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January 2014 Volume XLIII Number 1 A Publication of The American The Voice of Interpreters and Translators Translators Association The ATA CHRONICLE

2013 Honors and Awards Recipients Creating a Professional Portfolio Translating Screenplays Improving the Post-Editing Experience American Translators From the President Association 225 Reinekers Lane Caitilin Walsh Suite 590 [email protected] Alexandria, VA 22314 USA Tel: +1-703-683-6100 Fax: +1-703-683-6122 Open Door E-mail: [email protected] This is the time of year when Website: www.atanet.org people roll out their New Year’s resolutions. Editor These normally have to do with a habit we would Jeff Sanfaçon like to break or cultivate, and always focus on [email protected] improving our corner of the world. I would like to share one of my resolutions with you: Proofreader I will read and answer e-mail addressed to Sandra Burns Thomson [email protected]. Art Directors Many of the e-mails that come to the Ellen Banker president’s address are informational, letting Amy Peloff me know about an upcoming conference or webinar. If I think something might be of Advertising interest to a person or group, I will send it on to Caron Mason, CAE those folks. But there are always a few commu- [email protected] niqués that my father refers to as “needing more +1-703-683-6100, ext. 3003 than 10 seconds of thought.” I will do my best Fax: +1-703-683-6122 to answer these or find out who might be able to answer. Before you write that e-mail, however, please consider the following points: Membership and General Information • The question or request really should have something to do with the Association Lauren Mendell and its mission and/or the language services industry. The best I can do with items [email protected] tangential to translation and interpreting is to try to connect you with someone who knows about that area; advice to the lovelorn and general politics are way Executive Director over my head. Walter Bacak, CAE [email protected] • If you are debating floating a new idea, please share it. Some suggestions may take longer to follow up on than others, but the ideas members share contribute to The ATA Chronicle (ISSN 1078-6457) is the vitality of the Association and are very much appreciated. published monthly, except bi-monthly in November/December, by the American • The depth and breadth of expertise and knowledge within our membership is awe Translators Association, 225 Reinekers inspiring, and I may not always fully understand your suggestion at first, so please Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. Periodicals postage paid at be patient if I ask questions or ask you to do some legwork. I will do my level Alexandria, Virginia, and additional best to give you a lead or two or hand off your request to someone who may be mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send able to assist you. address changes to The ATA Chronicle, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, • Especially regarding complaints, remember that old adage that you catch more Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. flies with honey than with vinegar. When we are upset, it is easy to lash out. The American Translators Association Please remember that the person who reads that e-mail is a real live (volunteering) (ATA) was established in 1959 as a not- for-profit professional society to foster and person. support the professional development of translators and interpreters and to • Positive feedback is also useful. I know that no news is good news, but my door promote the translation and interpreting is open, and saying that I value hearing from members is not just lip service. professions. The subscription rate for a member is $38 (included in the dues • Finally, if you do not know whom to contact, start with me. I will help you find payment). The U.S. subscription rate for a the best person to address your suggestion or concern. nonmember is $65. Subscribers in Canada and Mexico add $25; all other non-U.S. subscribers add $45. Single Know that this is not an entirely selfless resolution: keeping a finger on the copies are available for $7 per issue. pulse of our membership is key to our Board’s work. An open door helps paint a more complete view of the situation: you can come in, and I can see out. Please ©2014 American Translators Association know your messages are welcome. Reprint Permission: Requests for permission to reprint articles should be sent to the editor of The ATA Chronicle at [email protected]. January 2014 CONTENTS Volume XLIII Number 1 A Publication of The American Translators Association

2013 Honors and Awards Recipients 10 And the winners are...

Call for Nominations: 15 ATA Directors

Branding Yourself: John Smith Interpreting 17 Create a Professional Portfolio Services By Marcela Reyes The competitive translation market continues to change, as does the way translators prospect for work. Now is the perfect time to create a portfolio that lets you stand out from the crowd. January 2014

20 The Great Leap Forward that Never Was COLUMNS By Uwe Muegge Have developments in post-editing kept pace with those in machine translation? 2 From the President 5 From the Executive Director

DEPARTMENTS Translating Screenplays 29 The Entrepreneurial Linguist 24 By Christine Kretschmer 30 Interpreters Forum There are several aspects which distinguish a screenplay from a literary work and which 31 GeekSpeak have a bearing on its translation—both on the overall approach the translator needs to 32 Dictionary Review take and on specific translation choices. 34 The Translation Inquirer 35 New Certified Members 36 Humor and Translation 37 Exam Sittings 38 Blog Trekker

Christine Kretschmer is a lecturer in audiovisual Marcela Reyes is the chief branding officer for translation at City University, London. She helped establish Latitudes | Training, Coaching and Consulting. She is an City University’s MA in Legal Translation Program. She has entrepreneurial marketing expert and business coach with been an English>German translator since 1985. She has over 20 years of experience. She partners with language a master’s degree in screenwriting and is a graduate of services providers around the world to help them commu- European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs. Contact: nicate their value to attract more clients, expand their [email protected]. services, and develop their own brand in local and international markets. She gives presentations around the world Uwe Muegge has more than 15 years of experience in and is a published author. She has a bachelor’s degree in translation and localization, having worked in leadership communications and an MBA with an emphasis in mar- functions on both the vendor and buyer sides of the keting. Contact: [email protected] industry. He has published numerous articles on translation tools and processes, and taught computer-assisted translation and terminology management courses at the college level in both the U.S. and Europe. He is a director at CSOFT in Beijing. He is also the coordinator of the Masters in Translation and Localization Management Program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He teaches courses in computer-assisted translation and publishes Looking for continuing regularly on translation technology. Contact: [email protected]. education events in your area? Check out ATA’s online event calendar at www.atanet.org/calendar.

Advertising Directory Landmark Audio Technologies 37 www.LandmarkFm.com

MadCap Software Did you know? 40 www.madcapsoftware.com 81% of subscribers read the advertisements in The ATA Chronicle and 36% of the readers SDL BUY the products that are advertised. 39 www.translationzone.com/ata To place your ad, contact: University of Illinois +1-703-683-6100 9 Caron Mason, CAE ma.translationandinterpreting.illinois.edu [email protected] EXT. 3003

4 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 From the Executive Director Walter Bacak, CAE [email protected] New Year News

New Year, New Look: ment in yourself. If you have any he taught German and translation, The ATA Chronicle is the Association’s questions about membership and among other subjects, for 46 years. flagship publication and reflects the the benefits available to you, During that time, Peter professional image of the organization. please contact ATA Member pushed successfully to To maintain that position, this issue of Relations Manager Lauren Mendell at get translation and the magazine introduces a fresh new [email protected] or 703-683-6100, interpreting recognized look. The update includes improved ext 3001. Thank you for renewing for by higher education readability with a left-justified, ragged- 2014. We look forward to serving you. and the federal govern- right format and a more contemporary ment. In 2008, Peter style for the cover, table of contents, Retirement: I wanted to share some received the Assoc- and monthly columns. Credit for the news concerning a key promoter of iation’s highest honor, new look goes to Ellen Banker, our ATA and the translation and inter- the ATA Gode Medal, long-time designer. Of course, the preting professions. ATA Past President for his many out- design would be meaningless without Peter Krawutschke has retired from standing professional the practical information, experience, Western Michigan University, where contributions. Congratulations, Peter Krawutschke and knowledge provided by the many Peter! n volunteer contributors and columnists. Finally, thanks to ATA Editor Jeff Sanfaçon for his stewardship of the publication and for making it all happen every month. 2013 Election Results Membership: The New Year also means it is time to renew your ATA membership. Renewal notices have Congratulations to ATA’s new officers and directors: been mailed, but you do not need to President Caitilin Walsh; President-Elect David Rumsey; Secretary Boris Silversteyn; wait—it will only take a minute to Treasurer Ted Wozniak; and Directors (for three-year terms): Evelyn Yang Garland, renew online right now: www.atanet. Rudy Heller, and Jane Maier. They join Directors: Lois Feuerle, Odile Legeay, org/membership/renew.php. This year, in response to member Corinne McKay, Virginia Perez-Santalla, Faiza Sultan, and Timothy Yuan. feedback, we have added a digital- only option for your subscription to The election was held during the Meeting of Voting Members, November 7, at ATA’s The ATA Chronicle. Of course, you 54th Annual Conference in San Antonio. The full election results are online: can continue to receive the print www.atanet.org/membership/election2013_election_result.pdf. edition by mail in addition to unlim- ited access to the online version. The choice is yours. Just check the delivery option you prefer when renewing online or by mail. We know you have opportunities Be Sure to Renew: to network, learn, and market your Membership renewals have been mailed. If you prefer to renew services elsewhere, but ATA brings online, please go to: www.atanet.org/membership/renew.php. them all together more effectively and Thank you for being an ATA member in 2013 and please renew efficiently—and better—than anywhere for 2014 today. else. Renewing your membership is a smart business decision and an invest-

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 5 54th Annual Conference

San Antonio i Texas Marriott Rivercenter | November 6-9, 2013 A Big Thanks to Our Exhibitors and Sponsors ATA wishes to thank all of the sponsors and exhibitors for helping to make this conference such a success! Sponsors Exhibitors

Platinum 1-Stop Translation Institute for Applied New York University School of Translation and Interpretation www.1stoptr.com Linguistics, Kent State Continuing and Professional Network Wordfast University Studies http://tintranslation.com www.wordfast.com AccessOnTime appling.kent.edu www.scps.nyu.edu www.accessontime.com TransPerfect Translations Interpreter Education Online nlg GmbH - next level www.transperfect.com Gold Barinas www.interpretereducation globalization www.barinas.com online.com www.nlgworldwide.com TÜV SÜD America SDL www.tuv-sud-america.com Braahmam www.translationzone.com InTrans Book Service, Inc. Ntrepid Corporation www.braahmam.net www.intransbooks.com www.ntrepidcorp.com/virtus U.S. Department of State, Office of Language Services Broca John Benjamins Publishing Paragon Language languageservices.state.gov SILVER www.broca.ca Company Services, Inc. www.benjamins.com www.paragonls.com University of Denver Global Language Solutions Capiche universitycollege.du.edu www.globallanguages.com www.capiche.pro Kilgray Translation Payoneer, Inc. University of Maryland CETRA Language Solutions Technologies www.payoneer.com Hays Affinity www.kilgray.com gsit.umd.edu www.cetra.com Plunet, Inc. ata.haysaffinity.com University of Wisconsin at Clarus Language Solutions Kiva www.plunet.com Idem Translations, Inc. www.kiva.org Milwaukee www.claruslanguagesolutions.com Rennert Translation Group www4.uwm.edu/letsci/ www.idemtranslations.com CLS Lexi-Tech, Ltd. Landmark Audio Technologies www.rennert.com translation/ www.landmarkfm.com Kilgray Translation Technologies www.cls-lexitech.ca RR Donnelley Wordfast www.kilgray.com Conference Rental USA LanguageWorks www.rrdtranslations.com www.wordfast.com www.languageworks.com www.conferencerental.com Satellite Station, Inc. XTRF Management Systems, Bronze Corporate Translations LinkedIn Corporation www.ststation.com Ltd. www.corptransinc.com linkedin.com www.xtrf.us Corporate Translations SDL CulturaLink MadCap Software, Inc. www.translationzone.com www.corptransinc.com www.madcapsoftware.com www.theculturalink.com STAR Group America, LLC Divergent Language Solutions MCIS Language Services www.us.star-group.net Media www.mcislanguages.com www.divergentls.com Strategic Agenda, LLP MultiLingual Computing, Inc. FedSys, Inc. Monterey Institute of www.strategicagenda.com www.multilingual.com www.fedsys.com International Studies www.miis.edu Terminotix GeoWorkz www.terminotix.com www.geoworkz.com Morningside Translations www.morningtrans.com The Center for Translation GLOBO Language Solutions Studies www.globolanguage.com National Language Service www.translation.illinois.edu Corps Hays Companies www.nlscorps.org Tradovision, Inc. ata.haysaffinity.com www.tradovision.com

6 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 Make Your ATA Membership Count

Opportunity. Market your services worldwide in ATA's online Directory of Translation and Interpreting Services.

Networking. Connect with experienced translators, interpreters, and agencies who share your interests and issues.

Knowledge. Expand your skills with professional opportunities online and throughout the U.S.

Information. Get news and know-how, from terminology to software to business practices … and more.

Services. Take advantage of members-only discounted business services, including small business and professional liability insurance plans.

Visibility. Support an advocacy working for greater public awareness of the translation and interpreting professions.

