What do you need to know about attending trade shows and exhibitions in China post-pandemic? How can you make sure your company is ready to face the world’s most digitally advanced customers and partners? What are the every-day obstacles for foreign guests in China?  Let’s take a look together!

Participation in trade shows and exhibitions is great for creating leads and sales, as well as getting exposure in your industry. Trade shows are also great sources of knowledge where you can learn what’s happening in your industry. Some of the participants of Trade shows in China are government officials, media, influencers, large retail buyers, and hundreds of thousands of different business representatives.

If you have attended trade shows in the past, you’ve likely seen just how much goes into them. Businesses have displays (from standard sample shelved to fully operational chef-stations or robotic-productions), promotion teams and locally hired extra staff on-site, free samples and gifts for attendees, stand entertainment, and of course business reps, ready to talk endlessly about their products. There are events that take place within trade shows as well as in addition to them. Some events are hosted by the trade show organizers (seminars, awards, etc.), some events are hosted by country organizers (dinners, breakfasts, online forums), and some are organized by the exhibitors (customer appreciation dinners).

With all this in mind, there is an awful lot to prepare before attending an exhibition. The same is true when preparing to attend an exhibition in China.

To ensure you have all your bases covered, follow this detailed checklist to help make the most of your time.

What are the differences in Chinese and Western Trade shows? Chinese trends and attention grabbers

Canton Fair, CIIE, SIAL, and CBIE are some of the biggest trade shows in China. In fact, the Canton Fair is so large that it has been split into 2 seasons (Spring and Fall), with each one taking place in 3 phases of 5 days. The surface area taken up by each phase is so large that it would take one person 8 days straight just to make a very brief visit to each booth. Of course, not all exhibitions are so large, but if you’re not organized beforehand, you may end up wasting valuable exhibition time on issues such as staying too far away from the site, or insufficient transport.

Trade shows in China have lots of similarities to the ones is the West, especially in terms of organization of space. Some of the main differences are the digitalization of every possible step, from registration and badge use (a photo of a QR code of your badge is normally enough for access to all areas), to contact exchange (having your own WeChat account is crucial for exchanging contacts), to vendor management (order and payment of printing, food, express delivery and so on).

When it comes to booth preparation, you would probably need to spend lots of time on the design of the meeting space. But don’t forget that what you actually do in your booth and how you behave will also be noted by the guests and will leave a longer impression in their hearts. To gain extra attention, businesses use costumes and models, lottery activities, games, and shows (cooking/playing instruments/high tech entertainment).

Needless to say, having a local partner or agency to smooth all those aspects for you can be extremely useful, allowing you to focus on what you came to promote: your core business.

Click here to enquire about business assistance for your coming trade show.

What do you need to know before you come to an exhibition in China? Preparing your team for that big business trip to China 

Personal necessities

In China there is generally no access to Google, Uber, Facebook, or WhatsApp.

You will need to make sure to get roaming when you arrive; even to access the airport WIFI, it’s necessary to have a phone number that works.

When you have a moment, download all the equivalent apps that you will need.

An alternative to Google that works well and is foreign-visitor friendly is Microsoft’s Bing.

Uber’s Chinese alternative is Didi; an English version of the app is also available.

WhatsApp is blocked in China, and people use WeChat. Make sure to add your most important contacts in China beforehand.

Maps – Google maps wont work in China but there are several other options.

If you are using your foreign SIM card with roaming – all the apps blocked by the firewall should work normally.

What can you do to promote your brand and your business in China?

Some of the larger brands host customer appreciation dinners or other events within the frame of exhibition, such as a standard dinner for existing and potential customers, or a lavish Business Awards evening.

Our Case study: 

The Pollock Group (Russian Fishery) together with Pacific Rim have been engaged in a few interesting activities as part of the China Seafood Expo 2023.

They have used the PR possibilities and tools (provided by HI-COM) to ensure their business audience would hear their name one more time. The PR list provided included 15 most reliable and business oriented media names in their industry (including China Daily, Xinhua news, China Business portal, Tencent news, China food, etc).

Secondly, the company invited one of the most famous food influencers in Qingdao (where the expo was hosted), Hunrgy Monkey, to participate in an eating contest. His live stream generated more than 80,000 views.

And lastly, the the company hosted a Business Award banquet for 100 people. That event was created to celebrate the big return to the market and the end of Covid restrictions for their business. The event was greatly appreciated by their most loyal business partners and customers.

Business necessities

Before coming to China for an exhibition, you might want to translate your marketing materials, invitations, thank you letters, and name cards. A professional translation agency like HI-COM can even arrange for prints to be delivered directly to the booth.

Getting an interpreter is another task that should be addressed before you arrive. Professional translation agencies (such as HI-COM) will be able to shortlist the candidates according to your criteria. You might want to talk to the interpreter by phone before coming to make sure your expectations are met. Changing an interpreter last-minute may backfire.

If your companyn is serious about the Chinese market, it is advised to register a corporate account on Chinese social media such as a WeChat official account. This will serve as a localized mobile website, and news and update center for your company, as well as a newsletter service for your clients in China.

Having a WeChat official account will also show prospective customers that you know all about your market, and are here to stay. HI-COM is here to assist you with this task.

How to use WeChat for Message blast (sending one message to several hundreds of people at once)

If you would like to send invitations or thank-you letters to all your visitors at once via WeChat, here’s how to do it.

Step 1. Prepare the image. It must be an image. The app supports one image per blast.

Step 2. Go to WeChat–>Me–>Settings–>General–> WeChat tools–>Broadcast Message

*If you can’t find this function, update your app to the latest version.

Step 3. Click on ‘Send now’ and select people you want to send the message to. Then choose the image.

Step 4. Send.

Taking care of your online reputation before coming to China

Chinese businessmen are known for their tendency to double check every bit of available information. So, when they see your product for the first time, they will Baidu it (search for results on Baidu, a local equivalent of Google). But fear not! There is a way to put their minds at ease.

Take matters into your own hands and start working on your e-reputation in China before your brand or your booth arrives here.

Working on your e-PR list and content to be showcased can significantly multiply your success in China. This can be done similarly to how you would approach it in the West, by outreaching to media outlets in your niche with proposed articles for publishing.

HI-COM can help you to handle this by providing:

• PR List (suitable media)
• Registration of WeChat account (or other social media apps)
• Content creation in Chinese
• Cooperation with Livestreamers, Bloggers, KOLs and other talents

Getting help on-site at exhibitions in China

Most companies arrange their booth with the help of the organizer. Design, furniture, and samples can all be handled by the country representatives of the host exhibition. However some companies prefer to have that personal touch, which means they’ll be looking to put in extra effort and set up differently. These companies would need a local partner who can assist not only in setting up, but also in assisting you at the time of the event. For small emergencies such as running out of business cards, a local partner like HI-COM can give you a hand in most situations.

What can HI-COM provide for your booth in China:

1. Specialized interpreters in your industry, who can also serve as a travel assistant (arrange transportation, communicate with local exhibition staff and vendors, communicate with prospects, etc.)
2. Marketing Materials (including localization of catalogues, invitations and thank-you letters)
3. Interpreters for factory tours
4. Exhibition follow-up – data processing
5. KOL/Influencer coverage of your booth (inviting niche influencers to your booth and showcasing your products on social media)
6. PR and Press cover on-site
7. Models and Animators for your booth (depending on the product category, these talents can make a significant difference to visitors’ experience)
8. Photographers and Videographers for the event (why not have professional materials for your website and social media?)

How to translate your marketing materials

It’s important to catch the attention of people passing by your booth. To do so, make sure your your materials are translated appropriately. More importantly, ensure your materials are localized to suit Chinese audiences.

This means not only having your content translated into the target language, but also taking an approach that will ensure your pictures and color schemes are not inappropriate. It is inadvisable to cut corners when translating and localizing your materials; after all, it’s your reputation that’s at stake here.

A professional translation agency is able to adapt your original brochures and technical data sheets into another language, modify the design and prepare it for printing. A competent agency will even deliver these prints to your booth.

Here at HI-COM, we only use native language translators and editors, ensuring a smooth workflow, high-quality output, and design!

Want to check if we are a good fit? Drop us a line!

Choosing and Working with Interpreters in China

During the trade show, it will be crucial to have at least one person on-site who can interpret or speak Chinese so that you do not miss out on opportunities to network. After all, your goal is to meet potential customers and influential attendees.

Don’t expect all of them to feel comfortable speaking your native language. Although more and more people in China are learning English, and will likely be able to have some simple conversations, when it comes down to negotiations and terms, you will want someone on your side who can understand what is being said, and also so that prospective customers feel comfortable discussing business in their own language.

When looking for exhibition interpreters, make sure you prepare your basic technical exhibition materials, hold interviews with potential talent, and make sure your exhibition interpreters are experienced, presentable and outgoing.

Here at HI-COM, we pay close attention to these criteria, and provide one of the most comprehensive Exhibition Interpreting Services in the industry. In our practice, we have provided interpreters for large and small businesses, summits, training courses and press conferences in Shanghai, Hong Kong, as well as numerous trade shows and exhibitions around China, France, Germany, Russia, Korea and other countries.

