12 Common Confusing Words Everyone Should Know

Let’s be practical. English can be a really confusing language. There are a couple of words that seem to confuse not only non-native speakers, but native speakers too. Just add a single letter and the meaning of the words completely changes.

Therefore, it’s not just the language learners who have to be wary, but language experts also. This is why many individuals, as well as businesses, look for translation and interpretation services so that they can avoid any errors in their documents.

Below is a collection of common confusing words that you often come across.

1-2: Flaunt Vs. Flout

Both these words sound similar. But, they carry different meanings. ‘Flaunt’ refers to ‘displaying something’ ostentatiously while the word ‘flout’ is used to ‘disregard rule.’

3:4: Hoard Vs. Horde

The meaning of the word ‘horde’ means a large group of people. It only applies to people. ‘Hoard’ refers to a valued objects or stock of money.

5-6: Averse Vs. Adverse

‘Averse’ means not liking something. It means strong dislike. It is used to describe a person’s attitude. ‘Adverse’ refers to preventing development or success, unfavorable. It is used for describing conditions, situations, or events.

7-8: Apprise Vs. Appraise

‘Apprise’ is meant for ‘to explain, tell or inform.’ On the other hand, ‘appraise’ means ‘to value, or quality.’ It is also used for ‘sitting a price on; value.’ When you apprise someone, it means you inform him or her.

9-10: Site, Cite, Vs. Sight

The word ‘site’ is used to explain ‘an area of a place on which a building, town, or monument is situated. Or it is used to describe a place where a particular activity or event has taken place or is taking place.  ‘Cite’ refers to a book, passage, or source as evidence. It tends to get confused less frequently than sight and site. ‘Sight’ refers to faculty or action of seeing. It also means a thing that one sees or can be seen.

11-12: Illicit Vs. Elicit

‘Illicit’ is an adjective and ‘elicit’ is a verb. ‘Illicit’ means something which is ‘forbidden by rules, law, or custom.’ ‘Elicit’ refers to draw or evoke a response.

Bottom Line

There are many other words that can confuse you.  So, when you need to translate any certification, degree or important document, they may put your into a problem. It is, therefore, important to look for a reliable and experienced translation and interpretation services providers.

5 Important Portuguese Proverbs You Should Know

Every country has its own official language. And, Portuguese is the third most spoken western language after English and Spanish.  It contributes greatly to the development of English language, as some English words are derived from Portuguese e.g. tank from tankque, cacao from cacao, marmalade from marmelada and many more In addition, the word ‘parentes’ in Portuguese is similar to ‘parents’ in English. But, it means ‘relatives.’ And, ‘pais’ is ‘parents’ in Portuguese.

There’re also many proverbs in Portuguese language. You should know their meaning if you want to start your business in a country where Portuguese is an official language. If you don’t know the language, running a business without the help of Portuguese translation services (like Language Oasis) can be a challenge.

Here’s a selection of proverbs that are very typical. They express culture and values of Portuguese people. So, you can use them a lot when you’re in Portuguese either for business or tourist purposes.

A necessidade é a mãe da invenção

This means necessity is the mother of invention i.e. the adverse circumstances make you creative and enable you to dig out creative solutions for your needs.

Passarinho que come pimenta sabe o cu que tem

The meaning goes like – the bird that eats peppers knows his own ass. You should keep yourself ready to face the consequences of what you have done.

O pior cego é aquele que não quer ver

One who doesn’t want to see is the blindest of the blind. In many organizations, you may find some people who are sycophant. They shut their eyes to the hide the truth just for their own benefits.

Não se come a carne onde se ganha o pão

One shouldn’t eat meat where one earns his bread. In Portuguese language, the words pao and carne have symbolism. Pão means “bread” and “loaf” too. It is countable. It means also “food” in general. “Carne” means “meat” (for eating) and “flesh” (in a religious and metaphorical sense). People from Japan, China and Korea can recognize the metaphor if they replace bread for rice.

This is a very whimsical proverb that plays on the religious implications of the words for stating a very humdrum saying: that you should not take a lover for a co-worker.

You should remember that the word “comer” (to eat) comes with double meanings: in informal slang it means to have sex.

