When is it OK to use Google Translate?

12 December, 201621 June, 2018 / Natalie / 5 Comments

Google Translate, and other machine translation (MT) programs, have come along in leaps and bounds in the last few years. Not only can we download apps where we can just type in words and instantly get a result in another language, but you can take photos of signs and get a translation straight away, and even instantly translate voice and video calls with the likes of Skype Translator. With the magic of deep learning technology, computers are able to “learn” more and in theory, improve the quality of their output the more it is used.
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Differences in Business Culture – UK vs. France

4 July, 20165 April, 2020 / Natalie / Leave a comment

Even though we’re only about 21 miles apart at the shortest point of the English Channel, France can sometimes feel like a world apart from the UK. Stereotyping both parties is almost too easy – The French think that the British drop everything to drink tea at 5 pm, while the Brits think that the French drop everything to go on strike…well, whenever they please!

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Why you should get your business documents professionally translated

1 June, 201612 June, 2018 / Natalie / 3 Comments

Professional translation of business documents

Working with businesses in translation is great, because you get to build up a personal relationship and sometimes even see the direct result of your work. However, when someone who is unfamiliar with foreign languages needs the services of a translator, more time is required to explain the process and ensure that they know what to expect.

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5 things to ask yourself before buying translation services

13 January, 201613 July, 2017 / Natalie / 4 Comments

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While attending a few local networking events I’ve noticed that, while people find the notion of translation and other languages very interesting, when it comes down to it they have no idea what translation services actually entail.

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French False Friends: 10 words to look out for as a tourist in France

7 December, 201527 February, 2017 / Natalie / 5 Comments

Photo of Eiffel Tower statues. Copyright Edward Borlase

Photo credit: Edward Borlase

Ahh, false friends: the bane of any languages student’s life – as well as being rather annoying for translators and travellers alike. Just when you think you’re getting the hang of a language, you come across a word that looks exactly like an English word. Brilliant, you think – and then, you find out later, that it wasn’t at all the word that you thought it was.

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5 things that freelancers should know about agencies (from someone who’s worked in both)

16 October, 201520 April, 2017 / Natalie / 11 Comments

It’s the ultimate dream to be your own boss, but with it comes great responsibility: not only are you managing and motivating yourself, but you have to seek your own income, do your own taxes, not forgetting to put money aside for retirement….and on top of that, any sick leave or holiday that you take all adds up to time where you’re not earning.

It should come to no surprise, then, that if a freelancer in any profession feels like their time is being wasted, they may get a little….shirty.

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How to network when you feel socially awkward

1 October, 201515 May, 2017 / Natalie / 4 Comments

Still from Mean Girls, 2004 (Paramount)

I hope I’m not the only person who feels this way, but I find social interaction pretty exhausting.

Don’t get me wrong; I love my friends and family, and once I’ve hauled myself out of the house and into some kind of social event, I tend to have a great time. People wouldn’t guess from looking at me that inside my brain rages a storm of social awkwardness.

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