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Why advertising translation is important in different languages?

What is Advertising translation?

In this era, where the world has become a global village, a lot of services are purchased on the international platform. This liberty offers a great opportunity to the companies who intend to make an investment in the advertising and marketing translation overseas.

Reaching a wider audience and international clients can be challenging. It is one complex matter of language and also has numerous cultural issues which require consideration. The advertising material needs to be according to the preferences and flavor of the local people so that overseas customers can buy the products easily.

Types of advertising documents that require translation

The advertising documents have expanded beyond the limit now. These are almost there in every field and all kinds of domains require the advertising of their content, products, equipment, and whatnot.

However, precisely speaking, here are the main categories of the advertising translation.

1. Print and electronics ad copy
2. Company websites
3. Marketing brochures
4. Newsletters
5. Email campaigns
6. Advertising campaigns for Google AdWords
7. CPC marketing translation
8. Business plan
9. Products

Translation of marketing and advertising material for customers in retail, cosmetic and fashion industries as well as tech industries required. It further goes with medical and pharmaceutical companies, consumer electronics, sports, and nearly all available markets. The core objective of the global advertising translation is to deliver the message from global customers to the target audience.

Importance of Language in advertising

The word advertising is quite empowering. As we utter this word the immediate thoughts of the billboards, television ads, banners, buses with flyers, and whatnot come to the mind. Advertising is inevitable in this advanced era and involves a lot of creativity.

Language is the ultimate authority in advertising. A strong and meaningful company name can either make a product or break it. The written words, languages, and linguistic features have become more prominent and significant than ever. People are consumed by social media and the media and innovation in ads have increased the expectation level of the audiences.

However, with an atextual form of media which is dominant, advertising and the way in which it surfaces in our lives and effects has changed the way of living.

Advertising content was once confined to a particular generic form, it was all about an advert on a bus, a few-second tv commercial, or half a page in a newspaper. These though had the power to reach a wider audience but were not specific. The whole idea of the adverts and medium have also changed now. Language has taken over and has become of foremost importance. Advertising requires to be translated into the language of the target audience. Only then they can understand it really well and can relate to their culture, traditions, and choices.

Advertising translation services are hence, a complex matter and need to be pulled off with relevant expertise and experience. The use and abuse of the language have allowed us to push our thinking skills beyond communication and have also distorted the content and sent misleading messages. There are a number of campaigns that have been developed around the world with the sole purpose of positioning products and generating revenues.

Types of languages used in advertising

Language has a powerful and influencing impression on people and their behavior toward certain things. This is mainly important in the marketing and advertising field. The choice of language has to convey particular messages with the intent of influencing people so that the advert makes them purchase the defined products and brands.

It is extremely important to keep in mind that the visual content and design in advertising have a great influence on the consumer and his choices. However, language is the key, it helps people identify product and remember it so that they can use them later.

English language, being a universal language is known for its vast and extensive dictionary. The message is clearer in this language and as for the other languages, it has to be more precise, because people are meant to understand the English language, nonetheless, when it comes to other languages until it is their native language, they fail to perceive things rightly. 

The language and selection of language mainly depend on the language of the target audience. However, different people interpret the languages in different ways. The connotation of the word is extremely important as it carries the feeling and idea which are suggested by a word rather than the actual meaning of it. The ‘armchair’ can be taken as an example, where the ‘armchair’ suggests comfort and the chair word simply doesn’t come with a particular feeling.

Advertising in different languages is inevitable to establish credibility. The mass media, however, has to report news items, and marketing and advertising personnel consider the emotive power of the words as they use them.

This is how the advertisers adapt the language and use it to take compounds and adjectives. The advertising language is usually positive and emphasizes that one product stands out in comparison with another. This language may not always be according to the normal and correct phrases however, it rather needs to be more relevant to the audience.

Here is an example to support this statement that how comparatives are used even though there is no real comparison made. A detergent advertisement often claims to increase the whiteness in your clothes but they don’t tell whiter than which or what product.

Final words

Advertising translation deals with the translations of adverts and marketing content which is an important part of global marketing strategy. As it is important to build brand recognition overseas and that is not possible without addressing the translation needs of adverting and marketing text. Moreover, the language of translation greatly influences the adverts and it is mainly depending on the languages of the target audiences and market.

                                 

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Eric Batley May 30, 2022 0 Comments
LanguagesNEWS

World Chinese Language Day and fun activities to celebrate it

Chinese language day is celebrated on the 20th of April annually. Chinese is the oldest language that exists on this planet. It has billions of speakers who speak it as their first language.

Chinese language day

The United Nations 2010 took the initiative of celebrating all six languages on six different days every year. The main goal to celebrate the language is to celebrate the multilingualism and cultural diversity. Chinese language day happens to be on April 20th. The department of public information of the United Nations initiated the days dedicated to each language. Moreover, they also planned to promote all the languages throughout the organization.

Historical background of Chinese day

Chinese as a language was given its place in the United Nations in 1946. However, even after including it in the list of UN languages, it was not much in practice and use. Later in 1971, the United Nations restored the place of the people’s republic of China. Additionally, Chinese was considered a working language in 1974 by the UN’s general assembly.

As for the selection of the date 20th April to celebrate the Chinese language day, this date was initially selected to pay tribute to Chinese scholar Cangjie, who was a legendary figure in China. He is one of the great historians of China and he was the one who invented Chinese language characters around 5000 years ago.

Chinese language day was celebrated in 2010 for the first time. However, the important thing to note it was celebrated on the 12th of November. They changed the date later to 20th April. There was Guyu and the significance of Guyu behind this decision. Guyu holds great significance in Chinese history. Chinese people celebrate ‘Guyu’ and that too on April 20th. The event of Guyu is celebrated to honor Cangjie. ‘Guyu’ word refers to the rain of millet.

Chinese Myths

Cangjie had four eyes and four pupils. Also, it is reported that when he invented Chinese characters, other gods and ghosts cried and later sky rained millet in order to pay tribute to Cangjie. As the Gregorian calendar tells Guyu or Rain of millet happens to be on the 20th of April so the Chinese planned to go on the same date so that they celebrate their language culture, poetry, and literature in the world.

Events and activities

Different events, activities and quizzes, and carnivals are held every year. UNSRC Chinese book club organizes a three series event at UN headquarters in New York. It has its focuses on three main pictographs as

  1. Liangzhu inscribed symbols
  2. Dongba script
  3. Oracle bone script

Interestingly these three pictures imply the association of it with three cultures and three sites which are also included in the UNESCO’s world heritage sites. These are

  1. Archeological ruins of Lianghzu city
  2. The old town of Lijiang and 
  3. Yinxu

Furthermore, three events include

  1. A detailed tour of the Lianghzu Museum
  2. Dongba script and language class about it
  3. An informative briefing about the Chinese characters, their origin, and evolution

Chinese language day activities

The Chinese celebrate the Chinese language very enthusiastically. They organize different activities. Chinese schools and institutions organize events to make the most of the day and language. The people who are new Chinese learners or intend to excel in the language aim to practice these things on Chinese language day. 

Learning some Chinese

The ex-pats and people who have to celebrate the language day set their goals to learn some Chinese. Thank you is “xiexie” in Chinese. Taking it phonetically it is like “she-ye she-ye”. Trying to utter it as a single word helps and this is how it starts.

