While my intention is not to offend anyone or underestimate the lack of intelligence or knowledge about the obvious differences between translators (a category of human professionals) and photocopiers (machines), I feel the urge to recapitulate some observational differences in a good faith effort to help understand what might be the reasons behind receiving a no for an answer from a translation service provider.
The whole truth must be told, so help me God.
1. Translators operate on the basis of biological energy that translators define as large coffee mugs and energy drinks. Our fellow photocopiers rely on electrical power to operate. (EDL or the neighborhood generator providers, a.k.a Moteur)
- 2. Translators read the data visually within the naked-eye visibility range. Photocopiers scan the document once and create replicas digitally.
- 3. No depreciation value. The higher the number of years of experience, the more valuable the translator.
- 4. Translators undergo maintenance over the weekends while they remain able to answer urgent client requests. Photocopiers will go for maintenance for a number of days and their safe return is neither guaranteed nor predictable.
5. Kicking the machine to force its operation helps sometimes. (I tried it and it works) Interacting with translators without a fair estimate of the translation value will result in a No answer. (I had to give it occasionally because things don’t work this way.)
Now, upon the facts stated above
700,352 pages cannot be translated into another language within three hours. Magic Wands coming soon, in the meanwhile stay tuned via our blog for updates.
Most people in most parts of the world speak more than one language to varying degrees of fluency, but knowing the language is one thing and translating is another. Translation is much more than the substitution of the words of one language with the words of another language.
“If I had the time, I would have translated it myself!” – We hear it every day.
Nonetheless, here at DITTO, we achieved records in both numbers and quality of translated words. While we don’t pretend to be able to operate in the speed of photocopiers, we do, however, serve our local and external clients to the best of our human capabilities.
Try us and spread the word.:)
Did you ever wonder why the adjective “white” comes with “lie” and the adjective “ugly” comes with “truth”?
Let’s do a short flying exercise. Imagine a world without lies. Imagine a world without secrets, a world without excuses, a world where diplomacy is nonexistent, a world where the truth and nothing but the truth is always said in your face, would you still want to live in it?
That was the question I asked myself yesterday after watching the movie The Invention of Lying. The movie is about a man living in a world where everyone tells the truth, and as much as I would like to tell you the whole story and ruin it for you, I will just say if you liked Bruce Almighty you definitely have to see this too.
On a second thought, why not ruin it for you!:) So this movie got me thinking about the maximum amount of lies allowed. In other words, how far would you go lying to avoid saying the ugly truth in people’s faces? On the other hand, what’s the maximum amount of honesty tolerated when too much honesty would be considered as information given to cause unnecessary pain more than one can bear?
It’s reported that on average adults tell one lie per day. Some say white lies to strangers to preserve their safety while others may lie to appear good mannered and not say what they really think. Some are full of lies and would lie about each and every detail, each and every day. But at the end of the day when we all close our general ledger, one lie – slim, fat, or obese – is somehow somewhere classified in the books – mine included. On some occasions indeed, I have heard myself telling people that there is a thin line between honesty and plain crudeness. On other occasions, I have bowed down to openness and honesty in all its forms and facets, and sometimes I did wear the poker face mask to minimize the risk while playing the game of life. Yet, as you may have guessed, I still can’t answer the movie-triggered question, and maybe your comments will help.:)
Here are few interesting truth/dishonesty idioms that I would like to share.
| Above board |
If a situation or business is described as above board, it is open, honest and legal.
“There are no secret negotiations. Our dealings have always been above board.” |
Barefaced liar
|
Someone who lies easily, with a total lack of shame, is called a barefaced liar.
“That barefaced liar stole my watch and said he’d found it!” |
| Bend the truth |
If you bend the truth, you say something that is not entirely true. ”OK, I bent the truth a bit; I told him it was my natural colour, but I didn’t say that my hairdresser helped me to keep it natural!” |
| The benefit of the doubt |
If you give somebody the benefit of the doubt, you choose to believe that the person is innocent, honest or telling the truth, because there is no evidence to the contrary.
“Although he found it hard to believe Tom’s explanation, the teacher decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.” |
| Break every rule in the book. |
If you behave in a completely unacceptable way, you break every rule in the book.
“Our competitors obtained the contract by breaking every rule in the book.” |
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| Economical with the truth |
To say that a person is economical with the truth means that, without actually lying, they omit important facts or give incomplete information. ”The politician was accused of being economical with the truth.” |
| Face value |
If you take something at its face value, you assume that it is genuinely what it appears to be. ”The car seems to be in good condition, but don’t take it at its face value; get a mechanic to check it out.” |
| Monkey business |
An activity which is organized in a deceitful or dishonest way is called monkey business.
