As the international language of business, science, and academia, English is the most studied language in the world. There are 1.5 billion English language learners and 527 million native English spea...
Interpretation, translation and localization changes are happening at a rapid pace in the world of sports. Athletes have international teammates and loyal fans from around the world. To keep up, sport...
This article was originally published in April 2017 and has been updated. Language plays a big role in our lives. But can it affect the way we think? So would say a dedicated Whorfian, arguing that th...
It is estimated at least one language dies out every two weeks – taking the culture and all of its unique expression along with it. In 1999, an idea was proposed to the General Conference of the Unite...
There are approximately 6,500 languages in the world, each with pronunciations that vary depending on accents, dialects, and more. With the large majority of these languages, there are alphabets that ...
Are you trying to raise multilingual children? Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn a new language, but now you’re afraid you’re too old? If so, you may be asking yourself “ At what age it’s easie...
You may have heard that English is classified as a Germanic language. Although English has also borrowed heavily from Latin, Greek, French, and Norse (keeping in line with the patterns of trade and co...
One of the fun parts of learning or translating a language is discovering the idioms that are unique to a region or culture. All languages have those expressions that seem incomprehensible to anyone w...
The Irish are well known for their colorful proverbs, idioms, and figures of speech. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here are 9 of the best Irish expressions along with their English translations. is m...
Like many other fields, translation has been dominated by men for much of its history. Historically speaking, female translators didn't have the same opportunities and weren't taken as seriously as th...
Every year on February 21, UNESCO observes International Mother Language Day. In celebration, here are five intriguing facts about International Mother Language Day, its history and how it’s celebrate...
February 14th is Valentine’s Day. In the US and the UK, that means heart-shaped cards, stuffed animals and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. But what does Valentine’s Day mean to people in other count...
For Western countries, the New Year has come and gone - but if you go by the Chinese zodiac calendar, a new year is just beginning. Say goodbye to the Year of the Dog and say hello to the Year of the ...
Siri, how do you say “hello” in Norwegian? I can’t translate into Norwegian yet. How about Punjabi? I can’t translate into Punjabi yet. Korean? I can’t translate into Korean yet. Siri’s lack of transl...
There's something special about the start of a new year. It's a blank slate, full of potential. If you're like most people, you want to maximize your chances of health, good luck, and prosperity in th...
Kwanzaa begins the day after Christmas, running from December 26th through January 1st. Compared to celebrations like Christmas and Hanukkah, Kwanzaa is a newcomer to the winter holiday scene. Unfortu...
December 13 is just another day to most Americans, however, in Sweden, it's a holiday. Saint Lucia's Day is one of the most unique elements of the Swedish holiday season. Here are five facts about thi...
December 2nd marked the beginning of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. To celebrate, here are seven interesting facts about the Hebrew language. Around the world, approximately 9 million people...
Have you heard of the Pashto language? If you haven’t, you’re not alone. Most Americans aren’t familiar with it, but perhaps we should be. It’s is the language of the Pashtuns, an ethnic group that ha...
It’s Halloween season! These days, people around the world are familiar with the American version of the holiday: costumes and trick-or-treating, jack-o’-lanterns and fun-sized candy bars. Of course, ...
Unless you’re from Hawaii, your knowledge of native Hawaiian language and culture might be limited to pictures of hula dancers and the word “Aloha.” It’s time to change that. Here are 6 little known f...
You might have heard the saying "It's all Greek to me"? To English speakers, the Greek language looks and sounds exotic, yet somehow familiar. If you've ever wanted to learn more about this language w...
The Czech language doesn't have the same name recognition as more widely spoken languages like French or Spanish. However, it's an interesting language in its own right. Whether you're planning a visi...
September 6th is National Read a Book Day. So, why not read a book translated from another language? Reading literature in translation gives you a unique perspective on other cultures, and it's an exc...
The Netherlands is famous for many things: windmills, tulips, art, and the forbidden pleasures of Amsterdam all come to mind. But what about the language? Here are seven fascinating facts about the Du...
If you’re like most English speakers, the only thing you know about the Norwegian language is words like lutefisk and fjord. Let’s change that. Here are 5 fascinating facts about Norwegian. Norwegian ...
Are you planning to learn a second language? The benefits are well-documented, ranging from a reduced risk of dementia in your old age to a more lucrative career. But which language should you study? ...
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese? To non-Chinese speakers, having two versions of the same language might seem confusing—especially sinc...
