International Translation Day: How Important is Language Anyway?

In observance of International Translation Day let's talk about translation, the art of localization, and the importance of language in today's digital world. With technology, social media, and communicating through text, email, and through a number of other twenty-first century mediums, how important is language these days anyway?

It's no secret that technology and even social media run our society. We can't go anywhere without some tablet or device to refer to or communicate through at any point during the day. Since we now rely on this type of technology to communicate, our language and how we communicate to others has changed, hasn't it? Many of us often overlook when someone emails or texts us without proper punctuation, capitalization, or even shorthand abbreviations and acronyms. However, some still believe that language is still important. Do you still judge those who don't use proper grammar and punctuation? Has our digital society and age run language obsolete?

Translation and Localization. How do you think technology and our "social speak" has changed the world of translation and localization? Translators and localization teams have been faced with the challenge of translating and localizing shorthand language, acronyms, which, of course, vary between languages, cultures, and communities, and even digital terminology and phrases.

For example, let's look at the most basic, widespread acronym used throughout the digital and social worlds: LOL, which means "Laugh Out Loud". Obviously this is what the term is in English...but is "LOL" used in the same form in Spanish, French or German? No. So when translating or localizing a transcript, text string, email correspondence, or even G-chat or Skype conversation, the chances of coming across shorthand language and acronyms is pretty good...even in the world of business. Therefore, translators and localization teams have really struggled with properly translating these terms and phrases to accurately depict what is going on in the conversation.

Body Language: What Does it Mean? When we think of language, the first thing that comes to mind is our own language we speak. We think of a certain dialect or dialogue, vocabulary, and the language we were raised to speak. But what about body language? Body language is just as important as the language we speak. In fact, we might even rely on body language to help us "translate" what a person is thinking or feeling, which is a visual representation of "language" and can even help us when words simply won't do.

In the world of business, most sales and customer service representatives would agree that body language is incredibly crucial when working with customers or closing deals. In fact, body language can even play a crucial role in landing a new job in an interview, getting that promotion, or even help leaders carry themselves in a manner that allows team members to feel like they can approach them.

However, if we aren't careful, our body language can kill our image, as well as set up a poor first impression when working with others. Our body language and even our tone and what we say can all be easily misinterpreted if we aren't careful. It's important to establish a reputation, a rapport, or a comfort level in the language used with customers. Of course, this can vary between industry and business, but setting a consistent style and tone with customers can really help avoid misusing or misinterpreting body language. This is especially important to keep in mind for professionals traveling to other countries or working with various cultures. A phrase or tone in one culture may be seen as offensive or negative in another.

I've personally always found in working with a diverse client and customer base in both my professional, and even personal, environments to avoid using the word "you", either in the phone, text or email. "You" can be accusatory which can send an incorrect message, especially when communicating via email. For example, instead of typing an email that reads, "You need to take the time to review this so we can move this project along", how about rephrasing to, "It is of the utmost importance that this document be reviewed as soon as possible in order to avoid schedule delays. I'd be more than happy to help, if needed." Which sounds better to you?

Did you know that 72% of people prefer texting to calling today? Why is that? Some reasons may be because texting gives us the convenience to respond when we are able to. Another common reason is that it gives us a chance to think and craft an answer before responding. It's important to remember when conducting any message is that how it sounds to us may not always mean it will be received in the same way. The beauty of communicating via email, chat or text is that it gives us an opportunity to think before we hit "send".

Content Marketing and Grammar. Going back to an earlier question at the beginning of this blog, do you still judge those who don't use proper punctuation and grammar in an email, text, presentation, or social media post? Interestingly, the world of content marketing is beginning to believe it's okay to "break the rules" now and again when publishing or posting marketing or web copy. On the other hand, there are still those firm believers and those who stand behind the use of proper language and who still might judge those professionals or organizations whose copy or written communication is riddled with errors. This often gives the appearance of lack of education or unprofessionalism.

However, some content marketers believe that how we speak is different than how we write. While this is certainly true, it's almost that technology and the mediums in which we write or communicate to one another gives us a free pass to using shorthand, acronyms, or avoiding the use of capital letters and punctuation, because who has time? What do you think?

