NEWS VOLUME 13, NO. 3, FALL 2000

NORTHWEST TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERSS SOCIETY

Is Worth a Visit?

INSIDE THIS by Ann G. Macfarlane ISSUE NOTIS Director and ATA President

2 very realistic one for us, because in 1938, our Notes A hundred and fifty years ago Yokohama was a fishing village. Today, it is ’s mother had done precisely that. My grandfa- Picnic and Fun Run second-largest city, with a population of ther, Leonard Lucas, was the public relations over three million people. Two disasters— manager for Kaisha, a Japa- 3 the earthquake of 1923 and Allied bombing nese shipping line. In the summer of that Events at the end of World War II—have destroyed year he had taken his wife and two children many of its historic buildings. The shift on a six-month trip to Japan as part of his Literary Translation from sea to air travel has destroyed its former official duties. Workshop significance as the gateway to Japan. So perhaps Fodor’s Guide has reason in asking, My uncle, a gangling fifteen-year-old of ex- Medical Interpreting traordinary technical abilities, had recorded Workshop “Is Yokohama worth a visit?” and saying in reply, “Yokohama has less to see than one ATA Conference would expect.” For me, though, a Saturday in Yokohama was one of the highlights of NOTIS my recent trip to Japan. 5 Board Meeting President Clinton Responds I was in Japan to represent the American Wednesday, August 16 Translators Association at IJET-2000, a con- All Members Welcome! SIG Meeting Review ference on Japanese/English translation to be held in Kyoto. Having flown for ten hours across the Pacific, I wasn’t about to 6 limit myself to my official duties, but had some of their trip on a home movie camera. Publication Review: allocated some time for personal travel (at It still delights me to see the footage of my Artful Dodge personal expense, of course). Early in the thirteen-year-old mother, looking just like day I set out to explore, maneuvering my me at that age, waving from the deck of the 7 way by train and bus to the southern end of “Tatsuta Maru” or feeding the deer in Nara. Great Meetings Yamashita Koen, a seafront park from which And Yokohama was, of course, the port the piers and harbor were clearly visible. where they had landed after their two-week TII Schedule journey across the ocean. Seattle is my hometown now, but I grew up 8 near San Francisco, and a family trip to the Yokohama was also the port where many Calendar harbor was always a treat. We would stare other people had landed. Yokohama, as we out at the massive liners, the freighters, and learned in sophomore “Asian Civilization” the little private yachts, and dream about class, was the first port to be opened by the setting out for the Orient. The dream was a Continued on page 4 NEWS Fall 2000

Northwest Translators NOTIS NOTES and Interpreters Society (NOTIS) Welcome to A chapter of the American Gundega Aboltina [Russian, Latvian], Translators Association New Members Naoko Adachi [English>Japanese], Beverly Corwin [French], Samuel Cardenas OFFICERS [English>Spanish], Maia Costa [German> President Caitilin Walsh Vice-President Abigail Clay English], Masato Muramoto, M.D. [Japa- Treasurer Jochen Liesche nese], Heidi Reinhart, Anna Witte. Secretary Carol Leibowitz

COMMITTEES Computers Alfred Hellstern (206) 382-5642 Directory Caitilin Walsh Welcome to Elsa Brodin New Corporate TranslationZone.com Membership Abigail Clay Members (206) 937-9131 Program Michelle Privat Obermeyer Deya Nolan Publications Michelle Privat Obermeyer ATA Accreditation Jean Leblon Only Once Every (425) 778-9889 The splendid NOTIS summer picnic only Two Years Special Interest Group happens once every two years and this year’s th Slavic SIG Larissa Kulinich picnic is on August 12 . Combined with a (206) 236-0286 fun run/walk, boules, whiffleball and other Office Manager Anita Krattinger games, it promises to be great fun, rain or shine. Bring a potluck dish to share, your NOTIS News is published in February, May, August, and November. Letters to bilingual friends or everyone who enjoys a the Editor, short articles of interest, and informa- good time and join us there. NOTIS will tion for the calendar and other sections are in- vited. Please send submissions to Editor provide refreshments and everything neces- [email protected]. Submissions be- sary to eat the wonderfully diverse food that come the property of NOTIS News and are subject to editing unless otherwise agreed you bring. in advance. Opinions expressed are those of the Saturday, August 12, 12 - 3 p.m., Magno- authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor, the Society, or its Board. lia Park. The fun run/walk starts promptly at noon. Updates and a map can be found at Editor Anita Krattinger www.notisnet.org. (425) 747-5240 Pagemaker Shoko Fujita-Ehrlich Production Assistant Rosa Bendezú Allen NOTIS On The Net Wonder how to dispose of your outdated Deadline next issue October 10, 2000 computer equipment in King County ? Need telephone interpretation equipment? Or a model contract for a book translation? Or NOTE: Subscriptions for non-members are $12.00 a year. Send a check, payable to NOTIS, do you have a need for free Euro currency P.O. Box 25301, Seattle, WA 98125-2001 converter software? This and more you will find linked to the NOTIS web site at