“The results announced seem suspicious – I think there’s some monkey business going on!” |
| Oldest trick in the book |
A well-known and much-used trick, which is still effective today, is called the oldest trick in the book. ”He made a noise to attract my attention while his accomplice stole
my wallet. It’s the oldest trick in the book!” |
| A smokescreen |
A smokescreen is an action or tactic intended to conceal or divert attention from your real intentions or activities. ”His travel business was just a smokescreen for his political activities.” |
| Taken to the cleaners |
If somebody is taken to the cleaners, they lose a lot of money in an unfair way, usually by being robbed or cheated. ”When the company Tom had invested in went bankrupt, he
realized he’d been taken to the cleaners.” |
| A tall story |
A tall story is a statement or story which is difficult to believe because it sounds unlikely.
“What he said about a stolen invention sounds like a tall story to me.” |
Let me rephrase. How many times have you addressed an email message and you never received a response?
Just when you decided to break up with your “evil” partner who seldom dignified you with the answers you deserved and you finally resolved to shift the focal point to your career, you sit at your computer and you start applying for jobs. One day, two days, three days, you wait, you wait some more, you wait too long, you wait in vain, and here we go again, you’ve got no mail!
Then you think to yourself “Tu quoque, Brute? Life is so unfair!” Is it?
Whether life is fair or not; it is about the reality of what has happened. Life may not be fair, but life is life and life has its rules. Did you abide by the rules? If you tell me “Only fools play by the rules”, I will sue you for misappropriating my copyrighted doctrine without quoting my name. In other words, I have invented this unorthodox mindset, but applying it in the professional life is another story. Failing to comply with the professional email etiquette is a deadly end to your story. So…
Dear Translation Job Seeker,
My name is Ditto Translator. I come from the Resumes Container Land and I would like to share with you few tips that might help you increase your chances of receiving responses to your emails.
Prior to tackling the content of your application, the first thing you might have to reconsider is your email account name.
Whether you were honored with the Miss Pageant title or won the hearts of Hercules and King Arthur, sending from your “Invincible babe”, “Sweetie Pie” or “Ammoura Sammoura” accounts is not an option.
Whether you have six pack abs or your whole neighborhood sweats at the sight of you driving your Harley Davidson, sending from “007 Bond” or “Abu Hadid el Batal” is not an option.
It only takes few seconds to create a new account. Have you done it yet? Good. Now, let’s talk about the content.
If you start your email with “Dear Sir”, don’t be surprised if you receive a reply with “Dear Spammer, I have just deleted your email. Love, Ma’am.”
If you don’t know the name of the Human Resource person, it should go without saying that you should know the name of the company you are addressing. Greeting with “Dear Messrs Company Name” is a good start.
The following body could be a brief introduction or a small paragraph that serves as a concise cover letter. Whatever you choose, please make sure you start with a Capital Letter and you finish your sentence with a period.
The metaphorical phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” does not apply here.
If you want to be considered in the Translator Idol competition, remember that your application email will be your first writing audition.
Finally, please end your email with a “Thank you”, “Sincerely”, or “Best regards”, and then give your FULL name. Ending with “Bye bye or ciao” will cause your application to go with the wind. Please don’t go with the wind, we want you on board.
Thank you for reading my letter.
Sincerely,
Ditto Translator
We don’t need to learn Greek to know that Greece is not only about ouzo, olive and feta cheese.
Greece is the cradle of civilization from ancient times, the origin of drama and philosophy, the land where democracy was born. Greece is the basis of the European culture and of almost all the European languages.
Speaking of which, did you know that word “Europe” is Greek and that the Greeks named the continent? The word “Europe” is derived from Euros and Opi. Euros means Wide and Opi means the eye. The word Europe translates into “as much as the eye can see”. This probably explains why we kept reading, “Europe without Greece is like Cheeseburger without Cheese” before it entered the European Union.
Greece is also the place where West meets East, and Arabs have always favored Greece as a vacation destination for its Greek music, food, and culture that incorporate aspects of the Arab world as well. You will no doubt sample a Greek kebab whilst you are in Athens.
While trying to learn more about this colorful country, I asked a fellow translator from Greece to describe what Greece is to her in one word. She said, “In only one word: “Θάλασσα” (pronounced “Thalassa”). It’s the Greek word for the sea…And I use it in a literal but also in a metaphorical way.”
