What comes up in a Google search for Christmas and translation?

This seasonal “Language Links” post will answer a question that somehow came to my mind this week: what is floating around the web on the subject of Christmas + translation?

First, and not surprisingly, a lot of fellow language providers come up in a “Christmas + translation” search, which made me wonder if I shouldn’t just be making a list of translations for “Merry Christmas” rather than writing this post.

But I will carry on.

And I do feel I should give a collegial shout-out to Central European Translations, based both in Cologne, Germany and Budapest, Hungary, for making it to the top of this Google search with their page entitled “Merry Christmas in many Languages.”

But they’re the only fellow language service provider I’ll mention here – bah humbug to the others who didn’t reach number one.

Omniglot, “the online encyclopedia of writing systems and languages,” is the first non-commercial site on my search, coming in at number 3 with its extremely complete list of “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” translations.

Why aren’t they number one? It must have something to do with SEO…

After that, the links become amazingly diverse: how to write Christmas greetings in German is apparently a big concern; a participant on JapanForum.com wonders how to reply to his “girlfriends [sic] Japanese grandmother, who sent him a Christmas present; a blogger translates into English the names of 134 dishes commonly served on a julbord, the traditional Swedish Christmas buffet.

Now, I would like to translate all of this, somehow, into:

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a very happy new year…from The LTI Team!

Betty Carlson

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