RMC Language Consultancy - Blog

How We Support Our Clients

6/25/2023

At RMC we help our clients to communicate, negotiate and transact business in foreign languages and develop intercultural skills for success when working with global teams and when relocating.

We offer online language courses to busy professionals and create programmes tailored to your specific needs. Classes are delivered live by a tutor who works with learners – at any level – and supports you to achieve your language goals.

Do you want to export to foreign markets or engage with foreign investors but cannot communicate in their native language?

Considering a foreign investment but can't speak the language?

Want to approach a new customer whose native language is not English?

RMC can support you by providing:

Professional document translation (including editing and proofreading) in multiple languages
Interpreting services in multiple languages
Cross-cultural coaching
Language courses

Our team of qualified and experienced translators and interpreters based locally and internationally specializes in a wide range of subject matters and use the latest translation and interpreting technology in order to deliver quality, every time.

Our cross-cultural coaches work with a wide range of cultures and are also based locally and internationally serving our highly mobile clientele.

Our language tutors are qualified and able to deliver courses virtually and in person.

With our cross-cultural (intercultural) coaching, we assist global leaders, business persons (assignees) and their families who have relocated to a foreign country to adjust and perform successfully in the new culture. Research has shown that intercultural coaching enables personal and professional success and growth, facilitates day-to-day living and saves organisations millions of dollars from making costly mistakes caused by offending their stakeholders in foreign cultures and by challenges caused by an ability to adapt to the new culture.

For more information on how we can support you, email us at admin@rmclanguages.com.

Multinationals – Do you want your global leaders to be successful on assignment?

6/25/2023

In this article I share a bit about how I started and continue receiving work in cross-cultural coaching and the importance of having an updated professional digital presence.

Thirteen years ago, my first cross-cultural coaching client – a US company – contacted me to work as a cross-cultural training consultant for one of their clients who had just relocated to the Caribbean. With this company, I started working first with European and US assignees (global leaders) who were relocating to the Caribbean for their jobs. Although my previous work with the Trinidad and Tobago Government involved promoting an awareness of cultural differences and how this awareness impacted successful business transactions and relationships, this was the start of my long-term career in cross-cultural coaching as an independent consultant.

Subsequently, three more companies contacted me on LinkedIn and I began working with African, Asian, Eurasian, Middle Eastern, North and Latin American, and UK clients relocating to the Caribbean, and Trinidad and Tobago assignees leaving the Caribbean to work globally. I have been the go-to intercultural consultant for three of these companies in the Caribbean region since.

Do not underestimate the importance of presenting yourself and your skills, especially on digital platforms, including social media, membership directories and on your website. The opportunities are abundant, especially as more and more individuals are networking online and working remotely.

If you need help to successfully bridge language and cultural gaps, email us at admin@rmclanguages.com or connect with us on social media.

Are You Interested in a Translation or Interpreting Career?

6/25/2023

We have been approached many times by linguists seeking work within the translation and interpreting fields.

1. If you are considering becoming a translator or interpreter or you are considering offering these services professionally, you should seek qualifications from internationally recognised institutions. Language service providers, also known as agencies, often seek qualified linguists with a couple years’ experience to join their team. Those who lack academic certification and some sort of professional experience — in translation and/or interpreting — may be overlooked. It is not sufficient to have studied a foreign language(s) or have a language degree if you are seeking to work as a professional in this field. Translation and interpreting are fields in their own right and serious professionals specialise in particular subject matters.

2. As mentioned above, next comes the specialty fields that interest you the most. You may already have some formal training and experience in particular subject matters — this is a natural fit when it comes to specialising. For example, if you have studied medicine, business, commerce or government, you would be familiar with the terminology required to be a successful interpreter or translator in these fields. Within the world of translating and interpreting, linguists are not expected to be knowledgeable in all subject matters. For this reason, RMC's linguists specialise in particular fields such as finance, law, medicine, education, environment, renewable energy and so on. It is quite natural for the individual to be adept in many fields, but finding and focusing on a niche can be a very useful marketing approach. Determine which fields interest you most and continue seeking formation and gaining experience those areas.

