing and copy-editing are same jobs, and although they have similarities, they are different tasks. […]
Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations. The voice-over may be spoken by someone who appears elsewhere in the production or by a specialist voice actor. It is pre-recorded and placed over the top of a film or video and commonly used in documentaries or news reports to explain information. Voice-over would not normally need […]
This long post is a good opportunity for our new colleagues to understand what type of changes are needed for Turkish to English translations. Below example is a good translation. I’ve seen worse ones. Yet still, there is a room for improvement. Important changes are highlighted in red color. ID Source Target 2 WORLD’ÜN TARİHÇESİ : after translation: HISTORY OF WORLD CARD: after correction: HISTORY OF THE WORLD CARD: 3 Yapı Kredi’nin Türkiye’de “ilk kredili kredi […]
These trials mark the end of World War II and birthplace of simultaneous interpreting. The Bavarian city of Nuremberg was chosen as the location for the trial of leading Nazi criminals after the end of World War II. The Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) trials required instant communication in four languages: English, French and Russian – languages of the victors, and German. This communication was made possible by simultaneous interpreting for the first time ever in human history.
If you are referring to talent and aptitude, best interpreters are born. We all need to encourage young talents to enroll interpreting courses in the university and educate them well to secure the future of our industry. It takes years to train a qualified interpreter. Unless best students do not choose translation & interpreting over law, medicine, arts or engineering, we cannot meet the talent gap. If your event is tomorrow you are probably too late, because good interpreters have […]
Turkish subtitling community was caught off-guard when Netflix launched its video-on-demand services. Local video market was already vibrant and soaring, yet Netflix and to a certain extent HBO were the last two bags of straw on the camel’s back. Now, Turkish is spoken by 100 million people. 80 million people live in Turkey and broadband internet penetration rate is close to 95%. Turkish TV shows are crazy popular all the way from Serbia and Greece to Qatar and the Emirates. […]
Dragoman translators know that using “-tion of” endings will only result in clunky sentences. It also violates EU Guidelines on Clear Writing. The acquisition of a new language will help you improve your job prospects. Better: Acquiring a new language will help you improve your job prospects. You can further explore how you can avoid nominalizations and cast more active sentences here. Nominalization, or using a hidden verb as a noun is a common problem with uninitiated Turkish to English […]
British English (or BrEn, BrE, BE, en-UK or en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, etc. from forms used elsewhere. The Oxford English Dictionary applies the term to English “as spoken or written in the British Isles; especially the forms of English usual in Great Britain”, reserving “Hiberno-English” for the “English language as spoken and written in Ireland”.
If you are building a bullet list in English, you also need to build a parallel construction in your bullet list. Now the source text may not always have it. This means you are expect to be a little creative to change the sentence structure. You do not have to delete or omit any part of the message. Check out this example: Incorrect: Our state-of-the-art hotel offers: Unparalleled location Matchless views of the Pacific You can check in anytime Correct: Our […]
American English and British English may have quite odd differences. Learning diferences is spelling and punctuation is hard work and requires a lof of reading and practise. One of these differences is about using punctuation with quotation marks. Here is a comparison. Dragoman translators know that in American English, punctuation goes inside the quotation marks, regardless of whether it is part of the quoted sentence or not, and in British English, punctuation that is not part of the quoted sentence […]
Turkish source texts often end with “vardır, sahiptir, olmaktadır, bulunmaktadır, bulunur” etc. Some translators tend to start their translations with “There is…” which is usually unnecessary. We expect Dragoman translators to not to use “there” as a subject in order to avoid verbosity. The word “there” in the beginning of a sentence, almost always makes our sentences sloppy and wordy. Wordy: There is a 45 percent likelihood your store will be broken into. Better: Your store is 45-percent likely to be […]
When translating into English, we want Dragoman translators to check which English spelling style will be used in the translation. Your NUBUTO inbox shows UK or US English, so please pay attention to the target variety of English. English has many varieties, the most common being British English and American English. Although prefers American English in most of its Turkish to English translations, we also translate into British English (e.g. The British Council). We do not expect our translators to have a comprehensive grasp of […]
Auditors are tasked to identify non-conformances and share their findings and observations in a clear and understandble report. Writing an impactful report is a challenge. Translating a poorly written report into English is sometimes a bigger challenge. Converting passive sentence forms to active sentences is an important skill for Turkish to English translators. This skill plays a critical role when translating audit reports. Despite my best efforts to train as many auditors and bankers as possible in the past decade, […]
Passive voice is a grammatical voice common in many of the world’s languages. In a clause with passive voice, the grammatical subject expresses the theme or patient of the main verb – that is, the person or thing that undergoes the action or has its state changed. This contrasts with active voice, in which the subject has the agent role. For example, in the passive sentence “The tree was pulled down”, the subject (the tree) denotes the patient rather than […]
Turkish lira is losing value agaist major currencies including US dollar and Euro. Which is the correct verb to use when translating into English: Devaluation (because the currency is losing value) or Depreciation? The correct answer is ‘depreciation’. Devaluation happens in fixed currency regimes when a government voluntarily reduces the value of its currency. It is their decision. Depreciation happens in floating currency regimes and Turkey has a floating currency regime. Turkish government does not and cannot declare the value […]
Transcreation is a hot topic and there are different translations of it. Some assume it is only for creative content, while some use this term as a synonym to localization. Others claim that translation is more verbatim, literal and closer to the source text as oppose to transcreation focuses more on the message, meaning and the audience. Old schools argue that all of the above are 50 shades of translation and by definition a good translator is expected to manage […]
