Sunday, 17 July 2011
Procedure of Assuring Translation Quality
Procedure of assuring translation quality
Acquiring perfection is impossible in translation, so it becomes necessary for translation service providers to assure the translation quality to be as best as it can get. Translation is something that won't ever receive a nod of 100%, you are most likely to receive objections and complain about the words used or phrasing or grammar of the translation because of personal priorities and preferences and different backgrounds.
If you are looking for one of the simplest procedure to maintain the quality you should follow the given three steps for each and every single translation project whether it is large or small:
Step one - Carrying out translation job
? The job shall be assigned to the most suitable person who can handle the translation quality.
? He must be a native speaker of target language and must be aware of the style, tone and grammar of source and target languages.
? Translation job shall be carried out in such a manner that it shall sound as the content has directly been written and not translated from any other language. In short, target content shall sound natural rather than artificial.
? Translation shall be in accordance with the end users' needs and priorities as described by the client.
? A big translation project shall not be assigned to a newbie because fresh professionals lack concentration and the quality deteriorates as the work progresses.
Step two - Editing the work
? The translated content shall be thoroughly checked by another competitive and eligible translator.
? This translator shall not have any connection with his predecessor to ensure the impartiality and objectivity.
? He shall check the translated content regarding spellings, grammar, style, context and tone of the source document.
? HE MUST ENSURE THAT TRANSLATION IS A MIRROR IMAGE. IT MEANS THAT TARGET CONTENT CONVEYS THE SAME SENSE AS IS CONVEYED BY THE SOURCE CONTENT.
? He shall point out major mistakes and take notes about the weaknesses and shall notify the previous translator about these mistakes so as to avoid them in future.
Step 3 - Internal Monitoring and Checks
? Check the formatting of the target document that it is in accordance with the client's needs or if there are no distinctive instruction as to the formatting then formatting shall be the mirror image of source document.
? Look for any typos, spelling mistakes, missing content, consistency of translation and images and graphs that they are perfectly well handled.
By applying these steps, you will be able to provide better and accurate translation services.
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Friday, 15 July 2011
Sunday, 29 May 2011
How To Enjoy Learning Chinese
If you've finally decided to learn the Chinese language, you may notice that studying it is quite challenging. After all, Chinese is known as one of the languages that are more complex, one that can't be mastered in just a short period of time. Learning to speak or write Chinese feels just like going back to grade school where you need to memorize vocabulary lists and spend hours on grammar.
There are ways of learning the Chinese language in which you don't have to detest the fact that you're going to sit down and memorize groups of words each day. Here are some ways that you can enjoy the Chinese language and actually embrace learning it:
The best courses in learning Chinese will focus on conversations that can be used in the real world. What makes learning boring is when students are coerced to learn phrases that they won't even get to use when they face a Chinese speaking person. You will enjoy more if you get to use the sentences that you learn as soon as you get out of the classroom.
Learn the Chinese culture as well. You're either tasked to learn the language or you just want to learn something new this is why you're studying Chinese. No matter what your reason is, learning would become more fun and pleasurable if you learn about the traditions and culture of the Chinese people. They are a unique nation and immersing yourself in their culture will make you appreciate the fact that you're learning their language - no matter how complex it is.
Find out what kind of approach your trainer is going to use. Is he the bookish type of teacher? If so, prepare yourself for hours of mind-numbing and yawn-inducing study. But if you've got an enthusiastic teacher, then you're most likely to learn the language in just a few weeks.
One other method that can be fun is to tape Chinese news broadcasts and soap opera. This keeps you up to date when it comes to Chinese happenings plus you get to learn their language in the process. If you can't find a Chinese channel on TV, then you can go online and check on Chinese newscasts. Watching and interpreting these shows on a daily basis will help you get used to understanding this foreign tongue.
If you're a big fan of Chinese recipes, then you might also want to go online and print a copy of a delectable recipe. Or you may want to do it the other way around - you can create an English language version of the Chinese recipe that you want to cook. Translating the words one at a time would make you more accustomed to deciphering the language one word at a time.
There are various ways of learning the Chinese language without actually straining yourself. Keep in mind that learning becomes much easier if you're enjoying what you do. So go ahead and learn Chinese in the most enjoyable manner that you can. Pretty soon, you'll be conversing like a pro!
Gabriel Lim has been speaking,reading and writing the Chinese language for over 20 years.
With his bilingual background, he is in a unique position to understand and convey the subtleties of the Chinese language to foreign students.
Combined with his unconventional approach to learning, he is currently teaching beginners how to absorb the Chinese language effectively and have fun in the process.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gabrielz_Lim
Saturday, 28 May 2011
My Review of Rocket Spanish
There are many Spanish language courses available today on the internet. The problem is finding a good Spanish course that covers all aspects of the language. This can be a difficult task, to say the least. It helps to get a recommendation when there are so many courses to choose from. Some good, many bad.
I have tried a few online Spanish courses with no real success. The problem with too many of these courses, aside from the quality, is that they aren't comprehensive enough. This is okay when you're just curious about the language and don't want to become fluent. I, on the other hand, was serious about learning Spanish. These courses were either missing important categories or didn't provide enough quantity overall. A good Spanish course should include all of the important aspects that make up the language. It should include interactive content as well as a testing feature to test your progress. It should also include a good, quality audio component. After all, you can't learn a language if you can't hear it.
A friend of mine recommended Rocket Spanish. I decided I would try it, considering that I had already tried enough other courses without much success, and I still wanted to learn Spanish. I purchased the hard copy version that comes on CDs, which took about a week and a half to receive in the mail. I was impressed by the amount of content in the course. It included everything I knew I needed to really learn the language. Nothing important is left out. It comes with over thirty audio course lessons and many other lessons that teach the Spanish language and culture, which is a lot more then you'll find in most courses. It also includes learning software to practice the language, which has been very helpful. I don't have to guess which parts of the course I need to focus on or if I have practiced enough because the software comes with a progress tracker, making it easier to move ahead.
The course is pretty straightforward and well organized. The lessons are easy to follow and provide lots of exercises for practice. Learning Spanish has become an enjoyable experience for me. It still takes work to learn Spanish but the course does really make it easier. If you've been shopping around for a good Spanish course then I recommend that you try Rocket Spanish. The hard copy version costs more but they do offer a cheaper downloadable version with instant access.
Using The Spanish Imperative Tense For Giving Advice
Today we are going to take a look at the Imperative Tense and how it is used to give advice. The Imperative Tense is often used to give advice, making it very common to see in advertisements. Open up any Spanish newspaper or magazine and you will be amazed to find it filled with the Imperative Tense.
"Busque nuestro cup?n en el interior del diario". (Look for our coupon inside this newspaper)
"No pienses m?s, compra tu Netbook en Compuword". (Don't think anymore, buy your Netbook at Compuword)
"Este a?o, vive M?xico" (This year, experience Mexico)
"Ahorre comprando en....." (Save Money buying at.....)
The Advertisements use the forms "Usted" or "T?" according to their target: young people or older people.
The Imperative tense is also very common in daily life to give advice to customers or friends. Let's see how we conjugate the Imperative in second person. But, be careful, when used informatively, the Imperative has different conjugations in the affirmative and negative forms.
Afirmative T?:
Verbs that end in AR: T? ComprA
Verbs that end in ER/IR: T? ComE, VivE
Verbs in the Present tense that have "go"in the first person for example "Tener" "yo tengo", are Irregular Verbs in T?.
Hacer: Haz. Tener: Ten. Decir: Di. Poner: Pon. Traer: Trae. Venir: Ven.
Negative T?:
If the verb ends in AR, it is like the "Yo" form in Present tense, but the "O" changes to "ES".
For example: Yo compro. Negative Imperative: No compres.
If the verb ends in ER or IR, it is like the "Yo" form in Present tense, but the "O" changes to "AS".
For example: Yo tengo. Negative Imperative: No tengas. Yo digo. Negative Imperative: No digas.
Afirmative and Negative Usted:
It is like T? in the Negative form but without "S".
For example: Usted tenga/ Usted no tenga.
There are some verbs that are totally Irregular:
IR: T? ve, T? No vayas. Usted vaya, Usted no vaya.
Ser: T? s?, T? no seas. Usted sea, Usted no sea.
Saber: T? sabe, T? no sepas. Usted sepa, Usted no sepa.
Estar: T? est?, T? no est?s. Usted est?, Usted no est?.
Hopefully this quick lesson will help you learn more about the Imperative Tense. The best way to learn the Imperative it to memorize these little formulas. Once you know the formula, you can use it for almost any verb! Make sure to also memorize the irregulars, as there is no easy formula for these.
If you use Learning Like Crazy's verb conjugation software called the Verbarrator, the imperative tense is one of the 20 or 21 tenses covered by the Verbarrator. Most of my students find the Verbarartor software more interactive than using the verb conjugation charts found online to learn the imperative tense and other Spanish verb tenses.
