Time's a wastin'

This soulful gem by Erykah Badu has been permeating through me as I work through translations.  It makes me reflect of how valuable time really is.  I dare say that it is more precious than money.  If you think about it, money is something tangible, if you spend or lose a dollar, you can get another one just by scraping up loose change in the cushions of your sofa.  Your credit card, although not hard-earned cash, is also tangible and plastic, and can be replaced if lost or stolen. However, every moment in your life should be cherished. Moments are something intangible and so precious that you cannot afford to lose them, because you cannot get them back. Although you have a chance to start anew the following day, that next time will be very different from the first.  So needless to say, I'm not a guy that likes to waste time with nonsense.  Now don't get me wrong, I like to have fun and be entertained, but too much of it to the point that it is distracting from quality time with family, achieving my goals, professional life, time for reflection and rest for my physical and mental state, is when it becomes a major issue. A lot of people complain that they can't get ahead in life, reach their goals, find a good job, or have time to spend with loved ones, but they spend so much time on social media, watching other people live out their fantasies in movies, "reality" TV and sports, playing video games, or wasting time with people and things in their surroundings that's not worth their time.  If they become aware of how much time they are wasting and actually use that portion and dedicate it to doing what they really want to do, it would make a tremendous difference.  The leaders, innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs, superstars and award-winners you see and read about everyday are only successful because they were proactive people with a vision, and ambitious enough to chase after their dreams.  You should be the same, VALUE YOUR TIME AND STOP WASTING IT!

Año nuevo, cambio de mentalidad

Read the English translation in the comment section.

Lengua Lounge le desea un feliz y próspero Año Nuevo y espera que alcance todo sus metas para el año 2014. Ya entramos en la tercera semana de este año y estas bendiciones parecen inoportunas, pero, en mi opinión, sirven tanto para recordarle de los propósitos que ya ha hecho como para alentarlo a seguir implementándolos.  Es decir, quiero que se mantenga en el buen camino.  Mucha gente ya abandonó la idea de ir al gimnasio y hacer ejercicios para perder estas libritas de más sumadas durante los días feriados. Otros volvieron a sus trabajos y ahora siguen la misma rutina semanal y no pasan tiempo con los suyos, ni siquiera durante los fines de semana, aunque ya prometieron hacerlo.  Algunas personas tienen anhelos de modificar sus vidas por completo, buscar mejor trabajo u otra carrera, estudiar en una universidad o emprender su propio negocio, pero se desmayaron a la imposibilidad de hacerlo (aunque sí se puede). Lo que me gustaría decir a aquellos soñadores es esto: usted puede cumplir todo lo que propongas, porque, donde sea su norte, lo seguirá su corazón hasta dar con ello.  El único obstáculo es usted mismo.  Así que cambia su actitud, comenzando con su forma negativa de pensar, dejando toda duda y miedo.  Llene su mente con pensamientos positivos diciéndose que "Voy a triunfar", "Voy a hacer (blanco) y nadie me va a estorbar", "Si bien paso por algunos contratiempos, no me daré por vencido" Al poner estas afirmaciones en acción, Ud. va a lograr sus sueños. Yo sé por qué se lo digo.

Adquirir su segunda lengua como la primera

¿Cómo aprendemos nuestro primer idioma durante la infancia? No por medio de un software audiovisual, ni tarjetas de vocabulario ni siquiera un libro de texto.  Un bebé, acurrucándose en el vientre de su mamá, aprende escuchando la voz de su progenitora.  Cuando entra en este mundo, se acostumbra a los sonidos, ritmos, gritos y música que hay en la casa y está atento a todo.  Los familiares hablan con la criatura usando frases sencillas, cantan, la enseñan cuáles son algunos objetos: el biberón, los juguetes, los animales. La ayudan a identificar a los familiares: mamá, papá, su hermano o hermanita, sus abuelitos. La alientan a repetir o a contestar, aunque en aquel momento no puede hacer nada más que arrullar, balbucear y hacer ñoñerías, pero esas cosas no les importan, con tal de que se pueda expresar verbalmente o con gestos o por lo menos  señalar con el dedito.  Con el paso de tiempo. el bebé crece rápidamente, pronuncia mejor y profiere bastante.  Con recorridos al parque, al supermercado, a las tiendas, la biblioteca, la guardería, el peque llega a entender un mundo fuera de los muros de la casa.  Sigue desarrollándose y nos da mucha sorpresa de cuánto aprende jugando con otros niños de su edad.  A los 5 o 6 añitos ya habla con soltura, aún antes de llegar al jardín de infantes...