Visiting a Chinese restaurant

Evident learners of Chinese can celebrate their Chinese day by visiting their favorite Chinese restaurant and can have their favorite Chinese dishes. However, if someone doesn’t know about any particular dish, they can always try Peking duck. It tastes yummy and at the end of the meal with taste buds in nirvana, they may feel good and elated thanking the server in Chinese.

Watching a Chinese movie

Going to a Chinese movie is another entertaining activity that Chinese enthusiasts can opt for to celebrate the day. Also, it is interesting to know that most of the action-packed and stunning movies and entertainment comes from China. If still someone needs the suggestion they can go for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. The enthusiasts can instantly have the feeling about the Mandarin language, its beauty, and how entertaining and beautiful Chinese moves are. There is a full world that can have thousands of genres to explore on chine language day.

Reasons for celebrating Chinese day

Saying thank you to China

One of the important reasons to celebrate Chinese language day is to say thank you to China for everything it has brought us. Noodles, everyone’s favorite junk food came from China. Also, paper was invented in China. No one can think without living paper. Moreover, remember Earl Grey tea? Despite the name, this tea is a special gift from China. So all the enthusiasts can think about the aforementioned good things about china on Chinese language day.

China has choices

The Chinese language is not a limited language. It is the world’s oldest language. Chinese can conveniently claim 11 languages. These are relevant to each other along with Mandarin as the main national language. Moreover, it is interesting to note that Chinese all over the world speak more than 1500 dialects.

Celebrities and stars speak French

Movie stars and celebrities from Chinese movies, all speak Chinese. Who doesn’t know about Jackie Chan who is the world’s funniest stuntman? Jet Li is another popular martial art. Michelle Yeoh was one gorgeous and beautiful bond girl. So yes, some of the world’s coolest and great talented people speak Chinese, which is great. Isn’t it?

Those who look for activities to do on Chinese language day can celebrate the day by joining a Chinese language class. They can also get themselves affiliated with the UN and other organization which organizes events, workshops, and even concerts all over the globe. People can easily participate in such activities. Later posting the pictures and thoughts on the event is always a great idea.

Fun facts about the Chinese language

  1. Canjie invented and wrote the Chinese language for the first time in 2650 for the first time.
  2. It was in 1911 that China adopted Mandarin as its national language. It was declared a national language after Dr. Sun Yat Sen defeated the Qing dynasty.
  3. Chinese was included by the United Nation in their language list officially in 1946. The situation got even better when the People’s republic of China regained its well-deserved and lawful; rights in the UN after more than 25 years.
  4. UN assembly made changes and adopted Chinese in 1973. UN security council made Chinese their working language in 1974. It was only after 1974 that more staff and officials of the UN started working with the Chinese people.
  5. Soon after achieving these milestones, around 1.3 billion speakers of Chinese made the language rank number one in the world. Standard Mandarin language is the official language in the largest part of mainland China and Taiwan. The whole population is one firth of the world’s population, and it is also a common idiom that is used at UN headquarters.

Final words

Chinese language days are observed on April 20th by Chinese enthusiasts. It was initiated by the United Nation to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. It is also reported that the Chinese legendary figure Cangje invented 5000 Chinese characters 5000 years ago and also caused the rain of millet, so they celebrate the day on the same date to pay tribute to Cangjie. Different people celebrate the day with different activities all over the world.

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Eric Batley April 19, 2022 0 Comments
LanguagesLocalization

Which is the Best Company for Website Localization in Chinese Languages?

China is a fast-growing economy of the world. Its consumer market is growing at the rate of 12% annually, and it is projected that it will reach the value of $8.4 trillion by 2022 and $12.7 trillion by 2030. Therefore, every businessman and entrepreneur wants to get leverage from this market. To enter this enormous market, you should show your online presence.

One important thing to note is that China’s digital world is different from the West. This is because a great firewall blocks websites operating from outside the country. Moreover, your website should abide by all technical and legal requirements imposed by the Chinese Ministry of Security. Additionally, you must develop marketing content that resonates with the Chinese target market. After developing the content, you need to translate and localize the content so that it can get maximum exposure in this gigantic market. For this, you have to look for the best website localization in the Chinese language. Let’s have a look at which quality the best localization company should have.

Go for the Translation Agency that also Provides Localization

Many translation agencies provide localization services. Therefore, you should use such a translation agency that can also localize your website content. Without localization, you cannot get your message to the potential consumers. For instance, a Mandarin Chinese audience will need different localization of the content than a Cantonese audience. Therefore, you must select the translation agency that can properly localize your content. In this way, you can make your place easily in the foreign market.

Native Translators and Subject-Matter Experts 

No doubt, that translators are always proficient in the language. You should hire a translation agency that employs native translators. These translators are born and bred in the same environment. Therefore, they know all the cultural and legal intricacies and localize your website accordingly.

Every field has specific terminology that can only be understood by experts. Thus, you should select a translation agency that has subject-matter experts in the industry. These experts use proper terminology on the website that sounds professional as it was in its original language. For this, you need to check the website of the company to check its prior projects to ensure whether the translation agency assigns your subject-matter experts to the projects or not. This will reduce the localization time and cost.

Comply with Local Regulations

For entering the Chinese market, you should be aware of local rules and regulations of the digital world and marketing. For Example, many global companies take into consideration the channels like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.  The important thing to note is that these channels are forbidden in China. Therefore, companies should use channels like Youku and WeChat to get the benefit of their marketing efforts. Moreover, you have to know about a few things about China, you can say things with extreme words like the top, the best and number 1. They will cause heavy penalties by the advertising Law of China.  A good company for website localization knows these things from the start of the Chinese website localization project to avoid any damage to your company’s repute.

Uses State-of-the-Art Technology and Tools

For catering the website localization projects, you have to import and export the content for translation. If you have a small website, then copy and paste might work. However, for large website localization projects copy and paste will create problems like missing characters and structures and text corruption that needs more effort, time, and money to solve.

Thus, you should select the translation agency that uses state-of-the-art technology and tools to automate the website localization process. The best company for website localization uses connectors that enable exporting and importing of the content. This will help in selecting the content easily and putting them back at the appropriate place after translation and localization.

Make sure that the translation agency that you select also uses translation memory. Translation memory helps to reduce time and cost. It stores the translated content so that you do not need to translate the already translated content again and again. The important thing to note is that the translation agency is not machine translation, but it is a tool handled by human translators. This tool also ensures consistency in a website localization project.

Company and Translators should be Certified

Precise and accurate translation and localization require certain skills and certifications that lead them to the highest level. The best translation company has a team of certified experts in the field and language that they offer. Before selecting the company, you should know how they assess the translators before hiring and on which basis they send your website localization project to translators. This certification shows that the translation agency follows international standards for translation and also follows data protection laws

Moreover, the translation agency should also have certification. You must check whether the company is ISO 9001, 17100, or 27001 certified or not.  This certification shows that the translation agency follows international standards for translation and also follows data protection laws that will keep your company’s data safe.

Use Quality Assurance Processes

You can not trust anyone for a website localization project, that is why you are looking for the best translation company that can provide you with robust website localization in the Chinese language. Only analyzing the translator is not enough. Translators as humans can make mistakes, and machines can do word-to-word translation without considering cultural and regional nuances. So, you should go for a translation agency that has professional editors. They have a review process to check the quality of translated and localized material. Additionally, it can be a second translator or project manager to ensure the high-quality standards of a website localization project.

