Eid, with the help of Arabic translation, means “festival“ or “feast“. There are two major festivals in the Islamic calendar; Eid al-Fitr, known as the “Smaller Eid”, and Eid al-Adha, the “Greater Eid.” Read on to learn more about the spiritual meaning of Eid-al-Fitr, how it is celebrated, and how Arabic translation services matter in today’s world:
The Spiritual Meaning of Eid-al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan where Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown for a month, translates into “the feast of breaking fast.”
The holy month of Ramadan has an important spiritual meaning for Muslims; Ramadan is a way to learn self-control, patience, humility, and generosity. Eid al-Fitr is a spiritual celebration of the strength and endurance given by Allah. It is also a time for Zakat al-Fitr, which means “time for charity”, one of the main values in Islam. Arabic translation services help us understand that the Quran states: “[…] For those of you who believe and give charity – for them is a great reward.”
The Celebration of Eid-al-Fitr and Arabic Translation
Although Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the 10th month in the Islamic calendar, the exact date of the celebration depends on the first sighting of the crescent moon. This year, the celebrations start on April 10 and last for a total of three days, featuring special morning prayers with Muslims gathered in mosques for congregational prayers.
Celebrations of Eid include customs such as visiting family and friends, giving out gifts or money to children, and offering sweets to each other.
How Arabic Translation Matters In Today’s World
Arabic is among the six most spoken languages around the world and has over 420 million speakers. It is known as one of the wisest and strongest languages in the world and has most of its speakers in the Middle East and in North Africa.
A language as influential as Arabic clearly needs the help of language service providers. Arabic’s rich culture, huge number of dialects, and linguistic nuances can be difficult to translate into English. Working with skilled Arabic translators will ensure the language’s cultural meanings resonate with target audiences.
Interpreting services are just as important to today’s diplomatic, business, and media world, which all require the support of Arabic interpreting be it simultaneous or consecutive. Localization is another important area where it is important to know how to adjust content to or from Arabic. By paying attention to cultural design preferences, skilled Arabic localization services can properly adapt content and ensure its positive reception by Arabic audiences.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
World Health Day 2024 and the Importance of Medical Translation
Public health has come to the forefront of policy discussions in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, future disease outbreaks are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to global health. Even the air we breathe has an impact on the quality of our health and thus, on our quality of life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), extreme exposure to air pollution indoors and outdoors caused by fossil fuels claims a life every five seconds. To recognize the WHO’s work and draw attention to priorities in global health, the UN organizes events on April 7th each year. Read on to learn more about the importance of medical translation and healthcare translation services for these events:
International Health Awareness and Medical Translation
Every year, the UN arranges multiple local and international events to educate the public and government about certain aspects of the WHO’s work on public health. These events include conferences for health workers, briefings for local politicians, and informational displays for children and young people. These organizations raise a lot of media attention and are an important opportunity to introduce individuals, communities, and even countries to significant health-related topics. The work done by marketing translation services of translating promotional materials for events is a much larger responsibility than one thinks. Health material translators need to know about medical terminologies, the latest medical inventions, and the specifics of certain diseases endemic to a country so they can not only translate but also localize content appropriately.
“My Health, My Right“ and Medical Translation Services
Health is recognized as a human right in over 140 countries. However, only a few have laws enshrining these rights. “My health, my right “was chosen as this year’s theme to promote as the right to safe and quality care without discrimination, the privacy and confidentiality of health documents, and access to information about treatment and informed consent. To make sure everyone understands their rights when they need to without facing financial hardships working with professional legal language service is essential. Their help will ensure everyone knows about their rights and can get treatment whenever and wherever necessary. Legal translation services must have a strong understanding of the legal terminologies of different target languages to make sure there’s no room for misinterpretation.
Conclusion
By promoting public health and raising awareness of one’s rights, it’s possible to protect everyone’s health, a basic human right. Professional language service providers can help accomplish this mission and allow everyone to have a long qualitative life through the excellent translation, localization, and interpreting services they offer.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
April Fools’ Day Traditions And The Role Of Localization Services
The human desire to prank someone transcends cultural boundaries. April Fools’ Day is a celebration centered on jokes and pranks. It is believed the day dates to ancient Rome, where it was celebrated as a festival of jokes around the spring equinox. Here are some of the unique ways different countries celebrate April Fools’ Day and how localization services play a role in spreading its joy.
