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1. English Language Learning Materials
Many English language learning materials are available for people in Japan who want to improve their English. Most of the materials are not cheap! It is important to remember that progress in learning English is not dependent upon the amount of money spent on English language materials. Buying expensive sets of CDs and DVDs is not necessary when you can tape radio and television shows.
Another option is the English newspapers you can read for free on the Internet, movies and television shows you can dub, and good old-fashioned books you can buy in a bookstore or check out from a library. Shortcuts to learning English are nonexistent, and spending money on expensive materials will not help you. Finding other resources and spending time studying is the path to language improvement and fluency.
2. Garbage in - Garbage out
Have you heard this expression before? If you start with a low quality product, which can be referred to as garbage, you will end up with a low quality product, which can also be referred to as garbage. At ALS, this means that if we get a poor translation and we check the English, it will still be a bad translation. It will simply be written in better English. This is the same as the proverb that says, you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. That is, take a pig’s ear and make a purse out of it. It will still not be a silk purse.
In order to avoid the garbage in- garbage out problem, what can you do? Try not to accept translation work that is over your head. If you do have to accept such work, have another translator check your translation. Finally, if it is J-E work, have the English checked.
Remember that garbage in- garbage out is not the way to build a successful business or a happy client list.
3. Gay Marriage
How do you feel about gay marriage? This is a topic of frequent debate in the United States today. Some people feel very strongly that it is discrimination not to offer marriage to everyone, whether they are gay or straight. The court in Massachusetts agreed with this thinking and gay marriage is now legal there. Some people feel very strongly though that marriage should only be between a woman and a man.
When Massachusetts legalized gay marriage, same sex couples lined up to get married. People also came from far away places like Kansas to protest. Conservatives quickly proposed a constitutional amendment against gay marriage, an effort which has failed.
Whether you agree with gay marriage, disagree, or don’t care, two things are certain. The first is that gay marriage will continue to be an issue that people will disagree on. The second is that where there is marriage, divorce is not far behind. The first gay divorce has already taken place.
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