Provides 24/7 Services in any Language

Another important thing to check in a translation agency is its professionalism. If the translation agency is available 24/7 then you can easily rely on them. This is because they can assist you whenever a problem appears. The best way to check them is to contact them via phone chat or email and check how promptly they can respond to you. If they respond to you quickly, then it shows that they will support you as a customer. Moreover, a translation agency should respond to their customers in a language that they understand. The translation agency should provide multilingual support because only in China, different dialects of the Chinese language are spoken. Multilingual support of the company shows that it can provide the best translation and localization services.

Check the Credentials and Reviews of the Customers

If you have checked all the above-mentioned qualities and are still confused in selecting the best translation agency, then the easy part is to check the credentials and reviews of the customer from their website. It will give you an idea of how translation companies have handled such website localization processes before.

Wrapping Up

Let’s finish your quest for the best company for website localization in Chinese languages. Chinese Translation Services is one of the leading translation agencies that have all qualities of being the best website localization provider. Proficient translators at Chinese translation services can provide you with robust website localization services at fast turnaround times and economical rates without compromising on quality.

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Eric Batley March 15, 2022 0 Comments
Languages

Hong Kong’s National Security Law & The Conflict Between Chinese version And English Version

China’s parliament unanimously passed a brand new national security law for Hong Kong. The new law faced a lot of criticism from the general media and International community, mainly because of two key elements;

  • The first is that the law is a bit too vague
  • And secondly, it is extremely broad
  • And thirdly the Chinese version of the law would supersede the English version

When a particular law is indefinite and broad, it can be interpreted in almost any way. Hence, making it very dangerous. 

Let us discuss some of the impacts of the new security law;

Open To Interpretation

If you study the new law, you will find that the following tenets pose a threat to national security, hence will be punishable by death or life imprisonment;

  • Secession
  • Subversion
  • Terrorism
  • Collusion with foreign forces

However, these felonies are so widely explained that they can succumb to any interpretation that might be politically motivated. It can be misused against human rights. Meanwhile, tweaked to discriminate against certain individuals by the opposition. 

Misuse of the Law

Right after the National security law was passed, Hong Kong was subjected to unfair treatment of basic civil rights such as peaceful protest. 

Anyone who was seen carrying a slogan that contained a particular sentiment or slogan of another political party was immediately arrested. If the officials were asked to explain the reason behind this aggression, they stated that it could jeopardize the national security of the state, as per the new national security regulations.

Restricted Freedom of Speech

The new national security law gives power to the Chinese government over the freedom of media and other private outlets and institutions. This has been considered by many as the ultimate oppression of freedom of expression. 

The New York Times shifted its operational office from Hong Kong amid security concerns. Moreover, the media industry believes that their freedom has been constrained, which defies the core principles of press freedom.

If we talk about the restrictions that have been imposed on students, it is quite depressing. The government has banned any student union that might support any anti-state narrative. Students are not allowed to express their disconcert with any government policy. Furthermore, if any student is seen to advocate the sentiments of any political party, he shall have to face a disciplinary charge. 

Moreover, University portals or any online website that contains content pertaining to political debates will be removed by law enforcement agencies. Consequently, a lot of the social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been suspended as well. 

Unfair Trials

One aspect of the National security law states that any accused individual could be tried under the mainland law. Initially, when this law was introduced, it causes a lot of riots and protests back in 2019. 

The reason why the citizens have shown their discontent with this law is due to a lack of transparency. An accused is taken away and kept in secrecy. And he or she does not have the option to contact his family members. Moreover, he is also not given his basic right to get a lawyer that could defend him in court. This measure often leads to reports of illegal torture and mistreatment. 

Change of Medium of Communication from English To Chinese

The National security law was available in two languages; English and Chinese. However, after approval from the state, the Chinese version of the law will completely govern and overpower the English translation. 

Mistakes And Irregularities

Initially, equal importance was given to both versions. But as per some professionals, mistakes and irregularities were prevalent in both of the versions. Many experts proclaimed the draft to be very badly drafted. For some, it was difficult to even comprehend the text.

English To Be The Reference Document

After the security law was passed, and the decision was made, the official document did not have any English translation available. However, a new agency tried its best to translate the text from Chinese to English but claimed it to be a reference document that lacked any substantial official standing. 

Three days post the release of the official document, the English version of the security law was released. This delay made the statement that the Chinese National Security law version will eventually succeed the English version. 

Law Does Not Discriminate 

If you are curious about which is the official language of Hong Kong, then you would be surprised to know that it is both English and Chinese. Hence, as per law, both of the languages hold the same status. 

But the justice department stated that Chinese will be considered the security law’s official language. The major reason behind this decision was to promulgate the notion of linguistic nationalism. 

Justice Department Does Not Have The Jurisdiction

On the other hand, many objected to the decision made by the justice department. And stated that it does not have the jurisdiction to decide that Chinese should be preferred over English as the official language. Experts claimed that the discrepancies are prevalent. For instance, in the national security document, the word “universities” is used in the English version, and “school” is used in the Chinese version. Such differences can scale to bigger issues if not handled properly. 

Article 29 Of The National Security Act 

If you study Article 29 of the National security Act in the English version it will state that any party, whether it be a single individual, an entire organization, or an institution will be subjected to a similar punishment if they colluded with a foreign party to commit a crime that affects the national security of the state. 

However, if one studies the same article in the Chinese version, it differentiates the roles of each party in the offense. And each party will be subjected to punishment according to the contribution and role of the entity. 

Chinese Interpretation 

This shows that the Chinese interpretation of the National security law is completely different from the English version. Hence, adequate steps need to be taken so that only one version is applied in every case. When the national security law is read by other lawyers from overseas, it should give one straight message.

Chinese Version Would Succeed The English Version

The decision by the government would eventually supersede. And the Chinese version would become the only official version. Many experts have stated that if there appears to be any discrepancy in understanding the text, the better choice would be to refer to the original Chinese version. However, if the law is to be understood in English, then the Chinese authorities will oversee and approve the English translations. 

Read Also: How Cultural Differences Affect Global Businesses

Conclusion

The National security law has faced a lot of criticism from the general public of Hong Kong, as well as the global community. Some people claim it to be reminiscent of a Draconian law. 

The government of South Korea has claimed that it is all subject to interpretation. If the Chinese version is adopted as the official version, it will clear out a lot of ambiguities. Most of the interpretations that are done in the English language are unable to grasp the linguistic intricacies of the Chinese law, hence they are often misunderstood, and then mistranslated. 

In this article, we discussed how the Chinese version of the national security law will succeed the English version. Moreover, we also discussed some of the major tenets of the new law. And how it is going to affect the human crisis in Hong Kong, as well as the rest of the world.     

If you are looking for translation services, visit here

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Eric Batley February 7, 2022 0 Comments
LanguagesTranslation

Life Science Translation: History, Significance & Future

Life science translation is similar to medical translation. It serves the same purpose as medical translation. The process deals with the personalization and adaption of the medical content, healthcare services, and other medicine-related content to improve the human life quality.

Working for translation services requires a methodology-oriented approach. Moreover, it is quite technical as well. The target audience of the life science and medical translation is mostly the researchers and the medical experts. These are the people who have great academic backgrounds, so they appreciate the clarity and lucidity in the content.