3. Finally, it is possible to find full-time work as a translator or interpreter. If this is your area of interest, you must know that unless you are hired in-house, this is not your usual 8 to 4 job. Some days you may be required to work for 12+ hours and at other times, much less. There may be times where you do not get the chance to relax, going from project to project, working hours on end. Then at others, you may experience quieter periods or dry spells, where fewer-to-no job requests come in. This is not to deter you, but to make you aware of the reality of life as a freelance linguist. With regular marketing, keeping up with professional qualifications and technological developments in the industry, you can set yourself up for a successful career.

What has been your experience as a freelance linguist?

Seeking professional translation and interpreting services? Email us at pm@rmclanguages.com.

Looking for Professional Translation Services?

6/25/2023

Are you considering a merger or acquisition? Are you investing in a foreign market and need legal and financial documents translated?

Here’s how RMC can help you.

We pride ourselves on providing quality, accurate and reliable translation services in multiple languages.

We work with translators who are qualified and experienced in a wide range of subject matters. Our translators are based worldwide and are native speakers of the target language (language into which your document is translated).

We work with different time zones and adjust our schedule to meet your deadline, while using the best and most up-to-date technology and tools.

What translation specialty fields does RMC offer?

We specialise in a variety of areas including compliance, financial, legal, government, international business and trade, marketing, educational, health, safety and the environment and other technical subject matters.

What about the cost?
Cost is determined by many factors including:

document size
document format (editable/non-editable)
document quality
number of non-editable graphics
language pair (e.g. German to English, English to Korean)
turnaround time
subject matter
technicality
electronic or hard copy delivery

For a free quotation within 48 hours, email your document, desired completion date, purpose (for what will it be used), language pair, target country and any other relevant information to pm@rmclanguages.com and we will get back to you.

In Celebration of International Translation Day

6/25/2023

After spending some time abroad on a working-holiday visa, I wanted nothing more than to return home. I started looking for opportunities to work for the government (of Trinidad and Tobago) because, as a young professional, I felt a strong sense of patriotism – you really begin to appreciate your culture when you are away from it.

I knew I wanted to focus on and continue developing my translation skills. Fortunately, at that time, Trinidad and Tobago was seeking to host the Secretariat for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), a proposed agreement which never got off the ground. This thrust lead to an initiative by the T&T Government to make Spanish the first foreign language of T&T and resulted in the formation of a unit (born in the Ministry of Trade and Industry), called the Secretariat for the Implementation of Spanish, where I held the post of foreign language specialist.

In this role, I had the opportunity to translate, interpret, host cultural awareness seminars, teacher-training initiatives, collaborate with ambassadors of the Spanish-speaking diplomatic missions accredited to T&T and collaborate with many other ministries.

Fast forward many years later, while in that role, I saw local and international opportunities to specialise in translation, and I took the leap towards independence, starting off by translating full-time, then earning further qualifications. That leap led to the formation of RMC Language Consultancy Limited.

Here we are almost 12 years later with so many opportunities to convert documents from one language into another and work with some really talented professionals and fantastic clients.

On this International Translation Day, I celebrate this profession with my fellow translators. May we find all the words we need and the ability to continue connecting people across languages, borders and cultures and may we enjoy every step of the journey.

Here's to all the translators who celebrate our profession on this International Translation Day.

For your translation, editing and proofreading needs, email us at pm@rmclanguages.com.

What are our company values?

6/25/2023

As part of intercultural coaching, one of the topics I discuss with my assignees (global leaders on international assignment in a foreign country) is identifying two or three of their core values.

What are values?

Values are what we teach our children.

They are ideals that are important to an individual, a culture, a company, a country.

RMC’s values include warm, engaging service to our clients. We focus on quality, reliability and accuracy in the delivery of our services.

Why are these important to us? Excellent customer service makes me feel happy.

On the other hand, poor customer service leaves me feeling uncared for or just in a plain old bad mood. Who wants to be associated with an organisation and spend their hard earned money where they are not appreciated?

WARM, ENGAGING SERVICE. At RMC, we make a real effort to be pleasant not only in our telephone conversations, but also in our digital communication with all of our partners, stakeholders and clients. We listen to our clients, advise them in keeping with their needs and leave them on a high note.

