Why might you seek a cultural briefing before you go to your new country or take up that overseas posting? Here are some great reasons to take preparatory action.

• To establish credibility and create rapport so that you can build the appropriate level of working and personal relationships you need to be successful with colleagues and customers.
• To understand global communication styles – many cultures and regions have different modes of operation e.g. how they run meetings, how they introduce themselves and others
• To learn about different management and negotiation styles
• To lead and work with virtual teams

“The intent of pre-departure training is to prepare the expatriate as much as possible prior to actually arriving at the foreign assignment to facilitate adjustment, help avoid costly mistakes, and begin the foreign assignment in a positive and productive a manner as possible.” Managing a Global Workforce by Charles M. Vance, Yougsun Park

Cultural briefings before you take up any new assignment can support you in

• Understanding how cultures differ socially and in their values, customs and beliefs
• Understanding how to integrate into new cultures and environments both for business and social occasions
• Applying workable strategies to handle the adjustment process; their own and their family’s.

To find out more about how a cross cultural briefing can help you go to Cultural Briefings or contact us on +44 118 934 6000

Mexico has a diverse range of languages. In addition to Spanish, 63 indigenous languages are recognised as “national languages” by the Mexican government. Examples with estimated number of spreakers are

As for every country, try and speak with hosts, friends or family to ascertain the local customs so that you are fully prepared for your visit. Here are some areas to consider for business.

Meeting people

·                                 Generally, women pat each other on the right forearm or shoulder, rather than shake hands.

·                                 Men shake hands until they know someone well, at which time they progress to the hug and back slap.

·                                 It is custom to wait until you are asked, before using a Mexican’s first name

Business Meetings

• ·                                 Make business appointments at least 2 weeks in advance and reconfirm the appointment one week before the meeting. When you arrive in Mexico, make sure that the secretary/PA of the person you will be meeting has your contact details.
• ·                                 Always arrive on time for meetings, although be prepared for your Mexican business associate to be up to 30 minutes late; people often run behind schedule.
• ·                                 Have all written material professionally translated into Spanish wherever possible.
• ·                                 Agendas are not common and when they are given they are somewhat flexible!
• ·                                 Mexican society and business emphasise hierarchical relationships and people respect authority. Therefore always know the chain of command/hierarchy so as not to appear disrespectful.
• ·                                 Always exchange business cards with everyone at a meeting and have one side of your card in Spanish. They should also show your professional and educational qualifications.

However good a translation is, it can always be improved by good desk-top publishing. This should be done by someone who is familiar with the language or you will make wrong decisions about hyphenation at the end of lines. You will be very likely to make silly mistakes such as dropping parts of words or sentences or accidentally combining paragraphs because you do not understand the meaning of the words. Apart from anything else, it takes far longer (and is therefore more expensive) to work in a language you cannot understand.

If your translation is for a document that requires subsequent publishing, electronically, or in hard-copy, Robertson Languages International can give you the finished article.

People are usually very surprised when I say I’m from Iceland and I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the phrase “you’re the first person I’ve ever met from Iceland”. Well, that’s not surprising as there are only 320,000 Icelanders in the world. Many people are interested in Iceland and people often say to me that they would love to go there but very few people know anything about it; they might have heard about our most famous pop stars Bjork and Siguros and more recently they have of course heard of the evil volcano Eyjafjallajokull. I have therefore gathered together some interesting facts about the little island in the North; I hope you will enjoy them!

• Icelandic people don’t have surnames as such. They take their father’s first name and add either “son” or “dóttir” (daughter) at the end. Icelandic women don’t take their husband’s name when they get married.
• There are only about 320.000 Icelanders in the country and the total area is 103,000 km2. About half of the people live in the capital Reykjavík and its suburbs.
• Reykjavik means ‘Smoky Bay’.
• Iceland has no army, navy or air force.
• Icelanders speak the Icelandic language, which is used only in Iceland and among Icelandic expatriates, chiefly in Scandinavia and North America. Icelandic is very similar to old Norwegian of about 1,000 years ago.
• Iceland gain fully independence in 17 June 1944 from Denmark.
• Iceland’s main industry is fishing.
• Iceland’s first female president, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, was the first democratically elected female head of state in 1980.
• Iceland has one of the longest working weeks in Europe.  Icelanders are renowned for working hard.
• There are 13 different Santa Claus figures or “Yule Lads” in Iceland. Children put their shoe in their window 13 days before Christmas and get a little present from each Santa. If the children are naughty they get an old potato.
• Icelanders are listed in the telephone directory alphabetically by first name.
• Icelanders learn Danish and English from the age of 11.
• Sigurrós, a very successful Icelandic music band was voted the 10th best band in the world (by Newsweek).
• Icelanders believe in elves and dwarves (in a sort of myth-way)
• Icelanders have a fantastic nightlife; most nightclubs are open until 6-7 in the morning.
• Most of Icelanders graduate from High school at the age of 20
• Iceland has the cleanest water in the world.
• There are 24 hours of sunlight during summer in Iceland. But during December there is hardly any sun.
• Beer and wine was forbidden in Iceland until 1989. Icelanders could only buy strong spirits in special stores. Alcohol is still only sold in state liquor stores throughout Iceland and is not available in supermarkets. 

