2017 Top 10 Blog Posts

As the end of 2017 is fast approaching, let’s recap on the year’s most popular blogs as we did in 2015 and 2016. 

2017 has proved a quieter year for blogging - especially when compared with my exceptionally busy year of 2016. The year's writing still resulted in some very popular blogs with readers judging by my analytics. Event blogs remained popular. They were beaten by a number of other blog subjects this year. The early year blogs were the most popular. The cultural blogs of 2016 seemed somewhat dampened by Brexit.

I have remarked on a number of occasions that clients are not interested in translation. I therefore try to engage them via cultural aspects or by illustrating important considerations using another subject - e.g. boat industry safety, ice skating, art, etc. As a number of these blogs appear in the top 10 below, I consider that this strategy is working. Blogs raise a freelancer's profile and go on working for you when you are busy. Old blogs are revisited frequently. That was certainly the case for this year's No. 1.

Top Blogs

1. French v. British Cultural Debate
Summary of a French Chamber of Great Britain debate that took place at the French Ambassador's Residence in London. It centred on the differences between French and British business approaches and education. 

Every time Brexit discussions became tricky, the visits to this blog seemed to increase. Analytics reveal around 3,500 views - not bad for a freelancer's blog.

Post from 25 January 2017

2. A Bubble about to Burst?

Summary of the FIT President's Presentation at the University of Bristol in the presence of the Chair of GALA and a former Chair of the ITI. There was much discussion on the night and following the event - especially about hype affecting the translation industry.

Post from 16 February 2017

3. Video for SMEs

Review of Guardian Masterclass on Video production and editing by Rosenblum TV - and my experiences of putting what I learnt into practice afterwards.

Post from 10 January 2017

4. Boat Show Quality Translated

This could be considered number 2 if I combined all the viewings for the French and German versions too. An example of trying to explain translation issues to clients using safety and quality considerations from another field.

Salon nautique : comment se traduit la qualité ?

Bootsausstellung: Qualität übersetzt

Post from 13 January 2017

5. Virtual Reality as an Art Form
This high entry surprised me. Art is a field that interests French clients. However, the subject is relevant to considerations on artistry and innovative tools in the translation industry. The possibilities are only just beginning. Real excitement tinged with concerns as with any new field.

Post from 12 January 2017

6. Is Speech Technology Unstoppable?
A blog inspired by a webinar on speech technology by TAUS. This is probably the most controversial subject matter and approach of the year. However, given how the year has developed with President Trump and North Korea, etc, the concerns seem even more relevant. The technologists have been dictating the direction of the translation industry for some time, it is time for the human-centred counterrevolution.

Post from 17 January 2017

7. Australian Impressionists - Glocalisation in Art?
Review of the National Gallery's Australian Impressionists' Exhibition. It was interesting how the Australian artists were inspired by French Impressionists to depict their own country. Is native expression better in art as in translation?

Post from 20 January 2017

8. Inspirational Legacies of Words
Summary of talk linked to South African exhibition at the British Museum. Consideration of the legacy of words left by Presidents Mandela and Obama. Some great quotations and an emphasis on the importance of education.

Post from  18 January 2017

9. Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival
Review with video of the light festival in Canary Wharf, London.

Post from 25 January 2017

10. Choosing an Inspirational Statue
Comments on leadership inspired by the selection of models for the next Fourth Plinth Statue in Trafalgar Square.

Post from 26 January 2017

A reminder of last years' top blogs:

Top Business and Cultural Blogs in 2016

Plant Diversity in 2016-17?
What can you expect in 2017? The MSc in Plant Diversity at the University of Reading is keeping me very busy, but you can probably expect more on botanical, ecological and climate change subject matter. There's a rich seam of material and comparisons yet to be explored.

In the meantime, have you seen my Advent Blogs on Dr Alastair Culham's site at the University of Reading?
The Glastonbury Thorn
Christmas Cyclamen 

Have you seen the botanically-inspired blog about professional translation?

Cow Parsley or Hemlock








Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for 2018
Karen


Karen Andrews is a French to English marketer and marketing strategist, translator, transcreator, content writer and editor. She holds an MSc in Scientific, Technical and Medical Translation with Translation Technology from Imperial College London (2005-7). She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, Society for Editors and Proofreaders, Society of Authors and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators. She can also offer your brand the value of over 15 years' expertise and experience in global marketing. Karen Andrews is  studying for an MSc in Plant Diversity at the University of Reading (2017-18).