For detailed information, visit www.atanet.org/aboutus/overview_ata.php

It’s Time To Renew! From membership in any or all of ATA’s 18 divisions to discounted business services, ATA gives you the strategic edge that benefits your bottom line. Don’t miss a single day of benefits—renew today and let ATA continue to be your most important professional resource. It’s simple:

Login to Renew Online Renew by Fax www.atanet.org/membership/renew.php Fax the ATA Membership Renewal form with your payment to: Renew by Mail +1-703-683-6122 Mail the ATA Membership Renewal form with your payment to: Renew by PayPal www.atanet.org/paypal.php for instructions American Translators Association Membership Renewal 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590 Questions? Need More Information? Alexandria, VA 22314 USA Contact: Lauren Mendell ATA Member Relations Manager Phone: +1-703-683-6100, ext. 3001 E-mail: [email protected]

Thank you for your past support and for renewing for 2014. 54th Annual Conference

San Antonio i Texas Marriott Rivercenter | November 6-9, 2013 A Big Thanks to Our Volunteers ATA wishes to thank all of the volunteers from chapters, affiliates, and other groups who staffed their tables during the Annual Conference in San Antonio.

Host Group Austin Area Translators and Interpreters Association www.aatia.org

Chapters Atlanta Association of Interpreters Midwest Association of Translators and Translators and Interpreters www.aait.org www.matiata.org

Carolina Association of Translators National Capital Area Translators Association and Interpreters www.ncata.org www.catiweb.org New York Circle of Translators Colorado Translators Association www.nyctranslators.org www.cta-web.org Northern California Translators Association Delaware Valley Translators Association www.ncta.org www.dvta.org Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society Michigan Translators/Interpreters Network www.notisnet.org www.mitinweb.org

Affiliates Houston Interpreters and Translators Nevada Interpreters and Translators Association Association www.nitaonline.org www.hitagroup.org

Other Joint National Committee for Languages and National Council on Interpreting in Health Care the National Council for Languages and www.ncihc.org Groups International Studies www.languagepolicy.org Translators without Borders http://translatorswithoutborders.com

8 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 5)&$&/5&3'035)&$&/5&3 '03 TIme To PlaN! translation studies MA in American Translators Association Translation and 55TH Interpreting Specialization TTrracks: aNNual r5SBOTMBUJPO GGPPS UIF 1SPGGFFTTJPOT r-JUFSBSZ BOE "QQMJFE -JUFSBSZ 5SBOTMBUJPO CONFERENCE r$POGGFFSFODF BOE $PNNVOJUZ *OUFSQSFUJOH

online 03 ON CAMPUS The program can support students working from any of the 37 languages currently taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics. TeText translation students will work from their second language into English. Interpreting students will work bidirectionally between their second and first languages.

"QQMZOPX GGPPS 'BMM BENJTTJPOApplications will be accepted until the class is full. For more information contact Program Sponsor Elizabeth Lowe, Professor and Directorr,, Center for Translation Studies: [email protected] or (direct phone Chicago line) 217-300-1488. ."53"/4-""55*0/"/% November 5–8, 2014 */5&313&5*/(*--*/0*4&%6

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AATT URBANA-CHAMPPAAIGN School of Literatures,, Cultures and Linguistics Sheraton Chicago | 301 E. North Water Street | Chicago, Illinois College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 9 2013 Honors and Awards Recipients

Alexander Gode Medal Alan K. Melby The American Translators Association is honored to recognize Alan K. Melby as the recipient of the 2013 Alexander Gode Medal. ATA’s most prestigious award is named for one of ATA’s founders and its first president, and is presented to an individual or institution for outstanding service to the translating and interpreting professions. Alan has served on ATA’s Board of Directors for 16 years, having served two terms as secretary and four terms as director. During his time on the Board, Alan led ATA’s effort to validate the Certification Program based on academically rigorous studies aimed at defining the knowledge, skills, and abilities that a translator must possess. He has also supported the Certification Program in another vital way, by creating and bringing to fruition the keyboarded certification examination—the first in the world for any translation certification program instituted by a nonprofit organization. Alan has been interested in terminology management and terminology exchange since the mid-1980s. He has been involved in various efforts to develop terminology exchange formats, including the terminological data chapter of version P3 of the Text Encoding Initiative guidelines and various terminology-related standards within ISO Technical Committee 37. Alan is the reason your tools can talk to each other. The Exchange Standards in your tools are a result of his work. He continues to work on establishing and maintaining international standards relevant to the language services industry. In addition, Alan’s academic research and publications have made a contribution to our profession that is of extraordinary breadth and depth. A professor of linguistics at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, his skills as a teacher and mentor have helped many of his students become valuable members of our profession. Most importantly, in everything he has done, he has been a tireless and highly effective maker of connections—few others have worked as hard as he has to bring us together for our mutual benefit.

The Alexander Gode Medal is named for ATA’s founder and guiding spirit, who was the first recipient. The medalists represent a record of achievement in a variety of venues, including not only translators and interpreters, but lexicographers, theorists, association leaders, and institutions. This award may be given annually.

Are You LinkedIn? What is LinkedIn? LinkedIn is a free e-networking service that helps you create an online community of links to new contacts, prospective clients, and great jobs. Through a LinkedIn network you can discover inside connections and reach the clients you need to meet through referrals from people you already know and trust. Your professional relationships are key to building your business. How Does It Work? Begin by inviting colleagues and clients to join LinkedIn and connect to your network. Next, add to your community by searching LinkedIn for professional contacts you already know and inviting them to connect to you. Then, post a profile summarizing your professional accomplishments, associations to which you belong, schools you have attended, and places you have worked so that former business associates, co-workers, and classmates can find you and connect. Each connection expands your network. The result? Your network now consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals. Take advantage of your ATA membership. Joining LinkedIn through ATA gives you an instant community with opportunities to grow your network quickly. Don’t wait—get your online networking underway! To join, just visit www.atanet.org/linkedin.php.

10 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 JTG Scholarship in Scientific and Technical Translation or Interpretation Patricia M. Fundora Patricia M. Fundora is the 2013-2014 recipient of the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation’s (AFTI) JTG Scholarship in Scientific and Technical Translation or Interpretation. This award was funded a decade ago by Muriel Jérôme-O’Keeffe, a past president of both ATA and AFTI, to encourage and recognize students in technical translation and interpreting programs. Patricia is a full-time student enrolled in the Translation and Interpretation Studies Program at Miami Dade College, where she is pursuing an associate in science degree (major: translation and interpreting). She has made the Dean’s List on a regular basis and is a member of Sigma Alpha Pi (National Society of Leadership and Success) and the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Her main focus is completing her studies and preparing to take the written certification exam administered by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters. After graduation, her goal is to work as a medical interpreter or translator, or in a position combining both areas of expertise. A native Spanish speaker, she is looking for opportunities to volunteer as an interpreter and/or translator for the Hispanic immigrant community while pursuing her studies. In addition to ATA, she is also a member of the International Medical Interpreters Association.

About JTG, Inc. Founded in 1995 by ATA and AFTI Past President Muriel Jérôme-O’Keeffe, JTG, Inc. is a language consultancy that supports homeland security, intelligence, and global business with cross-cultural communications. JTG, Inc. has underwritten the AFTI scholarship since 2001. Visit: www.jtg-inc.com.

About AFTI The American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation (AFTI) was established in 1997. AFTI’s primary charitable and educational activities consist of sponsorship and dissemination of research and education in the fields of translation and interpreting through research grants, scholarships, conferences, and commissions for the production of education materials, as well as through the estab- lishment and maintenance of an archive for the collection of documents and artifacts related to translation and interpreting. Visit: www.afti.org/about_AFTI.php.

Ungar German Translation Award Philip Boehm Philip Boehm is the recipient of the Ungar German Translation Award for his translation of Herta Müller’s 2009 Nobel Prize-winning novel, The Hunger Angel (Picador, 2013). This is the second time Boehm has received the award, having won in 2007 for his translation of A Woman in Berlin. The Hunger Angel begins on an icy morning in January 1945, when a patrol comes for 17-year-old Leo Auberg to deport him to a camp in the Soviet Union. Leo will spend the next ﬁve years in a coke processing plant, shoveling coal, lugging bricks, mixing mortar, and battling the relentless calculus of hunger that governed the labor colony. Herta Müller calls upon her unique combination of poetic intensity and dispassionate precision to conjure the distorted world of the labor camp in all its physical and moral absurdity. She has given Leo the language to express the inexpressible, as hunger sharpens his senses into an acuity that is both hallucinatory and profound. Boehm’s pitch-perfect translation of The Hunger Angel exposes the reader to the icy winds, unremitting hunger, and apparent hopelessness of the labor camp. Born in Romania in 1953, Herta Müller lost her job as a teacher and suffered repeated threats after refusing to cooperate with Ceausescu’s secret police. She is the author of, among other books, The Land of Green Plums and The Appointment. ·

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 11 2013 Honors and Awards Recipients Continued

Philip is the author of numerous translations from Polish and German, including works by Franz Kafka, Hanna Krall, and Christoph Hein. His translations have received numerous awards, including the American Literary Translators Association’s National Translation Award and the PEN Center USA Literary Award. Philip, who resides in St. Louis, is also a playwright and theater director. Fluent in several languages, he has staged plays in the U.S., Poland, and Slovakia. In 2004, he founded Upstream Theater, which has since become a leading producer of new international work, having presented over a dozen U.S. premieres of plays from countries such as Cuba and Croatia. In 2012, Upstream was recognized by the American Theatre Wing with a National Theater Grant as one of the most promising emerging companies in the U.S. As a dramatist, Philip’s staged plays include Mixtitlan, Soul of a Clone, and Alma en venta. Originally from Texas, Philip studied at Wesleyan University (Connecticut), Washington University in St. Louis, and the State Academy of Theater in Warsaw, Poland.

The Ungar German Translation Award is bestowed biennially in odd-numbered years for a distinguished literary translation from German into English that has been published in the U.S.

Marian S. Greenfield Financial Translation Presentation Award Ralf Lemster Ralf Lemster is the recipient of the 2013 Marian S. Greenfield Financial Translation Presentation Award. ATA and the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation offer this prize to recognize an outstanding presenter of a financial translation session during ATA’s Annual Conference. Ralf presented two sessions at this year’s conference in San Antonio. In his first presentation, “CMBS, RMBS, and ABS of CDO: Some Insights into the Alphabet Soup,” Ralf examined a number of acronyms and similar concepts commonly used in the context of structured investment products, securitizations, and similar structures. His second presentation, “Credit Derivatives: Key Concepts, Applications, and Terminology,” explored key concepts of credit derivatives, their primary fields of application, and the main technical terms financial translators need to know. Ralf is a managing partner of Ralf Lemster Financial Translations GmbH, a specialist financial translation company focusing on complex financial markets texts. Following more than 10 years of investment banking experience with a major German bank, he has been working as a full-time translator since 1997, having passed the German state examination for English that same year. He is a vice president of the German Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators (BDÜ). Marian S. Greenfield is a past president of ATA (2005-2007) and the New York Circle of Translators. Currently, she is the president of the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation and the chair of ATA’s Professional Development Committee. She is the owner of msgreenfield Translations. She has worked in the translation industry for over 30 years. A translator in New York’s Financial District for 20 years, she is the former manager of translation services at JP Morgan. She is a translation industry consultant, Trados instructor, and freelance Spanish, Portuguese, and French into English financial and legal translator. She has taught at the University of Chicago, New York University, and the University of Puerto Rico.

March 28-29, 2014 April 5, 2014 August 4-6, 2014 Mid-America Chapter of ATA Carolina Association of International Federation Upcoming Events MICATA Symposium Translators and Interpreters of Translators Annual Conference 2014 World Congress You’ll find more events at Overland Park, KS www.atanet.org/calendar. www.micata.org Spartanburg, SC Berlin, Germany www.catiweb.org www.fit2014.org

12 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 ATA Student Translation Award Christina L. Lowry

Christina L. Lowry is the recipient of the 2013 ATA Student Translation Award for her translation project from German into English of the 1992 German musical Elisabeth, written by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay. Lowry is a senior at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Empress Elisabeth of Austria is well-known in Germany and Austria as a beloved folk hero. A trio of semi-biographical films in the 1950s starring Romy Schneider immortalized the Hapsburg empress, affectionately known as “Sissi,” as a romantic fairytale princess. While the popular ﬁlms tell the story of an independent young girl thrown into the world of politics by her marriage to Emperor Franz Josef I, the real- life Elisabeth’s transition to court life was far more difﬁcult. With no privacy, an overbearing mother-in-law, and tensions with her husband, Elisabeth eventually withdrew from court life, traveling restlessly until she was assassinated at the age of 60. Kunze’s and Levay’s musical Elisabeth portrays this much darker version of Elisabeth’s life. Christina began translating Elisabeth during her junior year at Washington and Lee University as an independent honors project for her German major. She says that “the complexities of translating the lyrics of an almost entirely sung musical, with their poetry and rhythms, has been by far the most challenging aspect.” Christina hopes to publish the translation and eventually see it performed in English.

