2016 has been a good year for Peschel Communications. We completed more projects in a year than ever before, breaking our record with project number 1,000. We have our long-standing customers to thank for this, who have supplied us with a steady stream of translation projects. At the same time, we attracted some new customers from fields as diverse as

“I can’t read while I’m also trying to see things!” This line from Channel 4’s The IT Crowd sums up the view which was a staple punchline for many 90s stand-up comedians: namely, that men hate subtitles. I’ve tried to trace the origins of this particular male stereotype; I thought perhaps it had something to do with the cliché that

Subcontracting translations still seem to have a dubious reputation amongst freelance translators. Negative comments about “cutthroat agencies” are commonplace, and usually seem refer to all translation service providers not working as freelancers. There has been a slight shift in recent years, however, and freelance translators and translation companies have started to work together. When speaking about my own company, which

Who hasn’t seen the wonderfully funny signs that are intended to inform foreign visitors, but in fact just end up confusing them. On menus, the worst that can happen is that foreign tourists are forced to leave their comfort zone and try a new culinary delicacy (on the Canary Islands, we were once offered the unconventional combo of jam and

Looking back on the past year has become almost a tradition. This year, we were so busy in the run-up to Christmas that there was no time to stop and think. But now that the last of the year’s projects have been managed and Christmas has given me some time to clear my head, it is time to look back

English is often used as a lingua franca at conferences, even when it isn’t the native language of most of the speakers and attendees. At high-profile events – or if not all of the speakers and attendees speak English – simultaneous interpreters help to overcome the language barrier. German MP Gernot Erler, then Minister of State at the Foreign Office,

We Brits may be speaking the same language as our American cousins, but we are far from on the same page. Confusion can be caused by the simplest of words, which, when misplaced, may ensue in hilarity, awkward situations or, worse, mistakes. And Bob’s your uncle (or “ta-da” to our American counterparts), we have miscommunication lift-off. The birds and the

Customers sometimes ask me whether or not tour guide systems can be used in place of interpreting booths. What is a tour guide system? Tour guide systems (TGSs) were originally developed for factory and museum tours, and consist of a microphone and headset receivers. The museum guide speaks into the microphone and listeners hear everything via their headsets, meaning that

How to ensure that both the original and translated versions of your presentation are a complete success. The conference season is once again in full swing. At technical events in particular, conference interpreters often have to contend with speakers who have little, or no, experience in working with interpreters. The good news is that we don’t bite! And there’s more

Interpreters Anja Peschel and Katherina Polig are all set to translate the opening of Intersolar Europe 2014 and the Intersolar AWARD ceremony on 4th June. Intersolar Europe is the world’s largest exhibition for the solar industry and its partners, taking place annually at Messe München, Germany. It’s that time of year again – Intersolar Europe opens its doors on 4th