NOTIS Membership Fees www.notisnet.org. Individual & Institutional $35.00 a year Corporate $50.00 a year Next ATA For membership information write to NOTIS, P.O. The next ATA Accreditation workshop in Accreditation Box 25301, Seattle, WA 98125-2001 or call NOTIS Seattle will be held on January 27, 2001 at Voice Mail (206) 382-5642. Workshop E-mail: [email protected] the University of Washington. Watch the Home Page: www.notisnet.org next NOTIS News for more information or For information on the ATA contact [email protected] call Jean Leblon at (425) 778-9889 to reserve or visit www.atanet.org your spot and make sure your language pair will be covered.

- Page 2 - Fall 2000 NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Become a Translator or Interpreter lenge, as far as their translation is concerned. Your Learn about the Translation and Interpretation Pro- time and contribution will be highly appreciated. gram at BCC. The Translation and Interpretation The workshop will be followed by dinner and social- Program offered at BCC is unique in the Pacific izing. Everybody is welcome! Should you have any Northwest. It is one of just a few programs of its further questions, please contact Larissa Kulinich at kind in the USA. Find out what it takes to pursue a (206) 236-0286 or E-mail: [email protected]. certificate in Translation or Interpreting, and how Wednesday, October 25, 5:30 p.m., at European this training can start a new career for you or help Restaurant and Pastry Shop, University District. you advance professionally. There will be a time for Parking is available and bus routes stop right in questions and answers. This orientation is free of front. charge. Call (425) 564-3171 to register. Tuesday, August 22, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., BCC th Medical Interpreting Workshop Factoria Center, Rm T204, 12400 SE 38 in Bellevue. Cristina Perez Lopez is teaching this seminar as a non-credit course at the T&II. It is open to anyone ATA Conference interested in or working in the field of medical interpreting. It will introduce participants to the The preliminary program of this important confer- different modes of interpreting, terminology build- ence, as well as registration forms and other informa- ing, note taking, and ethical considerations of medi- tion can be found at http://www.atanet.org/conf200/ cal interpreting. Memory exercises and practice time main_page_f.htm or contact ATA Headquarters at will be included. Registration required. There is a [email protected] or by phone at (703) 683- $39 fee. 6100 or fax at (703) 683-6122. Saturday, October 28, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., BCC September 20 - 23, 2000, 41st Annual Conference Factoria Center, Off Campus, Room S 124, 12400 of the American Translators Association at the SE 28th in Bellevue. To register call (425) 564- Wyndham Palace Resort in Orlando, Florida. 2263.

