COVID language guides created for holidaymakers

A Yorkshire translation company, Leaf Translations (https://leaftranslations.com) has launched a COVID Language Hub to help Brits navigate holidays abroad.

LEaF Translations created the resource to help holidaymakers deal with potential confusion from language barriers around COVID regulations and guidelines in foreign destinations.

Lucy Pembayun, founder of LEaF Translations, had the idea after realising traditional phrasebooks hadn’t caught up with the wider impact of COVID on travel needs and language.

Lucy said: “We have created a free A-Z glossary of COVID related terms to help holidaymakers and travellers navigate this new landscape. Different countries will have different approaches, with specific expectations and regulations around social distancing, hand-sanitising and mask-wearing. Words that were once only used in a medical or scientific context are now needed for everyday use.”

The glossary can be found on their online hub, which offers free, printable resources to download and take on your travels in five key languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, French and German.

The free downloads include top COVID-related phrases holidaymakers need to know to stay safe, from ‘Where can I buy a mask?’ to ‘Which tourist attractions are currently open to the public?’

The hub also offers resources for business travellers in languages including Chinese and Japanese.

The guides outline COVID mask-wearing etiquette, which may vary from country to country.

Lucy added: “The pandemic has generated a lot of anxiety and fear, which can lead to tensions travelling abroad. Just knowing a few simple phrases can make the difference between having a smooth holiday, or risking potential upset. Good translation is vital to ensure that information around COVID health and safety is accurately communicated across different languages, as the world of travel opens up.”

LEaF Translations is the first translation company in the UK to become an accredited member of the Good Business Charter. A carbon-neutral business, they fund tree-planting and environmental projects around the world.

To access the COVID Language Hub, go to: https://leaftranslations.com/covid-language-hub/

Editors Notes

Based in York, LEaF Translations provides translation services for the tourism sector and export businesses, SEO translations and English proofreading services.

York-born Lucy, 38, set up LEaF Translations in 2017 after working as a freelance translator for large translation agencies. She wanted to shift the focus from an emphasis on swift turnarounds in favour of high-quality translations.

Photo credit: Andrea Denniss of Pink Lily Photography