Take a look at HI-COM’s Exhibition and Summit interpreting portfolio!

Emergency management

If you run out of business cards, or realise you ordered last year’s prints, don’t panic! Your Chinese temp staff, or even interpreter, will manage to fix the situation. In China, exhibition halls are crowded with all sorts of vendors and printing agents. It is not recommended to fully rely on them, but in times of crisis they will be the ones to the rescue! Express name card printing will be available every day of the event, and will take 30 minutes to be delivered to your booth (of course, the highest quality paper may not be available in such a short space of time, but it will certainly be be better thank nothing).

The wall prints can be done in 2-3 hours and placed on your walls within 15 minutes.

But of course, keep in mind that a real emergency can strike at any time, so make sure that you and your team members have the necessary insurance.

What do you need to do for your brand/business after the show to maximize potential

Once the exhibition is over, the work doesn’t stop! Don’t miss your chance to follow up with the connections you made during the expo.

You can continue partnering with an agency to help translate your email marketing content and thank-you notes. Following up with your new contacts in Chinese is a thoughtful gesture, and an important aspect when building working relationships.

Once you have decided to commit to a trade show, it’s time to start preparing. Your chances of new business are high if you are ready to meet new people, answer questions, and sell your products or services!

Need help with preparation or booth management? HI-COM, as always, is here for you! Drop us a line if you have any difficulties with your upcoming trade show in China, and we will be happy to do all we can to support your business needs!

Why choose a translation agency in the first place? Do you need translations, interpreting or content writing and have a choice between machine translation, a freelance translator or a translation agency?

The Chinese Language and Its Nuances

China has more than 1.3 billion speakers in its country, representing more than one-sixth of the world’s population and making it one of the important languages of international development

Due to this famous development and its history, China has several different dialects in the north, south, east and west of the country.

While some may be similar to dialects and resemble each other, others are totally different in terms of grammar, phonology and terminology. Namely, in the Chinese language, there are more than 50,000 different characters. Discover more on the Chinese language in this article! 

This is why with a translation agency, you need to talk to the client to find out the specific type of language you need in order to find the best translator for you!

Finally, as China is becoming more and more powerful, open to the international market and currently the world’s second largest economy after the United States, it is attracting more and more brands and companies who wish to establish themselves there in order to target the Chinese market, which can seem difficult to access. But these companies often find themselves confronted with the language barrier. In fact, only 25% of Chinese people speak English, which means that mastering the Chinese language is essential. It is, therefore, necessary to use translation services for all your English-Chinese projects.

HI-COM is a translation agency supporting your needs in more than 40 languages. We are present in France and in China, which allows us to be specialized in the European and Asian markets. Moreover, having our head office based in China, Shanghai and 2 other cities in China, we are experts in the Chinese market and language.

English to Chinese Translation: The Importance of Choosing a Good Agency!

When it comes to translating documents, there are several ways to do it.

Machine translation is a free and easy-to-access translation. However, for translations from English to Chinese, machine translation is not the right solution! Chinese is a complex language full of nuances and dialects and there are different ways to write it. Discover in this article the Chinese language and its nuances.

On the other hand, a freelance translator may be native in the Chinese language, but is unable to master all the different nuances and dialects of the north and south.

This is why a translation agency, assigns you a project manager who is present to make sure that you find THE native translator in the desired translation language, who is specialized in the project’s field and sensitive to the nuances and dialects of your desired language. All of our translators have degrees from prestigious universities and at least 5 years of experience!

Another important advantage of a translation agency such as HI-COM is that we do not only offer simple or certified translations, we offer a wide range of services from technical translation to interpreting and content writing.

Discover our wide range of services for your English to Chinese projects:

• Certified Chinese translation
• Writing content for Chinese social networks
• Simultaneous and consecutive interpretation from English to Chinese
• Technical translation
• Localization of brand names in Chinese
• Video subtitles in simplified or traditional Chinese and much more!

Translation Agency English-Chinese: A GUARANTEE OF QUALITY

For more than 4 years, HI-COM ASIA has been evolving and expanding its network of translators over time, which is now made up of the best English-Chinese language translators, who are experts in various dialects and nuances and specialized in multiple fields.  All our translators are selected according to their diplomas, their experience (more than 5 years), their field of specialization and their adaptability. For example, if you want to export your business to China by translating your website but also create a presence on Chinese social networks, we will assign you a website translation specialist and a Chinese social network content editor, which is a specialty in its own right.