Y así, eso es mi enfoque en la enseñanza de español.   Sé los problemas que los alumnos enfrentan con respecto a aprender su segundo idioma, así que me dedico a instruir español igual a la forma que aprendieron su lengua materna, comenzando con sus oídos; escuchar no más.  Luego, les doy palabras y frases simples que pueden pronunciar y repetir con facilidad:  Nombro cosas a su alcance y a su alrededor para que puedan empezar a platicar sobre el mundo en que andan.  Acepto errores.  Y, claro está, van a distraerse. No sigo a lo tradicional, sino utilizo métodos novedosos.  No me centro tanto en la pesada rutina de memorizar conjugaciones verbales, sino estimulo sus mentes con material vivo y relevante que les anima a abrirse y hablar en español acerca de temas familiares y/o personales. Los capacito a ampliar su imaginación fuera de las aulas, hacia lo ajeno.  Las clases tienen sus límites, sirven de trampolín para preparar los estudiantes a sumergirse en la lengua.  Pasan de hablar en la clase a tener la confianza de comunicarse en el mundo real, o mejor, viajar a un país de habla hispana, adaptarse a una cultura extranjera, aventurarse, juntarse con sus coetáneos hispanos y pasarlo super bien.

Y así llegarás a dominar el español...

Metas comunicativas

Bien, quieres aprender español, pero ¿por qué?   Desde luego, las clases son divertidas, te encanta la cultura hispana y tienes más posibilidades de conseguir trabajo si eres bilingüe, pero estos motivos son superficiales. No tener un propósito es problematico porque muchos estudiantes se quedan con "aprender" el idioma y no se centran en, o temen, la comunicación, la que es más importante. He visto muchos alumnos pasar sus años en la clase estudiando español, pero no lo hablan ni practican fuera del campus. Otros, agobiados por tantas conjugaciones y desafíos lingüísticos, pierden interes en sus estudios. Hay aquellos que toman un semestre al extranjero, en un país hispanoparlante, pero optan por la comodidad de inglés, frecuentando solamente con otros gringos y regresan a casa sin poder decir ni una sola frase en español.  Y cuando se gradúan con un título en español y tratan de entrar en el mundo laboral, se dan cuenta que es inútil poner "bilingüe" en su CV porque no pueden dominar el español, porque en realidad, solo fueron obligados a hablar en clase cuando tuvieron que hacer una exposición o una examen oral.  Es así todo lo anterior porque la idea de adquirir la lengua española fue no más que un estudio: leer un libro de texto e ir a clase.

Es mejor preguntar: ¿por qué deseas "hablar" en español?  Así tendrías que dar una respuesta más personal: para platicar con mis amigos o vecinos; para prepararme para un viaje a España; para tener conversaciones con mis clientes, empleados o socios; para coquetear con una novia o un galan hispano etc. Así estás fijando una meta a la fluidez. Pero, ¿por dónde comenzar?  Primero, es importante que dejes de tener miedo de expresarte y de cometer errores en una conversación. Aventura fuera de tu elemento. Interactúa más con tu profesor y otros estudiantes en español. Atrévete a practicar lo que has aprendido en clase platicando con los hispanos en tu comunidad, sea con alguien que conoces o en un encuentro fortuito en el parque o el supermercado. Únete a las tertulias en la biblioteca local o los grupos de conversación en línea (como Spanish Hangout en Google+).

Fijar metas comunicativas te puede motivar a hablar en español con confianza, así como tambien enriquecer el aprendizaje e intensificar tu pasión.    

Difficulty of translation

When it comes to translation, it's not specialized terminology, complex judicial or administrative processes or highly technical fields that I consider daunting tasks, but as Schleiermacher cogently puts it:

"Whatever, therefore, strikes the judicious reader of the original in this respect as characteristic, as intentional, as having an influence on tone and feeling, as decisive for the mimetic or musical accompaniment of speech, all these things our translator must render."

It doesn't take much to match term-for-term or transfer objective information from one language to the other, but a translator is truly put to the test when having to render natural expression, subtleties, double entendre, an idiolect, an intense emotion, a particular intention, profanity, humor, art...

Competition: Keep It Humble!

I've been asked several times about competition: "There's a slew of people doing what you're doing, how do you distinguish your business from the rest?" "How are you going to compete with those in your field?"  I always hesitate at first to answer these questions, not because I am stumped, but because of the idea of competition.  Knowing and beating your competitors is a key concept in all business models.  You have to outsmart them--have a better product or service, a more seamless operation, more customers, more resources, more profits, etc.--all so your business can boast that you're the best, or better, than the other.  And it's considered the only way to measure success.

A common comparison to the business world in regards to competition is sports, and being that we're  midway through March Madness, let's talk basketball.  In the NCAA tournament, there are scores of teams competing for the championship.  And even though these teams are considered the best in the nation, we still have top and bottom teams, favorites and underdogs, the widely known and unknown, perennial squads and first-timers.  These elements make it interesting for millions of fans and viewers as they fill their brackets and bet on their preferred college team.  The tournament is the driving force behind not only ticket sales but also student enrollment and funding for the schools.  Apparently, there's a lot at stake, especially for reputable teams who are "supposed to win it all".  For example, I think Indiana will be the champs, especially after watching them best Michigan by one point at the last second of the Big 10 championship game. They've been #1 almost the entire season, but what if they don't win?  Their season would be considered a disaster, and their "failure" fodder for sports critics. However, with the tourney's lose-one-and-you're-out design, it creates opportunities for big-time upsets and emerging "Cinderella stories."  So let's say if you're a championship-caliber team like Indiana or Duke, and although you've played your heart out, you're ousted.  Should you really feel like a failure--even though you've won the majority of your games and previous championships and is a nationally respected ball club--all because this year you didn't get to hoist the trophy?

