Immigrants Work to Learn English

As more and more immigrants flock to America from around the world, solutions must be found to help them integrate fully. Aside from the cultural adjustments, immigrants struggle to learn English. The English language has always been acknowledged as a difficult one to master. The complex grammar, vocabulary and endless rules are challenging for one unfamiliar with the intricacies of the language, even with a translator available.

There are many programs offered to help adult immigrants learn and improve their English. CtPost.com reported that numerous school districts in Connecticut offer evening classes to help parents assimilate better into American culture and day-to-day life in English. Many parents expressed that it is difficult for them that they can’t assist their children with homework and have trouble doing simple tasks such as grocery shopping. The schools offer classes, one-on-one English lessons with tutors and even a book club.

In Dover, they have a different approach to teaching adults English. The Dover Adult Learning Center, according to fosters.com, has hundreds of students who come to study a wide variety of topics including English, math, history, citizenship and GED preparation. Aside from regular classes and tutors, the DALC employs a peer-to-peer method of teaching. Students of one subject are the teachers of another. For example, while one woman helps an American learn French, the American in turn teaches her English medical terminology.

While these classes are wonderful to help immigrants fit in and become part of American society, they might also find technology helpful to build their confidence outside of class. With writing as the main method of communication, sending an email can be a daunting task for someone still struggling just to speak English. WhiteSmoke 2011 and the WhiteSmoke Translator are ideal tools for both immigrants and native speakers to make sure their writing is flawless. WhiteSmoke offers free English lessons. The WhiteSmoke Translator supports nine languages, so users can translate either full texts or individual words from their mother-tongues to English. The WhiteSmoke grammar-checker will make sure that they do not have any grammar or spelling mistakes, and it will even offer suggestions for improvement. With WhiteSmoke 2011 and the WhiteSmoke Translator, users can be confident in their writing without a tutor.

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Combined Use of Translators May Help New English Writers

In order to better translate Spanish texts to English, some individuals may use translators and dictionaries that are available online.
Recently, Dictionary.com launched an official Spanish site, which can be found at spanish.dictionary.com. The website will aid individuals who wish to translate their Spanish-to-English writings and double-check their texts for grammatical errors.
However, writers should note that using a combination of online translators may help ensure greater accuracy. A study published in the Journal of Documentation reviewed the comparative effectiveness of a few popular web-based translation tools.
The researchers created a typology of minor errors that each platform produced as they transferred texts from German and French to Spanish. A number of the found errors were lexical. Others were due to the inherent difficulty of the act of translation. At times, one translator was more reliable than another, depending on the languages they were handling.
The findings highlight how language technology can be continually refined to account for unexpected and unforeseen linguistic hurdles.
In short, writers should not depend on any one single translator to "perfectly" translate their work. Using a combination of translation tools may best help you improve your English writing and speaking. A range of dictionaries and translators, moreover, might help one gain a deeper understanding of the syntax of a new language. 

Exposure to English Outside of Class can Help Non-Native Speakers Improve Their Writing

Students who are new to the English language can improve their speaking and writing skills if they are exposed to the language outside of class. According to a study that was completed at Sweden's University of Gothenburg, this type of "extramural" learning is essential for developing one's understanding of an unfamiliar lexicon.
Researcher Eva Olsson looked at the written work of 37 Swedish students writing in English. Each 16-year-old participant documented their daily exposure to the language, whether through films or computer games.
She found that the students who had a lot of exposure to English outside of their classes felt confident using the language in conversation and writing. She noted that these students used "longer sentences and a more varied vocabulary than those with less extramural exposure."
Olsson also added that "if you view a pupil's linguistic register as a palette, those pupils with extensive exposure to English in their spare time appear to have a richer palette with more different shades."
Teachers who want to help their students improve English writing and speaking may consider encouraging such extramural contact.
Non-native speakers who are trying to improve their translations to English may want to note the importance of absorbing a new language through aural mediums. Moreover, they may eventually benefit from a reliable online translator, as international employers and schools may demand proficiency in English writing.

Mistranslations of Political Speeches Can Cause Rampant Confusion

The dangers of mistranslation are evident in our daily intake of media, particularly in live-air political speeches made by state leaders, according to NPR. For instance, during Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's speech in February announcing his resignation, three different news sources - CNN, NPR, and Al-Jazeera all translated his words differently.
As a result, confusing reports that Mubarak would both step down immediately - but also stay in office until September - were received by English-speaking viewers. Other phrases were unclearly translated and difficult to understand.
Shortly thereafter, Vice President Suleiman stated that "President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down from the office of president of the republic and has charged the high council of the armed forces to administer the affairs of the country," according to the BBC's official transcript.
These differences in translation are largely attributable to the varying backgrounds of translators. Some, according to Shuckran Kamal, senior Arabic translator at the State Department, are native speakers of English who have learned Arabic. However, their knowledge of the language "fails to meet the level of linguistic knowledge and sophistication required" for a proper translation, NPR reports.
Linguistics professor Khaled Huthaily noted to the outlet that human translation is often flawed, making the use of professional interpreters essential for sensitive diplomatic translations.
Online translators may also prove useful for transmitting sensitive and important texts from one language to another.