Friday, 27 May 2011
Mandarin Chinese Language Learning Strategies For Bodily-Kinesthetic Learners
Learning the Chinese language can be difficult, so it is important that you develop a proper learning strategy before diving into your studies. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences is a great theory to reference when developing your learning strategy. The theory states that there are seven distinct types of learners, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical. This article will focus on learning strategies for bodily-kinesthetic learners.
What Are Bodily-Kinesthetic Learners
Bodily-kinesthetic learners are people who are very in touch with their bodies. They are good with their hands, and they enjoy using movement, making things, and touching objects. They can be found in a range of professions, from dancers to surgeons. These are the type of people who tend to communicate as much with their body language as they do through spoken words. If you are one of these learners you will learn well through physical activity, role-playing, acting, and many other types of hands-on learning. You should incorporate physical objects and tools into your learning strategy.
Learning Strategy 1
If you are a bodily-kinesthetic learner, you need to get your hands on real objects, so, when learning basic vocabulary words, do just that. For example, if you want to learn the names of basic kitchen items, start collecting those items and using them as study tools. Instead of using flash cards to memorize, for example, the names of eating utensils, get real knives and forks and chopsticks and put them into a box. Memorize their names by reaching into the box, pulling out an item and reciting its name in Chinese.
Learning Strategy 2
Role playing is a powerful tool for anyone learning a foreign language. It is especially powerful, though, for bodily-kinesthetic learners. If you are one of these learners, you need to find a partner ASAP. There is an unending supply of role-playing activities when learning Chinese. For example, you can act like you're in a restaurant, a travel agency, or a hotel. You can ask each other for directions or have mock business meetings. You can even spend an entire day together acting like tourists or tour guides, or anything else you like. The important thing is to communicate as much as possible using Chinese.
Learning Strategy 3
If you are a bodily-kinesthetic learner, you are good at acting out, which means you most likely deliver passionate speeches. You may or may not be a great speech writer, but that's not important here. What's important is the delivery. So, what you can do is go online and search for famous speeches that have been translated into Chinese (there are lots of them). Memorize the speeches and then deliver them to your friends and family members.
Learning Strategy 4
Building things is a powerful way for bodily-kinesthetic learners to remember things. How can this help you learn a language? Well, say you want to learn how to discuss family in your target language. You can actually build a family tree. It doesn't have to be too sophisticated or time consuming. You can use paper and other objects, or just draw a picture. It's the act of creating something with your hands that will help you learn.
Summary
If you are a bodily-kinesthetic learner, you need to be active. Don't just sit at a desk and memorize vocabulary words. If you do, you will become bored and lose interest in your studies. Instead, collect physical objects and use them as study tools. Be sure you stay active, building, creating and performing as you learn.
Teach English In Korea To Help Yourself And Others
Koreans have their own very adequate language which serves all their domestic and social needs. They still need to learn the language that is the acknowledged as the global language of commerce and trade. Korea has made phenomenal progress as a leading industrial economy with a world presence. Therefore Korean people need access to the language that plays a vital role in world trade and commerce. People who are competent and teach English in Korea can help them.
When a teacher has worked for a number of years in a local school he enters a comfort zone. People will have accepted him in a certain role. New student will accept without question that he belongs where he is, and his personal traits may even have become part of the school folklore. This comfortable zone may also be seen as a backwater in a person's professional career. Without the rush of fresh challenges and new ideas a teacher may stagnate.
A spell in Korea will be especially beneficial for mature and experienced teachers who feel the need to refresh their professional ideas. Meeting new people, seeing how different systems work and facing new challenges will benefit and strength his professional prospects. He will see himself and his students in a new perspective and be forced to re-examine his assumptions. Many teachers choose to renew their contracts after on year, and this is an indication of their enjoyment.
The high demand of Koreans to learn English creates many positions for new teachers. This may be good for people seeking a job, but create problems for recruiters. Many positions are filled by young graduates from Britain or the old colonies such as Australia, South Africa and Canada. Many of them are natural teachers, but many are not professional teachers. Rather they are seeking adventure and the opportunity to make some money. They may lack professional experience.
One experienced teacher in a South African school was amazed to hear that some of his past students were teaching in Korea. From teaching them he knew that they had extremely limited competency themselves, and little feel for the English language. In one case a teacher was not even a native speaker himself, but an Afrikaans speaker who could communicate in English.
Professional training is not the be all and end all of teaching. Most people know of well qualified people who have been 'bad' teachers. But personality may be important in teaching without having much to do with professional expertise. In fact someone who may seem to be a good teacher because he has a pleasant personality may actually transfer improper attitudes and knowledge about his subject.
Young people intending to teach in Asia often complete short courses in teaching English as a foreign language. These may be under the auspices of a body such as the British Council and completed in three weeks with some practical teaching survival tips taught. Such courses are a qualification but do not equate with professional training. People who are not trained in the discipline of English, or perhaps not even mother tongue speakers may complete them without themselves being competent.
In most educational course run for short term qualifications 'failure' is not an option because significant costs are involved. Some people may drop out voluntarily but usually everyone ends with a certificate despite some testing times during the course. Such short courses may be fun and informative but they do not equate with professional training involving three or fours years of discourse and close reading. Classroom experience is probably even more instructive than training, so there are quite big differences between professionally trained teachers and graduates with a short term certificate.
Professional English teaching should involve a lot more than following a course book. A teacher should bring to the book professional appreciation of the language, competence in it and a good speech model. There are many varieties of English, some more acceptable than others, but a teacher should have a fine appreciation of idiom and of what is appropriate and what is not. Mature, experienced and professionally trained people who teach English in Korea will give the best service to their students.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
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Friday, 15 April 2011
Some Personal Views About English Learning
English is the most widely used language in the world. Many people want to master fluent English whether for personal or professional reasons. Indeed, it is pleasant to master a widely used language. In this case, we can watch international TV programs that we are interested in. We can enjoy the foreign movies without subtitles. We can read English newspapers easily. We can even get a good job. However, as is known to us, English learning needs hard work and improving English can only be completed gradually. Thus, we must learn English step by step.
1.Make a good plan
A good plan with reference to English learning is indispensable. With the plan, you can arrange your time properly, which may save you a lot of effort. On the contrary, without the plan, you may confuse what to do tomorrow.
2.Take comprehensive exercises
As to be fluent in English, it is necessary to take comprehensive exercises, which include grammar exercises, listening exercises, writing exercises and oral exercises. Only in this way can you master English.
3.Exercise steps
Here I will introduce how to take grammar exercises in detail. Firstly, you should try to obtain the basic knowledge about grammar. Reading books and enrolling in certain curriculums can help you achieve this goal. Of course, you can also surf the Internet to get the related materials, because the information of Internet is abundant. Secondly, you need to pay attention to one grammar point and practice again and again until you can completely understand. The process is boring but necessary. Thirdly, read some English articles. You'd better select the articles which are written by foreigners who treat English as their native language. Then learn the way how they organize words. Sometimes, it is no use learning just the meaning of a new word, or the use of a particular adverb. You also need to see how they behave in a sentence or in a paragraph. Last but not least, frequently discuss with others. Discussing is helpful to your comprehensive understanding of grammar. Through discussing, you can also improve the ability of communicating with others in English. Forums provide you such a platform. In the forums, you can ask questions about the grammar and express an opinion for discussion. Some of the means are applied to other aspects of English learning.
Now you have enough knowledge about how to improve English. However, you should memory that the most important thing is that the more exercises you take, the more progress you get.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Why English Grammar Exercises Are Important
English as native language or second language is the most widely used throughout the world. Most of the people are intent to be fluent in English, because English can be instrumental to their personal and professional success. At the beginning of learning English, we must pay much attention to English grammar. That is to say, we must learn something about the way words work together, the way we express different times or tenses, the way we use adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and so on. Only with correct grammar can we learn English well. Some people may confuse why it is that important. It is believed by them that without grammar exercises they can also organize words together and communicate with others in English. But sentences with incorrect grammar are always meaningless and the message contained in them may be unclear. This means that you can't communicate effectively and the person who is listening to you or reading your work may be quite confused as to your meaning.
There is a saying that you have to learn to walk before you can run. It is applied to English learning. Before being fluent in English, you must learn English words and the way how words are organized. For those who have noticed the importance of grammar and decided to learn, there exists another problem that is how to improve it and make sure that it is correct. The only way to deal with this problem is to do English grammar exercises. When learning English grammar, practice is indispensable. So we need to do large numbers of exercises. Some people practice each grammar point once. This kind of practice is incorrect and has no effect on improving grammar. Instead, we should practice each point over and over until we can use it easily.
There are many ways to do English grammar exercises, which include read books, surf the Internet to find materials about English grammar exercises and discuss with other learners in some forums.
In the progress of doing English grammar exercises, there is a point that should not be neglected. Do not hang up on perfect grammar. It is unnecessary, because the aim to learn grammar is to communicate in English clearly. Mastering it correctly is enough as long as you can express yourself and make others understood. On the contrary, paying too much attention to perfect grammar sometimes makes the sentence not that flexible.