You’ve probably heard the phrase “divided by a common language” used to describe the differences between British and American English. But what about Australian English? Australian English is sometime...
The Irish language is a unique and resilient language that has persevered through centuries of adversity. Did you know that at least 33 million Americans have Irish ancestry? Whether you’re one of the...
There's no way around it - Russian is an important language. In fact, Russian is one of our most-requested languages. Here are eight interesting facts about Russian language and translation that you m...
Crossing cultural gaps is a determining factor in any global marketing plan. A comprehensive understanding of people and places around the world has to guide the development of any international marke...
A tiny tribe living deep in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has some of the world’s top researchers questioning the fundamentals of human language. The Pirahã tribe speaks a rare and mysterious language of...
A tiny tribe living deep in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has some of the world’s top researchers questioning the fundamentals of human language. The Piraha tribe speaks a rare and mysterious language of...
Have you ever heard of the Punjabi language? If you're like many Americans, the answer is probably "no." But it's time for that to change! Here are 6 surprising facts about the Punjabi language and Pu...
This week marks one of the biggest holidays celebrated in India. Diwali kicks off Oct. 17 and is a five-day celebration, one of the most popular in the country. Diwali, or “series of lights” in Sanskr...
For Malachi Rempen, the decision to create an online comic wasn’t exactly an intentional one. The creator of Itchy Feet Comics had planned on a career in film, but his comic strip about learning langu...
It's become somewhat fashionable to declare that the French language is fading, washed-up, just a shadow of its former self. That's simply not true. While the world has changed since the days when Fre...
The politics of the French language is an interesting case that ties together language and the state. Foreign companies planning to do business in France are well advised to learn something about Fren...
In 2014, Brian Krebs made an interesting discovery. The security writer and analyst found that when he keyed “lorem ipsum” into Google Translate, he got a number of different translations in Chinese. ...
Do you know much about Persian? This ancient language is one of our favorites, and we're learning a bit about its complex past. The History of Persian Persian—also known as Farsi by native Iranian spe...
When a language gains prominence around the world, there is a rise in the demand for speakers of that language in governments and businesses around the world. Higher salaries and unique job positions ...
When it comes to sheer numbers of speakers, Italian can't compare with languages like English and Chinese. And yet, it's one of the most popular and influential languages in the world. Chances are you...
July 14, 2017 The European Union continues to be a strong proponent of multilingualism, prioritizing and promoting language diversity. That emphasis on multilingualism has permeated many parts of life...
When most of us think of the Italian language, Standard Italian comes to mind – “ciao bella, come stai?” and “buon giorno,” and so on. In fact, Toscano, or the Italian originally written by the mediev...
The social media habits in Europe and Russia oftentimes look similar to other parts of the world—the tried and true platforms are incredibly popular. However, there are some differences in social medi...
When people think of up-and-coming industries, they likely conjure up images of tech companies in Silicon Valley. What probably doesn’t come to mind is language services. But it should. According to C...
Is your business looking for French translation services or interpreting services? Well, which French do you mean? Is your intended audience in France or Canada? Don’t make the mistake of thinking the...
There’s a lot that goes into learning a language. Taking classes, studying textbooks, using apps, watching foreign movies, listening to foreign music, playing video games…the list seems endless. But a...
The language now known as Turkish has a rich history that spans far more time and geography than the country now known as Turkey. Today it is natively spoken in Turkey and Cyprus, by Turkish diaspora ...
June 08, 2017 When new languages emerge, they’re usually categorized as pidgins. These languages are simplistic and basic, created from combining basic elements of two or more languages. Over time, ma...
Facebook is by far the largest social media platform on the Internet. Its global reach is impressive, with a total audience reaching nearly two billion. What’s even more impressive is how many of thos...
Not too long ago, we looked at some words that have no translatable equivalent in English. We now know that Kummerspeck, which literally translates to “grief bacon” in German, refers to weight gained ...
On an average day, you might get up, go to work or school, come home, spend time with family and friends, and then go to bed. It sounds pretty typical, doesn’t it? But you might be code-switching all ...
There’s nothing quite like idioms. Oftentimes they are culturally unique, and offer a glimpse into a country’s history and language. They can also be incredibly difficult to understand for a non-nativ...
Language learning is an immensely satisfying activity, and there are many well-documented benefits to bilingualism. Of course, language learning can also be frustrating, as you will eventually reach a...
In the country of Laos, made up of many ethnic groups, the population speaks about 86 different languages! The lingua franca there is Laotian, also known as Lao or Thai Noi (“lao language”). It is the...
Hmong—also known as Hmoob—is part of a dialect cluster called the Chuanqiandian cluster in English. Western Hmongic is also known as Chuanquandian. There are three main dialects of Hmong: Hmong Daw (a...
It's Asian-Pacific Heritage Month! This month, we honor the history and culture of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. To celebrate, here are 8 facts about Asian languages and cultures ...
How much time has passed since you clicked on this article and began reading? Depending on how many languages you speak, your answer may vary. That’s according to a new study published late last month...
Black and white shots of quiet, country scenes dissolve over one another while soft music plays. A narrator describes a group of life-sucking demons who lure travelers to bring them to their “God of D...
Language is always evolving. And there may be no better testament to that than Dictionary.com’s recent additions to its online database in March. Dad bod, struggle bus and dabbing are now deemed offic...
Podcasts offer people the opportunity to learn, be entertained, or catch up on news while plodding through everyday tasks. While suffering an arduous commute, running on a treadmill or scrubbing the t...
In the world of languages, Portuguese is an up-and-comer. No longer stuck in the shadow of Spanish, it now has too many speakers and too much economic muscle for global businesses to ignore. How much ...
Emojis are everywhere in texting, social media, memes, and advertising. They’ve gained such a large cultural presence that there is even an emoji movie, and Chevrolet put out a press release written w...
Japanese is a rich language with an ancient history and global clout to match. It's the language that gave us anime and the haiku. It's also the language of the world's 3rd largest economy. Want to le...
As globalization continues to gain prominence throughout the world, some linguists and other experts are wondering if dialects are slowly disappearing. While it’s true that technological and economic ...
With over 700 million social media users in the country and rapid economic expansion, China has become an indispensable market for companies interested in international business. The potential to tap ...
Recently, a huge question has begun to loom over the education system in the USA, namely the growing questions of whether learning coding or learning a foreign language is a more important focus for t...
In front of a hushed Beijing audience on April 2nd, snooker sensation Mark Selby played in the final match of the 2017 China Open. Coming back from a deficit, Selby edged out Mark Williams and won the...
Want to create subtitles for your favorite movie or TV show? Netflix might hire you to do just that. The streaming giant is on the lookout for qualified translators to help create subtitles for foreig...
Although it’s often overlooked in favor of Chinese or Japanese, Korean is a unique and fascinating language. Are you considering translating some of your business content into Korean? Are you looking ...
Unfamiliar cultures can be confusing to many around the world. Why do cultural practices differ so much, and how can we start to understand them? These questions are relevant not just for businesses, ...
In America, the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a massive commercial and critical success, as many critics commended its ability to blend drama, martial arts, and gorgeous scenery togethe...
To some, pidgin languages can initially sound like a broken variation of more commonly spoken languages, and assumptions are made that pidgin speakers are using slang. This has caused some to categori...
While interpretation and translation are often used interchangeably, they are quite different and few people can do both successfully on a professional level. Despite sharing a foundation in linguisti...
When do you have to wake up to get to work on time? When’s that important meeting? What time are you meeting friends for dinner? How you answer these questions will depend on whether you experience po...
London is proposing a mandatory English language test for drivers of private hire taxi companies, including Uber. The San Francisco-based ride-sharing startup has been fighting the plan in court since...
History has proven that language is not a static form of expression. Over time, vernaculars change as different words and expressions pop in and out of vogue. A “smartphone” would mean nothing to some...
How people communicate with one another varies wildly from culture to culture. In our fully globalized times, it is more important than ever to understand these differences and where they come from. O...
Paraskevidekatriaphobia – believe it or not, this crazy combination of letters is written in English. Paraskevidekatriaphobia refers to the fear of Friday the 13th, a phobia that affects nearly 10 per...
L10N? I18N? G11N? What do these phrases mean? If you’re not privy to the localization and translation lexicon, these abbreviations are probably confusing. These brief descriptors are referred to as nu...
A while back we came across an article from Quartz Media “To compete online in India, businesses will soon have to work in 122 languages” and we had to find out if it was true. With 1.25 billion peopl...
Traveling to another country can be a daunting, yet exciting opportunity. The language, culture, currency, and more can all be challenging. Luckily, with technology at our fingertips, anyone can find ...
St. Patrick’s Day, cable-knit wool sweaters, and lush, green rolling landscapes are what people often associate with the country of Ireland. What people don’t generally know, though, is that while the...
