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Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to our July issue of "The Language News"! This month's topics include the crucial language services performed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, an exposé on the language of Kiswahili, and humorous cross-cultural interactions caused by poor translation. We are also very excited to unveil our new and improved Language Connections website, which will answer all your questions about our company's services. Visit us at www.languageconnections.com! As your team of expert language service providers, we look forward to doing business with you. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or requests. Enjoy! |
2010 World Cup Plays With Language
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The 2010
World Cup Event is a perfect example of the challenges that
globalization brings with it. Like the Olympics, the World Cup brings
together extremely diverse countries and cultures. This month
thirty-two national soccer teams and 350,000 visitors from around the
world descended upon the nation of South Africa. The first World Cup to
be held in an African country, this year's international soccer
tournament has transcended barriers of all kinds, including linguistic,
cultural, and geographic ones.
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Language of the Month: Swahili
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 For centuries, Swahili remained as the main spoken language of the East
African coast, and was the "lingua franca" from southern Somalia to northern Mozambique.
The word "Swahili", derived from the Arabic word for "coast", was used by early
Arab-speaking visitors to the East African coast, and eventually came to refer
to the people and language of the region. However, a more recent study of the
grammatical structure and syntax has shown its relationship to the Bantu
language family.
Read more... |
Language Humor: How much for those moccasins?
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 When translating, it is important to choose your
words carefully. One miscommunication may lead you to awkward and uncomfortable
territory. A simple request to use the bathroom, or to ask for directions in a
foreign language has the potential to take a turn for the worst. One Native
American author depicts several anecdotes of humorous encounters between
Cheyenne-speaking and English-speaking Americans wrought with language
barriers.
Read More... |
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We are pleased to share our newsletter with you. If you have any inquiries, comments, or suggestions, please contact us!
Sincerely,
Leo Galperin, President
Language Connections
Boston, MA
Tel.:617-731-3510
www.languageconnections.com
Wherever you do business, we speak the language.
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