“The Greeks, more than any other people in the world, have remained mariners throughout history. Their lives are bound up with the sea; it is a love affair, an inseparable couple, two inseparable elements of life.”
I have to say Ditto for that! Ditto? Now, what does this word mean?
In (Ancient) Greek, the masculine adjective “dittos” (διττός) means “double”, the neuter form of this adjective is the well known “ditto” implying the duplicate usage of certain things. “Ditto” is a slang word related to the Latin “dictum.” Its use implies copying or reiterating an idea. This makes sense as DITTO Translation Agency reiterates your ideas and texts back to you in other languages.
On this etymological knowledge occasion, kindly note that DITTO Translation Agency is currently looking for Greek translators to work on various translation projects in legal, medical, and marketing fields. Please send your Curriculum Vitae to info@dittotranslation.com
And if you are wondering, a curriculum vitae (singular form, noun), meaning “course of (one’s) life, (vee-tie or vi-tee) is a document that gives much more detail than does a resume about your academic and professional accomplishments.
On a final note, I would like to finish by friendly reminding you that Criteria is the plural form of Criterion, hence Criterias is absolutely incorrect.:)
The Mobspeak is the secret anti-language that the Mafia created using cryptic words to exclude outsiders and hide the activities of The Familia.
For instance, there are over twenty words for the verb “Kill”.
If someone were to disrespect The Family’ somebody might do a “piece of work on” him. He could get whacked, erased, burned, clipped, iced, or hit — just to name a few.
Following is a Mobspeak lexicon that should help fellow subtitlers when translating mafia movie scripts:
INDICATIONS AND USAGES: USE ONLY IN THE TRANSLATION FIELD.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: THIS LEXICON IS CONTRAINDICATED IN TRANSLATORS LIVING IN PLACES FREQUENTED BY MOB FIGURES.
A Friend of Ours: Mob shorthand for introducing one made guy to another made guy. “A Friend of Mine” is just another jamook on the street.
Administration: top-level “Management” of an organized crime Family—the boss, underboss, and consigliere.
Babbo: A mafia term for an underling who is considered to be useless – you don’t want to be one of these or your days may be numbered.
Big Earner: Mafia lingo for someone who makes a lot of money for the family.
The Books: A phrase indicating membership in the Family. If there is a possibility for promotion, then the books are open. If not, the books are closed.
Boss: Head of the Family who runs the show. He decides who gets made and who gets whacked. The boss also gets points from all Family business.
Cafone: Peasant or lower-class.
Che Bruta: How ugly you are.
Che Peccato: What a pity, what a shame.
Clock: To keep a person under surveillance.
Code of Silence: Not ratting on your colleagues once you’ve been pinched—no longer a strong virtue in organized crime families.
Come Heavy: To walk in carrying a loaded gun. You should not have lunch with a Russian drug dealer unless you “come heavy.”
Consigliere: The counsellor to the boss.
Contract: A murder assignment.
CW: FBI shorthand for Co-operating Witness.
Do a piece of work: To murder; see burn.
Don: The head of the Family; boss.
Family: An organized crime clan, like the Genoveses, the Gottis, or the Sopranos.
G: A grand; a thousand dollars; also see large.
Guests of the State or Guests of the Government: Going to prison, doing time.
In the Wind: After you leave the Witness protection program you are “in the wind,” meaning you are on your own somewhere out there.
Made Guy: An indoctrinated member of the Family. Essentially, you pledge your allegiance to the boss and the family for life. To even qualify, your mother has to be Italian.
Mobbed up: Connected to the mob.
Moe Green Special: Getting killed with a shot in the eye, like the character, Moe Green, in The Godfather. One form of “sending a message.”
OC: FBI talk for Organized Crime.
The Program: The Witness Protection Program.
Rat: One who snitches or squeals after having been pinched.
Schifosa: Ugly woman.
Spring Cleaning: Cleaning up, hiding or getting rid of evidence.
Through the Eye: A message job through the eye to say “We’re watching you!”
Va Fa Napole: ”Go to Naples” (i.e., “Go to hell.”).
Please keep safe and decent.
Yes, we all bleed red, but did you know that blue-skinned people exist?
If you happen to hear from someone of usually normal intelligence insisting they saw little blue men, they did not lose all their mental faculties. They might actually be right.
We are not talking about the Smurfs (Les Schtroumpfs) or the Navi’ people in Avatar, we are talking about real blue people who have existed here and there in the real world.