ATA Recap Meeting NOTIS Annual Meeting and Join your colleagues who attended the ATA Annual Literary Workshop Conference and learn the latest news—educational This Saturday meeting will include the customary sessions, exhibits, elections and what’s on the horizon review of the Society’s work, elections for NOTIS for the Accreditation Program. This year a controver- Directors, and a new event: a workshop in literary sial bylaws amendment has been proposed. translation for everyone. Almost all of us love litera- NOTIS members have the opportunity to get the ture, yet few of us have the opportunity to do literary “inside story.” translation professionally. This is a chance to try your Tuesday, October 3, Green Lake Library, 7364 E. hand at it for fun. We will provide short texts at the Green Lake Dr. N, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Parking is ATA Recap meeting, which will also be made avail- available and bus routes are close by. able to all members, to look over in advance. Gather with colleagues and see what is the most elegant, interesting, challenging translation you can come up Russian Posers and Delicious Food with. If you work in a less-common language combi- The next NOTIS Slavic SIG (Special Interest Group) nation, please contact NOTIS to see if we can jointly meeting will take place at the European Restaurant obtain some good texts to offer. We will finish with and Pastry Shop at 4108 University Way NE. delicious refreshments. The meeting will be devoted to the discussion and Saturday, November 4, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. translation options of some commonly used Russian University of Washington campus, Denny Hall words, terms and phrases, which pose a real chal- 216.

- Page 3 - NEWS Fall 2000

Continued from page 1 “Is Yokohama Worth a Visit?”

Japanese shogunate in response to the parted grandfather, whom I never knew the most in a foreign culture—it’s the demands of Commodore Perry. The personally. He had been born in Min- people. The best inheritance that I re- very agreement providing for humane nesota of Finnish immigrants, and member from my grandfather in this treatment of castaways, right of supply spoke only Finnish until he was six arena is the respect with which he at two ports for U.S. vessels, and most- years old and went to school. He ap- treated the Japanese, a respect that en- favored-nation treatment was signed pears to have been a natural linguist. dured even in the terrible years of the in Yokohama in 1854. And so the city He had learned enough Japanese to war, when human relations were so launched me into a meditation on trans- befuddle a group of Japanese school- difficult to maintain. I feel that respect portation, trade, and translation—with- children at a train station. They asked in my bones, because I remember, when out which trade is not possible. “who are you?” and he replied ener- I was a child of six or seven, being getically, “I’m a Japanese!” They were taken by my mother to visit my I remembered Commodore Perry very pretty sure that this six-foot foreigner grandfather’s colleagues, then aging in well from that Asian civilization class, didn’t qualify, but the accent was con- San Francisco’s Japantown. I remem- but what I hadn’t realized was that that vincing... On another occasion, when ber how glad they were to meet agreement was only one step in a long it was time to travel with a delegation Leonard’s grandchildren, and with what dance of welcoming, modifying and from Japan to Mexico City to discuss pleasure they offered me a bun filled sometimes rejecting foreign culture. For port arrangements with Mexico, he took with red-bean paste, and talked with several thousand years the Japanese along a Spanish grammar on the train. my mother of times gone by. have been developing their own civili- By the time they arrived, he was man- zation by a kind of selective borrow- aging the essentials of interpretation Which brings me, after “transporta- ing. The word for the characters in among Japanese, English and Spanish. tion” and “trade,” to the third part of which Japanese is written, the , my musings in Yokohama harbor, means “Chinese characters.” China, Ko- I love those stories, but I am even more “translation.” I think that while the rea, Portugal, the Netherlands, the U.K. grateful for the love of Japan that my first two can be conducted purely for and the U.S. have all provided elements grandfather brought to his work and economic benefit, something more is in the unique mix that is Japan today. conveyed to his children and, through needed to be a good translator. One them, to me. After the NYK Museum, cannot be a really good translator with- My grandfather’s shipping line, Nippon I went to the Doll Museum to admire out respect, and, yes, love. It is when Yusen Kaisha, played a key part in that the Japanese ningyo, ranging from fat we open ourselves to another culture, borrowing. A few steps from the little babies meant to be played with, to when we delight in what it has to offer harbor’s edge I encountered the NYK lacquered warriors bearing exaggerated and look for the qualities we like in its Maritime Museum, where I spent a facial expressions, and the keshi-bina, people, that we are able to absorb the happy hour studying the development extremely small dolls furnished with essentials and become the link between of the first shipping lines between Ja- tiny little go boards, hair combs, and cultures that is so vital a part of our pan and the West, the effect of mod- netsuke to hold their obi in place. I loved modern world. My grandfather was ernization on NYK vessels, the amaz- almost all of them, and wondered not a professional translator, but he ing luxury passenger ships, and the sad whether my mother’s professional in- loved Japan and its people and I am the history of the wars in which marine volvement with sand-tray work, which beneficiary of that love. transport was also crucial. A single requires that the therapist acquire small remaining ship, the “Hikawa Maru,” images and objects, might have had its Most probably it was growing up in a anchored in the harbor now as a mu- roots in her trip to Japan. Surely part of household that had such respect for seum, provides an unusual setting for that imperative to “open up Japan” to other people and other cultures that wedding ceremonies and receptions, trade came from ardent foreigners, who inclined me to consider the Foreign as well as a destination for middle- saw the refined, cultivated nature of Service as a career choice after college. school field trips. Japanese art and objects and wanted to And it was fascinating to me to see that enjoy them for themselves. among my colleagues at “third world” Small museums are something I enjoy posts overseas, it was the curious who almost any time, but this visit had spe- But it isn’t the dolls, the fabrics, the were also healthy and happy. Those cial resonance as I thought of my de- architecture or the objects that matter Continued on page 7

