Ralph Translate 4 Africa author (t4a)

Is that the best translation services provider you can get?

In this day and era where the world is called a global village, translation services providers and entrepreneurs have a dire need to have their ventures recognized and consumed from all over the world by people of all sorts of languages and backgrounds.

This therefore puts professional translation services at the forefront of sought after services especially by those ventures wanting to expand and make it globally. This is so that their message is understood by each group of people best in their own language and culture for purpose of effective communication.

However, how does one tell the right professional translation services provider for them?

This is crucial because with the need to ease communication, many translations companies have and continue to spring up as linguists see the opportunity not only to offer their services but to also make a quick buck. This therefore brings us to how a client can pick out the best professional translations company for their satisfaction.

Professionalism; this is very crucial because it is what sets a genuine service provider from the multitude of them. This may be displayed by how well displayed and laid out their contact information is. This can be through a well done website filled with all the necessary information a client needs to have their queries answered before even contacting the company. For example, the company website, brochures or any other advertisement should list all the services there is to offer plus the necessary contact information. This saves the client’s time on whether to go on and contact this particular company because the particular service he/she wants is listed or just look for another that offers what they want. This availability of information assures a potential client that there is no shady business going on as opposed to those who only offer their contacts without any further information.

Specialization; it is advisable to deal with a professional translations company that specializes in those languages used by a client’s target audience; this maybe languages of a particular region or country. With specialization comes perfection because it means that this particular company is well versed and focuses solely on specific languages thus being the best company. For example if one wants to venture into the African market, then a translations company focusing on African languages would be a perfect match because they will have native translators or interpreters of a particular language at hand not having to outsource them from other companies. Languages common in Africa may include;

The above may also apply to a specific genre of work or expertise and this could be Financial translations, Medical translations, Educational translations, Immigration translations etc.

Experience; Here the number of years a company has been in operation are taken into account because with years a good company gets to work for big clients like government institutions thus making it credible and trustworthy before potential clients. This means that such a company has passed all mistakes and weaknesses that upcoming companies may have, just like the saying goes, ‘experience is the best teacher’.

Israel Expelling African Immigrants, Ironic!

Hehehe, this is very ironic because Israel is synonymous with being gracious, good and generous however, this doesn’t seem to be the case for the unfortunate African immigrants who are on the verge of expulsion come April. It should be noted that most of these immigrants fled mostly insecurity and persecutions from their home countries.

What makes the expulsion of immigrants from African countries ironic?

Well, decades ago the Jews were being persecuted especially by the Nazi regime of Hitler and were hunted down all over Europe with those captured placed in concentration camps where most of them lost their lives. So it is weird that there is little or no compassion for their African counterparts. Whereas the latter are not being tortured or killed, they are faced with a threat of being taken back to Africa where they originally escaped harsh conditions.

Where do these refugees come from?

Eritrea; Most of those who came or come to Egypt from Eritrea were seeking political asylum after political torture from their home country. Here most of the refugees flee to the North through Sudan then Egypt before finally getting into Israel.

Sudan; from here people were fleeing violence

South Sudan

Ethiopia

Somalia

It is alleged that since the year 2005, African immigrants have been entering into Israel with numbers said to have been 60,000 until there was instability in the peninsular, Israel tighten her border security and the new escape route to Europe through Libya.

So what next?

The immigrants have been given three months to leave the country and go back to their original countries. Leave for third countries like Rwanda and Uganda or face imprisonment.

The bait here is that those who agree to leave will be given over 3000 dollars with air travel costs covered while those who won’t relent will face imprisonment.

Those exempted from this expulsion include children, the elderly and those who got into the country as a result of human trafficking.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls these people escaping persecution from their home countries infiltrators looking for work. This has encouraged racism and degradation of the immigrants by certain officials working on their cases.

However there has been an outpouring of sympathy for African immigrants not only from the international community but also from Israel by those citing the holocaust as the main reason as to why these asylum seekers should be granted stay.

Is your Country Expat Friendly Language wise?

At times the language in a host country of an expat happens to be his mother tongue or one he speaks as well even if it’s not their mother tongue. For example American expats in East Africa are set for a great start in their new country because English is not only their native language but also an official language in countries there like in Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan.

The exact number of expats in Africa is not known however, it is estimated that Africa has the largest number of expats with Nigeria leading with the highest paid expats when it comes to the African continent with an ever increasing surge in this direction. This thought to be so because of the natural resources that most of these African countries are blessed with e.g. coal, oil,

Languages and expats in Africa

Then there are those expats who are sent to countries where there is no common language but still have to bear for work purposes with the help of other professionals like interpreters and translators.

In both cases though, a new language/languages are acquired whether by only learning a few of the beginners’ words like greeting phrases, goodbyes or asking for directions and so forth. Even for the ones where their mother tongue happens to be an official language in their African host country, there is still influence from indigenous languages especially through interaction with locals.

For example, at the source of the Nile in Uganda, T-Shirts with a “I am not Mzungu” slogan targeting expats are sold at such a strategic point where they usually flock to admire the source of the world’s longest river; the river Nile. This phrase Mzungu refers to a white person when loosely translated and is usually belted out by kids when they see an expat, tourist or native with a white complexion.

