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Valentine’s Day tends to bring out strong emotions: generally, you really like it or dislike it, for any of a whole range of reasons. Nobody's even sure how Valentine's Day originated. Consequently, unlike most other holidays, nobody quite knows why we celebrate it. There are many theories, but few known facts. Other holidays may have strange traditions, like eating 3 days' worth of food in an hour on Thanksgiving, but at least we know what all the fuss is about. We were pleased with Adam Wooten's recent article offering anecdotes and suggestions on holiday-related concerns, which can help anyone with international dealings to avoid potential cross-cultural pitfalls. After all, who wants to turn pink from embarrassment or have their colleagues go red in the face with vexation because their customs weren't taken into account?  Translation by Design (TBD) is well aware that knowing what holidays are observed (and how) in different parts of the world is important for anyone with associates, clients or contractors in other countries. TBD’s translation and cross cultural experts use resources such as these to ensure that all your international negotiations and business dealings have sweet outcomes - whether it's Valentine's Day or not. Since we can't send you a cross-cultural expert to help navigate this tricky holiday, allow us to at least suggest that, since nobody knows why we commemorate it, who's to say how we should celebrate? We hope this broader interpretation of the holiday helps you turn it into your best Valentine’s Day yet!

Adam Wooten, a translation expert, wrote an article recently about many debunked marketing myths based on poor translations. For example, the "Nova" car name error that supposedly resulted in poor sales in Latin America never actually took place.  Even urban legends can serve as cautionary tales of what businesses must look out for when expanding into new markets to avoid becoming the brunt of jokes. Just because these particular gaffes didn't happen doesn't mean they couldn't have.  Many of the real life blunders that take place are blamed on the translators, but they're not the only ones responsible. What should companies do to ensure that their translated marketing materials accomplish their purposes? A few tips include: - Simplify the original document, eliminating slang and idioms that could be misinterpreted or hard to match in the target language. Remember, different countries use different slang, so you're better off going with universally-understood language.  - Proofread! Errors may make potential customers doubt your professionalism as a business. An expert (if not several) should review the document to be sure it won't be misunderstood. Revisers should have native-level understanding of the language and culture. A good translation company will review its own translations before sending them to you. See September 16's blog for more on TBD's approach to translation quality control. Any time and resources you spend on double-checking  before publishing or posting will be totally worth it.  - Think Teamwork: The translation team is part of your team. Be open with them about what you expect, and ready to answer their questions. Communication during translation ensures good communication in your marketing publications.  Learning from others' marketing debacles (real or imagined) can help you achieve the marketing success you seek.

For many people, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the term "conference interpreter" is linguists in booths at the United Nations, interpreting the words of the world's leaders.  So, on the eve of the 66th United Nations General Assembly Plenary, we felt this was an opportune moment to shine some light on the history of conference interpreting.  The United Nations site gives a brief but informative overview of simultaneous interpreting.  (The page also has an interpreting history quiz, for those of you who are already experts and want to prove it).  Interpreting, in some form or other, has existed for millennia, but the specific form conference interpreting generally takes today, performed by simultaneous interpreters in soundproof booths,  is less than a century old.  The Nuremberg war crime trials made the technology and method famous, though the technology, patented in the mid-1920s, had already been in use for over a decade.  Since World War II, simultaneous interpreting has gradually (though not completely) replaced consecutive interpreting in many settings.  Currently, the UN still represents an important place, though hardly the only one, where conference interpreters are hard at work.  The UN has only 6 official languages, while the European Union holds debates in over 20 languages.  Conference interpreters also work in the private sector: Translation by Design's conference interpreters have worked in the scientific, pharmaceuticals, financial investment, high tech industry fields, among others.  TBD is headquartered just down the road from the Monterey Institute of International Studies (one of the only universities to offer an MA in Conference Interpreting), and is proud that its conference interpreting team includes both MIIS graduates and professors.  The conference interpreting field is still young.  It will be fascinating to see what developments will emerge over the next century.   

Cross-cultural training is a rapidly-expanding field. Companies and organizations sending employees abroad need help to prepare their executives for cultural differences in the international business environment which can derail positive working situations. So, what does it take to be a leader in this exciting field? I recently spoke with Peter Fordos, an intercultural expert who develops global leadership programs and designs cross-cultural trainings, to find out. Peter says it was by sheer coincidence that he got involved in the cross-cultural training profession. Born in Czechoslovakia to a Hungarian family, in a region characterized by a mixture of ethnic groups under Communist control, he interacted with various cultures. This allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of different cultural points of view, and to understand that much could be done to make relations between different groups smoother. After spending time in various Central and Eastern European countries, Peter moved to the United Kingdom to study, then worked for several years on a cruise ship. This gave him the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world and to learn firsthand what kinds of misunderstandings often arise when foreigners come in contact with one another. After moving to the United States and taking a class in cross-cultural training, a light went on and Peter realized his life experiences had perfectly prepared him for this vocation.  Over the past decade, Peter has consulted for Fortune 500 companies including Nestle, GM, Honeywell, Dell, Valero, 3M, and Audi, as well as trained the US Navy Seals. Most of us don't have backgrounds nearly as fascinating as Peter's. Fortunately, you don't have to have lived on several continents, visited more than 50 countries and/or speak five languages to successfully collaborate with individuals from other cultures. However, you do need specialized training if you are to make the most of an international opportunity. Peter explains that the growing interconnection between individuals all over the world continues to increase the need for this type of training. As Peter says, "Today, there are more people traveling and relocating than ever before. You can't stop globalization."