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9 # Portuguese Words To Start With!

Portuguese is an ancient language and comes with a rich history. Although the language started in Portugal only a very small fraction of Portuguese speakers live in the country in which it started. It was officially declared a language in 1290 and is the official language of Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, etc. So if you are traveling to these places, then knowing basics of Portuguese may be helpful. For the more official purpose, you can rely on the Portuguese language translation services. Now let’s see some Portuguese words:

1 # Saudade

It is one of the most beautiful words across many languages. The word symbolizes a mixture of few emotions like longing, melancholy, incompleteness & love. The word has a lot of weight and applies to a person, place or another time.

2 # Apaixonar

It signifies the action of falling in love and the feeling of falling in love.

3 # Gostosa

When you look for the literal translation, it means delicious. But gostosa can mean ‘super attractive.’ If you call a woman gostosa, you mean to say that she is very attractive.

4 # Cafune

It is the act of running your fingers through someone’s hair. And yes, there is a word for that. But the word may only resonate with Brazilian Portuguese speakers. If someone says in Portuguese, “Eu Queria Que Você Me Finesse Um Cafuné” it is equal to saying “I wanted you to run your fingers through my hair.”

5 # Lindeza

It means prettiness and is used as a noun to describe someone or something and even at times as a term of endearment. As simple usage may be Que lindeza! Roughly meaning ‘What Prettiness.’

6 # Combinado

The word combinado translates to “combined” but it is a confirmation that things have been arranged. It’s the term that is commonly used for making a plan. After someone states a plan of action, simply saying “combinado” can mean “ok.”

7 # Fado

In the culture of Portuguese, fado is the name for a traditional form of music. It also means fate and destiny, something that is supposed to happen no matter what actions take place.

8 # Fofo

If you call something as fofo, it is cute or soft. A puppy or a child can both be fofo.

9 # Tchau Tachau

These are only some of the words but for more formal purposes you may need expert help in Portuguese translation services, and for that, you can get it touch with us @ 888-670-3369.

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8 Fascinating Facts about Language You Might Not Know

Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation. – Angela Carter.

Language is a complex part of our lives which continually transforms through ages. Languages are part and parcel of our everyday life and primary keys of communication. There are lots of interesting facts about language you might not know, let us get to know a few of them.

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  • There are around 2,700 languages with more than 7,000 dialects spoken in the world. The most widely spoken languages in the world are Chinese, Spanish, English, and Hindi.
  • There are 50,000+ characters in Chinese, the most spoken language in the world. You should be able to read at least 2,000 of these to read a newspaper.
  • Every two weeks, a dialect or a language reaches on the verge of dying. There are over 231 languages that are extinct, and around 2,400 of world’s languages are approaching to become extinct.
  • Do you know the name of the most translated book in the world? It is Bible which has been translated into 2,454 different languages. The Little Prince, originally written in French comes second with translations in 253 languages. Interestingly, the most translated author in the world is Agatha Christie.
  • The language with the largest alphabet belongs to Cambodian language Khmer which is 74 characters long. However, the language with the largest number of words is perhaps Arabic with varied perceptions on the number of words.
  • There are 300 languages spoken in the United States. The country credited with the highest number of official language is South Africa. In the United States, 56% of Spanish speakers can speak English very well.
  • Though the origin of language is one of the most debated topics, most linguists agree that it started when modern humans evolved in Africa, around 100,00 BC.
  • The oldest known languages of the world are Sanskrit, Sumerian, Hebrew, and Basque. We know this fact because of the written records of these languages. Therefore, there is no specific answer for the oldest speech because we would never get to know about the oral traditions.

Conclusion – Being a well-versed language translation agency, we are aware of many such interesting facts about language. Be it legal document translation services or certified language translation, our expert translators are efficient in performing impeccable translation of any docment in more than 30+ languages. Need any assistance in translation. Call us at – 888-670-3369.

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Top 10 Funniest Translation Memes Ever

Popular to the contrary belief, translation is more than just knowledge of two languages. Like every other profession, translation is a job full of hurdles and challenges. No matter how renowned translation and interpretation services are, experts face a lot of difficulties in dealing with two or more languages, and there is no room for errors.

Here we have collected some funny memes with the help of Google, which perfectly depicts the life of a translator. Dedicated to all translators who know how tough their job is.

More money, more accuracy!

How can you even think so??!!

The actual fuel that keeps translators working.

The life of an interpreter is not so easy man!

When you choose a horrible translation service.

When you trust google translation

What a translator feels for google translator

How useful google translator is!

Dating a translator??

A translator can explain that very well!

