Sep 26, 2013
ATA EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS OCTOBER 1
ATA 54th Annual Conference
San Antonio, Texas
November 6-9, 2013
www.atanet.org/conf/2013
ATA members can SAVE 20% when they register
by October 1.
Register Now!
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/register.htm
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Rev up the excitement! Check out ATA on Pinterest!
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10 REASONS TO ATTEND THE ATA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
1. MORE THAN 175 SEMINARS, SESSIONS, AND EVENTS
Practical education for translators, interpreters, and company owners
2. FACE-TO-FACE NETWORKING
Get to know your colleagues, find new business contacts
3. READY TO WORK? READY TO HIRE?
Bring your business cards and résumés to the new Résumé
Exchange event
4. TOOL TUTORIALS
Get a grip on technology with free translation tools workshops
5. BUDDIES WELCOME NEWBIES
First-timers meet veteran attendees -- begin the conference with
a smile and a friend
6. LATEST SOFTWARE, AGENCIES, & PUBLICATIONS
Meet vendors and try a little hands-on experience in the Exhibit Hall
7. DIVISION EVENTS FOR EVERYONE
Some of the best one-on-one information networking in the industry
8. INVEST IN YOUR CAREER
There is no better opportunity to learn, share, and build business
relationships that last long after the conference ends.
9. TIME TO HAVE FUN
Things to do, places to go, and fun to be had!
10. FOR THE LOVE OF T&I
Share your passion, renew your enthusiasm, and remember
what makes your career great
Learn more about speakers, sessions, and events!
Review the complete ATA Annual Conference Program now.
See www.atanet.org/conf/2013/preliminary.
__________________________________________________
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Early registration discounts end TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1
Don't miss the early registration savings. Register online now!
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/register.htm
If you have already registered, thank you. See you in San Antonio!
__________________________________________________
QUESTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Contact Lauren Mendell, ATA Member Relations Manager,
for questions and additional information.
Email: Lauren@atanet.org
Phone: +1-703-683-6100, ext. 3001
Fax: +1-703-683-6122
__________________________________________________
CONFERENCE QUICK LINKS
* Annual Conference Home Page
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013
* SAVE with EARLY REGISTRATION!
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/register.htm
* Hotel Reservation Information
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/hotel.htm
* Preconference Seminar Program
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/seminars.php
* Conference Sessions by Language
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/bylanguage.php
* Conference Sessions by Specialization
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/byspecial.php
* Tools Tutorials
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/tools.htm
* Buddies Welcome Newbies
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/newbies.htm
* Professional Networking Events
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/events.htm
* Conference Exhibit Hall
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/exhibitors.php
* Roommate Referral Information
http://ataroommate-sanantonio.blogspot.com
You have received this email message because you are
a member of the American Translators Association.
Sep 23, 2013
Translator-Agency Contract Provisions--Borrowed from Honyaku
- "Mark Spahn" <markspahn@verizon.net> Sep 23 03:17AM -0400
The best relationship between a translator and a translation
agency is one that minimizes the non-essentials of the
money-for-translation transaction. But some agencies are
fond of establishing a legalistic relationship, with a contract
("agreement" is the euphemism) setting forth what is supposed
to happen. There is nothing wrong in principle with this,
but it can be overdone. Consider the following provisions
of a contract between agency and translator. Commentary
follows each, in square brackets [...].
(1) "Fees may not be disclosed to any party outside this
agreement." This is restated as "Translator agrees that
Translator will never disclose to any Company clients
*or to any third party* [emphasis added] Fees paid to
Translator by Company."
[Why would the agency want the translator's spouse and
the tax authorities to be kept in the dark about this part
of the translator's income? Isn't this illegal?]
(2) "Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of [country C]."
[What motivates this provision, when the agency is headquartered
in country A, and the translator lives in country B?]
(3) In a list of what constitutes Confidential Information,
which must be kept secret, is the unobtrusive phrase
"the terms and conditions of this Agreement itself".