Interpreter is a person who interprets a speech from one language into another. An interpreter is not a translator unlike what many people thinks. Translators translate written documents, interpreters interpret speeches. Common interpreting modes are as follows: Consecutive interpreting: Consecutive interpreter listens to the speaker, takes notes and delivers interpretation when the speaker pauses. Speakers are advices to stope every one or two minutes but there are times when a speech may last 10 minutes and interpreter is expected to […]
Cross-cultural communication (also frequently referred to as intercultural communication, which is also used in a different sense, though) is a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavour to communicate across cultures. Translators and interpreters play a vital role in bridging cross-cultural gaps. Some consultancy companies offer training on cross-cultural communication to help expatriots learn and adopt to the social, cultural and business norms […]
Documentation is a term with many meanings, the most common of which are: A set of documents provided on paper, or online, or on digital or analog media, such as audio tape or CDs. The process of documenting knowledge, as in scientific articles. The process of providing evidence. The writing of product documentation, such as software documentation. A synonym for the term document. A synonym for the term bibliography. Multilingual documentation is part of globalization and localization efforts of multinational […]
Internet users have been in the cloud for a very long time; Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, Google, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram are all cloud based services. Cloud is easy, instant and collaborative, and if professionals measures are taken it is very secure. We use and resell NUBUTO secure cloud technologies for corporate localization needs. Among others, here are the key reasons for using secure cloud solutions of Nubuto: Two-factor authentication Versioning Finger print authentication IP & computer locks SSL Automated archiving […]
Representing the interests of translation companies for more than 40 years As the language sector’s leading professional body, ATC prides itself on a forward-thinking stance dedicated to maintaining the highest possible industry standards while supporting its members to thrive and grow in the competitive global economy. From its beginnings as a small group of leading British translation companies in 1976, the ATC has grown to a membership of more than 150, expanding its horizons to become a worldwide association at […]
It is always a pleasure to join ATC Conferences and 2016’s event was no exception. Geoffrey, Jesper, Levent and the entire council did a marvellous job. This article was originally published on Linkedin two years ago and I wanted to add it to our blog page to give extra publicity to the ATC. QEII Conference Center was a very good choice; easy to commute, modern, fresh and comfortable; all perfect to celebrate 40th anniversary of the Association of Translation Companies. […]
There is no golden standard for learning objectives of an interpreting class, because it depends on the level of your students, their previous courses, class size, available equipment and last but not the least trainer’s (your) professional background not only as an interpreter but also as a trainer. Being a great interpreter does not mean that you can teach well. And I am here to help. As usual, my proposals in this article are based on my experience and assume […]
Active voice is a grammatical voice common in many of the world’s languages. It is the unmarked voice for clauses featuring a transitive verb in nominative–accusative languages, including English and most other Indo-European languages. Active voice is used in a clause whose subject expresses the agent of the main verb. That is, the subject does the action designated by the verb. A sentence whose agent is marked as grammatical subject is called an active sentence. Active voice adds clarity and […]
Dragoman translators prefer ordering elements of series in a sentence from short to long in order to make them easier to read. McKinsey has offices in 120+ cities in 60+ countries including the Czech Republic, Greece, United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Better: McKinsey has offices in 120+ cities in 60+ countries including Qatar, Greece, the Czech Republic and the United Arab Emirates. Goldman Sachs offers services in investment management, securities, asset management, prime brokerage, and securities underwriting. Better: Goldman Sachs […]
Dragoman prefers to translate ideas as succinctly as possible. This means cutting superfluous nouns that add nothing to what we are trying to communicate to our readers. Translation Example 1: Many studies in the field of economics highlight the importance of transaction costs. Better: Many studies in economics highlight the importance of transaction costs. Translation Example 2: Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate over the weekend. Better: Weather is expected to deteriorate over the weekend. You can further explore how […]
Some researchers suggest that in the next few years video will become the leading format for content marketing. Is your corporate communication strategy ready to adapt? Subtitling is huge business but not every subtitler is corporate grade. There are thousands of fans doing free work or others working for large film studios or OTT providers to localize TV shows. Here are a few suggestions for marcom professionals based on our experience in corporate communication: 1. Work with a transcreation team […]
Video subtitling is the art of adding subtitles (captions) to a live or recorded video. It has rules and guidelines to optimize audience experience. Subtitled videos reach higher viewing rates. Producers hire localisation companies to add subtitlies and translations to their shows. Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog or commentary in films, television programs, video games, and the like, usually displayed at the bottom (or on the top) of the screen. Subtitles have time codes, color, size, font and […]
Simultaneous is an adjective that means occurring at the same time. Simultaneous interpreting is interpreting (verbally translating) a speaker as he/she speaks. This concurrent form of interpreting requires the combination of many skills of conference interpreters with specialised conference equipment. Simultaneous interpreting enables interactive communication in two or more languages and eliminates language barriers. Simultaneous interpreting is the only interpreting method that enables multilingual conferences to take place. A team of simultaneous interpreters with different working languages can practically deliver dozens […]
For your reference, Consecutive is an adjective that means following one after the other in order. During consecutive interpreting, the interpreter then a portion of the message or the entire message in the target language, when the speaker pauses or finishes speaking. Consecutive interpreting extends across a broad conceptual spectrum, from sentence-by-sentence consecutive or short consecutive and telephone interpreting, to classic consecutive supported by a note-taking technique. Consecutive interpreting is a two-stage process, that is, source-speech comprehension followed by re-expression in another […]
