France is one of the most visited countries around the world. Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées, Louvre, Panthéon, and Notre-Dame are some of the spectacular attractions the country has to offer. Paris, the capital of France, has been often called “the city of lights,” ‘the city of Romance,” and ‘the culinary capital of the world.” The city definitely stands to its standards: Parisian air is filled with affection, beautiful buildings sparkle in the limelight, and then there is French food… Paris is famous for its incredible cheeses, chocolates, pastries and gateaux; the center is known for its hearty peasant fare, pâté and clafoutis (a kirsch-laden dark cherry pie); Burgundy is home to coq au vin, Dijon mustard and escargots; coastal Brittany has abundant fresh seafood, such as moules marinières (mussels in white wine) and moules frites (mussels with French fries); and Bordeaux is synonymous with many of the most decadent of French foods – foie gras, truffles, duck confit, and fine wines and cognac.

France is also one of the world’s largest economies. Today, France is home to more than 20,000 foreign companies running under many different legal forms. According to the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC), France is ranked 27th in the world for starting a new business. Regardless if the purpose of your trip to France is strictly tourism or more business related, below are some useful facts to make your visit more enjoyable:

• The French are very proud of their independence, culture, and language. Take some time to learn basic French phrases and historic facts before your trip. Don’t start a conversation in English, try to speak French even if your language knowledge is limited.

• There is a lot of passion for good food and wine in France. It might be a good idea to study different types of cheeses and wine before you go there.

• Avoid the following cultural taboos at any time:
• Chewing gum in public is considered vulgar.
• Do not criticize Napoleon, since he represents a part of the French spirit.
• Keep your hands out of your pockets when in public.

Finally, here are some essential French phrases we think travelers should know:

•     S’il vous plaît (see-voo-play) - Please
•     Je ne parle pas français. (zheu neu parl par fron-say)  - I don’t speak French
•     Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît.  (poo-vay-voo ray-pay-tay, see-voo-play)  - Could you repeat that please?
•     Combien ça coûte ?  (kom-bjanne sar coot)   - How much is it ?
•     L’addition, s’il vous plaît. (lad-eesi-on see-voo-play)   Could I have the check, please?

Whether you want a fast-paced city break or a relaxing country vacation, you will find plenty to do throughout France. So, pack your bags and bon voyage!

Many of us have probably heard about benefits of learning a new language. You get to meet new friends from around the globe, advance your career opportunities, build your self-confidence and creativity, and stay smarter for longer. One of my favorite quotes says: “learning a new language to the mind is what exercise does to your body.” So, what’s stopping you from learning a new language? We’ve all heard excuses like “I do not have time” or “I do not want to travel far to study a language.” Luckily for all of us, nowadays you do not need to leave the comfort of your home to add a new language to your collection. You can easily have language lessons via Skype, WattsApp, and other platforms.   In addition to that, you can explore e-learning sites like Rosetta Stone, Babbel, and Duolingo. For the past two months we have used the above sites to study Spanish and here is our review of the resources.

Let’s start with Rosetta Stone. Rosetta Stone was founded in 1990s and currently offers lessons in 28 -languages. It is a paid service with fees ranging between $180 and $224 for a 24-month subscription. You can go with a CD, software download or an on-line access. Spanish course consists of 20 units and each unit has 33 lessons. Lessons are divided into Core, Pronunciation, Writing, Listening, and Vocabulary sections. Rosetta Stone uses a repetition approach to help learners memorize the material. New words and grammar concepts are introduced in Core Lessons and are repeated throughout the unit. Rosetta Stone is a so-called dynamic immersion program where all of the lessons are provided in targeted language only, which is Spanish in our case. Through the dynamic immersion approach you are forced to learn a language as if you are a baby who is learning sounds, words and then attaching meaning to those words. You will be figuring our word meanings and lesson structure based on visuals and already accumulated knowledge. Rosetta Stone caters to visual and auditory learners since it uses a lot of images and recorded phrases. Extended Learning offers Games, Reading Activities, Phrasebook and a Chat Option. What we really liked about reading activities is that you can read or listen to a pre-recorded text, record yourself, and to then hear yourself reading the text. Phrasebook gives you an opportunity to go through words and phrases learned on Rosetta Stone. Rosetta Stone also gives you an option to schedule a private one-on-one Skype session with one of its instructors.

