United Airlines recently started direct service between Washington and Beijing. As part of the launch, it localized its reservations site into Chinese. This is one more proof point in the "people don’t buy what they can’t understand" equation.

You just got the handoff for a rush project in 14 languages. How long will it take you to find (and sign) qualified translators for the job? Proz for Employers, under wraps during a long gestation period last year, now promises to answer that question: "fast."

Representatives from 26 organizations decided to develop a business plan for an industry co-operative body aimed at hosting and sharing multilingual language data. We are cautiously optimistic about its prospects.

This week the biggest LSP in Maryland threw down a gauntlet when it said it aimed to become the third-largest translation agency in the world.