October 2002 Volume XXXI Number 10 The

Chronicle A Publication of the American Translators Association

in this issue Legal Translating and Interpreting

October 2002 Volume XXXI in this issue Number 10

Features

A Publication of 10 Minutes of the 2001 Annual Business Meeting the American of the American Translators Association Translators Association 13 2002 ATA Annual Conference in Atlanta: Sponsors and Exhibitors

18 2002 ATA Annual Conference in Atlanta: Division Social Events

20 International Certification Study: Spain and Portugal By Jiri Stejskal Editor Jeff Sanfacon → 22 French English Legal Dictionaries: An American Lawyer’s Analysis [email protected] By Tom L. West III The time is ripe for a person to produce a bilingual dictionary that takes into account Proofreader the way legal terms are used in each area of law and in each legal system. Margaret L. Hallin

27 What’s in It for me? Design/Layout By Courtney Searls-Ridge and Mary David Ellen Banker/Amy Peloff Why would anyone volunteer to be an ATA mentor? There are as many reasons as there Advertising are mentors. Brian Wallace 28 A Translators’ Tea Party in Boston McNeill Group Inc. By Teresa S. Waldes [email protected] A review of the presentations given at ATA’s recent professional development seminar, (215) 321-9662 ext. 38 “The Business of Translating & Interpreting,” held in Boston this past August. Fax: (215) 321-9636

31 Professionalism 101 Executive Director By Betty Howell Walter Bacak Years of translating develop skills and attitudes that distinguish the professional from [email protected] the talented beginner. This article discusses some of the more obvious ones in an effort Editorial Advisors to help newcomers learn where to focus their energies. R. Michael Conner, Leslie Willson, Mike Stacy

Columns and Departments Membership and 5 Display Advertising Index General Information 6 About Our Authors Maggie Rowe 7 From the President [email protected] 8 From the President-elect Document-on-Request: 9 From the Executive Director 1-888-990-3282 12 New ATA Election Candidate Statement website: www.atanet.org 19 Conferences and Events 57 Accreditation Forum 59 The Onionskin 61 Dictionary Reviews 69 The Translation Inquirer 71 Humor and Translation 73 New Active and Corresponding Members 74 Marketplace American Translators Association 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590 • Alexandria VA 22314 Tel: (703) 683-6100 • Fax (703) 683-6122 E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.atanet.org 2003 Chronicle The Editorial Calendar A Publication of the American Translators Association Chronicle 1999 FIT Best Periodical Award Winner January Focus: Social Sciences The ATA Chronicle Submission Guidelines Submission Deadline: November 15 The ATA Chronicle enthusiastically encourages members to submit articles of interest to the fields of translation and interpretation. February 1. Articles (see length specifications below) are due the first of the month, two months prior to the Focus: Literary Translation Submission Deadline: December 1 month of publication (i.e., June 1 for August issue). 2. Articles should not exceed 3,500 words. Articles containing words or phrases in non-European March writing systems (e.g., Japanese, Arabic) should be submitted by mail and fax. Focus: Marketing 3. Include your fax, phone, e-mail, and mailing address on the first page. Submission Deadline: January 1 4. Include a brief abstract (two sentences maximum) emphasizing the most salient points of your article. The abstract will be included in the table of contents. April 5. Include a brief biography (three sentences maximum) along with a picture (color or B/W). Please Focus: Client Education Submission Deadline: February 1 be sure to specify if you would like your photo returned. Do not send irreplaceable photos. 6. In addition to a hard copy version of the article, please submit an electronic version either on May disk or via e-mail ([email protected]). Focus: Professional 7. Texts should be formatted for Word or Wordperfect 8.0. Development/Outreach 8. All articles are subject to editing for grammar, style, punctuation, and space limitations. Submission Deadline: March 1 9. A proof will be sent to you for review prior to publication. June Focus: Agencies, Bureaus, Standard Length and Companies Letters to the editor: 350 words; Opinion/Editorial: 300-600 words; Feature Articles: 750-3,500 Submission Deadline: April 1 words; Column: 400-1,000 words

July Focus: Science and Technology Submission Deadline: May 1 An Easy Reference To ATA Member Benefits

August Your ATA membership has never been more valuable. Take advantage of the discounted programs and Focus: Medical Translating services available to you as an ATA member. Be sure to tell these companies you are an ATA member and and Interpreting refer to any codes provided below. Submission Deadline: June 1 Business Owners Insurance MasterCard September National Professional Group MBNA America Focus: Interpreting (888) 219-8122 Reference Code: IFKV Submission Deadline: July 1 www.ata-ins.com (800) 847-7378 • (302) 457-2165 October Focus: Legal Collection Services/Receivables Medical, Life, and Disability Insurance Translating/Interpreting Management Mutual of Omaha Submission Deadline: August 1 Dun & Bradstreet (800) 223-6927 • (402) 342-7600 Mike Horoski www.atanet.org/mutual.htm November/December (800) 333-6497 ext. 7226 Focus: Training and Pedagogy (484) 242-7226 Overnight Delivery/Express Package Service Submission Deadline: [email protected] UPS September 1 Reference Code: C0000700415 Conference Travel (800) 325-7000 Stellar Access www.ups.com Moving? Find an Reference Code: 505 (866) 929-4242 • (858) 451-8150 Professional Liability Insurance error with your e-mail: [email protected] National Professional Group address? www.stellaraccess.com (888) 219-8122 www.ata-ins.com We’ve done everything possible to ensure that your address is correct. But Credit Card Acceptance Retirement Programs sometimes errors do occur. If you find Program/Professional Services Account Washington Pension Center that the information on the mailing label NOVA Information Systems (888) 817-7877 • (301) 941-9179 is inaccurate or out of date, please let us Reference Code: HCDA know. Send updates to: (888) 545-2207 • (770) 649-5700 The ATA Chronicle • 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590 • Alexandria, VA 22314 ...And, of course, as an ATA member you receive discounts on the Annual Conference registration fees and ATA publi- Fax (703) 683-6122 • cations, and you are eligible to join ATA Divisions, participate in the online Translation Services Directory, and much [email protected] more. For more information, contact ATA (703) 683-6100; fax (703) 683-6122; and e-mail: [email protected].

4 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 33 How to Sell Translation/Localization Services Without Spending Millions of Dollars By Renato Beninatto Selling takes discipline, not millions of dollars. This article shows some proven practices and tools to sell services professionally.

35 Your Mission, If You Choose to Accept It… By Hélène Wimmerlin The ATA Chronicle (ISSN 1078-6457) is published Translation project managers play a crucial role in the translation industry. Who are monthly, except bi-monthly they? What makes good project managers and what is their future? in November/December, by the American 37 English➝Spanish Legal Dictionaries on Probation Translators Association. By Sandro Tomasi A study on how best to translate the term probation into Spanish. As you will see, most Reprint Permission: bilingual legal dictionaries to date have completely missed the mark. Requests for permission to reprint articles should be sent to the Chronicle editor 45 Contracts in German(y) at [email protected]. By Christiane Bohnert The subscription rate for a An overview of contracts according to German law. member is $43 (included in the dues payment). The U.S. 49 Encouragement for Nonscientific Translators to Begin subscription rate for a non- Translating Biomedical Documents member is $50. Subscribers in Canada and Mexico add By Mizuho Iwamoto $25; all other non-U.S. sub- The great variety of documents in the biomedical field offers many topics of interest to scribers add $45. Single translators with nonscientific backgrounds. Translating material from such fields can copies are available for $5 provide fascinating work, and can also help to solve the shortage of biomedical per issue. Second-class translators. Postage rates paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and additional mailing offices. 52 How I Learned Portuguese By Paulo Rónai (Translated by Tom Moore) Postmaster: An essay by the late translator, linguist, and lexicographer Paulo Rónai (1907-1992) Changes of address describing how he came to learn Portuguese and publish translations of Brazilian poetry should be sent to The ATA in Budapest before the outbreak of the Second World War, and how he came to emigrate Chronicle, 225 Reinekers to Brazil. Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314. The 56 The Rodríguez Tango American Translators Association (ATA) was By Tony Beckwith established in 1959 as a Portrait in tempo of a summer night in Madrid. not-for-profit professional society to advance the standards of translation and to promote the intel- Display Advertising Index lectual and material inter- ests of translators and interpreters in the United 72 Almi International 68 GMT 2 SH3, Inc. States. The statements www.almiinternational.com www.gmt-ils.it www.sh3.com made in The ATA Chronicle do not neces- 51 Cybertec 26 Iverson Language 71 Star-GMBH Translation sarily reflect the opinion www.cybertecusa.biz www.iversonlang.com Technology or judgment of the ATA, www.star-transit.com its editor, or its officers or 72 CLS 76 Language Matters directors and are strictly [email protected] www.language-matters.com 26 Techworld those of the authors. [email protected] 36 College of Charleston 26 National Security Agency www.cofc.edu/~legalint www.nsa.gov 80 TRADOS Corporation www.trados.com 76 Cross Cultural 76 Portland State Extended www.cccsorg.com Studies 36 Wake Forest www.cep.pdx.edu www.wfu.edu/ 79 DFP Academicdepartments/ www.translationservices.net RomanceLanguages

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 5 About Our Authors...

Tony Beckwith is a free- Angeles-based agency. Since 1998, she college degrees in her native country and lance translator and has been providing freelance services in the United States. She is also a graduate interpreter in Austin, Manhattan, Kansas. Contact: of New York University’s Translation Texas. Contact: [email protected]. Studies and Paralegal Studies programs. [email protected]. Her work experience includes stints as an Tom Moore has been fascinated by the in-house translator for a major Wall Street language and culture of Brazil since 1994. bank and as a paralegal for a top New Renato Beninatto has 20 In addition to Portuguese, he also trans- York law firm. She volunteers as a proctor years of experience in the lates from Spanish, French, Italian, and and organizer of the ATA accreditation localization industry, serv- German. He is the Music/Media Librarian exams in New York City, and currently ing most recently as vice- at The College of New Jersey. Contact: serves as president-elect of the New York president and director of [email protected]. Circle of Translators. Contact: ALPNET and Berlitz [email protected]. GlobalNET, respectively. Currently, he is a Courtney Searls-Ridge partner at Common Sense Advisory, a has been a translation Thomas L. West III is the boutique consulting company. Contact: project manager, freelance president of ATA. He [email protected]. translator, and bureau received his law degree owner since the 1970s. from the University of Christiane Bohnert holds She is currently the direc- Virginia School of Law in a Dr. phil. from Johannes- tor of German Language 1990. After practicing law Gutenberg-Universität in Services (est. 1979) in Seattle, with a large Atlanta law Mainz. She began her Washington. She taught in the New York firm for five years, he founded Intermark career in academia teach- University Translation Studies Program in Language Services, an Atlanta-based ing German literature, lan- its early years, and currently teaches the company specializing in legal and financial guage, and business. She relocated to the “Ethics and Business Practices of T&I” translation. The author of the best-selling U.S. in 1985. From 1986-1993, she taught course at the Translation and Interpretation Spanish-English Dictionary of Law and at U.S. universities, publishing in both Institute in Seattle, where she is also aca- Business, he travels around the world German and English, and served as an in- demic director of translation. She is serv- conducting seminars on legal translation. house translator in 1993. She has been a ing her second term as secretary of ATA, He is an ATA-accredited (French→English, full-time freelance translator specializing and is head of the ATA Mentoring Task Spanish→English, and German→English) in law, finance, banking, investing, Force. Contact: translator, and has also studied Dutch, accounting, and tourism since 1994. She [email protected]. Swedish, and Russian. Contact: also translates books in the humanities. [email protected]. She is ATA-accredited (English→German), Sandro Tomasi is a certified court (New and is the current editor of Interaktiv, the York) and medical (Washington) Spanish Hélène Wimmerlin is a French native with newsletter of ATA’s German Language interpreter. For the past five years, he has an M.A. in specialized translation from the Division. Contact: [email protected] or worked for different prosecution offices in Université des Sciences Humaines de www.archgermantranslations.com. New York City as a full-time interpreter, Strasbourg, and was the first graduate of where he has also performed extensive the master’s degree program in translation Betty Howell is a Boston-born translator work as a forensic transcriber and transla- at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. from French and German to English. She tor. In addition to ATA, he is also a mem- She is currently senior project manager at has lived and worked in Montreal since ber of the National Association of Iverson Language Associates and an asso- 1969, where her company, Traductions Judiciary Interpreters & Translators, and ciate lecturer in the translation program at Betty Howell Inc., has often hired student is currently the chair of the Professional the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. interns. Contact: [email protected]. Development Committee for the Legal She specializes in CAT tool evaluations, Interpreters and Translators Association in workflow troubleshooting, and consulting. Mizuho Iwamoto is a freelance New York City. Contact: [email protected]. Contact: [email protected]. English↔Japanese biomedical translator/ writer with a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sci- Teresa S. Waldes is an ences. She has 10 years of experience as ATA-accredited (Spanish→English) free- a translator in both Japan and the U.S., Associations including working as a government trans- lance translator specializ- lator for the Ministry of Labor and Health ing in law and finance. Make A Better Welfare, and as a senior editor in a Los Born in Spain, she earned World

Visit ATA’s website at www.atanet.org for an overview of member benefits.

6 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Thomas L. West III From the President [email protected] Getting the Word Out

ur ATA bylaws state that one of translation and who occasionally equipped to greet passengers from the objectives of the associa- teaches French technical translation around the world. It just so happened O tion is “to promote the recog- at Georgia State University, is coordi- that the week prior to the story, I’d nition of the translation and nating an effort whereby ATA mem- had a long wait in the international interpretation professions.” I am bers will visit high schools in Atlanta terminal (because my luggage had pleased to report to you on several to talk about careers in translation failed to arrive from Europe). During efforts that we have made in this and interpreting. This high school the wait, I noticed the translated signs regard over the past months. outreach is a program that ATA began and jotted down some notes about the First, ATA Director Madeleine back in 1997 in San Francisco. translation errors I saw, so when the Velguth attended the annual confer- Obviously, our goal is not to persuade article appeared, I sent my list off to ence of the American Association of all the students to become translators “letters to the editor.” This past week, Teachers of French. Madeleine let the or interpreters, but rather to make one of those editors interviewed me attendees know about our profession, them aware of our profession so that about the signage, and, with assis- and expects that several of them will when they become decision makers tance from Chris Durban, co-chair of join ATA as a result of her talk. We one day, they will remember to hire ATA’s Public Relations Committee, I also hope that they will let their stu- professional linguists when they need was able to provide the editor with an dents know about the opportunities in one of the services we offer. article regarding translation errors in our field. Finally, this past summer, the the signs at London Heathrow. I also Second, Barbara Bell, a long-time Atlanta Journal-Constitution, our gave her a copy of the ATA Chronicle ATA member based in Atlanta, will local newspaper, ran a story on the and talked to her about our profession be heading up our high school out- international terminal at Hartsfield and our upcoming conference. My reach on the Wednesday before our Atlanta International Airport (which hope is that I will have some positive annual conference. Barbara, who is is currently the busiest international press coverage of our profession to an accredited French-to-English airport in the world). The story ques- share with you at the conference. translator specializing in technical tioned whether our airport is really

We are pleased to invite you to the French Language Division Reception

Friday, November 8, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Soleil Restaurant, 3081 Maple Drive, Atlanta, Georgia

The Honorable René-Serge Marty, Consul General of France, will be our guest of honor.

Presented in partnership with the Consulate General of France, the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, and TV5, the French TV channel in the USA.

Cost: $60 per person on-site. A full buffet dinner will be served with wine and coffee. Space is limited. For reservations, please con- tact Michèle Hansen. See ATA message board for details and contact info. For questions, contact Michèle at [email protected].

Transportation by van between the Hyatt and the restaurant will be provided by the FLD, free of charge. Departure times are 6:15 pm and 6:45 pm. Please register for a time slot with Michèle Hansen if you are interested.

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 7 Scott Brennan From the President-elect [email protected] and Conference Organizer

t ATA and its chapters and divi- Translators Association (read it at is taking on. If he looks forward to sions, we tend to focus on www.ncta.org/html/art2.html). I strongly these sensations, then his work is its A practical ways of enhancing disagree with much of what the own reward in an intensely personal our professional lives as translators writer says about the translator/ sense. If his work is just a means to and interpreters. Very often that client relationship and translation as money, it will be slow torture. means a focus on the business side of essentially servile and distinct from a And let’s not forget that the what we do. profession, discipline, or art. But the Hellenic Museum and many others But the business of translation and idea of translation as a craft and the carefully preserve vases and urns interpreting has more to do with what translator as a tradesperson, like a nearly three-thousand years old, as binds us to our clients and less, I sus- potter, stuck with me, perhaps differ- some of the most beautiful objects in pect, with what draws us together as ently from the way the writer intended. our artistic traditions. practitioners. Viewing the translated A potter at his wheel is not If you and I are to be happy with, text as a product or, in more contem- thinking about the return on invest- and at, our work in the long run, I porary terms, viewing translation and ment in raw materials and time. His think we need to resist the tempta- interpreting as client-focused services mind and body are engaged in the tion to reduce it to drachmas, half- is to see them primarily through the work at hand. Specks of gravel in the liangs, dollars and cents. If the work client’s eyes. slick clay scratch his fingers. Stone we do has now come into greater This outward-facing stance is cer- grinds against stone as he pumps the demand in the marketplace, does that tainly one a professional association kick-wheel pedal in time. Sunlight really make it more rewarding than it is intended to take, and is an impor- from the workshop window glints off ever was before? tant part of what we do. After all, it’s the clay body as he throws it. He feels Here’s hoping you and I still get a how we earn a living. But we can also the cool wet as he dips his hand in the thrill (even after all these years) from indulge in a little navel-gazing from dish, and the scent of soapstone and finding just the right word. time to time, especially in our quieter iron oxide is sharp behind his eyes. moments, which are getting fewer The taste on the back of his tongue is This piece was adapted from a and farther between nowadays. like pennies. column that originally appeared in A 1996 JAT Bulletin article by Each of these cues tells the potter the Capital Translator, the newsletter Richard Thieme was picked up a few something important about the com- of the National Capital Area Chapter years ago by the Translorial, the position and consistency of the clay, of ATA (NCATA), in October 2000. newsletter of the Northern California the wheel’s speed, or the shape the jar

Corrections to the 2002 Membership Directory

Sylvia M. Bock, Ph.D. Bas van Oosterhout Silvana Siciliano Vital International Accredited English into Accredited English into Dutch Accredited Engish into Italian Programs, Inc. German Dowangan RT03 RW16 Via Posillipo, 9-Palazzo Contact: Maria A. Bruns 2329 Second Street, Suite C No 81 Banyuraden Gamping Donn'anna 34514 Dequindre, Suite C Santa Monica, CA 90405 Sleman Naples 80123 Italy Sterling Heights, MI 48310 Tel: (310) 399-2459 Yogyakarta 55293 Indonesia Tel: 39(081)5751106 Tel: (586) 795-2500 Fax: (310) 399-2459 Tel: 62(274)621826 Fax: 39(081)5751106 Fax: (586) 795-5763 [email protected] 62(812)2794802 [email protected] [email protected] Fax: (425) 940-3996 www.vitalinternational.com [email protected]

8 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Walter Bacak, CAE From the Executive Director [email protected] The Annual Conference: More than Educational Sessions

didn’t attend a single ses- reserved tables to meet new transla- may be able to offer guidance and sion. It was a great confer- tors and interpreters as well as renew information on how to address a chal- “I ence!” The first few times I acquaintances. Stop and talk with lenge that you did not know others heard this from ATA Annual them; they are there to make contacts were facing as well. Conference attendees I did not know for future work. Next, look at the Finally, talk to someone standing what to think…except I was relieved resumes and brochures of your col- alone; it can be during breakfast or a that they thought the conference was leagues. You will pick up a few ideas break, at a reception, and even on the a success. Now I get it. that you can take home with you and elevator. We have all been there. It The conference is the founda- use in future efforts to market and makes the conference experience that tion…the focal point…the premiere promote your services. Of course, much more rewarding by nurturing annual educational opportunity for check the book of job listings—there relationships. translators and interpreters. Yet, there may not be many—but you never I look forward to seeing many of is more to it than the 150-plus educa- know if there may be a good opportu- you at ATA’s 43rd Annual Conference tion sessions. nity waiting for you. in Atlanta. While I don’t encourage avoiding In the Exhibit Hall, you can, among all the sessions, I do want you to other things, test drive various time- New Orleans to Host block time in your schedule to visit saving software programs, peruse dic- 2006 Annual Conference the Job Exchange, walk through the tionaries and other reference books, The ATA 47th Annual Conference Exhibit Hall, and talk to someone and meet with other language services will be at the Sheraton Hotel, New standing alone. companies that were not in the Job Orleans, Louisiana, November 2Ð5, In the Job Exchange, several lan- Exchange room. Take the time to talk 2006. guage services companies have with the exhibitors. For example, they

Translators and The Atlanta Association of Interpreters Interpreters Featured and Translators in Government welcomes you to Publication ATA’s 43rd Annual Conference November 6–9, 2002 • Atlanta, Georgia Translators and interpreters are fea- tured in the Summer 2002 issue of AAIT offers members the Occupational Outlook Quarterly, an official publication of the U.S. • networking sessions government’s Bureau of Labor • educational conferences Statistics. The central message for • training workshops outsiders interested in our profes- sions: “These highly skilled workers • quarterly newsletters enable the cross-cultural communi- • job referrals cation necessary in today’s society.”

To read the full story, please go to Visit our hospitality table for information about our city and our chapter! www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2002/ summer/art02.pdf.

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 9 Minutes of the Annual Business Meeting of the American Translators Association Friday, November 2, 2001 • Millennium Biltmore Hotel • Los Angeles, California

1. The meeting was called to order expressed confidence in handing Tim Yuan, chair of the Divisions by ATA President Ann Macfarlane over the fiduciary responsibility to Committee, reported that divi- at 8:00 a.m. his successor, Jiri Stejskal. sions are thriving and that almost every member of the association 2. Macfarlane welcomed association 5. Committee reports belongs to at least one division. members to the Annual Conference Lilian Novas Van Vranken, chair He thanked Anne Vincent, Ann and to the Annual Business of the Accreditation Committee, Macfarlane, Mary David, all divi- Meeting, and requested acceptance reported that the Committee had sion administrators, and other offi- of the agenda. The agenda was conducted a grader training ses- cers. Yuan mentioned that the approved. sion in Boston this year for the Interpreters Division has grown to purpose of trying the new process be the second-largest division. 3. The minutes of the September 22, of two-grader collaboration. She Yuan also reported that the possi- 2000 Annual Business Meeting of reminded the membership that bility of two new divisions the association were examined. The there will be a session at the con- (Korean and Vietnamese) is being Board had previously approved ference to get member input on the enthusiastically discussed. these minutes, and no objections Hamm Report recommendations. were raised from the floor. Van Vranken also announced that The following divisions held, or the Committee has set the goal of are planning to hold, conferences 4. Treasurer Eric McMillan reported implementing new eligibility and in 2001-2002: that the financial affairs of the asso- continuing education require- ciation are in good shape. At ments by November 2002. ¥ Nordic Division—with almost 7,900 individual members, MICATA, Wisconference, 500 corporate members, and 100 Harvie Jordan, chair of the Active Milwaukee and Madison, institutional members, membership Membership Review Committee, April 19-21, 2001 is at an all-time high. Reserves are reported that the Committee had ¥ Portuguese Language healthy, having grown from reviewed 130 applications since Division—Charleston, SC, $510,000 on January 1 to $650,000 March 1999, and that 129 have March 30-31, 2001 as of October 31. This is the equiv- been approved. He reported that ¥ Translation Company alent of three to four month’s oper- there is still confusion over the Division—Colorado Springs, ating costs. The treasurer of the fact that, while Active Mem- CO, June 1-3, 2001 ATA manages a $1.8 million bership does confer full member- ¥ Spanish Language Division— budget. A very conservative plan is ship rights in the association, it Cruise to the Bahamas, in effect for ATA’s investments, and does not grant accreditation. January 25-28, 2002 the association owns no individual Jordan will continue to write arti- equities. As predicted, the associa- cles about Active Membership to All division administrators were tion had a deficit of $123,000 in try to eliminate the confusion. presented with ATA hats and a cer- 2000, of which $66,000 consisted tificate as a mark of appreciation of unrealized losses. The 2002 Kirk Anderson, chair of the for their contributions. draft budget does not call for an Chapters Committee, reported increase in individual fees, that the chapters e-mail listserve is Jo Anne Engelbert, chair of the although it does call for an up and running. He thanked Tony Honors and Awards Committee, increase in fees and benefits to Roder and Julia Bogdan Rollo for announced the three prizes to be corporate members. Treasurer serving as moderators. Anderson awarded in 2002: the 2002 Student McMillan predicted that the associ- congratulated the Upper Midwest Translation Award, the Alexander ation should come close to Translators and Interpreters Associ- Gode Medal, and the Galantière breaking even this year. He thanked ation, a new ATA affiliate member. Prize. She thanked ATA Head- the members for entrusting him He informed the membership that quarters for administrative sup- with the responsibility for over- he is still seeking input on whether port, without which the volunteers seeing the association’s financial or not the requirements for ATA on the Committee could not have affairs for the past two years, and chapterhood should be changed. accomplished their task.

10 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Christian Degueldre, chair of the Sue Ellen Wright, chair of the Tony Roder thanked Macfarlane Interpretation Policy Advisory Terminology Committee, reported and the outgoing ATA Board for Committee, reported on the Com- that no terminology conference had the recent decisions to change the mittee’s work. He reported that the been held this year, but that the accreditation process. Committee had provided valuable Committee could organize confer- input to the Department of Justice ences in different parts of the Cheryl Ann Hutchinson asked if and Department of Labor on pro- country provided local members consideration is being given to visions of services to Limited could arrange for computer labs and providing continuing education English Proficient clients pursuant other facilities. Wright also credit for seminars. Macfarlane to former President Clinton’s reported that the International and Greenfield responded that this Executive Order. Standards Organization is issuing was being pursued. new translation-oriented termi- Courtney Searls-Ridge, chair of nology standards. Susana Greiss questioned why the the Mentoring Task Force, budget for professional develop- reported that the Mentoring Pilot Gertrud Graubart Champe, chair ment had been cut. Macfarlane Program was off to a great start. of the Training Committee, responded that the financial trans- thanked Past-President Muriel lation conference was a unique Marian Greenfield, chair of the Jérôme-O’Keeffe for initiating the event, and that it was anticipated Professional Development Com- Programs in Translation Studies: that events in 2002 would be on a mittee, reported that the Com- A Handbook project, which is in smaller scale. mittee had decided not to try to production. She also thanked the develop online training. It was 19 ATA members who contributed 7. Remarks by President-elect and decided that information on online to this project. Conference Organizer Thomas training would be included in the L. West III publication, Translator and Alan Melby, chair of the Trans- West announced changes in the con- Interpreter Programs in North lation and Computers Committee, ference schedule and urged atten- America, A Survey. She reported reported that Standards-based dees to look at the daily conference that the New York Financial Access service to multilingual newsletter for up-to-the-minute Translation Conference in May Lexicons and Terminologies (SALT) changes, and to express thanks to attracted several hundred partici- data-exchange standard is pro- conference sponsors at every pants and that it also made a profit. gressing. He asked for volunteers to opportunity. serve on this committee, and Manouche Ragsdale, chair of the announced that the Atlanta confer- He thanked Macfarlane for her suc- Public Relations Committee, ence will have more presentations by cessful presidency of the associa- reported that the pro bono project users about how to use technology. tion, for her many inspiring ATA organized on the occasion of this Chronicle articles, her support, her year’s Annual Conference bene- Macfarlane presented all com- friendship, and, in particular, for her fited the Starlight Foundation, mittee chairs with ATA hats and early work with divisions. which helps critically ill or termi- certificates of appreciation for nally ill children and their families their work for the organization. Macfarlane thanked the ATA Board cope with illness. The ATA trans- She also called Bruce Downing, and staff and former presidents for lated the Starlight Foundation’s who has been representing the their support. She expressed her 3,700-word brochure into ATA in the American Society for support of the changes being made Japanese, Spanish, and French. Testing and Materials (ASTM) in the ATA accreditation process, Ragsdale thanked the following Interpreting Standards Project, explaining that ATA accreditation is ATA members for their contribu- and Allan Adams, who has served a voluntary certification, not the tion to this project: Izumi Suzuki on the ATA Board for the last six same as a license to practice law or (Japanese translation); Alba Jones years, to the stage to receive a cer- medicine. Rather, it more closely (Spanish translation); Hernando tificate of appreciation. resembles the certification of a Carranza (Spanish reviewer); and CPA (Certified Public Accountant). David Jeuda (Spanish proofreader). 6. Comments from members Macfarlane suggested that as the The French was translated by Harvie Jordan expressed thanks to designation “CPA” is the gold stan- Ragsdale herself. Jenny Isaacson, Maggie Rowe at ATA Head- dard of voluntary certification, the director of communications for the quarters for the “incredible admin- ATA should strive to make ATA Starlight Foundation, attended the istrative support” she has given to certification the gold standard for hand-over ceremony and thanked the Active Membership Review our industry. Ann Macfarlane for this much Committee. He also thanked appreciated volunteer project. Macfarlane for her support. Continued on p.19

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 11 2002 ATA Annual Conference in Atlanta: New Candidate Statement

Carl Youngblood successfully petitioned to be added to the ballot.

Director: but taken away from ATA members 11 and is ATA-accredited for Portuguese- (three-year term) years ago by irregular methods. I shall into-English translation. While pur- Carl Youngblood work to restore ATA's traditional dem- suing a B.A. in Portuguese at Brigham [email protected] ocratic meritocracy, and expand it to Young University, he received an I feel honored to include electronic balloting. undergraduate research award from the have been nominated by I believe that accreditation con- university's Office of Research and my colleagues to run for the ATA tinues to be one of the strongest bene- Creative Activities for his assistance in Board of Directors. In serving on the fits of ATA membership. I will work translating an 18th-century Portuguese Board, my primary objective is to to make sure that the value of our treatise on conceptism, entitled A Nova represent the interests of individual, membership is not diluted by interests Arte de Conceitos, by Francisco independent, and freelance translators alien to our own. Proposals by corpo- Leytam Ferreyra. During this time, he and interpreters, who comprise the rate operators and nontranslators also studied computer science at great majority (approximately 70%) unfamiliar with our profession have BYU, and has spent the last six years of the association's members. The obscured the basic function of accred- lending his software development ATA was organized of, by, and for itation, which is to preserve our iden- expertise to a variety of corporate and translators and interpreters, and ought tity as an American Translators personal ventures. Carl is currently the to preserve its identity as such. I Association and reaffirm our basic owner and CEO of Youngblood promise to represent honestly and committment to quality. I would Consulting Services, LLC, a Utah- straightforwardly the interests of esteem it a compliment if you would based company that offers software qualified translators and interpreters, favor me with your vote and your per- consulting and translation services. and to make sure that our concerns are sonal influence during the election. In addition to his business ventures, addressed by the Board. Candidate background: Carl Carl is pursuing an M.A. in I pledge to work to restore our Youngblood has been actively involved Portuguese literature and teaching direct mail-in balloting for all voting in Portuguese translation for the last Portuguese classes at BYU. He is issues. Mail-in ballots are a perfectly eight years, both as a freelancer and in married to the former Kami Allred of legal right enjoyed and exercised by academia. He is an active member of Provo, Utah, and has a son, James. other New York nonprofit associations, the American Translators Association

Call for Submissions: 2003 TWO LINES: A Journal of Translation —Theme: “Parties”

We are looking for any and all interpretations of the theme: cele- text with your submission. We expect translators to acquire brations, gatherings, affairs; factions, feasts, salons, unions; copyright permission for their translation and for reprinting the orgies, sects, partners, leagues; cabals, defendants, accom- original (in full, if poetry; in part, if prose). Permission can gen- plices; holidays, conspirators, partakers. erally be requested from the publisher of the original work.