Anglicity's Top 2016 Business and Cultural Blogs

2016 has proved a busy year for blogging. Unfortunately, any review of 2016 is not complete without a mention of Brexit. I think it is especially important for us to stress to current and potential clients how much we value our European connections.

The end of 2016 is fast approaching, so let’s recap on the year’s most popular blogs as we did in 2015. The most popular posts were the lists of largely European conferences and events. Many readers commented on how useful they found them. Thank you!

Mixing Business and Culture

Cultural posts are very popular. They are part of my marketing strategy - not a whim or a travel log. They reach out to both clients and colleagues. Cultural awareness is an essential part of translation. It is also an easier route to engage clients about translation issues.

When working with France, it is important not just to focus on business aspects. I noted with interest recently that a top tip for the British working with France is to:

‘Show an interest in French culture, history and society’

Le piège de la ressemblance / Light at the End of the Tunnel
French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain

My blog is not just for France or French-speaking countries. I never cease to be amazed by my blog’s analytics and the number of countries that it reaches worldwide. It’s not all about high numbers. Sometimes a blog with just 40 readers can be more effective in reaching new clients than one with hundreds of readers. That said, here are the most popular blogs of 2016:

Top 3 Event lists:

1. 2016 European Language and Cultural Events

2. 2017 Preview: Language and Cultural Events

3. November 2016 - Localisation, Language, Terminology and Cultural Events 

December 2016 is now available as a separate post to include end of year and festive events.

Other Blogs:

4. Belgium’s Ninth Art 

Photo blog of visit to Comic Art Museum in Brussels. Status of comics in Franco-Belgian culture. Tintin, Asterix, the Smurfs. Humour of 'How to become Belgian'.

Post from 21 February 2016

5. Dutch is FUN

Dutch language and culture taster class at EU Representation in the UK's home in London. A highly entertaining and humorous event.

Post from 18 March 2016

6. Should you choose a robot or a human?

Reflections from music and robots to machine translation. Why you should choose a professional human translator for creative marketing translations.

Post from 3 April 2016

7. Elia Together Conference

Review of the 1st European Conference bringing freelance translators and language service providers together in Barcelona. Focus on communication, relationships, growth and technology.

Post from 18 February 2016

8. Commemorative Poppies

Commemorative display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Created for Anzac Day, remembering the Battle of Verdun and Somme Centenaries and vigils.

Post from 29 May 2016

9. Big Data in Action

Transport for London's use of Big Data. London's transport challenges, data collection, planning and overcrowding. Future plans for open data and a personalised data service for passengers.

Post from 25 April 2016

10. Brexit Battles Ahead

Reflections on Brexit on the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. 

Post from 30 June 2016

Happy reading!

Tricky Attributions

Friday was frustrating. A sudden unexplained spike in the analytics for an old blog revealed a copy pirate. Research lead to further discoveries in the murky waters of SEO and Google Analytics.

My blogging efforts were being redirected to another site. Grr!

The site even claimed to be “honest”. Double grr!

It was by no means certain that Google would give my site precedence. Triple grr!

In a black mood, I was glad to get out for the evening. I headed for some Italian culture at the Royal Academy of Arts. Little did I realise that that the tricky theme of attribution was to continue…

Venetian Artists

The Royal Academy of Arts is currently showing the works of early 16^th century Venetian artists. The exhibition is entitled “In the Age of Giorgione”. Our expert guide explained that all the paintings in the collection had been attributed to Giorgione at some time.

Art detective work lead to reflections on attributing and crediting translators and copywriters for their online work. Let me explain…

Guided Tour

Our guide explained that pretty much everything we know about Giorgione could be written on the back of a postage stamp. We know that he was born in Castelfranco Veneto. We don’t know the exact date, although we believe somewhere around 1478. We know that he lived and worked in Venice. He died in his early thirties, probably of the plague. 

The collection brings together paintings from a 10-year period in Venetian art. There was a whole new generation of artists. If we cannot be sure exactly which paintings are Giorgione’s, we do know that he had a new approach that influenced the others.

