Experience Translates Into Expertise 
August 2005 - Martha Galindo 



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Twelve years ago the world was still round and from any vantage point great portions 
of it were unseen. Today the world is flat - all of it is visible and most of it is 
accessible. Then globalization was a plan, now it is a reality. China has become a 
major market and a major competitor to both governments and businesses. NAFTA is in 
place. Latin American markets are expanding at remarkable rates. And the domestic 
usage of Spanish language by the U.S. Hispanic markets is finally getting the attention 
its rapid growth and potential deserve. Today the marketing plans of companies large 
and small routinely include multinational considerations. Almost NO serious marketing 
effort is complete without guidance as to how to localize marketing or training 
materials to speak clearly to the employee and persuasively to the customer in more 
than one language. 

Today marketing plans incorporate the customs and language of the various markets early 
on in the process. No longer are translation and sensitivity to local customs an 
afterthought or a simplistic matter of exchanging an English word for a word with 
a corresponding meaning in another language. (Which, fortunately for us, is the 
concept of translation practiced by those automatic sites on the Internet.) Translation 
and localization have grown into vital components of management thinking from the very 
beginning of plans to develop and bring any product or service to market.

Twelve years ago we shipped disks with foreign language files; today shipping those 
files requires only a click on a keyboard. Feedback from our clients is just as fast. 
Twelve years ago some U.S. firms were calling us with no understanding of the difference 
between transcription and translation. U.S. executives were still questioning the need 
for the conversion of key tables to the metric system. Happily many of these early 
clients are still with us. Much of the work is similar but the management of these 
companies and of our growing list of clients has learned and become more sophisticated. 
They have come to realize the importance of the kind of sensitivity to language that 
we bring to the work. Words, in any language, do not convey their meaning without 
syntax and semantic and social contexts. The way a word is used conveys its flavor 
and emphasis and nuance. This is a much more subtle process than simply replacing an 
English word for a Spanish word. 

And so, after these twelve wonderful years I look forward to a continuing increase of 
closeness in our business relationships and to playing an ever more comprehensive role 
in the mutual process of developing and delivering benefits to the many markets, which 
though separated by language, are completely alike in their enjoyment of the fruits of 
our combined efforts.

To all of you who have made Galindo Publicidad your partner of choice - I thank 
you and promise that you are valued beyond measure. Share with us the adventure 
of the next twelve years and don't forget to send me your comments.

 
See you soon ! 

 
Martha. 

 

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About the Author, if using, please include:

Martha E. Galindo, President and CEO of Galindo Publicidad, Inc.
A multilingual translations agency, selected twice as 
a Florida 100 company. Author of “How Do You Say…?” 
an eNewsletter designed to help you improve your 
business communications in other languages,

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