Now you must have got that the life of a translator is not as easy as others think. What do you say? Share your thoughts with us. And oh, yes, if you are not looking for a cheap alternative, contact us for highly precise and professional translation service. Calls us @888-670-3369.

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6 Chinese Phrases You Must Know If you’re Paying Them A Visit!

China is a very large country and a large economy as well. Travelers from across the world go to the country for various purposes. Here are some Chinese phrases that you must know to start the interaction. For more professional translation, you can go for documents translations services. So let’s go through them one by one now.

One # How Are you? (Chinese: ni hao ma?)

Wei is mostly used on the phone and is a Chinese “hello” or “hi.” Ni hao ma? Means “You good.” It is very similar to “How Are You?”, and can also mean “Are you Ok?” You will hear Nihao frequently, and it means “Nice To See You.” They are the most basic and standard Chinese greeting.

Two # Good or Bad? (Chinese: haobuhao)

In Chinese it means Haobuhao? Hao means “good.” It may also mean “Ok.” Buhao means “not good.” You might hear Chinese speakers use “hao” and “buhao” to express their feeling of good or bad. It means “Good Or Bad” or “Is It Ok.” After this or “Ni hao ma?” you can reply “hao” or “buhao.”

Three # Thank You (Chinese: xiexie)

It is the simplest way to thank you. And you will commonly see people using it for greeting.

Four # Have You Eaten? (Chinese: ni chi le ma)

It the Chinese way of showing cares and concern and is almost equal to saying “How Are You?” People may ask “Have You Eaten” as a polite gesture and you may hear a reply “I have eaten” or Chi Le. If you have not, you must put some pressure on the person asking to provide food for you, and that’s considered polite.

Five # Ask What Some Thing Is? (Chinese: zhe shi shenme?)

Here is a good way to both indicate your interest in an item and to learn a lot of new words. The three words are Zhe(this), shi(is), and shenme(what). You can use the phrase to find out what the things are called.

Six # Good Morning! (Chinese: zao an)

In China, people love to say “Good Morning,” so if you greet anyone early, make sure you say “Good Morning.”  You hardly see people saying Good Afternoon (wu an) and Good Night (wan an), and just as in English is a parenting phrase.

Get In Touch

Language Oasis offers documents translation services in many languages and you can get in touch @ 888-670-3369.

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Interesting Facts about Google Translate You Must Know

All of us have used Google Translate at some point in our life. It has helped millions of people communicate in the absence of professional translation. The best part about Google translation is – it is fast, free and most of the time provides an accurate translation of a word, sentence or paragraph. It may not be 100% accurate, but gives a general meaning of a foreign language.

Though many of us are familiar with Google Translate, we might not know some interesting facts about it. Being a well-known certified translation service, here we have assembled 5 interesting facts you must know about Google translation.

Origin

Google translate was introduced in 2006. That time, it used to support only English and Arabic. It has come a long way since then; and at present, it can translate 103 languages!

Users

According to reports of Google translate blog, the service is used by around 500 million users. On the contrary, when this service was started, users were measured in hundreds.

How does Google translate work?

It functions using statistical machine translation (SMT), where computers analyze millions of already existing translated documents from the web to learn vocabulary and search for patterns in a language. The application then picks up the most statistical option when asked to translate a text.

Billions of words a day

It is one of the most amazing facts worth knowing about Google Translate. Google translates more than 100 billion of words every day. It can be equivalent to around an entire sack of 128,000 Bibles each day.

Highest number of users

92% of Google translate users are from outside the US. The highest numbers of users are from Brazil.

It is more than a webpage

One doesn’t need to be online to use Google translate. A user just needs to download the Android app, and it can give a rough translation in approximately 90 different languages on a smartphone (that too without using any data!).

Inaccurate translations

If you find a translation mistake in Google translate, you can report it to Google translate community.

Despite all these facts, Google translate cannot replace human translators because it usually does not provide accurate translations for a reader to figure out the source of text. Along with, Google does not use it for own transaction of business.

The world of language and translation is full of many such amazing facts. We, at Language Oasis, offer professional translation and interpretation services in more than 30 languages. Our skilled and experienced team of translators can do the impeccable translation for any document. Need help in translating a document? Please get in touch at support@languageoasis.com

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4 Authors Who Redefined Portuguese Literature

Portugal is known for its rich history and culture, and it gets manifested in some of the great creations by prominent Portuguese writers. Though the foundation of Portugal dates back to 1143, the Portuguese language became mature by 15th to 16th century. Further, Portugal gave birth to many notable writers who managed to produce an original and unique literature.

Let us make us acquainted with four greatest Portuguese writers.

