Ever wondered which languages were spoken in which countries? Here are the language of the world!
How to work with an interpreter
To use interpreters in an effective way, staff should be able to identify those situations where an interpreter is required. This should happen the first time that the client enters in contact with the service as well as at other key points, such as in the initial assessment. When to engage …
Glossary of language service terms
Accreditation In Australia, accreditation is a credential awarded by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) to people who have demonstrated a certain level of ability to interpret or translate, and an understanding of socio-cultural and ethical issues. …
Diversification in the language industry
I don’t think I am a great interpreter. I never trained as one and, like many of my colleagues, ended up in the profession accidentally by sitting to a three hour test. Sadly, most of my learning happened on the job and on the run. I no longer do much interpreting but when I did, […]
Bursting the language bubble: maintaining the native language proficiency
I love my sister in law, Dorota. I have known her for many years as we came to Australia around the same time, in the late 1980s. What drives me insane about her, though, is the way she uses English expressions and grammatical structure when speaking Polish. Here is an example of something she …
French-speaking African communities in Australia
If communicating with diverse populations is in your portfolio, you are probably struggling to effectively engage members of African communities living in Australia. African communities are not homogenous, with hundreds of unique languages spoken. French, with an estimated number of 10 million …
Oil, gas, mining, petrochemicals and renewable energy
As the world’s consumption of energy and natural resources increases, so does the demand for translation services in the mining sector. Mining companies working in the international arena with worldwide supply chains are becoming smarter in managing risk, adopting technology and creating …
Access to emergency services for CALD communities in Australia
Disasters and critical incidents occur across Australia on a daily basis; no one is immune. Our crisis services are among the best in the world but since we speak over 300 languages here, ensuring equal access for speakers of languages other than English is by far the biggest challenge we …
Australia – still a nation of immigrants
The 2016 Census shows that we were born in 200 different countries with half of us having been born overseas or with at least one parent born overseas. We represent 300 ancestries and speak 300 different languages. Australia has a higher proportion of overseas-born people (26%) than US (14%), …
In-language focus group
A focus group is a cost-effective qualitative research method. It’s a small group discussion moderated by a trained facilitator whose role is to elicit a range of views and gather data. The facilitator follows a scripted questioning route, generating interactive discussion and making sure all …