Article Submitted On: March 06, 2011
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Tips To Help You Learn The French Language Easily and Quickly
Remy Moz Level: Platinum
Remy Moz is the Editor-in-Chief of ReviewMOZ.org. At ReviewMOZ.org readers can "Learn, Compare and Save" by reading professionally written product reviews, comparisons, and customer feedback ...
The French language is such an interesting language to learn. You may ask why learn French? Main reason is it is one of the popular languages in the world. In fact, it is an official language in 30 countries. Speaking French means being able to communicate with the people of these 30 countries. This will be very beneficial if you're always out of your country because your profession requires you too. You can represent and present your company well in French-speaking countries, breaking down the language barrier. If you're a traveler, you can be confident of exploring French territories without the fear of being lost or misunderstood.
So you want to learn French now? You have to know upfront that it would not be a piece of cake. The basics of French grammar can be mind boggling. French words would be difficult to pronounce. However, difficulty should not scare you away from learning the French language. If you are really determined, it would not be really that complicated. Before being able to learn the beautiful language, you need to figure out what means you would use for your learning? Are you willing to enroll in a French course? Or you want to take it really seriously by surrounding yourself with French-speaking people or by being in a French community? Or maybe, just learn at your own pace and place with a French program like Rocket French?
Enrolling in a course seems to be the most ideal and sure fire way of learning. But the fees for it can be expensive. You also need to ask yourself if you can commit to attending the class without interfering with your work, class or other appointment. Surrounding yourself with French people or being in a French community may not be a good idea. It won't guarantee your learning & you can't be too sure if you're learning the right way. How about you teach yourself at home using a very reliable French program? One of the most prominent is Rocket French. If you are doubtful, you can read a review of Rocket French & see if you really can count on it.
Rocket French has been developed by a native French speaker so you can be sure that the information feed to you is accurate. The program developer, having been experienced how hard learning a language can be, refused to teach French in ways that would be hard and boring. And so she designed her lessons to be easy and fun. The program comes with audio lessons and listening comprehension. It has language games to enliven the learning and online quizzes to track progress. Culture lessons have been thoughtfully included as well among others. So if you want to learn French and you want it done fast and accurate, go for a program like Rocket French by Marie-Claire Riviere and you are on your way to learning French in no time.
Go to ReviewMOZ.org before you purchase any online product. Take a look at Product Reviews, comparisons and customer feedback of a wide variety of consumer products and services. The reviews of Rocket Italian, Rocket French, Rocket Spanish, Rocket German and other language programs can be found at ReviewMOZ.org.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Remy_Moz
This article has been viewed 13 time(s).Article Submitted On: March 05, 2011
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Valuing The Choice To Learn Spanish
It is commonly known that being able to speak additional languages can be very beneficial to anyone who wants to have a variety of opportunities in their life. There are a number of memorable and influential experiences that you can have in your life due to the decision to learn another language. Some of the following examples are some elements reflecting the value of choosing to learn Spanish.
Even though you don't initially realize, there are numerous experiences that you can be part of only when you know extra languages. Perhaps one of the most discussed element of this is how it relates to getting a job and finding employment. There are many jobs that choose to search for people that will be able to speak an additional language because this helps them to expand services to other people that they previously couldn't communicate with before.
In addition to this, getting hired for a job that is specifically for those who are bilingual is likely going to pay a higher salary. You will find that many positions that are bilingual pay much more in salary than they do for those same positions that are only for native speakers of one language. If you need to earn some additional money at work, this is something to truly think about.
An example of this is that medical jobs always tend to have a position that will require someone that speaks various languages. This is because medical facilities provide service to everyone that needs help and it can make it very difficult to treat injured or sick individuals if the staff is not able to properly communicate with them. If you need a job that has support for your ability to speak another language, a medical position is always a good idea.
If you are still in the process of studying at school, you should also think about how this affects your education. The choice to start studying and learning languages before you go to college can have a great effect because it is sometimes able to transfer in terms of credits when you finally do attend another educational institution. It also is an impressive quality towards numerous colleges on the admissions form when you apply if you are able to converse in another language.
You will also discover that it looks far more impressive if you have mastered a language by the time of your graduation. This will be very helpful to you if you have plans to later on continue education at another institution or you want some added options when you are searching for a job. For anyone who wants to teach or study while abroad, the ability to speak another language is always of great use.
Being on vacation can even be more positive when you are able to speak the language of the culture around you. You will be able to get around the town much easier, even if it is an area that you are not truly familiar with. Additionally, you can help anyone who may not be able to understand what is being said or what is currently happening.
You will see that the choice to learn Spanish is truly a gift to yourself in the long run. You will be able to appreciate and enjoy the related culture in ways you previously were not able to and enjoy various new experiences. If you are thinking about adding this language course to your capabilities, the points listed here are definitely some thoughts of encouragement.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Troyer
Translation Services for International Students
If you're a student interested in attending a college in another country then there is a good chance you may need some form of translation in order to make your acceptance into that school a reality.
Every school - whether it is a university in the United States or another country - has their own specific requirements for the information needed to process an application, admittance or transfer. There is a good chance though that any school you want to attend is going to require translation of your academic documents into the university's language.
This translation is likely to include (but not limited to):
Notations showing the completion of secondary coursesCertifications, degrees or diplomasAcademic transcriptsLetters of recommendationFollowing Translation Guidelines for Universities
It's just one more step to the application process but it is important that you follow the process as closely as you can when it comes to having documents translated. While missing the mark will not necessarily get an application rejected it can significantly slow down or halt the application process.
One of the most prominent guidelines set forth by colleges is that you cannot translate the documents and information on your own, or have it done by someone you know who is fluent in both languages. Colleges will require the documents to be handled and certified by a professional translation company.
The need for translation services may go beyond getting your foot in the door - it can be used and applied on a number of levels.
Academic Translation For Course Material
Once you have been accepted and are attending the foreign university, managing the course material can be a bit of a chore as you study in your second language. This is especially true for course content that is very technical in nature.
Academic translation can aid in a variety of ways, providing a clear translation of any document, recording or other content pertinent to your education, including:
Course materialLecturesPodcastsRelevant articlesText booksSeminars or conference materialResearch papersDissertationsAnd moreIf there are language barriers that could potentially halt or impair the learning process, working with an academic translation service on the most important material can save a great deal of time and hassle.
Ensuring Quality Academic Translation
Academic translation is a different beast, far and above common translation - especially where technical terms come into play. Choosing someone who is fluent in more than one language to handle the translation can lead to a number of problems. In situations where academic translation is necessary, the most benefit will come from working with a professional individual or agency that has a great deal of experience with the academic discipline in question.
An added benefit is if those providing the translation services not only have experience with the field you are studying, but actually have an academic background - thus providing you with the greatest opportunity for success.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Exploring Reasons To Learn Spanish
Becoming Fluent In Spanish may be a brilliant choice for you within a stretch of time. You will then see that there are numerous opportunities it can easily offer to you for your knowledge, career, and personal everyday living if you are truly fluent while using the language. Many of the main elements listed here are generally options which you may need to consider to learn Spanish.
There are numerous alternatives that you may possibly would want to take into consideration to assist you with comprehension of this language in your personal time. A lot of people need only to have a reason to be able to really encourage them to keep studying. You could find that there's a whole world of chances being offered to you when you know the correct way to express yourself in various languages and you are someone who is willing to try out new goals.
You might like to consider buying some instruction software to help you better understand the language when you are not busy.. This might be an excellent option for you if you don't yet know anybody who speaks the dialect, or in case you are not wanting to enroll into a class. You are likely to get hold of many various digital books and products that you can use to help you to understand.
If you believe that you learn easier while paired with other people, you may need to give consideration to studying from a class instead. This may be a great approach to assist you to practice your skills and learn from a school teacher. Using the language more verbally will help you to learn a lot faster than you might realize.
One more possibility is to locate a study group or another point of interest to assist you to with understanding. Many individuals are able to increase their skills by watching tv programs in other dialects, enjoying music, or simply just obtaining together with a study group. You will discover a number of approaches that you may aid yourself to keep in mind what you might be studying.
If you know people who converse in the language confidently, invest in some time together and ask if you may converse in their language as an alternative to yours. This is a fantastic way to learn extra words and increase your normal communicating methods already. They could possibly be able to tell you a few recommendations or corrections about how you are presently using the words or speaking your general articulations. You will get the best training in expressing yourself in another language from interacting with people who additionally speak that language too.
As long as you might be prepared to use the various options that are obtainable to you, you will not have problems learning the language. There are numerous distinctive options you can actually use to assist you to improve your abilities and perfect your articulation. The more commonly you use your vocabulary and your understanding of it, the less difficult studying the language will certainly become for you.
The choice to learn Spanish words might be large value to you personally throughout time. You are going to find that you truly appreciate becoming able to involve yourself in the advantages and resources of being familiar with one more culture. Just as you may expect with other language courses, you will realize that you may by no means regret the choice that you've made to learn more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Troyer
Benefits of French and Why You Should Learn It
So, why should you learn French?
