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InforMATIon Blog

The MATI blog features articles pertaining to translation and interpretation. Subject matter includes issues pertaining to the field in the form of explorations into language, methodology and technology, book reviews, biographies, notes on presenters and meeting summaries. The views, opinions and statements expressed within each posting do not necessarily reflect the position of MATI as a whole.
  • 02/03/2017 12:23 PM | Meghan McCallum (Administrator)

    Madison Gatherings for Translators and Interpreters

    By Thaís Passos, MATI Director


    For the past six years, a group of translators and interpreters in the Madison, WI, area have been meeting approximately every six weeks for informal get-togethers. The idea was hatched after MATI members Catherine Jagoe, Sasha Federiuk, and Diane Grosklaus Whitty met at an annual conference and decided to create a local space where they could gather with fellow professionals and “talk shop” without any specific agenda. The group remains unaffiliated and has no formal structure.


    What started as mixed meetings of translators and interpreters later split into separate gatherings: one for translators and one for interpreters. The gatherings are attended by medical and legal interpreters as well as translators specialized in fields as diverse as law, veterinary medicine, health care, and literature. Represented languages include Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, French, German, Catalan, Farsi, Bengali, Hindi, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Russian, and Swedish. Conversations run the gamut from accounting issues and CAT tools to sharing both good and bad news on the professional and personal fronts.


    Participants say that the major gain is a sense of belonging and support that helps them keep up their good work, encourages them to try new tools and approaches, and acknowledges their personal and professional achievements. Information on the meetings, which are open to all translators and interpreters, including students, are announced on the group’s Facebook page (Madison Area Interpreters & Translators). If you happen to be in the Madison area, you are cordially invited to attend!


    Some participants of the Madison Area Interpreters and Translators group met in December 2016. From left to right: Sylvia Gilbertson, Alex Wills, Huan-Hua Chye, Erin Woodard, Thaís Passos, Diane Grosklaus Whitty, and Manuela Francavilla.


  • 02/03/2017 12:10 PM | Meghan McCallum (Administrator)

    MATI Member Spotlight: Kelley D. Salas



    Language Pair(s): Spanish>English (Translation); Spanish<>English (Interpretation)

     

    Degree(s)/Certification(s): ATA Certified for Spanish to English Translation since 2008; Graduate Certificate in Translation, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012

     

    How long have you been a MATI member? Since August 2016







    How long have you worked in your field? How did you get started in the field of translation and/or interpretation?


    I began studying translation and interpretation at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee about ten years ago, while I was on leave from my job as a bilingual elementary school teacher at La Escuela Fratney. While I started translation studies mainly as a way to maintain and expand my Spanish language skills, I quickly found that I loved the work. I began freelancing for several local clients and agencies, and also worked as a medical interpreter at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital.


    My progress in the translation field was interrupted when I decided to return to a full time teaching job at Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School in 2009, and later accepted a job as communications director at the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association in 2012. Although I seldom had time for freelance work during these years, I continued to aspire to a career in translation and interpretation.


    In February of 2016, I decided to go full time in this field, and I am now making up the bulk of my work week with freelance translating and interpreting work, specializing in the medical and legal fields. I am also a medical interpreter at Columbia St. Mary’s, and I’m working to get interpreter certification through the Wisconsin court system.


    It’s exciting to put my degree and certification to use on a daily basis now! I have found that many of the things I learned in my role as communications director are helpful to my freelance work, including website design and maintenance, graphic design/desktop publishing, and coping with high work volumes and challenging deadlines.


    What is your favorite thing about working in this field?


    It’s important for people to have equal access to health care and the justice system regardless of their English abilities, and it’s gratifying to help make that happen. I also really appreciate the flexibility of freelance work. After working as a classroom teacher, where we commonly had to choose between eating lunch or going to the restroom, it’s wonderful to be able to schedule my own day, and vary my schedule throughout the week.

     

    What is your favorite aspect of your profession?


    One aspect of the profession that I really love is continuous learning. Every day I learn new terms and new concepts. Every day I am deepening my language skills and content knowledge in my areas of specialization. I also appreciate the variety. I love the quiet solitude of translation projects and the ability to work from home, and I also look forward to my shifts at the hospital, when I can connect on a human level with patients and colleagues. There was a time when I was quite intimidated by interpretation – I felt safer in translation, since you have more time to consult resources and double check your work. However, I have really grown to enjoy interpreting and the unique challenges and rewards it offers.