Relocating to France? Communicating with clients and colleagues in French? Or maybe you want to learn more about French culture? What better way is there to understand the country than to support the world renowned Tour de France annual bicycle race?

A competition about passion, dedication, focus and drive, the Tour de France covers around 3,600 kilometres (2,000 miles) throughout France and the French borders over three weeks, broken down into daily timed segments from 3^rd July 2010 through to 25^th July 2010. Certainly not for the faint hearted!

Dating back to 1903, the competition has seen many changes with winners from many nations including Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, and Lance Armstrong. It’s no surprise that France holds the record for most winners with a staggering total of 36. Belgium follows in second place with an impressive 18, Spain cycles in third with 12. The United States follow with 10, Italy with 9, Luxembourg with 4, Switzerland 2, the Netherlands 2 and Ireland, Denmark and Germany have one winner each.   

This year, the top five favorites are Alberto Contador at 4/7, Andy Schleck 19/2, Lance Armstrong 64/5, Bradley Wiggins 25, and Ivan Basso 25. The bookies have predicted a new nation to win;

Spain                          3/10

Luxembourg               5

USA                            6

Italy                             12

Australia                    16

Germany                    50

Belgium                     150

France                       150

Source: Betting figures and favourites; http://www.oddschecker.com/other-sports/cycling/touredefrance as at 12.21 on 30/06/2010.

Whether watching the race on television, listening or visiting France during this exciting race you may come across the following terms;

Allez: the French word for GO! Not only will you hear this at the start of the race, but you will hear fans and supporters shouting it to cheer riders on.

Attack: Should you hear this term, it is when a rider makes a sudden attempt to get away from another rider.

Bonk: Famous in the running world as “hitting the wall”, this is when a rider completely runs out of energy and feels he cannot go on any more.

Breakaway: A rider or group of riders that takes off from the front of the pack.

Bridge the gap: When a rider or group of riders is attempting to reach a group farther ahead, either a breakaway group or the main field if a rider has been dropped.

Chasers or chase group – Riders who are attempting to “bridge the gap” to catch the lead group, also known as a “chase group”

Directeur sportif: Dictates the team strategy, this manager is believed to act more as a coach.

Domestique: A rider who sacrifices any individual honours to the team leader who is in contention to win; these riders are hired specifically for their “work horse” ability to protect the interests of the team leader.

Drop: To leave another rider or riders behind by attacking; dropped riders expend much more energy to catch back up to a group, and are therefore less able to counter any subsequent attacks.

G.C.: Also known as “General Classification,” and is the overall standings for the race on any given day

Hors categorie: The classification given to the most difficult mountain climbs; which is often abbreviated as H.C.

Lead out: One rider begins a sprint to give a head start to a teammate, who then comes around at an even faster speed to take the lead.

Maillot: The French term for “jersey”. Different coloured jerseys are awarded to the winners of the different competitions, the best known being the “maillot jaune,” or “yellow jersey” that is awarded to the fastest rider of the day.

Pace line: Riders take the lead in turns so that each rider gets protection from the wind.

Peloton: The main group of riders, also known as the “pack,” or “bunch” or “main field”

Stage: An individual day’s race in an event that lasts several days.

Time trial:  Also referred to as the “race of truth;” this is an individual race against the clock where riders begin at specific intervals attempting to ride the same course as the other riders in the shortest possible time, a challenge to be the best.

French phrases taken from source: http://www.francetravelguide.com/tour-de-france-101.html 

Uniqlo, Japan’s largest clothing retailer has announced it will train all executives worldwide to communicate, write documents and conduct meetings in English by March 2012 (and not in Japanese as currently).

Tadashi Yanai, President and Chairman of Fast Retailing told the Mainichi newspaper.  “This move is necessary for a Japanese company to survive as a global corporation. 

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/fashionnews/7857217/Uniqlo-drops-Japanese-and-makes-English-official-language.html

With high expectations Fast Retailing aims to become the world’s biggest fashion retailer by 2020.

The rise in growing demand for greater global reach and international business is adding pressure to companies who need to offer something different to its clients, and partnersin order to achieve ROI and business objectives.  If your company needs an international language solution, Robertson Languages have over 21 years’ experience, providing tailor-made language services to a variety of clients covering many sectors. To speak with one of our representatives for further details, please call; 0118 934 6000 or visit; www.robertsonlanguages.co.uk.

Iceland: A Bit Hot Under the Collar!

