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February 2006
Volume XXXV
The Number 2
A Publication of
Chronicle the American
Translators
Association
In this issue:
Effective Resume Writing
Developing a Mentoring Program
The Importance of Providing Superior Service
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as a parent. W H E R E IN T E LLIGE NC E GOE S TO W OR K
in this issue
February 2006
Volume XXXV
Number 2
Features
A Publication of
12 Developing a Mentoring Program? Key Questions to Guide Your Journey the American
By Brenda Nicodemus Translators
Here are eight key questions you should ask when thinking of developing a mentoring Association
program.
Editor
16 Resume Writing for Freelancers Jeff Sanfacon
By Beth Podrovitz and Jiri Stejskal Jeff@atanet.org
Having a professional resume is an absolute must for a freelancer who wants to do
business with a translation company. Investing time and effort in getting it right will Proofreader
lead to new business and a successful career. Sandra Burns Thomson
Design/Layout
19 The Entrepreneurial Translator
By Martin Alianelli Ellen Banker/Amy Peloff
Repeat business is a measure of greatness reserved for translators who, besides being Advertising
expert word and meaning craftsmen, have a personal and professional commitment to
Matt Hicks
service excellence.
McNeill Group Inc.
mhicks@mcneill-group.com
23 Translator Profile: Izumi Suzuki Loves a Challenge
By S. Alexandra Russell-Bitting (215) 321-9662 ext. 19
For this interpreter, client satisfaction is one of the most rewarding aspects of any Fax: (215) 321-9636
assignment.
Executive Director
26 The California Healthcare Interpreting Association: Walter Bacak
Celebrating 10 Years in the Field Walter@atanet.org
By Katharine Allen Membership and
Healthcare interpreting is a fast-evolving field. The California Healthcare Interpreting
General Information
Association is a leading state association that has been helping to provide services to
interpreters as well as defining and pushing forward this young profession. Maggie Rowe
Maggie@atanet.org
website: www.atanet.org
Columns and Departments
6 About Our Authors
8 From the President
9 From the Executive Director
10 Letters to the Editor
38 Business Smarts
44 Dictionary Reviews
46 The Translation Inquirer
49 Humor and Translation
50 New ATA-Certified Members
50 ATA Certification Exam Information
52 ATA Chapters, Affiliated Groups, and Other Groups
55 Guide to Continuing Education Points
60 Officers, Directors, Committee Chairs, and Division Administrators
62 Directory of Language Services
American Translators Association
225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590 • Alexandria VA 22314
Tel: (703) 683-6100 • Fax: (703) 683-6122
E-mail: Chronicle@atanet.org • Website: www.atanet.orgThe
2006 Chronicle
Editorial Calendar Chronicle A Publication of the American Translators Association
1999 FIT Best Periodical Award Winner
January
Submission Deadline:
The ATA Chronicle Submission Guidelines
November 15
The ATA Chronicle enthusiastically encourages members to submit articles of interest to the fields of
February
translation and interpretation.
Submission Deadline:
December 1 1. Articles (see length specifications below) are due the first of the month, two months prior to the
month of publication (i.e., June 1 for August issue).
March
2. Articles should not exceed 3,500 words. Articles containing graphics or words or phrases in non-
Submission Deadline:
January 1 European writing systems (e.g., Japanese, Arabic) should be submitted as a PDF file or mailed.
3. Include your fax, phone, e-mail, and mailing address on the first page.
April 4. Include a brief abstract (two sentences maximum) emphasizing the most salient points of your
Submission Deadline:
article. The abstract will be included in the table of contents.
February 1
5. Include a short author biography (three sentences maximum). If you wish to include your photo
May (color or B/W), please e-mail it as a JPEG or TIF file. Do not mail irreplaceable photos.
Submission Deadline: 6. E-mail submissions (Word or PDF files) to Jeff Sanfacon at jeff@atanet.org.
March 1
7. All articles are subject to editing for grammar, style, punctuation, and space limitations.
June 8. A proof will be sent to you for review prior to publication.
Submission Deadline:
April 1 Standard Length
Letters to the editor: 350 words;
July Op-Ed: 300-600 words; Feature Articles: 750-3,500 words; Column: 400-1,000 words
Submission Deadline: (See Chronicle editorial policy—under Chronicle—at www.atanet.org)
May 1
August
Submission Deadline:
June 1 An Easy Reference To ATA Member Benefits
September Your ATA membership has never been more valuable. Take advantage of the discounted programs and
Submission Deadline: services available to you as an ATA member. Be sure to tell these companies you are an ATA member and
July 1 refer to any codes provided below.
Business Owners Insurance Life and Disability Insurance
October
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Submission Deadline:
August 1 (866) 310-4297 • (202) 263-4016 (800) 624-5554 • (402) 342-7600
cjones@hayscompanies.com or www.mutualofomaha.com
November/December lmccormick@hayscompanies.com
Submission Deadline: http://ata.haysaffinity.com Overnight Delivery/Express Package Service
September 1 UPS
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Dun & Bradstreet (800) 325-7000
Mike Horoski www.ups.com
(800) 333-6497 ext. 823 7226
Moving? Find an (484) 242-7226 Professional Liability Insurance
michael.horoski@rmsna.com Hays Affinity Solutions (HAYS)
error with your www.rmsna.com (866) 310-4297 • (202) 263-4016
address? cjones@hayscompanies.com
Credit Card Acceptance Program/Professional http://ata.haysaffinity.com
Services Account
We’ve done everything possible to
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ensure that your address is correct. But Reference Code: HCDA Washington Pension Center
sometimes errors do occur. If you find (888) 545-2207 • (770) 649-5700 (888) 817-7877 • (301) 941-9179
that the information on the mailing label
is inaccurate or out of date, please let us MasterCard Website Development
know. Send updates to: MBNA America Two Rad Technologies
The ATA Chronicle • 225 Reinekers Lane, Reference Code: IFKV radtown@atanet.org
(800) 847-7378 • (302) 457-2165 www.atanet.org/radtown
Suite 590 • Alexandria, VA 22314
Fax (703) 683-6122 •
...And, of course, as an ATA member you receive discounts on the Annual Conference registration fees and ATA
Chronicle@atanet.org
publications, and you are eligible to join ATA Divisions, participate in the online Translation Services Directory, and
much more. For more information, contact ATA (703) 683-6100; fax (703) 683-6122; and e-mail: ata@atanet.org.