    Why do you think it’s important to belong to professional organizations like MATI?


    I’ve been an ATA member since 2007 and have learned so much during those years from the publications and emails. I joined MATI once I decided to work full time in the field. The ability to network face-to-face with local/regional colleagues is invaluable. I made some important connections at the MATI annual conference in September, and as I followed up throughout the fall, I was able to establish working relationships with two regular clients thanks to these connections. I will certainly continue to attend MATI events and annual conferences, and I also hope to attend the ATA conference in 2017.


    Are there any questions you would like to pose to your MATI colleagues?


    I’d love to hear my MATI colleagues’ thoughts on any/all of the following:


    • How do you feel about working for agencies vs. direct clients?
    • What are your preferred sources/forums for terminology queries (especially in the medical and legal fields)?
    • Do you have a specific colleague(s) that you go to for support while working on translation jobs, and what does this process look like for you?
    • Is there any specific agency or client that you would recommend I contact for work?


    Thanks in advance for your responses! You can email me at kelleydsalas@gmail.com.



  • 02/03/2017 12:06 PM | Meghan McCallum (Administrator)

    Happy New Year from MATI


    MATI would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our members a very happy 2017. Thank you for being part of our association!


    2016 was another great year for MATI. We enjoyed seeing our members at several social events throughout the year. We held our board elections in the spring, and the association welcomed new directors Marina Ilari, Kristy Brown Lust, Thaís Passos and Ghada Shakir to the board.


    We hosted our annual conference in September at the University Center in Chicago, drawing a number of attendees for a day of educational sessions and networking. MATI also had strong attendance at the ATA conference in San Francisco in November, with several members presenting sessions. Throughout the year, we also offered benefits such as our quarterly newsletter and a wide range of webinars open to both members and non-members.


    In 2017, we look forward to continuing to offer you educational, networking and social events and resources. Plans are underway for our annual conference, and we are finalizing our webinar lineup for the year.


    This spring we will hold our annual board elections. If you have been looking for an opportunity to get more involved with MATI, consider running for a position on our board!


    Please stay tuned for announcements about upcoming events, webinars and elections. And if you haven’t done so already, please take the time to renew your membership for the year and make sure your directory listing at www.matiata.org is up to date.


    We wish you a very happy and healthy 2017.


    Best regards,


    The MATI Board of Directors

  • 02/03/2017 11:58 AM | Meghan McCallum (Administrator)

    Every Little Word Matters

    By Kristy Brown Lust, MATI Director


    As professional translators and interpreters, we know that one word can have many shades of meaning, depending on its context. We also know that even small errors can add up to big changes in meaning. However, when we’re facing the time crunch common in our industries, we sometimes forget the impact translation and interpretation errors can have. Let’s look at a couple examples.


    Case 1: Japanese Red Army member trial

    In October 2016, Tsutomu Shirosaki was on trial in Tokyo for alleged participation in a Japanese Embassy attack that occurred in 1968. Two interpreters were selected to interpret testimony from 11 Indonesians. After a review of the interpretations by the court found that one of the interpreters made more than 200 errors in interpreting testimony, the interpreter was removed from the case.


    According to The Japan Times, “The court found that the interpreter skipped some words without translating them and made mistakes in translating some others. In one instance, the interpreter translated ‘forensic identification officer’ as simply ‘officer.’” Other reported errors: “the year 1983 mentioned by an Indonesian police officer was found to have been translated as 1985. Another statement by the officer, that ‘I did not give heed to it,’ was found to have been changed into ‘I do not remember it.’” An editorial in the paper said the outcome of this particular trial was not impacted by the errors, but urged the courts to establish standardized examinations to ensure interpreters are qualified to provide legal [interpretation] services. The editorial concluded, “If a false conviction occurs as a result of an incorrect translation, the damage will be irreparable.”


    Case 2: Greek Subminimum Wage

    In a recent recommendation to the Greek labor ministry, a group of experts issued recommendations, written in English, for implementing a “youth subminimum wage.” The group suggested that a young person’s pay should be based on how much experience they have in the workforce. S. Papapetros writes, “Specifically, a passage on page 41 of the report envisions a ‘subminimum’ wage at 90 percent of the current level, gross pay, for the first year of employment; 95 percent for the second year of employment.”


    When the report was translated into Greek, subminimum was translated as minimum, which could lead to a debate on what rate the youth wages should be calculated on.


