{"id":6558,"date":"2019-02-04T09:10:05","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T09:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.utalk.com\/news\/?p=6558"},"modified":"2022-07-06T14:53:18","modified_gmt":"2022-07-06T13:53:18","slug":"utalks-quirks-critics-links-with-the-queen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/utalks-quirks-critics-links-with-the-queen\/","title":{"rendered":"uTalk\u2019s Quirks, its Critics and its link with the Queen!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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uTalk Founder Dick Howeson and in-house language expert Nat Dinham were quizzed about the company\u2019s ethos in an interview with New York-based podcaster and speaker Fiel Sahir this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why uTalk\u2019s content includes the basics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a reason why the app always includes the words written on men\u2019s and women\u2019s restroom doors. It\u2019s because, back in the company\u2019s early days, Dick spent an uncomfortable half an hour in the deserted arrivals hall of a Hungarian airport. As he tells Fiel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI needed to go to the bathroom and there were two doors and in those days no signs on the doors, just words and they were in Hungarian and I had no idea which one was which. I thought \u2018easy\u2019\u200a\u2014\u200aI will just wait until someone goes in and I waited and I waited and it must have been something like 20 minutes before someone went in one of the doors. The only problem I had after that was I couldn\u2019t decide whether it was a man or a woman!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How uTalk\u2019s founders were bad at French<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The decision to launch a language learning company came about because of a language problem. Dick and his work colleague, Andrew Ashe, went to a business meeting in Paris\u200a\u2014\u200aand didn\u2019t understand the French that was being spoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey really annoyed us by talking in French all the time and we thought that was bad,\u201d Dick relates with a chuckle. \u201cAnd then we thought that maybe it was our fault for not learning French at school\u2026 and then maybe we thought actually we had really bad teachers at school\u2026 and then maybe we thought actually we were just really lazy learners. And that again is part of where our product came from because we wanted something that was easy for lazy learners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair went on to found uTalk (formerly known as EuroTalk)\u200a\u2014\u200aand fixed their own language problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Language Producer does<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s more than one type of language learner, as Nat proves. Nat, who was obsessed with learning languages from the age of 12, studied Russian and Italian at Oxford University. She then joined the company six years ago after answering an advert for her dream job of Language Producer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She explains how she originally thought the ad might be a fake because she couldn\u2019t believe someone could be \u201cpaid to work with languages every single day, work with native speakers, record them, discuss translation problems and create a new resource. And it was real!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only did the job exist, but she has since met 600 native speakers and translators from around the world and helped record 145 languages. \u201cIt\u2019s absolutely fascinating every day,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why learn languages?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce you have got enough [language] to break through that first barrier and start communicating with people, anything could happen. You have basically unlocked an entire new population of potential friends and probably an entirely new culture,\u201d says Nat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor me and for most of us around the world, it\u2019s all about making friends and all too often just one word can make all the difference and even if it\u2019s the wrong word\u200a\u2014\u200aprovided it\u2019s in their language it\u2019ll make them smile, it\u2019ll make things happen. You\u2019ve got to give it a go,\u201d says Dick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why everyday language is important<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first words Dick learned in French were \u2018la plume de ma tante\u2019\u200a\u2014\u200a\u2018my aunt\u2019s pen\u2019. Likewise, he says, a Russian friend learned the English words \u2018crystal chandelier\u2019 at school and French speakers have learned the English words \u2018my tailor is rich\u2019. All these phrases have yet to prove useful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where are some of the interesting places uTalk\u2019s recorded a language?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The company\u2019s been to Siberia to record Chuvash in the middle of winter\u200a\u2014\u200a\u201cthe coldest place I have ever, ever been\u201d says Dick\u200a\u2014\u200aand to the Nevada Desert in the US to record Navajo. \u201cOne of the interesting problems there was the guy who spoke Navajo couldn\u2019t read or write it so we needed someone else to tell him what he had to say,\u201d explains Dick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, uTalk\u2019s three biggest-selling languages in the US are Navajo, Scottish Gaelic and Hawaiian. They are currently planning a trip to Hawaii to re-record the language for its uTalk\u200a\u2014\u200aLearn Any Language app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to succeed at language learning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy advice to someone thinking \u2018should I learn a language?\u2019 is don\u2019t set your goals too high like \u2018I\u2019m going to get fluent\u2019, \u2018I\u2019m going to be able to do everything\u2019. Just set really small simple, easy goals,\u201d says Dick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLearn the language you want, have fun doing it and even if you are wrong and you say it with a smile on your face, they will smile back at you and that\u2019s really important. But if you haven\u2019t tried, people don\u2019t respect you in quite the same way,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

