August 2010

Belgium’s Language Divide Affects Everything From Government to Soccer Clubs

by Caroline Mikolajczyk August 27, 2010 Politics

The divide between French speakers and Dutch speakers in Belgium has grown increasingly intractable, and currently affects everything from how well the country’s government does (or does not) function to coaching schoolchildren at a soccer club. According to the Associated Press, the KFC Strombeek soccer club of Grimbergen, Belgium has been officially banned from coaching [...]

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New York City Parents Seek Out Bilingual Babysitters

by Charlie Jolly August 26, 2010 Education

Most parents want what’s best for their children. In New York City, that desire is increasingly translating into a desire for babysitters and nannies who can do double-duty as both caretakers and language teachers.

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Lack of Translated Documents a Problem for International Travelers

by Charlie Jolly August 19, 2010 Machine Translation

Generally speaking, it’s never a good idea to sign something you can’t read. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for international travelers to be asked to do just that.

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English-speaking Australian Required to Take English Test To Work as a Nurse

by Charlie Jolly August 18, 2010

On the surface, new Australian regulations requiring all foreign nurses to pass an English proficiency test before they begin working sound like a great idea…

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Guernsey Language Expert Marie de Garis Dies At Age 100

by Richard Brooks August 13, 2010 In Danger of Extinction

The BBC has announced that Marie de Garis, an expert on the Guernsey language and culture, passed away on Tuesday, a little over a month after she reached her 100th birthday.

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Native Americans Gather for Plains Indian Sign Language Conference

by Richard Brooks August 12, 2010 In Danger of Extinction

Plains Indian tribes will gather at the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana to create a record of a language that is rapidly going extinct: Plains Indian Sign Language.

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British Colombian Mounties Remove Google Translate From Website

by Richard Brooks August 6, 2010 Machine Translation

The debate over machine-produced versus human translation took the British Colombian division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police by surprise, according to this article in the Vancouver Sun.

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