These terms might be new to you, but it’s important to understand the difference so you can get the most out of your meetings or conferences. While they both get to the same outcome; letting you understand what’s being said, they do so in different ways.

What’s the key difference between consecutive and simultaneous interpretation?

With consecutive interpreting, the speaker and interpreter take turns. The speaker says a few words, stops, then the interpreter gives you the translation, before the speaker starts again. And so on.

With simultaneous interpreting, the interpreter translates for you constantly while the speaker is talking, essentially translating over the top of the speaker.

It’s as simple as that. Think of it as one after the other, or both at the same time, and you’ll now recognise instances where you’ve seen both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation in action.

For example, you may have seen delegates at the United Nations listening to a speaker through an ear piece, where an interpreter is giving them a simultaneous translation in their own language. And you’ve likely also seen those set-piece meetings of two foreign leaders, sitting next to each other with an aid either side, who’ll be giving them consecutive interpretation.

Which form of interpretation is best for you?

With that all clear, you must drill down a little more on typical applications for consecutive and simultaneous interpretation before deciding which is right for you. There are three key factors to take into consideration: occasion, practicality and cost.

You might assume simultaneous interpretation is the way to go every time – it’s surely quicker and effectively real time, and will make things smoother, right? Well, that may be so in some cases, but consider this:

Equipment.
How will you cope with two people speaking at the same time in the same room? Does the interpreter whisper in your ear? This is fine if you’re the only person needing to hear the translation. But if there’s a group of you, this wouldn’t work. Instead, your interpreter would need to be in a sound-proof booth where he can hear the foreign speaker, who’d need to speak into a radio microphone, and then translate for you and colleagues wirelessly through to your headphones or ear pieces.

Cost.
All that equipment is expensive, but there’s also the higher interpretation costs. Because simultaneous interpreting takes so much concentration, the translator should only do it for 20 or 30 minutes at a time before having to take a break. So, you’d need to hire two people because they’d need to rotate.

Practicality.
If you’ve got the money and the equipment to have simultaneous interpretation for you and your colleagues, then great. But it’s rarely practical. It’s fine if you’re staging a conference, with one speaker addressing the audience, or if you have a long, one-way presentation. But if you’re hosting a business meeting, imagine the chaos of simultaneous interpretation – you’ll be having a two-way conversation with your foreign business visitor or host, which then must become a four-way conversation because both would have simultaneous interpreters working at the same time!

Now it becomes clear that in the great majority of cases, you’ll want a simple, traditional consecutive interpreter.

Here’s a summary of where each technique would work best.

Consecutive interpreter:

– One-to-one meetings
– Interviews
– Small business meetings
– Press conference

Simultaneous interpreter:

– Conferences
– Presentations conveying a lot of information

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Translation

This is a fairly straightforward process which involves taking content in one language and converting it directly into a different language. This process is ideal for information such as ingredients listings, health and safety, packaging, or other simple data.
However, translation won’t adapt information to suit the setting. For example, if you have a particular message you wish to convey to a variety of audiences then translation will only convert the actual words, and does not account for alternatives in cultures, lifestyles, and so on.
So, simply translating from say English to Arabic would fail to consider the huge regional differences in the MENA states. If you add to that the varied dialects, cultures and local differences you can see how translation alone can often fail to fit the needs of commercials and advertising.

Localization

Localization takes many more factors into account than simply language. It is far more complex than translation due to its consideration of cultures, idioms, dialects, social conventions, and so on. This means that the overall message is targeted at a specific audience and ensures they will understand its relevance to them on a personal level.
Localization should be used when you require a precise message – on your website, marketing ads and social media, or when dealing with slogans and logos.

As you can now see the two offer very different outcomes and if you use voiceovers you may wish to consider localization instead of translation.
Localization is the best option when you have a commercial script, and will convey far more, with a greater ability, than translation. You will have an emotional, responsive, appropriate and accurate advert that can win customers.

