82% of consumers more likely to buy in their own language!

We've reported before on research from Common Sense Advisory which found that 72% of consumers globally are more likely to buy a product if they have information in their own language. Now research from the European Commission found that 82% of consumers were less likely to buy goods online if the site was not in their native language.

We sometimes hear the argument that "they all speak English anyway" i.e. we don't need to translate our web site because overseas clients don't need it. Well - an article about this research from the BBC explains how even in Sweden - where many people do speak English - over 80% of consumers have a preference for buying in their own language.

Even consumers who are fluent in English - or more commonly have a working knowledge of English - will only make a serious purchasing decision with confidence if they are reading their own language.

P.S. Please see previous post "No - they don't all speak English" from November 2009 - we feel strongly that more UK companies in particular need to recognise this issue!

Alexika office decorated for Addingham Gala

The Alexika office was beautifully decorated for the Addingham Gala (annual summer festival) at the weekend - in accordance with theme of 'Through the Ages.' Sabine used her creative skills to great effect and the office was admired as the procession came down the Main Street past the office front door.

Our subject was the development of the English language throught the ages. A wide range of historical characters made an appearance - including a monk. He was explaining that Roman missionaries brought Christianity to Britain - bringing new words to the language from Latin.

 Visitors were able to see influences on English through the ages:
- little was left from the Roman occupation apart from some place names (a local town Ilkley was Olicana.)
- Anglo Saxons were busy with everyday life and their influence on the language reflects this: 'Loaf', 'Woman', House'
- Roman missionaries left Latin-influenced words such as 'Bishop' and 'Martyr.'
- The ferocious Vikings left behind suitably ferocious words: 'Ransack', 'Die'
- The Renaissance and the development of science and arts brought new demands to the language: 'Gravity'
- The Industrial Revolution was another major linguistic upheaval
....and we came up to date with the electronic revolution and current influences on the English language. Textspeak anyone?

Thanks again to Sabine for a lot of work for the Gala - and for all her work in the local community.

Alexika sponsors Addingham Beer Festival

The first FAPS (Friends of Addingham Primary School) Beer festival takes place on September 9th and 10th 2011. FAPS Chair Richard Hunter-Rowe explains:

"The beer festival has the potential to be a hugely successful event and something the whole community can enjoy. Its aim is to raise funds for Addingham Primary School and our children. At a time when funding for schools is being greatly reduced and schools are trying hard to make improvements to their facilities and the opportunities they can offer our children, the fund raising efforts of parents and school communities are becoming increasingly important and in our case will enable our school to continue to follow its school improvement plan and provide our children with up to date equipment and learning tools they need and deserve."

Alexika is proud to sponsor the event.

Alexika sponsors Addingham Cricket Club

Alexika Cricket Club is at the heart of our local community, with 120 junior cricket - aged 6-17 - and 2 senior cricket teams. It is a wonderful sight to see the cricket field full of children or older cricketers enjoying the traditional game.

Alexika Ltd is proud to be a sponsor.

Schengen and the Euro

Reading German news site Tageschau today, Denmark is to bring back formal passport controls on its borders with Germany and Sweden - this despite being a signatory to the Schengen agreement. The reason given is concern over cross-border crime. The beginning of the end for Schengen and free movement around Europe?

Reading the UK's BBC web site, there is a lucid presentation asking "Is the Euro crumbling?" This is an explanation of how budget deficits within a currency zone lead to increased sovereign debt, which leads to lower confidence which leads to higher interest rates..so governments ask for emergency loans....If one country leaves the Euro (Greece?), will others be forced to follows? The beginning of the end of European monetary integration?

These are difficult times for Europe, for Europhiles, for everyone. European politicians need to show courage and leadership now. European history tells us how important it is that we all work together.

Quality vs. Quantity in Translation

When I explain to non-linguists that I work in a translation company, the first question is often something like: So how many languages do you speak then?

Now, I am impressed with people who speak many languages. When I heard that Denis Healey, former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer who hails from a village near the Alexika office, speaks 7 languages, he certainly rose in my estimation. But for professional translators, one 'source' language and one mother tongue is often quite sufficient.

What I want to know about potential translators for Alexika is that they have mastery of their mother tongue, an extremely high level of professional proficiency in the language that they translate from and also, critically, current knowledge of their chosen field so that they keep up to date with terminology. Then there are other factors such a professionalism, knowledge of translation tools etc etc...but the number of languages spoken is not part of that conversation. We have other colleagues who cover other language combinations.

But we are based in the UK. Is it just that British people are often impressed with any foreign language ability? Which brings me back to my regular theme of how important it is that children learn a second language in school up to and ideally beyond the age 16...

Alexika featured in Yorkshire Post newspaper

As part of its reporting on the 2011 Yorkshire Business Market, Alexika is featured in an article in the Yorkshire Post newspaper today.

We were exhibiting at the very well attended exhibition for the third time, looking to promote our translation and interpreting service to local exporters. Yorkshire is home to many exporting companies, and the economy of Yorkshire is larger than that of Scotland.

Many thanks to the Harrogate Chamber of Commerce for the excellent organisation of the event.

The importance of studying languages!

Please follow the link to a BBC article - one of many reasons why children in the UK should study languages up to at least the age of 16! There is a direct link between a nation's international competitiveness and language competence.

