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Besides being one of the most relaxing woody fragrances that transport tourists to Buddhist monasteries, Dzongkha is also the national language of Bhutan. The word ‘Dzongkha’ means the language “Kha” is spoken in the Dzong “fortresses.”  Although, it is a national language of Bhutan, it is also spoken in the surrounding areas of Nepal and India.

Language Classification: Understanding Dzongkha Better
A South Tibetic language, Dzongkha is related closely to Sikkimese. The language also bears a close linguistic relationship to J’umowa (a language that is spoken in the Chumbi Valley of Southern Tibet and Sikkimese). Dzongkha is often written in Bhutanese forms of the Tibetan Script.

Mentioned below are some other interesting facts about the language:

The language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family, and more specifically, the Tibeto-Burman branch that also includes Burmese and Nepalese.

The language is often written using Tibetan alphabet.

The Romanization* of Dzongkha also exists.

The writing direction is from left to right.

Like various other Tibeto-Burman languages, this language also follows a basic subject-object-verb order.

English	Dzongkha
–          Hello (formal) –          Hello (informal) –          Nice to meet you –          How are you?	–          Kuzu zangpo la –          Kuzu zangpo –          Nga choe da choebay sem ga yi –          Gaday bay Zhu Ga?

 Basic Examples
(Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Dzongkha_phrasebook)

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*Romanization is a phonetic transcription of a language, which means, that it is written the way it sounds.

The world is an interesting place. On one hand, it appears that some languages are disappearing at a fast pace because there is hardly any native speaker left, on the other, movie makers are at the forefront of inventing new languages. This post showcases 5 popular movies with completely fictional languages, created exclusively for the story.

Sindarin language, “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
In this movie, the elves speak two languages. The author of the book J. R.R. Tolkien based Sindarin, the commonly spoken tongue, on the sounds of the Welsh language. The director of the movie hired a popular linguist named David Salo to translate movie’s dialogue from English to Elvish. For example: Saesa omentien lle: Pleasure meeting you

Na’vi language, “Avatar” (2009)
The director of the movie, James Cameron, featured an original language in the movie, constructed especially for the movie. For example: Tawtute: Human

Newspeak, “1984″ (1984)
The language Newspeak was created by George Orwell in his novel ‘1984.’ The book’s totalitarian was to replace English language completely with Newspeak. A lot of words from this language like ‘ungood’ have been picked up into English and used by the masses today. For example: Joycamp: Forced labor camp.

Huttese, “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” (1983)
One of the most quoted aliens in the movie world is Jabba the Hutt. An alien with its own language, Huttese is spoken in at least three Star Wars movies. For example: Choy?: What?

Nadsat, “A Clockwork Orange” (1972)
Nadsat is one language that appeared  in both Anthony Burgess’ dystopian morality tale of teenage delinquency and Stanley Kubrick’s horror show adaptation. However, it is not a proper language, instead, it is a Russian-influenced English argot. For example: Pretty polly: Money

Have you ever invented a language or know of any other language that movie makers invented? Share with us in the comments section.

“I’m going to slap on me runners and leg it down to the chipper!”

If you are familiar with the above-mentioned sentence, or understood what it meant, you must be a dialect scholar, or Irish. This Irish habit of English customization often confuses Americans and never fail to stump other native English speakers. Here is a list of 8 words used only in Hiberno-English (sometimes referred to as Irish English).

1.      Give Out
In Hiberto-English, give out means to complain or scold. You may give out to someone, which means get angry on someone.

2.      Smacht
Smacht is a noun, which means discipline, control, or order. You may put smacht on kids, or a sports team.

3.      Going to the jacks
Americans and those who are unfamiliar with Irish English often get confused whenever an Irish says, “I am going to the jacks.” In simple words, it means going to the bathroom.

4.      Asthore (an Irish word)
Another word that comes from Irish.  A stór is a simple term of endearment that literally means treasure.

