Jensen Localization Blog

Play puzzle with your friend's pictures!

2012-01-28T11:30:00.000+01:00

Today we want to show you another app to check during the weekend! Do you like the traditional puzzle game where you have to destroy blocks? Now you can do it with the pictures of your friends on your iPhone! Find a short video on our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily, called FriendzyTrailer.m4v to learn more about this app. Once you start you cannot stop! Have a nice weekend!

British companies miss overseas sales because lack of language skills

2012-01-27T12:34:00.001+01:00

English has enjoyed a high status as "language for business", but the scenario is changing. British companies that want to trade overseas are noticing that they need to improve their foreign language skills. Read the article Britain's (lack of) language skills are hurting international growth that you will find under the Education section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily to learn more about it. Enjoy!

Is Latin a Dead Language?

2012-01-26T11:52:00.000+01:00

Do you still think Latin is a dead language? Dave Grunwald will show you that Latin is still alive and kicking! Go to the article Why Latin Just Won't Die that you will find in the Education section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily and let us know if you agree with him!

Learn to Use Query Sheets

2012-01-26T10:53:00.001+01:00

A translator uses many types of reference material: glossaries, terminology lists, dictionaries, texts of the same field, etc. However, the best source of reference for a translator is the contact with the client.

This contact enables the translator to know more about the product to be translated and therefore select the correct terminology.

The best way to keep track of this communication between client and translator is by the use of query sheets. Some companies have their own way of keeping track of these 'conversations' but in general, all of them have the same minimum fields. Here you can see an example:

Query #    File name    Language    Source text    Target text    Question    Reply from client    Comments

Although it is very simple, we have noticed that translators do not know how to ask queries and that clients do not know how to reply them, so we hope the tips below will help you to have a better communication with your clients and translators.

Tips for translators

1.    Provide context. Enter the full string, even if you are going to ask for one single word.
2.    Make your query simple and clear.
3.    Be polite! Sometimes the reference material provided is not what we expected, but you will not get anything saying that it is crap.
4.    Do not ask for translations, but for further context. You can enter what you assume the term/string means, but do not ask the client if your translation is correct.
5.    Do not waste your time and do not make the client waste his. When you are sharing the query sheet with several translators, make sure you are not going to ask something that was asked before.
6.    If you receive feedback from other languages, check it, as it may contain useful information for you.

Tips for clients

1.    Accept queries from translators. You are the one who knows your product, so you are their best reference. Be open to queries and feedback from them.
2.    Reply to the queries correctly! When you are asked about if this means x or z, do not reply 'yes'. Do not be surprised, you know you have done this before... Unclear replies discourage translators from making further queries and this can affect the quality of the translation.
3.    Make sure you reply to all queries.

The Project Manager in charge of your project will filter the queries and replies so that you take all the advantages of this tool.

Do not hesitate to contact us to know more about these procedures!

Learning Languages Through Sport

2012-01-25T19:18:00.004+01:00

Can you learn a language through sport? Of course you can! Learn how bilingual secondary schools in The Netherlands are using cricket to learn English. Go to the article Learning Languages through Sport « Language Rich Europe that you will find under the Education section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily.

What type of multilingual parent are you?

2012-01-24T18:40:00.002+01:00

Recently we shared an article on bilingualism. Back to it, if you are a multilingual parent, you will find a quiz in today's edition of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily. Go to article 'QUIZ: What Type of Multilingual Parent Are You?' under the Education section and let us know your score!

Differences between British English and American English

2012-01-23T11:41:00.000+01:00

Do you know the differences between American English and British English? Go to the article Selected Vocabulary Differences Between British and American English that you will find under the Education section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily and check your knowledge of the two flavors!

Brands are not localizing their apps

2012-01-22T13:24:00.005+01:00

Brands developing apps are not localizing them for international markets. They do not imagine the sales they are missing by not addressing those markets! Learn more about this research on the article The Missed Opportunity in Mobile Localization, that you will find in the Business section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily.

Convert yourself in a chomic character

2012-01-20T12:09:00.001+01:00

Today we are offering you a nice app to test during the weekend. Do you like comics? Would you like to be converted in a comic character? If so, have a look at the article iPhoneography – ComicBook! – Price Drop that you will find under the technology section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily. Have a nice weeekend!

Do not ignore the advantages of being part of a bilingual family

2012-01-19T11:40:00.001+01:00

Today, we would like to remark the article Investing in bilingualism makes for a better Canada, that you will find under the Education section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily. It will help you to understand the importance of bilingualism. If you have a multilingual family, do not miss the opportunity of mastering several languages, or you will regret it in the future, as the author of the article explains. Enjoy the reading!

Wolff Translator's Prize

2012-01-18T11:48:00.003+01:00

The Goethe-Institut USA will be awarding the Wolff Translator's Prize for German into English translations. If you are interested in participating, go to article Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize - Guidelines for Publishers - Goethe under the Education section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily.

Endangered languages

2012-01-17T11:28:00.003+01:00

Every two weeks, the last living speaker of a language dies. In today's edition of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily, you will find an article about languages on the verge of extinction, under the Education section. The title of the article is, of course, 10 Languages on the Verge of Extinction. Language is part of our culture, so we have to preserve them!

Tools for translators with low budgets

2012-01-16T11:19:00.002+01:00

Proprietary software costs can be too high if you want to meet all your clients' needs. However, there are quite a few free and open-source tools that are compatible with proprietary software and than can help you reduce costs. Have a look at them in the article called Free and Open-Source Software and Tools for Translators under the Technology section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily. Enjoy the reading and have a nice day!

Animals are using iPads!

2012-01-15T11:53:00.000+01:00

Did you know that some animals, such as apes and dolphins, are already using iPads? Learn about it in the article FaceTime for Apes: Orangutans Use iPads to Video Chat With Friends In Other Zoos, that you will find under the Education section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily. Enjoy the reading!

Tips for designing multilingual websites

2012-01-14T11:22:00.000+01:00

Are you a web designer? Are you developing a multilingual web? Then, pay attention to some useful tips you will find in the article Designing Websites for a Global Audience, under the Technology section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily. Have a nice weekend!

Internationalization or Localization?

2012-01-13T11:26:00.001+01:00

Do you know what is the difference between internationalization and localization? In the Technology section of our daily newspaper Language and Technology News Daily, you will find an interesting article that will help you to understand it, called 'Internationalization vs. Localization: What's the Difference?'. Enjoy the reading!

Is Spanish old-fashioned in the US?

2012-01-12T11:27:00.000+01:00

In today's edition of Language and Technology News Daily, we want to remark a controversial article, called Does Spanish have a future in the US? You will find it under the Education section.
Do you agree with the author's point of view? We think it really depends on what you use the language for, but the truth is that speaking different languages not only enriches your culture, but keeps your brain active and healthy.
What do you think?

A funny video to learn what localization is

2012-01-11T11:26:00.000+01:00

We talk many times about localization, but many people still do not have a clear idea of what it is about. We will soon start a series of posts about the localization process, but if you want to get familiar with it now, do not miss the video about localization in today's edition of Language and Technology News Daily. Enjoy it!

The top 10 iPhone medical apps for 2011

2012-01-10T13:07:00.001+01:00

Heatlhcare, wellness and technology go hand in hand. If you want to know the top 10 iPhone medical apps for 2011, go to the Technology section of today's edition of Language and Technology News Daily. And if you are an apps developer, remember that by localizing them you will reach more people! Contact us to know how localization can help you to increase your download figures for your apps.

The world's thinnest 10-inch tablet

2012-01-09T11:35:00.005+01:00

Did you get a tablet for Christmas? Maybe you were the lucky one to get the latest Toshiba's tablet, which is the world's thinnest 10-inch tablet! You can find more information about it in the Technology section of today's Language and Technology News Daily. Enjoy the reading!

The benefits of localization

2012-01-08T11:31:00.002+01:00

If you are still in doubt about how localization can help your business to grow, we strongly recommend you to read Brian Solis' article Going Global by Going Local: Why localization improves engagement, under the Business section of today's edition of Language and Technology News Daily.

Twitter is now available in Swedish!

2012-01-07T11:14:00.005+01:00

Language and Technology News Daily is out! In today's edition, you can learn that Twitter is now available in Swedish. Also, have some fun with the video featuring two cats talking!

Tips to start your own business as a freelance translator

2012-01-06T11:42:00.001+01:00

Welcome to today's edition of Language and Technology News Daily! If you are interested in becoming a freelance translator, you cannot miss the article Upcoming session of Getting Started as a Freelance Translator.

Enjoy the reading!

A new app to translate the text on signs

2012-01-05T13:13:00.002+01:00

Welcome to today's edition of Language and Technology News! Today we recommend you to read the article Augmented Reality App Instantlly Translates Foreign Text On Signs, Menus (under the Technology section), and have fun with the video about Dumb English Spelling.

Enjoy it!

The benefits of website localization

2012-01-04T11:20:00.001+01:00

You can now access the latest edition of Language and Technology News, featuring a nice video of a new game for your iPhone, Draco the Dragon.