Deadline: December 31, 2002. Notification of acceptance will be How to Submit: Electronic submissions are greatly appreciated, given in February or March 2003. The journal will come out in but printed or typescript submissions are also welcome. For May 2003. electronic submissions, please save your documents as RTF (Rich Text Format). If you would like your materials returned, What to Submit: Original translations into English of writing please send an appropriately sized self-addressed stamped from any genre. In order to be considered, submissions must envelope. include a brief introduction with information about the original author, the background of the piece, special problems the Send submissions to [email protected] or to TWO LINES: A translation presented, and the way you see the piece in relation Journal of Translation • PO Box 641978 • San Francisco, CA 94164. to the theme of the issue. Please enclose a copy of the original For more information, see our website: www.twolines.com.

12 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 2002 ATA Annual Conference in Atlanta: Sponsors and Exhibitors

Sponsors Exhibitors Gold Sponsors Adler’s Foreign Books NetworkOmni Multilingual CLS Corporate Language Services AG ASET International Services Communications TRADOS Corporation Corporation New York University ATRIL Language Engineering 1-Stop Translation USA Silver Sponsors Conference Systems, Inc. Schreiber Translations, Inc. NetworkOmni Multilingual Continental Book Company SDL Desktop Products Communications CLS Corporate Language Services AG STAR-USA, LLC ProZ.com Cross Cultural Communications Terminotix, Inc. Systems, Inc. TRADOS Corporation Bronze Sponsor Federal Bureau of Investigation Translation Bureau Techno-Graphics & Translations, Inc. i.b.d., Ltd. TransPerfect Translations, Inc. Intermark Language Services TV5-DishNetwork Contributors John Benjamins Publishing University of Arizona/National Language Services Associates Kent State University-Institute for Center of Interpretation Marguerite Layton Applied Linguistics Voice Productions International LetSpeak.com L’Arc-en-plume WordFinder Software International AB MH Translations Language Line Services World of Reading, Ltd. Language Services Associates For more information on sponsorships, Language Technology Centre, Ltd. For more information on exhibiting, please contact Brian Wallace at: LanguageWorks, Inc. please contact: [email protected] or Lingo Systems Brian Wallace, ATA Sales 800-394-5157 ext 38. McNeil Technologies, Inc. McNeill Group, Inc. Monterey Institute of 385 Oxford Valley Rd., Suite 420 International Studies Yardley, PA 19067 MultiCorpora R&D, Inc. Tel: (215) 321-9662, MultiLing Corporation (800) 394-5157 ext. 38 MultiLingual Computing, Inc. Fax: (215) 321-9636 [email protected] Floor Plan for the Exhibit Hall

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 13 2002 ATA Annual Conference in Atlanta: Exhibitors’ Products/Services Descriptions

The following companies are exhibiting at Gaithersburg, MD 20877 services enhancing communication ATA’s 43rd Annual Conference in Atlanta. Phone: (301) 330-9090 between organizations and cross-cultural Each company provided its own description. Fax: (301) 519-3792 clients. Interpreting, translation, and train- Email: [email protected] ings for interpreters and healthcare Adler’s Foreign Books Website: www.conferencesystems.com providers. Contact: David Chmielnicki Product or Services: Portable and wireless 915 Foster Street simultaneous interpretation equipment. Federal Bureau of Investigation Evanston, IL 60201 Contact: Christine Prines Phone: (847) 864-0664 Continental Book Company 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Fax: (847) 864-0804 Contact: Maurice Stambouli Washington, DC 20535 Email: [email protected] 625 E. 70th Avenue, #5 Phone: (202) 324-6813 Website: www.afb-adlers.com Denver, CO 80229 Fax: (202) 324-8526 Founded in 1939, AFB specializes in the Phone: (303) 289-1761; (800) 364-0350 Website: www.fbijobs.com distribution of foreign language materials Fax: (303) 289-1764; (800) 279-1764 The Federal Bureau of Investigation is a to bookstores, institutions, and individuals. Email: [email protected] Federal law enforcement agency. Product or Services: Large selection of Website: www.continentalbook.com Product or Services: The Federal Bureau of specialized bilingual dictionaries in lan- Importers and distributors of foreign lan- Investigation will have brochures and fliers guage, law, medicine, technology, sci- guage publications for both technical and available that provide information about ences, etc. general interests. employment opportunities for linguists. Product or Services: Importers and dis- ASET International Services Corporation tributors of French, German, Spanish, i.b.d., Ltd. Contact: Randall Morgan Italian, and ESL materials for all levels and Contact: Freek Lankhof 2009 N. 14th Street, #214 interests. PO Box 467 Arlington, VA 22201 24 Hudson Street Phone: (703) 516-9266 CLS Corporate Language Services AG Kinderhook, NY 12106 Fax: (703) 516-9269 Contact: Doris Marty-Albisser Phone: (518) 758-1755 Email: [email protected] CLS Corporate Language Services AG Fax: (518) 758-6702 Website: www.asetquality.com Dianastrasse 6 Email: [email protected] Premier translation services company PO Box 1003 Website: www.ibdltd.com offering translation, localization, mutilin- CH-8039 Zurich, Switzerland Product or Services: Importer of diction- gual document production and inter- Phone: +41-1-206-68-68 aries and language material geared preting equipment, and services of Fax: +41-1-206-68-90 towards the professional translator and unparalleled quality in over 100 languages. Email: [email protected] interpreter. Product or Services: A full range of multi- Website: www.cls.ch lingual products, including hardware/soft- A leading provider of corporate language Intermark Language Services ware documentation, equipment and services to the financial services sector. Contact: Cami Townsend user’s manuals, scientific publications, Product or Services: Offering cost-effec- 2555 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 295 and marketing brochures together with tive and innovative integral language serv- Atlanta, GA 30339 wired, wireless, and infrared simultaneous ices in the fields of financial services, Phone: (770) 444-3055 interpreting equipment. telecommunications, and information Fax: (770) 444-3002 technology. Email: [email protected] ATRIL Language Engineering Website: www.intermark-languages.com Contact: Cristina Gassó Cross Cultural Communication Atlanta-based agency specializing in legal Via Augusta 13, Suite 605 Systems, Inc. and financial translation. 08006 Barcelona, Spain Contact: Zarita Araújo-Lane Product or Services: Spanish→English, Phone: +34-93-217-86-00 PO Box 860 English→Spanish dictionaries for sale, Fax: +34-93-217-83-06 Winchester, MA 01890 plus networking opportunities for existing Email: [email protected] Phone: (781) 729-3736 and potential contractors in all language Website: www.atril.com Fax: (781) 729-1217 combinations. Devoted to the development and distribu- Email: [email protected] tion of Déjà Vu, one of the most powerful Website: www.cccsorg.com John Benjamins Publishing CAT tools on the market. Providing healthcare, educational, busi- Contact: Christopher Bell Product or Services: Déjà Vu (demo CDs, ness, and legal institutions with effective, PO Box 27519 live demonstrations). innovative, and caring strategies for rec- Philadelphia, PA 19118-0519 ognizing cultural similarities, under- Phone: (215) 836-1200 Conference Systems, Inc. standing uniqueness, and developing Fax: (215) 836-1204 Contact: Bob Eburg cost-effective standards. Email: [email protected] 202 Perry Parkway, Suite 5 Product or Services: Linguistic/cultural Website: www.benjamins.com/jbp

14 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 John Benjamins Publishing Company Fax: (215) 659-7210 Product or Services: If your organization deals in publications that are of use in the Email: [email protected] is facing the challenges of expanding your interpretation and translation professions. Website: www.lsaweb.com global market, or requires professional Product or Services: John Benjamins Product or Services: Translation and translation and localization services, con- Publishing will display academic books and interpretation services. sider Lingo Systems. Localization of soft- journals on translating and interpreting. ware, training materials, websites, or Language Technology Centre, Ltd. documentation is our specialty. Kent State University—Institute for Contact: Angelique Sirjean Celebrating our 10th anniversary. Applied Linguistics 5-7 Kingston Hill Contact: Geoffrey Koby Kingston Upon Thames McNeil Technologies Inc. Satterfield Hall 109 Surrey, United Kingdom KT2 7PW Contact: Tim Jones Kent, OH 44242 Phone: +44-208-549-6267 6564 Loisdale Court, Suite 800 Phone: (330) 672-1814 Fax: +44-208-974-6994 Springfield, VA 22150 Fax: (330) 672-4009 Email: [email protected] Phone: (703) 921-1714 Email: [email protected] Website: www.langtech.co.uk Fax: (703) 921-1610 Website: http://appling.kent.edu Specializing in software development, Email: [email protected] A comprehensive university. localization, translation, and multilingual Website: www.mcneiltech.com Product or Services: Bachelor of Science websites. Product or Services: Provides language in French, German, Russian, and Spanish Product or Services: LTC Organiser is the information management and security translation; Master of Arts in French, one-stop shop for the language industry, services. German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish web-based and integrating client/supplier translation. databases with project management, Monterey Institute of International finance, and report modules to manage Studies L’Arc-en-Plume multilingual projects. New freelance edi- Contact: Cathy Lee Contact: Danièle Heinen tion for translators—official launch during 460 Pierce Street PO Box 592, Station B the conference. Visit us at our booth! Monterey, CA 93940 Montréal, Québec, Canada H3B 3K3 Phone: (831) 647-3591 Phone: (514) 341-5304 LanguageWorks, Inc. Fax: (831) 647-4188 Fax: (514) 341-5304 Contact: John Labati Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 1123 Broadway, Suite 201 Website: www.miis.edu Website: www.arcenplume.ca New York, NY 10010 Founded in 1968, the Graduate School of Distribution of multimedia software and Phone: (212) 447-6060 Translation & Interpretation (GSTI), videos in French from Montréal. Fax: (212) 447-6257 Monterey Institute of International Product or Services: Electronic bilingual Email: [email protected] Studies, offers Masters of Arts in (English/French) dictionaries; French dic- Website: www.languageworks.com Translation and Interpretation, Conference tionaries, encyclopedias, and VHS and An employee-owned company founded in Interpretation, and Translation in English, DVD in French. 1993, LanguageWorks, Inc. has success- Chinese, French, German, Japanese, fully completed over 10,000 foreign lan- Korean, Russian, and Spanish. Language Line Services guage projects for firms in the finance, Product or Services: The GSTI invites all Contact: Lara Magnusdottir law, advertising, information technology, ATA participants to learn about the Master 1 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Building 2 medical, pharmaceutical, chemical, and of Arts degrees offered by our program. Monterey, CA 93940 other sectors. Phone: (831) 648-5832 Product or Services: Foreign language MultiCorpora R&D Inc. Fax: (800) 496-5330 services including document translation, Contact: Daniel Gervais Email: [email protected] website localization, interpreting, content 490 Saint Joseph Blvd., Suite 102 Website: www.languageline.com management, audio/video adaptation, cus- Hull, Québec, Canada J8Y 3Y7 A world leader in over-the-phone interpre- tomized workflow systems, and glossary Phone: (819) 778-7070 ext. 232 tation, linking people through quality inter- management. Fax: (819) 778-0801 pretation in more than 140 languages. Email: [email protected] Product or Services: Over-the-phone Lingo Systems Website: www.multicorpora.ca interpretation services and employment; Contact: Jeff Williams Developer of innovative multilingual infor- document translation services. 15115 SW Sequoia Parkway, #200 mation management solutions and a Portland, OR 97224 leader in computer-aided translation tools Language Services Associates Phone: (503) 419-4856 based on multilingual corpora. Contact: Victoria Schriver Fax: (503) 419-4873 Product or Services: MultiTrans allows us 607 N. Easton Road, Building #C Email: [email protected] to import previously translated documents Willow Grove, PA 19090 Website: www.lingosys.com as a reference corpus; to carry out batch Phone: (215) 657-6571 Translation and localization services. or interactive full-text searches ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 15 Exhibitors’ Products/Services Descriptions Continued

within those corpus; to perform auto- 1-Stop Translation USA computer-aided translation system), soft- mated terminology extraction; and to Contact: Don Shin ware and web localization, international- create and manage multilingual termi- 3540 Wilshire Blvd., #611 ization consulting, localization workflow nology databases. Los Angeles, CA 90010 consulting, and multimedia localization. Phone: (213) 480-0011 MultiLing Corporation Fax: (213) 480-7560 Terminotix, Inc. Contact: Emmanuel Margetic eFax: (801) 516-9231 Contact: Micheline M. Cloutier 55 N. University Avenue, Suite 225 Email: [email protected] 240 Bank Street, Suite 600 Provo, UT 84601 Website: www.1stoptr.com Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 1X4

Phone: (801) 377-2000 Specializes in Korean ↕ English transla- Phone: (613) 233-8465 ext. 227 Fax: (801) 377-7085 tion and DTP. Offices in U.S. and Korea. Fax: (613) 233-3995 Email: [email protected] Product or Services: Two-byte language Email: [email protected] Website: www.multiling.com translation and DTP specialists will be at Website: www.terminotix.com Provider of translation services and trans- the desk during the exhibit to answer any Development and distribution of CAT lation technology. questions. tools. Product or Services: Translation, termi- MultiLingual Computing, Inc. Schreiber Translations, Inc. nology, and document management soft- Contact: Bonnie Merrell Contact: Morry Schreiber ware (LogiTerm®). 319 N. First Avenue 51 Monroe Street, Suite 101 Sandpoint, ID 83864 Rockville, MD 20850 TRADOS Corporation Phone: (208) 263-8178 Phone: (301) 424-7737 ext. 28 Contact: Mike Kidd Fax: (208) 263-6310 Fax: (301) 424-2336 113 S Columbus Street, Suite 400 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Alexandria, VA 22314 Website: www.multilingual.com Website: www.schreibertranslations.com Phone: (703) 797-2633 Multilingual Computing, Inc. is the pub- Translation publications. Fax: (703) 683-9457 lisher of Multilingual Computing & Product or Services: Translator’s Email: [email protected] Technology, a magazine focusing on lan- Handbook (4th revised edition); translator Website: www.translationzone.com guage technology and software localization. self-training programs, Spanish and Product or Services: TRADOS provides Product or Services: Free one-year sub- French dictionaries. the world’s leading language technology scriptions to Multilingual Computing & that enables translators to be more pro- Technology will be available at the booth. SDL Desktop Products ductive. With over 55,000 licenses repre- Contact: Tori Brixius senting the vast majority of the current NetworkOmni Multilingual 600 Davis Street translation technology market, TRADOS is Communications Evanston, IL 60201-4419 the gold standard for professional transla- Contact: Irene Stone Phone: (847) 492-1670 tors, translation companies, and enter- 1329 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., 2nd Floor Fax: (847) 492-1677 prise solutions providers, including Thousand Oaks, CA 91361 Email: [email protected] Microsoft, Siemens, SAP, Volkswagen, Phone: (805) 379-1090 Website: www.sdlintl.com Audi Group, and Bowne Global Solutions. Fax: (805) 379-2467 Translation productivity tools provider. Email: [email protected] Product or Services: SDL Desktop Translation Bureau Website: www.networkomni.com Products, a new autonomous division of Contact: Dominique Ste-Marie Full-service translation company: SDL International, provides complete 165 Hôtel-de-Ville Street translation, on-site interpreting, telephone globalization productivity solutions to Place du Portage, Phase II, Suite 500 East interpreting. benefit freelancers, translation companies, Hull, Québec, Canada K1A 0S5 Product or Services: Translation and tele- and corporations. Phone: (819) 994-6802 phone interpreting and related products Fax: (819) 997-1993 and services. STAR-USA, LLC Email: [email protected] Contact: Tom Twiddy Website: www.termium.com New York University 5001 Mayfield Road, Suite 220 One of the largest translation organiza- Contact: Milena Savova Lyndhurst, OH 44124 tions in the world, providing linguistic 10 Astor Place, Suite 505 Phone: (216) 691-7827 services to Canadian Parliament and more New York, NY 10003 Fax: (216) 691-7829 than 130 federal organizations. Phone: (212) 998-7030 Email: [email protected] Product or Services: English-French- Fax: (212) 995-4139 Website: www.star-group.net Spanish electronic dictionary consisting of Email: [email protected] Wholly owned subsidiary of STAR AG, a terms, synonyms, acronyms, definitions, Website: www.scps.nyu.edu worldwide company specializing in docu- examples of usage, and observations in a Product or Services: Translation studies ment localization and product globalization. wide variety of fields such as administra- program. Product or Services: Transit (a powerful tion, science, and informatics.

16 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 TransPerfect Translations, Inc. Phone: (520) 621-3615 co-direction; pre-production, production, Contact: Mark Peeler Fax: (520) 624-8130 and post-production assistance. 3 Park Avenue, 39th Floor Email: [email protected] New York, NY 10016 Website: www.arizona.edu/~ncitrp/htm WordFinder Software International AB Phone: (212) 689-5555 TV satellite broadcaster. Contact: Ola Persson Fax: (413) 460-5122 PO Box 155 Email: [email protected] Voice Productions International Vaxjo, Sweden SE-35104 Website: www.transperfect.com Contact: Maya León Meis Phone: +46-470-70-00-00 Product or Services: Providing a full range 5360 W. 84th Avenue Fax: +46-470-70-00-99 of international communication services, Arvada, CO 80003 Email: [email protected] including translation, interpreting, voice- Phone: (303) 422-6702 Website: www.wordfinder.com overs, and multicultural marketing. Fax: (303) 422-5118 Markets and sells a comprehensive selec- Email: [email protected] tion of language software. TV5-DishNetwork Website: www.voiceproductions.tv Product or Services: Offers an entire Contact: Vincent Trinquesse Committed to meeting your needs for all range of language software tools that 34 Maple Avenue your foreign-language audio, video, and open the door to new clients and new Pine Brook, NJ 07058 multimedia productions, providing all of markets. Phone: (973) 461-0835 the key elements involved in the produc- Fax: (973) 461-0899 tion process, from script translation, to World of Reading Ltd. Email: [email protected] professional voice-over talent in Contact: Cindy Tracy Website: www.kbs-tv.com numerous foreign languages, to post-pro- PO Box 13092 TV satellite broadcaster. duction. Atlanta, GA 30324-0092 Product or Services: Product or Services: Specializing in serv- Phone: (404) 233-4042; (800) 729-3703 World’s largest French-speaking TV ices tailored to the audio, video, and mul- Fax: (404) 237-5511 channel, distributed everywhere in the timedia industries, supporting production Email: [email protected] U.S. via DishNetwork. needs for international markets. Services Website: www.wor.com include: script translation with timing and Established in 1989 as a resource for foreign University of Arizona/National Center of synchronization to visuals; linguistic and language products. Sells retail and wholesale Interpretation cultural adaptation of scripts; casting through print and online catalogue. Contact: Armando Valles voice-over and on-camera native speaker Product or Services: Translation software, UA-MLB #67 talent; narration and dubbing in foreign dictionaries, and language learning soft- Tucson, AZ 85721 languages; talent coaching and ware for over 100 languages.

We are pleased You are invited to attend a presentation to invite you to the and discussion about the initiative to establish Portuguese Language South Slavic Language Pairs Division Dinner for ATA Accreditation at the Saturday, November 9 Pleasant Pheasant 10:15 am – 11:45 am, Lenox 555 Peachtree Street NE Atlanta, Georgia An effort is underway to establish ATA accreditation for certain Friday, November 8, 7:00 pm South Slavic languages. This presentation will discuss the progress of this effort, as well as define and recruit for specific operational positions prescribed by ATA guidelines. Choice of Plum Pork, Shrimp Louisianne, Prosciutto Chicken, This presentation will be led by: or Pistachio and Artichoke Pasta Paula Gordon, committee chairperson and Bosnian, Croatian, $24 per person Serbian→English translator; and Marijan Boskovic, Slavic For reservations, contact Ines Bojlesen languages→English and English→Croatian interpreter and at [email protected]. translator, and board member, Croatian Academy of America.

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 17 2002 ATA Annual Conference in Atlanta: See ATA’s website for all the details: www.atanet.org/conf2002/special_main.htm or Division Social Events www.atanet.org/conf2002/conference_update.htm.

Group Name Wednesday, Nov 6 Thursday, Nov 7 Friday, Nov 8

Chinese Language CLD Dinner at Oriental Pearl Division Seafood Restaurant, Chinatown, 6:30 pm; followed by tea party at Gang Li’s. Contact Frank Mou.

French Language FLD Reception at Restaurant Division Soleil with Consul General of France as guest of honor; 7:00 – 9:00 pm; $60 to Michele Hansen; Take van from Hyatt to restaurant.

German Language GLD Dinner at Rathskeller in Division Hotel Renaissance, 7:00 pm; $30 per person to Dorothee Racette. Walking distance from Hyatt.

Interpreters Division ID Reception, Aunt Pittypat’s Porch, 7:00 – 9:00 pm; $15 per person. Contact Elizabeth Tu. Walking distance from Hyatt.

Italian Language ILD Ice Cream Social in ILD Dinner at Charruscaria Fogo Division Hyatt, 8:00 – 9:00 pm; free to de Chão, 6:30 pm; members ILD members. only $45. Contact Marcello Napolitano.

Japanese Language JLD Informal Gathering/Reception JLD Dinner at Pacific Rim Bistro, Division in hotel, 8:30 – 10:00 pm; free to 6:30 pm; $25. Contact JLD members. Ben Tompkins.

Literary Division Book Splash (Kirk Anderson) 8:00 – 9:00 pm After Hours Café 9:00 pm – whenever!

Portuguese Language PLD Dinner 7:00 pm Division Pleasant Pheasant; $24 per person to Ines Bojlesen. Walking distance from Hyatt

Slavic Language SLD Dinner and Russian Division sing-along at Restaurant Amore, 7:00 pm; $40 per person. Contact Nora Favorov.

Spanish Language SPD Dinner, outside the hotel, Division details TBA.

Translation Company TCD Dessert Reception Division in Hyatt; 9:00 pm; $15 per person; tickets on ATA registration form.

18 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Conferences and Events

Washington, DC San Antonio, Texas exposure to the languages and cultures. It Translators Discussion Group 2nd Annual ATA Spanish Language is hoped that IJET-14 will be a learning Borders Books and Music Division Conference experience, as well as a good time, for all 18th & L Streets, NW April 25-27, 2003 participants. More information will be available at http://ijet.org/ijet-14/shortly. Meets the second Wednesday of each This is an exciting opportunity for you month from 6:30-8:00 pm at Borders. to share your knowledge and experience Halifax, Nova Scotia For more information, please contact with appreciative colleagues. For more Canadian Association for Translation Studies Borders at (202) 466-2152. information, contact: Virginia 16th Annual Conference Perez-Santalla Theme: “Translation and Globalization” ([email protected]) or visit Berlin, Germany May 29-31, 2003 www.ata-spd.org. 4th International Conference and Dalhousie University Exhibition Halifax, Nova Scotia Languages and the Media Dublin, Ireland Theme: Viewers, Languages, and 14th International Japanese/English Information: Dr. Louise Brunette (organ- Marketing Translation Conference izer): [email protected] Hotel InterContinental Berlin IJET-14 Marc Charron: [email protected] December 4-6, 2002 May 17-18, 2003 Anne Malena: [email protected] Marco Fiola: [email protected] Who should attend: language industry The 14th annual IJET conference in Dr. Anne Malena (Program specialists; manufacturers of language Dublin will mark the first time that IJET Committee Chair) technology and tools; consumer represen- has met in Ireland, and promises to pro- Modem Languages & Cultural Studies tatives; decision makers and specialists on vide an exciting and charming experi- 200 Arts Building languages in the media; distributors of ence for all attendees. This venue was University of Alberta audiovisual media products and services; proposed in the hopes of not only provid- Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E6. producers; exporters and importers of ing a thoroughly enjoyable conference, E-mail: [email protected]; media programs; subtitling and dubbing but also to expand the horizons of IJET Tel: (780) 492-1187; companies; and experts in media studies attendees. Just as translations serve to and mass communication. Information: bring Japanese- and English-speaking Fax: (780) 492-2106. www.languages-media.com. cultures closer together, IJET conferences www.uottawa.ca/associations/act-cats/ provide an opportunity for first-hand

Minutes of the Annual Business Meeting Continued from page 11

8. Announcement of election results Director, three-year term: Inspector of Elections Steven Beatriz Bonnet, 396 votes Shabad announced the results of Robert Croese, 306 the elections as follows: Robert Sette, 266 It pays ... Madeleine Velguth, 236 Officers Virginia Benmaman, 231 to keep your listings updated For President-elect: Clove Lynch, 62 Scott Brennan, 453 votes in ATA’s online Brennan has been elected pres- The three directors elected for Directory of Translation and ident-elect. three-year terms are Bonnet, Interpreting Services and Directory of Croese, and Sette. For Secretary: Language Services Companies Courtney Searls-Ridge, 497 votes Immediate Past-President Mac- Searls-Ridge has been elected farlane passed the gavel to newly (www.atanet.org) Secretary. inducted ATA President West, who adjourned the meeting at 9:15 a.m. For Treasurer: Jiri Stejskal, 495 votes Stejskal has been elected treasurer.

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 19 International Certification Study: Spain and Portugal

By Jiri Stejskal

fter reviewing a variety of pri- (APT), a member of the International Robert Sette, current ATA vate certification programs in Federation of Translators (FIT). director, generously provided a trans- A Japan in the last issue, we will While APT does not offer any certifi- lation of the most recent relevant now revisit the continental model of cation, admission to membership is Spanish legislation (BOE 8322): certification by the government. This based on the evaluation of candi- article will focus on the certification dates’ resumes and proof of related In virtue of the provisions of process in Spain, because Portuguese work experience. APT’s web address Royal Decree 79/1996, dated translators and interpreters go to ATA is www.apt.pt. January 26, which amends various or elsewhere for certification and In Spain, the situation is quite articles of the Regulation gov- accreditation, as neither the Portu- different, and can be compared to erning the Office of Interpretation of guese government nor any private that of Argentina, described in the Languages, of the Ministry of organizations offer certification in the June 2002 issue. Alejandra Devoto Foreign Affairs (“Boletín Oficial del sense described in this series. Being ([email protected]), who became a Estado” dated February 23), and of an orderly mind, I could not but “traductor público,” or sworn trans- the provisions of the Order dated wonder why I typed “Spain and lator, in Argentina but later relocated February 8, 1996 by which stan- Portugal” in the title of this column to Spain, provided me with detailed dards were established regarding rather than the other way around, information on certification for examinations for the appointment of which would at least follow the order Spanish translators and interpreters. Sworn Interpreters (BOE of of the alphabet. After some reflection, [February] 23), examinations for I remembered the “kit and caboodle” Sworn Interpreters are hereby example of Steven Pinker, professor called for, which shall be held as of of psychology at the Massachusetts “…This article will focus October 1, 2002. Institute of Technology. He stated that on the certification there are sound patterns that people process in Spain, because In order to participate in the prefer all over the world, such as short examinations for Sworn Interpreters, words coming before long words, or Portuguese translators and the applicant must meet the fol- soft sounds coming before hard interpreters go to ATA or lowing requirements: sounds. Hence, razzle-dazzle, not dazzle-razzle, and kit and caboodle, elsewhere for certification a) Be of legal age. not caboodle and kit. and accreditation…” b) Have at least the Spanish Having said that, I will begin with degree of University Diploma, the longer- and harder-sounding Technical Engineer, Technical Portugal anyway. Alberto Carvalho In order to become a sworn trans- Architect or the equivalent, or a ([email protected]), a free- lator in Spain, one has to earn a uni- foreign degree which has been lance Portuguese translator, informs versity degree first (not necessarily in approved as equivalent to one of me that while there is no certification translation) and pass an examination the foregoing. program for translators and inter- at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For c) Be a citizen of Spain or of any preters in Portugal, there are several this examination, the candidate must other member Country of the universities offering five-year pro- be a “diplomado universitario” (i.e., European Economic Union. grams for translators and interpreters, have a university degree called a among them the Universidade diploma, which requires three years Aspirants to the exam must ful- Católica De Lisboa and the Instituto of study). Any diploma granted by a fill the foregoing requirements as superior de linguas e Administração. foreign university must first be vali- of the last day of the term for sub- The diplomas obtained from these dated by the Spanish Ministry of mission of applications. universities are fully recognized by Education. The eligibility require- The exams shall be limited only the Ministry of Education. ments also state that the candidate to official languages other than Translators and interpreters in must be of age, and be either Spanish Spanish for which qualified evalu- Portugal are organized in the or a national of any country ators are available, in the opinion Associação Portuguesa de Tradutores belonging to the European Union. of the Examining Board.

