What is a diacritic?

A diacritic is a mark applied to a letter to indicate specific sounds, stress, tone, or other linguistic features that are not represented by the base letter alone.

Some examples of diacritics are:

The acute accent, seen on the “o” and “a” in ¿Cómo estás?” (How are you in Spanish)
The circumflex, seen on the “e” in the French word “forêt,” meaning forest
The umlaut, seen on the “u” in “über,” German for “over”

Diacritics are sometimes used in romanization and transliteration to represent sounds that exist in one language but don’t exist in another.

QuillBot’s Translator can handle diacritics when translating between 50 languages.

Translations: Other interesting questions

How much does a translator make?: How much a translator makes depends on their contract type, location, and experience.

Freelance translators may make $0.08–0.30 per word, $20–100 per hour, or a few hundred or thousand dollars for larger projects, depending on size. In-house translators may make $30–80K annually, or more if they are highly specialized in a certain area.

One of the main differences when comparing interpreters vs translators is how they’re paid. Interpreters are often paid per hour, day, or project.

As AI tools (like QuillBot’s Translator) develop, translation rates may be affected or new jobs in the sector may emerge.
What is marketing transcreation?: Marketing transcreation is the process of adapting marketing content from one language to another while preserving the original intent, tone, and brand voice.

It goes beyond direct translation by considering cultural norms, idioms, imagery, and market-specific trends to ensure the message connects with the audience linguistically, culturally, and emotionally.

An example of marketing transcreation is the McDonald’s slogan “I’m lovin’ it.” In Spanish, this became “Me encanta,” which translates literally as “I really like it.”

Transcreators went with this slogan because the verbs for love in Spanish (“querer” or “amar”) are considered too strong to use for food.

QuillBot’s free Translator can aid you in marketing transcreation.
What is romaji?: Romaji refers to the romanization of Japanese, or the conversion of Japanese into the Roman script. It helps non-native speakers read and pronounce Japanese words without knowing Japanese scripts.

“Romaji” is a transliteration to the Roman alphabet of a Japanese word meaning “Roman letters.”

If you want to translate the meaning of other Japanese words, try QuillBot’s Translator.
What is a digraph?: A digraph is a combination of two letters that together represent a single sound (e.g., “ch,” “sh,” or “ng” in English).

Digraphs are used in romanization to express sounds that exist in other languages but not in the Roman script. For example, in Pinyin romanization, “zh” represents a sound in Mandarin similar to “j.”

Romanization is a type of transliteration, which differs from translation, which converts meaning. If you need to translate, try QuillBot’s free Translator.
What is the romanization of Hebrew?: The romanization of Hebrew is the conversion of Hebrew text into Roman script.

For example, the romanization of the Hebrew word “לחיים” is “l’chaim,” while the translation to English is “cheers.” Romanization methods include transliteration and transcription.

QuillBot’s free Translator can translate between Hebrew and 49 other languages.
What is Hangul romanization?: Hangul romanization is the romanization of Korean. “Hangul” is the name for the writing system used in the Korean language.

For example, the Hangul “우유” could be romanized as “uyu.” Romanization methods include transliteration and transcription.

QuillBot’s Translator can detect Hangul and translate it to English.
What is neural machine translation?: Neural Machine Translation (NMT) is an advanced form of machine translation that uses deep learning and artificial neural networks to translate text from one language to another.

Unlike older methods of machine translation, NMT processes entire sentences at once, considering context and linguistic structures (e.g., compound subject or double negative) for more fluent and accurate translations.

One example of a machine translation tool is QuillBot’s Translator.
What’s machine translation vs. CAT?: The main difference between machine translation vs. CAT (or “computer-assisted translation”) is that CAT software is designed to assist human translators, while machine translation is designed to be automatic.

QuillBot’s free Translator is one example of a machine translation tool.
What is machine translation software?: Machine translation software is a type of computer program that uses algorithms and AI to automatically translate text or speech from one language to another without human intervention.

These tools range from simple word-for-word translation programs to advanced AI-powered systems that are capable of understanding more complex nuances in language, like tone or idioms.