As paredes têm ouvidos

The walls have ears. This phrase is used as a warning. It means what you say may be overheard.

Communicating in Portuguese lets you have an incredible experience. You can find people speaking Portuguese in Portugal, Brazil, and Cape Verde. Besides all these, Portuguese is also the official language of several places such as Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique (Moçambique), and São Tomé and Príncipe.

6 Funny Italian Phrases: Speak Italian Like a Local

Like all languages in the world, Italian has a unique style. Just like English, the Italian language is full of countless idioms and phrases that are too funny to use.

To learn any language like a local, it is important to master their commonly-used expression. The same goes true for Italian language. So, here we have made a list of some funny Italian phrases you must learn.

Non avere peli sulla lingua

 What it means – Without hair on your tongue

A hairy tongue? Does it even exist anywhere in the world?  Of course, not. This phrase is referred to ask for someone to speak the bitter truth, even if it hurts. Want honest, brutal opinion of your friends? Then ask them to say it without hair on their tongue and ready for what they say.

In bocca al lupo

What it means – Into the wolf’s mouth

You might be thinking that this expression is meant to bring bad luck to someone. However, to the contrary, it is Italian way to wish ‘good luck.’ So, next time an Italian person wishes you into the wolf’s mount, thank them.

Avere le mani in pasta

What it means – To have hands in dough

This phrase means to be well-connected social and capable of using people’s influence to get things done.

Far ridere i polli

What it means – Make the chicken laugh

Can make you chicken laugh? Obviously not. In Italian language, to make the chicken laugh means to make food yourself. This phrase is used when someone does something ridiculous.

Saltare di palo in frasca

What it means – To jump from a post to a pile of branches

This Italian phrase may sound strange to you. It is used when your friend is talking about something entirely unrelated, and you just want to shut them up.

Solo quattro gatti

What it means – Only four cats

Solo Quattro gatti is used to refer to a boring party as it is a place where there are just a few people. Similar to the phrase suggests.

Conclusion – We are aware of many more such Italian expression as we are an experienced translation agency. Well equipped with an efficient team of translators, we can provide translation service in 30+ languages. Be it Filipino or Italian Translation Service, we guarantee an impeccable translation of a document. Need help in translating a document? Contact us at – 888-670-3369.

3 Important Reasons to Avoid Poor Translation

So your business is doing great, and you want to expand it overseas? If yes, you need global exposure which includes business communication with multiple foreign countries. Taking help of a professional language translation services is indispensable in such condition. But, with a large part of translation industry based online, how will you ensure that your translation provider will meet your needs? You must make sure that you have hired qualified translators who maintain accuracy in their work.

Poor translations often come with unseen impacts, for example, an inaccuracy in a medical report may cause someone serious health implications. An error in legal document may cause someone to lose a lawsuit. In short, inaccurate or wrong translation can adversely affect your business and harm it beyond money.

Here we tell you why it is important to stay away from the pitfalls of poor translations.

To avoid adverse effects on brand

No one makes mistakes on purpose. Some translation mistakes are hilarious while some may be serious. However, in either case, mistakes are viewed as unprofessional and offensive. When you hire a translation service, it is meant to enhance your brand. People want to buy from a company which has a good image. However, a translation mistake can cost serious damage to your brand. It may drive back customers.

Loss in business transactions

Poor translation can not only drive clients away from your business but also make you land in a legal trouble. Mistakes can be easily made in a poor translation. An inaccurate translation can change the entire meaning of the context. They are all the more important if you are dealing with serious contracts. In some cases, it may lead to misunderstanding, delay in business deal or even a lawsuit.

You will lose to your competitors

Many companies consider translation more as a way to cut down the cost. Though they dream of expanding their business overseas, poor translation make them miss the chance to stand out in the crowd. In addition, such companies often lose to their competitors by failing to make a global presence in the market.

Conclusion – We want to make you aware of the hazards of poor translation as we are a well-known efficient translation agency. We have qualified teams of translators who can produce impeccably translated document. With a variety of translating services to fulfill diverse needs of our customers, our translators can provide translation in 30+ languages. Need help in translating a document. Contact us at: 888-670-3369.

