Italian Language, Culture and Translation Issues

Friday, August 24, 2007

Business Translations for the Italian Language

As Italian is one of the popular languages used all across the globe, even in the global business scenario the Italian language has gained prominence. The Italian cultural influence on the western world is still visible in all spheres of life. The translation of Italian language business materials has become increasingly prevalent in the global business and professional scenario. In an attempt to reach their target consumers, to increase opportunities with existing clients, and to effectively communicate internally and externally with employees and stakeholders it has become all the more relevant for organizations to communicate accurately, effectively and efficiently.

The advent of the global economy is changing the fundamental nature of our governments, businesses, organizations and populations. In short, we are no longer constrained by state boundaries but have all become part of an interdependent international network. One of the key changes this has triggered is the need to communicate effectively with different people in different languages and from different cultures in foreign countries and at home. Therefore in the modern global economy it has become even more relevant and so it is important to provide accurate and professional Italian language translations.

It is now recognized that linguistic and cultural knowledge are two of the most vital areas of knowledge that organizations must come to acquire if they are to integrate, progress and succeed in the marketplace. Effective cross-cultural communication has become a must.

Because of its specialized nature and simple yet complex aspects it is increasingly carried out by professional organizations that specialize in professional business translations. Therefore it has become necessary to understand the concept of translation and how effectively it can be utilized to achieve the business objectives more effectively.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

This post was created by Textronics Communications Ltd. (www.textronics.com), a leading language and translation services provider since 1991. Our service offering includes translation, interpretation, proofreading, narration, transcription as well multi-lingual desktop publishing and web design services in all languages and subject matters. Our growing client base includes corporate, public and non-profit sector clients in Canada, the United States and Europe. Our language specialists are highly trained, tested and have many years of experience in their chosen subject matter and we consistently strive to offer high-quality language services at affordable prices. New clients can take advantage of a free test translation to try out our services first hand at no cost.
www.textronics.com – Communicate with the World

Textronics Communications Ltd. also publishes www.travelandtransitions.com, a popular web portal for unconventional travel and cross-cultural connections. Award-winning travel writer Susanne Pacher chronicles her personal journeys to places such as Havana, Mexico City, New York City, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Sicily, and various other places in Europe and North America and writes about the people behind the destinations. Compilations of these articles are now available as electronic books at the following link: http://www.travelandtransitions.com/ebooks.html. In addition, the website offers interviews with fascinating personalities and tourism experts as well as practical travel advice and regional travel information.
www.travelandtransitions.com – Life is a Journey – Explore New Horizons

Italian Language – History and Geographical Distribution

Italian is part of the Italic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages. Italian, like the other Romance languages, is the direct offspring of the Latin language. Of all the major Romance languages, Italian retains the closest resemblance to Latin.

During the long evolution of the development of the Italian language many dialects sprang up as each city had a distinctive dialect. During the 14th century the Tuscan dialect began to predominate, because of the central position of Tuscany in Italy, and because of the aggressive commerce of its most important city, Florence. Moreover, of all the Italian dialects, Tuscan departs least in morphology and phonology from classical Latin, and it therefore harmonizes best with the Italian traditions of Latin culture. Finally, Florentine culture produced the three literary artists who best summarized Italian thought and feeling of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance: Dante, Petrarca, and Boccaccio. The Italian language was first formalized in the early years of the 14^th century.

Modern Italian came into being only in the 19^th century as the language spoken by the educated Tuscans spread to become the language of a new nation. The unification of Italy in the late 19^th century also played an important role not only in political sphere but also had significance in social, economical, and cultural revivals.

Historically, too, Italy has always been of great importance. In the Middle Ages cities such as Florence and Venice were among the richest and most powerful of Europe. It was Italy that produced the Renaissance, whose culture and values have provided the foundations of much of western life in the last five hundred years.

Italian is considered to be the world’s most musical language and the lingua franca of music, and is spoken by around 58 million people in Italy, 24,000 in San Marino, 840,000 in Switzerland, and approximately 5 million in North and South America. It is mainly spoken in the Italian peninsula, southern Switzerland, San Marino, Sicily, Corsica, northern Sardinia, and on the north-eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea.

Italian is the official language of Italy and San Marino and it is also one of the official languages of Switzerland and is spoken in certain areas which are referred to as Italian Switzerland. Italian is the second official language of the Vatican City some parts of Slovenia and Croatia. It is also spoken in some Italian colonies in Africa. Also, Italian and Italian dialects are widely used by Italian immigrants throughout Western Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and Latin America. In the United States there are about 395,000 Italian speakers. In Canada there is a high concentration of Italian speakers in Montreal and Toronto, the Italian-speaking population in these two cities is about 315,000. In Australia, Italian is the second most spoken language.

Italian is also one of the languages that are taught in educational institutions widely around the world. Throughout the world, Italian is the fifth most taught non-native language, after English, French, Spanish and German.

