Archive for November, 2009

Spanish Learning Software Is No Junior High Class

Monday, November 30th, 2009

In high school I had no Spanish learning software. I had to rely on my Spanish teachers. I was a comedy. My first high school teacher was serious so I should not say anything against him. He always scolded us telling us we could not understand Spanish because we did not understand English. I think he was right in many ways. If I did not know in English what a present participle was how would I know it in Spanish?

But also remember my Spanish class in junior high school. What I remember the most was our Spanish teacher who had escaped from Cuba after the Castro revolution. He would tell us stories about the state police would come to his house and search because they considered him a subversive to the new dictator’s regime.

He escaped and became a U. S. Citizen. He was more interested in his class of young Americans appreciating the country we all live in. We were more interested in mocking him for his white socks.

He proudly wore his white socks with his blue suit. I suppose there was nothing terribly wrong with his fashion sense but we laughed anyway and if anyone appreciated the US more because of him at the time I would be surprised. But looking back I may not have learned any Spanish but I now can appreciate his plight. Now the real joke was my high school second year Spanish class.

Not only was she easy to deceive that it was simply not any fun, I do not think she cared whether or not we learned how to speak and understand Spanish. In a nutshell, my Spanish lessons did not teach me much about the language. Of course I could have applied myself if I wanted.

I cannot blame my teachers for not being able to speak Spanish. I really did not want to. But if you want to learn Spanish, there is learning software available which will help you in your quest to speak a foreign language.

You have to want to learn of course because if you do not want to put forth the effort you will waste your time and money. There are many Spanish learning software on the market but you want to find the one that teaches the fundamentals. One of my managers with the company I used to work for said to learn vocabulary and then learn the grammar. Then put it together and you will be on your way to communicating is Spanish.

You want to find software that teaches the fundamentals in this way. You want to find software that is easy to use. Learning a new language is challenging enough. You do not want to have the software difficult to use also. And you want a Spanish learning software that helps you pronounce the words and gives you the audio pronunciation so that you are on target with the correct way to pronounce your new language. There are several Spanish learning software available that leaves your high school Spanish class memories in the dust.

There is a ton you can do in your spare time. If you want to study a different language, you will want to seek for Spanish Learning Software, so that you can find out how you can easy learn Spanish.

Illuminative Paper Lanterns

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Decorative Paper lanterns are one of the main items used to illuminate many festival sites. Most people leave them permanently fixed in gardens and buildings in addition to other decorations.

Assembling Illuminative paper lanterns is very easy. In just a matter of 20 minutes, a lantern can be assembled and suspended. Paper lanterns are sold with a metal tool that is used to expand the lantern to the proper shape. A cord is needed to hang the lantern and is sold separately. Typically, 10 to 15-foot cords are available, for additional length, an extension cord is needed.

Regardless of the easy to assemble procedure, you still have to be cautious when using the expander as it can damage the lantern accidentally if it punctures with the sides. Furthermore, the body of this type of lantern is made of easily breakable thin wire. This is done to make the packaging and mailing easier as flattening of lanterns can effectively be done. The metal tool is to help widen the lamp fully.

Even though assembly is not difficult, be careful not to contact the sides of the lantern with the expander tool when widening the lamp. Additionally, collapsible wires are used to make the body of these lamps. This helps packaging and mailing lanterns so they can be kept flattened easily. To obtain the original shape of the lantern, the metal expander is needed.

After you reshape the lantern, you will need the cord to hang it. Place the cord along the wall to the top and hook the cord to the ceiling. Select a tape that will stick the cord well. The cord can be fixed with hooks which are stronger than any tape. Install the light next. As electric fixtures may cause fires, keep enough space between each side of the lanterns when positioning the bulb. It is more suitable to use CFL bulbs rather than other types because these bulbs heat up less.

Wattage of bulbs should be controlled properly to avoid fires. A low wattage bulb is preferred. When you have finished connecting the light, turn on the power to see whether the bulb lights up. Rarely, there will be no result due to a mistake when assembling and installing. If there?s a mistake due to bad assembly, repeat the procedure again.

Cody Scholberg, a lighting expert, writes about battery paper lanterns. Check out this post on using string paper lanterns to repel mosquitoes!