April Fools’ Day Traditions in Japan and Localization Services
“April Kanashimi no Hi“, which translates into “April Sorrow Day“ thanks to Japanese translation. Even though the name suggests a somber occasion, the day is celebrated with pranks and jokes, just as in the western part of the globe. The holiday was first introduced to Japan by newspapers, which printed humorous news stories on April 1 and tricked their readers into believing something that wasn’t true. Over the years the holiday has taken on a distinctive character where pranksters set up fake spider webs, fill shoes with flour or salt, and pretend to be someone else on the phone.
April Fools’ Day Traditions in France and Localization Services
If you’re in France on April Fools’ Day, make sure to watch out for people sticking paper fish and exclaiming “Poissn d’Avril “, which translates into “April Fish“ with the help of French translation. France also has a tradition of broadcasting made up news on April 1st and revealing what was true on the next day. Fake news topics feature headlines such as “the rotation of the earth slowed down by wind turbines” or “Archaeological excavations found the village of Asterix“.
April Fools’ Day Traditions in Latin America
Even though the day for jokes and pranks in Brazil is on April 1, many Latin American countries and Spain celebrate it in December as “El Día de los Inocentes“, or thanks to Spanish translation. “Day of the Innocents“ was originally a Catholic feast where Herod’s tale of slaughter became seen more as a joke and altar boys pulled pranks on each other. Today, the festivities known as “Los Enharinados“, which with the help of Spanish translation and localization services translates into “The Flour-Covered Ones“, is celebrated with townspeople gathering and engaging in a massive food fight and raising money for charity.
Conclusion: April Fools’ Day Traditions and Localization Services
Clearly, translation and localization services can help people around the world understand the celebrations and festivities of other countries with appropriate consideration for cultural differences. They can also ensure there’s no room for misinterpretations or misunderstandings, especially when skilled localization service providers are involved.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
French Translation And Its Role In International Diplomacy
March 20th marks French Language Day, a day observed by the United Nations to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity by raising awareness and respect for the history, culture, and achievements of each of their six official languages. Read below to learn about French translation and its significance for international diplomacy:
Background
With over 300 million speakers, French stands as the 5th most spoken language in the world. 29 different countries speak French as their official language. French matured from the Gallo-Romance dialects of northern France and became the state language of France in 1539, replacing Latin. Interestingly, as the home to 31 Francophone countries with various dialects and local forms, no other continent has as many French speakers as Africa does, which often requires aid organizations operating there to seek the help of professional translation and localization services.
The History Of French Translation
France’s contributions and role during the Enlightenment Era and its colonial history have allowed for the language to be spread worldwide. After the French Revolution in 1789, the French language became the main pillar for propagation of republican ideals, which emphasized liberty, equality, and fraternity. In the process, French became the formal language for academia and linguistic resource publications.
France is known for the literature of its great writers such as Victor Hugo and Molière. With the help of interpreting and translation services who know how to properly localize content, the French culture and its historically valuable contributions can be shared and celebrated across the world.
French Translation and International Diplomacy
A language as widespread and as commonly used as French has become a fundamental part of international diplomacy and is frequently used by organizations such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the Red Cross. These organizations all facilitate peace, promote human rights, and strive for sustainable development around the globe. As one of the UN’s official languages, French is indispensable in facilitating collaboration between international governments and communities.
Using French in higher settings, such as diplomatic matters, requires the support of skilled language service providers. There are more than 70 different French dialects spoken around the world. Translators working with political or legal documents for the UN must have a broad apprehension of different French dialects and their nuances. One of the most used dialects in the entire sub-Saharan Africa, differing itself from European French by its pronunciation and vocabulary, is Français Populaire africaine which, thanks to French translation, translates into Popular African French.
