Africa Day might have passed largely unnoticed outside the continent on 25 May but African identity and ‘translation frustration’ are examined in https://bit.ly/2L63Ao9

Given that language somewhat shapes your identity, is there always going to be something ‘lost in translation’ when the main function is to communicate?

Samurai secrets from centuries ago have finally been revealed in English according to http://bit.ly/2tgy4yu.   Although the warrior class has long since disappeared, the code of honour still perpetuates romantic myths to this day.

Research from a recruitment company suggests an increased demand for non-European languages in business over the last year.  Can UK-based Language Service Providers glean that they may also follow this trend http://bit.ly/2rYznxk where there are shortages in the Brexit labour market?

In a country more known for linguistic squabbling, Canada has marked 150 years of its confederation establishment with the translation of its anthem, ‘O Canada’ into the twelve most spoken languages in the country.  The first efforts of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s celebratory “Canada Mosaic” for 2017 can be viewed at  http://bit.ly/2fFQ9gM and is about “inclusivity, creativity and diversity”.

With the continual tightening of French language laws in Québec (this next over signage on 24 November 2016), research suggests that one in five French-speakers actually stopped following a company online because it did not post enough content in their language. True localisation for a consumer (and indeed seller) means a web presence and the identification of keywords and search terms which take account of those nuances in Québecois as much as any language. Meanwhile the angry continue to march

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OHADA (Organization for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa) is set to harmonise even further through the commencement of providing official English translations of its French-language Uniform Acts.  Following more than two years of pressure from Anglophone Common Law lawyers in Cameroon, progress appears to be forthcoming according to http://bit.ly/2e9Lod8.

Everyone enjoyed taking part in this year’s Breakthrough Bake Off. With such a high standard of baking, it was a hard decision for the judges but finally Nicola Cox was declared the winner!

Breakthrough Bake Off