Who can forget the thrill of an Easter egg hunt when we were children? Colorful eggs filled with candy, toys, and confetti awaited our grabby hands as we searched for these hidden treasures.
Hollow chocolate bunnies filled our decorative Easter baskets, along with hand-dyed hardboiled eggs, and the day almost always included a big meal with a juicy Easter ham and hot crossed buns.
These are just a few of the traditions that many American families observe during this spring holiday.
But how do other cultures from around the world celebrate Easter? Here’s a quick tour…
1. Australia – The Easter Bilby
Yes, you read that right – the bilby.
In 1991, a campaign was launched to replace the Easter bunny with the Easter bilby. Why? Because many Australians view wild rabbits (not native to the country) as pests that destroy farmers’ lands and crops. Plus, research has shown that rabbits negatively affect over 150 native species!
Bilbies, on the other hand, are a native Australian species that promote a healthy ecosystem. Several other native species benefit from the bilby’s digging skills – including birds, insects, and small mammals who use the bilby’s burrows for shelter and protection.
2. Florence, Italy – Explosions Galore
For over 350 years Florence has celebrated Easter with a cultural tradition known as Scoppio del Carro, or “Explosion of the Cart”.
This elaborate 2-3 story wagon filled with fireworks gets pulled through the streets of Florence by white oxen on Easter Sunday. It stops in front of the Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and is set ablaze.
Every Easter hundreds of spectators watch in awe as the fireworks light up the streets of Florence in a beautiful celebration.
3. France – 15,000 Egg Omelet
In southwestern France, in the small village of Bessieres, a gigantic omelet fit to feed thousands of people is whipped up on Easter Monday. And yes, this omelet consists of 15,000 eggs!
The tradition is less than half a century old, but its origin goes back to the time of Napoleon Bonaparte.
As the story goes, Napoleon loved his first taste of an omelet in the village and ordered the locals to cook a massive one to feed his army.
4. Verges, Spain – Death Dance
On holy Thursday, the Catalan town of Verges chooses 5 residents to dress up in skeleton costumes and perform Dansa de La Mort or “Dance of Death”. As part of the tradition, the residents carry sickles while dancing to drums.
5. Sweden – Easter Witches
This tradition has a strong resemblance to the American tradition of trick-or-treating for Halloween.
The Thursday before Easter Sunday Swedish children dress up as adorable little witches, carry brooms, and go door-to-door to their neighbors collecting treats.
Understanding cultural nuances is essential when translating your content for other countries. Contact TLC today for a free quote for your certified translation needs.
Has your organization used professional translation services in the past? Or, are they searching for translation services for the first time, to accomplish exciting new organizational goals?
A primary concern for most organizations seeking language support is SECURITY. They fear what could happen if their documents are not handled securely – ruined reputations, privacy violations, legal repercussions, etc. These fears drive the anxiety and prompt the questions:
How can a language services provider (LSP) ensure that documents are handled securely?
Exactly what security measures do they take during the translation process?
Let us explore several areas of secure document handling that need to be discussed with your current or potential LSP in order to ensure your peace of mind during the translation process.
Secure Processes
Professional translation involves processes that include uploading, downloading, sending, and receiving target documents – MULTIPLE times. That is a lot of sharing!
Most LSPs use translation management platforms that include a variety of features including translation memory, terminology management, quality assurance, and more. Some also use tools for managing projects and bookkeeping procedures, which include document handling.
Each tool & platform contains unique security features, essential for secure document handling.
How do you know if your LSP utilizes these tools? ASK!
Find out which tools they use and what security measures are taken to protect the information in your documents. Such measures can include, for example: data encryption, privacy measures, and data access control.
Customized Security Solutions
Organizations highly focused on data confidentiality may need to take extra measures to secure information – and an experienced LSP will be flexible and adaptable to those needs.
For example, medical offices have to adhere to strict HIPAA privacy standards. If they need translation of documents that contains a patient’s sensitive health information, customized security measures MUST be agreed upon before translation begins.
If your organization has specialized security needs, here are some additional security measures to consider and discuss with your current or potential LSP:
Encrypted emails
Working with limited-access (“locked”) documents
Use of secure file-sharing tools such as ShareFile
Use of secure FTP servers
Granting limited access to your organization’s internal system
Obtaining direct access into the LSP’s secure project management software platform
Experienced LSPs recognize the critical nature of keeping their clients’ information and data secure and should be MORE than willing to customize solutions geared to the specific needs of those clients.
Gaining peace of mind over document security is 100% attainable when you ask the right questions and discuss candidly your specific needs with a qualified LSP.