- Page 4 - Fall 2000 NEWS

President Clinton Replies to Letter on Meeting Review Machine Translation SIG Joins Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day ATA President Ann G. Macfarlane’s letter to Presi- Celebration dent Clinton correcting his remarks in the State of the Union address was reprinted in the last issue of by Alex Mosalsky NOTIS News. The President has replied as follows:

THE WHITE HOUSE The NOTIS Slavic Special Interest Group (SIG) usually WASHINGTON combines educational content (such as review of specialized or difficult terminology) with socializing during their meet- June 29, 2000 ings. This time, however, members of the NOTIS Slavic SIG, plus one Russian guest from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Ms. Ann G. Macfarlane Russia, joined the festivities of this year’s Sts. Cyril & President Methodius Day celebration at St. Demetrius Greek Ortho- American Translators Association dox church on June 24, for a purely social gathering. This Suite 590 celebration, honoring the two people responsible for the 225 Reinekers Lane Cyrillic alphabet, is sponsored yearly by the Slavic Languages Alexandria, Virginia 22314 department of the University of Washington.

Dear Ann: We all gathered around one table, ate and drank as we watched the folk dancers perform, and listened and danced Thank you for your letter. I understand the concerns to the wonderful ethnic music. All of the performers were which prompted you to write, and I’m glad to know your dressed in colorful ethnic costumes of the Slavic lands. thoughts. Entertainment was provided by the Saint Sava Dancers, a youth dance group from Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church; As you know, in my time as President, I’ve been fortu- Khorovod, a group performing traditional songs and dances nate to meet with numerous world leaders who speak many from the villages of Russia under the direction of Olga different languages. I am very grateful for the service of the Sukhover; Podhale, a group directed by Barbara McNair, interpreters whose understanding and skill have facilitated which performs songs of the Tatra Mountain Region in these conversations. Poland; Damir i Sinovy, who performed music from the Balkans; and Penny Orloff of Radost. The public danced to As we prepare for the opportunities and challenges of Croatian music of Ruze Dalmatinke and Ukrainian folk an increasingly globalized world, the need for dedicated music played by Za Dunayem. competent translators will be even more important. Please extend my appreciation and best wishes to the members of A large round of “Spasibos” to Larissa Kulinich, the chair of ATA for their dedicated work. the Slavic SIG, for organizing this fun social gathering at this special event. Sincerely, NOTIS Director Alex Mosalsky translates from and into Bill Clinton Russian and can be reached at [email protected].

A literary translation workshop

for all of us, the experienced, the interested, the timid and the curious. Plan to attend the NOTIS Annual Meeting and try your hand with your colleagues at translating literature. Saturday, November 4.

