Translating songs might not seem all that different from translating poetry, or any other specialized translation. In both cases, translators need to respect the meaning, metrics and musicality of the…
Although we’re inclined to believe that Christmas traditions around the globe are similar, many differences exist between the Christmas traditions around the world. The features we have in common are…
Slang is mainly used in spoken language, and in daily informal situations. It has developed in the USA through the continuous transformation of American English in common use. Slang was…
Translating a novel is often the ultimate dream of young hopefuls looking to become professional translators one day. In fact, literary translation is often what gives translators the most satisfaction,…
The easiest languages to learn (if you’re Italian)
Are some languages easier or more difficult to learn than others? Yes, and no. As such, no languages are equally easy or difficult to learn for everyone. Instead, it’s better…
The Braille alphabet is a written communication tool that has allowed millions of visually impaired people to communicate with the same efficacy as the normally sighted.
Japanese ideograms belong to a writing system that is entirely different from the alphabetic one used by almost all other languages around the world. Given its distance from western languages,…
A child’s first words are a real milestone for the rest of the family. Unfortunately, however, there are a few widely held beliefs about language development that have no basis…
How many difficult words are there in the world? And which language contains the most unpronounceable words? In reality, these are not questions that can be answered objectively, since, as linguists…
Words are fun when they sound ridiculous or force speakers to attempt amusing pronunciation. The Italian language has several funny words, but there are numerous memorable cases in other languages, too.
Translating Harry Potter: Fascinating Facts and Faults
Translating Harry Potter is just about as difficult as literary translation gets, not only due to the book and film series’ global success, but also to the fact that the character names were translated differently,…
Dreaming in Other Languages: What Does It Mean and Why Do We Do It?
Dreaming in different languages is perfectly normal. There are many reasons why someone might dream in different languages and there are various theories about what it all means: read on to…
Neologisms, by definition, are new words that permanently enter spoken language. Many of the new words invented each year don’t stand the test of time, and are perhaps best described as fads that fail to…
The most studied languages in the world are not necessarily the most spoken languages in the world. Italians were recently shocked to find out that their mother tongue is the fourth…
World of work: which languages are the most sought-after?
Which languages are the most sought-after in the world of work? Is it even possible to rank them? Perhaps it would be best to focus on specific industries? You might be unsurprised…
Learning languages is never easy, especially if you want to become fluent. However, it’s widely believed that some languages are harder to learn than others.
What are false friends? They are essentially tricky words or phrases that you need to look out for when translating from English into another language. Below are some English words…
How does we determine whether or not a word is ‘beautiful’? In reality, there is no set way to do so, instead, we rely on a sort of ‘feeling’ that certain…
Most translators will be aware that certain cultures can be particularly sensitive to specific concepts, perceiving them in entirely unique ways. Often, this ‘sensitivity’ to specific items, emotions or situations…
While some languages are continuing to gain new speakers, others seem destined for oblivion. In most cases, the latter includes ancient languages spoken by very small and isolated communities, whose inhabitants are…
The most famous examples of transcreation in the history of advertising
Transcreation is a real art, and those tasked with transcreation must ensure that the translated advertising slogan is just as effective in one language as another, while also maintaining the same rhythmic and…
Funny film title translations: the worst translations in the history of cinema
The title of a film is its primary selling point. The cast, director and plot are key to longer-term box office success, but it’s usually the title of a film…
The most translated websites in the world include a surprising entry in first place
What are the most translated websites in the world? You may be surprised to hear that the most translated website in the world is not Wikipedia or Google. At the top of this…
The top 10 most translated books in the world: ranked
If we were to ask you what the most translated book in the world might be, you’d likely get it right: The Bible. This ancient text, together with the Quran, is one of…
