On Translation and Words

Copyright © 2010 by John Fotheringham. For more tips, tools, and tech for Mastering ANY Language, go to LanguageMastery.com Here is a run down of the top 10 things NOT to do when learning a foreign language. While what works may differ somewhat from person to person, the following should be avoided for ALL language learners: 1. Do NOT spend more than 5% of your study time on grammar, translation, vocabulary lists or any other overt information about the language. Languages are “acquired,” not learned. And acquisition by its very definition happens subconsciously over time given proper input. Which leads us to number. 2. Do NOT spend time on materials that are too difficult or don’t interest you. Motivation is one of the greatest keys to success in foreign language learning, and motivation’s favorite fuel is interest. There is a wealth of free language learning content available today; you need simply look for it (see the Learning Tools & Materials section for suggested resour...

The Translator Guide is a very useful book for freelance translators. The book is written by Adriana Tassini, who has founded BecomeATranslator.com and the Certified Translation Professional (CTP) Program. I especially recommend the book to novice translators. However, experienced translators would also enjoy reading the book because it contains some important information about translation theory and translation practice.

We need style guides for correctness, clarity and consistency in writing. They are a valuable resource for language professionals. Style guides offer very useful suggestions that are not easily found in grammar and language books. Out of the dozens of style guides available on the Internet, the two most popular style guides are the Associated Press Stylebook  and the Chicago Manual of Style . They require paid subscription. But many helpful and free alternatives are available on the Internet. Generally, style guides have different opinions on spelling. Therefore, I would suggest you to have a personal style sheet for specific words. Please have a look at the following suggestions for the capitalization of the letter 'i' in the word 'Internet': 1. Internet ( American Anthropological Association ) 2. internet ( The Times of London ) 3. Internet ( Reuters ) 4. internet ( The Economist ) 5. Internet ( United Nations ) 6. internet ( European Commission ) 7. In...