Category: General

What is Gendered Language and Which Languages are Gendered?

There is very little gendered language in English, apart from pronouns like “she”, “he” and possessives like “his” and “hers”. Of course, gender has crept into colloquial English to some extent. Funnily enough, some objects are often colloquially referred to as “she” rather than “he” or “it” (gender neutral), such as ships and other vehicles, but that’s about all.

In many other languages what are regarded as gender neutral things in English are classed as female, male or even neuter (neither female nor male). Amongst many, but not all, European languages, inanimate and animate objects are classified as either feminine or masculine. The difference between a female cow and a male bull is pretty obvious, but why is a bridge masculine and a highway or road feminine? It’s no point asking the native speakers why the labelling ever developed, as they are unlikely to know. 

It can make learning gendered languages quite difficult if your own native language is not gendered or, worse still, if your own gendered language uses a different gender for exactly the same thing. Germans, for example, regard bridges as feminine, while just across the border (or just across the bridge!) the French regard it as masculine. It can make translating from one gendered language to another or to or from a non gendered language quite challenging.

Just to make things even more complicated are languages like Russian or Norwegian that have three “genders”: masculine, feminine and neuter. Again, the curious linguist or translator from a non gendered language background might wonder just what prompted the ancestors of today’s Russian population to label the sea as neuter (мoре – pronounced morye), as do the Germans (das meer), but the French regard as feminine (la mer) and the Spanish masculine (el mar)?

There seems to be no simple way that any person can guess what an inanimate object’s gender might be in any other language. Do the French feel that their part of the Mediterranean is any more female in character than the Spanish?

There are some languages, particularly in Africa, where there are even more classes of nouns, although they may not be actual genders. In Kiswahili, for example, a Bantu language spoken originally by a small number of people on the coast of East Africa, now the national language of at least two East African nations, there at least eight  noun classes. Just like many gendered languages, adjectives, pronouns and verbs must be modified to correlate with each particular class of noun. Just to make it even more fun for the Kiswahili learner, singular and plural forms must also be taken into account!

Fortunately, for the native English speaker, learning Indonesian, Japanese or Fijian means that they don’t have to worry about gender. There isn’t any!

How Attempts at Translation Have Changed Language

The demand for translation and good translators is probably at an all-time high today, but the need for translation has been around ever since the first people left home and encountered others who spoke another language. These days, languages have become standardised and translation has become a lot easier. It hasn’t always been like that. Imagine what it was like when the first Vikings arrived on the shores of North America and had to communicate with native Americans who spoke a number of very different languages.

Attempts at translation have often led to the evolution of a new language, which may become a lingua franca, a language of convenience that allows those whose original languages are mutually unintelligible to converse.

This is often why many languages have absorbed words from other languages. The evolution of the English language, for example, demonstrates past attempts at translation which have resulted in a more diverse linguistic combination. It’s easy to see why there are so many words of French origin in the English language (and vice versa) as England and France are so close together and yet separated linguistically and geographically. The evolution of the English language demonstrates past colonial arrangements, too. The two words “bungalow” and “pajama” have become part of the English language but originally were Hindi words. A cup of “char” most probably comes from “chai”, the Hindi word for tea. “Safari” is a Kiswahili word. “Taboo” comes from a Polynesian word for “forbidden” or “sacred”.

Completely new languages may develop from past attempts at translation. These are pidgin languages like Papua New Guinea’s Tok Pisin or Vanuatu’s Bislama. They may be mainly English words in origin, but have also evolved from the original languages of the people who use them, as well as any other colonial influences. Tok Pisin, for example, has words from several different New Guinea languages as well as a few German words and even a few Portuguese ones!

Generally, pidgin languages are only second languages and their speakers still speak their own native language amongst themselves. The evolution of pidginised languages may sometimes develop further, so that a genuinely new language, a Creole language, becomes the language learned from birth. An example would be Papamiento, a language with Spanish, Dutch and West African origins now spoken by the inhabitants of the ABC islands in the Caribbean.

5 Writing Tricks to Master the Written Form of a Foreign Language

Get Yourself in the Right Frame of Mind

Achieving mastery of a second language is no easy task but it can happen if you are set on achieving this skill. One of the best starting points is setting your goals and being committed to trying to reach each one as you proceed.

Organisation is the Key to Steady Learning

At Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois, a team of researchers discovered that organizational skills had a significant effect on a student’s capability to finish set tasks and achieve high grades. This applies to learning a new language too. You need to have a plan and stick to it.

