If you’ve ever used or worked for a translation company, or you’re just a linguistics fanatic, you’ll want to get your calendar out. Planet Word, opening in Winter 2019, should be in your vacation plans next year! The museum will offer various exhibits that people who speak all languages (and translators) will enjoy. There will be no need for interpreting services here. The museum will aim to explore the words we use on a global level to, as the museum says on their site “joke, sign, speak, read, and write every day.”
Translators: These are Your Next Vacation Plans…
Planet Word won’t just be interesting for translators and interpreters, though. The museum will offer exhibits that are fun and engaging for all age groups. Through physical activities, hands-on projects, music, multi-media presentations, and more, Planet Word will educate children and adults on the magic of language.
One of Planet Word’s biggest missions isn’t just to be on the itinerary for everyone’s next vacation trips. It’s also to combat the growing trend of illiteracy and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and general disinterest for reading in the US. For many in the US, it’s not a matter of a need for translation services, but an actual inability to read at a functional level. Unfortunately, 21% of adults don’t have the inability to read things like instructions, emails, important forms and documents, even just medicine and food labels. Over 50% of immigrants to the US in 2015 were classified as LEP—and numbers indicate that trend is only increasing. It’s notable that at least 350 different languages besides English are the only languages spoken in homes around the US. Perhaps what’s worse than any of these statistics is that even those who can read are simply not doing so much these days. Reading books for pleasure or reading the newspaper are no longer popular leisure activities in the day of the smartphone, internet, and on-demand TV services.
So where can translators, interpreters, their families, and everyone else, go to visit Planet Word? The museum will be located in the heart of Washington, DC. It will be housed in the Franklin School, one of America’s earliest co-ed high schools. Besides simply being a gorgeous, historic building, the Franklin School is a fitting place for a museum about such an integral building block for learning: language! Don’t forget to mark this museum down when you’re planning your Winter break plans next year, or just a quick trip to DC. It’s bound to fascinate you – whether you’re a nerd for translation services and their unique quandries, or just a lover of words!
Planet Word will delight translation nerds– and everyone else! Photo credit: Geralt via Pixabay.
About Language Connections:
Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510
Email: service@languageconnections.com
