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STAR – Your single-source provider for corporate product communication February 2009 American Translators Association Volume XXXVIII 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590 • Alexandria VA 22314 USA Tel: +1-703-683-6100 • Fax: +1-703-683-6122 Number 2 Contents February 2009 E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.atanet.org A Publication of the American Translators Association 50Years 1959 – 2009 10 ATA Stalwart Sandra Burns Thomson Wins 10 2007-2008 ATA School Outreach Award By Lillian Clementi A determination to stay involved in her son’s school ultimately led Sandra Burns Thomson to the winning photo in the 2007-2008 ATA School Outreach contest. Speaking in the First Person 14 When that First Person is Not You By Jackie Metivier Stepping into the public eye to promote the recognition of our profession not only makes good business sense, but is our duty as members of professional groups. The author describes her recent radio interview that focused on her work as an interpreter. Top 10 Pet Peeves of a Technical Translator 18 By Linda L. Gaus This list of pet peeves just might help you open up the channels of communication with the client, avoid common translation pitfalls, and make the translation process as pleasant as possible for everyone. A True Tool Box 22 By Jost Zetzsche This month, in lieu of his regular GeekSpeak column, Jost brings us an eclectic list of tools that might be helpful for many. 26 ATA: Looking Back Through Words 14 What was sound advice for novice translators 30 years ago still holds true today. 22 Columns and Departments 6 Our Authors 33 New ATA-Certified Members 7 From the President 34 Success By Association 9 From the Executive Director 35 Dictionary Reviews 28 Upcoming Events 40 The Translation Inquirer 29 Business Smarts 42 Humor and Translation 30 Certification Forum 44 Directory of Language Services 32 Member News 33 Certification Exam Information 3 The ATA Chronicle (ISSN 1078-6457) is published monthly, except bi-monthly in November/December, by the American Translators Association, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The ATA Chronicle, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, We Want You! Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. The American Translators Association (ATA) was established in 1959 as a not-for-profit professional society to foster and support the professional The ATA Chronicle enthusiastically encourages development of translators and interpreters and to promote the translation and interpreting professions. members and nonmembers to submit articles of The subscription rate for a member is $43 (included in the dues payment). The U.S. subscription rate for interest. For Submission Guidelines, log onto a nonmember is $65. Subscribers in Canada and Mexico add $25; all other non-U.S. subscribers add www.atanet.org/chronicle. The ATA Chronicle $45. Single copies are available for $7 per issue. is published 11 times per year, with a combined ©2009 American Translators Association November/December issue. Submission deadlines are two months Reprint Permission: prior to publication date. Requests for permission to reprint articles should be sent to the editor of The ATA Chronicle at [email protected]. Editor Jeff Sanfacon The article “ATA/Midwest Association of Translators and [email protected] Interpreters” (September 2008) contained an inaccuracy in its Clarification description of María Cecilia Marty’s presentation covering advanced Proofreader simultaneous interpreting techniques. On page 38, the article states Sandra Burns Thomson that it is important for the interpreter to “project your voice so that Art Directors everyone in the room can hear you.” In actual practice, Marty explains, interpreters should never be a distraction in the courtroom Ellen Banker while working in the simultaneous mode, and should try their best Amy Peloff not to be heard by the rest of the court. Advertising Matt Hicks McNeill Group Inc. [email protected] +1-215-321-9662 ext. 19 Fax: +1-215-321-9636 Advertising Executive Director Walter Bacak Directory [email protected] 21 Cybertec USA Inc. Membership and www.cybertecusa.com General Information Maggie Rowe Across Systems 21 Monterey Institute of [email protected] 5 www.across.net International Studies website: www.atanet.org http://translate.miis.edu/ndp 25 Association of Language Companies 48 SDL International Moving? www.alcus.org www.translationzone.com Find an error with your address? 47 Central Intelligence Agency 2 Star Group America, LLC www.cia.gov www.star-group.net Send updates to: The ATA Chronicle 225 Reinekers Lane Suite 590 Alexandria, VA 22314 USA Fax +1-703-683-6122 [email protected] 4 The ATA Chronicle I February 2009 We chose Across. And so did more than 7,000 of our colleagues. Now it is your turn. FREE OF CHARGE As a freelance translator, REGISTER NOW to get your Our commitment to innovative, customer-driven and easy to use software free full version of the solutions has made us what we are today: the first choice for all parties Across Personal Edition. within the linguistic supply chain. Follow your successful colleagues and www.my-across.net choose the Across Personal Edition now. » Powerful multi-format translation editor » Translation memory and terminology system » Quality assurance and project management Across Systems, Inc. Phone +1 877 922 7677 [email protected] Across Systems GmbH Phone +49 7248 925 425 The No. 1 independent technology [email protected] for the linguistic supply chain. www.my-across.net AZ_ATA_12/08.indd 1 02.12.2008 9:37:41 Uhr Our Authors February 2009 Lillian Clementi is coordinator of ATA’s ATA-certified English¡Spanish translator in 1993. She is also certified as a School Outreach Program and a member of the Spanish£English court interpreter by the State of North Carolina. She passed Association’s Public Relations Committee. As the written Federal Court Interpreter Certification exam in 2008, and will be managing principal of Lingua Legal, a translation taking the oral exam in 2009. She served as president of the Carolina practice based in Arlington, Virginia, she trans- Association of Translators and Interpreters from 2003 to 2006. Contact: lates from French and German into English, [email protected]. specializing in law and business. Contact: [email protected]. Jost O. Zetzsche is an ATA-certified English¡German translator and a localization Linda L. Gaus, the owner of MadDocs LLC, and translation consultant. A native of Hamburg, has over 15 years of German¡English Germany, he earned a PhD in the field of translation experience. She received a Chinese translation history and linguistics, and PhD in German from the University of began working in localization and technical California-Berkeley. Contact: translation in 1997. In 1999, he co-founded [email protected]. International Writers' Group and, in 2008, TranslatorsTraining.com. He currently sends out a free biweekly technical newsletter for translators (www.international Jackie Metivier was born, raised, and edu- writers.com/toolkit). Contact: [email protected]. cated in Puebla, Mexico. She completed her bachelor’s degree in mass communications at the Universidad Intercontinental in Mexico City. Renew your ATA membership today! She moved to North Carolina in 1988, and, in See page 45 or renew online at 1991, founded Bilingual Communications, Inc. in Cary, North Carolina. She became an www.atanet.org/membership/renew.php What’s New on ATA’s Website? Renew Your Membership www.atanet.org/membership/renew.php ATA Elections 2009 Nomination Form www.atanet.org/membership/election2009_nomination_form.php ATA Media Page www.atanet.org/pressroom/ata_in_the_news.php ATA Translation Tools Seminar www.atanet.org/pd/tools 2009 Event Calendar www.atanet.org/calendar 6 The ATA Chronicle I February 2009 From the President Jiri Stejskal [email protected] SWOT: What’s Hot and What’s Not The ATA Board conducted bility, The ATA Chronicle, and name international expansion (not surpris- its annual Planning Day in Miami on recognition. The three strengths that ingly, this also appeared on the list of January 16, 2009, in conjunction with came up on top were the Annual threats). its regular Board meeting, which took Conference, the size of the In