Reading Enhances your Language Skill

Look around for both fiction and non-fiction texts that you want to read as this will give you the required motivation to read in your targeted language. If you are not sure where to start you could try making a list of books of authors you have liked in your own language. Look around for translated copies and use this as a way of improving your skills in understanding the new language. There are plenty of online newspapers you can read to improve your understanding as well. 

Ask for Feedback

Once you start to put together some of your own writing ask a native speaker of your chosen language to read it through and make corrections if they are required.  If what you are writing is something crucial for a career move or getting a job in the country of the language you are learning it’s sensible to pay a professional editor to go through your work so it matches the quality required for your targeted audience. 

Emphasise your Usage of Grammar

If you are using writing as your main form of communication you must get the grammar right otherwise you face the chance that your targeted reader won’t bother to continue reading. Poor grammar without a doubt gives a negative impression of how good you are at the language. Grammar learning is not an easy task and mastering it is a long and slow process. 

If you are intending on applying for a job with an international company and you say you are competent in certain languages you will be asked to sit a written test to prove your ability.

Overall, determination and dedication will take you a long way in mastering both the written and spoken form of your targeted language.

Why Understanding a Culture helps to Unlock a Language

Is it really possible to become fluent in a language without having a basic understanding of its culture? Some people say you can communicate quite accurately without considering the cultural context of the words, phrases, and sentences while others say you are missing out on the truth of a language if you don’t have some understanding of the cultural setting of the language.

Culture and Language are Interwoven

Understanding a language involves understanding its culture and many say language is essentially culture. That goes for language translation as well. Culture language translation is just as important as the bare nuts and bolts of the language by itself.

How a group behaves and interacts is essentially learned and becomes part of the group’s culture.

There is a definition of culture that states it’s the collective programming of a particular mindset which sets out to differentiate one group of people from another.

The basis of a culture isn’t just its artifacts and tools, but it’s how the group members interpret, perceive, and use them. It’s the symbols, values, interpretations, and the group’s perspectives that set one group of people apart from one another in a modernized society. It’s not the material object in human societies. People who share a culture typically interpret symbols and behavior in a similar or the same way.  They will probably share food, values, art, mythology, and etiquette. These have an effect on language because they are the subjects of discussion in a group

Idioms and the Way a Speaker Speaks Showcases a Language and Culture

Understanding culture and its language can be fast-tracked just by learning idioms.

● A common saying such as ‘a a penny saved is a penny earned’ shows how important money is in the English-speaking world. The language itself is portraying the culture in this example.

● A language is usually spoken and the way the words are emitted is sometimes part of the culture, as with Koreans who use the front of their mouth in a very direct way. It seems that when a Korean utters a sentence it resembles the action of throwing a dart and that’s quick and pointed.

● U.S. English is sometimes described as a drawl as the words sit back in the throat and the lips barely come together when engaged in a conversation.

● Spanish comes out in various ways and sometimes it appears spicy and fiery while other times it seems mellow and easy-going.

Do You Change Personality When You Switch Language?

Can your personality really change if you switch languages? Some social psychologists think that it can, but only if you have a reasonably sufficient grounding in the culture in which the language is spoken.

The theory is that language and culture are indivisible so that the dominant personality traits of the culture override and permeate the language associated with that culture.

It’s notoriously hard to prove much human behavior and the evidence for the link between language and personality is certainly not totally persuasive. Anecdotal evidence is available that backs up the theory, and some language research, for example in Mexico have been done which also supports the link. Language experts elsewhere are more circumspect about personality changes and suggest it is more likely to be a reflection of one’s experiences living in the environment where the language is spoken.

Anecdotal evidence shows something that most of us can relate to. When we speak in our language, we are much more likely to be animated and confident than if we speak in a language we don’t really know very well, especially if we are speaking to first-language speakers of that language.

Some other anecdotal evidence from people who have migrated from their own original home to another country where they have become fluent in the language of the new country suggests that a switch from one language to another is accompanied by a recognizable personality change. One Russian immigrant in the U.S. says that when she speaks in Russian she feels uncomfortably guarded and reserved, while when she speaks in English, she feels more open, relaxed, and curious.

Another man, bilingual in French and English, says that when he speaks in French he feels more elegant and sophisticated than he does when he speaks in English.

Social psychologists in Mexico, who have studied the link between language and personality reported a significant difference between the personality exhibited by bilingual Mexican students they studied depending on whether they were speaking in English or Spanish. They measured the personality exhibited by ranking five different but specific traits, including openness, agreeableness, extroversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness. The study concluded that their study group became more assertive, extroverted, and open when they spoke in English compared to when they spoke in Spanish. They theorized that this was due to the cultural differences between the U.S. and Mexico.

