In This Issue

May 2013 Volume XLII Number 5 The A Publication of the American Translators Association CHRONICLE The Voice of Interpreters and Translators

In this issue: Financial Translation The Rhetoric of Wine Translating Carlos Fuentes PLANTOREGISTER i Registration begins in July You will receive the Preliminary Program and Registration Form with the July issue WANTED of The ATA Chronicle. BOOK YOUR ROOM i YOU! Marriott Rivercenter 101 Bowie Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205

ATA Room Rates (exclusive of tax) Single = $232 / Double = $242 ATA rates include complimentary Internet Special rates are available for ATA conference attendees until October 14, 2013, or as space allows. Make reservations online at www.atanet.org/conf/2013/hotel.htm. American Translators Association Or call +1-800-228-9290 and reference the The Voice of Interpreters and Translators “American Translators Association.” 54th Annual Conference stay and win i San Antonio i Texas Win one free night Marriott Rivercenter November 6-9, 2013 Stay at the Marriott Rivercenter and be entered to win! Five winners will be selected. Learn more at www.atanet.org/conf/2013/win.htm. : All the networking and REWARD education you need! REASONs TO ATTEND i Connect with over 1,500 colleagues from around Videos, Photos, & Reviews the world, share your interests and experiences, Read what attendees have said, see photos and and build partnerships. Choose from over 175 videos, and check out previous conferences. Visit www.atanet.org/conf/2013/why_attend.htm sessions, learn practical skills and theory, be to see what the buzz is about. inspired by new ideas, and join the discussions that matter to you and your profession. PROMOTE YOURSELF i Exhibit . Sponsor . Advertise visit us online Reach over 1,500 attendees who need your services and products. Learn more at www.atanet.org/conf/2013 www.atanet.org/conf/2013/advertise.htm. May 2013 Volume XLII American Translators Number 5 Association A Publication 225 Reinekers Lane of the Suite 590 May 2013 American Alexandria, VA 22314 USA Contents Translators Tel: +1-703-683-6100 Association Fax: +1-703-683-6122 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.atanet.org FEATURES Editor Jeff Sanfacon Hot Topics in Financial Translation [email protected] 10 By Javier Gil Proofreader In order to be successful, financial translators need to be aware of the key Sandra Burns Thomson developments in the industries they serve. This article will address some of the most Art Directors relevant developments affecting the main financial sectors. Ellen Banker Amy Peloff Advertising 16 The Rhetoric of Wine Caron Mason, CAE By Giles Watson [email protected] What are some of the general stylistic expectations of English and Italian, and +1-703-683-6100, ext. 3003 how do they influence the translation of material related to wine? Fax: +1-703-683-6122 Executive Director 10 Walter Bacak, CAE 21 Carlos Fuentes: [email protected] The Writer and His Translators Membership and By Tony Beckwith General Information Three translators recollect what it was like translating the works of an individual who Lauren Mendell was widely regarded as one of the grand old men of Latin American letters. [email protected] Website: www.atanet.org

The ATA Chronicle (ISSN 1078-6457) is published monthly, except bi-monthly in November/December, by the American Translators Association, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314 COLUMNS USA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and additional 5 From the President 8 From the Executive Director mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send 6 From the President-Elect address changes to The ATA Chronicle, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. The American Translators Association (ATA) DEPARTMENTS 16 was established in 1959 as a not-for- profit professional society to foster and 25 Certification Forum 33 Blog Trekker support the professional development of 26 Standard Issue 34 Dictionary Review translators and interpreters and to 27 The Entrepreneurial Linguist 36 The Translation Inquirer promote the translation and interpreting professions. The subscription rate for a 28 GeekSpeak 37 New Certified Members 21 member is $43 (included in the dues 28 Exam Sittings 37 Upcoming Events payment). The U.S. subscription rate for a 30 Please Discuss 38 Humor and Translation nonmember is $65. Subscribers in Canada and Mexico add $25; all other 32 Interpreters Forum non-U.S. subscribers add $45. Single copies are available for $7 per issue.

Reprint Permission: Requests for permission to reprint articles American Translators Association should be sent to the editor of The ATA The Voice of Interpreters and Translators Chronicle at [email protected]. Our Authors May 2013

Tony Beckwith was born in Buenos Aires, Giles Watson is a full-time freelance Argentina, spent his formative years in Italian>English translator. He has been the Montevideo, Uruguay, then set off to see the translation coordinator and editor for world. He came to Texas in 1980 and Gambero Rosso’s Italian Wines (Vini d’Italia) currently lives in Austin, where he works guide since 2001. In addition, he has been as a writer, translator, poet, and cartoonist. translating for the Corriere della Sera on a Contact: [email protected]. daily basis since 2003. He has collaborated with Italian writer Beppe Severgnini, initially as an advisor on Severgnini’s L’inglese, lezioni semiserie and subsequently as Javier Gil, a freelance financial translator the translator of An Italian in America and Mamma Mia! Berlusconi’s Italy and external translator at the European Explained to Posterity and Friends Abroad. He has a degree in modern and Central Bank, is the recipient of the 2012 medieval languages from the University of Cambridge. Contact: Marian S. Greenfield Financial Translation [email protected]. Presentation Award. He has over 14 years of experience, including serving as the head of the Spanish Translation Service at KPMG Spain. He has a translation degree from the Universidad Europea de Madrid and a master’s degree in management and Are You LinkedIn? finance from Bath University (U.K.). He works for private companies in the financial sector and a number of international bodies. He delivers financial translation seminars at universities in the U.K. and Spain on a regular basis. Take advantage of your ATA membership. Joining LinkedIn through ATA gives Contact: [email protected]. you an instant community with opportunities to grow your network quickly. Don’t wait—get your online networking under way!

Advertising Directory

9 Landmark Audio Technologies Did you know? www.LandmarkFm.com 81% of subscribers read the advertisements in The ATA Chronicle and 36% of the readers 40 MadCap Software BUY the products that are advertised. www.madcapsoftware.com To place your ad, Contact: 9 Miami Dade College Caron Mason, CAE +1-703-683-6100 www.mdc.edu [email protected] EXT. 3003 7 National Security Agency www.nsa.gov

4 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 From the President Dorothee Racette [email protected]

The Power of Language

As an umbrella group working to assist other groups in their efforts to bring much needed language ATA has placed the power of language at the services to the powerless and to help the powerful appreciate the impor- core of its mission. tance of language services, ATA has placed the power of language at the core of its mission. A few recent events reminded me of this amazing was founded to protect translators and of translation companies can also be power and of the importance of our interpreters in high-risk settings, main- used in a different context. The inter- everyday work as linguists. tains a database of incidents in which national nonprofit organization Trans- In March of this year, I represented linguists were attacked in various ways lators without Borders links translators ATA at the conference of the for doing their work. The vision of the to non-governmental organizations Globalization and Localization Assoc- organization is to have linguists involved in health, nutrition, and edu- iation (GALA) in Miami. As an event working in conflict zones designated as cation. The organization currently that focuses on technology and busi- humanitarian personnel, wearing a red translates about nine million words a ness management, GALA’s confer- T to show their protected status in the year, but believes the use of an open ence brought together some 250 same manner as Red Cross staff. digital platform and additional organi- owners and representatives of transla- “Such protected-person status, how- zational resources may allow for an tion and localization companies. The ever, has to go hand in hand with a par- annual volume of 10 million words to majority of program sessions and adigm shift in how translators and meet the heavy demand. “Knowledge exhibits focused on machine translation interpreters are perceived in these con- is power,” says the organization’s and cloud-based tools for processing texts,” says Hess. “As it stands now, lin- founder, Lori Thicke. “It saves lives, large amounts of text in multiple lan- guists in war zones and detention camps lifts people out of poverty, ensures guages. The lively conversations with are confronted with varying degrees of better health and nutrition, and creates company owners from all over the distrust. They are labeled traitors for and maintains economies—as long as world provided new insight on the busi- collaborating with foreign armies and it’s in the right language.” ATA could ness of language, in which freelance are under threat from all sides.” not have said it better. contractors are considered just one part As I learned next, the same sys- of a large supply chain. It was a learning tems that drive up the output capacity experience to see my work as a freelancer from the perspective of project managers and company owners and to explore tools such as GeoWorkz from the buyer side. The work in a single language combination that fills my entire Want to learn more workday is just one of many data streams from that angle. The upbeat about the organizations mentioned here? mood of conference attendees reflected the continuing growth of our industry Globalization and Localization Association and the rising power of professionally www.gala-global.org translated language as an international business necessity. At the same conference, a presenta- Red T tion by Maya Hess about the nonprofit www.red-t.org organization Red T highlighted a completely different area of application for Translators without Borders language in translation that is equally www.translatorswithoutborders.org tied to questions of power. Red T, which

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 5 From the President-Elect Caitilin Walsh [email protected] Acting Like Professionals

1. Stay in the conference hotel. While to join them. The penny-pincher devil As a teacher for the next gener- planning to attend my first ATA confer- on your shoulder tells you that the ation of translators and interpreters, pro- ence, I thought that I would save money markup on that glass of wine makes it fessionalism is a common theme in all by staying in a hotel just across the more expensive than an entire bottle of my classes. I bring my students arti- street. I did not reckon with how much from Trader Joe’s. But listen to the cles from The ATA Chronicle, share dis- time it would take to go between hotels, angel on your other shoulder: you are cussions from the ATA Business how heavy my bag would get by the end not buying wine, you are creating an Practices list, and refresh the curriculum of the day, and how much I would envy opportunity to connect. with tidbits I inevitably pick up from those folks who had a chance to run ATA’s Annual Conference. And like all upstairs to freshen up quickly. A missed 3. Upgrade to business class. Not good teachers, I try to model the good connection is a missed opportunity. only will you have a little bit more leg habits I want students to develop: Underestimating the time it would take room and less stress, with the added honing translation skills every day, but to run back and forth to my hotel meant bonus of special lanes for security also developing good professional I missed meeting up with colleagues, clearance and boarding, the people habits. which lead to staying in by myself one seated next to you are much more Our reading list includes standard evening. No surprise, then, that it was likely to be business travelers— offerings from our translator and inter- those colleagues who were called first, exactly the kind of people with whom preter colleagues, both theoretical and their names firmly planted in their you want to connect. Note that airlines practical, but my students also study client’s mind over coffee and frequently offer upgrades to business selections from the business world. Mississippi mud pie. class for a relatively low amount at These works universally encourage check-in, usually starting around $50 readers to maximize their investment of 2. Spring for that exorbitantly (depending on the length of the trip). time and money by making sure that priced drink. You are chatting with a connections and networking opportuni- fellow attendee in the session room as At first glance, all this may seem ties happen. Over the years, I have you fill out the evaluation form. like reckless spending. I would put to learned that there are certain things you Walking out, she mentions that she is you that it is a sound investment in can do to increase the likelihood of meeting up with some colleagues in your professional development and those serendipitous connections. the hotel bar and extends an invitation business. And it is not just me: Uncle Sam agrees, and reminds you to save your receipts for your business taxes. The investment of being in the center of the action, and the time spent lin- gering over a Chablis will pay off in spades in the years to come. Staying in the Conference Hotel: Now is the time to make your travel The Heart of the Action! arrangements. Book the flights and reserve your hotel room—at ATA’s discounted rate. If you are looking to If I put on my fiscally-responsible Conference Organizer hat, I see this pearl of wisdom from share a room (a networking opportu- another side as well. By contracting to fill a room block with our attendees, ATA (that is all of us!) nity in pajamas!), be sure to check out pays nothing for the meeting space. This is a huge savings, which translates into a very reasonable the roommate matching blog, linked conference fee (comparable industry conferences are easily double or triple). While ATA’s Board of from the conference site (http://ata Directors revisits the conference center model periodically, it is clear that hotels are still the most roommate-sanantonio.blogspot.com). cost-effective model for our group. I look forward to running into you in This mutual benefit is one reason we are offering an additional incentive to stay in the conference the lobby, hallways, and bar of the hotel. When you make your hotel reservations at the Marriott Rivercenter, you will be automatically conference hotel in San Antonio! entered to win a free night at the hotel. Five lucky winners will be announced at the Closing Session. You will find more details on the conference website at http://atanet.org/conf/2013/.