Blue skin is caused by a rare disease known as hereditary methemoglobinemia, or met-H. Methemoglobinemia is a condition in which the blood carries less-than-normal amounts of oxygen, making the blood appear blue. It is a recessive gene and can only occur if both parents happen to carry it.
You might want to read about the blue Fugates of Eastern Kentucky if you haven’t already.
Some of us are born blue and Caucasian babies are born blue-eyed.
Some play the blues and white artists sing blue-eyed soul songs.
Some linguists enjoy collecting slang terms, but idioms are my blue-eyed favorites.
Here is a list of blue-based idioms that I would like to share on a blue-sky day like this.
Blue around the gills
If a person looks blue around the gills, they look unwell or sick.
“You should sit down. You look a bit blue around the gills.”
Blue chip company
This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings. “It’s usually safe to invest in a blue-chip company.”
Blue in the face
If you do something until you are blue in the face, you try unsuccessfully to do something for a very long time.
“I explained the situation until I was blue in the face but she wouldn’t change her mind.”
Scream blue murder
Someone who screams blue murder shouts or complains very loudly as if something very serious has happened.
“The crowd started screaming blue murder when the football match was interrupted.”
Blue-eyed boy
A blue-eyed boy is somebody’s favorite e.g. he’s the director’s blue-eyed boy!
Out of the Blue
If something happens out of the blue, it happens unexpectedly.
Blue collar
It means someone who is a regular everyday hard working person.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
If you are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, you are in a dilemma.
Once in a Blue Moon
This just means that something rarely happens. For instance, if you never see someone drink a beer and then one night they drink a beer. You could say “Wow that only happens once in a blue moon.”
Finally, if you are Feeling Blue or Having the Blues, Let Doris Day help you Shake the Blues Away. Enjoy!:)
Once upon a time, in a far far land, a British nation used the expression “French leave” when referring to an absence or leave without asking permission.
To return the compliment, a French secret agent went on distributing flyers promoting the expression “Filer à l’anglaise”.
Rumor has it this game amused the Italians as they circulated the idiom “Filarsela all’inglese” from Sicily to Sardinia.
To keep the balance, the Spanish added to their native idioms the expression “Despedirse a la francesa” to mean leaving without saying goodbye.
Then every nation lived happily ever after.
Obviously, this is based on an untrue story, but aren’t you curious to learn idioms based on nationalities and countries?
Here are few idioms I came across in the learning process.
Pardon my French: This is a swear word or asking apology.
French leave: To take leave without permission or saying goodbye.
It’s all Greek to me: If you don’t understand anything, then it is Greek to you. (Here in Lebanon, we say “It’s all Karshoune to me”)
Chinese whispers: It is just inaccurate information passed on from person to person such as scandals or rumors.
Dutch courage: It is reckless courage got after drinking too much of alcohol.
Young Turk: A person who is young and rebellious, and a very difficult person to control. (Being a distant descendant of a Turkish immigrant, I confirm.)
To go Dutch or Dutch treat: splitting bill between everyone after eating in a restaurant. (In Lebanon, we say “Sherke Halabiyeh” that translates into “an Aleppo Partnership”)
Slow boat to china: This describes something that is very slow and takes a long period.
Scotch mist: This is something not existing and only imagined.
Like Chinese arithmetic: This phrase refers something that is very complicated to understand.
Indian file: This means one after another.
Indian summer: This phrase refers to warmer weather condition.
If you know other idioms on nationalities and countries, please enlighten us.
This is a very special week to Lebanon as we are celebrating L’Espagne au Liban.
When you think of Spain, you inevitably conjure up an image of a young beautiful couple dancing flamenco in the most romantic scene surrounded by a crowd of happy people cheering Olé Olé. Some think torero, others mouthwater tapas and tortilla. I think Spanish Guitar!
Spanish is undoubtedly a very beautiful language and it might be the only language I have learned just for the pleasure of bragging and boasting about it. Indeed, it is a language full of life and vibrancy. Spanish is romance. Spanish is fiery passion. It’s the Latino roots queridos!
There are currently 500 million people who speak the Spanish language in the world and the rest of us just want to learn it!
Going back to Olé, did you know that Olé is the Spanish adaptation of ‘Allah’, the Arabic word for God? When Spaniards say ‘Olé’ at a bullfight, they are saying Praise ‘Allah’.