Imagine you are tasked to find a professional translation service that meets the needs of your growing organization – where do you start?
Language services providers (LSPs) can provide a wide variety of services including certified translation, interpreting, subtitling, transcription, desktop publishing (DTP), and MUCH more.
No need to fret during your search! Here are a few tips that will ease the pressure of finding the right LSP for your organization.
1. Determine Your Needs
What does this partnership mean to your organization? It is important to discuss with your team what the overall goals are for the specific translation project, and what traits you want in a language services partner.
For example, if your organization is expanding globally, you may need translation of marketing materials, translation & localization of the company website, and subtitling or voiceovers for promotional videos.
Maybe your company is seeking to hire a new workforce internationally, and needs all human resources documents localized & translated. Does your organization use psychometric testing to hire candidates that are the right fit? That needs translation too!
Each type of translation project has unique needs, goals, and constraints that must be defined to ensure the most efficient, customized translation process possible.
Some aspects include:
Into which language/s do you need the content translated?
For what countries/regions is the content targeted?
What is the subject matter?
With what type of documents/files will the translation team be working?
What type of deliverables do you need?
What is your timeline for the project?
Are there regulatory requirements or policies that need to be followed?
Organizing your team’s goals & needs for the project gives you a head start in your search for the right LSP.
2. Ask Valuable Questions
Asking the right questions is imperative in your search for an experienced LSP. It is the only way to cut through the sales pitches – and get to the core of their business & culture.
Customize a list of questions based on your project needs and the following topics:
Background How long have they been in business? How experienced are they in handling projects like yours? Make sure you get a clear understanding of their background and experience.
Technology What technology & tools do they utilize? Do they use a secure system to transfer documents? Here are a few things to know and ask about: CAT tools, including Translation Memory; Certified Translation; Rush Translation.
Process Have the LSP describe their typical process for a translation project. Do they focus on efficiency and flexibility? Do they customize processes to fit client’s needs? What is their quality assurance (QA) process?
An experienced LSP will provide an extensive QA process and have a system in place to continually improve processes. Being an ISO certified company is a good indicator that they have standardized processes they continually work to improve.
3. Ask yourself, “Do they have MY success in mind?”
After speaking with LSP candidates, determine what is the overall feeling and attitude of the conversations. Do they have a “Can do!” attitude? Did they make an effort to ask you detailed questions about the project, to get to know you and your goals – and give recommendations based on their experience?
Remarkable LSPs will measure their success by your success, and are more than happy to answer questions about their company and its services. They will do what it takes to successfully deliver projects of the highest quality, customized to your standards and on time per your deadlines.
No matter what industry your organization is in – business, education, life sciences, legal, manufacturing, etc. – be sure you perform your due diligence when it comes to seeking professional translation services. The payoff will be well worth it!
Companies large and small use psychometric testing to improve the quality of their recruitment, often using uniquely customized assessments.
As these companies expand internationally, their demand for an international labor force increases. This is where psychometric test translation comes into play.
Such specific testing needs high quality translation by an experienced language services provider to ensure accurate selection of candidates that will be a good fit for the various positions being recruited.
Psychometric testing is utilized to measure a variety of personality traits, skills, intelligence, and aptitudes.
Companies often administer psychometric tests to improve recruitment of candidates with preferred characteristics, but other organizations like schools, universities, and corporations also use them to measure behavior, performance, cognitive processes, and mental ability.
Cultural Context in Translation
To hire the best candidates for international expansion your company needs your psychometric tests translated accurately – and with cultural context in mind.
During translation, every item on the assessment must be analyzed from the perspective of a native applicant in your target market.
Test items that include idioms, colloquialisms, or specific technical vocabulary are imperative to translate both accurately, and according to cultural context. Only trained language professionals who are native to the region in which the target language is spoken are qualified to translate these items; they will be sure to allow for accurate cultural context.
Partnering with a language services provider (LSP) that has vast successful experience with assessment translation is a best practice for psychometric test translation. Qualified LSPs will have the language resources and technical abilities necessary to deliver high-quality translation.
Here are some traits to look for during your search for the right language services partner:
Utilize uniquely qualified language professionals. Established LSPs will have a system in place for measuring a language professional’s qualifications, and only utilize those resources who produce the best work. They will also ONLY use translators that are native to the region where the target language is spoken, allowing for more accurate cultural context.
Customized processes unique to project: Every translation project is unique in its goals and specifications. An experienced LSP will set up a conference call or face-to-face meeting with your organization. Together, both organizations can then discuss the variety of attributes that contribute to creating an efficient, customized translation process that is very specific to you and your needs.