Finally, be aware that if you sign a contract in China, the Chinese contract prevails over other possible versions of the document according to Chinese law. Therefore, to avoid misunderstandings and translation distortions, we recommend using a professional translation agency.

HI-COM is a multilingual translation agency dedicated to providing professional translation and interpreting services to companies around the world. Working with more than 40 languages, HI-COM is the localization partner for hundreds of companies and brands.

Choose HI-COM as your partner for all your translation and other projects!

Contact us today for a free consultation!

Attracting, selecting and recruiting the best foreign students remains a challenge for business and engineering schools and also universities.

Nevertheless, offering them a 6-month or 1-year university exchange in partnership with their home school is no longer enough to determine the level of attractiveness and global influence of a school. Indeed, instead of the number of traditional exchange students, it is now the number of foreign students following programs over their entire duration (4 to 5 years) that constitutes how attractive an institution is.

To better understand how this attractiveness and is measured, let’s take the example of a Chinese student who chooses to go on an exchange for a semester or a year on one of the partner campuses of his own Chinese university. The approach is different for the student who chooses to complete his or her entire study  in a school in France.

Thus, recruiting foreign students is, above all, a matter of attraction and ‘seduction’. You must therefore make your school attractive, with international programs in English and opportunities to study on several international campuses.

With more than 300,000 students welcomed each year, France continues to be the fourth largest host country. But, its numbers falling by 8.1% between 2010 and 2015.

This is why measures to increase the attractiveness of higher education institutions have been proposed by the major conferences of French higher education and the Campus France Forum.

Here are the six main areas of development:

– Strengthening of host scholarships.

It’s worth noting that foreign students in France generate more than 4.6 million Euros per year.

– Creation of global communication campaigns.

Deployment of a strong marketing strategy to promote French schools.

– Improvement and promotion of support provided by institutions to foreign students.

Which means reinforcement of policies relating to housing, integration, cultural activities, etc.

– Simplification of application processes.

New digital processes at grandes écoles and universities, and online application procedures must be promoted, as well as greater autonomy in recruitment.

– Simplification of the student’s stay – in particular the reduction of administrative formalities.

– Development of outgoing mobility of French students.

Presence of students abroad contributes just as much to enhancing the image of education and the dynamism of the country.

Thus, the processes of simplifying the policy for obtaining visas are all part of a new strategy undertaken by France.

The objective is to welcome 500,000 international students by 2027, compared to 324,000 at present.

As part of this dynamic, the government would like to launch the “welcome to France” label.

The diversity of nationalities of international students remains practically identical to that of the previous year. On the other hand, “the ranking order has changed slightly,” says Campus France. After Morocco (1st), it is Algeria that has moved up to second place, ahead of China (3rd), while Italy has moved up one place (4th) at the expense of Tunisia (5th).

The Chinese are the foreign students that French universities attract the most!

Finally, everyone sees this voluntary exile as an opportunity to discover another culture, develop their skills, and become more mature.

HOW TO ATTRACT CHINESE STUDENTS

It is important to ask yourself several questions to understand your needs in terms of student recruitment.

– How can you meet the needs of Chinese students?

– What distinguishes you as an institution hosting international students?

Chinese student mobility remains the highest in the world and has increased by 40% in the last 5 years.

According to 2017 figures from the Chinese Ministry of Education, out of 4.6 million international students worldwide, more than 600,000 are Chinese. This is an increase of 11.74% compared to 2016.

Thus, knowing the expectations and characteristics of these students is an essential aspect to take into account.

Like the Chinese population, these students are hyper-connected and very well informed. They decide where they want to study after finding out about world rankings and reputation of the schools.

In China, education is the number one expense for families. The government provides about 2,500 scholarships per year for France (according to the Chinese Ministry of Education) and more than 90% of studies are paid for by families.

For the majority of them, France is their first exchange country abroad. Arriving in a new place for the first time can be a real culture shock. The first few months represent a phase of adaptation. They are getting used to the new environment, learning or practicing the French language. They also are familiarizing with new social behaviors, and socializing inside and outside the campus. For some, this adaptation can be complicated and can lead to feelings of loneliness or even depression.

How to attract this Chinese audience in an increasingly competitive environment ?

In the context of open competition, the choice of France as a destination and the educational offer will be challenged. You must therefore make every effort to maintain and strengthen your attractiveness. Thus, schools will have to consolidate their offer: personalised welcome, quality of courses, attractiveness of the destination.