Iceland is famous for explorer Leif Ericson, writer, journalist and TV presenter Magnus Magnusson, pop singer Bjork and of course our very own Training Service Manager Ósk Daníelsdóttir! It also attracts thousands of tourists each year who go to view nature at its wildest via the mud pools, geysers, glaciers, waterfalls and of course the now infamous volcano Eyjafjallajökull or “island-mountains glacier”. Interestingly, despite the volcanic ash which has plagued air travel over recent weeks, Iceland is the cleanest country in the world according to Forbes magazine.

So how are Icelanders coping with the global microscope on their country?

Icelanders are used to geo thermal activity and this current activity poses no widespread safety threat as it is localised to a very small area surrounding the volcano. Some farms in close proximity to the volcano were evacuated initially and livestock were kept inside. There was also some localised flooding. However, the rest of the country continued with their daily routines, with little or no disturbance.

As spring breaks into summer, Icelanders expect an increase in geo-tourism at this time of year. The displays at Eyjafjallajökull only add to the annual performance by Mother Nature.  The Spanish newspaper El País, recommends Iceland as one of the best places to witness the forces and beauty of nature at work.  In fact, “working nature“ supports Iceland in being the only western country that produces all its electricity from emission-free and sustainable natural resources in the form of geothermal and hydro power. Some Icelanders are being very creative using the volcanic eruption to inspire design.

The language of Iceland is Icelandic which is a Northern Germanic language with about 300,000 speakers in Iceland, Canada and the USA. Are you going on holiday to Iceland? Are you doing or thinking about doing business in Iceland? Why not consider learning some of the language and customs to help you get the most of your holiday or business relationships. To find out more about how an Icelandic cultural briefing can help you go to Cultural Briefings or contact Ósk on +44 118 934 6000

Robertson Languages International translates all languages. Whether it’s a presentation or business report or a technical document e.g. (legal document, tender or medical prescription), our highly trained and dedicated staff can ensure you the best service at all times. Your translations are assured through our certification to EN 15038 which means they are reliable and accurate as they are subject to rigorous post-translation editing to check style, content, consistency and the correct use of relevant glossaries.

Many companies, released from the economic grip of the past 18 months are seeking to expand into new international markets and grab new opportunities: markets where there are language and cultural differences, markets where doing business effectively means having people who can confidently and competently speak and write in different languages.  Such companies need people to…

• have a phone conversation in Mandarin to a supplier in China
• write an email reply in German to a potential customer in Germany
• take an active role in a new product development meeting in Spain conducted in Spanish
• speak English to patients in a hospital

 As the “war on talent” continues to rage, if you are someone looking to move into a global company, you should consider improving your individual skills by adding a language to your CV. If you are in a company and looking to attract exceptional talent, being able to show you offer them continuous personal development through the provision of language training will be attractive to those seeking global capability.

Learning a language is fun and gives you a valuable asset that opens up new opportunities for individuals and companies. Investing in professional training is a good way to expand personal and organisational capability.

Robertson Languages International offers a wide range of intensive language training in all languages courses and we still have some availability for our summer courses. So take a look now and grab a place on a course that will give you something extra, something special and have some fun too. To get more info and to book go to www,robertsonlanguages and choose the menu item “Training in all Languages”. For advice about government support to exporters and the UK Trade & Investment  subsidised Export Communication Review, email bob@robertsonlanguages.co.uk.

Successful Language service provider Robertson Languages International celebrate twenty one years of language training, translations, and cultural awareness programmes tailored to specific requirements and needs.

With ever increasing needs to communicate worldwide, language training and translation services are a necessity for business and personal needs.  UK Trade & Investment report that 60% of British trade is carried out with non-English speaking countries; The UK is the fifth largest trading nation highly dependent on foreign trade.  The import market includes metals, raw materials and food, whilst the export market includes telecommunications, automobiles, medical and pharmaceutical products.  It is therefore no surprise that companies of all sizes are spending more time and money in maximising and optimising their business profit potential by focussibg on exports.

Over the past 21 years we have been affected by many factors, including most recently terrorism, growing concern about global warming, increasing fuel costs to name but a few. So what future events have we got to look forward to?

2010:   The Football World Cup

2011:   The Rugby World Cup

2012:   The Olympics

2013:   Ashes Cricket Tour to the UK

All will attract worldwide interest even broadcasting on live TV, a worldwide conference or seminar, all will require a level of language communication and translations.   

The future for Robertson Languages International is to be the best provider of language training and translation services.  We aim to maximise your potential both personal and business focused needs and requirements with a dedicated network of over 2,500 qualified and experienced language trainers and tanslators We understand the difficulties of learning another language, the time it can take and the dedication required to succeed in being able to confidently communicate and understand a new language.  With our tailored language training programmes we aim to deliver flexible, dedicated, and highly skilled courses to suit each individual or group.

We would like to thank all of our clients over the past twenty one years. Without your support we would not be where we are today.  We look forward to supporting you on your next projects.  Please contact us if you have any language requirements on +44 (0) 118 934 6000 or Lauren@robertsonlanguages.co.uk.