[Huh? The contract itself is secret? What would be the
motivation for this provision? And this presents a logical
conundrum: How could you ever recruit translators?
You will have to reveal the entire text of the contract to
prospective new translators, some of whom will decide not to
agree to it and will therefore be free to make its text public.]
(4) In an orthodox contract, both parties sign and date it.
But here the contract is on a password-protected website
and cannot be downloaded. Instead of a signature, the
translator is asked to click on an "I Accept" button.
How can this possibly be legally binding? Moreover,
no company officer signs, or is even named in, this contract,
or clicks on any "I Accept" button. So is this meant to be
a one-way contract that is binding on one party but not the other?
[That "I Accept" declaration in lieu of a signature is an
interesting choice of words. It's not the bland "I Agree",
but "I Accept", which calls to mind Billy Graham at a
revival meeting: Billy says, "Do you accept Jesus Christ
as your Lord and Savior?" The crowd roars as one,
"I Accept!"]
Until recent days, I have never seen a contract with
any of these provisions (1) to (4). Have you?
(Maybe I just lead a sheltered life not to have seen such
provisions before.)
Please be assured that there really is a contract with
these provisions. As Dave Barry would say, I am not
making this up. (While poring through this contract, which
I was asked to read carefully before "I Accept"ing,
I jotted down notes on its various provisions. In the
unlikely event that anyone would like to see those notes
(8 pages!), just contact me and I can attach the Word file
to my email reply to you.)
Comments on these translator-agency contract provisions
are welcome. Have you had any experience with such
provisions, and how did you handle them?
I have a little theory that explains what the above provisions are
doing in a contract, but I'll keep it "confidential" for a few days,
lest I skew anyone's response.
-- Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY)
Sep 20, 2013
Interpreting in Times of Trauma
by Tracy Miller
It was a cold night in January a few years ago
when I received a phone call very late.
"You don't know me, but I'm a friend of the family whose son disappeared
on Mt. Fuji. You may have heard about it
on the news," replied an unfamiliar voice.
"Can we possibly call on you to do interpreting if the family decides they
need an interpreter?"
Having been involved in a missing persons investigation several years ago
locally, I knew what this meant. Despite a sense of impending doom, I
said, "Of course, I will do whatever I can to help."
Thus, began the weeks-long, heart-wrenching process of interpreting between the
family of the young man missing on Mt. Fuji since January and the rescue team
in Fuji-Yoshida-shi. The rescue team struggled
to overcome searing winds and freezing temperatures in order to find him alive.
I interpreted daily reports about the rescue team’s plan for the day. Would weather allow them to proceed with
rescue operations? Did they find any clues
that the son left behind? How cold and
windy was it? What was the likelihood of
avalanches? The questions seemed endless
in the family’s quest to cover as many bases as possible. All I could do was reassure
them of the experience and expertise of the rescue team. I could hear it in the
voices of the men and women searching the mountain. They were making every
effort to find the missing man alive.
Interpreters are often called upon to step up and serve in uncomfortable
situations like this one. Our conduct leaves a lasting impression on the people
we serve. Keeping this foremost in my
mind, I quickly learned everything I needed to know about Mt. Fuji—the
elevation, rescue activities, weather patterns, vocabulary for climbing,
etc. I tried hard to concentrate and
handle this job using the same protocol I would for any other. I know as a professional interpreter that I
should maintain an emotional distance, but in a situation like this one it’s
almost impossible not to become emotionally invested and personally involved. The family hung on the words of the rescue
team as interpreted by me. Many times, I
could not help but have a heavy heart when delivering grim news or no news at
all. On the other hand, I also think
that skillful interpreting in a case like this can make Japan seem a little
less foreign. They asked me questions
about Japanese culture, customs, and societal norms, hoping that a better
understanding might bring some reassurance.