5.      Hames
A word that literally means mess, Irish use Hames in phrases like make a hames of something.

6.      Cat
Cat for the people of Ireland is not their cute furry pet. It is an adjective, which means terrible or awful. Anything from bad weather to an annoying neighbor might be described as cat.

7.      Thick
For the people of Ireland, thick means angry. Anyone who is angry, stubborn, or belligerent is thick.

8.      Jumper
No, this is not used for the one who jumps. For the people of Ireland, it is simply a sweater, which shouldn’t be confused by a jumpsuit.

In a nutshell, it won’t be wrong to say that the Irish way with words is a complicated one. Are you aware of any other popular word used in Hiberno-English? Share in the comments section.

It is not inaccurate to say that when any language dies, a culture also dies with it. According to stats, there are roughly around 6, 500 languages in the world today, and more than 2, 000 of those languages are in danger of becoming extinct. Blame it on our unawareness or our inability to preserve the languages, the fact is that a language disappears the moment its last known native speaker dies.

Ong uyan madongo?

Can you provide an accurate answer to the above mentioned question? May be not, unless you happen to be among the 430 people in the world who understand and speak a language named Matukar Panau. The above-mentioned words mean ‘how are you?’ A simple question that very few can understand just because it is written in a different language. It is among the world’s rarest languages, which is spoken in two small villages in Papua New Guinea.

Another example of a lesser known language is of Hazel Sampson, who was the last native speaker of the Klallam native American Tribe. She passed away at the age of 103 this year, and now there is no one who can speak, write or understand the language of the tribe.

Linguistics today estimate that by the end of the century, those 2,000 languages that are in danger will be gone.  So, how important is it to fight for language preservation? Is there any way through which we can preserve the languages before they vanish? Thanks to the globalization, there is a way, and linguistics are using it to preserve the lesser known languages. They are now documenting these languages through translation so that they can preserve them for the future.

In 2010, a woman named Boa Sr. passed away. She was the last native speaker of the Bo language, which is one of the great Andamanese languages. This language would have vanished, if in 2005, a professor at the University of Delhi, India, wouldn’t have preserved it. The professor not just documented the language but also Boa’s ecological, cultural and historical knowledge. Today, this extinct language is accessible for future generations to learn and understand through a comprehensive archive digitalized audio, text documents and visuals.

Further to the aforesaid, in Mexico, linguists have also had success preserving indigenous languages through data transcription and analysis. Translation of these languages is a great way to preserve a culture and language.

People, with the help of technology and translation, can amplify their voices. This is amazing because until we don’t hear and understand someone, we can’t know what they can teach us!

Have a similar story to share? Mention in the comments section!

Tattoos are interesting, mysterious, fascinating and a great form of art. For a few years now, it’s been in fashion to get a tattoo of a word, alphabet or letter that has a special meaning for the person in question, but in different language. First in popularity are Japanese and Chinese languages, but it is common to see tattoos in various other languages including Sanskrit, Arabic, and Hebrew, among others.

The major reason of such popularity is the meaning behind the words, and the beauty of graphemes of these languages. Apart from that, the exotic and mysterious air which, one assumes, they give to the person who wears the tattoo.

However, like an attractive flower that sometimes turns out to be dangerous and poisonous, these tattoo designs may come with something more than a person has barged for. Oftentimes, such tattoos are selected and created without much research, which may turn out to be extremely embarrassing later. In this post, we will focus on popular designs and spellings errors that may make you look like an idiot (well, literally!).

 The most common errors include –

The Wrong Meaning
This is among the most common errors. If you are getting a tattoo in other than your native language, the chances of a word or symbol with wrong meaning increase. A woman from Germany, for example, asked a tattoo artist to create a tattoo on her shoulder of the Chinese translation for ‘You are responsible forever for that which you tame,’ she got a tattoo which meant, ‘Chicken noodle soup.’

Appearance Disasters
Sometimes, we get a tattoo of a symbol because it looks appealing to us, without actually understanding its meaning. A male went to a tattoo shop in India and got a tattoo of this amazingly appealing symbol just to figure out that it meant poison in Chinese.

