We’ve been nominated in the Top 100 Language Professional Blogs 2012 competition. If you’re a fan of our blog, please take a minute to vote.

This year, the Top Language Lovers competition has broken another record, having received 935 nominations across the four categories. In each category, 100 entries were selected, including language professional blogs, language learning blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. The Transcription Global Blog has been nominated in the Language Professional Blogs category, and fans can vote for us by clicking on the button above or visiting the category page here – it only takes a minute! The voting phase has started and will continue until 23:59 CET on May 28th.

Please let us know that you’ve voted by posting in the comments below.

Many thanks,

Transcription Global Team

Europe has been marked by territories since 1000AD. But how have these borders changed, and what effect does this have on languages?

Last week, we blogged about a map by cartographer Eric Fischer which showed the languages of Twitter users across the world, and how these defied the physical borders of provinces and nations.

Today, we were amazed to stumble across this time lapse map of Europe from 1000 AD to 2005 AD. As the video fast forwards, it offers a breathtaking glimpse into the continent’s shifting borders as a result of alliances, unions, territories and occupied land. Imagine how languages and cultures have been forced to adapt throughout this process, with local dialects clashing with national tongues, and regional communities at the border forced to assimilate with their changing sovereignty.

Once you’ve watched the video, don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below.

The test file is something all transcribers are used to. But what is it, and why do some freelancers expect to be paid for completing it?

When recruiting for new transcribers or translators, we often send out short extracts of audio transcription – called test files – in lots of different languages, ranging from the most common European languages right through to Japanese and Chinese. One of the most frequently asked questions is “will I get paid for completing my test file?” In short, the answer is no, but let us explain why.

We do not pay transcribers to undertake a test file as this is a crucial part of our recruitment process, just like an interview or assessment centre is part of the recruitment process for any other job. The audio in the test file doesn’t change, the same one is sent out to all transcribers and it is marked or assessed according to the performance of the individual transcriber when it is returned to us. Most importantly, it is not something that we send to clients, and therefore we don’t make any profit as a result of the same test file being completed over and over again.

I have read lots of scare stories on the internet about agencies using the test file as a way of obtaining free work, that transcribers think it is unfair to perform something for nothing and that we must be benefitting from using the work. To make it clear, we don’t financially benefit from test files, we only use them to assess the ability of the transcriber and to see if they can grasp five minutes of audio. We check for spelling mistakes, truth of content to the audio and whether the translation is too literal, amongst other things.

Once again, this step is a vital part of our recruitment process, as we never allow a new transcriber to start work on live work without being assessed. After this initial stage, we give detailed feedback, and if a transcriber is good enough they can progress to working on live pieces of work. After this stage, each piece of work  is fully monitored and proof read by qualified in-house staff in accordance with our ISO 9001 accreditation. This is a standard we have in place to ensure only high quality of work is returned to our clients.

We can completely understand transcribers being protective of their work, but we hope that they can now see how test files actually help to protect our industry, that by assessing transcribers in this way, we actually increase the value of their work.

Image credit: Phil and Pam

It’s been nearly four months since the court interpreting contract with ALS officially began. So what should the MoJ do now?

The court interpreting contract between the Ministry of Justice (MoJ ) and translation agency Applied Language Solutions (ALS) has been fraught with controversy. Professional interpreters have refused to work under the new conditions, and ALS has been accused of allocating unqualified and inexperienced linguists in court cases. Judges and solicitors are up in arms at the huge delays and costs incurred as a result of absent, late or incompetent interpreters. Things have to change, but what needs to be done? What should the MoJ do now?

We want you to vote in our Facebook poll. You can find the poll at the top of our timeline here. There are three options to choose from, these are:

• Tear up the contract and start again. It’s just not working.
• Revert back to the old system. It worked just fined.
• Look for ways to improve. Just make it work.

Once you have voted, leave a comment underneath the poll, or better yet, come back here and offer your views in more detail. If you don’t have Facebook, or you would prefer not to vote on the poll there, just leave your answer in the comments below this post.

We want to hear from everyone, not just interpreters. That means judges, barristers, solicitors, police officers, we want to hear your views too!

So go on, what do you think?