1. CREATE A BRAND IMAGE – THE IMPORTANCE OF REPUTATION.

“Branding” is not a term generally associated with education. However, in China, branding is the key to any reputation. In fact, the Chinese are above all looking for a strong and internationally recognized image.

There are also many forums concerning education that should be taken into account. They make it possible to interact and discuss the various schools and courses available abroad. It is important to create positive feedback from Chinese users as this is 5 times more effective for the current generation of students.

2. PRESENCE ON SEARCH ENGINE

Baidu, the most widely used search engine in China, is considered as the Chinese Google. The Chinese use it for more than 70% of their searches. Therefore, to be as visible as possible, it is important to have good natural referencing – (Natural referencing or SEO refers to all the techniques that consist in favorably positioning a site or a set of pages of a site on the first page(s) of natural results of search engines (Google what) corresponding to the queries / keywords entered by Internet users). – in order to appear in the first search results of Baidu. This will allow you to reach and target these potential students.

In addition, your website must be optimized for local search engines, meaning that it should be hosted on a Chinese server to ensure it loads quickly in China, and have .cn domain name. It is advisable to use a local website for better loading speed rather than creating a translated multilingual version of your original website. The site should be optimized for Mandarin Chinese characters and should include QR codes leading to your official WeChat account page.

As digital is an important part of Chinese people’s daily life, a targeted strategy on these channels will be necessary to reach your target and objectives.

Thus, there is a real angle of attack and prospection for these universities. Having a real strategy on Chinese social networks is the key to target Chinese students. It is therefore necessary for each school or university which has an exchange program with China or is looking to attract Chinese students, to create its own official page on social networks such as WeChat or Weibo. It is important to adopt different, more localized and specialized marketing strategies, given the difference of Chinese social networks compared to Western social networks.

HI-COM is here to help you in this process thanks to our digital marketing experts.

3.PRESENCE ON CHINESE SOCIAL MEDIA

Being present on the main Chinese social media channels is an important step in the prospection of potential students. In a country where more than a billion people use new technologies as a source of information and a means of communication, online visibility is a crucial point for all institutions.

WeChat is a social network with more than one billion active users every month. It is a platform in its own right, where most Chinese people search for information and news. The application is generally called WeChat Moments because a multitude of information is available. Everyone can post and share their feelings and experiences.

To gain visibility, you will need to create an official account, an identity, through which will be able to reach your target market and interact with prospective students and their parents on a daily basis in order to maximize your results.

In a nutshell:

– Build a presence and a positive image on Chinese search engines

– Create informative and quality content for your publications on WeChat and Weibo (similar to WeChat, often referred to as the Chinese Twitter).

– Open an official account to act as a microsite for your services.

HI-COM can assist you in all the steps for creating and maintaining your page on Chinese networks. From account creation, content creation and planning, our experts can help you on WeChat/Weibo and KOL/Influencers.

How is France an attractive host country for these students?

According to a study published this Wednesday, 20% of Chinese parents who want to send their child abroad consider France as a destination. This is also the case for 15% of Americans.

While many argue that speaking Chinese, English and French is an undeniable asset for their professional future, it is first and foremost the culture that fascinates the students and that has encouraged them to apply for the bilingual class. Indeed, they find the language “so elegant” and “so precise” and generally see France as “so romantic”.

Their choice was also motivated by the reputation of French engineering schools and the fact that France is, in their opinion, a country with a strong industry.

Finally, they all see this voluntary exile as an opportunity to discover another culture, to develop their skills and to become more mature.

The study indicates that French parents report spending an average of 8,800 Euros on a child’s university education. This is almost three times less than in the United States (29,000 Euros) and well below the world average (17,000 Euros). Finally, studies in France are less expensive than in the Anglo-Saxon world (between 4,000 and 8,000 Euros per year for ESIGELEC and about 600 Euros for INSA, which is a public school).

The low cost of higher education in France could also explain another phenomenon: while more than a third of parents in the world go into debt to finance their children’s studies, only 10% do so in France. The study points out that France is “the country where borrowing is least frequent when it comes to financing one’s studies”.

To illustrate the importance of all principles, we have summarized an interesting case study on Accedmia del Lusso and its success in China.

Case Study : ACCADEMIA DEL LUSSO

ACADEMIA DEL LUSSO: A GREAT SUCCESS IN CHINA

Accademia Del Lusso was invisible to Chinese students when it first started in China. Therefore, the school decided to create a digital campaign to develop its reputation and visibility on Baidu.

The renowned fashion and design school in Milan wanted to attract students to its Italian city and attract more Chinese students.