There is no golden standard on preparing a screening test for interpreting students. You are supposed to find your own way. In this article I would like to share my approach. Screening test is a must: For one, not every student can become a simultaneous interpreter. Giving false hopes to young minds will only increase their desperation before your realize it is too late. Second, interpreter trainers are usually professional interpreters and they do not have the time and energy needed […]
Most people assume that translators and interpreters are same professionals and they do the same job. Although some translators are also interpreters, this is not the case for everybody. What do translators do? Translators work on written documents. They are typically paid by word or characters or sometimes per lines. They are expected to have advanced reading and writing skills; in-depth knowledge on grammar, syntax, redundancy, style and register. Most translators work remotely without commuting to an office on a […]
A style guide or style manual is a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication, organization or field. The implementation of a style guide provides uniformity in style and formatting within a document and across multiple documents. A set of standards for a specific organization is often known as “house style”. As English is the most common language of science, literature and media around the globe, there are […]
Interpreter is a person who interprets a speech from one language into another. An interpreter is not a translator unlike what many people think. Translators translate written documents, interpreters interpret speeches. Common interpreting modes are as follows: Consecutive interpreting: Consecutive interpreter listens to the speaker, takes notes and delivers interpretation when the speaker pauses. Speakers are advices to stope every one or two minutes but there are times when a speech may last 10 minutes and interpreter is expected to […]
The 12-hour clock is a time convention in which the 24 hours of the day are divided into two periods: a.m. (from the Latin ante meridiem, meaning “before midday”) and p.m. (post meridiem, “after midday”). Each period consists of 12 hours numbered: 12 (acting as zero), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. The 12-hour clock was developed over time from the mid-second millennium BC to the 16th century AD. A colon separates hours and […]
The 24-hour clock is a convention of time keeping in which the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hours, indicated by the hours passed since midnight, from 0 to 23. This system is the most commonly used time notation in the world today, and is the international standard notation for time of day. In the practice of medicine, the 24-hour clock is generally used in documentation of care as it prevents any ambiguity as to […]
Community interpreting is mostly consecutive interpreting but may be a blend of simultaneous, whispered, and bilateral. Community interpreting is typically performed at courts, police stations, hospitals and immigration centers. This mode of interpreting require strong interpersonal and inter-cultural skills. Interpreters may be exposed to traumatic circumstances or need to engage with criminal individuals. Community interpreting also requires very high level of confidentiality and therefore community interpreters are often expected to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).
My first time in Malmö, small, clean and cold. Flying via Copenhagen seems to be everyone’s normal. Don’t know what to expect of a Nordic forum 2016, except from Anne-Marie’s friendly face. My NTIF experience started with the conference dinner and it was great. For those outside the localization industry, NTIF is a charming annual conference: The Nordic Translation Industry Forum (click here to visit their website:www.ntif.se). But now allow me to dig into my memories and give you a lesser told […]
The Elements of Style (1918), by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White, is a prescriptive American English writing style guide comprising eight “elementary rules of usage”, ten “elementary principles of composition”, “a few matters of form”, a list of forty-nine “words and expressions commonly misused”, and a list of fifty-seven “words often misspelled”. In 2011, Time magazine listed The Elements of Style as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923.
Nubuto is a CAT tool (computer assisted translation). It is powered by X T M International’s multi-award winning technology X T M Cloud. Nubuto is co-developed and marketed by Dragoman Translation, a language services company operating in Turkey, the Balkans and United Kingdom. For more, please visit NUBUTO website at www.nubuto.com
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete work. The editing process often begins with the author’s idea for the work itself, continuing as a collaboration between the author and the editor as the work is created. Broadly speaking, there are two branches of editing: content editing and […]
Hi, this is Brian from Amazon Polly. I am hired by Dragoman Language Solutions to help you improve your pronunciation in English. Amazon designed me as a British speaker. Following is a short list of commonly mispronounced words in English. Listen to my voice carefully. You may want to download this recording and listen it over and over again, for better results! Pronounce, pronunciation, mispronunciation, mispronounce Hotel, hot, home, homecoming, house, housekeeping, yacht, menu, dinner, breakfast, restaurant, café, coffee, tea, Omelette, latte, eggs, […]
Hi guys! This is Kendra from Amazon Polly. I am also hired by Dragoman. Join me to practise American accent, because Amazon designed me as an American speaker. Following is the same list of commonly mispronounced words in English. Listen to my voice carefully. And feel free to download this recording, and listen it later at your convenience! Pronounce, pronunciation, mispronunciation, mispronounce Hotel, hot, home, homecoming, house, housekeeping, yacht, menu, dinner, breakfast, restaurant, café, coffee, tea, Omelette, latte, eggs, poached, fry, fried, fries, […]
A very warm welcome from downunder. This is Russel, an Ozzy voice from Amazon Polly. Dragoman requested me to help you fellows to study English. Come try my beautiful Australian accent. I am sure you will all download this recording and listen it over and over again, for better results, because my accent is better than any British! Hotel, hot, home, homecoming, house, housekeeping, yacht, menu, dinner, breakfast, restaurant, café, coffee, tea, Omelette, latte, eggs, poached, fry, fried, fries, soup, soap, fish, fishery, […]
