Translation vs. Transcreation: What Do You Need?

Remember the National Dairy Association’s campaign “Got Milk?” What if they had wanted this translated into Spanish to reach a primarily Spanish-speaking market? That would result in a literal translation of “Are You Lactating?” It doesn’t have quite the same meaning, does it? The big multinational brands have been doing translation well for decades. The Coca-Colas, Volkswagens and Unilevers of…

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Making Human Resources Multilingual: Why It Matters

Whether you are a multinational company with offices overseas or a local Chicago business with non-English speaking employees, you must be adept at bridging the gaps between languages and cultures in order to recruit and maintain the most valuable talent. An often overlooked component of this is language services. From translating employee manuals, policy procedure documents, benefits…

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The Real Cost of NOT Professionally Translating Marketing Materials

As modern consumers, we are constantly inundated with information through the use of mobile devices and wearable tech. This means that we are rarely off the grid. Digital content is coming at us from all angles and as a result, we have become very good at the art of ‘extreme skim reading’. As we try not to drown in content, we are learning to filter out anything that isn’t 100% relevant to us.…

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Creative Partnerships Result In Patient Benefit: Norwegian American Hospital & Metaphrasis Interpreter Program

Professional language services company, Metaphrasis Language & Cultural Solutions, and Norwegian American Hospital have recently collaborated to create a unique solution that benefits both entities as well as the community. In the medical world, language barriers can create problems for both patients and providers. For patients, language and communication influences how…

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Why Google Translate is Like Speed Dating…

Does Google Translate have a place in the world of professional translation? We don’t think so. There is a small place for it in personal use, but Google Translate is most definitely NOT a replacement for professional language services. In a sense, Google Translate is like speed dating. In a very quick transaction, you can get an idea of what something is saying, but you definitely won’t know…

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When Communication At Events Is Vital: Q&A With An Event Planner

We are in a global, 24/7 business world. Companies often have multinational locations, staff and operate across borders via the internet. Although English is the most common language in the business world, it is still much more productive to bridge any language gaps between English speakers and those that prefer to be spoken to in their native language. In the world of conferences and meeting…

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Seeking Qualified Medical Interpreters in Specific Languages

Are you a trained medical interpreter in the Chicagoland region interested in working with a nationally recognized language service company that values professionalism, quality and hard work. Metaphrasis Language and Cultural Solutions, LLC is currently seeking qualified interpreters to join our team. Interpreters with proficiency in the following languages are in high demand: Farsi…

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You Get What You Pay For – Part II

In our previous post, You Get What You Pay For Part I, we discussed the price-driven trend many have fallen into when selecting a language service partner. Metaphrasis is trying to change this discussion by highlighting all of the complexities that go into quality language services. It is important to understand when working with a professional company what determines the price and what value…

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You Get What You Pay For – A Look Into Today’s Language Service Climate

In the small Spanish town of As Pontes, Google Translate is being held responsible for a rather embarrassing error, after its annual local culinary fair was renamed the Clitoris Festival. The name was then printed on its website for several months before being noticed. Can you imagine this happening to your business? Your response may be “that would never happen to us.” We would like to counter…

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Diversity is Our Greatest Opportunity – NAWBO Chicago

Recently interviewed by NAWBO Chicago, Elizabeth talks about diversity and how it is our greatest opportunity within business. Read this personal journey and telling story of how diversity can affect your business in a positive way. What does this story have to do with diversity? Everything. It takes many different types of people to make a company successful. It takes stars and supporters,…

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