We also recommend you to read the article 5 Ways to Win at Website Localization to know more about how you can access new markets thanks to the localization of your website and products. Do not hesitate to contact us if you want to know more about it!

Language and Technology News Daily is out!

2012-01-03T17:10:00.000+01:00

Thanks to paper.li, we can now offer you a compilation of daily news regarding language and technology, which will help you to be the most updated person in these fields.

In today's edition of Language and Technology News Daily, pay special attention to Nataly Kelly's article Adventures in Hyperpologlottery: Inside the Mind of Extreme Language Learners, on the Education section.

Enjoy the reading!

Finally, Jensen Localization Spain moved to a new office!

2011-12-20T17:38:00.000+01:00

You have seen in our previous posts the evolution of the works done in our new office. We are happy to inform you that since the 9th December the staff of Jensen Localization Spain is completely relocated to their new office.

This new office provides muchmore and better workspace, security and technical facilities which will enableus to provide an even better service for our partners.

We can still be found in the center of Fuengirola at the Costa del Sol but ournew address is:

c/ Salvador Cortés nº1 1ª planta Oficinas 1, 2, 3, 4.
29640 Fuengirola (Málaga)
Spain

Please note that our telephone number has not been changed, so you can stillcontact us at +34 952198587 or contact your usual PM at Jensen LocalizationSpain via email.

A great opening will be held in the first quarter of 2012. We will keep youinformed about this event. Meanwhile, you can have a look at the pictures of the moving in our Facebook album Moving JL Spain 2011.

Solidarity Breakfast to raise funds for the Fundación Cesare Scariolo

2011-11-14T16:47:00.001+01:00

Last Friday, November11, our CEO Brian Jensen, his wife, Mandana, and our Business DevelopmentManager, Alicia González, attended a solidarity breakfast celebrated to raisefunds for the Fundación Cesare Scariolo. The event took place in Hotel GranMeliá Don Pepe, in Marbella (Málaga).

This non-profit organization helps childrensuffering from cancer and lymphoma and their families to deal better with thisillness, the treatment and the time spent in hospital. They organise activitieswith the children in hospital (and also their brothers and sisters) that enablethem to have a more positive attitude and overcome this illness. The FundaciónCesare Scariolo also gives financial support to families while their childrenare in hospital.

For more information about this non-profitorganization and its activities, visit www.fundacioncesarescariolo.org.

We will soon upload more pictures and information about other charityorganizations Jensen Localization is supporting.

What we learned at EmTech Spain

2011-11-03T17:15:00.000+01:00

During two days, Málaga was thecenter of the technology people around the world.

Hosted by TechReview, themagazine published by the MIT (Massachussets Technical Institute), EmTech Spaingathered the most remarkable people in the fields of Smart Cities, Internet,Videogames, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Media and Robotics.

Ryan Chin, from the MIT Media LabSmart Cities Group, showed us an electric car that could help to reduce parkingspace problems in big cities. Did you know that 40% of the gas spent by yourcar is spent looking for a parking space? With CityCar, this can be reduced.CityCar is an electric car whose flexible structure enables you to fold it andoccupy fewer parking spaces. 3 CityCars fit in one single parking space!Incredible, isn’t it? This has already been tested in cities like Bilbao andSingapore, and their next challenge is to construct 20 prototypes for crashtesting and certification, among other fields.

Regarding Internet, the challengeis in delivering faster Internet connections that will deliver better userexperience. The more you make things fast, the more people will use them.

Ignacio Pérez Dolset, from GrupoZed, showed us the evolution of videogames and told us about the increasing useof videogames as emulators for training soldiers, pilots and otherprofessionals. There will be new uses of videogames in the development ofhealthcare, construction and education tools. The negative effect ofvideogames, however, is the burnout of their developers. According to PhilipTan, from MIT Gambit, this is making the gaming industry lose a lot of valuablestaff.

Nanotechnology helps us tounderstand the nature, and helps us to have a better control over materials. However,for Tim Harper, from Cientifica.com, it is getting harder and harder tocommercialize. Javier García Martínez, from Rive Technology, explained that thechallenge is to create a nanotech industry in the current economic scenariothat allows them to create value and employment. Regarding uses of nanotech,they both claimed that it will have a big impact on health and energy. Forexample, highly targeted drugs will help killing diseases to become chronicdiseases.

The future of biotechnology islinked to small biotech. Bio-connectivity will also be crucial: intelligent,Internet-connected medical devices that will help people have a better qualityof living.

There is no doubt that the futureof media is in the devices. Kamal Bherwani, from Prisa Digital, explained howGrupo Prisa had to find ways to deliver content more dynamically. Their focusis on the content, and they are not afraid of paid content vs. illegaldownloads. As he said, the user experience is a mix of content, distributionand device. If people value the content, they will pay for it.

The last conference was aboutRobotics. Khalid Al-Ali, from NASA/Ames, showed us different examples of theuse of robotics. Even crimes have been solved by using robots! When asked if ahumanization of robots was needed, he replied that it was not somethingessential, that a robot will always be a robot, but that they humanize them togive more confidence to the public.

EmTech Spain also hosted the TR35awards. Out of the 10 winners, two of them got a remarkable distinction. PauGarcía-Milà got the award of Innovator of the year for eyeOS, a cloud computingsolution that was developed 6 years ago and now is present in more than 80countries. Teresa Gonzalo got the award of Solidarity Innovator of the year;she and her team at Ambiox Biotech developed a commercial nanotechnology thathelps in the prevention of HIV.

Both Pau and Teresa are examples of how the newgenerations and technology are evolving to give us a better world.

EmTech Spain was a great success,and at Jensen Localization we hope that next year we will have the opportunityto attend again and meet so many interesting people.

To know more about each of the conferences, youcan find several articles at www.technologyreview.com.

Also, you can see some pictures of the event in our Facebook Album EmTech Spain.

EmTech Spain: A Unique Opportunity for Technology Enthusiasts

2011-10-20T13:18:00.001+02:00

TechReview, the magazine of theMassachussets Institute of Technology (MIT) holds an annual event called EmTechConference, in which the latest trends on technology are discussed.

This event is usually held in theUSA, but 2011 is the year in which EmTech Conference has a European sessiontoo. The venue for the first EmTech Conference in Europe will be Málaga, in theSouth of Spain.

During two days (26^thand 27^th October), business leaders, technologists andentrepreneurs, among other remarkable professionals, will discuss the latesttrends on technology and how they affect our day-to-day life and the globaleconomy.

The topics discussed in this conference arethe following: Smart Cities, Internet, Gaming, Biotechnology andNanotechnology, Robotics and Media.

Also, the awards TR35 will begiven to Spain’s 10 most brilliant investigators and innovators under 35.

EmTech Spain is a place to shareideas, learn about technology and meet with other professionals, and JensenLocalization will not miss this opportunity.

Our IT Manager, Manuel Blanquet,and our Business Development Manager, Alicia González, will represent JensenLocalization in this conference and will be happy to discuss the advantages ofthe multilingual Internet for companies wanting to access international marketswith you in person. If you would like to contact us before the conference,please send an email to or contactus on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

To learn more about EmTech’sConference, go to http://www.emtechspain.com/en/.

Back from SIMO Network 2011

2011-10-14T13:50:00.000+02:00

We are back from SIMO Network,three days of meetings and conferences about technology, social networks,social commerce and networking.

Jensen Localization participatedin the technological transfer sessions during Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th,organized by the Enterprise Network madri+d, in which companies from Spain and othercountries had meetings to discuss possibilities of collaboration. We metinteresting ICT companies developing software for the IT and Health Careindustries mainly, all of them working to improve our quality of living.

On Thursday 6th, we joined theTeam Building event, in which 10 young companies presented their projects andthe ways other companies can collaborate with them. The projects were from verydifferent fields, from an application to use your mobile phone as an entry forevents (without having to show a printed ticket) to a virtual world platformfor children.

So far, they mostly needfinancial aid to be able to continue with their projects, but we are sure thatthey will become solid companies soon, as they are very motivated.

It is the first time JensenLocalization attends SIMO Network and we hope it will not be the last time. Wemade contacts with very interesting people, although it is still too soon toknow if this will materialize into projects. We also took ideas for ourbusiness that we hope to put into practice in a near future.

In all, it was a very positiveexperience. Below you can see some pictures of the event and you will find moreon our Facebook album.

Smartphone applications also useful for the hearing impaired

2011-10-13T13:08:00.000+02:00

Two social entrepreneurs developed a smartphone application that allows the hearing impaired to communicate without the help of life interpreters or sign language.

This will help the people with hearing impairments to have a more autonomous life and to benefit from technology as any other person.

The idea of developing such a tool was of one of the founders of VerbaVoice, Michaela Nachtrab. She spent some years doing social work with deaf and hard-to-hearing people, and she started studying with her husband the way new technologies could help them.

We encourage you to read the full article, please go to http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15389226,00.html to read it.

SIMO Network 2011

2011-09-23T15:28:00.005+02:00

SIMO Network is an international ICT services and solutions trade fair. It takes place every year in Madrid, and Jensen Localization will be there.