Flexibility & adaptability: These two traits are imperative, especially with large translation projects. It is rare for projects to go EXACTLY as planned, even with the most careful planning and execution. The right LSP will be skilled in adapting to new variables that arise during the project and be expert at problem solving.
ISO certified: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) develops and publishes standards for almost every industry across the globe, and hundreds of companies (including Fortune 500 companies) are ISO certified. Maintaining the certification requires focus on continuous quality improvement of all processes.
It can be a daunting task to find the right language partner that aligns with an organization’s goals, especially if it is their first time looking – or if they are unhappy with their current provider.
The best approach to finding a “good fit” for your organization’s assessment translation involves some prep work and strategic research to find just the right language partner.
Want to know more about the Assessment Translation Process? Download this free guide.
Determine specific needs for the project
What does this project mean to your organization? It is important to discuss with your team what the overall goals are for your assessment translation in order to execute a successful project.
For example, are you expanding your certificate program to other countries? Are you providing language access to students who are English Language Learners (ELL)? Or maybe, your company needs psychometric tests translated when hiring new employees.
Each type of assessment translation project has unique needs, goals, and constraints that must be defined to ensure the most efficient, customized translation process possible.
Some aspects include:
Into which language/s do you need the content translated?
For what countries/regions is the content targeted?
What subjects do the assessments cover?
With what type of documents/files will the translation team be working?
What type of deliverables do you need?
What is your timeline for the project?
Are there regulatory requirements or policies that need to be followed?
Partner with an experienced language services provider
Once your organization has laid out the specific needs and goals of the project, it is time to partner with an experienced and trusted language services provider (LSP).
Here are a few traits to seek out & questions to ask when searching for the right LSP partner for assessment translation:
Companies with standardized processes: For example, companies that are ISO certified are focused on continuous quality improvement.
How do they define quality? Established LSPs will have a system in place for measuring a language professional’s qualifications, and only utilize those resources who produce the best work. Asking how they define a quality translation will reveal not only how high their standards are, but the quality of their language resources.
Customized processes unique to project: Every translation project is unique in its goals and specifications. An experienced LSP will set up a conference call or face-to-face meeting with your organization. Together, both organizations should discuss the variety of attributes that contribute to creating an efficient, customized translation process that is very specific to you and your needs.
Ability to work with variety of file types and software: An experienced LSP should be capable of working with virtually all file types and coding – including XML, PDF, Word, YML, HTML, all Microsoft Office documents, all Adobe Creative Suite documents, and much more.
Flexible & adaptable: These two traits are imperative, especially with large translation projects! It is rare for projects to go EXACTLY as planned, even with the most careful planning and execution. The right LSP will be skilled in adapting to new variables that arise during the project and be expert at problem solving.
Essentially, you need to ask the right questions to discover if the LSP’s capabilities and methods line up with your organization’s goals and requirements.
Companies that flourish in international business know all too well that quality translation of marketing messages, product descriptions, company websites, and other content is invaluable to the success of international business efforts.
Many organizations new to the international market are surprised to learn that consumer-facing content in one country may require translation into multiple dialects.
As a company preparing to dive into international business, you may ask yourself – How do successful companies avoid problematic translation across regions of the same country? How can I do the same for my organization?
Protecting the Brand
Your company’s brand ties together a culmination of characteristics including company values, public image, customer experiences, company mission, employees, differentiators, and so much more.
For many reasons the brand completely and uniquely represents a message that resonates with your specific consumers – growing the company to where it is today.
Companies that successfully penetrate international markets do so by partnering with experienced language services providers that provide professional and customized translation services.
Only language services providers that utilize language professionals who are native to the country/region will be successful in identifying, translating, and adapting to dialects in a target region.
Buying translation from inexperienced language services providers puts companies at high risk of mistranslation – leading to expensive corrections and possible legal fees. Ford is one example of a company who experienced mistranslation that damaged their brand in a new market.
Ford’s attempt to penetrate the Belgium market failed miserably when an advertisement for the Ford Pinto included a major mistranslation. The advertisement was supposed to convey the message “Every car has a high-quality body”. To Ford’s dismay, this message was mistranslated into “Every car has a high-quality corpse”. Ouch, what a way to lose customers – and credibility!
Research Your Target Customer
Business basics tells us that before you even think about entering a new market, you must know to whom you are selling.
Researching consumer demographics in the new market is essential to adapting marketing messages for maximum impact. This includes age, income level, gender, education level, employment status, and other factors, depending on your product or service.
It also includes discovering what regions of the country have different dialects for you to consider catering to. Again, thriving companies partner with language services providers to successfully research the target region’s translation needs.
