Also popular as Sinhalese, Sinhala is an official language of Sri Lanka. The language is of Indo-Aryan origin of the Indo-European languages that are spoken by around 16 million Sinhalese people, which make up to 74% of the population in Sri Lanka.

Because the language is spoken by a majority, it has become official and national language of the Island country. Apart from Sri Lanka, Sinhala is also spoken in various other countries such as United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Thailand, and Canada.

The Origin

The origin of the language comes from Sanskrit and the meaning can be translated to lion blood, or lion killer.  Sinhala, along with another language named Pali, played an imperative role in the formation of Therevada Buddhist Literature. The literal meaning of Therevada is ‘the Teaching of the Elders.’

The Alphabet

Sinhala alphabets are considered to be a descendant of the Brahmi Script, which is the ancestor of about 40 modern Indian alphabets and various other alphabets including Tibetan and Khmer. It is also believed that the Sinhala alphabet first appeared from 3^rd and 2^nd centuries BC in the Prakrit Inscriptions. The direction of their writing is in horizontal lines from left to right. In the language, when the vowels appear at the beginning of a syllable, they are often written as independent letters. Also, the Sinhala alphabet resembles some features of modern alphabets of various other countries.

Learning the Language

Regardless of whether you are planning to visit Sri Lanka or just in a mood to learn a new language, Sinhala is a great language to learn. In fact, learning the language would be the key to get a Sri Lankan visa.

It is interesting to understand a new language and culture; however, your documentation and business translation require much more than just learning the basics. Hence, it is advisable to hire a pro for any translation requirements.

Have you been to Sri Lanka? Share your excursions with us in the comments section!

Most of us have a gentle chuckle when we listen to amusing mistakes that Germans make while speaking English. Learning a language is difficult because you need to struggle through a dense new jungle of vocabulary and think twice about a sentence before speaking. Speaking errors may be funny and they can always be ignored during casual communication. However, we cannot avoid the errors that people make while translating German documents to English. In this article, we have mentioned top 3 German to English errors that translators can easily avoid while translating documents.

GmbH is Different from Ltd.

According to German law, GmbH means ‘company with limited liability,’ while translating a company name from German to English; you cannot convert GmbH into Ltd. In fact, you may face some serious legal consequences if you mistakenly translate GmbH to Ltd.

Tip: To avoid any legal action due to incorrect translation, it is recommended to consult a certified translation company.

Do not Capitalize Every Word

Keep in mind that Germans capitalize all nouns; however, in English, only proper nouns are capitalized. Therefore, it is important to know the difference and capitalize a word only when it is required, not because every noun is capitalized in the source. In English, if you need to capitalize all the words, your copy isn’t just considered grammatically incorrect, it also loses interest.

Tip: Do not translate everything as it is from German to English. Use grammar rules and common sense.

Do not Ignore a Word

Sometimes, German has very long and difficult words and translating them can be a task. However, if you do not know a word and its English meaning, it is advisable to research it. Do not leave the word in German because it will complicate the meaning and make the sentence difficult to understand.

Tip: If you are unable to find English translation of a German word, it is advisable to consult an accredited translator.

Bottom Line

Regardless of whether you are an entrepreneur planning to expand your business overseas, a medical professional or a student, the lesson learned is simple – If you do not consult experienced professionals, your documents will not just be a source of embarrassment but you may also face legal actions.

If you have any queries regarding German to English translation or vice-versa, dial 888-670-3369. Have any translation horror stories to share? Let us know in the comments’ section.

While epic translation errors do not happen every day, when they do they are either hilarious or just plain weird. At LanguageOasis, we like to mention every kind of translation bloomer. From ‘cum’ sale to ‘dreamy grass,’ our list has something for all tastes.  Check it out!

1.     It’s not every day that you enjoy an exhibition ‘cum’ sale. We are sure that they get a lot of business.

2. If you think that golf is not a serious sport, think again. ‘Balls’ are even more important. Ouch!

3. It is amazing when things are this direct. Who thinks about later generations so thoughtfully.

4. And we thought only fairy tales are adorable.

5. Poor Vegetables. Sob, Sob!

Although, some of the above-mentioned flubs are funny, translation errors are not funny when it comes to your business. In fact, wrong translations are a cause of monetary loss in international business.