New Approach

Giorgione introduced a new focus on the sitter’s hands. He painted symbolic objects to reflect the sitter’s personality. There was an attempt to depict the sitter’s state of mind and introduce a narrative element. His paintings do not show underdrawings. Instead he painted directly onto the canvas while watching the sitter. As a result, his portraits give us the feeling of capturing a real individual. They do not stare absently into the distance. Our eyes meet.

False Attributions

Our guide drew our attention to the addition of landscapes into drawings. He stressed how some figures depicted are set within the landscape, rather than it merely being a backdrop. In the past, the presence of a landscape meant that paintings were attributed to Giorgione. In the 1900s a hundred paintings were attributed to him, now just 40.

Clarity is difficult. A list of 15 works was drawn up 15 years after his death. Only 3 descriptions are recognisable. We know some paintings were lost or are in too poor a condition to act as good verification. We know he shared a studio. We are told that he fell out with Titian. Unfortunately, the source is considered suspect and only offers a one-sided viewpoint.

Two of the gallery paintings demonstrated the difficulties of attribution very well. The altarpiece of the Virgin and Child with Saint Peter and Saint Mark and a Donor showed three different styles. The most engaging characters are Saint Peter and Saint Mark looking at each other. The donor in the foreground looks wooden by contrast and the way his hands touch the baby’s foot looks awkward. The Madonna and child lack the finesse of the two saints. Even worse is the shadow of a figure that is not even in the painting. This is a panel attributed to Bellini. It is part of a missing triptych and evidently the work of more than one artist of varying talent.

Ah, but it gets worse… Il Tramonto turns out to be a hotchpotch of paintings. A nightmare restoration.

Judge for yourself

At the end of his talk, our guide invited us to look again at all the paintings and ignore the attributions in the labels alongside. Compare the paintings. Is it possible for one artist to change his style so much in just 5 years?

Translation Memory

I found the guided tour intriguing. As I came away, I couldn’t help thinking about all the discussions in the translation world over who owns a translation memory. When a translation is divided up for the sake of speed, it often ends up like Bellini’s Virgin and the Child. Good in parts, but even the good parts are spoilt by the failure to maintain a consistent style. Some translations can end up like Il Tramonto – a case of too many cooks spoilt the broth.

Creative Influence

Creativity is generally a singular rather than a collective activity. A consensus approach can kill creativity. However, the creativity of one artist, translator or writer can inspire the creativity of another. While Giorgione died young, Titian was influenced by him and went on to develop some of his ideas.

Digital Attribution

Returning to the modern digital world, I love how one blog can influence a whole series of others. I hope that genuine authors will get the credit for their ideas and work, rather than the “pirates”.

At the AsLing 2015 Conference, Jaap van der Meer of TAUS mentioned that Oracle are working on a system that could identify the effectiveness of individual phrases. Now, it strikes me that this might identify exactly who is responsible for the copy with the most effective sales conversions. Such attributions could lead to fairer remuneration or a “bonus” for the best in the profession. The best work will be known, attributable and visible.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is an 
entrepreneurial French
to English translator,
transcreator, copywriter,
and digital marketer.

For further information see
Anglicity's website

Anglicity's 2015 Top 10 Blogs

Anglicity's Top Ten

An increase in blogging was Anglicity's New Year's Resolution for 2015. November seems a good time to have a recap. Below is Anglicity's top ten as selected by On the Bridge readers in 2015.

1.  Visible translators: A new business model
A very popular blog with freelance translators about working with direct clients.
(See February 2015)

2.  A pan-European agreement on translation working practices?
Summary of presentation at French CNET Conference.
(April 2015)

3.  A Rosy Review
Something a little bit different - a book review with horticulture, history and the role of women in society intertwined.
(See January 2015)

4.  Hitting your Target Audience with Blogging
A blog about blogging animated with a ten pin bowling image.
(See January 2015)

5.  A long open letter to SDL
Write-up of SDL's London Roadshow with a well-received, possibly controversial discussion of a long-overdue change in translation pricing.
(See November 2015)

6.  Is the British Linguist endangered?
What happens to the British linguist and understanding of other cultures in Britain if we rely on the rest of the world speaking English?
(See April 2015)