There are many factors to consider when using localization to ensure you get the best from the service. The points below will help you choose the right voiceover actor so that you get the best from your localized advert.
Language Nuance – does the region you are targeting have regional dialects? For example, Arabic accents and dialects vary according to region so be sure you know which specific area you are pursuing. Find a voiceover actor that fits with your requirements.
Multilingual audiences – if your audience is multilingual which language will resonate with them most? Is there an official language? Is there a formal or informal language? You will often find that after completing some thorough research that there is one language which is more commonly used.
There is also the possibility of a middle ground language, for example, speaking English but with a regional accent.
Demographic factors – may have an impact on the preferred language of your target audience. For instance, younger audiences may find local slang more accessible than formal speech.

Going global isn’t just about translation. You need to appeal to more than just your audience’s hearing by engaging with them on all levels. Voiceovers that have been localized with a specific target audience are far more likely to be successful than those which have only been translated due to the connections made through language, culture, dialects and social values.
Creating the right advertisement can be tricky, but whether you choose to translate or localize depends upon your requirements and your budget. Finding the right actor to suit your voiceover needs is far easier once you have all the information about your target audience; your market research is essential, and localization would ensure this research is properly utilised.

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1. Be prepared
If you are planning to attend a networking event it is worth doing a little research before the day. Conferences, seminars and trade shows all provide lists of speakers, stands and guests so you can check out who might be good to meet in advance, make a list of those you wish to meet then use social media sites to check out individuals – read their bios, look at their specialities, and discover areas of interest. Use your lists wisely; if possible email people in advance asking to connect on the day, and plan some considerate questions for when you are face to face.

2. On the day
Getting to your chosen networking event early will allow you time to assess your surroundings, introduce yourself and make an impression before the day gets too busy. It is common that people pair up early, or leave before the end of the event so don’t miss any opportunities by being late. Make use of your research by talking to people about the information you discovered, discuss their interests and pay attention to their comments.

3. At the event
Your research before the event, and your early arrival on the day, will allow you to make effective use of your time, so mingle from the outset. Your goal is to develop a relationship with the people you meet so don’t rush around trying to talk to everyone, instead spend time making each interaction count, be friendly, polite and attentive, and use your prior research where possible. Ask open questions and listen to the responses – don’t be side-tracked by another person on your list who happens to pass by within hailing distance.
It can be awkward approaching a large group of people so instead focus on individuals, or small groups. Don’t interrupt people when they are actively engaged in conversation, be patient, talk to those on the outskirts of the group first, or wait for a lull in conversation.
Don’t assume that just because someone isn’t with a large group, a well-known firm, or you don’t have them on your list, they aren’t worth talking to. They may not be in a position to work with you now but you never know where they might be in five years from now.

4. After the event
Remember the purpose of networking is to develop relationships with colleagues and potential clients. A relationship can’t develop and grow if you don’t actively cultivate it after the initial seed planting introduction. Keep the business cards you collected throughout the day; store the details in your phone, or contacts book, and connect on social media with the people you met. If possible send an email thanking them for their time, saying how nice it was to meet them, and so on.

Follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook, comment on their blogs, and check out their firm’s social media postings as this will continue interactions and enlarge your network.

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Trade between China and the UAE is booming. Last year, the business done by the two regions exceeded AED 169.67, equivalent to $46 billion, with as many as 4,000 Chinese companies registered in the UAE at the end of 2013. Activity is on the up, as the new Chinese middle class get the taste for international travel and the UAE is a popular destination. In response to the rising trend, UAE’s Minister of State, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, visited China for trade talks to explore further collaboration across various sectors including infrastructure, energy and technology.

“We see tremendous opportunities for both economic partners, including the benefits of our shared values, and common political and economic interests,” says Dr Al Jaber. “In turn this will feed in as a contribution to the broader global economy.”

It’s no secret that the Chinese economy is one of the global success stories of the last decade. Chinese tourists have huge spending power and host countries need to be prepared to welcome them in the right way. How can tourism service providers in the UAE familiarise themselves with Chinese culture and tastes? How can they create the right environment to ensure these visitors will have a positive experience and will not only want to return, but will tell their friends? 

The web site (in particular the landing page) of your company or organisation is likely to be the first experience of the prospective Chinese visitor, whether end user/consumer, or upstream provider such as travel agent or airline. Handling Chinese translation is key, both in terms of identifying the needs and wishes of Chinese tourists, and in conveying accurately what’s on offer. Remember that the primary marketing goal is to encourage Chinese tourists to select your destination over and above the other global options available to them. At Kwintessential we stress the importance of understanding the differences and nuances of “traditional” and “simplified” Chinese characters. Our translators also incorporate key components of Chinese culture, when crafting Chinese marketing copy for UAE clients. 

