My husband’s just been diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and has come home from the outpatient’s department with a well-designed, simply-written care and information pack. Flicking through the Patient Information Booklet, I found the following DVT-prevention exercises, similar to the ones recommended for airline passengers. I thought they might be useful for all of …
Monthly archives: July 2010
Bangles, jangles… and keyboards?
I love my job. BUT – I also love bangles. And therein lies a problem – I can’t type while wearing bangles, they interfere with the position of my wrist and hand. So I get ready in the morning, carefully select the bangles (always plural!) I’m going to wear, sit down to work… And after …
Africa… or the Great British Summer?
I’m becoming addicted to Perpetuum Jazzile. Here’s a seasonal offering from them. Don’t adjust your volume, by the way – it starts quietly. By Marian Dougan
Planning a new website? Communicate! (with your translator too)
One of my clients told me recently that their company is re-doing its website. They’re working with web-designers and -developers, copy-writers, graphic designers and search-engine optimisation (SEO) specialists based in Spain, the US and various Italian cities. The client, a company based in north-east Italy, already works with designers and suppliers based in Spain, Denmark, …
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Fuzzy words? – not always
A quick PS to yesterday’s post on the use of the Italian adeguamento (correction, adjustment) to signify aumento (increase). Italy’s Regulatory Authority for Electricity and Gas uses the term aggiornamento (literally “up-dating” ) when referring to its quarterly gas and electricity price adjustments. Energy tariffs are linked to oil and natural gas prices on the …
Fuzzy words
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if local and central governments were truly transparent in their use of language? Italy’s Emilia Romagna Region has just announced an “adeguamento” (correction, adjustment) of passenger rail fares. The headline on their website says: Treni, dal primo agosto adeguamento dei prezzi. L’aumento [increase] interessa il trasporto ferroviario passeggeri della regione. So, is it …
Blowing the nation’s trumpet: languages and diplomacy (2)
Blowing the nation’s trumpet is all very well, but sometimes the message sent out to foreign audiences is a bit too rosy. When the Labour Government came to power in 1997, I was working in the Social Affairs section of the British Embassy in Rome. One of our jobs was to send out press releases …
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What’s missing…
… in this and in so many other film posters? By Marian Dougan
Blowing the nation’s trumpet: languages and public diplomacy (1)
I recently spent 2 days interpreting in Birmingham for an Italian delegation from Italia Lavoro and Regione Marche. They were here to find out more about the work being done by Sue Veszpremi’s Employer Engagement team at Jobcentre Plus to help the long-term unemployed back into employment. Wonderful work, in my opinion – Mr. Osborne, please don’t …
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TGIF, courtesy of Perpetuum Jazzile
At 5.45 yesterday evening I was at DHL sending a package to Italy containing my bid for a translation contract. The timing was tight and stress levels were sky-high. But according to the DHL tracking service the package arrived at its destination on time – phew! The whole bidding process was difficult and demanding, and …