A new index sets out to define the geographical areas and industry sectors where business English is spoken the best.Last week, we posted about the pros and cons of using English as an international business language. I tend to agree with one of the e…

Language interpreters need to possess communicative as well as linguistic skillsProfessional interpreters are, of course, language experts. But they must be communication experts as well. If you look at a list of communication skills,  a great nu…

For Americans, it’s quite convenient to have English as the world’s global trade language. But is it really fair?All over the world, people study English for many reasons: business, academics, and travel, to name a few. English-speakers, of course…

London’s British Museum is planning an event that will feature two translators “going head to head.”As part of its third annual World Literature Weekend, the British Museum in London is planning a celebration of foreign literature. The 3-day fest…

One might think that geographical names would be universal — but this is far from the case.Languages would be a bit easier to learn if place names were always the same. Of course, different versions are inevitable when alphabets differ. But even amon…

Amazon’s deliciously low-tech e-reader can be put to use for travel translation.As summer approaches, a lot of virtual ink is being spilled about the best translation apps for smartphones and tablet computers. So, is the Kindle totally off of the trave…

In 2005, dozens of US language experts got together and set up an excellent website about languages: The 5-Minute LinguistSix years ago, the US Senate agreed on something, and declared 2005 "The Year of Foreign Language Study." The conc…

In 2005, dozens of US language experts got together and set up an excellent website about languages: The 5-Minute LinguistSix years ago, the US Senate agreed on something, and declared 2005 "The Year of Foreign Language Study." The conc…

While it is crucial for court interpreters to be highly qualified, new testing systems are making it harder for courts to find interpreters at all.Which situation is preferable in a courtroom: poorly-qualified interpreters, no interpreters at all, or h…

The multi-lingual subcontinent is not keeping up with the demand for language services, especially in the medical and legal fields.A recent post from the excellent language services blog Global Watchtower explains that India is in need of more tra…