4 The ATA Chronicle | February 200628 O! Pioneers: A Commentary on Nebraska’s Translators and Interpreters
By Janet Bonet
There are hundreds of frontier practitioners starved for professional development who The ATA Chronicle (ISSN
are distanced financially or geographically from universities or specialty programs. 1078-6457) is published
monthly, except bi-monthly
32 A Second Pair of Eyes: Revision, Editing, and Proofreading in November/December,
by the American
By S. Alexandra Russell-Bitting Translators Association,
Make no mistake, inadvertent translation bloopers can ruin an otherwise excellent job. 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite
590, Alexandria, VA
35 Watch Your Language! Translating Euphemisms 22314. Periodicals
By Peter Unseth postage paid at
Alexandria, Virginia, and
A discussion of the four basic ways to translate euphemisms, including some additional mailing offices.
practical tips. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to The
40 The Nice Thing about Standards is... ATA Chronicle, 225
By Alan K. Melby Reinekers Lane, Suite
590, Alexandria, VA
Several ATA members attended a first-of-its-kind international conference dedicated to 22314. The American
language standards. This article provides an overview of the event and explores the sig- Translators Association
nificance of standards to translators and translation companies. (ATA) was established in
1959 as a not-for-profit
professional society to
foster and support the
professional development
of translators and
Couldn’t Get to ATA’s interpreters and to
promote the translation
th and interpreting
46 Annual Conference in Seattle? professions. The
subscription rate for a
member is $43 (included
Now You Can Own the DVD-ROM! in the dues payment). The
U.S. subscription rate for
a non-member is $50.
Subscribers in Canada
You'll hear every session* from ATA’s 46th Annual Conference in Seattle just as if you had been there and Mexico add $25; all
other non-U.S.
in person! Slides from presentations are integrated with the audio so you will have access to all the same
subscribers add $45.
materials as those who were on-site. Don't miss this opportunity to order your DVD-ROM today at the Single copies are available
ATA member price of only $149. (Non-member rate is $179.) Order from ATA Headquarters today by for $5 per issue.
fax (703.683.6122) or mail (225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314).
Reprint Permission:
* Some sessions may not be included based on presenter preference. Requests for permission to
reprint articles should be
sent to the Chronicle editor
at jeff@atanet.org.
Display Advertising Index
Guide to ATA 51 Cybertec USA
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7 Language School For Sale
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2 National Security Agency (NSA)
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64 SDL International
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The ATA Chronicle | February 2006 5About Our Authors...
Martin Alianelli is a busi- as a member of the Steering Committee Jiri Stejskal is the current
ness translator specializing of OSCAR (www.lisa.org/sigs/oscar). president-elect and former
in film and television. His More recently (about five years ago), he treasurer of ATA. He also
clients include the NBC, became involved in the development of serves as the treasurer of
Telemundo, and Mun2 the American Society for Testing and the American Foundation
Television Networks, as Materials translation quality assurance for Translation and
well as several other film and television standard that falls under subcommittee Interpretation and chairs the International
production companies around the country, F15.48 (www.astm.org). Contact: Federation of Translators (FIT) Committee
including Promofilm-Globomedia, RTI akmtrg@byu.edu. for Information on the Status of the
Studios, Skycastle Entertainment, and the Translation and Interpretation Profession.
talent management company of Walter Brenda Nicodemus has An active translator, he joined ATA in
Mercado Management. He is president of been a professional signed 1991, and founded a translation company,
Martin Alianelli Translations, Inc. and a language interpreter since CETRA, Inc., in 1997. In addition to his
member of the International Federation of 1989. She holds a certificate duties as a translator, company owner,
Journalists and the Newspaper Guild of of interpretation and a cer- and volunteer for translator and inter-
the Communications Workers of America. tificate of transliteration preter organizations, he teaches graduate
He is an active member of ATA and the from the Registry of Interpreters for the language courses at the University of
current president of the Florida Chapter of Deaf and an M.A. in linguistics from Pennsylvania. Contact: jiri@cetra.com.
ATA. Contact: martin@alianelli.net. Indiana University. She is presently a
doctoral candidate in educational Peter Unseth is on the
Katharine Allen is a freelance interpreter linguistics at the University of New faculty of the Graduate
and translator in California. She is the Mexico, where she was selected as the Institute of Applied
current president of the California 2003 Teaching Assistant of the Year. Linguistics in Dallas, Texas.
Healthcare Interpreting Association. She Her dissertation is entitled The Use of Previously, he worked in
is also an active ATA member and assis- Prosodic Markers to Indicate Utterance Ethiopia, leading courses in
tant administrator of ATA’s Interpreters Boundaries in ASL Interpretation. Contact: translation for the Ethiopian Bible Society,
Division. She is active in a range of nicodemusb@comcast.net. teaching linguistics at Addis Ababa
projects involving interpreter training, University, and serving as exegete for a
language access consultation to health- Beth Podrovitz is a senior project Scripture translation program into a
care facilities and other community manager at CETRA, Inc., a translation minority language with SIL Intl. Contact:
organizations, and promoting the company based outside of Philadelphia. pete_unseth@gial.edu.
translation/interpreting professions She holds an M.A. in foreign language
locally and statewide. Contact: and literature, with an emphasis in
sierrasky@schat.net. French→English translation, from the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and
Janet Bonet is a past president of the is currently pursuing a certificate in mar-
Attention Advertisers:
Nebraska Association for Translators & keting research. Contact: beth@cetra.com.