The ATA Student Translation Award is presented by ATA and the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation to a graduate or undergraduate student, or group of students, for a literary or sci-tech translation or translation-related project.

The AFTI JTG Scholarship in Scientific and Technical Translation or Interpretation is presented to a 2014 student enrolled or planning to enroll in a degree program in scientific and technical translation or in Honors and interpreter training. Awards The Alexander Gode Medal, ATA’s most prestigious award, is presented to an individual or institution for Now Open! outstanding service to the translating and interpreting professions. This award may be given annually. Nominations are solicited from the past recipients of the Gode Medal and the membership at large.

The Alicia Gordon Award for Word Artistry in Translation is given for a translation (from French or Spanish into English, or from English into French or Spanish) in any subject that demonstrates the highest level of creativity in solving a particularly knotty translation problem. Open to ATA members in good standing. ATA and the American Foundation for Translation and The S. Edmund Berger Prize is offered by AFTI to recognize excellence in scientific and technical translation Interpretation (AFTI) present by an ATA member. The award is given annually. annual and biennial awards to encourage, reward, and The Harvie Jordan Scholarship is awarded to an ATA Spanish Language Division member in good standing publicize outstanding work to promote, encourage, and support leadership and professional development within the division. The done by both seasoned scholarship is given annually. professionals and students. Awards and scholarships for The Lewis Galantière Award is given for a distinguished book-length literary translation from any language, 2014 include: except German, into English published in the United States. The award is bestowed biennially in even-numbered years.

The Marian S. Greenfield Financial Translation Presentation Award is offered by AFTI to recognize an outstanding presenter of a financial translation session during ATA’s Annual Conference.

The ATA Student Translation Award is presented to any graduate or undergraduate student, or group of students, for a literary or sci-tech translation or translation-related project. The award is given annually.

For complete entry information and deadlines, visit www.atanet.org/membership/honorsandawards.php.

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 13 2013–2014 ATA School Outreach Contest

Make a School Outreach presentation this year, and you could win free registration to ATA’s 55th Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, November 5-8, 2014. Here’s how to enter.

1. Visit ATA’s School Outreach Resource Center at www.atanet.org/careers/school_outreach.php and click on Presentation Resource Materials. 2. Choose the age level you like the best and download a presentation, or use the resources on the School Outreach page to round out your own material. 3. Speak on translation and/or interpreting careers at a school or university anywhere in the world between August 1, 2013 and July 18, 2014. 4. Get someone to take a picture of you in the classroom. For tips on getting a winning shot, visit the School Outreach Photo Gallery on ATA’s website at www.atanet.org/ata_school/photo_gallery.php and click on Photo Guidelines. 5. E-mail your photo to Meghan McCallum (meghanraymccallum@gmail.com) with the subject line “School Outreach Contest,” or mail your entry to ATA, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314. Please include: your name and contact information; the date of your presentation; the school’s name and location; and a brief description of the class. You may submit multiple entries.

The deadline for submissions is midnight on July 18, 2014. The winner will be contacted no later than August 20, 2014. You must be a member of ATA or an ATA-affiliated organization to enter.

ATA 2012-2013 School Outreach Contest María Elena Gaborov

ATA member María Elena Gaborov won free registration to ATA’s 54th Annual Conference in San Antonio for a photo of herself with a group of smiling undergraduate students from the Department of Romance Languages at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. In her presentation, María explained to Spanish language students how important translators and interpreters are in everyday life in the U.S. and abroad. She addressed what skills language professionals need and what consequences may arise if the services of professional translators or interpreters are not used. Invited to speak at UNC by Spanish lecturer Alan Redick, María seized the opportunity to discuss what she feels pas- sionate about: informing the general public that formal training is required to become a competent language professional. She hopes that this will boost the general recognition of translators and interpreters. The students were so interested and had so many questions that her talk, which was originally scheduled for 20 minutes, lasted 90 minutes! A native Argentinean and an English<>Spanish interpreter and translator, María lives in Durham, North Carolina. She earned her translation degree at the Facultad de Lenguas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. She is a certiﬁed medical interpreter and works in-house at the UNC hospitals in Chapel Hill. She also serves as vice chair of the International Medical Interpreters Association’s North Carolina chapter. As a freelance translator, María specializes in medical documents and legal certiﬁcates.

Contributed by Birgit Vosseler-Brehmer, winner of ATA’s 2011-2012 School Outreach Contest.

14 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 Call for Nominations

The 2014 Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is pleased to call for nominations from ATA’s membership to fill three directors’ positions (each a three-year term). Elections will be held at the Annual Meeting of Voting Members on Thursday, November 6, 2014, in Chicago, Illinois. Under ATA’s Bylaws, all Active members of ATA are eligible to run for elected office. Active members are those who have passed an ATA certification exam or who are established as having achieved professional status through an Active Membership Review (for more information on this process, visit www.atanet.org/memb_review.php ). Active members must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. Other member categories are not eligible to serve as officers or directors. However, any member may submit a nomination. Please note that members of the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee are not eligible to run for elected office.

2014 Nomination Form: ATA Directors

Members may make a nomination using the form on page 16 or online (www.atanet.org/ elections.php). Nominations should be submitted as early as possible so that the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee can fully consider proposed candidates. The deadline is March 3, 2014. Mail, e-mail, or fax the completed form to:

Dorothee Racette Chair, ATA Nominating and Leadership Development Committee 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590 Alexandria, VA 22314 USA Fax: +1-703-683-6122 E-mail: [email protected]

If you plan to put names forward for nomination, please contact the potential nominees first, explaining your intention and the fact that a nomination does not guarantee a formal invitation to run for office. If a nomination is not put forward by the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee to ATA’s Board of Directors, an individual may still petition to be added to the slate of candidates by submitting the nomination in writing along with the signatures of at least 60 voting members endorsing the nomination. The petitions must be received by the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee no later than 30 calendar days after first publication by the Board of Directors of the names of the candidates proposed by the Committee. All ATA officers and directors serve on a volunteer basis: please do not nominate colleagues who express serious concerns about service, or who have conflicting priorities. Please fill out the nomination form completely with the candidate’s help so that the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee has up-to-date information about the candidate’s service and affiliation with ATA. Members may nominate themselves. ·

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 15 2014 Nomination Form: ATA Directors

Person making nomination: ______

E-mail address: ______Telephone: ______

Nominee information

Name: ______

Address: ______

E-mail address: ______Telephone: ______

Please check all that apply: Number of years in translation/interpreting: Number of years as an ATA member: q full-time q 1-4 q 1-4 q part-time q 5-9 q 5-9 q translator q 10-14 q 10-14 q interpreter q 15-20+ q 15-20+ q in-house employee q other (specify):

Working languages and directions (e.g., German into English): ______

Membership in ATA chapters, other regional groups, and/or divisions: ______Volunteer service for ATA, ATA chapters, other regional groups, and/or divisions: ______

Other relevant service: ______Please answer the following questions: How has the candidate demonstrated commitment to the translation and interpreting professions? ______What strengths would this person bring to ATA’s Board of Directors? ______Why did you nominate this person? ______Final thoughts: What perspectives or points of view do you feel are important to have represented on ATA’s Board? ______Any other comments? ______Thank you for being an ATA member and for your active commitment to the future of your association.

16 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 John Smith Jane Smith Jane Smith Interpreting Translation Translation Services John Smith Services Services Interpreting Services

Branding Yourself: Create a Professional Portfolio By Marcela Reyes

In today’s business world, it is becoming increasingly difficult As a translator, you need a portfolio to create the link to make yourself competitive, especially as a translator. More and more between what you can do and what the prospective freelancers are being added to the client or organization wants from you. market, so what can you do to make yourself stand out in a sea of many? A great place to start your differenti- ating process is by creating a profes- In addition, it will help you build The Importance of Your sional portfolio. A portfolio is an confidence in what you can do. Unique Value Proposition invaluable tool in more ways than Before you embark on creating one. But what exactly is it, and How Can Your Portfolio Help You? your professional portfolio, you must exactly how can it help you? What are your professional activi- first identify your value proposi- ties, and what are the outcomes of tion—a clear statement in line with What Is a Portfolio? those activities? Are you docu- the market’s challenges and your A portfolio is simply a collection of menting them adequately so others desires, communicating the unique your work that can be used to market can see your contributions? Do your contribution you and your services your language services, apply for a job, activities and the outcomes they pro- are providing that is different from highlight your professional experience, duce match your profession? What do your competitors. Try to answer the or document what you have learned. you need to change or enhance about question, “Why should I do business As a translator, you need a portfolio to what you do and the outcomes you with you and not someone else?” create the link between what you can document? A professional portfolio Your unique value proposition must do and what the prospective client or will be an immense help in answering appeal to the client’s strongest deci- organization wants from you. Your these questions constructively. It sion-making drivers. It should be professional portfolio will distinguish helps you keep track of everything believable, authentic, and specific. you from the competition. It will you have done in your career as a Once you have a statement that you clearly highlight your experience and professional translator or interpreter are confident communicates your demonstrate that you are serious about and points out where you should go value, you have the basis on which to your career as a translator and your job next. Most importantly for free- build your professional portfolio. search. It will show examples of your lancers, it will definitely get you Like a classic novel that has a unique strengths and pique the interest attention and help you stand out from specific theme or overall message, of your potential clients or employers. the crowd. your unique value proposition should

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 17 Branding Yourself: Create a Professional Portfolio Continued pervade your portfolio. Whoever is reading it should get an overall sense of your value without your having to Your unique value proposition must appeal to the client’s state it explicitly. strongest decision-making drivers. What Goes Into a Portfolio? The key point of your portfolio is that you want to give an employer cause to hire you or a prospective Perfect Your Bio client reasons to retain your transla- In the business world we summa- highlights or more significant tion or interpreting services. You rize our experience, qualifications, moments. Use phrases such as want to showcase your education and education, skill-sets, and any other among others or to name a few. work experience by showing exam- important aspects of our professional These phrases keep lists short, but ples and evidence of your work, life (and sometimes even our personal convey the notion that the list con- skills, and accomplishments. While life). This is contained in what is tinues. Your bio should also be your portfolio can be creative and typically known as the résumé or CV written in the third person in order contain an array of items based on (curriculum vitae). The information to keep it formal and professional. the exact message you are conveying presented, its style, format, length, etc., with your unique value proposition, all vary among cultures. Nevertheless, Some Other Items there are some elements that are it is an important component of your to Consider in Your Portfolio absolutely necessary. These are your marketing kit, regardless of the culture While every one of the following career summary, bio, personal philos- you are targeting. However, this tool items is not required in your portfolio, ophy, and mission statement. does not really highlight all of those you should try to include what you personal characteristics that make you feel is necessary to convey your How to Make Your Career different from others. unique value proposition. Consider Summary Interesting and Relevant The biography is a highly underesti- the following: Your career summary is simply a mated, yet very powerful, tool that description of who you are through should be essential in any marketing • Career summary what you have done throughout your kit. It is simply the story of your life. A • Goals career as a linguist. It typically résumé lists your credentials. A biog- • Personal brand statement in a includes information not on your raphy presents them in a story, auto- tagline form résumé, such as your work ethic, matically making the content much • Mission statement professional interests, and your more interesting. Stories are fasci- • Bio philosophy about life and work. In nating and have the ability to engage • Résumé your summary, aim to quantify your and connect us with our target market • Accomplishments achievements by using varied through purpose and passion. Let your • Work samples adverbs and more descriptive detail. human side shine through your story. • Research publications and reports Instead of simply mentioning that Your audience wants to find that spe- • Testimonials you did X translating job for Y cial connection with you, and there is • Letters of recommendation company, make a statement saying no better way to connect than by • Awards and honors something along the lines of you sharing your story. Do not be bland. • Conferences and workshops consistently did X job, translating Personal hobbies and interests, while • Transcripts 3,000 words per day at Y company. not necessary, may be helpful in letting • Degrees your readers get a taste of who you are • Licenses and certifications How to Define Your Personal as a person. • Professional development activities Philosophy and Mission Statement When composing your bio, consider • Volunteer and community service This is a personal statement about your audience—who exactly will be • References the principles that guide you, your reading it? This is important, because purpose, and your value proposition. what you include in your bio should One thing to keep out of your Consider this your personal executive and will vary depending on your target portfolio is your rates. Also, if you summary. While it may be short, this audience. While this may be difficult to are targeting translation agencies, is important for singling out your achieve, a good bio is short—some- include the tools and technologies mission as a linguist and expressing where between 150-300 words. To you use; however, when targeting your uniqueness. keep the length to a minimum, it is direct clients, this information is not important to focus only on the necessary and may even confuse your potential buyers.