Right to Left, or Left To Right
In case of Arabic and Hebrew, which are written from right to left, it happens a lot of time that upon using a text processor to print a word or phrase that will become a permanent tattoo, the order of letters is changed, which can also change the meaning (especially in Arabic).

So, if you want to save yourself from embarrassment, we request that you please check with a professional translator before taking a ‘permanent’ decision.

Have any such disaster stories? Share in the comments section.

Out of numerous industries, creative minds in the entertainment industry are definitely doing their jobs well. Today, there is a movie for everything. From dreams within dreams (Inception) to the power of the ring (Lord of the Rings), and ever so romantic sagas, regardless of whether you want to cry, laugh, be amazed, solve mysteries or feel the love, the movie world can help you experience all these emotions and more. What if you want to watch movies that describe different cultures, language differences and interesting experiences? We have got you covered!

Here is a list of 5 great translation movies that is a must watch for everyone. So, grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy .

The Woman with the 5 Elephants
It is a story of Ukrainian woman. In order to survive, she learns to speak German at her home. This later becomes her primary job and she ends up translating works by a Russian Novelist named Dostoevsky. It is definitely entertaining and extremely interesting.

Tradurre
Want to understand the beauty of translation? This is the movie for you. An inspiring documentary that takes you in a journey to understand the art of translation, Tradurre is a great way of understanding what goes behind the translation process and how interesting can it be.

Dances with Wolves
This is a Civil War movie that depicts conversations between an American soldier and a medicine man. If you like interesting conversions and inspiring dialogues fascinate you; this is the movie for you.

Blood Diamond
Get fascinated by a language called Krio (a language spoken in Sierra Leone). You must watch this movie because knowing Krio might just get you the girl! Watch it to believe it.

The Interpreter
One of the best movies depicting exactly how every interpreter should be and the way they should behave and tackle issues in dangerous settings.

The above mentioned movies are a great fun to watch, especially with a bucket of popcorn. Have any other movie in mind that matches with the theme of this post? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.

Some people are extremely ‘verbal,’ they have an ability to express themselves, explain their thoughts well without putting any effort, while others struggle to look strangers in the eye, let alone start a conversation. The world is filled with different people, the outspoken, the observers, the shy ones and ambiverts. However, there is one language that is perceived by different people differently. All of us are well aware of the saying, “action speak louder than words,” or as Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz clearly state in one of the songs written by them, “You say it best, when you say nothing at all.”

Non-verbal communication is important and anyone can form an opinion about you by looking at you from a distance. However, there are no set rules that you can learn to make correct first impressions on people through your body language because non-verbal communication and its meaning may differ from country to country. This post will help you understand the kind of impression you may be making on people of different countries.

Smile
While Americans smile freely at strangers, it is considered impolite to smile at people you do not know in Russia. For a lot of Scandinavians, a smile or any facial expression used to convey your feelings is untypical because you are considered to be weak if you show emotions.

Head Movements
In the Middle East and Bulgaria, the head movement for ‘yes’ is different from nodding your head up and down. If you are an outsider, it can be confusing for you to understand the response, hence, avoid using the words yes or no in Middle East and Bulgaria.

Hand and Arm Gestures
Some countries consider a handshake rude, and in the Middle East, it is always considered rude to hand an object to anyone with your left hand.

Conclusion
Sometimes, our body language and face may contradict with what we actually want to say. In fact, we can even offend some people without even realizing it. Make sure to understand what your actions and gestures may mean to others.

Have any interesting experience that you would like to share? Mention in the comments section.

German is as complex as it is fascinating, and its vocabulary is no exception. However, a non-speaker may find it difficult to find exact equivalent of a few German words, you may be surprised to know that there are many words in the German language that have no English equivalent and can only be explained using a much longer paraphrase. Here are 5 German words that may make you feel like you are lost in translation.