20 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 It is necessary to point out that in examination and interpreter-related oral test, the candidate is presented Spain, the designation “intérprete issues can be found in an article by with a video of a judicial situation jurado,” or “sworn interpreter” in the Dr. Cynthia Miguélez, published in and is asked to act as an interpreter. Royal Decree above, is actually used the Spring 1999 issue of the Sworn translators and interpreters for a “sworn translator.” While the newsletter of the National Association in both Spanish and Catalan are organ- profession of “intérprete jurado” in of Judiciary Interpreters and Trans- ized in the Catalan Association of Spain dates back to 1841, the oral lators (NAJIT), entitled “Current Sworn Translators and Interpreters work of interpreters was not recog- Issues in Court Interpreting: Spain, A (Asociación de Traductores e Intér- nized as having any legal effect, or Case Study.” Go to NAJIT’s website at pretes Jurados de Cataluña, or ATIJC, “carácter official,” until 1996, the www.najit.com for more details. listed below). The association’s web- year in which Royal Decree No. 79 Spain has a procedure in place for site is currently available in Catalan extended this status from the transla- the recognition of translator and/or only, but Spanish and English versions tion of written documents to include interpreter credentials granted in are reportedly coming soon. For fur- oral interpretation. other European countries. Candidates ther information on ATIJC, please The examination administered by who are sworn interpreters or transla- contact the association’s president, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs con- tors in a European country that offers Josep Peñarroja, at [email protected]. sists of two components, written and such certification can register in Catalan is also the official language of oral. The written part is divided into Spain as such without the examina- the Principality of Andorra, a tiny two parts. The first part takes two tion, as long as they can provide nation sandwiched between Spain and hours, in which the candidate is given proof for such a credential. This is France. The Andorran Ministry of two short articles (one in the foreign not just a theoretical possibility; Culture offers examinations for “tra- language and the other one in reportedly, a rather large percentage ductor jurat” in the Catalan language. Spanish). Candidates are not allowed of sworn translators residing on the The examination is similar to the one to use dictionaries or other reference Spanish island of Mallorca are offered in Catalonia. materials for this part. The text is Germans who earned their creden- There are many organizations for usually of a general nature, such as a tials in Germany, and whose certifi- translators and interpreters in Spain. newspaper article. The second part is cation was recognized by the Spanish Among the members of FIT are the a legal translation into Spanish, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. following: which also takes two hours, and the In addition to Spanish, three other candidates are allowed to use as languages are officially recognized in Associació Col·legial d’Escriptors many dictionaries as they can carry. Spain: Catalan, Vasco, and Gallego. de Catalunya (ACEC) The pass rate is very low, just as we In Catalonia, where Catalan is the [candidate member] have seen in other government-run official language, the autonomous www.acec.tv certification examinations, and which government (in particular, the is also the case in our own accredita- Department of Linguistic Policy) Asociación de Intérpretes de tion program. For the oral part, the makes a distinction between sworn Conferencia de España (AICE) candidates are given a newspaper translators and sworn interpreters, www.aice-interpretes.com article. First they read it and summa- and offers a three-part examination rize it orally, and then they are asked for conferral of status as either “tra- Euskal Itzultzaile, Zuzentzaile eta a few comprehension questions and a ductor jurat” or “intèrpret jurat.” The Interpreteen Elkartea (EIZIE) few language questions. Reportedly, first part of the exam tests for knowl- www.eizie.org the oral component is much easier edge of the Catalan language, the than the written one and the pass rate second one for knowledge of Spanish Traductors i Intèrprets Associats is very high, which makes the law, and the third part tests either pro Colálegi (TRIAC) resulting certification as an “intér- translation or interpretation skills, www.traductors.com prete jurado” confusing to the out- depending on the choice of the candi- siders, as translation skills are date. The written test consists of two clearly examined in much greater texts, general and legal, to be trans- depth. A detailed description of the lated from and into Catalan. In the Continued on p.30

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 21 French→English Legal Dictionaries: An American Lawyer’s Analysis

By Thomas L. West III

n a perfect world, only persons Dictionnaire juridique (français→ commenced against a defendant in mag- with training in the law would anglais, anglais→français). Jules istrate’s court.” As one might expect, I undertake legal translations. In Jéraute. Trois-Rivières, 1990. ISBN : two different words are used in French practice, however, many translators 2-9801960-0-2. Reprint of a dic- for this term: demande in civil proce- without a legal background translate tionary originally published in 1953. dure, and plainte in criminal procedure. legal documents on a daily basis. As However, the reference works do not a result, they depend on bilingual L’anglais juridique. Bernard Dhuicq always make this distinction clear: legal dictionaries to help them inter- et Danièle Frison. 20 dossiers pret foreign-language legal docu- bilingues sur les principes, les Doucet simply translates com- ments and render these documents in procédures et les institutions plaint as “requête, plainte,” with- target-language legalese that a lawyer juridiques en Angleterre et aux out indicating the field of law. will recognize and understand. États-unis. Langues pour tous, Unfortunately, however, the most 1994. ISBN: 2-266-02904-5. Jéraute contains the following commonly used bilingual legal dic- entry: “grief, sujet de plainte; tionaries in the French→English lan- Lexique de termes juridiques. doléances; plainte formulée et guage pair leave much to be desired. Guillien and Vincent, 1995. déposée; acte introductif d’in- To examine their usefulness, I Dalloz. ISBN: 2-247-019790X. A stance; to lodge a complaint = selected a sample sentence from each useful monolingual French legal porter plainte, déposer ou for- of the following areas of law: 1) civil dictionary. muler une plainte; to remove a procedure; 2) contracts; 3) corporate cause of complaint = faire droit à law; 4) trusts and estates (known as une réclamation.” “le droit des successions” in French); “…It is not safe to take and 5) trademarks. I then tried to Navarre says “[U.K., U.S.] plainte translate the sentences using the fol- anything in bilingual auprès de qui de droit (commis- lowing reference works: dictionaries for granted; sariat de police, parquet), [U.S.] demande introductive d’instance.” Dictionnaire juridique et écono- everything must be mique, français-anglais, anglais- checked and double- Dahl gives the following: “plainte, français. Michel Doucet. Maison checked in monolingual réclamation, demande introductive du Dictionnaire, 1979. ISBN: d’instance. La plainte consiste en 2-85608-011-1. Out of print. references…” l’exposé des faits essentiels consti- tutifs d’un délit. Elle peut être Dictionnaire économique et juridique effectuée sous la forme d’une Navarre. Baleyte et al. 3rd edition, Civil Procedure prestation de serment devant un LGDJ, 1992. ISBN: 2-275-00643-5. I chose the following sentence from magistrat [Fed. Rules of Crim. U.S. civil procedure because it contains Pro., Rule 3].” Dahl’s Law Dictionary (français→ a very basic word in that field—“com- anglais, anglais→français). Henry plaint”—that is also used in U.S. crim- Of the four dictionaries, only Dahl Saint Dahl. William S. Hein & Co., inal procedure: “A civil action is com- hints that “plainte” is used in criminal 2001. ISBN: 1-57588-674-X. menced by filing a complaint with the procedure, not civil procedure. court.” In civil procedure the term Indeed, the dictionaries are so unclear The Council of Europe French- complaint means “the document filed on this point that the authors of a book English Legal Dictionary. F.H.S. with a court to commence a lawsuit,” used to teach legal English-to-French Bridge. Strasbourg: Council of and in criminal procedure it means “a speakers, L’anglais juridique, fall into Europe Publishing, 1994. ISBN: document sworn to by a victim or the trap of mistranslating “complaint” 92-871-2496-5. British-oriented, police officer that sets forth a criminal in the civil procedure sense as but unquestionably the best violation and that serves as the charg- “plainte.” In Chapter 5 of that book, French→English legal dictionary ing instrument by which charges are entitled “Civil Procedure,” we find the available. filed and judicial proceedings are following:

22 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 A [civil] action begins with the 2. L’assignation est l’acte d’huissier one can only wonder how it found its pleadings. The first step is the de justice par lequel le deman- way into not one, but two bilingual dic- complaint. The complaint states deur cite son adversaire à com- tionaries. Curiously enough, the the nature of the plaintiff’s claim paraître devant le juge. Council of Europe French-English and his demand for relief. Then, a Legal Dictionary translates ordon- summons is sent to the defendant, Another interesting term from civil nance de soit-communiqué correctly in informing him that an action is procedure is subpoena duces tecum, the other direction: an order by the entered against him and calling which Black’s Law Dictionary defines investigating judge closing an investi- him to answer the complaint. as “a court process, initiated by a party gation, transmitting the file, and in litigation, compelling production of informing the public prosecutor’s L’action commence par les conclu- certain documents and other items, office that the case is ready for further sions des parties. La première material and relevant to facts in issue action; notification to proceed with a étape est la plainte, dans laquelle le in a pending judicial proceeding, prosecution. This exercise shows clear- demandeur expose la nature de sa which documents and items are in the ly that it is not safe to take anything in requête et les réparations qu’il custody or control of the person or bilingual dictionaries for granted; demande. Ensuite, une assignation body served with process.” everything must be checked and dou- est envoyée au défendeur, l’infor- Doucet does not contain subpoena ble-checked in monolingual references. mant qu’une action est intentée duces tecum, but does translate “sub- contre lui et lui intimant de répon- poena” as “citation adressée aux Contracts dre à la plainte. témoins, citation à témoin.” Jéraute I selected the following sentence translates the term correctly: “citation from a contract for services: This makes it clear that instead of avec ordre de produire certains objets simply relying on bilingual dictionar- ou documents.” Dahl, on the other Le présent contrat est conclu intu- ies or even textbooks like L’anglais hand, gives a correct, but long-winded, itu personae et sera exécuté exclu- juridique, the translator should consult explanation of the term: “citation à sivement par l’artiste. Tout litige monolingual dictionaries. If he looks comparaître comportant une obligation entre les parties sera résolu par un up “plainte” in Lexique de termes de produire les documents ou objets tribunal saisi à l’initiative de la juridiques, he will find the following demandés aux fins d’être examinés.” partie la plus diligente. definition, which shows that “plainte” In Navarre we find the surprising is a term used in criminal procedure: translation “ordonnance de soit-com- The first interesting part of this sen- muniqué.” This translation also tence is the expression conclure un Plainte [Pr. Pén.] - Acte par lequel appears in the Council of Europe contrat, which is “to enter into a con- la partie lésée par une infraction English-French Legal Dictionary (the tract” in American legal English, porte celle-ci à la connaissance du companion to the French→English never “to conclude a contract,” which Procureur de la République, volume by Bridge referred to above). may be taken to mean “to end a con- directement ou par l’intermédiaire Again, we must consult monolingual tract.” Unfortunately, however, d’une autre autorité. resources to determine whether this Doucet succumbs to this very pitfall: French term matches the definition of his dictionary translates “conclusion On the other hand, if he goes “subpoena duces tecum” found in du contrat” as “the conclusion of the straight to the horse’s mouth and con- Black’s Law Dictionary: contract.” Jéraute and Dahl, oddly sults the Nouveau Code de Procédure Termes juridiques explains ordon- enough, do not include the expres- Civile, he can be certain that he is using nance de soit-communiqué like this: sion, even though it must be one of the terminology of civil procedure : [procédure pénale] Acte par lequel le the most common phrases of all in juge d’instruction transfère le dossier legal writing. 1. La demande initiale est celle d’une affaire au procureur de la Navarre suggests that “conclure par laquelle un plaideur prend République, afin d’obtenir de lui ses un contrat (contrat d’assurance)” is l’initiative d’un procès en réquisitions. “to conclude a contract of insur- soumettant au juge ses préten- Obviously, this term has nothing to ance” (which is probably most accu- tions. Elle introduit l’instance. do with a “subpoena duces tecum,” and rately translated as “to take out ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 23 French→English Legal Dictionaries: An American Lawyer’s Analysis Continued insurance” in English), but does Corporate Law Although this translation may appear include the correct “to enter into” in I chose this passage from a set of strange at first glance, it is actually connection with marché: to enter into a bylaws (statuts) in French: right on the money. The French sen- bargain. The Council of Europe,by far tence means that shareholders will the best dictionary in the bunch, has the Les actionnaires ont, proportion- have preemptive rights when the com- correct entry: enter into (a contract). nellement au montant de leurs pany issues new shares, and if any The Council of Europe is also the actions, un droit de préférence à la shares are left after preemptive rights only dictionary of the five to include souscription des actions de have been exercised (perhaps because intuitu personae, a Latin phrase that numéraire émises pour réaliser une certain shareholders did not exercise is only used in the civil law tradition augmentation de capital, droit those rights), the shareholders may be (and not in the common law tradi- auquel ils peuvent renoncer à titre entitled to subscribe to excess shares. tion) and therefore must be translat- individuel. Si l’Assemblée Générale ed for common law readers. The le décide expressément, ils bénéfi- Trusts and Estates Council of Europe translates it as cient également d’un droit de L’héritier peut, en face d’une suc- “personal relationship; involving souscription à titre réductible. cession qui lui échoit, choisir entre consideration of the person,” trois positions: accepter purement although it might be best translated The first term to consider is droit de et simplement, accepter sous béné- in our sentence as follows: “This préférence, which an American fice d’inventaire ou refuser. contract is entered into in express lawyer would call a “preemptive right” consideration of the person.” in this context. Shareholders often This sentence from the law of Now we turn to exécuter un con- have preemptive rights to subscribe to decedents’ estates contains two inter- trat, undoubtedly one of the most new shares that a company issues so esting legal phrases: purement et sim- common “false friends” in legal trans- that their percentage ownership will plement and accepter sous bénéfice lation. In U.S. English, to “execute a not be diluted. Unfortunately, none of d’inventaire. The first of these means contract” means to “sign it,” whereas the dictionaries gets this one right. that the heir can accept his inheritance the French phrase exécuter un con- Doucet calls it a “right of preference, unconditionally, but only the Council trat means to “perform” it. Doucet preference right,” while Jéraute calls it of Europe tells the translator that gives both a correct translation and an a “priority right,” and Navarre trans- purement et simplement is “uncondi- incorrect translation of the French lates it as “preferential, priority right.” tionally” and not “purely and simply.” phrase: “execution of the contract, Dahl does not even contain the term, In fact, even the standard desktop dic- performance of the contract.” Jéraute and the Council of Europe translates it tionaries (such as the Larousse and simply includes the mistranslation: in another context: “right (of a mort- the Collins-Robert) translate the “(un contrat) to execute.” Navarre has gagee or person entitled to a statutory phrase as “purely and simply” (which it wrong, too—“to execute a con- priority, preference or lien) to be paid is clearly out of place in a legal con- tract”—but both Dahl and the in preference to other creditors; prefer- text). The other phrase, sous bénéfice Council of Europe get it right: “per- ential right.” d’inventaire, is included in all of the formance of the contract.” Actions de numéraire are found dictionaries reviewed except for the The next phrase of interest is la only in Navarre, which translates Dahl. Doucet gives “acceptance partie la plus diligente,which them as “shares paid in money,” under benefit of inventory, acceptance means “the first party to take which does not sound like real limited by the value of the assets action,” not “the most diligent English, and Doucet, which gives transferred”; Jéraute gives “provided party,” because “diligent” in French “cash shares, shares paid for in cash.” the assets exceed the liabilities, condi- refers to speed, whereas “diligent” The latter are an improvement on tionally, with reservations, for what in English refers to zeal. Of the five Navarre, but the most authentic trans- it’s worth.” Navarre says “acceptance dictionaries reviewed, only Jéraute lation is “shares issued for cash.” without liability beyond the assets includes the phrase, translating it as Finally, we come to the very diffi- descended,” and the Council of “the first mover,” which is the right cult phrase à titre réductible,which Europe includes an explanation: “lim- idea, but not as clear as the “first can only be found in Jéraute,which itation of the heir’s liability for the party to take action.” translates it as “for excess shares.” debts of the estate to the amount of

24 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 the net assets he actually receives.” produit,” while a marque de com- many correct entries, they fall woe- The “benefit of inventory” is a civil merce is “celle qui est apposée par fully short of being complete. law concept, not a common law one, celui qui commercialise le produit Although no dictionary can ever be and Jéraute’s solution of “provided sans en être le fabricant.” In other 100% complete, it does not seem the assets exceed the liabilities” may words, the first is a “manufacturer’s unreasonable to suggest that a lexi- be the one that best lets an American trademark” and the second is a “mer- cographer should sit down with the loi lawyer know what the French means. chant’s trademark.” If we then consult du 24 juillet 1966, which is the a monolingual law dictionary in French law governing companies, and Trademarks English, we find that, in English, a try to include all the terms in that act. The heading of the trademark cer- trademark is “a mark that is used by a This would undoubtedly result in a tificates issued by the Institut manufacturer or merchant to identify fairly complete list of terms used in National de la Propriété Industrielle the origin or ownership or goods and corporate law in France. Another in France reads as follows: marques to distinguish them from others, and useful procedure would be to collect a de fabrique, de commerce ou de the use of which is protected by law.” number of contracts drafted in service. All of the dictionaries Therefore, English uses one word to French, to sort through them, and to reviewed here contain the term “mar- mean both a “manufacturer’s mark” highlight recurring terms and phrases. que de fabrique,” defining it as “trade- and “merchant’s mark.” This would ensure a fair representa- mark,” but not one of them contains tion of contract terminology. “marque de commerce,” which from Conclusion The third conclusion to be drawn the words alone (the French word First of all, this study clearly from the study is that no translator can “commerce” means “trade” in shows how unreliable the existing have too many monolingual reference English) appears to mean “trade- bilingual dictionaries are. The time is works, because they are the source of mark,” too. So how should they be ripe for a person to produce a bilin- accurate definitions of the terms in distinguished in translation? Again, gual dictionary that takes into account question. Finally, translators should the way to solve the problem is to the way legal terms are used in each commit themselves to reading books consult a monolingual dictionary. area of law (civil procedure versus on the legal systems in France and the Termes juridiques explains that a criminal procedure, for example) and U.S., and shy away from heavy marque de fabrique is “celle qui est in each legal system. Second, even reliance on bilingual dictionaries. apposée par le fabricant d’un though the dictionaries do contain

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The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 25 5 THINGS TO AVOID WHEN BUYING OR SELLING A TRANSLATION COMPANY I want to share with you some of the hazards and advantages of my 12+ of experience in the translation industry.

Get help from someone who has been there.

Call or e-mail me and we’ll discuss how my 5 tips can improve your chances for success.

Valuations, financing, consulting Fred Meinberg Techworld 248-288-5900 ext. 12 [email protected] All inquires held in strict confidence

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Visit ATA’s website at www.atanet.org.

26 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 What’s in It for me?

By Courtney Searls-Ridge and Mary David

veryone is busy these days. We experience. As you work through a mentor gives you the chance to live in a 24/7 society with specific issues with your mentee, repay the support and help you E “time-saving technology” that you will realize that you know a lot received from others in your past. has simply packed more work into more than you thought you did. the few hours we have. When—or 8. Mentoring is receiving recogni- even if—we do have any free time, 4. Mentoring is learning. Mentees tion from our association and our we still have a million and one things also come into the partnership peers. All too often our volunteer we really want to do for ourselves. with something to give, often work takes place in the background Why, then, would we agree to spend with knowledge in areas where of a larger event. Being an ATA two hours a month helping someone you have no experience. And the mentor is different. Here, your par- we don’t know? Why would anyone relationship itself is also a ticipation as a mentor will be rec- volunteer to be an ATA mentor? learning experience. As you work ognized publicly by ATA, and your Not surprisingly, the answer is out strategies for coaching, role will receive the acknowledge- often personal: some of us may encouraging, and communicating ment of your colleagues. remember being mentored by a with your mentee, you are devel- teacher or friend, some of us like oping skills that can be used with 9. Mentoring is contributing to the teaching and coaching, and some of us clients and colleagues as well. future. Most of us would like to want to share what we have had to think that what we have given of learn the hard way. There are as many ourselves will help shape the reasons to mentor as there are men- “…There are as many future. Your advice and guidance tors. In fact, as the pilot year of ATA’s reasons to mentor as there as a mentor can do just that. Your Mentoring Program comes to a close wisdom is a powerful legacy. this fall, many of the mentors have are mentors…” been surprised to find more benefits to 10. Mentoring is helping your associ- mentoring than they expected. Here ation. Every association depends are 10 of the most popular reasons our 5. Mentoring is building the profes- upon the member benefits of edu- mentors found for mentoring. sion. Face it—sloppy, unprofes- cation and networking. ATA is no sional translators and interpreters different. By sharing your “real 1. Mentoring is making a differ- reflect poorly on all of us. By world” experience one-on-one, ence. You are having a positive showing your mentee good busi- you will strengthen our associa- impact in someone else’s life. You ness practices and ethical conduct, tion and its goals. find yourself feeling proud of you are helping to improve the their successes and satisfied at image of our profession. Many of you are in the unique having made a difference. position of letting newcomers benefit 6. Mentoring is getting as well as from your experience, yet you are 2. Mentoring is feeling energized. giving. The mentoring process is hesitant to become a mentor. Perhaps You might have thought that being a two-way street. Your mentee you are afraid that mentoring will a mentor would leave you even will not forget your help. From take more time than you have to give more tired and overwhelmed than simple grateful thanks to turning or that the needs of a mentee will be you already are, but usually just the up job opportunities for you, overwhelming. These are legitimate opposite is true. Our mentors derive mentees are looking for ways to concerns, but they are not the road- energy from showing their mentees show their appreciation. blocks that you might imagine. A the ropes and have found renewed structured mentoring partnership enthusiasm for their own work. 7. Mentoring is paying back. As you addresses these issues before the worked your way up in your mentoring begins. And the ATA 3. Mentoring is a realization of your career, you more than likely Mentoring Program trains new men- own accomplishments. Most of received advice that you’ve never tors in how this structure works to us aren’t really aware of how much forgotten, advice that has helped we have learned from practical you become successful. Becoming Continued on p.30

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 27 A Translators’ Tea Party in Boston

By Teresa S. Waldes

here was tea, but also coffee, Interpretation Institute, discussed con- Our enjoyable evening followed a pastries, and other goodies, as tracts and the contractual relationship very full day packed with informative T more than 150 translators and binding the translator and the purchaser sessions. In this short article I interpreters got together at the of translation services. couldn’t possibly report on every- Wyndham Hotel in Boston on the Why would anyone waste a beau- thing that was discussed, so I will morning of Saturday, August 10. tiful summer weekend going to a simply mention what impressed me Their purpose was to attend an all- business seminar? Well, besides the most. For instance, I found out the day event on “The Business of urge for self-improvement, the answer to a frequent freelancer com- Translating & Interpreting,” one of a prospect of visiting Boston was plaint: “I sent out a big mailing to series of professional development enticing. The Wyndham Hotel, where TCs and got no responses!” Trans- seminars sponsored by ATA and the event took place and where most lation companies receive lots of organized by ATA Professional of us stayed, is conveniently located resumes in the mail (as many as 10Ð20 Development Committee Chair (and a day). Being very busy, they often Director) Marian Greenfield, with the store them in a file box until someone invaluable assistance of ATA staff “…Participants came from has time to look at them, which members Mary David and Teresa means they sit there forever. TCs Kelly. The participants, who hailed all over the U.S. and much prefer that freelancers sign up from all over the U.S. and beyond beyond, including with their searchable online data- (some from as far away as translation company bases available on their websites. Australia!), included translation com- However, even if you have signed pany (TC) owners and project man- owners and project up online, you will not necessarily agers as well as independent managers as well as get called. Agencies, as Leah translators and interpreters. All were Ruggiero explained, like to work hoping to gain a better understanding independent translators with their usual pool of translators of how to work with each other. and interpreters…” and will only reach outside that pool A well-chosen panel of speakers when there is a special need. Beatriz offered interesting presentations on var- Bonnet emphasized that it is up to ious aspects of the agency-freelancer in downtown Boston, near the harbor you, the translator, to articulate why relationship. Leah Ruggiero, senior and other tourist attractions. A broad you rather than someone else are the project manager at Eriksen Trans- range of activities was available: his- right person for the job. You must lations Inc. in Brooklyn, New York, and tory buffs followed the Freedom Trail offer compelling credentials and/or Beatriz Bonnet, president and CEO of or visited the museums, while sun expertise to stand out in a crowded Syntes Language Group, Inc., a lan- seekers took boat tours of the harbor. field. Networking is a powerful tool. guage services company in the Denver When we got hungry, we discovered You should take advantage of every metro area, cogently presented the Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, a opportunity to get to know TC TC’s point of view. Todd Burrell, a fed- lively pedestrian area with many owners and project managers. eral and state certified court interpreter restaurants and boutiques just a short Assuming you have overcome all and instructor in the Court Interpreter five-minute walk from the hotel. If the obstacles and have been offered a Certificate Program at New York you had been there on Saturday night translation job by an agency, you will University, and Eta Trabing, an experi- you would have found a group of us then be asked to register. Leah walked enced freelance translator and presi- New Yorkers, plus a newfound Israeli us through the registration process dent of Berkana Inc., Center for friend, sitting at an outdoor terrace (questionnaires, tax forms, confiden- Translation and Interpretation Studies, watching the scene and listening to tiality, and work agreements), using gave invaluable advice on how to street performers sing mellow bal- her company’s paperwork as an operate a freelance T/I business. lads. We ate delicious seafood, as you example. Your next challenge is to Courtney Searls-Ridge, owner and are supposed to do when you are in stay on the “active” list by developing manager of German Language Boston, drank wine, and chatted late good relationships with project man- Services and academic director of into the night. Not a bad way to spend agers. What can you do to ensure they translation at Seattle’s Translation and a summer weekend. keep calling you back?

28 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Besides the three cardinal involve particular issues such as skills and abilities. Both also empha- rules—1) do not misrepresent what copyrights and royalties. Translation sized the need for training and creden- you can do; 2) deliver a quality bureaus usually ask freelancers to tials. Many people enter this profession product; and 3) always meet or beat sign agreements in order to protect by accident, and few set out to acquire your deadline—there are other themselves against liability and to expertise in a systematic way. things to consider. As Beatriz pointed ensure confidentiality. Do not assume Another consideration is the avail- out, people do business with people you have to sign any contract that is ability of time and money. Starting a they like. Smile when you answer the put in front of you. If there is some- freelance business is very difficult. phone: even if no one sees you, your thing you don’t like, voice your When you are struggling to get and smile will carry over to your voice. objection. Oftentimes, there is room keep a customer base, cash flow can Be pleasant and accommodating. for negotiation and you can bargain be uneven and unpredictable. If you Each client has his own way of doing for better terms. are making a career change you need things, so do not fight it or try to Bear in mind that a contract is not sufficient income to tide you over argue. Follow your instructions and necessarily a written document. Any until you are established, which may glossaries to the letter. Be sure you bargained exchange for valuable con- take several years. Some people understand what is expected of you, sideration is a contract. Whenever choose to transition gradually, and do not hesitate to ask questions. someone calls and asks you to do a keeping a full-time job in another line Don’t create problems, be part of the translation and the two of you agree of work and accepting interpreting or solution. This will earn you a reputa- on a deadline and price, you have translation assignments only in the tion as someone who is a pleasure to entered into an oral contract that is just evenings or on weekends. work with. as binding as a written one. However, Todd further stressed the need to Beatriz had other marketing tips to Courtney advises to always document research the advantages and pitfalls ensure that you get noticed by TCs. the agreement in writing in case there of an interpreting career before com- Send mailings that highlight your is a later dispute. It can be done very mitting. Some assignments require strengths (special expertise, great informally; just write an e-mail travel. Depending on your outlook rates, weekend availability, etc.). restating the terms as you understand and energy level, this can be a glam- Offer a gimmick to get noticed, such them and ask your correspondent for a orous lifestyle or an exhausting tread- as a free trial or guaranteed satisfac- response to confirm agreement. mill. People who escort for the State tion. Provide a list of major projects To end her presentation, Courtney Department or during trade missions and references. provided samples of good and bad are expected to be on call all the time To market to direct clients, you contracts, and engaged the partici- for a trip that may last several weeks. should use slightly different tech- pants in mock negotiating sessions. It takes a lot of stamina to be out niques. First, research different She indicated that both ATA and the interpreting for your clients at dinner industries by using the library and the Northwest Translators and Inter- after you have been in meetings all Internet. A good website is preters Society offer model transla- day. Court or medical interpreting www.bizjournals.com. Then, identify tion contracts online. The URLs are can be emotionally difficult. It is target companies and use the phone www.atanet.org/model_contract.htm important to maintain professional to locate the appropriate contact in and www.notisnet.org/notis/notisarc. detachment while dealing with each company. A recommended web- html#Program. For more on contracts, people in crisis situations. site to learn useful sales techniques to see PEN’s Handbook for Literary While an interpreter is always on sell your services to potential clients Translators at www/pen.org/translation/ the go and must travel to where his or is www.sellingpower.com. handbook.htm. her clients are, a translator will most To ensure that your rights are pro- After a morning spent analyzing likely operate from a fixed location. tected, Courtney Searls-Ridge’s pres- agency-related issues, the afternoon Eta offered several practical recom- entation addressed the practical was devoted to the freelancer’s view- mendations for starting a translation aspects of negotiating contracts and point. In presenting it, Todd Burrell and business at home. First of all, plan a agreements with translation agencies/ Eta Trabing agreed that the first thing work schedule and create an office bureaus/companies, book publishers, an aspiring translator or interpreter space for your business. Do not allow and other end-clients. Book contracts should do is to take stock of his or her friends, relatives, or housework ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 29 A Translators’ Tea Party in Boston Continued to interfere with your workspace or very good records of your income, This last bit of advice is something your working hours. But, by the same and don’t forget that you owe esti- all the panelists agreed on. Another token, do not let work overtake your mated tax payments. When you can oft-repeated recommendation was to personal life. Stick to your schedule afford to, hire an accountant who has network, network, network. Seren- and take evenings and weekends off. experience working with the self- dipitously, the organizers had arranged Always answer the phone in a employed. Devise a system for fol- a cocktail hour at the end of the day businesslike manner. Do not use cute lowing up on unpaid receivables. where we were able to practice our recorded messages. Do not let chil- Once you are set up, market your newly acquired networking skills. dren answer your business phone. services. Get business cards and a Everyone had garnered some useful Have a separate fax line. Be sure to good resume. Network to become ideas and expressed appreciation for a be reachable by e-mail and/or cell known. You should try several very interesting, well-organized event. phone. This is a service business: you approaches, including mailings, con- To round out the weekend, com- need to be available when the client tacts with colleagues, professional plementary events were scheduled needs you, not when it suits you. forums, etc. Decide on your rates for Sunday. An accreditation sitting Invest in your equipment. Buy an before clients call so you will have an was held Sunday morning, and up-to-date computer, software, fax, answer ready when asked. Present Courtney Searls-Ridge, head of the and printer, and have a high-speed your estimates in writing. Ask ques- ATA Mentoring Task Force, offered Internet account. Get dictionaries and tions and make sure you understand mentor and mentee training. In case reference materials. All these items what the assignment involves and what you missed them in Boston, all three are a necessary initial investment in the client expects is included in the events will be repeated at the ATA your business. Keep detailed records price. Never miss deadlines for any conference in Atlanta (advance of all your expenses, as a lot of them reason. Always remember that you are sign-up required). will be tax deductible. Likewise, keep a businessperson and act accordingly.

International Certification Study: Spain and Portugal Continued from p.21 What’s in It for Me? Continued from p.27

Other organizations include: make the most of a limited amount of time, to set and stay within boundaries, and to improve communication. It’s Asociación Profesional Española de Traductores e much easier than you think! Intérpretes (APETI) More than ever, today’s newcomers to our profession www.lai.com/lai/spanish.html need the advice and encouragement of working translators and interpreters who have on-the-job experience. It is, ACE Traductores (ACEtt) after all, a dog-eat-dog world out there. But the ATA does www.acett.org not have enough mentors! We need more experienced translator and interpreter volunteers! Please consider this Asociación de Traductores e Intérpretes Jurados de challenge and take this opportunity to make a difference. Cataluña (ATIJC) Participation in the ATA Mentoring Program is an ATA www.atijc.com member benefit open only to ATA members. To become an ATA mentor, complete the mentor application on the ATA In the next issue, we will examine the fresh efforts in website (www.atanet.org/Mentor), attend the mentor the area of certification in the Ukraine. As the editor of this training session in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 6, series, I encourage readers to submit any relevant infor- and wait to be matched with a very excited and grateful mation concerning non-U.S. certification or similar pro- ATA mentee. grams, as well as comments on the information published Questions? Contact Mary David at ATA Headquarters; in this series, to my e-mail address at [email protected]. [email protected] or (703) 683-6100 ext 3009.