Have an image to share that made you laugh? Share in the comments’ section.

Learning a foreign language is not just interesting; it also requires your time and dedication. If you are like most people, you do not want to sound like an idiot while speaking a new language. Do not get us wrong, we know that making mistakes is natural; however, there are a few mistakes that can be easily avoided while learning Spanish.

If are a native English speaker, one challenge that you may face is training yourself to think in Spanish terms. It is normal for a native English speaker to pronounce Spanish words with an English bias. However, it is important to address and correct these tendencies in advance.

Below is the list of 5 common mistakes that might make you sound less intelligent than you are in real life.  Follow these guidelines to make your Spanish sound more authentic and natural.

Dia – A Masculine Word

To a native of English, the word ‘dia’ may sound feminine; however, it is a masculine noun in Spanish. This means that it requires the use of masculine articles and adjectives such as Buenos dias (not buenas dias), el otro dia (not la otra dia).

Never Translate Word for Word

Both the languages are different, which means that word-to-word translation may lead to mistakes. For example – ‘I am going to buy a pair of pants’ won’t be translated word-to-word in Spanish. In Spanish, the translation would be ‘Voy a comprar pantalones.’ Here, the words ‘a pair of’ are dropped.

You can’t Interchange the Words ‘Aqui’ And ‘Aca’

Both the words ‘aqui,’ and ‘aca’ refer to a location that is close to the speaker; however, these words are not interchangeable. For example – You may use ‘Aca’ with verbs of motion, while ‘aqui’ is used in other instances.

Understand False Cognates

Keep in mind that lots of Spanish words may look and sound like English words but appearance can be deceiving. For example – the word ‘asistir’ does not mean ‘to assist,’ instead it means ‘to attend.’

Don’t Confuse Date

To express ‘date’ as in what is the date today? Use the word ‘fecha,’ however, to express ‘date’ as in ‘an appointment with someone, use the word ‘cita.’

In order to avoid making mistakes, it is important to identify them as early as possible. If you need document translation from some other language to Spanish, make sure to consult professionals in order to avoid embarrassments.

Have you made any embarrassing mistake while learning a foreign language? Share your experiences in the comments’ section.

Today, we are here to talk memes, Internet Memes! And if you feel that they are kid stuff because they include dancing babies, cute cats, and friendly dogs, then you need to rethink. Memes are serious business because they change the way we communicate, share emotions, and offer insight on where we are headed as a global society. Not just that, a meme also has the power to shape elections.              

The last decade has seen the arrival of raining ‘LOLcats and dogss,’ the famous Lord of the Rings dialogue, ‘one does not simply…’ ‘troll memes,’ and ‘overly attached girlfriend memes,’ among others. Memes are not just fun, they are one of the best ways to convey your message. The interesting part is that all memes follow some consistent linguistic rules and specific fonts.

The Inception of Internet Memes

      (Lord of the Rings Meme)
Every Internet meme has its own unique story. You may find a bunch of creative memes making news and mysteriously spreading on Twitter feed, Facebook feed, Tumblr dashboard, and any other social networking site. In fact, these memes cover numerous topics including Science, Geography, English, relationships, and current affairs, among others. Popular websites such as KnowYourMeme.com specializes in tracking down Internet memes. In fact, they even have the names of creator, artist or photographer of a few memes.

A List of Popular Meme

Raining LOLcats and Dogs

(LOLCats Memes)
One of the most shared memes is LOLcats – LOL being the text meaning ‘laugh out loud’ and cats being the most shared image on the web. These memes include some of the funniest things cats say such as “I can has cheeseburger.” In fact, OxfordWords even gives opportunity to web users to generate their own LOLcat speak memes. Recently dogs joined the league, making the memes even more interesting.

Y U No Txt Bak!?

