Five Tax-Related Words with (Surprisingly) Interesting Origins
It’s everybody’s least favorite time of the year – tax season. If you’re trying to find the silver lining while navigating through what seems to be a never-ending labyrinth of numbers and headache-inducing terminology, read on. Because though tax forms may be boring and difficult, a lot of the language relating to finances is rich […]
Why are Foreign Language Tattoos so Popular?
When translations are in the news, it’s rarely for their stunning accuracy. In one of the most recent translation-related news blunders, famous American singer Ariana Grande found herself on the wrong side of viral fame after Instagramming a picture of her new tattoo. When Grande uploaded a photo of the kanji tattoo she got on […]
The Language and Casting of Oscar-Nominated Roma
The Oscar nominations are out and, as language-lovers, we’d be remiss not to talk about one of the front-runners for Best Picture, Roma, which has also garnered nominations in the categories of Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress. Roma, a mixed Spanish and Mixtec-language film, is tied with Crouching […]
Why is Spelling So Confusing in English?
English is often said to be one of the most difficult languages to learn. But why? Well, for starters, English is not phonetic, meaning that there is not necessarily a direct relationship between the way that a word is spelled and the way that it is said. If this comes as a surprise, consider the […]
Top U.S. Translation Schools: Master’s and PhD Programs
So, you’ve decided to take the next big step and pursue a Master’s or Ph.D. with a focus on translation and/or interpreting. Finding the program that’s right for you can be exhausting and time-consuming, so we’ve put together this list to help you get started. In this article, you’ll find descriptions of some of the […]
Best Language Learning Methods
So, the New Year is here, and you’ve decided to take the plunge. This year, you’re finally going to learn another language. That’s great – speaking a second language can help you get jobs, make you better at understanding your own language, strengthen your memory, and can even protect against certain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. […]
Five English Grammar Rules You Never Knew You Knew
“I’m terrible with grammar.” It’s a sentence that we’ve probably all heard, if not said ourselves, at some point in our lives. Run-on sentences, comma before a conjunction in a compound sentence, they’re vs. their vs. there, you’re vs. your, affect vs. effect, me vs. I, i.e. vs. e.g., the list goes on and on. […]
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Language of Commercial “Holidays”
It’s officially holiday season. That’s right: Grey Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, so be sure to get your tent set up in line, put your fighting gloves on for five a.m. door buster sales, and fill your wallet up with green. Not the holidays you thought […]
Top U.S. Translation Schools: Certificate Programs
If you’re new to the translation and interpretation industry and not quite sure you want to make the full investment in a master’s degree yet, a certificate from a university may be right for you. Certificates come in all shapes and sizes, and narrowing down the list of choices can be daunting. So before getting […]
Working It Out – Metaphors of “Work” in the English Language
In pretty much every language, you can find the most basic and obvious equivalent of the word work – as a noun, meaning ‘job’ or ’employment,’ and as a verb, meaning ‘to engage in physical or mental activity to achieve a purpose or result, usually in the workplace.’ In English, however, the word has innumerable […]