___________________________________________________________________________________
This post was created by Textronics Communications Ltd. (www.textronics.com), a leading language and translation services provider since 1991. Our service offering includes translation, interpretation, proofreading, narration, transcription as well multi-lingual desktop publishing and web design services in all languages and subject matters. Our growing client base includes corporate, public and non-profit sector clients in Canada, the United States and Europe. Our language specialists are highly trained, tested and have many years of experience in their chosen subject matter and we consistently strive to offer high-quality language services at affordable prices. New clients can take advantage of a free test translation to try out our services first hand at no cost.
www.textronics.com – Communicate with the World

Italian culture / etiquette / business practices

Italian culture is rich and has a profound impact on society and all aspects of life. It is very important to understand the culture to integrate successfully into Italian society or to be successful in the Italian business environment.

The Italians take great pride in their history and cultural heritage, and they have a strong sense of cultural achievement. It is important for people from other cultures to understand the special cultural identity of Italy so as to effectively interact and be successful in business relations with Italians.

The family is considered the centre of the social structure in Italian society and the family provides both emotional and financial support to its members. There are places in Italy where even now the extended family resides together in one house.

Appearance and style is one key element in Italian society. The sense and way of dressing determines a whole lot in Italian culture: it determines the social status, family background and education level. It is quite true to say in Italy that “Dress makes a Man”. First impressions are considered as lasting impressions and Italians usually assess a person’s character, age and social standing based on appearance so it is important to create a positive first impression to Italian counterparts. In Italy there is a concept of ‘bella figura’ or good image and it is more than fashion, dressing and accessories but it also extends to the aura and personality that is projected too – i.e. confidence, style, demeanor, etc.

The Roman Catholic Church holds great importance and influence in Italian culture even though church attendance and participation is quite minimal. One of the prominent features that can be noted in Italian culture with respect to the church is its hierarchical structure. Like the Catholic Church hierarchal structures can be found in Italian families and relationships.

Italian culture – Key concepts and values

Affective Communication – Open expression of thoughts and feelings are common among Italians. Italians usually have large hand gestures and close personal contacts during conversations and interactions. Therefore it should be noted that to have successful business negotiations it is important to foster solid relationships based on trust.

Individualism – In Italian culture the sense of individualism is given prominence and it is considered a highly individualistic culture. This might be a reason for finding Italian businesses owned by individuals and families across Italy. In a business context Italians usually prefer to do business with people who are familiar to them or have some kind of a prior relation.

Bella Figura – It is usually used to describe the ability of the person to present oneself well and to behave with an air of confidence and formality and is considered a key element in Italian business culture. In Italian culture appearance and attire are extremely important so when doing business in Italy it is important to ensure that great importance is given to aesthetic presentation both in business attire as well as the design of business materials.

Italian business culture

Working practices

Appointments are considered mandatory and usually should be made in writing (in Italian) 2 to 3 weeks in advance. They should be confirmed by telephone or fax.
Have all your printed material available in both English and Italian.
Hire an interpreter if you are not fluent in Italian.
Punctuality is considered a rule in Italian business environment. Italians consider it important to adhere to timelines.
The legal system and bureaucracy in Italy are quite slow so expect decisions and business actions to take time.

Structure and hierarchy

Hierarchical structures are quite evident in Italian business organizations with clear distinctions in terms of ranks, positions and protocol.
Usually in large Italian business organizations decisions are usually taken by the most senior managers and the hierarchy is quite evident within a “cordata” or chain of command.

Working relationships

Italians usually like to do business with people they know and trust, so a third party introduction will go a long way in providing an initial platform from which to work.
Networking is quite important and it usually allows getting ahead as personal relationships in Italy are considered critical.
The Italian culture advocates respect for authority, power and age. Therefore special consideration and preferred treatment should be provided to senior and important people during business meetings and social events.

Business practices

In keeping with the expressive nature of the Italians, it is usually common to have Italian counterparts openly expressing disagreements and constructive arguments.
People often raise their voice to be heard over other speakers, not because they are angry.
Last names must be used to address the Italian counterparts during meetings.
Business cards are usually exchanged after a formal introduction and it is a good idea to have one side of the business card translated into Italian.
The business card must contain the title as Italians like to know how you fit within your organization and it is also a good idea to include professional qualifications.

Business etiquette (Do's and Don'ts)

Ö DO maintain face to face and eye contact during meetings. Italians take this gesture to mean that you are being honest and sincere.

Ö DO greet the all Italian counterparts with handshakes, maintaining direct eye contact and a smile.

Ö DO ensure you have a prior appointment and when leaving a room always close the door behind you.

× DON'T give gifts during business meetings/negotiations unless you receive one first and never give gifts showcasing your company logo.

× DON’T rush negotiations during meetings and pressure for decisions as Italians usually see meetings as a form for the free flow of ideas and to let everyone have their say.

× DON’T use high pressure sales tactics ever during meetings and negotiations.

Italian Language, Culture and Translation Issues - Italian Translation

Friday, August 24, 2007

Business Translations for the Italian Language

Italian Language – History and Geographical Distribution

Italian culture / etiquette / business practices

Italian business culture

Blog Archive

About Me