30 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Professionalism 101

By Betty Howell

t occurred to me that it might be have generally stopped blaming the sense, they investigate further. They useful to look at some of the atti- source for infelicities. Instead, we also keep the text within the track it I tudes and approaches that distin- simply do our best to reproduce has set for itself. guish a translator with 30 years of clearly and succinctly in the target experience from someone who has language the ideas the text contains, Good looks. I don’t mean for the significantly less. What is it that I however confusingly expressed. We translator—for the text. The finished have learned from these many years have given up the temptation to product has to look good, resembling of working that is different from what rewrite unless asked to (“I want an the original to the greatest extent pos- interns and junior translators know? adaptation”), since that door, once sible in order to allow easy compar- opened, can lead to never-ending revi- ison of the two versions (facilitating Concentration. This is basic: getting sion, and assumes a level of famil- updates, changes, and checks for com- the work done and putting the effort iarity with the subject matter, as pleteness). This can mean adding page where it needs to go. Experienced opposed to how it is expressed, that numbers, using appropriate typefaces translators have a very accurate idea we may not have. to distinguish handwritten and printed of how long a text will take to trans- text, etc. People who pay a reasonable late, even without reading it first. price for a translation deserve to And, if mistaken, experience has “…What do most of us receive something they can use with developed that extra brainpower minimal manipulation. Moreover, if a required for laser-like focus on the think of when we say that text looks good, it makes it less likely text that needs to go out. Let’s face it: someone is a that an unqualified person will have to translators must like deadlines or else re-enter the text and introduce new they would be in a different line of professional?…” mistakes in the process. work. If it has to be out by Wednesday morning, the effort required will be Resources. A point I’ve made repeat- dosed carefully to reach that result. Plausibility. Truly original thought is edly is that we have to invest in our- That’s why many experienced transla- encountered so seldom and so unex- selves. If work is returned electronically, tors will do a draft of a translation pectedly that most of us have devel- not in hard copy, then the quality and when it comes in to be sure it’s not oped a sixth sense for new meanings. speed of the printer only matters to the going to require more time than An example of this from my own translator. And that is exactly why they’ve allocated. It doesn’t matter if editing experience would be a text for experienced translators invest in equip- we’re early risers or night owls—most aspiring insurance sales representa- ment that will improve their own of us know when we have a long day tives on data privacy. Legislation in working lives. They buy new com- ahead, and when we can go out for Quebec requires everyone doing busi- puters at regular intervals, and not the dinner and a play and enjoy it. ness with the public to keep only the bottom-of-the-line student model but information they need and to keep it the best of the “home office” offerings, Reasonable expectations. Most of us confidential. In the document I was with substantial amounts of memory to don’t work on Nobel Prize literature. editing, this was said to apply to have numerous files open at once, very In fact, we have learned to accept it as “everyone, from the tow-truck driver large hard drives to store all past work a given that the text we have been to the multinational company.” (for easy searching), many CD-ROM asked to translate for money means Surprised by this implausible pair, I dictionaries, saved versions of inter- something in one language, and that checked the original French text and esting online glossaries, legal texts, we must find appropriate equivalents discovered that a translator unfamiliar etc. They also keep the old computers in the target language in order for it to with the privacy regulations in for backup purposes (also an important have the same impact on the target Quebec had translated the word resource). We have high-speed Internet reader. Although there are times when dépanneur, used in Quebec to desig- access because it is so incredibly the “dumbest sentence of the week” nate the corner convenience store, as useful, and several ways to access the contest becomes remarkably competi- “tow-truck driver,” its meaning in Internet in case of ISP problems. We tive and is felt to be the only way to France. When experienced translators know that the work has to get out, get through some very long days, we read something that doesn’t make however complicated it is for us. ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 31 Professionalism 101 Continued

Generosity. We help our colleagues translate a text puts you in a relatively and that we have to devote time to out—without sneering at their more powerful position than solic- ourselves and our families. We have apparent ignorance. We participate in iting work from a customer. to save some thinking time for online discussions, by language or Obviously, you have to make your reading—and therefore cannot use up specialty, asking questions and services known first, but there are all our mental energy on work. Many answering others. We share what we other ways than just sending CVs and of us have outside nonverbal interests have learned because we know we will asking for work. Referrals are what (painting, music, cooking, sports) that need help, and it feels good to be able you look for. If you are generous with we have either acquired since to do something for someone else for your time on committees, people get becoming established as translators, a change. We join associations, write to know you and are more apt to think or returned to once we had the money articles, and take part in workshops! of you when someone mentions the and realized we needed to make the We consider taking on interns (and need for a translator. Even agencies time to pursue our hobbies. even paying them), teaching transla- located in distant places are more tion courses so that the students will likely to solicit you if your name What do most of us think of when have an accurate idea of the world that appears in more than just a directory. we say that someone is a profes- awaits them, and even talking to the And direct translations, which pay sional, whether speaking of transla- Girl Scouts on Career Day. We realize more and are generally more satis- tors, plumbers, or tennis players? that almost no one outside the transla- fying, are usually assigned to people That they get the job done. That they tion business has any idea of what we who are more than just a name to the don’t make a lot of fuss about it. That do (and what we do it for), so we person placing the work. they know what they are doing. That explain it patiently and simply to those they respond reasonably to reason- who ask. It’s a habit that has generous Sense of balance. Those of us who able demands, and know when rewards (see below). have survived in this business for at demands are unreasonable. That they least 10 years have stopped working get paid for their work. Sounds good Good manners (it’s polite to wait every available minute. We know that to me! till you’re asked). Being asked to minds get tired as much as bodies,

Call for Papers 44th Annual Conference of the American Translators Association Phoenix, Arizona • Pointe South Mountain Resort • November 5-8, 2003

Proposals are invited on topics in of all areas of translation and interpreting, including the following:

Agencies, Bureaus, and Companies Legal Translation and Interpreting Social Sciences Financial Translation and Interpreting Literary Terminology Independent Contractors Medical Translation and Interpreting Training and Pedagogy Interpreting Scientific and Technology Translators and Computers Language-specific Sessions

Suggestions for additional topics are welcome. Proposals for sessions must be submitted on the Conference Presentation Proposal Form by March 14, 2003 to: Conference Organizer, ATA Headquarters, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314; Fax: (703)683-6122. All proposals for sessions must be in English.

There’s no time like the present! Pick up a Conference Presentation Proposal Form at the ATA Onsite Registration Desk, or download one at: www.atanet.org/abstract.htm.

32 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 How to Sell Translation/Localization Services Without Spending Millions of Dollars

By Renato Beninatto

handful of companies in the competitor’s). If you don’t define ZapData (www.zapdata.com), and Dun translation and localization target markets clearly, your sales effec- & Bradstreet (www.dandb.com). A services industry can afford tiveness will be negatively affected. Looking for companies with the global teams with salespeople present Correct targeting, on the other hand, same profile as your current cus- in every major market, and can also can lead to improved sales. tomers will increase the success rate spend more dollars on marketing than By doing this exercise, and of your sales calls. your company makes in a year. I have looking at the supply chain of a cer- By completing these two stages, managed two of those. But for most, tain opportunity (the suppliers and you are moving away from the “spray the owners and maybe a couple of clients that make up an industry), one and pray” approach that is so salespeople have to do the job… and of my sales consulting clients was common in our industry. By now, you on a budget. able to unveil a $2 million pipeline of know what vertical markets you are I want to share with you some prin- potential translation business that going to target and the characteristics ciples and practices that will make was being overlooked. of your potential buyers. And if you your sales more effective, and maybe visited the websites I mentioned, you take you away from the “if I work I also found a source of leads that can don’t sell, if I sell I don’t work” vicious “…A healthy pipeline is be generated according to any of the circle. It is a simple step-by-step plan: the best indication of a criteria that you listed. This is focus. start by developing your sales strategy, Now you need a process. A sales then profile your buyer and define the well-managed business…” process is a sequence of steps that processes that support your strategy, will guide the stages in your relation- and finally, make a habit of tracking Targeting markets provides the ship with prospects and clients. and managing your pipeline. basis for defining sales territories, Tracking these steps and attributing First, you need a strategy. If your deploying salespeople, setting sales probabilities of closing the sale to approach to strategy is “follow the quotas, measuring performance, and each stage will allow you to build a leader,” by now you are probably “a identifying problem areas. But most of pipeline. If you use sales manage- localization company that provides all, targeting allows you to focus your ment tools like Salesforce.com, ACT, services for the IT, life sciences, sales efforts and maximize your mar- or Goldmine, they already incorpo- transportation, manufacturing, and keting dollars. Another advantage of rate some of the process steps in their utilities industries,” just like your targeting is that in doing research on a structure. Some basic steps are: competitor or the big companies in certain industry or vertical market, you the market. And I wouldn’t be sur- become an expert and show more cred- ¥ Identifying potential customers; prised if you actually didn’t have ibility when talking to potential clients. ¥ Determining key decision makers; clients in any of these markets. The next step is profiling, or ¥ Establishing if the prospect has a A good strategy drives processes, obtaining detailed information about budget and how big it is; which influence behaviors and characteristics of your typical buyer. ¥ Identifying the needs and expecta- achieve results. In other words, you First, look at the characteristics of tions of the prospect; want to create an environment that your current clients: total revenue, ¥ Meeting face-to-face with the client; generates sales for you, and to do that percentage of revenue from interna- ¥ Matching the prospect’s needs to effectively you have to put a process tional markets, number of employees your capabilities; in place. Once you have a sales in the U.S. and abroad, number of ¥ Developing an action plan and key process, you will develop a “sales countries in which the company is milestones; mentality,” and it will be easier to present, Standard Industrial Classi- ¥ Submitting a quote; obtain the results you expect. fication (SIC) codes, number of fac- ¥ Negotiating terms and conditions; Start by targeting the most appro- tories, and any business information and priate markets, those that will bring the that you can acquire. Good sources ¥ Executing the contract. highest probable sales and profit of this type of information are sales potentials. The easiest way to do it is to support sites like Hoover’s (www. By obtaining and tracking this look at your existing client base and at hoovers.com), Corporate Information information for all your existing and your success stories (and not your (www.corporateinformation.com), potential clients, and grading ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 33 How to Sell Translation/Localization Services Without Spending Millions of Dollars Continued each one of the steps according to your daily or weekly basis. You want to business. It is the best way for you to historic performance, you will have the have projects at different stages in manage the revenue side of your most valuable tool in sales manage- your pipeline at all times. Because organization and to plan your future ment: a pipeline report for forecasting selling is usually not fun (winning investments. Putting systems like this revenue. The pipeline is graded sales is fun, selling is work), you will in place can cost you very little, and according to the probability of closing have to fight procrastination, and the it doesn’t have to take long. I have a project at each one of the stages. Your best way to do it is to look at a report implemented sales tracking tools in goal is to move the opportunity down and see a picture of your future. organizations with over 100 people the list, thus improving the probability Among the several tactics that I have for a few thousand dollars in less than of getting the job. seen in our industry to create the a week. Table 1 is a sample pipeline report. habit of selling, the one I like the The most difficult challenges are The weighed amount corresponds to most is the posting of a “Do Not actually making the decision to sell the amount of the project, multiplied Disturb, I am selling!” sign at the professionally, articulating a strategy, by the probability of closing it at the door, so that operational distractions and sticking to a process. Once you different stages. don’t get in the way of your efforts to take that step, you are on your way to Once you start tracking your sales grow your company. potentially making millions of dollars through a pipeline, you need to In my opinion, a healthy pipeline is without spending millions of dollars. acquire the habit of managing it on a the best indication of a well-managed

Table 1: Sample Pipeline Report

Opportunity Amount Weighed Amount Close Date Stage Critical Business Issue Project A $50,000 $25,000 1/5/03 Submit proposal Time to market Project B $10,000 $2,500 1/5/03 Needs analysis Quality Project C $20,000 $18,000 1/10/03 Verbal approval Price Project D $25,000 $0 1/15/03 Profiling Payment terms Project E $15,000 $7,500 1/18/03 Contract negotiation Price TOTAL $120,000 $53,000

ATA’s Spanish Language Division This is an exciting opportunity for you to share 2nd Annual Conference your knowledge and experience with appreciative colleagues. For more information, contact: St. Anthony Hotel • San Antonio, Texas April 25-27, 2003 Virginia Perez-Santalla ([email protected]).

34 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Your Mission, If You Choose to Accept It…

By Hélène Wimmerlin

our mission…the localiza- services on the project. To do so, they understand the need for sleep. On the tion into all EU languages manage the whole team of contrac- other hand, clients can get frustrated “Y of an important document tors and internal staff and act as a because project managers don’t seem designated operator’s manual. You liaison to the client. to deliver fast enough, they keep on may select any team members for the Projects start with the project asking for clarification on terms, and operation. You have six days to pro- manager talking to the client and they threaten to charge extra if vide a print-ready version.” gathering as much information as parameters to the project change. possible to define the exact scope of Although such complaints have been Such is the mission proposed to the project and the client’s expecta- heard, a good project manager will agent X, project manager in a transla- tions. The client might not know manage to educate and satisfy both tion agency. Mission impossible? As much about the job to be performed, parties, and will keep everybody in a unreasonable as clients can get, it is so some important details might be happy and productive mood. That rarely the case that they will make it omitted unless the right questions are skill is not given to everybody. So so difficult that an agency will not be what makes a good project manager? able to complete an assignment. True, Many skills enter the mixture… translation projects can be obstacle “…The project manager is Project managers are musicians courses full of pitfalls and traps. attuned to languages. Even if they are However, agencies are hubs for cre- the buffer between clients not all linguists themselves, they ative ideas and solutions, allowing and contractors…” have a broad knowledge of transla- them to conduct projects in a quality tion implications that will allow them manner while respecting tight dead- to guide their clients in their localiza- lines and serious budget constraints. asked. After this initial interview, the tion decisions and to understand their The agency’s main weapon? Project project manager sits down with the translators’ needs and requirements. managers. production team and the files get ana- Project managers are clowns, jug- So little is known about project lyzed and scrutinized, brainstorming gling with time, money, and quality managers. Clients sometimes think takes place to determine the best in search of the perfect balance. Their they translate the projects them- course of action, a strategy plan is decisions are crucial to the good selves. Or they wonder why the created, and a proposal gets sent to results of the project, but also to agency charges a project manage- the client. If the plan was well client and contractors and internal ment fee, especially since the project thought out, the project manager staff satisfaction. No project manager only needs to be translated. simply implements it once the project can afford a decision that will shift Translators tend to have more of a starts and troubleshoots the minor the balance to a poor translation, a mixed impression, where the assign- problems that might arise. The late delivery of an over-budget ment provider image gets entangled project manager moves the project project, or, even worse, all of the with that of a slave driver. So let’s from translator to proofreader, from above altogether. bring some light to this misunder- proofreader to quality controller, Project managers are warriors stood profession… from quality controller to desktop with an arsenal of tools at their dis- It might seem obvious, but project publisher, etc. posal to get the job done. These tools managers manage projects—translation It seems easy enough, but in prac- range from specialists they recruit for or localization projects, that is. tice it is a rather complicated exer- the mission to software tools that These projects have a translation cise. The project manager is the allow them to work more efficiently, component at their core, but many buffer between clients and contrac- or even reference materials that allow different tasks and services orbit tors. Translators will often complain them to proof the work. around that core, including, among that the project managers are not sen- Project managers are road-runners. others, quality control, desktop pub- sitive to their needs: they don’t pro- They always work in a fast-paced lishing, software testing, translation vide enough reference material for environment where they keep on memory maintenance, proposal the project, they don’t explain what moving the project from one person writing, or billing. Project managers needs to be done well enough, they to the next. Any time the project are in charge of coordinating all the don’t answer questions, or they don’t spends unattended on their desk ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 35 Assistant Professor of Spanish Translation Studies and Localization Your Mission, If You Choose to Accept It… Continued Wake Forest University

Tenure-track, two-year is time lost. Always keeping the necessary languages skills or else project moving is what allows for a they might change professional fields. appointment renewable, short delivery time. There are associations for transla- beginning August 2003. Five Project managers are repairmen tors and associations for translation courses per year in translation, who will find an answer for every agency owners, but no association localization, and language. question or issue their team members that really looks into the role and Knowledge of CAT tools or clients have. They will help out to development of translation project required. For complete find answers to terminology ques- management. The lack of organized tions, solve computer difficulties, representation of project management description of job requirements deal with weather- or family-related in the industry is disappointing, and and credentials go to: catastrophes that have an impact on takes away from the worth of project http://www.wfu.edu/Academic- projects, or manage disagreements managers. Being a good project man- departments/Romance among team members. ager requires great talent and knowl- Languages and click on Project managers are wizards who edge. Maybe the time has come for “Faculty Job Openings.” Send grant the client’s wishes, even if they the translation industry to recognize letter of application, dossier imply deployment of a huge process the role of translation project manage- structure to make it happen. If some- ment, which is so essential to its very and teaching materials by body can make it happen, the project existence. And maybe the time has November 11 to Candelas manager will. come for project managers to get Gala, Chair. People trained simultaneously to together to share their knowledge. So be musicians, clowns, warriors, etc., project managers, your mission, if are hard to find. Although a few you choose to accept it, is to take a training programs now exist, most proactive stance to make your role project managers are trained on the understood at all industry levels and job. They get recruited from all sorts to seek opportunities to share knowl- of backgrounds for their organiza- edge with your peers. tional skills, their ability to multitask, their attention to detail, and their lin- guistic skills. Project managers often stumble into the profession without Associations really having decided beforehand to Make A Better become a translation project manager. World It can take up to a year to train project managers to deal efficiently and independently with all aspects of their job. The learning curve is quite intense at the beginning, but this pace ATA’s Fax on Demand will satisfy the project manager’s nat- 1-888-990-3282 ural appetite for learning. However, once they know “everything,” all too often, project managers get burned Want the latest list of exam out or suffer from not being chal- sites? Call ATA’s Document on lenged. Few advancement opportuni- ties are available to project managers Request line, available 24- in small- to mid-size translation agen- hours a day! cies. Within a couple years of their 1-888-990-3282 hire, chances are they will move on to becoming a translator if they have the

36 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 English→Spanish Legal Dictionaries on Probation

By Sandro Tomasi

his article is based on my own completely accurate or that are erro- court’s discretion. Furthermore, if a study of legal dictionaries, neous altogether. sentence of probation is revoked, a T penal codes, and criminal pro- Before reviewing the Spanish court may impose any other sentence cedure codes, in which I researched translations for the term probation, it that initially could have been imposed.1 how the term probation, as it applies is important to first understand what Let us now begin by quickly dis- to the criminal justice arena, ought to the term means in English. Black’s carding one of the alternatives offered be translated into Spanish. As you Law Dictionary (6th and 7th editions) by the bilingual legal dictionary will see, this term has been incredibly defines probation as a: “sentence authors (see Figure 1, page 41). Dahl mistranslated by most bilingual legal imposed for commission of crime, misses the mark with one of his trans- dictionaries. At the same time, no whereby a convicted criminal offender lations for probation by offering lib- bilingual legal dictionary to date is is released into the community under ertad bajo fianza (release on bail). 100% accurate. This being the case, it the supervision of a probation officer is important to keep in mind that the in lieu of incarceration. … For this Libertad Condicional following article was not written to It is absolutely mind-boggling how criticize the overall quality of the dic- 12 English-into-Spanish legal diction- tionaries mentioned here. It is simply “…As laws change, aries, including some of the most a study on how best to translate the terminology and/or respected publications to date, have term in question (probation). translated probation as libertad condi- The goal of a bilingual legal dic- translations of such may cional. At first glance, this would tionary is to provide an accurate trans- need to do so as well…” seem to be correct because probation lation of a source-language term and to is, in a way, a “conditional release.” provide different alternatives when The question here is, does libertad contextual variations make it necessary purpose the defendant must agree to condicional hold the same legal to do so. An explanation in the target specified standards of conduct, and meaning as probation does in English? language may be required when there the public authority operating through The first step that a legal translator can is no equivalent term or concept in the the court impliedly promises that if he take in order to verify the accuracy of target system. In this situation, a for- makes good, his probation will con- a target-language term in a bilingual mulated term may be welcomed, but tinue; however, his violation of such legal dictionary is to confirm the only after it is thoroughly researched to standards subjects his liberty to revo- meaning of the term in monolingual make sure that it does not interfere with cation.” This definition allows us to legal dictionaries. Having already con- existing legal terminology. understand that probation has five firmed the English meaning for proba- Legal translating can be tricky due basic elements. That is, that probation: tion, the next step is to see how the to the inherent differences between monolingual legal dictionaries in the source and target languages and 1) Is a sentence imposed for commis- Spanish define libertad condicional. the legal systems in their respective sion of a crime; Fernández de León defines lib- countries. Naturally, this is likely to 2) Is in lieu of incarceration; ertad condicional as: “La concedida lead to differences of opinion among 3) Involves a convicted criminal al penado merecedor por su conducta experts on how to translate any one offender being released into the de ser puesto en libertad antes del particular term. Discrepancies among community under supervision; total cumplimiento de su condena, bilingual legal dictionaries may also 4) Requires the defendant to agree to quedando sometido a la libertad vigi- be due to the resources used and the specified standards of conduct; and lada para en caso necesario ser reinte- background knowledge and experi- 5) States that liberty may be revoked grado al establecimiento penitenciario ence of the individual author. if the defendant fails to abide by a efectos de que cumpla la pena remi- Moreover, even when working with the agreed upon standards. tida condicionalmente.” Cabanellas2, languages and legal systems where one of the foremost experts on legal ter- numerous reference works are avail- Going beyond Black’s definition of minology in Spanish, dedicates five able, such as English and Spanish, probation, it may also be helpful to paragraphs to describe libertad condi- there are times when these diction- understand that a probation sentence cional in his authoritative eight-volume aries provide translations that are not may be modified or revoked at the Diccionario enciclopédico de ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 37 English→Spanish Legal Dictionaries on Probation Continued derecho usual. The author states: all of the bilingual legal dictionaries cumplir la pena); mientras la libertad “Beneficio penitenciario consistente that included the term parole dis- condicional se concede a los que, ya en dejar en libertad a los penados que played libertad condicional for its sufriendo condena, son liberados hayan observado comportamiento translation as well—this time, accu- anticipadamente, en forma condi- adecuado durante los diversos rately so. So how is it possible that the cionada por su buena conducta.” While períodos de su condena y cuando ya vast majority of English-into-Spanish it is evident that there is some confu- se encuentren en la última parte del legal dictionaries have erroneously sion as to the use of terms in Spanish, tratamiento penal, siempre que se offered libertad condicional as the confirming the meaning of libertad sometan a las condiciones de buena translation for the term probation? condicional in a monolingual legal conducta y demás disposiciones que There are a few reasons. First, there dictionary, and even more so, in most se les señalen, a menos de ser reinte- have been minor misunderstandings penal codes, would have undoubtedly grados al establecimiento penal para between the terms probation and proved that libertad condicional cumplir el tiempo faltante, con el mal parole in English for which Black’s has means parole and not probation. antecedente de esa frustración durante found it necessary to distinguish Based on the fact that libertad la ensayada libertad y retorno a la between the two. It states: “‘Probation’ condicional has such a broadly codi- convivencia normal en sociedad.” relates to judicial action taken before fied and established legal meaning, it The Spanish Penal Code describes the prison door is closed, whereas is my opinion that variations of this libertad condicional by stating: “Se ‘parole’ relates to executive action term—e.g., Collin and Melcion’s lib- establece la libertad condicional en las taken after the door has closed on a ertad condicional a prueba or penas privativas de libertad para aque- convict.” Second, no neo-Roman law Romañach’s libertad condicionada— llos sentenciados en quienes concurran country whose official language is may be easily confused for parole. las circunstancias siguientes: 1.» Que se Spanish has an exact legal counterpart encuentren en el tercer grado de to the Anglo-American system of pro- Condena Condicional tratamiento penitenciario. 2.» Que bation. And third, there is even some Authors Lega and Oriolo offer the hayan extinguido las tres cuartas partes confusion among legal scholars in term condena condicional for proba- de la condena impuesta. 3.» Que hayan these countries on the use of the term tion (see Figure 1), while Benmaman, observado buena conducta y exista libertad condicional. This is illustrated Connolly, and Loos offer a variation respecto de los mismos un pronóstico by Ossorio, who says, “Constituye un on the term: condena condicional individualizado y favorable de reinser- dislate, al que no son ajenos algunos probatoria (more on probatoria ción social, emitido por los expertos profesionales del Derecho, confundir below). It seems as if these authors que el Juez de Vigilancia estime conve- esta institución con la libertad provi- may have carried out more extensive nientes.” The term libertad condicional sional o con la condena condicional research for their translation of proba- appears in most Latin-American penal (v.).” To further investigate what this tion by surpassing the libertad condi- codes (see Figure 2, page 42) and holds blunder is all about, a cross-reference cional “hurdle,” because they have the same conceptual meaning as the search on condena condicional in made the distinction between being above descriptions.3 Cabanellas’ dictionary provides further released right after conviction and It is clear that libertad condicional proof that such a mistake should be being released after serving a min- is the legal counterpart to parole, avoided at all costs. Cabanellas states: imum prison term. Nonetheless, let us which has a well-established use in “Constituye vulgarismo jurídico con- analyze further what is meant in legal the Anglo-American criminal justice fundir esta figura con la de la libertad Spanish by condena condicional. The arena. This is confirmed in Black’s condicional, y más aún con la libertad Diccionario jurídico mexicano,an Law Dictionary, which defines parole provisional (v.). Sin perjuicio de authoritative four-volume work, as a “conditional release from impris- ampliar los respectivos conceptos en describes condena condicional as: onment which entitles the parolee to las voces citadas, indicaremos como “una institución, de carácter jurídico- serve the remainder of his term out- substancial diferenciación que la lib- penal, cuya finalidad es la suspensión side the confines of an institution, if ertad provisional se otorga durante el de las sanciones, impuestas a los he satisfactorily complies with all proceso; la condena condicional se tra- delincuentes, cuando carezcan de terms and conditions provided in duce en la suspensión de la condena antecedentes de mala conducta, sea la parole order.” Interestingly enough, (requiere fallo y no haber empezado a primera vez que delinquen, la pena

38 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 consista en prisión que no exceda de lished the term as a synonym to their sentence in and of itself.5 Never- dos años (cumpliendo los demás req- codified terminology. This is prob- theless, I do believe that there is uisitos del a. 90 del CP), para intentar ably the reason why Lega and Oriolo already a legal counterpart to condena su reintegración a la convivencia also offered their own variation: eje- condicional in U.S. criminal law. The social.” The Spanish authoritative cución condicional de la pena. term for this is suspended sentence, four-volume work, Enciclopedia The Enciclopedia jurídica básica which Black’s Law describes as: “A jurídica básica, includes: “consis- goes further and makes a comparison conviction of a crime followed by a tente en suspender el cumplimiento de between the systems of condena sentence that is given formally, but la pena (o su imposición, según los condicional, probation, and sursis (a not actually served. A suspended sen- sistemas), a condición de que el sujeto similar system used in Europe): “De tence in criminal law means, in effect, no vuelva a delinquir o cumpla otra todos estos sistemas los más exten- that the defendant is not required at serie de requisitos o cargas legal- didos son el angloamericano de pro- the time the sentence is imposed to mente previstos.” Although the bation y el franco-belga del sursis. En serve the sentence.” The difference specifics may vary from one country el sistema de probation, el proceso de with probation is that the defendant is to another, condena condicional is a imposición de la pena se divide en dos serving an imposed sentence, albeit system that is very close to probation, momentos: En el primero, el juez noncustodial, and that the prison sen- allowing a convict of a minor offense declara la culpabilidad, pero no tence will be set and carried out if the to be released into society under cer- impone la condena, dejándola en sus- sentence of probation is revoked. tain conditions with the under- penso durante un período de prueba, standing that if those conditions are en el cual el sujeto es sometido a Libertad a Prueba and Probatoria not met, the defendant will have to medidas de control y a medidas posi- Authors Alcaraz Varó and Hughes, serve the sentence that was previously tivas asistenciales y de reinserción, Rivera García, and Robb offer libertad looming over his head. consistentes en el cumplimiento de a prueba for the translation of proba- Before we continue, it is important ciertas cargas [trabajos para la comu- tion in their dictionaries. Even to note two things. First is that, unlike nidad, participación en programas de Morales Lebrón places probation libertad condicional, when a convict reinserción, reparación del daño …], (written in English) in parentheses is “on release” with conditions, con- bajo la vigilancia de un funcionario right next to the libertad a prueba dena condicional does not mean that encargado de su seguimineto (proba- entry in his monolingual Puerto Rican the offender is “serving a sentence” tion officer)....” In fact, there have legal dictionary. Libertad a prueba is with conditions. To the contrary, the been many comparative studies almost identical to the Anglo- established legal meaning for condena between probation and condena American system of probation, and condicional is that there is a sentence, condicional, such as the following can be found in the Puerto Rican crim- but it will only be carried out if the two works which happen to share the inal procedure code. However, it seems conditions of release are not met. Díaz same revealing title, Suspencion to me that this term is not probation as de León addresses this misnomer, as condicional de la pena y ‹‹proba- it is currently defined in the U.S., but part of his 11-page definition of the tion››: Maqueda Abreu (1985) and a suspended sentence instead. The term, when he comments that condena Nuñez Barbero (1970). Puerto Rican criminal procedure code, condicional amounts to a “condena de For all the comparisons that have as a commentary to Section 1026, inejecución condicionada.” It is also been drawn between probation and Sistema de libertad a prueba, adds: important to note that even though condena condicional, one would “El sistema de sentencia suspendida o Mexico4 is the only country to codify think that these terms constitute an libertad a prueba son términos que se the term condena condicional as a accurate translation. It is my opinion, emplean indistintamente para referirse title, others—e.g., Colombia, El however, that they do not because a una misma institución.”6 So here we Salvador, and Uruguay (suspensión condena condicional is a conditional have it, under definition of Puerto condicional de la ejecución de la sentence that is not carried out; proba- Rican law, libertad a prueba is the pena); Peru and Spain (suspensión de tion, on the other hand, is a sentence same as a suspended sentence. Maybe la ejecución de la pena); and that is carried out. This is governed by this is why Meilij de Romero came up Paraguay (suspensión a prueba de la the Comprehensive Crime Control with sentencia en suspenso (a prueba) ejecución de la pena)—have estab- Act of 1984, which makes probation a for probation. ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 39 English→Spanish Legal Dictionaries on Probation Continued