Yorkshire Business Market - 9th May 2011

Less than 4 weeks to go to the Yorkshire Business Market in Harrogate. We are looking forward to meeting new and existing business contacts.

YTI Chair - Thank you Helen!

We would like to say a big public 'thank you ' to Helen Robertson for her work over more than 10 years as Chair of the YTI (Yorkshire Translators and Interpreters - the regional group of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting.)

Helen has organised many events, both for training and professional support but also social - and her diligence has created an established and vibrant professional group.

Thank you Helen and we look forward to keeping in touch.

Buying Translations - Getting It Right

I recently came across a publication from the Institute of Translation and Interpreting from around 2000 entitled 'Translation, getting it right - A guide to buying translation.' I was struck by how excellent the advice is even after over a decade. Advice that potential purchasers of translation would do well to heed includes:

- Does it really need to be translated? Decide which information is really required.

- Think international from the start. When writing for translation, avoid culture-bound clichés...and jokes.

- Resist the temptation to do it yourself. Speaking is not writing, and oral fluency does not guarantee smooth, stylish writing.

- Tell the translator what it's for. A speech is not a web site; a sales brochure is not a catalogue entry. Style, pronouceability, word choice, phrasing and sentence length can all vary.

- Professional translators work into their mother tongue.

- An inquisitive translator is good news. No one reads your texts more carefully than your translator. Along the way, he or she likely to identify the fuzzy bits - sections where clarification is need.

- The more technical your subject, the important it is that your translators know it inside out.

....after more than 10 years in a fast-moving profession, these are still fine words. If buyers follow these guidelines when purchasing, they are maximising the chances of a smooth translation process.

Perhaps just one area would be added now if the leaflet were to be rewritten in 2011 - technology has changed out of all recognition. A purchaser should ensure that the chosen Language Service Provider is working with the latest translation management software and more importantly knows when and how (and indeed when not) to apply it.

UK Languages Work Pledge

We have written before about how it important it is that children learn a second language at school - and how sad it is that fewer children every year are studying languages in the UK. This is so important - both for the individual children who can benefit in adult life from exposure to another language and culture, and for the economy of the UK in global competition.

If you are in the UK, please sign the Languages Work Pledge organised by CILT (National Centre for Languages.) It is possible to stop the decline in language learning, but it needs government to restore the requirement for all children to learn a language to the age of 16.

Alexika's Helen wins cookery prize!

Helen Tawn, Alexika Translation Coordinator since 2003, has displayed another of her many talents. Helen won third prize  in a cooking prize across the North of England - as described in our local newspaper with a picture of a smiling Helen.

The competition was organised by Northern Supermarket chain Booths and was designed to protect traditional Northern recipes from becoming extinct. Helen's plum jumbly tart was highly acclaimed at the finals of the competition, which were held at Blackburn Rovers Football Club.

Well done Helen!

Linguistic disputes in Belgium and Spain

There is a fascinating article in the Charlemagne section of The Economist this week describing why Belgium's unending linguistic disputes matter to Europe. As I write, no government has been formed since the general election of June 210 - 235 days. The problem is based around the differences between the richer Flemish North and French-speaking Wallonia. It is possible to draw a language line through Belgium - if your children live on one side of the line, their school teaches in French - on the other side Flemish.

Contrast this with the situation in the Spanish region of Catalonia, where schools teach in both Spanish and Catalan. Theoretically at least, neither language is dominant in education.

If it proves that there is no answer to the Belgian problem and the country splits along the language line, other European countries will hope that this is not a precedent for rich regions to go their own way.

Languages in state schools 'decline further'

There is an excellent article on the BBC news web site today discussing the continuing fall in the numbers of teenagers studying languages in state schools in England. This problem started in 2004 when the study of a language ceased to be compulsory to the age of 16.

Children and indeed the country will be at a disadvantage for years to come. The answer must be to reverse the decision and make language study universal again!

Alexika to present at ITI regional seminar

Alexika Director Mark and Project Manager Gemma will present at a forthcoming seminar of the regional network (YTI) of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. The seminar will consider a comparison between our preferred translation memory software - SDL Trados Studio 2009 and another tool

DéjàVu, which will be presented by Paul Clarke of Lodestar Translations. The seminar will take place in the Parkinson Building of the University of Leeds on Saturday 12th February starting at 2pm.

Mark and Gemma will be there in their capacity as SDL Approved Trainers, and are looking forward to some stimulating debate on the latest technology trends.

Mr. Gove - now please finish the job!

The Education Secretary of the UK's coalition government, Michael Gove*, has introduced the concept of an 'English Baccalaureate.' This concept will measure how 16 year olds perform in core subjects - including modern languages. So - this is a recognition that all children should study at least one foreign language up the age of 16, which is so important not only for specific language skills for later life but also as a means to accessing another culture.

This is a current issue because the previous government made it non-compulsory to study languages to the age of 16, so language study has fallen dramatically. How to resolve the issue once and for all? Make the study of a foreign language compulsory again!

 *Picture taken from Mr. Gove's web site http://www.michaelgove.com/

Yorkshire Business Market - 9th May 2011 - Alexika exhibiting!

For the third successive year, we look forward to exhibiting at the Yorkshire Business Market. The event is held at Harrogate's Great Yorkshire Showground and attracts a wide range of businesses from the North East of England. The Harrogate Chamber of Commerce are to be congratulated on their expert organisation.

We look forward to seeing as many clients, suppliers and friends as possible at the event!