Cartographer Eric Fischer has mapped the languages of Twitter users’ web browsers using the social network’s API. The result is stunning.

Twitter transcends physical borders. With the invention of the internet, we can now communicate instantaneously with people thousands of miles away without ever leaving our homes. The development of automatic translation features now means we can even communicate with people who are speaking another language without having to learn it.

This map by Eric Fischer attempts to track the virtual borders which separate internet users, specifically those using Twitter. Each colour signifies aunique language, and areas of darkness denote sparse populations. It’s fascinating to see how languages overlap and blur at the physical boundaries of each country. In predominantly monolingual countries such as the USA, it is still possible to see pockets of foreign speakers in cultural melting pots such as New York and Texas.

Download the full size map here.

Can you find your country on the map? Are there any surprises? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

It’s estimated that there are over 500 extinct languages in the world. But what’s causing it and how do we save the ones that still exist?

Whilst it is impossible to give an exact number of languages that still exist in the world today, we can estimate that there are around 7000 still being actively used. This means that the number of extinct languages is equivalent to over 7% of the languages which still exist today. This might not seem alot, but when you realise that the number of languages which became extinct in the 19th and 20th centuries is more than the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th centuries combined, it shows you the alarming rate at which languages on earth are disappearing.

Experts believe that by the end of the 21st century, 80% of the world’s languages will have become extinct. This is because the 80 major languages, the ones that you and I could probably guess between us such as English, Russian and Mandarin, are spoken by roughly 80% of the global population, compared to the 3,500 marginal languages which are used by only 0.2% of the people on Earth. People talk about endangered animals, but it seems our languages are under a far greater threat. But what’s causing the extinction of languages, and how can we stop it?

It’s now thought that a language dies every fortnight, and unlike the death of a living thing such as an animal or plant, the death of a language goes largely unoticed. The main causes of language extinction are globalisation and migration, which is when economic pressures force people to move out of their native villages and into the cities. Here, the choice of languages is usually restricted to one or two, and if people are to find work or even survive in this metropolis, they must assimilate and learn the language that everybody else speaks. This has a particular effect on children, who may stop speaking the language of their ancestors in favour of the mainstream language used at school and in popular culture.

The challenge of saving a language that is in danger of becoming extinct relies on the last remaining speakers to promote its usage, and for researchers and scientists to document it as much as they can. New technology means we can preserve a language digitally, but this costs significant time and money. To do this for every endangered language would take longer than our lifetime, and by that point, it may be too late. The responsibility must fall on the heads of governments in the countries whose minor languages face extinction, to create initiatives for the preservation of these languages and to promote their usage in schools and the place of work.

Are you surprised at the number of languages that are extinct or face extinction? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

The Transcription Global blog has been nominated for The Top Language Lovers 2012 competition. Voting begins on the 15th May.

Organised by ba.bla language portal and the Lexiophiles blog, The Top Language Lovers competition rewards students, teachers, translators and businesses who show a passion for and/or promote the language cause. Entries are nominated in four categories, which are:

1. Language Learning Blogs: blogs about the language learning process, both from the learners and teachers perspective.
2. Language Professionals Blogs: blogs by people using languages in their profession, such as translators or interpreters.
3. Language Facebook Pages: Facebook Pages related to language topics, such as dictionaries, translation tools, language lovers’ communities and more.
4. Language Twitter accounts: Twitterers who share content about languages.

Nominations began on 2nd May, and this stage will run until the 13th May. During the nomination phase, you can nominate any blog/Facebook page/Twitter account you would like to be included by leaving a comment on the website or sending an email to stefanie (at) bab (dot) la. After the 15th May, voting will open to the public, and the winners will be decided by taking user votes and the Lexiophiles ranking criteria into equal consideration. The ranking criteria can be found below:

Learning & Professionals Blogs: We look for authored and original content, considering the depth of postings, the incorporation of multimedia (such as videos, pictures, slideshows etc.) and meaningful linking (e.g. in-depth information for further reading, background information, interesting opinions on a subject, etc.). Interaction is also very important, i.e. sharing information and getting other people involved. The most observable feature is comments, but it doesn’t stop there: can users contact the blogger via a contact page, Facebook or similar? We also take into consideration the regularity and frequence of updating, and, finally, the overall appearance of the blog.

