The Festival of the Lanterns casts a beautiful glow everywhere you go. Young people appreciate the opportunity to admire the art and admire each other. The lanterns are the perfect excuse to interact with each other and pursue romance.

What a Tease!

Riddle guessing is part of the Lantern Festival since the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279). Participants all over town write brainteasers in pieces of papers and attach them to colorful lanterns. They let others take a shot at guessing and if it is verified that they are right, they will win a gift.

There are plenty of takers for the task because it gives them a chance to look smart, witty, and wise. It is an intellectual activity that is enjoyed by all ages and people of all walks of life in China and other Asian countries.

Dance for Me Lion

The Lantern Festival is known by its folk dances. The Lion Dance is different in the north and the south. In the north the lion dance focuses on skills, and in the south the lion dance pays more attention to the animal resemblance. The lions perform the dance jumping,leaping, and doing other difficult tasks like walking on stilts.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/

Timetable of Chinese Traditional Festivals (2013-2015)
	Spring Festival	Lantern Festival	Qingming	Dragon Boat	Double Seventh	Mid-autumn	Chongyang	Laba
2013	Feb. 10	Feb. 24	Apr. 4	Jun. 12	Aug. 13	Sep. 19	Oct. 13	Jan. 19
2014	Jan. 31	Feb. 14	Apr. 5	Jun. 2	Aug. 2	Sep. 8	Oct. 2	Jan. 8
2015	Feb. 19	Mar. 5	Apr. 5	Jun. 20	Aug. 20	Sep. 27	Oct. 21	Jan. 27

Anyone reaching out to do business with international customers?

Very smart!

Now, you need to be aware of these trends.

Consumers between 18 and 29 years old are 60% more likely than other groups to share purchase information on a social media network.
These consumers post reviews, download apps, tweet about brands, and comment on each other’s purchases. Make sure you are offering a seamless brand experience across all social media platforms especially mobile.
Make your consumer experience available in the languages of your target markets.

Display advertisements have phased out and replaced by sponsored content on social media platforms and media websites.

Native ads capture your brand identity and appeal to local consumers.

Influential translated and localized ads are crucial. Great copy is even more essential now that it is doing double duty as sponsored content.

Local pride is on the rise

Local customs and national pride are rising around the world. There is an appetite for familiar design elements by emerging countries.

All international marketing requires accurate translation and localization to promote authentic culture.

They expect to see their traditional preferences and will respond positively when your business uses them in your marketing materials.

Consumers around the world embrace international brands, but they are also eager to celebrate their own cultures.

Important to Natives

• Convey a clear message

• Provide high quality translation

• Culturally adapt and localize

• Details expressed in target languages

• Honor local ways with in-store experience

   

Free Translation for Business Use? 

“Why should I invest in a professional translation when there is “free” software to do this?

Read the public sign to the left. This is just one of the many examples of mistranslations that will cost your business lots of money.

A professional translation is worth it. You are addressing humans, not just finding equivalent words in another language. Anyway, there might not be an equivalent word to translate to. You did not think of that, did you?

Danger! Do not try this at home

We are professionals, and we know what we are doing.

Beware of translation tools. There is no cultural perspective with translation software. These tools are only to be used by trained experts or someone can get hurt, mainly your business.

Word by word translation will make little sense without context. The purpose of the communication changes the words to be used. There are judgment calls that only a human expert translator can make. Human experience is very hard to code.

There’s a rumor that translators are being replaced by new technology. Human translation is not at risk precisely because of new technology.

As communication gets exponentially faster and more abundant every day, there is an even greater need for trained translators. I heard last week that each of us sends and receives an average of five thousand messages each day!

With every message we exchange we are creating different and new meanings for words. This is happening in every language all over the world.

Don’t Cry for Me Argentina 

Where we speak a language influences the words we use. Spanish is not Spanish is not Spanish. The Spanish we use in Texas is different from the Spanish we use in Colombia or Argentina. Let’s take the word “orange.” In Costa Rica it is called naranja and in Puerto Rico it is called china!

Translators say it like it is!

We are still years away from artificial intelligence language translation. Technology will always chase after the cure for the cultural perspective. It is hard to tell when or if science will catch up to it. Language evolves at the speed of life.

The company that owns the best translation software in the world uses only expert translators for their own global communications. Enough said.;)

Fifteen thousand hearts pump with anticipation.

We run as fast as we can into center field and lie on the grass.

July 4^th 1991, the Phillies win 7-1 against the Cardinals!

The awe-inspiring fireworks made for a moving collective experience.

That night at Veteran’s Park, we were all Americans.

John Adams, our second president, envisioned today’s celebration a day before the Declaration of Independence was signed. He wrote to his wife Abigail saying: “The day will be the most memorable in America.  I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival…it ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade…bonfires and illuminations (fireworks) from one end of this continent to the other, from this day forward, forevermore.”

While Adams may have helped bring the fireworks tradition to celebrate Independence day, we can thank the Chinese for the invention in the 7th century. Fireworks were originally military burning fire arrows, but they transformed them into an art for all the senses— one of many Chinese culture traditions worthy of admiration and adoption.

Business in China

Go ahead and Do:

• Wear simple and conservative dark attire.
• Exchange business cards at the beginning of the meeting
• Speak slowly and pause when speaking during a business meeting.
• Always use titles and last names, never first names.
• Start with small talk before serious business matters.
• Establish a long-term relationship before negotiating.

 Please Don’t:

• Do not offer gifts, as these are considered forms of bribery.
• Do not physically touch your Chinese colleagues.
• Overly strong handshakes are offensive and inappropriate for business meetings.
• Avoid direct eye contact.
• Answer “I’ll look into that,” instead of “No.”
• Use care with gestures and expressions. (Contact me for more specifics)

Happy Chinese New Year to all my Asian friends and Family!

Let’s translate let’s sell!