18 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 Stylistic Tips to Keep Your Portfolio Professional Use an assortment of syntax and The biography is a highly underestimated, yet very powerful, vocabulary so that your portfolio tool that should be essential in any marketing kit. does not become boring to the reader. Be careful to stay truthful. If you are caught lying or even stretching the truth, you will lose a lot of precious on which you worked, make sure you inspiring upon first glance. One of the credibility—and likely a client as always get the proper permission most important aspects of your online well. In addition, industry jargon from your client to do so. You do not portfolio is its appearance—easy to should be kept to a minimum. What want to infringe on any confiden- read, clean, and thorough. When you good is your portfolio if the reader tiality agreement and jeopardize not create easy-to-read application mate- does not understand what is being just the relationship with your client rial that paints a detailed, well- said? Monitor the length of your but also your professional reputation. matched picture of your professional sentences so that the flow of your self, you make recruiters, clients, and statements does not become choppy Your Portfolio: employers happy and interested. or confusing. Keep in mind that Why It Should Be Online bulleted lists are easy to follow and Google is your biggest promoter. Online Tools to Create show organization. Avoid words The Internet is the biggest gallery in Your Online Portfolio that are too “flowery”; that is, if you the world, with millions of potential Find websites that can both stylize think your reader might have to go to clients online. You need to make sure your portfolio with graphics and a dictionary for it, do not include it. they can find you and your work. An organize your information in a visual Definitely omit pronouns, as they online portfolio gives you the perfect and compelling way. There are make your portfolio look less profes- opportunity to do this. With num- numerous free and inexpensive tools sional. You should always keep your erous social media outlets, you have online that allow you to create graph- intended audience in mind when the ability to showcase yourself and ical representations of your skills, planning your approach. Perhaps your work to thousands of people not working history, and professional your readers would prefer something available via traditional methods. achievements. If you do not already a little more personal. Always Think about the implications of not have your own personal website, remember that your portfolio should popping up on someone’s online consider investing in one. motivate the reader to take action. search for your name. Will you lose Make it easy for others to find and all trust or credibility since you are be impressed by you. Make them Stand Out from the Crowd with not in the results set? Are you hiding think, “Wow, I need those services, Your Work Samples something? If others cannot find you and now!” It is easier than you think Regarding samples, if you are a online, you have done a poor job of to make yourself accessible. You will translator, make sure you include the letting people get the chance to know find that your professional portfolio source and target translation. If you you and your services. Your online (particularly one that is online) will really want to stand out from the portfolio is available around the do that for you. All the effort crowd, you can simply include a clock. You want your online portfolio required is the initial creation of the hyperlink to the source document and to be like a website that is well portfolio. So, go out and self-pro- the corresponding translation if they designed, easy to use, and tells the mote. After that, your clients will are available online (like a website). reader exactly what is wanted come right to you! n Instead of just including the source quickly and without hassle. Not to and target translation, focus on high- mention, you want it to be instantly lighting any outcomes that resulted from your translation. For example, if you translated a website, and that website is reaching out to X amount May 3, 2014 April 3-5, 2014 of people, point that out. New England Translators American Translation & Interpreting If you are an interpreter, you can Don’t Miss Association Studies Association include a link to a short video clip of 18th Annual Conference 7th Biennial Conference an actual interpreting assignment www.netaweb.org/cms2 "Where Theory and Practice Meet" along with a brief description of what New York, NY the gig was all about. A word of cau- www.atisa.org tion: if you are going to include hyperlinks to projects or assignments

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 19 The Great Leap Forward that Never Was By Uwe Muegge

Ten years ago, machine trans- Raw Machine Translation: output guage services providers and, as a lation (MT) was very much a niche generated by machine translation result, globalization efforts as a technology for translation professionals. without human post-editing. whole. Essentially, translation MT tools were expensive, supported memory systems have at their core a only a small number of language pairs, Post-Editing: process of revising large database of aligned source and and did not play nice with many stan- raw machine translation by target segments (typically sentences) dard translation tools. Today, MT is human linguists. that automatically provides transla- available either for free or at very low tion suggestions for sentences that cost, in thousands of language combina- Translation Memory: software have previously been translated or tions, and many translation memory application that enables translation that are similar to previously trans- systems offer integrated MT function- professionals to reuse their previous lated sentences. While most transla- ality. In other words, MT has evolved translations and perform other tion professionals consider translation by leaps and bounds. translation-related tasks efficiently. memories as primarily productivity As the number of translation pro- tools, they are in fact first and fore- fessionals who post-edit raw MT has Revision: bilingual editing of target most quality assurance tools. Even if increased dramatically over the past content based on a comparison linguists do not get a single match 10 years, the big question is whether between the source content and the during a translation project, they developments in post-editing have target content. always benefit from functions such as kept pace with those in MT. automatic completeness checks, auto- Simply put, during machine trans- matic terminology recognition (if Post-Editing: The Basics lation, an MT application takes the properly prepared), automatic tag/for- Before we proceed, let’s review source files as input, and, depending matting checks, etc. some of the basics. A general under- on the type of MT technology (rule- Post-editing of raw MT is the standing of MT technology is a good based, statistical, or hybrid), uses process where professionally trained place to start. specific algorithms to create target human linguists systematically review files. Depending on the intended use, and edit machine-generated translation Machine Translation (MT): these raw machine translations can content. Depending on the intended process of using software applica- either be used as is or be revised use, post-editing may range from only tions that automate the translation of (“post-edited”) by human linguists. correcting terminology errors to com- text from one language (source lan- The convergence of translation prehensive rewriting where the final guage) into another language (target memory and MT technologies has text is indistinguishable from a language), with no or minimal been critically important to lan- human-generated translation. human intervention.

20 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 Where Was Post-Editing 10 Years Ago? Most rule-based MT products were (and still are) At the turn of the millennium, my professional life gravitated toward targeted at the consumer market. MT and post-editing. In 1998, I had gotten my first taste of this high-tech approach to translation while writing a master’s thesis that involved post- tailored to meet the needs of a Custom Word Macros: One of editing raw MT. Frustrated with the specific project. Rule-based MT sys- biggest problems in post-editing, at tools for post-editing that existed at tems typically allow users to specify least in my opinion, is the fact that that time, I assembled the following language-specific settings regarding commercial post-editing tools do not suite of tools that enabled me to register and style that help optimize offer much support for syntactical or improve the efficiency of my post- raw MT output. For instance, users morphological changes. Consider the editing efforts dramatically. can specify if the polite or the imper- following scenario. A word that is not ative form should be used in a trans- the first word in a sentence needs to Rule-Based MT Engine: Before the lation. be moved to the beginning of a sen- advent of Google Translate, if free- Another great benefit rule-based tence to make that sentence more lance translation professionals wanted MT products offer is the fact that they readable. This editing task typically to use MT, they had to buy a com- typically come with large domain- involves the following steps: mercial MT system. The only MT specific dictionaries that users can systems that freelancers could afford easily expand with their own entries. 1. Select the word to be moved. used the earlier rule-based approach By taking advantage of the termi- to MT. Rule-based MT systems do nology management functionality of a 2. Move the selected word from its not simply translate word for word. rule-based MT system, users can current position to the beginning Instead, rule-based MT systems use a ensure that even raw MT contains of the sentence. sophisticated repository of grammar only the client’s preferred termi- rules for both source language nology. 3. Change the case of the first letter analysis and target language genera- of the selected word to upper case. tion. Rule-based MT systems also use Automatic Terminology Extraction: one or more dictionaries. Rule-based It is a little known fact that many rule- 4. Change the case of the first letter MT uses a three-stage translation based MT systems offer an unknown of what was the first word in the process: word function. The unknown word sentence to lower case. function creates a list of words in a 1. Analysis: parses the source sen- source text that are not included in Fortunately, there is a rather simple tence to create a tree of the syn- any of the dictionaries submitted to solution for this type of problem: the tactic structure of that sentence. the MT system. This function enables macro functionality in Microsoft users to provide rule-based MT sys- Word. As earlier versions of Trados 2. Transfer: converts the syntactic tems with the complete bilingual dic- were themselves sets of Word macros, tree for the source language into tionaries that are required for the best using custom macros was an obvious the corresponding tree for the translation results. choice. By the way, all it takes to target language. create Word macros is to click “Start Integrated Translation Memory recording” at the beginning of the 3. Generation: populates the target tree System: Even back in the late 20th process that is to be automated and with corresponding words to create century, some rule-based MT products “Stop recording” at the end. With a sentence in the target languages. featured a built-in translation memory. macros, any complex editing task, However, at the time, I chose to use such as the nominalization of a verb Most rule-based MT products an external translation memory tool, or changing the case/inflection of a were (and still are) targeted at the Trados 3. Using my standard transla- word, can be reduced to pressing a consumer market. However, a few of tion memory tool gave me easy access simple hotkey combination. these rule-based systems, such as to my previous translations. During Promt, Systran, and Langenscheidt post-editing, these previous (human) Where Is Post-Editing Today? T1, offered professional-rate features. translations were available as fuzzy In 2007, Google launched a free One of the features of rule-based matches in addition to the raw MT post-editing environment, Google MT that I have always liked is the alone that the translation memory of Translator Toolkit. Translator Toolkit ease with which these systems can be an MT system would provide. is a cloud-based service that ·

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 21 The Great Leap Forward that Never Was Continued provides translation professionals • A cloud-based service: no soft- create “private” translation memories, with a translation memory environ- ware to install; runs on Windows, there is no easy fix for the following ment for post-editing raw MT created MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and issues I have with Translator Toolkit: in Google’s statistical MT, Google many other operating systems. Translate. Today, Google Translator • Users have no way of customizing Toolkit is probably the most popular What is not so great about Google the raw MT Google Translate cre- system designed specifically for post- Translator Toolkit? First, I want to ates. There is only one specifica- editing. draw attention to the fact that Google tion users can make when did not create Translator Toolkit for submitting text for translation in What is great about Google altruistic reasons. Translator Toolkit Translator Toolkit: selecting the Translator Toolkit? Google Trans- was primarily designed to provide language pair. lator Toolkit became an instant suc- Google with training material for cess because this service offers a improving the translation quality of • While users can upload their own number of very compelling benefits: Google’s statistical MT system, Google bilingual dictionaries, these dic- Translate. Understanding Google’s tionaries will not be used for trans- • A free post-editing environment motivation for creating Translator lation, as Translator Toolkit limits for free statistical raw MT. Toolkit explains why after all these their use to the post-editing phase. years the feature set of this post- • Support for more than 70 lan- editing/translation memory system is • Translator Toolkit does not offer guages and more than 5,000 still very rudimentary. (See Figure 1 specific functions for changing a) language combinations. below for an example.) the syntax of a sentence, or b) the Google has received its share of morphology of individual words. • Many key features such as termi- criticism for the lack of privacy in nology management, translation Translator Toolkit. By default, all users By the way, most if not all of memory management, and collab- of Translator Toolkit share their trans- these limitations also apply to many orative translation/sharing of translation memories not only with translation memory environments lation memories and dictionaries. the developers of Google Translate, but that pull raw MT from Google with all other users of the system as Translate or Bing (Microsoft’s statis- • A simple, very user-friendly system. well. While it is possible for users to tical MT service).

Figure 1: The editor (highlighted) in Google Translator Toolkit offers only very rudimentary functions for post-editing MT.