Language interpretation is the facilitation of oral or sign-language communication, either simultaneously or consecutively, between users of different languages. The process is described by both the words interpreting and interpretation. Translation studies deal with the systematic study of the theory, the description and the application of language interpretation (interpreting) and translation. Professionals who deliver interpretation are called interpreters. Unlike what many people think, translation and interpretation are different jobs and demand different skills. There are several types of language interpretation […]
Remote simultaneous interpreting is not a sci-fi anymore. New solutions are being used in global corporate events on a daily basis. Although there is still room for improvement, it is there, and it works all fine. This article summarizes my personal experience. I am open to comments and questions from fellow interpreters and also event organizers. I started conference interpreting in 1999 and even back then, there were romours about super tech gadgets which would enable interpreters work remotely. I […]
In whispered interpreting, interpreter sits behind the client or uses a headset and silently whispers the interpretation to the ears of the person. Whispered interpreting is simultaneous, not consecutive, although no booth is used and therefore whisper interpreting is only suitable for very short interventions. Whispered interpreting is simultaneous interpreting; one interpreter cannot work alone for longer than an hour. If your event is longer, you should book two interpreters. Some interpreters prefer mobile interpreting equipment called an infoport or simulport […]
Work that an editor does to improve the formatting, style, and accuracy of text. Copy-editing has three main levels according to American Association of Editors and Writers: Light (Mechanical): Mostly formatting, typos, grammar and terminology Medium: Word usage and tightening sentences Heavy (deep): Changing sentence structure, words, terms, etc. Copy-editing is different than content editing, which is a much more out-of-the-box job description. Most if not all of the editing jobs in translation industry are actually copy-editing tasks. Many people […]
An interpreting booth is a portable box or a fixed room where conference interpreters work. The size, design, insulation and ventilation of interpreting booths are defined by ISO standards. Assuring highest standards in interpreting booths is key to an efficient simultaneous interpreting experience and also important for the health and well-being of interpreters. Interpreters spend hours in their booth (or room), which is pysically their work place.
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh (ca. 2000 BCE) into Southwest Asian languages of the second millennium BCE. Translation is performed by translators. Unlike what many people think, translation and interpretation are different jobs and require different skills & competencies. Today, translation is […]
In linguistics, branching refers to the shape of the parse trees that represent the structure of sentences. Parse trees that grow downward as speech and processing proceeds left to right are right-branching, whereas parse trees that grow upwards as speech and processing proceeds left to right are left-branching. Taking a top-down perspective, parse trees that grow down and to the right are right-branching, and parse trees that grow down and to the left are left-branching. Sentence Branching (Or How […]
Interpreting equipment is a set of tools and devices required to perform simultaneous interpreting during meetings and conferences. Typical interpreting equipment package consists of a central interpreting management system, which manages all other equipment, as well as an interpreter booth, interpreter unit(s), audience units (headsets) and microphones. Intepreting equipment or system must be connected to a sound system which has a main mixer or the mixing console, microphones, computers, visual equpment (i.e. projectors, screens) and loudspeakers.
Mobile interpreting equipment is a portable set of small devices used for tour guiding or interpreting purposes. Tour guiding devices are also called infoport systems. Mobile interpreting equipment is also called a simulport system because it is designed with simultaneous interpreting in mind. Pros Mobile equipment adds comfort to whispered interpreting tasks because the interpreter would not need to lean forward and whisper to the client. Mobile interpreting equipment are also very practical for moving teams on a roadshow or delegations […]
Dragoman was founded in 2005 as an interpreting agency. In time, we evolved into a multi-language vendor of many services including on-site & remote interpreting, transcreation, app & games localization, and video subtitling & dubbing in 80+ languages. Today, we are happy and gratefull to serve over 500 Turkish and multinational corporations. Dragoman has several apps to give you accessibility, our linguists operate in the cloud and most of our services are available 24/7. Our translation & interpreting platforms are […]
Dragoman prefers using gender-neutral vocabulary in its translations wherever possible. Inappropriate: This small, soil dwelling, bacteria eating, unsegmented worm may be an important key in mankind‘s endeavor to explore space. Gender-neutral: This small, soil dwelling, bacteria eating, unsegmented worm may be an important key in humankind‘s endeavor to explore space. Inappropriate: In this edition, Elizabeth Warren, chairman of the Congressional Oversight Panel, discusses TARP and the legacy of “too big to fail.” Gender-neutral: In this edition, Elizabeth Warren, chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, […]
Dragoman uses AP Style, and AP no longer capitalizes the word internet. Incorrect: The bogus article contained a software tool that could verify Internet addresses. Correct: The bogus article contained a software tool that could verify internet addresses. You can further explore this updated writing style topic here.
Behavior is almost always a mass noun and it is very rarely used in the plural. Incorrect: You must reflect on your behaviors if you want to avoid repeating your mistakes. Correct: You must reflect on your behavior if you want to avoid repeating your mistakes. Behavior is used in the plural in the fields of psychology, social science, and education. Five behaviors could extend life expectancy at 50 by more than a decade, even without the discovery of a single new drug or […]
We must always insert a semi-colon before and a comma after however to connect two independent clauses. Incorrect: Japan was an expanding giant however it could not generate enough capital to support its rapid industrial development. Correct: Japan was an expanding giant; however, it could not generate enough capital to support its rapid industrial development. Using however instead of ‘but’ or in the meaning of ‘no matter how’ or ‘not matter how’ may or may not require a comma. You can […]
Dragoman prefers “and so on” or “and so forth” to “etc.” (et cetera) to show that there are many other similar things or people that we can add. However, combining “such as” with “and so on” or “and so forth” in a sentence causes a redundancy. Incorrect: Animals such as mountain lions, wolves and so on are carnivores. Correct: Animals such as mountain lions and wolves are carnivores.
