Record numbers of Brits holidaying in Jordan – but Middle Eastern languages could present challenges for tourists…

News this week from an online flight operator in the UK, announced that the number of British tourists visiting Jordan in 2012 had hit new record highs of 69,845; revealing that some UK travellers are indeed getting more adventurous when choosing a holiday destination.  Of course, certain historic events may have had something to do with the sudden rise in popularity of the location - 2012 marked the 200^th anniversary of the rediscovery of the ancient city of Petra and the 50^th anniversary of the release of the classic film Lawrence of Arabia (shot for the most part in Jordan’s Wadi Rum desert).

It’s encouraging to see more Brits venturing away from the comfort zone of the Mediterranean and dipping their toes into the waters of the Dead Sea instead.  The appeal of new cultures, epic landscapes, ancient lands steeped in history, not to mention the guarantee of plenty of sunshine, are all likely to be contributing factors to the recent flourish of UK visitors.  But travelling in a region where there are so many unique languages and dialects spoken could present some very real challenges for British travellers.

The most common languages in the Middle East are Arabic, Farsi and Turkish.  For Jordan itself, Arabic is the official language, but the spoken language is Jordanian Arabic.  Modern Standard Arabic is learnt at public and most private schools, but Caucasian languages such as Circassian and Chechen are also understood and spoken by some small communities residing in Jordan – add to that the fact that in many areas of the Middle East the local dialect is mixed up with one or more foreign languages.  For example in Lebanon, French and English are often mixed with the local Arabic dialect so when it comes to language barriers, you may find you’re spoilt for choice!

Aside from the language barriers, visiting the Middle East can also be a real culture-shock for many people with new laws, traditions and customs to consider.  Thankfully, affordable, personal telephone interpreting services like i-interpret4u mean that British travellers can continue to explore these ancient sites and enjoy the rich, historic tapestry that countries like Jordan have to offer, safe in the knowledge that if they do need to communicate, choices of relevant, Middle Eastern language options are available in real-time via a live, experienced interpreter..

It’s Groundhog Day for Brits on holiday – and the language barrier might be to blame…

Recent news from an online flight company has found that after polling 1,000 British holidaymakers a high proportion (40%), admitted they go back to the same holiday resort or hotel every year rather than attempting to explore somewhere new.  It’s actually quite extraordinary that so many of us would prefer to play it safe when going abroad even though there is a big wide world out there full of wonder and new adventures.

The main reasons for this were cited as the ‘price’ and ‘good weather’; but interestingly, ‘ease of travel’ and ‘peace of mind’ were also a close second.  To add to this, the most popular destinations aside from the UK seemed to be USA and Spain – now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put two and two together here.  Taking these factors into account it wouldn’t be at all flippant to assume that a fear of the ‘language barrier’ or the issues associated with communicating in an unfamiliar country are part and parcel of this attempt to achieve ‘travel self-preservation’ for want of a better phrase.

Spain is typically a popular destination for those wanting a good beach, some sunshine but a slice of British life on the side.  With many Spanish locals having a decent understanding of the English language, no shortage of British-style pubs and cuisine, the Mediterranean coastline is an obvious choice for many.  Similarly with the USA, you know what you’re getting – the type of food, the location and also there’s only a slight change in accent to deal with rather than a whole new language. But sadly, this leaves much of the rest of the world untouched (or inexperienced) by many UK travellers.

It begs the question, regardless of the destination if it were possible to put the power of multiple languages into the hands’ of UK travellers would it be a different story?  If we could comfortably travel to any destination in the world and know that help is at our fingertips should we stumble into the language barrier, would it make a difference?  Food for thought indeed.  Certainly having access to a live interpreter ‘in your pocket’ at the very moment you need it, might change your opinion of travelling further afield – and it may even open up new opportunities of adventure and exploration for many of us that we otherwise wouldn’t have had the courage to embark upon.

Perhaps it’s time to re-set your alarm clock and hopefully you won’t hear that familiar tune ringing out the next time you book your holiday…”Then put your little hand in mine, there ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb…” too true.

Lost in translation – voice recognition software still has a long way to go…

An article published by BT last week talks about a new translation app, which claims to allow the user to speak in 23 languages then interprets this across 63 languages (and all for 69p) - this has really sparked some debate here at i-interpret4u.  It all sounds great on paper until you dig a bit deeper into the many issues these kinds of translation tools tend to face.

Yes, Brits are notoriously bad at learning other languages, and yes, we could all do with a bit of a helping hand when it comes to communicating overseas, but in most cases we also need the security and peace of mind that if we simply HAVE to communicate in another language that we absolutely get it right and we absolutely understand what is being said to us.  After all, this could be a make or break emergency situation or something really serious which could put us in danger should we get it wrong.

But BT’s article hits the nail on the head (in the final paragraph) where it admits that this software cannot yet offer perfect interpretations.  What does this mean? Quite simply, it means that the capability of voice recognition technology still has a long way to go before it is truly usable and 100% reliable; it’s a nice thought and a growing technology for sure, but currently it’s far from perfect. 

The problem voice recognition technology faces is that it will never be able to cope with different accents/dialects, if you consider Scots, Welsh, Brummies and Geordie’s alone, you have a whole host of varying accents; but add to that the fact that there are around 45 different Arabic variations and several different Spanish and Portuguese dialects, not to mention speech impediments – then you are looking at technological advancements that are way beyond our years.