6 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 CAREERSCAR RS AT THE N ATIONALO S ECURITYCCU A GENCYGC

Far from Ordinary

The U.S. is under cyber attack, every minute of every day. That’s why cyberspace has become today’s new front line. What you know can make a difference at the National Security Agency. Whether it’s collecting foreign intelligence or preventing foreign adversaries from accessing U.S. secrets, you can protect the nation by putting your intelligence to work. Explore technology that’s years ahead of the private sector. Plus exciting career ﬁelds, paid internships, co-op and scholarship opportunities. See how you can be a part of our tradition of excellence and help the nation stay a step ahead of the cyber threat. KNOWINGMATTERS

Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q

WHERE INTELLIGENCE GOES TO WORK®

From the Executive Director Walter Bacak, CAE [email protected]

2012 Directory Stats and Your Profile

ATA’s online Directory of Trans- the results of the “2012 Top 10 Do not miss out on simple fixes like lation and Interpreting Services and Searches” below show which these to get the most out of your direc- Directory of Language Services Com- areas of specialization are acces- tory listing. panies are accessed daily by clients sed most frequently.) Special note to members new to ATA looking for contractors. While anyone or to freelancing: a profile in the online can search the directories for free, only • Be sure to include details of your directory is the kind of targeted mar- ATA members are featured. services in the Additional keting translators and interpreters need. These profiles are a golden opportu- Information field of the question- It is a no-cost benefit of your ATA mem- nity to market your services. Over 60% naire. Buyers do use the Keyword bership—but it is not automatic. To get of the members report getting a job Search, particularly for dialects your profile listed in the directory, you through their online directory profile. and more specific areas of need to complete an online question- Make the time to update your profile. expertise, to find the skill set they naire. See www.atanet.org/onlinedirec need for their particular job. tories/update_profile_ind.php. • Review the more than 125 areas In comparing the results for the of specialization offered in the • Finally, be sure to update the past three years for individuals—the online directory. Then look back Tools section of your profile. We Directory of Translation and Inter- over the past 12 months and con- have heard from company owners preting Services—the top five lan- sider whether any of your services that individuals list “None” when guage combinations have not changed. expanded your expertise into a they really do use some of the In the next five, Chinese>English has new specialty that can be added to programs that owners prefer. gone from not being listed in 2010 to your profile. (For your reference, number seven in 2012. In addi- ·

2012 Top 10 Searches in ATA’s Online Directories January 1 – December 31, 2012

Directory of Translation and Interpreting Services Directory of Language Services Companies (6,685 profiles as of April 16, 2013) (465 profiles as of April 16, 2013)

By Language By Area of By Language By Area of Combination Specialization Combination Specialization (with #1 being the top searched) (with #1 being the top searched) (with #1 being the top searched) (with #1 being the top searched) 1. English>Spanish 1. Medicine (General) 1. Spanish>English 1. Medicine (General) 2. Spanish>English 2. Law (General) 2. English>Spanish 2. Law (General) 3. English>French 3. Business (General) 3. Chinese>English 3. Business (General) 4. English>Chinese 4. Pharmaceuticals 4. Russian>English 4. Arts and Humanities 5. English>Japanese 5. Engineering (General) 5. English>All (General) 6. French>English 6. Economics and finance 6. English>French 5. Education 7. Chinese>English 7. Patents, trademarks, and 7. French>English 6. Engineering (General) 8. English>Russian copyrights 8. All>English 7. Immigration 9. English>Arabic 8. Contracts 9. English>Chinese 8. Health care 10. English>Korean 9. Health care 10. Arabic>English 9. Patents, trademarks, and 10. Software localization copyrights 10. Pharmaceuticals

8 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 From the Executive Director Continued tion, English>Arabic made the top 10 there was little change among the top 10 for the first time, bumping German> language combinations except that English from the list. (This was the Arabic>English bumped Portuguese> first time German>English did not English from the list. make the list.) As for areas of specialization, As for areas of specialization, the “Patents, trademarks, & copyrights” top five for individuals has not and “Pharmaceuticals” bumped “Econ- changed, although “Pharmaceuticals” omics & finance” and “Computers and “Engineering (General)” have (General)” from the top 10. traded places. As for the next five in To get the most out of your mar- 2012, the only change was that keting efforts and your ATA member- “Software localization” bumped ship, update your profile today. “Industry & Technology (General)” from the list. In comparing the results for the past three years for companies—the Direc- tory of Language Services Companies—

Translation Reserve your & InterpretationInterpretation MiamiMiami DadeD dee CCColCollegellel is thet onlyyg college ofofferingfffferingg an Associatei in Scienceid degree ini TTranslationranslationlil &I & IInterprInterpretationretationiSdi Studies.i Spottoday! Buenos Dias Good morningmorning contabilidad hechos 35238(67$3552238((667$ businessusinesss Quieroparadigma colada!colada accountingaccounting aportarapptortar contributecontribucont deal CamisaCimisa RosaR proposal Did you know? negociosnegociiosmodelmodelfactsf cerrarcerrraar I so need a latte! uunn tratotrraatogrey suit • 60% of readers turn to The ATA Chronicle as their primary source of information about the translation and interpreting professions. programa unique • 81% of subscribers read the adver- at tisements in The ATA Chronicle. MDC interamericaninteramerican • 36% of readers BUY products in The ATA Chronicle advertisements. campus

Contact: contact: PrProfessorofessor HumbertoHumberto CernaCerna Caron Mason, CAE +1-703-683-6100 [email protected]@mdc.edu [email protected] EXT. 3003

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 9 Hot Topics in Financial Translation By Javier Gil

Persistent uncertainty regarding the global economy and heightened anxiety concerning the economic situa- The current economic uncertainty has exacerbated the tion in the Eurozone has increased the demand for the right information at the need for the right information at the right time. right time. This means that more financial-related information needs to be translated in an accurate and timely manner. In order to be successful, to make it as straightforward as pos- 1. Accounting financial translators need to be aware of sible so that the information is appli- Accounting documents such as the significant developments in the cable to a wide range of readers. financial statements represent a signifi- industries they serve. Second, it is important to bear in mind cant source of work for financial transla- What do the current business con- that the list of sectors and the topics tors. For example, according to Deloitte, ditions mean for financial translators? covered here is not meant to be financial statements have doubled in In an attempt to answer this question, exhaustive. Rather, I have based the length over the past 16 years, and are I will address some of the most rele- information on my 14 years of experi- now 52% longer than in 2005.1 One of vant developments affecting 10 key ence as a financial translator and as an the chief developments in the sectors within the financial industry. active reader of the financial press and accounting industry, and a pivotal driver For each sector, I will offer a brief media. Third, I am using the concept of growth in this sector, is the gradual assessment of the potential volume of of financial translation in its broadest adoption of International Financial work available, the complexity of the sense, therefore referring to the trans- Reporting Standards (IFRS) on a world- work involved, the amount of reliable lation of documents of a financial, wide basis as the “accounting language” information available for further business, economic, and commercial to be used in the preparation of public research, and how fast each sector is nature. Finally, while most of the con- company financial statements.2 Once growing. cepts explored here have a global implemented globally, IFRS would pro- I would like to make four impor- reach, I have focused the content on vide a core set of accounting standards tant points before moving forward. developments affecting the U.S. and that could serve as a framework for First, while the content of this article the European Union. financial reporting. Around 120 nations is relatively specialized, I have tried and reporting jurisdictions now permit

10 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 or require IFRS for domestic listed companies. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released a preliminary plan that would require U.S. According to Deloitte, financial statements public companies to report under inter- have doubled in length over the past national accounting rules no earlier than 2015.3 Currently, Generally Accepted 16 years, and are now 52% longer than in 2005. Accounting Principles (GAAP) remain the standard in the U.S., but there is a formal U.S. GAAP-IFRS convergence program in place that has resulted in ongoing changes to current standards. global financial crisis. The proposals reforms are being given wide cov- As such, financial translators will need have two main objectives: erage in the financial press. This is not to keep informed of the terms being considered a rapidly evolving area, as adopted in the new accounting standards 1) To reduce concentration in the most of these reforms have to be and include the “official terms” in their market for audits through new debated carefully and will take years translations of financial statements. requirements around audit ten- to implement. In regards to the implications for dering and auditor appointment. financial translators, the potential 3. Banking volume of work generated by the use of 2) To address perceived threats to The banking sector is an obvious IFRS is very high because more and auditor independence resulting source of work for financial transla- more countries are adopting these stan- from audit firm rotation and limits tors, as it has been at the center of the dards as their “accounting language” in on non-audit services. current economic crisis. In response financial statements. The level of com- to deficiencies in banking regulation plexity of such standards (and therefore In the U.S., similar reforms are revealed by the crisis, one of the key the language used) is also considered being adopted through the implemen- international developments in the very high. Translators need to find the tation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street banking industry has been the intro- official taxonomy in their target lan- Reform and Consumer Protection Act, duction of Basel III, issued by the guages to ensure that their translated which will be explored further in Bank for International Settlements. documents reflect “official” usage. The Section 7 on page 13.4 Basel III is a global regulatory frame- challenge is that the amount of reliable While these reforms may not result work designed to create more resilient information available for this sector is in significant linguistic changes for banks and banking systems. It was considered relatively low, since only the financial translators, the potential agreed upon by members of the Basel IFRS Foundation (through the work-related implications they will Committee on Banking Supervision International Accounting Standards generate for translators will be high. in 2010-11, and is scheduled to be Board) and the European Union Auditing firms, which are important introduced beginning in 2013 until (applicable for EU companies only) purchasers of translation services, 2019.5 Proposed measures include publish the official terminology and the will be transformed if some of these implementing capital adequacy rules, official translations in their respective reforms are adopted. For example, conducting risk assessments through local languages. Adding to the difficulty new companies could be created due appropriate scenario analysis and is the fact that new standards are issued to restrictions on non-audit services. stress testing, and working to improve on a yearly basis, so terminology In addition, mandatory audit firm price transparency and market liqui- evolves rapidly. rotation could mean that translators’ dity. (For a complete overview, see long-term working relationships with www.bis.org/publ/bcbs206.pdf.) It is 2. Auditing certain clients will be interrupted. hoped that this framework will effec- Within the European Union (EU), The level of complexity of these tively triple the size of the capital the European Commission has pro- proposed reforms is considered low. reserves that the world’s banks must posed far-reaching reforms to the The volume of reliable information hold against losses. As a result, thou- auditing profession in the wake of the available is extensive, since these sands of pages are being written ·

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 11 Hot Topics in Financial Translation Continued and translated. Basel II (which established credit risk mitigation techniques for collateralized transactions) was fully implemented in the EU, and The economic slowdown has affected, in one way or Basel III is expected to follow accord- another, virtually all types of businesses regardless of ingly. The U.S. Federal Reserve also announced in December 2011 that it size, location, or industry in which they operate. would implement all of the Basel III rules. The level of translation difficulty of these reforms is considered very tion with the current economic cli- 5. International Trade high since they include complex cal- mate: 1) restructuring (reorganizing Business transactions among com- culations to determine the appropriate the structure of a company as a panies trading internationally and their reserves for banks. Also, some of the response to the crisis, bankruptcy, or consumers who speak different lan- terms being used are specific to this mergers and acquisitions [M&A] guages have traditionally been an framework, and, as with IFRS, only activities), and 2) forensic services essential source of translation work. the EU institutions and the relevant (fraud prevention, detection, and Globalization continues unabated, so international bodies (in this case, the investigation). the flow of material needing translation Bank for International Settlements) The level of complexity of these is not expected to end any time soon. issue the official sources of informa- business services can be considered Two of the most interesting develop- tion. As such, the volume of reliable medium-high, depending on the ments in the wide-ranging concept of information available is low. This is project itself. The potential volume of international trade are: 1) the develop- not considered a rapidly evolving work can also be considered medium- ment of the so-called second wave of sector due to the fact that most of high, since most of the largest compa- emerging countries as potential com- these reforms still have to be debated nies currently require services of this mercial powerhouses, and 2) the carefully and will take years to imple- nature. The availability of information uneven development of sustainability. ment in full. may be low, since although these con- The level of complexity within the sultancy projects may have similar field of international trade can be con- 4. Business Services features, there will also be plenty of sidered medium on the basis that its The economic slowdown has issues specific to the company main purpose is for the buyer and affected, in one way or another, virtu- receiving the services. It can also be seller to agree quickly and success- ally all types of businesses regardless considered a rapidly evolving area fully on the main terms and condi- of size, location, or industry in which because business needs evolve and tions of their transaction. The they operate. As a result, businesses fluctuate very quickly. As an example, potential volume of work should be worldwide have required professional in the past five years we have seen considered high. The reason is that advice to try and overcome the chal- how M&A activity froze as a result of international trade volume continues lenges involved, ranging from liqui- the economic crisis, with companies to grow, even in the current economic dity shortages and downsizing worldwide focusing instead on sorting climate (14.5% in 2010 and 6.5% in programs to regulatory advice. As out their internal financial situation 2011, according to the World Trade such, companies providing consulting (hence, the increase in restructuring Organization).6 The availability of and advisory services are a significant services). As more and more countries information can be considered source of work for financial transla- and businesses leave the worst of the medium-high, since there are plenty tors. The scope of services these com- economic crisis behind, M&A activity of official statistics and other resource panies provide is as wide-ranging as is picking up again and could become material in this field, although what is the economy itself, so a detailed a significant source of work for trans- available may also depend on the spe- analysis is beyond the scope of this lators once more. cific company or industry. This is also article. Hence, I have selected two considered a rapidly evolving sector, areas that have been featured preva- especially in areas such as retail and lently in the past few years in connec- technology, since customers’ likes and

12 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 dislikes change very quickly. For example, in the past five years we have seen the rise and fall of compa- The banking sector is an obvious source of work for nies such as Yahoo! and RIM (manu- facturer of Blackberry). financial translators, as it has been at the center of 6. International Institutions the current economic crisis. International institutions (such as the United Nations and institutions of the EU) tend to be large employers of in-house translators and significant services—represents the essence of institutions and private entities. This is buyers of translation. The current the financial industry. Due to its inter- not a rapidly evolving area because financial and political climate has put national nature, this sector is a signifi- both reforms are highly political and some of these institutions at the center cant source of translation work. bureaucratic. of media focus, including the role Both the EU and the U.S. have the International Monetary Fund, reacted in response to the recent 8. Insurance European Central Bank, and the EU financial crisis. In October 2011, the Insurance documents are considered played in the Eurozone crisis. This European Commission published leg- to be some of the most complex and has resulted in endless pages being islative proposals to reform the challenging for financial translators. translated, both for the media and for Markets in Financial Instruments One of the major developments in the financial institutions, and this volume Directive (MiFID).7 These proposals industry is the introduction of Solvency is expected to continue. represent a comprehensive and pro- II (also knows as Basel for insurers), The level of complexity of transla- found set of reforms that, if imple- which primarily concerns the amount tion work in this area can be consid- mented, would lead to a reshaping of capital that EU insurance companies ered medium-high, in particular in across the EU of the financial markets must hold to reduce the risk of insol- relation to the Eurozone crisis. The and also of the products and services vency.8 In the U.S., the Dodd-Frank potential volume of work should also that banks and investment firms pro- Wall Street Reform and Consumer be considered high, although access to vide. The proposals are scheduled for Protection Act also has significant this work is not as open as in the pri- implementation at the end of 2015. In implications for the insurance industry, vate market, as it is filtered through the U.S., the Dodd-Frank Wall Street including the creation of the Federal various tendering processes depending Reform and Consumer Protection Act Insurance Office (FIO) to monitor all on the institution. The availability of was passed in July 2010 in order to aspects of the insurance industry and to information can be considered low- improve accountability and trans- identify gaps in the state-based regula- medium due to the fact that it has to be parency in the financial system. It is tory system.9 Finally, the adoption of obtained from the relevant institu- designed to protect the American tax- IFRS has also affected the industry, tion’s website and publications. Also, payer by ending bailouts and to pro- with new accounting rules for insurers, this is not considered a rapidly tect consumers from abusive financial including proposed changes such evolving area because these institu- services practices. as IFRS 4 Phase II – Insurance tions tend to be highly bureaucratic, so The level of complexity of the trans- Contracts,10 IFRS 9 – Financial Instru- there is plenty of red tape involved. lation work in this area can be consid- ments,11 as well as other corresponding ered high, largely due to the opaque proposals in the U.S., all of which are 7. Financial Services nature of traditional financial services. highly complex. The financial services sector— The potential volume of work should The potential volume of work in understood here as an umbrella term also be considered high due to its inter- this area can be considered medium, to include areas such as asset manage- national nature and the high prevalence perhaps because it is less international ment, stock brokerage, and invest- of financial services at all levels. The than other financial sectors. The level ment fund management, as well as availability of reliable information can of complexity of the work is undoubt- other banking, intermediation, con- be considered medium, as it can be edly high, involving plenty of special- sumer finance, and foreign exchange obtained from both official financial ized terms and complicated ·

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 13 Hot Topics in Financial Translation Continued calculations. The reliability of the information available is considered low due to its opaque nature. The Investment funds generate a significant amount of insurance industry is not considered a ﬁeld that evolves rapidly because both work for translators due to the need to keep investors the terminology and the nature of the business tend to be long-term. informed on a timely and ongoing basis.

