An introduction to the business world of translators and interpreters.

Are you bilingual? Have you ever wondered if you could use your foreign language fluency as a way to find employment? Come to our next workshop on May 19!

Time and location:

Berkeley Language Institute
1840 Alcatraz Avenue, Suite A1 Berkeley CA 94703

Saturday, May 19th, 2012, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Fee: $45.00 per person

We are offering a 5% discount to any student interested in being part of this workshop!

Familiarize yourself with the basic terminologies: translator, transcriber, simultaneous and consecutive interpreter, voice-talent etc. and explore into what you would like to do.

Tools of the trade, certifications, how to market yourself and network, trade associations, employee vs. outside contractor, continuing education, costs estimates and turnaround, contracts, protocols, code of ethics, and many other interesting topics.

Our instructor, Francine Kuipers, is the founder and CEO of Accent on Languages and Berkeley Language Institute.

Berkeley Language Institute offers evaluation and training in translation, interpreting, transcription, linguistic and cultural competency, as well as language classes.

The workshops are held in the context of continuing education for professional linguists, as well as for bilingual individuals who wish to enter any of the mentioned linguistic fields.

If you need any additional information on our workshops, please contact us at francinek@accentonlanguages.com or call at (510) 655-9470 or simply click here to visit BLI’s website, and sign up for this great opportunity to sharpen your bilingual skills and make them profitable.

NCTA is offering a full-day workshop with excellent opportunities to learn the basic functions of memoQ and gain hands-on experience.

MemoQ is an integrated localization/translation environment that optimizes the productivity of translation and localization.

By the end of the workshop you will have all the information and skills required to start using memoQ right away. The workshop includes a three-hour practice session when you will have time to try out your new skills and ask questions.

YOU WILL LEARN:
•    What Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools like memoQ do and don’t do
•    How to use the basic functions of memoQ
•    How to make the most of this software and put it to good use
•    What agencies expect from vendors using memoQ, including delivery formats and “fuzzy match” rates.

Workshop time and location:

SFSU Downtown campus, Room 610
835 Market St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
Saturday, February 25, 2012
9:30 – 12:30: Teaching session
12.30 – 1.30: Lunch (not included)
1:30 – 4:30: Hands-on practice and Q&A session

About the instructor:

Tuomas Kostiainen, a native of Finland, is an ATA-certified English to Finnish translator specializing in technical and medical translations. In addition, he is an independent SDL Trados-approved Trados trainer and has provided training for numerous translators and translation companies in the US, as well as internationally. He regularly gives workshops and presentations on CAT tools, PDF tools and other topics, and writes a popular blog on Trados Studio
Register online for this workshop; click here.

As we mentioned in earlier posts, Berkeley Language Institute offers a variety of workshops on topics related to translation and interpreting. They are designed for those wishing to explore new areas of interest and career opportunities, as well as developing existing skills.

The workshops are held in the context of continuing education for professional linguists, and for bilingual individuals who wish to enter the translation and interpreting fields.

The Business side of Translation is the next workshop listed on BLI’s website. This seminar, conducted by Francine Kuipers, is an introduction to the business world applied to anyone interested in becoming a professional translator and/or interpreter.

Our 4 hour workshop is an introduction to the business world of translators and interpreters. It covers the following topics:

Terminology: translator, transcriber, simultaneous & consecutive interpreter, voice-talent….
Tools of the trade
Certifications
How to market yourself  and network
Trade associations
Employee vs. outside contractor
Continuing education
Costs estimates & turnaround
Contracts
Protocols
Code of Ethics……

It is also posted on NCTA’s Calendar of Events.

Time and location are as follows:

Berkeley Language Institute
1840 Alcatraz Avenue, Suite A1 Berkeley CA 94703
Saturday, March 17th, 2012, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

There is a fee of $45.00 per person.

About  the instructor:

Francine Kuipers is the founder of Accent on Languages and Berkeley Language Institute.
Ms Kuipers is a linguistic and cultural consultant.  She was the Principal of the French American School in Los Angeles. She taught at the University of Peru, Russia, and in various schools in the United States. She is a language consultant to School Districts and to various companies and organizations, as well as the US Army. She has been producing language tapes since 1986. Ms Kuipers has been conducting workshops on translation and interpreting  since 1995.