Interpreters and a member of the board of Reserve your
Spot
directors of the National Association of S. Alexandra Russell-
Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. Bitting has been on staff at
She was the first state certified court the Inter-American
interpreter in Nebraska. Contact: Development Bank as a
jbonet@cox.net. translator, reviser, and
Today
editor for 18 years, trans- Increase your company’s
Alan K. Melby was lating from Spanish, French, and visibility by placing
re-elected in November Portuguese into English. She has also
an ad in the ATA Chronicle.
at the Seattle ATA Annual taught translation at Georgetown
Conference for a second University and the Université de Paris VIII. Contact:
term as ATA secretary. He She is the president of the National Capital Matt Hicks at McNeill Group Inc.
has been involved in Area Chapter of ATA, an active member of
mhicks@mcneill-group.com
language standards for many years, ATA, a regular contributor to the ATA
as a member of the U.S. delegation to Chronicle, and a member of ATA’s Public 215.321.9662 ext. 19.
ISO Technical Committee 37 (Terminology Relations Committee. Contact:
and language and content resources) and alexandrarb@yahoo.com.
6 The ATA Chronicle | February 2006Ɣ New MA Degree Started Fall 2005
Master of Arts in Translation and Localization Management (MATLM)
The MATLM degree combines translation, localization technology, and business management.
The program is offered as both a two-year (four semesters with 60 credits required) and a
one-year degree - Advanced Entry (two semesters with 30-32 credits required).
Ɣ Two New On-line Translation Workshops Offered from Monterey
Translation for Website Localization Wksp and Translation Project Management Wksp
Call 83-647-470 for more information, dates, and how to register.
Ɣ Fall 2005 T&I Training Conference Abstracts Available on WEB
Professional Translator and Interpreter Education in the 21st Century
To access conference abstracts, go to http://gsti.miis.edu/conference/welcome.htm.
Please log on to www.miis.edu for detailed information about the new MATLM degree
program, new short-course translation workshops and Fall 2005 conference abstracts.
LANGUAGE SCHOOL FOR SALE
Plan now to exhibit at the
American Translators
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Exhibitors 2006. Exhibiting at the ATA LANGUAGE SCHOOL
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of the 1,300 translators and inter- • Good growth potential
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The ATA Chronicle | February 2006 7From the President Marian S. Greenfield
President@atanet.org
Taking An Active Interest in ATA
ollowing on my column in the engaged in the profession. You can certification exam grader; or writing
F January Chronicle, I would like to
continue with my theme of doing
well by doing good, or, as I called it in
find the various means of docu-
mentation (there are five different
options) and the procedures to be
an article for the Chronicle or some
other publication. These are all highly
rewarding experiences and go a long
January, enlightened self-interest. followed at www.atanet.org/bin/ way toward raising your profile
This time I’d like to urge those of view.pl/13518.html. among potential employers.
you who are associate, student, or cor- There are, of course, several other
porate members yet are working trans- Continuing Education Points options for earning your points,
lators or interpreters to take the very Reminder including attending courses, seminars,
easy steps necessary to become active Some other forms of enlightened and conferences, or working through
members of ATA and thus be able to self-interest will earn you continuing the 2005 ATA Financial Conference
do your part as “association citizens.” education points, help you keep your CD-ROM and/or the 2005 ATA
This will give you the right to vote skills current, and also serve as pro- Annual Conference DVD-ROM.
and, if you so choose, run for office. motion for your services while giving For those of you still looking for
After all, this is a volunteer-driven back to the profession. Remember ideas on how to top off your points, see
organization and we have thrived on that if you’re ATA-certified, you need www.atanet.org/acc/low_cost_ideas_
having a diverse pool of translators to earn 20 continuing education for_ce.htm for low-cost ideas on how
and interpreters to govern it. points by yearend 2006. If you have to earn points.
Just as a reminder, there are two been caught short, because this is the
routes to becoming an active member: first reporting period, you can apply Upcoming Professional Development
for a one-time six-month extension of Seminars
1) Pass the certification exam; the deadline. To do so, contact Terry I am looking forward to seeing
Or Hanlen, terry@atanet.org by yearend many of you at the Translating Science
2) Submit the documentation required 2006 for the appropriate form. and Technology Seminar in Los
for peer review. This peer review is Included among the options for Angeles this month and at the other
not a qualitative review. It is merely earning points are several that accom- seminars we will be offering around
a way of documenting that you plish all of the above goals: teaching the country this year. Look for the
have studied translation or inter- a seminar or offering a conference schedule posted at www.atanet.org.
preting and/or are actively session; mentoring; becoming a
Second Annual School Outreach Contest
Join ATA’s School Outreach movement and start educating clients one classroom at a time.
It’s easy • It’s fun • It’s free
… and it could win you free registration to next year’s conference in New Orleans, November 1-4, 2006.
1. Visit the ATA School Outreach Welcome Page at www.atanet.org/ata_school/welcome.htm.
2. Pick the age level you like the best and click on it.
3. Download a presentation and deliver it at your local school or university.
4. Get someone to take a picture of you in the classroom.
5. Send it to ATA’s Public Relations Committee at pr@atanet.org (subject line: School Outreach Contest) or to
225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314. Please include your name and contact information, the date,
the school’s name and location, and a brief description of the class. The deadline for submissions is July 14, 2006.
The best photograph wins free registration to ATA’s 2006 Annual Conference in New Orleans! The winner will be contacted no later than
August 18, 2006. You may submit multiple entries, and any member of ATA or of any ATA-affiliated organization is eligible to enter.
Any questions? Contact: Amanda Ennis, germantoenglish@earthlink.net or Lillian Clementi, lillian@lingualegal.com
8 The ATA Chronicle | February 2006From the Executive Director Walter Bacak, CAE
Walter@atanet.org
Follow-Up on the Membership Survey
ne of the key aspects of ATA’s • Being a critical information The comments about the exam,
O growth and success over the
years has been the feedback
from the members, then incorporating
resource;
• Current member benefits and
services; and
which will be shared with the
Certification Committee, touched on
many areas. The ATA Certification
those comments and ideas into the • The ATA Chronicle. Program has always drawn spirited
association’s policies and practices. discussions. In my nearly 25 years of
Over the past year, the ATA Board The items that the membership association management work, I can
of Directors and staff have intensified was not satisfied with or felt needed tell you that this is the norm. Any
the organization’s efforts to elicit attention: group that administers a certification
member feedback. Specifically, program has internal debates about its
in November, we conducted an • High cost of attending the ATA credential.