UAE has set a goal of attracting 15 million visitors by 2020. It has been given preferred destination status by Beijing, which makes it easier for tour groups and individuals to arrange visits. Flagship hotels, such as the Burj Al Arab have seen numbers of bookings from Chinese soar. Dubai boasts the largest shopping mall in the world,  its biggest attraction, closely followed by the man-made islands and soaring modern towers.

Expertise provided by international companies such as Creative Word can provide that crucial bridge across the cultural divide, and establish a solid platform to take advantage of this new tourism opportunity. Our experts are happy to discuss with you a strategy to align your web site and general marketing presentation to the Chinese consumer.  Contact Us now for more information.

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Creative Word works with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA) and with the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau on a number of levels to help them achieve this goal. Translation is one of our primary services, but translation alone is not enough. We market content in eight different languages, tailoring it to the cultural climate of the target country. Content must not only be understood, but also it must “hit the spot” in terms of what the particular cultural priorities are.

Success is as much down to good preparation as to luck. It takes shrewd planning and a defined strategy to achieve the goal of putting Abu Dhabi on the world map of desirable convention destinations. The message must be defined and disseminated in an effective way, and most importantly, it must target the decision-makers who plan these corporate and consumer events.

Given the wide choice of convention destinations in a fiercely competitive world, how does Kwintessential assist the TCA and the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau identify the unique selling points (USPs) of Abu Dhabi as a destination? The country has a great deal to offer to the global business community, and the emphasis is on selling the benefits and spreading the message loudly and clearly.

The approach is clearly paying off. In 2013, the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau was launched with the remit of winning business. It has secured some prestigious events for 2014, including IATA, Ecocity Summit (2015) and further bookings for 2016.

As a destination, Abu Dhabi has it all, from the vast St. Regis meeting space, to a full range of world-class hotels, shopping, golf and leisure centres. The Abu Dhabi Suite connects its Two-Nation Towers via Sky Bridge at a dizzying height of 200 metres. Saadiyat Beach offers the perfect leisure and beach facilities for delegates from sun-starved Northern climes. Al Maryah Island is the next five-star facility to be developed for this market place, to be completed in 2017.

What matters is clear communication and broadcasting. The crowds won’t come unless they know about the marvellous experiences on offer. Kwintessential assists in promoting the benefits to corporations and organisations of combining work and rest, to make a memorable experience for delegates, and to encourage repeat business. This is a particular skill, which demands detailed understanding of local and visiting cultures, and how to manage the synergy between the two. Kwintessential takes a multi-cultural approach, employing expertise from all over the world to inform its understanding of their clients’ needs and to meet the stated objectives. So far, it’s proving a good formula for success.

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The founder of  the website “Free Saudi Liberals” Raif Badawi was fined SAR1millon ($266k) and sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes.  This was increased from an initial sentence of 7 years in prison and 600 lashes as an appeals court ordered a retrial.

Following the Arab springs the cultural sentiment in the Saudi regime is to clamp down hard on anyone that challenges the rules and Badawi who was arrested in 2012 was close to being tried for apostasy, which carries the death penalty.

Badawi was originally charged with disobeying his father and cybercrime, where his website included articles critical of religious leaders in Saudi Arabia.  Alongside Badawi many others have been sentenced to prison for their role in allowing and encouraging demonstrations and hostilities against the Saudi regime.

The cultural makeup of the GCC is very different with the liberal accepting stance of the UAE, in particularly Dubai and Saudi Arabia where women are not allowed to drive.  One of the main reasons behind this is the hardline Wahhabi sect of Islam that rules Saudi Arabia.  Wahhabism or salafism as it is otherwise known has a literal understanding of Islamic jurisprudence and as a result, decisions and laws are passed on the understanding of the Judge rather than on a precedent.

With the confusion in religion and culture and the interpretation of the two, one thing is for sure the true Islamic understanding of tolerance and equality are a long way of and in the meantime Islam will continue to be challenged.