If you need any additional information on our workshops, please click here, or contact Francine Kuipers at francine@berkeleylanguageinstitute.com

CHIA is holding its 12th Annual Education Conference.

“Continuing Education for Continued Success” will be a two-day program of skills workshops and professional networking. It will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel and Meeting Center at the Berkeley Marina in Berkeley, California, on Friday and Saturday, March 9-10, 2012.

With three optional pre-conference workshops and an array of presentations focusing on skills development for interpreters and translators, this year’s event offers several language-specific workshops, new developments in court interpreting, and updates on national healthcare interpreting certification.

All interpreters, trainers, students, language service providers, language-access advocates and the public, are welcome to the event!  With a lot of information and fun, this year’s conference is essential for interpreters looking to build their skills and professional prospects.

You may register online for this conference. Please click here for more details.

The California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) is a public charity dedicated to improving the quality and availability of language services in the delivery of healthcare. CHIA’s purpose is to unite and collaborate with interpreters, students, healthcare providers, administrators and language agencies, for equitable language services in the delivery of healthcare.

Accent on Languages will have a booth at the conference. Stop by and meet us in person! Francine Kuipers, CEO, and Lea Mendelovitz, Executive Coordinator for interpreters, will be there.

Nokia unveiled its first-ever Windows Phones at the Nokia World conference in London, the Lumia 800 and the Lumia 710. Unfortunately, Nokia learned too late that Lumia actually means “prostitute” in Spanish. Oops.

Dictionaries suggest that Nokia’s name for its latest smartphone has money-for-pleasure connotations. The Real Academia Española, considered one of the authorities of the Spanish language, claims that Nokia’s Lumia smartphone is a colloquial term for “prostitute” in Spanish.

Ufortunately, Nokia isn’t the only company embarrassed by a bad translation. There are many other product names released by companies over the years that suffered from a lack of international research.

There is where language companies like AoL play a very important role on doing the proper investigation and research as they possess all the necessary tools to avoid such situations.

Learn more. Visit http://www.thedenverchannel.com/technology/29593631/detail.html

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/238383/20111026/nokia-lumia-prostitute-coors-beerwolf-chevy-nova-clairol-mist-stick-sega-ford-pinto-google.htm

   Are you a translator who has never used a CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tool and would like to know what the fuss is all about? Or have you never used a CAT tool because you are still wondering which one to get? Perhaps you are already a regular CAT tool-user but want to learn about other CAT tools on the market, or you use the basic functions of your CAT tool but feel you are probably not getting the most out of it.

If you can relate to any of the above, this workshop is for you!

Workshops are one of the most important services that NCTA offers to its members and to the local translator and interpreter community.

NCTA’s workshops are open to members and non-members alike, but please note that pre-registration and pre-payment of workshop fee is required. Click on the workshop link below for specific information about registration fees and deadlines.

http://www.ncta.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=7

The workshop will be split into four parts. Part 1 will be a 45-minute presentation entitled “Ten good reasons for using a translation memory”. Surveys indicate that while the vast majority of translators do use a translation memory system, less than 30% of translators use this type of tool for every translation project or on a daily basis. This presentation gives an overview of the major benefits of using a translation memory, which go well beyond re-using existing translations.

Parts 2, 3 and 4 will focus on three of the market’s leading CAT tools: Trados Studio, MemoQ and Wordfast. How do they function? How do they compare? What does one do that the others do not? The presenters will spend half an hour on each tool, highlighting its features and discussing any drawbacks.

There will also be plenty of time for questions and answers throughout the afternoon.

The workshop time and location are as follows:

CAT Tools Workshop by Uwe Muegge, Tuomas Kostiainen and Yves Averous

Presenters:
Uwe Muegge is the Chair of the Translation and Localization Management Program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. Uwe Muegge has more than 15 years of experience in the language industry, having worked on both the vendor and buyer side of the industry.

Tuomas Kostiainen, regularly gives workshops and presentations on CAT tools, PDF tools and other topics, and writes a popular blog on Trados Studio at http://tradoshelp.wordpress.com.