All in all, regardless of which type of language you "translate", whether it is French, German, Italian, Spanish, digital phraseology and terminology, or body language, it all counts, and today is for you.





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Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 J.H. Language Solutions

4 Things Music and Language Have in Common that Will Blow Your Mind

When you think of a foreign language, what comes to mind? French, Spanish, German, Italian, or even sign language. But what about music? Inexperienced or amateur musicians and non-musicians may think that music is merely picking up a guitar and plucking a few strings, or making some noise on a drum with a couple of sticks, or even hitting a few keys on a piano. But well-versed musicians understand it's not that easy. Reading, playing, and even speaking music is a language all on its own.

Don't believe me? Studies have shown that the way the brain functions and interprets music—by the way it hears, interprets, and responds—is similar to that of learning a language. And probably one of the only areas in humanity where art and science actually agree with each other...

So what are the elements that are needed to learn a foreign language? I've outlined a few right here, and how each corresponds to music.

Reading. When learning any language, whether that's your native language at age four or five, or whether you are forty-five and finally picking up that second language you've always wanted to learn, language fundamentals begin with reading and writing.

To musicians, reading musical notation and nomenclature is the most fundamental of fundamentals when first picking up an instrument or learning to read music. This is similar to learning vocabulary words in another language, which could be words as simple as "food", "blue", "cat", or "car". In music this could "translate" to A, E, B flat, or C.

Listening. Listening is a key aspect in learning any new language, obviously, because being able to respond in a new language requires being able to understand and interpret what another is saying. Then, acquiring fluency to be able to respond with ease.

Listening and music go hand-in-hand. No surprise here. But when it comes to music, listening is different from hearing. Hearing plays an important role as fundamental ear training is a key aspect in any ensemble or in formal musical education. However, listening involves a deeper understanding and maybe even churns a level of emotion that the brain then is deciding on a response based on the feeling or emotion that is taking place. This is what is meant when people listening to performing musicians claim that they can hear the emotion in his or her song or in his or her voice.

Fluency. If you have ever tried to learn a foreign language, then you may already know that once you are able to subconsciously dream in another language, you are becoming fluent. The same is true for music. Once fluency begins to take over, a musician is able to "fluently" read and understand notes in both treble and bass clefs with ease. At this stage, not only is the brain reading and understanding musical notes, a physical movement is also happening simultaneously...whether it is strumming strings at a certain rhythm with one hand while moving along frets on the neck of a guitar with the other, using both arms to hit drums, or using one or both hands to hit keys. There is intense eye-hand coordination taking place.
As the brain processes what each note means, the output here—instead of words and phrase—is a series of melodic progressions or harmonies.

Speaking. Eventually the language learner moves from "fluency", which describes how easily vocabulary, dialect, and understanding come to a language learner, and actually speaking and communicating what he or she thinks or feels.

Improvisation, or commonly referred to as "improv", is a way for musicians to communicate to one another via a certain sound or particular key. The listener or other musician may respond to what he or she hears with his or her own sound in that same key, but what and how he or she hears, and how that sound is interpreted to the individual is entirely unique and particular to that musician. While this "conversation" is happening between a group of musicians or ensemble, the audience is listening to the music and forming their own interpretations, blithely unaware a conversation is taking place, or that a "language" is being "communicated".

So before you think that music isn't a "real" language, think again. As mentioned above, the brain processes the same information as well as takes the same developmental steps to reaching fluency when learning to read, write, and "speak" music just as it would with any other language. Kind of gives you a whole new appreciation for music, doesn't it?

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Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 J.H. Language Solutions

Happy International Mother Language Day!

Today, Friday, February 21st is International Mother Language Day! Whether you are bilingual, trilingual, or quadrilingual (I may have made that one up?) today you celebrate the one language you were brought up with speaking and raised with. It can also be the day that you recognize the Earth's mother languages, languages that are unfortunately endangered. Regardless of how you choose to celebrate or recognize International Mother Language Day, or what language you choose to celebrate, commit to a day of multiculturalism and diversity.