Fernando Pessoa

Fernando Pessoa is the best known Portuguese writer in history. Born at the end of 19th century in Lisbon, he was a philosopher, translator, prose writer, poet and a pioneer of Literary Modernism – a philosophical movement of that time. He also worked as a critic and a publisher in his life. His most famous achievement is Book of Disquiet which has been translated into 37 languages.

Luis de Camoes

Known for his epic poem of Renaissance – ‘The Lusiads’, Luis de Camoes is considered the greatest Portuguese poet. His mastery of verse is often compared to that of Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Shakespeare.

Jose Saramago

Nobel Laureate of 1998, Jose Saramago is considered the contemporary voice of Portuguese literature. Worked as a poet, playwright, novelist, and essayist, he made his international breakthrough with his satirical novel Memorial do Convento, published in 1980’s. The eminent writer is creator of around 30 volumes of prose, poetry, essays, and drama. Some of his well-known books are – Blindness, Seeing, and The Gospel According to Jesus Christ.

Alexandre O’Neill

A poet, writer, and publicist, Alexandre O’Neil was one of the founders of the Lisbon Surrealist Movement. Black humor, use of parody, disrespect for conventions, and playfulness with the language are some of the prominent characteristics of his writings. He was a strict believer of logic and firmly dismissed romantic notions of philosophy. Some of his most acclaimed poems are – Portugal, Lament of the Man Who Misses Being Blind, and Standing at Fearful Attention.

Conclusion – Being a well-known translation agency, we are aware of many such interesting stuff about language and literature. We offer an array of translation services, like Portuguese translation services, certified language translation, legal document translation and so on. We are capable of producing an impeccable translation work because we are a team of well-versed and experienced translators. Need to translate a document? Contact us at: 888-670-3369.

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4 Touching French Words For You!

French is said to be the most beautiful language in the world. We all know that Paris is the city of love and romance and it is also what makes the French language so attractive.  People in French have je ne sais quoi (ineffable quality) about them. They are bestowed with great style, tasty food, stellar wine and gorgeous accent and a language that is liked the world over. So if you want to impress someone, you can make the best use of these French words (click here for translation and interpretation services). Here we go:

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Bisou

It is a word that slips off the tongue rather quickly when you move away from anyone whose company you enjoy the most. You say it’s Bisous.  Who will you be sending the next Bisou (Kiss) to? In French culture, they greet each other with one Bisou on each cheek in many regions. So when you visit France, put your hands away and extend the cheeks.

Chuchoter

Can you deny an intimate Chucho-Ter (whisper) in French? You might find it a little hard to understand but that may be seen as a bonus (ask for a repeat!). The excitement might send a quiver down your spine.

Parapluie

It is just another beautiful word that might just cheer you on a rainy day. If you go out of the home and hear rain, just ensure that you are carrying a parapluie (umbrella) in the bag. The word is lovely to hear and say, and what’s more, it protects you from the rain as well. Isn’t it great? If you split the word into two halves to make para + pluie, it will help in explaining the origin of this word.  Para- is a prefix that is used to indicate protection (think “parasol” protection from the sun) and pluie is the French word for “rain,” meaning protection from the rain!

Envie

If you are in France and having a nice time with locales and you come across the word envie (desire), then you know they’re interested.  Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world, and the people here are very romantic as well. You will frequently hear J’ai envie de te vou       (I have the desire to see you).

Get In Touch…

The language is full of many other lovely words and phrases. We at Languageoasis offer professional translation and interpretation services from any language so should you need any help in understanding French or any other language just get in touch with us @ 888-670-3369.

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4 English Words That Used To Mean Something Different

Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going. – Rita Mae Brown

Words change meaning over time, no matter which language they belong to. Sometimes you may notice words changing its meaning under your nose. People sometimes may tell that you are misusing a word, especially if you are not a native speaker. If you ever go back to history, you may land to a time where ‘nice’ used to mean ‘silly’ and ‘silly’ used to mean ‘blessed’! Well, that’s the charm of the language and its evolution.

Let us get to know some of these words which used to mean completely different in past centuries.

Pretty

You must be well acquainted with this word. However, in old English ‘pretty’ meant cunning. Later it acquired some positive implications, like clever, skillful, and so on. Far ahead, the word was used to describe something that has been elegantly made or presented. Perhaps, this was the reason that by the 1400s, the meaning of this word transformed to its current sense, i.e., good looking.

Sly

At present, if someone is called sly, it means that s/he is sneaky or deceitful – not in a good sense. However, the word has been derived in English from Old Norse in the 13th century and had positive meanings, including clever, knowledgeable, and skillful.

Terrible

Terrible made its way to Middle English from Anglo-Norman and Middle French. It used to mean causing terror or great dread. However, by the 1500s, the word started to mean very harsh, formidable and this gives a sense of excessive in a bad way.