SIMO NETWORK presents itself as a platform aimed at fostering professional networking, with a range of content designed to prescribe technology and demonstrate a global perspective of technological products, services and solutions to business managers, which allow them to identify the resources to make their businesses more competitive.

Several networking events will take place between October 4 and 6, and there will also be room for conferences and presentations of products.

Within SIMO Network, the Enterprise Network madri+d will between October 4 and 5 organize an international transfer technology day. Companies participating will arrange meetings with other participants to discuss possibilities of collaboration.

Also, on October 6, there will be another networking event, a Team Building Workshop, in which 10 new companies will present their projects and will look for partners in several fields: technology, marketing, retailing, etc.

In this edition, SIMO Network invited the e-Health industry to participate in the trade fair. Institutions and companies developing software to improve Health services will show the latest trends in technology.

Jensen Localization will participate in all these activities to explain companies the importance of localization for accessing international markets. Alicia González, our Business Development Manager, will be there to explain to you how you can improve your international presence thanks to our localization services.

If you want to arrange a meeting with her, please send an email to agonzalez@jensen-localization.com.

For more information about this event, visit http://www.ifema.es/web/ferias/simonetwork/default_i.html or follow @madrimasd on Twitter.

See you in SIMO Network!

Medical Localization projects

2011-09-06T16:49:00.006+02:00

Among all the fields in which localization participates as part of the globalization strategy of a company, medical localization is probably the most difficult and demanding one.

Errors in medical localization can lead to fatal consequences we do not even want to imagine. This would be a perfect excuse for drugs laboratories and device manufacturers to avoid localization costs and leave everything in English. However, you will know that this is not a solution, as in many occasions the users of these drugs and medical devices are not English speakers. They have to rely on colleagues who speak English but this does not ensure a proper use of the device. Would you, as a patient, accept to have medical test done to you by someone who is not sure about using the device properly?

Below we summarize some guidelines to help you succeed in your localization project. You may already be aware of them, but we think it is important to remind them from time to time:

If you are a tool developer

Present your team to the LSP team and make sure everybody knows who is in charge of each task. Make sure each member of your team has a backup.
Indicate if you have your own in-country reviewers for the target languages or if you would like the LSP to take care of that. It is important that a final review is done by someone who will be very close to the real user of the tool to make sure the text matches the target country.
Provide the LSP with real and up-to-date reference material. Avoid long lists of terms that are rarely used or that will soon change because of marketing guidelines or any other reason. If you are starting from scratch, start by creating a glossary with the most important terms. Your LSP can help you to build that glossary. A style guide will also be helpful to fit the translation to your marketing, legal and other conventions.
When providing changes in source, make sure to use a system that enables tracking the changes but at the same time enables smooth implementation without having to resend files again and again. Communicate your changes to the LSP as soon as possible and avoid last minute changes, as they usually imply delays and quality issues.
Be communicative with your LSP. They are the experts in the language but you are the expert in the tool. You know more than anybody else how it works, so be ready to reply to queries about strange functions, buttons or reports, as this will enable the translators to present them correctly in their target language.

If you are an LSP

These projects are usually long, so make sure your PM has a backup ready to take over the project while your main backup is absent.
Make sure your translators and reviewers have the needed experience in the field to take care of the translation. Whenever possible, provide them with samples of the text to make sure they can handle it. You may not need much experience to localize a manual for a coffee machine, but you do need to have experience to localize an X-Ray machine.For large projects, check the status of work with your team regularly to make sure that you are on schedule. Allow time for implementation of review changes from your reviewer but also for implementation of feedback from the client. If possible, try to finish the project at least one day in advance so that you can have time for this type of tasks.
Create a Q&A document to be shared by all the members of the team, including the client, to make sure all questions are replied to asap and changes are implemented.

At Jensen localization we have a long experience in medical localization and have provided our clients with multilingual services for their biggest clients in this industry. Contact us to know more about this and other services or ask for a non-obligation quotation.

Our new office is taking shape

2011-08-19T15:28:00.003+02:00

Little by little, our new office is looking very much as we want it to be.

The kitchen and the toilets are almost ready, and we started installing the cabling. Hundreds of meters of cabling!

We still have to decide on the lamps we want to install. We do not only want a nice office, but an environmentally-friendly office, so low consuming bulbs will be used and we will take as much advantage as we can from the natural light we get. This is one of the benefits of being located at the Costa del Sol!

There is still a lot to do, though, but we will finish on time for the grand opening!

If you want to contribute with ideas for decoration, you are very welcome to do so! Here are some photographs of how it looks now.

My (our) personal professional motif

2011-07-14T12:00:00.003+02:00

Hi! This is Alicia, Business Development Manager at Jensen Localization.

This time I am writing a personal article to explain you a small activity that took place during LWC in Barcelona. TAUS organized an interoperability art project in which all participants had to choose at least two features that describes how they see themselves facing interoperability issues.

As you will have read in previous posts, interoperability is more important than we think. It costs LSPs money because the different files formats make us use many different tools (that are not always cheap), but also buyers of translations have interoperability problems because they have not yet managed to make a correct link between software and documentation files. This delays the release of their products because their localization departments have to fix many interoperability errors in the files that could probably be avoided by having a better interoperability strategy.

So, I chose the features below that define my professional attitude towards interoperability:

These features very much define our company’s behaviour. At Jensen Localization we like simple things, we do not like detours and we always try to apply procedures and technologies that make our job more efficient. That’s why we are Pragmatists.

But Jensen Localization is a Realist company. In terms of interoperability, we see that there are very good ideas, but we think it will still take long to be materialized because unfortunately stakeholders have other priorities. As explained at the Interoperability Debate in Barcelona, it seems that buyers and vendors put the blame on each other and this prevents them from agreeing on a common strategy to face interoperability issues.

Our conception of Constructivism is very much in line with that of pragmatism. At Jensen Localization we accept and we make constructive criticism. We all know what we have to do in our business, but we offer you our knowledge to improve the quality of your translations not because we feel we are the best, but because we want you to be the best in your industry. And again, there are simple ways to do it.

And finally, Jensen Localization is definitely a Team Player. We do not have clients and suppliers but partners, and this is because above the financial relationships, we consider us all part of the same team of professionals that have a common goal: delivering high quality localized content. And this applies to interoperability as well, we will be happy to participate in any initiatives that can help to reach a common file format, procedures, or tools that help all stakeholders to sort these issues.

I hope this article will help you to learn more about interoperability and our company philosophy.

For more information, visit http://www.translationautomation.com/perspectives/kicking-off-the-great-translation-debate-series.html.

2011-07-08T09:46:00.001+02:00

Interesting site about idioms translation. Have fun with it and contribute to increase its entries! http://ping.fm/kPZbc

Back from TAUS Executive Forum and Localization World

2011-07-01T10:23:00.003+02:00

We had a wonderful time in Barcelona, and as promised, we are back to let you know what we did there. When attending such conferences the days are usually hard and long, but the benefits you obtain (and not only in terms of business opportunities) are worth the effort.

Jensen Localization's Business Development Manager, Alicia González, attended very interesting conferences about sales, marketing, market trends, technology, new business lines, and she also had the opportunity to meet with some of our clients and exchange views on the localization industry. This is also a great place to get feedback from our clients, which we are happy to say has always been positive.

Interoperability and Machine Translation were the main topics discussed during the TAUS Executive Forum. Interoperability is an issue for stakeholders (end clients, LSPs and software developers). It costs companies a fortune and it goes beyond finding a common file format that is supported by all translation tools. Regarding Machine Translation, everybody agreed that it is here to stay and that each company needs to find the way in which MT will fit their procedures. Some participants showed how MT increased their productivity but also explained why they have not been able to get better results. You can find more information about these two debates in http://www.translationautomation.com/perspectives/kicking-off-the-great-translation-debate-series.html.

Something that raised our interest in Localization World was the concept of Transcreation. Often known as “marketing translation” or “copywriting”, we think this will soon have a bigger place in the industry. Companies spend more and more money on marketing campaigns and tools, and despite the increase of social networks and blogging, products still need to be accompanied by interesting marketing texts that are appealing to the prospect client. And these texts also have to be appealing to the prospects in the countries where they will be marketed. As translators, we sometimes talk about creativity, but you will agree with us that it is hard to be very creative when you translate a printer manual. So, this concept of “transcreation” really has a sense in marketing culture, and we do not think it is just a term created by a group of translators feeling more important than others. At Jensen Localization we are really interested in this concept and we are going to do more research on it so that we can also offer to our clients another tool to improve their marketing efforts.

Now we have a batch of ideas to be developed. After attending conferences there is always a lot of follow-up work to be done, but at Jensen Localization we do this with pleasure!

In the picture, our Business Development Manager, Alicia González, with CPSL's Alien (www.cpsl.com).

2011-06-16T17:52:00.001+02:00

LocWorld Barcelona just finished, we didn't win anything on the raffle, but at least got many ideas for our business.

TAUS Executive Forum and Localization World Conference

2011-06-03T11:38:00.006+02:00

As part of its Public Relations tasks, Jensen Localization will attend the TAUS Executive Forum and Localization World Conference, which will take place in Barcelona in June.

