Languages and IT

Although I’ve been posting these blogs for a few years now, I realised that I’ve not yet written anything about a professional area that is dear to my heart and has taken up a fair amount of my working time over the past twenty years. That area is page layout (aka DTP) software. Many of our clients send us publicity materials, product packaging, manuals, etc., for translation: their documents are typically in electronic formats such as InDesign and Illustrator (and read more

The world of science fiction has shown us many wonders: alien intelligences; faster-than-light (FTL) travel; dematerialisation transporter devices; bigger, brighter, louder weapons; machine intelligences taking over the world; Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming a successful U.S. politician… This list barely scrapes the tip of the iceberg.

Some of the developments shown in what we consider to be science fiction are quite clearly preposterous and might more properly belong in the realm of fantasy. To the best of scientific knowledge, it is never going read more

Going on holiday to France this summer?

On 3rd January 2012, the French Code de la route (and specifically Article R413-15 thereof, if you want chapter and verse) was changed with immediate effect to prohibit drivers from “owning or carrying [or using] machines, devices or products intended, or purporting, to detect the presence or disturb the operation of devices, instruments and systems for the detection of offences against road transport law or regulations or evading the detection of said offences” (my read more

If you have an iPhone or an iPad (or even an iPod Touch), you should definitely take a look at these two language-related apps.
Name It
Name It is a fun game which helps you to practise your vocabulary in one of 8 different languages. Help Kenny the chameleon to catch the flies. Tap the correct word to match the photo. With each correct answer, Kenny gets closer to the flies to gain an extra life or bonus points. But hurry, read more