Enhance Business Prospects with Efficient Translation Services

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Today organizations face many challenges with regard to translation in order for them to exceed customer expectations and reach their sales goals. Because of the exponential growth in Internet usage, there is an equally high growth of content creation. This has led to high requirement in terms of content translation for enterprises in different languages, which has in turn fostered the growth of translation services.

After the advent of globalization, a marketing company can be found to have manufacturing unit in China, while their target market segments could be nations like U.S., U.K or Middle East. Considering this an operating scenario, it surely indicates that organizations will face difficultly trying to meet their translation requirements. This can be efficiently handled by accurate language translation services. Organizations will need to install translation servers in their production and service departments.

Organizations using translation services can enjoy high translation speed, easy creation new language pairs easily and also get customized language translation services that help to exceed client organization needs. The advantage of using these language translation tools is to help cut across language barriers with unprecedented levels of volume, speed, and accuracy; eventually ensuring business development for organizations.

There are certain enterprise translation service providers who are pioneer in providing client organizations with excellent language translator programs. The solutions they offer deliver high volume, high speed & accurate translations for effective communication between client offices that are remotely placed.

The online translation software that they provide aids in translation of high-value digital information into definite business advantage for sectors like business intelligence, government organizations, customer care departments, and community content. The software is capable of performing multilingual translation & foreign language translation at improved speed and better accuracy. Experienced service providers in the area of language translation are able to deliver quick and accurate translation for volumes of data.

In order to overcome translation challenges and also provide excellent translation services, organizations should opt for automated translation solutions available for their industry. Translation servers can be used in digital industries, enterprises and government organizations.

Choose accurate language translation services for efficient language translation and enjoy speedy business growth.

Japanese Phrases - What To Say When It Comes To Love

Friday, November 27th, 2009

There are many ways to tell someone you love them in every language. For the Japanese language, this is no exception. However, in Japanese there is not just one direct way to say I love you, but a number of ways to express feelings.

‘Suki’ is a popular word used in expressions to say ‘I Love You’. It literally means ‘Like’ but is popular to use to express love. ‘Suki desu’ means ‘I like’ but also a more indirect way of saying ‘I Love You’. ‘Daisuki desu’ is a more informal way of saying ‘I really like you’. Males sometimes will use the version ‘Suki da’ and females ‘Suki yo’. If you are in the Kansai region of Japan, you may hear ‘Suki yanen’ which is dialect for ‘I Love You’ or ‘I Love It’.

To say ‘I Love You’ directly, you can use the expression ‘Aishite Imasu’. ‘Ai’ is the Japanese word for love. Women will often use the expression ‘Ai shite iru wa’.

The Japanese also use the English loanword equivalent to love by pronouncing it as rabu. Here are a few examples: 1. Rabu retaa - Love letter 2. Rabu shiin - Love scene 3. Rabu Rabu - Used by young people when they are very much in love.

Japanese do not like to say directly how they feel towards another person unless they feel extremely close with them. This is hard for many Western non-Japanese to deal with because they are so used to expressing feelings and opinions directly. Yet, some Japanese hardly even say ‘I love you’ to each other as a couple or while married because it is inherently known and showing love instead of saying it is what is more important than anything else.

Of course you don’t have to actually use words to show love. Japanese will often use gifts and favors instead. Cooking dinner, doing household chores and any other small tokens of appreciation are used and can often express feeling better than words.

Learn the correct pronunciation for these phrases. To hear native speaker pronunciation for these Japanese phrases visit http://www.learn-hiragana-katakana.com

Learn To Speak Spanish Fluently

Friday, November 27th, 2009

Learning how to speak Spanish fluently involves much more than memorization. There is a process, a correct method, and a simple approach that will make your Spanish speaking skills take hold much faster.

Who doesn’t like the sand and surf? Summer is quickly approaching and there is enough time to learn Spanish rapidly so that you can take your Spanish experience to the next level, that is, you can go beyond the confines of the resort or your hotel, and enjoy some independence and freedom. At this level, you’ll be able to communicate with the locals and by doing so; you will increase your chances of meeting and establishing lifelong friendships with the Spanish-natives. You will be able to share your culture with them and visa versa, to further build and solidify a mutual respect for each other’s culture. Your feelings of isolation and existence as part of the tourist herd will be a thing of the past. You will be more independent and be the go to “Guy or Gal” for the other English-speaking tourists when they are in need of extra assistance. Your social life will increase, as you will be able to equally interact with the tourists and the locals.

