On the other hand, and especially in a time of economic recession, potential clients might think, “What do I need a translator for? I can just run my text through an online machine translator, right?”

Not really.

Machine translation software can be useful if you need to get a quick overview of the meaning of something written in another language. However, a translation made by a machine will always appear to be what it is – a translation. Native speakers of the target language (the language the original text, or “source text”, is translated into) will always be able to tell that what they’re reading or listening to was originally in another language, if they can understand it at all.

If you really want to speak to your audience in their language and ensure that they fully understand your message, then using a qualified, experienced and human translator is currently the only solution.

Route 66 Idiomas takes advantage of the best of new technologies in providing its translation services, communicating with the client in the way that is the most convenient for them, whether that be by phone, email or messenger. Route 66 Language School works with a network of professional translators to supply clients with high quality translations of all kinds of texts and projects for many language combinations (including sworn translations or “traducciones juradas”).

Communication and collaboration with the client is also important to ensure that their input contributes towards making the final translation as accurate as possible, faithfully reproducing the original meaning of the source text in the target language.

Like all successful Erasmus / Socrates students, we’re sure you’re looking forward to immersing yourself in local culture.

It’s a good idea to come to Valencia a little before University classes start so you have time to explore and make yourself feel at home. This is also the perfect time to focus on improving your Spanish.

Route 66 Idiomas Language School offers intensive Spanish courses with native-speaking teachers that will improve or refresh your Spanish quickly. This will give you an invaluable head-start before you’re busy with timetables, book lists and lectures.

Improving your language skills before your first lectures in Spanish will also help take the stress out of your first few weeks in a new city and University.

The right place for you!

Route 66 Idiomas Language School is located right in the centre of Valencia, within easy reach of all the Valencia University campuses. We’re also fully accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, so you can be sure you’re in good hands.

Make sure you get the most out of your Erasmus or Socrates placement in Valencia. Contact the friendly team at Route 66 Idiomas today to find out more about how we can help you.

The Tomatina is one of the Valencia region’s most well-known events.

Every last Wednesday in August, many thousands of people come from all over Spain (and increasingly from all over the world) to the town of Buñol for this huge tomato fight.

The battle commences at high noon and lasts for an hour. During this time tens of tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the town’s streets, where canny shop and home owners protect the fronts of their buildings with huge sheets of plastic.

The history of the Tomatina goes back to 1945, when a random fight between local festival goers happened to involve tomatoes. Over the years this confrontation became organised and now it is the main event of Buñol’s annual festivities.

You can travel from Valencia to the Tomatina by train. Make sure you wear clothes you’ll probably never be able to wear again. Swimming goggles and earplugs are good idea too. Route 66 Idiomas language school are organising a group trip. If you’d like to go, sign up in the office!

En valencià la paella té més gust, l’all-i-pebre també, i alguns pobles de la regió són encara més bonics. I amb un diploma de la Junta Qualificadora de Coneixements de Valencià, un treball públic està més a prop, perquè cal estar en possessió d’un nivell C1 (el mitjà) per a optar-hi. I sobretot si vole exercir com a mestres o professors del sistema educatiu públic: cal haver superat aqueix examen.

No és tan difícil, ni tan horrible, com molts pensen. Si ho fóra, què faria un càntabre com jo contant-vos tot açò, tan orgullós de saber parlar valencià, de fer-lo contínuament, cada dia, i de fins i tot fer classe en aquesta llengua? Si jo he pogut, ningú no hauria de defensar-se dient que “No es para mí, es que yo soy de fuera y…”.

A més a més, saber valencià m’ha ajudat a llegir les novel·les del Ferran Torrent, del Quim Monzó, de l’Empar Moliner o la Rodoreda en versió original, a entendre les cançons dels Sopa de Cabra o dels Antònia Font, de la Maria del Mar Bonet o del Serrat.

Traure el mitjà (o l’elemental, o el nivell oral, o el superior) és qüestió de bona cosa d’interés i, per què no, d’un curset de valencià. A Route 66 Idiomas en fem molts, d’intensius i de durant tot l’any. Els intensius que comencen a setembre poden ajudar-vos a fer amb molt d’èxit els exàmens del novembre per a l’obtenció dels títols. Us hi atreviu? Doncs poseu fil a l’agulla i endavant les atxes!

Consulteu-nos! El setembre ja arriba!