In the next few minutes you will discover why French is second most learnt language in the world and just some of the many benefits you will gain by being able to speak French.
Firstly, LOTS of people speak French, roughly 500 million, and it is very widely recognised around the world. Being an official language of the UN, NATO, the EU, the International Red Cross and many more!
French is a major European language and the third most spoken in the continent. Countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco and Luxembourg all have French as an official language. French is also spoken in the Americas. Canada has both English and French as official languages, with many Canadians speaking French as a first language. It is also spoken quite widely in the USA, particularly in Louisiana a state with a strong French influence. Because of French and Belgian Colonization the language is also a major language in Africa with many African countries recognising it as an official language.
By learning French you will be able to communicate with many people from all over the world. If you visit any of the French speaking countries you will receive a much greater experience by speaking the language and be able to explore the lifestyle and cultures deeper and further than you would have been able to before. You will also be able to effectively communicate with French speakers you may come across in the future and possibly form friendships and relationships. And who knows your perfect partner may speak French so why shut the door on this possibility?
Finally, as the business environment is becoming more and more global the language skills you have can open endless doors for you. Due to the globalised world employers love people who can speak multiple languages therefore making your job applications stand out from the crowd and increase your potential for promotion! The opportunities you can gain are nearly endless; you might get business and partnerships from French organisations, get work placements at French speaking countries or if you're a student be able to study abroad thus strengthening your degree in regards to future employability.
To recap, the main benefits you can gain by learning French are the popularity and wideness of the language, being able to communicate with many more people and the strength you will gain in the working world.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Spanish Idioms Quiz to Test Your Knowledge of Conversational Spanish
Spanish idioms can add color or expression to your speech and can convey ideas or thoughts that go beyond textbook learning and make your conversations more natural and authentic. Complete this quiz to see how many idioms you recognize and then grade your knowledge using the answer key below. Literal translations have even been included in the answer key for your information and amusement.
1. ir a donde la reina va sola
a. turn in for the night
b. hit the hay
c. out of the blue
d. powder one's nose
2. por los pelos
a. on pins and needles
b. too close for comfort
c. by the skin of our teeth
d. on a wing and a prayer
3. dar en el clavo
a. hit the nail on the head
b. to cut to the chase
c. spitting image
d. to kill time
4. el burro hablando de orejas
a. curiosity killed the cat
b. devil's advocate
c. the pot calling the kettle black
d. on the same page
5. lo bueno esta por venir
a. the best has yet to come
b. between a rock and a hard place
c. out on a limb
d. back to square one
6. de tal palo, tal astilla
a. let sleeping dogs lie
b. like a chicken with its head cut off
c. smell a rat
d. like father, like son
7. tener mas lana que un borrego
a. high on the hog
b. to have money to burn
c. to cost an arm and a leg
d. from rags to riches
8. de uvas a peras
a. a piece of cake
b. once in a blue moon
c. when pigs fly
d. apple of my eye
9. perder los estribos
a. the last straw
b. all bark and no bite
c. to fly off the handle
d. chip on your shoulder
10. cada cual tiene su manera de matar pulgas
a. all in the same boat
b. there's more than one way to skin a cat
c. a taste of your own medicine
d. it's a toss up
11. ser un pedazo de pan
a. to have a heart of gold
b. to bite off more than you can chew
c. to wear your heart on your sleeve
d. to go the extra mile
12. levantarse con el pie izquierdo
a. barking up the wrong tree
b. look before you leap
c. to get up on the wrong side of the bed
d. go out on a limb
13. estar en la boca del lobo
a. to cry wolf
b. dark horse
c. an axe to grind
d. to be in dire straits
14. andar pisando huevos
a. to put all your eggs in one basket
b. walking on eggshells
c. save a nest egg
d. add fuel to the fire
15. te estoy tomando el pelo
a. I'm just pulling your leg
b. cost an arm and a leg
c. give him the slip
d. head over heels
ANSWERS:
1. d "powder one's nose" Literal translation: to go where the queen goes alone
2. c "by the skin of our teeth" Literal translation: by the hairs
3. a "hit the nail on the head" Literal translation: strike on the nail
4. c "the pot calling the kettle black" Literal translation: the donkey talking about ears
5. a "the best has yet to come" Literal translation: the good is to come
6. d "like father, like son" Literal translation: from such a stick, such a splinter
7. b "to have money to burn" Literal translation: to have more wool than a lamb
8. b "once in a blue moon" Literal translation: from grapes to pears
9. c "to fly off the handle" Literal translation: to lose the stirrups
10. b "there's more than one way to skin a cat" Literal translation: everyone has their own way to kill fleas
11. a "to have a heart of gold" Literal translation: to be a piece of bread
12. c "to get up on the wrong side of the bed" Literal translation: to get up with the left foot
13. d "to be in dire straits" Literal translation: to be in the wolf's mouth
14. b "walking on eggshells" Literal translation: to walk stepping on eggs
15. a "I'm just pulling your leg" Literal translation: I am taking your hair
Get all 15 right? You're a master of the Spanish language!
Get 11-14 right? Not bad at all! A little more work and nothing will get past you.
Get 6-10 right? Valiant effort! Practice makes perfect when it comes to learning idioms, so keep up the good work.
Get 3-5 right? A good start! Continue learning more basic Spanish idioms and you will shine in no time.
Get 0-2 right? We all started at the beginning at some point. Good luck on your journey discovering the colorful language that is Spanish!
Learn American Sign Language and Be Bilingual
People tend to learn different languages because they are eager to learn new languages or it is a part of their work as they need to know other languages in order to communicate with people. People who can speak more than one kind of language is said to be bilingual. Another great language to learn is known as American Sign Language. This language is not communicated through speaking but is communicated through hand signals.
American Sign Language is not a difficult language to learn and can be mastered in maximum a month's time. This sign language is used to communicate with deaf people who cannot hear what you speak. So in order to communicate with deaf people it is very advantageous and beneficial to learn ASL. ASL was originally originated from French and Italian sign language and is a mixture of both these sign language. Most of the signs which are used in French sign language are the replica in ASL.
There are many benefits of learning ASL because if you are living in USA or neighboring countries such as Canada and UK you can work as a translator in different places where you can cater to deaf people. You can even work on media on some channel and work here as an interpreter and you must have noticed on some channels there is a person on the left or right side of screen which is interpreting what is being originally said on the channel in sign language.
These people tend to earn a lot as this is a skill which counts a lot on your resume and knowing an additional language is always to your advantage. Not only you can work as an interpreter on the media but on other places such as teaching institutions which cater to deaf students too and either you can do a social work and work as a missionary in church to help communicate with deaf people there.
ASL is not a tough language to learn and you can easily master it within few months time. You just need to know the basic signs which are related to the actual alphabets in English language. Not everybody learns ASL in order to get a job or earn good money while there are people who have to learn ASL because it is very necessary for them to learn as they have relatives in or a family member or a loved one who is deaf and you then need to communicate with them in ASL.
Even people who become deaf due to some accidents have to learn ASL as they then have no other means to communicate with others other than in sign language. Some people become deaf due to accidents and some are born deaf so learning ASL is beneficial for anyone who wants to learn this language.
You can learn ASL in institutions or centers in your city which provide the facility to learn ASL or you can easily learn from the internet for free.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Foreign Languages
Before I begin talking about the importance of this article let me tell you that I speak four languages, and I have learned two of them almost without any help from any other person.
Straight to the point... I assume almost everyone has came across situations during day by day life when you had to say something in a different language, regardless you were on a vacation in Paris or on a plane to Tokyo, life puts us all in the need to communicate with people of different nationalities, different cultures and even different races. Nearly all these factors include a main hidden side that's very helpful to know about. That factor is the language. No matter how much you will try to speak to an English man in Russian, let's say, if the English person doesn't know Russian you strive in vain. So what's to be done here? Well you would say the only language you have to know is your own language and of course English, as it's the top language when it comes to usage percentage. However, a French will see you with different eyes if you address him in his own language, a Russian or a Japanese would do just the same. However I'm not saying you have to learn all these languages, I'm trying to explain the importance of knowing them, when it comes to both business and traveling.
As I've explained in the summary, the purpose of this article is to let you all know just how easy is to learn a foreign language by interacting with the culture you want to learn from. For instance, I've been watching English movies, and cartoons ever since I was five years old. Through time they proved quite useful. Although I can't pride myself on speaking a perfect English or having a mistake free grammar, I am talented enough to write a short article, read a webpage or even have a conversation with someone in English. The same applies for French, although personally I am more advanced when it comes to English, my French is improving as well. Most of the improvements I've made to my vocabulary and grammar are due to the various cultural factors I've mentioned. Movies, theatre plays, music and many more. Virtually everything that is related to the culture you are trying to learn from.