Contact us for more information on Islam and Arab culture

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The decision-making process for purchasing translation services can be problematic at the best of times. Whether you’re an experienced purchaser of translation services or someone who purchases on an ad hoc basis, following this simple, yet effective guide to choosing a translation company will relieve at least one of your business challenges.

The more information you can provide a translation company, the greater the chance of producing quality translations. A number of factors to consider are:

• Who is the target audience? Clarity regarding who will be interacting with your content is important so that the translator can tailor the translated material accordingly. Whether they are consumers, academics, senior executives or from a particular region will have a major impact on the tone and style used in the translation.

• What style of translation do you need? If you have a style guide which outlines the rules for how things should be translated, this will be of great help to the translator and enhance the consistency of your translations. Don’t worry if you don’t have one because a good translation company can provide you with theirs or help you to create your own. 

• Do you have any industry specific acronyms and terminology? Being able to provide this information for the translator will save a lot of research time, guarantee a higher level of accuracy and reduce the number of revisions. This can ultimately impact on costs – important for everyone!

Many translation companies will offer you a whole host of features for your translations. Rule to remember – “features” are nice to haves, but they aren’t essential. How can you distinguish between a feature and a benefit? Ask yourself – what’s in it for me?

A translation company which focuses on results over features is more likely to have a deeper understanding of your needs as a client and consequently enhance your satisfaction.

So, the question you need to ask is what are the results you need a translation company to help you achieve? Some of the factors which I’m sure will be important to you are:

• Increasing the accuracy of your translations > Eliminating those embarrassing mistakes which can be inherent in converting text from one language to another.

• Improving the quality and consistency of translated material > Reducing the need for lots of revisions which can take up a lot of your time and impact on your project schedule.

• Enhancing your organisation’s credibility with your target audience > Developing localized content which is tailored specifically for the people who will be interacting with your translated material.

Once you’re clear on the results you need, then you can sift through the features to find the translation company who has the right experience, knowledge, internal processes and attitude to meet your needs.

A simple Google search will provide you with a vast number of translation companies worldwide, so how will you choose? Ideally, the answers to the previous two steps of this guide will make this step infinitely easier. These following additional points will also help you narrow down the selection to the best 2-3 companies which you can contact to discuss your requirements.

• Experience will impact accuracy: Do they have experience in your industry or with the type of product/service your organisation provides? It’s likely that a specialist wrote your original content – someone who knows your industry, product or service. So you’ll need a specialist to translate your content.

• Knowledge will impact credibility: Are they knowledgeable about the region where your translations will be used i.e. cultural nuances, dialects, trends etc.? This is absolutely essential if your translated material will be used to sell or promote products, services, ideas or events to a particular group.

• Integrity will impact quality: Do they have recognised/accredited quality assurance processes such as ISO9001 and are they members of any translation associations? Accreditation processes require companies to demonstrate their competence in completing specific tasks. This in addition to membership of professional associations encourages compliance with industry standards and will give you some assurance that you’ll receive quality translations.

• Technology will impact consistency: Does the translation company employ computer assisted tools (CAT) to develop databases of regular vocabulary and jargon? Uniformity is important for business branding and is a good way to maintain a professional image. Companies that don’t use these tools are more likely to produce translations that rely on human judgement which can vary significantly. 

I hope this guide has been useful and will help you to make better decisions when considering a company to trust with your translation services. Our team here at Creative Word are extremely results-driven and consistently strive to produce translations which fully meet our client’s needs. Contact us for help enhancing your translations.

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Eid al-Fitr will soon be upon us and marks the end of Ramadan; the month of fasting for Muslims the world over and a remarkable achievement. We’re waiting for the sighting of the new moon which will either be 29 or 30 days following the start of Ramadan. Depending on where you are in the world, the festival can last from one to three days and is an absolutely joyous occasion! Prayer, new clothes, special sweets, money and toys for children, visiting loved ones; both alive and deceased. It’s a wonderful end to the month of worship, piety and patience; a time which Muslims eagerly await and welcome with great splendour and fanfare. Boy do Muslims know how to celebrate! 