As mentioned earlier in the article, Chinese students tend to search for information on their own search engines and social networks. However, due to the different digital environment in China, they had little presence and visibility in the Chinese market. After winning the Lifetime Achievement and Leading Fashion School awards in 2007, their reputation continued to grow worldwide.

HI-COM ASIA is the ideal partner!

Contact us now!

HI-COM is proud to have provided consecutive interpreting for China’s 2019 Offshore Summit Series. The event took place from the 12th-14th of November, at the Grand Kempinski Hotel in Shanghai.

HI-COM is proud to have provided consecutive interpreting for China’s 2019 Offshore Summit Series. The event took place from the 12th-14th of November, at the Grand Kempinski Hotel in Shanghai.

HI-COM supported the two-day event by providing consecutive interpreting in both Chinese and English.

The China Offshore Summit was designed exclusively by China Offshore & local practitioners. With an average of over 500 attendees per event, the annual Summit provides a premium platform for information exchange, business development and education for Chinese intermediaries.

Here at HI-COM, we believe that effective interpretation goes beyond just language fluency, and is about understanding cultural nuances, speaking idiomatically and being experienced in the field that is being translated.

HI-COM provides reliable and cost-effective Interpreting services, with a network of highly skilled, qualified and experienced multi-linguists.  For more information, please get in touch.

Fantasy is one of the most difficult genres to translate. Made-up locations, creatures, and objects may present quite a challenge for a translator, especially if the book is a part of a series. Today we will discuss the methods of translating fantasy books, the main difficulties, and some recommended translation techniques.

Fantasy genre

Fantasy is one of the most difficult genres to translate. Made-up locations, creatures, and objects may present quite a challenge for a translator, especially if the book is a part of a series. Today we will discuss the methods of translating fantasy books, the main difficulties, and some recommended translation techniques.

What you need to know about translation of Fantasy books 

Books in the fantasy genre often contain fictitious words whose sound and style can create certain associations. In the original language their essence can be understood on an intuitive level. During translation, these features may get lost, and as a result, the main meaning and theme of the work that the author wanted to convey may disappear. In the fantasy genre, translating the text correctly to ensure the accurate transmission of the lexical and stylistic meaning is the main task of modern literary translators.

Fantasy is a genre of literary fiction, based on myths, legends, and fairy tales. This style has gained particular popularity among modern writers due to extensive opportunities opening up for writing work. The author is not constrained by certain frameworks, allowing them to come up with original plots and use an interesting style that will engage the reader.

A distinctive feature of these books is the presence of unique words and definitions invented by the writer. This practice of using axioms allows writers to specifically emphasize the plot, express the emotional state of the characters, and describe events more clearly.

Therefore, the translation process involves a detailed study of the work, the implementation of a detailed analysis of lexical features, and the search for similar expressions that can reflect the essence of the words.

In general, translation of books can be done using two methods:

– literal translation, in which it is important to keep the structure of the text unchanged;

– indirect translation, where special attention is paid to preserving the semantic load.

Translation of fantasy books, example 1: The Hobbit

Each method has its own characteristics when transmitting the main information. The main lexico-stylistic problem of these processes relates to incorrect translation and replacement of words. In such cases, the reader of the book may incorrectly reveal the essence of concepts, which leads to the loss of the idea of ​​the book and the emergence of false associations. Quite often, a similar phenomenon was encountered when translating the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien. For example, in the works of the author, elves often appear. So, in the “Hobbit” three elf races are mentioned: Fair Elves (Light-elves), Deep Elves, and Sea Elves, which, according to the author, are characterized by light, wisdom or love of the sea. In the Chinese version it was translated as ‘Golder’ Elves (金色精灵)  , Dark Valley Elves (幽谷精灵 ) and Sea Elves (海精灵), which does not fully match the original meaning.

Translation of fantasy books, example 2: Harry Potter

One of the important factors of the fantasy genre is borrowing words without explaining their meaning. A false interpretation of the concepts may cause misconceptions about the plot of the book, which may result in the reader not fully understanding the meaning and cause-effect relationships of the described events. For example, Quidditch balls in the works of J.K. Rowling have quite telling names. In the Chinese version, The Golden Snitch was translated as “Golden Thief” “金色飞贼”, where 贼 means a quick and skillful thief, who can climb roofs and jump above walls. This name fully conveys the behavior of the ball during the game, so that the reader can immediately understand its essence. However, in some translations the ball is called the “Golden Snitch”, which does not allow the reader to instantly understand its feature.