We have been a member of TAUS since February 2010 and we have participated in meetings, round tables and workshops about Machine Translation. TAUS is a non-profit organization that supports the use of Machine Translation as a tool that helps translation creators and translation buyers to reach new levels of productivity, quality and use of the translation.

TAUS supports entrepreneurs and principals in the translation industry to share and define new strategies through a comprehensive range of events, publications and knowledge tools.

Although we are not yet working with Machine Translation ourselves, we are part of TAUS as we want to have first-hand information about the advances in technologies and procedures to know what our role will be in the Machine Translation industry. In this Executive Forum, our Acquisitions and TM Manager Alicia González will be part of an Expert Panel in a debate about MT, where professionals from all the industries involved (buyers of translations, MT developers and LSPs) will discuss the challenges each of them will be facing in this fast evolving industry.

Localization World Conference is an event made up of several speeches made by keynote speakers about the localization industry. This is an event open to LSPs, tools developers, end clients, academic staff and freelancers, and there will be booths from several companies and conferences. Jensen Localization has been attending Localization World Conference since the one held in Berlin in 2008.

Both events give us an opportunity to meet in person with our clients and to meet potential clients. Networking opportunities in these conferences are very important and we managed to establish successful long-term relationships with some of the participants. We hope to continue in this trend and to participate even more in the future.

For more information about both organizations and the events they will organize for the whole year, visit www.translationautomation.com and www.localizationworld.com.

Check the lastest news in Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and our blog to know how it went!

2011-06-02T13:49:00.001+02:00

Sign language takes a step forward in Iceland http://ping.fm/M6CAt

The importance of the DTP check

2011-05-31T10:34:00.002+02:00

A lot of companies think that translation just consists in converting the source text in the target text in the fastest possible way, and do not understand why they have to pay so much for just for a few words. However, localization involves more steps, and skipping some just to save costs is a common error that often leads to additional unexpected costs and delays. All texts should go through the TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) process and a DTP check in order to guarantee a high quality translation.

Clients know that their texts are translated by a professional translator and that another translator usually takes care of the editing and proofreading phase. Then, they receive the translation and print it, skipping the DTP phase.

DTP stands for Desktop Publishing, and consists on applying the translation the same format as the source text, being it a brochure, a manual, a user guide, a flyer, etc.

Many localization agencies offer DTP services as well, so they do the DTP in-house and ensure that a DTP check is done before final delivery to the client. However, in other occasions the end clients have a DTP department that takes care of this. Unfortunately, when DTP is done on the client’s side, checks are easily skipped and they print the document just after DTP, which results in layout and other cosmetic errors.

After the text is DTP’ed it should go back to the translator for a DTP check, usually done in a PDF file. Being the last step does not mean it is not important. In many occasions translators work with a source file that is on a beta stage and therefore the text lacks of context or graphics that can help the translator understand what it says. During the DTP check, the translator can see the text in context and check if titles have been translated correctly, if the software references match with those on the graphics (if they have not been provided during translation), if the tags for font formatting have been applied correctly, if there are typos, etc. Usually no linguistic changes are made, although sometimes they are needed because the translator now has a context that was missing during translation. The translator enters the changes in the translation files for TM update (and therefore avoid them in future updates) and adds notes for the DTP team in the PDF, so that they can fix the DTP’ed file on their side and print it.

Therefore, even if this seems an irrelevant task, it is important that clients understand the importance of the DTP check. It does not matter how good the translation is if there are cosmetic or layout errors in the end result. Errors are not the problem, the problem is not wanting to fix them just to save some Euros.

At Jensen Localization we take care of small DTP tasks and we cooperate with DTP specialists when more complex DTP tasks are needed. We also offer DTP check as a service for those clients having their own DTP staff. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need a full localization service including DTP.

Will computers replace translators?

2011-05-16T16:41:00.005+02:00

We have talked in previous posts about Machine Translation. The trends of our industry show that the use of MT is increasing, but as we said in previous occasions, MT is here to help, not to replace translators.

James Bradley, from Mother Tongue Writers, published recently an article in which he supports this point of view, already shared by many people in our business.

You can find it at http://responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=64148

Machine Translation cannot yet be used for every single type of text, but it is already a reality in many fields where the immediacy of the message is more important than the accuracy of it.

At Jensen Localization, although we do not have our own MT system, we offer companies the possibility of fine-tuning their systems thanks to our multilingual Post-Editing services, where not only we fix the test, but we provide feedback that helps them to adjust their MT engines to reach the desired quality.

For more information about our Post-Editing services and multilingual localization, do not hesitate to contact us.

Erasmus program at Jensen!

2011-04-18T10:33:00.002+02:00

Probably what people find most appealing about working as a translator is the possibility of being able to work from anywhere in the world (where you can have a high speed Internet connection, of course).

Having three offices in Europe gives Jensen’s employees the opportunity to change their usual workplace for a period, and for this reason one of our Dutch translators, Paul Caspers, is now in our Spanish branch.

Paul has been working at Jensen for 2.5 years now, and he asked to spend a short period at our Spanish branch in Fuengirola (Málaga); he arrived on the 7th April and will be there until the 5th May.

Paul is a passionate for languages, he already speaks Norwegian and Icelandic, and he even managed to learn some Spanish just with the daily emails exchanged at work with the Spanish staff, so we are sure this stay will help him to learn more about this language and culture.

This is an initiative that helps to improve communication between both offices, as we constantly communicate by email and we do not have that many chances of sharing experiences in person.

This cultural exchange may open an opportunity for other employees and why not, make Jensen have its own Erasmus program. Enjoy your stay, Paul!

Indigenous language in Mexico about to disappear

2011-04-15T15:15:00.005+02:00

There are many indigenous languages all around the world, and usually the change to a developed and industrialized society makes them disappear.

However, this time it will probably be the reluctance to talk to each other that will make Ayapaneco, and indigenous language in Mexico, disappear.

Manuel Segovia, 75, and Isidro Velázquez, 69, live 500 metres apart int he village of Ayapa in the tropical lawlands of the southern state of Tabasco. It is not clear whether there is a long-buried argument behind their mutual avoidance, but people who knwo them say they have never really enjoyed each other's company.

Language is probably the most important sign of identity of a community. Isn't it sad that it can disappear because of an argument between neighbours? Efforts are being made by the National Indigenous Language Institute to avoid it, without success so far. Let's hope they can manage to raise an interest in this language so that it does not die with its last speakers.

To read the whole article and know other languages that are at risk, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/13/mexico-language-ayapaneco-dying-out

TAUS Workshop on Post-Editing

2011-04-01T15:40:00.004+02:00

Last February, our Acquisitions and TM Manager, Alicia González, attended a workshop on Post-Editing organized by TAUS in Amsterdam and presented by Dr. Sharon O'Brien from the Centre for Next Generation Localization/School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies at Dublin City University.

Many Dutch translation companies were present, but also other big companies such as Google, who have an internal Machine Translation project in development.

The purpose of this workshop was to know more about what Post-Editing is, the tasks involved and the difference compared to human translation. Aspects like economic impact and the role of LSPs were also discussed. Below you have some notes about the workshop content.

What is Post-Editing (PE)?

PE is commonly known as the process of improving a machine-generated translation with a minimum of manual labour.

There are two main degrees of PE, a full PE, similar to human translation, and a light PE, aimed at achieving "good enough" quality. The client needs (deadline, type of text, purpose of the text, duration of the information once published) will determine the type of PE to be done.

Usually, light PE is for jobs with very tight deadlines or continuous updates, where more importance is given to getting the message of the translation through, than to have a nice, grammatically correct and full of stylistic resources text.

On the other hand, a full PE is recommended for jobs with better deadlines, in which not only the importance is given to the message, but also to the way the message is transmitted to the reader. Grammar, spelling and style play an important role in full PE.

It is important for translators/post-editors to know how to work with the raw output so that PE does not become a waste of time (and therefore, a waste of money). The PE effort depends on the quality of the raw output:

Good: Only minor PE is required in terms of actual changes or time spent on PE.

Medium: Severe PE is required or maybe just minor PE after spending too much time trying to understand the intended meaning and where the errors are.

Poor: it would be better to manually retranslate from scratch (PE is not worthwhile).

Regarding the economic implications, it is not true that PE is replacing the old word-rate model. Some companies pay it per hour, but many of them still rate PE per word as a fuzzy rate.

Finally, one of the purposes of PE is to improve Machine Translation engines, so feedback should always be given after the PE task so that the PE efforts are minimized in the next job.

Can all jobs be done with MT and therefore be post-edited, instead of translated "the old fashioned way"? Will this be the end of LSPs? At Jensen we think that although a great advance has been made in the industry, not all texts are useful for MT, neither all languages. Only time and technology will tell us if we are right or not. The truth is that MT and PE are already here and it will not be the end of LSPs like us, PE will be just another service provided to our clients in addition to human translation. We just have to adapt our procedures to the new trends of the market.

For more detailed information or doubts about PE, you can contact Alicia at agonzalez(at)jensen-localization.com or visit TAUS website, http://translationautomation.com/.

We would like to thanks Sharon O'Brien for sharing her notes about PE with us so that we can now offer some training material to our translators, and TAUS for organising such an interesting event.