22 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 Three Things You Can Do to Make Post-Editing More Efficient In my humble opinion, the most popular environment for post-editing Resources raw MT leaves a lot to be desired in terms of offering task-speciﬁc function- Google Translator Toolkit Wordfast Classic ality. However, the good news is that http://translate.google.com/toolkit www.wordfast.com/products_word there are a number of things that trans- fast.html lation professionals can do themselves MetaTexis for Word to improve the efﬁciency of the post- www.metatexis.com/mxword.htm Microsoft Translator Hub editing process. http://hub.microsofttranslator.com

Manage Terminology: Using the right terminology consistently is very important in almost any translation project. In create customized MT engines, and b) every translation professional, com- post-editing projects, even though the use these MT engines to create high- mercial post-editing environments are end user may be willing to accept less quality raw MT. Raw MT from DIY still relatively primitive. The good than brilliant style, incorrectly trans- MT systems is typically available in news is that there are a number of lated terms are typically not acceptable. multiple file formats, including TMX strategies that translation professionals Therefore, it is a good idea for post-edi- and XLIFF for easy import into stan- looking for an improved post-editing tors to create comprehensive, project- dard post-editing environments. Note experience can use. Through managing specific, multilingual glossaries prior to that DIY MT services typically require terminology, customizing the MT each post-editing project. If the client a minimum of 10,000 sentences of par- engine, and customizing the (MS does not provide comprehensive glos- allel text/translation memory for cus- Word-based) translation memory saries, I recommend using one of the tomization. system, linguists can improve their many automatic terminology extraction post-editing efficiency dramatically. It tools and services that help post-editors Customize the Translation Memory is certainly true that each of these create multilingual glossaries quickly System: None of the standard com- strategies involves a considerable and, and inexpensively. And it goes without mercial post-editing tools available to with the exception of customizing the saying that for the sake of terminology freelance translation professionals sup- translation memory, ongoing effort. management alone, all post-editing port language-specific post-editing However, for any but the casual post- should be performed in a translation functions. As mentioned above, using editor, the benefits of making these memory environment. the macro-recording function in improvements in their tools and Microsoft Word is an easy way of sim- processes should be immediate. Customize the MT System: One of plifying complex editing tasks such as the most powerful ways to improve the changing the inflection of a word. Additional Reading efficiency of post-editing is, of course, While almost all translation memory Muegge, Uwe. “Do-It-Yourself MT: improving the quality of the raw MT. tools now come as stand-alone tools, a Taking (Statistical) Machine Earlier, I described how translation pro- few like MetaTexis for Word and Translation to the Next Level,” fessionals can customize a rule-based Wordfast Classic still use Microsoft http://owl.li/rPxY6. MT system: by selecting built-in Word as an editing platform. Those domain-specific dictionaries, uploading translation professionals who are Muegge, Uwe. “Dispelling the Myths client glossaries, providing translations looking for the most efficient post- of Machine Translation,” for all unknown words, and applying editing platform and are willing to http://owl.li/rPxTo. project-specific style settings. But what invest a few hours recording macros about statistical MT? Can users cus- should give Word-based translation Muegge, Uwe. “Ten Things You tomize those? Absolutely! One of the memories a close look. Should Know About Automatic most exciting developments in the area Terminology Extraction,” The ATA of MT is the advent of do-it-yourself Post-Editing Can Chronicle (September 2012), 24-27, (DIY) MT. In a DIY MT system or Be a Much Easier Task http://owl.li/rPyhy. service, users build their own statistical By all indications, more translation MT system using their own translation professionals than ever are involved in Translation Automation User Society memories. One example of this new post-editing raw MT. While the tech- Machine Translation Post-editing breed of tools is Microsoft Translator nology and the economics of MT have Guidelines (2010), Hub. The Microsoft Translator Hub is a evolved dramatically, making high- http://owl.li/rPy7v. n free service that anyone can use to a) quality raw MT available to almost

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 23 audiovisual medium. Like the screenwriter who uses the most precise language available to him or her to guide the future interpretation of the screenplay, the translator should create a pre- cisely written source text so that it reflects as closely as possible the totality of the screenwriter’s intentions. And these intentions can only be understood by the translator through an awareness of the underlying dramatic structure of the work—character, plot and genre, audiovisual elements, and even, at times, psy- Translating chology. The following examines the main challenges of this modality and provides some hints and tips on get- Screenplays ting started. By Christine Kretschmer Basic Layout A screenplay is an industry document and must adhere to a standard It would be tempting to view layout, formatting, binding, and screenplay translation as a sub-genre structure. Screenwriters tend to use of literary translation. After all, many professional screenwriting software screenplays are based on novels, are that determines automatically the usually designed to tell a story, and font, point size, and page layout, contain dialogue, descriptions, and including the width of the dialogue even poetic language—all of which columns, capitalization of the head- are commonly found in novels. ings, numbering of the scenes, length However, there are several aspects of the lines, and the number of lines that distinguish a screenplay from a on a page. This very precise format- literary work and that have a bearing ting is aimed at predicting the run- on its translation, both on the overall ning time of the finished film: one approach the translator needs to take page equates to roughly one minute and on specific translation choices. of screen time. The most commonly In contrast to a novel, which is used software is probably Final written to be enjoyed by the reader Draft, which allows users to choose (the end user), a screenplay is the the American or U.K. format (the blueprint for a film, and its translation latter is also used in the rest of the will, either immediately or after addi- world). These formats differ in that tional editing or rewriting, be retrans- American and Canadian screenplays lated, or to some degree interpreted, are printed on 8.5 x 11 paper, by the creative personnel involved in whereas U.K. and European screen- making the film. Thus, the translated plays are printed on A4. Also, screenplay is not only a target text, American screenplays use three but simultaneously becomes a source screw pins in the script binding, text for this retranslation into the whereas European screenplays use

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 two. The producer or commissioner of the translation will probably take care of the binding, as the translator A screenplay is the blueprint for a film. is likely to deliver the translation electronically. There is, however, one conundrum that needs to be addressed before the translation these cases, all the target content tion. Hence, dialogue lines are usu- process starts: the overall length. writer requires from the translator ally kept short and to the point—in may be the totality of the work other words, they are highly edited Length without any need to worry about the versions of spoken language. In her Screenplays are usually 90-120 overall number of pages of the trans- book Creating Unforgettable pages long, and the expectation is lated work. If, however, the work is Characters, Linda Seger compares that they are tightly structured, so translated for the purpose of good dialogue to a piece of music much so that Hollywood executives financing a film or television series, that has “a beat, a rhythm, a melody” are known to flick through them to then there may be a good reason for and can be easily spoken.1 Each line find certain events (such as inciting matching the page numbers of the of dialogue usually runs for no more incidents, act breaks, and turning translation to that of the original. than two or three lines, and the trans- points) on certain pages. It is com- Other reasons for translating screen- lator should take care to keep it as monly acknowledged that transla- plays may be to seek permission for succinct as possible and to ensure tions can expand or contract by up to filming in other countries, to translate that there is cohesion between the 20-30%, depending on the language screenplays of well-known films for exchanges. Seger compares good dia- combination. Hence, the initial nego- publication in book form, or to facili- logue to a tennis match that moves tiation between client and translator tate the work of creative contributors back and forth between the players, should touch on whether or not page who are not fluent in the language in conveying “conflict, attitudes, and numbers should be matched between which the project is filmed. While intentions. Rather than telling about the original and the translation. If English is spoken by most film pro- the character, it reveals character.”2 they are required to match, then the fessionals, there are occasionally Good dialogue shows how a char- translator needs to ask how to pro- complex co-production arrangements acter deals with a specific dramatic ceed without creating unnecessary (usually to enable the financing of situation that has already been set up. constraints imposed by the limited the film) that may result in the need The translator should be sure to space that here stands for the defined for translations into one or several create dialogue that sounds authentic running time. In subtitling, the languages within the context of and idiomatic in the target language, viewing public has come to accept filming for cast and/or crew. and that reflects the speaker’s age, that the time and special constraints social standing, and, very impor- imposed on subtitles means that the Main Components tantly, any subtext conveyed, without latter tend to be an edited version of The three key components of allowing the latter to become explic- the film’s dialogue and a more or less screenplays are the scene headings, itly stated. Screenwriters try to avoid acceptable compromise. However, it the stage directions (or scene dialogue that is “on the nose” (i.e., would be unwise to subject a screen- descriptions), and the dialogue. openly stating what their characters play translation to potentially severe want). Translators of screenplays editing, given its status as a source Headings: Scene headings are usu- should try to retain any ambiguities text on which the work of the cre- ally numbered and capitalized, giving in the target text and to use explicita- ative contributors to the film is information on the lighting condi- tion with great care. based. Reducing the point size (in tions required (exterior/interior), the agreement with the client) may be a location, and the time of day. It is Stage Directions: Arguably the most better solution in such cases. worth bearing in mind that scene challenging aspect of screenplay headings should be translated consis- translation is the translation of the Why Translate a Screenplay? tently, as they may later be used to stage directions/scene descriptions. There are a number of reasons a sort locations within film scheduling These tend to be written in short, screenplay might be translated. One software. mostly active sentences in the present reason may be that a writer in the tense that describe the action and target country may wish to adapt the Dialogue: In film, screenwriters tend sounds in the most economical way screenplay for that particular market, to follow the rule “show, don’t tell”: possible, and often in a kind of short- or even the international market. This they try to tell the story through hand, but not necessarily in gram- may require changing some of the visual means rather than relying too matically complete sentences. The settings, characters, and storylines. In much on dialogue to impart informa- translator should replicate ·

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 25 Translating Screenplays Continued the syntax of these short sentences, as they impart information in a specific order that parallels the intended visual language of the film. The translated screenplay is not only a target text, but For example, in Anthony Minghella’s simultaneously becomes a source text for the film’s The English Patient, the sentence “An officer, German, focuses his retranslation into the audiovisual medium. field glasses.” should not be translated as “A German officer focuses his field glasses.”3 This is because the source text intends the audience to desert on a stretcher and can only adaptations from novels to screen- receive the information in small see fragments of the world around plays involve the translation of chunks. For example, we see the him because his face is covered by descriptions into actions, and for image of an officer, and only a split a protective mask: “His view of the screenwriters, action shown on second later we realize that this world is through slats of reed … He screen is the currency of their officer is in fact German (the glimpses camels …” etc. The craft. Hence the translator needs enemy), and (worse) that he focuses screenwriter has created a very to pay particular attention to the his field glasses in order to find our clearly defined image here that sug- verbs used and should try to repli- protagonist. Thus, this small sentence gests how the scene should be shot cate the full meaning of the orig- contains three separate pieces of and possibly also edited, and seeing inal action as closely as possible. information that build up the drama the action from the English Patient’s For example, in the adaptation of by slowly creating anticipation in the point of view means that we iden- The Lion, the Witch and the audience (and the reader). The fol- tify with him as our main character. Wardrobe, the early scene during lowing are some other important ele- an air raid describes how a family ments of stage directions the • Maintain Capitalization: Stage rushes to the shelter after the siren translator needs to keep in mind directions usually contain some “blares” (it does not just sound), when working on a screenplay. words that are capitalized, which and the characters grab (not just the translator must replicate. take), pluck (ditto), rush (not just • Maintain Order of Information: Capitalized words roughly fall into run), scramble, shove, shepherd, The order in which information is four categories: 1) all of the charac- yank, and tumble—all of which given can also define an image. For ters’ names are capitalized when the suggest the pacing of the action, example, in The English Patient, the character is first introduced, 2) any the psychological state of the sentence—“A web of scars covers important or main images are capi- characters, as well as the chaos the Patient’s face and body”— talized, 3) as are important sounds, surrounding them.4 Verbs can also creates a visual statement. It should and 4) camera instructions. In The be used to describe the characters not be translated as “His face is English Patient, the description in the screenplay efficiently. For covered by a web of scars,” as the picks out a “SILVER THIMBLE” example, the reader will draw dif- focus would then shift onto the fac- from a larger image and emphasizes ferent conclusions about the char- tual statement of where the scars are it through capitalization. This acter’s personality or the story at and lose the focus on the image of thimble is important later on in the that point, depending on whether the scars themselves. In this case, narrative as it comes to represent Johnny marches, saunters, or shuf- there are two reasons for this. First, the intimacy and connection fles into the office, so these screenwriters often use so-called between the main character and his actions need to be portrayed with “active questions” to arouse lover, Katharine. Capitalization sig- the same precision. curiosity in the viewer, and the nals to the director, cameraman, and unusual image of the web of scars editor (as well as the prop person) Technical Elements suggests a close-up before revealing that this object must be seen clearly The technical language contained the remainder of the information— by the audience, either through a in screenplays relates to different ele- that the scarred face belongs to the close-up, careful lighting (the ments, including camera instructions, English Patient. Second, in this par- thimble glints in the sun light) or, special or visual effects, sound or ticular scene, we see the world from most likely, both. voice-over, or the pacing of the the point of view of the English action. For instance, the words “A Patient, bearing in mind his psycho- • Maintain Full Meaning of Verbs: BEAT” usually signify a short pause logical and physical state. Having Another very important aspect of (either in the delivery of dialogue or sustained severe burns in a plane stage directions is the use of pacing of the action) to allow the crash, he is being carried across the verbs. It is commonly said that audience to assimilate important

26 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 Figure 1: Example of narrative structure from The Hero’s Journey (courtesy of http://thewritersjourney.com/hero%27s_journey.htm).

