Intercultural Communication and Translation News

By Donna Marsh

As an American/British dual national, it is always interesting to consider the innumerable cultural differences between the two countries.

Of course, these differences extend far beyond your definition of football, when you think World War II began, or in which hand you hold a fork. The current debate concerning proposed American health care reform has provided a platform that clearly illustrates how different the two countries can be.

Individualism Versus Collectivism

Americans are taught from an early age to take care of themselves, i.e., to pull themselves up by their bootstraps if necessary. Many Americans view health insurance—supplied by many but not all employers to their employees and their families—as something they individually earn, along with their wages or salaries. Some also are of the opinion that those who do not have health insurance should be motivated to find “better” work that does include this benefit. Indeed, there are a portion of Americans who view health care as a privilege and not a human right. Some Americans’ general mistrust of government-controlled social programs further fuel this attitude.

However, America’s scepticism is not as clear cut as it initially might seem. The American government has been sponsoring two important health programs since the 1960s. America’s Medicaid system provides health benefits to certain low-income groups. The Medicare system provides comprehensive health benefits to those older than 65.

Both programs generate strong feelings in the American public. Some may feel resentment toward the Medicaid system for any number of reasons, mostly relating to a belief that these individuals have not “earned the right” to access a system paid by taxpayers’ dollars and thus “don’t deserve it.” This reluctance to help the less fortunate, especially if there also is a perception of “not pulling their weight” is a telling example of the Protestant work ethic and its belief in reward for hard work.

However, Medicare most often is seen as an entitlement to be accessed at the age most Americans retire from work, and often—not insignificantly—lose their work-related health care benefits, as well. It would take some effort to find many Americans who would argue against the availability of the Medicare system for their elderly relatives or for themselves at some point in the future. The shift from individualism to a more collectivist approach is being made, at least in this instance.

In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service is free at the point of need to all British residents, including foreign nationals with a legal right to remain in the U.K. (including expatriate Americans). The NHS is funded through the National Insurance system, paid by both employees and employers. It undoubtedly is considered a human right by the British public, expected to be provided for all by the government.

This approach also fits into the U.K.’s value system of fair play and characteristic support for the underdog. Although it is not difficult to find many British people criticizing their government, there is not an equivalent level of mistrust as found among many Americans.

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Russia has agreed to donate three Siberian tigers to Korea, the Environment Ministry announced Monday. Siberian tigers, also known as Manchurian or Korean tigers, once widely inhabited the Korean Peninsula but the species is now on the verge of extinction with only a small number living in the wild in the Russian Far East. Korea currently has 51 of the tigers living in captivity which came from the United States and North Korea. Of them, 24 are in the Seoul Zoo.

Russia’s tiger donation came about partly through an interpreter’s mistake. While visiting Korea in June, a Russian delegation led by Vladimir Kirillov, the head of Russia’s Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service, went to the National Institute of Biological Resources with Vice Environment Minister Lee Byung-wook to see a display of mounted animals, including a Siberian tiger.

During the tour, a Korean official said, “Korea is very interested in Siberian tigers.” But the interpreter mistranslated the comment, and asked about Russia’s willingness to donate the animals. In response, Kirillov asked if Korea could raise donated tigers in the wild.

“The government didn’t give much thought to the remarks at the time, but it seems Kirillov proposed the donation while briefing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on his visit to Korea,” a ministry official said. The Environment Ministry made an official request to Russia for the donation of the tigers in a bilateral environmental cooperation meeting in Moscow on Oct. 30.

Read more > Error

In a bid to break communication barriers and help people sharpen their linguistics skills in a remarkable way, a Japanese firm NEC has designed a high-tech gadget, which offers users instant real-time language translation capabilities.

Dubbed as “Tele Scouter”, the gadget’s shape resembles that of a pair of glasses, and it helps users establish conversations with people of different languages by offering real-time language translation directly onto their retina.

The system incorporates voice recognition technology, microphones, along with various translations programmes to interpret conversations as they occur, projecting subtitles on the user’s retina, thereby eliminating the need of human translators completely.

In addition, the device also has the feature to offer audio translations via headphones.

Speaking about the features of the device, Takayuki Omino, NEC’s market development official, said in a statement: “You can keep the conversation flowing. This could also be used for talks involving confidential information, negating the need for a human translator”

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HealthForumOnline (HFO), a nationally-approved (APA, ASWB, NBCC, PSNA, CA-BBS) provider of online continuing education (CE) for psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses and other allied healthcare professionals announces the addition of a new online CE course for health professionals working with children and their families, Cultural Competency in Pediatric Psychology: Issues & Clinical Applications to their extensive online continuing education library.

This addition to HFO’s online CE course selection is important as psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses and other allied health care professionals in the U.S. have had a growing awareness of a shift in the demographic characteristics of their pediatric patients and their families over the last decade. Among them, is a marked change indicating a growing trend towards a more multi-ethnic society. However, despite this demographic shift, evidence suggests that Americans still do not equally share in the hope for recovery from mental illness despite the availability of effective and well-documented treatments.

Although a decade has passed since the U.S. Surgeon General first asserted that culture counts in mental health research and treatment, little has been done to address cultural variables in any way. One review of the research literature reported that only 11% of American samples included minority participants (i.e., African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics), only18% reported the SES of participants, and only 6% discussed potential moderating cultural variables such as a specific ethnic-related variable. Moreover, the existing literature typically focuses on adults, further limiting our ability to offer theory- and evidence-based interventions that are culturally sensitive to an entire population base - children and their families. Not surprisingly, U.S. minorities, particularly children, continue to face obstacles to accessing mental health care, including barriers related to language, geography and cultural familiarity, resulting in culturally-based disparities in the quality of care received and mental health outcome.