- Page 5 - NEWS Fall 2000

Artful Dodge: Lively, eclectic, and translation-friendly

How refreshing to come across a journal that not only pub- One feature of interest to Literary Division readers is the lishes translations regularly but also makes a proactive effort “Poets as Translators” section. In the past this has spotlighted to attract them. Call it affirmative action for literary transla- such translator/poet pairs as, inter alia, Orlando Richardo tors. Menes and the Jewish Cuban poet José Kozer (see page 8 of this issue of Source), Pablo Medina and Philip Kobylarz, Like many periodicals housed in academic settings, Artful Khaled Mattawa and Leonard Kress, and Mary Crow and Dodge enjoys the stability of an ongoing institutional commit- Karen Kovacik. ment. This means it is likely to be around for some time–an important consideration given the inevitable delay between A look at recent issues of Artful Dodge yielded translations of acceptance and eventual publication. Few things are more recent Czech and Polish fiction: Lenka Prochazkova’s “The frustrating to authors and translators alike than to have a work Woman Who Was Hungry” and excerpts from Stanislaw accepted for publication, then watch helplessly as the journal Eden-Tempski’s novel The Orchid Hunter. Also prominent (in folds. two consecutive issues) were translations of Jorge Luis Borges by Robert Mezey and Dick Barnes. Artful Dodge is edited by College of Wooster English professor Daniel Bourne, a rarity among editors of small journals in that Although Artful Dodge leans toward poetry, it also publishes he has held that position since its inception. He and his prose in the form of fiction, interviews, and the occasional associate editors produce “one perfect bound, four-color essay. From time to time, photos and other “graphica” adorn double-issue a year”; circulation is currently at 1,110, he says, its pages. “and growing.” Their sometimes playful approach is much in evidence at their chatty and highly informative web site Submission guidelines include typed manuscripts, SASE, no located at www.wooster.edu/artfuldodge. Here, among other simultaneous submissions or previously published material. things, one learns the origin of the magazine’s whimsical One week to six months response time. Maximum of 30 name: “During the seventeen years of the journal’s existence, pages of prose or six poems, although long poems are encour- we have pretty much lived up to our name, dodging our way aged. Payment in copies, plus $5 per page. Translations should along with the help of grants from the Ohio Arts Council and be submitted accompanied by original texts. The editors support from The College of Wooster, keeping our head prefer that you indicate you have copyright clearance and/or above water and somehow managing...” author permission.

For translators, it is encouraging to hear an editor espouse the Address: Daniel Bourne, Editor, Department of English, The importance of showcasing literature that originally appeared College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691. in a language other than English: “[F]rom the beginning, Artful Dodge has strived to expand the wide but not infinite In a final word of encouragement to translators, Bourne adds, boundaries of American literature. We have developed an “Rather than looking at these other literatures as rare exotica, ongoing interest in translation, especially from Eastern Eu- we recognize that American literature right now is particularly rope and the Third World, and have published well-received open to writing from other languages, to fresh air from special sections on poetry from the Polish underground and mythologies beyond our ... cultural and metaphorical borders. the Middle East. One of our more recent issues ... featured a We are always on the lookout for excellent translations of section of poetry written and translated from the Native contemporary literature.” American Ahtna by John Smelcer accompanied by an eye- opening essay entitled ‘Poems from a Vanishing Lan- –Reprinted with permission from Source, published by the guage.’” Literary Division of ATA, Spring 2000.

ATA Conference Recap Tuesday, October 3, 2000 at the Greenlake Library

- Page 6 - Fall 2000 NEWS

Continued from page 4 “Is Yokohama Worth a Visit?” Translation and Interpretation Institute The T&I Institute offers a certificate program for who disliked the post, the people, and the culture were oddly prone linguistically-skilled people of diverse educational to physical disease—and they were never the good linguists. backgrounds who wish to pursue a career in translating and interpreting. Courses are offered at Respecting another culture doesn’t mean putting on blinders. Bellevue Community College, Bellevue, WA. Yokohama, like other Japanese cities, was sometimes unwise in its rebuilding after the devastation of the war. There are environmental FALL 2000 (Sept 18 - Dec 8) and societal costs that Japan has paid for its fantastic economic progress over the last fifty years. But it was a privilege and a joy for *Introduction to Translation & Interpreting (INTRP 101) me to visit Yokohama harbor; to admire the red-dragon gate of the 9/28 - 12/7 Th 6 - 9 city’s Chinatown; to pass by the old British Consulate (now the *Fundamentals of Interpreting Yokohama Archives); to see a water fountain donated by the Indian (INTRP 102) community in memory of those who perished in the earthquake of 9/30 - 12/9 Sa 9 - 12 1923; and to meditate on the interplay of Japanese and foreign *Vocabulary Acquisition & cultures that has produced the modern city of Yokohama. For me, Terminology Research (INTRP 105) at least, Yokohama was “worth a visit.” 9/20 - 11/29 W 6 - 9 Ann G. Macfarlane can be reached at *Language specific advanced classes [email protected]. A full report on the IJET-2000 Schedule and language pending conference is forthcoming in the ATA Chronicle. NONCREDIT W ORKSHOPS *Skill-Building for Medical Interpreters 10/28 Sa 9:30 - 4:00 Visit: www.notisnet.org