ATA member satisfaction survey. conference, which was cited As for the limited range of mem-
We worked with Customer Care more than twice as often as any bership services and benefits, the
Measurement and Consulting (CCMC), other issue; comments showed that the primary
which consults with Fortune 500 • Certification exam results were desire is health insurance. As I have
companies and various associations, unclear; written many times before, we have
to structure the survey and analyze • Difficulty in obtaining informa- heard the membership loud and clear
the results. tion on membership benefits on this matter. However, this problem
The survey, which was sent to the and services; is much, much bigger than ATA; it is
entire ATA membership via broadcast • Limited range of membership a national issue—really a crisis, if
e-mail messages, resulted in 1,868 services and benefits; and you will. I will continue to monitor
members responding for an excellent • Difficulty in getting problems this matter, and I will keep you posted
22% response rate. Thank you to resolved—especially not knowing on any changes or any new opportu-
those who took the time to complete whom to contact for a problem nities. In addition, there are other
the survey and share your thoughts. or question. benefits that we will investigate
This long overdue survey provides offering, and we will continue
quantifiable data on the member- Digging deeper into these areas reviewing our current benefits.
ship’s concerns. With this defined list needing attention, CCMC reported on The last two survey items to
of issues, the association will be able the comments that elaborated on what address are the difficulty in obtaining
to address the truly deep-seated prob- the respondents thought were the information and in getting problems
lems before concerns raised by a most serious problems or concerns. resolved. I will be working with the
“squeaky wheel” or a minority of The issue of the high cost of Board and staff to act on these two
members. attending the ATA conference is a areas. I can say with confidence that
The survey confirmed that mem- tough one. To offer a conference with the new ATA website, which should
bers were most satisfied with: the breadth of sessions, exhibits, net- be online this month, will help those
working opportunities, plus over 600 looking for more info on ATA bene-
• ATA’s efforts to promote the guest rooms, as we now do, requires a fits and services.
translation and interpreting very large hotel, which is not going to Thank you again for sharing your
professions; be inexpensive. That said, we will thoughts. This vital feedback will
• Keeping members informed of look at ways to better explain the only help strengthen and enhance
new developments in their value of attending the conference and your association.
respective fields; some cost savings ideas.
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The ATA Chronicle | February 2006 9Letters to the Editor:
More Details on the Mohammed Yousry Case
n March 1, 2005, the board of while underlining the need for educa- themselves. But is this really the
O directors of both the National
Association of Judiciary
Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT)
tion and vigilance in upholding the
strict standards for ethics and protocols
demanded of interpreters in the legal
case? More to the point, was
Mr.Yousry really just doing his job,
performing as a “court-appointed
and ATA issued a joint statement on domain. interpreter,” or was he doing some-
the case of Mohammed Yousry. The In the light of anticipated appeals, thing else—taking on a role that
following explanatory comments, our associations have preferred not to allowed a jury to view his actions as
prepared by NAJIT Director Judith publish statements containing con- independent and self-initiated? Is the
Kenigson Kristy in response to two crete examples of some of the ethics “translator” defense really any more
articles published by the New York issues in question. However, the rhet- than a red herring?
Circle of Translators in its October oric has reached a level where the In the reports of both Shore and
2005 newsletter, are reprinted here as Gotham articles have characterized Dundy, there are many references to
published in the December 2005 our response as “cowardly and eva- the proper role of the interpreter.
issue of The Gotham Translator. We sive” (Shore), and representing mere Shore reports on the presentation of
believe our members will find them “legalistic bombast about protocols Ellen Sowchek, stating that an inter-
informative. and neutrality” (Dundy). We beg to preter is “required to speak in the
differ. While respecting the right of same grammatical person as the indi-
Dear colleagues: every individual to have and express vidual for whom he/she is inter-
In response to the articles pub- his or her opinion, we would be preting,” and must “convey not only
lished in the October 2005 issue of doing the interpreting community a the speaker’s meaning, but also the
The Gotham Translator, Judith disservice if we did not continue to style and register of speech, and to do
Kenigson Kristy has prepared the fol- stress that the frequently mentioned so in a neutral fashion, without
lowing remarks, which are a faithful “risks of doing one’s job well” adding or subtracting from the orig-
reflection of the views of both NAJIT (Shore) are greatly reduced, if not inal message.” This is quite correct
and ATA. We appreciate the opportu- completely eliminated, by strict and in accordance with the canon of
nity to provide a detailed explanation adherence to proper interpreting ethics that requires accuracy and pro-
of the rationale behind our stance. standards of performance. hibits changing, adding to, or omit-
Marian S. Greenfield In the specific case of Mr.Yousry, it ting the words of the speaker.
President is regrettable that instruction about Nevertheless, if one reads the actual
American Translators Association these important standards does not transcripts used as evidence in the
seem to have been provided, or if it case, that is, the transcripts of the
LETTER TO THE EDITOR was, it was not sufficiently absorbed videotaped jail visits in which
In the wake of the conviction of and/or reinforced to allow Mr.Yousry Mohammed Yousry acted as inter-
Mohammed Yousry for defrauding the to withstand pressures to perform preter between client Sheik Rahman
U.S. government and concealing mate- tasks and take positions that are and attorney Lynne Stewart, there are
rial support to terrorist activity, a patently contrary to the most basic so few instances of accurate inter-
number of letters have been written canons observed by legal interpreters. preting and so many continuous
supporting Mr. Yousry. Now two arti- The defense strategy used by examples of paraphrasing, informa-
cles with a similar theme have Mr.Yousry’s legal representatives tion added, information omitted, and
appeared in the October 2005 issue of emphasized that he was “just doing personal commentary offered, that it
The Gotham Translator, the newsletter his job” and the majority of articles is hard to see how this performance
of the New York Circle of Translators, in support of Mr.Yousry underline can be classed as “interpreting.”