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

1. Ordinary World 12. Return with Elixir 2. Call to Adventure

ORDINARY WORLD 3. Refusal of the Call 11. Resurrection 4. Meeting the Mentor

5. Crossing 10. The Road Back the Threshold

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

9. Reward, SPECIAL WORLD Seizing the Sword 7. Approach

8. Ordeal, Death & Rebirth

information. Special effects (SFX, fall differently, then the translator thing, enters into conflict with an usually created on set) or visual can omit or move them accordingly. antagonist to get it, and changes in effects (VFX, usually created during the process of obtaining it before the post production) are marked as such, Screenwriting Theory drama is resolved at the end. The as are voice-overs (VO) and the off- Screenwriting theory has estab- expectation is that Act I and Act III screen sounds of dialogue (OFF). In lished a number of rules that help each represent 25% of the screenplay, terms of camera instructions, screen- screenwriters shape their work to while Act II represents 50%. For plays vary depending on whether conform to audience expectations. example, Christopher Vogler’s model they are American or British. The structure created will have a in his book The Hero’s Journey American screenplays make liberal bearing on what the character does describes the different stages of the use of camera instructions such as and what he feels at each point of the character’s journey and how these “PAN DOWN,” “CLOSE ON,” etc., story, and hence also have an impact relate to the three acts.5 This journey is whereas U.K. screenplay conventions on translation decisions. A basic represented visually in Figure 1 above: do not allow these. Instead, U.K. understanding of screenwriting the top right quadrant segment repre- screenwriters are taught to suggest theory is very helpful for translators sents Act I, the bottom half represents shots indirectly though descriptions so that they can decode the subtext of Act II, and the top left quadrant seg- of images. An example of this is the each scene. ment represents Act III. Essentially, in close-up suggested by the description A screenplay usually tells the story the scenario depicted in Figure 1, when of the scarring on the face of the of a main character (the protagonist). the film begins, we meet the hero in his English Patient mentioned earlier. It is divided into three acts: Act I or her ordinary world, then there is an Other terms include “FLASHBACK” (set-up), Act II (confrontation), and “inciting incident” (here the “call to and “(CONT’D)” for “continued” Act III (resolution). Screenwriters adventure”). Initially, the hero refuses (this is usually inserted automatically often speak of the “character journey” this call, but then meets a mentor and by the screenwriting software at the or “character arc” when they describe finally crosses the threshold into new end of each page). If the page breaks how the character first wants some- territory (the “special world” ·

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 27 Translating Screenplays Continued of Act II). There the hero faces tests and meets allies and enemies, then approaches the innermost cave where he or she faces an ordeal, followed by death and rebirth, and receives a reward (e.g., the hero seizes the sword), and is then on the road back to the ordinary world. Following the final showdown and resurrection, the hero returns with the elixir (or the hero’s new knowledge/wisdom). Each moment within the main character’s actual and psychological journey in the narrative can be related Screenwriting Resources back to where it is found in the screenplay and vice versa, and therefore it Software Websites for Screenplays can matter enormously to the translator whether the word or phrase to be trans- The Daily Script lated is found: 1) at the beginning of BBC ScriptSmart Gold the screenplay, where we meet the http://scriptsmartfile.weebly.com www.dailyscript.com character in his or her everyday setting; 2) at the beginning of Act II, when the Celtx Drew’s Script-O-Rama character has surrendered to the new www.celtx.com/index.html www.script-o-rama.com challenge and has begun the journey (which may mean that the character is already in crisis to some extent, or Final Draft Movie Scripts and Screenplays there is a crisis brewing without it nec- www.finaldraft.com www.moviescriptsandscreenplays.com essarily being acknowledged among the characters); or 3) at the point Movie Magic Screenwriter Simply Scripts approaching the climax, where every- www.screenplay.com/p-29-movie- www.simplyscripts.com thing is out of control and the character magic-screenwriter-6.aspx struggles to overcome the obstacles to his or her goal in a final showdown. Key to making the right translation decisions is an understanding of the character’s psychological state and the subtext in each scene, so that the translation choices reflect the choices made software packages such as Celtx or 3. Minghella, Anthony. The English by the writer and strengthen rather than BBC Script Smart Gold, but Final Patient: Screenplay (Mirage weaken the established structure. Draft offers a free trial version for the Productions, 1996), first 30 days. http://bit.ly/amazon-English- Getting Started Although the challenge of translating Patient. So now that you have a rough idea a screenplay may sound daunting given of what screen translation involves, the many technical aspects, it is ulti- 4. Markus & McFeely. The Hundred how do you get started? Translators mately creative, rewarding, and enjoy- Year Winter: Screenplay (Walden entering this field should begin by able work, and if you are offered a Media, 2003), finding screenplays in their source and project, well worth doing. www.dailyscript.com/scripts/ target language(s), many of which are Chronicles_of_Narnia.pdf. available for free on the Internet. The Notes use of parallel texts is the best strategy 1. Seger, Linda. Creating 5. Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s to ensure the accurate translation of Unforgettable Characters (Henry Journey: Mythic Structure for technical terms. Translators can also Holt and Company, 1990), 146- Writers, 3rd Edition (Michael search the latter individually on the web 147. Wiese Productions, 2007). n or look at film school websites, which often provide useful explanations. 2. Seger, 147. There are a number of free screenplay

28 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 The Entrepreneurial Linguist Judy Jenner

How Not to Treat Your Customers

A powerful tool to learn Pest control place (cutting Judy Pest control place: That would about customer service and to get off): We don’t need to come out to be $150. new ideas is to look outside of our give you an estimate. We can just tell industry. For example, I have learned you over the phone. Judy: $150 for what? quite a bit from my CPA, my dentist, my favorite airline, and my lawyer. Judy (annoyed): Well, Okay. Do tell Pest control place: To spray for ants. Once in a while, I get treated the way me, then. Or did you say you had cockroaches? I would not want to get treated, and I make a men tal note. Here is a recent Pest control place: I need more Judy: I get that, but how many times conversation (slightly changed) that I information. do you have to spray? How long will had with a pest control company. It it take? What kind of products do you reminded me of how important it is to Judy (annoyed): Okay, what do you use? Is it safe for my dog? Do I have explain one’s product or service to need to know? to leave the house? You seem reluc- the potential customer without tant to give me information here, and sounding condescending. Pest control place (annoyed): Well, I don’t understand that. I am trying to you know, the basics. give you business. Do you spray the Pest control place: (mumbling) chemicals on the wall? Pest control. Judy (annoyed): Basics? I don’t know anything about your business, so I don’t Pest control place: Why would we Judy: Um, hello, is this XYZ pest know what the basics are. You haven’t spray the chemical on the wall? control on Bugkiller Avenue? told me how you charge, so I don’t know which information you need Judy (exasperated): I have no idea Pest control place: Yes. from me. Just ask and I will tell you. where you spray it. I am not in the pest control business. I am merely Judy: Well, um, I have ants every- Pest control place (annoyed): Well, asking questions, but you are not where. Can you come out and give my dear, it’s by square footage, so I answering them. me an estimate? How much would it need the square footage of your house. cost to get rid of them? I feel bad for Pest control place: I am sorry, I am killing them, but I don’t want them in Judy: Okay. It’s 1,800 square feet just not feeling very good today. I my cereal. with a big yard. I also have a 100- apologize if I’ve been grouchy. pound Labranard. Judy: I hope you feel better, but I really don’t think this is going to work out. It seems like I’ve really inconvenienced you with this phone Information and Contacts call, so I don’t want to inconvenience This column is not intended to constitute legal, ﬁnancial, or other business advice. Each individual or company you any further. should make its own independent business decisions and consult its own legal, ﬁnancial, or other advisors as appropriate. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of ATA or its Board of Directors. Ideas and Pest control place: I am so sorry! questions should be directed to [email protected]. Look, we use an all-natural spray Judy Jenner is a court-certified Spanish interpreter and a Spanish and German translator in Las Vegas, Nevada, that’s safe for pets. You don’t have to where she runs Twin Translations with her twin sister. She is a past president of the Nevada Interpreters and leave the house. It will take about 20 Translators Association. She hosts the translation blog, Translation Times (www.translationtimes.blogspot.com). minutes and we spray the baseboards You can also find her at www.entrepreneuriallinguist.com. Contact: [email protected] or in the house and also in the backyard. [email protected]. Continued on page 37

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 29 Interpreters Forum María Cristina de la Vega

Phrases Shakespeare Never Heard

There are many phrases we doubt), and “it doesn’t cut the mus- A word I often use myself is use in English on a regular basis that tard” (something that does not meet “upshot,” meaning “result” (e.g., do not have a direct translation into expectations). The first one seems to What was the upshot of the discus- our other working languages. We have been popularized during World sion?). It made it into our vocabulary may not even know how they War II, when many soldiers paid the through the field of sports, where it is became part of the English language. high price of war by forfeiting a used to describe the last shot in an I have chosen a few to highlight in limb. The second apparently rose archery match. order to enrich our understanding of from a local custom in the U.S. in the One of my favorites sayings, how these terms came to be. early 19th century, where boys although very colloquial, is “he’s not The first, “top drawer,” is one that wanting to fight would dare others to the sharpest tool in the shed” (he is I ran across a few days ago when I physically knock a chip of wood not the brightest person around). saw a play by that same name. I con- from their shoulder to instigate a When life does not seem to offer cluded that it meant something that is fight. The saying “cutting the mus- any viable options, we have come the best, or the pick of the crop. Its tard” was easier to deduce because of up with idioms such as the more meaning goes beyond this, however, references in the Bible describing antiquated “you’ve put me between and carries social implications. how minute the mustard seed is, the devil and the deep blue sea,” or Someone who is top drawer is which makes it difficult to cut. “between a rock and a hard place.” acknowledged to be the crème de la The saying “You’re barking up the The first is easy to figure out: either crème of society, which is exactly wrong tree” (you are mistaken), origi- we will be in the devil’s hands or at what it meant in the context of the nated from America’s English ancestry, the bottom of the sea. The second, play I saw. The term came into being in which hunting was prominent. At interestingly enough, arose after a because the social elite used to put times hounds would apparently chase union employment conflict in the their important papers and possessions their quarry up a tree and start barking U.S., where the miners involved in the top drawer of their dresser. at the base of the wrong one. were given the choice of working Then there are sayings like “it The phrase “quick and dirty fix” for very low wages or losing their costs an arm and a leg” (when some- describes when something solves a jobs altogether. thing is very pricey), “you have a problem but not in the best way. It I would love to hear some of your chip on your shoulder” (you are appears to have come about in the picks for a future continuation of this holding a grudge), “making no bones 20th century in an environment discussion, or about similar inter- about it” (not leaving any room for related to mechanics. esting phrases that have become mainstream in other languages. In the meantime, check out the sites below to learn more about the origins of Information and Contacts some of your favorite phrases.

