Knowledge base

Many of us dream about making the world a better place. However, this vision may fade when confronted with harsh reality. Still, it does not mean we are utterly unable to make other people’s lives even slightly easier. Together, we are able to do good. Joint effort and wise actions – that’s all it takes.   That is precisely what guided us when we established the Alingua Helpful Word Foundation back in 2016. As a translation agency with many years of business experience we are well aware of the power of words – they can hurt and manipulate, but also bring comfort and wisdom, contributing to the improvement of many people’s lives.   How does the Foundation work? The basic rule of operation is very simple – 1% of the value of each translation completed by our agency is transferred to the Foundation’s account. The Foundation’s resources are therefore powered by our daily work. That’s how we, the Alingua team and our clients, contribute together to doing some good in this world.   While planning the Foundation’s activities, we aim at helping as many people and families as possible, both directly and indirectly. Above all, our aim is to provide actual and wise help that will contribute to permanent improvement of the recipient’s life quality.   Who are we helping globally? We believe that developed countries are morally obliged to provide support to developing countries, especially those affected by poverty, hunger, natural disasters or conflicts. Such situations are the source of multiple personal tragedies that prevent people not only from growth and self-fulfillment, but from leading a dignified, comfortable life, making it impossible to satisfy the most basic needs and exercise human rights.   One of the Foundation’s permanent goals includes sponsoring three children from Kenya and Uganda. This way, we provide good childhood and education to a boy and two girls. Our projects include support for child rescue programs operating in countries affected by hunger (Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya…

Often invisible, yet still present during important political, scientific, sport and cultural events. An interpreter needs to boast a few key characteristics, such as nerves of steel and broad knowledge about the world. And, obviously, a perfect command of at least two languages is a must. Simultaneous interpreter: what kind of a job is it? How does their work differ from the tasks of consecutive interpreters? It’s time to bust a few myths.   In general, there are two types of interpretation: consecutive and simultaneous. During consecutive interpreting, the interpretation is performed once the speaker has finished speaking. The interpreter has some priceless time to make notes and write down some numbers, names and surnames, as well as create bullet points featuring most important issues brought up during the speech. There’s one big disadvantage that comes with this solution – it significantly elongates the speech. This issue can be solved by a simultaneous interpreter who interprets the speech in a special booth, precisely at the same time. The message is relayed to the audience via headphones, making it possible to translate the speech into multiple languages without losing time. A “concabin” and simultaneous interpreter: what kind of an original duo is this? Unfortunately, this type of interpreting comes with a significant mental burden. Usually it is recommended to take a break after no more than 30 minutes of uninterrupted interpreting, although this may vary depending on numerous factors. That is why interpreters need to share a booth with a person called a “concabin”. A “concabin” is another interpreter working within the same language pair, assisting the person interpreting, who might help them by writing down important information or searching for helpful terms. Upon noticing first signs of fatigue or feeling unwell in the interpreter, it is their “concabin” who takes over their job. Simultaneous interpreter – is it worth investing in their services? While hiring a simultaneous translator might be more costly than settling for a consecutive one, it’s worth…