January 2005Chronicle
Focus: Terminology
Message from the Executive Director
By Nicky Llamas
The ATA conference experience enhances our work by keeping us current and technically proficient. It also allows us to network and share experiences and solutions with fellow professionals.
“Translating for International Financial Institutions”: A Joint Seminar in Washington
By Alexandra Russell-Bitting
In September, a group of Washington-based international financial institutions that buy translations gathered together to address the need for targeted training for freelancers.
Translating Feelings: Why Good Ads Make Bad Translations
By Ian Hinchliffe
The translation of marketing texts highlights something commonly overlooked in many other types of translation: namely, that the words themselves are only one aspect of the message.
Rx&D: Translating for Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies
By Alain Côté
In Canada, the Translation Group—Rx&D strives to improve French communications within brand-name pharmaceutical companies through its newsletter and terminology recommendations. This article gives an overview of the group's work and the challenges it faces.
A 10-Year Retrospective on a Distance Revision Course: Most Frequent Translation Problems (Part II)
By Leandro Wolfson, Translated by Alicia Marshall
Is it possible to come up with a translation acceptable to all Spanish speakers? Up to what point must the personal intensity of an expression be sacrificed by using a generic alternative that will be understood by more people? Is there a “trick” or hint that may allow the translator to recognize an intertextual reference?
Common Statistical Errors Even YOU Can Find: Part 1
By Tom Lang
A description of several of the more common statistical errors found in biomedical literature that can be identified even by those who know little about statistics.
Translating Proverbs
By Peter Unseth
The techniques used to translate proverbs will vary greatly according to the genre in which the proverbs are found. This article categorizes three broad genres in which translators will encounter proverbs, giving guidelines for translating them in each genre.
Neutral Spanish: Is it Necessary? Does it Exist?
By Guillermo Cabanellas de las Cuevas
Is it possible to write in neutral Spanish, and is it necessary or even appropriate?