Yves Avérous specializes in new technology, new media, and localization/QA for software and the Web, and also works as an editor/reviewer and voice-over talent.

Follow this link to register online for the workshop. http://www.ncta.org/displayconvregister.cfm?convnbr=10702

[Partially taken from the NCTA website at www.ncta.org]

In our first post we mentioned a sister company of Accent on Languages: Berkeley Language Institute.

BLI offers training to become an interpreter and/or a translator.

If you are bilingual and interested in finding out  about these programs, contact Francine Kuipers at francinek@aol.com

BLI provides professional training for healthcare interpreters, bilingual staff, and other healthcare professional looking to enhance their knowledge and medical interpretation skills, as well as their cultural competency. Ethics and protocols in a Healthcare setting are part of the training. http://www.berkeleylanguageinstitute.com/assessment.html

The training is offered on hospital premises by our coaches, who are all professional interpreters with extensive experience in medical interpreting. Our instructors have years of experience providing language services to prestigious medical institutions such as the University of California San Francisco, Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente, and also at countless private practices throughout the United States.

After an initial evaluation of the healthcare interpreters, a program is designed to meet the interpreters’ needs.  It includes: role-playing, medical terminology, pacing, protocols, memory exercises, sight translation, and cultural competency. A certificate of completion is given to interpreters who have completed the training and have met the requirements.

 Learn more about BLI. Visit http://www.berkeleylanguageinstitute.com/

In today’s information society, communication is more than just important. It’s crucial. Every business and political message runs the risk of being misinterpreted, especially when it comes to complex ideas, and the results of misinterpretation can range from a failed business agreement to the collapse of government talks. In short, there never has been more demand for specialists in translation and interpretation, which makes these two jobs hot prospects for the coming years.

If you’re fluent in two or more languages, you may find this career area of great interest to you, perhaps as you explore an entirely new vocation or if you’re just starting your career after college. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, translators and interpreters will experience faster-than-average employment growth through 2018.

[…] Many corporations are in great need of professionals in both aspects of the field (interpreting and translation), as are government agencies and other employers.

For instance, the American Translators Association is composed of more than 11,000 members — including translators, interpreters, teachers, project managers, Web and software developers, language company owners, hospitals, universities and government agencies — in more than 90 countries.

Dawn Rosenberg McKay, the career planning guide for About.com, says, “Most employers will only consider candidates who have bachelor’s degrees, as well as specialized training from a formal program.”

[…]

Should you decide that your language fluency, education and experience make you a suitable candidate, visit the American Translators Association’s website for information on taking the test to become a credited member of the organization. You can take practice tests before paying  fee and signing up to take your exam.

You will need to provide proof of your education and work experience to qualify to take the test, which is a three-hour proctored exam in a specific language pair of your choice. The ATA currently offers exams for your proficiency in translating into English from Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish, as well as from English into Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Ukrainian.

Be aware that the test is challenging. The current overall pass rate is less than 20 percent, but when you do pass, you earn entry into the ATA, as well as your designation as a certified interpreter or translator, ready to launch into your new field.

How Will You Work?

The next consideration is this: Do you wish to work for a company or organization, or do you wish to be an independent contractor? The former requires that you locate in-house job opportunities — a perk of belonging to the ATA — and go through the process of interviewing in order to land your dream job.

Some companies maintain their employees in an office, and some send their employees into the field to interpret and translate. […]

If you wish to be an independent contractor, you will need to establish your own business, with resources from the ATA and the U.S. Small Business Administration, set up your home office, apply for a state license (if required), pay quarterly taxes, set up an organized bookkeeping system, market yourself and set your own prices, among other requirements for the self-employed. The ATA reports that it can take up to two years to fully establish your own business.