Translation of fantasy books, example 3: The Happy Prince

Many fantasy writers add a specific behaviour to special fictional characters, which is often described by their names. Violation of the structure of the phraseological unit of the word in translation leads to the mixing of ideas in the work. A famous example is the work of O. Wilde, “The Happy Prince”. Due to the fact that in English all animals and birds belong to the male gender, Swallow has characteristic male features, while Reed has female features. But in translations to gender-inclusive languages, this may change. When translating, the idea may lose its meaning, as after translation, Swallow and Reed could become an equivalent of the opposite gender in the translated language, which happens in the Russian version of the book. As a result, the tempers of the heroes and their behaviours are misleading for the reader.

Change of the syntactic composition could also lead to a change in the meaning of the text. English is a very specific language, and the rearrangement of adjectives, nouns, and verbs into different positions in a sentence may convey different meanings according to some readers.

Why is it so difficult to translate fantasy books

Translation of fantasy books is considered a painstaking process. The translator needs not only to rewrite the text in another language, but also to convey the main meaning, features, and ideas, which is possible only after a detailed study of the work. Compliance with the basic rules of the language is considered an important element of the translation, but the incorrect transfer of the plot could jeopardize the entire value of the book.

One of the main obstacles when translating any books – is the inability to provide consistency. When Harry Potter was translated by one of the publishing houses in Russia, it was split into 2 parts and given to 2 different translators. The book went to print in a rush without proofreading, and as a result, the same characters, spells and locations had 2 different versions in the book, which created tension and confusion within the audience. The same problem may arise when translating books that belong to a large series. The translator must read previous versions or have a glossary from previous translations provided to them.

Some Examples of translation of Fantasy books produced by HI-COM

French-English translation sample

French – Chinese translation sample

How to choose a translator or translation agency that will provide a high standard of translation of fantasy books

When sourcing their translators, agencies such as HI-COM pay great attention to their background, experience and personal interests.

When an agency takes on a project such as translation of fantasy books, it must provide the adequate resources to their translators, such as validated glossaries, previous translations of books, and style guides.

Translation agencies must control quality of the translation delivered, having a professional bilingual proofreader and editor checking the work after the translator. This will prevent inconsistencies, unnecessary add-ons, and incorrect translations.

Lastly, agencies must work with professional teams of translators and proofreaders in order to deliver high quality translations to publishing houses and independent clients.

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Two girls and their team from Tsinghua University and the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics recently won First Prize for the Good Open Design Challenge with a niche product dedicated to aphasiacs. Their original intention of researching and developing such a product was to help their aphasiac friends.

Two girls and their team from Tsinghua University and the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics recently won First Prize for the Good Open Design Challenge with a niche product dedicated to aphasiacs. Their original intention of researching and developing such a product was to help their aphasiac friends.

During a brief demonstration, the presenter reached out his hand with his thumb up. The characters meaning “hello” then immediately appeared on the display area of the APP they have called “SHOWING”. A black armlet around the arm of the presenter is used to catch the myoelectric signals of the hand movements, which look like a strap used in running.

SHOWING is a niche product designed specifically for aphasiacs and is estimated to be launched in late May. Probably for able-bodied persons, it is hard to grasp the significance of this product — Sign language is the bridge of communication among the aphasiacs. However, it is even more difficult than any foreign language for common people. And “SHOWING” is designed to be the unsung hero for such communication bridges.

Wang Nana, and Huang Shuang, the founders of SHOWING, and Huang Shuang, graduated from the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2012, and were roommates in university. The girls first thought about working on aphasiacs related activities in 2015.

At one event, Wang Nana met Zhang Quan, an aphasiacs graduate from the Special Education College of Beijing Union University and they became good friends. As Wang Nana is unable to communicate with sign language, the two friends are more like e-pals in reality. Even when they’re face to face, they have to resorted to WeChat for communication.

After returning to the dormitory, Wang Nana shared Zhang Quan’s story with Huang Shuang. They then met more aphasiacs and experienced various difficulties in communication. “Sometimes I felt that I was ‘hurting’ them when I talked. Sometimes I would wonder whether I was getting carried away and ignoring their feelings”, Wang Nana said.

Huang Shuang, member of SHOWING team, presenting the results of their research at the event

Both kind-hearted girls believe that Zhang Quan is one of the luckier aphasiacs as she is able to study and work, as there are a large number of aphasiacs who are marginalized by society due to communication problems. They keep wondering if they will ever be accepted by others if they can’t hear their bosses during meetings or fail to communicate with waiters when they’re ordering food. CCTV live broadcasts provide simultaneous sign language interpretation, but what if these live broadcasts did not have any subtitles? The aphasiacs would never have a chance to enjoy it.