Interestingly enough, evidence reviewed support Rivera García’s con- generically for both. What’s more, in tends to show that probation was a tention, but offered, instead, terms some countries, even the Juez de suspended sentence before the such as obligatoriedad probatoria and Vigilancia is in charge of supervising Comprehensive Crime Control Act of término probatorio, displaying further both as well. Aside from libertad vigi- 1984. The fourth edition of Black’s proof that the legal term probatoria lada, terms such as tratamiento en lib- Law Dictionary (1968) gives a dif- pertains strictly to evidence. The ertad, período de prueba, régimen a ferent case-law description of proba- exception to this rule is found in prueba, and régimen de vigilancia tion than its sixth edition published 22 Puerto Rican case law (not its statutes) may also be used to describe proba- years later. The earlier version states where this colloquialism appears tion, parole, and any other noncusto- the following: “allowing a person repeatedly, demonstrating its current dial sentences or releases. convicted of some minor offense (par- level of acceptance by the courts. ticularly juvenile offenders) to go at Indeed, Puerto Rico has its own laws Probación large, under a suspension of sentence, and terminology, but it is important to The term probación has not been during good behavior, and generally know that probatoria is not a sentence included in any of the bilingual legal under the supervision or guardianship in and of itself, as probation is in the dictionaries I reviewed. However, of a probation officer.” This definition U.S., and that it is used to describe its Goldstein does include it in his is in contrast to the one I cited earlier own codified terms, libertad a prueba Diccionario de Derecho penal y crimi- from the probation edition, which and sentencia suspendida. nología and offers Cuello Calón’s established probation as a sentence. Alcaraz Varó and Hughes further description of the Anglo-American What is also interesting is that it took contend that libertad probatoria would system of probation. At first, one may a few years for probation to complete be suitable. However, this compounded be inclined to think that it is absurd to its metamorphosis in the 1970s from a term can be found in Article 173 of the use this cognate, which has no legal suspended sentence into a sentence. Paraguayan Criminal Procedure Code, meaning in Spanish. True as this may This is evidenced in the fifth edition of and refers to admitting evidence. It be, Goldstein is not off base, since the Black’s Law Dictionary (1979), where defines libertad probatoria as: “Los term probación does conjure up similar it displays two contrasting case-law hechos y circunstancias relacionados images. Let us go outside of the legal definitions for probation. One of the con el objeto del procedimiento arena for one moment and confirm the cases described it as a sentence and podrán ser admitidos por cualquier definition of probación with the master the other as a suspended sentence. The medio de prueba, salvo las excep- lexicographer María Moliner. The first important lesson to be learned here is ciones previstas por las leyes.” Once of the two meanings she offers is that as laws change, terminology again, this demonstrates the wide- prueba. Just as in old English, probation and/or translations of such may need spread legal usage of the term proba- is evidence or proof. The second to do so as well. All of the authors that toria in relation to evidence. meaning reads as follows: “En las offered libertad a prueba would have *órdenes religiosas, prueba de vocación been accurate if we were talking about Generic Terms for Probation que se les hace a los novicios por probation in the 1960s, even though Libertad vigilada is offered by espacio de un año por lo menos.” The condena condicional or suspensión de Collin and Melcion, Ramos Bossini 30-volume Enciclopedia jurídica la ejecución de la pena were, by far, and Gleeson, and West. It is fine to española also includes probación and more established terms for the same in describe probation as such; however, explains it as Moliner does. Of course, Spanish-speaking countries. this term may be associated with neither of these two references is Many authors offer probatoria as either libertad condicional or condena talking about convicted seminarists on a translation for probation, but all the condicional in civil law countries. probation, but they do lend credence to Spanish-monolingual legal diction- Traditionally, a Juez de Vigilancia the use of probación in the criminal jus- aries used in this study that listed would supervise convicts who were on tice arena because it subjects a person to this term defined it as “pertaining to libertad condicional, hence libertad a probationary period. This may even be evidence.” Rivera García is the excep- vigilada. But as supervision has why some other legal scholars have tion, and is the only one to define the become a more popular tool in the chosen to include the Spanish cognate term as an early prison release for neo-Roman law systems of condena in their comparative studies on proba- good behavior. None of the codes I condicional, the term has been applied tion, e.g., Bases para el desarrollo de

40 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 un sistema de Probación en Venezuala Closing Thoughts counterparts of suspended sentence. It (Bravo Dávila, 1981) and La It is my belief that the research on may very well be that the systems of probación: Método de tratamiento indi- how to translate probation has proved condena condicional and libertad a vidual del delincuente (Canestri, 1981). that libertad condicional is an erro- prueba will be enacted in their There are, however, many legal neous translation for probation, and respective countries as sentences in scholars around the world who have should be used for parole instead. The and of themselves, and allow courts also performed comparative studies term condena condicional and the discretion on their modifications and on probation, but have chosen to keep Puerto Rican terms, libertad a prueba re-sentencing procedures just as pro- this term in English.7 But what hap- and sentencia suspendida, were all bation has in the United States. Until pens when a term is kept in English as equivalent to probation when the then, I don’t think either of these it is being discussed in a foreign lan- Anglo-American system was a sus- terms would constitute an accurate guage? Little by little, as an English pended sentence. However, once pro- translation of probation. word gets repeated over and over bation became a sentence in and of The term probatoria offers an again, it becomes engrained into the itself, I think these three terms were interesting twist because, legally, it vernacular of a foreign language. This better left for comparative studies only refers to evidence. However, it sort of thing, as court interpreters only rather than precise translations has gained colloquial acceptance in across the U.S. are able to confirm, thereof. Currently, I believe that con- Puerto Rico as the equivalent of lib- has Spanish speakers uttering the dena condicional, libertad a prueba, ertad a prueba. On the other hand, it is likes of “provecho” and “probeishon.” and sentencia suspendida are legal also used in some parts of the ➡

Figure 1: English-into-Spanish Legal Dictionaries

Term Alcaraz Varó/Hughes Benmaman/Connoly/Loos Cabanellas/Hoague* probation libertad condicional o a prueba, condena condicional probatoria, libertad condicional libertad probatoria, [explanation [usage: once full term established, of “probation” in Sp.]; probatoria may use only probatoria]

Collin/Melcion Dahl Espasa libertad vigilada, libertad bajo fianza, libertad condicional libertad condicional a prueba libertad condicional

Kaplan* Lega/Oriolo Mazzucco/Maranghello libertad condicional ejecución condicional de la pena, libertad condicional condena condicional

Meilij de Romero Muñiz Castro Ramos Bossini/Gleeson sentencia en suspenso (a prueba) libertad condicional, probatoria libertad condicional, libertad vigilada

Rivera García Robayo Robb libertad a prueba prueba, libertad condicional libertad condicional o a prueba, probatoria (PR)

Romañach Solís/Gasteazoro* West probatoria; libertad condicionada 1. libertad condicional. libertad vigilada 2. [explanation of “probation” in Sp.]

* It is a great injustice to authors Cabanellas/Hoague, Kaplan, and Solís/Gasteazoro that their dictionaries are commonly referred to by the publishers’ names—Butterworth’s, Wiley’s, and sometimes Aspen’s, and West’s, respectively—rather than their own.

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 41 English→Spanish Legal Dictionaries on Probation Continued

Figure 2: Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes from Spain and Latin America (terms used for parole)

Argentina Colombia Cuba Ecuador libertad condicional (aa. 13 a libertad condicional (a. 64 libertad condicional (a. 58 libertad condicional (aa. 17 del CP y aa. 505 a 510 del CP) del CP) 87 a 93 del CP) del CPP)

El Salvador España Guatemala Méxio libertad condicional (a. 85 libertad condicional (aa. 90 libertad condicional (aa. 78 a libertad preparatoria* (aa. 84 del CP) a 93 del CP) 82 del CP) a 87 del CP y aa. 583 a 593 del CPP)

Nicaragua Panamá Paraguay Uruguay libertad condicional (aa. 108 libertad condicional (aa. 85 a libertad condicional (a. 51 del libertad anticipada a113 del CP) 89 del CP) CP y aa. 496 a 497 del CPP)

CEC, Código de Enjuiciamiento Criminal; CP, Código Penal; CPC, Código de Procedimiento Criminal; CPP, Código Procesal Penal, Código de Procedimientos Penales (Mx.). * The Diccionario jurídico mexicano lists libertad condicional and indicates its synonymous use to libertad preparatoria by referring the reader to the latter entry.

U.S. to translate the sentence of pro- legal professionals in Spain and Latin cited, it is important to know that bation. Notwithstanding, this is prob- America who would easily understand he is the author of several mono- ably due to the historical lack of the term probación in the context of lingual dictionaries and should not qualified court interpreters throughout U.S. criminal law. be mistaken for his son, most parts of the country, and the Due to the fact that legal transla- Cabanellas de las Cuevas, co- shortcomings of the bilingual legal tion is such a complex discipline— author of the “Diccionario dictionaries that have been published. which involves translating from one jurídico/Law Dictionary.” After performing exhaustive language to another, from one legal research on the translation of proba- system to another, and which may 3. Uruguay is the only country that tion, I concur with authors Bravo even include updating terms as lan- differs. Article 131, Section B, of Dávila, Canestri, and Goldstein on guage and legal systems evolve—one the Uruguayan Penal Code estab- using the term probación for this should always be aware of ad lishes that libertad condicional is Anglo-American system when hominem fallacies and accepting given, upon conviction, to a defen- addressing an audience in Spanish.8 expert opinion uncritically. It is by dant that was granted a pre-trial This is one of the rare cases when a these criteria and all of the preceding release (libertad provisional). new term is warranted because there is documentation that I recommend to Libertad anticipada is their codi- no exact legal counterpart. The cog- any person who consults English- fied term for parole. nate holds similar meaning in Spanish, Spanish legal dictionaries to treat them and, in my opinion, is available for as if they have been sentenced to life- 4. Art. 50 bis. of the Mexican penal scrupulous application in the legal con- time probation (probación perpetua). code (vigilancia de la autoridad) text. Probación has gained some collo- establishes the ability to impose quial acceptance in the U.S. and would Notes court supervision for a defendant be easily recognized by other Spanish 1. 18 U.S.C. ¤ 3565. who receives a suspensión condi- speakers used to hearing the cognate in cional de la ejecución de la sen- English. Furthermore, due to the vast 2. Although his full name, tencia (i.e., condena condicional). comparative studies on probation and Cabanellas de Torres, is not given noncustodial systems, there are many in the reference works that are 5. 18 U.S.C. ¤ 3561.

42 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 6. 1 Der. Civ. 619, n. 41 (1968-CDC- Arribálzaga, Martín Eugenio. Diccio- 8 vols. Buenos Aires: Editorial 012). nario jurídico jurisprudencial. Heliasta, 2001. Buenos Aires: Ediciones Depalma, 7. “La Probation aux Etats-Unis” and 2000. Chanamé Orbe, Raúl. Diccionario “La probation en France” from the jurídico moderno. Lima: Editorial Revue de Droit Penal et de Becerra, Javier F. Diccionario de ter- San Marcos, 1995. Criminologie, June 1965 and minología jurídica mexicana March-April 1970, respectively; (español-inglés). Assisted by Código de procedimiento criminal de “Probation e assistenza post-pen- George E. Humphrey. Mexico City: la República Dominicana. n.p. itenziaria in Inghilterra e nel Escuela Libre de Derecho, 1999. Santo Domingo. n.d. Galles,” Probation. Rassegna com- parata di legislazione e pratica Benmaman, Virginia, Norma C. Código penal de 27 de diciembre de (Klare, 1973); Probation e insti- Connolly, and Scott Robert Loos. 1987, República de Cuba. Havana: tutos análogos (Devoto). Bilingual Dictionary of Criminal Editorial de Ciencias Sociales, Justice Terms (English/Spanish). 1996. 8. Depending upon context, a brief Binghamton, New York: Gould explanation may need to be given Publications, 1991. Código penal de Colombia. to inform a target audience (usu- www.derechos.org/nizkor/colombi ally foreign legal professionals, Black, Henry Campbell. Black’s Law a/doc/penal.html. n.d. since defendants are quick to Dictionary. 4th ed. St. Paul, inform themselves) about what Minnesota: West Publishing, 1968. Código penal de Guatemala this noncustodial sentence means (Decreto n. 17-73). in U.S. criminal law. For this, I Black, Henry Campbell. Black’s Law www.unifr.ch/derechopenal/ propose the following: Probación. Dictionary. 5th ed. St. Paul, legislacion/cp_guatemala.htm. n.d. Institución angloamericana equip- Minnesota: West Publishing, 1979. arable a la condena condicional, Código penal de la Nación Argentina. pero que a su vez constituye una Black, Henry Campbell. Black’s Law 31st ed. Buenos Aires: Abeledo- pena en sí, obligando al penado a Dictionary. 6th ed. St. Paul, Perrot, 1998. someterse bajo la vigilancia de Minnesota: West Group, 1990. un funcionario encargado de su Código penal de la República de El seguimiento y cumplir con las Black, Henry Campbell. Black’s Law Salvador. condiciones impuestas por el juez Dictionary. Bryan A. Garner, www.unifr.ch/derechopenal/ mientras se encuentre en libertad. Editor in Chief. 7th ed. St. Paul, legislacion/cp_elsalvador01.htm. n.d. You may continue with: Si el reo Minnesota: West Group, 1999. beneficiado reincide durante el Código penal de la República de plazo fijado de la probación, será Cabanellas de las Cuevas, Guillermo, Nicaragua. sujeto, a discreción del tribunal, a and Eleanor C. Hoague. Diccio- www.unifr.ch/derechopenal/ una modifación de ésta o será nario jurídico/Law Dictionary. 2 legislacion/cp_nicaragua.htm. n.d. reconenado a una pena privativa vols. Buenos Aires: Editorial de libertad correspondiente al Heliasta, 1998. Código penal de la República del delito por el cual se le concedió Paraguay. 2nd ed. Asunción: Biblio- dicho beneficio. Cabanellas, Guillermo. Diccionario de gráfica Jurídica Paraguay, 1999. derecho usual. 3 vols. Buenos Aires: References Editorial Depalma, 1953-54. Código penal de la República Alcaraz Varó, Enrique, and Brian Dominicana. Santo Domingo: n.p., Hughes. Diccionario de términos Cabanellas, Guillermo. Diccionario 1997. jurídicos Inglés-Español/Spanish- enciclopédico de derecho usual. English. 3rd ed., rev. and enl. Edited by Luis Alcalá-Zamora y Barcelona: Editorial Ariel, 1997. Castillo. 27th ed., rev. and enl., ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 43 English→Spanish Legal Dictionaries on Probation Continued

Código penal de Panamá. Devoto, Eleonora A. “La ‘probation’ rev., 3 vols. Buenos Aires: www.unifr.ch/derechopenal/ (a propósito de su incorporación al Editorial Abeledo-Perrot, 1993. legislacion/cp_panama01.htm. n.d. Código Penal argentino),” La Ley no. 160 (August, 1994): 1-2. Goldstein, Raúl. Diccionario de Código penal de Puerto Rico. San derecho penal y criminología. 3rd Juan: Lexis Law Publishing de Díaz de León, Marco Antonio. ed., rev. and enl. Buenos Aires: Puerto Rico, 1998. Diccionario de derecho procesal Editorial Astrea, 1993. penal. 4th ed., 2 vols. Mexico City: Código penal ecuatoriano. Editorial Porrúa, 2000. Gómez Aristizábal, Horacio. Diccio- www.unifr.ch/derechopenal/ nario jurídico penal. Bogota: ljecuador/cpecuidx.htm. n.d. Diccionario Espasa términos jurí- Plaza & James Editores Colombia, dicos español-inglés, English- 1986. Código penal para el distrito federal. Spanish. Madrid: Editorial Espasa 59th ed. Mexico City: Editorial Calpe, 2002. Hendler, Edmundo S. “La suspensión Porrúa, 2000. a prueba del proceso penal,” El Diccionario jurídico mexicano. Jorge Derecho no. 8513 (June 1994): 1-4. Código penal y legislación comple- Madrazo, Editor in Chief. Instituto mentaria. 26th ed. Madrid: Civitas de Investigaciones Jurídicas. 14th Kaplan, Steven M. English-Spanish Ediciones, 2000. ed., 4 vols. Mexico City: Editorial Spanish-English Legal Dictionary. Porrúa, 2000. 2nd ed. New York: Aspen Law and Código penal. Lima: Editorial Rodhas, Business, 2001. 1994. Diccionario terminológico de derecho/ Dictionary of Legal Terminology. Kent, Jorge, and Tristán García Código penal. Montevideo: Ediciones Chief Editor: Emilio-Germán Torres. “Probation (Un fallo que Del Foro, 1999. Munñiz Castro. Madrid: Editorial recepta una exégesis adecuada de La Ley, 1992. la institución),” La Ley no.— Código procesal penal de la Nación. (December 1994): 3-4. 8th ed. Buenos Aires: Abeledo- Enciclopedia jurídica básica. Alfredo Perrot, 1992. Montoya Melgar, Editor in Chief. Lega, Marisa, and Mariana I. Oriolo. 4 vols. Madrid: Editorial Civitas, Diccionario de Términos Legales Código Procesal Penal de la República 1995. (inglés-castellano/castellano- del Paraguay. Asuncion: Biblio- inglés). Buenos Aires: Serie gráfica Jurídica Paraguay, 1998. Enciclopedia jurídica española. 30 vols. Técnica El Cronista, 1998. Barcelona: Francisco Seix, 1910. Código procesal penal. Lima: Leyes de Puerto Rico Anotadas. Editorial Rodhas, 1994. Federal Criminal Code and Rules. St. Título 34—Código de Enjuicia- Paul, Minnesota: West Group, 2002. miento Criminal y Reglas. Orford, Collin, P.H., Lourdes Melcion, et al. New Hampshire: Equity Pub- Spanish Law Dictionary. London: Federal Sentencing Guidelines lishing, 1991 (with 2001 supple- Peter Collin Publishing, 1999. Manual. St. Paul, Minnesota: West ment). Group, 2000. Criminal Law Handbook of New York. Maqueda Abreu, María Luisa. Binghamton, New York: Gould Fernández de León, Gonzalo. Suspensión condicional de la pena Publications, 2001. Diccionario jurídico. 3rd ed., enl., 4 y ÇprobationÈ. Madrid: Ministerio vols. Buenos Aires: Ediciones de Justicia, 1985. Dahl, Henry S. Dahl’s Law Dictionary Contabilidad Moderna, 1972. Spanish-English/Inglés-Español. 3rd ed., rev. and enl. Buffalo, New Garrone, José Alberto. Diccionario York: William S. Hein & Co., 1999. jurídico Abeledo-Perrot. 2nd ed., Continued on p.78

44 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Contracts in German(y)

By Christiane Bohnert

his article provides an overview translation, again either for members at the writing style of the contract, of contracts according to of their company who are not fluent since we cannot use a badly written T German law and outlines, in English, or because the negotiators original as an excuse for a badly among other topics, the need for themselves do not know the con- written translation. If we find that we translation, the question of jurisdic- tract’s language well enough to are not completely clear as to the tion, the German definition of con- access the contract. In the latter case, meaning of a contract’s content, we tracts, standards and contracts, some German law requires a translation might be better off declining the job. differences between German and (the legal term is “Übersetzung- According to German law, the American contracts, and some trans- sobliegenheit”), as it specifies that all Einführungsgesetz zum Bürgerlichen lation suggestions borne out of these parties must have equal access to an Gesetzbuch (EGBGB, or “Law differences. The following text is the agreement (i.e., to understand it Introducing the [German] Civil result of theoretical input* from Code”) rules on legal matters. With knowledgeable colleagues, in addi- regard to jurisdiction and venue (the tion to several years of practice in “…A major problem with Gerichtsstand), this is usually given translating U.S. and German con- in the contract as being either in the tracts and agreements. It summarizes contracts is their purely U.S. (e.g., “the courts in the State of legal questions that I, as a legal trans- formal definition. For New York”) or in Germany (e.g., “the lator who did not study law, found of content, almost any topic courts in the city of Frankfurt am interest as background information Main”). Concerning foreign jurisdic- for my own translation activities. will do...” tions (see art. 3), Article 27 provides It is perhaps surprising, especially that a contract is subject to the law given the flood of contracts reaching (Rechtsordnung) selected by the par- us, to learn that “Formfreiheit” equally well so as to create an equi- ties. Article 28 rules that contracts (“freedom from formal require- table situation). The Übersetzung- not selecting a law are subject to the ments”) applies to contracts involving sobliegenheit also applies to software law of the jurisdiction with which a debt obligation (section ¤ 350 HGB and distribution agreements, whose they are connected most closely. In [Handelgesetzbuch, or German Com- unknown parties may or may not addition, Article 32 emphasizes that mercial Code]). Despite this, contracts understand the English of the original the law applied to a contract involving international business trans- contract. The risks associated with according to Articles 27 to 30 is most actions are usually set down in writing the translation are borne by the party relevant for this contract’s interpreta- and subjected to formal (i.e., legal) that requires the translation. If the tion. Thus, in German courts, a con- requirements as a means of creating contract is declared valid in both lan- tract containing an appropriate evidence of validity. guages, neither party is at risk. If the selection of a law (it could even be a Considering the rule of freedom contract, in terms of communication, third country’s law) will be inter- from formal requirements, why must “sends” information, the sender is preted accordingly. contracts or agreements written in responsible for making the informa- A major problem with contracts is English be translated into German? tion understandable. their purely formal definition. For The answer is the need for informa- For the translator, the reasons content, almost any topic will do. In tion. It may be that the contract has behind a translation are important. the U.S., contracts are defined in each been negotiated by a parent or sub- While each translation requires our jurisdiction. German private law has sidiary company whose subsidiary or best effort, we must take a particu- developed a definition that comprises parent in Germany needs to know the larly hard look at the subject matter four aspects. Accordingly: details—either for the records or when the situation requires us to because the purchase or sale being follow the conditions of the Überset- 1. An agreement is made by two or contemplated is contingent on the zungsobliegenheit. Do we have the more persons; contract. Or else it may be that the expertise in the subject matter that is 2. This agreement centers on a state- parties involved are from different required for us to render the contract ment of intent; countries, one German and the other unambiguously? In such cases, we 3. Each party must accept the state- American, and the former wants the might also want to take a close look ment or intent; and ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 45 Contracts in German(y) Continued

4. This acceptance will lead to a cer- licensing, and nuptial/marriage French version of the name). tain legal result. agreements (Verkaufs-, Kauf-, Moreover, the European Union is Liefer-, Miet-, Werk-, Leasing-, planning on codifying the general law In its economic context, a contract Lizenz-, and Eheverträge). of contracts for its member states. On always creates a “Schuldverhältnis” an international level, there is the (“an obligation” or “set of obliga- 3. Multilateral contracts create an obli- International Institute for the tions”), which results from the accept- gation for several parties to each Unification of Private Law. Other ance of an offer. Individuals entitled other. The most common examples standards have been created by con- to enter an agreement include: are the partnership agreement sumer protection laws (Verbrau- (Gesellschaftervertrag) and articles cherschutzgesetze). When using 1. Private persons (“natürliche und of incorporation (Gründungsur- institutional and other reference mate- juristische Personen”): kunde [GmbH], Satzung [AG]). rials, it is important to be sure that any a. Individuals, including sole pro- terms or phrases really do get the prietors and partnerships; With other texts, a translator may intended meaning across. If unsure, it b. Corporations. be able to build glossaries of terms is better to stick closely to the text, and phrases that occur repeatedly. even if the translation does not sound 2. Public persons subject to interna- However, since the legal doctrine of as elegant. tional law (“Standardformulie- “contractual freedom” includes the Some clauses that are standard in rungen in Völkerrechtsverträgen” freedom to put a contract into what- U.S. contracts, such as waivers, are are available from the “Auswärtiges ever terms and phrases sound good to unnecessary in German law. While Amt” [German Foreign Office]). the parties or their lawyers, experi- they cannot be left out, it is useful to ence can help, but glossaries are usu- know this in case one encounters diffi- This article is only concerned with ally limited to a few standards that culties. While passages important to contracts made by private persons. have developed over time, and which German readers may require lengthy The “Schuldverhältnis,” resulting may be found on the Internet or in research, with passages important only from an offer and its subsequent books such as the Formularbücher to U.S. law it may be justifiable to give acceptance, is constituted in various (Beck) and the Heidelberger Muster- up sooner, perhaps entering a note. ways. There are unilateral, bilateral, verträge. For translations from As the contract’s writing style and multilateral contracts. American English, however, these are may swing between general English of limited value, as they leave out and legalese, it is important to keep in 1. A unilateral contract consists of an matters important to U.S. law. mind the general rules of translation: offer and its implied acceptance. Some of the existing standards are Examples include gifts, sureties, the result of international conven- 1. Content is invariable; that is, the warranties, and contracts of inheri- tions and agreements, such as original’s meaning must come tance (Schenkungen, Bürgschaften, the commerce-related “incoterms” across accurately and completely. Garantien, and Erbverträge). Uni- (abbreviated statements detailing how lateral contracts also include last delivery should be handled). Other 2. A translation shall have the same wills, foundations, and public important agreements include: the effect on its readers as the orig- promises of reward (Testamente, Arbitration Rules of the International inal: legal texts are informative Stiftungen, and Auslobungen). Chamber of Commerce (ICC; Inter- texts; hence, legal phraseology nationale Handelskammer); the CISG (Fachsprache) must be used. 2. Bilateral contracts involve an offer (UN Convention on Contracts for the by one party and an acceptance by International Sale of Goods; Über- 3. Conventions are dictated by the another party; thus creating a einkommen der Vereinten Nationen zu target language; that is, the text mutual obligation. Such contracts Verträgen im internationalen Waren- should not read like a translation. are most commonly translated: sales, handel); and the Conditions of purchases, delivery agreements/ Contracts by the International Given the difficulties generated by the contracts, rental agreements, work Federation of Consulting Engineers different legal systems of the U.S. and contracts, as well as leasing, (FIDIC—the acronym represents the Germany, items 1 and 3 will be most

46 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 in conflict when translating legal texts tense: Der Käufer zahlt dem according to the contract. If an equi- such as contracts. Verkäufer...). Occasionally, German table decision is not reached, a judge A German contract consists of: may also use “verpflichtet sich” (Der is supposed to close the gap left by title (Überschrift); place/date (Ort, Käufer verpflichtet sich, dem the contract. In such cases, the judge Datum); head of contract (Rubrum or Verkäufer ... zu zahlen), or “hat zu,” will interpret the parties’ intent Vertragskopf); recitals or whereas or “muss.” In recitals (whereas (Parteiwillen) according to the con- clauses (Präambel); definitions clauses), the “whereas ... now, there- tract; that is, according to a term’s (Definitionen); clauses or sections fore, ...” is replaced by indicative sen- meaning (Wortsinn) and its context (Klauseln, Ziffern, Absätze); final for- tences (“whereas xy company sells (Kontext), with the objective being to mulas (Schlussformeln); and signa- screws; ...; now, therefore, ...” Ð Die discover the parties’ “real intent” tures (Unterschriften). Firma XY verkauft Schrauben. ... rather than discovering a true In U.S. agreements, the date is fre- Daher ...). In this one case, the semi- meaning (Section ¤ 133 BGB). quently put directly before the signa- colons will be replaced by periods. Therefore, unless a customer tures, although there are translators The contract will often set deadlines insists on every word being trans- who insist that changing this to (Termine) and time periods (Fristen); lated, a listing such as “liens, follow the German format is permis- the term “Datum, Daten” is compar- pledges, mortgages, (three more sible and even beneficial. However, atively rarely used. Contracts may words), and other encumbrances” this is not a common stance. Rather, also give addresses (Anschriften), may also be rendered accurately by the macrostructure of legal texts, labeling and packaging rules saying, for instance, “Pfandrechte, including contracts, must remain: title, (Beschriftungs- und Verpackungsvor- Hypotheken, and ähnliche Belas- numbering, and sentence delimits. schriften), and procedures to be com- tungen” instead of trying to find dif- Periods are inviolable because plied with (einzuhaltende Verfahren). ferent German words for each German Juristen quote down to the If one party has to act in the source synonym in the list. In the same vein, sentence (Section XY, paragraph 0, country, original designations should “warranties and representations” sentence 0 - ¤ XY, Absatz 0, Satz 0). be left in English with translations translate into one German word: By the way, “section” should never be being added in brackets introduced by “Zusicherungen” (Warranty alone is translated as “Abschnitt,” as this is not “in etwa.” The same applies to labels “Gewährleistung”). A special case in a legal term in German. A section is a that have been agreed upon contractu- this context is the use of the term ¤, an Artikel,a Ziffer, or an Absatz, ally, procedures that (supervisory) “provided that” as a way of intro- depending on the numbering (“section authorities provide, and certifications ducing an ancillary condition 1” may be a ¤ or an Artikel, whereas that must be furnished. On the other (Nebenbedingung) that defines in “section 1.1” is an Absatz). hand, if a party has to act in the target detail the condition first stated. Thus, Regarding numbers mentioned in country and the Namen, Beschrif- it can often be rendered as “wobei the text—they should be written out tungen, Verfahren, and Bescheini- (gleichzeitig) gilt,” which, in German, as is customary in German contracts, gungen are given in English tends to describe the relationship even if the original has numbers. translation, some care needs to be between the first and second condi- With prices, Germans put the number taken and research will have to be done tion better than the common transla- first and then add the equivalent of to render them correctly into German. tion “vorausgesetzt, dass,” since it “written out,” as in “EUR 800.000 (in In the adversarial court system of emphasizes the importance of this Worten: achthunderttausend Euro).” the U.S., interpretation is not pro- second condition. Another special Differences also exist regarding vided. Instead, interpreting a contract case is the listing of “successors and the use of tenses. German uses past depends on a term’s literal meaning. assignees”; the former being the tense in the narrative part of a text; Hence, listings of every conceivable Rechtsnachfolger following an inher- English uses present tense. For synonym for expressing a certain itance, and the latter Rechtsnach- stating obligations, English uses pre- matter are the rule so as to exclude folger following a sale, insolvency, or scriptive future (“Buyer shall pay to rulings based on missing terms. In transfer. the seller...” or “Buyer agrees”), German law, the parties try to reach Other terms may not be defined whereas German uses the so-called an equitable decision as to the per- well, and will require special care Gebotspräsenz (directing present formance (Leistung) to be provided when translating their context. ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 47 Contracts in German(y) Continued

The term “Affiliate” (verbundenes traditionally, it is rendered as “nach vigorous exporters without seeing Unternehmen) is defined in the besten Kräften bemüht sein, (etwas zu themselves as linguistic global German Shareholders’ Law (Aktien- tun).” Also, the reference to the players, and thus are beneficiaries of gesetz, section ¤ 15), which defines a “arm’s length” principle is unknown the legal Übersetzungsobliegenheit. “verbundenes Unternehmen” as one in Germany. One German rendering Hence, legal translation will continue in relation to which the parent com- for it is “Fremdvergleichsgrundsatz”; to be in demand, even if the present pany has a right to give instructions that is, a party to a contract acts as an dip, or double-dip, economy con- (Weisungsrecht). On the other hand, independent enterprise (selbstständig tinues for some time to come. the German Commercial Code handelndes Unternehmen), and is (Handelsgesetzbuch, section ¤ 271, thus comparable to any other com- Notes paragraph 2) uses the preparation of pany, even if it is a subsidiary. * For the presentations that provided financial statements as a yardstick: an Sometimes we encounter predic- me with much of my material, I affiliate is a part of the parent com- tions stating that soon there will be thank Corinna Schlüter-Ellner, pany’s consolidated statement less to translate as more and more lawyer and translator (Spanish→ (Konzernabschluss). The terms “con- German companies turn to English as German), for her “Übersetzen von fidentiality” (Geheimhaltung) and their language of communication in Verträgen,” in Mit Dienstleistungen “trade secret” (Betriebsgeheimnis) the boardroom. However, as all of us Zukunft schreiben (Konferenzband, are not defined as legal terms, but who have seen examples of such ADÜ Nord-Tage, 2002, pp. 30-37); rather according to context (Gesetz communications can probably testify, and Joost Dwerhagen for über unlauteren Wettbewerb—Law German boardroom English demon- “Auslegung und Übersetzung von Against Unfair Competition—section strates the need for more, rather than Verträgen,“ in Rechtsterminologie ¤ 17, paragraph 1, and section ¤ 90 less, professional translation. More- (DTT-Symposion, 2000, pp. 61-69). HGB). The U.S. “best efforts” phrase over, the German economy still has does not exist in German law: many Mittelstand companies that are

