What One Word Can Hold
“Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade.”—Italo Calvino, If on a winter’s night a traveler September has a way of changing our attention. The days may still be warm, but summer begins to loosen its hold. We return to our desks, our books, our routines—and, perhaps, to the pleasure …
What Changes—and What Remains
…her needle… collected the green folds together… So on a summer’s day waves collect, overbalance, and fall…” — Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway Woolf’s movement from the smallest human gesture to the rhythm of the sea is one of the many reminders that language works on more than one level. It’s one of the reasons I find …
What Deserves a Second Reading
Midyear is often treated as a checkpoint for goals and plans. It can also be a useful moment to revisit what we thought we understood—texts, conversations assumptions, and even our own interpretations. Recently, I found myself waiting for a response. Several days passed, and I began constructing an explanation. Perhaps the document was being reviewed. Perhaps there …
Norouz 2026 (1405): A New Day, A New Chapter
Norouz 2026—marking the year 1405 in the Persian calendar—carries a special meaning. This year for Iranians, Norouz is more than the arrival of spring; it is a turning point, a moment to close one chapter and begin another. Its very name, Norouz, means “new day,” a reminder of renewal, resilience, and hope. Traditionally, Norouz is …
Professional Legal Translation You Can Trust
Legal translation is not just about converting words from one language to another—it’s about accuracy, clarity, and legal precision. Every contract, court document, or compliance file carries serious implications, and even a small error can create misunderstandings, delay processes, or pose legal risks. That’s why professional translation matters. Low-cost translation typically relies on: Machine translation …
Update on ATA Farsi Certification: A Milestone for Farsi–English Translation
As 2025 comes to a close, an important milestone has been reached within the translation profession: the American Translators Association (ATA) has formally recognized the Persian–English (Farsi-English) language pair. This recognition opens the door for an ATA certification exam for Persian–English for the first time. For the Farsi-speaking community and for the many institutions, attorneys, …
The Night Of Yaldā
Yaldā Night – A Timeless Tradition of Warmth and Light Derived from the Syrianic word for “birth,” Yaldā (یلدا) is a celebration of renewal and hope. This enchanting night marks the winter solstice—the longest and darkest night of the year—falling on December 20th or 21st. What Happens on Yaldā Night? Savor the Flavors of Tradition: …
Women In Iran
With the recent happenings in Iran, which raise the underlying question of why we ended up here, one might ask what really the identity of Iranian women is. It is obvious that the government of Iran is trying to change the way women see themselves and who they identify with. This is actually a very …
Parvin E’tesami
April 4 was the Remembrance Day of Parvin E’tesami. Parvin is known as “The most famous” 20th Century Iranian female poet (1907–1941). She grew up in an intellectual environment, under supervision of her father Yusuf Etesami who had a literary background. Women’s lives were very restricted during that time in Iran, and poetry was the …
Languages Are Fluid
Did you know that: In France ‘entrée’ stands for ‘hors d’oeuvre’ or ‘appetizer’ and not the main course? And so the ‘manicure’ comes from the French word ‘manucure’? It is interesting how languages change over time when they travel from mouth to mouth. But if we look at the origins of words we can learn …