When doing business abroad, market research is essential. Besides conducting your own initial research, the Office of the United States Trade Representative provides many tools to research foreign markets.
Services include export assistance, economic profiles of different countries, lists of U.S. Government Trade Agencies, and helpful information on trade data, laws, and important links. Take advantage of these tools to gain a complete understanding of the country and culture with which your company wants to do business.
Every year, an increasing number of school districts in the United States offer E-learning and blended online courses as part of their curriculum for students. In fact, 59% of school districts reported that they have students enrolled in heavily online-based courses.
This rising trend has E-learning organizations, educational assessment companies, and school districts on the hunt for quality educational language services to give students equal access to education.
What’s most important in Educational Translation?
Schools and education-centered organizations that provide online courses and educational software for students have to account for more than 4.8 million students classified as English language learners (ELLs) in the US. These students are not proficient in English and require the same language access to education as their English-proficient peers as required by Title VI.
Delivering equal access means these organizations and school districts need professional, quality translation of educational software, multimedia, assignments, assessments, and all supporting course materials for ELL students.
Partnering with a language services provider experienced in educational translation is the most successful strategy for providing ELL students equal access to online and blended courses.
But what should schools and educational organizations look for when seeking educational translation? What factors are most important?
Consistency
One of the most important factors is consistency in translating the same words and phrases the same way – every time. For example, in assessment translation, it is crucial that terms and phrases are consistent so that ELL students experience fair and balanced testing.
Want to know more about the assessment translation process? Download our free guide.
Schools have to follow language requirements created by education boards which can vary from state to state. It is imperative that these requirements are followed from project-to-project to maintain consistency and compliance.
At Teneo Linguistics Company (TLC), we use translation memory (TM) technology to maintain consistent messaging throughout all translated materials. TM technology also saves money for our returning clients over time.
Compatibility
When it comes to seeking a partnership with a language services provider, educational organizations & schools should seek a language services provider who is experienced in customizing processes to be compatible with their needs.
At TLC, we will utilize our client’s software, technology, and tools as they deem fit to successfully communicate with their team and deliver the project. Our clients often appreciate our willingness to learn how to use their online portals and software (for example, ABBI) to efficiently communicate and deliver the project.
Quality Assurance
Professional translation should always include multiple quality checks before a project is delivered. It takes a team of experienced language professionals with a specialty in educational translation to accurately translate & review content.
TLC offers multiple levels of quality assurance checks and Certified Translation. We are also an ISO certified company, continually improving our processes.
Students classified as English Language Learners (ELLs) in the US public school system currently make up at least 9.5% of the total student population. That is 4.8 million students in the US who need language services to gain equal access to education, as specified under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
English Language Learners are students who are not able to communicate fluently or learn effectively in English.
School districts often struggle to keep up with the language access needs of this growing student population, and seek effective solutions that further their education.
What is the best way to provide language access to ELLs?
Partnering with an Experienced Language Services Provider
For schools to successfully fulfill Title VI requirements and provide quality language services to their students, it is always best to find a language services provider (LSP) that is experienced in customizing services to school’s needs.
It is not always easy to find an LSP that customizes their processes to adapting needs and is always striving for continuous improvement. Finding a quality LSP requires research, asking the right questions, and determining the right fit.
Professional Translation, Customized for Education
Depending on state requirements, public schools need an array of documents and digital content translated to progress the education of ELLs, and to communicate with parents with limited English proficiency. Examples of educational translation include:
Assessments
Score reports
Human reader scripts
Website localization
Multilingual video subtitling & dubbing
Coursework
Full range of educational documents
Newsletters
School communications
Syllabuses
Localization of e-learning software
Social media updates
A quality LSP will put together a team of language professionals who are experienced in educational translation, and who are native to the country/region the target language is spoken. Schools should NEVER rely on cheap translation, nor rely on bilingual employees to translate content.
Reliable Interpreting: Scheduled or at Moment’s Notice
Schools and educational organizations often need interpreting services to give ELLs equal language access. Oftentimes, educators need interpreting at a moment’s notice when unexpected situations arise.
Here at Teneo Linguistics Company, we offer simultaneous & consecutive interpreting in person. We also offer convenient over-the-phone interpreting and video remote interpreting which can be scheduled or accessed at a moment’s notice with any smart-phone or internet connected device.
Examples of educational interpreting:
Parent/teacher conferences
ELL student support
Educational lectures
Test Proctoring
Assemblies
School events
Graduations
Meetings
Choosing the right LSP to help serve the needs of ELL students & their families is imperative to providing equal access to education for those students.