uTalk\u2019s biggest criticism<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the biggest pieces of criticism we get from people is that we haven\u2019t done the language they want,\u201d says Dick. \u201cIt\u2019s really sad actually. If we haven\u2019t got the language you want, please don\u2019t give us a one-star review.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, he encourages people to get in touch with uTalk at support@utalk.com and work with the company to get their language represented. uTalk is also particularly keen to hear from native-speaking communities who\u2019d like their language added to the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The uTalk\u200a\u2014\u200aLearn any language app includes more than 150 languages, with more being added every year, and the company actively supports minority and endangered languages such as Manx and Southern Saami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent requests for new languages to be added include Babylonian which hasn\u2019t been spoken for more than 2,000 years!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of uTalk\u2019s biggest mistakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the early days when the company made language learning CD-Roms, a customer in Holland ordered a Learn Slovakian disc because her son\u2019s fianc\u00e9e was Slovakian. The customer planned to use her language skills to chat to her son\u2019s future parents-in-law in Slovakia who she was due to visit. Unfortunately, a Slovenian disc was packed in the Slovakian box by mistake and she learned the wrong language for the trip. As well as obviously replacing the disc, uTalk offered to pay for the customer\u2019s flight so she could visit the prospective in-laws again\u200a\u2014\u200abut with the right language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe son came back to us and said I really love your attitude thank you and there\u2019s no way we\u2019re going to make you pay for the flight but it\u2019s really good that you care,\u201d says Dick. \u201cThat was really special. We sent her a huge bunch of flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

uTalk\u2019s links with Queen Elizabeth II<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

uTalk has won two royal awards\u200a\u2014\u200aThe Queen\u2019s Award for Export and The Queen\u2019s Award for Innovation. To mark the achievement, Dick was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles. Dick says Queen Elizabeth made a big impression on him:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe is incredibly knowledgeable. I\u2019m sure you can talk to her on any subject. I met her on another occasion as well and she absolutely knew everything about what was going on and I was just hugely, hugely impressed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why uTalk takes customer service seriously<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are a kind of quirky company in a way, we all care really very passionately about the product and the mission we are on to record all these languages and get them out there and get people learning,\u201d says Nat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think a lot of that dedication that we have as a team is because Dick has always been quite insistent that we always, always listen to the customer. Dick will sit down with us and make sure that we are talking about the customer\u2019s feedback and emphasising that we go above and beyond to make sure they\u2019re happy. It\u2019s not like any experience I\u2019ve had in a previous workplace,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Indian Masala Chai keeps Nat\u2019s stress levels down<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a ritual, probably every other day, one of my colleagues take about 10 to 15 minutes in the afternoon to make proper, authentic Indian chai,\u201d she says. \u201cWe boil the milk, select the spices, we put them in, we add the tea leaves, we simmer it gently and I find the process of doing that is very, very calming especially if we\u2019ve had a slightly stressful situation or perhaps got too much work on. It completely forces you to do nothing but watch a saucepan for about ten mins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dick\u2019s take-home message:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Never be frightened to knock on doors and say hello.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interview by New York-based podcaster and speaker Fiel Sahir was broadcast this week in his podcast series \u2018Between 3 Worlds\u2019.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

uTalk Founder Dick Howeson and in-house language expert Nat Dinham were quizzed about the company\u2019s ethos in an interview with New York-based podcaster and speaker Fiel Sahir this week. Here are some of the highlights: Why uTalk\u2019s content includes the basics There\u2019s a reason why the app always includes the words written on men\u2019s and … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[51,1305],"tags":[266],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6558"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8864,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558\/revisions\/8864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}