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Translation is tricky enough, but an app that turns your spoken English into Spanish in real-time? It sounds like something out of Star Trek, and that’s exactly what the Jibbigo app for the iPhone claims to do. We tried it out, and we like what we see.

At a glance: Jibbigo would be perfect for any iPhone owner who likes to travel to Spanish-speaking countries. It does well with vital phrases you’d need, such as asking for directions for specific things. It also does it all while offline, so you really only need service for updates. Its price is probably its greatest barrier to entry, and there are a few things it won’t do.

Click Continue to find out what.

It’s rare that a $100 billion business can be marginalized, but such is the case with the international arm of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT). As a stand-alone company, it would rank among the top five global retailers. Inside the $401 billion retail giant, though, the business has traditionally received short shrift. Its Bentonville (Ark.) headquarters is underwhelming—a drab, largely windowless, one-story structure named after Bill Mitchell, a former Walmart executive whom nobody seems to remember.

Since venturing into Mexico in 1991, Walmart International has grown haphazardly. During the 1990s the retailer exported its big-box, low-price model. While that strategy worked in North America, the results were so bad in Germany and Korea that Walmart withdrew from those countries in 2006. In response, Michael T. Duke, the former international chief and current CEO, gave local managers more autonomy while instituting more stringent financial goals for each region.

The results are mixed: International sales rose 11.5% in the second quarter (before the impact of exchange rate fluctuations), while U.S. sales barely budged. But over the past few years, operating profit margins have declined on the international side, which now has 3,805 stores operating under 53 distinct banners in 15 markets. As international chief C. Douglas McMillon says, Walmart is “progressing from being a domestic company with an international division to being a global company.”

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In a global economy, it’s a mistake to assume that negotiation strategies are a one-size- fits-all proposition. Understanding the culture of the parties you are negotiating with is vital in order to establish a successful business
relationship.

“Negotiation relies so much on the ability to read a situation and adapt on the fly to the cues that are there,” says David Livermore, executive director of the Global Learning Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., and author of “Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success.”

With increasing globalization, cultural intelligence becomes only more critical to business success. Livermore points to a study done by The Economist which found that 90% of executives from more than 60 countries said cross-cultural leadership was their top management challenge . “It’s important for any business individual from support services all the way up the chain, but especially for a leader who is trying to figure out how do we strategize to remain competitive in a global economy. … A leader in particular has to be able to adapt on the fly,” he says.

Read more > Intelligence

The equality watchdog is conducting an internal investigation into allegations that a director asked minority employees to join the British National Party (BNP), testing the party’s constitution ahead of a legal case.

A source says the senior manager asked staff in a teleconference to identify employees at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) from a black and ethnic minority background who could be asked to join the far-right BNP.

The EHRC allegedly wanted to gather evidence that the BNP refused minority applicants to the party, in the build up to its legal case against the party’s rules.

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“… [E]ffective communication and successful negotiations with a foreign partner–whether with a partner in peacekeeping, a strategic economic partner, a political adversary, or a non-English speaking contact in a critical law enforcement action–requires strong comprehension of the underlying cultural values and belief structures that are part of the life experience of the foreign partner.” - Dr. Dan Davidson, President of the American Councils on International Education

“A different language is a different vision of life.” - Federico Fellini, Italian film director

“No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive.” - Mohandas K. Gandhi, Indian nationalist and spiritual leader

Learning another language gives the learner the ability to step inside the mind and context of that other culture. Without the ability to communicate and understand a culture on its own terms, true access to that culture is barred. Why is this important? In a world where nations and peoples are ever more dependent upon on another to supply goods and services, solve political disputes, and ensure international security, understanding other cultures is paramount. Lack of intercultural sensitivity can lead to mistrust and misunderstandings, to an inability to cooperate, negotiate, and compromise, and perhaps even to military confrontation.

Intercultural understanding begins with individuals who have language abilities and who can thereby provide one’s own nation or community with an insider’s view into foreign cultures, who can understand foreign news sources, and give insights into other perspectives on international situations and current events. For survival in the global community, every nation needs such individuals. A person competent in other languages can bridge the gap between cultures, contribute to international diplomacy, promote national security and world peace, and successfully engage in international trade.

Read more > 10 Reasons

Foreign Language Lessons London

Exactly a year after Nomura made its successful lunge for Lehman Brothers, the official line in Tokyo is that the merger is running like clockwork.

One or two oddments, though, are still getting lost in translation, despite the availability of native English speakers ready to take a glance over any important company circulars. A recent e-mail politely reminded staff in Nomura’s Tokyo headquarters that “gay colour nail polish and manicure” fell outside the company’s dress code.

The trading floor was also left baffled by guidelines on the correct type of trousers: “Wear the one gives to the ankle to the height of pants.”

Internally, everyone is convinced that the word “gay” was intended in its purely original sense of cheerful and bright. The problem is that many of the electronic Japanese-to-English dictionaries on sale in Japan are occasionally woefully behind the times on the more common usage of some English words. The Japanese compiler of the memo appears to have innocently typed the Japanese word hadena (gaudy) into one such machine and received the translation “gay”.

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