So talking about change, we too, need to change ourselves constantly in order to match up with what’s happening. You may find that this Blog Page is looking way out of its normal self, more colourful than before and sort of, less boring.
Life is like a box of chocolates, says Forrest Gump. So why not make it more flavoured?
After been in the piles of work for some time, we need to stop ourselves for a break, to take a look at the world around us. Because amidst the busy-ness, time never does stop for anyone. So when we stopped to look around, things have already changed so much that one may not be able to recognise or follow up.
Same goes for the world of translation… 5 years ago when you want to look for these companies to assist you in translation, you can only find a few under yellow pages. However now if you were to look into yellow pages again, you will find more of such providers, big or small.
Does this mean the pie is getting smaller?
According to “The World is Flat”, it seems that now the world has become more globalised and that even smaller companies can compete with the large corporations in the business world, and they not only can compete within their home country, they can also compete globally, thanks to the availability of the world wide web.
And of course with globalisation, comes the need for people to communicate more with counterparts who may not understand one’s own language. So the need for translation and interpretation increases.
However with the increase in the demand for such services, there is also a need to ensure that the quality provided is maintained at its highest. Translation is a skill which not many people, although whom seem to be able to speak a couple of languages, are apt in. Same like the world, translators also need to keep improving and changing and look at the bigger picture – the World.
And anyway, that’s why we’ve also changed our blog outlook.
There are many translation tools out there. There are those that you need to pay for, and those that are free. Of course if you just need to do brief checks on whether what you have translated is right or wrongly, you can use the free ones online, which I had previously mentioned in the blog on multi languages website translations/.
However recently I read on this news that “Babylon Translation Tool Does a So-So Job” by Erik Larkin, which makes me think that sometimes even machines that you have had to pay for, might not even do a better job than those that are free! So does this statement “best things in life are free” (sang by Madonna in “This used to be my playground”) apply in this case?
Ultimately, I personally still think nothing beats a human translator, as the brain is the most complex tool in the world. Ability to absorb information, process and then spit out in a different language is not something that a machine can replace, because very often, emotions are not included in the texts. That’s why we also need to “read between the lines” for a deeper understanding of texts. This understanding is not easily adapted by machines.
Still, the human brain is the best translation tool so far.
I’m not too sure what kind of jobs do not require constant upgrading. Nowadays, with the economic situation, it would be great to sit back, slow down and do some reconsolidation of your current skills, your work, your life and your future. What do you really need to move on in life, or in your work?
Take translation for example, it seems like the colloqualism of languages are always increasing, and with the internet, more lingos are added day by day. Are there any old words that are being phased out? Yes of course. And also, I realised that the way that we write our books, are becoming more and more conversational. No longer do we need to stick to standard English. Often, you get to see words like “don’ts” or “gals”, which only exist in a book as a conversation.
As we broaden our horizons, our experience go UP, and so you can only get better. So I think we all should read more, see more, listen more and learn more. Translation is no longer just translation, but also an experience or a story behind the words.
With the H1N1 becoming a common flu – a 50% likelihood of contracting it whenever you catch a cold – government bodies and stepping up the hygiene level. By using the media, we know that the virus is gradually taking its toll on our people. Yet, we don’t see people taking actions, like wearing a mask if you catch a flu. Everytime someone sneeze or cough, we can’t help but step a foot away.
Everything begins with personal hygiene and from home. Boost up our immune system and keep our place clean, because you will never know when the virus will come knock at you door. Prevention is always better than cure.
Often, I have seen people worry about the loads of things to do for tomorrow. Some get so stressed up that they just wish tomorrow will not come so quickly. They would find themselves living in fear. Fear of the unknown.
On the other hand, I have also noticed people complaining that they should have done certain things in the past. They would often say “if I knew that things would turn out in this way, I would have done it better” or “I should have knew it, I would not have done it”. These people are living in guilt. Deep inside their heart, they feel guilty because they thought they could have done better.
