An over-simplified view of our profession will have you believe that a translation is the mechanistic rendering of the source text into the target language, as if the human element barely matters at all. You pour text in, text gets spouted back out, how hard can it be, right? After all, we've already got machines … Continue reading Why You Should Choose Your Translator Carefully
Category: MARKETING
Dragobete, Mărțișor and Beyond
On some Romanian spring fertility traditions and rituals – and how to deal with them without breaking the bank 🙂
“Dragobetele pupă fetele.”
Romanian folk saying (Dragobete kisses the girls)
How many of you know that Romania has its very own early-Christian Valentine’s tradition? It’s a spring fertility ritual called Dragobete, which takes place on February 24, and it dates back to the Early Middle Ages.
Not only this, but since the addition of Valentine’s Day (Ziua Îndrăgostiților), Romanian men at the beginning of spring find themselves obliged to offer various gifts to women for weeks on end! First Valentine’s, then Dragobete, followed by Mărțișor (the 1st of March), followed by International Women’s Day (the 8th of March)… These gifts typically range from flowers and chocolate to small brooches decorated with red&white yarn, and even to jewellery!
If you are one of these men, and you’re feeling like things are spiralling out of control and giving you vertigo, do not despair. A thoughtful gift for your loved one does not…
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What an Amazing Weekend!
The “wow factor” was definitely there in #Timisoara this opening weekend of the European Capital of Culture 2023! Lots of foreign tourists, high-ranking guests and culture lovers, too. And, obviously, so were we!
#visittimisoara #interculturalcommunication #multiculturalism #kulturschaffende #languages
Our storytelling travel guide #TIMISOARA23: 23 Secrets was launched on February 18th at the Cărtureşti bookstore in the throbbing heart of Timisoara – only one of the 140+ cultural events taking place this weekend in this year’s European Capital of Culture! (It is now sold out at Cărtureşti, but you can still find it on Amazon or – if you visit Timisoara – at La Doua Bufnite in Union Square (Piata Unirii), Matei Corvin St.)
See for yourselves and come on over: #visittimisoara #timisoaraiscool 😉
#europeancapitalofculture2023 #romania
On Nation Branding and Competitive Identity
"National reputation truly cannot be constructed; it can only be earned. Imagining that such a deeply rooted phenomenon can be shifted by so weak an instrument as marketing communications is an extravagant delusion. As Socrates observed, ‘the way to achieve a better reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear’." SIMON ANHOLT … Continue reading On Nation Branding and Competitive Identity
Cultural dimensions and their implications: “High context”
You've probably heard it said before: Germany is a low-context culture. But what does that mean? The terms "low-context" and "high-context" were coined by American anthropologist Edward T. Hall. In low-context cultures, people attribute less importance to context. Low-context cultures are explicit, clear, textual cultures, which derive meaning from the actual words on the page, … Continue reading Cultural dimensions and their implications: “High context”
5 Reasons the Romanian anti-Covid campaign failed – A quick communications audit
As someone who's been plagued by chronic respiratory ailments, and an emigrée with very strong ties to the motherland, I have kept a close eye on the Romanian anti-Covid vaccination campaign. My feelings about it went from the initial awe at the exceptional logistical organization with its fast and effective roll-out, to downright dismay when, … Continue reading 5 Reasons the Romanian anti-Covid campaign failed – A quick communications audit
Your social media feed and the snow job technique
Motto: "Indignation is still bondage."Bertrand Russell In negotiation, there is a hardball technique called "the snow job", which consists of flooding the other party with so much information as to overwhelm them and make it nearly impossible to sift through it all. The consequence? The other party will no longer be able to tell which … Continue reading Your social media feed and the snow job technique
Cultural dimensions and their implications – “Femininity”
What is culture? Simply put, culture is a set of beliefs, values, social norms, attitudes and behaviors acquired and reinforced through socialization. In Geert Hofstede's seminal book "Cultures and Organizations - Software of the Mind" there are 5 major dimensions of culture: Power distanceIndividualism vs. collectivismUncertainty avoidance indexMasculinity vs. femininityLong-term vs. short-term orientation Later on, … Continue reading Cultural dimensions and their implications – “Femininity”
RUMÄNIEN – EINE GEBRAUCHSANLEITUNG für deutsche Tourist*innen, Manager*innen und Ausgebürgerte (Teil III)
Kurz, knapp und aktuell. Was deutsche Tourist*innen, Ausgebürgerte oder Manager*innen im Auslandseinsatz in Rumänien erwarten können (im Vergleich zum deutschen Kulturstandard) und ein paar mögliche Lösungsansätze (natürlich ohne Gewähr, denn jeder Mensch ist anders 😉 ): Fatalismus, Glaube als Bewältigungsmechanismus in einem sehr instabilen UmfeldOrthodoxie + Latinität + Balkanismus>> Versuchen Sie, die Vergangenheit und die … Continue reading RUMÄNIEN – EINE GEBRAUCHSANLEITUNG für deutsche Tourist*innen, Manager*innen und Ausgebürgerte (Teil III)
RUMÄNIEN – EINE GEBRAUCHSANLEITUNG für deutsche Tourist*innen, Manager*innen und Ausgebürgerte (Teil II)
Kurz, knapp und aktuell. Was deutsche Tourist*innen, Ausgebürgerte oder Manager*innen im Auslandseinsatz in Rumänien erwarten können (im Vergleich zum deutschen Kulturstandard) und ein paar mögliche Lösungsansätze (natürlich ohne Gewähr, denn jeder Mensch ist anders 😉 ): Dynamik, polychronische Einstellung zur Zeit, UnberechenbarkeitEs bewegt sich viel, in verschiedene Richtungen, oft mit mäßigem ErfolgDie Dinge werden nicht … Continue reading RUMÄNIEN – EINE GEBRAUCHSANLEITUNG für deutsche Tourist*innen, Manager*innen und Ausgebürgerte (Teil II)