Another good method to learn a language without a teacher's help, is by using a guide. A good guide can go up to 300$ but if you truly know what you're doing, and you know what you wish for, that's a little price to pay for the personal success of having another language added to your knowledge. Such guides include everything, from audios with questions and answers to pronunciation and grammar exercises. You can as well use a free online version, however those include very little information and are usually made by people who have nothing to do with learning about that language, therefore making them very superficial. And the final method, the best to be more specific is to blend in with the culture itself. You can do this on a vacation, or on a field trip or on any other occasion, as long as you get to speak, listen and interact with people from the country you wish to learn from, again it's not important which, this pattern applies to anyone and any place.
As a conclusion I would like to let you all know that as more languages you speak, as better. Because the more you know on any domain, the more helpful you will be to yourself and to those around you. So keep on learning from everyone in any way you may see fit because you will benefit from such things. If you have any further questions or you would like to find out more visit Online Product Reviews: Languages.
Historical Translators And Interpreters: Malinche - Not As Bad As She Seemed?
Regardless of how the diverse plethora of languages that currently populate the earth came into existence, the job of translators and interpreters has always been of great importance.
Initially, in the conquest of North and South America by the Europeans, the Spanish, English, and French languages were the three main languages that came to be known in the areas where mostly indigenous languages were once spoken. Translators and interpreters during those times were mainly used to communicate amongst the parties for various topics usually consisting of religion and political debate. For many of the translators and interpreters then, medical and legal interpreting that are so common today were unheard of.
Among the most widely known translators and interpreters that worked with the indigenous populations and the Europeans were people who were not only able to communicate on a linguistic level, but also had an incredibly deep knowledge of the two communicating cultures. Many of these translators usually were raised in either a culturally diverse home, or in a home where the target language was constantly spoken.
Among the first of these people who translated and interpreted during those times was named Malinche. Malinche worked with the Spanish interpreter, Jeronimo de Aguilar during the Spanish conquest to communicate with the Aztec Indians who inhabited what is known now as Mexico. Malinche spoke Mayan and Nahuatl (the Aztec language) and Jeronimo de Aguilar spoke Spanish and Mayan, so Malinche interpreted what was said in Nahuatl into Mayan, Jeronimo de Aguilar would interpret that message into Spanish and vice versa for Cortez and his troops. Eventually Malinche was able to learn Spanish and no longer needed to work with Jeronimo de Aguilar.
To this day, to people familiar with the Mexican culture, the name "Malinche" tends to conjure up feelings of negativity and betrayal which, unfortunately, were the result of her misuse of the trust granted to her as the language translation services provider. However, aside from her betrayal and deception, Malinche did have several good qualities that translators and interpreters today aspire to. The most important of these traits was the use of advanced cultural and linguistic knowledge in her work. She was given the task of communicating a lot of ideas that, at the time, were very controversial to the people there, but through her cultural and linguistic knowledge, she was able to gain the trust of both communicating parties.
Even though Malinche had less than pure motives, her knowledge on language and culture, as well as being seen as trustworthy through the eyes of both audiences was what made her a good translator and interpreter. It is these traits that language professionals today work for years to master.
Nisar Nikzad is a freelance writer of informational websites on Translation Services. He is associated with Translation Excellence that provides language translation, medical, legal, certified translation, english-to-arabic-translation, government translation and interpretation services. Accurate and effective interpretation services.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nisar_Nikzad
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Fastest Way To Learn Spanish Online With a Unique Course
Many doors will open when you decide to learn Spanish, from getting a higher paying job to sharing in one's culture and lifestyle comfortably. There is no better time to begin the short road to being bilingual! Of all the languages spoken in America, aside from our native language of English, Spanish is the easiest for a new speaker to become familiar with. The majority of students who have made a failed attempt to learn a language likely quit because of the methods that were being used to communicate the various elements of the language. Either the lesson itself was boring or the approach was in the opposite order from what the student needs to comprehend.
Everyone has their own idiosyncratic way of absorbing information effectively, but there is generally a blanket method that provides the best attempt to satisfy the learning style of all individuals. By far the best way to learn Spanish is a step-by-step course complete with audio and easy-to-follow instruction that guides you from rudimentary concepts such as pronunciation and basic parts of speech to more advanced modules such as subjunctive verbs and word order. Without these concepts being explained in their entirety, a student can be left far behind and never catch up. Luckily, there is such a course, affordable and ideal, that covers all the bases!
Online distance learning is the wave of the twenty-first century because it is a lot cheaper and often just as effective as the traditional classroom learning. Using your computer, you can watch videos and listen to audio that drastically speeds up the process of learning a new language. It is possible to do this all in your spare time at your own pace, and with a great program, you can learn the Spanish language in eight weeks or less.
Imagine, in two months or less, you could be speaking among the natives with absolutely no hesitance or discomfort! Given that there are twenty-one countries who speak Spanish as their native language, you will fit in anywhere and also have the tools and knowledge you need to communicate with Spanish speakers here in the United States as well. This is a prime opportunity to begin since Spanish speakers are proliferating quickly and you will become a more valuable asset to all, just by knowing the language. What are you waiting for? Now is the time! Get started learning today!
Friday, 8 April 2011
Spanish Words and Phrases: Is It Worth Investing Time and Money Into Learning Spanish?
Learning foreign language takes time and a little bit of money and many people wonder if it is worth the effort. It usually takes many months of practice, learning of hundreds of Spanish words and phrases and doing the same boring grammar exercises before you can have a confident conversation without stressing out too much that others can't understand what you are trying to say. You might feel like you are missing out on things because you need to go to your Spanish course or just sit there at home and memorise new vocabulary, when your friends watch tv or have fun outdoors.
But despite all those inconveniences I believe that learning another language - be it Spanish or something else - is time and money well spent. It widens your perspectives, helps you understand new cultures and allows you to enjoy your favourite things in a new way. New opportunities become available to you.
If you like music, you finally are able to understand what the lyrics of Spanish songs are about. And you have to agree that music has got different meaning when you can understand the words. When you understand the lyrics you can make better choices in terms of what you listen to.
If you like movies, you will be able to watch them without being frustrated with inaccurate translations, which more than often are unable to express the true meaning of Spanish words and phrases. Subtitles are notorious for inaccuracies and understanding what the actors are saying can help you avoid those inaccuracies.
If you like traveling, you will be able to go on an independent trip to South and Central America or Spain and not worry about getting around and having good time. Traveling is much richer when you can talk to locals, read local newspapers, understand people on the streets and not being dependent on the tour guide speaking your language. The ability to interact with locals adds a new dimension to traveling experience.
If you like book, you will be able to read them in original version and never again miss the true meaning of words. Translations very often can't offer the same emotions that the original version provides.
So do not give up and keep learning. You will not regret about all the time and effort you put into gaining this new skill. Speaking another language is like gaining a new culture.
Here's How You Can Learn Conversational Italian In 8 Weeks
Learning the Italian language, apart from being multilingual, will certainly help you converse with its over 60 million speakers worldwide. Additionally, it is also said to be the language that's best fit for singing. If you get the opportunity to learn this language, I doubt you would have the heart to say no. While most of us with day jobs, and for some with more than one to juggle in their schedules, learning a language is just not practicable. Fortunately, the internet has made it possible for learning in flexible schedules.
The internet can introduce you to many languages like Italian and there are plenty of resources that go around for free. Unfortunately, these materials are simply not enough to make a fluent speaker of a language out of anyone. This Rocket Italian Review will show you just how you can learn and actually be able to speak and understand Italian for an affordable price and with a quality that is comparable to an actual language school or tutor, or even better. In summary, the uncompromised quality, effectiveness and flexibility results to no less than the best value for your money.
Backed by Rocket Languages, one of the leading names in online language learning, Rocket Italian follows a fool-proof learning formula that would make any student of any level easily absorb lessons and apply them in real world scenarios. The formula includes the combination of basic instruction, reviews and tests with flexibility, interactivity and even progress tracking and, most importantly, fun through games for the average learner. This allows Rocket Italian to be an experience to its users that is not just effective but absolutely engaging as well. Want to check out the quality of Rocket Languages courses? Read Rocket French Review.
Personally, I really think a language program's adaptability and consideration of modern usage of the language by native speakers is its best feature. It's pretty useless if it's otherwise. Wonderfully enough, Rocket Italian has seen this importance as well and teaches Italian that is used in colloquial settings. There is even a segment for culture lessons so you can train yourself to use the Italian language the way Italian speakers use it in specific situations. Some of these cultural insights include but do not limit to regional differences, traditions and Italian food and wine.
Having a wide vocabulary is pretty much a requirement in fluency and Rocket Italian not only encourages familiarity with words but memorization for instant recognition as well. It does this through its interactivity that's further enhanced by putting fun in the equation through vocabulary or word games that come with the program. Another notable game in the program is the accent training where you hear audios of how native speakers speak.