That’s why translation requires an advanced level of accuracy and quality to meet the expectations of the experts. The poor translation, incorrect terms, and omissions may result in risking human life, causing health problems and loss of resources.

A brief history of life science translation 

The twentieth century has been quite happening and hectic for the biological science industry. Things have been changed quite much. There are new technologies and developments every other day. Besides that, the healthcare experts are identifying the diagnosed diseases as quite rare and unique. Before this century, inventions, and developments were quite limited and confined.

However, the recent era has witnessed new practices and developments in nutrition, vaccination, and other healthcare practices. There are more hospitals, clinics, and products now. Companies have started to expand their pharmaceutical industries to foreign lands. The localization and globalization made the pharma industries work on translation. The industry has not looked back since then. There are a number of fields that fall under the category of biology. These are biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food processing, environmental, zoology, and other cosmeceuticals.

The natural sciences sector comprises the organizations and the institutions which are designated for research, development, and commercialization. These are related to organisms such as human beings, plants, and other animals. However, another term used for this domain is medical translation.

Life science disciplines

Life science is an extensive field. It has a lot more disciples and sub-fields. However, these are the most important natural science disciplines that the companies require translation for

  • Agrotechnology
  • Biomedical engineering
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioengineering
  • Medical imaging techniques
  • Biomolecular engineering

Significance

The life science translation services have to be high-quality. It has become the necessity of the medical field. Whenever, the companies plan to launch the pharmaceutical products in a foreign market, or plan to provide the treatment to foreign customers, they have to use language which is understandable in that territory.

The biological science companies have to ensure the accuracy of the translations, or else it could be risky and disastrous for both parties. Doing harm to patients can put the company’s reputation at stake. A simple and minor mistake such as an error in the daily dose of a medicine or using the wrong word can invite unfortunate consequences. This is why the translation comes with huge responsibility and sensitivities. Professional translators should attempt these tasks to avoid errors and omissions.

The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries are regulated industries so quality and accuracy are a must-have. Besides that, translators need to understand the industry, its responsibilities, and the local regulations. There are international standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 27001, or ISO 17100 that address the translation standard and quality. These also look for information security. European and other national regulatory bodies have their particular terminology requirements and specialties.

It bridges the gap between medical people, professionals, scientists, and manufacturers worldwide. The importance of translation can never be denied.

Types of the documents that need a translation 

Pharmaceuticals

The pharmaceutical companies require a particular and expert multilingual approach to have scientific clinical trials and other research. A few of the examples include

Healthcare

Healthcare is an extremely important domain. The people who come from different territories speak different languages. Everyone doesn’t speak the same language, and neither they understand it. So, the patients who go abroad and get treatment in a foreign land need to understand their medical conditions, medical forms, and other content. They also need to communicate with the doctors and the physicians. Therefore, in order to avoid serious issues and life-taking risks, it is extremely important to translate the consent forms, prescriptions, medical records, patient questionnaires, lab tests and results, and other documents.

Medical devices

There are new inventions and surgeries on medical devices and equipment. These also need to market well in the other markets and territories. In order to make it understandable for the target audience, the packaging, labels and other content should be translated accurately. In the category of medical devices, the content that needs translation is operating the machines, maintenance, and other installation manuals. It also includes the development safety update reports and the instructions for use and regulatory compliance documents.

The tips for the high-quality translation

A right translation partner

The translation of the science of life is tough and extensive. It needs to be accurate and precise. Hence, it is significant to hire a professional language service provider who has earlier excelled in the field. The translation company should also ensure that the project is assigned to the right and expert medical translators. Both partners, the translation company and the entrepreneur, should ensure the proper systemized pattern that reduces errors and deliver a high level of quality. The experts can also implement the translation software and tools to ensure efficiency and fewer mistakes. The translation tools often have these kinds of functions.

Translation memory

The feature of the translation memory that automatically detects the old words and avoids repetition works as a life savior. It can help translators in hundreds of ways. It allows using the previous dictionary, terms, and phrases. This can ultimately reduce the time and efforts of the translators. 

Clarity and accuracy of source documents

The precision and clarity in the source documents are other significant tips to follow. There is no room for errors. The medicine and its dosage need to be defined according to the problem diagnoses. To have an accurate translation it is important that the source content is clear and without errors. The mistakes in the original files lead to a double ratio or errors in the target translation.

Multilingual termbase

The translation agency can have a multilingual termbase that the experts can integrate and use for all the languages at the same time.

Giving feedback

Another tip is about providing feedback. The customer or the company should always evaluate the translation language partner’s services. Besides that, they should provide feedback about the work experience, translators’ efforts, quality of the translation, and other important factors.

Quality assurance tools and modules to keep a check on the quality.

Establishing a workflow for the other partner helps in the easing of the process. The life science companies and translation companies should collaborate with each other for the workflow. This should include assessing the details where the translation companies consider the arrangements with translators who have been selected for the project.

Automated report

The reporting is quite time-consuming, however, the parties can save themselves some time and the project management time can be done with the automated reports and templates. The project templates also help in easing and automating the project also helps to reduce the repetitions. The templates further can help ensure that there is adherence to the naming of the projects and resources, also finding the existing resources and reusing these.

The practices for successful translation

Every process needs proper and thorough research. Things can not be started all of a sudden and randomly. Hence, the prior research is seminal.

These practices can help ease out the process and execute the translation in the best way possible.

Coordinated and responsive 

A team should be coordinated on all levels as well the team should be responsive. A strategy of ensuring the successful translation should include the variety of expertise and competencies, with the guarantee of exchangeable knowledge and idea, and also it should aim for a complete view of the project.

Standardized practices

The format of the translation is very particular and specific. The creativity in the diagnosis documents and legal files and scientific papers is quite limited. Therefore, there should be standardized practices to carry on the process. All translation files require is clarity, precision, and proper attention to the details and products.

Key Challenges 

The scientific translation is an extremely regulated area. The medical and medicine-related content has to be presented to the higher authorities for approval before they implement in a particular market. There are many guidelines, templates, and other rules that are important to list down while an attempt of translating the medical texts.

The European Union and other agencies require the companies to follow a particular set of instructions before approving the things in their territory.

Another challenging aspect for the translators is about producing the high-quality translation from the source language to the target language also ensuring that the content is patient-friendly and easily understandable.

There are a number of companies that are part of one group however, they act differently and separate while purchasing the translation services and things end as uncoordinated vendors and all. There is less consistency and quality is also promised in such scenarios.

Overcoming these challenges

The life science translation requires particular expertise and skills. This requires the medical translators who have excelled in the job earlier. There should be a demo and testing session to ensure the translators have earlier worked on the same tasks and are familiar with the conventions and norms of life science.

The approved and certified medical translators have a better insight into the usage and implementation of the medical dictionaries and other medical encyclopedias and other reference material. This further includes data from previous assignments as well that they reuse to make a golden combination of the experience and other expertise.

Talking about the earlier assignments the high-quality translation should be kept in translation memory as usually, the translation data deals with the same words, terms, and phrases. These could be consent forms, summaries of the products, and other packages inside.