Jensen Spain gets bigger!

2011-03-22T16:13:00.013+01:00

Since the opening of our Spanish branch on January 2007, Jensen Spain has experienced a fast growth. We have reached a point where we desperately need more space for even more staff.

For this reason we have acquired a new office close to the current one in Fuengirola (Málaga), where we will have plenty of room for the current staff and for new team members, if needed. Also, we will have space for meetings and visits of our partners.

Here you can see some pictures of the actual status of the office. As you can see, there is a lot to do! We will be uploading new pictures as the works advance until the official opening, before the end of 2011.

Translation of article about Jensen's anniversary

2011-03-18T14:40:00.004+01:00

Some days ago you could see on our Facebook site that we posted an article that Solkysten magazine published on their October 2010 edition about the 10th anniversary of our company. As that was only for Danish readers, now you can read the English translation below. If you want to see the nice picture of Maribel and Alicia, see it on Facebook :).

The office space behind this facade is larger than it seems seen from the street. By now, Jensen Localization in Fuengirola counts thirteen employees and in addition to these, the company’s clients may avail themselves of more than 300 external co-operation partners throughout the world. More than sufficient for the daily translation requirements of the Danes, Swedes, Norwegians and Finns in the area.

Naturally, this is the aspect of Jensen Localization best known to the resident Scandinavians. This is whom you approach with the translation of a Spanish document, however, the largest clients of this multinational translation agency are companies such as Microsoft and Samsung.

10 years ago, Brian Jensen and his partner Allan Svendsen founded Jensen Localization, which has offices in Denmark and Holland as well. The office in Fuengirola did not open until 2007, but it has already grown to be the largest. This may have to do with the founder Brian Jensen's plans of taking up permanent residence in Spain at some point.

”Really, the location of this type of company is not that important, because most of the work is done on central servers via the Internet," Senior Project Manager Maribel Florido explains. Recently, the permanent staff at the Fuengirola office was expanded by three new employees, a Swedish and a Norwegian translator a.o. The office already had a Danish translator. However, the staff at Fuengirola are mostly engaged in the administration and management of the large work tasks.

The company name of Jensen Localization may need explaining.

”Localizing is more than just translating. It is translation adapted to the local culture,” Assistant General Manager Alicia González, says. E.g. British inches have to be converted into centimetres, however, it becomes far more complicated when dealing with technology.

The company’s 10 year jubilee is celebrated in style - from 14th to 17th October, the entire staff have been invited to Groningen in Holland, where it all started.

Image: Alicia González (to the left) and Maribel Florido have seen large growth since the start in Fuengirola.

In Puerto Rico, Spanish is a threatened language

2011-02-09T14:16:00.001+01:00

The ice, snow and sleet that paralyzed American aviation last week forced upon me two extra days in tropical Puerto Rico. Somehow I managed. And so did the legions of other Americans and Canadians sharing stories of canceled flights as they contentedly drank cafe con leche in the warm sun of Plaza de Colon.

The bonus days were passed in a truly bilingual world, where signage, conversations and television fell into a jumble of English and Spanish. One had to smile at the tense complaints up north about the English language losing its primacy. "The U.S. is an English-speaking country," you hear, "and darn it, people who come here should adjust." Fair enough. But spend some time in Puerto Rico, even outside the tourist districts, and you see a Spanish-speaking society that's been pressed to change its language for more than 100 years.

More information at: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/7418913.html

With new phone system, seeing is hearing

2011-01-07T15:02:00.001+01:00

Thanks to the installation of a new, technologically-advanced device called the Z-150, deaf/hearing impaired employees here now can speak to, and see, one another over the phone.

The Z-150 is a video phone system with a camera and monitor that allows communications to travel over the network, similar to a computer. It uses a relay interpreter service, so hearing-impaired employees can have conversations with other people who are not hearing impaired. A relay person, or a sign language interpreter, visually communicates to the hearing-impaired person who has the Z-150 through the monitor.

More information at: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123237164

Using Wikipedia to change the language of the Web

2011-01-07T14:47:00.001+01:00

Nothing exemplifies the power of Wiki – the open and collaborative platforms for content creation – like the online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia. The site that everybody can freely and collaboratively edit is credited not only with having created a massive repository of knowledge but also democratising the presentation of content on the Web.

Wikipedia, which turns 10 this January, has over 35 lakh articles. In 2010, we saw several Wiki Media Foundation bigwigs visit India, hold public meet-ups with the Wiki community and appoint the first Indian to sit on the board of the Wikipedia Foundation, Bisakha Dutta. Apart from the formal Indian Wikipedia chapter, that has been on the anvil for some time now, Wikipedia Foundation has also chosen India to set up its first offshore office.

More information at: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/article1032224.ece

Health Reform Grows Job Market for Interpreters

2011-01-07T14:37:00.002+01:00

... According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about one out of four jobs created in the United States through 2018 is expected to be in the health care industry. A recent article in the Washington Post noted that demand for such positions as registered nurses is anticipated to grow by some 23 percent, or 581,000 new jobs, through 2016, with an additional 276,000 openings expected for nursing aides, orderlies and related positions.

For job seekers in a nation with unemployment rates expected to linger above 10 percent, that spells much needed relief.

Much of that growth is credited to the $940 billion Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed last March, which promises a number of significant changes to existing health care laws over the next decade, with most set to take effect by 2014.

More information at: http://newamericamedia.org/2011/01/medical-interpretation-other-health-care-jobs-on-the-rise.php

Google ‘Health Speaks’ for online medical info in Hindi

2010-09-07T13:35:00.001+02:00

Internet search giant Google is encouraging volunteers to translate health-related articles in Hindi under its initiative to boost the amount of online medical information in local languages.

Google.org has introduced pilots for its initiative ’Health Speaks’ that aims to increase the online health information in Hindi, Arabic and Swahili.

The search giant said it has chosen hundreds of health articles, written in English, from Wikipedia for their translation. Volunteers who are bilingual in English and anyone of the vernaculars are being encouraged to translate the literatures with assistance from the Google Translator Toolkit.

More information at: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/article619069.ece

Mediterranean Literature Festival

2010-09-06T11:34:00.000+02:00

Top writers and musicians from seven countries, including gritty Welsh novelist Niall Griffiths, Maltese iconic poet Victor Fenech, and Lebanese poet and novelist Hyam Yared, will perform at this year’s fifth edition of the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival on Thursday 9, Friday 10 and Saturday 11th September, 2010, at the Garden of Rest in Floriana, close to the Floriana Central Public Library. During all evenings there will be live jazz or alternative music, a free glass of wine and food for sale.

More information at: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=111559

The Three Step Process to Effective Multilingual Keywords

2010-08-04T16:09:00.001+02:00

While it is often regarded as the lingua franca of the internet, English is not quite the dominant online force many imagine it to be. It is still the single most widely used online language, according to Internet World Stats, but Chinese is now running a close second – and three-quarters of all web surfers speak a native language other than English. Clearly, a multilingual approach is required to truly reach the global market the internet puts within reach.

More information at: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/the-three-step-process-to-effective-multilingual-keywords/23060/#ixzz0ve8FrAvd

7 Brain-Boosting Benefits Children Achieve When They Have The Ability To Speak Spanish

2010-08-04T15:52:00.002+02:00

Dallas, TX (8/3/2010) – With the dwindling job market silently looming, Texas parents are concerned how to position their children for a promising future. And not be a victim of a “future” recession. According to the Census Bureau 29% Texas Households speak Spanish— the highest percentage in the country. Because of the high demand for Bilingualism in our communities, monolingual parents are looking to give their children a competitive advantage for their futures.

Kelly Mayberry, Educator and Director of Spanish Immersion Private School, Brilliance Academy shares some unknown revelations from parents. She explains, “I have parents who are working 2 jobs, just to put their child in a Bilingual school or Program.” “They vow not to let this opportunity pass by their child.”

More information at: http://www.seopressreleases.com/7-brainboosting-benefits-children-achieve-ability-speak-spanish/11217

Cantonese speakers defend their language

2010-08-04T09:40:00.000+02:00

Hundreds of Chinese took to the streets in recent weeks in the southeastern cities of Hong Kong and Guangzhou to defend one of their most important treasures—their language.

The protests on July 25 and Aug. 1 were in response to recent calls by regional officials to increase Mandarin broadcast programs in the area. Mandarin is the official language of Beijing.

Cantonese-speaking activists called the move an attack on their language, according to Time. Cantonese is the predominant language spoken in Hong Kong, Guangdong province, the former Portuguese colony of Macao and in Chinatowns around the world.

More information at: http://newsdesk.org/2010/08/cantonese-speakers-defend-their-language/

Linguistic imperialism to hit China

2010-07-13T12:29:00.000+02:00

Authorities in Beijing plan to make most residents - from hairdressers to policemen - learn English under a drive to convert the Chinese capital into a ‘world city’, state media said. The government programme - first launched in 2002 in preparation for the Beijing Olympics and recently renewed - calls for all kindergartens in the city to introduce English courses within five years, the Global Times said. A minimum of 60 percent of shop assistants, receptionists and hairdressers under 40 will also be required to pass English tests by 2015, as will 80 percent of police officers, the report said.

