Paths to Professional Translation: Interview with Amanda Williams
Our translation department and our language blog, Beyond Words, often receive questions from students and individuals interested in becoming professional translators. In the past, we’ve written articles and gathered resources about existing translation programs, scholarships, and general advice for prospective translators. We wanted to revisit the subject, so we asked Amanda Williams, a seasoned and […]
University of Illinois Accepting Applications for Fall 2014 MA in Translation and Interpreting
Earlier this year, we shared information with our readers about the new online MA in Translation and Interpreting program offered by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Representatives from the MA program recently told us that the launch was a great success. The online program for translation professionals is now in its second year, […]
Videos: Steven Pinker On Language, Thought, and Human Nature
A while back, we compiled five of the best TED talks on language that were available through TED’s website. Among the presentations was one by the popular linguist, Steven Pinker. Here’s the description we wrote about that talk: “Steven Pinker gives viewers a crash course in simple grammar and then proceeds to extrapolate on the […]
Top 10 Languages Tested in 2011
Beyond Words Language Blog readers might know ALTA primarily as a translation company, but we are also national leaders in the Language Testing sector. Our leadership in medical, government, and corporate language testing keeps us busy with interesting projects for clients and partners. In the last year alone, we worked with Walmart, Kaiser Permanente, International […]
ALTA Language Sevices: ISO Certified Translation Quality Management System
After providing translation services for more than three decades, ALTA Language Services has developed a rigorous approach to ensuring translation quality. In 2011, we took our commitment to quality to the next level and applied for ISO 9001:2008 certification for our translation quality management system. ALTA passed the compliance audit with zero nonconformities, a feat […]
Maximus Burn: 5 Latin Insults for the Enjoyment of the Graduating Class
Unless you’re a translator, lawyer, scientist, or priest, you probably don’t speak or hear Latin very often. It’s not that the language has lost its significance for contemporary society — it would be very difficult, perhaps even foolish, to make such an argument. During the past decades, though, Latin has certainly fallen in popularity among […]
Exploring the Mystery of Speech and Language
In 2009, the BBC released an excellent one-hour special on the topic of language. The program, called Why Do We Talk?, was produced for the BBC’s Horizon series which explores scientific issues and their effects for the future. Below, you’ll find the complete program, featuring the likes of scientist Deb Roy and linguist Noam Chomsky. […]
American English Pronunciation Lesson: U.S. States and Cities
The following recordings will guide you through American English pronunciations of U.S. states and cities. You can listen to the phrases directly on our website or download them for later playback on any standard MP3 compatible device. Listen, repeat, and practice! Alabama | AL Alabama is a southern U.S. state. Alabama. Alaska | AK Alaska […]
The Year in Language News: An Undefinitive Smattering from 2010
As the end of a year approaches, you can always count on two seasonal mainstays: gross amounts of food and gross amounts of lists. The prior usually come in differing shapes, flavors, and textures, while the latter mostly always resemble each other thematically. You’ve probably read at least one ‘Best Of’, or ‘Most Important’, or […]
Celebrating Language and Education: World Languages Day and International Students’ Day
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has annually hosted its World Languages Day since 2002. Now in it’s 10th year, World Languages Day continues to serve as a celebration of multiculturalism and language learning for students of all ages. UW-Madison officials expect upwards of 6000 Wisconsin high school students and teachers to enter their campus today, participating […]