When Expats are faced with foreign languages

If it is about the casual stuff like hanging out with the locals at the bars, cinemas, music festivals, tour trips or the beach, then haggling with natives in a foreign language maybe harmless and such scenes are usually accompanied by bouts of hearty laughter as both sides try to understand what the other is saying.

However, on a serious note, if it is work related then professionalism should be a priority and in cases where there is no mutual language then professional translation services ought to be hired. This is because communication is vital and more importantly if it has to do with anything professional.

There are so many translation related services and can be chosen according to the nature of an expat’s work.

Translation services to be chosen from may include;

Interpreting services

Document translation services

Medical document translation services

Online marketing translation services

Financial translations

Legal document translation

Immigration translation services

Legal aid translations

What Are Africa’s Most Common Lingua Francas?

Lingua francas are those languages that are used for communication by people in different communities who do not speak the same languages. Such languages are usually not their first languages and in rare instances not formal languages too.

Usually these are put in place to solve the communication barriers as common ground since everyone involved seems to have a first language that it different from the others. It should be noted that such languages are very important in Africa because African countries have plenty of indigenous languages for example, Nigeria is estimated to have more than 500 indigenous languages while Uganda has about 53.

Lingua francas in Africa

Swahili happens to be the lingua franca in a number of countries in Africa where it serves as on in a country but also as a lingua franca for a number of countries. For example, as much as Swahili is a lingua franca in the whole of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, the east of Uganda and some parts of Zambia too. This languages still can be called the lingua franca of all those countries put together.

Afrikaans came up as a common language to ease communication especially with the white rule in South Africa although its importance has waned over the years with important institutions that were named in Afrikaans having their names changed to English. However Afrikaans holds a special place in Namibia to date with the language being common in Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia.

Arabic and its various varieties is the lingua franca of so many African countries majorly found in the North and in the horn of the continent and the countries here include Ethiopia, Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Djibouti, both Sudan and South Sudan, Libya, Chad, Tanzania etc.

When it comes to West Africa, there are several languages too that act as lingua francas to certain communities of people and these are;

Wolof

Manding

Hausa

Krio etc.

It should be noted that there are the famous lingua francas in Africa that came about as a result of European scramble and partition of the countries and these are Portuguese, English, a little German, Spanish and French. A further uniting factor here is professional translation services that bring about more effective communication when it comes to languages one cannot understand and with no lingua franca to act as a middle ground.

Student Exchange Programs and Languages

A group of five teenagers were recently flagged off by the German Embassy in Uganda to leave for Germany on a foreign student exchange program handpicked from schools that study the German language.

This is common in most parts of the world especially among high school University levels of Education where students from one country leave for another to experience the academic environments of their host countries where they also definitely get to learn about the cultures in that particular country.

Language barriers

Language is one means of communication and is vital when it comes to student exchange programs and it is not usually the case that the languages used in the host country are similar to those used and spoken by the students.

For example, in the example above of the Ugandan students leaving for Germany, it should be noted that the language of instruction in Ugandan schools is English and that German is merely a language studied as a lesson or course unit and even then English is used when teaching German. On the other hand, German is the language of instruction in schools in Germany where English is the language of instruction in just a few British International schools.

Disadvantage and how to go about it

The disadvantage is such instances is that at some point communication maybe limited as the foreign exchange students will only be able to understand topics only based on the knowledge they have in the foreign language. Although this can be overcome by the art of translation, interpreting, transcription and subtitling for more effective communication.

However the entire experience on the brighter side can be a major learning and adventurous journey given the fact that it is a new country with different people and cultures which can be both educative and fun.

Preparation

It would be better if student exchange programs are carried out with countries that have a language in common so as to benefit more out of the experience with effective communication. And in cases where the languages are different, professional translations should be considered to further ease communication. It is a global village we live in today and therefore very common to go to places or meet with people of different languages which shouldn’t be a problem with the proper translation means in place.

Serious prep talks in form of briefings should be given to these students intending to travel on what to expect so as not to experience cultural shocks of any kind. This could be about the dress code, mannerisms, forms of greeting so as not to find themselves in trouble. For example, in Japan it’s rude not to bow a little when greeting elders.

What is the Lingua Franca of the Sports World?

As the world is a global village, so is the Sports fraternity especially as players in various fields are transferred from one club to another from and to different countries if spotted by professional scouts.

Just like music, sports is a universal language that is well understood by people of different backgrounds, ages and countries but still to thrive in the new clubs these people are sent to, effective communication has to take place for proper training sessions and for healthy relationships between fellow players and coaches.

Sports has no Lingua franca

It should be noted that sports players sometimes come from countries with different languages from those of their host country especially Africans from West African countries like Togo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast relocating to the Arab world, Europe and the US.

This is usually seen after matches when players and coaches are interviewed and give their answers in a different language to that of the interviewer. This shows how important communication is and that different languages do not necessarily mean lack of communication.