Now let's talk a little bit about language itself. But what is language exactly? A true "language" can mean many different things. For instance, what is the difference between a language and a dialect? Is there a difference? Some linguists say yes, others say no. According to a linguistics professor at U.C. Berkeley, "A language is a dialect with an army and a navy." A language is a form of communication shared between two or more individuals. There is a mutual understanding between them. This is the simplest way to define a language. But what about dialects? Each language that is commonly understood may have different dialects, but can still be understood between individuals. For example, English and Chinese are two different languages, however, Mandarin is a Chinese dialect. What do you think?

Furthermore, not only is a language a form of communication between two or more individuals, it also represents an individual, and is tied into his or her identity, heritage, and culture. It is of course a very important aspect to any individual, but is it the most important aspect? Is is the only element and characteristic that determines our ethnicity? Our culture? Or is it merely one key aspect that makes up and identifies an individual?

But language doesn't just stop at defining our culture and the way we communicate, does it? What about body language? That is a unique language of its own, isn't it? And body language can also differ between cultures and ethnic backgrounds. And what about the way we hear and interpret language? This is another difference that sets a part cultures from one another, and can even create controversy, particularly between individuals from two different ethnicities, or for individuals whose mother language is one language but may have grown up in a completely different region or country altogether. How does that individual identify with a particular form of language?

So what if you spend International Mother Language day devoting to learning a new language? You could do that. In fact, some tips to learn and master a new language could include making the commitment to learning how to say one new phrase each day. This could be a fun exercise that will eventually lead to gaining a basic to intermediate understanding of another language. Over time, vocabulary, pronunciation, and sentence structure will improve.

Install a handy dandy language app on your phone or mobile device. You can refer to it whenever you want to look up a word or phrase to add it to your daily vocabulary. Even if you spend five to ten minutes each day using your app, you will be surprised how much you learn over time. Another fun exercise to take on to attempt to learn a new language could be to listen or watch a TV channel, Pandora channel, or YouTube channel in another language. You may not understand each and every word, especially right off the bat, but over time you will also gain an understanding for your desired language.

Remember, if you spent a little time each day "doing your homework", whether that's studying your app, watching TV in another language, or even practice writing and speaking to a friend, you will absolutely gain an understanding and fluency over time. A good rule of thumb is if you start dreaming in another language, you have reached the fluent level.

 All in all, take some time today to think about multiculturalism and diversity, your own culture and mother language, or a language that you desire to learn. Tune into the Spanish channel, read an article in another language (or see what you can pick up from it, if you are still a beginner...) and don't forget to Tweet in your mother language!

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Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 J.H. Language Solutions

J. H. Language Solutions: "Behind the Music"

Just like the professional musicians do at the end of a rock concert, I'd like to start this post off by thanking my fans, clients, and anyone out there who has taken the time to read through my blogs and services. I am proud to work with such a diverse clientele and workload on a regular basis. This allows me to grow and learn as business owner and entrepreneur in how better serve my clients...spoken from a true musician at heart.

Regardless of what role you play in my "audience", I want to share with you the true tale of J. H. Language Solutions and what sparked me to start my own business, the challenges I faced and currently face, and where I am now as well as my plans for the future. Here’s the story of J. H. Language Solutions.

The year 2010 was one pivotal year in my life. Even though I didn’t know it at the time, it meant “change” in every area. Prior to 2010, I moved from one dead-end job to the next, of no fault of my own, endured financial strain and stress as a result, and was just trying to find my corner of life where I was meant to be. I was on the journey in search of something that made me “me”, or “finding myself”, if you will…just like everyone.

After months and even years of stress, and a period of “bad luck”, I knew I needed to start doing something different. I knew I needed to make a change, but I wasn’t sure how. Like anyone would, I started with money. I needed to make extra money to pay down my debts and ensure a healthy financial future. By taking some advice from a former supervisor, I began looking for freelance work. I signed up with oDesk, a freelance website. I immediately began bidding for jobs, but nothing fell through. After almost three straight months of bidding, I landed my first “job” proofreading an eBook.