Proceed to the chapter’s “fun” section; many text books have a crossword puzzle or other word game that requires using the vocabulary just learned. Complete those activities before proceeding to the chapter’s “lecture” portion. Review the lecture more than once to understand the Spanish language structure it’s trying to teach. Focus on the examples it gives, and study how it puts the words together.

Do the Spanish vocabulary and grammar structure exercises in the application section. Look at the example set for you; study how that example is put together into a complete sentence. Make sure that you give your answers in complete Spanish sentences. Do this step in three stages by mentally stating the solutions, by verbally stating the solutions and by writing them down.

Do the audio version of the exercises. Know that this is done three ways: by repeating after the teacher, by repeating after the audio and by student conversation exercises. Listen to how the teacher or audio pronounces the words. Use the same structure and pronunciation when it’s your turn to recite those statements. Speak in complete Spanish sentences when doing the “question and answer exchange” between students. For example, when your partner asks, “What’s your name?” in Spanish, say, “My name is ___” in Spanish. Resist the urge to give one-word answers to these exercises.

As you learn fluent Spanish, I would recommend that you focus your energy on learning as much relevant cultural and social etiquette information about the country that you will be going to. You will be more alert and aware of what’s going on around you and this will keep you out of trouble the smart way. With the right course to learn to speak fluent Spanish, you will graduate from “dos cerveza por favor” to “una botella de vino tinto” and be able to learn Spanish rapidly so that you can spice up your travels and/or stay as an expatriate in any Spanish-speaking country. It will be worth the time and effort that you put into this rewarding activity.

Limited time only! Get unheard of deals on Learn to speak Spanish fluently before supplies run out. Visit Learn to speak Spanish fluently today!

Learn French CD

Friday, November 27th, 2009

Zut Alors, apprendre vous Francais! Oh pardon my French: Of course, you can learn French. Learning any foreign is an important part of formal or informal education. In the first place, it is so practical, particularly if you travel for business or pleasure. Secondly, you may also have friends or relatives who speak a different language. Also, studies show that children that learn a second language are better students all around.

You may be thinking to yourself,Who can benefit from these Learn French CDs? A student can benefit by supplementing their classroom time with home study. Too much of class time is spent teaching to the middle of the pack. To break away from that middle, you can practice your French at home. An extra two to three hours a week will boost your grades and is much better spent than video games, texting, or watching MTV. They will also come in handy right before an exam. You can also use these CDs to review French before a trip abroad. Whether it is Paris, Montreal, or San Tropez, you will not be intimidated by the locals.

There are, of course, quite a few ways to learn the French language. The first is to move to a French speaking country. Not a bad way if you can afford it. The second is to learn French in school. Also not bad, but I have know about a few million people in their forties who would vouch that it just might not stick.

Language skills are hard enough to attain, but it is even worse to maintain them if you never have a chance to use them. Audio is great and has been used since the days of 78 RPM records. The key is repetition. This also has worked for tapes for decades. A Learn French CD combines the audio and the repetition, with visual aids and written techniques. You will learn French and, because it is on a CD you will learn it again when you need to.

At the end of the day, When it comes down to it, learning French or any foreign language just makes you a better rounded person. So, pick up a “Learn French CD” and you can move your education and your life forward.

There are many avenues available to you in order to learn French. The first is to move to a French speaking country. Not a bad way if you can afford it. The second is to learn French in school. Also not bad, but I have know about a few million people in their forties who would vouch that it just might not stick.

Looking to find the best deal on Learning French On CD, then visit www.learnfrenchcd.info to find the best advice on a Learning French On CD for you.

How to Work with a Document Translation Company

Friday, November 27th, 2009

When you need a training manual, legal contract or scientific report translated into a foreign language, you can turn to a document translation company instead of a freelance translator to ensure that you are going to get a high-quality product. Document translation service companies specialize in delivering high quality documents for all types of industries including business, healthcare, science and engineering amongst others. This means you can obtain a highly accurate translation for even the most complex project. Here are some tips for using document translation services to your full advantage:

1. Compare quotes online. Many document translation companies offer instant online quotes, or can provide you with a quote within a 24-hour time frame after you submit the specifications of your project. This can help you compare different companies so that you are getting the most attractive rate. Just make sure you review the terms and conditions or FAQs section of the company’s website so you understand their pricing structure, fees and surcharges that may apply to your services.