The promising future 

The biological industry including biopharma and medical technology has a bright future. There are new inventions and medical discoveries every day. With the help of artificial intelligence, medical experts are going to shine bright for the next many years. A number of diseases that were declared uncurable in the past now have cures. The cure for other diseases is more effective now. The medical companies and healthcare experts have also focused on treatment as well as the steps that can be taken to prevent the disease.

Life science translation has blossomed like never before and going to boom more in near future. The translation of the life sciences has also helped in reducing the time frame and also cutting the cost. The data-based approaches of the experts, medical algorithms, and the huge network of connected devices have the potential of creating a healthy healthcare system. There are the medical devices, medicines, and medical software that people never imagined in the past have physical existence now and progressing more with every passing day. 

Final words

Life science is a huge domain. It has further disciplines and types that require the translation further. There are tips to execute the translation services as well as the best practices that can help the authorities in the efficient execution of the process. Furthermore, there are challenges which companies and translation language providers have to face during their work. Despite all these challenges, life science translation has a bright future.

For more information about all our translation services visit our website

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Eric Batley January 11, 2022 0 Comments
LanguagesTranslation

Legal Document Translation: Types of Legal Docs and Tips for Flawless Translation

English is a global language. But do you know 60% of people around the globe speak another language than English? Digitalization has made it easy to expand your business outside the borders. Expanding your business in a foreign land is a difficult task. For tapping into foreign countries, you have to complete some legal documentation. You can understand these documentations if you go for legal document translation services.

This is because the laws and languages of every country are different. Legal translation is very complex. Any layman cannot understand the licit terminologies. So global companies hire a professional translation agency. They employ a team of native translators who be close to the culture and legislation of the region. Thus, a legal language translator provides them with certified legal document translations which are accepted by the local authorities of the foreign country.

What is Legal Translation

Are you wondering if legal translation is only required in business? Not exactly, we require legal translation in different aspects of life. Whether you are applying for immigration, or want a birth or death certificate, translation is a must. The jurisdiction system of each country is different.

Therefore, legal terms and issues related to it also vary. The legal document that is sent for translation is used as a testament against any fraud in the company, so the legal translation should be done with utmost care. In this regard, the professional translation agency will provide you with a legitimate translation.

How to Get Legal Document Translation

People say that legal communication is a language of its own. Unlike medical science and technology, it requires consistency, accuracy, and respect for culture in its translations. Legal translation cannot be done by a layman. The legal translator should have a complete understanding of cultural, social, and linguistic equivalence in both languages.

Moreover, he should know the corporate law of the country. In this way, he can provide precise and accurate translations without deviating from the intended message.

Difference Between Legal and Judicial Translation

Legal translation provides translation texts for legal-related fields. Law documents are translated from one language to another while using the correct procedures. Usually, the legal documents include legal contract translation, manuals, and agreements. Also, the scientific articles that include legal themes and topics follow the rule of legal translation.

One important thing to note is that legal translation is not about translating legal documents only. Do you know that some books and articles that contain legal terms also require legal translation services?

The judicial translation is a part of judicial cases. For instance, if you want to translate a birth certificate for immigration purposes then you must go for Judicial translation. Moreover, a marriage certificate is also part of this translation. The other documents like power of attorney are also a part of judicial translation.

Additionally, documents that are related to court and legal processes also come under judicial translation.  It includes lawful sentences and lawsuits. Purchase agreements and property deeds are also a part of judicial translation. The language and format of the translation are accepted by foreign authorities. While translating the judicial document, translators give attention to detail to dictation so that people accept it. 

How to Translate Legal Documents

The notarized person can translate the legal document with the notary seal.  These translations are usually accepted and are called legal certified translations. Thus, if you want to translate birth certificates or social security cards then you must get them translated through a certified resource or an agency. It will get you a document translation in a second or third language accurately.

Collect the documents that need a translation in one place. In this way, it becomes easy for you to transfer it to the translator. Attach the required documents like duplicate copies, stamped certificates, and important notices. It will make the translation process easy. Analyze the time frame, in which you required the translation. For this, you must select a reliable translation company.

During the translation process, determine the time for the completion of your task. Also, include edit and review time and then submit the document. Sometimes, you may require a copy of the original documents so that you can check any miscommunication if anything is missed. It will save your project from inaccuracies.

Different Types of Legal Documents that Require Translation

Error in legal translation will produce many havoc results. Your diplomatic relation and national security can be at stake. Therefore, you should be very vigilant in selecting a professional translation agency. Let’s dive into types of documents that require translation.

Licenses Translation  

Licenses are a very important document. It is certified by a governing body. For instance, for marriage, one must have a marriage certificate to show the world that two people are living legally. In many countries, males and females cannot live together, unless they are not married. A translated marriage certificate is a testament to the legal relationship in a foreign land.

Professional licenses depict your qualification to do a job. For instance, if you want to do a job overseas then you must have a teaching certificate to show teaching worth. The same goes for drivers, dentists, lawyers, and doctors. Business licenses, import and export licenses, and LLC legal documents are important documents for translation.

Certified Translation

A birth certificate shows your identity.  If you want to apply for immigration, want dual citizenship, adopt a child, and want to get married in a foreign land then you should go for a birth certificate translation. The student that wants to apply for a study visa also requires a birth certificate.

One important thing to note is that people in certain countries also use immunization certificates. This is important for animals if you want to take them with you to a different region. You can get all the certified translations if you want to take the assistance of a legally certified translator.

Immigration Documents Translation

If you have migrated from one country to another then, of course, you must have translated the legal documents in the language of the country for which you are applying. Immigration documents are very critical, error in these translations will result in the rejection of the immigration process. Moreover, immigration document translation also varies from country to country because the legislative system of each country is different. Thus, for this, seek the services of a professional translation agency.

Wrapping Up

There are certain rules for doing each thing. Laws are developed in each country so that people can do their tasks while abiding by them. They can abide by these laws if they understand them. Here the Legal document translation assists them. Law experts like lawyers cannot do the legal document translations because they are not proficient in linguistics.

The best way is to hire a professional translation agency. They have a team of native translators that are not only proficient in linguistics only but are also subject-matter-experts of their field. So, are you ready to hire a professional translation company to get error-free legal document translation services?

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Eric Batley December 7, 2021 0 Comments
Languages

I Love You In Different Languages

Since mankind has set foot in this world, endeavors were initiated to communicate. Initially, the purpose of the human mind was not to make it happy, rather the sole purpose was to survive. And in order to survive, human beings refrained from taking risks. Hence, looked for everything that was bad in the world, so that they could save themselves from getting hurt. But with time, perceptions changed, and human beings started to communicate their feelings to their loved ones with more enthusiasm and passion. 
With the advent of various languages, the expression of love also changed. The intended meaning remained the same, but the words changed. Every language has a different way of saying “ I love you”. 

In this article, we will learn about how “I love you” is said in different languages;

 

Spanish: 

Spanish is a beautiful language and one of the most popular ones as well. Its simplicity is what attracts millions of people worldwide. 

 

In Spanish language, I love you” is said as, “ Te Amo”. This phrase depicts the real emotions of love between two people regardless of what the gender or relationship is. A man can say it to his woman, a brother to his sister, a mother to his son, and vice versa. But the condition is to say it with all your heart.