9. Investment Management The mention of the investment management sector here refers mainly to the 10. Public Sector volume of work available can also be areas of asset and fund management The public sector is that portion of considered high, although access to (i.e., the professional management of society controlled by national, state or work with government institutions is various assets in order to meet specified provincial, and local governments. not as open as in the private market investment goals for the benefit of Although national public sector because jobs are filtered through var- investors). Investment funds generate a bodies (e.g., agencies responsible for ious tendering processes. The avail- significant amount of work for transla- providing such services as social pro- ability of information can be considered tors due to the need to keep investors grams and urban planning) and gov- low-medium, as it has to be obtained informed on a timely and ongoing basis. ernments may not initially appear to from the relevant government body. Since July 2011, the EU’s Undertakings be prime financial translation buyers, This is also not a rapidly evolving sector for Collective Investment in Transfer- the current economic situation means because governments tend to be highly able Securities IV directive requires that they are increasingly subject to bureaucratic, which means there is investment funds to produce crucial international reputation and are plenty of red tape involved. The initia- investor information documents, which dependent upon international finan- tives proposed also tend to be of a long- replace simplified prospectuses.12 cial investors. This explains the term nature. Investor documents must be produced increase in financial information for each share class of each fund, and in being generated and translated by Summing Up at least one national language of each them. In relation to the current eco- Significant developments within country in which the fund is marketed. nomic climate, it is important to high- the global economy carry a number of In the U.S., the Dodd-Frank Wall Street light that, while the effects of the implications for financial translators. Reform and Consumer Protection Act global financial crisis hit the private By providing an overview of some of also requires numerous investment sector full force in 2008, it took the “hot topics” affecting 10 sectors advisers, hedge funds, and private another three years before the public that make up the backbone of the equity firms to be subject to these new sector began to feel the pain. As a financial translation industry, I have registration requirements. result of this “delay” in addressing the tried to identify useful areas for addi- The potential volume of work in crisis, most governments are now tional focus. Doing so will help trans- this area can be considered high due to trying to reduce their deficits in var- lators tackle future assignments in a the international nature of investors. ious ways and are more eager than more confident and accurate manner. This type of work is also relatively ever, especially in the Eurozone, to let complex, with plenty of industry-spe- the international community know Notes cific terms. The volume of reliable about their initiatives and achieve- 1. Joined Up Writing – Surveying information available is considered ments. The result is an increased Annual Reports (Deloitte, 2012), medium due to its relatively high level demand for translation. http://bit.ly/Deloitte-Annual- of presence and its opaque nature. This The level of complexity of the initia- Reports. is considered a rapidly evolving sector tives being implemented by national because of its intangible nature and governments can be considered 2. International Financial Reporting increased marketing. medium-high, especially those relating Standards, www.ifrs.com/updates/ to the Eurozone crisis. The potential aicpa/ifrs_faq.html.

14 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 3. “Securities and Exchange Com mis - sion, Commission Statement in Sup port of Convergence and Glo bal International institutions (such as the United Nations Accounting Standards,” www.sec. gov/rules/other/2010/33-9109.pdf. and institutions of the European Union) tend to be large employers of in-house translators and 4. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, www. significant buyers of translation. sec.gov/about/laws/wallstreet reform-cpa.pdf.

5. BASEL III, www.basel-iii.world 8. Solvency II (Financial Services 10. IFRS 4 Phase II – Insurance finance.com. Authority, 2013), www.fsa.gov. Contracts, www.iasplus.com/en/ uk/solvency2. standards/standard44. 6. “Trade Growth to Ease in 2011, But Despite 2010 Record Surge, 9. More information on the Federal 11. IFRS 9 – Financial Instruments, Crisis Hangover Persists,” World Insurance Office can be found on the www.iasplus.com/en/standards/ Trade Organization Press Release websites of the National Association standard49. (April 7, 2011), http://bit.ly/wto- of Insurance Commissioners (www. pr-April2011. naic.org/cipr_topics/topic_fio.htm) 12. Revisions of the Undertakings for and the U.S. Department of the Collective Investment in Trans- 7. Investment Services Directive – Treasury (http://bit.ly/treasury-fed ferable Securities IV, http://bit.ly/ Markets in Financial Instruments eral-insurance). ec-europa-eu-revisions-UCITS. Directive (MiFID), http://bit.ly/ ec-europa-eu-MiFID.

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The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 15 The Rhetoric of Wine By Giles Watson

Just over a decade ago, I wrote a piece on wine translation called “Notes on Notes” for Tradurre, the The language of wine has its own rhetoric. newsletter of ATA’s Italian Language Division.1 It was intended as in introduction to the translation of wine descriptions and reviews, which is a rel- Before we move on, there are a few • Second, it is clear that wine pro- atively rich source of work requiring a general points to be made about trans- fessionals who translate usually bit of technical knowledge and the lating in this sector. produce better work than transla- ability to analyze a text’s rhetoric (the tion professionals who work with force of its language) and reproduce its • First, the language of wine has its wine texts. At least in my experi- original intent in the target language. own rhetoric. As in other linguistic ence, the former are more conﬁ- After working with a fair number of genres, that rhetoric is not the same dent with wine-related styles, translators as the editor of Gambero in English and Italian. The main dif- which they already use when Rosso’s Italian Wines (Vini d’Italia) ferences are culture-related and writing directly in the target lan- guide every year since the article was involve underlying stylistic expecta- guage, while the latter tend to have published, I think it might be useful to tions, but wine-related elements also a more restricted range of transla- highlight some areas that seem to play an important part in the choices tion options at their disposal and require my editorial intervention with a translator makes. Sector-speciﬁc are more likely to misconstrue the particular frequency. Some of the strate- vocabulary can be hard to spot original. Obviously, translators gies discussed here can also be useful without some prior knowledge. improve with experience,2 but neo- for other types of translation. phytes often assume that “any-

16 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 thing goes,” particularly when it comes to translating tasting notes. An important factor to keep in mind when translating • Third, it is important to read translations out loud. The English should is that a wine’s description follows the sequence ring true, which will not be the case of its sensory examination (“appearance-nose-palate” if the organization of thought in the Italian is followed too slavishly. or “sight-smell-taste”). Naturally, no ideas expressed in the original should be removed or added in the course of translation: equivalent content should be delivered with Vini d’Italia: Barbera d’Asti tends to prefer to name individual aro- equivalent force. Superiore Nizza, un prodotto che matics (“apple-like,” “pears and ha stoffa e grande struttura, sup- apples”). This is one of the reasons a Format of Wine Descriptions portata da profumi intensi di frutta translation from Italian is likely to be An important factor to keep in mind rossa matura e di spezie dolci. less effective than a description when translating is that a wine’s descrip- expressed directly in English. tion follows the sequence of its sensory Italian Wines: Barbera d’Asti Wine writing in the U.S. also examination (“appearance-nose-palate” Superiore Nizza again showed tends, or tended, to have more formal or “sight-smell-taste”). The meaning of very well, gaining Two Glasses. stylistic expectations and to be less a term can change depending on the It’s a wine of great structure and linguistically inventive than writing stage of sensory examination to which it substance, given a lift by intense produced in the U.K, but Internet self- refers. For example, the noun/adjective aromas of ripe red berry fruit and publishing is blurring the edges fast. stem intens- can refer to visual examina- sweet spices. Wine writing, like many other kinds tion, and is best rendered as “depth.” of writing, also tends to be more Here are two versions of the same pas- Similarly, the term articolazione, formal and less linguistically adven- sage taken from the Italian and English which refers to the clarity with which turous in Italian than in English. Of editions of Italian Wines from 2008: the wine’s various aromas can be discourse, all of these observations are tinguished, may crop up in either the empirical: none is a hard and fast rule. Vini d’Italia: La novità, che “nose” or the “palate” section of a There are other secondary points to quest’anno andrà a rimpolpare la description. “Complexity” or “aroma consider. Some English-language wine già consistente gamma dei vini separation” are possibilities in both writers, particularly in the U.S., have a prodotti, è il Monferrato Rosso cases, while “flavo(u)r separation” is habit of making normally uncountable Macchiaferro 2005, prodotto da an option in palate descriptions only. wine-related concepts countable. Let’s uve albarossa al 90% e nebbiolo. The translation options for sensory look at another passage from the 2008 Stupisce l’intensità di colore … evaluation descriptors suggested on edition of Italian Wines: my website (Watson’s Wine Glossary: Italian Wines: This year, that range www.watson.it) attempt to call atten- Vini d’Italia: L’alcol è in netta evi- acquired even more flesh with the tion to these sensory examination- denza e questo è forse l’unico limite. new Monferrato Rosso Macchiaferro related distinctions. ’05, made from albarossa with ten Italian Wines: percent nebbiolo. It has amazing Culture-Related Differences • The only quibble is an alcohol depth of colour … In broad-brush terms, Italian wine that raises its head a bit much. writers tend to be slightly less specific (American translator’s draft) However, intens- can also refer to in their use of descriptors than their the wine’s nose (i.e., its smell), in English peers. Category expressions • The only quibble is that the which case, “intense” or “pervasive” like frutta bianca (“white-fleshed alcohol raises its head a bit might be more appropriate in the fruit[s]”), for example, are used more much. (Published version) English translation: frequently than in English, which ·

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 17 The Rhetoric of Wine Continued

This style of writing represents general American usage, however, and is not restricted to wine.4 In broad-brush terms, Italian wine writers tend to be Other Style Expectations slightly less specific in their use of descriptors than their In addition to differing register preferences, Italian and English English-speaking peers. present clear differences in the way they organize ideas, and not just in wine writing. Reshuffling the order of ideas, or recasting the syntax to main- 2006 edition of Italian Wines: writers in English, particularly of mar- tain the original order, can do much keting texts, tend to prefer triplets to improve readability without Vini d’Italia: In attesa della (1+1+1), often extending the ﬁnal ele- detracting from the accuracy of the Barbera d’Asti Superiore La ment so that the rhythm suggests pace. translation. For instance, here is a sen- Cappelletta 2005, ancora in affina- The rhythm of the triplet suggests tence that appeared in the 2006 edi- mento al momento delle nostre something that is “moving forward.” tion of Italian Wines: degustazioni, dobbiamo registrare However, the momentum of English- il buon comportamento della style triplets tends to sound agitated if Vini d’Italia: È sufficiente entrare Barbera Barisél, la Barbera base overused in Italian. Of course, this is not nel cortile di questa straordinaria che si fa apprezzare grazie alla a hard and fast rule—triplets can be azienda, dare un’occhiata all’an- freschezza e alla vena acida, sup- found in Italian and pairs in English— fiteatro di vigneti che la circondano, portata da una valida struttura. but the respective baseline expectations, o meglio ancora essere accarezzati as well as the effect of the rhetorical dal bel venticello che qui non manca Italian Wines: Barbera d’Asti device, are different. From the mai, per essere già estasiati. Superiore La Cappelletta ’05 was Italian>English translator’s point of still ageing at the time of our tast- view, turning adjective pairs into triplets Italian Wines: Just enter the court- ings, but the standard Barbera is one of the ways in which the target yard, take a look at the amphithe- Barisél showed excellently with text can be reformulated to enhance atre of vines surrounding it or, freshness, a good swath of acidity musicality and facilitate comprehen- better, let yourself be caressed by and sound structure. sion. Here is an example from a 2009 the ever-present soft breeze, and issue of the English-language wine you’ll be enraptured. Italian Twos and English Threes magazine Decanter: A crucial part of making translations Here, substituting the Italian inﬁni- readable is rearranging the adjective Sweet, supple, full bouquet. Spiced tives with imperatives provides a strings that crop up with unfailing fre- black fruits with a winning fresh- reassuring implied subject at the quency in descriptions of wines. Italian ness on the palate. Long, clear and beginning of a sentence that would and English writers tend to group the really persistent. A wine of lovely otherwise require an initial place- ideas expressed in these phrases differ- abundance. (1+1+1), (1+1+1) holder (“it”) and leave the reader on ently. Writers in Italian tend to prefer tenterhooks until the arrival of the pairs, or pairs of pairs, and writers in Note that the tonic rhythm (dum, complement two and a half lines later. English tend to favor triplets. This phe- dum, dum-di-dum) is common to Italian is one of those languages that nomenon is not limited to adjective many such English triplets (as in like to ease into a sentence by pref- strings. In general, Italian likes to base “màd, bàd, and dàngerous to knòw”). acing the subject with one or more its discourse on balanced pairs of ideas Here are two pairs from a 2006 adjuncts. English, in contrast, gener- (1+1) to imply solidity. Italian writers issue of Vini d’Italia that were redis- ally prefers to get straight to the point continue to value, and their readers tributed as one attributive plus a pred- and shift secondary information to the expect, syntactical solidity and pyram- icative triplet in Italian Wines: far side of the subject and verb. Here idal hierarchies, which can appear dull is another example, again from the if transposed into English. This is why Continued on p. 20

18 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 References for Wine Tr anslators (In order of frequency of consultation by Giles Watson)

Lexique de la Vigne et du Vin – Français – Italiano – March, J. The Winemakers’ Essential Español – Deutsch – Português – English – Русский Phrasebook (London: Mitchell Beazley, (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin Paris, 1963). 2004), ISBN: 1-84000-782-6. (The standard multilingual wine dictionary. It is out of print, (A source for process-related phrases in but well worth tracking down.) several languages.)

