Newsletter - Global Translations.BR - Novembro

A modern take on a traditional classic; Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic play – Romeo and Juliet – brings Shakespeare right up to date and into the modern world. Luhrmann’s interpretation, released in 1996, manages to turn this classic love story into an exciting, fast-paced, hip and modern piece of cinematography, all the while retaining the traditional Shakespearean language and prose.

A typical Shakespearian tragedy, the story tells of two teenagers – Romeo and Juliet - whose love is plighted by their feuding families – the Montagues and the Capulets.

The young couple meet when Romeo and his best friend, Mercutio, gatecrash a party held at the Capulets. Each learning that the other is from the rival family, they vow to find a way to be together, and continue their relationship in secret. Troubled by the continuous fighting of their families, the two lovers ultimately take extreme measures in order to be together, resulting in an ending which is both dramatic and heart-wrenching, in true Shakespearean style.

What makes this interpretation so engaging for the modern day viewer is its effectiveness in portraying the Shakespearean themes of love, fate, passion, and hate in a modern day setting, which the viewer can truly relate to. In the ‘Verona Beach’ of modern times, swords are replaced with guns, horses by fast cars, fights in traditional cobbled side-streets become fights in petrol stations and on the beach front, and the traditional costume ball becomes a hip party, not to mention the obvious difference in clothing.

Romeo and Juliet
USA, 1996, 120 min.
Director: Baz Luhrmann
With: Claire Danes, Leonardo di Caprio and Paul Sorvino.
Price: R$ 21,24

By Samuel Bull 
 
Nowadays the progression of technology at such a rapid pace has become so widely-acknowledged that references to these advances are almost clichéd. Everyone with experience in the private sector is well aware that any business would struggle to remain afloat without access to the internet and, moreover, must now compete online with other similar companies. Equally, the spread of information on the virtual sphere has also led to revolutionizing the way that the public sector works.

But technology goes far beyond just the internet. After the recent World Cup in South Africa this year, FIFA became the latest organization to have come under fire due to their hesitance to adopt the latest technology alongside human referees in the Beautiful Game. There are countless other examples throughout recent history linking success or failure with an ability (or lack thereof) to harness the latest powers of technology. If we examine the phrase `survival of the fittest', it is clear that its meaning has undergone a seismic shift to now refer to those who have prospered from their use of technology.

However, technology is certainly not without its drawbacks. When incorporated hand-in-hand with budget-cutting measures, it has meant that organizations will increasingly try and solve their clients' problems without having to hire anyone. Of course, not all problems can be solved in cyberspace, and the general public seems to appreciate the human touch. In the same way, many people mourn for the loss of human interaction between friends and colleagues that seems once to have been much more common. And in the future, who knows, subsequent generations will be unable to write with pen and paper and will be shocked by the idea of printed texts, rather than e-books?

Translation is one of countless other areas which have been affected by technological developments. It has been possible for several years now to type a text into a search engine instant translator and get a translated version of the original. Absolutely free. Perfect. But, as with many other technological advances, these translations are very rapid but far from faultless. It is an interesting experiment to translate a text via a search engine translator from the original to the desired language, and then translate it back to the language in which it was written. The final version will make no sense.

This is where Global Translations comes in. Global uses its experience and keen human knowledge to best make use of the latest technology available – technology which requires, but definitely does not replace, human skill. Through rigorous checking of documents and use of books and a multitude of technology (including CAT programs), the text is made to sound correct but also natural. To adapt successfully is something that the world constantly does to the hottest technology, and our ability to adapt and remain at the forefront of quality translation services is something we are continuously working on.

The members of Vampire Weekend met at Columbia University, USA and the influences that shape their cheerful music are easily identified. Described as “Upper West Side Soweto”, classical western music can be heard through violins, which is fused with traditional African Soweto drums to produce not only an innovative, but modern sound. This use of traditional music to push modern boundaries can be heard on their self-titled debut album and their follow up “Contra”.

Vampire Weekend - Contra
Label: XL Recordings
Price: R$ 58,99

The UK countryside

Thinking of the UK countryside and traditional agricultural produce conjures up images of fields of wheat and corn, apple and pear orchards, and the “traditional English country garden”, consisting of pristine hedgerows, rolling green lawns and neat, pretty flower beds.

However, these images could become a rarity in parts of the UK if climate change continues at the present rate. Scientists predict a rise in temperature by up to 3°C by 2050 in the UK and a drop in the amount of rainfall by a third, meaning that much of the UK’s typical agricultural produce will be hard to yield, and the traditional look of the countryside hard to maintain.

As a true “English country girl”, I certainly want the UK countryside to remain for future generations, and I wonder if people in the UK knew these implications of climate change, they would do more to prevent it from happening.

The “Act on CO2” website offers advice on simple changes we can all make in our everyday lives to cut our carbon footprint – small changes which hardly affect us, but can make a huge difference to the planet.

It is simple things like putting on an extra jumper before turning up our heating, hanging our clothes outside to dry instead of using the dryer, or simply switching off appliances which aren’t being used which can make all the difference.

If everyone thought about how their actions affected the planet, and followed the advice on the “Act on CO2” website, then future generations in the UK will too experience the joy of the traditional UK countryside and agriculture.