Babbel was founded in 2007 and currently offers courses in 14 languages. You can take a placement test or start your course from the very beginning. Courses are divided into Grammar, Listening and Speaking; and Countries and Traditions. You have an option to focus on a new language specifically for a vacation; in which case you will learn how to make a hotel reservation, order food, recover lost property, and words for visiting a doctor. If you choose to study a language for everyday life you will be immersed in simple dialogues, and phrases on buying food and entertainment. Under Colloquial Speech, you can learn  idioms, which in our opinion are a very important part of any language that is not appreciated enough. Under Specials, you can find True Friends and False Friends. True Friends are words that are similar in English and Spanish and that have the same meaning, like “el actor” or “the actor.” Under False Friends, you will see words that sound similar in English and Spanish but have different meanings, like “el exito” which means “success.” First lesson in every course is free and after your first lesson you can pay $12.95/month if you go with a monthly payment or $6.95/month if you buy a 12-month subscription.

Duolingo was founded in 2012 and offers courses in 28 languages. Like Babbel, Duolingo has a free and a paid version. Except for when it comes to Duolingo, it is not limited only to the first lesson. You can take an an entire course for free as long as you do not mind seeing an occasional ad. If you want an ad-free option with downloads, the fees are $9.99 for 1 month or $6.99/month for a 12-months subscription. Just like Babbel, Duolingo provides instructions in Spanish with English translation and explanations. Duolingo has a pretty cool feature, Duolingo Events, which lets you meet with other fellow language learners around you. For example, there is a Informal Night of Spanish Conversation and Salsa Dancing offered for Spanish learners in DC area. Stories are where you can practice a language using listening and reading comprehension. Another cool feature offered by Duolingo is language podcasts which are becoming increasingly popular among language learners.

After spending several weeks exploring the three systems, we can easily say that all of the options are really good to supplement your language learning routine. When it comes to choosing a platform, think about if you want an immersion approach or explanations in your native language, what topics you would like to focus on, and what aspects of a language that are important to you. Our personal preference was Duolingo. Duolingo not only saves you money but provides cool modern features like podcasts, discussions, and stories. Whichever platform you decide to go with, we wish you the best of luck in your language adventure! Finally, do not forget to contact Lingo Rocket for any of your foreign language or translation needs.

Whether you are a foodie or like exploring palatable international dishes, there is no better way to make a fool of yourself than butchering the pronunciation of menu items. It seems like there is a new item from a global cuisine that becomes trendy at least once a month. We are sure you all have tried or at least heard about gyro, bruschetta, acai, and gnocchi. But do you know how to pronounce those international words? Read on to learn how to properly pronounce some of the popular mouthwatering foods.

While many of us pronounce the delicious toast with garlic, olive oil, and diced tomatoes on the top as “brush-etta,” the proper Italian pronunciation is "bruce-kay-tuh."

Gnocchi are tasty dough dumplings that could be made from semolina, wheat flour, egg,cheese,potato, breadcrumbs, cornmeal, or similar ingredients.  It has been a traditional type of Italian pasta of  Middle Eastern origin. The right way to pronounce the dish is "noh-kee."

This hearty and fragrant soup is one of the most commonly botched words. It might surprise you, but the right way to pronounce pho is “fuh.”

We bet you were pronouncing this Greek dish wrong, as most people say "gee-roh" when ordering the mouthwatering food. However, the Greek pronunciation is "yee-roh."

The trendy and healthy berry is pronounced as “uh-sy-ee.”By the way, did you know that, açaí berries are the number one superfruit. They are  energy-boosting, support the immune system, facilitate sleep, and help you combat aging.

Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked. The right way to pronounce the ham is "pro-shoot-tow."

The salad usually includes raw red peppers, shallots, artichoke hearts and other seasonal raw vegetables. The right pronunciation of the salad is "nee-swahz."

Russian verbs could easily be the most-complained-about aspect of learning the language. Think about having six different forms of each verb in past, present, and future tenses. The good news is that once you figure out Russian conjunction pattern you will be able to use the verbs correctly.
Another good news is that Russian does not have a complicated verb tense system like English. There are only three tenses: Past, Present, and Future. That said, you will have to pay a thorough attention to Russian verbs of motion. It is not just “go” but also “carry”, “come”, “fly”, “swim”,  “regularly go”, “go and come back”, “go around to several places” and many more.
Another topic you will have to spend time on is verb aspect, which could be “perfective” or “imperfective.” Imperfective aspect is used for repeated or habitual actions or to indicate a single action in progress and therefore incomplete. E.g. “I work every day.” Perfective aspect is used for a single, completed action in the past or in the future. E.g. “I have finished this book.”
After teaching Russian for many years, I noticed that sometimes it’s worth to learn basic verbs by heart, then study the patterns of conjugation, and then just tackle perfective/imperfective verbs in pairs. Once you understand the conjugation patterns, you can get away with just learning the infinitives without breaking it all the way down to each conjugation for each aspect of the verb.