Jackson, R.S. Wine Science – Principles and Applications, Dizionario Veronelli dei termini del vino [a cura di 3rd edition (Academic Press London, 2008), Masnaghetti, A.] (Bergamo: Veronelli editore, 2001), ISBN: 978-0-12-373646-8. ISBN: 887250-068-0. (This source is thorough and accessible, even to non-scientists.) (Contains brief explanations in Italian of a wide range of wine terms.) Robinson, J. (editor). The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd edition (Oxford University Press, 2006), There are also good English and Italian translations of a ISBN: 978-0-19-860990-2. standard French work on wine and tasting, which may be (The book’s easy-to-use alphabetical organization contains a wealth useful, especially when you are starting out: of useful information.) Peynaud, E. The Taste of Wine – The Art and Science of Wine Bird, D. Understanding Wine Technology – The Science of Appreciation, 2nd edition. Translated by M. Schuster (Wiley Wine Explained (Newark: DBQA Publishing, 2005), Chichester, 1996), ISBN: 0-471-11376-X. ISBN: 0-9535802-1-0. (A readable account of how wine is made. It is particularly useful if Peynaud, E. Il Gusto del Vino, edizione italiana a cura di L. your science background is sketchy.) Paronetto (Brescia: Edizioni AEB, 1983), ISBN: 88-7027-026-2.

Eynard, I., and G. Dalmasso. Viticoltura Moderna – Manuale And finally, VinotoWine Pratico, 9a edizione (Milano: Hoepli, 1990), (V2W: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vinotowine), ISBN: 88-203-1768-0. the Yahoo! group originally set up for Italian Wines translators, (A complete and accurate resource.) is still active. To join, request an invitation through my website (www.watson.it) or write to me at [email protected]. Saracco, C., G. Gay Eynard, M. Castino, and A. Gozzelino. Manuale pratico del viticoltore e del cantiniere (Edagricole – Edizioni Agricole de Il Sole 24 ORE Edagricole S.r.l., 2002), ISBN: 88-506-0079-8. (A general text with a good section on vine diseases.)

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 19 The Rhetoric of Wine Continued

Vini d’Italia: È un vino dal colore slim and supple on the palate” out Tooling Up dorato carico, dai profumi opulenti loud). However, the pattern is very If this brief overview has whetted di confettura d’albicocca, fichi common, to the point where at times your appetite for wine translation, the secchi ed erbe della macchia editing Italian Wines seems to consist box on page 19 lists some references mediterranea, che in bocca è grasso mainly of removing conjunctions you might enjoy as you leaf through e intensamente dolce, misurato e from, as well as rearranging, paired some of the many English- and godibile come sempre. (1+1), (1+1) adjective strings. Italian-language wine translations. The following example, taken Italian Wines: Its dark gold intro- from a 2011 issue of Italian Wines, Notes duces opulent aromas of apricot features a triplet in Italian with com- 1. Watson, Giles. “Notes on Notes,” jam, dried figs and the herbs of the ments arranged in the three stages of Tradurre (November, 2001). Mediterranean scrubland. The tasting (the wine’s appearance is well-judged palate is rich, described first, then its nose, and 2. Translating in a new sector is a little intensely sweet and as enjoyable finally its palate). The adjective pair like foraging for mushrooms: make as ever. (1), (1+1+1) in the nose section (marasca matura e your initial expeditions with liquirizia) is followed directly by someone who knows more than you Often, the (1+1) pair pattern is another pair describing the palate do; catalogue your finds carefully; brought to a close by doubling or oth- (morbido e succoso), which is a pat- only use what you are absolutely erwise extending the second element tern that would sound weak if copied sure of; and remember that training in the final pair (1+ [1+1]). Here is an in English. In this case, the solution and study are life-savers. example from a 2011 issue of Italian was to tweak the rhythm by turning Wines: one of the adjectives into an adverb. 3. Vini d’Italia and Italian Wines are published respectively by G.R.H. Vini d’Italia: Ci convince di più il Vini d’Italia: Il Refosco ’07 ha un S.p.A. and Gambero Rosso, Inc. Pinot Nero Briglhof ‘07, fresco nei colore vivace, profuma di marasca profumi e snello e scorrevole al matura e liquirizia ed è morbido e 4. Here is another example of making palato. (1+[1+1]) succoso al pari dello Schioppettino uncountable concepts countable. It ’07 … was googled more or less at random Italian Wines: The ’07 Pinot Nero and sounds odd to U.K. ears: “Our Briglhof is more convincing with Italian Wines: The ’07 Refosco’s nonprofit customers receive a five- its fresh nose and slim-bodied, vibrant hue frames ripe morello dollar value for every dollar they supple palate. cherry and liquorice while the invest in our services.” Taken from palate is every bit as juicily soft-tex- the Community Development page of If translated literally, sentences tured as the ’07 Schioppettino … the Federal Reserve of St. Louis like the ones above will seem clunky website (http://bit.ly/StLouis-Federal (try reading “fresh on the nose and -Reserve).

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20 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 Carlos Fuentes: The Writer and His Translators By Tony Beckwith

“Nothing disappears completely, everything is transformed.” — Carlos Fuentes, Terra Nostra (Translation: Margaret Sayers Peden)

(The following was originally published in the Summer 2012 issue of Source, the newsletter of ATA’s For most translators, such a close working relationship Literary Division.) with the author is the exception rather than the Carlos Fuentes died in Mexico City on May 15, 2012. He was 83. He rule, but it was not unusual when working had lived the fullest of lives, and was widely regarded as one of the grand with Carlos Fuentes. old men of Latin American letters. With his passing, a major chapter in the literature of the Spanish-speaking world comes to an end. simistic; to engage in criticism is to world. As a journalist, he was Fuentes once told National Public be concerned with the matters at provocative and known to wield “a Radio that when he was a boy living hand and with the country. fearsome pen.” During his visit, I in the U.S., his father, a career wondered what it might be like to diplomat, taught him: I met Fuentes briefly in 1997, translate his books and mused on the when he came to address the many ways there might be to prepare … the history, geography, the American Literary Translators for an opportunity of that kind. values of Mexico. Then I went and Association Conference and the Texas News of his death made me think saw the real country and this cre- Book Fair. He was that quintessential of his legacy of words and ideas, and ated a conflict in me … In the ten- Latin American ﬁgure—the public of his penchant for promoting his sion between my imagination and intellectual. He was an articulate force fellow writers. As I looked at the long reality, my literary possibilities as in social, political, and academic cir- list of his works, my eyes hovered a novelist were born … I see criti- cles, well endowed with the courage over the names of the translators who cism as our way of being opti- of his convictions, which he have introduced him to the English- mistic in a growing nation such as expressed with a natural urbanity and speaking world over the past 50 years. Mexico. To abstain from criticism sparkle that made him a welcome I began to think of Fuentes in terms of is, I think, a way of being pes- guest on interview shows all over the those who knew him and his ·

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 21 Carlos Fuentes: The Writer and His Translators Continued work rather better than most, and what they remembered about translating his stories, essays, and novels. Fuentes was that quintessential Latin American Three of them graciously agreed to be interviewed for this article: Alfred figure—the public intellectual. Mac Adam,1 Suzanne Jill Levine,2 and Margaret Sayers Peden.3 Alfred Mac Adam first collaborated with Fuentes in 1984 on the narrative more fluid. Producing the I loved Carlos’ guidance when book Christopher Unborn, and translation actually changed the translating Holy Place. He told me remembers accepting the assignment author’s perception of the original. to make Claudia’s quips more “with tremendous misgivings”: Raymond Chandler-esque, which For most translators, such a close was excellent advice, as he was After all, the novel is long, unimag- working relationship with the author doing a takeoff, in those sections, inably complex, and contains a huge is the exception rather than the rule, on the hardboiled American roman range of styles, including long pas- but it was not unusual when working noir; indeed, one of the books that sages in the local slang of Mexico with Carlos Fuentes. most influenced him in its style City. My Spanish, my English, and Suzanne Jill Levine translated and treatment of social and polit- my sanity would all be put to the test. Fuentes’ Holy Place in 1972. She was ical corruption was Dashiell This was unlike anything I’d ever not quite 25 years old at the time, and Hammett’s Red Harvest. translated in my life, but the honor of the writer must have recognized a translating the author of The Death familiar precocity in the young trans- Levine, a life-long academic and of Artemio Cruz was an opportunity lator. They became friends as they prolific translator of Latin American I would never turn down.”4 collaborated on the translation, and writers, met Fuentes in 1969 through the correspondence between them is a her partner and mentor Emir Indeed, what a magnet! And not fertile source of insights into their Rodríguez Monegal, the Uruguayan without immediate rewards. The process. In a letter from Mexico City scholar and literary critic. Monegal project included a trip to Mexico with in November 1971, Fuentes says that founded the literary magazine Mundo Fuentes and the editor from the pub- Levine makes him, “read like Henry Nuevo that was published in Spanish lishing house for a one-week James.” He goes on to say: in Paris and contributed to the marathon editing session in a secluded “boom” in Latin American literature country house. Mac Adam says the I have only one basic desire: that the that spanned the 1960s and 1970s. collaboration was a shock for Fuentes: Claudia-Mito dialogues should be a Monegal and Fuentes were close lot harder, rougher, biting, more friends, and thanks to their efforts Our daily reading exercise was vulgar. As long as he narrates in the Mundo Nuevo introduced unknown actually the first time he’d ever first person, the Jamesian tone with writers to a wider audience. In 1966, gone over his Spanish original with baroque overtones is just perfect; for example, the magazine published an editor. The editor—as we know when the mother and son engage in a chapter of Cien Años de Soledad that person in U.S. publishing— verbal battle, there should be (as in (One Hundred Years of Solitude), the had only recently come into exis- the Spanish original) a marked dif- now-legendary novel by Gabriel tence in the Spanish-speaking ference; Claudia, particularly, Garcia Márquez. Fuentes and world. In the past, it was simply should be much more bitchy and Monegal were key figures in 20th- assumed that the author would almost gangster-like in her speech: century Latin American literature watch over his own work. Because like something out of Raymond because they facilitated a literary dia- of the editor’s suggestions, Carlos Chandler or Ross MacDonald. logue between North and South found himself making changes in America at a very difficult time. the English text that he wished he Regarding how it felt to have Literature and politics were uneasy could have made to the original, Fuentes coaching from the sidelines, partners in a complicated relationship, paring and deleting to make the Levine says: and initiatives such as Mundo Nuevo

22 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 provided a channel for dialogue. It was always about the dialogue. Levine, who was at Columbia We are sojourning in a time and place created University writing her MA thesis on Gabriel García Márquez at the time, by a writer as we describe it in another language. remembers having lunch with Márquez, Fuentes, and Monegal in Barcelona during a trip to Europe in the summer of 1970. She says Fuentes away from it, but my best readers are on to translate six of Fuentes’ books, was very generous in his support of the readers of Terra Nostra.” including The Old Gringo, which was “Gabo” (Gabriel) and other writers, One reason people shy away from made into a movie. which is a quality that is always men- it is that it is a long book, and I won- So, what was it like working with tioned when people talk about Carlos dered what steps a translator would Fuentes? Mac Adam says that: Fuentes. Levine refers to Fuentes’ take to keep track of things when generosity of spirit as, “an expression working on a book of that size. After working on Christopher of the grass roots of politics in the Margaret Sayers Peden translated it in Unborn, I became Carlos’ regular world of literature; he understood that 1976, so I asked her if she made a spe- translator. Meaning that when he writers need defenders, they need cial effort, for the sake of consistency, had one of his manuscripts (he usu- champions.” Levine says that what to keep track of the way she translated ally wrote in longhand) tran- interested her most about this book as particular words that reappear scribed—by his daughter from his a translator was the shrill dialogue, throughout the work. Sayers Peden ﬁrst marriage (to the actress Rita the conversations with unspoken ten- says she did, adding: “I also believe Macedo)—he would have a copy sions beneath. that the same word, given the fact that sent to me. I would then get right to A translator must obviously be words are slippery and treacherous, work on it so the translation would skilled in working with dialogue, needs to be translated differently be out in a timely fashion. It was especially when it includes a lot of within different contexts.” like having a second job. For a slang. Fuentes was prone to put slang Sayers Peden went back to school couple of decades he was a part of expressions into his characters’ in 1962 to get her master’s degree, but my life, so his words were ringing mouths. Mac Adam, who translated claims to have done nothing literary or in my ears constantly. six of Fuentes’ books, remembers this academic before then. As she puts it, aspect of the work: she was: “drawn to translating by Levine’s correspondence with forces I still don’t understand. But Fuentes tells many stories, with many The major challenge was his vast once started, I wasn’t going to be enticing sidetracks. A relevant item, vocabulary in Spanish and his stopped … It never dawned on me that however, that gives us some idea of ability to make puns in several lan- I couldn’t translate anything I wanted.” how Fuentes approached the collabora- guages. Keeping up with that was As she evolved as a literary translator tion, is a request for clarification on a hard. Translating slang is also diffi- she realized that she had, “a very per- word that elicits this answer: “Escuincle cult, especially if the slang in ques- sistent flaw. I wanted to stay too close is the Mexican equivalent of the Río de tion is from another era. What do to the Spanish. That was something la Plata’s pibe or the Chilean cabro. you do—try to replicate 1960s very difﬁcult for me to unlearn.” From the Nahuatl itzcuintle, a very Mexico City slang in some kind of That process of “unlearning” small hairless dog. ‘Brat’ will do.” In New York 1960s slang? Impossible. sounds like an excellent way to response to another query, Fuentes develop the flexibility a translator writes: “… Actually, Chole is a nick- When Fuentes came to Texas, I requires to handle the endless sub- name for women called Soledad.” He interviewed him for an Austin news- tleties of language and meaning. As then adds, in his trademark tongue-in- paper and asked which books gave Sayers Peden explains, “problems are cheek style: “Cien años de Chole.” him the most satisfaction. With no essentially the same among the genres. Levine describes the relationship hesitation he said Terra Nostra. “It is There’s music in prose, information to between writer and translator this way: the hardest to read. Many readers shy be communicated in poetry.” She went ·