At TLC, we understand how crucial education is to a thriving society, and we will stop at nothing to provide the customized language services schools need to help their students progress in their education.
In Paris this past Monday, UNESCO commenced their official global launch event for the International Year of Indigenous Languages – proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly back in October 2018.
UNESCO’s agenda for this International Year is to promote international cooperation through a year-long celebration, including efforts from an array of cultural leaders dedicated to preserving and revitalizing indigenous languages.
The celebration aims to raise awareness of indigenous languages, and their importance to economic, political, and social development.
Why Preserving Indigenous Languages is Imperative
According to UNCESCO, there are currently 2,464 languages in danger of becoming extinct in the world today. Unfortunately, many languages disappear after a culture is displaced politically, socially, or economically by a more dominant culture.
After the tragic loss of thousands of languages over human history, why is it so important to preserve our remaining indigenous languages and cultures?
Sharing Knowledge
The knowledge stored in an indigenous language holds secrets to that culture’s identity, and its unique perspective of the world around it. It is estimated that one indigenous language dies every 2 weeks with the death of the last native speaker of that language.
Native speakers of indigenous languages provide a valuable source of information on local animal and plant species and their ecosystems – much of which has not yet been documented by scientists.
Indigenous languages hold a unique body of knowledge on an array of subjects such as geography, astronomy, botany, zoology, psychology, navigation, and so much more. Each language gives insight into that culture’s framework for thinking and problem solving.
Tragically, when a language dies, all of that knowledge is lost and no longer available to the world.
Sharing Culture
Languages are conduits of human heritage and culture spanning thousands of years. A culture’s language is the most authentic way to communicate its traditional songs, stories, and history.
Indigenous languages and cultures add rich diversity in art, music, stories, poems, and so much more in this multicultural world, and it is imperative that we celebrate and embrace that diversity by protecting these languages.
UNESCO’s Action Plan for the International Year of Indigenous Languages aims to preserve that diversity by calling for collaborative efforts by all stakeholders to achieve positive impact and social change regarding indigenous languages and their communities.
Schools and academic programs in the United States strive every day to implement equal access to education for ALL their students, including English Language Learners (ELLs).
As the ELL population grows, so does the need for accurate and fair testing for those students. They must be provided with translated assessments that measure their level of comprehension equally to the students who are English proficient.
This is why there is an increasing number of educational organizations opting to partner with experienced Language Service Providers for quality translation of assessment content.
Regulations Put Pressure on Schools
In 2015, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 9.5% (4.8 million) of all students in the U.S. were classified as ELLs, and the population continues to grow. ELL students are not yet proficient in English but are in the process of developing their English language skills.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires schools to be held accountable for the achievement of ELLs, prompting school staff to dramatically change how they approach their education.
On top of that, 42 states currently follow Common Core State Standards which outline what students should know at the end of each grade for primary and secondary education. States that adopt these federal standards risk losing federal funding if they do not meet them. Again, this puts pressure on schools to ensure all students – including ELLs – are being taught to Common Core Standards.
States that have not adopted Common Core standards have to adhere to their State Board of Education requirements, which can be a daunting task on its own.
Translation by Professionals Ensures Fair Testing
Partnering with an experienced language services provider (LSP) is the ONLY way to ensure accurate translation of assessments that provide fair testing among students. When seeking professional translation from LSPs, asking the right questions and discussing their processes is essential. Consider these tips during your search:
Partnership
Is the LSP focused on building a successful partnership with your organization? Do they have your success, and your student’s success in mind?
As you discuss the project with potential LSP candidates, make sure they are focused on building a partnership.
For example, setting up an initial meeting to discuss all your needs, preferences, and regulatory requirements is a sign that the LSP is in a partnership mindset. They should also create a customized process that fits your needs the best.
Utilizes Qualified Translators
Whichever LSP you choose to partner with should employ qualified and vetted language professionals. Only translators who are native to the country/region of the target language will accurately be able to translate your assessment.
Upon acceptance of the project, the LSP should build a production team of language professionals that specialize in the subject matter and have experience in educational translation. Professional translators have the cultural knowledge and educational training needed to accurately translate your content.
ISO Certified
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) develops and publishes standards for almost every industry across the globe, and hundreds of companies (including Fortune 500 companies) are ISO certified.
The certification specifies requirements for the organization’s quality management system to ensure that they are continuously improving their processes. To stay certified, the organization must pass an annual audit that confirms they meet quality requirements.
Seek out LSPs that are ISO certified because they are focused on continuously improving their processes to benefit their clients.