University-based language experts say that personality differences do not arise when a language is learned out of context of the culture in which it is spoken, which supports the idea that the bilingual or multilingual personality switcher is merely adapting to how they “remember” they should react in the culture in which they have learned each language.

Why the French Language is Special

France: Where Language and Culture Intertwine

Few countries emphasize the relationship between language and culture as much as France. Any visit to France or its dependencies and overseas territories can never be appreciated without any knowledge of the French language. Mastering French provides a window into one of Europe’s great economic and cultural powerhouses.

Proud Custodians of Language

The French are very proud of their nation and their language. French is the official language of France itself as well as a large number of overseas territories that are remnants of a huge historical colonial empire. Today, French is spoken in many of the country’s former colonies in North and West Africa, as well as in Canada where it is an official language together with English. Even in South America, the small Atlantic country of Guyenne, or French Guiana, is still recognizably French-speaking.

A Dominant Tongue Across the Globe

French is the most important language in many of the smaller island territories in the Caribbean as well as the huge swathe of French Polynesia in the Central Pacific and New Caledonia in the South Western Pacific.

Language Evolution in South East Asia

The only former French colonies where the French seem to have lost out and been replaced by indigenous languages are located in Southeast Asia.

Bilingualism and Multilingualism

The French may have retained a pride in their language which matches their food, wine, and fashion, but many French people are now bilingual or multilingual to the extent that it is harder today for an English speaker armed with French language facts to escape a sudden transition to speaking English. It goes without saying that there are still many French speakers who really appreciate you trying your best with their language, even if they can’t understand what you are saying!

Language Acquisition: A Journey

As with all language learning, being able to speak enough French to get you past the superficial takes time and effort. One of the best strategies that can be suggested for any language is to spend time in France or a French-speaking overseas territory in a context that makes communication in the language obligatory. Necessity is the mother of invention when it comes to language learning. The least likely way of learning sufficient French language facts is to spend time with people who speak the same language as you even though you are nominally in a French-speaking location.

Translation & Interpreting Master’s Degrees at Australian Universities

Translation & Interpreting Master's Degrees

Australian universities have a well-deserved reputation for their excellent courses and qualifications. Are you are looking to get a foothold on the translating and interpreting career ladder and have already had experience as a translator or interpreter in your own country? Are you already qualified with a translating & interpreting Bachelor’s Degree in Australia or an equivalent elsewhere? Then you may be able to apply for a Master’s Degree course at one of Australia’s state universities that offer this type of course.

The first step is to do an internet search of the main Australian universities to find out which ones offer such a course. When you have made a list of which universities provide a course in translation & interpreting (or separate translation and interpreting courses), make a note as to the academic, work experience and other personal requirements.  Masters degrees tend to be aimed at those people who already have an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject and have achieved a satisfactory pass grade. However, there are exceptions for some Masters courses, translating and interpreting being one of them.

There is a lot more than just working out whether you are qualified to apply to an Australian university Masters Degree course. You will want to know how much it will cost and what the cost of living in Australia will be in the city where the university is located is going to be. You will also want to know what the immigration requirements are for you and your family if you have one and are thinking of them accompanying you to Australia.

Most university based Masters Degree courses in translating & interpreting are designed for those who already have well developed bilingual or multilingual skills and wish to pursue their career further. Programs tend to focus on providing specialised knowledge of the current issues in the translating & interpreting field, including exposure to advanced theoretical approaches and the use of innovative applications in communications technology which is able to be used in supporting translation and interpreting.

The translation & interpreting industry is going through a period of expansion and rapid change associated with huge advances in communications technology and ongoing globalisation. Masters Degree courses in this subject are designed to make qualified postgraduates ready for this fluid and dynamic industry.

Most Masters courses tend to be quite flexible and you can choose either a part time approach or a full time one which can fit your own personal preferences. There is usually a 3 year maximum for these courses.

What You Should Know Before You Start Blogging in Two Languages

If you don’t have bilingual blog yet but would like to have a go you should consider the points below first:

Will You Have Sufficient Time?

Maintaining a blog is not as easy as you might think.  It does take up time which is often valuable time spent on an activity that was never done in the past. If it’s a travel blog and you want to share places you have visited with others and you want it to be read by more than those who speak your language and you are bilingual, there are certain things you need to do to get the bilingual blog up and running that take time. The way to calculate the time you need is by working out how long you spend normally per week writing blog entries. You should double this at least if you intend on writing it in your other language. There are other activities you may need to allocate time for which include:

Writing a suitable title in both languages

● Write the description and captions for your images

● Promote the blog via social media in the two languages.