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 23 Carlos Fuentes: The Writer and His Translators Continued

The relationship an author estab- by a writer as we describe it in Other: An Interview with Margaret lishes with the translator is dif- another language. In this case, the Sayers Peden by James Hoggard,” ferent from that with scholars and writer was Carlos Fuentes, who will for Translation Review, Volume critics; authors may be willing to be greatly missed by his readers and 56, 1998. open up to translators in ways they his translators. would be reluctant to do with 4. Mac Adam, Alfred. “On Becoming critics and scholars. There is a Notes a Fuentette,” AARP VIVA (Spring more intimate relationship at 1. Alfred Mac Adam, Columbia 2011), http://bit.ly/AARP-VIVA- times, which may have to do with University. Fuentes. the shared experience of the mate- riality of writing.”5 2. Suzanne Jill Levine, University of 5. An excerpt from: Guzmán, María California at Santa Barbara. Constanza. “An Interview with As translators we are not only Suzanne Jill Levine” (Words without doing what Sayers Peden describes as 3. Margaret Sayers Peden was unex- Borders, 2009), http://bit.ly/words “bringing something new to people pectedly unavailable at the last withoutborders-Levine. who wouldn’t have it otherwise.” We minute and unable to participate in are also flowing the other way and the interview. She is quoted here sojourning in a time and place created from “The Intimate Presence of the

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24 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 Certification Forum By David Stephenson ATA Certification Committee Deputy Chair Eight Tips for Passing ATA’s Certification Exam

1. Plan Ahead: Ideally, you should 4. Take One or More Practice Tests: gual dictionary, a monolingual begin preparing at least six months A set of practice tests is available for target-language dictionary and/or prior to the sitting. There is a regis- each certification language pair. This style guide, and a good “general tration deadline for each sitting, is a highly effective, affordable way technical” or “general legal/busi- and ATA Headquarters will need to gauge your chances on the exam ness” dictionary, if that exists for time to confirm that you satisfy the and to see the passages “up close.” your language pair. Consider bor- eligibility requirements. If you Practice sets are retired exam pas- rowing references from colleagues decide to complete a practice test, sages, and a marked copy of your or a library. However, very special- please order it well in advance of work is returned to you. See the ized reference materials are not the actual exam sitting, since it will February 2013 issue of The ATA needed since graders edit out also take time to be graded. The Chronicle for details (www.atanet. highly specialized terminology graders are volunteers (not staff org/certification/chronicle_cert_ when choosing passages. members) who are active transla- practicetest.pdf). Please keep in tors living around the globe, so mind that if you pass the practice 7. Pay Close Attention to the Trans- please allow 6-8 weeks for receipt test, you will not necessarily pass the lation Instructions: Each passage of the evaluation. certification examination, but if you comes with instructions specifying do not pass the practice test, chances the source of the text as well as the 2. Watch Celia Bohannon’s Free are high that you will fail the exam. purpose, audience, and place of Webinar from July 2011: “Pre - publication of the translation. This paring to Take the ATA Certification 5. Practice Handwriting: ATA’s provides context for approaching Exam” is a free one-hour presenta- Certification Program is offering a the translation, which could influ- tion that highlights many practical limited number of keyboarded ence your choice of style, register, tips for preparing for the exam. exams in 2013, but most candi- or even terminology. Topics include: how to approach eli- dates will still write their exams by gibility requirements; what to do hand. For most people, this is not a 8. Proofread Your Work: During the with the practice test results; and common, day-to-day activity, so exam sitting, try to leave at least 15 how to train for taking the exam. advance practice with writing by minutes per passage to review your Celia has been grading exams since hand will be helpful. The webinar work before handing it in. Look for 1981. Over the years, she has graded mentioned earlier includes helpful careless errors or omissions and hundreds of exams and practice tips in this regard. make sure the translation flows and tests. Since 1997, she has coordi- reads as if it had originally been nated and conducted the grader 6. Review Your Dictionaries: Since written in the target language. training sessions held at ATA’s electronic/web resources cannot Finally, spelling and punctuation Annual Conference and at the (yet) be used for the exam, make do matter! Language Chairs Annual Meeting. sure you have adequate print See www.atanet.org/webinars/ata resources to take with you to the Good luck! Webinar93_certification.php. sitting. At the very least, you should have a good general bilin- 3. Do Your Research: The section on certification on ATA’s website (www.atanet.org/certification/index Don’t Miss! .php) contains a wealth of informa- October 11-13, 2013 tion about how the exam is created, October 12, 2013 California Federation of Interpreters administered, and graded. Read as Michigan Translators/Interpreters Network 11th Annual Continuing much of the material as possible 3rd Annual Conference Education Conference and do not hesitate to contact ATA Novi, MI “Expanding Our Horizons” Headquarters with any questions. www.mitinweb.org Oakland, CA www.calinterpreters.org

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 25 David C. Rumsey is an ATA director and serves on ATA’s Standards Committee. He is a past administrator of ATA’s Nordic Division. A former Standard Issue David C. Rumsey project and localization manager, he has been a [email protected] freelance translator for business, medical, and technical documentation from the Scandinavian languages and German since 1998. Contact: Translating-By-Numbers [email protected].

Whether we like it or not, European clients may already be These standards provide a template translation standards are coming our familiar. There is also a U.S. standard for “best practices” for translation way. In my last column in the for translation providers, ASTM F2575, providers, in terms of defining pro- September 2012 issue (page 30), I men- available from the American Society for ject specifications, selecting vendors, tioned that an international standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM). You can organizing the translation process, and certifying translation providers is purchase copies of these standards resolving problems. For language around the corner. However, a few from the links below. However, the people, however, all of the different standards are already here. standard that is currently being devel- numbers can be overwhelming. What Perhaps the most common transla- oped by the International Organization does it mean? What will you actually tion standard available is EN15038, cre- for Standardization (ISO), ISO 17100, have to do? ated by the European Committee for will eventually become the de facto First, standards are actually here to Standardization (CEN) in 2006, with standard for translation providers help you—whether you are an indi- which many translators working with around the globe. vidual translator working with an end client or a large multinational. They are intended to clarify the translation process for all parties involved: the translator, the agency, and the buyer. Standards do not tell you how to run your business. You can modify or Related Resources create your work processes as needed in order to prove that you are meeting the relevant standard. For example, a standard may American Society for Testing and Materials require that a translator’s skills be www.astm.org confirmed in some way. This requirement could be satisfied by keeping Certification.org records of a translator’s education www.lic.certification.org level or experience in the industry, or having the individual pass a sample translation test. Another example of a European Committee for Standardization requirement might involve using a sep- www.cen.eu/cen/Products/EN/Pages/default.aspx arate reviser for all translations, as suggested in various standards. This could International Organization for Standardization be documented by having the reviser www.iso.org complete a sign-off form or by recording the various phases of a translation (draft, revised, final) using a International Quality & Reliability Consultants defined file naming system. www.iqrc.com/accreditedregistrars.htm Most of this is pretty much a no- brainer for a lot of us, but it is important to remember that you actually need to IMPLEMENT this system by making sure that all of your employees and vendors follow the rules you establish. Getting the coop- The explosive growth in the translation and interpreting business worldwide has increased the call for the creation of global stand- eration from everyone in the business ards for the language services industry. ATA’s Standards Committee is actively involved in this process. This column will appear is critical. One rogue project manager periodically to update members regarding standards development, addressing what they are, how they work, and, most importantly, how they affect translators and interpreters. Continued on p. 31

26 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 Judy Jenner is a court-certified Spanish interpreter and a Spanish and German translator in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she runs Twin Translations with her The Entrepreneurial Linguist Judy Jenner twin sister. She is a past president of the Nevada judy.jenner@ Interpreters and Translators Association. She hosts entrepreneurial the translation blog, Translation Times linguist.com (www.translationtimes.blogspot.com). You can

Photo by Ulf Buchholz Source Text Blues also find her at www.entrepreneuriallinguist.com. Contact: [email protected].

One of the many challenges on the side of caution and be polite strange abbreviations and acronyms, no translators face is a poorly written and nonjudgmental when pointing out formatting issues, perfectly written) is source text. This is a tricky subject, any potential mistakes. analogous to a certified public accoun- and as with most business-related tant who expects her client to be issues, there are no easy answers, but Read the entire source document obsessed with Excel spreadsheets. read on for my thoughts on source before you accept a project. If you Poorly written source texts will be a big texts and the role of the translator. feel that the source text is so incom- part of your professional life. Look on prehensible that you cannot possibly the bright side—any grammatical or We are not the language police. translate it, then decline the project, style issues can usually be eliminated Stick to your role. The client has hired and do so politely. If it is a long-time by translating the text! you to perform a specific service, client, you might want to point out which is translation, so you should some of the shortcomings of the Research before you ask/comment. focus on that (of course, there are source text, but before you say these Before you comment on a source text, always exceptions). Hiring a translator things with iron-clad conviction, do some research. Google a few lines who then critiques your source text is check with a trusted colleague to get a and see if your client is the author. If so, a bit like hiring an architect who second opinion on your opinion. then you must really use kid gloves. I comes to your house to talk about the heard about a colleague who told a new backyard porch and then points Consider the possibility that you client that the source text was “ter- out that you have poor interior deco- might be wrong. Translators might rible,” only to be informed that the rating skills. If the client asks for feed- not fully understand some of the sen- client, a highly respected economist, back on the source text, that is a tences in the source text, and there is had written the text herself. My hunch different story. Some of my trusted nothing wrong with that. This is where is that the colleague was not familiar clients do want me to compile a list of the international networks of linguists with the highly specific way of writing potential errors in the source text, and come in—we help each other! It is part for academic journals, but tried to shift I usually put together a matter-of-fact of our job to dissect very complex doc- the blame to the source text, which list and refrain from making any unso- uments and to produce a linguistic brings me to the next point. licited comments. However, many equivalent in the target language. clients might value feedback about the However, consider this—perhaps a Stick to your areas of expertise. There source text, and might even see you as translator does not fully understand the is a reason I do not translate documents an important part of the proofing source text (or a portion thereof), not for the pharmaceutical industry: I am process. Unfortunately, you do not because it is so poorly written, but not qualified. Source texts in this area have a crystal ball and might not because the translator has not com- would not make sense to me, not always know what clients want, so err pletely kept up with current usage in because they are poorly written, but his or her source language. Translators because I lack the expertise to under- must consider the possibility that this stand them. might be the case, especially if it has been a number of years since they I very certainly do not have all of Yahoo! Business lived in a country in which their source the answers, but above anything, I try Discussion Group language is spoken. to remember that we are in the cus- tomer service business. Without clients, ATA members can discuss business issues online Source texts are almost never perfect all our knowledge is worthless. at the following Yahoo! group: (unless you get very lucky). Expecting http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/ the perfect source text (easy to read, no group/ata_business_practices. You will need to register with Yahoo! (at no charge) if you have not already done so, and provide This column is not intended to constitute legal, financial, or other business advice. Each your full name and ATA member number in individual or company should make its own independent business decisions and consult order to join the group. its own legal, financial, or other advisors as appropriate. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of ATA or its Board of Directors. Ideas and questions should be directed to [email protected].