Then, also around the same time, I headed to Boston for a full time offer as an Associate Editor with Pearson. With over an hour’s ride by train each way every day, and my newly found freelance work, I knew I had my word cut out for me. But with a very promising and aspiring career in publishing, I knew Pearson was the place to go. I would just make it work. However, Pearson is not the easiest company to get into, but even there, the chips began falling into place. I got to meet and work with some of the most amazing people and my love and interest for publishing grew and developed into a love and appreciation for project management. In 2011, I was promoted to Associate Project Manager, and in 2013 I was promoted to Senior Project Manager and became an assistant manager, and another potential promotion on the horizon.

From 2010 on, I was able to take my full time experience, as well as the experience I gained from working with different clients on a freelance basis, and tie them both together. I began applying my skills and experience in both places, and was finally lucky enough to say that my hard work was starting to pay off. Then, since my freelance workload had dramatically increased over only a period of six months, I began to see a huge demand for what the services I was currently offering, which was only proofreading, copyediting, and English/Spanish translation at the time. By the end of January 2011, I registered my DBA, J. H. Language Solutions (which stands for “Julie Anne”, my first name, and “Helen”, the first name of my last surviving grandparent) with the state of Massachusetts.

It was official. I owned my own business. I felt on top of the world. One of my lifelong dreams finally came true. One of the first things I did was buy a laptop and opened a business checking account. I spent an hour each morning on the way in on the train and the hour home doing work, getting my name out there, trying to establish a good online and social media presence. Then as time went on, the two to three hours per day wasn’t enough. I began working at home in the morning, at night, and even at a local Starbucks in downtown Boston on my lunch breaks. I established a small business office in my home, which I learned comes along with some pretty nice tax benefits. All in all, it was hard work and I was SO tired every day…but I hit the pillow every night feeling accomplished.

Over the next two years, my business work load grew to an unimaginable amount. Each year I set my own “sales goals”, and exceeded them every time. Each year I also set “business goals”, and have begun meeting and exceeding those as well. One year I developed my blog and website, one year I bought all new technology to help me keep in contact with clients since I certainly spend a lot of time “on the go”. Another year I started attending seminars, networking events, and trying to meet other people in business and get my name out there.

In 2012, I went back to school for my Master’s in Project Management, which also comes with a PMP certification upon program completion. Presently I’m about halfway through the program, with an estimated completion date of spring 2015. Oh, and to date I have a 4.0.

This year, which was probably the biggest hurdle yet, I became insured. After nine long months, I am so incredibly proud to say that as of August 2013, J. H. Language Solutions is a fully insured entity. Next year will be another larger hurdle, and that is to project myself and my business intellectual property and establish legal contracts to work with all my clients.

So now here I am, at the close of 2013 pushing four full years “in business” (though it is officially three under my DBA), and I think about how much I have grown, both my business and as an entrepreneur. I have grown from small proofreading, translation, and copyediting jobs to copywriting, managing blogs and websites, managing content strategies and marketing plans, managing social media marketing and email marketing…and it all started with $5 to open a business checking account, a girl in her mid-20s, and a dream.

So how do I do it all? Whenever people ask me that, I grin and say, “I have excellent time management skills”. And I do. I have to. Some people ask me if and when will I quit Pearson and work as my business full time. And the truthful answer to that is I don’t know. While business is doing well, I have a long way to go before I can open a separate office space and live off what my business brings in after all expenses and taxes are paid. But would I love to? Hell yes. But that is still a long way off, and also a huge risk that I’m not quite ready to take.

But through it all, the ups and downs in business, the challenges and the successes, I can honestly say that through the years I have developed a deep and passionate love for my business. It’s a ton of work, and it’s hard work, but I love each and every second of it. Not because of my own personal and professional success and achievements, but because of the difference I truly believe I make each day in my clients’ projects and in their lives. I am truly thankful for each and every client I work with and have worked with through the years, and I just only hope and pray that it continues. I’d be nowhere today without them. So let the show continue, because I don't want the music to stop.