Understanding these different dialects is also important for interpreters. The UN assembles frequently in order to discuss ways of improving and implementing their ideology. These conferences benefit from simultaneous interpreting services, which allow meeting attendees to understand what’s been said and contribute valuable ideas to the conference in real-time.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
The Story of St. Patrick’s Day and the Importance of Latin Translation
Celebrated by many Irish and non-Irish on March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day is perhaps best enjoyed by visiting the nearest Irish pub, attending a parade, and enjoying festive drinks and food with friends and family. Even though St. Patrick’s Day’s not an official holiday in the U.S. and was a solely religious celebration 40 year ago, it was the American incarnation of the holiday that increased its popularity. Here are some interesting facts about St. Patrick’sDay and of the role of Irish and Latin translation services:
Who Was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick’s Day commemorates the anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death in the year 461. Though many think he was Irish, he actually wasn’t. He was born in Britain and at only sixteen was kidnapped and imprisoned by Irish raiders, where he had to work as a slave for an Irish druid before he managed to escape after nearly six years of captivity. After escaping, he studied religion in Europe and returned to Ireland almost 15 years later as an ordained minister. While it is believed he was responsible for introducing Christianity to Ireland, his actual mission was to minister to Irish Christians and help non-Christians convert. He became well-known thanks to the way he connected the traditional Irish culture and rituals with his practices.
St. Patrick’s Works And Latin Translation
St. Patrick wrote two works in Latin. One was called “Confessio“, meaning “The Declaration“, which we are able to understand thanks to Latin translation. The other one was “Epistola“, which translates to “Letter to the Soldier of Coroticus“ . The most famous symbol around the world representing St. Patrick’s Day is the shamrock. It is said that St. Patrick used the shamrock’s three leaves to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish pagans (thereby adapting a theological concept for a different culture in a similar way to how localization services are used today). To this day, his gravesite is unknown, although many claim it’s most likely he’s buried at Down Cathedrale with other saints such as Columba and Brigid.
The Importance of Latin Translation
A historic figure with such great impact in spreading the message of the holy book of Christianity deserves to receive more acknowledgement. His works can be spread around the world through the help of language service providers who know the nuances of the Latin language and can make sure nothing is lost in translation. While Latin is dead as a spoken language (meaning no interpreting services are required), classics scholars help keep the language alive by translating St. Patrick and other authors from early history in order to illuminate our understanding of their lives and modes of thinking.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
UN’s International Women’s Day 2024 And Language Services
Even though progress has been made in implementing women’s rights, there’s still a lot of ground to cover until society reaches gender parity. International Women’s Day is a celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women without discrimination toward anyone’s nationality, language, culture, economic status, or political agenda. Commemorated on March 8th each year, this year’s theme is “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”. Read on to see how language services, including translation, interpreting, and localization services, helped promote equality and progress for women’s rights.
Language Services And The UN’s Fight For Equal Rights
After World War II, equal rights for men and women were enshrined in the UN’s raison d’être, outlining the “fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion “, and promoting international cooperation. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, was the first global acknowledgement of basic, inviolable rights and rudimentary freedoms that apply to everyone. The declaration, for the first time in human history, clearly outlined the basic civil, political, economic, and social rights that all should be able to benefit from. These essential tenets of the UN’s existence are now available in over 360 languages, a testament to the power of translation services.
Ending Violence Against Women
One in three women and girls experience violence throughout their lifetimes, making it one of the most widespread human rights violations. In 1993, violence against women and girls was recognized as a violation of human rights and measures toward preventing this type of violence were introduced. That same year, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women was adopted by the UN General Assembly, marking it as the first global instrument to address and define forms of violence against women explicitly.
The Importance Of Language Services For Women’s Rights
There has been definite progress in acknowledging and adopting women’s rights as human rights over the past few decades. One of the main ways women’s rights are promoted so well is through the support of language service providers. With the help of skilled translators, the UN’s raison d’être, The Universal Declaration of Human Right, and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women were translated into several languages, making sure each country understands, acknowledges, and ensures equal rights for all.