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48 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Encouragement for Nonscientific Translators to Begin Translating Biomedical Documents

By Mizuho Iwamoto

hat motivates you to stay in lators may shy away from biomedical chances to learn about state-of-the-art the translation business? You translation due to the misconception topics related to our health. For W may have a linguistic, that they need a specialized degree in instance, 10 years ago, when I trans- research, or financial interest, depending biomedicine or another related sci- lated the instructions for a manometer on your individual tastes. For me, the ence. Though a degree is certainly to be used in public places to enable most fun I get from the translation helpful, it is not, as you will discover people to measure their blood pres- process as an English-into-Japanese in this article, always a requirement sure, this type of instrument was biomedical translator is being privy for translation work. There are many unknown in Japan. Nowadays, you to advanced updates concerning ways in which translators from non- can find a manometer in any grocery developments in this field. scientific backgrounds can apply store. If you were hospitalized for their skills to take advantage of the some type of surgery and your body Some Features of English-into- opportunities that exist in this area. was connected to a newly imported Japanese Document Translation vital sign monitoring system, I started my translation business wouldn’t you be very much relieved to four years ago in Kansas after having “…Making this use the monitor if you had already gained some experience doing information accessible to a learned about it in the process of your research work in pharmaceutical sci- translation work? Do you worry about ence, in addition to my work as a gov- target audience requires environmental pollutants, such as ernment translator in Japan and as an more than just strict dioxin, when eating vegetables? As a editor for a U.S. translation agency. medical expertise…” biomedical translator, the knowledge Since that time, the number of inter- you gain through the translation of a national biomedical documents has global guideline for the chemicals continued to increase due to, among Healthcare is a part of everyday issued by an international organization other reasons, the establishment of an life. We are constantly exposed to will help you judge the degree to internationally coordinated drug new information, through newspa- which you should be concerned. Are approval system, the globalization of pers and other mainstream media, you curious about the steps other biotechnology, the development of concerning the latest medical studies countries take in the approval process sophisticated medical devices, and an and treatments. As such, we have of drugs that adversely affect you? As increase in public concern over envi- ready access to a wide range of terms a biomedical translator, your experi- ronmental chemicals. Because of related to issues in biomedicine. ence, for example, in handling investi- these rapid developments, the bio- There is an abundance of medical gational new drug applications, will medical field is constantly in need of dictionaries currently on the market prove valuable in improving your more talented translators. covering many of the topics out there. understanding of updated drug infor- The number of projects offered in Frequently, what you read is based on mation. Once you are involved in this the biomedical field is much greater studies in other countries. Most field, biomedical translation can prove than I can handle—so much so that likely, the data has been translated to be fascinating. clients sometimes ask me to intro- from foreign medical reports. Biomedical translation provides duce them to other translators in the Making this information accessible to much variety in document types and biomedical field. However, biomed- a target audience requires more than topics. I am going to discuss some of ical translators with only science just strict medical expertise (namely, the characteristics of five areas classi- backgrounds are few. For instance, the ability to analyze information, fied by topics. I include observations out of the 250 translators registered clear writing, text organization, etc.). about the most salient features of each with ATA’s Japanese Language It is in this area where the nonscien- type, the intrinsic interest of each Division, there are only around 40 tific translator can be of service. type, and the kinds of difficulties each translators categorized in the biomed- Besides the obvious challenge of presents for the translator. Through ical field. And how many translators this type of work, there are many this general overview, I hope to make among them have a strictly scientific benefits to be had from translation the reader aware of the benefits of background? Very few. Due to the work in the biomedical sector. biomedical translation, and to provide subject matter, many qualified trans- Biomedical translators have many you with enough background to ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 49 Encouragement for Nonscientific Translators to Begin Translating Biomedical Documents Continued evaluate where your nonscientific portable manometers, and documents used at the bedside), automatic translation skills might qualify you for having to do with dental implants and immune measurement systems, such work. It will also give you an indi- artificial joints. hematology measurement systems, cation of the areas of this field which blood cell separating systems, and are better off handled by those with 2. Translating documents related to allergy-testing systems (which are more specific scientific knowledge. large medical devices pays well, but used in a clinical laboratory). requires a lot of stamina. 1. Documents that deal with small Most documents in this category 3. Pharmaceuticals-related medical devices are the most consist of manuals with large volume documents contain a lot of jargon, accessible in length and topic. (from 10,000 to 100,000 words). but a dictionary helps. Documents in this category are Sometimes such manuals are accom- The most popular content in this known as reader-oriented writing, panied by quick reference guides or area is related to clinical trials of consisting mostly of brochures or technical bulletins. Such big projects newly developed drugs. Since these instructional copy (manuals). are lucrative, and once clients like documents are usually intended for Sentences are typically short and your work, they will continue to ask medical doctors, pharmaceutical expressions clear. Most of the med- you to update later versions. industry people, or researchers in ical terms in these documents can However, handling a big project medicine, they contain a lot of jargon. easily be found in general medical keeps you busy. You must be a hard Technical meanings, more than dictionaries or on the Internet. worker. The schedule is frequently expressions, are more apt to be found Probably the most significant chal- changed. The starting date may be in sentences. This kind of translation lenge here is to succinctly relay in significantly delayed, but the due may require more time to manage words what actions might be depicted date is rarely extended. The transla- jargon and sentence patterns, as com- in an accompanying illustration, tion often needs to be completed pared to the translation of documents since pictures of a device alone do quickly, which means that you might about medical equipment. However, not really provide the reader with a sometimes have to work weekends in most of the jargon encountered can thorough understanding of the oper- order to meet a deadline. be found in standard medical diction- ating instructions. In these situations, Some medical devices in this cate- aries, and a clinical trial guideline translators with linguistic back- gory have an electronic display in book is also very helpful. Once you grounds might even be better off than which user interface strings have to master this type of document, you those from scientific backgrounds, be translated. This work is similar to might be tempted to say, “Now, I am because of their objectivity. Since the localization of computer soft- a real biomedical translator.” these translators are generally not ware. User interface terms appearing Some typical jargon you might involved in the actual studies or the in the manual must be exactly the encounter includes terms such as development of a medical device, and same as those on the display. A key to “investigator,” which, in an investi- because they are looking at the text for success in this type of translation is to gator’s brochure, means a medical translation with the general reader in keep terminology consistent through- doctor in charge of a clinical trial mind, they are more apt to uncover out the text. Therefore, a translation (translated phonetically as “chiken- inconsistencies in terminology and memory tool is required for a project tantou-ishi” in Japanese). “Patient” logic. Their knowledge of sentence in this area. means a patient who is registered in a construction and grammar will enable The sentence structure of writing trial experiment (for this, “shou-rei,” them to relay the information in a way dealing with large medical devices is and not the usual “kanja,” is used). that will be clear and applicable to the usually plain and clear. Illustrations, You need to be careful to translate target reader. Other examples of topics figures, or photographs attached with generally used words in a specific to be encountered in this area include: instructions are helpful to visualize way. As an example of the challenge surgical instruments (e.g., coronary the exact procedure. Examples of involved in capturing the exact catheter bipolar forceps, drainage topics in this area include: vital sign meaning, let’s look at the following system, disposable electrosurgical monitor systems, defibrillators, tissue sentence: “Systemic exposure to electrodes, intra-operative imaging coagulation systems, ventilators, Drug A was dose related but greater system), sterilizers, stethoscopes, autotransfusion systems (which are than dose proportional.” This should

50 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 be more specifically translated as: daily life, you must read up on this intended for users. You may struggle “The amount of systemic exposure to subject before attempting to translate with terminology related to animal Drug A increased as an increase in in this area. Documents in this cate- tests when you translate toxicological dose, and its increasing rate is greater gory include material safety data reports for the first time, but referring than its dose rate.” sheets (which give instructions on to an outline of animal tests will offer This category includes many types how to handle potentially hazardous solutions. The English in international of documents, such as reports sub- materials), reagent catalogues for lab- guides is sometimes written by nonna- mitted to the government, academic oratory tests, toxicological reports by tive speakers (e.g., from European lan- papers, conference reports, presenta- researchers or government agencies, guages) who belong to a world tion materials, abstracts, video and guidelines by world organiza- organization like the World Health scripts, etc. You will need to adapt the tions. You may not have problems in Organization or the Organization for writing style depending on the docu- understanding the content of these Economic Co-operation and Develop- ment type. In particular, manuscripts documents, with the exception of ter- ment. Capturing the precise meaning for presentation and video require a minology related to toxicological sub- can take time because the English sen- speaking, rather than written, style. jects. The biggest challenge you will tences in these documents are often The wording in Japanese is quite dif- face is the translation of chemical very long and often contain nonstan- ferent for each style. names. For instance, one document dard word choices. Research papers by medical doc- can sometimes mention several thou- tors are some of the most difficult sand chemical compounds. Of course, Continued on p.55 documents to translate because the you can refer to a list of chemicals authors focus on readers only in a both in English and Japanese, but if very specific research area, and often you know the basic rule of nomencla- no attempt is made to make the mate- ture, it will help a lot. rial easily understandable to the gen- The following are some simple eral reader. A workshop leader at the examples that are often mistrans- recent American Medical Writers lated. When “vinyl formic acid” is Association conference said, translated into Japanese, the word “Medical doctors cannot write.” order is the same as in English, but Indeed, you will often encounter con- when “vinyl formate” is translated, cepts or terminology (such as abbre- the word “formate” comes first and is viations) that are not fully explained followed by “vinyl.” “Sulfite and sul- in the text, which is often due to the fate” are totally different compounds. omission of necessary words. These “Carboxylic acid” is translated as papers often seem to have been “karubon-san,” not “karubokishi- written using arbitrary guidelines (or san.” “Normal,” in “normal butyl none at all). Video scripts provide acetate,” does not need to be trans- novelty in their topics (participating lated (just “n-” is okay). in the development of a video script From the aspect of sentence con- can be fun), since they usually detail struction, documents in this area are the trial and error process of innova- generally easier to handle than those tive medical developments, such as in pharmaceuticals. The writing style pharmaceutical trials. in material safety data sheets is lim- ited. Most sentences are written 4. Nomenclature is the key to clearly and are related to precautions translations dealing with to keep in mind during the operation environmental chemicals of a medical device; however, the and reagents. writing is often repetitious. Reagent Since topics in this category are catalogues are, of course, easily mostly related to health concerns in understandable because they are

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 51 How I Learned Portuguese

By Paulo Rónai (Translated by Tom Moore)

© by Cora Tausz Rónai and Laura easy: like the beginning of a romance sounded as merry and sweet as the Tausz Rónai where everything is going smoothly, language of birds. For me, seeing it Rights granted by Solombra Books and nothing points toward subse- written, it gave the impression of Latin ([email protected]) quent problems. as spoken by children or old people— I still remember the day when the at any rate, people with no teeth. If ometimes I am asked how I first book in Portuguese came into they had teeth, how could they have learned Portuguese. I generally my hands. It was the little anthology lost so many consonants? And I S answer that I didn’t learn it and The Hundred Best Lyric Poems in looked with alarm at words like lua, probably never will. But the answer Portuguese, by Carolina Michaelis. I dor, pessoa, and veia, trying to hang evokes for me my first encounter had in my collection other antholo- on to what there was left of the full with the language in which, through gies in the same series, in French, and sonorous Latin originals. completely unforeseeable circum- Italian, and Spanish. I inferred that In fact, it was the pronunciation stances, I came to express myself that was beginning to concern me. with ease, and even to think. The nasals, which were so At that time, I was teaching Latin “…Portuguese seemed to numerous, gave me goosebumps, and Italian in a high school in me, as a beginner, too especially since the grammar, which Budapest. Once a week I would go to easy: like the beginning of came from who knows where, a cafe where my linguist friends met. shrouded them in deep mystery. It is One of them was studying Sogdian, a romance where impossible, said Gaspey, Otto, and another was preparing an essay on everything is going Sauer, to explain the pronunciation of pronouns in Vogul, a third had just such sounds; the only way to learn it published two thick volumes of sto- smoothly, and nothing was to ask a native of the country to ries in Cheremissian. They were only points toward subsequent pronounce them many times. But interested in exotic languages, had a problems…” how was I to find a native of Portugal true passion for difficult tongues, and in Budapest? And I began to think despised my modest excursions in the about phonetic enigmas, such as the Neo-Latin domain. there had to be one in Portuguese as various sounds of x, a letter which “But do you actually know well, and ordered it from the Perche doesn’t even exist in Hungarian, and Spanish?” I asked one of them, an Bookshop in Paris. even in other languages is no more expert in Finno-Ugric linguistics, The little book arrived at 9:00 in than a vestige, but appears in four dif- one day. the morning on one of the holidays ferent forms in Portuguese. “Come on!” he answered. around Christmas. By 10:00, I had I still remember some of my reac- “But do you?” I insisted. already found the only Portuguese tions to the phenomena of the new “I haven’t tried it yet,” he dictionary to be had in the bookshops language. It was with a certain answered haughtily, as if it were in Budapest, the one by Luisa Ey in amount of impatience that I accepted something like bicycling or horse- German translation. I then threw various illogicalities it presented me, back riding. myself into the poetry with avid totally forgetting those which I had I fell silent, humiliated. Really, curiosity. By 3:00 in the afternoon, swallowed without protest in my own Spanish could not compare with any the sonnet “Sonho Oriental,” by language. In particular, I could not of those fabulous dialects. And what Antero, had been translated into get used to the feminine gender of the was worse, it was spoken by an Hungarian verses; by 5:00, it had word criança. Nor did I want such excessive number of people, and my been accepted by a magazine, which French nouns as chapéu or paletó to friends only appreciated dead lan- would publish it shortly thereafter. be incorporated into Portuguese guages, or if not dead, spoken by a Among all the Hungarian writers without my permission. But I recog- half dozen illiterate fishermen. whom I knew, Desiderius Kosztolanyi nized with excitement those terms And so I couldn’t find it in myself was the only one who had gone so far that had been carefully handed down to tell them that I had begun to learn as to approach the study of from Latin, as well as those the other Portuguese—especially as Portuguese Portuguese. At one point he spoke to Romance languages had treated seemed to me, as a beginner, too me in Portuguese, which he thought badly: lar and ônus were old friends,

52 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 made more beautiful by long tradi- managed to get a copy of the Lusiads paulista. tion. Words in which I found traces of in the Biblioteca Romanica. Thanks Although I didn’t manage to their Latin formation, such as to a good Hungarian translation and understand the majority of the bebedouro and nascedouro, and even the reminiscences of Virgil and poems, I figured out the meaning of a horrendo and nefando, smiled at me. Tasso, I was able to read them few, and ended up translating a little Vocabulary stemming from Arabic without much difficulty. But I still poem by Correia Junior, which I pub- seemed solemn, and much more had not found a contemporary text, a lished in a magazine. On rereading closely connected to its origin than it document of living Portuguese. my translation some years later, here actually is; it seemed impossible to That was when one of the book- in Brazil already, I discovered with me that an alfaiate could sew coats sellers, put on alert by me, unearthed humiliation an enormous error. The and trousers in the English fashion, a broken and filthy volume by a poet was talking of the net (ham- rather than only making albornozes. modern Portuguese author—Samuel mock) in which he was relaxing and Not only the vocabulary, but even Ribeiro, if I remember correctly. And awaiting his dreams. Since I had the syntax provoked sentimental feel- then things took a turn for the worse, never seen such a thing, I judged that ings in me. The discovery of the per- since right on the first page there were it was a poetic image and put “the net sonal infinitive was a surprise, and 20 words not listed by Luisa Ey. It of dreams woven by the imagination” caused my patriotic pride to waver, was a rustic story, probably rather in the Hungarian text. since I had thought it was a treasure regional, and the author seemed to Thereafter, I “figured out” and to be found only in Hungarian. I take pleasure in calling the animals translated a few more poems from the immediately felt warmly towards the and plants by their pretty, but incom- book. With a single exception, they mesoclitic forms of the verbs: falar- prehensible, names from Alentejo or were all, as I later learned with alarm, te-ei and lembrar-nos-íamos were Minho. Someone, upon learning of authors who were unknown in Rio de like an anatomical slice into words my difficulty, introduced me to a Janeiro. Happenstance caused one of that were irrevocably fused together functionary from the Brazilian these translations to fall into the in French or Italian, and caused me to Consulate to whom I showed the hands of the Brazilian Consul in imagine gifts of analysis and syn- rebellious page. He examined it atten- Budapest at the time, who called me, thesis in all those who employed tively and declared that either it was gave me a volume of Bilac, another them. I also admired the wise not Portuguese, or else that in Brazil one by Vicente de Carvalho, and three economy that was manifested in they spoke some other language. As old versions of the Correio da Manhã. expressions made up of two adverbs, compensation, he pronounced various To the latter I sent, with a brief such as demorada e pacientemente, nasals for me, which I tried to imitate letter, a clipping of the “first which is something only imaginable without much success. Brazilian poetry translated into in a language that had been persistent I put aside Samuel Ribeiro’s book, Hungarian.” I never received an in not moving away from its etymo- and set myself to reading Brazilian answer to the letter, but one day, to logical roots. poets. my great surprise, a large envelope Little by little, still not knowing My first Brazilian book was an arrived for me, covered with exotic how to read aloud, I puzzled out a new Anthology of Paulista Poets, arranged stamps and full of poems, still unpub- and different melody in Portuguese, through the offices of a Hungarian lished, by a young poet from Rio, and continued familiarizing myself bookseller in São Paulo whose who, having read a notice in the with the little volume of one hundred address I happened to obtain. I still Correio about my strange mania, had poems. I translated Almeida Garrett’s remember that little volume, poorly judged me the most fitting person to “Os Cinco Sentidos,” the romance of produced, very badly organized pronounce the first judgment on his the “Nau Catrineta,” and a handful of (which I never managed to find here clandestine works. quatrains, among them the beginning in Brazil). It contained horrid por- This missive was followed by others, of “O anel que tu me deste,” which traits of 30 poets from São Paulo with written by readers of the newspaper, today still seems like a miracle of one poem by each, usually a sonnet. all poets. From then on, I received an pathetic simplicity. My difficulties began with the title, ample correspondence from Brazil: The problem lay in getting hold of since Luisa Ey’s Wörterbuch,of letters with typed verses, or clipped other books. From Strasbourg, I course, did not contain the word from newspapers, magazines, ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 53 How I Learned Portuguese Continued and books. They arrived unsystemati- simplest words. The wise glottolo- strange poem he had read the night cally, sent by offices, friends, and gists of my cafe had to agree with me, before and began to recite, “No Meio strangers. Some were stalwart, others however reluctantly, when I demon- do Caminho” by Carlos Drummond regular, and some weak. But I had no strated to them that one of the most de Andrade. Although I didn’t like to guide to orient me with the multitude difficult Brazilian words to translate interrupt my classes, this time I gave of new names, or to help me to estab- and fit into a Hungarian verse was into temptation and quoted other lish a proper scale of value. dezembro. Our December, etymologi- verses by the poet. I spoke of the nec- I could not tell if some of the cally identical, but which evokes essary iconoclasm of modern poetry, poets, traditionalists in form and notions of ice, snow, and misery, of the healthy reaction to the stereo- expression, were from 1850 or today. would never produce for any typical “poetic,” of the deep value of At the same time, I took for Hungarian reader the image of primitive and virgin sensations. I extremely original a couple of Christmas in Rio, torrid and stifling. showed how the demands of lyricism 15-year-old poets (whose unpub- And then, what did the word Nordeste and logic are different. I insisted on lished work I received), since I was mean? A long letter from Ribeiro the emotional power of the grotesque unaware of their models. Thus, when Couto (then secretary of the Brazilian element. I talked about the impor- I finally obtained a volume of Jorge Legation in the Netherlands) was nec- tance of the collaboration of the de Lima, this great poet’s work no essary for me to get a rough idea of reader with the poet. By this point, longer gave me the pleasant surprise the complex geographical, anthropo- the explanation had transformed of discovery, since I had already logical, sociological, and, above all, itself into an animated conversation, gotten to know his various disciples. poetical sense of the term. With his and by the end my students agreed Along with these uncertainties, comprehensive intelligence, the poet with me that each age has its own lit- there were those associated with the of Província sketched out a succinct erary expression, different from language itself. I kept on with the spiritual portrait of the Northeastern those which came before. Having little dictionary of Mrs. Ey and a region, of which, as I was lacking arrived at this conclusion, we could Portuguese-French dictionary by other documentation, he drew me a return to reading Horace. And then Simões da Fonseca, which was not schematic map. I was less lucky with my students read with much greater much better. They were both a young adept of social poetry, in interest the ode in which the Roman European, and for that reason com- whose poems I found innumerable poet, considered until that point by pletely ignored Brazilianisms. And so references to the morros of Rio de many of them as a versifier of I had to rely once more on the dan- Janeiro. Thinking I had not under- cliches, excused himself for the rev- gerous system of conjecture. stood the word, he answered my query olutionary boldness with which he Not all of the poems were easy. In the with a list of synonyms: hill, hillock, had introduced into Latin literature “Acalanto do Seringueiro,” by Mario de etc. Only after another exchange of forms and expressions, “never before Andrade, the uirapuru had to be a bird. letters did I come to understand that, made public.” But it took me a long time to realize that contrary to what was the case in my The appearance of the transla- the cabra resistente in the same poem city, where the hills were covered tions in a volume entitled Message was not an animal, but a man. with luxurious little palaces and only from Brazil was welcomed by the In other cases, the lack of an equiv- sheltered rich people, in Rio, morros critics with the interest that the alent notion in the Central European were synonymous with favelas,or moment permitted (it was August of milieu made a translation almost “groupings of popular dwellings 1939). For the first time in Central impossible. I had to torture my imag- rudely constructed and unsupplied Europe Brazilian verses were read, ination in order to come up with a with hygienic resources.” and one could get a glimpse of the term made of three words (kaucsukfa- The publication in newspapers and existence in Brazil, until that point caspoló) to translate seringueiro. I did magazines of some of these transla- only known as a producer of coffee, not dare use it until I had tried it out tions of Brazilian poetry produced of a civilization worthy of study, on various poet friends and verified some curious episodes. In one of my even admiration. The critic György their favorable reaction. Latin classes, for example, a student Bálint, later to be murdered by the What really caused me to stumble, asked, with his colleagues looking on Nazis, gave his article the title however, were the most common and derisively, that I explain to him a “Brazil comes closer.”

54 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 This was really my impression for near the man, listened hard, trying to I arrived 20 days later. What a relief three days. On the fourth, the German understand him—all in vain. I could as soon as I arrived! Brazil received me tanks crossed the Polish border. A have asked, of course, but that with a clear language, without mys- curtain of smoke came to hide Brazil, wouldn’t have been fair play. I pre- teries. I had not even disembarked, and poetry, and the joy of living. ferred to get off, ashamed and yet I didn’t lose a single word of the And then after 15 months, whose unhappy, until, the day before I left, stevedore, who, in compensation, lost sufferings and anguish I will not the revelation came. What the con- one of my trunks. I understood the relate here, there I was with bags ductor was shouting was Restaura- functionary from the customs office packed and ready to get to know dores; it was just that he was equally as well; and was so happy that Brazil up close. My trip had to be suppressing three of the vowels, exag- I did not rebut his surprising declara- made through Portugal, the only exit gerating the r’s and hissing the s’s. I tion that Portuguese and Hungarian from a Europe already in flames. I went running to check the sign at the were sister tongues. My amazement headed for Lisbon with all the preoc- corner: I had it! But it was already too continued in the street, in my first taxi, cupations of the exile, but somewhat late. The next day I embarked on the in the hotel. The language I had learned consoled by the interesting linguistic Cabo de Hornos for Rio de Janeiro, in Budapest really was Portuguese! experience that was waiting for me. tormented by dark premonitions. What could happen to me, especially if I already knew the mesoclitic forms and the personal infinitive? I suffered, however, a great disap- pointment. I spent six weeks in Lisbon without being able to under- stand anything of the spoken lan- Encouragement for Nonscientific Translators to Begin Translating Biomedical guage. I picked up the newspaper Documents Continued from p.51 and understood perfectly; however, the doorman at the hotel or the 5. The biotechnology area is exciting, the documentation that needs to be waiter in the cafe would speak three but contains newly created jargon. translated in the biomedical field. words, and once again I was lost in If you are curious about state-of- Translators in other areas of health- the jungle. An even greater humilia- the-art information, try getting care focus on different aspects of the tion: the Portuguese intellectuals to involved in the biotechnology field. text, so you will need to research whom I was introduced, after trying Otherwise, this area is not a good these areas to discover if you qualify with frustration to speak their lan- starting point for translators with non- for translation work. However, I am guage with me, resorted to French. I scientific backgrounds. It is dan- sure biomedical translation will yield went to a play (by Carlos Selvagem, gerous to start translating documents satisfaction in your translation career. if I remember correctly) without in this area without a thorough knowl- This article is related to a presen- understanding the plot; to a high edge of the field. You need to know tation entitled “Opportunities in school class without knowing if the the basic technique before you can Medical Translation for Translators students had answered correctly; to translate a newly developed technique with Non-Science Backgrounds,” a defense in the Faculty of Philo- in a given area. I usually do not accept which I am going to give at the ATA sophy without ever discovering the a rush job in this area unless the con- Annual Conference in Atlanta in topic addressed by the candidate. tent is very interesting or familiar to November with my colleague Yuka What would the philologists of me. People in biotechnology may Tamura. We will discuss in more Budapest have said if they had seen synthesize a new word that you detail how translators with nonscien- me in such straits? cannot find in a dictionary (e.g., “pro- tific backgrounds can enter the field During my stay in the Portuguese teomics, “genomics,” or “G-protein”). of biomedical translation (including capital, I used to take a particular working with sample sentences and trolley every day and get off at the All the information in this article detailing reference tools for getting same stop, where the same conductor is based on my experience. The five medical information). would call out the same location. I sat areas I have outlined are just part of

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 55 The Rodríguez Tango

By Tony Beckwith

t was cool in the lobby of the old This summer trysting evidently arm around her waist, she put her out- hotel, and the lights were dim. became so commonplace that the idea stretched hand in his, and they moved I Such a welcome relief from the entered the language in the form of the as one, as dancers in a dream. The heat of the streets! Fernando and name that had graced so many hotel music was intoxicating, with an irre- Mariluz stepped through the doorway registers. To this day, Madrileños will sistible rhythm like the pull of an and walked hand-in-hand across the say “Estoy de Rodríguez” when their ocean tide, and a baritone voice sang tiled floor. The desk clerk looked up wives are out of town—though it the sad lyrics of a tango. and grinned, “Buenas tardes.” doesn’t necessarily mean that they are Tango has many moods, and Fernando said, a little curtly, “Mr. misbehaving. Fernando always pushed the bed and Mrs. Rodríguez.” The clerk against the wall to make room for them nodded and wrote in the huge ledger. ****** all. It was different every time. “Your keys, Mr. Rodríguez,” he said, Sometimes Mariluz chose the music; and grinned again. sometimes she let him surprise her. Fernando shepherded Mariluz to They danced to everything they could the elevator, carrying an overnight “…To this day, Madrileños find, from the scratchy recordings of bag in his other hand. As the elevator will say ‘Estoy de early classics that crackled with a door closed on them, the clerk’s grin Rodríguez’ when their brittle, glaring intensity (and sounded dissolved into a smirk. “Rodríguez!” so Italian), to the cerebral jazz-fusion he said knowingly, rippling his eye- wives are out of town…” of the later styles. In a thoughtful mood brows up and down over his skinny one evening, Fernando observed, forehead. “Tango is a voice for ordinary people. Mariluz swept into room 348, It’s like the blues or flamenco.” ****** looking radiant. Fernando closed the “I like the tango far more than fla- door and threw his arms around her. menco!” said Mariluz, whose family Summer in Madrid is always hot, “Mariluz!” he whispered urgently. was from the south. and before air conditioning changed “Come on, open the bag, “Young people tend to turn away things, many families were separated Fernando!” she answered, then from what their parents like,” he during those weeks or months. The moved to the windows to close the replied patiently, his hand firmly on wives went to the beach with the heavy wine-colored curtains, shutting the small of her back. “But I think it children while the husbands stayed out the view of the evening sky. might be cyclical, like fashions. in town to work and commuted to the Fernando opened his bag, took out Maybe one day Sevillanas will come coast on the weekends. Over time, a cassette player, and set it on the back into style.” hotels noticed that, on those warm nightstand. “Are you ready, mi amor?” nights in the half-empty city, an Mariluz came towards him with ****** above average number of guests her arms open and her lips slightly were called “Rodríguez.” This sur- parted. She pressed her body against And they did. But by then name is, of course, as common in his and looked up at his handsome Fernando and Mariluz Rodríguez had Spanish as Smith is in English. And face. “Yes!” she murmured. air conditioning in their apartment, the guests, of course, were those He reached back and pressed the and stayed at home in the evenings hard-working husbands and their start button on the cassette player. As with the kids. equally hard-working secretaries. the music filled the room he put his

Looking for a freelance job or a full-time position? Check out ATA’s online Job Bank in the Need help finding a translator or interpreter for a Members Only section of the ATA website at freelance job or a full-time position? www.atanet.org/membersonly

56 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Accreditation Forum: Grading Standards— A Glimpse Behind the Scenes

s the ATA accreditation pro- Any quality points are subtracted from Refer to the instructions for graders gram moves forward, we main- the error point total to yield a final (below) to see how this grading A tain our commitment to score. A passage with a score of 18 or system works. developing and applying clear and more points receives a grade of Fail. Instructions to grader: For each consistent evaluation standards. While this system allows more potential error that you identify in the Starting in November 2002, graders subtle distinctions in the seriousness of target text, begin with the diamond- will mark examinations according to a given error, it also poses a challenge: shaped box in the upper left corner of a point system, assigning 1, 2, 4, 8, or How does the grader distinguish the flowchart. Each diamond shape 16 points for each error. In addition, a among these finer shades of error? The represents a decision that must be grader may award up to three quality flowchart presented below is designed made, and where you proceed next points per passage for specific to serve as a systematic guide in this depends on whether you have instances of exceptional translation. complex decision-making process. answered “yes” or “no” to the ➡

Is meaning lost, yes Only a subtle or slight yes 2 points changed, or obscured? imprecision of meaning?

no no

Error apparent to an no Is the meaning merely yes 0 points attentive, linguistically 4 points obscured? knowledgeable reader?