RELIABILITY. A value I was taught growing up is the importance of keeping your word. If I promise someone I will get back to them or I will do something for them, even if I have to go out of my way, I will make sure it is done. If I am unable to keep my word, I will ask for help or I will let the person know when I can deliver. I do not like to be left hanging, so why would I leave others in the lurch?!

QUALITY AND ACCURACY. We have a number of quality assurance steps in the delivery of our services. For example, after a document is translated, it is reviewed and proofread before being delivered to our clients. No one is perfect. We are all prone to errors, however, we take certain measures to reduce the incidence of error before delivery to our clients.

What values do you uphold? Please share your values with us. We would love to hear from you.

For your translation, interpreting, language tuition and intercultural needs, please email us at admin@rmclanguages.com.

Approved Public Translators and Interpreters in T&T

6/25/2023

Challenges faced by members of the public and translation and interpreting service providers in Trinidad and Tobago

Many government ministries and agencies do not have a standard approach to accepting documents from approved (language) service providers to complete procedures offered at their institutions. We recall at least three instances of government divisions not having knowledge of public translation providers accredited by some of the Trinidad and Tobago Government ministries and agencies frequently conducting business in foreign languages. Here are the scenarios:

Licensing Division, Ministry of Works and Transport – transfer of vehicle ownership involving an affidavit in a foreign language requiring a certified translation into English.
Inland Revenue Division, District Revenue Office, Ministry of Finance – posting of banns and civil ceremonies – an official/public interpreter is required to support the completion of such services if one of the parties to the agreement does not speak English.
National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago (NIBTT) – initially hesitant to accept officially translated supporting documents for an application for retirement benefit for a citizen who has migrated and who presented marriage and other legal documents in a language other than English.

In the end the officers involved proceeded to accept the translations upon presentation of credentials and/or further supporting documents, such as 1) a letter from the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs accrediting the language service provider; or 2) required the client to swear before a commissioner of affidavit. All of these alternatives are good; however, the lack of clear policies and procedures and failure to communicate these in advance cause stress, additional cost and wasted time, frustrating members of the public who have limited time in the country and who are trying to complete transactions for which the policies and procedures were not clearly communicated or even known in advance.

The sticking point – in all these cases – was the delay, multiple visits to various T&T Government offices to complete the transaction and worse, changing information depending on the officer with whom one spoke. This not only increases frustration, takes more time, but costs more, especially when it results in additional expenditure (think multiple trips, additional time, obtaining additional supporting documents (e.g. additional affidavits or notarisation of documents not indicated in the original application).

One way to address this is to determine the criteria to be met by providers of official translation and interpreting services. Complete all background checks and ensure particular criteria are met. Then ensure each ministry has access to the list of approved providers recognised as public translators and interpreters that provide such services in Trinidad and Tobago. The policies and procedures implemented by ministries that regularly utilise such services should be shared across the public service and an official body can be appointed to oversee this process. Ministries and agencies currently in a good position to oversee this process include the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Immigration Division of the Ministry of National Security and the Judiciary to name a few. These ministries already work with certain approved providers of translation and interpreting services, since they are the ones most often faced with conducting business in multiple languages. Therefore, they should already have a system in place and a selection criteria for determining the approved providers of such services.

It is important to note that a current challenge faced is that approval by one government ministry does not automatically mean approval at another ministry – there is a lack of standardisation of policies and procedures that apply across government ministries and agencies and even across departments within one ministry, so the decision to approve a member of the public’s application (officially translated or not) once again comes down to whatever policies lie in that ministry or agency (outdated or not), and not necessarily to current lists or approved providers lodged with certain ministries.

Information is not shared between and among ministries, or even within the very same ministry. It is also very difficult to verify information efficiently when telephone lines and email inboxes are not monitored and this is even more difficult when matters are time sensitive. Members of the public and even other ministry officials are often frustrated at the inability to get through to government offices by telephone and email.

In one case it took 3 months for a reply to be received and a simple matter addressed!!! Timeliness is crucial to the ease of doing business in Trinidad and Tobago and we need to do better.