    Even the best translators and interpreters make mistakes. That’s why good proofreading and editing are important, along with certification credentials. And that’s also why it’s dangerous to place unrealistic demands and time pressure on translators and interpreters. Mistakes may complicate already challenging political, business, and personal relationships and cause serious harm to governments, businesses and individuals.


  • 02/03/2017 11:51 AM | Meghan McCallum (Administrator)

    ATA Certification Exam Undergoes Changes

    By Thaís Passos, MATI Director


    Becoming ATA certified requires passing a translation exam consisting of two passages of roughly 250 words each. The ATA Certification Program is going through some changes intended to improve accessibility and enhance the value of the ATA Certification Exam. Four major changes went into effect on January 1, 2017:


    1. There are no longer any education or experience requirements. The only requirements are ATA membership and agreement to the ATA Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
    2. There are only general passages. Candidates are presented with three general passages and must choose two to translate. These are typically commentaries or essay-type articles. The exam will no longer include any medical, technical, or scientific texts or texts on legal, commercial, or financial subjects.
    3. More computerized exam sittings will be offered. Several computerized sittings have already been scheduled for 2017. On computerized exams, candidates can use their own laptops and non-interactive Internet resources, such as electronic dictionaries and glossaries. Candidates may not use CAT tools, translation memories, email, chat rooms, forums, or machine translation tools such as Google Translate. Candidates will save their translations on an ATA-supplied USB drive with grammar and spell check utilities disabled. Candidates may still bring and use their own print resources, and can also opt to handwrite their exam.
    4. Candidates will have more opportunities and accessibility for preparation and practice. In the near future, the ATA Certification Program will make the practice tests available for downloading (practice tests cost $80 per passage for ATA members and $120 per passage for non-members). In addition, the ATA Certification Committee is working to increase the availability of Candidate Preparation Workshops as both live sessions and webinars.

    For an up-to-date list of upcoming exam sittings, please visit http://www.atanet.org/certification/upcoming_exam_sittings.php.


    Sources:

    http://umtia.org/2016/11/ata-certification-exam-changes/

    http://www.atanet.org/chronicle-online/none/upcoming-changes-to-atas-certification-program/

    http://www.atanet.org/certification/aboutexams_computerized.php


  • 02/02/2017 2:41 PM | Meghan McCallum (Administrator)

    Hello and Happy New Year!


    As you may have noticed, MATI’s Board of Directors underwent some changes early this year. Until the installment this summer of officers elected this spring, I will be serving as the MATI President and Meghan McCallum will be serving as the MATI Vice President.


    Together, Meghan and I, in conjunction with your MATI board, will work hard to continue serving you, the members. Exciting plans are in the works for MATI this year, including quarterly social hours for us to get out and talk with you, as well as a great webinar lineup. And, of course, we will host our annual conference this autumn.


    If you have not done so already, please be sure to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook so you’re in the loop when we announce our upcoming social gatherings near you.


    If you have any questions or suggestions for MATI activities, please feel free to contact me at matiemail@gmail.com.


    Wishing you a prosperous and happy new year,



    Joseph Wojowski
    MATI President


  • 11/23/2016 5:24 PM | Anonymous

    Call for Proposals: 2017 Webinar Series


    MATI is pleased to announce the Research & Practice in Translation and Interpreting webinar series upcoming in 2017.

    Webinars in this series will explore how academic research and professional practices support working translators and interpreters.


    Interested presenters can submit abstracts until Wednesday, November 30, 2016.


    Please note that presenters can be researchers, graduate students, professionals, and administrators from anywhere in the U.S. or other countries.

    No travel is required to present. All web support will be provided.

    Collaborative presentations are also welcome.


    More information can be found on the MATI website.

    Questions regarding submissions should be addressed to MATI at matiemail@gmail.com.


  • 11/23/2016 5:21 PM | Anonymous
    Going Back to School through ATA’s School Outreach Program

    By Meghan McCallum, MATI Director

     

    When was the last time you stepped inside a school? For some of us, it may have been a while. If you teach or have kids, perhaps you’re a regular at a local school. No matter how long it’s been, it’s time to get out those school supplies and take on a new assignment: School Outreach!

     

    ATA’s School Outreach Program encourages translators and interpreters to visit their local schools and talk to students about their exciting careers. With over ten years under its belt, the program has helped countless language professionals around the world make the trip back to school by providing presentation materials, speaking tips and information about how to schedule school visits. Ready-to-use presentations and activities can be downloaded directly from the ATA website and adapted for each specific visit.