WINTER 2001 (Jan 3 - March 22) How to Run Great Meetings *Introduction to Translation & Interpreting (INTRP 101) *Fundamentals of translation Do you enjoy the volunteer meetings you attend? Are they fo- (TRANS 103) cused, fair, and interesting? Does everyone feel that there is a *Technology for Translators & chance to speak? Are the results lasting? Ann Macfarlane believes Interpreters that getting a group of people to work together and achieve their (INTRP 104) goals can be one of life’s most satisfying activities. This course *Ethics & Business Practices distills the essence of her experience and training over the last (INTRP 106) thirty years. We will cover preparations for your meeting, the role *Language specific advanced classes of the presider, how to have useful discussions, emotional and Schedule and language pending psychological aspects of successful meetings, and the key ele- NONCREDIT W ORKSHOPS ments of parliamentary procedure. Learn the ten principles that *Essential Skill-Building Seminar for will enable you to chair every meeting well, and the nine motions Consecutive Interpreters that will let you handle 90% of your meeting’s business. If you feel *Localization Workshop swamped by the 706 pages of Robert’s Rules of Order and want a *Skill-Building for Medical Interpreters practical introduction to success, this is the course for you! The To request a brochure call 425-649-3171. To register for course will include an interactive exercise and handouts with Institute courses, you must first register as a BCC resources for further study. student by calling 425-641-2222. International students please call International Student Services first at 425- Ann G. Macfarlane has organized and chaired non-profit and 649-3118. For information about specific course content volunteer groups and meetings since she was in college. She call the Academic Affairs Office at 206-938-3252. All currently volunteers as a Director of NOTIS and the President of classes and workshops are subject to change or cancel- lation by The T&I Institute or BCC. In most cases, the American Translators Association, in addition to running her advanced language-specific classes will run with three own translation service business. or more students. Please notify the Academic Affairs Office at 206-938-3252 as soon as you can estimate in This three-hour course will be offered on a weekday evening in which quarter you expect to be ready for your advanced November, in downtown Seattle. classes. In some cases, classes cancelled because of Contact DiscoverU at 206-443-0447 or www.discoveru.org for low enrollment will mean that you are not able to finish exact date and time. the certificate program as quickly as you anticipate.

- Page 7 - NEWS Fall 2000

CALENDAR

DATE EVENT DETAILS TIME & PLACE

Games, prizes & refreshments Saturday NOTIS Annual Picnic & Magnolia Park provided. Please bring a potluck item August 12 Fun Run/Walk 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. to share.

Wednesday NOTIS Board All members Call NOTIS August 16 Meeting welcome Voice Mail

September 20-23 41st Annual ATA Conference Contact ATA to Orlando, Florida register

Tuesday Green Lake Library ATA Recap All members October 3 are welcome 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday Slavic Special Interest Group Russian Posers and European Restaurant & Pastry October 25 delicious food Shop 5:30 p.m.

University of Washington Saturday Annual Meeting and Literary NOTIS business followed by Denny Hall 216 November 4 Translation Workshop lively workshop 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

UW Waterfront December NOTIS/WITS Get together with colleagues Holiday Party Activities Center

NOTIS P.O. Box 25301 Seattle, WA 98125-2201 Voice Mail: (206) 382-5642 E-mail: [email protected] Home Page: www.notisnet.org

Printed on recycled paper.

- Page 8 -