As the new year quickly approaches and employees enjoy some time off, most companies will be ready to hit the ground running in January. While some business practices work well and need to be kept going, some are hindering company growth or at least not really helping it. Now is the time to refocus and […]
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Celebrating Old Christmas Traditions & Translating New Ones
Around 2 billion people worldwide will celebrate Christmas this year, gathering together with family and friends to enjoy the season. But not everyone will gather around an evergreen tree, exchange gifts and eat a traditional meal. This week we’re spotlighting Christmas traditions, and discussing a very unique tradition that began as a marketing campaign. In […]
Is Your Company’s Online Presence Helping or Hurting Your Business?
It’s no secret that consumers are turning more and more to online retailers when shopping for the holidays. People don’t want to deal with crowds, or having to go store-to-store trying to find that perfect gift. Cold weather and a cozy couch often keep people at home to do their shopping. This begs the question, […]
Giving Thanks Around the World
Thank you, gracias, je vous remerci, grazie, danke, mahalo, dank je; it doesn’t matter how you say it, as long as you say it. From friends, family and coworkers to store clerks and strangers, saying “thank you” is a vital part of what makes any community and culture great. As such, many cultures around the […]
What America’s Future Economy Might Look Like if Employees Were Multilingual
In a recent viral video, 4-year-old Bella from Russia amazes people worldwide by speaking fluently in seven languages. She speaks Russian, English, Chinese, Spanish, German, French and Arabic. Wow, that’s impressive. What does that mean for future business? Could little Bella be a foreshadowing of the future workforce? Many Americans take high school Spanish or […]
Top Multilingual Countries: East Timor (Timor-Leste)
The tiny nation of East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, gained its independence in 2002. Before achieving independence, the country was ruled by Portugal and Indonesia. This unique history means that although there is a high illiteracy rate, many citizens speak multiple languages. Mother Nature Network states that the official language is Portuguese, but the […]
Top Multilingual Countries: Suriname
The unique country of Suriname is located in South America, but you may be surprised to learn that the official language spoken by more than half of Suriname citizens is Dutch. As a former colony, Suriname boasts a unique cultural makeup with influences from the Netherlands, India, China, the Caribbean, South America and the Indonesian […]
Top Multilingual Countries: India
India is the world’s second largest country with around 1.3 billion people calling the beautiful country home. It consists of 28 states, each of which has its own official language. According to Mother Nature Network, the official national languages of India are Hindi and English, though most residents speak at least three languages. These languages […]
Top Multilingual Countries: Mauritius
The multilingual nation of Mauritius boasts a diverse population of people of Indian, African, French and Chinese descent. Mother Nature Network notes that students learn English and French in school, but the main language spoken at home is Mauritian Creole, a unique French-based creole. Many citizens of Indian descent speak the Bhojpuri dialect of Hindi, […]
Top Multilingual Countries: South Africa
South Africa boasts 11 different languages spoken by its 52 million residents. That’s a lot of potential clients and employees for local and international companies. With major international businesses like Acer Africa, Alcatel, Barclays Bank and Britannia Biscuits based in South Africa, American businesses need to be able to communicate in every language used by […]