If we begin by saying e.g., which means for example, it is redundant to add and so on or and so forth at the end. Incorrect: Some EU countries (e.g., Italy, Belgium, Greece and so on) are largely dependent on gas imports from abroad. Correct: Some EU countries (e.g., Italy, Belgium, Greece) are largely dependent on gas imports from abroad. Redundancy or wordiness is the enemy of clarity; makes it difficult to read and understand your sentences. On this knowledbase […]
Consist in something and consist of something have entirely different meanings. Consist in means to be based on or depend on something. Incorrect: Patriotism does not consist of blind obedience of the ruled to their rulers. Correct: Patriotism does not consist in blind obedience of the ruled to their rulers. Consist of means to be formed from two or more things or people. Incorrect: The students consisted in private school graduates. Correct: The students consisted of private school graduates. You can […]
Dragoman expects its translators to use correlative conjunctions correctly. The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar defines a correlative as a pair of elements that join two similar parts of a phrase, clause, or sentence. “Not only … but also” is one of the more frequently used correlative conjunctions that Dragoman translators use to translate Turkish copy into English. What you have to keep in mind is that a verb that applies to both phrases must come right before “not only.” […]
If you are only localising content into English, your marketing efforts are wasted for 80% of the world population. Researches suggest that people feel more comfortable to buy when they read information in their native language. Do you really want to become a global brand and easily sell your products and services? Contact Dragoman today and let us guide you in multilingual localization. Localization is not only about content but also involves adopting design, hand-picking images, investing in search engine […]
Although warranty and guarantee have similar meanings they cannot be used interchangeably. Dictionary.com defines warranty and guarantee as follows: A warranty is “a promise or guarantee given.” A warranty is usually a written guarantee for a product, and it holds the maker of the product responsible to repair or replace a defective product or its parts. It is only used as a noun. A guarantee is the promise included in the formal (and legal) warranty. Unless we are talking about a money-back guarantee, Dragoman prefers translating […]
Wikipedia’s entry on sex and gender distinction reads as follows: “The distinction between sex and gender differentiates a person’s biological sex (the anatomy of an individual’s reproductive system, and secondary sex characteristics) from that person’s gender, which can refer to either social roles based on the sex of the person (gender role) or personal identification of one’s own gender based on an internal awareness (gender identity). In this model, the idea of a “biological gender” is an oxymoron: the biological […]
Although only and alone have similar meanings, we cannot always use them interchangeably when translating into English. When we use alone to mean without including anything else, it comes right after the noun it modifies. Incorrect: Minnesota only exports more than $2 billion in soybeans annually, with China as the state’s top export market. Correct: Minnesota alone exports more than $2 billion in soybeans annually, with China as the state’s top export market. Incorrect: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, for […]
The AP Stylebook recommends avoiding excessive use of contractions. Yet, it all depends on the context. If we are translating formal documents such as contracts, financial reports, user guides, journal articles and so on, we must never use contractions. Incorrect: The Parties agree that they shan’t discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, sex or national origin. Correct: The Parties agree that they shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because […]
Turkish to English translators frequently confuse invitation (davet) with reception. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines invitation and reception as follows: Invitation: A written or spoken request to someone, inviting them to go somewhere or do something or a card inviting someone to attend a party, wedding etc. Reception: A large formal party to celebrate an event or to welcome someone. Dragoman prefers translating davet into English not as invitation but as reception. Depending on the context, we can […]
This is our second piece on how to write headlines in English. Please read the following examples carefully and get back to ask if you have any further questions. 4. Headlines use infinitives to refer to future events. Incorrect: TRUMP WILL VISIT FRANCE Correct: TRUMP TO VISIT FRANCE 5. Headlines often contain a string of nouns. Incorrect: LOCKOUT IS DECLARED AT A CAR PLANT OVER A LABOR DISPUTE Correct: CAR PLANT LABOR DISPUTE LOCKOUT 6. Headlines often make use of […]
Do not capitalize disease names or medical terms. AP Style suggests that: “Do not capitalize arthritis, emphysema, leukemia, pneumonia, etc. When a disease is known by the name of a person or geographical area identified with it, capitalize only the proper noun element: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Ebola virus, etc.” Capitalization is tricky even for native speakers. You can learn why Ebola is capitalized and further explore capitalization topic here.