More information at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\13\story_13-7-2010_pg9_7

EU begins the hunt for new translators

2010-07-12T14:39:00.002+02:00

Brussels - The European Union's executive on Friday began the hunt for a new generation of translators to keep its bureaucratic wheels turning as officials announced a wave of hiring for July 13.The EU has 23 official languages and its executive, the European Commission, regularly translates key legal documents and briefings into all of them.But the current generation of translators and interpreters is coming up for retirement, leaving officials keen to start training their replacements now."EU citizens and the staff of the EU institutions cannot be expected to know all official EU languages. That is why a multilingual organization like the EU needs high-quality language services," the commission's vice-president in charge of administration, Maros Sefcovic, said.

More information at: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/334065,eubegins-hunt-new-translators.html

Language Translation: Man Versus Machine

2010-07-09T16:24:00.000+02:00

Anyone who has visited a foreign country knows the difficulty of buying products in a foreign language. This confusion can be overwhelming, whether haggling on the street or buying online.

But, for ecommerce merchants considering language translation, determining which countries and languages to focus on can be daunting. Even coming up with an estimate for the number of speakers of the world’s most popular languages is difficult, as the numbers often become outdated as soon as they are published. Wikipedia cobbles together estimates from Encarta, Ethnologue and other sources, but these estimates are based on previous numbers and do not often include bilinguals.

More information at: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/2061-Language-Translation-Man-Versus-Machine

Brit school launches talking PCs for students who can't speak English

2010-07-08T15:35:00.001+02:00

London, July 7 (ANI): A primary school where over 50 percent students do not speak English recently became Britain's first to provide every child with a computerised translator.

The scheme, dubbed "damaging and dangerous" by critics, will enable 60 per cent of the 384 pupils to communicate with teachers using the software.

Children type questions into the computer in their native language, which are translated out loud into English for the teacher.

Teachers type instructions for pupils which can be translated back into 25 different languages.

English-speaking pupils also use the translator to communicate with foreign classmates

More information at: http://news.oneindia.in/2010/07/07/britschool-launches-talking-pcs-for-students-who-cantspea.html

'A Little Book' Helps Kids Learn To Love Language

2010-06-16T12:19:00.001+02:00

Some linguists lament that in the digital age, once-sacred grammar skills will be lost in the shorthand shuffle of texting and tweeting. But language expert David Crystal isn't worried. In A Little Book Of Language, he writes about how kids actually do love words. The book, geared toward young people, traces the history and the future of language.

A Little Book Of Language is an echo of an earlier title, E.H. Gombrich's A Little History of the World. Gombrich was inspired to write the book because "a little girl wrote to him and said, 'Please tell me about the history of everything,' " Crystal explains in a conversation with NPR's Neal Conan. Crystal says he read the book years ago and found it fascinating; it inspired him to write a book that would "be of interest to young teenagers, who desperately need this kind of awareness of language," yet would not be off-putting to older readers.

More information at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127860115

A Test in Producing a Visual Capture of Speech

2010-06-15T12:53:00.000+02:00

Simply studying how people speak will not lead to the best understanding of why some individuals have difficulty pronouncing certain words or learning a second language.

To address this challenge, a University of Arizona research team is using ultrasound and other equipment to produce technology that would map the mouth's interior to aid in analyzing exactly how sound is produced.

Diana Archangeli, a UA linguistics professor, is heading up the project, "Arizona Articulatory, Acoustic, and Visual Speech Database." It is meant to improve what is known about how words are formed in the mouth and, thereby, advancing what is known about speech.

More information at: http://www.physorg.com/news195739730.html

World Cup referees take a crash course in cursing

2010-06-11T14:29:00.001+02:00

Watch those mouths, boys. Same for fingers, elbows, fists and anything else that could be construed as, uh, universal gestures.

The Brazilian referee and his assistants for Saturday's England-United States game at the World Cup are brushing up on the lexicon of English-language obscenities.

The crash course in cursing is thanks in part to hot-tempered English star Wayne Rooney, who ran his potty mouth during a warm-up match this week.

But swearing a blue streak isn't the only thing that could lead a referee to toss a player from the World Cup. Obscene gestures and overly aggressive behavior are big no-nos, too, and the refs will be on the lookout.

More information at: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j8l3dgh7kE2rq64JU-Db2Le8iaRwD9G8KF9G1

The worldwide web: technology that translates, and unites

2010-06-10T15:54:00.000+02:00

The "digital divide" between those who can afford an Internet connection and those who can't is sprouting an evil twin: a "language divide."

The roots of the Internet lie in U.S. military and university research projects, conducted in English. That language is still preferred online for international commerce and science.

But the scene is shifting rapidly. Tens of millions of new Internet users do not speak or read English and seek content in their own languages. China alone has 400 million people online — more than the entire US population — and the vast majority only read Chinese.

More information at: http://www.minnpost.com/businessagenda/2010/06/09/18773/the_worldwide_web_technology_that_translates_and_unites

Canada - Bilingualism a matter of pride and policy

2010-06-08T14:31:00.001+02:00

Bilingualism is an essential part of the Canadian identity that promotes peace, order and good government, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Monday.

Speaking at a forum about official languages organized by his party on Parliament Hill, Ignatieff said the Liberals would pledge to support minority francophone and anglophone communities across the country in the next election campaign with specific dollar figures attached to its platform.

More information at: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Bilingualism+matter+pride+policy+Ignatieff/3123807/story.html#ixzz0qGRlH0na

Speaking in tongues of generations past

2010-06-04T09:38:00.001+02:00

Queens, one of the most linguistically diverse areas on Earth, is at the forefront of the battle to save thousands of the world’s languages expected to disappear in the next century.

In a borough renowned for its diversity, linguists believe there are many individuals who speak languages in danger of disappearing, extinguishing humanity’s chance to gain insight into nearly extinct cultures whose history and stories could be forever lost.

Officials and volunteers from the Endangered Language Alliance, a Manhattan-based group, is working to find these people and preserve and document such languages as Mamuju, an Austronesian language spoken by one known person in Rego Park, and Aztec and Mayan languages, including Mixtec and Naheatl, spoken by populations in Corona and western Queens.

More information at: http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/06/03/queens/qns_endangered_language_alliance_20100603.txt

Language lessons: You are what you speak

2010-06-02T15:56:00.000+02:00

LANGUAGES are wonderfully idiosyncratic. English puts its subject before its verb. Finnish has lots of cases. Mandarin is highly tonal.

Yet despite these differences, one of the most influential ideas in the study of language is that of universal grammar. Put forward by Noam Chomsky in the 1960s, it is widely interpreted as meaning that all languages are basically the same and that the human brain is born language-ready, with an in-built program that is able to decipher the common rules underpinning any mother tongue. For five decades this idea has dominated work in linguistics, psychology and cognitive science. To understand language, it implied, you must sweep aside the dazzling diversity of languages and find the common human core.

More information at: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20627621.000-language-lessons-you-are-what-you-speak.html?page=1

Medical: Many can't read medical instructions

2010-05-27T13:54:00.001+02:00

Whether from lack of understanding due to language barriers or because drug and medical instructions are so poorly written, millions of Americans regularly are at risk of getting improper care.

Some 50 million Americans speak a primary language other than English at home, and about half of them have limited English proficiency -- speaking and understanding ability that is less than "very well."

Surveys have found that fewer than half the people who don't speak English well get a medical interpreter when they seek care at a clinic or hospital, and only about a quarter of U.S. hospitals do any significant staff training on working with interpreters.

Too many medical encounters are either reduced to a few bits of shared language, some sign language or the use of a friend or family member as translator who may not realize the medical significance of pale and dry skin versus pale and clammy skin, or mistranslate "tablespoon" for "teaspoon."

More information at: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/medical052610/medical052610/

Writing French subtitles is an art

2010-05-26T15:41:00.000+02:00

The task? Listen to a dialogue and translate it into French. Write it down.

The catch? You have to be able to read it in four seconds.

Subtitling is not as easy as it looks. It is not just a matter of converting the words into another language and calling it a day -a good subtitle takes the essence of a sentence and distills it into something instantaneously comprehensible, all the while keeping the cultural flavour of the original dialogue.

More info at: http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/Writing+French+subtitles/3067627/story.html#ixzz0p2iT38M7

You'll never be lost in translation again

2010-05-25T15:41:00.000+02:00

A universal translator that can convert any language — spoken or text — into one you understand has long been a mainstay of science fiction.

However, according to Google, it's closer than we think— in fact, it might already be in your pocket. At the firm's exclusive Zeitgeist retreat in Hertfordshire last week, translation software for phones running Google's Android software was shown, along with similar capabilities for YouTube, the firm's video site.

The demonstrations were breathtaking. A member of Google's staff spoke his request into his phone in English — which then almost instantly spoke back his request in Spanish. The same capabilities were shown translating text, with text messages and web pages being almost perfectly translated. While watching foreign YouTube videos, with a single click subtitles were shown practically instantly.