Writer's Block

For all the writers out there, have you ever sat down to write an article for a client or maybe to work on your manuscript and after an hour you still find yourself staring at a blank piece of paper, or maybe the doodle you drew, or the cursor blinking on your screen? Writers dread this, but this phenomenon is more commonly referred to as writer's block.

As a writer, you've probably encountered writer's block at one point or another. For those of you who aren't familiar, what is writer's block exactly? Some people may think it's a myth but in fact, writer's block has actually crippled and even ended some writers' and authors' careers. Whether you are a creative writer by hobby or by profession, writer's block can hit you at any point.

So what do you do about it? Unfortunately, there's no real way to prevent it, but there are some things you can do naturally to spark your creativity and get writing again. 

• Stream of consciousness - Basic yet effective. Sit down with a pen and paper or in front of your computer screen and just start writing. It doesn't have to be beautiful or even make sense, just do it. It can be as basic as "it is cold outside today", or "the grass is green", "my cat is asleep". Just write whatever comes to your mind.

• Practice free association - So maybe you look at that doodle you drew and write something about it. Write whatever comes to your mind. Write down random words that come to your mind and see if they form a sentence or think about how you can form a sentence from them. Or maybe you write down adjectives that describe your mood today. See if you can start a paragraph with those. 

• Take notes - Another great tactic writers often use is note-taking. You may be out shopping or in your car and something may hit you and you have that thought that comes to every writer's mind "oh, that's a great story to write about", "or I can implement XYZ into the characterization or story in my book." Either keep a notebook with you or use the "notes" app on your iPad or Smartphone and take random notes throughout the day, week, whatever. See if you can form those notes into a blog or article later on.

• Spark creativity -  Another thing you may want to do is discover what sparks your creativity or imagination. It may be listening to your favorite song, drinking a lot of coffee, doing yoga or another form of exercise, or maybe just relaxing. One of my favorite tactics is designing a creative board. What you can do is create your own poster board full of magazine clippings or descriptive words or whatever appeals to you and paste them on the board. Once you have completed your board, study it. Study it for about 15 to 20 minutes either before you go to bed at night or first thing when you get up in the morning. In fact, studies have shown that your mind continues to process what you have taken in prior to falling asleep. So when you wake up in the morning, you have a lot of fresh, creative ideas. You don't necessarily have to use a poster board. You could also create a Word document, a Powerpoint presentation, or even use Pinterest as your source of creativity. You could even share your work if you wish and get feedback from friends.
  
  Personally I have found that if I study music or sing before I go to bed, I will often times wake up with unique, original lyrics in the morning, so I write them down. I've also noticed that what really sparks my creativity is first thing in the morning when I'm sitting at my computer listening to music with a cup of coffee. This is the point of the day when I find I get a lot of great ideas for blogs, articles for clients, or even my own ideas for my business. All in all, find out what sparks your creativity and run with it.

• Just write - Easier said than done, right? Wrong. This is similar to the stream of consciousness point mentioned above. Just write whatever comes to your mind. Again, it doesn't have to be flowery language or even make sense. Just put words together and see what happens. Another thing, don't think of how many words you have to write or how long your blog has to be, or how many pages you have to write. If you focus on this, writing loses its creativity and fun and becomes work that you dread. Sure, every writer has those pieces or articles to write that no one looks forward to, but try not to focus on the length. First focus on writing a sentence, then a paragraph, then maybe another paragraph, and watch it grow from there. Worry about structure and grammar later.

So if you are or have ever suffered from writer's block, here are some great ways to get your creative flow back. Some may take more time than others, and some may even take some personal discovery to find out what jogs your creativity or what your brain responds to, but in the end, you will be able to help get out of your writer's block slump or maybe avoid it altogether.



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Written content: © 2010, 2011, 2012, J.H. Language Solutions

Staying Social in a World of Social Media

Social media is all the rave today. Who ever thought it would get as big as it is? It has even altered how we communicate with one another, how we look up information, and even the way we do business and our daily routines. But has it totally overcome our lives?