Dragoman and Associated Press (AP) Stylebook prefers e-mail over email. We use a hyphen with other e- terms: e-book, e-reader, e-commerce. Source: AP Stylebook
Dragoman prefers over, not above to talk about ages and to mean more than. I know this may sound like a minor detail but for us Dragomans, the beauty is right there in the details. Incorrect: There are above 60,000 screaming fans in the stadium this afternoon. Correct: There are over 60,000 screaming fans in the stadium this afternoon. Incorrect: You have to be above 35 to run for president. Correct: You have to be over 35 to run for […]
Press releases and headlines account for a big part of Dragoman‘s daily business volume. Headlines are written in a style of their own, and we have to know how to translate them. 1. Headlines often leave out articles and the verb be. Incorrect: MAN LANDS ON THE MOON Correct: MAN LANDS ON MOON Incorrect: U.S. SANCTIONS ARE UNJUSTIFIED SAYS ROHANI Correct: U.S. SANCTIONS UNJUSTIFIED SAYS ROHANI 2. Headlines are rarely complete sentences. Incorrect: MORE WARMING IS ON THE WAY. Correct: […]
English writers and translators often confuse when and how to use a definite article. We have several tips for translators on our knowledge base and We precede any country with “the” whose name is plural or includes state, union, republic, and kingdom. Incorrect: The Dutch famine of 1944–45 is known in Netherlands as the Hongerwinter (literal translation: hunger winter). Correct: The Dutch famine of 1944–45 is known in the Netherlands as the Hongerwinter (literal translation: hunger winter). Incorrect: Philippines is […]
Never begin a sentence with a numeral. There is one exception: a numeral that identifies a calendar year. When translating press releases or annual reports, we occasionally come across situations where we have to place the percentage at the beginning of the sentence. E.g.: Twenty-eight percent of the participants passed the test last year. Although this sentence is correct, it looks odd. Where possible, recast the sentence so that the numbers are expressed in figures. Better: Last year, 28 percent […]
The difference between continual and continuous can be hard to notice. The Oxford English Dictionary defines continual and continuous as follows: Continual: Forming a sequence in which the same action or event is repeated frequently. Continuous: Forming an unbroken whole; without interruption. Interruption of time is key to understanding the difference between these two words. And one other key difference between the two is that continuous can be used to refer to both to space as well as time. Incorrect: […]
Transcreation or translating creative copy is one of Dragoman’s strong suits. We occasionally translate brochures, promotions, campaigns, slogans, hotel websites, and so on. Alliteration, or the use of several words together that begin with the same sound or letter in order to make a special effect, especially in poetry, is a literary device that comes handy when translating creative copy. Drive Your Dream Drive a Dream We offer you the solitude and stillness I had always craved. Freedom For Your Feet […]
When multiple adjectives each do not modify a noun separately, they are cumulative. Do not use a comma to seperate cumulative adjectives in English. This rule may be different in your mother tongue but when translating into English, we should all follow the rules & conventions of English language. E.g.: The company is planning to open five new mid-sized stores by May next year. Incorrect: The company has ordered an expensive, mini coffee machine for the new CEO. Correct: The […]
Wikipedia defines a compound modifier (also called a compound adjective, phrasal adjective, or adjectival phrase) as a compound of two or more attributive words: that is, two or more words that collectively modify a noun. We frequently come across compound modifiers like “çevre dostu bina,” “kullanıcı dostu arayüz” and so on. What we should keep in mind is that we are not supposed to hyphenate these compounds formed by an adverb ending in ly plus an adjective. Both the Associated Press Stylebook and the […]
The Free Dictionary defines nominalization as the creation of a noun from a verb or adjective. Although they sound fancy and sophisticated, their overuse will actually create weak and pretentious sentences. Dragoman prefers avoiding nominalizations wherever possible. Weak: We will have to make a decision by 10 p.m. tomorrow. Stronger: We will have to decide by 10 p.m. tomorrow. Weak: The world leaders will hold discussions on the Syrian refugee crisis at the summit. Stronger: […]
We occasionally translate company milestones contained under “About Us” pages of corporate websites. Translating milestones from Turkish into English requires management of verb tenses. Here is why. Although companies almost always prefer the simple past tense to describe these important dates in Turkish, Dragoman prefers the simple present tense to make these dates enticing to the reader. This is also why headline statements are framed in the present tense. E.g.: 1944 – Borusan Grubu’nun ilk şirketi İstikbal Ticaret kuruldu. 1944 – İstikbal Ticaret, […]
We translate a lot of press releases, agreements, websites, and disclosures that are filled with words like board of directors, company, general manager. Capitalizing these words should be an exception rather than the rule. Unless an agreement or a contract contains a clause that reads “hereinafter to be referred to as “The Company” or “Company,” we need not capitalize the word “company,” or any other word like “board of directors” or “general manager” for that matter. Likewise, we need not […]
Author: Benjamin Browett As with any writing, it’s important when translating to remember who your audience is. A good translation should be true to the message of the source text, yet read naturally to a native speaker of the target language. If the reader detects they are reading a translation, they will be distracted from the message of the text. The goal is to create an end product which is undetectable as a translation. When editing, we often spot certain words and phrases […]
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This piece was originally published in November 2009 A Language The interpreter‘s native language (or another language strictly equivalent to a native language), into which the interpreter works from all her or his other languages in both modes of interpretation, simultaneous and consecutive. B Language A language other than the interpreter‘s native language, of which she or he has a perfect command and into which she or he works from one or more of her or his other languages. Some […]
This article was originally published in November 2009 Concepts and Models for Interpreter and Translator Training Concepts and Models for Interpreter and Translator Training is a systematically corrected, enhanced and updated avatar of a book (1995) which is widely used in T&I training programmes worldwide and widely quoted in the international Translation Studies community. It provides readers with the conceptual bases required to understand both the principles and recurrent issues and difficulties in professional translation and interpreting, guiding them along […]
Machine translation (MT) is not an automated process and will not deliver business grade translation. However, it is very practical for large volume content if you only need a convenient translation. We can give you readable and understandable “edited” machine translation up to 10 times faster compared to regular human translation. News, articles, user comments and blogs are best suited for this type of service. Mobile apps and online shopping portals are also typical use cases. We call our MT […]
Hi, This is our new screening test for language professionals. We advice you to read our style guides and as many articles on this knowledge base as possible before you take the test. If and when you score above 80%, we will invite you to take a translation test.