It is said by certain people that English is the lingua franca of sports and this is true to a certain extent as the English language is used even when not fluently by many sports men from different countries to express themselves. However it should be noted that there are people from certain countries that can only express themselves a little or not all in English. English maybe an official language in plenty of countries, there are countries where it is only taught as a lesson in some classes and the official or lingua francas are Arabic, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin etc.

Translation services may save the day

This is where professional translation services come in to ease communication and make life easier for both the players, coaches, team mates and their fans and such services include;

Subtitles

Interpreters

Transcription

Translations

Immigration document translation

Examples of famous sports personnel that originate from African countries include;

Yaya Toure from Ivory Coast and the Midfielder for Manchester city with various victories.

There are several talented soccer stars for Cameroon and these include striker Samuel Eto’o and goal keeper Thomas N’kono.

From Ghana there is former Chelsea midfielder, Michael Essien etc.

Almost everyone around the world may know a word or two in the English language however for effective communication, professional translation services are vital in the Sports’ world.

Why Adopted Children should keep their first languages?

Child adoption comes with the question of what languages the child in question will be speaking especially if they are adopted from a country of place where the language or languages spoken are different from those used where the child is relocating.

The Ethiopian parliament passed a law banning adoption activities altogether in the East African country and is meant to be immediately effective with just the exception of those cases where the process was or is being finalized. It should be noted that since the year 2011, Ethiopia had more than 5000 adoptions carried out by the US alone. A famous example here is the actress Angelina Jolie who adopted an Ethiopian girl as a toddler. http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/World/Ethiopia-bans-foreign-adoptions/688340-4259330-so6f42z/index.html

We also saw Madonna, the legendary musician with her second adoption from Malawi making it 3 children form Malawi that she has so far adopted.

How adoption affects languages

The issue here is what languages or language to be taken up by this adopted child. It should be noted that most children that are taken up as babies rarely get to learn their original mother tongues as they take on right from infancy the languages of their adoptive parents.

There are cases however when the child being adopted already has picked up on their mother tongue before that are taken to live with their adoptive parents.

Adoption and being bilingual

Some communication experts refer to such children who have learnt their original mother tongue before they set off to learn that of their adoptive parents as bilingual. However, they might be two kinds of bilingual here;

Subtractive bilingual; where the adopted child picks on the new language of their adoptive parents and gradually forgets their own. This is caused by the desire for these children to fit in with their new environment and culture. It is said that most children like these forget almost everything about their original language within a certain period of time. This deprives the child of cultural diversity because through a language one gets to know the mannerisms, food and way of life of a certain culture. It can also prove beneficial in the future in terms of career options at vacancies where multilinguals are required for a particular language duo. This could be in the field of translation under translations, interpreting, transcription, subtitling in any field there is; education, medical, legal etc.

Additive bilingual; here is when the child is encouraged to keep their original first language and is therefore exposed to others who share this language with them. They therefore grow up being a part of two great cultures and languages.

Would effective communication help in the human trafficking fight?

If communication was more effective today globally then maybe the human trafficking cancer eating up the society today wouldn’t be spreading like it is doing. It is reported that up to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year according to the U.S department of Justice.

CNN reported on a story of two African young women one from Nigeria and another from Ghana who were taken from their parents as teenagers and promised good education in the United States of America only to be falsely imprisoned while forced to work up to 14 hours a day!

“…and all this in broad day light…” as said by the reporter since for 5 good years the girls would take the same route to go to their unpaid forced labour of braiding hair in a normal American residential area without being given any of the proceeds from the hair business. It is estimated that woman behind this atrocity made almost 4 million US dollars out of it.

Why translation is important in the human trafficking fight

So just maybe if these girls had been fluent in English back then, then maybe they would have eavesdropped on the evil woman’s conversations who subjected them to miserable life and robbing them of their childhood.

This comes easy to linguists because they easily know or understand a bit of so many languages. However not everyone is a linguist and that is where translation comes in handy. Maybe if governments globally would have linguists and professional translators and interpreters to interrogate foreigners crossing into their countries so as to save those under trafficking rings unknowingly.

It should be noted that the traffickers do not necessarily have languages in common with the victims because they usually employ middle men in the first stages usually known to the victims to convince them by use of deception. Lies told to victims of human trafficking include; lucrative job opportunities, high wages, good education etc.

However, this rarely comes to pass as they are put into drug trafficking rings, illegal organ harvesting where victims are maimed and have their vital organs like kidneys removed, prostitution and for various commercial activities where they do not see a penny. They are usually subdued in inhumane ways for example severely beaten, maimed, denied food and in extreme cases killed.

It is reported that there are over 30 million slaves in the world today which is sad since it is a developed world we are living in today with human rights put at the forefront like never before in all history. Videos made round in November of 2017 with black Africans being auctioned at slave markets in places alleged to be Libya just like in the old slave trade eras!

Therefore translation and interpretation is very important and should be embraced by every organization out there if possible because professional translation aids effective communication and thus would help to try get rid of the human trafficking ring.

Author: Ralph