● If you decide to go bilingual, it may mean publishing one post less each week to give you some additional time to do the translation.

Do You Really Know The 2nd Language Well Enough?

Starting a blog in your 2nd language and then translating it into your first language rarely poses a problem.  What often becomes an issue is translating from your 1st language to your 2nd language. People reading your blog through social media will expect you to reply in the language your blog is in. That’s easy enough in your 1st language but becomes a lot harder in your 2nd language. If you are serious about blogging in two languages you should have the competence to communicate with your followers in the language they have chosen to use because of the language your blog is written in.

Is Auto-Translate Possible?

You have another translation option apart from using a human translator and that’s auto-translate. This is suitable as a stop gap when you haven’t the time to do your blogging in two languages. Translate is a possibility but it just permits you to translate pages and posts and nothing else. Transposh lets readers select their preferred language and then translates everything automatically but you can correct mistakes you find in the translation.

You could alternatively add to your blog a Google Translate widget which enables visitors to select their language and get your blog translated immediately by Google Translate but don’t depend on it to provide a good translation.

So… blogging in two languages needs to be given a bit of thought before you try it!

Language in Sports: Communicating With the Referee

How sports players are reported to be communicating in sports with referees in Europe is an interesting topic. In competitions like the UEFA Champions League referees that are linked with the competitions are from just about anywhere in Europe. One recent example is the final of the 2017 Champions League which was played at the beginning of June in the city of Cardiff in Wales. The game was played between Real Madrid, a Spanish team and Juventus, an Italian team. The referee appointed to the match was German.

This same situation arises at the FIFA World Cup. If the Champions League is considered to be the most important club competition, then the FIFA World Cup is international football’s greatest event. The tournament, which features teams from throughout the world, ends in a thirty two team final which determines which of the competing countries will become the world champions. In these events referees are chosen from throughout the world to referee the matches. This it seems could bring about some sports communication issues. In a match played out between Algeria and Germany with a referee from Brazil if a referee has to interject how does he do it?  What language is spoken in referee communication when a player is disputing a referee’s decision?

The 1st thing is that any referee communication between a player and a referee is not usually verbal but a whistle and signals using body language are generally used. Sometimes though verbal communication is necessary but how can this take place? it seems that the world football governing body FIFA (the Fédération Internationale de Football Association)  has 4 official languages which are Spanish,  English, German and French. These days, despite this, FIFA officials must speak English as well as their own mother tongue. They are also encouraged to learn other official languages appointed by FIFA. In the majority of situations where verbal communication is essential English takes preference for referee communication unless the communication can be conducted more easily in another language.

However, arguments at matches can become quite heated. When emotions reach a particularly high pitch referee communication with a player or players is likely to lead to both parties getting into an emotional discussion in their own languages whether they are understood or not.

Small Business Benefits From Internationalisation

International business relations are crucial for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) as it enables them to prosper in what is seen as an ever increasing competitive world. A recent study has revealed that international business expansion leads to more employment.

The European Commission backed and funded an international business study called the “Internationalisation of European SMEs”, which took place in 2009. It analysed all types of business globalization but specifically dealt with direct exports and imports, foreign investment, the process of subcontracting and technical international co-operation.

The globalization in business study found a direct link existed between an increase in SME performance and internationalisation. International activities lead to the reinforcement of growth, enhanced competitiveness and supported the companies in long term sustainability.

2 points were most important in the study, which were:

  • The rise of economic welfare due to more active internationally SMEs,
  • The need for public support for internationalisation.

One key finding emerged out of the study and that was that one quarter of the SMEs in the E.U. was involved in export and had participated in the activity in the last three years. Generally international activities were focussed more on countries within the E.U.’s single market. Only 13% of E.U. SMEs were found to be active in international markets which weren’t in the E.U. However, despite this fact SMEs in the EU are far more active internationally when compared to counterparts in Japan or the U.S.

The study discovered that there was a key correlation between internationally active SMEs and the mean scores for business performance. It also revealed that mechanisms involving public support could play an important role in promoting internationalisation by helping to address obstacles to internationalisation, like providing improved access to information and financial support. It seems that a mere 16% of SMEs are conscious of the availability of public support initiatives for internationalisation. But even they don’t necessarily take part in this sort of initiative. Public support should target those areas where market failure is clearly apparent and it must set clear targets and objectives and establish the appropriate monitoring tools and then make an assessment of any results.

Governments also should improve smaller SMEs access to publicly funded financial support and to information sources that are relevant. The study discovered that the larger SMEs generally are more aware of the existence of public supported programmes. Financial support is used more by the larger enterprises.