 (Gantz Memes)

Another popular meme is ‘Y U No Guy.’ If you want to send a pissed of guy meme with furious facial expressions, this is the meme to choose. The facial expression is taken from a character in Japanese manga series Gantz. The original phrase that gained popularity was, “I TXT U/ Y U NO TXT BAK!?

Final Thoughts

Memes are not just interesting, they are among the most creative ways to spread a message. So, next time if you want to show love or be sarcastic on the web, create your own meme.

Incorrect English and incomplete words work well for memes but not for your business website, documents and conversations. Enjoy our meme post; however, do not take the risk when it comes to correct language translation for business, academic and personal use.  To find out more on language translation, dial 888-670-3369.

As the first month of 2015 is about to end, it is time to look back and see which word gained popularity in 2014 and was announced as ‘Word of the Year’ by Oxford Dictionary. So, without further ado, the word of the year 2014 is ….

“Vape”

Meaning

The word originated as an abbreviation of ‘vaporize’ or ‘vapor.’ According to OxfordDictionaries.com, the verb means “to inhale or exhale the vapour produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device”

Why was ‘Vape’ Chosen?

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have become very common, due to which, vape has grown significantly in popularity. In fact, the usage of the word has more than doubled in the past year. The word gained popularity in April 2014 when the UK’s first ‘vape café’ (The Vape Lab in Shoreditch, London) opened. In the same month, the issues of vaping were discussed in popular newspapers including The Washington Post, and The Telegraph, among others.

More about the Word

The word is so interesting that it also works as the modifier for other nouns, creating new compound nouns. The most common of these include –

–          Vape pen

–          Vape shop

–          Vape juice

–          Vape fluid

–          Vape lounge

The Competitors

Although, vape made it to the list, here is a list of other words that came close but could not get the title ‘Oxford Word of the Year.’

1. Bae: The word is used as a term of flattery for one’s romantic partner.
2. Budtender: Someone who serves customers in a cannabis dispensary.
3. Contactless: type of technologies that allow a smart card, phone, and mobile to contact wirelessly to an e-reader.

What do you think of this new addition? Let us know in the comments’ section. For English translation or any other language translation service, dial 888-670-3369.

Life is interesting because it is full of ‘ki-do-ai-raku.’ That is delight-anger-sorrow-fun. Japanese is a fascinating language because it has some exceptional phrases. In this post, we have mentioned 3 Japanese delightfully strange expressions. Master these expressions and use them casually to sound like a native.

(Image Citation: www.fanpop.com)

Phrase #1: Nodo Kara Te Ga Deru (English Translation: My hand is coming out of my throat)

Ever faced a situation when you really want something and feel that you will die if you do not get that? Well, this is the phrase you may use to convey that feeling. The expression comes from a time when food was scarce and people were dying because of hunger. However, now-a-days, it is used to refer to anything that you desperately want. For example: If you really want a pair of shoes, you may say, “Ano kutsu, nodo kara te ga deru hodo hoshi,” which means that I want those shoes so much that my hand is coming out of my mouth.

Phrase #2: Imo Wo Arau Yō (Like washing potatoes)

Everybody dislikes to be caught in a large crowd that they can barely squeeze through. Japanese understand the feeling and know exactly which phrase to use to describe the emotions. Considering the crowd and crowded situation in Japan, it is no surprise that Japanese have come up with this expression. The phrase comes from an old practice of washing lots of potatoes in a barrel. It is assumed that these potatoes somewhat look like crowd in a subway or station.

Phrase #3: Me No Naka Ni Iretemo Itaku Nai (It won’t hurt to put him/her inside my eye)

Well, literally, it will hurt if you try to put something/someone in your eye. However, this phrase is used when you find someone/something so attractive that you would like to keep them close. You may use the Japanese phrase ‘Me No Naka Ni Iretemo Itaku Nai,’ which means that so-and-so is very attractive or cute that it won’t hurt to put him/her in your eye. Although, you cannot attempt it literally, it is definitely a fascinating expression.