Throughout the process, the family kept a special Facebook page to keep
friends and loved ones updated on the efforts to find him.
Sadly, this story does not have a happy
ending. The young man’s body was
discovered in the spring, a few months after he went missing. A beautiful,
peaceful photograph atop Mr. Fuji is the the last surviving image these parents
have of their beloved son - a photograph showing him very much alive and well,
doing what he loved
This experience reminds me that what we do
as interpreters is more than just providing communication in another
language. Sometimes, we provide a vital link with lives hanging in
the balance. Interpreting for parents
searching for their lost child and the rescue team diligently searching for him
renewed my appreciation for the art and science of language, and how important
it can be in human interactions.
Sep 17, 2013
ATA Conference
ATA 54th Annual Conference
San Antonio, Texas
November 6-9, 2013
www.atanet.org/conf/2013
ATA members can SAVE 20% when they register
by October 1.
Register Now!
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/register.htm
__________________________________________________
WHAT IS THE ATA ANNUAL CONFERENCE?
* More than 175 seminars, sessions, workshops, and events
* Face-to-face networking with colleagues and company owners
* Tool training sessions for CAT software
* Exhibits, exhibits, exhibits--latest software, agencies, & publications
* ATA certification exam sitting
* Ideas, motivation, and enthusiasm
Review the conference program and learn more about speakers,
sessions, and events!
See http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013
NEW! BUDDIES WELCOME NEWBIES
The ATA Annual Conference can be overwhelming for a first-time
attendee. New this year! A pre-conference event on Wednesday will
provide an opportunity for “newbies” (first-time attendees) to pair up
with “buddies” (experienced attendees) and learn how to make the
most of their conference experience.
Seehttp://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/newbies.htm
__________________________________________________
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Early registration discounts end TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1
Don't miss the early registration savings. Register online now!
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/register.htm
If you have already registered, thank you. See you in San Antonio!
__________________________________________________
QUESTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Contact Lauren Mendell, ATA Member Relations Manager,
for questions and additional information.
Email: Lauren@atanet.org
Phone: +1-703-683-6100, ext. 3001
Fax: +1-703-683-6122
You have received this email message because you are
a member of the American Translators Association.
__________________________________________________
CONFERENCE QUICK LINKS
* Annual Conference Home Page
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013
* SAVE with EARLY REGISTRATION!
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/register.htm
* Hotel Reservation Information
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/hotel.htm
* Preconference Seminar Program
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/seminars.php
* Conference Sessions by Language
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/bylanguage.php
* Conference Sessions by Specialization
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/byspecial.php
* Tools Tutorials
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/tools.htm
* Buddies Welcome Newbies
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/newbies.htm
* Professional Networking Events
http://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/events.htm
* Conference Exhibition Hall
https://www.atanet.org/conf/2013/exhibitors.php
* Roommate Referral Information
http://ataroommate-sanantonio.blogspot.com/
__________________________________________________
You are receiving this email because you are a member of
the American Translators Association.
Ideas for Blog Posts
Please share your ideas if you have more or different ones.
Templates - Case Reports, Government Forms (marriage, koseki), Patents, etc. I would be happy to share mine (marriage registration forms, case report outlines). I just spent a long time scouring the internet for the marriage registration form. It seems like reinventing the wheel to translate them over and over, but I don't know how people feel about that (proprietary?). I was surprised that it wasn't online, or maybe I just couldn't find it.
Funny stuff - translation mistakes/speaking mistakes. I have a few. It would be fun to compile them. And it would provide some comic relief.
How to translate your personal website into Japanese, or from Japanese into English. This is an amorphous idea, and maybe not relevant to the blog, but I want to do it. I thought it would be nice to "partner" with a Japanese native to do reciprocal translations.
Asking people who give talks at conferences/local ATA gatherings to provide summaries for the blog (including relevant links, documents, if possible).
Article on new language learning or foreign language apps/new technology.
