Earlier this month we participated in the Berkeley Globalization Conference [Localization Industry and Association (LISA) @ Berkeley). Donald Barabé ­ Vice President, Canadian Government Translation Bureau, talked about emerging standards that the Canadian Government uses to denote 'Premium' documents--those requiring professional translation.

He stated, medical records fall into one of the criteria:

1. Documents produced by professionals.

The reasoning being that to do the end user justice, a document produced by a professional needs to be professionally translated.

It strikes us as a very appropriate standard!

To talk more about our impressions of conference and what we learned, contact us at luis@avantpage.com.

Here are some of other other quick impressions. It was an informative two days!

• Only 10% of the world's languages have a written form
• No translation equals no trade.
• The value of translation doubles every 5 years.
• Translation Memory (TM) plus Machine Translation (MT) is the combination of the future
• Localization is now for specific English-speaking markets
• Diaspora is crucial in a globalized world
• Google Translation is adding hundreds of servers every week
• Many countries have multiple national languages
• Machine Translation (MT) is great providing access to terminology
• The world language is translation and localization.

It has already become apparent to many companies that communication in diverse languages is imperative in order to build and maintain a global brand in the 21st century.

Less clear (at least to those not already acquainted with the translation industry) is the terminology associated with translation services. L10N, GILT, DTP, I18N... what does it all mean? 

Avantpage is here to help you navigate these sometimes confusing terms in a special report called "Translation 411: A Quick Guide To The Services You Need In The 21st Century Global Economy".  Avantpage's special report has been written as a service to help organizations better understand the terminology and the necessities of the globalization process.

We'll continue to examine all of the linguistic issues that affect business and keep our clients informed. You may also contact Avantpage at (530) 750-2040 or at info@avantpage.com for more information.

 

In today's global economy, it is an absolute necessity that your company be able to communicate to Spanish speakers of all cultures. Our priority as a premier Spanish translation provider is ensuring that your message is clear. Establishing a worldwide presence requires quality Spanish translation services that work for you - and nothing less. Our native-speaking Spanish translators understand that Spanish is a living language-a language with many different dialects and shades of meaning.  So whether you're doing business in Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Spain, or the United States, our sensitive Spanish translations will be just right for your audience.

Statistics show that by 2016, the Latino/Hispanic population will make up 16% of the entire United States workforce, or 26.2 million people, and by 2050, the Latino/Hispanic group will make up 30% of the US population. Establish a positive corporate image for your business in Latino/Hispanic communities by creating Spanish-language messaging that is on target linguistically as well as culturally.

Why is quality so important when it comes to Spanish translations? There is no margin for error. You have one opportunity to make a dynamic and lasting impression-a chance to show your Spanish-speaking audience that you understand who they are and what they want. High-quality translation will solidify your market position, strengthen your relationships with your audience, and more effectively brand your business.

At Avantpage, we are here so that you succeed. We partner with you every step of the way, offering responsive, accommodating, and flexible Spanish translation service designed to meet your objectives, exceed your standards, and to produce a consistent message that delivers. We take a personal interest in your business and provide you with exceptional Spanish language services in a variety of subjects such as medical/healthcare, financial, business and technical.

Decision-makers often ask us the question, "Why can't I just have one of my bilingual employees translate company materials?"
 
We have three important considerations for you and your organization.  

Read more here.

Next week, Avantpage will be at the Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council (NCMSDC) 2009 Minority Business Opportunity Expo.

The expo will take place on Thursday, August 6, 2009, from 8:30AM - 1:00PM in the South Hall of the San Jose Convention Center.

It's always gratifying to meet with other Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) organizations coming out to discover local products and services, network with colleagues, and discuss challenges and solutions ahead.
 
Stop by our booth to learn about the translation solutions we offer and get a complete view of Avantpage and the excellent language services we can provide for your company.

We are passionate about our work and look forward to talking with you!

An excerpt from a great Newsweek article

http://www.newsweek.com/id/207897/page/1(see page 2)

What have been the biggest decisions you've made in the past few years?
One thing was making a site that was translated to most of the languages that people speak in the world. We built a system where users could contribute different translations and vote on the translations. The result is we've been able to translate into all these languages and dialects and variants. We now support languages that are spoken by 97 percent of the world.

Are you using AvantFlow, our online project management tool? If you're not, we think you should. Our customers tell us they love it: "It's a great tool--it saves us time, helps us to organize and store our projects, and is extremely easy to use."

With AvantFlow you can ask for a quote, request a translation, monitor project status, and upload or pick up files online, any time of day or night. It's all at your fingertips!

Need a refresher on what it is and how to use it? Contact us and we'd be happy to schedule a ten-minute meeting and/or e-mail you our Quick Guide User Manual.

Follow us on Twitter ... http://twitter.com/Avantpage  We'd love to follow you also!

Interesting article about the movement toward patient-accessible online medical records:

http://www.ahiphiwire.org/News/Default.aspx?channel=HealthIT&doc_id=336858&utm_source=6/24/2009&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HiWire_Newsletter&uid=TRACK_USER&page=1 

 

Check out this interesting article from the New York Times:

LinkedIn, half of whose 42 million members reside outside the US, asked thousands of its translator members to complete a survey this month that asked whether they would consider volunteering to translate the site into other languages. 

 Read here to learn about the responses they received: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/technology/start-ups/29linkedin.html?scp=1&sq=translators%20scoff&st=cse