Korean Phrases to Help You Start With

Korea peninsula is home to many MNCs and attracts many business travelers across the world. Korean is the official language of the island country, and if you are planning a foray there, it may be good that you start with some basic words to start a conversation and take your relations ahead.

About the Korean Language

Korean Language translation

The language has nothing in common with the English language, and it includes the sounds as well. The language follows a different rhythmic structure than English. You’ll not find Korean to be that inflected and stressed as English. When speaking Korean just imitate the accents and sounds of the Koreans around you. For formal things, it may be a better idea to go for certified language translation than trying things on own. Language Oasis has best experts to deliver the best services.

Ban-gap-sum-ni-da (Nice to meet you)

It is a pleasantry that you may apply liberally when you meet someone for the first time. It is best used with a two-handed handshake.  If you learn to master this then you will have matched the level of Korean school kids whose favorite pastime would be to say this when they meet you.

Kam-sa-ham-ni-da (Thank You)

It is the smallest phrase that you might begin with. You may use it in the situation when you can’t understand what they are saying. Just smile and say thank you.

Jam-shi-man-yo (Excuse me/Just a moment)

You may make the best use of this phrase when you want to say that you have very little time to stop. You may also use the phrase to ask the people to move out of your way, or also when you want them to wait for you.

Chway-seong-ham-ni-da (I am sorry)

You can use the phrase when you want to seek apology for any unintended mistakes. In Korean, this phrase means “sorry I bumped into you.”

Ju-se-yo (Please Give)

The phrase is considered to be Korean phrase that is used just everywhere you want to make a polite request. You may use this phrase where you may ask people in the shops to give the things. Just point at it and utter the phrase.

An-nyeong-ha-se-yo (Goodbye)

Just use this word when you want to say goodbye to someone whom you have met recently.

With these words, you may surely take off confidently to Korea and for any specific business need of certified language translation, just get in touch with us @ 888-670-3369.

Read These 5 Sentences and You’ll Understand the Importance of Translation Services

The work of a translator or interpreter isn’t as simple and modest as it seems to be. There’re some sentences in English that confuse even native speakers, compelling them to doubt their proficiency in the language. They have to struggle for finding the correct meaning.

Below are some examples that will let you feel the importance of translation and interpretation services provider.

Sentence 1: There is no truth to that rumor.”

Meaning

: The meaning of this sentence sounds a bit complex. The actual meaning is “The rumor is true.”

Sentence 2: I never speak the truth.

Meaning

: It gives even a greater complexity. It sounds that the subject (I) never speaks truth. Theactual meaning is that the Subject(l) always speaks truth.

Sentence 3: A woman without her man is nothing.

Meaning

: This sentence has been viral on the social networking sites for a while now. You can see how punctuation can change the entire meaning of the sentence.

Let’s read these two sentences:

  1. A woman, without her man, is nothing.
  2. A woman: without her, man is nothing.

Hope, you got the difference.

Just a simple change in punctuation and the entire meaning is changed.

Sentence 4: I chopped a tree down, and then I chopped it up.

Meaning

: The magic of phrasal verbs! A non-native speaker may need the help of translation and interpretation services to get the correct meaning.

The phrases “to chop down” and “to chop up” sound like direct opposites of each other. They may also be creating an interesting image.

Native speakers understand that:

  • Chopping something down is meant for hacking at it until it falls.
  • And chopping something up is meant for cutting it into smaller pieces.

Sentence 5: Will Will Smith smith?

Meaning:

Confused? We’re not talking about that American actor’s name your mind has captured the image suddenly. It means if he’s going to make things, especially by heating it. If Smith happens to be in a smithing mood, you can say “Will Smith will smith.”

Although Will isn’t a metal worker, he actually is a black Smith.

Coming to sum up, as we went through the examples, we can conclude that even a minor error in punctuation can change the entire meaning of the sentence. And this can lead to a great loss if you’re a businessman. A good translation and interpretation service provider can only assist you to understand the business contracts or other terms and conditions of your business as they’re experts in interpreting any sentence.