Ongoing Training

Just as with any other job, you will need to take smart steps to maximize your career’s potential and advancement. According to the ATA’s website, here are some advised steps:

• Take courses to keep up-to-date on trends in your field and learn new terminology.
• Join professional organizations to find out more about and network within your chosen specialties.
• Travel abroad, if at all possible.
• Read often, in all your languages, to hone your skills.
• Subscribe to trade magazines in your areas of expertise.
• Add to your hardware/software collection and learn new programs.
• Check your local community college for classes in accounting, taxes, business management, marketing, etc.
• Check out assistance from women’s or minority business organizations if you fit those categories.
• Look for one or more mentors in your field, especially those who already have started their own businesses. A useful place to start is the Service Corps of Retired Executives, on the Web at www.score.org.

From Las Vegas Review-Journal http://www.lvrj.com/employment/translator-interpreter-becomes-top-profession-for-2012-130062423.html

From  The Bureau of Labor Statistics – United States Department of Labor

Facts:

• About 26 percent of interpreters and translators are self-employed; many freelance and work in this occupation only sporadically.
• In addition to needing fluency in at least two languages, many interpreters and translators need a bachelor’s degree.
• Employment is expected to grow much faster than average.
• Job prospects vary by specialty and language.

Nature of the Work

Interpreters and translators facilitate the cross-cultural communication necessary in today’s society by converting one language into another. However, these language specialists do more than simply translate words—they relay concepts and ideas between languages. They must thoroughly understand the subject matter in which they work in order to accurately convey information from one language into another. In addition, they must be sensitive to the cultures associated with their languages of expertise.

Although some people do both, interpreting and translation are different professions. Interpreters deal with spoken words, translators with written words. Each task requires a distinct set of skills and aptitudes, and most people are better suited for one or the other. While interpreters often interpret into and from both languages, translators generally translate only into their native language.

Interpreters convert one spoken language into another—or, in the case of sign-language interpreters, between spoken communication and sign language. Interpreting requires that one pay attention carefully, understand what is communicated in both languages, and express thoughts and ideas clearly. Strong research and analytical skills, mental dexterity, and an exceptional memory also are important.

There are two modes of interpreting: simultaneous, and consecutive. Simultaneous interpreting requires interpreters to listen and speak (or sign) at the same time someone is speaking or signing. Ideally, simultaneous interpreters should be so familiar with a subject that they are able to anticipate the end of the speaker’s sentence. Because they need a high degree of concentration, simultaneous interpreters work in pairs, with each interpreting for 20-minute to 30-minute periods. This type of interpreting is required at international conferences and is sometimes used in the courts.

In contrast to the immediacy of simultaneous interpreting, consecutive interpreting begins only after the speaker has verbalized a group of words or sentences. Consecutive interpreters often take notes while listening to the speakers, so they must develop some type of note-taking or shorthand system. This form of interpreting is used most often for person-to-person communication, during which the interpreter is positioned near both parties.

Translators convert written materials from one language into another. They must have excellent writing and analytical ability, and because the translations that they produce must be accurate, they also need good editing skills.

Translating involves more than replacing a word with its equivalent in another language; sentences and ideas must be manipulated to flow with the same coherence as those in the source document so that the translation reads as though it originated in the target language. Translators also must bear in mind any cultural references that may need to be explained to the intended audience, such as colloquialisms, slang, and other expressions that do not translate literally. Some subjects may be more difficult than others to translate because words or passages may have multiple meanings that make several translations possible. Not surprisingly, translated work often goes through multiple revisions before final text is submitted.

Nearly all translation work is done on a computer, and most assignments are received and submitted electronically. This enables translators to work from almost anywhere, and a large percentage of them work from home. The Internet provides advanced research capabilities and valuable language resources, such as specialized dictionaries and glossaries. In some cases, use of computer-assisted translation—including memory tools that provide comparisons of previous translations with current work—helps save time and reduce repetition.

The services of interpreters and translators are needed in a number of subject areas. While these workers may not completely specialize in a particular field or industry, many do focus on one area of expertise. Some of the most common areas are described below; however, interpreters and translators may work in a variety of other areas also, including business, education, social services, and entertainment.

Judiciary interpreters and translators facilitate communication for people with limited English proficiency who find it challenging to communicate in a legal setting. Legal translators must be thoroughly familiar with the language and functions of the U.S. judicial system, as well as other countries’ legal systems. Court interpreters work in a variety of legal settings, such as attorney-client meetings, preliminary hearings, arraignments, depositions, and trials. Success as a court interpreter requires an understanding of both legal terminology and colloquial language. In addition to interpreting what is said, court interpreters also may be required to read written documents aloud in a language other than that in which they were written, a task known as sight translation.