7.  Sales at the French CNET Conference
A summary of the French translation companies' March conference in Paris with a focus on sales. 
(See April 2015)

8.  Japanese Tea Ceremony
A reflective cultural blog for the 70th Anniversary of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
(See August 2015)

9.  Overcoming the "Curse" of  Technical Knowledge
Like origami, simplicity isn't as simple as it looks. Technical experts need help to adapt copy for non-technical audiences. 
(See March 2015)

10.  On Round Tables
A blog on the equality of negotiating power in international relations inspired by a visit to the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.
(See April 2015)

If you missed any of the above posts, go to the Popular Posts or the Archive section in the right-hand column. Enjoy! Please come back to read future blogs.


For further information on Anglicity's copywriting, editing and transcreation services, please email karen@anglicity.com.
 

What can blogs learn from Rembrandt?

Anglicity continues the recent blog and art themes. Two pictures particularly captured my attention at London's National Gallery recently. Both were Rembrandts: just two portraits of old age cast in a warm light. What can modern-day blogs learn from Rembrandt?

The traditional press release has been done to death. Everyone knows the formula: a few paragraphs and a quote or two. Every company tries to get its flattering viewpoint across. Spin results. Journalists become cynical. Their editors need to sell papers. Cue exaggeration and sensationalism. Research scientists complain*. The merits of human creative translation go ignored. The world is fascinated with the latest technology. It glosses over any imperfections and social concerns.

Many have turned to blogs to get their viewpoints across to the Media and public. How do you stand out? After subprime mortgages and the financial crisis, the public is suspicious. Spin makes readers switch off. Honesty works best.

Rembrandt's pictures expose the cares and wrinkles of old age. The light is warm and kind. It is possible to tackle difficult issues in blogs. The warmth of a true and honest portrait or story can shine through. Much like the warm light in a Rembrandt.

* See Anglicity's Robotics in the Media

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is
an entrepreneurial
content writer and
marketing consultant.

Contact

karen@anglicity.com 
for further information 
on Anglicity's blog writing

services.

Hitting your target audience with blogging

In this third blog on target audiences, I move on from the National Gallery documentary to my own blog. Marketing is not an exact science. There are constant adjustments. Sometimes you hit your target audience. Sometimes you miss. Sometimes you hit an unexpected target. I will share what I have learnt from my own blog targets.

Early blogs

I wrote my first blog back in 2012. I came from the conservative marketing world of financial services. The reaction to my first blog was unexpected. My perspective was still very much that of a client on translation. That first blog went "viral" on Proz.com. Success or failure?

Other early blogs drew vocal reactions. They were not generally my targets at all. Over time I have developed my style and tone. Adverse comments can make you think that you have got something seriously wrong. To the outside world, it may appear that blogging is risky. However, I have now learnt that if something feels 100% comfortable and safe, it won't have many readers.

Analytics

Checking my blog, Google+ or Twitter analytics is like looking under the bonnet of a car. I can see which subjects gain a bigger readership, on which devices and in which countries. Initially, a post receives some adverse comment perhaps. The uproar is visible. But analytics show that my blog has a much larger, quiet readership.

Blog content often seems to reach a wider audience than even analytics reveal. Other translators refer to my blogs at events. I hear my own written words quoted quietly and indirectly. Some disagree. Some agree to disagree. But many more seem to quietly agree. Translators are not my target audience, but they do sometimes give referrals.

Evolution

When I started my blog, my target audience was direct clients. My actual clients and prospects have turned out to be direct clients (private individuals, freelance translators and companies), translation, transcreation and content management agencies. Blogging hasn't brought this about in isolation. My strategy has evolved. I have tested out different content to reach my varied target audiences.

It's a bit like ten pin bowling. Some blogs end up in the gulley. Others hit the buffers and bounce back in. Sometimes you hit the outer pins only. Over-adjust and you hit the pins on the opposite side. Sometimes it takes two blogs to hit all the pins.  And then, just when you think the ball is rolling off to the side, you get a strike.

Whatever... I enjoy writing and building up a portfolio of work. It's a hit.

What are your views on blogging?

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is
an entrepreneurial
French to English
translator, editor,
content writer and
marketing consultant. 

Contact: karen@anglicity.com 
for further information 
on Anglicity's services.