Decisions are often left to the whims and fancies of the officer or public servant handling the matter. Fortunately, some are able to apply some common sense and procedures to move forward, but there is a general lack of accountability and willingness to improve customer service in the public sector. This is not across the board, however, as within one ministry there can be varying levels of efficiency across different departments based on the leadership of that unit or ministry.

There is a general lack of knowledge about the language industry and what to look for in approving service providers, so often it is not done or the topic is avoided altogether and members of the public who need to get business done are left frustrated.

There is also a myth that the only providers of this service are the two government providers, as RMC has been providing both translation of official documents and interpreting at official high level meetings of multiple government ministries for 11+ years.

Need more information? For your official, certified translation and interpreting needs, email us at pm@rmclanguages.com.

Relaunch of Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean (CENLAC) at the Institute of International Relations, UWI, St. Augustine

4/27/2023

To my surprise and great pleasure, my former Spanish lecturer, mentor and dare I say friend, who is now an honorary professor, Dr. Lancelot Cowie, called a couple days ago to invite me to attend the relaunch of the Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Institute of International Relations, UWI, St. Augustine Campus. Dr. Cowie, held the post of Trinidad and Tobago Ambassador to Cuba for the last 6 years and recently returned to Trinidad.

It was an honour and a privilege to be invited to be part of this momentous occasion especially at a time when the ambassadors of many Latin American countries accredited to Trinidad and Tobago are once again coming together to promote the Spanish language and culture of the different Latin American countries. The Venezuelan Institute for Culture and Cooperation (IVCC) in Port of Spain recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and resumed classes in January 2023 after a 2-year hiatus.

Members of the diplomatic corps in attendance at the relaunch today, 27 April 2023, included the Ambassadors of Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela and diplomats from the Embassies of Argentina, Chile, the Dominican Republic and Panama.

Most of the speakers addressed the audience in Spanish – even the Brazilian Ambassador – whose native tongue is of course Portuguese.

The Latin American region is not homogenous. Besides the main languages of Spanish and Portuguese, multiple languages are spoken there and it is home to about 656 million people, with Brazil having the largest population of 200 million people.

Imagine if #CARICOM were to take full potential of the market right on our doorstep.

Imagine if #language were not a barrier.

Imagine if we, Trinidad and Tobago (and CARICOM as a whole), were to take significant, sustained steps to promote #foreignlanguageacquisition from early childhood, right through to university in addition to continuous learning in the workplace, especially of #Spanish and #Portuguese. So many opportunities are on our doorstep in the areas of education, research, trade, training and development, cultural exchanges, tourism and regional security, to name a few.

At present there is funding in place (through exporTT Limited) to assist non-energy sector companies to access services like translation to create marketing materials and interpreting to conduct meetings in French and Spanish spoken in these and other largely untapped markets.

The Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI) through its #GoGlobalTTServices initiative has been supporting companies to export their services and access new markets including non-English-speaking markets. (See link to article published today in the Trinidad Guardian in the comments together with the balance of this article.)

In addition, in early April 2023, Rutaca resumed direct flights to Margarita, once again opening the doors of tourism to the Trinidad and Tobago population.

So many collaborations and business opportunities are staring us in the face. Are we going to allow them to pass us by? This could be the year you invest in improving your foreign language skills and take advantage of the resources that are available right now.

For more information on how you can acquire or boost your foreign language skills, email us at admin@rmclanguages.com.

Why using machine translation should not be your first choice for commercial documents

1/21/2023

When learning a foreign language or communicating with potential clients who speak a different language, there are a plethora of tools and online resources to make the process easier and quicker.
Gone are the days when using a physical dictionary was the only way to learn new terms and build vocabulary. With the increased popularity of artificial intelligence and automation and their incorporation into many business processes, there are some drawbacks associated with online resources such as raw machine translation.

The use of raw machine translation can negatively impact the quality of your published work and have negative repercussions on your branding and business reputation, unless used as part of a controlled process by a professional to ensure quality and confidentiality.

Here are 5 reasons why you should reconsider the use of raw machine translation as the sole method of producing official publications and reaching new markets.