Interpreting services also play an important role in securing equality around the world. For instance, in 2013, at only 16 years old, Malala Yousafzai held an empowering speech on education and girls’ rights at the UN, advocating for the right to education. This speech and her stances on promoting educational access to girls made her the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in human history. Such a powerful speech with such a strong message coming from a young girl trying to fight for her own and all girls’ rights cannot and should not go unrecognized, which is why interpreting services became crucial to the process of sharing her words with the world during her time at the UN. Clearly, language services, including education translation services, play a crucial role in spreading the message of equal rights around the world.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
How Public Health Translation Can End Discrimination
Celebrated on March 1st each year, Zero Discrimination Day aims to promote equality and fairness for people suffering from HIV and AIDS. The theme for this year is “to protect everyone’s health” and “protect everyone’s rights“, highlighting the importance of global solidarity and urgency to ending the AIDS pandemic by educating and encouraging people to foster inclusivity, peace, and change. Here’s how public health translation services help UNAIDS promote human rights in commemoration of Zero Discrimination Day:
The Role Of Interpreting Services And Public Health Translation
Even in today’s advanced world, the rights of LGBTQ+ people, people with HIV, and other cultural minorities are under constant attack. The moment laws, policies, and general norms become biased and discriminate against people who don’t fit into the conventional understanding of what’s accepted in societies, the entire just system will be in jeopardy. Excluding or depriving anyone of their basic human rights is a threat to liberty and democracy. In case of court settings, legal interpreting services can help foster smooth communication between defendants, their legal representatives, and the judge. With their exceptional understanding of legal terminology, court interpreters ensure that people whose rights seem to be at risk will receive a fair trial. Court interpreters can also educate people with limited information access on their basic human rights and promote equality. As UNAIDS’ Executive Director pointed out correctly in regards to eliminating AIDS by 2030, “only by protecting everyone’s rights [can we] protect everyone’s health“.
Zero Discrimination Day And Public Health
By not representing communities well enough or excluding them from access to their rights, the public health system will fail as well. Attacks on human rights aren’t only a threat to a just system but also a hinderance to preventing the spread of HIV by causing medical progress to be held back. Luckily, since the start of the AIDS pandemic, two-thirds of countries worldwide do not criminalize LGBTQ+ people anymore, which was not the case 40 years ago. This progress represents a huge step to securing a more equal and fairer world.
Zero Discrimination Day And Healthcare Translation Services
Translation services can play a key role in helping the scientific community and medical professionals to further stem the tide of the AIDS pandemic. With the support of professional healthcare translation services, any conclusion of these medical research papers can be conveyed from one language into another one, allowing the spread of scientific information to all concerned nations. These research papers are translated by qualified medical translators with an in-depth understanding of medical terminology and must undergo a multiple-step quality control process to ensure accurate and precise translation. Clearly, working with a language company with years of experience, such as Language Connections, can guarantee outstanding interpreting, translation, and localization services results, especially when dealing with matters of law and public health.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
International Mother Language Day and Language Services
On February 21, 1952, student activists in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) gathered in opposition to the government’s decision to impose Urdu as the sole official language of the country, leading police to open fire on the demonstrators. This incident played an important role in East Pakistan’s struggles to become independent and sparked a movement advocating for the Bengali language and culture. In 1999, the celebration of Mother Language Day, initiated by Bangladesh to commemorate the 1952 tragedy and promote linguistic and cultural diversity, was accepted by the UNESCO and has been observed annually ever since. To commemorate this special day, here’s how language services and localization services play a key role in the global education system:
International Mother Language Day and Language Services
Currently, over 250 million children and young people don’t attend school, and almost 750 million adults have no basic literacy skills. To fully support and promote native language education as well as the learning, literacy, and acquisition of additional languages, this year’s theme of the InternationalMother Language Day is “Multilingual education – a pillar of integrational learning”. Scientific studies clearly show that learning in one’s native language plays an essential part in success at school since it boosts self-esteem, awakens curiosity, and clears the way for cognitive development. For an multilingual educational system to work as smoothly as possible, it’s important to work with experienced translation services to make sure all educational materials are translated properly by skilled translators who have a broad understanding and knowledge of different industry-specific terminology. Translating educational materials requires the help of veteran education translation services to ensure that every student reading through their materials can understand the lessons and can follow instructions without any issues.
Language Services And Cultural Diversity
The primary goal of InternationalMother Language Day is to advocate linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingualism, as well as to safeguard endangered languages. Linguistic diversity highlights the value of fostering cultural understanding, promotes peace and sustainability, and enhances social inclusion. With the help of translation and interpreting services, endangered languages can be made accessible and understandable for all. Localization services can also help adapt one culture’s content into another’s, making sure all relevant information is accurately conveyed with no room for misinterpretation.