Helpful little translating tools. Like CodeZapper. Or how to zap codes (I hate them!).
A comparison of CAT tools and the best picks for Japanese. I use Swordfish. Only because someone told me it was the best, and I believed him. So it would be nice if someone out there with real knowledge and experience of using multiple CAT tools could share his/her opinions.
Links to watching Japanese TV shows online. For some reason, this is always difficult for Japanese (must be copyright related).
Interview: I can try to interview my friend and colleague (interpreter/translator) Christopher Field (http://www.christopherfield.com/). He regularly interprets for government agencies (and high-ranking people, such as Chuck Hagel, most recently), and also does legal deposition interpreting. I would need help in formulating questions, though, because I'm not an interpreter.
Article: Chris Field also did a presentation at the ATA in Boston in 2011 about Commodore Perry's interpreters. It was quite interesting, and might make good blog content. I could ask him to write something up about that.
I also know Nadine Edwards, who is a J-E translator and will be the administrator for the JLD. We can try to enlist her in blog writing, too, since she will be most up-to-date on JLD administrative details.
An article about Japanese language jobs for the federal government. I don't have one, but I live in the DC area, and so it's a relevant topic here.
Article about current language trends in Japan (popular culture).
Asking a seasoned medical, legal, patent, technical translator to provide his/her top 10 most used websites in his/her work.
Reviews of book translations. I did one review of a novel for the ALTA last year. (Can't remember the Japanese title, but the English title was A Room Where the Star-Spangled Banner Cannot Be Heard).I didn't review the book itself so much as the translation, by comparing passages in Japanese and English, and talking about the translator's stylistic and linguistic choices, how they worked and to what effect, etc. I think it was a helpful exercise for thinking about the nuances of translation, but in a concrete way.
Amy Franks
Amy Franks
Medical Terminology and Body Systems at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
From the University of Michigan Health System Interpreter Services Program
Mastering complex medical terms can be hard. UMHS Interpreter Services' Medical Terminology and Body Systems course makes it easier.
This great 40-hour course is ideal for medical interpreters, and everyone who works in the medical field. It teaches the Word Building Technique, which helps you decipher medical terms by dividing them into three basic parts: the prefix, root and suffix. By learning common prefixes, suffixes, and root words, you can easily make sense of even the most complex terms. It’s a quick, efficient and amazingly easy way to learn medical terminology.
Each class also covers a different body system, including terms and phrases used during specific appointments, diagnoses, tests and procedures. The course includes weekly homework, tests, games, role playing and a final exam that students must pass to receive a Certificate of Completion.
The course is divided into five all-day workshops:
- Workshop 1: Welcome and Introduction to Word Building/The Body/Skeletal and Muscular Systems
- Workshop 2: More suffixes/Special Senses/Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems
- Workshop 3: More prefixes/Gastrointestinal System/Respiratory System
- Workshop 4: Medical Specialties/Endocrine System/Nervous System/Special topics: Pain and Cancer
- Workshop 5: Reproductive and Urinary Systems/Review of Word Building Technique/Final exam
Time: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Duration: 5 weeks
Dates: Wednesdays, 10/9/13 – 11/6/13
Location: UMHS Interpreter Services' Traverwood office, 2025 Traverwood Dr., Suite A4, Ann Arbor, MI
Teacher: Rita Galin
Cost: $280 for all five workshops (for general public) or $265 for UMHS interpreters (lunch and books are included). Register and pay online at:
http://umiservices.osoutfitters.com/interpreter/content/medical-terminology-and-body-systems
Sep 15, 2013
MITIN Annual Conference
If you're an interpreter/translator in Michigan, don't miss the MITIN Annual Conference. It's well worth a trip to Novi to make new contacts with colleagues. It's also a great warm-up for the ATA coming in November.
For more information, go to the Website: http://mitin.org/conference/
For more information, go to the Website: http://mitin.org/conference/
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