The three worst mistakes translators make, according to Nabokov
“The Art of Translation”, a 1941 essay by Russian-American novelist and translator Vladimir Nabokov, is a reminder that there are some...
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aiaTranslations
- Jan 18, 2016
Three Reasons Why Machine Translations Fail
The idea of machine translations can be an appealing one — particularly in the fast-paced world of social media. After all, who wouldn’t...
aiaTranslations
- Jan 11, 2016
Is it better to learn a foreign language or computer coding?
Florida senator Jeremy Ring recently sparked controversy by proposing a bill that would change state high school requirements: Students...
aiaTranslations
- Jan 4, 2016
What This Top Ten List Says About Dictionaries…and Translation
When I came upon this list of Merriam-Webster lexicographers’ ten favorite definitions, I expected to discover some really poetic,...
aiaTranslations
- Dec 14, 2015
When native languages are more important than a lingua franca
It’s not often that an editorial is mentioned on a translation news website (yes, those exist). But this editorial was, and it’s easy to...
aiaTranslations
- Nov 16, 2015
The key to a successful international social media presence: Lose the ‘bot
Today, most companies and organizations need a social media presence. Most of us know it’s a great way to promote your service or...
aiaTranslations
- Nov 2, 2015
The disadvantages of back-translation
As the well-known quote by Yevgeny Yevtushenko implies, a beautiful translation is not faithful, and if it is faithful, it is most...
aiaTranslations
- Oct 19, 2015
Foreign and native English speakers make mistakes – here are the most common
I’m often surprised when my French husband asks me to correct something he’s written in English. But he’s right: even though he’s been a...
aiaTranslations
- Oct 12, 2015
What’s the best age to learn a new language?
Most of us probably think that when it comes to language learning, starting at a young age is key. But new studies are revealing that...
aiaTranslations
- Oct 5, 2015
Our linguistic fingerprint
Words are all around us – we speak them, we read them, hear them, even translate them. But did you know they’re also an integral part of...
aiaTranslations
- Sep 28, 2015
The problem with “easy” languages
Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of online articles and lists of “the easiest languages to learn.” Some of these lists have even made...
aiaTranslations
- Sep 21, 2015
Have polyglots really got all those languages down?
It seems like a lot of language-related blogs and websites I come across are fed up with polyglots. Not every polyglot, but those on...
aiaTranslations
- Sep 6, 2015
What language should you learn?
There are so many benefits to being bilingual or multi-lingual, from increased job opportunities; to discovering an amazing book/movie/TV...
aiaTranslations
- Aug 24, 2015
Why you should never say these ten things to a translator (Part 2 of 2)
Last week, I explained why translators hate hearing the first five of these ten statements. If you didn’t read that post, click here. ...
aiaTranslations
- Aug 17, 2015
Why you should never say these ten things to a translator (Part 1 of 2)
A few weeks ago, a list called “10 Things You Should Never Say to a Translator” was posted on aiaTranslations’ Facebook page. Reading...
aiaTranslations
- Aug 3, 2015
What flag and what alphabet for a flagless, multi-alphabet language?
When language learning site Duolingo recently announced they’re developing Yiddish courses, many people were thrilled. But for some, the...
aiaTranslations
- Jul 20, 2015
What makes English a lingua franca?
You probably know that not everyone speaks English. Still, English has become the closest thing we currently have to a global lingua...
aiaTranslations
- Jul 6, 2015
Fun facts about how humans make animal sounds
If you follow aiaTranslations on Facebook, you may have noticed the adorable illustrations of animal sounds in different languages that...
aiaTranslations
- Jun 22, 2015
Four made-up languages that have influenced real life
Whether they’re meant to be inscrutable, easily understood, or a way to bring a fictional universe to life, some made-up languages have...
aiaTranslations
- Jun 15, 2015
Five misconceptions many Americans have about English
Being an American abroad has its challenges. One you might not expect is how Americans are perceived outside the US. Sure, we have this...
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