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 27 GeekSpeak Jost Zetzsche [email protected]

Honing Strategies

I am sure many of you And while I assume that the photogra- By and large, the ongoing develop- have encountered the stunning black pher used a digital camera, it does not ment in translation technology is rela- and white photograph Man Feeding appear to be technologically manipu- tively linear, meaning that—as it Swans in the Snow in the past few lated or enhanced, yet it still strikes us usually works with technology devel- weeks. (See page 29 if you have not.) with its exquisite beauty and power. opment—each building block is placed The photo has gone viral, with millions This provides a classic starting point one by one on top of more building of views worldwide. I can only imagine to write about a misconception in our blocks. that you were as awed as I was by the field that I think is very widespread— But it is important to understand that image captured by Polish photographer namely, that every development in this does not mean that every one of us Marcin Ryczek. The composition is so translation technology should find uni- translators—the main actors of this simple and yet so striking. It is a form application. industry—are compelled to adopt each modern-day yin and yang, with its Can you imagine anyone looking at of these blocks as if bound to them by colors and its striking juxtaposition of Man Feeding Swans in the Snow and some strange fate. True, we are well off the sheltering blanket of snow against complaining that so little technology if we understand each of the new trans- the cold and chilly waters. In short, it is was used in the image? Or suggesting lation technology developments so we one of those images that one could that making it into a color image or can assess their usefulness to us, but it spend pages and pages writing about. using some Photoshop shenanigans should be the usefulness and not the But aside from the philosophy and would have properly jazzed it up a bit? mere existence of a technology that aesthetics, there was one more aspect The very idea sounds hideous and just makes us want to adopt it. In fact, I of the photograph that really struck me. as crazy as declaring that all translation think the market even requires some of Despite all of the huge advancements in should be done with the utmost that us to limit ourselves to working with photographic technology, this black technology has to offer. technologies that have been around for and white image is very, very simple. a long time (such as nothing but personal computers, electronic communi- cations systems, and Internet access). Others will need to work with the latest technologies of today and tomorrow. ATA Certification Exam Information Still others—the majority, in fact—will fall somewhere in between. Upcoming Exams We serve a highly diverse market. To be more exact: we serve many mar- Kentucky Nevada Washington kets with very naturally divergent Louisville Reno Seattle needs. We need to find the technologi- August 21, 2013 August 17, 2013 June 1, 2013 cally best way to serve the very niche Registration Deadline: Registration Deadline: Registration Deadline: for which we supply translation. Since August 7, 2013 August 2, 2013 May 17, 2013 we often serve several niches, we might have to equip ourselves with slightly Michigan Pennsylvania different technology for each. And if Novi Elkins Park the latest in technology does not fit one August 3, 2013 June 8, 2013 or any of the markets to which we cater, Registration Deadline: Registration Deadline: it might just not fit. Period. July 19, 2013 May 24, 2013 The Translation Automation User Society (TAUS), recently published the All candidates applying for ATA certification must provide proof that they meet the certification Translation Technology Landscape program eligibility requirements. Please direct all inquiries regarding general certification Report (download it free at http:// information to ATA Headquarters at +1-703-683-6100. Registration for all certification exams tinyurl.com/TAUSReport) that matches should be made through ATA Headquarters. All sittings have a maximum capacity and admission the development of translation tech- is based on the order in which registrations are received. Forms are available from ATA’s website nology with different eras of our or from Headquarters. industry. According to the report, the

1980s were the Translation era, during stand on pretty shaky ground, but editor or by helping to develop or which the industry focused on docu- where they are all wrong is in the implement these systems, great. There ments that were translated without any assumption that our whole industry is should be plenty of work for you if you technology. The 1990s were the era of heading that way. know how to market yourself ade- Localization, in which the focus was on Granted, many larger clients have quately and have the needed skill set. software translation with translation been using translation management If you choose to take an earlier exit memory and terminology software. systems these past few years. Are these from the technology development The 2000s were the era of your clients? Some of you will answer highway, however, you will find that Globalization and featured the simship in the affirmative, certainly, myself there are plenty of opportunities at vir- (simultaneous shipment) of products in included. But does this mean that our tually every stage. And if you change many languages, achieved with the industry as a whole has reached or will your mind, it is never too late to find a help of translation management sys- ever reach that era? No, because it feeder road and get right back on the tems. In the 2010s, the era of clearly does not make sense for so highway. Integration (by the way, that is right many clients and projects to have such Man Feeding Swans in the Snow now), the focus is on integration into massive systems. The same is true for speaks to all of us, partly because the enterprise systems achieved with technologies like machine translation photographer chose a technology that machine translation and advanced in its various forms. Machine transla- suited his objective. It is the same as leveraging. Looking ahead to the tion has already carved out an impor- good translation aided by technology 2020s, the era of Convergence, TAUS tant place for itself, and that space will that is appropriate, useful, and precisely predicts that translation will be continue to grow. If you want to work suited to its purpose. embedded in every app and on every with that technology, whether as a post- screen, bringing real-time customized machine translation to fruition. At what point did I lose you? The GeekSpeak column has two goals: to inform the community about technological Do not worry—apparently I am also advances and at the same time encourage the use and appreciation of technology among a few years behind. translation professionals. Jost is the co-author of Found in Translation: How Language Do all of these analytics come out of Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World, a perfect source for replenishing your thin air? Well, some of them might arsenal of information on how human translation and machine translation each play important parts in the broader world of translation.

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 29 Corinne McKay, an ATA-certified French>English translator specializing in international development and legal Please Discuss Corinne McKay translation, currently serves on ATA’s [email protected] Board of Directors. She is the author of How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator. To propose a topic for a future edition of “Please Discuss,” Starting Out: What You Need to Know e-mail [email protected].

Newcomers and students: what do they keting activities. Here are some ideas: make sure to hire all members for need to know? Many beginning and submit articles to your target other jobs. aspiring freelancers struggle during industry’s publications on how trans- Translators who engage in discus- their first months and years in the busi- lation affects their business; blog sions on the e-mail forums provided ness, despite a strong demand for more about how translations are used in by ATA or other organizations can translators and interpreters. Our your target niche; or find an associa- greatly enhance their careers by experts offer tips on what every new tion to join and volunteer to con- making sure that all contributions are freelancer must do in order to succeed. tribute to its newsletter. And do not courteous, knowledgeable, and to the wait for the phone to ring—reach out point. For example, I have often rec- Ray Reyes: Chief Executive Officer to your target customers and share ommended people on ATA’s German and Chief Strategist, Latitudes your passion for helping them solve a Language Division listserv who have Consulting problem. Finally, you will have to shown great expertise in areas where I So, you have chosen to be a trans- submit lots of samples (and, being a am not competent. I will say to a lator? You have finished school, com- newbie, probably unpaid samples). client that I have never worked with X piled your transcripts, and joined ATA. But being an expert in your niche will because she and I do not share the You consider yourself to be highly help prospects overlook your lack of same expertise, but that I have been skilled and quality conscious. You are experience. Just remember, if it were impressed with her answers on the motivated, energized, and excited to easy, everyone would be successful. e-mail listserv and that they may want be a part of connecting the world to talk to her and see if they get the through translation. Sounds great, now Susanne van Eyl: English>German same impression. The feedback has what? It is time to build your business. translator and coordinator of ATA’s been good every time. Without experience, referrals, or Mentoring Program Translation jobs are often passed clients, how do you market yourself? Few things are more important for on through word of mouth, so being in First, there is not a secret sauce or translators in today’s world than their good rapport with your colleagues can silver bullet, there are not any short behavior in two key areas: 1) within a benefit your career. The same word of cuts, or easy ways to fast-track your translation team, and 2) on an e-mail mouth can be detrimental to someone business. One proven way to being a listserv. Both forums can directly affect who is difficult to work with, hands in successful translator can be found in a translator’s professional future posi- projects late or full of errors, or who this formula; Proficiency x Activity = tively or negatively. Let me explain. comes across as uncooperative. Success. It may sound simple, but it is Translators working on a team with anything but simple. If it were, every an editor and proofreader will greatly Chris Durban: French>English translator would have a thriving, suc- foster the success of a project if they translator and author of The cessful business. Always remember, hand over their part of the project on Prosperous Translator before you can be a great translator time, cooperate with other team mem- Translators who are just starting you have to be proficient at getting bers (including the project manager), out can obsess about “marketing” and clients. and adhere to glossaries and direc- “branding” and the like. Sure, posi- Let’s look at how to become profi- tions. And let’s not forget the impor- tioning is important, but you also need cient. As the world of translation tance of handing in good work. The something to sell. So I advise new- becomes more and more competitive other team members will remember comers and students to focus on you have to be able to stand out from this and recommend these colleagues behavior(s) that develop and consoli- the crowd. Companies find value in for other jobs when the occasion date core translation skills. specialists. For example, do not just arises. Even in situations where the focus on an industry. Specialize! Find teams are anonymous, the client will 1. For students: nowadays most rep- an industry niche and become an know how well a team worked and utable programs require intern- expert! Show value! Because there is NO value (or money) in being a jack- of-all-trades. Once you have iden- This column is designed to promote discussion of pertinent issues in our industry. tified your niche, then you have to get Moderator Corinne McKay proposes a topic and asks industry experts to respond. The active. Be creative with your mar- dialogue will then continue on ATA’s LinkedIn group (www.atanet.org/linkedin.php).

30 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 ships. But do not stop there. From remember, junior members of other ices. Read about writing, but do not year one, contact professional professions log (far) more than 40 stop there: write. A diary. A blog. translators (through ATA or local hours a week as they get under Real letters to your mom and dad, groups) and set up job shadowing way; be prepared to do the same. grandma, or favorite teacher(s). gigs (days or even half-days) Forcing yourself to write every day during vacations, afternoons off, 4. Read a business daily. Regardless exercises essential muscles. weekends, whenever. Observe, of your current or potential special- listen, and learn. ization, you will discover who is doing what and where the budgets 2. Hit the road: there is no substitute are. Investing 30 to 60 minutes a for living in your source-language day will help you identify areas country for at least a year (more if that need your skills (along with Join the Discussion possible). So do it: during your stu- useful skills to develop). on ATA’s dent years and immediately after. No procrastinating—the logistics 5. Avoid whiners and victims. Do not LinkedIn Group become far more complex as you engage; they will sap your energy. get older. 6. As a translator, you must write Want to contribute your viewpoint? It’s easy. 3. These days, most translators are better than 97% of the population. ATA members can join the discussion by logging self-employed. It is exhilarating, So practice. Sign up for Daily on to the Association’s LinkedIn group but can be daunting for folks with a Writing Tips (www.dailywriting (www.atanet.org/linkedin.php). Just look for the 9-to-5 mindset. So buckle down tips.com) or any one of the dozens “Please Discuss” thread. and get your head around it. And (hundreds?) of other similar serv-

Standard Issue Continued from p. 26 who likes to do things “my way” can behalf of ISO, CEN, or another stan- advance. A quick web search will spoil the entire effort. dards organization. They operate inde- likely reveal many such registrars in For the well-organized business, pendently and are subject to their own your neighborhood, which can also writing down all of your business prac- standard of practice, ISO 17021. The save you money. tices in a “Quality Manual” may not registrar will provide one or more For many, standards may seem like actually take that long. However, you “auditors,” who will actually review a needless paper chase; trying to fit a need to allot time to collect the evi- your existing quality documentation “word business” into a numbered dence of your system. For instance, and perhaps visit your office to talk to template. And there may be many your quality manual says that unsatis- your staff to ensure that you are indeed buyers that really do not care whether factory translations are sent to a third practicing what you preach. If they are you are certified or not, but those are party, but it may take a while before satisfied with what they see, they will the same buyers who are likely to get you have a case where this happens. issue the “Certificate of Compliance.” their maintenance crew to do the There are lots of templates available If not, they will likely issue a list of translations or resort to automatic online to help you write the procedures “non-conformities” you will need to translation. The translation standards and create a quality manual. address before they return. A good being created today will help educate A good idea is to seek the assis- registrar may agree to review your the public that there is a better way, a tance of a quality “registrar.” A regis- existing documentation before per- standard way, of conducting the lan- trar is a company that conducts the forming the actual “Quality Audit,” guage business. audit and grants the certification on which can save you a lot of money in

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 31 María Cristina de la Vega is certified as a Spanish<>English interpreter by the Admin- istrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the State of Interpreters Forum María Cristina de la Vega Florida, and the National Association of Judiciary [email protected] Interpreters and Translators. She is the president of ProTranslating, Inc., a language services provider in Florida. She blogs at http:// A Healthy Dose of Sense and Sensibility = mariacristinadelavegamusings.wordpress.com. Responsibility

In life, I feel it is our duty to Be truthful. You must endeavor to do when dealing with someone we dislike fulfill our potential as human beings. each assignment to the best of your for whatever reason, we need to try to Correspondingly, in our work we ability, being truthful to yourself and turn it into a positive interaction (com- must strive to nurture our latent tal- to others regarding your efforts. plaining wastes time). They have been ents to achieve all that we can in our Always try to do more than is put on our path for a reason, and it is up chosen field. At each stage of our expected, expressing the creativity and to us to figure out what we should learn journey, we must cultivate the per- diversity of your natural talents. from them. That is why it is so impor- sonal and professional values that will tant that we help care for each other. allow us to achieve the greatest suc- Use your judgment. Carefully weigh We all have a unique and valuable role cess and personal satisfaction. I am each decision you make. Do not be to play on earth as well as in our sphere speaking here of responsibility, to contentious with those around you, of business. If we were able to connect ourselves, to those around us, and to whether clients or coworkers. Do not the dots, we would already know our our future. The following are a few bring up issues if they are truly unim- purpose, not only for ourselves but for pointers to illustrate my argument. portant, especially if doing so could others as well. A rising awareness, in hurt your relationship with others and time, will help us to recognize these Enjoy where you are now. Do not stop does not fulfill a viable purpose. truths. trying until you feel comfortable with what you have attained. Working Remember, at the end of the day, we Learn to observe your own actions. toward an ultimate goal will never be are all interconnected although we Yoga teaches that one of the signposts easy. The important thing is to appre- may not realize it. I remember this that we are advancing in conscious- ciate and enjoy where you are now in concept being driven home in business ness is that we begin to detach and to your journey; that is, assuming you are school. The simple example used was a witness our actions as we are per- trying to improve yourself and not shirt: the department store that sells the forming them, and can thus modify resting on your laurels. You need to be shirt is in one location, the thread used them for the better. In a similar careful not to live thinking only of the to make the shirt in another, while the fashion, when you reach a certain future, of a time when you expect to parts are sewn together and assembled level of proficiency in interpreting, have accomplished more. As the classic somewhere else. People from all over you begin to witness your own rendi- oldie “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by the Byrds the world whom we will never know tions live, in both consecutive or says, there is “a time for every pur- collaborate to make many of the items simultaneous, and can begin to focus pose.” By following that advice, you we use every day. The similarity I see on improving them in real time. will avert the frustration that comes to our lives is that nothing happens from wasting a lot of time and energy randomly. The world shapes our lives. In short, it is our responsibility to comparing where you are now to where We learn life lessons from the people attempt continuously to make our you think you should be. This energy we least expect would teach us, lives the best they can be (and, conse- could be employed more productively whether we are aware of it or not. This quently, our careers). Doing so will be by improving your present situation. means we must make the most of our beneficial not only for ourselves, but There are things over which you have interactions with others, since we for our environment on all levels. As little control, and there is no guarantee never know when a life lesson will Abraham Lincoln said, “You cannot there will even be a future. That being present itself. When we happen to be escape the responsibility of tomorrow said, for the most part, things do have a working with people we like, we by evading it today.” habit of working out in the end. should enjoy the experience. Likewise,

ATA and the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation presents annual and 2013 Honors and Awards biennial awards to encourage, reward, and publicize outstanding work done by both Now Open! seasoned professionals and students. For complete entry information and deadlines, visit www.atanet.org/membership/honorsandawards.php.