a chapter of the American Translators this idea—that Mr. Yousry was Likewise, Dundy states: “It is the
Association: “Occupational Hazards,” merely “carrying out his duties as an job of the translator to facilitate com-
by Marguerite Shore, and “Perils of interpreter, following the instructions munication. A translator’s own views
Translation in Post 9/11 America: The of Stewart, the lawyer” (Shore), sug- and voice are essentially invisible
Case of Mohammed Yousry,” by gesting that if he can be convicted for and silent.” Yet the jail interview
Alison Dundy. These letters and arti- that, then interpreters and translators transcripts are literally filled with Mr.
cles decry Mr. Yousry’s conviction as in the legal domain are in danger Yousry’s opinions, clever strategies,
“wrongful” (Dundy), and take the ATA when interpreting for attorneys or and personal comments. Is this the
and NAJIT to task for maintaining a their agents who may be carrying out work of a “neutral” party, an “impar-
neutral stance on guilt or innocence suspect or even illegal activities tial” interpreter? If Mr. Yousry had
10 The ATA Chronicle | February 2006limited himself to interpreting what impartially, maintaining neutrality not helping, not harming, not partici-
the two parties said (acting exclu- and keeping their ideas and opinions pating—in short, not doing anything
sively as their voices instead of intro- to themselves. This is one of the hall- that can be construed as an activity
ducing his own voice, his own ideas) marks of a professional interpreter in that does not constitute completely
in strategy planning and personal the legal domain. Those who do not impartial interpreting or translating.
exchanges with the Sheik and maintain neutrality are, indeed, sub- There are so many examples of eth-
Stewart, would a jury have been able jecting themselves to risks, ranging ical errors to be seen in the 275 pages
to consider him as part of a con- from burnout to prosecution, but true of the jail visit transcriptions (see
spiracy or would they have seen a professionals generally have suffi- box), and so many defects in the entire
mere language conduit, detached and cient trust in their own abilities, as role and performance of Mr. Yousry as
uninvolved in the process? well as in the fact that they do not an “interpreter” in this case, that it
Shore speaks of the “impossibility really know, nor do they need to know, would be impossible to outline all of
of neutrality in charged situations,” who is guilty and who is innocent. them here. Suffice it to say that if
yet every day, in hundreds of courts, Neutrality, for court interpreters, is people continue to follow the red
depositions, attorney visits, proffers, precisely that: it means not taking
and so on, interpreters are performing sides at all, under any circumstances; Continued on p.18
Ms. Dundy states that “Mohammed Yousry was convicted for doing nothing other than his job.” In our view, a judiciary inter-
preter is not doing his job when he does the following:
1) Fails to speak in the same voice, register, or manner of the speaker. This occurs throughout all 275 pages of the May 19 and 20,
2000 videotaped jail interview transcriptions. Starting on 19, v. 1, p. 6, l. 11*—Yousry: “She is saying, Sir, that her favorite person
is Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman.” This type of inaccurate, indirect speech continues throughout.
2) Summarizes, adds to, and omits parts of the speakers’ communications. This occurs throughout all of the transcriptions; in fact,
it is difficult to find many examples of actual, accurate interpreting in the entire corpus. Examples:19, v. 1, pp. 12-15, 21-25, also
20, v. 1, pp. 1-3.
3) Carries on lengthy personal conversations with the client in a foreign language, in spite of the fact that the attorney is not
speaking of, or may not even have knowledge of, the matters they are discussing. This occurs throughout; see 19, v. 1, pp. 16-
18—“I’m telling about Tuesday now”; 19, v. 2, pp. 2-8—at the end of these seven pages Stewart says: “Yousry, stop and translate
now,” since she has no idea what they are talking about; 20, v. 2, pp. 30-31.
4) Offers political advice or suggests strategies.19, v. 1, pp. 24-25—Yousry suggests that even if Farrakhan does not succeed in vis-
iting the Sheikh, it will be good publicity for him if the newspapers say that he has not been allowed to visit the Sheikh. This is one
of many suggestions made.
5) Receives or has possession of faxes, letters, and telephone calls on behalf of the client. 19, v. 1, p. 7; 19, v. 1, p. 38; 20, v. 2, p. 25,
l. 22.
6) Deceives the authorities about his true intent in speaking to the attorney. 19, v. 1, pp. 49-51 (starting on p. 49, l. 18); 19, v. 2 ,
p. 29, ll. 4, 13, 15; p. 30, l. 9; 20, v. 2, p. 3 (“I am looking at you, [Lynn] so they get to think I am translating…”); 20, v. 1, p. 17, l.
5 to p. 18, l. 11; 20, v. 1, p. 24, l. 19, and so on...
7) Is responsible for ancillary activities connected with the case, such as making calls, buying newspapers to read to the client,
bringing him candy, handling money. 20, v. 1, p. 3, ll. 22-26, and pp. 19-20; 20, v. 3, p. 2, Il. 1-10. There are also frequent men-
tions of “we” (“we received a letter…”), indicating that he is considered part of the defense team, rather than just an interpreter.
* The above references are taken from the transcripts of jail visits made on May 19 and 20, 2000, available at
www.lynnestewart.org/transcripts.html. The date of the visit is indicated by 19 or 20; the specific videotape is indicated by v. 1, v. 2,
or v. 3; pages are indicated by p. 1; and lines are indicated by l. 1, etc. For example, 19, v. 1, p. 1, l. 1, indicates: Jail visit May 19,
2000, videotape transcription 1, page 1, line 1.
The ATA Chronicle | February 2006 11Developing a Mentoring Program?