Conclusion
InternationalMother Language Day aims to protect languages in jeopardy of extinction, encourage the use of native languages, and underscore the importance of a peaceful coexisting. To share these ideals across the world, language service providers play a crucial role.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
How To Express Love In Different Cultures With Localization Services
It only takes three letters and eight words to let someone know you love them. Sometimes, even something as simple as just a few words can take up an enormous amount of courage to say out loud. Maybe it’s not only about what we say, but how we express ourselves to reassure our loved ones we actually do love them. Here’s how different cultures convey their feelings and how localization services can help us decipher these different traditions:
Expressing Love In China With Localization Services
According to a Chinese legend, a woman lost her husband in battle after he joined the army. Heartbroken to have lost the love of her life, she cried on a tree near the local mountains. After many decades, her tears turned red, just like the beans on the tree. Over time, people started to call these tears, xiāng sī dòu (which, with the help of translation services, means “Love Peas”), representations of true love.
Nowadays, these peas are used to craft jewelry and gifts for significant others to let them know you love them. Even if you lack the courage to express your love with words, you can make sure to show your emotions through small presents that can carry a deeper meaning than words could ever describe.
Expressing Love In France With Localization Services
The French rarely say I love you. They prefer to communicate their love and affection through hugs, cuddles, and kisses.. Thanks to localization services, we know that public displays of affection are considered fortunate consequences of love and are encouraged in society. Translation and localization services show that the expression “I love you” can easily be replaced by kisses when, for instance, you want to say good-bye to a friend or family member. Another way of displaying you appreciation to your loved ones is by saying je t’embrasse (which with the help of French translation services translates into “I kiss you”), at the end of a phone call. Expressions and gestures as such underline the deep affection and appreciation people have for the people they love without having to use words to describe their feelings.
Expressing Love In Colombia
Unlike in France, expressing your emotions and showing affection verbally is very important in Colombia. Using expressions such as “te quiero” (translated to “I love you” with the help of Spanish translation services) to show your love is very common. It’s also not unusual in Colombia to gift presents, dedicate songs to each other, or share a meal together to show your affection and let your friends, families, and significant other know you care about them. Localization and translation services show us that even though it might be difficult to speak about our most intense feelings, letting the people around us know about them is of great value to all. After all, no one is forever and everyone deserves to know they’re loved.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510 Email: service@languageconnections.com
3 Oscar Nominated Movies in 2024 and the Role of Subtitling Services
For over 96 years, the Oscars have been a pleasant reason for many to gather in front of their television and watch their favorite celebrities walk down the red carpet showcasing their custom-made designer outfits and get awarded one of the most prestigious prizes in the entertainment industry. Even though there is still some time before the Oscars will be held, its nominees have already been announced, including many exemplary foreign films. What better way to share the message, story, and talent displayed on screens than with the help of subtitling services!
Past Lives and Subtitling Services
Nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Original Screenplay, Past Lives is a melancholic, tranquil love-drama between two childhood friends from South Korea who lose touch for decades after one of their families decides to emigrate to Canada. This serene story revolves around the Korean Buddhist concept of In-Yun – the connection, faith, and destiny of two people, which we can better understand thanks to Korean translation services. This movie demonstrates that some love-stories are not meant to happen, that some encounters in life are not meant to last, and that wanting to experience one thing means leaving another behind. Using professional translators for subtitling who understand the various nuances of the Korean language and culture allows this story to come to life for all audiences regardless of language.
The Holdovers And Subtitling Services
Nominated in five different categories, The Holdovers tells the heartwarming story of a grumpy homeroom teacher and a teenager going through depression during the 1970s. When the homeroom teacher gets assigned to supervise a handful of teenagers during Christmas break at a boarding school, life becomes a living hell for all until the opportunity to leave arises for some of the students. Stuck with only his unhappy, awkward homeroom teacher, the cook, and the janitor at school, the student soon discovers he has more in common with his teacher than he ‘d like to admit. Overall, this films shows how much of an impact a person can have on another person’s life and how taking matters to your own hands can make all the difference. The work of skilled translation and localization services allowed the filmmakers to share this beautiful message with people from across the world.
Poor Things And Translation Services
Nominated for a remarkable 11 Oscars, Poor Things tells the postmodern story of the well-known tale of Frankenstein by replacing the traditional monster with a young erotomaniac with the brain of an infant. The story follows a young woman brought back to life by a scientist after she commits suicide and commences the journey of self-discovery. Even though this masterpiece can be unsettling, it shows how much it means to keep the child in us alive and demonstrates that being different isn’t necessarily a strange thing but rather a source of empowerment. A strong and encouraging message as such needs the support of translation services to make sure global audiences understand its difficult themes.