Notes from the Editor – December 2015 How to deal with quotations When the text you are translating into English contains a quotation, and it is from a world-renowned figure, a well-known book, an article in an international newspaper or magazine, and so on, then you will likely find the original quotation in English. It’s that simple. You should translate the quote if, and only if, you are unable to find the quote in English. This principle applies to all […]
Consecutive interpreting is a must to have to facilitate multilingual communication during bilateral meetings, site & factory visits, investor meetings and device / equipment training. Some people assume that consecutive interpreting is easier than simultaneous interpreting only because they have experienced this when they entertained foreign visitors in their company. In professional settings, consecutive is much more difficult because it requires additional people and moderation skills. Dragoman recommends consecutive interpreting for travelling delegations, site visits, short training or press conference […]
About This knowledgebase was created by Benjamin Browett. He served as an in-house copy-editor at Dragoman between 2014 and 2016. In addition to editing, it was also his task to try and improve the way we work at Dragoman; to address the needs of the translators and editors. Why this resource? There has been no central resource at Dragoman for our translators and editors to refer to when working. This was the first time all documents and material have […]
Notes from the Editor – May 2016 Branch to the right English is a subject–verb–object language. And it is considered a right-branching language. In right-branching sentences, the subject is described first, and is followed by modifiers that provide additional information about the subject. The prince raised the sword, clutching the hilt in both hands, grinning with madness. In left-branching sentences, however, modifiers are presented before the introduction of the subject and verb. We are kept in suspense. We get the […]
Notes from the Editor – April 2016 Using the singular “they” for gender neutrality English does not have a generic third-person pronoun, unlike, for instance, Turkish. This poses a problem when the person we refer to can be a male or a female. In the past, it was common to use pronouns he, him, and his when referring to persons of either sex. But “he” is no longer accepted as a generic pronoun; on the contrary, it is viewed as […]
When you first apply for a copy-editing position at Dragoman, you might assume your job will be limited with surface errors; it will be done after correcting spelling, prepositions and some connecting phrases. And when you realize that you are expected to change sentence structures, deal with proper usage and remove ambiguities, you may be struggling to figure out your limits. How far can I edit, where shall I begin from and where should I stop? I know exactly how you are feeling and am […]
Dragoman Gold refers to translation + editing + proofreading as specified in international translation quality standards. But so does Dragoman Plus. So what is the difference of Gold and Plus? And also what exactly is Dragoman Standard? The biggest difference of Gold Translation Level is full review; Standard or Plus does not include full copy-editor review. Standard translation includes translation + full QA and industry-specific terminology management. Dragoman’s QA is not only automated QA but also a mechanical review or […]
Which one is correct? Industry is smaller, more focused, single business area. Sector is broader. A group of industries form a sector. In Turkish to English translations, authors mainly talk about industries and they use the word “sektör” in Turkish. As a rule, use industry in your translations and not sector, except for “public or private sector.” Examples: healthcare industry healthcare sector entertainment industry entertainment sector banking industry banking sector […]
This is a quick reminder for writing in style for the following copy types: Titles of Films, TV Series, TV Episodes, Albums, CDs, Songs, Videos, Visual Media, Works of Art, Sculptures, Paintings, Exhibitions, Advertising Slogans and Radio/TV Spots, Projects, and Clinical or Case Studies or Clinical Trials Follow these general rules: 1. Use initial capitalization and quotation marks. Put the year in parenthesis. 2. Follow these examples for each category: “Pride and Prejudice” – film “CSI: New York” – TV […]
Follow U.S. capitalization and punctuation rules. Do not use U.K. style. For “quotation marks” follow these rules: 1. Commas and periods always go within the quotation marks for all copy. [wc_fa icon=”check” margin_left=”” margin_right=””][/wc_fa] GarantiBank received the EU Award for the “Best Bank in Turkey.” [wc_fa icon=”times” margin_left=”” margin_right=””][/wc_fa] GarantiBank received the EU Award for the “Best Bank in Turkey”. [wc_fa icon=”check” margin_left=”” margin_right=””][/wc_fa] “Carefree,” in general, means “free from care or anxiety.” [wc_fa icon=”times” margin_left=”” margin_right=””][/wc_fa] “Carefree”, in general, […]
- Spell out figures followed by the numerals in parentheses. 2. Do not round off the figures when writing the numerals. Examples: five thousand six hundred dollars ($5,600) ten million five hundred forty-five thousand six hundred fifty Turkish lira (10,545,650 TL) twenty million nine hundred thousand two hundred fifty-two dollars ($20,900,252) thirty (30) days, two (2) weeks, five and nine tenths percent (5.9%) Changing the format of numbers is very important to properly localize the […]
Charts and Tables: Dates, Financial Figures, Statistics 1. Months of Year: To abbreviate months use these three-letter forms without a period: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec 2. Days of the Week: To abbreviate days use these three-letter forms without a period: Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 3. Percent Symbol (%): use the percent symbol (%) in all charts and tables in all documents. 4. For the Turkish currency symbol (TRY): Use […]
This is an important update on our syle guide for Turkish lira. Effective November 1, 2018, we will be using TRY for the acronym of Turkish lira instead of TL in all English texts. TL will be used in Turkish copies only. For so many years we have sticked to TL in both Turkish and English translations. It was our editorial choice when different media and finance outlets were using NTL, TRL, TRY or TL indifferently some 10 years ago. […]
