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Translation Africa Blog - March 2014

Does Africa Hold the Key to the Future of the French Language?

Does Africa Hold the Key to the Future of the French Language?

31/03/2014

On World Francophone day, it was announced that France will train thousands of African teachers to improve the quality of French language teaching in African schools. Is this a sign that France recognises the importance of the continent in securing the future of the French language? Did you know that in the next decade, 400…

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Marketing to Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

Marketing to Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

28/03/2014

Anyone who knows Africa, knows you can never approach it as one homogenous block. For marketers, to approach the continent without a clear plan as well as understanding the differences, can lead to problems. Africa houses a great number of different cultures, languages and landscapes. Of course, marketers should take this into account when targeting…

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Twitter Use in East Africa

Twitter Use in East Africa

26/03/2014

Right now, the eyes of the Twitter community are all on Turkey, as the Turkish president has threatened to “wipe out” the social medium. However, there are other interesting things to say out the state of Twitter in other countries as well. How is the social medium used in East Africa, for example? In a…

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The Ultimate Guide to Language in Nigeria

The Ultimate Guide to Language in Nigeria

25/03/2014

The economic powerhouse of West Africa, the home of Nollywood and the ‘N’ in the MINT, pack of emerging economies, Nigeria is going places. For those looking to enter into this exciting market, it’s vital to understand the country, the people and the cultures. Language differences should always be given weight in terms of due…

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Interpreting in Oscar Trial Leads to Criticism

Interpreting in Oscar Trial Leads to Criticism

21/03/2014

In South Africa, Olympic medallist Oscar Pretorius is on trial for killing his girlfriend. Not only are the events in the “Blade Runner” trial receiving quite a lot of attention: many people have commented on the interpreter, who seems to be lacking translations skills. In an article on IOL News, Valeska Abreu investigates the matter….

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American Ambassador in Nigeria speaks Pidgin English

American Ambassador in Nigeria speaks Pidgin English

20/03/2014

Last week, the American ambassador in Nigeria had an interview on Nigerian radio. This interview was quite remarkable, and not because of what the ambassador said, but because of how he said it – he spoke in Pidgin English! According to Ofeibea Quist-Artcon on website NPR, the American ambassador located in Nigeria, James F. Entwistle,…

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App Translates between South Africa’s 11 Languages

App Translates between South Africa’s 11 Languages

18/03/2014

South Africa is the home of eleven different official languages. As you can image, this can lead to misunderstands and sticky situations. This is why a new, multilingual app has been launched to make communication between the speakers of all these different languages a little easier. Website Enca gives account of a new mobile application….

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Gambia to Drop English Language

Gambia to Drop English Language

17/03/2014

President Yahya Jammeh announced that Gambia will no longer use a foreign language, i.e. English. Since independence in 1965 Gambia has used English as its official language, but what will replace it? At present it appears nothing will replace it as Jammeh has given no indication of when this will happen and which language or…

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Ghanaian Teachers Push for Fante Language in Schools

Ghanaian Teachers Push for Fante Language in Schools

17/03/2014

During the inauguration of the language department of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Ghanaian language teachers were asked to put more effort into teaching their students the Fante language. Using the language more often will improve their attitudes towards the local languages, the speakers say. In an article on Vibe Ghana, the editors…

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Are Nigeria’s Native Languages in Danger?

Are Nigeria’s Native Languages in Danger?

12/03/2014

Reports have revealed that many indigenous languages spoken in Nigeria face troublesome times if no immediate actions are taken to protect them. BBC News discusses the bad state of Nigeria’s local languages in a recent online article. The article shares the results of a newspaper report from the Guardian stating that due to outside influences…

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