Key Questions to Guide Your Journey
By Brenda Nicodemus
hen Paula McCluskey Paula with an experienced interpreter support and sustain experienced
W boarded the flight for her
2,000-mile trip
Albuquerque to Boston she smiled,
from
who worked side by side with her for
11 weeks to guide her transition into
the work environment. Immediately
interpreters who want to develop spe-
cific skill sets or achieve certain
goals. Among professional inter-
thinking of the piece of notebook observing Paula’s need for confidence preters and translators, there is a tacit
paper carefully tucked away in her building, the mentor guided her in acknowledgment of the need for
suitcase. On that paper the self- identifying her many strengths as an ongoing growth and improvement.
assured young interpreter had outlined interpreter rather than constantly As a result, mentoring can serve a
each of her career goals. At the top of focusing on her weaknesses. key role in the professional develop-
the page in block letters she had The support from her mentor ment of interpreters and translators at
boldly printed her number one ambi- turned the tide for Paula. She any point in their career.
tion, “BECOME CERTIFIED.” Paula, received the much-needed external The concept of “mentoring” has
a recent graduate from a signed lan- validation of her work and learned to its origins in Homer’s epic poem, The
guage interpreter education program, quiet her overly harsh internal critic. Odyssey. Mentor was the friend who
had just been hired at a prestigious Paula stated: “Once I was confident Odysseus left in charge of his home
university in Boston with a reputation in the level I was at, the rest came.” while he was away in Troy. Mentor
for using excellent interpreters. Paula served as the teacher and protector of
was moving to a city she had never Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, in his
seen and was doing so without an “…Mentoring can serve a absence. The modern usage of
established support network of family key role in the professional “mentor” continues to signify a
or friends. She took this risk knowing highly trustworthy person who serves
that she needed an intense work envi- development of as an advisor and guardian to
ronment in order to achieve her goal of interpreters and someone in need of support.
becoming certified. In the past, certain professions had
What Paula didn’t anticipate was
translators at any point in built-in ways to transition beginning
the culture shock of moving from a their career…” workers into the world of work. For
familiar and relaxed southwestern example, tradesmen formed guilds
town to a huge eastern metropolis. that supported novice workers until
Her self-confidence plummeted as She credits her mentor with helping they had achieved a certain degree of
she struggled with the demands of a her transition from an anxious novice mastery. Other professions attempted
job that positioned her as “the new into a self-assured professional who to close the gap between entry-level
kid” among seasoned interpreters. was able to re-focus on her career and experienced workers through
Within a year her dreams had faded goals. Within a few years Paula structured internship and apprentice-
and the paper with her carefully accomplished her dream of becoming ship programs. In other fields, older
written goals lay crumpled in a a fully certified interpreter. Today, professionals with experience and
dresser drawer. Paula secretly began with 12 years of experience in the influence took on promising individ-
scouring college bulletins, consid- field, Paula is a successful veteran uals as protégés.
ering a career change into accounting. interpreter, holding a lead position Mentoring has long been a part of
Although her interpreting skills had with a video relay interpreting center. the interpreter’s and translator’s expe-
developed, her self-esteem was at an She is also involved with state and rience as well, but in the past it usually
all-time low and she was on the verge national interpreting committees. unfolded in an informal, random
of spinning out of the profession. fashion. Today’s interpreters and trans-
Fortunately, the university in Professional Mentoring lators have recognized the need for
Boston offered a mentoring program Mentoring can change lives for more structured ways to guide their
for novice interpreters. Paula was only both new and veteran practitioners. A own and their colleagues’ develop-
vaguely familiar with the concept of mentor can guide novices like Paula, ment. The ATA, for example, has
professional mentoring when, in a an interpreter with theoretical knowl- established a mentorship program for
last-ditch effort, she signed up for the edge but limited real-world experi- interpreters and translators (see
program. The administrators paired ence in the field. A mentor can also www.atanet.org/mentor). As stated on
12 The ATA Chronicle | February 2006the association’s website, ATA offers answered by a group of dedicated vol- years ago and they stole it!!”? The
workshops that, “look at the best prac- unteers as they pursued their dream of roadblock for many a great vision is
tices of successful mentors and establishing a statewide mentoring pro- making the giant leap from thinking
mentees, introduces tips for structuring gram for signed language interpreters. into an actual plan of action. Since
a successful mentoring relationship, not all visionaries are expert plan-
and provides mentee-strategies that Eight Key Questions ners, you might consider drawing on
newcomers to translation and interpre- There are numerous issues to con- specialists to jump-start the process.
tation can implement immediately.” sider prior to establishing a mentoring For example, consider drawing on the
Mentoring programs specifically program. The following eight ques- ideas in David Allen’s book Getting
designed for signed language interpreters tions are offered as a way to provide a Things Done: The Art of Stress-free
are also springing up around the nation. process for questioning your thinking Productivity (2001, Piatkus Books).
One example is Project TIEM.Online in the early stages of development. In his book, Allen observes that all
(Teaching Interpreting Educators and ideas “suffer the stress of infinite
Mentors), a nationally funded program Question 1: What is the goal and opportunity” and that people must
at Northeastern University that trains mission of the mentoring project? reconcile that one project will never
individuals to establish and run men- The first question focuses on the resolve every need. Allen suggests
toring programs within their communi- specific goals of the mentoring pro- that productivity happens by creating
ties (see www.asl.neu.edu/tiem.online/ gram. Should the program: an inventory of the “open loops” that
mastermentor.html). • Improve the overall skills of inter- might sabotage the project and proac-
These large-scale innovative preters and translators? tively identifying the steps to close
efforts provide exciting options, how- • Help colleagues gain credentials? them. He encourages people to take
ever, many interpreters and transla- • Attract more interpreters or trans- advantage of what he calls “weird
tors don’t have ready access to lators to the field? time,” i.e., those brief periods in our
established mentoring programs. • Encourage fellow interpreters/ day that often go wasted, but which
Perhaps interpreters work for a translators to join a professional could be highly productive.