Final Thoughts

So, what do you think of these Japanese expressions? And, by all means, do let us know if there are others you think should be on our list.

Need Japanese to English translation? Send an e-mail to support@languageoasis.com.

Whether you are looking for it or not, life has an interesting way to surprise you. You may come across a hilarious translation error while travelling, driving, and even during a bootylicious, we mean delicious, meal. From ‘spitted’ pizza to ‘crap burgers,’ navigating a restaurant menu can definitely ‘spice-up’ your meal and give you an interesting topic to discuss during the meal. In this post, we have a few menu translation errors that will make you laugh out loud and take the menu with home with you.

        1.     Yes, we would love to have a roasted husband, please…

        2. You have a dinner date today! Enjoy hamburger with a sheep.

            3.     Want to have bowel rice? Eh, may be not!

i.imgur.com / reddit.com

         4.     It is not every day that someone gives free bottles of BEARS. Enjoy!

                5.     Let’s Enjoy this Evening with some ‘Scothch.’ Shall we?

yfrog.com / Twitter: @joshcorman

Have some other images that you would like to share with us? Post in the comments’ section? Love traveling? Read about ‘Top 3 Bizarre Languages Spoken Around the World.’

Language is as interesting as it is strange. According to Wikipedia, approximately 359 million people speak English as their first language on this planet, and it is not even the most common language world-wide (Mandarin tops the chart). On the other end of the scale, there are approximately 2,000 languages that are spoken by 1000+ people each. Strange, complex, yet beautiful, here are top 3 bizarre languages still spoken around the world.

Archi

A language popular in a small village named Archib in southern Russia, Archi is spoken by a population of 1, 200 or less. Although, the language is no different from two other languages spoken in the village – namely Avar and Lak, linguists consider Archi to be one-of-a-kind language. One feature that makes this language interesting is – for any given verb, there are around 1, 500, 000 separate conjugations. One more reason why this language deservers a mention in our list.

Sentinelese

The language is as unique as its name. One interesting reason why this language is a part of our list is that we do not really know much about it. In the world, where we have explored or at least tried to explore almost everything, there is still a small island in the Indian Ocean where entry of outsiders is a big no-no. The residents of North Sentinel Island have a strict foreign relations policy, which is, shoot arrow at a stranger who tries to enter the island.

Silbo Gomero

This one tops the charts when we talk about uniqueness. While most languages incorporate complex letters, verbs, adjectives and what not, Silbo Gomero, a language of La Gomera on the coast of Spain, is remarkably simple – it is a whistle language. The understanding of people is amazing because whistles function similarly the way other languages function. Now, this is one language that we would love to learn.

World is filled with uniqueness. Do you know any language that is unpopular but interesting? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Newspapers love to report translation blunders and the readers enjoy reading them; however, there is nothing funny about a language translation blunder that cased a company to lose money, brand value, and customers. In this post, we have mentioned a few language translation errors that embarrassed business owners.

‘Deadly’ Translation Mistake

Well, this mistake is indeed deadly!  In Epinal, France, a group of medical professionals interpreted a medication dose for prostate cancer without using the services of a professional translator. This mistake took the life of four people.

When ‘Colgate’ Turned Into a ‘Porn’ Magazine

Well, not literally! However, when Colgate’s new toothpaste named Cue didn’t sell in France, the reason was far from the quality of product. The reason was the name of the product. The company didn’t realize that ‘Cue’ was the name of a popular porn magazine in France.

Turn it Loose. May Be Not!

Most translation errors occur when businesses try to translate idiomatic phrases without any professional help. ‘Turn it Loose’ worked extremely well while selling Coors beer in America; however, it didn’t work as well in Spain. The popular phrase associated with Coors beer, when translated, promised of diarrhea for everyone who consumed it. Not a great reason to enjoy a cold beer.

Every business has a limited marketing budget and it is understandable that they want to save money. But losing your customers or recreating a campaign is much more expensive. If you are reaching international audience, make sure to take help of professional translators.

Read a translation blunder that amused you? Share with us in the comments section.