2. Check the available languages and sub-dialects. Most companies only offer general translations while some may provide translations into a certain dialect as well. Consider having your documents translated into a specific dialect if you have a narrow target market. General translations can easily be misinterpreted by those speaking a specific dialect.

3. Use their customer support services. A lot of translation companies have round the clock customer support services. These services are a convenient way for you to ask for the status of your project and relay additional instructions to your translators. The service will help you coordinate the translation project to the actual operations of your business.

4. Avail of a cultural competency assessment. Cultural competency assessment can provide some insights into the culture, language, and trends in your target region. This service may be bundled in with your project for free or you can purchase this separately. Always ask a company if they offer this service. Consider getting one because this contains invaluable information about your target market.

5. Determine what the quality guarantee consists of. Many document translation service companies offer some type of quality guarantee that ensures the final document will be fully understandable by a native speaker. Make sure you understand how their guarantee works, and what accreditations or certifications their translators have. Qualified and experienced translators will delivery higher-quality work, so you can count on getting an accurate, well-written and edited document time and time again.

Using document translation services offers several advantages over outsourcing your work to an independent translator, and you can make your experience even better by learning about the company and taking advantage of customer service support and other services. Consider these five areas when you are narrowing down the field of choices for a translation company, so you can make the best decision for your business.

Legal Translation Solutions provides high priority document translation services for all elements of litigation, from important documentation to supporting materials. America’s foremost law firms and leading corporations turn to Legal Translation Solutions for their professional translation services and translators.

A Review of Rocket Japanese Premium

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

If you need some help learning the Japanese language, try the Rocket Japanese Premium package. This software language learning program will be useful whether you will be visiting Japan or want to learn Japanese for another reason. Put together by Sayaka Matsuura, here is a description of this helpful audio language learning program.

Component 1:

Learn to Speak Confidently, Naturally, and Fluently with your 31-lesson Interactive Audio Course

The 31 tracks in the Rocket Japanese Premium Interactive Audio Course will enable you to become a confident and natural speaker. The tracks average over 20 minutes in length each, so you get over 12 hours of audio lessons that you can listen to any time you like. They cover everything that you need to know to become an active member of the Japanese community. You learn things like introducing yourself to moving about in public transporatation and much more. More Sample Tracks

Along with the lessons you also get the transcripts of the conversations in romaji, Japanese characters (Hiragana and Katakana), and English translation to make the learning process more convenient.

Component 2:

Rocket Japanese Premium Grammar and Culture Lessons

This portion of Rocket Japanese Premium consists of 31 illustrated lessons on Japanese grammar and culture. This course material is available in the Rocket Japanese Learning Lounge, and it offers examples and tips that teach you the proper words to say at the right time. This portion also includes lessons on the written Japanese language.

Component 3:

MegaVocab Software Learning Game

The 20 topics in the MegaVocab software learning game build your Japanese vocabulary to more than 1000 words. You also get a tool called the MegaVocab Creator, which lets you add helpful pictures and words.

Component 4:

MegaAudio Software Learning Game

Most people discover that understanding a spoken foreign language can be difficult. You can use the MegaAudio software learning game to quickly help you recognize more than 1000 spoken words.

Component 5:

MegaHiragana Software Learning Game

This useful module helps students gain a good understanding of the Japanese language in its written form. Hiragana characters are used to symbolize the various sounds in spoken Japanese, and are at the heart of written Japanese. MetaHiragana introduces students learning Japanese to the set of hiragana characters and makes it easy to recognize and memorize these characters.

Component 6:

Japanese Learner’s Forum and Rocket Language Support

Rocket Japanese Premium provides a “Members Only” Japanese Learner’s Forum. Students can choose to send an email or post a message or question in this forum. Answers are provided by Rocket Premium’s Japanese teachers, native speakers and fellow students who are also learning Japanese.

This program will enable you to become a confident speaker and good writer of Japanese language. The package is priced $99.95 for the instant download and the Hardcopy 20-CD pack is for $49.95. The whole package comes with a 60 day money back guarantee.

Want to find out more about Rocket Japanese, then visit Ryse Edwards’s site on how to choose the best learning Japanese course for your needs.