In many parts of the world, languages are in danger of going extinct. It might be tempting to believe that English has become the lingua franca of global business and the Internet, but when languages ...
Canada is a bilingual country; both Canadian French and English are official languages. The demands of being a bilingual nation made Canada one of the earliest adopters of machine translation technolo...
There are a myriad of predictions, encouraging and terrifying, about what technological innovations the future holds. Will the robots take over? Do we need to prepare for a world in which privacy is a...
Spanish is one of the world’s most commonly spoken languages, with upwards of 400 million native speakers. It’s the official language of 21 countries across the world and it is often learned as a seco...
Global English and writing for language translation is a valuable skill set that is related to, but also different from, good writing in Standard English. Taking simple steps like shortening sentences...
When you think about the country of Iceland, the image of Vikings and the natural spa, the Blue Lagoon, immediately come to mind. But the most interesting thing about the sparsely populated island is ...
In the latter half of the 19th century, Ludovik Lazarus Zamenhof had an idea. The Jewish ophthalmologist believed there needed to be a commonality among all people in order to foster peace and accepta...
Forget the days of pocket dictionaries and in-person classes. There’s a new way to learn a foreign language. Chatbots, a relatively recent form of artificial intelligence that can interact with humans...
Millions of people have been tuning in to watch the 2016 US presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. And Americans aren’t the only ones watching. People in places like Israel, Ge...
It takes many different steps and tools for your business to reach a global audience. Whether you’re marketing a product to international consumers or internally relaying corporate information to your...
What was once thought of as only a charred, ancient remain found at the site of a synagogue has been restored and discovered to be an original text from the Bible. Last week it was revealed that an ex...
We are absolutely surrounded by marvels of translation technology in this day and age. Currently, it is possible to numerically analyze mixed language documents using Language Identification software....
Thinking about learning another language? New research suggests it’s a good idea. The journal Bilingualism: Language and Cognition recently published a study which uncovered that bilingual people have...
The rules of what makes for good writing are universal. Good writing is clear, consistent and engaging to the reader. Writing for an audience that doesn’t speak English is no different. But how can wr...
A study published by the Los Angeles Times suggests that there may be a lot more in common between global languages than we think. Research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences...
News broke this past week that sarcastic language is now banned in North Korea. In a series of mass meetings held over the month of August, representatives of the government warned citizens that phras...
Translation crowdsourcing has its setbacks, but you’d think the practice could produce an accurate linguistic rendering over the span of 600 years. That’s not true in the case of the Voynich Manuscrip...
Myanmar (also known as Burma) is located in Southeast Asia and is approximately the size of Texas. Burmese, the official language of Myanmar, is spoken by approximately 32 million as a first language ...
The Somali language is spoken by approximately 16 million people in Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Yemen and Kenya, as well as by the Somali diaspora. Many Somalis fled to countries in the Middle East, ...
When it comes to Chinese, there is a distinction between the spoken and written forms of the language. There are dozens of dialects in China, but the most widely spoken ones are Mandarin and Cantonese...
May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. Many organizations celebrate this this month, including The Library of Congress, National Park Service and the Smithsonian Institution. We’re joining them...
May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. To celebrate, let's take a look at the top 5 Asian and Pacific Island languages in the United States. Chinese Chinese is the most widely spoken language i...
Technology is providing greater access to education, collaboration opportunities and an incredible amount of information at our fingertips. Take a look at Google Docs, Google Drive and Gmail – these t...
Filipinos speak several languages, two of the more common of which are Ilocano and Tagalog. There is often confusion regarding the differences between them, so it’s time to break down what sets them a...
Ever watch one of those “behind the scenes” documentaries or DVD extras, or laugh hysterically at that blooper reel that went viral on YouTube? Movie production has a lot of really interesting secrets...
In 2011, an Australian news anchor who was interviewing the Dalai Lama with the aid of an interpreter opened the exchange with a joke: “The Dalai Lama walks into a pizza shop and says, ‘Can you make m...
“Your wish is my command,” as Siri says. If your wish is that Siri would speak more languages, then you’re in luck. A voice-recognizing virtual assistant integrated into various Apple products, Siri a...
According to Thomas Friedman’s book, The World is Flat, in the last century, our world "flattened" before our eyes and is now a level playing field, where all competitors have an equal opportunity. Ge...
In 2009, all Portuguese-speaking countries underwent a language reform that aimed to establish a common orthography, or spelling system. Countries involved in the overhaul included Brazil, Portugal, A...