Are you addicted to social media?

 It is safe to say that many would agree that social media is addicting. When you are bored at work - how many times a day do you check your Facebook? When you are out running errands - how many times do you "check in" at certain locations? Whenever you run into someone you hadn't seen in awhile or maybe even someone you just met - how many times have you said "I'll Facebook you"? It was recorded just this month that Twitter has amounted to over 500 billion users and sees approximately 340 million tweets per day.

I think we've all been there at one point or another...or maybe even on a daily basis. But how much actual physical social interaction do we engage in now...or do we just rely on Facebook to keep up with all our engagements and correspondence? Some of you may be thinking "I interact with others every day!" That could be true, but I'm not just talking about our jobs or with our families...I'm talking about actual social interactions that involve physically talking face to face and/or engaging in outside activities with another person. These activities also don't involve having a cell phone taped to your ear or your hand. When was the last time you were able to do this? Remember, 22% of users spend their time online on social media.

• It's addicting. The fact is too much social media isn't exactly good for us. Studies have shown that spending too much online or on social media has some serious health risks. In addition to the fact that is extremely addicting and perhaps it's not the best way to be spending our time. I understand that many companies and businesses rely heavily on social media to promote their business or to keep up with competitors, clients, and partners and colleagues. In fact, I'm one of them. However, just like anything, when does it become too much? 

• It can cause depression. There are some people out there who will lock themselves in their rooms or in their homes for an entire weekend or night and just play online. This is most likely more common in younger adults or children, but this isolation is a sure sign of the beginning stages of depression. 

• It leads to decreased physical activity. In a society where obesity is such an epidemic, again, especially in children, the last thing we should be doing is sitting in front of the computer. 

So in a society where everyone and their brother are pushing you to jump on social media, what do you do about it? You can utilize social media in order to plan events that involve engaging in other human beings. This automatically reduces the feeling of isolation, depression, and decreased physical activity. Getting out into the world and doing something fun with a friend, significant other, or family member or child is definitely a more fulfilling activity than just sitting and chatting. In fact, it's not secret that human beings require social interaction with another human being. This could be interacting with another person's emotions, personality, or even just their touch or smile. Humans are social beings that require the interaction with another in order to thrive and develop healthy, social relationships.

Okay, so it's not all bad.

Social media has also helped us in many ways, especially in conjunction with technology. Social media helps you connect with people you already know or maybe haven't seen in awhile, such as distant family members, high school or college friends, international contacts, people with similar interests, etc. It is extremely convenient and easy to keep in touch with people, which is always a great thing.

Then there is the whole business world. Anyone who owns a business has probably reaped the benefits of social media in some way. Utilizing social media as a part of your networking or marketing strategy is not only easy to do, but it's extremely cost effective. You can purchase and run ads through Facebook for as little as $1 per day...and still reach potential clients and business contacts. Facebook does all the work for you. In addition, posting your blog, business site, press releases, or any other published content to your Facebook page or Twitter account is bound to get your name out there and boost your branding faster than print advertising ever could.

Getting out (and not in the social media sense).

All in all, there should really be a limit to how much social media we consume in a day...just for the sheer purpose of getting out there and getting away from the computer. For those who have jobs that involve sitting at a desk in front of a computer screen all day, do you really want to go home and do the same thing? For those who are looking for a change a pace, try getting out and doing something fun with someone else at least once per week (and again, without your cell phone attached to your ear or your hand the entire time).

Maybe you recently started a new job or moved and you don't know anyone and would like to meet someone. For those cases, there is Meetup.com. This is a great way to find something close in proximity to either work, home, or school; that is relative to your interests or hobbies; and that involves meeting others (whether for the purposes of making new friendships, relationships, or networking).

Finally, it's easy to become addicted to social media today. Everywhere you go and everything you do involves posting to Facebook, visiting an organization's fan page or "tweeting" or "posting" a status update. While we've already looked at the pros and cons to social media, there should really be a balance to social media and life.



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Written content: © 2010, 2011, 2012, J.H. Language Solutions