To add to the complexity of this, we also have homonyms (words with multiple meanings) to consider: 

·         bow – a long wooden stick with horse hair that is used to play certain string instruments     such as the violin

·         bow – to bend forward at the waist in respect (e.g. "bow down")

·         bow – the front of the ship (e.g. "bow and stern")

·         bow – the weapon which shoots arrows (e.g. "bow and arrow")

·         bow – a kind of tied ribbon (e.g. bow on a present, a bowtie)

·         bow – to bend outward at the sides (e.g. a "bow-legged" cowboy)

·         bough – a branch on a tree. (e.g. "when the bough breaks...")

·         bō – a long staff, usually made of tapered hard wood or bamboo

·         beau – a male paramour

So, after all that we might end up with something completely off track like:

‘The conductor took a tied ribbon after the performance’

Background noise is also another consideration.  Many of these kinds of apps stipulate that for best results you must make sure there are no extraneous noises around you and that your internet connect is stable during voice translations, two important elements that are very much out of your control and certainly aren’t much use if you happen to be in a restaurant, at a hospital, in a taxi or at the airport (many of the places where you might have the need for such a service).

Using apps like this might seem like a cheap, quick hit but if you can’t realistically use it, you’re no better off that you were with your local phrase book.  Voice recognition software is no match for a ‘live’ interpreter where you are guaranteed of the correct interpretation regardless of noise, accent or wi-fi connection.

Language barrier challenges: staying safe on your gap year adventure

New Year is a popular time for many to re-evaluate life and future ambitions, and for some it is a time of reflection and change.  Some will have already made plans to skip university for a year and jet-off in 2013 for new destinations. Those who started university last October will either feel more settled in their chosen environment or may have decided that the degree course or direction they have chosen wasn’t the right one for them after all.  Either way, January remains a popular time of year for young people to embark on gap year adventures.

Beginning such a life-changing journey can be an exciting but daunting one at the same time; the prospect of idyllic far away shores, new languages, exotic cultures and experiences, not to mention meeting all kinds of different people is just a plane ride away.  But gap year safety is understandably a topic of concern for young, often inexperienced, travellers (and their parents) and yet despite being in a foreign place with little understanding of the local language or customs, people tend to take more risks when they travel overseas compared with when they are at home. 

In most cases, gap year travellers will have a safe and pleasant experience abroad, but it’s always best to err on the side of caution.  Many people forget that they are about to experience completely new and sometimes complex cultures with special traditions, different languages, religious beliefs not to mention new laws and regulations in terms of what is deemed to be acceptable behaviour. Being unable to communicate in the appropriate language puts travellers at an immediate disadvantage.

 
That said it’s a common issue across the UK, most of us aren’t fluent in worldwide languages and so understanding the different risks associated with travelling to certain parts of the world where you don’t speak the language is advisable and following some simple steps to stay safe and keep out of danger can help:

1.    Make sure you understand the customs before you go; this will save you from misunderstandings, embarrassment and negative attention which you will be unable to adequately respond to, should you find yourself being challenged by a local or the authorities.

2.    Follow the cultural traditions – wearing revealing clothing is not usually a good idea, besides causing offence in some parts of the world it could also generate unwanted attention.

3.    Learn some of the local lingo if you can – or at least a few key words and phrases for your own safety. This will be especially important in an emergency situation, and remember you can always use a telephone interpreting service like i-interpret4u should you need to communicate more fluently in another language at any given time.   

4.    Emergency contacts - make sure you give your family back home all of your contact information and make a note of emergency contacts such as your travel insurance provider, embassy and your bank or credit card company.

 

When talking in another language becomes a bit embarrassing…oops

This week’s education article in The Telegraph titled: ‘How to avoid embarrassing foreign language faux pas’ is an insightful one. The prospect of accidently using a word in English that has a completely different meaning in another language (known as a ‘false friend’) could leave you a bit red-faced or indeed knee-deep in ‘hot water’ depending on the context.  It certainly makes you wonder just how often this sort of thing happens across the water and what difficult scenarios innocent holidaymakers may have found themselves in as a result of these ‘false friends’.

Although for the most part, we Brits are happy to visit destinations where we don’t speak a word of the local lingo, some of us like to ‘dabble’ in the art of learning a new language, or at least like to learn a few key phrases or words to help aid us in our quest to overcome the language barrier.  But if this recent article is anything to go by, there is a danger that we’ll unintentionally end up saying something we’ll regret; and since there is no strategic way of identifying ‘false friends’ because they are usually coincidental, there is no way of knowing when such a scenario may strike.  In fact, the only people that will spot the faux pas straight off are those who speak the language first-hand (a local citizen or an experienced interpreter/linguist).

Indeed, the consequences of a misunderstood conversation will also differ greatly from country to country and from person to person.  But one thing is for sure, you might get more than you bargained for if you find yourself in Norway ordering a coffee in a mugg as this means mouldy or mildew, or you ask for a full cup, because that means drunk.  And as The Telegraph quite rightly points out, if your attempt at overseas communication goes horribly wrong and you find yourself in hot water needing legal help, you could always ask for an aktor (it means prosecutor rather than the performing variety).  Of course, you could use a qualified interpreter to communicate in other languages instead; with hindsight it will probably save time, a red face and avoid any awkward or unpleasant repercussions…