More information at: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23837365-youll-never-be-lost-in-translation-again.do

Google announces Internet television platform

2010-05-21T16:09:00.001+02:00

SAN FRANCISCO - Google unveiled a television platform on Thursday in a partnership with Sony, Intel and Logitech that brings the Web to the television set.

"Google TV is a new platform that we believe will change the future of television," Google group product manager Rishi Chandra said while demonstrating the new service at a developers conference in San Francisco.

The Google TV technology based on the California Internet giant's Android software "combines the best of what TV has to offer and the best of what the Web has to offer," according to Chandra.

Google TV can be accessed using Internet-enabled televisions from Sony or a custom digital box that routes Web content to television screens.

More information at: http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Google+announces+Internet+television+platform/3052449/story.html

Global Chinese dictionary launched

2010-05-18T12:04:00.001+02:00

BEIJING - A global Chinese dictionary was launched here yesterday by China's former top political adviser Li Ruihuan and Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew - who is on an official visit to the country.

The dictionary, the brainchild of a Singaporean professor, compiles Chinese terms and vocabulary used in different regions.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Lee said he hoped the dictionary would aid the global convergence of the language.

"Vocabulary is crucial during conversation. The global Chinese Dictionary will enhance exchanges between different Chinese speaking regions," he said.

More information at: http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC100518-0000105/Global-Chinese-dictionary-launched

Half of languages may vanish by 2100‎

2010-05-18T11:12:00.000+02:00

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says half of all modern languages will "probably vanish" by the end of the century.

"We are seeing an unprecedented rate of language extinction or language death," Professor K. David Harrison, the director of the Living Tongues Institute of Philadelphia-based Swarthmore College has recently said in a report by Aljazeera.

"Approximately half of the world's languages are considered to be endangered. And we may be losing a language as often as one every two weeks," he added.

More information at: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=126546&sectionid=3510212

Google Goggles App Includes Text Translation

2010-05-10T09:58:00.001+02:00

You may well wonder how an app that will run a search based on a photo will make use of language translation.

Well, by taking a snap shot of text in another language, Google Goggles will now translate it into something more legible for you.

This new feature in Google Goggles version 1.1 looks to have a number of applications, like figuring out what a Bavarian roadsign says, or avoiding cuisses de grenouilles from a Parisian menu.

The updated app currently supports English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish translations. For those of you looking to go further afield though, it will soon provide Chinese, Hindi and Arabic support.

More information at: http://www.gaj-it.com/18033/google-goggles-app-translates-text/

Jensen Localization on Facebook

2010-05-10T09:53:00.002+02:00

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In order to be more visible and to improve communication, Jensen Localization is now also present on Facebook.

As this is one of the most important social networks, we think it is very important to be connected with the world and share our professional (and also those not so professional) activities with our friends and colleagues as well as getting the opportunity to learn your opinion about our company in less formal surroundings as we can always get better.

We hope you enjoy this “unofficial" and more relaxed site where you can participate with your comments and opinions.

Join us at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jensen-Localization/117749721580978

People all across the world are discovering numerous ways to communicate

2010-04-30T14:33:00.002+02:00

The Tower of Babel is being rebuilt. But this time, it’s not a bunch of Nimrods doing the heavy lifting.

Several news report came out today detailing the humble efforts of a few brave individuals. The stories crossed cultures and methods, but they revealed the innovative ways in which folks are learning to talk to one another (and other mammals).

In London, a translation firm has posted an ad on Craigslist seeking freelance translators. They’re not interested in Chinese, Italian or even Swahili speakers, though. They need people who speak Brooklynese.

More information at: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/29/people-all-across-the-world-are-discovering-numerous-way-to-communicate/

Good Dictionaries Should Be Heard As Well As Seen

2010-04-28T12:46:00.000+02:00

The world's most popular online learner's dictionary now has audio.

...Cambridge University Press has launched the audio offering to help the vast number of English learners who use the dictionaries to conquer the sometimes tricky territory of English pronunciation. Access to thousands of pronunciations in both British and American English is now just a click away via a special icon.

With more than 2 million unique visitors every month, Cambridge Dictionaries Online (CDO) is not only the most visited learner's dictionary site, it is one of the most comprehensive and trusted dictionary sites in the world, providing easy-to-understand definitions and example sentences based on real English.

More information at: http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/27035

Google Unveils Word Translator Feature

2010-04-20T16:10:00.000+02:00

Google's gone one step further in making automatic translation easier.

Now If Google Toolbar’s default language is set to one of their supported languages, users can use the new Word Translator feature to hover over a word with the mouse and get an automatic instant translation. If users want Toolbar to translate into a different language, they can change it in the Toolbar Options menu.

More informarion at: http://tech2.in.com/india/news/software/google-unveils-word-translator-feature/119502/0

Creating translations that are faithful, not literal

2010-04-08T12:55:00.001+02:00

Marian Schwartz is an acclaimed translator of Russian fiction, history, biography, and criticism. Her most recent translations include Ivan Goncharov’s 19th-century novel “Oblomov” and Olga Slavnikova’s futuristic novel “2017.” Schwartz is also the principal English translator of the works of Nina Berberova.

She spoke from her home in Austin, Texas.

Q. What is a good translation?

A. I think a translation is considered “good’’ when the reader likes it, even if it’s tough going...

More information at: http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/04/04/creating_translations_that_are_faithful_not_literal/

UN Interpreters Make Sure Nothing Is Lost In Translation

2010-03-29T15:42:00.001+02:00

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UNITED NATIONS -- When Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi delivered his notorious 96-minute speech before the UN General Assembly last autumn, no one may have been more aware of each passing minute than his personal translator, Fouad Zlitni, whom he had brought along for the occasion.

Nearly three-quarters of the way into Qaddafi's address, Zlitni collapsed, undone by the effort of translating the Libyan leader's rambling, at times angry speech from Arabic into English for nearly 75 minutes straight.

Hossam Fahr, the Egyptian-born head of the UN's interpretation service, says Qaddafi's translator went far beyond the normal limits of what an interpreter can reasonably be expected to do.

"It was a very unusual situation, because every member state has the right to bring its own interpreter. [Qaddafi] had his own interpreters; they were already installed in the booths. So we let them do the work, and then unfortunately, one of them just collapsed a good 75 minutes into the statement," Fahr said.

More information at: http://www.rferl.org/content/UN_Interpreters_Make_Sure_Nothing_Is_Lost_In_Translation/1995801.html
"I take my hat off to him -- he did a very good job under the circumstances."

I, Translator

2010-03-22T15:24:00.001+01:00

EVERYBODY has his own tale of terrible translation to tell — an incomprehensible restaurant menu in Croatia, a comically illiterate warning sign on a French beach. “Human-engineered” translation is just as inadequate in more important domains. In our courts and hospitals, in the military and security services, underpaid and overworked translators make muddles out of millions of vital interactions. Machine translation can certainly help in these cases. Its legendary bloopers are often no worse than the errors made by hard-pressed humans.

Machine translation has proved helpful in more urgent situations as well. When Haiti was devastated by an earthquake in January, aid teams poured in to the shattered island, speaking dozens of languages — but not Haitian Creole. How could a trapped survivor with a cellphone get usable information to rescuers? If he had to wait for a Chinese or Turkish or an English interpreter to turn up he might be dead before being understood. Carnegie Mellon University instantly released its Haitian Creole spoken and text data, and a network of volunteer developers produced a rough-and-ready machine translation system for Haitian Creole in little more than a long weekend. It didn’t produce prose of great beauty. But it worked...

More information at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/opinion/21bellos.html

Your request is being processed... Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Translator Speaks Up For Translations

2010-03-17T09:44:00.001+01:00

If you're a fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or have purchased the latest edition of "Don Quixote," you might know the name Edith Grossman.

You would have seen her listed on the cover of "Don Quixote," right under author Miguel de Cervantes, or recognized her from "Love in the Time of Cholera" and other Garcia Marquez books. You'd be happy to know that she is well compensated, highly regarded and in steady demand.

It's a good life for any writer, but it's especially charmed for the art form Grossman has mastered: translation.

More information at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/15/gabriel-garcia-marquezs-t_n_499693.html

Vocabulary size

2010-03-17T09:35:00.000+01:00

Trying to convince speakers of English that they need to expand their vocabularies is one of the oldest strategies for selling word books. The very first English dictionary, A Table Alphabeticall, published in 1604, stated on its title page that its approximately 2,500 words (most of them relatively obscure) were intended for the “benefit and help of ladies, gentlewomen or any other unskillful persons.” For the next 100 years, most published dictionaries were concerned with helping the verbally unsophisticated (or at least the insecure) feel more comfortable with their verbal repertories. These early dictionaries were filled only with “hard” words and did not bother with defining cow or apple, reasoning that everyone knew what words like that meant. Instead they sought to explain to the uninitiated the meaning of terms like desticate (to cry like a rat) and antipelargy (the reciprocal love children have for their parents).

More information at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/magazine/14FOB-onlanguage-t.html

EC plans translation rights

2010-03-12T08:54:00.002+01:00

Image by TPCOM via Flickr

All EU governments will be obliged to provide full interpretation and translation for criminal suspects under European Commission plans.