1. Literal translation and loss of original meaning
Online translation platforms can produce errors that may go unnoticed without the trained eye of a professional translator and reviewer. These platforms tend to translate literally and may not convey the true sense of the intended message. An idea that may be expressed in one word in English may be expressed in four words in another language and is not always the perfect match for the intended audience. Machine translation tools tend to translate word for word and the true meaning of the original text may be lost.

2.The loss of meaning in idiomatic expressions
Idiomatic expressions are an excellent way to learn more about a language and culture. Oftentimes, machine translation apps will literally translate word for word thereby losing the real sense and essence of the expression.

3.Grammatical and structural errors
Machine translation tools may not produce consistent, grammatically sound output. For example, when translating from French to English, a lengthy statement may need to be divided into multiple shorter ones. A skilled translator will take this into account, but an online translation tool may produce a document that is inaccurate, challenging to understand and filled with grammatical and structural errors.

4. Cultural and regional elements
Differences in dialect are not taken into consideration by machine translation. These platforms are unable to discern cultural and regional differences and this can result in a completely unintended or even embarrassing outcome. MT output can change the intended meaning of the original text by ignoring these elements, thus impacting accuracy.

5. Lack of confidentiality
Using free online machine translation tools means throwing all confidentiality out of the window. Text dropped into the tool will most likely be saved for future public use. This is a not advisable for sensitive legal or medical documents, for example.

Consider these 5 reasons to reconsider using raw machine translation to produce your official correspondence, contracts and corporate content, be it brochures, price lists, advertisements, marketing material or website localisation.

Investing in professional translation will benefit your corporate image in the long run, ensure that sensitive information is protected, adapt your message to your target market and respect grammatical and cultural nuances.

For professional translation services, email us at pm@rmclanguages.com.

Five tips for adjusting to life in a new country

1/9/2023

Moving to another country can be both quite exhilarating and daunting. The move can be full of excitement and positive experiences. However, the excitement of the unknown and limitless possibilities can be jolted by culture shock, language barriers and homesickness. In order to make your move easier and transition to a new life and culture, being proactive about integration into a new culture is key to an almost seamless transition. Here are a few tips to help you settle into your new life and culture.

Embrace the experience and accept it for what it is.

1. Research the host country and culture where you will be living

Being familiar with the culture and keeping abreast of the way of life in a country – before arriving there – is paramount to getting acclimatized. Taking the time to read, observe and educate yourself about your future place of abode, its customs, norms and public etiquette will make the transition a lot easier.

2. Learn the language

It goes without saying that if you are planning to live in a country where your mother tongue is not spoken, you should at least know the basics of the language. Having some knowledge of the language will be a great asset, especially during your first few days and weeks of settling into a new country. Learning the language can help you to be safer, as well as help prevent someone from taking advantage of you. Basic phrases and vocabulary that can come in handy are greetings, directions and commands.

3. Go out to explore

There is no better way to experience a country other than going out into the town and living the experience. Reading and watching videos can greatly assist, but getting out, immersing yourself, engaging with the locals and having different experiences will serve to accelerate your acclimatization to your new environment.

4. Build your community

It is highly likely that at some point during your stay, you may experience homesickness and yearn to return to your homeland. While some may be able to do so, it can be quite difficult, costly or simply not an option for others. Building a community comes in very handy in this situation. Whether it is joining clubs related to your interests or joining Facebook groups of people from your homeland that reside in your new adopted home, building a community is key to aiding in reducing and easing homesickness.

5. Socialize

When making the move to another country, we often forget that our friends and family are not coming with us. This can be extremely difficult when we arrive and reality sets in. Interacting with and meeting new people is a crucial and vital step to fully immersing into a new culture. These people will be your new neighbours, co-workers, friends and fellow countrymen. A few ways to meet new people include joining clubs and organizations, going to cafes, restaurants and bars and also volunteering.

Moving to a new country is no easy feat. There can be many challenges and hurdles; however, the experience and outcome are priceless. Following these tips can greatly assist you on your journey. Be sure to embrace the experience.

Services:

Translation
Editing
Proofreading
Interpreting
Intercultural coaching
Foreign language tuition for adults and children
Corporate conference services

Contact us:

868 750-6315

admin@rmclanguages.com

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