They shouldn't feel disappointed.   Being a basketball player myself, I used to have that mentality that you play to win, and if you lose, that makes you inferior, irrelevant, a disgrace.  That was then.  I don't view the game that way anymore. Now I have a totally new perspective.  Yes, you compete, stand out, give it your all and strive to win, but if you don't come out on top, no matter what the stakes are, be proud of your accomplishment, that you played a good game, congratulate the other, and furthermore, don't consider yourself defeated, because in all reality, you're not.

WHAT?  Yes, I meant what I said.  Hold your head up high, you're not a loser!  In that basketball game, your body is in absolute, incredible condition, more-so than the millions of people watching you!  You're representing a great school, matter-of-fact you're obtaining a quality education...probably for free! So why feel dejected?

Okay, so back to business, so how does Lengua Lounge compete?  Lengua Lounge competes in the sense of standing out, bringing fresh ideas to the table, and being highly sensitive to our clients' needs.  This is our primary focus, shifting away from the aggressive attitude of beating competitors or diminishing their reputation.  Lengua Lounge believes that through the sharing of information and ideas with other translators, academic institutions and tutors alike, and by creating a sense of community among language professionals, we're all working together to improve standards in the language industry and garner respect from those outside of our field.  Lengua Lounge prefers to network and collaborate with other translators, is more inclined to laud the more experienced translators and long-standing firms, and is open to pedagogical methodologies that differ from ours. Rather than poke fun or scrutinize the follies of other freelancers, we opt for the proactive approach, imparting knowledge of the language industry and paving the way for those who have little or no experience.

So, we see it as a level playing field.  At the end of the day, we're all in this industry to use our talents and abilities for the sake of a greater good.

In basketball, competition could be so fierce that you almost forget to have fun. (I mean really, all you're doing is trying to put a ball through a hoop!)

And just as with hoops, Lengua Lounge plays the "game". However, we focus less on having a competitive advantage over the next guy to win it all and more on enjoying the fruits of our labor: overcoming translation challenges, teaming with great colleagues, making it fun and exciting for students to learn Spanish, and exceeding the expectations of our clients.  It's as simple as that.

Accents...and tildes...and umlauts...OH MY!

Having problems typing Spanish characters on your English keyboard? Tired of having to "insert"  the characters when using a Word document or remembering a bunch of numerical combinations?  Especially on the Web, when you're sending emails, chatting on Facebook or entering information in a search engine?  Or maybe you are like me and use your laptop all the time, which doesn´t have the keypad necessary to enter the ASCII (i.e. ALT + 164 = ñ) , so you're stuck with cutting and pasting from a Word document?  The problem is that it takes time away from what you´re doing, slows you down and makes you lose your thought process  This can be very cumbersome.  Maybe that's why some of us type the Spanish words without using any diacritical marks?  I mean it's easier, right?

Well, if you still would  like to type the Spanish words the correct way and want to save yourself the hassle, I have good news for you: there is a solution.  After a quick Web search, I found on http://www.starr.net/is/type/kbh.html  that the best alternative is changing keyboards (path below). I have a Windows 7 operating system (the link above also provides info on other systems), so I simply went to ¨Change Keyboards¨ under the Control Panel, clicked  "Add", then selected the language I would like to have my keyboard switched to, which is Spanish.   Clicked "OK" and then "Apply" and I was basically set!

Control Panel > Clock, Language & Region > Change Keyboards

Now the language bar appears in your Task Bar.  It will show a text label "EN" for English (which is your default language), and if you would like to activate the Spanish keyboard, you can click on that text label, and then "ES"  for Spanish, or you could press Alt + Shift, and you will see the label change to "ES".

Below is an image of a Spanish keyboard for your reference.  Please note that once you have activated the Spanish keyboard, the functions of some of the keys on your keyboard will change.  For example, one of the most noticeable changes is that the 'Ñ' appears where the colon/semi-colon key is located.  To type an accent, it's as easy as pressing [´] (located right next to 'Ñ') and then the letter.  For the umlaut [ü], you'll press Shift + ´ + u.  Also notice that there are some blue special characters, for example '@' when typing an email address.  To input this character you would press Alt Gr (which is the Right Alt) + 2.  To switch back to your default keyboard in English, you click on the text label in your task bar and change the language, or just press Alt + Shift.

Although it takes some getting accustomed to, this will tremendously improve your typing speed.  You'll be able to type in Spanish on the Web and on  programs from your local drive!  Hope this helps!