Time may be expressed in one of two ways: 1. 24-hour clock: 06:30, 18:30. A colon separates hours and minutes; do not use a period. 2. 12-hour clock: 6:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. A colon separates hours and minutes; do not use a period. Do not write “am or pm” or “A.M. or P.M.” Please do not mix the styles; be consistent in the translation. You may be writing time differently before joining Dragoman Team. Now that you are onboard, do […]
Notes from the Editor – November 2015 Get the names of administrative divisions right Names of administrative divisions change from country to country. When you are translating or editing a text that contains names of administrative divisions, you have to make sure you are using the correct terminology. The key to using correct terms is doing research. County, for example, is an administrative division. dictionary.com defines county as, – the largest administrative division of a U.S. state. – one of […]
Does “sade kahve” mean “black coffee“? Rarely! It’s common usage is for Turkish coffee and “sade” means “no sugar“. However, if a Starbucks barista asks “How do you like your coffee?” in Turkish and the answer is “sade“, then it means “black“. I saw “plain coffee” and “just coffee” in some restaurant menus. “Sade” also means “plain” and “just” (only). What to do – and this is primarily for my fellow copy-editors – I just want to remind you guys the importance […]
As many of you already know by now, “Translation quality is not an absolute!” It depends on the client’s requirements, job type, intended audience, and above all the content itself. To manage quality expectations, Dragoman offers several service levels addressing unique needs of our customers. We require our translators to understand these service levels and adjust their skills & output accordingly. Dragoman project managers recommend Plus Translation for non-sensitive public documents where clarity and fluency is more important and a […]
Dragoman offers three service levels in translation: Standard, Plus and Gold. We advertise these three levels. Is it just a marketing gimmick or a value-addedproposal? When pronounced together, one easily feels that standard is good, plus is better and gold is super. But what is exactly included in a standard service? Can you and should you buy this service for all your needs? Of course not. Let’s start with GOLD If you have a creative website or brochure, or you need to submit […]
Notes from the Editor – August 2015 Do not translate full company names Full company names are registered names of businesses in their country of incorporation and, therefore, should not be translated.* Canon Inc., for example, is the full company name of Canon in Japan. The company was incorporated in Japan as Canon Inc. So, if you come across Canon Inc. in the text you are translating, you should leave it as is. The same applies to Canon U.S.A., Inc. […]
Notes from the Editor – July 2015 Style for acronyms Spell out the entire phrase the first time you use it and put the acronym in parenthesis. Even if the style of the source text is the other way around, use the spelled-out form first, followed by the acronym in parentheses. For example, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). After the first instance, use the acronym for the second and subsequent uses. Errors occur when translators use the […]
Notes from the Editor – June 2015 Get the job titles right Forget about translating job titles or using online dictionaries for that purpose! The ideal way to find a person’s professional title is to check the website of the company they are working at. We need to look for other reliable sources only when the company website is not comprehensive enough or when there is no English version of it. One of these reliable sources is LinkedIn. If you […]
At Dragoman we’ve simplified our review and editing process for translation and transcreation workflows. For localization and testing assignments or video subtitling & dubbing tasks please refer to specific guidelines. Background The thinking behind this is that it didn’t make sense to be spending the same amount of time on “Plus” projects as “Gold” projects. You’ll know which projects are which because they are labeled by the project coordinator (see below). This change is now possible because the translators are […]
Simultaneous interpreting is our core competence, because we were founded in 2005 as an interpreting office. Written translation, business language school and technology divisions were all added in later years. Dragoman manages up to 2000 interpreter requests every year. Most of of them are onsite but our online interpreting services are growing exponentially. Turkish – English interpreting is always a good majority of our simultaneous interpreting portfolio, followed by Arabic, Russian, Chinese, French, German and dozens of other languages. We […]
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If I was asked what one of the most commonly occurring mistakes I see in translations is, my answer would be the attempt to pluralize uncountable (mass) nouns. Uncountable nouns: Are seen as a mass and cannot be counted or separated (i.e., bread) Are not used with indefinite articles a / an Can be used with much / little / some / any (e.g., “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing“) Mistakes are understandable given that what is uncountable in one […]
Integration is now almost an elusive term embracing the whole issue of interoperability among softwares. Switching into a new system is a turning point in the life circle of an LSP, and it is very much required. Each product comes with certain promises varying from timesaving to cost-saving, and indeed they are quite successful. But it is only natural that each product has certain limitations as it specializes in certain features and may lack others. A growing LSP inevitably ends […]
The use of left-branching sentences is a common problem in translations. Yet many translators are unaware that they are even writing them. In most cases, right-branching sentences are more appropriate and easier to read. So what’s the difference? Left-branching sentences Left-branching sentences can resemble a magic trick. This is as they keep the reader in suspense by only revealing at the end of the sentence what it is that’s being discussed. This becomes particularly problematic (and infuriating for the reader) in long sentences […]