The Arabic language is probably the biggest contributor of words to the Spanish language. Most of the Spanish words starting with the particle -al- have their origin in Arabic. Additionally, the suffix -ma- also comes from Arabic influence. It’s estimated that about 4000 words in Spanish are of Arabic origin.
Following are just some of the most common Arabic origin Spanish words you will come across:
Aceite (Al-Zeit/Oil)
Al-Dea (Al-Daya’a/Village)
Al-Godon (Al-Couton/ Coton)
Al-Kimia (Al-Kimya’a/Chemistry)
Al-Mohada (Al-Mikhada/Pillow)
Al-Qasr (Al-Qasr/Palace)
Azucar (Sugar/Al Suqar)
Guitarra (Al-Kithara)
If you were planning a trip to Spain this summer, now you may save your money and spend a Spanish time within the 10,452 km2.
Que se divierta!
They say “Deadline”. I hear “Take a walk on the wild anti-life line.” End of story. 
Relax, it is not over yet. Let us begin first by exploring the peaceful meaning of this splendidly heartwarming, life-stretching word.
The origin of the word “deadline” is germane. Prior to becoming synonymous with “due date,” deadline referred to the specific boundary around a civil war detention camp beyond which escape-minded prisoners would be shot. Decades later, with advances in printing technology, journalists borrowed the mechanical meaning of the word (where ink stopped being printed at the edge of a page) to describe the day and time their stories had to be filed.
You have to love deadlines. Why not loving them?
Based on a statistical research carried out at DITTO, deadlines are very healthy.
Most of us, to one degree or another, subconsciously want the pressure of a dictated deadline. Why? Because true deadlines trigger adrenaline rushes, and we are finally compelled to give up our daydreaming activity and focus our energy and time. So long alternatives or, what we call in French, “l’embarras du choix”. Now, you have a deadline and, now, you will cease struggling with what to do next. Finally, you have no options left. Say cheese.
If our findings did not convince you, just try to remember how you felt after a deadline.
You might say “Exhausted. Drained. Finished. Emptied. Dead.” I agree, but that is the physical body talking. Rather, try to remember how your spirit soared the moment you hit the ‘Send’ button. I will give you a hint. Achievement? Accomplishment? I bet you even felt the glow of the Bonaparte pride. And that should be the spirit!
If even imagining this state of mind at the end of the tunnel still does not motivate you, here’s a simple tip that works for me and which always alleviate the burden of this sweet word. Everytime you find yourself facing a deadline, take a deep breath, close your door, roll down your shutters, pull down the curtains, or whatever that may expose your insanity to the outside world. Log on to YouTube and listen to Under Pressure by Queen. Keep your feet on the floor and your hands in the air and dance the pressure away. Repeat the process three times, and then you are ready, please open your file and get to work!
Good luck and I hope you will meet your line, dead or alive!:)
Say the word Hawaii and many things come to mind. Palm trees, white sand beaches, surfboards and swimsuits…
If you’re considering basking soon in the warm sun on the pristine beaches with fragrant local flowers placed around your neck while enjoying contemporary Hawaiian music, sipping a tropical drink and sampling pupu (appetizers) in a nice little lounge chair on the beach or at the bar, and gazing out at the clear azure waters until the sun sleeps beneath the ocean, you might want to learn some Hawaiian words – as if you needed another reason to visit Hawaii – but anyways, I’m just happy to serve.
Ae (eye): The Hawaiian translation for yes, to consent or agree.
A‘ole (ah-oh-lay) The Hawaiian translation for no, not, or never. Most common use: No.
Aloha (ah-low-ha) The Hawaiian translation for hello or goodbye; signifying affection, sympathy, kindness and love. Aloha is the spirit of friendliness and hospitality.
Braddah: Brother; Bro.
Eriding: Everything; all of it.
Hana hou (ha-na ho) The Hawaiian way to ask for an encore after a performance, or to say do it again. Most common use: To do it again.
Jalike?: Would you like to (do something)?
Hele (hey-lay) The Hawaiian translation for go, walking, or going. Most common use: Go.
Kai (ky) (with ky as in sky) The Hawaiian translation for ocean or the sea.
Lani (la-nee) The Hawaiian word for sky, the heavens, or heavenly. Most common use: the heavens or heavenly.
Mahalo (ma-ha-low) The Hawaiian translation for thank you.
Maika‘i (my-ka-ee) The Hawaiian translation for good, fine or excellent.
Pehea‘oe ? (pay-hay-ya oy)? The Hawaiian meaning for “How are you?
Enjoy your trip and keep me posted!:)