So the best way to live our life is to treasure every moment of it. We should feel grateful and rejoice for the each day as long as we live. We should “seize the day” just as Professor John Keating (played by Robin Williams) inspires his students in the movie Dead Poets Society.
We should never let these 2 days – tomorrw and yesterday, to trouble us again. Instead, we should concentrate all our effort and energy to make each passing day as the best day in our life. In fact, all of us should resolve to make each passing day as their best day – giving oneself wholeheartedly in his family, his work and interest. The joy and purpose of each day will give whole new meaning to our life.
If everyone of us would give their best shot for each day, no longer living in fear of tomorrow or guilt about their past, I truely believe this world will be a better and happier place to live in.
This headline was written by ANDREW ADAM NEWMAN on June 28, 2009 for the New York Times at:
Translators Wanted at LinkedIn. The Pay? $0 an Hour.
It says this: “About half of the 42 million members of LinkedIn, the online professional networking Web site, are outside the United States, and to further expand internationally, the company hopes to be translated into more than its current four languages — English, Spanish, French and German. But when LinkedIn asked thousands of its translator members to complete a survey this month that asked whether they would consider volunteering to translate the site into other languages, many said “nyet.””
If it were you, would you do this job for free? It really is a controversy. Right now, I’m even having a split mind whether I would do it. It takes up much time and effort. If I get more sales and recognition from doing this, yes, perhaps I would.
For those who would accept the job, I salut your courage and time, but hope that you can consider twice or thrice or even ten times, because everything we do, these intentions can be interpreted differently along the way.
Everyday, tens of thousands of thoughts fly through our minds. Things that we see, hear, feel, taste and smell are translated into different experiences. Some of these may be thought of as bad, while others are good. But have you ever wondered, what if things are not as they seem?
Many times we tend to translate differently, things that are happening around us. Some people may tell you, “You must have woken up from the wrong side of the bed today!” But if you stop or slow down to reflect on the events, you may find that, if you go with the flow, things are not as bad as they seem!
Today, in this period of global recession, you may think losing a job is bad. But taking a step back, this might be a time of consolidation, a time for you to slow down and think of what you really want. Most of us are so caught up with the rat race, that we stop to care for others, be with our families, spend time with friends. What will all these translate into in the end? Life is definitely not like a piece of english document translated into a chinese one within days. Whatever you do now, will translate into something else down your life path perhaps in a matter of years!
So, start thinking about how you ultimately want your life to be, and how you want to start “translating” it into now…
With regards to dermatoglyphics, we also realise why some people are so good with words, others are good in athletics. These abilities are inborn, since the day we were fetuses in our mothers’ womb. However having those kinds of qualities do not necessarily translate you into a genius in those areas. One must still have a nurturing environment to help you develop those qualities.
Back to translation. For those who are learning a third language, it is also important to immerse yourself into that environment so that you can pick it up faster. Non-native linguists who stay for long in a country would tend to understand even the localised terms. A language comes together with the culture. Thus building language bridges would allow one to build culture bridges as well!
Many successful people would tell you that self-awareness is the first key step to get the result that we want in life. Through self-awareness, we know what we actually want deep inside our heart and mind. Henceforth, we will take massive action with great passion and energy to achieve the goals in our life.
Many people learn based on their personal experience and feeling to find out what they want actually in life. In a way, a lot of time and effort is wasted. Many more people are still in the midst of finding their true self. Are you one of those people?
Recently, I get to know about Dermatoglyphics. Dermatoglyphics is the scientific study of fingerprints and how it is co-related to our behavioral and personality. Our fingerprint will never change for the rest of our life. Quite interestingly, the study done in this field is highly detailed and accurate.
Is it important to know about oneself?
The more you learn about yourself – how you think, how you feel, what is your true purpose is and how you want to live – the more your life will flow. Hence this will translate into a better life and having great friends and colleagues.
Beside knowing yourself better, it would also give a good gauge of the other person modality and personality. It would definitely bridge the gap in your communication and understanding of the other person.
I have still a lot more to learn in this field – Dermatoglyphics. Will definitely keep you posted for any new insights.