María Cristina de la Vega is certified as a Spanish<>English interpreter by the Administrative Office Idiom Origins of the U.S. Courts, the State of Florida, and the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. http://idiomorigins.net She is the president of ProTranslating, Inc., a language services provider in Florida. She blogs at http://mariacristinadelavegamusings.wordpress.com. Contact: [email protected]. Know Your Phrase www.knowyourphrase.com n

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30 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 GeekSpeak Jost Zetzsche

Little Tricks to Harness Big Egos

For better or worse, most programs listed here, the vast majority To start finding those that should of us in this world work in a Windows of which can be unchecked so they be disabled, check the little “Hide environment. If that is true for you, will not start automatically the next all Microsoft services.” You do not you can be assured that a lot of pro- time you start your computer. Of necessarily need all the Microsoft grams launch every time you start your course, the question is where to start services, but it is a much safer bet to computer. Why? I think it mostly has and where to end? Well, many of the avoid manipulating them; after all, to do with the egos of software devel- entries are pretty self-explanatory: you do not want to run into prob- opers whose running inner monologues “Adobe Update Starter Utility” or lems with your operating system. go something like this: “I invested a lot “Google Update” say exactly what The remaining services will have of time and love into the development they do and what can be disabled. relatively descriptive names, of my program, so why would my cus- On the other hand, the purpose of enabling you to recognize that items tomers not want to run it all the time? “SSBkgdUpdate” might not be as such as “iPod Service” or “Skype They’ll love it just as much as I do!” apparent. Fortunately, you can search Updater” are to be unchecked. For Well, you and I know that this is not for these entries on special Internet the ones that you are not as sure quite the case—even if we do have use lists (here is one: www.pacs- about, press the WinKey+R again for that particular program every portal.co.uk/startup_search.php), and type services.msc. This will couple of months, we would really where you will quickly ascertain that open the Services panel where all appreciate it if it did not take up valu- most are superfluous. services are listed with explanations able computing resources for all those (In Windows 8 and 8.1, you will that even the less technically many days in between our uses. find a link on the Startup tab to the minded among us can understand. (And yes, there might be reasons Task Manager where you can disable When you have unchecked all other than egomaniacal developers, the programs by selecting them and unnecessary services in the System such as automatic updates or faster pressing the Disable button at the Configuration dialog, click OK and boot times, but these potential advan- bottom of the dialog box.) you will be prompted to restart your tages also do not justify wasting After this procedure, you will computer. You do not have to do this, resources unless these programs are already have increased the speed of but go ahead and do it anyway, just to truly used all the time.) your computer after the next restart get a feel for how much nicer things So, how do we stop this? by quite a bit. You can do still more, will run from now on. And feel free to There are two really easy ways to though. There is another tab on the send me a selfie of your happy face do it, and I can promise you that if you System Configuration utility that (my kids just taught me that term). have never done this you will be reads Services. Services are also pro- One more thing: if you want to be amazed by the gain of speed and grams that run in the background, like one of those developers and actu- power that your computer will experi- and you have guessed correctly if ally force a program to start every time ence once you have gone through these you assume that your system will run you start your computer (like your steps and restarted your computer. more smoothly without many of e-mail program or a web browser), To see a list of your memory those as well. Continued on page 33 hogs, simply start the System Configuration utility by pressing WinKey+R and typing msconfig. (There are plenty of other ways to Information and Contacts open System Configuration, but this works on all versions of Windows, The GeekSpeak column has two goals: to inform the community about technological advances and at the same including Windows 8.) time encourage the use and appreciation of technology among translation professionals. Jost is the co-author of One of the tabs of the dialog box Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World, a perfect source for replen- that will be displayed is Startup. You ishing your arsenal of information on how human translation and machine translation each play important parts may be surprised by the many, many in the broader world of translation. Contact: [email protected].

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 31 Dictionary Review Reviewed by The Dictionary Reviews are compiled by Eliezer Nowodworski Peter A. Gergay

Oxford English-Hebrew Dictionary

Author: Number of pages and entries: Nakdimon S. Doniach, O.B.E. and Prof. Ahuvia 1,200 pages Kahane (eds.) 50,000 words and phrases

Publisher: Price: Oxford University Press $59.95 (U.S.) $65.00 (Canada) Publication Date: First published: 1996 (hard cover) ISBN: First paperback edition: 1998 978-0-19-860172-2

Available from: www.oup.com

Fair disclosure: I have a introduction: Professor Kahane English-to-Modern Hebrew dictionary positive bias toward most things explains that “the Hebrew translation that tries to reflect the use of some Oxonian, and my shelves host of ‘walkman’ (a personal cassette nonstandard or nonpurist language, but several print editions of Oxford player) is [ in my pho- often with no indication as to what is University Press dictionaries. netic transliteration, E.N.] and no standard or otherwise. The following I was tempted to document the other ... Attempts to introduce a example can help explain. unboxing of this new arrival, as the Hebrew-root based word ... have so I tried my luck with some entries current fashion in social networks far been rejected by native users....” likely to differ between British dictates, but could not resist and Therefore, I asked my preteen English and American English: opened the parcel while at the post daughter if she knew what a ofﬁce. Then and there, I realized that “Walkman” is. As she had no idea, I tap1 n. this is not a new dictionary, but a hinted: a small cassette player. Then I 1. (for controlling flow): reprint of the 1998 edition. Now con- had to explain what an audio cassette sider that over the past 15 years, is (or was). If you do not want to feel faucet n. (USA): extensive and dramatic changes old and anachronistic yourself, do not (mainly technological) have upped repeat this experiment at home. According to the Academy of the the pace in both English and Hebrew Hebrew Language (http://hebrew- of creating neologisms and already Content academy.huji.ac.il/Pages/default.aspx), outdating some of them. An example The Oxford English-Hebrew the accepted meaning of the word of this is offered in the dictionary’s Dictionary (OEHD) is a descriptive (megufa) is no longer “faucet,” as it actually means a spigot as a plug, or a stopper, rather than a valve for controlling a flow. In this case, Information and Contacts megufa is nonstandard, as it can be found in older texts. As for the word “tap,” there are several subentries for Eliezer Nowodworski has been a technical translator and interpreter for more than 30 years. He has participated in many large localization projects for major firms in the U.S., Europe, and in Israel. He has different meanings. So, why then is translated books published in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Israel. He has been an ATA-certified “faucet” different and why do both English>Spanish translator since 2001. Contact: [email protected]. berez and megufa appear on one line as if they were synonyms? Likewise, Have an idea for a dictionary you would like to see reviewed? Contact Peter A. Gergay, chair of on this same page, we see “fatigues,” ATA's Dictionary Review Committee, at [email protected]. a subentry of “fatigue,” and then sep- arated by a semicolon are the mean-

32 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 ings for both “battledress” and “a The British “a golden handshake” can “pelephone,” which is actually the shift to perform menial chores.” The be found under “gold,” but not the brand name of the first company to proper meaning can be deduced in a American “golden parachute.” offer that service in Israel, and telefon given context, but this leads me to A Hebrew speaker is less likely to tzelulari. The colloquial uses are dif- infer that this is not a book for begin- need the entry for “kosher,” but there ferent (nayad, selulari, and the men- ners having only a basic command of is no subentry for “kosher salt” or for tioned brand name, but never English. “coarse salt.” “New Testament” tzelulari). In the above examples, I have appears both under “new” and under Another surprise is that this omitted the phonetics included with “testament,” but “New Covenant” volume does not include the names the main entries in an adapted does not. Other entries from Hebrew of countries. Adding them as an International Phonetic Alphabet origin include “kibbutz,” where the appendix would be a good idea. (IPA) format. The IPA is based on the English plural “kibbutzim” and the There are no appendices, no tables, Roman alphabet and can be difficult Hebrew singular are even provided. and no illustrations, which in some for the non-specialist Hebrew Right after that there is an entry for cases could help to clarify matters. speaker to read. Since this is unidi- “kibbutznik.” Are they essential? For example, for words like “ounce,” rectional English>Hebrew, the log- Probably not. it would be handy to give the ical choice would probably have The entry for “Jew” includes the Hebrew reader in Israel not only the been to transliterate the phonetics in sub-sense of “excessively hard bar- translation but the equivalent in Hebrew characters, as do some gainer,” and the next column brings grams as well. Oxford bilingual dictionaries for stu- another pejorative, “Jim Crow.” Both dents. Of course, the distinctions of are marked as derogatory—surpris- Overall Evaluation English-language vowel sounds ingly, the British “Hebe” is not in the Overall, criticism is easier to write cannot be expressed fully in Hebrew dictionary. Finding the slang term than the hard work that was indeed characters, not even with all of the “johnny” for a condom is a relief, as invested in this kind of endeavor. The diacritics detailed on page ix, where some general dictionaries adopt a binding for a paperback of this size is they are called “Pointing” (which is a rather prudish approach. I dutifully excellent, and so are the paper and the debatable translation of the Hebrew checked all kinds of words related to print, both in typeface and in size, word niqud). sex and obscenities, and the OEHD is making it a pleasant experience (not Returning to the European/ quite satisfactory for this purpose. always the case when bidirectional text American usage, entries such as The technical language included is involved). This dictionary is probably “lorry/truck” or “torch/flashlight” are has some flaws. For example, more for the advanced student, or an covered, and so is the problematic “LAN” is defined as , educated Hebrew speaker reading “billion,” with a clear explanation of meaning a “computer network,” English texts, not for translators or lin- the difference in the usage in the although with no indication of the guists. However, I like it and will use it, U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and sense of local. This leads to the fact as I see it now as one of the best pub- other countries. Nonetheless, I would that acronyms include a descriptive lished in this category thus far. In the prefer further detail about English- translation, but no explanation of what long run, I will probably find more speaking countries (Australia, words are represented by the initials. flaws as well as merits, as happens with Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Bear in mind that this dictionary was many other tools. Nigeria), as they will probably pop first published in 1996. There are Do some window-shopping before up when reading English texts more entries for “Disk Operating System” you buy! This being a reprint, many often than the usage in France or and “floppy disk,” but no “flash bookstores, both brick-and-mortar Germany. I also checked memory” or “world wide web.” The and virtual ones, are offering deep “aerial/antenna” and “prep school,” entry for “cellular telephone” (actu- discounts. n where the differentiation looks fine. ally, a subentry of “cellular”) renders

GeekSpeak Continued from page 31 you can do that also. Press WinKey+R, Many of ATA’s announcements, including division newsletters, type shell:startup, and place a link to Don’t webinar schedules, and conference updates, are sent to members the program into that folder (you can by e-mail. To be sure that these messages don’t end up in your create a link to a program by right- Miss Out! spam folder, take a minute now to add [email protected] to clicking on the .exe ﬁle and your “safe senders” list. selecting “Create Shortcut”). No need to send a second selﬁe. n

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 33 The Translation Inquirer John Decker

Until this month, the result of fabrication tolerances. Other smoothly in this electrical engi- Translation Inquirer had been inno- related forces are designated as “hog- neering text: Lubrificare i pattini del cently imagining that the world of ging” and “sagging.” How can this carrello a ricircolo di sfere e pulire patents (where most of his work is) concept of “forced deflections” be le guide di scorrimento. Can good was a kind of Garden of Eden where conveyed in Russian? Czech or English be supplied? human knowledge flourished, slowly but steadily pushing back the sectors (English>Swedish 1-14.2) Here is an (Polish>English 1-14.6) To quote a of human existence where there are item that was found on a spare parts part of this geological apparatus text, still inconveniences and inefficiencies list for a bowling alley pin spotter: with the two difficult words in bold to overcome. No more! The word is “Mask light curtain finishing kit.” print, it speaks of: Wiercenia wykonano out and he finally got it: patent The kit includes a holder, small wiertnicą spalinową MWG-6 zamon- trolling, the practice of bringing screws, and washers, etc. towaną na podwoziu gąsienicowym, unfounded lawsuits by law firms that świdrami spiralnymi o średnicy 110 buy up hundreds, even thousands, of (French>English 1-14.3) Here, mm. In hopes that such context is suffi- patents, is now rampant. The term regrettably, is a psychological evalua- cient, we present this as is. “patent trolling” has been around for tion report on a patient with alleged 20 years. The owners of the patents major depression, and the conclusion, (Portuguese>German [English] often simply pay the fees for infringe- in Quebec French, is concise: 1-14.7) The troubling six words of ment, even though normally no Conclusion: Il y a atteinte d’un this query come from a Brazilian infringement has occurred, simply to plateau symptomato-clinique. What business contract. At the risk of gut- avoid further expense, both monetary does this mean? ting a good bit of the context, I will and in court time. So, regrettably the skip to the last part of the trouble- serpent has entered this garden also, (Hungarian>English 1-14.4) Here is a some text that contains the section and the general public is the loser. I legal contract in which the problem needing clarification: a outorga de am sadder but wiser, and only hope phrase is buried in an interior sentence. fiança, emissão de notas promis- that I never unwittingly work for a We had better supply more context to sórias, aceite de letras de câmbio, de patent-trolling firm as a translator. be sure we are applying due diligence: avais e cauções pela Sociedade; para Házassági szerződésben szerepel: A terceiros já depende de sócios.” New Queries házasság felbontását követően a Hone in on those bold words and (English>Russian 1-14.1) kiskorú gyermek az édesanya gondo- provide good German or English, if Apparently ships are subject to zásába kerül azzal, hogy mindkét fél you can, because the translator was “forced deflections” as they move szülői felügyeleti joga fennmarad, az utterly baffled by them. through the water. During fabrication, korlátozásra nem kerül. What do you this kind of load—“amounting to make of the word in bold print? (Russian>English 1-14.8) В режиме 15mm”—is imposed so that the struc- текущей обработки seems simple ture can be analyzed. Testing can (Italian>Czech [English] 1-14.5) A enough by itself, but in the pharma- account for stresses induced as a recircolo di sfere does not quite flow ceuticals context of this query, it is troublesome: Расход препарата в режиме текущей обработки определяется практическим (опытным) путем индивидуально Information and Contacts для каждого бассейна, исходя из необходимости постоянно E-mail queries and responses by the first of each month to [email protected] (subject line: The Translation поддерживать уровень остаточного Inquirer). Generous assistance from Per Dohler, proofreader, is gratefully acknowledged. свободного хлора в пределах 0,3 – 0,5 мг/л. Who can help?