8 Words That Can Embarrass You Anywhere Across the Globe

English is your native language. So, you think you won’t face problems in communication when you’ll visit another country. But, DUDE, think again!
There are certain words that give entirely different meanings on the other side of the world. Sometimes a word in English may sound like one in another language. However, they’ve nothing to do with each other. Such words are called false friends.
Read on to know about eight words that could cause you embarrassment in another country.

1. Gift


Assume that you’re in Germany or offering your German friend a gift basket. You will have some funny looks if you hand him something labeled ‘gift’. In the German language, the word ‘gift’ means poison. And, the German word for a gift is geschenk. The correct word for gift basket is geschenkkorb in Germany. When you say giftkorb. It means poison basket.

2. Lull

Does the motion of the car almost lull you to sleep? Has there been a lull in the fighting? Try to avoid using these things when you are in Netherlands. You shouldn’t use ‘lull’ if you’re not actually talking about phalluses. Instead, use the Dutch word ‘wiegen.’ You can also use pauze, which means “pause or break.”

3. Salsa

 

Salsa in Korean is 설사, which means diarrhea. So, better, you use ‘seolsa.’

4. Payday

Payday is the most exciting day as you receive your pay. In Portuguese-speaking area, the payday is ‘dia do pagamento’ which literally means “day of payment.”

5. Pet


Some sentences for you to consider: Many people are really soppy about their pets. There was a fashion for keeping reptiles as pets. Do you like pets? How many pets do you have? When you talk about your adorable animals at home in France, it’s good to use the Catalan animal domèstic or the French animal de compagnie.

6. Face

The ‘Face’ sounds fesse in France, which means buttock. The right word is visage. When tell someone they have a pretty face might get a tiny bit awkward in France.

7. Beet

 

Again, the English world ‘beet’ sounds ‘bite’ in France, which means penis. The ‘I’ in the French bite does make the ‘ee’ sound even though, we know, it looks just like the English bite. That can also be confusing.
The correct word for beet in France is betterave. Beat is batter, which means hitting something like a drum.

8. Peach

Say ‘peach tea’ in Turkey, and you would get some funny looks. Peach sounds like ‘pic’ in Turkey, which means bastard. If you want actually peaches, use the word şeftali. For peach tea craving, ask for şeftali çayı.

Bottom Line

 

Knowing meaning of some of the common words in the place you are visiting is a must, especially when it’s related to any certificate or other document.
Suppose you’ve to get a birth certificate in a different language, it’s good to look for a Birth Certificate Translation service provider. We just told you how different words can mean something entirely different in another language.

Learn How To Converse In Spanish Before You Start Your Journey!

Spain is one of the world’s oldest cultures. Its rich culture has spread across many places and is also the birthplace of the Spanish language. It always better to learn the basics before you start the journey to find a new market for your product & services. Business Spanish translation may be helpful to you when you talk to your customers or sign agreements with them. So how do you learn the language?

language Oasis

Make It a Part of Life

If you want to learn this language, don’t do it in isolation make it a part of life. Learn Spanish as a new way to experience the everyday life. Here are some Spanish phrases that will help you strike a conversation:

1-What’s Your Name? ¿Cómo te llamas?

This simple phrase may help you strike a conversation when you are meeting someone for the first time. Just imagine using it when you are meeting a customer for the first time, and you are interested in knowing more about him, his business and how you can start a relationship.

2-Where Are You From? ¿De dónde eres?

This may be your next question. You may want to know where his birthplace was to get more insight into the country and the culture. You never know where it may lead.

3-What’s Your Favorite Restaurant? ¿Cuál es tu restaurante favorito?

If you want to meet someone in the favorite restaurant, you may use this phrase. People just love to talk about what they their favorite food is. If things go well, you might just be able to have the next chat at the restaurant where your new friend wanted to meet.

4-What Is Your Profession? ¿En qué trabajas?

Once you have started the conversations, you may ask your new friend about what it does. It is one question that opens the door for other opportunities to network. Very true if you belong to the same field and are interested in people of the similar industry.

5-What Did You Do This Weekend? ¿Qué hiciste este fin de semana?

Well now as your conversation proceeds you may ask one of these favorite Spanish questions. As you explore the conversation partner’s interest & hobbies, you’ll learn many things new about him or her.