The Rocket Italian is absolutely convenient as the entire program is readily available for download. The program is divided into 7 components that include 33 interactive audio courses, 31 culture and language lessons, MegaVocab learning game, MegaAudio game, MegaVerbs game, email and forum support and a lifetime membership to the Rocket Italian learning lounge. Find the details on these components at the Rocket Italian Review featured at a trusted review site.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
3 Things That Helped Me to Learn Spanish Words and Phrases
I have been trying to learn Spanish for at least 10 years. My first attempt was to learn on my own. I bought a book with a course but I didn't like it, so I bought a software program. I really liked it but I couldn't stick to it and quit after couple of months. After that I joined a language school and attended the course for a few months. It was good, but I moved to another city so I stopped this course. This was followed by a few years of complete lack of activities as far as learning Spanish was concerned. I actually lost hope that I would ever be able to communicate in this beautiful language. But then I gave myself the very last chance, but this time I decided to do everything possible to succeed. These are three things that made a difference.
1. I found a reason to learn
It does not matter what you are trying to learn - foreign language, cooking, sewing or anything else. You are very likely to fail if you do not have a good reason for that. A reason helps you stay focus and motivated. My reason was that I wanted to go to Spain to live over there for a few years. And I knew I had to know some Spanish if I wanted to make a living over there. Every day I pictured myself wandering the streets of historical Spanish towns and I knew I really wanted to be there. So I kept learning.
2. I found a great teacher
I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a teacher who will not only clearly explain the grammatical rules but also motivate you and make the learning process fun. This is crucial for a success. It doesn't have to be a private teacher. It could be a teacher at the local community college. Even a language learning software is a teacher in a way. I decided to go for a private instructor, because this is what works best for me. Make sure you get a really good teacher, someone you like spending time with, someone who makes learning process fun and interesting.
3. I immersed myself in Spanish
It is a fact that you can only learn to a certain level by attending classes or following learning programs. If you want to become fluent you need to surround yourself with the language. The best way to do it is to go to a place where the language is spoken. And it doesn't even have to be very expensive. You can fly from US to Central America for a couple of hundreds of dollars and live there comfortably for as little as $15 a day. When everything around you is in Spanish - people talking on the streets, newspapers, television shows, radio - you learn extremely fast. And what is even more important is that you learn the real language, and not only the official and often unnatural version of the language commonly taught through books.
Spanish Pronunciation - Important Considerations About The Right Approach
Spanish pronunciation involves much more than simply learning how to correctly say individual words. The same word can indeed sound very different in the context of a complete sentence. The intonation might be different for example if the word is being used in a question as opposed to in a regular sentence.
For this very reason, when you are trying to master Spanish pronunciation it really is important to focus on complete phrases and sentences in your practice. Of course you will want to learn individual words and their Spanish pronunciation but that should only be a part of your vocabulary expansion efforts.
Using books and phonetic guides to come to grips with pronunciation is not a helpful approach. With all of the interactive tools at our fingertips these days it really pays to avail of audio or video tools to help with pronunciation. There are a number of reasons for this!
Firstly, the better tools have not been randomly assembled and put together. Instead, they have been carefully compiled to give you the right amount of review and reinforcement. Ideally you will spend a little time each day for your learning, and by blending in the appropriate degree of review in the process these tools help you to retain much more of what you have learned.
Secondly, the pronunciation tools can give you audio examples of proper Spanish pronunciation. In this way, you experience the words and phrases being used in real conversations. This is of immense value. And these real conversations cover topics and areas which you will find helpful for your earliest attempts at conversation. Again, they have not been randomly put together! Instead they are carefully compiled with the right subject areas for you to be covering early on.
Thirdly, these great interactive tools engage you. There is nothing more boring than trying to learn off by heart endless lists of words and phrases to build up your Spanish vocabulary. That feels too much like study - because that is exactly what it is! To the extent that you can actually learn faster with a process which is fun and engaging, why would you want to stick with a boring and grueling process!
If you make your Spanish pronunciation endeavors enjoyable you will stick with it and be successful. The reason so many people fail is that they simply use a bad approach for learning Spanish. That is a situation which you should endeavor to avoid.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Some Tips On Ways To Learn Spanish Today
Anybody that wants to learn Spanish may benefit from some useful methods for learning. Firstly, you need to find out how you remember things you want to recall. It may be that you can easily remember things you've heard, you've seen, or things you have done. One of the most popular ways for learning is to simply put yourself in the environment where the language you are studying is spoken everywhere. This is called immersion. If this is not a choice then making friends at speak Spanish, or finding a tutor to meet in person or online is key. No matter which way you would like to learn another language today there are many different methods to do it.
These days there are many different types of methods for learning. This may be that you are simply someone who can remember things they see, things they hear, or recall what you do when interacting. Generally these three ways are how many people recall something in memory, so whenever you find out which is best for you, you are on your way.
For anyone that is a good listener and may easily recall things you've heard, using this method to study is important. You might then choose to listen to the television, radio, or people speaking in real life. However you go about it, tuning in with your listening skills can be a great way to ensure that you may recall words or phrases in the future.
For anyone that can easily remember something simply by seeing it you may be a person who learns by sight. This is called a visual learner, and those that can easily retain information this way may like to study in a few ways. This includes using flashcards, writing words down, running on a chalkboard or using pictures with words. This may increase your ability to recall things quickly when you need to speak.
A very popular way today for learning another language is to simply immerse yourself in the culture by visiting or living in the country. This method is a sure way to force you to learn everyday expressions, words, and use them. This may be one of the quickest ways to absorb another language especially today.
A good way to study at home if you cannot travel abroad is to simply get in touch with others that are learning Spanish. You might even like to make new friends that are native speakers. Anyone with an interest in the language, like you, can be of big help to get you speak like a native. Doing this, you're forced to try to remember the things you learned, which lets you move forward.
Those that have a busy schedule due to work, or family can benefit from hiring a tutor. No matter what type of schedule that you have, a tutor can help you, introduce you to such things as grammar, and basic phrases, as well as pronunciation. It can be arranged to visit your home, or meet with you and a local cafe. This way you connect with someone who knows the language like Pro, and learning is made easier.
Many people learn in three different ways including: see, hearing, and doing. Once you know which way you retain things in memory easily, you can start from there. Anyone that is adventurous, and wants to learn quick, can choose to immerse themselves in the Spanish culture by living in Spain or any other Spanish speaking country. In addition there are tutors, or other connections you can make to study the language, and see improvement quickly. A foreign language can be fun, exciting, and make a lot of new friends no matter where you live today.
Ways to Improve Adult ESL Learners' Pronunciation Skills
One of the most difficult and trickiest areas for language educators to teach and ESL (English as a second language) learners to acquire is that of pronunciation. ESL students new to the States, know the importance of speaking communication yet often their accents get in the way of correct pronunciation and as a result, have an even more difficult time being understood.
Today's current focus on communicative approaches to ESL instruction and the increasing emphasis on oral communication skills and teamwork are renewing interest in the role that pronunciation plays in adults' overall communicative competence.
Incorporating Pronunciation in Instruction
Celce-Murcia, Brinton, & Goodwin (1996) introduced a curriculum that supports a communicative and cognitive approach to teaching pronunciation. It takes into account features of North American pronunciation and the sound system and builds effective pronunciation lessons and activities.
Teachers who teach pronunciation need to build their lessons on targeted instructional pronunciation goals which include the following:
Teach the pronunciation feature which help raises learner awarenessListeners practice and listen for recognizing the targeted featureProvide guided practice and feedback based on structured communication exercisesProvide communicative practice and feedback on specific pronunciation instructionA lesson on word stress, based on these instructional goals, could include the following information:
1. The teacher presents a list of targeted vocabulary items from the current lesson, employing both correct and incorrect word stress. In order for English learners living outside English speaking countries to listen to a native speaker's speech, teachers can run Panopreter text to speech software ( http://www.panopreter.com ) on their Windows 7 or Vista desktops or laptops, then Microsoft Anna will read out any English text clearly at various speed This is a good opportunity to introduce the concept of word stress and model it again and again. modeled.
2. Microsoft Anna can help learners listen for and identify stressed syllables, using sequences of nonsense syllables of varying lengths (e.g., da-DA,da-da-DA-da).
3. Learners go back to the list of vocabulary items from step one and, together, they show the right stress pattern by tapping out the stressed syllabus with a pen or on their laps. They can also clap the stress patterns. Teachers can also add new words to sustain continued practice, if relevant.
4. Pair work - Learners take turns reading a scripted dialogue where most of the words are understood in terms of meaning. As one learner speaks, the other indicates the stress arrangement on a printed copy. This is a good opportunity to provide feedback on the discrimination of sounds.
Teaching pronunciation is probably one of the areas that language teachers least enjoy addressing in the language classroom. But with up to date software for teaching pronunciation and guided interactive practice, learners can acquire pronunciation in a more user-friendly and communicative way.
Works Cited
Celce-Murcia. M., Brinton, D., & Goodwin, J. (1996). Teaching pronunciation: Reference for teachers of English to speakers of other languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Teaching ESL teachers the basics of accuracy and fluency in ESL instruction is only part of a presentation regularly offered by Dorit Sasson as part of her in-service training programs for teachers of English language learners. For more information about speaking engagements and in-service, contact Dorit Sasson at sassondorit@gmail.com or visit the Teachers' Diversity Coach, at http://www.doritsasson.com/ and click on the "speaking" page.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorit_Sasson
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Monday, 4 April 2011
Why Professional Translators? Why Not Machine Translators?