 

Arabic:

Arabic is one of the oldest languages in the world and is also one of the widely spoken languages as well. Its rich culture and extensive grammatical width make it extremely difficult to learn, but the one who is able to can possess the ability to speak this language in several countries, it’s not like Arabic is spoken in only Saudi Arabia. The whole Arab world, the middle east as well as the African world, speak Arabic in one way or form.  

 

However, if you want to say I love you in Arabic, you can utter the words, “Ana Bahebak”. But you have to be careful when you say these words because depending upon the social setup, a large portion of the Arab world constitutes a conservative culture. Hence, advocating your love for your female counterpart in public will not be a good thing. 

 

French:

If you ask someone which language is the most romantic language in the world, the majority of the people will proclaim that it’s the French language. 

It’s not a coincidence that the city of Paris is called the city of love. It’s just that some places get popular for their culture. And the culture prevalent in Paris is based upon romance and love.

 

If you want to say I love in French, it can be said in these words; “Je t’aime”. These words have become so popular in France, that it has become part of their daily activities. If you visit any local shop, you will hear people throwing these words randomly. The state of France has become synonymous with love and affection.  

 

Urdu

A language of the subcontinent, Urdu has stolen a lot of hearts since its inception. Some of the greatest poets in the world have owed their origin to the subcontinent and their popularity to the Urdu language. And the reason behind that is that Urdu has one of the most expressive vocabularies in the world. You can express entire feelings, sentiments, and connotations in just a few words. 

 

However, if you want to say I love you in Urdu, you can say the following words; “ Main Tumse Muhabbat Karta hu”.  But you have to be careful with these words since Urdu is majorly spoken in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. These states are predominantly conservative societies with strict religious ideologies. You cannot proclaim these words out in the public., Hence, have to be very careful where you say these words. Make sure it is not in a public gathering. 

 

German

The German language is not known for its romanticism. And probably is considered a very stern and aggressive language, majorly due to its accent. However, it’s human nature to express love, so the German people also express their emotions and affection towards other people.

In the German language, I love you is said as “  Ich Liebe Dich”.  

 

Hebrew

In the Hebrew language, love is expressed in a very passionate way. There are languages where certain words and phrases have a complete background and history attached to them.  That is because of the history of that language and the stories attached to it. 

The Hebrew language has a rich cultural aspect, hence the words I love you have sheer meaning, that can only be understood by the people of that region.

However, if you want to say those three words in Hebrew, you would say, “ ani ohev otakh” 

 

Korean

The Korean language has become very popular in a short period of time owing to its k-pop bands, soap operas, and movies. 

If you want to say I love you in Korean, you can use these words, “ saranghae”.  

After that, you will probably hear the words, “ judo Sarang haeyo”, which means I love you too. 

 

Japanese

If you ever wondered which region or culture is the most disciplined one, then it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to proclaim that Japanese culture has what it takes to be called the most disciplined and structured one.

 

This discipline rhetoric may lead people to think that the expression of love is not as free and open as it is in the western culture. But the truth of the matter is that Japanese culture has its own way of expressing love. For instance, in Japan, women are the ones who present their better halves or loved ones with gifts and red roses on Valentine’s day.

 

On the contrary, men express their love for their women on a day called White day.

This shows a structured way of showing love. But that is because they are very sentimental about who and how they show love. They do not express their love for anyone and say I love you to every person they meet. 

So if you want to say I love you in Japanese language, say the words, “ Aishiteru”. But only say that to a person you truly love.

 

Chinese 

Just like Japanese culture, Chinese culture is also very structured and disciplined. They also have a very unique way of expressing their love. Unlike the European countries where there are no set limits or boundaries pertaining to how people interact socially, the Chinese may not be very direct in how they express their love to their counterparts.

 

So if you are part of the Chinese social setup, just proclaiming the words “I love you, is not advisable.  It may be too direct. Even the children shy away from expressing love to their parents and vice versa. So the next time you utter the words, “ Wo ai ni”, make sure to choose the appropriate cultural setting and scenario.  

 

Conclusion

Different cultures have different social setups. However, the words to express love may be different, but the intended meaning is always the name. In this article, we tried to discuss how the words “I love you” are said in various languages.

 

Moreover, we also discussed the cultural connotations that you need to understand so that your words are not misinterpreted in that target audience. Every word has a different meaning in a different social setting, so one has to be careful.

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Eric Batley October 13, 2021 0 Comments
Languages

Top 10 French Learning Books

Have you ever fantasized about visiting the most romantic city on Earth? If so, you probably know that Paris is in France, the country with the most romantic language, French. Being the 5th most spoken language in the world, the French language attracts enthusiasts and tourists from across the world.

 

It comes as no surprise that the French language is the 4th most spoken language on the World Wide Web that has made our lives so much easier in this day and age.

But have you ever wanted to learn the French language like the millions of people out there? There are many sources you can consult for learning this beautiful language. However, some books do a truly remarkable job of ensuring their users learn French easily and fluently.

Here is a list of top books you should definitely buy if you want to learn this beautiful language.

 

French Learning Books

CPG KS3 French Learning Guide

 

Counted amongst the recommended books for French learning, this book takes on the task of teaching French from a very basic level. It is a comprehensive guide to learning the French language. It includes introductions, grammar rules, places, and people to make the learner familiar with the French language. In addition, it comes with useful summaries at the end of every chapter so that you can review your learning concepts again without flipping back to the beginning.

 

This book is a complete guide to the French language and has easy exercises for testing your French language knowledge. Not only that, but this guide is also a beginner’s book for more complex French language guides and is suitable for novice and intermediate levels.

 

Barron’s Mastering French Vocabulary: A Thematic Approach

 

If you are amongst those people who already have some knowledge of the French language, but want to expand their French vocabulary, this book is for you. As the name suggests, the book is divided according to themes. This means you can easily learn the necessary vocabulary for each of the 24 topics. Some of the themes present in the book are medical terms, business terms, household items, food and dining, and transport-related items. In addition to this, the latest edition of the book contains an audio MP3 which includes 10 hours of audio as an addendum to the book material. This will help you learn the correct pronunciation of all the words in the book.

 

Easy French Step-by-Step

 

This book is ideal for you if you are planning to learn the French language from scratch. It comes at an affordable price and follows a traditional grammar approach for easy French learning. As the title of the book suggests, it contains a gradual step-by-step guide to learning the French language. The book starts off with the most basic grammar concepts and eventually moves forwards to advanced learning concepts. Moreover, the concepts of French learning are present in the book in order of importance, in addition to having 300 of the most frequently used verbs. The book also comes with a load of quizzes and exercises which you can use to practice and hone your French language skills, as well as many interesting passages for reading. Perhaps due to its simple and easy approach, the book is loved by many across the world.

 

French All-in-One for Dummies

 

In the quest for learning an interesting language like French, some people want a direct approach. French All-in-One for Dummies is one such book that caters to the needs of such people. This series of books for Dummies includes other resources as well such as Intermediate French for Dummies, French Essentials for Dummies, and French Phrases for Dummies. The book French All-in-One for Dummies is a compilation of all these resources and includes other content specifically for the French Canadian language. In addition, the audio CD that comes with it helps in the speaking, learning, and comprehension skills of a French language learner.