In The End

Learning basics may help you strike a conversation, but for business reasons, it’s better to go for business Spanish translation from experts of Language Oasis. Call 888-670-3369 to get it now!

5 Fun Facts about Translation You Must Know

Words travel worlds. Translators do the driving. – Anna Rusconi

Translators do an amazing job. Through their translation, they bridge the gap in the world. It is why translation services are indispensable to break the language barrier. Being an experienced translation agency, here we have collected some fun facts about translation you might not know.

Easiest language to translate

Though translation is not an easy task, be it any language. Still, most translators with their years of experience consider Spanish as the easiest language to translate into. It is because in Spanish everything is written as it sounds. This property about Spanish language makes it the easiest language to learn and translate. In addition, Spanish has very little grammatical irregularities. Therefore, many people prefer Spanish as an international language to learn.  

Vowels are not so easy to translate

Vowels always create many problems for translators. They are tricky to translate, especially when a translator is translating into a vowel-free language. There are many languages including Aramaic, Arabic, Amharic, etc. that have no vowels. So, think about the struggle of a translator who faces translating words containing vowels.

Languages difficult to translate

Many people believe that anything can be translated within minutes. However, contrary to popular belief, it is not true at all. There are some languages which are too difficult to translate, and for this reason, it affects the quality of the translation. There are languages in the world which make the job of translators difficult, like Arabic, Japanese, Finnish, Icelandic, Polish and Chinese.

So, while translating into any of these languages, it is fair if the translators take extra time.

Punctuations are also here

Many people are not aware that the Chinese language contains punctuation marks. Translators require translating punctuation marks which are obviously tricky.

English and Arabic

Though English and Arabic have not same roots but they have same punctuation system. Yes, you heard it right! So, next time you find errors in your translation works related to English or Arabic, go easy on the translator.

Conclusion – Now you must have understood the problems in the job of a translator. Being a skilled and experienced translation agency, we are aware of many such troubles. We have full-time, professional team of translators who can do impeccable translation of any document. Be it legal document translation or power of attorney translation, you can get a broad range of translation services with us. Need help in translating a document? Contact us at: 888-670-3369.

Oldest Language In The World That Are Still Surviving

You live a new life for every new language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once. – Czech proverb

The evolution of the language is still unknown. The primitive languages started with gestures and oral sound. The evolution of the first-ever language is still a highly debatable topic. However, as a general norm linguist calculate the age of a language by its first appearance in texts as well as contemporary use.

Based on this, we have collected a list of some oldest languages in the world that grew, evolved, managed to survive and are still spoken today.

Let us take a sneak and peek into the history.

Sanskrit

Sanskrit is considered ‘the language of Gods’. It first appeared in 2000 BCE, Sanskrit is an ancient language of India. It is one of the earliest examples of language, found in second millennium BCE. The language is still spoken by a small group of people in India. Vedic Sanskrit is the pre-classical form of Sanskrit with Rigveda being the oldest and most archaic text preserved.

Hebrew

The earliest examples of written Paleo-Hebrew date from 10th century BCE. Hebrew is the best example of a revived dead language as around 400 CE, it fell out of common use and remained a preserved among the Jews all across the world. However, with the rise of Zionism in the 19th and 20th century, this language revived to become the official language of Israel. Though the modern version of Hebrew differs from Biblical version, native speakers can fully comprehend the Old Testament and connected texts. Modern Hebrew observed many influences by other Jewish languages.

Chinese

Chinese is the most spoken language in the world with around 1.2 billion speakers as their first language. The origin of Chinese dates back to 1250 BCE as the earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions in the late Shang dynasty.

Latin

Latin is one of the oldest classic languages that survived the passage of time. Latin has influenced many languages over the course of time. The earliest traces of this languages date back to the dates of Roman Empire which was formed around 75 BCE. It is still the official language of Poland and Vatican City and is learned by millions of people around the world.

Conclusion – Being an experience translation agency, we have many more interesting facts about languages. Our translators can perform accurate translation of any document in 30+ languages. Need help in translation a document? Contact us at: 888-670-3369.