Last time we talked about communication, which is one of the main ways we interact with OTHER PEOPLE. In fact, everything we do can be termed "communication", as it results in different types of messages and human beings are meaning-making creatures. This time, I'd like to talk a little more about power dynamics, decision-making, and … Continue reading A Quick Guide to Romanian Culture – OTHER HUMANS
Tag: translations Romanian
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”
Timisoara – European Culture Capital 2021
At the end of last week, an EU jury recommended that one of the three joint European Culture Capitals of 2021 be the Romanian city of Timisoara. Situated in the south-west of Romania, with a population of approximately 400,000 inhabitants, virtually no unemployment and many foreign investments, Timisoara is also a multicultural city with a … Continue reading Timisoara – European Culture Capital 2021
Translation quote of the day
“So many people consider their work a daily punishment. Whereas I love my work as a translator. Translation is a journey over a sea from one shore to the other. Sometimes I think of myself as a smuggler: I cross the frontier of language with my booty of words, ideas, images, and metaphors.” Amara Lakhous … Continue reading Translation quote of the day
Translation quote of the day
"Translation is not a matter of words only. It is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture." Anthony Burgess
Enough with the Brexit. Good news from “Remainia”
The Romanian Government on Tuesday adopted a set of measures intended to cut red tape and simplify a series of bureaucratic procedures in the country's often absurd and Byzantine paper-shuffling sector. The changes, hailed as a potential turning point in the relationship between the Romanian state and its citizens, were introduced to save time and … Continue reading Enough with the Brexit. Good news from “Remainia”
Translation as vocation
As I wrap up another day's work, spent among haiku, book introductions, technical term searches and commercial translation projects, let me just share with you this beautiful excerpt from an author that has brought a smile to my face: "In addition to a thorough mastery of the source language, the literary translator must possess a … Continue reading Translation as vocation
Romania’s most livable cities
Numbeo.com, one of the world's largest city data sites, runs continually updated rankings of cost of living, property prices, crime, pollution, traffic, health care and quality of life in cities around the world. Their quality of life index is calculated using an empirical formula that takes into account purchasing power, pollution, house price-to-income ratios, cost of … Continue reading Romania’s most livable cities
Weltanschauung – die rumänische Art (Maramuresch)
Here's a folk song from the northern Maramures region of Romania that can give you a fascinating insight into the Romanian soul (and outlook on life): "Şi-aşa-mi vine câteodată, dorule/ Să dau cu cuţitu-n piatră, dorule Din piatră să iasă foc, măi dorule / Dacă-n viaţă n-am noroc, măi dorule Când s-o-mpărţit norocul/ Fost-am eu … Continue reading Weltanschauung – die rumänische Art (Maramuresch)
Peculiarities of the Romanian language…
... or why you absolutely need a Romanian trainer. 🙂 For such "simple" things as basic politeness: Bitte Please Vă rog / Te rog Bitte There you are Poftiţi / Poftim Bitte? (I beg your) pardon? Poftim? Bitte You're welcome Cu plăcere For help with indefinite articles, personal pronouns or tenses: eine Frau a woman … Continue reading Peculiarities of the Romanian language…