Success in a global business is about much more than just knowing the language. Cultural competence is the ability to work effectively with people from a variety of cultural, ethic, economic, and religious backgrounds.
The following strategies ( Jones J., 2014) can be utilized to enhance cultural connection:

• Continue exploring your own culture, beliefs, and values.
  
• Believe you can serve individuals of a different race or ethnicity.
  
• Develop a list of professionals for consultation on multicultural issues.
  
• Engage in dialogue with colleagues and continue to increase cultural literacy.
• Assume that there is heterogeneity within an ethnic group, but that the foundation of cultural values is likely to be homogenous.
• Keep the family active in planning educational interventions and progress monitoring.
• Learn more about the culture of the child through the child and family.
• Always work from a strength-based perspective.
  

Contact us today to learn more about cultural competence in a workplace and improve your cross-cultural awareness.

¿Hablas español? If not, it might be a good time to start taking Spanish lessons now. Not only is Spanish the second most frequently spoken language in the US and a very dominant language in the world; it is also pleasing to your ear to hear or say something in Spanish. Here are five very good reasons why we think you need to learn Spanish sooner rather than later.

1. Stand out in our competitive job market. When looking at resumes of two equally qualified candidates, employers in all fields say they will choose a candidate who can speaks another language, especially Spanish, over a monolingual candidate. According to New American Economy, “in 2015, the number of U.S. job ads listing Spanish as a desired skill increased by roughly 150 percent compared to job ads listed in 2010.”
   
2. Learn the second most studied language in the world. Spanish is spoken by 500 million people with a growing trend of 600 million by 2050. Spanish is the second most studied language in the world. The United States has almost 40 million native Spanish speakers.
   
3. Spanish is your key to many travel destinations. Being able to communicate in Spanish will help you to discover countries like Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Belize, Aruba, and of course Spain.
   
4. You can enjoy reading amazing books in the original language. There is nothing like reading a book in its original language. If you speak Spanish, you have an opportunity to enjoy books written by Miguel de Cervantes,Gabriel García Márquez, Roberto Bolaño, Mario Vargas Llosa, and many more.
   
5. It’s easy to learn. Spanish is spelled phonetically and many of the words are similar to English. Immersion will not be a problem for you, especially if you live in California, New York, Florida or the Southwest.
   

Have we convinced you yet? Give us a call at 804-997-9308 or email at info@lingorocket.com to start your Spanish exploration today.

"If I’m selling to you, I speak your language. If I’m buying, dann müssen Sie Deutsch sprechen!" Willy Brandt

The above quote was once said by Willy Brandt, a former German Chancellor, and the quote stands true to this day, especially for companies with global presence. If your company is a part of a global business network, make sure your website and marketing materials are understandable to your global clients and partners.
To prove our point of how important it is to hire a professional company for your translation and localization needs, we put together a list of mistranslated marketing campaigns around the world:

• Hotel in Acapulco: “The Manager has Personally Passed All the Water Served Here”
• Tokyo hotel’s rules and regulations: “Guests are requested NOT to smoke or do other disgusting behaviors in bed.”
• Hotel lobby, Bucharest: “The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.”
• On the menu of a Swiss restaurant: “Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.”
• Outside Paris dress shop: “Dresses for street walking.”
• A sign on a car in Manila, Philippines: “Car and owner for sale.”
• Doctor’s office, Rome: “Specialists in women and other diseases.”
• A sign posted in Germany’s Black Forest: “It is strictly forbidden on our black forest camping site that people of different sex, for instance, men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for that purpose.”
• Instructions on a Korean flight: “Upon arrival at Kimpo and Kimahie Airport, please wear your clothes.”
• Athens hotel: “Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.”

On a less funny but a more professional note, below are the examples of translation and localization done right:

• Nescafé: The company took the time to fully understand each of its global markets and caters web designs, greetings, and logos to each target audience. Nescafé’s Japanese layout is very modular, French page has a “Dolce Gusto” added to the main logo, while their US page shows a short paragraph tailored towards Western ideals.
• Nike: Nike has done its research when it comes to successful website localization. Nike’s Argentinian website focuses mainly on Nike’s soccer collection since the company is clearly aware of how important soccer is for Argentinian culture. It’s also interesting how Nike’s French website is one of the only versions of the website not to feature the Portugal team image. Why? As the runners up of the tournament it’s likely that Nike’s French audience will not be happy to see any images celebrating their defeat.