 

Fluent in French by Fredric Bibard

 

Fluent in French: the Most Complete Study Guide to Learn French is a book written by the creator of the French language and cultural blog talkinfrench.com. The book is a comprehensive guide to learning the French language in addition to containing a lot of information about the French language. It also provides useful tips on how to master this beautiful language by giving study schedules, tips, and tricks to learn the language. To further accelerate the learning process, the book provides resources on how to stay motivated, and how to appreciate different sources of the French language such as media and broadcast. It is more than just a textbook and more of a French guide. This means that if a person wants useful tips on how to stay organized and motivated in addition to learning the French language, this is the book he should definitely buy.

 

Complete Language Pack: French

 

Some people are better visual learners and want a visual learning experience. The publisher DK has a series of language packs for various languages and all of them are famous for being visually appealing. If you want a visual guide to learning the French language, this language pack is for you. The title of the book suggests that you can learn French in just 15 minutes a day—this means you only have to invest 15 minutes daily to learn the French language. The reason for this unique title is that the program is organized into 60 units which a person can complete in 15 minutes each. The book is based on simple and real everyday conversations to make the French language easier to learn. Not only that, but you can also download two free apps which contain audio for improving practicing and speaking skills.

 

Berlitz Self-Teacher for French

 

If you are a language enthusiast, chances are you have probably heard of the Berlitz Corporation. It is recognized for its language institutes and books and material for language learning. If you want to learn the French language through the Berlitz way and need a self-study method, this book is for you. The unique thing about the Berlitz system is that it teaches a new language in a completely natural way. It does not adopt the same boring methods of memorization and grammar exercises. Perhaps this is the reason why there aren’t many grammar explanations in the book since the focus is on teaching the grammar rules intuitively. In addition, Berlitz’s natural system aims to teach you the French language through conversations. Additionally, the book includes oral exercises and tips on pronunciation.

 

French with Ease Assimil

 

If you are an enthusiast who wants to learn a language through conversation, this book should be your top priority. The book contains all the tools you require for learning the French language. Focusing mainly on conversation, it slowly introduces new grammar concepts as you move further. It is also a natural guide to learning the French language at the most basic level. Also, it delivers handy insights to memorize the points you have previously mastered.

 

Schaum’s Outline of French Vocabulary

 

A learner of the French language does not only need grammar books. He should also have access to good French vocabulary books and this book is one of them. It is one of the most comprehensive guides on the French language and handles the topics in an organized manner. It helps you to familiarize yourself with new French vocabulary. Additionally, it puts these words into 320 practice exercises to make the French language concepts easier to learn.

 

Les Exercices De Grammaire

 

This guide is best for intermediate to advanced levels in French learning. As the book is in French, your vocabulary needs to be strong enough to understand it. It is an excellent book for the development of reading, writing, and speaking of the French language. It includes real-life examples of French grammar usage for easier comprehension and faster learning.

 

The Last Word

 

The French language is surely one of the most interesting languages in the world. Perhaps this is the reason why learning this language is in such high demand. The French language itself needs a bit of practice and concentration to be learned. Remember, practice makes perfect. This is why you should keep on practicing your French language skills to hone them perfectly for attaining fluency.

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Eric Batley October 5, 2021 0 Comments
Languages

Learning Chinese Negotiation Tactics

China’s operating environment is one of the toughest ones in the world, and too often foreign companies fail to grasp the root cause of business failures in this commercial giant. In the preparation of a business trip to China, most Westerners know that they have to arm themselves with the basic knowledge about Chinese etiquettes and language. They go at length to hire a Chinese language expert and research about the best way to get their idea across to the other party. However, what most of them fail to understand is the art of long-term negotiations that would pave the way for a fruitful business venture in China.

In fact, a huge amount of contracts are being drafted for foreign companies that are licensing their technologies and concepts for use in China. While this kind of licensing was mostly used in industrial affairs in the past, a majority of the work consists of licensing contracts in the services sector in China these days. Most of this licensing is for operations in China prohibited to foreign companies, like media, publishing, insurance, telecom, and finance. In addition, the majority of foreign businesses prefer this licensing tactic, despite becoming a part of a Chinese Joint Venture.

Granted, industrial license bargains are hard. However, this bargaining is identical to every commercial negotiation. In the services sector, it has been observed that the Chinese side work hunts for much harder deals. This usually astonishes other customers, since it is naturally expected that the service side would be softer than the industries.

As part of this system, in service sector licensing agreements, it is being noticed that the Chinese side dusts off negotiating tactics which were very common in the early ’90s or ’80s at the time when the Chinese were negotiating their well-known dysfunctional joint venture contracts.

In negotiating service sector licensing contracts with Chinese firms, some of the tactics are explained as follows from the Chinese side:

A Horde of Endless Issues:

One of the most generally exercised tactics by the Chinese establishment is figuring out the way to ‘wear the other side down’ with endless issues. This tactic is based on two variants. In the first variant, the Chinese raise a horde of issues. As these issues get resolved, the Chinese side raises a series of new issues and the cycle goes on and on. The second variant deals with the Chinese side making a list of irrational demands, all the while not making any attempt to help resolve these issues. 

In both these variants, no discussions take place by the Chinese side to address the interests of the other side. This is done to wear down the foreign side so that it is left with no choice but to simply concede to the other party’s demands. As the foreign side allows or concedes, the Chinese side then adds provisions in the contract which are favorable to the Chinese side, under the notion that the foreign side has no objection. The achievement of this tactic relies on the negotiators of the foreign side having not enough time to carry the burden, whereas the negotiators of the Chinese side are officials having no other work other than engaging in endless demands.

Artificial Deadline:

In the initial stages of the negotiating system, the Chinese side sets a fixed date for enforcing the agreement. After that, it sets up a public signing event on the said date. At this ceremony, high-level representatives of the two sides will participate as well and play their parts. A date in the future is set in advance to make sure that the negotiating parties sign the contract in good faith and are able to fulfill it. 

After the date is set, the Chinese side refuses to sign the contract. This is done for two purposes; to ‘wear the other side down’ and secondly, in an attempt to pressurize them to concede to their demands. When the other side does bow down to the Chinese side’s demands, the contract is signed with the conditions which benefit the Chinese entirely. 

Revisiting the Deal without Lawyers:

The last tactic of the Chinese side is to come back to the main issues in the absence of the lawyers. This policy also includes the Chinese side signing an agreement, yielding on the main issues. By virtue of the signed agreement, Chinese advisors, the negotiators, and most significantly the international lawyers get busy in dealing with the other assignments. Afterward, the Chinese side waits for some time and start working on the project. After the commencement of the project, the foreign side starts investing in the project.

Once this happens, the Chinese side triggers the committed parties of the foreign side related to the project and make an announcement of altering certain provisions of the signed agreements. The Chinese side mostly calls such changes by saying that it is recommended by law, insurance companies, banks, or government regulators.

How to Deal with the Tactics

All the three techniques always provide an expected and obvious output which are favorable to the Chinese people, which is why Chinese corporations do not hesitate to frequently apply them. But, the good news is that there are ways of dealing with these negotiating tactics as explained below:

a)Avoid Participation:

When the Chinese side exercises the “endless issue technique,” the foreign side should not take part in it. The foreign side should strongly hold its position and must not bend until and unless the Chinese side comes closer to the interests of the foreign side.

b)Avoid signing on a fixed date:

The foreign side should not approve the fixed signing date. Make sure that the signing event must be conducted after the completion of the final negotiations of the agreement. Don’t permit the Chinese side to use a deadline as a weapon. This is because most of the Chinese corporations like signing ceremonies and foreigners fall into the same trap over and over again.

c) Avoid the Alteration in provisions of the signed agreement:

The foreign side must ensure that no changes shall be made after signing a contract with a Chinese company. Otherwise, it shall be treated as a breach of the law, heading towards a lawsuit for damages and termination of the contract. Chinese corporations are famous for practising the signing of an agreement as to the initiative of a fresh negotiating program, not the termination. If the foreign side agrees to it, it should at least have a clear picture of restoring their lawful and Chinese advisory crew. 