34 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 (Spanish>English 1-14.9) The con- sion was die Hauptbetonträger und document defining the required char- cept of distance learning is bound to Säulen des Baus. acteristics of a product, such as lead to new and unfamiliar terms. It quality level, use, safety, dimension, may take an entire lengthy sentence (German>English 9-13.5) (Nach symbols, test case, packaging, to present the problem term in ques- Vorliegen der 3 ausstehenden branding, and labeling; in other tion (which is in bold print), but we Sputumbefunde): Oliver French sug- words, a specification of the equip- need to do it: El interés de la UE gests “in view of the sputum speci- ment. The latter is a document con- consistió en financiar proyectos de mens submitted.” Margarite Heintz taining details of the work, the “Cooperación en Gestión Montez goes with “after three compre- implementation methods of same, and Institucional” que posibilitaran la hensive test results.” This part of the materials that will be used or at least “Gestión de Servicios de Extensión sentence, says Geoffrey Koby, cannot the requirements deemed necessary Universitaria” haciendo uso de las really be translated accurately with the for proper execution. It can also nuevas tecnologías y las metodo- rest of it, since the negative meaning define the rights and obligations of logías docentes y pedagógicas of ergibt sich derzeit kein Hinweis auf the two contracting parties, per relacionadas con la enseñanza eine ansteckungsfähige Lungen- chapters and in detail. semipresencial o no presencial, en tuberkulose influences the choice of modalidad e-learning. translation for the first preposition. (Spanish>English 9-13.10) (pasan Stating up front that he is not a med- los autos a informe de Ministerio (Swedish>English 1-14.10) Gems ical translator, Geoff proposes: “Now Fiscal): Wendy Griswold quotes the and minerals are always fun to deal that the three pending sputum test UN Law Glossary as defining a min- with, and it has been too long since results have been received, there are isterio fiscal as “Office of the this column had them. The word currently no indications of contagious Defender of the Rights of the State ögonförande is troublesome, though, pulmonary tuberculosis.” and Society.” The case in question, in the following: Sedimentådergnejser she believes, is going to that office har stor utbredning liksom ögon- (Italian>English 9-13.6) (in capo al for its report, something that is often förande gnejsgraniter. What is this soggetto): Daniela Pino suggests done if children are involved. In the adjective trying to say? that the whole phrase could be context material, she would like to translated as “The faculty of the correct jugado to juzgado. Replies to Old Queries subject who introduces the relevant (English>German 9-13.3) (Main judgment to identify ....” 2013 is far from over as I write structural frame of beams and this, but I want to convey my heart- columns) Margarite Heintz Montez (Italian>English 9-13.7) (specifica felt thanks to everyone who con- consulted with German construction tecnica ... capitolato tecnico) Daniela tributed to making this a successful workers about this, and their conclu- Pino suggests that the former is a column—again! n

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The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 35 Humor and Translation Mark Herman

Salome

A translation can become Wilde’s play by Hedwig Lachmann. Perhaps most important, Wilde’s canonical, that is, become accepted as The biblical story does not ooze play was not written in archaic or the standard version in the target lan- with decadence as do both dramati- “biblical” French. The English ver- guage. When the work is considered zations, includes no young Syrian sion that most people know tries to sacred, a new translation can cause committing suicide for the love of echo the diction of the King James the translator to be accused of error or Salome, no conversation between Bible with lines like “Ah, thou worse, as were St. Jerome and Martin Salome and John, no mention that wouldst not suffer me to kiss thy Luther, and efforts may be made to Salome’s dance is a strip-tease, and mouth.” Written in 1894, it is by suppress the translation itself, as dis- no necrophilia (in the Bible, Salome Wilde’s lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. cussed in the July 2013 column for a does not kiss John’s severed head). Frequently reprinted, sometimes with translation of part of the Rāmāyana. And, as noted by David Ball in an unmentioned editorial changes, The story of Salome is not exactly essay in Translation Review 84 Douglas’ version has become canon- sacred, but it is told in Matthew (2012), unlike the biblical story, ical, persisting for more than a cen- 14:3-11 and Mark 6:17-29, where she Wilde’s play, while generally con- tury and often taken to be the is the unnamed daughter of Herodias sidered a tragedy, “does have original, despite the fact that Wilde who dances before Herod and, at the humor, particularly in the first half himself, in the famous Letter from behest of her mother, asks for and is of the play” (45). According to Ball, Reading Gaol to Douglas, called the given the head of John the Baptist as Wilde’s play has “contrast and dis- translation “unworthy of you ... as it a reward, which she then turns over sonance, a husband-and-wife was of the work it sought to render.” to her mother. The name Salome exchange that could come from the In his essay, David Ball compares itself appears just twice in the Bible: world of comedy alternating with Wilde’s original with Douglas’ ver- in Mark 15:40, someone by that name Salome’s unstoppable, tragic obses- sion and with later versions, is one of a group of women observing sion” (50). As an example, Ball including the one Ball most admires Jesus on the cross, and in Mark 16:1, gives a few lines from Richard (though not unreservedly), the 2011 someone by that name is one of a Howard’s 1978 translation: translation by Joseph Donohue. group of women bringing spices to Among Ball’s comparisons are trans- anoint Jesus’ corpse, and who subse- Salome: Give me John’s head. lations of the last line in Salome’s quently find the tomb empty. long speech to John’s severed head: Therefore, much of Oscar Herodias: That’s well said my “Il ne faut regarde que l’amour” (53- Wilde’s French play, Salomé, Drame daughter! You—you’re ridiculous 54). Ball calls it “one of those con- en un acte (written in 1891 and first with your peacocks. cise French constructions with a published in 1893) could not have general meaning that poses hard been based on the Bible. Nor could Herod: Shut up. You’re always problems for any translator,” espe- Richard Strauss’ 1905 German screeching. You screech like a pea- cially since it is a “moving statement opera, Salome, with a libretto by the cock, and your voice annoys me. Shut of Salome’s absolute credo that ... is composer based on a translation of up, I tell you. (Ball, 50) crucial to the play.” Douglas “solved” the translation problems by taking the coward’s way out. He omitted the line. Robert Ross, Wilde’s literary executor, later trans- Information and Contacts lated the line into the truly awful “Love only one should consider” and Submit items for future columns via e-mail to [email protected] (that is 18, not el-8). Discussions of the added it to Douglas’ translation translation of humor and examples thereof are preferred, but humorous anecdotes about translators, translations, without signaling his addition. This and mistranslations are also welcome. Include copyright information and permission if relevant. was also how R. A. Walker rendered the line in 1957. Richard ·

36 The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 The Entrepreneurial Linguist ATA Certification Continued from page 29 Exam Information Upcoming Exams Judy: I appreciate that, but I don’t think your company is a good fit for me. California San Diego March 29, 2014 Pest control place: Please give us Registration Deadline: another chance! March 14, 2014

Judy: I will think about it. Have a Washington, DC lovely day! March 15, 2014 Registration Deadline: I think it is a powerful lesson to February 28, 2014 remind ourselves that our customers (direct clients, that is) most likely do Argentina not know anything about translation Rosario services. That is where we come in. June 28, 2014 It is our job to explain to them what Registration Deadline: a source word is, why we bill by the June 13, 2014 word, etc. It does not make them Hungary uneducated not to know these details; Budapest rather, it is simply not their area of May 1, 2014 expertise. As providers, we need to Registration Deadline: clearly explain the process to them. April 17, 2014 This is something linguists occasionally forget, but instead of com- Japan All candidates applying for ATA certification must provide proof that they plaining about clients who are Tokyo meet the certification program eligibility requirements. Please direct all unfamiliar with our processes, we June 23, 2014 inquiries regarding general certification information to ATA Headquarters at should see the situation as an oppor- Registration Deadline: +1-703-683-6100. Registration for all certification exams should be tunity for client education. n June 9, 2014 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 ATA’s website or from Headquarters.

Humor and Translation Continued

Howard’s 1978 translation added the tragedy of Wilde’s play may bolism; it’s set centuries ago, in ideas from previous sentences and a come through despite everything, biblical times; the outrageousness term of address: “Love is the only on stage and even in print of Oscar Wilde—it all comes mystery, love is the only thing to look (although, to be honest, when I together to form an idea of the at, prophet.” Richard Ellmann’s 1982 read Douglas, I can’t imagine play that is very different from the version is “We must think only of how). (54) one Wilde wrote. (54) love.” And Joseph Donohue’s 2011 version is “Love is the only thing,” Ball goes on to explain what does By the way, Aubrey Beardsley which Ball criticizes as too reminis- come through: was an early and famous illustrator cent of “some American pop song.” of Salomé whose outrageousness And yet Wilde’s play survives. My theory is that a certain image matched that of Wilde. See for your- According to Ball: of Salomé has replaced, in the self. Many of his illustrations are minds of critics and spectators viewable on the Internet. n There are many examples of alike, the words they were actu- [great works surviving bad trans- ally hearing. Aubrey Beardsley, lations]. The wit, the passion, and ﬁn-de-siècle decadence, sym-

The ATA Chronicle n January 2014 37 Blog Trekker

Some Thoughts on MOOCs

(Posted by Corinne McKay on her about what their students want. In the not get monotonous. In addition, the blog, Thoughts on Translation, course I am currently taking, for staff seems to be spending a huge http://thoughtsontranslation.com.) example, you can get a certificate of amount of time contributing to the completion (for getting at least an 80% online discussion boards for the class. Massive open online on all assessments) or a verified certifi- In my opinion, here are some caveats courses, or MOOCs, are the hot new cate with distinction (for getting 100% about the MOOC experience. If, like trend in online education (at least in on all assessments). Coursera’s newly me, you are doing a MOOC because the U.S.). I am one week into my launched signature program has already you realize that you should have paid second MOOC through Coursera earned over $1 million, focusing on better attention in those “throwaway” (www.coursera.org), and here are some students who want to earn a credential core classes in college, you are in the thoughts on the experience. from their MOOCs. right place. I was too busy thinking In general, I think that MOOCs are In just these two experiences, I have lofty literary thoughts in college (and a great option for motivated learners learned that all MOOCs are not created graduate school for that matter) to with a specific goal. The course offer- equal. The first MOOC I took was a worry about the difference between ings are far more specialized than what general public health class, which was macroparasites and microparasites. you would find at a local adult educa- fine. It was certainly more interesting Now, I am regretting that impulse, but tion center or community college, and than reading a public health textbook, Coursera has come to the rescue. In the price (most often free) is certainly especially since I do not have a strong addition, I think that some of the classic appealing. You can work on your formal science background. However, criticisms of MOOCs, such as “there’s MOOC anywhere with an Internet con- the course was not really created for the no interaction with the instructor,” “all nection, at any time of the day or night. online learning format. Most of the of the assessments are multiple choice Many MOOCs consist of online video video lectures were taken with a cam- and graded by computer,” and so on, lectures, which is great because you era in the back of the room during the also apply to many of the courses one can pause the video, rewind it, look up professor’s live lectures, and they were would take as an in-person student at a a quick Wikipedia entry of a concept uploaded in fairly long segments. In large research university. you do not understand completely, and addition, the fact that the in-person stu- Personally, I do not see MOOCs as so on. For example, my MOOC goal is dents seemed a little disengaged from a substitute for a solid, in-person, gen- to learn more about the science behind the material detracted from the experi- eral education. I would not encourage the international development docu- ence. By contrast, the epidemics my own daughter to bypass an under- ments I translate, so I am currently MOOC that I am currently taking is graduate degree in favor of MOOCs. I taking a course entitled “Epidemics: outstanding. The class has a huge team agree that the human interaction ele- The Dynamics of Infectious Diseases,” of instructors and developers, and was ment of education is important, and I offered by a team from Penn State. obviously developed specifically for even agree that graduate students can The range of MOOCs is really stag- this purpose. The videos are short be excellent teachers. But for those of gering. Right now on the Coursera (about six minutes each) and have us who already have that general edu- home page, you can sign up for courses excellent animations that accompany cation and want to fine-tune our ranging from jazz improvisation (taught them. The videos are narrated by a knowledge, I think that MOOCs are a by professors from the Berklee College bunch of different people, so they do great solution. n of Music), to bioinformatics algorithms (University of California, San Diego), to a French course on business valuation (École des Hautes Études Commer- Information and Contacts ciales Paris). The schools that offer these courses are top-notch, and thus Internet blogs are rich sources of information for translators and interpreters. They allow users to post questions, they present an opportunity to take a exchange ideas, network, and read news and commentary on a specific subject. The topics featured in this column are course that is logistically and financially actual blog postings concerning issues pertinent to your colleagues in the field today. For more blog listings, visit out of reach for many people. MOOC www.atanet.org/careers/blog_trekker.php. providers are also getting more savvy

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