Happy new year and welcome to my brand new blog.

The last day of 2015 seems a good opportunity to launch my new website and blog for 2016. The website is designed to tell you a bit more about me and the services I offer at konnekt! language solutions. Over the coming months I’ll be adding to the site and the blog to share my translation-related thoughts and interesting articles, so watch this space.

konnekt! language solutions started operating in December 2015, after I decided to set up as a freelance translator, proofreader and language tutor. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the clients and project managers I’ve worked with so far for making my first few weeks of business so positive. I’ve enjoyed working with each and every one of the new contacts I’ve made and translating content for brand new clients. Thank you for your support. I’m excited about our continued partnership during 2016 and beyond, and looking forward to getting to know many new clients too!

On that note, I wish you a very happy new year, and for English-speaking readers, I’ll leave you with some interesting linguistic facts about the new year in Germany/the Netherlands/Belgium:

• In German, people wish each other a “Guten Rutsch” into the new year on 31 December, which literally translates as “a good slide” into the new year. I’ve always quite enjoyed this imagery, although there isn’t any sliding involved in German celebrations as far as I’m aware…You can also opt for the much more translatable “Frohes neues Jahr” as a happy new year wish.
• In Dutch, New Year’s Eve is referred to as “Oudejaarsavond”, or “Old Year’s Evening”. The two-day period of 31 December/1 January is known as “oud en nieuw”, or “old and new”.  In Dutch-speaking Flanders in Belgium, children traditionally read a “nieuwjaarsbrief” (new year’s letter) out loud to their family after the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. The letter typically contains elaborate rhyming new year’s wishes for the family!

Image credit: