Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators Inc Volume 17, number 1 The peak national professional association for summer 2009 translators and interpreters in Australia
LocalisationLocalisation && thethe globalglobal economyeconomy NationalNational PDPD policypolicy && committeecommittee MentoringMentoring newnew T/IsT/Is AdmissionsAdmissions policypolicy
NZSTINZSTI newsnews
Contents President’s report...... 2 President’s Report AUSIT admissions policy and procedures...... 4 National PD Policy...... 5 Sarina Phan keeping you up to date with current National PD Committee...... 6 issues and events 2009 AUSIT Excellence Awards...... 7 Localisation - serving the global Dear colleagues, during 2007-2008, has resigned for personal reasons. I thank John for his economy...... 8 elcome to the contributions over the year as treasurer Book reviews...... 9 first edition of and through his other official roles, and AUSIT National Mentoring new T/Is...... 10 W wish him all the best. Newsletter for 2009. The Language of politics vs politics of ‘name the newsletter’ I have asked Louis Vorstermans to language...... 11 competition being run by Editor Bradley step in as Treasurer and he has kindly NZSTI news...... 12 Dawson will ensure our publication agreed to serve in the role until the receives a great new name by the next next NAGM. Louis comes with plenty of 3rd IATIS Conference...... 13 edition. This report to AUSIT is a mixed experience, as he was Treasurer from Interview with Clemence Duprat...... 14 one, but what’s important is that we 2003–2005. are moving forward and your national Branch news...... 15 PAMS and Shweta Desai in full swing council is working harder and more efficiently to deliver you the members As President I receive many emails from AUSIT Contacts better services to help you stay up-to- members regarding AUSIT in general date with industry issues, maintain and and PAMS’ services in particular. I am National telephone number: upgrade your skills, and be ready for the happy to report that members are 1800 284 181 gloomy economic times ahead. very happy with Shweta Desai and Website: www.ausit.org PAMS in general. In addition, National National Council to meet in May in PO Box 193 Executive also met with Richard Gerner Surrey Hills VIC Adelaide and Shweta for a review on 16 January Australia 3127 This year the AUSIT Excellence Awards this year. Listed below are some of the Tel: (03) 9895 4473 Gala Dinner will be in Adelaide with issues discussed and agreed upon to Fax: (03) 9898 0249 the SA/NT Branch hosting the event, so further improve services: Email: [email protected] NC has decided to meet this year on • PAMS will take over AUSIT’s Yahoo groups manager: 16 & 17 May in Adelaide. Apart from bookkeeping and the processing of [email protected] its usual AUSIT business, NC plans to run payments as set out in the AUSIT/PAMS an AUSIT Orientation Day with some Service Agreement. council members giving talks, and From the editor • Reference checks for new members meeting and chatting with potential The deadline for the summer and SP applicants will be conducted by and existing members. Our aim is to issue is 10 May 2009. Thanks to all the local branch and by the Secretary create excitement and energy within contributors, especially Sam Berner, and or Membership Officer. Branch the SA/NT Branch so as to attract new proofreaders Sue Jollow and Barbara committees are required to comply members and promote the AUSIT McGilvray. with a seven-day turnaround time for Excellence Awards at the same time. Please send any letters, articles or the processing of new applications NC will continue to work with PAMS images for forthcoming editions to me: to ensure the whole process is more and other supporters to implement our efficient. Bradley Dawson business plan. Editor AUSIT Newsletter • PAMS receive an enormous amount 85 Gregory St Financial report for the year ended 30 of enquiries from people wishing to find Beachlands WA 6530 June 2008 a translator or interpreter. PAMS will [email protected] The financial report for the year ended set up a telephone answering system The editor reserves the right to edit 30 June 2008 was formally audited by whereby callers requesting the contact or not to publish any item submitted John Watty from Proacc P/L. This was details of T/Is will be referred to the for publication. Opinions expressed done so that all bookkeeping can AUSIT online directory and/or the Yellow are those of the authors only and do be handed over to PAMS, alleviating Pages AUSIT entries, as long as the AUSIT not necessarily represent the opinions some of the treasurer’s workload and group advertisements continue in the of the editor or those of AUSIT and its streamlining AUSIT’s record keeping. The future. executive. AUSIT does not necessarily report is now available on the website • PAMS are happy to work with and endorse products or services appearing in the ‘members section’ under ’official for AUSIT. The PAMS people find us in any advertising contained herein. documents’. Members will also find the polite, pleasant and apolitical. Having minutes of the last NAGM in Brisbane six-monthly meetings with PAMS is This newsletter is printed by Bounty Print there. beneficial. and distributed by Mailing Advantage. EBulletin usage and members’ general Front cover: AUSIT Qld Branch members Louis Vorstermans takes over as enquiries kick off the year with a chat breakfast Treasurer at Chez Laila (see page 15). John Crone, who served as Treasurer It is great to see the eBulletin serving our
2 A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 P R E S I D E N T ‘ S R E P O R T members well and that many of them not to mention the opportunity to three groups with each reviewing the benefit from reading and writing the network and improve your earning same five or six units. This task proved postings. I read the postings in order to capacity. Plan and budget for to be extremely difficult and laborious, keep up with issues affecting members. your PD this year, and contact your and the steering committee made little local branch for the full programme progress. The nature of the eBulletin makes it calendar. impossible for Shweta and national The second day was dedicated to council members to monitor postings Celebrate excellence — AUSIT getting back to basics. Michela and constantly and address all issues Excellence Awards 6 November, others were asked to describe exactly through this particular forum, so if you Adelaide what T/Is do. This discussion was used require information or have specific This project is headed by Claudia Ait as a basis for reviewing the units and issues which need addressing, you Touati, assisted by Michela Schirru. SA/ deciding which could stand alone, should contact your local branch or NT is a small branch, but its committee which could be incorporated into Shweta Desai at
Development Roadmap (see page 5 of Mark 6 November 2009 in your calendar; ready for public viewing by 18 February. this issue). This document has received consider nominating a colleague, a They also plan to hold workshops in all in-principle NC approval, with just a project, or yourself, and get behind the major cities around the country to get few details still to be finalised. The PD AUSIT Excellence Awards. industry feedback. roadmap will serve as a guide for AUSIT Translating and interpreting project –— The name for the project was to deliver and run our PD programmes steering committee meeting update also discussed. According to GSA across the country. I congratulate the ‘Translating and Interpreting’ alone may Due to work and family commitments I team on this fantastic achievement not be an adequate description for a was unable to attend the last Steering and look forward to a great national PD training package, whereas according Committee meeting in Adelaide, programme in the near future. industry representatives, including AUSIT, and Michela Schirru (SA/NT Principal believe the project should not be called With regard to PD requirements for Delegate) attended in my place. The anything else. A precedent has been membership renewal, you do not have meeting ran over two days in 40° heat, set: a training package with only two to send in your PD logsheet, but you so Michela did very well to prepare and job descriptions (for now) has been do need to state the number of points represent AUSIT at the meeting. you have accrued. You also need to accepted and endorsed. The majority of the first day was keep records of your PD activities (types Go to
Welcome new members and congratulations to new Senior Practitioners he following people have Homayuni-Sadeghi, Corina Roe, The following members have been become either members or Sandra Pavelik, Giuliana Piccari, granted Senior Practitioner status since Tassociate members since Caroline Sanders, Harpal Singh, Dinesh the last newsletter: publication of the last National Srivastava, Abdul Mallik Tejani, Bun Teo, Gordana Ivetac, Newsletter: Mary Tieppo, Patricia Worth. Jan Daniel de Zwaan. Elisabeth Auffenberg, Walter Corden, Welcome to the institute and we Timothy Cummins, Sarah Dillon, hope to meet you face-to-face or Hearty congratulations on achieving Susan Halliday, Arunee Heron, Sarir electronically soon! this distinction!
A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 3 A U S I T P O L I C Y
2. Student sub-category Unlike some similar professional T&I AUSIT admissions policy associations, AUSIT has no ‘student’ membership category, so students and procedures wishing to apply for AUSIT need to apply for the Associate category (unless they already have NAATI accreditation or recognition). Anecdotal evidence Information paper for the AGM November 2008 suggests the cost involved in doing so is deterring a number of students from he AUSIT National Council (NC) has • Remove confusion about applying, which in turn is depriving recently considered a number of requirements for AUSIT membership by AUSIT of current membership numbers issues relating to admission policy practitioners residing overseas and – perhaps more importantly – of T • Clarify, update and simplify and procedures, and has decided: a continuing source of ‘new blood’. • to establish a Qualifications procedures for handling membership Bearing in mind the desirability of Committee (QC), which will be tasked applications in all membership limiting constitutional amendments with reviewing AUSIT admissions policy categories to a minimum, the NC has agreed and submitting recommendations, Summary of considerations to create a sub-category of Student initially to the NC and through it to within the Associate category, 1. Qualifications Committee the next Annual General Meeting, attracting a reduced membership fee Section 5.3.3 of AUSIT’s Constitution addressing in particular the definition (approximately 60% of the Associate refers to the Institute’s ‘Qualifications of ‘equivalent qualifications and fee). The criterion for joining this sub- Committee,’ one of the functions experience’ for admission as an AUSIT category – being a current student of which is to determine equivalent Member; – would not be difficult to check and qualifications and experience for • to create a sub-category of ‘Student’ administer. This new sub-category will admission to Member status in cases within the Associate membership be publicised and promoted in AUSIT’s where an applicant does not have category, with the annual fee literature and on its membership forms. NAATI accreditation or experience. for this sub-category being set at While the NC has from time to time 3. Overseas membership approximately 60 per cent of the cost acted as a de facto QC, it has been Over the past year there have been of the Associate membership; concerned that the absence of a inconsistencies in branch committee • that, subject to any recommendations formal qualifications referral body considerations of applications from the QC may wish to make, the current and formal guidelines hinders Branch overseas residents, especially where constitutional provisions relating Committees in deliberations over links with Australia are unclear or to overseas membership provide membership applications, and has appear minimal. Consequently, it has sufficient basis for consistent handling the potential to lead to confusion and been suggested that AUSIT create an of applications from non-residents possibly to inconsistencies between ‘Overseas member’ category, with and that there is no need to create a branches regarding admission criteria. separate membership criteria. separate ‘overseas member’ category; and Appointment of a QC is designed to According to Section 5.3.6 of the AUSIT • to continue reviewing admission fill the existing gap in this matter. The Constitution, residency in Australia is procedures with a view to clarifying Committee will advise the NC on not a prerequisite for membership, and simplifying current arrangements qualifications issues and will make and the NC was not convinced and to submit a report, including any recommendations to the NC - and significant problems exist with the recommendations for constitutional through it to the AGM — as required. current provisions. At this stage NC is amendments, to the next Annual The QC will not have executive powers, not recommending a new category General Meeting. supervisory functions, or corporate be created. However, NC notes decision-making authority. Intended Outcomes the question is connected to the issue of ‘equivalent qualifications These policy decisions are intended to The QC will consist of three AUSIT and experience’, and as such will achieve the following outcomes: members, at least one of whom will be direct the QC to take this matter into • Make available to the NC, and to a Senior Practitioner. QC members will consideration and to report to the NC, AUSIT more broadly, a permanent be appointed by the NC for a period which will then consider the matter advisory body to consider matters of three years in the first instance, further, consistent across branches . relating to qualifications for admission with membership renewable once. to AUSIT Membership will be on a voluntary basis, 4. Admission procedures • Clarify what constitutes acceptable with the main membership criterion In considering the admissions policy, equivalent qualifications and being a demonstrated knowledge NC noted numerous instances where experience in cases where applicants of AUSIT and of the profession. The current admissions policies and for membership do not have NAATI NC reserves the right to terminate procedures are unclear or inadequate; accreditation or recognition membership of the QC at any time, but for example, the requirement for • Encourage greater participation will not do so unreasonably or without sponsorship by three financial members, by students in AUSIT and, as a discussing the matter with the member which is impractical in many instances. consequence, ensure regular concerned. The chair of the QC will be NC has decided to focus on these renewal of AUSIT’s membership base appointed by the NC from within the issues during 2009 and will submit a by encouraging participation from group. The QC will normally conduct its report, including any resultant proposed potential and new entrants into the business through email exchanges, with constitutional amendments, to the next profession minutes to be provided to the NC. AGM.
4 A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 A U S I T P O L I C Y National PD policy
Information paper for the AGM November 2008
1. Introduction work outcomes. Continuing professional Revalidation of accreditation is a n projecting the image of a learning is needed to keep up with new credential awarded by NAATI to contemporary professional body, developments in the industry and is T/Is who satisfy a required amount of AUSIT advances and promotes demonstrated through better practice. professional development and work I practice. professionalism through requiring from Professional development activities shall its members adherence to a Code of be deemed to include, but not limited The Professional Development activity Ethics and commitment to measurable to: log book is an official document ongoing professional development. produced by the AUSIT National Council • keeping up to date with significant as part of the requirements for PD within On-going learning is at the heart developments in the profession and AUSIT, and for the revalidation process of any translator’s or interpreter’s professional community by attending by NAATI. Members record PD activities professional life. AUSIT National conferences, workshops and seminars; Council recognises that to meet its they undertake in the log book. • acquiring further skills and knowledge objective to position AUSIT as an which can be applied to professional Delivery Modes are the means by innovative, efficient, professional work; which PD activities can be accessed and ethical organisation, members by members and non-members of • investigating and developing should be encouraged to further AUSIT. These include, but are not limited innovative ways to enhance the quality their professional development to: formal and informal courses at of the industry; in relation to their professional educational institutions (through face- activities. • undertaking further academic studies to-face and e-learning); mentorship; in any field(s) of specialisation relevant To ensure that AUSIT makes progress workshops in industry-specific skills to the profession; towards this objective, the AUSIT delivered by third parties and AUSIT- National Council will foster the • writing about the industry in relevant based trainers; web-based seminars; development of a multi-skilled publications; and self-study; and exchange programs. membership and support members in • being nominated/submitting an entry 4. Policy statement their professional development. for various industry awards. This Policy applies to all Members and Associate Members of AUSIT. 2. Principles The National Professional Development The provision by AUSIT of high-quality AUSIT National Council is committed to Coordinator is a paid contractor continuing professional development the provision of timely and innovative appointed by and reporting to the is integral to supporting the status of professional development to its National Council, who is responsible the profession. Attaining consistency in members, as well as to other industry for the implementation of PD policy this provision will be achieved through players seeking to improve their and procedures, and for liaising with the regulatory framework set out in this understanding of the profession. NC will the State Professional Development policy. do so by providing members with: Coordinators. The National Professional Development Coordinator shall be 4.1 Purpose • opportunities to plan and develop appointed by the NC. The purpose of this policy is to: skills, knowledge and attributes that complement their professional goals; State Professional Development • provide translators and interpreters with a structure to support their learning • opportunities to participate in career Coordinators are members of and development in a collegial manner development activities which extend Branch Committees responsible throughout their professional lives; and enhance their capabilities and for the organisation and provision capacity for advancement within the of PD activities at branch levels • ensure that AUSIT possesses an profession; in accordance with professional innovative, effective, professional and development policy and procedures ethical membership who can positively • opportunities to enhance their current and any relevant directives issued contribute to the achievements of contributions toward the industry and by the National Professional AUSIT, the industry and their own the profession; Development Coordinator. They are professional lives; • equity of access to professional directly accountable to the National • encourage and support T&I development opportunities. Professional Development Coordinator professionals in their professional and and their Branch Chairs. 3. Definitions career development as part of their Professional Development refers to the The PD Resources Database is a membership of the organisation; processes, activities and experiences national database of resources and • provide administrative guidelines which provide opportunities to extend providers prepared by the National for the provision of professional one’s professional learning. Participation PD Committee and maintained and development to AUSIT members and in continuing professional development updated annually at branch levels to other industry players seeking to assists in the development of one’s by the State PD Coordinators as part improve their understanding of the professional learning, or the growth of of their reporting to the National PD profession. one’s expertise leading to improved Coordinator. (continued overleaf)
A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 5 P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T
4.2 Objectives membership as well as outside AUSIT for support to the various stakeholders AUSIT National Council promotes the the most effective use of resources and involved in the delivery and preparation value of professional development delivery of PD; thereof when deemed necessary. within and outside of AUSIT and shall • continue to ensure, through short • NC, acting through the National PD aim to : and long-term strategic planning, that Coordinator, shall monitor and audit • empower translators and interpreters PD remains mandatory for retaining various PD activities to ensure they to take responsibility for their own membership in AUSIT, as with other meet the overall aim of this Policy, the continuing professional development; professional organisations; and strategic vision of AUSIT, the needs of the membership, and the standards of • support the acquisition of knowledge, • continue to measure the outcomes of materials and quality of their delivery. skills and capabilities of T/Is by providing its PD activities against international and appropriate recognition for undertaking local industry standards, with the aim of • NC, acting through the National PD professional development; continual improvement of delivery. Coordinator, shall work on building alliances with all relevant stakeholders • ensure that continuing PD is focused 4.3 Outcomes both in Australia and overseas, with and designed to support T/Is in • AUSIT positioned as a major provider the aim of enriching the PD activities achieving and maintaining desired of continual learning and promoter of available to its members and other levels of professional competence; the profession industry players seeking a better • ensure equity of PD provision across its • Improved work-related outcomes understanding of the profession. membership; for a better-trained and more • NC, acting through the National • identify, develop and promote timely, technologically savvy membership PD Coordinator and the State PD innovative and flexible approaches • Increased revenue through provision Coordinators, shall maintain an to PD, enabling T/Is to access of PD and training within and outside of updated and viable database and information about professional learning AUSIT calendar of PD events and activities for opportunities and select those best its membership. suiting their needs; • Raised awareness among end-users that translating and interpreting are • NC, acting through the National PD • increase access to high-quality professions requiring high-level skills Coordinator, shall work on extending continuing PD programs and courses AUSIT PD activities beyond its direct • Enhanced best practice among designed to support lifelong continuing membership with the aim of becoming practitioners and end-users learning in the profession; a significant player in the provision of • encourage AUSIT members to take • A healthy membership with good continual learning and promotion of the an active role in their own ongoing management and leadership profession, as is already undertaken by professional and career development capabilities capable of furthering the other academic and training institutions, as part of their membership review and aims and goals of AUSIT. NAATI and sister organisations, both to use their learning effectively; Implementation here and overseas. • assist members who joined after • The National Professional • NC shall continue promoting and November 2006 to account for their PD Development Coordinator is responsible implementing use of the PD activities activities; for the implementation of the PD policy log book. • take into account proposals for PD and procedures. •NC shall supplement this policy paper, activities from various stakeholders; • National Council shall actively invest spelling out the mechanism of tying • encourage and actively engage in in the development of PD resources by PD to the membership status of AUSIT building alliances within the ranks of the providing administrative and financial members.
National PD Committee
A new venture into professionalism for AUSIT
hose who attended last year’s The AUSIT National Professional on the PD front in each state. Two National AGM will be aware the Development Committee was created of the members are themselves PD T National Council has appointed to assist and consult the NC on matters Coordinators for their states. The a new sub-committee to address the pertaining to professional development. Committee is open to additional professional development needs of NPDC members are volunteers who members who feel they have AUSIT members in a systematic way. do not hold office within the National something valuable to add to its work. The sub-committee is accountable to Committee and who, as a team, The Committee’s mandate is for a NC, and while initially comprising Andre report on their findings to the National single year, unless NC finds it feasible Bevz (Vic), Sam Berner (Qld), Claudia Committee through one of its members, to extend this in November 2009 Ait-Touati (SA), Max de Montaigne (Qld) Andre Bevz, who is also the VIC/TAS during the Adelaide NAGM. and Willya Waldburger (NSW), has since delegate to the National Committee. acquired three additional members: What we do David Connor (Vic), Andrew Bell (WA) This allows members to share their The National PD Committee plans to and Brad Paez (Vic). experiences about what is happening achieve the following:
6 A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T
(1) prepare a national database of mentoring for new and potential once they join. available training providers; members. • Being able to deliver a wide range of (2) prepare a national database of Why this is important varied PD activities also raises the profile available resources; of AUSIT as a training provider, which • The NPDC aims to consolidate all state (3) define the role and duties of in turn will generate additional income efforts and to organise PD into some the potential National Professional as AUSIT expands to provide training for form of a national framework, at least Development Coordinator; end-users at government and private in terms of resources available. This will levels. (4) prepare a feasibility study have an extremely positive impact on comparing modes of PD delivery; the quality and variety of PD provided. The Committee has to date prepared (5) prepare a draft National Policy for a Draft National Policy for professional • A National Policy will act as a professional development; development, which appears on pages roadmap for further PD efforts on behalf 5 and 6 of this issue, awaiting discussion (6) prepare a White Paper on of AUSIT. If this is correctly implemented, and comments by members. promotion of PD among practitioners, it could provide AUSIT with much especially outside of AUSIT, as a means needed funds and allow it to grow. All correspondence regarding of raising revenue; the Draft National Policy for • The NAATI revalidation scheme (7) involve the AUSIT community in Professional Development should has created a client base which is discussion of points (4) and (5), and use be addressed to Sam Berner at: desperately seeking PD points yet which the results in (6);
2009 AUSIT Excellence Awards & AUSIT/proz conference in Adelaide
hat better place to celebrate Celebrate excellence and encourage • how new technologies excellence than in the festival your profession over a sumptuous dinner can aid in professional W state? Stay connected and be in Adelaide on 6 November 2009! development and mentoring. part of the night of the nights for the T&I In recent months we’ve seen a number Naturally, networking at this conference profession, the 2009 AUSIT Excellence of positive developments in our industry. is also important, especially since it will Awards, proudly hosted by the South One is the unique collaboration between provide AUSIT members with overseas Australian and Northern Territory AUSIT and Proz.com, a leading online contacts. branch of AUSIT on 6 November at the marketplace for translators. Following prestigious Adelaide Town Hall. Register now to benefit from the early the appearance of Proz.com CEO bird prices! Registration forms can also The awards are now open for Henry Dotterer at the 2008 AUSIT Biennial be downloaded from the AUSIT website nominations. If you know a colleague Conference in Brisbane, AUSIT and
A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 7 T & I C A R E E R S
Of course, globalisation, internationalisation and localisation need not be concerned only with Localisation software, but software lends itself more easily to the ideal of simultaneous Serving the global and instantaneous release. Thus, a television or car manufacturer can economy usefully implement some features of the globalisation workflow, but is still governed by the reality of making and delivering cumbersome physical Vivian Stevenson and Ignacio Garcia discuss a (not products. Globalisation is therefore so new) career path for translators particularly cutting edge, with Web- enabled products which require on-line updates, patches and so forth. These o, you said you wanted to work in This new way of thinking about product can still be physical products, such as S localisation? design and marketing was dubbed your computer router, and as such are still subject to hardware upgrades which You may just have completed your globalisation — or g11n for short (there involve unavoidable delays. Things translation degree, or are already being 11 letters between the g and like computer games and operating somewhat established as a freelancer. the n). The globalisation strategy for an systems, however, are essentially And in the ‘traditional’ markets enterprise involves two complementary disembodied slabs of digital code that (personal documents, publishing), approaches: an overall engineering can be ‘shipped’ via Internet at the prospects are looking a little thin — and product design versatile enough to click of a mouse, and it is here that the elusive clients, strong competition, and be adapted to the needs of individual dictates of speed and competition are southbound prices. You’ve been told markets (called internationalisation or at their most intense. that the real demand for translators is i18n, following a similar derivation to g11n above) and the actual process in localisation, but wonder what your To summarise then, the ideal of of performing this adaptation (called chances of success are. globalisation is to have a presence in localisation or L10n — the L capitalised worldwide markets implemented by There are a few things worth knowing to avoid confusion with the i in i18n). internationalisation, which involves before you take the plunge. You’ve Due to the level of competition creating a product template to be been prepared to work in translation, by involved, globalisation especially prizes (ideally) instantaneously adapted to completing a degree or by experience, speed, or in military terms, getting there any market, while localisation, which and although localisation shares some ‘firstest with the mostest’. common features, it’s nonetheless a is the actual adaptation process, completely different beast. As an example, consider a software allows (ideally) simultaneous release company that wants to release an of all language versions. And although L10n, i18n and g11n accounting program worldwide. As hardware is not excluded, the real If you are seriously contemplating a tilt part of its globalisation strategy, it looks domain is digital. at localisation, it is worth stepping back at each individual market and the With this in mind, let’s look specifically and looking at some context. As long competing products already there, now at localisation to see what awaits as there have been export markets, identifying features and needs, and you as a translator. there has been a need for translating evaluating its competitive strengths. manuals, instructions, advertising and The company then sets a design team What distinguishes a localisation text? product information. However, the to work to internationalise its software What really sets localisation apart is evolution of global markets underwent as much as possible by writing the core that it entails random access to texts an enormous shift in the 1990s with code that will address all the common in a digitally rich environment, and this the advent of the Internet and online features that accounting packages is entirely new in our history of reading delivery of services and many products around the world use, plus its own and writing. – this brought about big changes in the special innovations and modules to translation process and goals too. address identified in-country needs. Think for a moment about any This might entail technical issues, such computer application you have. In the The companies which saw the course of normal use you click on menu as special accounting categories or emerging opportunities of a globally buttons, open drop down windows, tax calculations, but there will also networked economy started thinking respond to command prompts and be language-related aspects such as about ways of delivering their products so on. When occasionally you have a non-Roman characters, right-to-left into worldwide markets in the fastest problem, you open the ‘help’ window scripts, different keyboards, and so on. and most competitive way. That meant and search through the relevant After the code has been tested and not just lumping someone in say, subject; inside the help window there debugged, it is ready to be localised Yugoslavia, with a program or product are usually links you can click to jump to by the linguistic team, which translates designed with the US consumer in mind, related topics within the program help, the user interface, instructions and help but actually tailoring that product to or maybe even hyperlinks enabling you sections into the target language. Each suit. This involves lots of market research, to access more details on the Web. and a rethink about the design and localised version is then re-tested by launch of products so they can be engineers and target language users for This pattern of use — jumping to what easily tweaked or revamped to fit any functionality, and once cleared is ready interests you and skipping everything in desired target market. to ship. between — is typical of the computer
8 A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 B O O K R E V I E W S age: it is random rather than sequential What does translating for localisation The material itself can be opaque and access. Traditionally, texts are written involve? dull: written to facilitate user searches, it in a linear fashion and are meant to From the above it is obvious that can appear disjointed and repetitive — be read from the beginning to the localisation certainly involves translation anathema to many who have learned to end. Computer-age texts like help per se, since it requires conveying prize the exact opposite in language. manuals, however, should be intelligible written content from one language into As remarked above, there is some wherever you start, with references to another — although in this case the flow overlap between translating in point you backwards, forwards or even is mostly one way — with English being general (for print, you could say), and outwards(!) to find exactly what you the primary source as the dominant for localisation. Here we will ignore need to get the job done. global language of commerce and the common features and focus on Reading in a digital environment, as development. The process can also the differences that set hard-core opposed to a printed one, is therefore require adaptation, encompassing the localisation apart - that is, what it takes to like suddenly living with an added familiar approach plus techniques of localise software, user interfaces (UI) and dimension. Whereas we might conceive free (non-literal) translation. user assistance (UA – those voluminous of the printed word as existing on a help and documentation files). Speed is vital, so new versions will flat linear plane, a true digital text is ideally be created by quick and simple Take, for example UIs — drop-down more like a three-dimensional space increments or amendments to the menus, toolbars, context-sensitive help, where you can walk along flat sections old. Repetition of course invites re- error messages. It is here, with text strings (linear reading), but also climb up or use, and avoidance of re-translating and computer code intertwined, and down ladders (menus and cascaded anything that has been done before. minimal or zero context until you run the windows), or even disappear through a With consistency, reusability and program, where localisation becomes wormhole (hyperlink) into another text functionality being keys, attention must a different profession. Strictly speaking, altogether. ‘Googling’ and reading be paid not only to the source text, you cannot claim true localiser status newspapers on-line are good illustrative but also to accompanying memories until you have met and dealt with this examples. and glossaries (which also expand kind of situation. And if you can handle The people who write digital texts are over time). All this of course means that it, then congratulations, because there therefore thinking about the screen translation memory (TM) software or is a shortage of these skills and demand and interactive use, not the printer even more purpose-specific localisation exceeds supply. and passive reading. They have to tools are a must. produce consistent, self-contained Part 2 — ‘Starting up in localisation’, descriptions that suit random access, As for conditions, translators work on continues in the autumn 2009 issue. and consequently the style tends to be disconnected parts of an enormous redundant, mechanical, and repetitive. whole, normally under a tight deadline, The grammar will also normally and often within a team scattered be simplified to facilitate reader over different countries and time zones, understanding and of course translation whose only intercommunication is what (including machine translation, MT) if each member sends to the project possible. memory for another to possibly reuse.
Three book reviews
he first,On the Smell of an Oily own language. makes reading her award-winning Rag — Speaking English, thinking novel very satisfying. The second book is a biographical Chinese and living Australian, is by T novel which I devoured instantly. Congratulations to both authors. a Victorian colleague, the Chinese Ivan: from the Adriatic to the translator-poet-writer Ouyang Yu. The books can be ordered directly Pacific was written by Coral Petkovic I’ve been savouring this book for from them, with their contact details of Perth. Coral is an Australian-born several months, reading each chapter easily obtained through the ‘Find a Croatian translator and interpreter, slowly and as a separate course, translator’ search at
A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 9 P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T Mentoring new T/Is Queensland’s Sam Berner finds it worthwhile and enriching
will never forget the incident I couldn’t learn something from him.’ yourself with young, enthusiastic and when, at one of my exhausting innovative people is the only way to Many professional organisations as and exhaustive workshops, a well- progress in this industry - or any other I well as commercial corporations established colleague asked me if I industry for that matter. Otherwise we have official mentoring programs. wasn’t afraid to share so much of what risk getting left behind. Her suggestions The American Translators’ Association I knew with other translators. Seeing were summarised as follows: puzzlement on my face, she explained, (ATA) has one in place, ‘established Talk to people wanting to get in ‘Aren’t you afraid they will take work to develop and implement a program Mentor new starters away from you?’ to train ATA members as mentors and people they mentor in an enhanced, Support student placements Well, the answer is a resounding ‘No’ informal mentoring relationship.’ Support internships programs — for a number of reasons. One, there Mentors get awarded PD points for is plenty of work around for those who participating; there are workshops on Support students in AUSIT know how to find it. Two, I have enough how to do it. Get information confidence in my capabilities to know Move with the times I won’t be losing clients to newbies. I am aware there are those among us Three, and this is most important, I don’t who love to mentor, but aren’t very I am aware that others are doing this see people I mentor as ‘competition’, sure how to go about it. Some fear as well. Worried about the lack of but rather as long-term alliances for the they might not have the resources – Greek-language interpreters in Qld future. especially, the time. I would like to state because of attrition due to old age and here what mentorship is categorically illness, the ever-active Effie Antoniou I have mentored most of my adult life: not: has been mentoring young Australian working with new teachers when I was • It is not an act of professional ‘baby- Greeks in Brisbane for the past three a school principal,with new writers as a sitting’. It is more an act of teaching years, preparing them for their NAATI publisher, and with new translators as how to ride a bike. You don’t do it all exams. In WA, Trish Will is doing her bit, an experienced one. There is nothing day, seven days a week. And if you and trying to get others interested. highly structured in what I do: I follow do it right, then the person you mentor Silvana Pavlovska is taking on young T/Is my intuition and good sense in deciding should be cycling up the hill in 6-12 through traineeships at the International who will benefit from my knowledge. months. Electronic communication has Interpreting Agency. I met some of her This has been extremely rewarding, made life so much easier. trainees at my workshops. Brad Paez not just emotionally, but professionally (Vic) has prepared a research proposal and financially as well. Many of those • It does not include setting up to look into issues vital to students – such I mentor have particular skills and gifts businesses for people you mentor, but it as English competency and localisation that complement mine, thus facilitating can include looking over their feasibility issues, and is working with the the creation of healthy working teams. studies, business plans and marketing Professional Development Committee exercises (you might make them better, At another professional gathering, a on specific activities to help students but who knows, you might also learn a colleague told me rather haughtily, learn about and become committed new approach from them). ‘No one mentored me. I had to learn to the industry. Moira Nolan has been everything alone from scratch. Why • It does not involve giving those you working tirelessly in Tasmania, running should I offer it on a plate to someone mentor jobs, or sharing your clients crash courses since 2004; she has a new else?’ I thought to myself, God, if we with them, unless you are so inclined. I ‘interpreting study group’ this year. only had more people willing to mentor do recommend to clients the people I am sure there are tens of others more often, we would have fewer of I mentor, if they are not working in my motivated by their commitment to such psychologically scarred humans language pair. professionalism and improving this around. Mentoring is not ‘giving it I was very pleased to see that a number industry. All we need is to streamline it on a plate’ to those you mentor, it is of experienced AUSIT members are somehow, make sure that information a relationship-building exercise that mentoring already — albeit outside will be shared between the mentors, enriches both parties in the relationship. of their official AUSIT capacity. At the and ensure there is a targeting policy I am increasingly finding out that AUSIT Biennial Conference in Brisbane, aiming at beefing up our membership the newer generation of translators, long-time Vic/Tas member Eva Hussain and preventing us from joining the especially those arriving from Europe gave a very interesting presentation exhibits of some natural history museum. with T&I qualifications, have a lot to called ‘Injecting new blood Into T&I’ And this is what the National PD offer in this relationship. They have a in which she explained how her own Committee is looking into doing (see much more cosmopolitan view of the mentoring program at Polaron is being page 6 of this issue). profession and their grasp of the theory, run. She stressed the fact that the If you are interested in becoming which most of us start to forget in the majority of us are over 45 years old — a mentor, contact the Committee hustle of everyday work, is still fresh. It aptly termed Translatosauruses — and through myself: often happens that the mentoring goes that AUSIT faces extinction, if we don’t both ways. As Galileo Galilei said, ‘I start mentoring the newer generation.
10 A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 I N D U S T R Y I S S U E S
Language of politics vs. politics of language
Alison Rodriguez of AUSIT Qld dares to dream of a possible new era for linguists
t seems, in the United States at least, In the United States bilingual word, Change could be about to hit Ithe unthinkable has happened. education is a heated political issue, the US. With some luck, being the first because it ties in tightly with the issue Afro-American President will not be his Not only does the USA now have its first of immigration, in particular illegal only legacy. If Obama does succeed Afro-American president, it seems it immigration from south of the border. in following through on his rhetoric, we may also have a president who knows There has been a huge and powerful could see an elevation of the status of and cares about language. Barack swing towards dismantling any previous languages other than English, as well as Obama has shown himself to be a transitional bilingual education (set up an increase in the number of students skilled orator and rhetorician; called mainly for Spanish-speaking immigrants) who choose to study languages. A new more sharply into focus because he and pursuing English-only education for era for linguists, in a political panorama takes over from President George W. all students. Since the 1980s, presidential which is more tolerant and more Bush, perhaps the least skilled orator the candidates have courted Spanish- engaged with the global reality? White House has seen. Where Obama speaking voters, as did George W Bush, seemed to sail through his speeches We have a dream… who conversely then went on to pass with a triumphant flourish, Bush the No child left behind Act which was stumbled and stalled. Unable to even to restrict bilingual education. begin to answer some questions, his now famous malapropisms (or Bushisms) While recent worldwide events have made even his better speeches sound changed the view of foreign language unconvincing. (As the comedian Rory learning at a political if not popular Bremner noted, he would oscillate level, the move to legislate for English- “In a speech last July between moments of Homer and only has continued. In 2006, 63 Senators Homer Simpson.) (including John McCain) voted for in the State of Georgia, the National English Amendment to Of the candidates in the recent he [Obama] said, the Senate Immigration Reform Act presidential race, Obama made the which was to preserve English as the ‘Instead of worrying most forthright comments on language national language. The Democrats education and diversity seen for some about whether had an alternative amendment time, perhaps brought on by his own that affirmed English as the nation’s immigrants can learn experience of being educated in a ‘common unifying’ language while also foreign language. He went to primary English — they’ll learn supporting the rights of ‘linguistically school in Jakarta, while living there with diverse Americans’. English — you need to his mother and Indonesian step-father. make sure your child In a speech last July in the State of President Obama has openly supported Georgia, he said, ‘Instead of worrying ‘English plus’ which advocates that can speak Spanish. about whether immigrants can learn children should learn English plus You should be thinking English — they’ll learn English — you another language. He supports need to make sure your child can transitional bilingual education to aid about how your child speak Spanish. You should be thinking children of Spanish-speaking families, can become bilingual. about how your child can become who can fall behind in English immersion bilingual. We should have every child programs, and has stated ‘Foreign We should have every speaking more than one language.’ He languages is one of those areas that child speaking more found it laughable some still insisted that has been neglected. I want to put more Americans ‘need English only’ and that resources into it’. This can only be good. than one language.’” Americans ‘go over to Europe and all Children who grow up in a culture we can say is merci beaucoup.’ where their family or heritage language is valued have higher self-esteem and Needless to say, the American Council are more likely to maintain rather than on the Teaching of Foreign Languages reject that language. Research by was ‘thrilled’ Obama had highlighted Professor Colin Baker at the University of the issue of foreign language learning. Wales has found that children exposed The Council’s Executive Director Bret to learning a second language not only Lovejoy said Obama’s statements were show improved conceptual and lateral important because ‘many Americans thinking, but also greater empathy and feel they don’t need to learn another understanding of cultural differences. language, and that is a dangerous mindset in today’s world.’ If Barack Obama is as good as his
A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 11 P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T News and views from ‘across the ditch’
Patrick Geddes, Editor of NZSTI’s Word for Word
his will hopefully be the first of NZSTI soon to have a new face many news briefs from the New NZSTI will soon launch a reconfigured T Zealand Society of Translators and redesigned version of its website and Interpreters (NZSTI) designed
12 A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T
The aim of this hands-on workshop is Third Conference of the International to explore the potential of viewing Association for Translation and translated texts as parallel corpora. We will introduce and practise the Intercultural Studies (IATIS) application of corpus analysis tools and techniques to translation and contrastive studies. The bulk of the 8-10 July 2009 Monash University (Caulfield Campus) workshop will focus on the use of a bilingual concordancer, ParaConc, his major international conference diverse broadcaster in the world. Based which is used to search for patterns in offers more than 300 presenters from in Australia, SBS relies on English, but its aligned parallel corpora. over 34 countries. The conference unique diversity inevitably generates Participants will learn practical T specific editorial, production and theme, Mediation and Conflict: techniques in corpus analysis during Translation and Culture in a Global evaluation challenges. the workshop and will also gain an Context, embraces a wide range of • Do we ‘translate’ the news from understanding of the wider issues topics including: globalisation and English to languages or do we ‘create’ relating to the use of parallel corpora in localisation; cultural translation; the the news in other languages? research and translation studies. role of literary translation in challenging • What is the role of translation in or reinforcing cultural difference; Maximum 20 participants. multilingual media production? intercultural relations; gender, sexuality Workshop D – Tuesday 7 July, 1.30- and norms in intercultural studies; • What are the benefits of common 4.30pm transnational media; issues in signed language as a tool for achieving languages interpreting and translation; editorial integrity? AALITRA literary translation workshop intercultural mediation, including • Is translation always helpful when This interactive workshop will be community interpreting and translation; evaluating a program in a language coordinated by Jeremy Munday, political and ideological dimensions of unknown to the assessor? University of Leeds, and Harry Aveling, translation. There will also be more than • To what extent does common Monash University and Immediate Past twenty special panels on a range of language mean common content? President of the Australian Association topics, as well as four pre-conference for Literary Translation (AALITRA). workshops offered on 7 July (see Workshop B – Tuesday 7 July, The workshop will begin with a brief below). 11am-12.30pm talk by Jeremy on literary translation, KEYNOTE PRESENTERS AND TOPICS Mind the gap: A practical workshop on after which the participants will break Martha Cheung — Rethinking activism: translation projects into smaller, language-specific groups The power and dynamics of translation Eva Hussain, Director of Polaron (max. 10 participants), in order to in China during the late Qing period Language Services and Vice President discuss participants’ translations of a (1840-1911) of the Australian Institute of Interpreters work selected in advance. Participants Josie Guy and Rose Laynbalaynba — and Translators (AUSIT). will need to submit their translations in advance so that copies can be made A tsunami after a disaster: long-term This hands-on, practical workshop will available to other members of their implications of the Northern Territory explore misconceptions, beliefs and group. emergency response gaps that develop between clients Francis Jones — The personal is and translation businesses. Using a real- Languages available (subject to interpersonal is political: Modelling life case study, the workshop will also numbers, maximum 10 participants per translation and conflict cover some strategies to bridge the language): Chinese, French, German, Jeff McWhinney — The impact of video gap and manage client expectations Indonesian, Italian, Japanese and communication technologies on sign by putting translators into customers’ Spanish. Participants need to register in language users and interpreters shoes. Translation business owners wear advance. many hats, including those of salesman, Sehnaz Tahir-Gürçaðlar — A More information is available at marketing executive, educator, ‘secularising’ translation: the call to
SBS Radio, with its 68 language Analysing translation corpora programs, is the most linguistically Michael Barlow, University of Auckland.
A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 13 I N T E R V I E W Working as a subtitler
NSW Branch PD event — Sarah Walls interviews Clémence Duprat
ow did you first get interested in Once you qualified, how difficult was it What are the differences between subtitling? to get your first job? subtitling for speakers of another H language and subtitling for the deaf I have always been interested in In France, at the end of your Master’s and hard of hearing? foreign languages. After my Bachelor’s degree you have to do an internship of degree, I did all my studies in English three months to complete your degree. At a technical level, when subtitling for and Spanish, travelled a lot in Spain My subtitling teacher advised me of the deaf and hard of hearing you have and England, completed a one-year a company in Paris that was looking a whole set of rules to apply concerning university exchange in London, and for someone. I did an internship there, the colour used to identify the speaker I watched a lot of subtitled foreign translating (voice-over, subtitling and (the main character is generally white, films and series. With the market in dubbing) American programmes into and after that, it depends on the multilingual DVDs growing, and the French for the French satellite channels. channel - they all have different rules), development in France of satellite I also subtitled French programmes into the way to write sound effects (in the channels broadcasting subtitled or English for international film festivals. company I am working for we use dubbed programmes, I realised there capital letters in blue font on a white After the internship the company hired was a real demand for translators in this background), and the vocabulary used me, and I stayed there for almost four area. to describe those sound effects. years — there was no difficulty in finding What sort of training did you do and a job. My colleagues from my Master’s On the other hand, when subtitling in where? degree found jobs quite easily as well, another language, the subtitles are generally white, and distinguished with I first applied for an internship in London, as they became freelance translators, dashes for dialogue when a new person at Visiontext (a subtitling company) working mainly for American firms in the is speaking. You don’t use different during my last year of studies in foreign international DVD market. colours, so it’s much easier in that sense. languages. I went there for three You’ve also done ‘live’ subtitling at film months, where I mostly translated As to the writing itself, subtitling for the festivals. What was that like and what DVD extras (directors’ commentaries, deaf and hard of hearing obviously were the pitfalls? interviews, etc.) and short films from doesn’t involve a translation process. English into French. This was a very ‘Live’ subtitling was very stressful. We It’s a totally different approach - you interesting first experience and it watched the films in advance and just have to pick up correctly what confirmed that I wanted to qualify in this prepared the translation according to is being said in the programme and field. So I looked for training in France the script provided, then laid out our then transcribe it into subtitles. But you and applied for a Master’s degree translation in the form of subtitles, with have to be very precise and accurate, in technical translation, specialising one subtitle per PowerPoint slide. Then, write all the sounds and obviously, in audiovisual translation (subtitling, with a computer and PowerPoint file, your grammar and spelling have to be dubbing and voice-over). I did that for we sat above the cinema room near perfect (as with subtitling in another one year in Toulouse in both English and the projectionist’s cabin, and launched language). Spanish. our subtitles live during the showing of the film. Subtitling in another language is much There we were trained thoroughly in more difficult in the sense that you technical translation in different fields: You had to be really careful to follow have to understand perfectly what economics, marketing, legal - even the film cautiously and not miss a is being said, then translate it into aeronautics. thing. You also had to be aware of the another language. What’s more, when ‘rhythm’ of the film and obviously start subtitling into another language, the As for audiovisual translation, the the subtitles at the right time. We only main constraints of time and space — training was complete, with theoretical used that process for short films lasting transcribing your message in a minimum training in cinema, audiovisual no more than 20 minutes because it number of characters per line — techniques, and practical training. was very tiring. So the main pitfall was become much more of a problem. We practised our subtitling techniques the stress, but at the same time it was in the studios of France Televisions, very good experience. It showed us an When subtitling for the deaf and hard working on a film that was broadcast for aspect of subtitling we hadn’t heard of, of hearing, you have to put as much the opening of a film festival. We also and how you can subtitle programmes information as possible, so you almost worked for several festivals during the and make them accessible to a foreign write down everything you hear. But year, subtitling English or Spanish films public even if you can’t afford the when translating, what’s expressed in into French. We worked as interpreters latest software. one sentence in the film can sometimes there too, interpreting what was being be translated in three lines in another said during debates and conferences We received good feedback about language. You have to cut and edit into English for foreign viewers. They this ‘live’ subtitling, and the viewers almost every sentence. In my case, the relied entirely on us to understand what were quite happy with the result. They French language is much longer than was being said and to interpret if they understood the films and didn’t miss a the English language, so when subtitling wanted to intervene in the debates. thing, which reflected well on us! from English into French, you have to
14 A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 B R A N C H N E W S be careful and concise. On the other hand, when I translated the other way, I found it easier. Branch news
Even though these two activities require the same technical Qld knowledge, they require totally appy New Year from the Qld details were included in AUSTRADE’s different skills and are two very HBranch. After a well-deserved rest latest corporate newsletter distributed different jobs. over the Christmas period, the ever to over ten thousand corporate What are the attractions of subtitling active Sunshine State branch kicked contacts (mostly exporting businesses and where do you think the best off the Year of the Ox with the popular who require translations) Australia-wide. ’chat breakfast’ held at Chez Laila and opportunities lie? Behind the scenes organised by our PD Coordinator Sam Subtitling is a challenging and fulfilling Our tireless Treasurer Julie Segal is Berner. A total of 25 people, members job. You have to do everything you being supported by charming Assistant and new faces alike, came together can to transcribe a message from Treasurer Max De Montaigne. Our for coffee and breakfast on the banks one language to another, and you ever-active and restless uber-mentor, of the Brisbane River. Discussions make it possible for viewers of another PD Coordinator and unofficial head continued well past the specified time, country to watch foreign films. It’s also honcho Sam Berner is flying around the and we were all thankful to the cafe very interesting to find ways of being country giving PD sessions in Canberra owners for not moving us on! concise, and to shorten dialogue to and Vic/Tas, with other sessions planned fit into two lines without losing track of Some of the issues discussed were for NSW and SA. Our Secretary Rona the original message. You can spend pay rates and the wording of the Zhang is teaching two subjects for hours on a sentence, trying to find certification of translated documents, the Master of Arts programme in which expression is relevant in what as well as the need for a permanent translation and interpreting (Chinese context, etc. When you manage to do training venue for the Qld branch. and English) at Queensland University it, it’s so satisfying. Translators just entering the profession, as well as doing her PhD in translation and interpreting studies (cross-cultural What’s more, subtitling is a job where especially those who have arrived in conflicts in legal interpreting) while every day is different. The programmes Australia recently, aren’t sure when our Assistant Secretary (and National you work on are really varied, and they are required to certify a translation Secretary) Ilke Brueckner-Klein juggles it’s exciting to always watch new and how to do that. Currently there is several AUSIT positions at the same time, programmes and discover things. no standard wording they can refer to, particularly when certifying a translation yet still did a three-day bike tour in the So far, I have worked on a whole of an official or legal document. Victorian Alps covering around 120 km range of different programmes: Obviously different translators are doing per day. Last but not least, our writer- reality TV programmes for the this in different ways. The discussion was in-residence Alison Rodriguez is busy French channels (America’s Next taken on board by our Secretary, Rona editing the conference proceedings, for Top Model, The Bachelor and similar Zhang, and we plan to deliver a short publication in June 2009. programmes), documentaries for workshop on the issue. Tea Dietterich, Qld Branch Chair festivals, short films, animations and Sam Berner, PD Coordinator children’s programmes, educational Planned PD events for the year include programmes and more. You never a Wordfast training workshop, a know what’s next. presentation on intellectual property Vic/Tas and copyright legislation affecting As for opportunities, I am not really As we struggle to comprehend the translators, interpreting in the legal field, aware of the subtitling market in scale of the bushfire disaster in Victoria, a small-business workshop and more. Australia yet, apart from the work at we spare a thought for our members in SBS. But I have many friends who are Another PD event is the fabulous foreign affected areas, hoping they have been working as freelancers for companies movie deal the Qld branch started spared personal and material loss. in the United States, and creating in 2008. AUSIT has negotiated a deal The year has started strongly for Vic/ subtitles for the DVD market. If you with Think Tank Communications on Tas, with an assortment of valuable and want to work as a freelancer, I think behalf of various Qld Film Distributors, interesting PD events scheduled. The there are many possibilities in the field, whereby AUSIT Qld receives 20 free Committee has also decided in favour and a great demand for qualified tickets to award-winning foreign of the re-inception of Bennelong, our translators. language movies in return for sending branch newsletter, in electronic format, the movie information to its members. as an environmentally friendly and cost- As these are foreign language movies, effective way of maintaining contact AUSIT members receive 20 PD points for with our members. Contributions from attending the free movie. What a deal! colleagues are always welcome. The upcoming film festivals are not part Upcoming PD events in Victoria of the free ticket deal, but attendance Fri 27 March — Networking evening with will also grant AUSIT members 20 PD guest speaker points. Just keep your movie tickets for your records. Fri 24 April — Cultural identity of interpreters AUSIT’s corporate networking efforts Sat 23 May — Business skills for T/Is with AUSTRADE have also been fruitful , meaning the AUSIT website and contact Andre Bevz. Vic/Tas Branch Chair
A U S I T N E W S L E T T E R — S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 15
Linguists > Salary: up to $82,000 plus super > Several positions available Nationally > A range of languages including Pashtu, French, Italian, Arabic, Indonesian, Somali, Spanish, Urdu, Farsi and Tamil
Using your linguistic skills and applying do – constantly looking to develop your them in an intriguing, ever-changing linguistic skills. We’ll also consider those environment, you’ll service the with native speaker profi ciency or non- transcription and interpretation native speakers with a tertiary qualifi cation requirements on behalf of our client. in a foreign language but with limited You will fi nd yourself processing a variety professional experience. Multiple language of communications in both aural and skills will be viewed favourably. textual form. Developing technical skills If you’re an Australian citizen who has and insights, you’ll collaborate with lived in Australia for the last ten years, colleagues across multiple language and you’re looking to apply your skills groups to complete multilingual tasks. in new and intriguing ways, contact Ideally coming from a professional [email protected] for translation and interpreting background, instructions on how to apply. you’ll be passionate about what you Closing date: Monday, 2 March 2009.