Portuguese ranks as the world’s fifth most spoken native language, with approximately 250 million speakers spread across four continents. Yet anyone who has worked with Portuguese speakers knows that “Portuguese” isn’t one language—it’s three distinct variations shaped by five centuries of divergent history. The Lusosphere—the community of Portuguese-speaking nations—encompasses nine countries where Portuguese holds official…
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Few languages have experienced a transformation quite like Korean. Once spoken primarily within the confines of a mountainous peninsula, Korean has become one of the world’s most sought-after languages for business, entertainment, and cultural exchange. The Korean language learning market reached $7.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $67 billion by 2034—a…
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When you wake up on Christmas morning, what do you see? Have your stockings been filled by Dun Che Lao Ren? Don’t forget to leave straw on your shoes to feed the hungry camels, who have journeyed for 12 days to see the Christ child. Perhaps your house is visited not once, not twice, but…
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More than 160 countries celebrate Christmas in some form, yet “Christmas” means something entirely different in Tokyo than it does in Reykjavík. Add Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Lunar New Year, and dozens of regional harvest festivals, and the winter season becomes a mosaic of traditions that vary not just by country but by region, religion, and…
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If you’re planning a multilingual event that requires the services of interpreters, you may notice that, for certain languages, your language services provider will ask you who your target audiences are or what accent they may have. You may ask – well technically, it’s the same language, right? So are accents that important for interpretation? Do they matter anyway? Do I even need to hire a native speaker? The answer to all these questions is a resounding YES….
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Looking for a magnetic location for your next, multinational conference? Miami, Florida should certainly be a contender, particularly if your colleagues, clients and/or prospects are from Latin America or other Spanish or Portuguese-speaking countries. According to the NAHJ South Florida, “About 70 percent of the entire Miami population are Hispanics and Latinos, and within their…
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The first thing anyone wants when paying for a service, no matter what it is, is quality. But when it comes to translation and interpretation, it might be hard to describe exactly what that is. You know you want a “good” translation, but what does it really mean? And what does it take to achieve it? To start, the quality of a service will be defined by…
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While Turkey and the U.S. are NATO allies on paper, the increasing tension between the two countries has created multiple domestic and international headlines – all of which can feel heart-stopping for U.S. business professionals facilitating relationships in Turkey or with Turkish-speaking prospects around the globe. Some of the most recent headlines: US. Punishes Turkey…
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As professional linguists, you can imagine our delight when we read a recent New York Times op-ed titled, The Sacred Spell of Words. It’s not often that non-linguists think of language in sacred terms, and yet those of us who make our living as professional interpreters and translators spend the majority of our time reverently…
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United States and China: a relationship under extreme duress Earlier this year, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published an article called “A relationship Under Extreme Duress: U.S.-China Relations at a Crossroads.” This alarming statement is indicative of why companies, NGOs, political organizations and international firms must seek Chinese interpreters and translators who are native speakers…
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