Intercultural Communication and Translation News

In conducting the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), working with coalition partners and projecting influence worldwide, the Armed Forces of the United States (U.S.) will continue to be sent to the far corners of the earth to perform wide-ranging missions such as stability operations, nation building, peace-keeping duties, and humanitarian assistance. These types of operations all require competencies far beyond traditional war-fighting skills. All leaders in the military, whether at the tactical, operational, or strategic level, need training, education, and new skill sets as they function as “warrior-diplomats.” If cultural knowledge is critical for U.S. armed forces to both defeat adversaries and work successfully with allies, what is and can be done by the United States Army to address this shortcoming?

This paper will first show how a lack of cultural knowledge has hindered U.S. military and diplomatic efforts, then identify
gaps in the current Army structure in providing cultural knowledge, and next review historical examples of the value of cultural knowledge in military operations. Following a survey of training programs currently implemented in the Army, the paper will conclude with recommendations to develop and employ a more culturally adept force.

Read more >  Lieutenant Colonel Carolyn F. Kleinerkk

A group of Gwent Police officers are learning sign language to improve how they communicate with deaf people.

Nine officers and staff are following the 20-week British Sign Language course following an introductory course last year.

Those taking part include a custody officer and a station inquiry officer.

Heather Blythe, from Gwent Police’s training department, said officers had already put their skills to good use in incidents involving deaf people.

“We’ve got a Pc who works in the Newport area and she was called to an incident involving a deaf person because she was learning sign language,” said Ms Blythe, who is also doing the course.Read more > Police 

If it is not taught in English, then it is not an MBA. At least that is the belief of George Yip, the dean of Rotterdam School of Management.

Yip raises his eyebrows at the suggestion that a number of European deans are poised to offer electives in their native language. “I would have thought teaching in English is a complete requirement,” he says.

Yip is right – up to a point. If he is to attract the best international students, teaching in Dutch would be a nonstarter. But there is another argument. Fluency in two or more languages offers globetrotting executives a competitive advantage.

Thierry Grange, the dean of Grenoble Ecole de Management, says: “What about the 25 per cent of Americans who speak Spanish? If you want to improve your fluency as a Spanish-speaking American then Spain is a good place to do your MBA.”

Read more > MBAs 

The dollar is falling, but globalization presses on – with an increased demand for translation. These key facts explain why a new report from business globalization research and consulting firm Common Sense Advisory (www.commonsenseadvisory.com) reveals that, in spite of the changing rankings of players in the global economy, pricing within the US$12 billion-plus translation services industry has remained relatively stable in recent years. For most languages, prices fluctuated by only 10 percent up or down over a four-year period. Common Sense Advisory based these findings on a detailed online survey, which was completed by nearly 300 language service providers (translation firms) about their pricing structures, processes, and customer bases. The firm’s 112-page report, entitled, “The Price of Translation,” includes pricing data in average prices for the 10 languages with the greatest global economic impact (for example, French and Chinese), as well as 23 “next-wave languages” used in rapidly developing markets or in countries that are important to the global supply chain (for example, Arabic and languages of India.

Other key findings include:

• The dollar has fallen out of favor. The research found that more than half of survey respondents currently invoice for translation jobs in Euros, and 49.1 percent indicated that foreign clients pay more than local clients. With an increased reliance on euros for pricing, companies that pay in dollars can expect their translation bills to go up.

• Spanish dropped in price more than any other language. In total, the company reviewed 74 language combinations. One pairing, English to Spanish for Latin America and Spanish to English, dropped in average price far more than any of the other pairs for translation in both directions.

• Automation benefits buyers. Businesses can obtain substantial cost savings by working with translation providers that partially automate the translation process. The research found that most providers discount the normal price by 65 percent when converting previously translated text.

• Seven languages are poised for major growth. The firm anticipates a significant growth of content in the six hyper-languages of the web (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese), as well as Chinese.

Common Sense Advisory’s research and consulting clients include global companies from the information technology, medical device, telecommunications, consumer goods, and travel industries. “We regularly help companies with revenue growth and cost reduction in a global business environment; advising them on local best practices, including translation and localization services,” said Tahar Bouhafs, the company’s Chief Executive Officer. “With some 5,000 vendors across the globe offering translation services, ranging from mom-and-pop operations to enterprises with more than 4,000 employees, buyers of language services want to know how and where to get the best deal or the highest value. Suppliers want to find out whether their prices are competitive against a nearly unlimited number of mostly unknown rivals. That’s what this industry research report explains.”

The full report is available to subscribers of Common Sense Advisory’s research. Visit http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com. Analysts are available for interviews and briefings by contacting Melissa Gillespie at melissa@commonsenseadvisory.com.