I wrote a couple of posts, back in August, about the Oxford comma (Oxford commas (1), The Oxford Comma dilemma: a solution? and Oxford commas (2): Live dangerously – take our poll!). This post too is about “list” sentences containing commas. It’s also about a way of spotting when an Italian-to-English translator is working on …
Tag archives: translation
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 …
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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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 …
Translation clients, we need your briefs
A translation agency recently sent me a one-page (270 words) document, asking me to quote for “a re-write, not a straight translation”. I did my sums and sent off the quote, without thinking too much about it. The agency got back to me a couple of days later and gave me the go-ahead. Fine. But …
Top 100 Language Blogs 2010 – we’re well chuffed!
“Words to good effect” is one of the winning blogs in the Top 100 Language Blogs 2010 competition organised by LexioPhiles and Bab.La. We came 42nd overall, and 9th in the Top 10 Language Professionals category. We’re delighted! A big Thank You to everyone who voted for us! By Marian Dougan
Love your job and tweet about it? Take part in our poll
One of the things I like about Twitter (and there are lots) is that nearly all the translators I follow there seem to love their jobs. I don’t know if there’s some sort of self-selection going on here, with translators who embrace social media being more engaged with and enthused by their work. There’s the …
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Book covers (1): transformed in translation
“Birdsong”, by Sebastian Faulks. UK version (left) and Chinese version (right) A recent Observer newspaper article warns us, Don’t judge a book by its cover, particularly in France. Books are routinely given completely different covers abroad, often with baffling results. This doesn’t just apply to foreign language versions. When I lived in Rome and shopped …
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