Naughty

In the 1300s, if someone is naughty, it means that they were poor or needy. By the 1400s, the meaning altered from having nothing to being morally wicked. It was also used to refer to a sexually provocative person. But in the same century, it derived a gentler meaning, especially applied to kids – mischievous, disobedient or badly behaved.

Conclusion – We have treasures of such interesting facts about English and many other languages as we are an acclaimed translation agency. We offer a variety of translation service, from certified language translation to legal document translation. Our services are fulfilled by an efficient and experienced team of translators who can perform impeccable translation of any document in more than 30+ languages. Do you need any assistance in translation? Contact us at: 888-670-3369.

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5 Common Words in English You Might Be Using Incorrectly

There are millions of words in English; in such case, people often misunderstand words and phrases. Poor hearing or comprehension may be blamed for this. Informal speech can also facilitate this misunderstanding of words. Conveyance of the right sense is very important during communication.

Therefore, we have prepared a list of some common English words that are commonly misunderstood by people.

Travesty

Misunderstood meaning – A tragedy or an unfortunate thing

What it really means – A mockery or parody

You might have heard people calling 9/11 a travesty, but the truth is that it was a tragedy. A travesty is actually a mockery or parody.

Ultimate

Misunderstood meaning – The only, the best

What it really means – The Last item on the list

This word is misused by many people for countless times. People often use it to refer the best thing to the list. However, the word simply means the last one or last option.

Bemused

Misunderstood meaning – Amused

What it really means – Confused or perplexed

Due to the similarity in pronunciation amused and bemused are often mistaken for their meaning. However, if we come close to meaning, they are poles apart. If you are bemused, then you are actually perplexed.

Nauseous

Misunderstood meaning – To feel sick

What it really means – To cause feeling of sickness

It is another most commonly misunderstood word. If you actually feel ill, then you are nauseated. However, the object that makes you feel ill is nauseous. For example, if a person sitting next to you is smoking and the smoke makes you feel sick, you are nauseated, but the smoke is nauseous.

Redundant

Misunderstood meaning – Repetitive

What it really means – Unnecessarily excessive

You may go wrong with the use of this word, however, unintentionally use it right. If you repeat something for a score of times, it becomes redundant. Here, redundant become more than just repeating things over and over. In the same manner, if there is too much of something, it becomes redundant.

Conclusion – We are acquainted with much more such words and the discrepancies that arise in their meaning because we are a full-time, efficient translating agency. A team of expert translators is our backbone who is ready to perform a variety of translation, be it professional Chinese translation or legal document translation. Need impeccable translation of any document? Contact us at – 888-670-3369.

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Want To Sound Smart? Include These 7 Words To Your Vocabulary

If you want to sound smart to your listeners, you don’t need the help of ornate or poetic language. Just include some interesting, and super-descriptive words that can make your vocabulary impressive. Needless to say, your listeners will be left wanting to hear more from you. In addition, your conversation will be a lot more fun than before.

So why not learn a few words that can make you sound cool.

Elucidate

The word means – to make something clear, especially by explanation. You explain a lot of things on a daily basis. However, from now onwards start elucidating.

Example – Except for her one-word answer, she refused to elucidate any further.

Malaise

Malaise means a lack of health or a vague sense of mental ill-being. The word is used to refer a mild sickness.

Example – She often complained of depression, headaches and malaise.

Obfuscate

The word itself is obfuscating as it means – to confuse someone or to make something obscure. It is used as a verb.

Example – Her explanation only led to obfuscating the entire statement.

Perfunctory

A perfunctory action is done carelessly and quickly and shows a lack of interest or enthusiasm in what is being done.

Example – Our interests were simply perfunctory.

I received a perfunctory hand shake.

Scintillating

The word sounds quite interesting even if a reader doesn’t know its meaning. Any scintillating conversation, performance or act is very lively and interesting. The word is used to refer something that is brilliant and exciting.

Example – You should not expect a scintillating conversation from a dimwit.

Quintessential

It is a quintessentially impressive word. The word means – a typical or perfect example of something.

Example – Everybody thinks of him as the quintessential British native.

Sycophant

Sycophant is used to refer to a person who uses flattery to win favor or gain the attention of people wielding influence.

Example – The corporate world is full of real sycophants who can go to any limit to climb the ladder of success.

Conclusion – Being a dedicated translating agency, we have many more interesting stuff related to language. We have a team of expert language translators who can perform the task in 30+ languages. Be it legal translation service or business translation, we are well-versed in all genre of professional language translation services. Need to translate a document. Contact us at – 888-670-3369.