The Last Word:

Conducting a successful business in any foreign country is not easy. This is evident from the cultural and linguistic differences across boundaries. China is no less difficult when it comes to setting up a business in the country. Although negotiations take place in every business venture, some negotiations are more difficult than others and require a more careful approach to be executed. By executing negotiations successfully, one can be sure of setting up a business in this commercial giant for a long-lasting profitable business. 

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Antonia January 15, 2021 0 Comments
BusinessLanguages

Exploring Ancient Chinese Culture

When one hears of the word ‘China’, the first image that comes up in most peoples’ minds is the ancient Chinese dynasty, led by an emperor. Despite its economic and technological edge over the rest of the world, the history of this land and the ancient secrets it holds still fascinates travelers and visitors throughout the world.

The ancient Chinese culture is more than 5000 years old. This was the time when its culture, architecture, and art was lauded throughout the globe, resulting in its philosophy spreading as far as the Enlightenment and French Revolution, influencing the culture and the people in those areas. Due to the ancient Chinese culture’s roots which have influenced Chinese philosophy, religion, and politics, the popularity of this culture had spread into faraway lands. Even today, the ancient Chinese religions of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism have shaped the Chinese culture as we know it and the Chinese writing style is one of the world’s most ancient writing styles, having its own uniqueness and distinctiveness. 

Let’s take a look at the evolution of ancient Chinese culture and some aspects of the culture that has evolved into the present-day culture of the region.

Ancient Chinese Culture (1600–221 BC) — Development and Features:

Before the imperial era (221 BC onwards), the ancient Chinese culture was a bit ambiguous. Later, owing to contact with other states’ cultures, modifications began to occur in the Chinese culture. However, the basic forms established during the Zhou and Shang eras still appear in current Chinese culture in everything from religion, to dress, to traditions, to writing in characters. The people of the Shang era (c.1600–1046 BC) developed cultural forms like pictographic writing, clothes, and typical foods and underlining large-scale construction projects. Later on, these traditions saw further changes in the Zhou era (1046-221 BC) with the development of modern Confucian philosophies and imperial dynasties. 

How Ancient Chinese Culture Was Defined

Various historians use the expression “ancient culture” to mean the culture of the Zhou and Shang dynasties. Imperial culture originated in 221 BC with the Qin Dynasty. In the imperial eras, the educated leaders and dynastic courts relied upon the historical records of Sima Qian as the cultural model for their kingdoms. This gave rise to the modern Chinese culture that we know of today. 

Ancient Chinese Culture and Sima Qian

Since times immemorial, Chinese people have customarily believed that the Huaxia tribe created the Chinese culture. According to ancient texts, the Huaxia were situated in the Central Plain near Beijing before the commencement of the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC) and spread southwards and westwards along the Yellow River. They believed in this owing to the concepts of an ancient Chinese historian named Sima Qian (130–86 BC). Sima Qian was a man who explained that the supernatural, Yellow Emperor, and his conquering Huaxia tribe was the foundation of the Han people, their culture, and civilization. His history, Records of the Grand Historian (太史公書 Tàishǐgōng Shū or 史记 Shǐjì), were written before his death and before 86 BC regarding the foundational text of Chinese civilization. In short, his text and work are attributed to Confucius, and historians modeled ancient culture.

Some aspects of Chinese Ancient Culture

Ancient Chinese culture approximately from 3,600 to 2,200 years ago supports modern Chinese culture in everything from religion, to traditions and to writing as well. Here are a few aspects of the ancient culture which still exist to this day.

  • Pictographic Characters for Writing

Archaeological researches show that by 1200, Shang was writing in pictograms that were slightly identical to the characters which are used in Chinese writing today. Scholars have observed that certain characters like the word for father, 父 fù, is identical to the characters that the Shang wrote. New characters are comprised of small pictograms. 

  • A High Esteem for Writing, Literature and Historical Records

It has been observed that the Shang people have heavily commented on writing for record-keeping. Their inscriptions have been seen on hundreds and thousands of oracle bones and on their living figure metal formations. The writing was perhaps a significant feature of their routine life, but a majority of their writings have been lost since they had written them on things such as parchments that have deteriorated. This highlights that education and writing were a vital portion of ancient culture and were of great value in all the imperial eras starting from the Qin conquest in 221 BC till the year 1912.

  • The Style of Arts and Crafts

The Shang produced heavy, large, and geometrically complex bronze objects in characteristic styles that the Zhou clan who were subjects of the Shang Dynasty in the very beginning, continued after conquering the empire. Their bronze work style was found to be totally dissimilar from the bronzes of the concurrent Sanxingdui civilization in Sichuan. This indicates that the ancient people of the Zhou and Shang dynasties maintained a different artistic culture and refused to adopt the Sanxingdui style.

  • A Liking for Jade

Contrary to other cultures that prized bronze over other metals, the Shang people, as well as people of the Zhou era, preferred objects made of jade. Archeologists digging the ancient ruins of Chinese sites have discovered a huge quantity of jade ornaments, artwork, and other objects that had been designed for ritual ceremonies and decorations. The people of the Shang dynasty even used jade to make body armor. Later, this jade was used to encase the bodies of royal emperors that are preserved to this day. 

  • The Tea Drink

One of the beverages that the people of the Shang dynasty were particularly fond of was tea. This became evident when archeologists discovered tea in the 2nd century Han emperor’s tomb. However, ancient records say that tea was considered a medicinal drink during the Zhou era. Moreover, it was thought that tea was first cultivated in Yunnan during the Shang period. Thereafter, the tradition of drinking tea spread to other Zhou era states and neighboring countries.

  •  The Silk 

One other thing that has its roots in the ancient Chinese culture is silk. Chinese people have been credited with the invention of silk fabric. In fact, the earliest records of the invention of silk date back to 37 Century BC in Henan. Eventually, the manufacturing of silk cloth was quite advanced during the Shang era. This is the reason why silk weaving is still prevalent in modern-day China and mainland Chinese produce more than half of the world’s silk. 

  • Ancient religion and Daoism

The people of the Shang dynasty worshipped their own ancestors in addition to famous persons who had passed away. They believed that the dead souls could harm, as well as heal, people and this belief in ancestral worship are still present to this day. 

The Last Word

The traits of the ancient Chinese culture explained above are just a tiny glimpse into the vast world of Chinese history. The modern-day Chinese culture still holds some features of the ancient past, fragments of which can still be observed during Chinese festivals such as Chinese New Year when people take a great part in attending to clan burial places and temples as well as engaging in rituals and customs of the past. Nevertheless, tourists and travelers visiting China are sure to get enticed by the features of the ancient past that can still be seen in Chinese art, architecture, and museums. 

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Antonia January 8, 2021 0 Comments
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