La Universitat de València hará unas pruebas de acreditación del conocimiento de lenguas extranjeras el próximo 18 de septiembre, y si el resultado de las mismas es satisfactorio, se te admitirá en el máster en educación secundaria. Así que ponte las pilas y dale caña a cualquiera de esas lenguas, porque sin ellas no podrás siquiera empezar el curso.

En Route 66 Idiomas tenemos cursos de inglés y de español con los que puedes preparar la prueba. Consulta horarios y precios, porque puede ser lo que realmente necesitas para darle un empujón a tu nivel y superar la prueba. Contacta con la academia y te contaremos más.

Do you want to refresh or improve your Spanish but don’t have the time to go to classes?

From October, Route 66 Idiomas will be offering 3-month online Spanish courses for only 60€! The courses are specially designed by the Instituto Cervantes for distance learning, using state of the art technology combined with the latest language teaching methods.

Learn at your own pace, without joining a group or being assigned a tutor. A course lasts 3 months, all levels are available, and you can log into the online platform to follow the course when it suits you. And all this for only €60!

Courses will start in October 2010 and places are limited so register for a course today! To register, or for more information, reply to this email or call us on (+00 34) 963 427 368.

We hope you’re enjoying the summer!

The Route 66 Idiomas team

Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences has been invaded by dinosaurs.

The Umbracle is the new home to a group of 26 animatronic dinosaurs, ranging from 2.5 to 27 metres in length. Valencia’s own Jurassic Park is the largest exhibit of its kind in Europe and gives you the chance to see robotic replicas of the best-known dinos, including the triceratops, diplodocus and velociraptor.

The T-Rex and friends will be on display until May 2011. However, until 31 August the exhibit is open until midnight for those visitors wanting to avoid the heat of the day.

Route 66 Idiomas students who would like more information about opening times and ticket prices (in English) can click here.

Hace dos o tres semanas, un conocido me comentó que había terminado la carrera de Historia y que se había matriculado en el Máster en Educación Secundaria. Un nombre tan largo para definir… ¡el CAP! Sí, ese curso de cuatro meses en que te enseñan a enseñar, prácticas incluidas en un instituto, se ha transformado en un máster universitario con una importante carga lectiva de didáctica, pedagogía y metodología. Vamos, que ahora cuesta un poquito más.

- Y tengo que poseer un diploma B1 de un idioma extranjero para poder inscribirme -me dijo-. No está mal, a ver si los españoles vamos perdiendo esa mala fama de no saber idiomas.
- Vaya, qué novedad… tan apetecible -le seguí. Me costaba entender que los licenciados españoles no estuviéramos obligados a demostrar conocimientos de idiomas.
- Y no solo eso, sino que aquí en la Comunitat Valenciana es necesario demostrar el C1 de valencià ¡y también de castellano! -continuó.
- Vaya, qué tarde llega eso -me salió del alma. Me costaba entender, de nuevo, por qué nos obligan a demostrar que sabemos valenciano pero nunca castellano, con lo pobre que lo llevan muchos ciudadanos.

Así que, amigos y amigas de Route 66 Idiomas, si tenéis pensado matricularos en el máster, debéis saber que habéis de presentar el diploma o, si no, matricularos en las pruebas de acreditación del conocimiento de lenguas extranjeras que realiza la Universitat de València (se celebrarán el 18 de septiembre de 2010). Y no hay que recordar que, si deseáis preparar esas pruebas, podéis hacerlo en nuestra academia, que oferta cursos especiales para la realización de las mismas, así como del examen DELE de español como lengua extranjera.

Like all successful Erasmus / Socrates students, we’re sure you’re looking forward to immersing yourself in local culture.

It’s a good idea to come to Valencia a little before University classes start so you have time to explore and make yourself feel at home. This is also the perfect time to focus on improving your Spanish.

Route 66 Idiomas Language School offers intensive Spanish courses with native-speaking teachers that will improve or refresh your Spanish quickly. This will give you an invaluable head-start before you’re busy with timetables, book lists and lectures.

Improving your language skills before your first lectures in Spanish will also help take the stress out of your first few weeks in a new city and University.

The right place for you!

Route 66 Idiomas Language School is located right in the centre of Valencia, within easy reach of all the Valencia University campuses. We’re also fully accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, so you can be sure you’re in good hands.

Make sure you get the most out of your Erasmus or Socrates placement in Valencia. Contact the friendly team at Route 66 Idiomas today to find out more about how we can help you.

This is just one example of the activities used at Route 66 Idiomas language school to teach Spanish. Enjoy!