We are living in an era of pure information and technology. We have become technologically so advanced that now anything looks possible if not probable. The question is if we are so technologically developed why we are still using professional human translators instead of letting machines/softwares do this tedious job. There are quite a few reasons for this "why" and that's what we would be discussing in this article.
The first and main reason is that there is no software or machine translator available commercially or publically that can provide contextual or idiomatic translation (In simple words, highly quality accurate and professional translation). Most of the softwares or machine translators only provide literal translation which is, in most cases, not of much use. In fact, it can mislead the reader and even if it doesn't it sounds so unnatural and raw that a reader would hardly be paying attention to interpret what is being said.
Why don't we develop such software then? It's not a walk in the park to develop a software that can understand what is "in between the line meanings" of a document or text. It would take years to develop such software that can understand the context of the document and then translate it accordingly. For example, in English language when we talk about word "bat" it may refer to a bird or a baseball or cricket bat. Similarly meanings of different words change with the technical background. For example, in business law "consideration" means price or something in return while generally it refers to give attention or to carefully think about something. So it's not that easy to develop a software that can accommodate all these difficulties and problems.
And even if we are able to develop such software it would take too long and cost so much that hardly any translation company would be willing to pay such a price for translation purposes. They would rather pay professional human translators instead of buying such costly software. And again there are not only 3 or 4 languages spoken in the world. There are hundreds of languages and it takes different approach of translation when target language becomes a source language or vice versa.
This article has been viewed 18 time(s).Article Submitted On: February 23, 2011
Audio Translation And Its Problems
As the world gets smaller, people find ways to use materials from other countries. However, this requires some sort of translation in order to work well. Audio translation has a number of inherent problems that need to be dealt with on every track.
Unlike a normal translation, the audio version has a number of limitations based on the format of the original material. The biggest limitation is that the translated track must match the original in length. This can be a problem as some languages simply use more words to describe the same concept; for example, French uses about 25% more words to describe the same thing as an English version. This can make for some interesting issues when converting from one language to another and the length must be the same.
Complicating the issue is when the audio must be synchronized with a video track. An obvious issue is when the audio must match what is seen on the screen, but that is usually the simplest issue. A more interesting issue is when there are cues in the video that must match the audio, such as when the number "3" shows up on an instruction video. The same number must appear in the same place in audio translation as well, meaning that the translator must have the same length before and after the number.
If there are 10 seconds of audio before the number and 5 seconds after it, the translation must match that timing; this can make for some interesting timing issues when the two languages have different structures, such as the loose structure of English versus the rather strict one of French.
Another way to deal with the timing issue is to adjust the speed of the track, making some languages sound sped up a little, and other languages sound a little slower. Although there are more precise ways to do it, sometimes it is necessary to resort to some basic tricks in order to get the job done. However, there is rarely a translation issue too tough for technicians to deal with with some trick from their bag. Usually it is just a matter of looking for a slightly different translation, but given the potential issues that a wrong translation can cause, sometimes it is just better to go with a technical trick.
There are other applications for an audio translation, as some translation jobs require that a transcript be made for the client. As a transcript is made as part of the translation process, this is usually not a problem. This just allows for a number of different ways for one group to communicate with another group in a different country, making for a smaller, more intimate world.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Spanish for Beginners: Tips On How To Learn Spanish Fast
Languages can be challenging, but a few easy tips on how to learn Spanish for beginners will help make achieving your goals both quick and enjoyable. No matter what your motivation for wanting to learn Spanish, your progress will depend on how much effort you are willing to invest. Proficiency takes time, so the more you work at it, the more fluent you will become. For most people, learning something new is always easier if it's interesting and fun, so approach learning a new language with a positive attitude and remember to take the time to enjoy the challenge and celebrate your accomplishments along the way.
You can learn Spanish quickly and easily with these few suggestions that will keep you motivated and have you speaking fluently in a surprisingly short time.
1. Find the right system for you. Everyone learns differently, and for optimal results it is important that you find the method that works best for you. Whether audio, visual, kinesthetic or hands-on, classroom lessons, group learning, or online courses, knowing how you learn will have a great impact on your progress. People often become discouraged and give up because they do not realize that their lack of success could be a result of the method they have chosen rather than their ability to learn. Everyone can learn to speak Spanish, and with so many programs and courses available, it is possible to find the one that will give you the best results for your style of learning.
2. Listen to Spanish. Listening is the key to success and the best way to achieve fluency. This is why people who are immersed in a culture learn the language so quickly. When everyone around you is speaking Spanish, it is amazing how fast you will gain both proficiency and understanding. You can work with this same idea at home by listening to language lessons while doing housework, driving, or exercising, or tuning into Spanish radio stations which will not only help you learn the language but also allow you to become familiar with the inflections and conversational styles or tones that will make your speech more natural. It is also very helpful to watch television or movies in Spanish, especially if you can get your favorite shows so you are familiar with the dialogue, or find movies with subtitles so you can read along with the script.
Remember, when working on learning to speak a language, the focus should be on improving fluency and understanding. Do not be overly concerned with grammar and sentence structure, since this will come naturally as you learn.
3. Read Spanish. Buy a children's book and try to read it, then increase the difficulty as your reading and comprehension skills improve. Not only will this help you learn the language, but you will become more familiar with certain phrases and expressions, as well as the appropriate way to use them. Attempting to read difficult passages too soon is slow and often unenjoyable. You will learn much more Spanish by reading many easier scripts than struggling through a few difficult ones.
4. Pace yourself. Just like we all learn differently, we also all have different lifestyles and attention spans. If you do not like to sit for long periods of time, then divide the lessons into smaller increments. Don't try to do too much at once so you become overwhelmed and discouraged, but spread your studies and learn at a pace that you find comfortable. Take a few short phrases or words and begin using them until you achieve mastery, then add to your vocabulary as your time and lifestyle allow.
5. Practice speaking. Once you learn a few words or phrases, begin using them in conversation. Peppering your English with some Spanish expressions will help you improve your pronunciation, inflection, and proficiency. Read out loud, listen and repeat audio lessons, or find a Spanish speaking person to converse with. Practice makes perfect, so taking every opportunity to speak the language will help you learn quickly and make the journey more enjoyable.
Learning a new language can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding and fun. By following a few tips on how to learn Spanish for beginners, you can reach your goal and speak Spanish fluently without becoming overwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged. So, find a good program and let the adventure begin. Que te diviertas!
Quick English Vocabulary Learning Tips
Hello and welcome to this English Vocabulary Learning article. There are a lot of difficulties non-natives meet when they are trying to improve their vocabulary. We will try to go through the most common problems in this article, including the myths about "the fastest ways" to learn new words and other points.
If you want to communicate in a language well it is crucial to have a strong vocabulary. If your lexicon is limited you will have trouble expressing your ideas. If you lack knowledge about more advanced words you will be stuck to primitive sentences and if you lack the basic words you will have trouble with the simplest conversations. So let's dig into a few concepts.
The vocabulary a person uses and the vocabulary a person doesn't use
If you want to learn how to communicate in daily life you don't need to learn GRE vocabulary list. This list is more about outdated or rarely used words that are useful only in high academic environments maybe.
See, people have two kind of vocabularies - active and passive. An active vocabulary storage is a set of words a person uses on daily basis, while passive vocabulary implies words that a person knows about but doesn't use as much or even at all. So if your goal is just to be able to converse well with native speakers don't bother too much with more sophisticated vocabulary - talk to the natives and get the lexicon that they are constantly using - these will be more than enough.
On the other hand, don't expect to become an English expert practicing through these means alone. See, if you are learning English from playing World of Warcraft you will become disappointed when you apply to college and won't be able to recognize more than half of the words you see there. Internet slang-heavy discussions is not necessarily a good source of learning English speaking. Instead, you want to start reading more books - the higher level they are the better. Consider trying books on scientific topics or books of deep thinkers - you will find plenty of vocabulary there.
There is no permanent memorization method except for repetition
Yes, there are probably methods that are more efficient to you particularly, but even they require consistent hard work from your part.
It has been widely established that a person can memorize the new words only through being exposed to them at least 5 times on average. That means that you probably don't want to try to cram all the new information in one hour, for example. Let the brain rest after the first iteration and then when you are ready and sharp - go for the next iteration and see if you memorized the words correctly. Repeat the process a few times (remember - an average amount of exposure iterations is usually 5)
Also you should lower expectations of yourself. You are not stupid if you forget all the words. It is just that the human's brain is constructed that way, so give yourself a break.
There is probably no quick fix.
Yes, go on English learning forums and ask for the advice on how to learn English the fastest possible way. Then get disappointed.
