November/December 2009 Volume XXXVIII Number 11 The A Publication of the American Translators Association CHRONICLE In this issue: Medical Linguists and H1N1 Pitfalls of the Long Consecutive Mode in Court Plagiarism 50Years 1959 – 2009 N NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY NSANSA DO YOU SPEAK THE LANGUAGE WE NEED THE MOST? Understanding the world and its many languages is what helps NSA solve the Nation’s most difficult challenges. As a Language Analyst with NSA, your language proficiency and the understanding of nuance, context, cultural overtones, and dialect will have a global impact in providing the fullest and most accurate intelligence to U.S. policymakers, military commanders, and Intelligence Community members. If you’re ready for the responsibility, join NSA, and secure tomorrow today. 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WHERE INTELLIGENCE GOES TO WORK® November/December 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 11 Contents E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.atanet.org A Publication of the November/December 2009 American Translators Association 50Years 1959 – 2009 10 American Translators Association Cautions White House on Future Language Policy ATA recently issued a response to the White House’s Strategy for Innovation policy paper, stating that both translation 12 software and qualified human translators are vital to language security. Role of Medical Linguists in an Influenza Pandemic 12 By Patricia Thickstun Medical linguists need to be prepared to meet the challenges they will face during the current influenza pandemic. 20 The Pitfalls of the Long Consecutive Mode in the Courtroom: Learning When to Use It By Janis Palma In certain cases, the long consecutive mode might not be the most appropriate choice for the judiciary interpreter. This article discusses aspects of discourse that interpreters must keep in mind when choosing among long, short, or semi- 20 consecutive renditions. 32 Plagiarism Facts for Translators and Other Freelancers By Sarah Alys Lindholm in consultation with Irina Greenman When it comes to issues of plagiarism, translation can become a pretty murky area. Columns and Departments 6 Our Authors 44 GeekSpeak 32 7 From the President 48 Dictionary Review 8 From the Executive Director 51 The Translation Inquirer 41 The Entrepreneurial Linguist 53 Humor and Translation 42 Certification Exam Information 54 Directory of Language Services 43 Blog Trekker 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, 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 We Want You! development of translators and interpreters and to promote the translation and interpreting professions. The subscription rate for a member is $43 (included in the dues payment). The U.S. subscription rate for a nonmember is $65. Subscribers in Canada and The ATA Chronicle enthusiastically encourages Mexico add $25; all other non-U.S. subscribers add $45. Single copies are available for $7 per issue. members and nonmembers to submit articles of ©2009 American Translators Association interest. For Submission Guidelines, log onto www.atanet.org/chronicle. The ATA Chronicle Reprint Permission: Requests for permission to reprint articles should be sent is published 11 times per year, with a combined to the editor of The ATA Chronicle at [email protected]. November/December issue. Submission deadlines are Editor two months prior to publication date. Jeff Sanfacon [email protected] Proofreader Sandra Burns Thomson Art Directors Ellen Banker Amy Peloff Advertising Matt Hicks McNeill Group Inc. Advertising [email protected] +1-215-321-9662 ext. 19 Fax: +1-215-321-9636 Directory Monterey Institute of Executive Director 19 International Studies Walter Bacak http://translate.miis.edu/ndp [email protected] National Security Agency Membership and 2 General Information www.nsa.gov/careers Maggie Rowe Across Systems 5 Powerling SARL [email protected] www.across.net 19 website: www.atanet.org www.powerling.com 19 Bromberg & Associates LLC www.InterpreterEducation 46 SDL International Moving? Online.com www.translationzone.com Find an error with InterHub Technology 55 Wordfast LLC your address? 56 www.interhubtech.com www.wordfast.com 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 November/December 2009 AZ_Across_ATA_Chronicle_Nov.indd 1 11.11.2229 8:09:87 Uhr Across Personal Edition – a must for your work! ”This exciting translation tool really saved me a lot of time and made trans- lations more consistent!“ Kathryn German, Freelance Translator, Seattle, WA More than 8,000 of your colleagues already benefit from the many advantages of the Across Personal Edition: » Free full version for freelance translators » Free e-mail support for freelance translators » Free updates for freelance translators » Use in stand-alone mode or as a client for accessing your customers’ Language Servers » Extensive choice of webinars, tutorials, and workshops » New customers thanks to skyrocketing demand for Across translators So, when are you going to get your free Across Personal Edition? Register at www.my-across.net! Across Systems, Inc. Phone +1 877 922 7677 [email protected] Across Systems GmbH Phone +49 7248 925 425 [email protected] www.my-across.net AZ_Across_ATA_Chronicle_Nov.indd 1 11.11.2229 8:09:87 Uhr Our Authors November/December 2009 Sarah Alys Lindholm is a professional Japanese¡English trans- Patricia Thickstun, an ATA-certified French¡English translator, lator specializing in television, film, video games, and other pop began translating while pursuing research at the Institut Pasteur- culture media. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a Paris and a doctorate in immunology at Université de Pierre et degree in linguistics, and has been providing Japanese language Marie Curie (Paris VI). At the Texas Department of Health, she services ever since. She currently is the quality assurance translator was a hospital epidemiologist and directed a tuberculosis molecular for FUNimation Entertainment in Dallas, Texas. Contact: epidemiology surveillance project and the Office of Language [email protected]. Services. A freelance medical and technical translator, she currently works at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. She Janis Palma has been a federally certified English£Spanish judi- served as assistant administrator of ATA’s Medical Division (2007- ciary interpreter since 1981. She worked as an independent con- 2009), and was recently elected division administrator. She has tractor for over 20 years in different states. Her experience given presentations on pandemic influenza at ATA’s 2006 Annual includes conference work in the private sector and seminar inter- Conference and the 2009 Joint Mid-Year Conference of the preting for the U.S. Department of State. She joined the U.S. Interpreters and Medical Divisions. Contact: District Courts in Puerto Rico as a full-time staff interpreter in April [email protected]. 2002. She has been a consultant to various higher education insti- tutions, professional associations, and government agencies on judi- ciary interpreting and translating issues. She is a past president of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. Contact: [email protected]. November/December 2009 Volume XXXVIII Number 11 A Publication The of the American Translators Association CHRONICLE Send a Complimentary Copy If you enjoyed reading this issue of The ATA Chronicle and think a colleague or organization would enjoy it too, we’ll send a free copy. Simply e-mail the recipient’s name and address to Maggie Rowe at ATA Headquarters— [email protected]—and she will send the mag- azine with a note indicating that the copy is being sent with your compliments. In this issue: Medical Linguists and H 5 Pitfalls of the Long Consecutive1N Mode in Court 0Years 1 1959 – 2009 Help spread the word about ATA! Plagiarism It’s Time To Renew Your Membership If you have not renewed your membership, now is the time! From membership in any or all of ATA’s 15 divisions to discounted business services, ATA gives you the strategic edge that benefits your bottom line. Renew online at: Or call: www.atanet.org/membership/renew.php 703.683.6100 Thank you for your past support and for renewing for 2010. 6 The ATA Chronicle I November/December 2009 From the President Nicholas Hartmann [email protected] Moving On ATA’s 50th anniversary can mean being static. This ices. What we within the Association Annual Conference in New York City, Association needs to keep moving, know to be a good program would be at the Marriott Marquis hotel on and from our center we can now move made even better, however, by Times Square, turned out to be quite a in a number of interesting ways. external validation, which in turn party. More people attended this con- One relates to ATA’s internal gov- requires a thorough examination of ference than any previous one—the ernance and organization, and begins every aspect of certification.