Editing Translated Works - The 5 Most Common Translation Mistakes

Translation tools abound if you need to translate English into Afrikaans, and there is a very good reason for this. Nearly twelve million South Africans are speaking the Afrikaans language today, and South Africa is where this language originated. The history of this language goes back only as far as 1652.

Afrikaans is a relatively easy language to learn, and especially so if you are of European descent. This language is a crossbreed of sorts between Dutch and the native tongue of the Khoikhoi population who were from the area and whom were the Dutch settles' servants. Afrikaans evolved through the necessity of these two cultures needing to communicate, so the mixture of the two languages happened rather quickly.

To translate English to Afrikaans will be easier for you still if you already know the Dutch language. The biggest difference you will see when comparing these two languages is how the words form sentences, how the words are pronounced, and how they are spelled. The words themselves do not deviate too much from each other.

The need for translation between these two languages comes from the fact that South Africa is a very popular destination for tourists and workers alike. What are called Expatriate jobs, jobs taken by foreigners who only stay on a work visa for a few years, are very popular in South Africa. Assimilating yourself into a culture that you are going to be working and living in for a few years is highly recommended. It might even be somewhat of a necessity if your boss is someone who simply does not want to speak English very often.

Even though English is widely understood in South Africa, most people are just more comfortable speaking and listening to Afrikaans. Even if you are in South Africa on vacation, learning just enough of the local language to help get you by is a pretty easy thing to do.

With the online capabilities that cell phones have these days, you can even translate English to Afrikaans while you're on the go. Just log on and get one of the countless translation tools available up on your screen, and you're ready to go. If you want to order a cup of coffee in Afrikaans, type in the phrase that you wish to speak, have it translated, and enjoy your coffee.

A lot of vacationers find that it enriches their experience by immersing themselves into the South African culture, if only for a few days. It is a fun thing to do and it can help make your stay more enjoyable. It isn't necessary, but the local population will appreciate the fact that you wish to use their language while you're there.