Eid is the Arabic name for festival so you will hear the term often in relation to all festivals which occur throughout the year; 

1. Eid al Adha – Festival of the Sacrifice
2. Eid Milad – Birthday (of anyone)
3. Eid un Nabi – Birthday of the Prophet 

Eid al-Fitr is known as the lesser/smaller Eid and in some countries is called Eid Saghir. Eid al-Adha is the greater Eid or Eid Kabeer.

Traditions differ throughout the world however there are a few standard features of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations or what Muslims would call Sunnat al-Eid (the way the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, would have celebrated Eid).

1. Wake early to bathe and dress in clean clothes; where possible clothes should be new or at the least what would be termed in the western world as “Sunday Best”
2. Eat a good breakfast; a breakfast which is significantly special as it would be the first eaten during sunlight hours for a whole month!
3. Pay Zakaat-al-Fitr; a charitable payment to the poor in thankfulness to God for enabling an individual to observe the month of fasting
4. Walk to the local mosque or prayer ground, to offer prayers in an open space (except if the weather is really poor)
5. Pray the special Eid prayer in congregation. This should include all men, women and children.
6. Listen to the sermon (Khutbah) where the Iman will remind the community about their responsibilities and obligations to God, their brothers and sisters in Islam and to human kind as a whole

After the Eid prayer, traditions will vary depending on the local culture. In some countries like the UK where Eid is not a recognised holiday, some Muslims may head for work if they haven’t booked a day off in advance. However in Muslim countries where it would be a public holiday, celebrations can be anything from basic to lavish and extravagant.

Children play a big part in many traditions and they especially like to show off their new clothes and toys and spend their Eid money. I knew quite a few families in Egypt that would save all of their clean One Egyptian pound notes in the run up to Eid, ready to distribute to the children in the family once the festivities start.

Food is also a big feature and many cultures have an array of sweets and biscuits which they make especially for their families and for the abundance of friends and neighbours who will visit throughout the three days. In some countries, especially Muslims countries, non-Muslim friends and neighbours will also visit or call their friends to congratulate them on their achievement and share in the happiness. It’s a sign of respect and very much welcomed.

Street carnivals with funfair rides are common in some countries and decorating hands and feet with henna in others. Greetings of Eid Mubarak and Eid Saeed fill the air. Its smiles all around and there is an overwhelming sense of happiness in Muslim countries and households from East to West and North to South. I’ve said this before and will say it again, because it’s something which everyone should get to experience at least once in their life! If you’re invited to attend any festivities whether in a Muslim family’s home or outside, you absolutely must attend. You’ll understand what I mean if you do.

The Management and Staff at Creative Word, wish all clients and visitors to our website a wonderful and blessed Eid.

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An interesting study, named “Modern Spice Routes, The Cultural Impact and Economic Opportunity of Cross-Border Shopping” conducted by Paypal reveals some interesting statistics.

The six biggest markets, including the US, UK, Germany, Australia, China and Brazil are expected to triple in online shopping, from $105 billion in 2013 to $307 billion in five years.  With an estimated 94 million cross border customers its never been more important to be International and localize online offering from translating websites and marketing material to e-commerce functionality to allow easy purchasing.

With the boom in internet powered shoppers and an international market to purchase from the “modern spice routes” are truly offering local merchants the ability to tap into a global audience.

Chinese cross border shoppers

Out of the biggest markets, China is certainly booming in online cross-border transactions and with 18 million Chinese customers estimated to spend RMB 216 billion (approx. $35 billion) this year, China is a market not to be missed! The study reveals the top five cross border purchases for the Chinese market include:

1.  Apparel & accessories (RMB 22.0 billion)

2.  Health & beauty products (RMB 17.6 billion) 

3.  Computer hardware (RMB 13.5 billion)

4.  Jewellery, gems & watches (RMB 13.1 billion) 

5.  Personal electronics (RMB 12.9 billion)

With the growth in China over the next 5years expected to hit 35.9 million online cross border shoppers expecting to spend RMB1 trillion its worth translating websites into Chinese!

With International online shopping expected to increase globally for all regions its never been more important to ensure a good website translation and localizing your content and services for International customers.  Appealing to cross border audiences requires understanding of the target audience and cultural buying habits.  At Kwintessential Arabia we offer the services to ensure you sell successfully to the growing cross border shopping community.

Contact Us now for a free consultation on how Kwintessential Arabia can help you.

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