Medical interpreters and translators sometimes referred to as healthcare interpreters and translators; provide language services to healthcare patients with limited English proficiency. Medical interpreters help patients to communicate with doctors, nurses, and other medical staff. Translators working in this specialty primarily convert patient materials and informational brochures issued by hospitals and medical facilities into the desired language. Interpreters in this field need a strong grasp of medical and colloquial terminology in both languages, along with cultural sensitivity to help the patient receive the information.

Sign-language interpreters facilitate communication between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who can hear. Sign-language interpreters must be fluent in English and in American Sign Language (ASL), which combines signing, finger spelling, and specific body language. Most sign-language interpreters either interpret, aiding communication between English and ASL, or transliterate, facilitating communication between English and contact signing—a form of signing that uses a more English language-based word order. Some interpreters specialize in oral interpreting for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and lip-read instead of sign. Other specialties include tactile signing, which is interpreting for people who are blind as well as deaf by making manual signs into their hands, using cued speech, and signing exact English.

Conference interpreters work at conferences that have non-English-speaking attendees. The work is often in the field of international business or diplomacy, although conference interpreters can interpret for any organization that works with speakers of foreign languages. Employers prefer high-level interpreters who have the ability to translate from at least two languages into one native language—for example, the ability to interpret from Spanish and French into English. For some positions, such as those with the United Nations, this qualification is mandatory.

Guide or escort interpreters accompany either U.S. visitors abroad or foreign visitors in the United States to ensure that they are able to communicate during their stay. These specialists interpret on a variety of subjects, both on an informal basis and on a professional level. Most of their interpreting is consecutive, and work is generally shared by two interpreters when the assignment requires more than an 8-hour day. Frequent travel, often for days or weeks at a time, is common, and it is an aspect of the job that some find particularly appealing.

Literary translators adapt written literature from one language into another. They may translate any number of documents, including journal articles, books, poetry, and short stories. Literary translation is related to creative writing; literary translators must create a new text in the target language that reproduces the content and style of the original. Whenever possible, literary translators work closely with authors to best capture their intended meanings and literary characteristics.

Localization translators completely adapt a product or service for use in a different language and culture. The goal of these specialists is to make it appear as though a product originated in the country where it will be sold and supported. At its earlier stages, this work dealt primarily with software localization, but the specialty has expanded to include the adaptation of Internet sites, marketing, publications, and products and services in manufacturing and other business sectors.

Work environment. Interpreters work in a wide variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals, courtrooms, and conference centers. Translators usually work alone, and they must frequently perform under pressure of deadlines and tight schedules. Technology allows translators to work from almost anywhere, and many choose to work from home.

Because many interpreters and translators freelance, their schedules often vary, with periods of limited work interspersed with periods requiring long, irregular hours. For those who freelance, a significant amount of time must be dedicated to looking for jobs. Interpreters who work over the telephone or through videoconferencing generally work in call centers in urban areas and keep to a standard 5-day, 40-hour workweek.

To learn more go to http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm

From ATA’s website:

[ATA is a professional association founded to advance the translation and interpreting professions and foster the professional development of individual translators and interpreters. Its 11,000 members in more than 90 countries include translators, interpreters, teachers, project managers, web and software developers, language company owners, hospitals, universities, and government agencies.

Association membership is available to individuals (Active, Corresponding, Associate, Student) and organizations (Corporate, Institutional).

One of ATA's primary missions has been to promote the professional development of translators and interpreters. The association holds a number of conferences throughout the year in support of this goal.

The ATA Annual Conference  is held each fall in a major city or popular resort area. This four-day event showcases panel discussions, expert presentations, training workshops, and scholarly papers. The conference also features a job marketplace, a vendor exhibit hall, certification testing, and networking sessions designed to build professional contacts for attendees. ATA members receive discounted conference registration rates as a membership benefit.]Look for upcoming events at The Northen California Translators Association (NCTA), our local chapter of ATA.