An example of machine translation software is QuillBot’s free Translator.
What is a grapheme?: A “grapheme” is the smallest unit of written language. Graphemes change based on the language used.

In English, graphemes include “ch” and “a.” But in Japanese, graphemes can be “あ,” which represents a syllable, or “山,” which represents a word.

Graphemes are used in transliteration to convert one language to the script of another.

You can plug different graphemes into QuillBot’s free Translator to discover their meaning in another language.
How can I become a translator?: To become a translator:

Understand the purpose of translation

Master a second language

Get the necessary education

Practice and develop your skills

Learn translation software (like Translator)

Get certified

Join professional associations

Market yourself

Stay updated

Before becoming a translator, make sure you understand the differences between an interpreter and translator. Translators work with written language, while interpreters convert spoken language.
How can I become an interpreter?: To become an interpreter:

Master a second language and culture

Obtain the necessary education

Practice and gain experience

Get certified

Specialize in a chosen field

Build your network and reputation

Stay updated

Don’t get confused when choosing between being an interpreter or translator.

Interpreters convert spoken language in real time. Translation converts written language, often with more time and the assistance of digital tools (like QuillBot’s free Translator).
How to localize a website?: Here’s how to localize a website in 10 steps:

Start with a clear localization strategy

Do market research on your target areas

Put a team together, considering translation, transcreation, and engineering

Do keyword research in your target language

Internationalize your website with flexible code

Translate and adapt content

Adjust formatting and localize visuals

Localize the user experience and interface

Test your new website before launching

Market your website in the new market

There are many tools, like QuillBot’s free Translator, that can help localization teams throughout this process.
What is SEO localization?: SEO localization is the process of increasing organic traffic to a website with search results in the target language or region. It is one facet of the wider localization process.

It goes beyond translation by adapting keywords, meta descriptions, URLs, and content to match local search habits and cultural nuances.

Translator tools and SEO software can help, but good localization requires careful analysis by an SEO expert.

SEO localization helps businesses rank higher in local search results, attract relevant audiences, and improve engagement in international markets.
What’s the meaning of localize?: The verb “localize” can mean:

To concentrate or restrict something to a specific place

To adapt something to meet the requirements of a specific area

The third definition refers to the process of localization, when products or services are adapted to a specific country or region so that they feel relevant to the target audience.

Localization relies on translation tools (like QuillBot’s Translator) and specialists well-versed in the target country’s language and culture.
What is language localization?: Language localization is the process of adapting a product or service’s translation to a specific country or region so that it feels relevant and accessible to the target audience.

It goes beyond translation by considering linguistic and cultural elements (e.g., idioms, tone, date formats, currency, colors, and images) to ensure the content feels natural and native to the target market. Localization often includes transcreation, a type of creative translation.

QuillBot’s free Translator is one of many tools that can help throughout the localization process.
What is a glyph?: A glyph is a visual representation of a character or symbol in written form. It refers to the specific shape or form that a character takes, which can be part of an alphabet, punctuation mark, or any other symbol used in writing.

Some examples of glyphs are “a,” “あ,” and “@.”

Glyphs are important in transliteration and translation. Try QuillBot’s free Translator to translate words from one language to another, and see how the glyphs change.
What is a dialect?: A dialect is a form of a language that is spoken in a specific geographic area or by a particular group of people.

It includes unique features such as vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation that differentiate it from the standard or other dialects of the same language.

British and American English both encompass different dialects of the English language, like Cockney, Received Pronunciation, Southern, and Midwestern.

These unique pronunciations across dialects affect the transliteration and transcription of a language.
What is a phoneme?: A “phoneme” is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish words from one another. Phonemes don’t carry meaning by themselves but combine to form words.

Changing a single phoneme can result in a different word with a different meaning. For example, in the words “pat” and “bat,” /p/ and /b/ are phonemes.

Phonemes are important in transcription and transliteration. They are also relevant when learning the pronunciation of a new language.

Try QuillBot’s free Translator to translate words into a language you’re learning.