After searching via the Internet, the figures are rather shocking. The number of aphasiacs (including partially deaf people, cerebral apoplexy patients, cerebral palsy patients and ALS patients) in China could be as many as 70 million, which represents 5% of the total population and is quite a huge number.

They recall an image identification program they designed that won First Prize for the Feng Ru Cup (an academic and technological work competition open for BUAA students) and believe that this technology may help aphasiacs. Wang Nana recalls: “We feel that we’ve discovered a demand not noticed by others and we want to be the first to make use of it and put the values of our knowledge to good use.”

With this regard, they set about researching the feasibility of sign language interpretation. They started searching through literature, doing experiments and writing code. They also used the 50,000 RMB bonus they received for the First Prize of Feng Ru Cup as initial capital to start the program. Image identification was rejected as it is not always available; the gloves solution was also rejected as it’s too distracting. Finally, they decided to use armlets to capture myoelectric signals. With the gradual popularity of smartwatches, the armlet worn by aphasiacs will not make them look unusual in any way.

Repeated product iteration just for better protection of the aphasiacs. Huang Shuang remembers their activity of “Being An Aphasiac for One Day”. At a convenience store, to check the price, the aphasiacs had to communicate with the shop assistant with a mobile phone. If it took a little bit longer than usual, the people waiting in the queue would start to get a little impatient. “They would probably understand the situation more if they knew I cannot talk. However, if they are not aware, they will complain, and the more they complain, the more upset it makes me.” Some aphasiacs are unwilling to be called “deaf people” and they would rather be known as “dragon people” (in Chinese, “deaf” and “dragon” have the same pronunciation).

With the research and development orientation determined, the key is to continuously enter and debug the data to ensure the accuracy of the sign language interpretation. To check the reliability of the model, in the beginning, they were the only ones working on the sign language data entry. So they are making movements again and again with the armlet. Huang Shuang jokes: “We will develop Kylin arms (metaphor, describing that the arm of a lady is strong instead of slim) if we continue practicing like that!”

“When you are by their side to help them in real situations, they will appreciate your kindness and are quite cooperative.” Wang Nana says. To guarantee data diversification and have the aphasiacs really love the design, they contacted the Technical College for the Deaf at the Tianjin University of Technology and cooperated with the College on data acquisition and smart armlet development. They also expressed an intent to cooperate with the Disabled Persons’ Federation in Beijing Chaoyang District to provide consultation and guidance on SHOWING’s  product and services. And Zhang Quan was invited as a consultant of the team.

SHOWING currently covers 200 sign language movements. To guarantee precision, each movement has been recorded 1,000 times. After creating their own gesture database, the team also established a 7-layer BP neural network (a type of multilayer feed-forward network trained by an error back-propagation algorithm) to train the data speed. The current identification accuracy is up to 95%.

Up until last August, the team only had two members — Wang Nana and Huang Shuang, after which other members started to join. They currently don’t have an office – they hold their meetings in whatever space they can find, such as cafés, restaurants, and classrooms, plus all the research and development work is done in their own laboratory. However, according to Wang Nana, they have never thought about giving up. Some members have quit the team to study overseas, and the two girls are both still studying themselves. However, they will continue to work on their product and are inviting new talents to join their team for product research and development.

Technology-based start-up teams led by girl students are not common, and they know have hands-on experience of the “breaking-in period”. At the beginning, whenever they have opposite ideas, Huang Shuang would wait until they both calm down and make further communication in the dormitory, and in team communication, one should concern oneself with facts and not with individual opinion and should be open-minded. There are also other technical personnel in the team, and when they stay up late to write code together, both girls will act as “Programmer Motivator” to give them a boost.

The two girls, born in 1994 and 1995 respectively, smile and say: “we haven’t fully stepped into society yet and have no burdens of buying an apartment or other pressures from society. We just think that as long as our technology can bring values to society and help some people in a real sense, and we have the time to spare, why not just do it!”

They have many blueprints for the future. For example, the SHOWING app may realize functions such as face-to-face chat and long duration dialogue. In the future, a closed loop consisting of sign language teaching, sign language letters and a smart armlet may be launched to solve various problems such as the lack of sign language teachers. In addition, such AI technologies, if matured, may also be applied to other fields, for example, instructing young piano learners to play the piano more accurately.

Recently, at the Good Open Design Challenge co-organized by Baidu and NUDP, the SHOWING team was awarded the First Prize and Popular Award, and the program received the “Most Inclusive Program” award.

The SHOWING Team at the Awarding Ceremony

*English translation from the following source : http://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309351000774105484176123532