referral agency that could benefit association? Ideas like Allen’s can serve to
from planned educational opportuni- • Develop confidence in uncertain unify a start-up group and create a
ties. Or an interpreter knows a tal- interpreters/translators? common language for moving for-
ented individual who is interested in • Provide rural interpreters/transla- ward on a project. Other inspiration
interpreting, but doesn’t know how to tors with networking opportunities? may be found in a variety of
get started. Or maybe a translator just • Retain professionals in the field? resources, such as tapping the skills
wants to link up with colleagues in a of successful and organized people in
study group to read and discuss trans- This process can be served by your own community. The point is to
lation-related journal articles. brainstorming your goals as quickly do something, anything, to keep the
A mentoring program can take as possible. Write them down without project in motion before it becomes
many forms and serve multiple func- making judgments on their feasi- one more great idea that just sits on
tions, including educational develop- bility. This activity can be especially the shelf.
ment, networking opportunities, and fruitful when done with colleagues
recruitment. If a person is interested who are interested in the benefits of Question 3: Who are the
in creating a small mentoring pro- mentoring. Consider them all, but stakeholders?
gram for a business or membership eventually hone in on the specific Another question to consider is
organization or would like to create a mission you want to accomplish. A who will be affected by a mentoring
structured support program for local clear mission statement will guide the program. Too often we assume that
colleagues, where does one begin? work ahead. mentoring services only benefit the
The starting point for developing a person being mentored. In fact, the
mentoring program might lie with con- Question 2: How can I move from a benefits can be far-reaching. The con-
sidering the eight key questions pro- great idea to an action plan? sumers of interpreting services
vided here. This article also presents a How many times have you heard receive better services. The mentors
case study of how these questions were someone say, “Hey, I had that idea have an opportunity to share ➡
The ATA Chronicle | February 2006 13Developing a Mentoring Program? Key Questions to Guide Your Journey Continued
their expertise. Employment agencies • Financial support from state important is to have a vision of the
have a more qualified pool from agencies; obstacles. Obstacles can demoralize
which to hire. State government • Employers; participants and can derail an entire
better serves its citizens. • Fundraising events; and project. Unfortunately, obstacles are
Consider the beneficiaries of your • Corporate donations. unavoidable, so it’s best to be ready
mentoring program carefully because for them. Then when obstacles arise,
they will drive the program’s success Make sure that investors are pro- as they inevitably will, they just
through their participation, mar- vided a clear benefit for their involve- become another expected part of the
keting, and often, financial contribu- ment. Does a corporate donor want plan. Are certain individuals going to
tions. In fact, the buy-in of the company name on all advertising? resist the project proposal? What if
stakeholders can make or break the Does a political group want to claim the funding falls through? Will there
success of your program. the program as their own? Finding be technological glitches? It’s always
what “motivates the money” will help better to have the answers to potential
Question 4: What will it cost? fill the coffers. obstacles in mind and to do proactive
Mentoring programs require troubleshooting.
resources. Even for a small-scale pro- Question 6: How will my program With a little change in attitude,
gram, there will be costs involved. deliver mentoring services? obstacles can be seen as a critical part
Establishing a budget helps clarify These days, we are no longer lim- of the program’s development. So don’t
what is needed and defines the goals ited to face-to-face mentoring oppor- just expect obstacles, embrace them as
and philosophy of your program. A tunities. Technology provides us with an important aspect of the project!
budget may include items such as: e-mail, Internet, instant messaging,
• Training materials; and remote video capabilities, among New Mexico Mentoring:
• Payment to mentors and other options. Assess the scope of the A Case Study
administrators; project and who is trying to be reached As the popular adage goes, talk is
• Office supplies; (and seriously consider involving a cheap. It’s great to consider these
• Printing costs; technology wizard along the way). ideas for establishing a mentoring pro-
• Travel expenses; gram, but will they really work? It
• Marketing brochures; and Question 7: What is my time frame? might be useful to hear a story of
• Equipment (videocameras, Web It goes without saying that setting others who had the same question.
cameras, etc.). up a quality mentoring program takes The following case study describes the
time. Unfortunately, it will probably efforts of a group of dedicated volun-
Creating a budget can help determine take longer than you would like. teers in New Mexico in their pursuit to
where to seek resources. And, like Creating a timeline accomplishes establish a statewide mentoring pro-
moving from ideas to action, the next several goals. First, it helps the stake- gram for signed language interpreters.
step is finding the money to support the holders see the progression of the In 2004, a forward-thinking inter-
budget. With a concrete plan and budget project. Timelines also reassure preter by the name of Yoshiko Chino
in place it is easier to find the necessary funding sources that the program is decided enough was enough.
resources, including hard cash. more than a dream; it has a clear plan. Working as a signed language inter-
Keep in mind that a timeline will preter in New Mexico, she had seen
Question 5: Where can I get the need to be revisited often, and may too many of her colleagues receiving
money? need to be revised periodically, but a little or no professional support.
A program budget is now in place, timeline serves as the roadmap for Many interpreters worked in isolation
but where does the money come measuring your progress. in rural New Mexico towns, with lim-
from? The answer might be found by ited resources and without profes-
piecing together a variety of funding Question 8: What obstacles may sional development plans. Other New
sources. Consider the following pos- arise? Mexico interpreters lived in more
sibilities: The reality of obstacles must be urban environments with the benefit
• Federal, state, and local grants; faced. Most people can envision the of formal training, but found that the
• Participation fees; successes that lie ahead, but equally leap from student to professional was
14 The ATA Chronicle | February 2006a difficult one to make. They often board had formulated a rough plan of reinforce their own mission of
graduated, with high hopes and action for developing a mentoring supporting rural educational inter-
degree in hand, but with little profes- program for the state of New Mexico. preters, and came on board by
sional, or life, experience. Many By April 2005, a pilot project was offering over $20,000 for curriculum
interpreters moved out of the state in underway and six mentee/mentor development. With these resources,
pursuit of an environment that could pairs were working together on two along with a small grant from the
offer needed assistance. specialized curricular packages. Most Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
Rather than continuing to feel frus- of the work was done at a distance (www.rid.org), the program found its
trated by these situations one more and the participants used technology financial legs.