yes no

no Error apparent to a yes 1 point Are the consequences 4 points casual, uncritical minimal? reader?

yes no

no no 2 points Is this an egregious Are the consequences 8 points violation of usage? catastrophic?

yes yes

4 points 16 points

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 57 Accreditation Forum Continued question in the decision box. Continue ¥ Lack of agreement: The number of born, two for stiff-necked, four for pig- until you have arrived at a terminal runs batted in, not the number of headed, and eight for hardscrabble. box, which tells you how many points hits, decide the ball game. A rendition that introduces ambi- (if any) you may assign to that error. ¥ Error of capitalization: the german guity might incur four error points: language or die Deutsche Sprache. ¥ Punctuation (absence of one par- ¥ To reduce risks to the human Of course, the evaluation of trans- enthetical comma): Shoes, if worn embryo, in-depth studies on suit- lation quality is not a simple mechan- on the wrong feet may cause blis- able laboratory animals are ical process. Errors don’t tumble ters and likewise Shoes if worn on needed. (clear) through the flowchart like pennies, the wrong feet, may cause blisters. ¥ In-depth studies on suitable labo- nickels, dimes, and quarters to be ratory animals are required to sorted and neatly wrapped. Never- The grader may assign two error points reduce risks to the human embryo. theless, the flowchart offers a way of for more serious target-language errors (ambiguous) visualizing and conceptualizing the if the reader can readily determine the questions that graders consider as correct meaning from the context. Eight-point errors seriously impair they assign error points. the meaning of a sentence: By the same token, the few exam- ¥ Spelling: A hiking boot with a ples we present here (selected from sturdy soul will support your feet. ¥ English into German: This situa- the myriad that graders have seen ¥ Syntax: She skis, plays tennis, and tion is the result of tidal forces over the years) may help to connect rock climbing. translated as Diese Situation these abstract questions to the con- ¥ Usage: They were suspected to bewirkt die Gezeiten (This situa- crete context of translation and the break the rules. tion causes the tides). accreditation exam. ¥ German into English: …so hat der The most straightforward exam- What about four-point target- Versicherungsnehmer die Proze§- ples involve target-language errors of language errors? As one grader put it, führung dem Versicherer zu über- grammar, spelling, punctuation, and “One-point errors make me sigh; two- lassen translated as then Insurer usage. Some renditions that are tech- point errors make me wince; four-point must allow Policyholder to conduct nically incorrect (according to certain errors make me cringe.” Those who the case (parties reversed). Similar style manuals) might not be counted insist that even one such error should examples include the reversal of as errors at all if they have become doom a candidate to failure may con- Vermieter (landlord) and Mieter accepted in everyday use. For sole themselves; experience shows that (tenant) or Arbeitgeber (employer) example, into-English graders have an egregious target-language error very and Arbeitnehmer (employee). agreed not to penalize the use of rarely occurs in isolation, and these which for that when not set off by errors add up quickly. If the consequences of such a mis- commas: Shoes which are too small translation are catastrophic, the error may cause blisters. Foregroundly it is a question of incurs 16 points. whether, a citizen with afghanic Errors that do not result in misun- origin and muslim in faith does or ¥ Turn the lever to the right (instead derstanding typically incur just one not certify for being teacher, when of to the left). error point. after that she insist to also bear the ¥ Decrease the dose by 5 mg (instead headscarf in the lesson. of to 5 mg). ¥ Run-on sentence (independent clauses joined by conjunction but Matters become more interesting Or a grader might assign a 16-point no comma): The house has been as questions of meaning arise. Here, error when confusion of two source on the market for eight months and the grader’s mantra is context, context, terms leads to a translation that my wife thinks we should move the context. Consider the German adjec- simply doesn’t make sense in the goats into the back pasture. tive hartnäckig. If the intended target language. ¥ Comma splice: I moved the goats meaning is persistent, the grader into the back pasture, it took all day. might assign one error point for stub- Continued on p.76

58 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 The Onionskin By Chris Durban

The Onionskin is a client education column launched by the ITI Bulletin (a publication of the U.K.’s Institute of Translation and Interpreting) in 1996. Comments and leads for future columns are very welcome; please include full contact details. Contact: [email protected] or fax +33 1 43 87 70 45.

thebigquestion: Price Pressures A call to the agency confirmed as thebigword represent “supermarkets” Spark Debate in the U.K. much: “We didn’t say we would prepared to cut margins to the bone to n early July, translator forums in lower prices,” our first contact lock in business. True, such agencies Britain were abuzz with surprised admitted. “In fact, if a translator can may digest project management costs I and often angry reactions to a prove they are worth a higher rate, we higher than those borne by smaller, mass mailing sent out by thebigword, might well use them on a given job.” more specialized suppliers, even as they which claims to buy more transla- The same employee nonetheless tackle far bigger documents. But the flip tions than any other agency in the indicated that her company had not side is their need for very large volumes country (2001 sales: £4.5 million, or observed any clear link between price of work. This explains their vulnera- nearly $7 million). and quality—an astonishing com- bility to procurement officers unaware After reviewing its successful ment that, if borne out, is bad news of what happens when you lop off one expansion and high-powered client for clients, agencies, companies, and cent per word, then another, then list, thebigword (previously known as freelance suppliers alike. another. To the nonlinguist, the pool of Link-Up Mitaka) announced in this In a follow-up call, TBW Finance translation talent on tap can seem bot- letter that purchasing managers from Director Chris Ball took a more tomless. For these naive buyers, throw in these same satisfied customers were nuanced approach, while expressing some upfront investment in technology turning up the heat, insisting on price disappointment at the vehemence and and you’re home free. cuts of around 15%. More to the “unprofessionalism” of some transla- To be fair, as long as nobody sees point for the translators on its books, tors’ responses to the initial e-mail. any difference in quality anyway, it planned to pass these reductions “There is a link [between price thebigword has got a point. Yet some on: “As from July 1st 2002, with and quality], but it is not that pre- industry observers cite the boom and immediate effect, we expect our cise,” he told The Onionskin. “At bust cycles typical of the translation translation suppliers to reduce their thebigword we have seen some atro- market, where new business models rates significantly.” cious mistakes by expensive sup- often fail to deliver beyond the very Many freelancers deplored the fact pliers and had fantastic service from short term. A stable group of skilled that an industry heavyweight would some low-priced translators.” and loyal freelance providers cannot seek to drive down already low prices Mr. Ball nonetheless insists that be built up overnight, say these skep- rather than hold firm and raise cus- the average per-word rate paid by tics. And even the most ambitious tomer awareness of the added value thebigword is higher than that of the translation broker can be forced to provided by expert translators. Others four independent agencies it acquired review its operations, perhaps even were indignant at what they saw as last year. He notes, too, that, as far as reposition itself entirely, if it alienates thebigword’s arrogance and readiness his company is concerned, translators its core team. to treat the services it brokers as a work for different reasons, hence What is certain is that thebigword’s “mere commodity.” price differentials: “Some of our vision of the market is by no means To be sure, the move recalled sim- translators are retired engineers, and the only one. ilar ploys by major carmakers welcome an opportunity to keep their Boutique players, both agencies seeking to drive down the prices of hand in part-time.” Others reside in and freelance, regularly demonstrate component suppliers. When you are countries where living costs are lower their ability to carve out lucrative the biggest act in town, you call the than in the United Kingdom. Yet the niches, offering far higher prices than shots, right? bottom line is the bottom line: those charged (and paid) by tbw. Take another look, says The “Ultimately, the cheaper we can pur- They do this by specializing and by Onionskin, for whom the mailing was chase translations, the more business ensuring that clients are aware of above all proof that thebigword’s own we win for our freelancers.” their input. Often their customers are purchasing managers were doing For The Onionskin, the standoff the same blue-chip companies served their job, by employing a basic nego- was, above all, a reminder of the seg- by thebigword, although these spe- tiating tactic designed to identify mented state of the translation cialists may handle smaller docu- individual suppliers’ pain threshold. industry, where large-scale players like ments and fewer language ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 59 The Onionskin Continued combinations. Such suppliers tend to It is not certain, however, if the two €1,700 fine. “I have no choice,” said deal directly with authors and users teams work together as closely as they the judge, noting that she was only who are more aware of what is at might. Example: a Russian-language applying the law. stake—more aware, too, of why review of an opinion piece by William The law also provides for an squeezing the lemon too hard is Safire (“That Dog Won’t Bark”), orig- appeal, which Acar and her lawyer likely to leave a sour taste in the inally published in The New York Times will be filing within the next week, client’s own mouth at the end of the on January 24, claimed that Safire although she told The Onionskin that day. Larger companies have also called President Putin an urodets-kon- she is pessimistic as to the outcome. found that painstaking attention to troler, and suggested that an official The European Writers’ Congress/ detail and client service can pay off. note of protest might be in order. The Federation of European Writers’ While thebigword claims that Russian rendering was a pejorative Associations, which brings together many translators have responded pos- term that translates roughly as “a 51 member associations representing itively to its letter, public reactions on freaky controller,” says our correspon- over 50,000 authors and literary trans- translator forums would indicate that dent. Fortunately, the allegedly lators in 28 countries, has deplored a majority of suppliers are holding libelous passage also appeared in a the ruling, saying it is counter to the firm. Bluff, suicidal inclinations, or paste-in of the original English, where UN Universal Declaration of Human the raw truth? Time will tell. it reads… “control freak” (www.russ.ru/ Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration In the meantime, it is clear that no politics/20020214-anal.html). provides for freedom of opinion and supplier is immune to the market. The Our attempts to determine whether expression, including the freedom, real challenge is to decide which the Russian journalist’s original com- “to hold opinions without interference market you are pitching to. The ment was tongue-in-cheek were and to seek, receive, and impart infor- Onionskin is convinced that profes- foiled when we failed to get past the mation and ideas through any media sional associations, agencies, and free- journal’s monolingual switchboard. and regardless of frontiers.” Should lancers would be far better served by a The online text has now been cor- the fines be upheld, it seems likely strategy aimed at proving why it is rected, however—proof that trans- that translator associations from worth paying a professional more to lator feedback is heard. (Our thanks around the world will raise funds to get the job done right. Ammunition, to Russian readers of this column for show their support for Ms. Acar, please, if client education is indeed the bearing with our own use of the Latin while maintaining their protests. As name of the game. (And in the mean- alphabet!) things now stand, their demonstration time, isn’t it about time that more sup- of international solidarity is the only pliers begin claiming responsibility Injustice Turns a Blind Eye in Turkey silver lining in this sorry affair. and credit for their output by insisting On September 10, Istanbul courts that their name go on the public docu- ruled for the prosecution in the Thanks to Bob Blake and Konstantin ments they translate, right in there second case against Nermin Acar, Lakshin. next to the photo credits?) accused of translating another novel guilty of “arousing sexual desire in Switching Controls in Russia readers.” Ms. Acar is the Turkish Russki Zhurnal is a quality web translator of Serge Bramly’s La ter- publication sponsored by several reur dans le boudoir, a work loosely Visit ATA’s website at well-known Russian foundations. inspired by the life of the Marquis de Features include an analytical review Sade. The courts imposed a €1,700 of the Western press, reviews, and fine for that work last spring, www.atanet.org other reports. In December 2001, the announcing simultaneously (and launch of a daily English edition unexpectedly) that Acar would be for an overview made the site available to a host of prosecuted for the same offense for new readers, with articles—many in her translation of Alina Reyes’ Lilith. of member benefits. translation—devoted to cultural, After hearing this second case, they political, and social issues in Russia. have now slapped on an additional

60 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Dictionary Reviews Compiled by Boris Silversteyn

Silversteyn is chair of the ATA Dictionary Review Committee.

List of Names for Countries, article or the gender indication for the for a period after the comments (indi- Capitals, and Inhabitants French name, in the right-hand cated by >>). (English↔French) column. This is followed by the ISO The brief bibliography of seven Author: 3166 code, which is used to identify items includes two interesting refer- André Racicot the country for such purposes as elec- ences that might be useful to transla- Publisher: tronic addresses. Next comes the tors. The first would be for French Canadian Government Publishing country’s official name as recognized translators: Le Petit Robert des noms Public Works and Government by the United Nations (if the country propres (Dictionnaires Le Robert: Services Canada is a member), followed by its capital. Paris, 1997 [no further information Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0S9 This is followed by the name of the given]). The second would appeal to Publication date: inhabitants, including the French more translators since it covers six 2000 feminine form, and finally, the prepo- languages: Terminology Bulletin No. ISBN: sition to be used in French. 347, Country Names (United Nations 0-660-61328-X Occasionally, there is an author’s note Organization: New York, 1997). (Paperback: 77 pages) at the end. Tables 1 and 2 offer exam- The Translation Bureau has also Price: ples of this. included a three-page listing of some $18.95 (Canada) There could be two minor of their 100+ glossaries in a variety of http//:publications.pwgsc.gc.ca improvements. First, there needs to specific fields, such as family vio- 1-800-635-7943 be some punctuation or spacing lence, genetic engineering, pack- between the full name of the country aging, and the transportation of Review by: and the abbreviated name, in both dangerous goods. They also plug Sharlee Merner Bradley languages, to improve readability. their CD-ROM, Termium; presum- Second, there is no apparent reason ably all glossaries, including ➡ ccording to the foreword, this list, established in 1992, is Table 1 A handed out to participants of the French language course given by Czech Republic (the) République tchèque (la) the Training and Evaluation Services (ISO) CZ (ISO) CZ of the Canadian Translation Bureau. (Cap.) Prague (Cap.) Prague It has been modified several times (Inh.) Czech (Hab.) Tchèque over the years to keep up with > En République tchèque >> Parfois appelée à tort changes in usage. This slim volume Tchéquie. will be useful to translators between English and French in either direc- tion, since it is made up of two parts, Table 2 each a mirror of the other. All one has to do is turn the book upside down, Libya Libye (la) start at the beginning, and voilà— (ISO) LY (ISO) LY there’s the list in the other direction, (UN) the Socialist (ONU) la Jamahiriya arabe People’s Libyan libyenne with the columns simply reversed. Arab Jamahiriya populaire et socialiste Pages are easy to read and terms the Libyan Arab la Jamahiriya arabe are organized in columns with lots of Jamahiriya libyenne white space, leaving room for nota- (abbreviated) (en abrégé) tions. For each country, we find the (Cap.) Tripoli (Cap.) Tripoli common name in either French or (Inh.) Libyan (Hab.) Libyen; Libyenne English in the left-hand column, and > En Libye its opposite translation, including an

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 61 Dictionary Reviews Continued

this one, are incorporated into their code. This site is the most legible of meaning for each term are “studied,” continually updated online version of several on the Internet. However, our and that “the” equivalent English this indispensable tool. little volume has much more infor- term is given for each. For the French→English trans- mation than just the country codes Actually, “studied” apparently lator, the chief value of this little dic- handily accessible in one place. means that (some) different accep- tionary is that it provides the names For the French→English trans- tions of each Spanish term are listed of the inhabitants of certain coun- lator, a further advantage of the with “one” English equivalent, or, tries, names that are not always self- Canadian publication is that it pro- rarely, with two (indice as “table of evident. For instance, in English, a vides the feminine form of the name contents” and “index” is one example, Kyrgyz is from Kyrgyzstan; not of the inhabitants and the required but then the English terms indicate knowing that, one might come up preposition. Finally, for translators in two separate concepts for English with a hypothetical *Kyrgyzstani or either direction, the country abbrevi- speakers). The only hint of any limi- *Kyrgyzstanian instead. In French, ation, the official name, and the tations is the statement that the an inhabitant of Qatar is a Qatarien recentness of the collection make it a English equivalent is not always the (Qatari in English), whereas an desirable acquisition. only one possible. inhabitant of Oman is an Omanais Interestingly, this volume appears (Omani in English). Spanish Words & English Meanings: to be most useful to Spanish students I know of no other dictionary that A New Concept Dictionary learning English, yet the cover is in gives all the information so conve- Authors: English, contrary to the standard lex- niently as it is given here. For José Merino and Susan Taylor icographical principle that explana- English, Webster’s Geographical Publisher: tory material, which would include gives the capital, but not the name of Editorial Anglo-Didáctica the title, in a dictionary should be in the inhabitants; for French, Petit Calle Santiago de Compostela the source language. Indeed, the brief Larousse (1995 edition) gives the 16, 28034 Madrid, Spain “Introducción” appears in Spanish capital and the name for the inhabi- Tel/Fax: 91 378 01 88 only. tants in its Proper Names section, but Publication date: Although there is no mention of Kyrgyzstan is not an entry; the 2000 distinguishing between British and Europa World Yearbook for 1999 ISBN: American usage, for cocina (arte), gives both the capital and the name of 84-86623-85-5 (Paperback, 336 pp.) we find cookery/cooking, and for the inhabitants, but one must read Price: cocina (electrodoméstico), cooker/ through text to find the information. Not Given stove. Placing the British term first (In this invaluable English-only refer- suggests that the English terms might ence, one can also ferret out the name Review by: be oriented towards British English of the country’s currency. Every time Sharlee Merner Bradley throughout. Indeed, British spelling is my local public library receives a used: comportamiento infantil (no new edition, I have been able to his dictionary, from the same maduro) is translated as “childish obtain the old edition at the library’s authors and publishers as the behaviour.” used book sale.) T previously reviewed Catálogo Here is what a typical entry looks To be sure, there are websites de Expresiones (ATA Chronicle, like: that provide quick access to some March 2002), was sent to the of this information. One that is Dictionary Review Committee as a PASAJE handy for country abbreviations is courtesy of the publishers. It claims Pasaje (billete) Ticket www.immigration-usa.com/country_ in the introduction to be designed for Pasaje (de un texto) Passage digraphs.html. Here we find, in students of English, teachers, transla- Pasaje (viajeros) Passengers side-by-side columns, the countries tors, interpreters, and linguists in listed alphabetically (in English) by general. It also claims that the dif- The format is excellent and could country and then alphabetically by ferent acceptions and shades of not be simpler. The two columns take

62 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 up the page width, leaving lots of easier search. Both dictionaries distin- white space. The headwords stand guish acceptions by a synonym in paren- Sharlee Merner Bradley (Ph.D.) is an out clearly. Nevertheless, the format theses. ATA-accredited (Spanish and French to is marred by the use of a period after So, despite this great reference English) translator. Contact: [email protected]. each English term (but not after each system, how useful is the dictionary Spanish term!), by the use of all cap- to translators? I can see its value in ital letters for each headword (no situations where we can’t quite think doubt intended to make it more vis- of the right term for the context. For Elsevier’s Dictionary of ible), and by capitalizing the first example, take Inasequible: Abbreviations, Acronyms, letter of each term in both languages. Synonyms, and Symbols used in (Although no words that would nor- Inasequible (el precio Medicine mally be capitalized have been de algo) Prohibitive Author: included, thus obviating possible Inasequible (un objetivo) Unattainable Samuel A. Tsur confusion, capitalizing words that do Inasequible (una persona) Inaccessible Publisher: not require capitalization is poor lex- Elsevier Science, Inc. icographical practice). The Spanish column reminds me Publication date: Comparing the number of accep- of the indispensable tool for transla- 1999 tions for our example in the tors from any language into English, Price: Merino/Taylor vs. the Oxford Spanish the BBI (The BBI Combinatory $166 Dictionary (Oxford University Press, Dictionary of English: A Guide to ISBN: 1994), we find three in Merino/Taylor, Word Combinations by Morton 0-444-82904 as opposed to six in the Oxford: Benson, Evelyn Benson, and Robert Available from: Ilson. John Benjamins, 1993). It may Elsevier Science, Inc. pasaje Merino/Taylor Oxford also represent the reverse of another P.O. Box 945 billete useful reference, the Dictionary of Madison Square Station de un texto Appropriate Adjectives (by E. H. New York, NY 10160-0757 viajeros Mikhail. Cassell, 1994), which is Languages: viaje 0 basically a dictionary of English (English, with some French, Italian, nouns followed by all kinds of appro- Spanish, and German references) callejón 0 priate adjectives for each term. Number of pages: galería comercial 0 However, the Oxford has the addi- 646 de música 0 tional advantage of many more words Number of entries: and acceptions. As seen in the first 20,000+ Just looking at this one short example example in the previous column, there shows the strengths and weaknesses of was nothing in the Merino/Taylor that Reviewed by: the Merino/Taylor. Its format is infi- cannot be found in the Oxford, Jacopo Madaro Moro nitely simpler and thus more quickly whereas the contrary cannot be said to accessible to the searcher. However, the be the case. We find no specialized he simple act of opening Samuel Oxford is more logically organized; each terms, which are often among our Tsur’s dictionary is sufficient to acception is numbered, with related thorniest problems. T rekindle old irritations caused by meanings classified as (a), (b), (c), etc. The new dictionary is doubtless of the similarly formatted De Sola’s Since only the numbered acceptions are great value to students, teachers, and Abbreviation Dictionary, published by paragraphed, there can be dense maybe even literary translators of the Elsevier in 1974. How can anyone put columns which require a time-con- two languages, but it is probably not abbreviation after abbreviation in run- suming search to find the appropriate so essential for commercial transla- ning columns, separated by semi- choice. There is only one acception per tors. That said, I hope to find that colons, often with one acronym taking line in the Merino/Taylor, enabling an some day it gives me a quick answer. up half a page or more? ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 63 Dictionary Reviews Continued

At times, the text becomes a visual Economics Books, 1989/II. No overwhelmed when perusing this blur; a thick diacritic underbrush price. phonebook-sized reference for the interspersed with copses of uppercase 4. Lucchesi, Mario. Dizionario delle interesting stories it silently implies. letters hopelessly competing for a Sigle Mediche. English-Italian*. Such an exercise is well worth the placeholder’s role the eye cannot Milan: R. Cortina Ed., 1994. Lit. effort, as the text is peppered with confer. Worse, no attempts seem to 45.000. notes, references, and explanations. have been made to differentiate 5. Touati, Maurice Alain. Dictionnaire Regarding the LAL acronym on between entries, nor between entries International des Abbréviations page 66—only after reading Tsur did and comments or cross-references. Médicales. Paris: Maison du I discover that the Limulus of Limulus The richer the headword, the harder it Dictionnaire, 1994. FF 290. amoebocyte lysate is not a Latvian is to read. Thus, the transmittal of rel- gentleperson, but a horseshoe king evant information is hindered and the A quick survey shows that Davis crab. Conversely, Tsur reminds us author’s honest hard work obscured. has 4,200 headwords; Farina, 6,000+; that ESP-1 (see ESP, p. 200), erro- To be fair, there are clear objec- Fuller Delong, 6,000+; and Lucchesi, neously considered the first human tive limits. Already Tsur’s 20,000 6,500+. The number of Touati’s head- cancer virus, was named in 1982 after lemmata fill 636 pages (and only words is unknown, but he offers the researcher Elizabeth S. Priori because Elsevier uses such exquisite about 28,000 definitions. (although the minimalist explanation, fonts and paper), skirting the porta- Still, size alone does not establish “Elizabeth S. Priori [virus],” is not bility limit. Furthermore, organizing relevancy. To this effect, I’ll start too forthcoming). LES also means such a vast amount of material in with acronyms I encountered while Lawrence Experimental Station, but another manner could visually satu- translating, but did not find in we will not find it in some remote rate the page beyond endurance or Farina’s dictionary (i.e., my standard corner of the Québec province, increase some production factors desk reference). The tables on the fol- because it is an agar-culturing device. beyond affordability. Nevertheless, I lowing pages give the results of this This is nothing. Hundreds of do lament the lack of better solu- comparison. chemical acronyms are named and tions, because the format detracts From the standpoint of absolute defined in terms of composition and from the real value of the work. and relative success rates, Tsur’s use. There are tables of geological Its very size is staggering. To achievement is nothing less than eras (p. 235); metabolic pathways of better demonstrate this, let me intro- impressive. Weighting the scores, he the transmitter amines (on p. 166, for duce my benchmarks(*): emerges as the only author to offer the whatever reason); numeration sys- right answer in 13 instances out of 49, tems (under Symbols on p. 559); ele- 1. Davis, Neil M. Medical Abbrevi- or in 26.5% of the cases. My runners- ments (pp. 187-193) and atomic ations. Hungtingdon Valley (1143 up, Touati and Lucchesi, share this numbers (p. 634, under Z); an ava- Wright Drive, PA 19006): Neil M. honor only 11% of the time; the first lanche of graphic symbols more than Davis Associates, 1987/III. $5.95. with 3 exclusive hits out of 27, and the 10 pages long; the street names of 2. Farina, Angelo. Dizionario delle second with 2 out of 18. every drug ever mentioned by judi- Sigle Mediche. Italian-English*. The title indicates that there is cial and scientific literature; 6 Milan: R. Cortina Ed., 1984. Lit more to this dictionary than just columns of acronyms used in respira- 25.000. acronyms. To discover the true extent tory testing (under PTF on pp. 456- 3. Fuller Delong, Marilyn. Medical of Samuel Tsur’s vast scholarship 459) and 2 of kidney function tests Acronyms & Abbreviations. Oradel requires an act of will on the part of (pp. 328-329); 7 pages of hormones (New Jersey 07649): Medical the reader, who must avoid feeling (pp. 267-274) and 5 of vitamins (pp. 611-615); every immunoglobulin * The listed prices were current at the time of purchase and do not reflect actual sticker values. under the sun (p. 296); countless prefixes and suffixes (almost 2 pages A superb Internet site is www.acronymfinder.com, with some 236,000+ definitions. Due to its col- lective and ephemeral nature, it cannot be used for benchmarking purposes. Nevertheless, it is often an invaluable aid to translation. Continued on p.67

64 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Acronym Definition Davis Farina Fuller Delong Lucchesi Touati Tsur ABA α-amino-n-butyric acid — — — — — — ANC absolute neutrophil count —— 1 AR amphiregulin — — — — — — AUC area under the curve — ATRA all-trans-retinoic acid — — — — — — AVL augmented voltage left — — BCF basofil chemotactic factor — — — BLI β-lactamase inhibitors — — — — — — BMD bone mineral density — — — BPH benign prostatic hyperplasia — — — — — BSAP bone-specific alkaline phosphatase — — — — — — CAC controlled anterior capsulotomy — — — — — — CI confidence interval — — — —— CNV (subfoveal) choroidal neovascularization — — — — — CR-1 crypto-1 — — — — — — CsA cyclosporin —— CVAT costovertebral angle tenderness —— —— DAO diamine oxidase — — — DCR dacryocystorhinostomy — — — — DI deionized — — — — — — DISS diameter index safety system — — — — — DNR do not resuscitate! — — DP/Cr deoxypyridinoline/creatine — — — — — — ERC endoscopic retrograde cholangiography — — — — — EST exercise stress testing — — — — EtO ethylene oxide — — 2 FAB French American British [classification of leukemia] — —— FPIA fluorescent polarization immunoassay — — FDP flexor digitorum profundus —— —— GHIS growth hormone insensitivity syndrome — — — — — — GME gaseous microemboli — — — — — —

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 65 Dictionary Reviews Continued

Acronym Definition Davis Farina Fuller Delong Lucchesi Touati Tsur GSR galvanic skin resistance —— —— HAVS hand arm vibration syndrome — — — — — — HEENT head eyes ears nose throat — HMT histamine N-metyl-transferase — — — — — HRG_ heregulin _ — — — — — — IABP interaortic balloon pump/pumping — — — — ICGN idiopatic crescentic glomerulonephritis — — — — — — IGHL inferior glenohumeral ligament — — — — — — ILS increase in life span — — — — — INR international normalized ratio — — — LAL Limulus amoebocyte lysate —— LC50 median lethal concentration — — — — — LOD limit of detection — — — — — — LSD lysosomial storage disorder — — — — — LVD left ventricular dimension — — ——— MAC Mycobacterium avium complex — — — — MPA microscopic polyarteritis — — — — — MRI magnetic resonance imaging — — MTD maximum tolerated dose — — — NCS newborn calf serum — — — — NIPB non-invasive blood pressure — — — — — — NIST numeric index safety threads — — — — — — NOAEL no observable adverse effect level — — — — — — OC osteocalcin — — — — — — PACU post-anesthesia care unit — — —— PCOD polycystic ovarian disease —— — PCP Pneumocystis carinii pneumoniae — —— PCR protein catabolic rate —— —— PPI plastic penile induration — — — — — — PPM pulse per minute — — — — — PTA percutaneous transluminal angioplasty —

66 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Acronym Definition Davis Farina Fuller Delong Lucchesi Touati Tsur PTCA percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty — PVNS pigmented villonodular synovitis — — — RDW red cell distribution width — — — RGP rigid gas permeable — — — — — — RHV rotating hemostatic valve — — — — — — RO reverse osmosis — — — — — RPE rate of perceived exhertion —— — SEC spontaneous echo contrast — — — —— SRI solute removal index — — — — — — STD sexually transmitted diseases — — TD transdermal — — — — — TEE transesophageal echocardiography — — — — — TGF_ transforming growth factor _ — — —— THA total hip arthroplasty —— —— THR target heart rate — — — — — TIPSS transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunting — — — — — — TMJ temporal mandibular joint syndrome — — —— TSB trypticase soy broth — — — — — VWF vibration-induced white finger syndrome — — — — Xa activated factor X — — — — — —

Davis Farina Fuller Delong Lucchesi Touati Tsur TOTAL HITS 21 0 19 18 27 49 PERCENTAGE OF HITS (n/82) 26% 0% 23% 22% 33% 60%