32 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 Internet blogs are rich sources of information for translators and interpreters. They allow users to post questions, exchange ideas, network, and read news Blog Trekker Why Do Some Freelance and commentary on a specific subject. The topics featured in this column are actual blog postings Translators Fail? concerning issues pertinent to your colleagues in the field today. For more blog listings, visit www.atanet.org/careers/blog_trekker.php.

(Posted by Corinne McKay on her Having weak language skills. As up to better-paying clients. But if you blog, Thoughts on Translation, often stated by Chris Durban, author are translating 10 hours a day just to http://thoughtsontranslation.com.) of The Prosperous Translator (http:// pay the bills, it is hard to find that prosperoustranslator.com) it is hard to time, so you are more likely to stick I am not a great “tough love” develop the linguistic and cultural com- with the low-paying bird in the hand. advice-dispenser, but I am going to give petence that a translator needs without it a try. I work with a lot of beginning spending at least a year in your source Remaining in denial about how translators in my online course. When I language country(ies). And do not hang much work it is to be self-employed. follow up with students over the months out with speakers of your target lan- A wise self-employed person once and years after they finish the course, or guage the whole time you are there! said that being an entrepreneur means when I talk to beginning/aspiring trans- working 60 hours a week for yourself lators in general, some of them have Not putting yourself out there. I get it: so that you do not have to work 40 “made it” as freelancers and some of you are not good with strangers, you do hours a week for someone else. I am a them have not. When thinking about not want creepy exes finding your firm believer in avoiding perpetual advice for translation newcomers and address online, and so forth. But the overtime, but the essence of this state- translation students, I have unscientifi- simple truth of freelancing is that people ment is true. I recently gave a talk on cally identified a few pitfalls that can cannot hire you if they cannot find you. self-publishing, after which many of cause serious problems for people who They cannot refer work to you if they do the attendees commented that the idea are in the freelance launch phase. I am not know who you are. So whether it is sounded intriguing, but “like a lot of sure that readers have great tips and in person or online, or preferably both, work.” Um … yeah! It is a lot of work, anecdotes, too, so feel free to contact you have to come out of hiding. but I am more interested in putting that me at [email protected]! work into my own project than into Getting stuck on the low rate lining a traditional publisher’s Expecting too much return from too treadmill. This is a tough one. Most pockets. The same is true of being a little marketing effort. I get a lot of beginning translators do not set out freelancer. It is a lot of work! Did we inquiries from beginning freelancers to be underpaid, but working is better mention that it is a lot of work? But who are “very discouraged because than not working, and you have to the ability to make your own decisions they’ve applied to over 30 translation start somewhere if you want to break and take responsibility for your own companies and received no work.” I into the industry. Many beginning future makes it worth it. know I have said this a few (hundred) freelancers tell themselves that in a times before, but here it is again. During few months or years, they will trade my first year as a freelancer, I applied to over 400 translation companies. Then I sent every single company that responded positively a handwritten note

with a business card, thanking them for May 201 3 Vo lume XLII Number 5 Send a Complimentary Copy A Publica The tion of the their response and letting them know Am erican Tr anslators A ssociation CHRONICLE that I looked forward to working with The Voice of Interpreters and Translators them in the future. If you enjoyed reading this issue of The ATA Chronicle and think a colleague or organization Expecting the startup phase to be would enjoy it too, we will send a free copy. In this issue: Financial Translation shorter than it is. I think that six The Rhetoric of Wine months is the bare minimum that Simply e-mail the recipient’s name and address Translating Carlos Fuentes anyone can expect—two months to to ATA Headquarters—[email protected]— look for work, two months to do the and we will send the magazine with a note work, and two months to get paid. A indicating that the copy is being sent with your year is probably more realistic, and I compliments. Help spread the word about ATA! think that most freelancers reach “cruising speed” after about three years.

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 33 Compiled by Dictionary Review Peter A. Gergay [email protected]

Dizionario Combinatorio The Dizionario Combinatorio expected by chance. The main feature Compatto Italiano Compatto Italiano is a portable dic- of a collocation is that the link 3 3 tionary (6 ⁄4 x 9 ⁄4 inches, 1-3/8 inches between the two components is Reviewed by: Roberto Crivello thick). The typeface is legible but a unpredictable. For example, in the little too small; one point size bigger collocation bandire un concorso (to Author: would have helped. The paper is of announce a competition), the reason Vincenzo Lo Cascio good quality, but due to its size and for choosing bandire over other pos- binding, the dictionary will shut on sible verbs, such as lanciare (to Publisher: itself unless it is opened right in the launch) or avviare (to start), cannot be John Benjamins Publishing Company middle. If you want to read the deﬁni- deducted from the base (concorso) tions carefully while using both hands alone, so the expression needs to be Publication date: for another purpose (as I was doing learned separately. 2012 while typing this review), you will need Since command of a language is to put a heavy object over the pages to linked directly to the ability to asso- Number of pages: keep the dictionary from closing. Of ciate its terms with each other cor- 668 course, this will not matter if you just rectly, a good knowledge of need to look up an entry quickly, but collocations, together with the knowl- Number of entries: having the dictionary in the e-book edge of grammar and syntax, is neces- 3,000 format would be almost essential if you sary to express yourself correctly and plan to use it as a daily reference. to be understood easily. Collocations ISBNs: crop up all the time, and often transla- 978-90-272-1193-4 (paperback) Content tors do not even realize that they are 978-90-272-7465-6 (e-book) The entries are in Italian only, but not just translating words but also the introduction is written in both adapting collocations. For example, Price: English and Italian. As stated in the the word order of the collocation $59.00 introduction, the dictionary is “black and white” (as in, “a black and intended to help non-Italian speakers white printer”) is reversed when it is Available from: with an advanced linguistic compe- translated into Italian, becoming AbeBooks.co.uk (paperback) tence find the appropriate word com- bianco e nero (“una stampante in benjamins.com (paperback and e-book platforms) binations for communicating in bianco e nero”). Italian. The introduction also states This dictionary is a welcome addi- that the dictionary can be useful for tion to the landscape of linguistic native speakers who want to improve resources and is useful not just to non- their lexical choices when writing in Italian speakers, but also to Italian and speaking Italian. speakers and to translators. Trans- Many will use this as a dictionary lators are constantly subject to lin- of collocations. Even though in linguistic “contamination” (interference guistics collocations are considered to from the source language). If they are be only one of the word classes (such not careful, they might end up repro- as nouns, adjectives, etc.) that give ducing collocations literally—maybe structure to a combination of words, not in simple cases like “black and the distinction between classes is white” above, but in more subtle cases subtle. Therefore, for general pur- such as “last but not least.” poses, we can use the term “colloca- (Depending on the context, this can be tions” to refer to the “combinations” translated in a very different way than that are included in the dictionary. As the standard ultimo ma non da meno many of you know, a collocation is a or similar expressions that you ﬁnd in sequence of words or terms that English>Italian dictionaries.) Some- co-occur more often than would be times a translator might know that

34 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 “you just don’t say it this way,” but (jerky), involtino di carne (roulade), (and much more expensive) two-volume might have a hard time thinking of the and, on the gory side, even brandello edition of the Dizionario Com bi natorio right collocation. This is where condi carne (strip of flesh). with 6,500 entries, which would put it sulting a dictionary of collocations Now let’s evaluate a less common on the same level as the Urzì and can help refresh your knowledge on term, facciata. The proper meaning of Tiberii dictionaries. the subject. facciata is “front” (as in, the front of a As previously mentioned, the fact building), and its figurative meaning that there are missing combinations Coverage is “appearances.” For the figurative for entries in the Dizionario The dictionary’s introduction is meaning, we find in the dictionary Combinatorio is inevitable, but this detailed and does a good job explaining four combinations in the verb cate- does not diminish its usefulness for that words have their combinatorial gory: giudicare dalla facciata (to the intended audience. But in a preferences. For example, for a word judge by appearances); guardare oltre resource where the more entries you like pane (bread) we can have un tozzo la facciata (to look beyond appear- can insert the better, optimal use of (a piece), but we cannot use un tozzo ances); mostrare un interesse di fac- space would be paramount, and in this in combination with carne (meat) or ciata (to show feigned interest); and respect, I think that the space could formaggio (cheese). We should use un restare alla facciata (to go not beyond have been used more efficiently. tocco instead. appearances). Again, a native speaker The introduction states that an The introduction goes on to explain could think of other collocations, such explanation in square brackets will be that a verb does not combine with all as nascondersi dietro una facciata (to provided when, “... word combina- adverbs but only with a few of them, hide behind a facade) and ostentare tions may be difficult to understand based on its semantic compatibility. For una facciata (to feign) […] especially when [...] figurative.” example, arrivare (to arrive) does not As a third and final example, we While it could be difficult for a for- combine with velocemente (fast), even can look up offesa (offense/insult/ eign speaker to understand a figura- though in some contexts the combina- charge) in the adjective category, tive combination, this is usually not tion is allowed, such as in a construc- where we find: atroce (heinous); gra- the case for a native speaker. tion like arrivare velocemente alla tuita (uncalled for); grave (serious); Moreover, along with the definition, soluzione (to quickly arrive at a solu- imperdonabile (unforgivable); ingiusta each entry includes information on tion). Explanations and other use ful (unfair); involontaria (accidental); hyphenation. A native speaker who examples are given for all of the eight leggera/lieve (minor); mortale (mor- uses a dictionary of collocations is grammatical categories in which the tal); personale (personal); and plat eale usually only interested in the word word combinations of the dictionary (manifest). Again, there are other com- combinations, and the more the better. are classified: adjective, adverb, prepo- binations: cocente (bitter); insopporta- In fact, the dictionaries by Francesco sitional phrase, noun, preposition, bile (intolerable); sanguinosa (deadly); Urzì and Paola Tiberii do not provide quantifier, verb, and idioms. I recom- and invendicata (unavenged). definitions or hyphenations for the mend reading the entire introduction entries or explanations of the colloca- carefully, especially if you are unfa- Usefulness tions. We can only imagine how many miliar with collocations. This dictionary is the second of three more entries and collocations could Due to the large number of collo- books of this type arriving on the Italian have been crammed in the 668 pages cations that exist in any language, you market. (Until a few years ago, no dic- of the Dizionario Combinatorio had it cannot include every possible colloca- tionary of collocations was available in followed similar criteria for space tion for every entry. Let’s look at Italian.) It follows the Dizi onario delle optimization. As such, I think this dic- some examples. If we look up carne Combinazioni Lessicali by Francesco tionary, while generally useful, is (meat), mentioned previously, in the Urzì, published in 2009, and predates much more useful for a foreigner than quantifier category we find fetta di by a few months the Dizionario delle a native speaker. carne (steak), pezzo di carne (piece of collocazioni by Paola Tiberii. Both dic- Finally, I think it would have been meat), taglio di carne (cut of meat), tionaries claim to have more than 6,000 beneficial to issue a general “warning” and tocco di carne (chunk of meat). A entries, which is double the number of or “guideline” about the use of collo- native speaker can easily think of a entries in the Dizi onario Combinatorio. few more quantifiers: striscia di carne However, there is a more extensive Continued on p. 39

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 35 The Translation Inquirer John Decker [email protected]

