Category Archives: Translation

All my posts about interesting issues in translation and the differences between languages that help and hinder communication. Got a topic or a question you’d like to see addressed here?

Wednesday Word: Group

Posted on November 30, 2011 by

A Group of Drinks (drinking group?) Gather ’round, and let’s talk about gathering round! Groups. How do languages express this concept in their unique ways? I just encountered a fun example. I was working through a consultant check of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Translation, Wednesday Word | 2 Comments

How to (not) do Translation

Posted on September 11, 2011 by

Just for fun (and a good example of why literal “translation” doesn’t work and isn’t translation at all), I give you a page from the (un)helpful-yet-entertaining instructions that came with a travel alarm my wife bought yesterday: So the question … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Translation | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Fun with Translation

Posted on August 20, 2011 by

Languages are different. Everyone knows that, but many people misunderstand the situation. They think this simply means that the words are different. What about grammar? Okay, they will admit that grammar is different, too. Remember those masculine and feminine nouns … Continue reading →

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Growl Me To Sleep, Daddy

Posted on March 27, 2011 by

Music is not a universal language. But we continue to hold onto this widely-accepted myth. Music is indeed a language. It communicates, stirs emotions and elicits a response. And music is a universal phenomenon.  But language communicates consistently, and what … Continue reading →

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Wednesday Word: Go

Posted on March 17, 2011 by

In Palawano, surong, as a verb, means “go.” Put a suffix -an on it, and it’s a noun meaning “destination.” Simple enough. But used figuratively, it can also mean “to improve.” So if your friendship with someone “goes,” not only … Continue reading →

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Where Are The Bats? – Blanket!

Posted on October 30, 2010 by

Language Learning… It never stops. Even after 25 years of working with Palawanos and being deeply involved in their language doing translation and linguistic analysis, we keep learning new things. Here are a few interesting examples I thought you might … Continue reading →

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