The idea is to help people "exercise their fair trial rights anywhere in the EU when they cannot understand the language of the case" said a statement.

The Commission cites the examples of an Italian tourist involved in a car crash in Sweden who was not allowed to talk to an Italian-speaking lawyer during his trial, and the Polish suspect denied access to written translations of evidence used against him in a French court.

Such "unexpected barriers" could lead to unfair convictions during legal proceedings in other EU countries.

More information at: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5j4lWKvBU7V50mpHv1OuMKZsawuQA

Google’s Computing Power Betters Translation Tool

2010-03-09T15:17:00.001+01:00

In a meeting at Google in 2004, the discussion turned to an e-mail message the company had received from a fan in South Korea. Sergey Brin, a Google founder, ran the message through an automatic translation service that the company had licensed.

The message said Google was a favorite search engine, but the result read: “The sliced raw fish shoes it wishes. Google green onion thing!”

Mr. Brin said Google ought to be able to do better. Six years later, its free Google Translate service handles 52 languages, more than any similar system, and people use it hundreds of millions of times a week to translate Web pages and other text.

More information at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/technology/09translate.html

Conference on 'Translation at the European Commission: 1958 – 2010'

2010-03-08T14:18:00.002+01:00

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DGT presents a study on the multilingual operation of the European Union, from the days of
the Economic Community in 1958, with six Member States, to the present Union of 27
Member states, with 23 official languages. Right from the very start, the translation service
has guaranteed European citizens access to the legislative and major political documents of
the EU in their own language and enabled each Member State to contribute actively to EU
policy making.

...The round table will be made up of key figures and witnesses of this shared chronicle, as
well as academics and high officials from the European institutions...

More information at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/translation_commission_conference_note.pdf

YouTube Makes Captioning Available to All

2010-03-05T14:36:00.001+01:00

Google's YouTube on Thursday announced that it has moved its automatic speech-recognition and closed-captioning technology out of beta and have now made it available to the YouTube community at large.

Most, if not all, YouTube videos now include a "CC" button that, if pressed, will automatically generate the closed-captioning technology. The technology processes the audio feed, using the speech-recognition technology used in the core voice search feature that has also built into the Android voice search feature, the GOOG-411 phone search, and other products.

More information at: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2360955,00.asp

Spain, Philippines sign agreement on Spanish language

2010-02-25T16:04:00.000+01:00

MADRID—Spain will help the Philippines reintroduce Spanish language instruction at public schools in the southeastern Asian country under an agreement signed Tuesday between the two nations.

The study of the language is currently voluntary at public high schools in the Philippines, a former Spanish colony, but the government plans to make its availability widespread from 2012.

Under the agreement signed Tuesday, Madrid will help train Spanish language teachers in the Philippines, help develop the curriculum and provide electronic teaching aids as well as technical advice, the Spanish foreign ministry said.

More information at: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100224-255038/Spain-Philippines-sign-agreement-on-Spanish-language

Translators, interpreters use skills to bridge communication barriers

2010-02-23T14:21:00.000+01:00

When Leonard Sepeda is on the job, it's hard for him to stay in one place for long. As a senior interpreter at Dell Children's Medical Center, his mobile phone rings frequently and there's no telling where the call will send him. Oftentimes, he is summoned to a hospital room where he uses his fluency in both Spanish and English to assist patients and medical professionals on opposite sides of a language barrier.

Sepeda's interpreting skills can be put to the test under trying circumstances, especially when he's working with critically ill patients.

He teaches an interpreter training class at Seton and tells his students, "Imagine being in a foreign country, not speaking the language and being in an accident or having a major illness and not being able to tell the doctor what the symptoms are."

Just as a hospital room is a place where clear communication is critical, the same can be said for a courtroom.

More information at: http://www.statesman.com/jobs/career-center/translators-interpreters-use-skills-to-bridge-communication-barriers-266732.html?cxtype=ynews_rss

Google shows off photo translation with Goggles on Android phones

2010-02-17T15:20:00.001+01:00

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MOBILE phones are poised to become international travel guides as Google yesterday previewed a new service that lets phones translate foreign text from photos of anything from street signs to restaurant menus.

In a world-first demonstration of the new technology at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a Google engineer showed how users could translate words in photos.

More information at: http://www.news.com.au/technology/google-shows-off-photo-translation-with-goggles-on-android-phones/story-e6frfro0-1225831452657

Teaching a Foreign Language? Best in the Accent of the Listener

2010-02-16T12:25:00.000+01:00

Newswise — Perception of second language speech is easier when it is spoken in the accent of the listener and not in the 'original' accent of that language, shows a new study from the University of Haifa. The study was published in the prestigious Journal of Psycholinguistic Research.

Many adult schools teaching second languages insist on exposing their students to the languages in their 'original' accents. However, this new study, carried out by Dr. Raphiq Ibrahim and Dr. Mark Leikin of the University of Haifa's Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Prof. Zohar Eviatar of the Department of Psychology and Prof. Shimon Sapir of the Department of Learning Disabilities, found that this system is not necessarily the best and certainly not the most expeditious.

More information at: http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/561359/?sc=dwhn

Google leaps language barrier with translator phone

2010-02-10T15:09:00.000+01:00

GOOGLE is developing software for the first phone capable of translating foreign languages almost instantly — like the Babel Fish in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

By building on existing technologies in voice recognition and automatic translation, Google hopes to have a basic system ready within a couple of years. If it works, it could eventually transform communication among speakers of the world’s 6,000-plus languages.

More information at: http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_tech/article7017831.ece

Machine Translator Helps Haitian Relief Effort

2010-02-09T16:20:00.000+01:00

Among the rapid responders to the devastating January 12th earthquake in Haiti – which left between as many as 200,000 people dead and 1.5 million homeless – are linguists and computer scientists. Among them is former Carnegie Mellon University linguist Greg Allen who went to Haiti in 1990s on U.S. army contract.

Allen was fluent in Creole, the language widely spoken in Haiti. His mission on the project, dubbed Diplomat, was to develop an English/Creole speech and text translation system.

ALLEN: "I spent nine months collecting data from different people within the Haitian community. And then we in-house translated everything that we could for a period of two years."

More information at: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/science-technology/Our-World--5-Februrary-2010.html

Globalization and its Effects on Language Translation

2010-02-08T11:38:00.001+01:00

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The idea of globalization has different meanings to different people. However, many people believe the idea rests on the integration of economic, political, and cultural systems across the globe. The process that drives globalization is based on a combination of economic, technological, sociocultural and political forces. This purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of globalization on language translation services and how it has gained increasing important and has created several critically important focuses that include medical translation, legal translation and standard professional translation.

More information at: http://blog.themarketinganalysts.com/2010/02/globalization-and-its-effects-on-language-translation/

Translators aim to bring ‘essence’ of other cultures to UAE

2010-02-02T12:35:00.000+01:00

With Junot Diaz’s Drown, a book of short stories charting the life experiences of Dominican Republic migrants in the US, a natural history of seeds and a manifesto on how to maintain sustainable cities, Dr Ali bin Tamim’s library is varied to say the least.

Dr bin Tamim is the project manager of Kalima, the translation arm of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach) launched in 2007. The ambitious, non-profit project funds the translation, publication and distribution of 100 books a year from other languages into Arabic.
Cherry-picking books from various languages, genres and eras is a daunting task, but one Dr bin Tamim insists is essential to the cultural development of the Arab world and its 250 million Arabic speakers.

“When you translate a story from one language to another, you don’t just bring the words to the new reader you bring the culture, the essence of another way of life and new values,” he said.

More information at: www.thenational.ae

International Mother Language Day: 21 February 2010

2010-02-01T16:03:00.002+01:00

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The International Mother Language Day, proclaimed by the General Conference of UNESCO in November 1999, has been observed yearly since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

The eleventh International Mother Language Day, on 21 February 2010, will be celebrated in the framework of the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures.

More information at: www.unesco.org

Jensen's Christmas contribution

2010-02-01T08:58:00.001+01:00

The Christmas donation from Jensen Localization was made at a spectacular TV show organized by Unicef, Red Cross, Medicins sans Frontieres, and several other charity organizations. The money collected during this show, which exceeded an all time high of euro 17 million which will be equally shared between Haiti and women in Africa.

More information cab be found at www.danmarksindsamling.dk (Danish only)

Internet World users by language

2010-01-29T11:16:00.004+01:00

Internet World Stats presents its latest estimates for Internet Users by Language.
Because of the importance of this research, and due to the lack of other sources, Internet World Stats publishes several tables and charts featuring analysis and details here for the top ten languages and also for the top three languages in use by Internet users.

More information at: http://www.internetworldstats.com

UNICEF steps up efforts to protect child health and safety in Haiti quake zone

2010-01-19T13:38:00.001+01:00

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Thousands have died, an unknown number are injured and an estimated 300,000 are homeless following the earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince and other densely populated areas of Haiti on 12 January, affecting a total of more than 3 million people.

Five days on, UNICEF and its partners are intensifying emergency operations to protect the health and safety of children at risk. One critical concern involves children who have become separated from their families and may find themselves without shelter, food, water or other basic necessities.

More information at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti_52480.html