2023 - HE Translations

How cabbages rocked the world – the Krautrock explosion

24/10/2023/0 Comments/in Humour, Language, Neologisms /by HE Translations

Have rocking cabbages changed modern pop? What is the sound of a cabbage singing, or a broccoli beat? In the German language Kraut means simply cabbage or herb, but in the early 1970s the English speaking world enthusiastically imported the sound of Krautrock. Critics of the day gave this new avant-garde West German genre the ironic name Krautrock and the name stuck, and so did the music, growing to become hugely influential. Did the critics mean to say this was vegetable music, like that of the Austrian Vegetable Orchestra? Not really, because since the end of the First World War Kraut has been a pejorative term in English for a German, supplanting earlier terms and possibly reflecting German fondness for eating sauerkraut, so the Krautrock neologism served both to describe and also mock experimental West German electro pop music of the 1960s and 1970s.
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Electric car revolution: Polestar experience to date

08/09/2023/in Translation /by HE Translations

With 230,000 miles on the clock my 20-year-old Volvo V70 was still going strong, but in early 2022 the time had come to think of a replacement. My mind was made up that the next car had to be electric, and preferably one that was designed from scratch for the purpose, rather than based on an existing internal combustion model. This limited the choice, which can actually be a good thing in many situations. Instinctively I was drawn to the Polestar 2. Although the brand has been owned by Volvo since 2015 (which in turn has been owned by the Chinese company Geely since 2010), Polestars aren’t usually available through Volvo dealerships, so in March last year my partner and I booked a test drive at the nearest Polestar centre in Milton Keynes. Unfortunately but understandably, we weren’t allowed to take the car to nearby Silverstone, but the experience was nevertheless impressive, not least the amazing instant acceleration! But we weren’t quite ready to take the plunge and decided to wait a while longer.

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From steam engines to rocket science

24/04/2023/in Translation /by HE Translations

The proposed new advertising slogan for HE Translations is “From Steam Engines to Rocket Science”. The slogan aims to highlight our diverse range of translation services that cater to a wide spectrum of clients, from industries centred on traditional machinery to cutting-edge space technology.

Leicester is home to two significant attractions: Abbey Pumping Station and the National Space Centre. Abbey Pumping Station is a Victorian pumping station that was essential in supplying clean water to the city of Leicester during the Victorian era. On the other hand, the National Space Centre is a unique museum and educational facility focused on space exploration and research.

By using the slogan “From Steam Engines to Rocket Science”, HE Translations emphasises that its translation services can aid clients in both traditional industries and advanced sectors. The proximity of Abbey Pumping Station and the National Space Centre in Leicester perfectly represents the progression of industries over time. HE Translations provides specialised language services for technical, engineering, scientific and industrial fields, making us an ideal partner for a wide range of businesses, regardless of their nature and complexity.

In summary, the new advertising slogan, “From Steam Engines to Rocket Science,” by HE Translations is an effective way to emphasise our broad capabilities in catering to diverse clients while incorporating the proximity of two significant attractions in Leicester, our main office base.

The forgotten Kursaal – cure-all or curse for chancers and dancers?

01/02/2023/in Humour, Language /by HE Translations

Before the days of wild swimming and thalassotherapy, taking the waters meant going to a posh spa for a cure using the mineral springs and thermal baths found there, with the Kursaal being a focal point. In nineteenth century Europe spas, often called thermal baths, were elite hotspots with ballrooms, promenades, and also casinos allowing visitors to take a bath in the financial sense. Spas were even haunts for artists, among them renowned Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky who lost money and found inspiration to write his novel The Gambler at Baden Baden in Germany, Europe’s foremost spa at the time. Surprisingly, contemporary medicine does now find real benefits to water therapies and bathing for a number of conditions, and the spa at Bath in England was found to effect real cures, possibly of conditions caused by lead poisoning.