1. Fremdschämen: An interesting word with a fascinating meaning, Fremdschämen is a feeling of embarrassment or shame for something that someone else is doing. You may feel this way when your friend is creating a scene, or even while watching TV.
2. Drachenfutter: This one is for the male species. Drachenfutter is a gift or any other form of offering a boyfriend or husband offers in order to appease their angry girlfriend or wife.
3. Schadenfreude: It is possibly the most popular untranslatable word that indicates the feeling of happiness or enjoyment that comes after listening other people’s misfortunes.
4. Ohrwurm: Ever had that feeling when a song is stuck in your head? Ohrwurm is a term used to describe that feeling.
5. Fernweh: This one is for travelers. The literal meaning of the word is ‘far-sickness,’ which describes the longing for faraway places rather than one’s home. The term is somewhat similar to ‘wanderlust,’ another word that has a German root.

Have something interesting to say about language blunders, translation, or interpretation? Share your views in the comments section.

For any enquires about language translation services, or to know how we can assist you with your clients in Germany or any other country overseas, dial 888-670-3369.

Advertisers and marketers do a great job of convincing consumers to buy products (often products they do not even require); however, through the accounts of history they have gotten things wrong, occasionally. Product naming is an imperative part of marketing and branding. This is where a lot of brands may make expensive mistakes if they fail to understand the local language and slang of the country they are planning to market their products. Here is a list of few such names that turned into international boundary blunders.

Mazda LaPuta (in Spanish: ‘the whore’)
The name is taken from the book Gulliver’s Travels written by Jonathan Swift, however, it is difficult for the brand to explain this to Spanish speakers. For them, the word means – ‘the whore.’

FITTA (in 3 Nordic languages: ‘Woman’s private parts’)
FITTA was ultimately renamed ‘the Jazz’ for the Scandinavian market after Honda discovered that FITTA is actually a colloquial term for woman’s private parts in around 3 Nordic languages.

PINTO (a Brazilian Portuguese slang meaning: ‘small male genitals’)
The carmaker Ford thought the better of this name as soon as they come to know that the word is a Brazilian Portuguese slang, which means ‘small male genitals.’ This is definitely not the image they were trying to promote. The car was renamed ‘Corcel’ afterword, which means ‘horse.’

Buick LaCrosse (in French: ‘masturbating teenagers’)
When Buick launched the ‘LaCrosse,’ they didn’t think that it may turn out to be an embarrassment. In French-speaking Quebec, the meaning of the word is ‘masturbating teenagers.’

Conclusion
Mentioned above are just few of the examples of car names gone wrong for international automobile lovers. When it comes to language, even a single word with incorrect meaning can harm your sales. Do you have any more examples of brand names gone wrong? Share in the comments section.

Understanding two or multiple languages is not the same thing as knowing how to translate like a native speaker. Translation is a unique skill that professionals spend years to develop. Apart from creating an embarrassing situation, minor translation mistakes may also cause huge problems such as sending incorrect information, and breaking business deals, among others. Even if you call yourself a polyglot – an individual who can communicate in two or more languages fluently – you may still say things that a native speaker would avoid. Here are some common language translation mistakes that may sound unnatural to a native speaker.
English – German
English and German belong to same family, which makes the process of translation easy. However, you may face a situation where word-by-word translation would be wrong, even though it sounds correct.
Example: English word ‘so’ is often used to connect sentences such as ‘He woke up late so he missed the school bus.’ The word ‘so’ exists in German as well, but is used in a different manner. Instead of saying ‘Er war spät,so hat er den Bus verpasst’ the correct usage of the word would be ‘Er war spät, also hat er den Bus verpasst.’
This case shows that knowledge and practice is important.
English – French
The stats clearly show that France has always been a significant business partner to English speaking world. For organizations that are dealing with French companies, it is important to have a basic knowledge and understanding of French. However, basic mistakes may happen even if you speak French really well.
Example: In English, most of us start an official letter by addressing someone with ‘Dear Mr. or dear sir or madam.’ The French translation for the same would be ‘Cher Monsieur ou Madame.’ However, a native of French would be surprised to read the word ‘dear’ at the beginning of a business letter. In French, the proper phrase to use is ‘Madame, Monsieur.’