1. Listed as actual neutrophil count. 2. Spelled as thylene oxide. are dedicated to phobias alone under professional association I am familiar Every entry I saw was accurate and the prefix phob-, including the with (short of ATA and its DRC complete, but short of reading every intractable phobophobia—the fear of [Dictionary Review Committee]). page, it’s impossible to know the real one’s fears); not to mention the scien- This aspect of Tsur’s work is prob- extent of the récueil. The tables are not tific journals and committees of every ably the most difficult to evaluate. indexed and, instead of appearing ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 67 Dictionary Reviews Continued

in an appendix, are dispersed according appears at least in four places: in a table be more justified if the publisher to a semistringent alphabetic order, on page 557 under the subheading “4. attached or offered, as an alternative, a sometimes starting with obscure head- Greek Alphabet” of the entry Symbols; companion CD-ROM and a simple words, the meaning of which the reader on page 559, within the table “6. search engine with the text. McGraw- must already know in order to look for Numeration” of the same entry; and on Hill, Oxford Press, Larousse, and the definition of a term listed under page 575, as the lowercase θ and the many other prestigious publishers have them. For instance, the description uppercase Θ, between therap- and ther appreciated the advantages of this kindly provided by Janet Kershaw, of ex (therapeutic exercise). arrangement. Perhaps Elsevier could Elsevier’s Book Review Department, The problem of indexing foreign rethink and better modulate its current mentions a listing of serological tests characters and graphic symbols is not CD-ROM policy as well. for syphilis. I uselessly looked under new, nor is it easily solved. In the mid- syphil- (there is no such prefix); VDRL 1960s, the Odyssey Press of New York (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory, valiantly tried to address this issue in Jacopo Màdaro Moro is a technical trans- present without references); WR its unsurpassed Odyssey Technical lator into Italian. He specializes in medi- (Wasserman Reaction, absent); or Lues Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, a 12- cine, bioengineering, and optoelectronics. (I, II, and III are listed, again without volume series edited by Polon, Reich, Contact: [email protected] or references). I finally struck gold Witty, and Butterly. I know well the www.jmadaro.com. searching for TPI (Treponema pallidum 740 pages of the DEA, or Dictionary immobilization) and FTA (fluorescent of Electronics Abbreviations—Signs treponemal antibody). Both refer to the and Symbols. I did not particularly headword STS, or serological test(s). want to, but to search for the meaning Without knowing the existence of such of an unknown wingding often meant a beast and its principal denouements, I starting on page 629 and continuing would not have found one-and-a-half until page 740, only to discover that solid columns of data on page 550, what I was looking for was in one of including WR, Was, Wass, and any the 70 pages of symbols presented by other acronym on the subject. the DCCSA (Dictionary of Computer The material presented is various and Control Systems—Abbreviations, and complex and most resistant to Signs, and Symbols). simple organization. For instance, I Mercifully, Tsur forces us to search did marvel at the ingenuity shown by through only 20 columns of symbols. a table entitled “Ten,” found on page Nevertheless, pray tell me why the ∆ 572. It lists Latin prefixes and U.S. (delta) of change, finite difference, or and British names of the positive and increment is listed after the π (pi of negative powers of 10. It is won- 3.14 fame) on page 555; and on page derful. I had never heard of a vigintil- 556, once with the same meaning in the lion (1063 in the U.S. and 10120 in the left column before the abbreviation D U.K.) before, but to finally discover it (of differential coefficient), and again in was a matter of sheer luck. the right column under the variant ∆t Luck is also required elsewhere. after the triple apostrophe ''' of Line Greek letters do not appear at the begin- (1/12 inch)? Even π reappears with a ning or end of their Latin equivalent slightly different description on page headings (a for alpha, etc.), as is cus- 556, this time after @ or at. tomary, nor under the generic title In conclusion, I believe that it is for Greek Alphabet, but within the alpha- exuberantly rich contents such as this betical list of their English names in two that the computer was invented. The unindexed tables. For example, theta current price is not trivial, but would

68 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 The Translation Inquirer By John Decker

Address your queries and responses to The Translation Inquirer, 112 Ardmoor Avenue, Danville, Pennsylvania 17821, or fax them to (570) 275-1477. E-mail address: [email protected]. Please make your submissions by the 25th of each month to be included in the next issue. Generous assistance from Per Dohler, proofreader, is gratefully acknowledged.

nyone with sufficient creativity This from a Lantran who found it hard exposition-hall owner would provide and leisure can create an alphabet to believe he was actually reading as part of the leasing package for an Ajust for fun, but serious alphabets what he was reading. What is actually event, what a “vaubon” is. The con- designed for use by significant num- going on here? text: “Prestations comprises de le prix bers of people are not invented every (E-F 10-02/2) This one sounds like de location. —Mis à disposition de 60 day. That is why the news about a pos- it might be fun. A company has vaubons, sur demande.” sible newly created alphabet for the adopted Can do, as in the military (F-E 10-02/7) The text that gave Inuit peoples of Russia, Alaska, expression Can do, sir!, as its mar- this subscriber to Lantra-L problems Canada, and Greenland was exciting to keting slogan. A French equivalent is was an article by a reporter who vis- the Translation Inquirer. Evidently, this needed, and maybe the first one that ited the control room of a major power very widely scattered Inuktitut- came to this Lantran’s mind, network. The phrase that caused the speaking group, numbering about a “Toujours partant,” might not be the trouble here is in bold: “L’idée de la hundred thousand, really needs a best. Give it a try! règle du n-1 est que, si un événement common alphabet to enhance commu- (E-R 10-02/3) Here is a legal puz- soudain se produit comme la mise hors nication. The Translation Inquirer zler: to bring or recover in an action. tension d’une ligne, il faut que l’état recalls the special magic of the one lan- The context, as provided by the ProZ dans lequel se trouve le réseau tout guage learning experience in his life user, is quite ominous: Because there de suite après soit un état sûr.” What where a mastery of a new alphabet is little minority shareholder protec- does this mean? (Russian) was required. Not long ago tion in Russia, your ability to bring or (G-E 10-02/8) The term “Massen- he met with some home-schooled recover in an action against us will be werkzeug” appeared as part of a list of teenage boys who were trying to limited. It almost sounds like a smug tooling hardware requirements to set decide what foreign language they taunt! What is good Russian for this? up a stamping facility in the United should begin studying. Interestingly, (E-Sp 10-02/4) Dario Cavalieros States. Who can help this ProZ user with the Cold War over and something needs decent Spanish for this dense, with the term? just as menacing about to take its place, buzzword-filled paragraph about a (G-E 10-02/9) A German abbrevia- they were leaning strongly toward program to create a virtual Pentagon: tion again—how long have we been Arabic. Nothing that these boys said The goal of this program is to ensure fighting these battles? It’s a legislative gave me the slightest feeling that they redundancy, survivability, recover- act shortened to “KonTraG,” and the were contemplating future military ability, manageability, availability, Lantra correspondent is not all that service; Russian simply didn’t have the scalability and security, according to satisfied with Act on Control and magic anymore, at least for them. It a Pentagon notice. Transparency in the Corporate Sector, still does for me! (E-Sp 10-02/5) Renato Calderón is because if the first abbreviated compo- [Abbreviations used with this column: concerned about the lack of a Spanish nent is “Kontrolle,” then perhaps mon- CtÐCatalan; DÐDutch; EÐEnglish; equivalent for set the table. “Poner la itoring should be used. Is there a FÐFrench; GÐGerman; NÐNorwegian; mesa” falls short, because it means, standard English rendering of this? SpÐSpanish; SwÐSwedish.] literally, to put the table. An Internet (G-E 10-02/10) It is reasonably search revealed nothing better than certain that, on my watch, queries New Queries ponga figar, which is machine trans- about the individual parts of buses (D-E 10-02/1) This query has to do lation at its worst. A correct Spanish have not appeared until now. The bus, with the bizarre concept, apparently, rendering would probably involve the as a phenomenon of technology and of medically operating on oneself as a adjectival noun “cubiertos,” which culture, is so lowly, so unassuming. cause for being excluded from cov- includes dishes, knife, fork, spoon, But “Frontzugmaul,” as a term refer- erage in a life insurance policy, or so and a napkin to wrap the latter three ring to a component that has been it seems. The text reads: “Een ingreep items in. Who can solve this? fitted at the front of a bus, but not yet die de aangeslotene op zichself uitvo- (F-E 10-02/6) A Lantran working welded in position, posed a problem erde of die niet vereist is door een from Swiss French wants to know, in for a member of Lantra-L. What is it? door deze decking gedekt ongeval.” a context of something which an What can one use in English? ➡

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 69 The Translation Inquirer Continued

(R-E 10-02/11) A ProZ correspon- word would best be conveyed by “sucursal” is principally for a bank or dent had trouble with the term “Inanspruchnahme.” department store chain. hfpyjvfcinf,yfz cnhernehf kjnjrf (E-R 8-02/4) (pre-crime unit): (G-E 7-02/6) (“… haben mit ihm in a book whose title was Memoды Alexander Aron suggests that the nach alles getan, dass er wieder aдanmuвныx cemok в зaдaчax closest equivalent might be the name gesund worden ist”): Volkmar гaзoвoй дuнamuku. One may hope of a unit already in existence within Hiranter states that since this was a that the term plus the title provide the Russian Ministry of Internal transcribed interview, maybe it might enough context to evoke some ready Affairs: cke;,f ghjabkfrnbrb be a slurred version of “danach.” If so, answers in English. ghtcnegktybq. This group is respon- it confirms the inquirer’s assumption (Sw-E 10-02/12) In the field of old sible for identifying both potential that the word should be understood to technology (namely, the processing of criminals and conditions favorable for mean afterwards. Kriemhilde ores as it was done more than a cen- crime. Voilá! Livingston believes that the single tury ago), Barry Creveling needs to (E-Sp 11-01/2) (pushing on a word “nach” in the original is best know the meaning of “nasar”: the string): It’s the physics of this, rather translated as according to him. document speaks of this in two than the linguistics, that Schwartran Another example of this usage: “Dem places: “Efter rostningen kunde den addressed. He or she points out that Chef nach ist sie faul” (According to vara så hård att man fick skjuta sönder this ought to mean applying a force the boss, she is lazy). Another nasen,” and “Det hände även här att that evokes not an unpredictable problem with the original quote, as det blev riktiga nasar i botten som var response, but no response at all. This found on page 58 of the July issue, is mycket svåra att slå sönder.” is because if no tension is present in that “worden” should be “geworden.” the string, no force can be transmitted Thus, “dann” is totally inappropriate Replies to Old Queries to the other end. as an equivalent to “nach.” (Ct-E 7-02/1) (“lloc de destí”): (E-Sp 4-02/7) (chapter, as in of (N-E 7-02/8) (“lysbord”): Paul Benjamín Ruiz states that this is the an organization): Jarl Roberto Hopper reasoned that the language is same as the Spanish “lugar de des- Hallemalm-Ashfield reports that in close enough to Swedish and Danish tino,” and simply means destination. Uruguay and Argentina, “capítulo” is to permit the consultation of diction- Case permanently closed. used for chapter, as in of a book, and aries in those languages. The Swedish (E-D 2-02/1) (to pull rank): As a to a very lesser extent after a major “ljusbord” is a layout (lining-up, illu- former member of the Royal change in one’s life: “He comenzado minated stripping) table. Using a dic- Netherlands Army, Reimer Vander- un capítulo nuevo en mi vida.” As for tionary providing a Russian vlugt believes he has an authoritative a commercial organization, the hier- equivalent, from Danish, he came up answer to this: “op zijn [haar] strepen archy is “oficina,” then “division,” with light table, illuminated planning staan.” This literally translates as then “departamento,” then “sección,” table, or mounting table. standing on his or her stripes, and finally “subgrupo.” The best (R-E 6-02/4) (hftiybr): Now for because noncommissioned officers approach is to analyze the word the four responses that, unfortu- wear stripes as a designation of rank. chapter beforehand, and obtain clarity nately, had to be postponed from In a society like that of the about what sort of organization is September: Zippy states that the Netherlands, with its predominant being discussed. The ultimate word originally came from hf=r,a lack of respect for uniformed meaning is what is aimed at, and puppet theater, and Punch and Judy authority, instances of pulling rank therefore a large, generalized, all- show would do just fine in the con- were sometimes met with laughter, inclusive word for chapter is not to be text of the query. Viktor Gutman says and did not obtain the desired result at used. Two equivalents suggested by the word means clown or buffoon in all, he says. Jarl for noncommercial organizations a low folk farce. The implication is (E-G 8-02/3) (entitlements, in oil are “grupo,” which is principally for that the newspaper presented impor- and gas context): Helmut Froboese the chapter of a club or civic organi- tant news in the style of playing the thought the matter over and came to zation, and “unidad” for a major fool. Tim Sergay recommends the conclusion that in this context, the offline political subdivision. Note that www.yandex.ru and www.ets.ru ➡

70 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 Humor and Translation By Mark Herman Herman is a librettist and translator. Submit items for future columns via e-mail to [email protected] or via snail mail to Mark Herman, 5748 W Brooks Rd., Shepherd, MI 48883-9202. 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.

In Praise of Censorship

s we fight terror on all fronts to State high school examinations. For is technical translation, 90% of all make the world safe for global example, a passage from Isaac translation, where the real effort must A capitalism and the Internet, it Bashevis Singer’s In My Father’s be made, where satanic texts must be is incumbent upon translators, as it is Court, a work about Jewish identity nipped in the bud. Satanic? upon all others, to add their non- in Poland, was carefully stripped of Definitely. What is the essence of voices to the silence, to do nothing, all references to both Jews and Poles; technical translation. Details. And as say nothing, write nothing that could Annie Dillard’s reminiscences of we all know, THE DEVIL IS IN THE possibly give aid or comfort to the what she discovered as a white child DETAILS! “Traduttore traditore!” enemy, to not offend anyone, any- in a black library was stripped of any indeed. Are you the translator/traitor where, anytime. mention of race. Translators fol- who translated directions for opening It goes without saying, as many lowing these examples will rightly a box of box-cutters, instructions for have pointed out, that we must totally produce works in English such as flying a cropduster, or (shudder) suppress inherently evil texts, such as Grimm’s Snow White and the Seven tourist guides to New York City and Huckleberry Finn, The Wizard of Oz, Businessmen, Dostoevsky’s The Washington, DC, into Arabic, Urdu, the Harry Potter books, and the Quran. Brothers Smith, and Bowdler’s Bible. or Pashtun? I beg you, entreat you, Let us be guided by the New York But all the above is trivial. It is lit- implore you, put down that mouse, Regents, who have carefully edited the erary. Mainly poetry that no one reads shut off that computer, and st literary passages on the New York and obvious fiction (i.e., lies). No, it

The Translation Inquirer Continued from p.70 for such words. There’s even a website (G-Sp 5-02/4) (“Putzbauweise”): since it means to classify or categorize. for this phenomenon: www.raek.ru. He Dario Cavalièros asserts that “friso” is In Chile, where she lived, the word had calls hftiybr an untranslatable term the Spanish equivalent of “Putz-,” as a negative, euphemistic overtone. involving both folk-verse and theatrical found in the query which originally forms. The term is a diminutive of hfq appeared on page 63 of the May issue. Regarding the introductory para- (heaven), which can also mean cheap, (Sp-E 6-02/5) (“motor de encen- graph written by the Translation high-up seats in the theater. He renders dido provocado”): Nick Hartmann Inquirer on page 58 of the July 2002 it as in the form of raeshniki [i.e., old- says the Spanish term looks very sim- ATA Chronicle describing the problem fashioned, wise-cracking folk rhymes— ilar to “Fremdzündung,” usually trans- of rendering privacy into Russian, Trans.]. lated as spark ignition. An external Pete Benson says that this word has Believe it or not, there will be stimulus, namely the spark, causes several aspects in English: private life more on this in the November/ combustion of the fuel-air mixture to (i.e., while not working); confiden- December issue. begin. In contrast, diesel engines tiality of medical records; and alone- (R-E 7-02/9) (gjlcktgjdfnsq): involve combustion that begins spon- ness. Pete believes that what the Alla Toff suggests blurry-eyed win- taneously when the mixture is suffi- author Maliarevsky is bemoaning is dows of a village hut, or maybe ciently compressed by a piston. So he the problem of rjyabltywbfkmyjcnm squinted windows. Alexander Aron would use spark-ignition engine. (confidentiality) in the workplace. goes for rural huts never getting (Sp-E 7-02/10) (“edificios catalo- Thanks to the very many of you enough light. Shifra Kilov: mole-eyed gadas”): It’s the final word on which who contributed! It’s fat again! village huts. Katherine Kirscheman has some insight,

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 71 CLS Communication, Inc.

CLS Communication, Inc. is opening its first office in the United States in October 2002 on the banks of the Hudson River in Weehawken, New Jersey, directly opposite New York City. CLS Communication, Inc. is a wholly owned sub- sidiary of CLS Corporate Language Services AG, a leading provider of top-line translation and language services to major financial institutions and telecommunications companies in Switzerland and neighboring European countries. To meet the growing needs of our successful business, our in-house translation team in Weehawken is looking for German into French and German into Italian translators. Candidates should have native fluency in the target languages and excel- lent command of the source languages. Start date is December 1, 2002. Our ideal candidate will have either of the fol- lowing profiles:

• a university degree with a good grounding and at least two years of translation experience in one of the following fields: economics, banking, finance, investment, insurance, legal, advertising, corporate communications, public rela- tions, telecommunications

• professional with a business, economics, legal, communications, financial or accounting background, outstanding language capabilities and a flair for writing and translation

At CLS Communication, Inc. you’ll work closely with our clients and senior staff translators. Candidates will be at ease with the latest language tools and will enjoy developing their creative skills in a lively team of language specialists. The company offers an attractive benefits package, performance incentives, flexible working models and a multicultural environment. We will be interviewing at our Weehawken, New Jersey office and at the American Translators Association conference from November 6 to 9 in Atlanta.

For further information contact: James Sievert at 1-877-4- CLS- COM ext. 802 or via e-mail at [email protected] or send your resume to CLS Communication, Inc. 1500 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken, NJ 07086-6732 Be a part of it…

72 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 ATA Accreditation Exam Information

Upcoming Exams

Texas Japan December 7, 2002 April 26, 2003 February 15, 2003 Austin San Antonio Kyoto, Japan Registration Deadline: Registration Deadline: Registration Deadline: November 22, 2002 April 11, 2003 January 24, 2003

Please direct all inquiries regarding general accreditation information to ATA Headquarters at (703) 683-6100. Registration for all accreditation exams should be made through ATA Headquarters. All sittings have a maximum capacity and admission is based on the order in which registrations are received. Forms are available from the ATA website or from Headquarters.

Congratulations Congratulations to the English into French English into Spanish The Active Member Review following people who have Joelle J. Lake Patricia M. Acosta Committee is pleased to grant successfully completed West Vancouver, Canada Waban, MA active member status to: accreditation exams: English into German Lorena N. Loguzzo Miami, FL Antonina L. Bean Patrick O. Mueller Harrisonburg, VA French into English Mandeville, LA Olvido Soria Pequeno Caceres, Spain Ann Marie Hartmann Pauline E. Haas-Hammel Susanna Pfister Evanston, IL Champcevinel, France Somerset, NJ Aleksandra Mandrapa Russian into English English into Russian Saint Louis, MO Elizabeth H. Adams Yulia Coe Van Nuys, CA Liliana Silvestry Palm Harbor, FL Austin, MN English into Chinese Kiamalia Emerson Jill R. Sommer Haichen Sun McLean, VA Solon, OH Beijing, China

Attention All Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Serbo-Croat↔English Translators and Interpreters

An effort is underway to establish accreditation for these language pairs. A “volunteer committee” has been formed and we are now collecting information about criteria in use by other organizations to grant accreditation and certification in these languages. We also intend to survey ATA members who have listed any of these languages in their profiles about their thoughts on the subject. Just two examples: How should we handle the accreditation of these languages into English—will this be one language pair or many? What standards should be used for the “from English” direction—will a command of Cyrillic be required?

We hope to organize a meeting at the ATA Annual Conference in Atlanta (November 6-9) to report on our findings and dis- cuss these issues in person. Feel free to write to us c/o Paula Gordon ([email protected]) with your comments. A mes- sage stating your language pairs and interest in accreditation will reinforce our efforts and would be greatly appreciated.

The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 73 MARKETPLACE

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ATA TCD members: Partner with Transco and get a Call Brian Wallace today for standing team of more than 30 full-time translators for your Chinese projects! We translate into Chinese Advertising rates & information. so you needn’t. Visit us at www.Transco.com.cn or email to [email protected] 1-800-394-5157 ext. 38

ATA Now Offers Customized Website Program

ATA and Two Radical Technologies (2RAD) have teamed up to provide ATA members an opportunity to build their own customized websites. Through 2RAD’s online creation tools—RADTown—ATA members will be able to set up their own online presence. The offer includes obtaining a domain name and creating links to the ATA online directories. For more information, please con- tact 2RAD at [email protected] or log on to www.atanet.org/radtown.

74 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 American Translators Association Officers

President President-elect Secretary Treasurer Mr. Thomas L. West III Mr. Scott Brennan Ms. Courtney Searls-Ridge Dr. Jiri Stejskal Intermark Language Services Corp. 10005 Cairn Mountain Way German Language Services 7312 Oak Avenue 2555 Cumberland Pkwy, Ste. 295 Bristow, VA 20136-3009 2658 48th Avenue SW Melrose Park, PA 19027 Atlanta, GA 30339 Tel: (703) 393-0365 Seattle, WA 98116 Tel: (215) 635-7090 Tel: (770) 444-3055 Fax: (413) 845-8068 Tel: (206) 938-3600 Fax: (215) 635-9239 Fax: (770) 444-3002 [email protected] Fax: (206) 938-8308 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Directors Committee Chairs Division Administrators

Mr. Kirk Anderson Accreditation Interpretation Policy Chinese Language Literary 2455 Flamingo Drive, #401 Lilian Novas Van Vranken Advisory Frank Mou Clifford E. Landers Miami Beach, FL 33140 Spring, TX Christian Degueldre Pittsburgh, PA Naples, FL Tel: (305) 532-7252 Tel: (281) 374-6813 San Diego, CA Tel: (412) 767-4788 Tel: (941) 513-6972 Fax: (305) 532-0885 [email protected] Tel: (858) 569-6162 Fax: (412) 767-9744 [email protected] [email protected] Fax: (858) 569-6182 [email protected] Active Membership Review [email protected] Nordic Ms. Beatriz Bonnet Leland D. Wright French Language Edith M. Matteson 7465 E Peakview Avenue Kent, OH Mentoring Task Force Monique-Paule Tubb Ballwin, MO Englewood, CO 80111 Tel: (330) 673-0043 Courtney Searls-Ridge Chevy Chase, MD Tel/Fax: (636) 207-7256 Tel: (303) 779-1288 Fax: (330) 673-0738 Seattle, WA Tel: (301) 654-2890 [email protected] Fax: (303) 779-1232 [email protected] Tel: (206) 938-3600 Fax: (301) 654-2891 [email protected] Fax: (206) 938-8308 [email protected] Portuguese Language Budget courtney@ Tereza d’Ávila Braga Mr. Robert A. Croese Jiri Stejskal germanlanguageservices.com German Language Dallas, TX 204 Neely Crossing Lane Melrose Park, PA Dorothee Racette Tel: (972) 690-7730 Simpsonville, SC 29680 Tel: (215) 635-7090 Professional Development Saranac, NY Fax: (972) 690-5088 Tel: (864) 967-3955 Fax: (215) 635-9239 (ATA Programs) Tel: (518) 293-7494 [email protected] Fax: (864) 967-4808 [email protected] Marian S. Greenfield Fax: (518) 293-7659 [email protected] South Plainfield, NJ [email protected] Slavic Languages Chapters Tel: (908) 561-7590 Nora Seligman Favorov Ms. Marian S. Greenfield Robert A. Croese Fax: (908) 561-3671 Interpreters Orlando, FL 2619 Holly Avenue Simpsonville, SC msgreenfield@ Helen D. Cole Tel: (407) 679-8151 South Plainfield, NJ 07080 Tel: (864) 967-3955 msgreenfieldtranslations.com Silver Spring, MD Fax: (646) 205-9300 Tel: (908) 561-7590 Fax: (864) 967-4808 Tel: (301) 572-2855 [email protected] Fax: (908) 561-3671 [email protected] Public Relations Fax: (301) 572-5708 msgreenfield@ Chris Durban [email protected] Spanish Language msgreenfieldtranslations.com Dictionary Review Paris, France Rudolf Heller Boris M. Silversteyn Tel: 33(1)42935802 Italian Language Brookfield, MA Prof. Alan K. Melby Venice, FL Fax: 33(1)43877045 Marcello J. Napolitano Tel: (508) 867-8494 1223 Aspen Avenue Tel/Fax: (941) 408-9643 [email protected] Milpitas, CA Fax: (508) 867-8064 Provo, UT 84604 [email protected] Tel: (408) 422-7008 [email protected] Tel: (801) 422-2144 Kevin S. Hendzel Fax: (425) 977-8511 Fax: (801) 377-3704 Divisions Arlington, VA [email protected] Translation Company [email protected] Dorothee Racette Tel: (703) 516-9266 Steven P. Iverson Saranac, NY Fax: (703) 516-9269 Japanese Language Milwaukee, WI Mr. Robert E. Sette Tel: (518) 293-7494 [email protected] Izumi Suzuki Tel: (414) 271-1144 109 Biddle Avenue Fax: (518) 293-7659 Novi, MI Fax: (414) 271-0144 Pittsburgh, PA 15221 [email protected] Tel: (248) 344-0909 [email protected] Tel: (412) 731-8198 Special Projects Fax: (248) 344-0092 Fax: (412) 242-1241 Education and Training Ann Macfarlane [email protected] [email protected] (Non-ATA Programs) Seattle, WA Gertrud Graubart Champe Tel: (206) 542-8422 Ms. Ines Swaney Surry, ME Fax: (206) 546-5065 6161 Harwood Avenue Tel: (207) 664-7448 [email protected] ATA Representatives Oakland, CA 94618 [email protected] Tel: (510) 658-7744 Terminology To International Federation of To Joint National Fax: (510) 658-7743 Ethics Sue Ellen Wright Translators (FIT) Committee for [email protected] Vacant Kent, OH Peter W. Krawutschke Languages (JNCL) Tel: (330) 673-0043 Kalamazoo, MI Christophe Réthoré Prof. Madeleine C. Velguth Honors and Awards Fax: (330) 673-0738 Tel: (269) 387-3212 Harrisonburg, VA 2608 E Newport Avenue Jo Anne Engelbert [email protected] Fax: (269) 387-3103 Tel: (540) 568-3512 Milwaukee, WI 53211 St. Augustine, FL [email protected] Fax: (540) 568-6904 Tel: (414) 229-5968 Tel: (904) 460-1190 Translation and Computers FIT: www.fit-ift.org [email protected] Fax: (414) 964-6937 Fax: (904) 460-0913 Alan K. Melby [email protected] [email protected] Provo, UT To ASTM Translation User Tel: (801) 378-2144 Standards Project Mr. Timothy Yuan Fax: (801) 377-3704 Beatriz A. Bonnet 89-33 Pontiac Street [email protected] Englewood, CO Queens Village, NY 11427 Tel: (303) 779-1288 Tel: (718) 776-8139 Fax: (303) 779-1232 Fax: (718) 776-3589 [email protected] [email protected] Language Matters, Inc. & DawnSignPress, Inc. present

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ATA’s Spanish Language Division 2nd Annual Conference St. Anthony Hotel • San Antonio, Texas April 25-27, 2003

This is an exciting opportunity for you to share your knowledge and experi- ence with appreciative colleagues. For more information, contact: Virginia Perez-Santalla ([email protected]).

The Accreditation Forum Continued from p.58

¥ Arabic-into-English: Confusion of ish`aa`aat [radiation] and ishaa'aat [rumors] resulting in rumors emanating from an antenna…

We could go on and on—and around and around—about specific errors and their consequences. Graders spend hours establishing guidelines, and even then each decision calls for balanced judgment. If you find yourself taking exception to the points assigned to these errors, arguing for a stricter or more lenient assessment, you may be a potential grader! If that idea PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY intrigues you, consider attending the grader recruitment session at the ATA School of Extended Studies Conference in Atlanta (it’s on Saturday, November 8 at 3:30 pm), or read the Continuing Education Press Accreditation Forum column which appeared in the November/December Call Toll Free 866-647-7377 2001 ATA Chronicle, where Terry Hanlen, deputy executive director and or 503-725-4891 accreditation program manager for ATA, described the process of joining the www.cep.pdx.edu accreditation program as a grader.

76 The ATA Chronicle | October 2002 FOR LONG-TERM PLANNERS

Future Annual Conference Sites and Dates

2003 Phoenix, Arizona November 5-8

2004 Toronto, Canada October 13-16 Get on the fast track: Transit XV. 2005 Seattle, Transit XV has a unique file based lation times as well as faster access to Washington structure. It means that large projects proposed translations (fuzzy matches). November stay small, rarely larger than 10 Kbytes. Transit XV also has a unique feature: Transit is the best solution for today’s the Report Manager. It optimizes project 10-15 translation managers. The translation evaluation, costing and billing. It is a memory and the translation projects tool to help you cut costs, and shortens themselves consist of simple text and the time you spent on management by formatting tags. This is why Transit XV at least 50% – that means real savings! gives you the extremely short pretrans- www.star-transit.com English→Spanish Legal Dictionaries on Probation Continued from p.44

Mazzucco, Patricia O., and Alejandra jurídico peruano. 6th ed. Lima: e inglés-español. 1965. Reprint, Hebe Maranghello. Diccionario Centro de Documentación Andina, Mexico City: Editorial Limusa, bilingüe de terminología jurídica 1987. 1991. (inglés-español/español-inglés). 3rd ed., rev. and enl. Buenos Aires: Pina, Rafael de, and Rafael de Pina Robb, Louis A. Dictionary of Legal Editorial Abeledo-Perrot, 1998. Vara. 1965. Diccionario de Terms Spanish-English, English- derecho. Revised by Juan Pablo de Spanish. New York: John Wiley & Meilij de Romero, Gabriela. Vocabu- Pina García. Mexico City: Sons, 1955. lario legal y empresario/ Legal and Editorial Porrúa, 2000. Business Terms. Buenos Aires: Romañach, Julio Jr. Dictionary of Legal Ediciones Depalma, 1987. Ramos Bossini, Francisco, and Mary Terms Spanish-English English- Gleeson. Diccionario de términos Spanish. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Moliner, María. Diccionario de uso jurídicos inglés-español/español- Lawrence Publishing, 1992. del español. 2 vol. Madrid: inglés. Granada, Spain: Editorial Editorial Gredos, 1990. Comares, 1997. Saenz, Ricardo O. “La suspensión a prueba del proceso penal (proba- Montoya, Mario Daniel. “La ‘proba- Ribó Durán, Luis. Diccionario de tion),” La Ley no. 134 (July 1994): tion’ en los Estados Unidos,” La derecho. 2nd ed. Barcelona: 1-2. Ley no. 126 (December 1993): 1-4. Editorial Bosch, 1995. Solís, Gerardo, and Raúl A. Morales Lebrón, Mariano. Diccionario Rivera García, Ignacio. Diccionario Gasteazoro, Jr., Ed. West’s jurídico según la jurisprudencia del de términos jurídicos. 1976. Spanish-English/ English-Spanish Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico. 2 Reprint, Orford, New Hampshire: Law Dictionary. St. Paul, vols. San Juan: Colegio de Equity Publishing, 1981. Minnesota: West Publishing, 1992. Abogados de Puerto Rico, 1977. Rivera García, Ignacio. Diccionario Tamini, Madolfo Luis, and Alejandro New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice. de términos jurídicos. 3rd ed. San Freeland López Lecube. “La ‘pro- St. Paul, Minnesota: West Group, Juan, Puerto Rico: Lexis-Nexis, bation’ y la suspensión del juicio 2000. 2000. penal a prueba (Comentarios a la ley 24.316),” La Ley no. 165 Ossorio, Manuel. Diccionario de Robayo, Louis A. Spanish-English, (August 1994): 1-3. ciencias jurídicas, políticas y English-Spanish Technical, Legal, sociales. Edited by Guillermo and Commercial Dictionary. West, Thomas L. Spanish-English Cabanellas de las Cuevas. 27th ed., Montreal: Dictionary Publishing, Dictionary of Law and Business. rev. and enl. Buenos Aires: 1952. Atlanta, Georgia: Protea Editorial Heliasta, 2000. Publishing, 1999. Robb, Louis A. Diccionario de tér- Pérez Caballero, Aurelio. Diccionario minos legales español-inglés

NOTIS Directory of Translators and Interpreters Online!

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