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Speaking an international language
A SHEFFIED-BASED expert on making complex documents – including software manuals – understandable by all has come up with a low cost solution for companies that are put off having an international web presence by translation costs.
Mike Unwalla, founder of TechScribe, says companies could reduce, or even eliminate, expensive human translation by using what's called "International English."
International English uses fewer words and simpler grammar than a native speaker, making it easier for foreigners with a smattering of English to understand and for computers to automatically translate.
"For business purposes, one simple word can be used as an alternative to different words that have related meanings," explains Mike Unwalla.
"For example, the word 'think' can be used as an alternative to believe, consider, deem, feel, reckon, regard, suppose, and suspect."
International English goes further than that, however.
While the sentences "Set up the computer" and "Set the computer up" mean the same thing, the second would be more easily understood by a foreigner, says Mike and would be easier for a computer to translate correctly into other languages.
TechScribe has launched a new service to 'translate' websites into International English and has set up a website – www.international-english.co.uk – to show companies some of the pitfalls of using standard English and the benefits of using International English.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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