Learning Spanish Tips

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

If you are interested in learning a foreign language, you might be interested in Spanish. Why do I say this? Only because Spanish is one of the most commonly studied foreign languages. Especially for English speakers, Spanish is a very popular choice.

Especially in countries like the United States, Spanish speaking communities are growing which has led to more of a need for individuals with Spanish and English speaking skills.

For this case, maybe you want to learn Spanish in order to better communicate on your job or maybe you want to make new friends with your co-workers.

Learning to speak a new foreign language is a great goal that can bring about many personal rewards. However, it should still be noted that learning a foreign language is a long task and it is not a weekend project that can be completed quickly. There are a few things you should keep in mind, however, in order to speed along your learning process.

Spanish is best studied a little bit each day just like all other foreign languages instead of studying it for a long period every once in a while.

The reason for this is that studying a little bit each day will reduce the time that you need to spend at each study session reviewing the material from before. By doing a little bit each day, you can keep moving along nicely and increasing your knowledge of the language.

By studying each and every day for a little bit, you are able to not only make small improvements and reduce the time needed for review but additionally, you can condition your mind to get used to the new language which is an important process to gaining proficiency.

For whatever reason you may be learning Spanish, I wish you the best of luck and a speedy process in learning it! Remember to study a little bit each day and you should continue to improve. Just keep at it and you will experience the many rewards that foreign language study can bring.

Robertson B. Kunz is the author of a language learning guide to help you get fluent in a foreign language faster. Visit his website to get more great information on learning languages. Also, find more great information on learn Spanish articles.

A Sampling of Yiddish Vocabulary

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

The Yiddish language is the language of the Ashkenazi Jews that developed from about the 10th century in the Rhineland and then spread to central and eastern Europe and eventually to other continents. Besides German, Yiddish also borrows words from Polish and Russian. In the late’60’s, there were apparently about 10 million speakers of Yiddish.

In Yiddish itself, the language is known as “Mame-loshen” which literally means “mama’s tongue” or “mother-tongue”. “LASHON” is the Hebrew word for “tongue” or “language”, and the Hebrew language calls itself “LASHON KODESH” - the “Holy Tongue”. The Yiddish language is written with Hebrew letters.

Dozens if not hundreds of Yiddish and Hebrew words have adopted by American English. Some of the words include: kindergarten, schmooz (to talk or chat), shtik (piece, a special bit of acting), and shnook (a dolt), a “toches” means a person’s behind.

This article will take a closer look at some fun Yiddish words and phrases. Es tut mir laid - I’m sorry. Farstunken means stinky, but farshvitst means sweaty.

Words like “Milchiks”, “Flaishik” and “Pushkey” are specific to Judaism, “Milchiks” (similar to our word “milk”) refers to dairy foods and cooking utensils (as Jews separate meat from milk). On the other hand, “flaishik” means “meet” foods (compare to the English word “flesh”). A “Mechalel Shabbes” is one who works on or violates the Shabbat rest. —

Some words are specific to Judaism, “Milchiks” (similar to our word “milk”) refers to dairy foods and cooking utensils (as Jews separate meat from milk). On the other hand, “flaishik” means “meet” foods (compare to the English word “flesh”). A “pushkeh” is a charity box used to collect money.

The word “NIT” is a cognate of our word “NOT”. “Nit gidacht!” means “It shouldn’t happen”. “Nit heint, nit morgen!” means “not today, and not tomorrow.” Simlary, “NISHT” is another word that means “no” or “not”, as in “Nisht Naitik” (not necessary).

Some of the “SH” words are interesting. A “shnorrer” is someone who is a parasite, always glad to ask for money. A “shtarker” is a tough guy, and to “shushkey” means to whisper or gossip. A “shvegerin” is a sister-in-law, and to “shvindel” means to “swindel” or fraud.

Last but not least, here are some “Z” words and phrases. “Zindit nit” = “Don’t complain”. “Zitsen ahf shpilkes” means “sitting on pins and needles” or “fidgety”. You probably guess the “Shpilkes” is similar to the English “spikes”. Probably one of the funniest phrases is “Zol vaksen tzibbelis fun pipek” - which means “Onions should grow from your navel!”.

Neal Walters offers Yiddish and Hebrew products at his Learn Hebrew Alphabet website called http://HebrewResources.com.