time, Chino took action. She started as a means of communication. After After two years of dreaming, plan-
by having in-depth conversations with eight weeks of work, the pairs met ning, and working, New Mexico
lots of people. She worked the topic of again at a wrap-up meeting and Mentoring officially kicked off in
mentoring into her discussions in shared their perceptions of the pilot January of 2006. With a program
break rooms, over dinners, and even program, including the strengths and administrator in place and an advisory
on bicycle rides. She listened to her weaknesses, and offered suggestions board to guide the future of the pro-
colleagues’ ideas and began to formu- to improve the program. gram, hopes are high that the original
late a plan for how to move from Finances were considered the dream of supporting New Mexico
thinking into an action plan. When she major obstacle to the success of the signed language interpreters is well
felt confident that she had cultivated a program. Some mentoring programs on its way. (For more information
level of excitement for the establish- use volunteer mentors, but the board about New Mexico Mentoring, con-
ment of a mentoring program, she was determined to pay their mentors tact the New Mexico Commission for
asked key stakeholders to form an as a way to recognize their contribu- the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at
advisory board to make it happen. tion. There was also a clear need for a nmcdhha@doh.state.nm.us.)
The early stages were exciting program administrator who could
times. The advisory board meetings market the program, recruit mentors Conclusion
became “mini think tank” sessions and mentees, gather resources, and This article opened with the story
where thoughts flowed freely. The oversee the budget. Who could do the of how one motivated interpreter was
board members sifted through all of job and how could the person be paid? transformed by the guidance of a
the ideas and devised a plan that A major breakthrough occurred caring mentor. Each of us probably
focused specifically on the pressing when the New Mexico Commission has a similar story of someone who
needs of rural educational interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has guided our professional journey.
in the state. Ultimately, they designed decided that the mentoring concept If you want to offer your fellow col-
a mentoring program using structured dovetailed perfectly with their own leagues the same promise of guided
curriculum packages that focused on mission statement. They offered to mentoring, we hope you are able to
specific skills sets. The mentors, both fund a program administrator posi- establish a solid foundation for a
deaf and hearing, would serve as tion and provide an additional mentorship program by using the
instructional guides to move mentees $35,000 for start-up expenses. In information in this article. Best
through the workbooks. addition, the New Mexico School for wishes in your journey!
Over the course of a year, the the Deaf saw the program as a way to
2006 Cambridge Conference Interpretation Course
Refresher Course for Professional Conference Interpreters
August 13-25, 2006
Cambridge, England
An intensive course in simultaneous conference interpretation. For more
information, please visit www.cciconline.net, or contact Christopher
Guichot de Fortis at c.guichot@aiic.net.
The ATA Chronicle | February 2006 15Resume Writing for Freelancers
By Beth Podrovitz and Jiri Stejskal
recent survey showed that free- summarize the most significant idea to indicate something you
A lance translators who are also
ATA members derive 60% of
their income from translation compa-
highlights of your professional
skills that are relevant to the posi-
tion you are applying for. A project
would like to specialize in and that
you are actively pursuing.
nies.1 This article provides insight into or vendor manager’s time is lim- • Submit your resume online,
what translation companies in the U.S. ited. They spend only a few sec- preferably in PDF format as an
expect from resumes they receive from onds looking at your resume to see e-mail attachment. A PDF file
freelance translators or interpreters. The if it is worthwhile to keep reading. looks professional and can be
following information is loosely based viewed on different platforms
on a presentation made by Jiri Stejskal • Indicate your source and target without altering the fonts you use.
at the September 2005 annual meeting languages. This information is It also indicates that you know
of the Northeast Ohio Translators important and having it clearly how to create a PDF file, which
Association (www.ohiotranslators.org), visible at the top makes it easier many translation companies see as
a very active ATA chapter headed by for project or vendor managers to a valuable skill.
Jill Sommer.
First, let us clarify our definition • List complete contact informa-
of a resume. Unlike a curriculum “…It is the content, not tion. Make sure you include your
vitae (CV), which is more detailed the form, that is important mailing address, phone number,
and includes publications, presenta- fax number, and an accurate e-mail
tions, awards, and other professional to the project or vendor address that you check regularly.
achievements, a resume is a one- to manager…”
two-page summary of relevant skills, • When saving your resume on the
experience, and education. A resume computer, use your last name for
must be brief because the reader typ- find when they go looking for a the filename. Don’t name your
ically spends less than a minute specific language pair among the resume something generic like
reviewing its contents. many resumes they have on file. If “U.S. resume” or “translator1.”
You need to make sure your you translate more than one lan- This just makes good sense, espe-
resume is concise, well written, and guage, include it, but differentiate cially when submitting your resume
that it contains the information trans- your strongest language pair from online, since translation companies
lation companies are looking for, the others. will typically file an applicant’s
and, by the same token, that it does material under their last name.
not contain anything that is irrelevant • Indicate your specialization. It is
or unnecessary. The suggestions likely to be the second thing a • Indicate your educational back-
below can serve as a guideline for project or vendor manager looks ground in the proper place. If
writing an effective resume that for on your resume. When looking you graduated recently and do not
makes the first cut, and can be used for a particular area of expertise have much work experience, make
as a basis for a successful business for a project, many translation sure you emphasize your educa-
relationship. Use the list of “do’s” companies use indexing and key tion. If you are an experienced
and “don’ts” below to ensure that word search tools to help them sift translator or interpreter, you can
your resume goes on file and not in through the resumes on file. move the education information to
the recycling bin. Having your specializations listed the end of your resume and empha-
will help ensure that a word search size your work experience instead.
Resume To-do List leads to your resume. For example,
Here are some suggestions on how if you are a German medical trans- • Provide relevant information
to make your resume stand out. lator, make sure you list the words only. For a freelance position, it is
“German” and “medical.” If you not necessary to show that there
• Keep the document to one or two are just starting out, you may not are no gaps in your employment
pages. Remember, this is a resume, have substantial experience in a history. You don’t need to write
not a CV. As such, it is important to particular field, but it is still a good down that summer you spent
16 The ATA Chronicle | February 2006You can also read