Here on my desk is a Wahrig acceptable as an answer, although the (Russian>English 5-13.9) I will not Deutsches Wörterbuch that has never original query did not involve English. quote the entire paragraph, but the lived up to its promise of usefulness colleague posing the query is con- in my business, and therefore is in (German>Russian [English] 5-13.5) cerned about the two words in bold very good condition. I am willing to What is going on with the vehicle cab print: По заданию Компании part with it for only the cost of in the phrase Fahrerhaus aufkippen/ Исполнитель обязуется оказать postage. Before you jump at this abkippen? What does this refer to, and услуги по ... сопровождению opportunity, be aware that it is a what would be good Russian for it? наклонно-направленного бурения, monolingual German dictionary. The English is acceptable as an answer, сопровождению отработки долот, first person to respond by e-mail will although the original query did not оказанию управляемых услуг. That be able to claim it. involve English. should be enough. As might be sur- mised, the passage is part of a contract. New Queries (Italian>English 5-13.6) Originating (English>French 5-13.1) In the world from a request for information by the (Spanish>English 5-13.10) A col- of betting and gaming, what are “pair Polizia Giudiziaria, mezzo breve league encountered trabajar la po- combinations?” Here is some context: seems to imply a “short meeting,” but breza desde la riqueza in a biography. “Bets can be placed for straight, boxed, the colleague posing the query won- Generally aware of what it means, the back-up, pair, and wheel combina- ders if there are any nuances she has translator would like a concise ren- tions.” What are they, and is there any failed to get. Here is a bit of context: ... dering. Here is some context: Viajó a cogent way to express this in French? facendo seguito al colloquio mezzo diferentes países organizando cam- breve appena intercorso con il vostro pañas de sensibilización a través de (English>Hebrew 5-13.2) The gerund Sig. XXX, sono a richiedere. Can foros en busca de patro cinio privado, “wayfinding” is a stumbling block for anyone nail it down definitively? para facilitar y difundi r el micro- a colleague trying to render this phrase crédito, en la ardua y compleja labor into Hebrew: “I also like the idea of (Italian>English 5-13.7) In a patent, de trabajar la pobreza desde la wayfinding on an entrance, indicating zero angolare proved difficult. The riqueza. Try it, but remember to where to continue on the journey.” Is it translator posing the query quotes this be concise. synonymous with “mapping?” If so, text: Metodo di identificazione di uno that should make the task easier. zero angolare del profilo a camma di (Spanish>English 5-13.11) Two terms una lavastoviglie secondo una qual - apparently exist for forms of clearing (English>Spanish 5-13.3) “Stowa - unque delle rivendicazioni, detto me- through crop cuttings: guachapeado way” would be an intriguing word to todo essendo caratterizzato dal fatto di and casqueado. Can anyone explain translate into Spanish, even without a comprendere le fasi di. This passage is the difference between the two technical meaning. In this case, though, followed by a series of steps concerning terms? Perhaps this bit of context it is computer-related: “Choose among an electric motor. Who can help? will help: Mano de obra, se expresa precision laser mice, spill-resistant key- en jornales (8 horas de trabajo) en el boards, and devices with tiny, nano- (Polish>English 5-13.8) In an arts- mantenimiento del cultivo, básica- sized stowaway receivers.” What can and-crafts context, with no possibility mente por la limpieza, se distinguen be made of this? of getting more specific than that, tres tipos de limpiezas, cada una de przedmiotowy versus podmiotowy ellas cubre un área distinta: a) (German>Italian [English] 5-13.4) proved difficult. To encourage clarifi- casqueado: XXX m² por cada jornal; A company’s VIN has to be officially cation, I present the entire paragraph: b) guachapeado: XXX m² por cada posted somewhere on or in the car. Prace te są szczególnym tego wyrazem jornal; c) brotado: XXX m² por cada The translator posing this query won- [doznań i obserwacji natury] w ich jornal.” Aside from explaining the ders about the phrase Folie geklebt, dwojakim sensie: jako natura naturata difference between guachapeado and im Motorraum, ww. am Pfosten A i natura naturans (stworzona w rozu- casqueado, the term in bold also under the description Anbringung des mieniu przedmiotowym i tworząca w caused problems. Any information Fabrikschilds. It sounds as if there are rozumieniu podmiotowym. What is would be appreciated. two alternative locations. English is the difference?

36 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 Upcoming Events E-mail queries and responses by the first of each month to [email protected] (subject line: The Translation Inquirer). Generous assistance from Per Dohler, proofreader, is gratefully acknowledged. June 1-2, 2013 Japanese Association of Translators 24th Annual International Japanese-English Translation Conference Replies to Old Queries (German>Italian [English] 2-13.8) Honolulu, HI (English>French 2-13.2) (combining (Brennerlaufleistung): The description peas): Bruno Sterckeman affirms that given, says Cynthia Klohr, is of a hot http://ijet.jat.org this is the act of harvesting field peas water heater unit that is generally used using a combine harvester. Like other to heat apartments or single-family June 14-15, 2013 grains, field peas are ready to be har- homes and to provide hot water for InterpretAmerica vested when they are dry. It may be household purposes. The thermostat is 4th North American Summit useful to call these pois secs to keep placed between the existing controls on Interpreting them distinct from petits pois (green and the boiler, and supervises and opti- Reston, VA peas), but the term in question is trans- mizes the number of times the flame www.interpretamerica.net lated as moissonner des pois or switches on (Brennerstarts). It also récolter des pois. monitors the boiler’s continual perform- June 19, 2013 ance, which is the Brennerlaufleistung Iowa Interpreters & Translators Association (English>German 2-13.3) (dimple): in question. Roland Greifer states that 9th Annual Conference In a welding context, says Roland the term refers to the burner’s oper- Greifer, this most likely is Grüb- ating performance. Des Moines, IA chenbildung, meaning that one or more www.iitanet.org small indentations show up in the weld (Spanish>English 2-13.11) (Calidad seam or spot weld. Some of the reasons A): Margarite Heintz Montez says that August 1-3, 2013 for the occurrence of this are described this is best rendered as “Class A” or Nebraska Association for on the Autobodystore.com forums “Grade A,” assuming that the salary Translators & Interpreters (http://bit.ly/Autobodystore-dimple). scale at this establishment has grades 14th Annual Regional Conference of B, C, etc. “Opening Doors to the World (English>Portuguese 3-13.12) (non- Through Language” overlapping shift): For Edmea McCarty, (Spanish>English 3-13.11) (RLI, CPT): Omaha, NE this is turno consecutivo, produção Verónica Flores, a new member from www.natihq.org em serie. Cedar Park, Texas, believes that the latter is an abbreviation for Cantador (German>English 2-13.7) (alter - Público Titulado, the accounting degree September 13-15, 2013 thumes Himmel): Margarite Heintz that is the equivalent of “Certified Public Tennessee Association of Professional Montez, who has a family Bible from Accountant” in English. Interpreters & Translators 1848, suggests “ancient everlasting 11th Annual Conference firmament” for this, the last word Thanks for all your contributions. Memphis, TN seeming to be more popular than Keep ’em coming! www.tapit.org “Heaven” in older tomes. November 6-9, 2013 American Translators Association 54th Annual Conference New Certified Members San Antonio, TX Congratulations! The following people have successfully passed ATA’s certification exam: www.atanet.org/conf/2013

Dutch into English Spanish into English Marie J. Brotnov Lebzy Gonzales Visit the ATA Calendar Online Fresno, CA Holliston, MA www.atanet.org/calendar/ French into English English into Spanish for a more comprehensive look Jennifer Bader Jennifer De La Cruz at upcoming events. Baltimore, MD Moreno Valley, CA

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 37 Humor and Translation Mark Herman [email protected] Sub-par Sub-titling (and Dubbing)

English speakers have long meaning that the same word can como al estado matrimonial en sí. Así, complained about wretched translations have,” explains Anjana Martinez la polisemia hace que groucho se of theatrical material, but English is not Tejerina, who has written a thesis mofe de la vida en matrimonio, un the only language into which bad the- in which she has analyzed 240 detalle sutil que se pierde en la tra- atrical translations are made. I thank plays on words in the films of the ducción. [“Marriage” indicates as Ricardo García for mentioning to me a humorists in order to finally con- much the ceremony of marriage as the PhD thesis by Anjana Martínez Tejerina clude that 35% of these plays on matrimonial state per se. So, the poly- on La traducción para el doblaje del words were lost or came to us in an semy means that Groucho is making humor basado en la polisemia: Los her- absurd form.] fun of married life, a subtle detail that manos Marx cruzan el charco (“The is lost in the translation.] Translation for the Dubbing of Humor In the article are several examples Based on Polysemy: The Marx Brothers from the films. The original English is Alas, to lose one third of the jokes is Cross the Pond” [i.e., The Atlantic given, then the dubbed Spanish version, only slightly less bad than losing one Ocean]). Tejerina is a professional followed by Tejerina’s explanation of of the three principal Marx Brothers! movie subtitler who received her PhD why the dubbed version is inadequate. Spaniards are not the only people from the Universidad de Alicante in Here are two of the examples: who miss a lot in American films if 2006, and then continued her studies in they are not fluent in English, and sub- screen translation at the Universidad Original: “I was going to get a flat titling can be just as bad as dubbing. Autónoma de Barcelona. Her thesis was bottom, but the girl at the boat house And more can be missed than jokes. discussed in several Spanish newspaper didn’t have one.” According to ATA Newsbriefs of articles, also pointed out to me by October 2009, a Swedish doctoral Ricardo García. Dubbed Version: “Quería un bote de thesis by University of Gothenburg One article entitled Perdidos en la fondo plano, pero no había ninguno student Jenny Mattsson argues that: traducción (“Lost in Translation”), by para alquilar.” Sara Brito, appeared in the newspaper discourse particles are often very Público on December 16, 2008. The Explanation: En esta frase, el tra- important to the understanding of article is subtitled El doblaje puede ductor obvia que groucho juega con la American films, but are rarely hacer que estemos viendo un filme ambigüedad del enunciado y expresa translated for use in subtitles. diferente (“Dubbing Can Make Us See una doble lectura de “bottom”: parte Mattsson says that discourse parti- a Different Film”). One paragraph of posterior del barco ... pero también el cles, such as “well,” “you know,” the article reads: trasero de una chica. [In this phrase, “I mean,” and “like,” are words the translator obviated the fact that and expressions that can have dif- “El humor de los hermanos Marx Groucho plays with the ambiguity of ferent functions in a language está basado en la polisemia, en el the statement and expresses a double depending on the context in which doble sentido que puede tener una reading of “bottom”: the rear part of the they are used. She says that these misma palabra,” explica Anjana boat ... but also the rear end of a girl.) words can be used to give structure Martínez Tejerina, que ha real- to the spoken language. The space izado una tesis donde ha analizado Original: “Marriage is impossible.” - and time limitations of subtitling 240 juegos de palabras de las “Only after you’re married,” replica mean that much of the original dia- películas de los humoristas para [retorts] Groucho. logue tends to be abbreviated. acabar afirmando que el 35% de Mattsson’s thesis shows that most estos juegos de palabras se perdió Dubbed Version: “Nuestra boda es instances of discourse particles in o nos llegó de forma absurda. imposible.” - “Sólo si están casados.” films are not translated into subtitles, which can cause nuances in [“The humor of the Marx Brothers Explanation: “Marriage” denomina the dialogue to be missed by audi- is based on polysemy, in the double tanto a la ceremonia del matrimonio ences. Some of the nuances may be

Submit items for future columns via e-mail to [email protected] (that is 18, not el-8) or via snail mail to Mark Herman, 2222 Westview Drive, Nashville, TN 37212-4123. Discussions of the translation of humor and examples thereof are preferred, but humorous anecdotes about translators, translations, and mistranslations are also welcome. Include copyright information and permission if relevant.

38 The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 particularly important to the audi- adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s ing with the original dialogue. In ence’s understanding and opinion Adventures in Wonderland. worst-case scenarios, they might of characters and events in films. be creating subtitles from an The thesis shows that creative The principal reason for bad sub- already-dubbed film. There’s been solutions can be used to translate titling, according to Wagner, is the speculation that this might have discourse particles, and that same one that people in all branches been the problem with one widely English and Swedish can be used of translation complain about. “You mocked DVD box set of Akira to express the same functions, but get what you pay for,” and many film Kurosawa films. Perhaps, the in different ways. Mattsson says producers are simply not willing to theory goes, the subtitles are based even the most difficult-to-define pay for good translations, or allot the off Chinese dub tracks rather than words and expressions in English time required to produce a good trans- the original Japanese lines. And have Swedish equivalents. lation, or even to allow for the most perhaps that explains why, elementary proofreading that would according to one online analysis, More recently, ATA Newsbriefs of catch obvious “typos, punctuation what the British Film Institute ver- July 2012 ran excerpts from “More gaffes, and head-scratching transla- sion subtitles as “I saw an old Than Words: How Some Movies tion choices.” Thus, an otherwise woman in the forest,” this version Wind Up With Lousy Subtitles,” by good film can be utterly ruined. subtitles as “I met a monster in the David Wagner, posted by National Beyond the considerations of spider bush.” Or how, similarly, Public Radio Online (Washington, money and time, some film pro- “Keep away from me, you stink” DC) on June 28, 2012. In the online ducers’ choices are just senseless. becomes “Get away, you are of article, Wagner states: cropse smell.” For reasons I still don’t fully When Alice’s flamingo-cum- understand, home video companies And, more times than not, with croquet mallet was translated as a often commission new subtitles for dubbing and subtitling as with all “flamenco,” I’d had enough. DVD releases, paying for rushed, other translations, the good ones are Everybody makes mistakes, but cut-rate translations instead of using not praised because they are not whoever was responsible for the perfectly decent ones that noticed. The bad ones bring down the the error-ridden subtitles nearly already exist from theatrical runs … wrath of the public on the entire trans- ruined my viewing of Alice, Jan Even more incomprehensibly, lation profession. Švankmajer’s otherwise delightful subtitlers aren’t necessarily work-

Dictionary Review Continued from p. 35 cations. (I hasten to add that such a option; Italian writer and poet Carlo guideline is also missing in the Urzì Emilio Gadda was fond of using giù e and Tiberii dictionaries.) Speciﬁcally, su as an alternative expression to su e Roberto Crivello is a freelance the user of this dictionary should be giù.) English>Italian translator based in Salt Lake told not to lean on a certain collocation City, Utah. An electrical engineer by training as if it were the only one possible. For Overall Evaluation and a keen reader of linguistics issues, he example, if you read that un fumatore In the end, the biggest risk is to has been in the translation business for 20 (a smoker) is inveterato (hardcore) speak in stereotypes. This is why and think you should always use this consulting references such as the years, specializing in technical and technical collocation, you end up speaking and Dizionario Combinatorio frequently marketing translations. Currently, he is the writing like everyone else. If you think is a good starting point, mainly for a language chair of ATA’s English>Italian that “up and down” should always be foreign speaker. In the long term, Certification Wo rkgroup. Contact: su e giù, you lose the chance to use the however, try to go beyond if you seek [email protected]. stylistic device giù e su. (You would to write with an original voice. not, however, be original in using this

The ATA Chronicle n May 2013 39