     

    During School Outreach visits, translators and interpreters speak to students at all levels, emphasizing the benefits of foreign language study and outlining the specialized skills needed to become a translator or interpreter. Activities can be catered to all age levels and interests, from young children just starting a second language to students in specialized translation graduate programs.

     

    In recent years, School Outreach has even gone virtual thanks to modern technology. With videoconferencing programs such as Skype, translators and interpreters can virtually visit with students across the globe. All it takes is simple software skills and coordination with time zone differences—familiar territory for all of us!

     

    As an added incentive, the ATA School Outreach Program also holds an annual contest based on photo submissions from translators and interpreters who have made school visits. By submitting a winning shot of him/herself in the classroom, one person each year is awarded the grand prize of free registration to the ATA conference. Now that’s a big payoff! The winner also receives recognition at the awards presentation during the ATA conference and in the ATA Chronicle.

     

    To learn more about the School Outreach Program, access resource materials, read stories from previous school visits, and get details about the School Outreach Contest, visit https://www.atanet.org/ata_school/.

     

    Have you made a school visit recently to talk to students about translation and interpreting? Tell us about it! Send a message to School Outreach Program Coordinator Meghan McCallum at meghanraymccallum@gmail.com.

     

  • 11/23/2016 5:09 PM | Anonymous

    Translation Events in Madison, WI

    By Thaís Passos, MATI Director and Erin Woodard, MATI Member


    Translator and interpreter Margie Franzen recently coordinated two days of events celebrating translation in Madison, WI.


    On September 17, “Superheroic? Feats of Translation!” featured re-writing graphic novels, comic captions in different languages, and a translation slam. The day started with a workshop where kids learned how to write comic book captions in languages that use different writing systems like Hindi, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, and Russian, facilitated by language teachers from Madison-area high schools and language schools. The evening included a translation slam event, in which translators shared excerpts of Michael Chabon’s book The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (originally written in English) translated from other languages back into English. Afterward, translators Daniel Youd (from Mandarin Chinese), Ben Kearney (from Dutch), and Fred Svensson (from Swedish) discussed how they conducted their translations and the impact that the translated texts had on the overall context of the book. An interesting discussion ensued, involving the entire audience.


    On September 29, the second T&T Open Mic event of this year was held in Madison. This fun get-together is meant for people to share readings in English translation. In the words of organizer Margie Franzen, it is “a friendly space for language-interested folks to gather and get ideas about what the great big world of translations has to offer.” The event is open to the public, and anyone may read or simply enjoy listening to the readings and discussing the topic of translation with the group. Readers choose whatever they want to read, so long as it’s a translation (into English). People are also encouraged to read anything they have translated themselves, published or unpublished. The next T&T Open Mic will likely be in February 2017. Stay tuned!



    Erin Woodard is a French into English translator with specialization in International Development, Life Sciences, and Sustainable Development.


    Thaís Passos is a English and Spanish into Portuguese translator with specialization in Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Environment, and Sustainability.

     

     

  • 11/23/2016 5:06 PM | Anonymous

    Beginner Linguists Find Useful Resources at UW-Madison Language Institute

    By Thaís Passos, MATI Director

     

    For those getting started or considering a career in translation or interpreting, the Language Institute (http://languages.wisc.edu/) and the College of Letters and Science of the University of Wisconsin-Madison can be a great resource. This fall, the Language Institute hosted a workshop series to help people learn how to gain experience, build expertise, and find work in these fields.

     

    The series of three workshops, called “Use Your Words: Careers in Translation and Interpreting”, was presented by UW-Madison alumni working as translators or interpreters. The first workshop, presented by MATI board member Amanda Bickel, focused on freelance translation. The second, led by Anne Plesh, manager of interpreter services for the Wisconsin region of SSM Health and Laura Puls, a medical interpreter at SSM Heath, addressed medical interpreting. Lynn Leazer, who has been working as a court interpreter for nearly 15 years, led a third workshop on legal interpreting.

     

    Another event fostering students’ exploration of their future language careers was the “International Career Connections: Alumni Mentoring”. On November 17, UW-Madison alumni with international experiences talked about their careers to inspire students planning their own. By networking with alumni in a broad range of career areas, students learned about their paths and glean advice for their own next steps. For more information, visit: http://languages.wisc.edu/events/syndicated/international-career-connections-alumni-mentoring

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