Unfortunately, all the people I've asked have been able to improve the vocabulary only through hardcore toiling. Personally, I've tried many methods - software, going through the list, quizzes, mnemonics, etc. Some might sound like a quick fix, but in fact none of these are better than the others.
There is one factor that will make any method work to their maximum efficiency - one hundred percent focus on the learning process and relentless consistent action with repeating the learning of previously seen words. Also - don't jump from one method to another - it is useless.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Learning A Language Has Now Become Easier
If you want to enhance your language learning skills and learn Spanish, German, French or any other language at a faster pace, then there is a solution. A subliminal message recording which enters your subconscious mind and increases your ability of absorbing language will be of great help.
The greatest tool of subliminal audio is the subliminal language learning. Many people have doubts regarding this approach of learning; it is hard to believe that an audio recording can help you learn a new language. However, science has answered all the questions raised regarding this subject. It has been proven that subliminal learning actually does help people learn faster, but everyone will have their own way of processing it. MP3 audios are simply a helping hand to make language for learning easy for you. Subliminal messages also improves the rate of learning and understanding of the language. One can learn by taking classes or through independent study, but this aid will help to relax the mind and absorb the knowledge easily and quickly.
These subliminal audios penetrate into your subconscious mind and help you develop a new way of thinking. This mild kind of hypnosis makes it easy for you to grab the new languages. Yes, this is a new and easy way of learning.
These help you study grammar as well as past, present and future tenses. You can enhance your language reading and understanding abilities.
This also encourages you to learn new things and enhance you language learning skills. Hence subliminal messages can dramatically speed up your learning abilities.
Top 5 Benefits Of Having A New Language For Learning
1. Job Expansion: Many large corporations and government agencies have positions that require a foreign language and in some countries you will have better employment prospects, which gives you the competitive edge.
2. Travel: If you can't understand the local speech, traveling in a foreign country can be either exciting or exasperating.
3. Self Development and Challenge: What could be more challenging and rewarding than immersing yourself in another language?
4. Culture Appreciation: You cannot truly appreciate a foreign culture if you don't know the language. Wouldn't you love to be able to watch a movie with subtitles and not have to read them?
5. Stimulate the Brain: Adults benefit from the brain stimulus produced by language training. Seniors who tackle a foreign language show improved brain function over a period of time.
Translation Services Through Crowd Sourcing
As a professional translator have you ever received an email asking you to provide your translation services to some company or organization voluntarily or in more simple words for free? If you have then you don't need an explanation, that's what you call translation service through crowd sourcing.
Companies, firms, organizations and institutions explain their cause and aims that they are willing to achieve and ask the public at large to provide translation services voluntarily so as to be a part of their noble cause. One of the best examples is Facebook. Users have been rendering their services voluntarily to Facebook for many years. Now you can use Facebook in dozens of languages and all this hard work has been done without any cost incurred by Facebook Inc.
After witnessing this scenario on the horizon of translation services, many other companies have started wondering if they can why not us? Why can't we get such costly services from the crowd for free? The main reason is the motivation. Any sane person on this planet isn't going to put forward himself for the job until there is some big motivation. You cannot just send an email or a letter to the public and ask them to render their services voluntarily until and unless there is something big behind this.
Apart from any noble cause there is also a fact that what an individual is looking for. You may not believe but there will be a few who would be doing this just for a past time and for fun or for self esteem. And there are people who would be looking to make their resumes more impressive from experience point of view as they would be able to mention that they have provided their services to the "big name" organization or company.
An interesting fact is that if you are getting translating services through crowd sourcing it almost costs as much as it costs through professional translation. Because you cannot trust on the credibility of the services provided so you have to get the translation services proof read. Apart from this there are other costs as well. Then why crowd sourcing? Sargent says about Facebook: "Free was not the point, time was. Work that was appearing to take months got started to be finished in days."
So you cannot cut costs by getting services through crowd sourcing, it's just the time and other benefits that you can get if you are a reputed organization.
Friday, 1 April 2011
How To Use The Subjunctive Tense In Spanish When Expressing Opinions
Today we are going to take another look at how to use the subjunctive tense in Spanish when expressing opinions. As many grammarians will insist, the subjunctive is actually a "mood" as opposed to a tense. The subjunctive tense or mood in Spanish is very useful for expressing opinions although this doesn't mean we always have to use it to express opinions. For example we use the Indicative with:
Para m? (For me)
En mi opini?n (In my opinion)
Desde mi punto de vista (From my point of view)
Also, some phrases need Indicative when they are affirmative:
Me parece que (I think that)
Creo que (I think /believe that)
Pienso que (I think that)
But the same phrases need Subjunctive when they are negative:
No me parece que (I don't think that)
No creo que (I don't think/believe that)
No pienso que (I don't think that)
So, let's imagine that on a T.V show some people are arguing about living in:
"El campo o la ciudad"(" The Country or The City")
Juan: "Yo creo que la ciudad es muy estresante, y lo mejor es vivir en el campo" (I think the city is very stressful, and it is best to live in the country)
Cecilia: "No me parece que vivir en el campo sea la mejor opci?n, porque hay pocas oportunidades laborales" (I do not think that living in the country is the best option, because there are few job opportunities)
Eduardo: "Pienso que el campo te da la satisfacci?n de una vida tranquila, mejor calidad de vida, no creo que el dinero y el trabajo sean lo m?s importante en la vida". (I think the country gives you the satisfaction of a quiet life, better quality of life; I do not think money and work are the most important things in life)
In addition to expressing opinions in a personal way, the subjunctive allows us to express impersonal views.
Es bueno que (It's good that)
Es malo que (It's bad that)
Es importante que (It's important that)
Es terrible que (It's terrible that)
Es triste que (It's sad that)
There are some exceptions that need Indicative:
Es verdad que (It's true that)
Es l?gico que (It's logical that)
Est? claro que (It's clear that)
Es obvio que (It's obvious that)
But be careful, these 4 structures need subjunctive if they are negative. Lets get back to our conversation about living in the "Country or City".
Juan: "Es importante que cualquier persona viva en un entorno saludable, de aire puro y sin ruidos molestos" (It is important that everyone lives in a healthy environment, with clean air and undisturbed by noise)
Eduardo: "Es triste que la gente se vuelva ego?sta en la ciudad" (It's sad that people become selfish in the city)
Cecilia: "No es verdad que la ciudad est? llena de gente ego?sta, es obvio que hay mucha competencia y hay mucha m?s diferencia de personalidades que en el campo" (It is not true that the city is full of selfish people, it is obvious that there is a lot of competition and there is much more of a difference of personalities than in the country.)
For further practice with Spanish's subjunctive the most helpful tools are Learning Spanish Like Crazy Level 2, FSI Spanish Level 2 and the Spanish Subjunctive Up Close by Eric Vogt, Ph.D.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
How To Form The Progressive Tense In Spanish or Gerunds In The Spanish Language
This lesson covers how to form the progressive tense in Spanish or how to form gerunds in the Spanish language. A gerund in English is when we add an "ing" to a verb. For example, "I went dancing" or "I am reading."
In Spanish, the Gerund is used in many of the same instances it is used in English, but sometimes in Spanish we used the infinitive of a verb instead. For example "I love dancing/ Amo bailar." As you can see in this example, in English we use the Gerund (dancing) but in Spanish we use the infinitive (bailar).
Let's look at some more examples of when we have to use Gerund in Spanish.
When we are speaking about an action in process:
"Los empleados est?n trabajando en la oficina en este momento". (The employees are working in the office in this moment)
"Me estaba duchando cuando se cort? el agua". (I was taking a shower when the water stopped.)
It is also possible to use it in the Preterite tense. In this case, the gerund put emphasis on the action.
"Ayer estuve limpiando la casa todo el d?a". (Yesterday I was cleaning the house all day.)
We use gerunds when we are speaking about manner or mood.
"Juan pas? el examen estudiando mucho". (Juan passed the exam by studying hard)
"Voy a la escuela caminando todos los d?as". (I walk to school every day)
Also, we use gerund with conditions:
"Haciendo ejercicio, bajar?s de peso". (Doing exercise, you will lose weight)
"Ahorrando dinero, podremos ir a Europa". (Saving money, we will go to Europe)
With simultaneous Actions:
"Estudio tomando mate" (I study while drinking mate)
"Ellas trabajan escuchando la radio". (They work listening the radio)
We can also use it to speak about Time Duration (with "Llevar"):
"Llevo d?as pensando en ese problema" (I have been thinking for days about that problem)
"Anita lleva 5 meses comiendo verduras". (Anita has been eating vegetables for 5 months)
As you can see, the use of "Gerundio" in Spanish is similar to its use in English, but with some notable instances where it is used differently. Hopefully this exercise will help you utilize the use of gerundio in Spanish more effectively. Remember to practice whenever you can.
Some other tools that I recommend for the serious student of the Spanish language are Breaking Out of Beginner Spanish (available at Amazon.com) and the Verbarrator software which covers conjugating Spanish verbs in all of the various tenses including the progressive tense or gerunds.