Facebook Pages: We look for originality and diversity of content. Good interaction means there are discussions with comments from users and answers to them. We will take into consideration the regularity of posting and the fan base of the page.

Twitter accounts: We will take into consideration the relevance of the shared information, the diversity of content, the use of hashtags and links. Another important factor will be the influence of the twitterer, i.e. whether the content posted is also retweeted and the account is recommended by other twitterers via Follow Friday. Regularity of posting will count as well.

Nominees can vote for their own site once, but after that, it will down to their fans to carry them past the finish line. The results of The Top Language Lovers competition will be announced on 31st May and published on the Lexiophiles blog. The Top 100 and the Top 25 will be published, and prizes will be awarded to the winners. Bab.la will support the Education Program of Unicef in the name of the Top 3 overall winners of each category.

We will post another update on the blog once voting opens, and we hope you will support us in our race to be voted the best language blog in the Language Professionals category.

Hundreds of schoolchildren took part in the biggest languages competition in the county, and this afternoon, they were awarded their prizes.

The awards ceremony took place at UCLan’s Mitchell & Kenyon Cinema, with all the participating schools attending. Earlier in the week, judges from the School of Language & International Studies (LIS) and local translation company Transcription Global, had met to rate the entries, which comprised of poems, songs and videos in a foreign language such as French, German, Spanish and even Urdu.

The competition, called Lancashire’s Talent, has taken place for the last three years, and this year it was co-organised by the Worldwise Centre at LIS, Lancashire County Council and the British Council. The standard of entries this year was extremely high, and all the judges were impressed at the creative and innovative ways in which the children demonstrated their grasp of a foreign language.

Find out what Becky and Sam from Transcription Global thought about the French and Spanish entries after the judges’ meeting.

Elisa is our Italian Project Co-Ordinator, and she moved to the UK from Italy to study and work. Now she is offering her tips for relocating.

Over the next few weeks, I will offer some basic tips regarding the big, scary step of relocating to a new place, such as how to be prepared before leaving and what to expect once you arrive. Each week I will expand on each piece of advice in more detail. I hope you find it helpful!

1) Although there are so many reasons that make relocating to a new country worthwhile, I have to say, some are a bit better than others. Think thoroughly of the reasons behind that big decision, and whether you’re doing it for yourself or someone made that decision for you.

2) The big packing issue: what to bring and what can stay at home without jeopardising your survival in the new country.

3) Relocate with that in mind: mum and dad are at home, and you are now responsible for yourself, the house you’ll be living in, cleaning, washing, eating, ironing, food shopping and so on. How do you feel about that?

4) As for the food, the big question here is: how good are you at cooking? Did you always rely on your mum making meals for you? In that case, moving will be a shock for you! If you already have some experience at cooking and providing food for yourself, you’ll find everything you need in your new supermarket.

5) So, now you have decided to move abroad. Is it for study, personal or work reasons? Do you already have a job there, or will you look into that once you arrive?

6) Do you already have a house to live in? Be careful when looking for a place before you arrive, and beware of the “too good to be true” tricks: they usually are.

7) Feeling homesick? Some advice on how to deal with it.

New hobby: spotting cultural differences.

9) It’s okay to brag about living abroad when talking to your friends. When they tell you “you are so brave”, just give them the “oh you know it’s nothing, I’m being very modest” look, but what you really think is, “Yeah, you’re right!”

10) Think of it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! It really is and you’ll take this experience with you forever.

Next week I will explore point one, the reasons for making the move and the decision to finally do it.

See you then,

Elisa.

Image credit: the coveted

It certainly seems so. Roy Hodgson can speak five, yes FIVE, languages fluently, making him one of the most multilingual managers around.

We would just like to say grattis, Gratulerer, complimenti and congratulations to Roy Hodgson, who has just been appointed as the new manager of the England football team.

Roy speaks five languages fluently as well as his native English, including Italian, German, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. He learnt these languages whilst managing twenty teams over thirty years throughout Europe and Asia.

His appointment is controversial, as Harry Redknapp was the fan’s favourite, but we think his record speaks for itself! What do you think?