September 2004 Chronicle
Focus: Interpreting

Message from the President
Message from the President-elect
Message from the Executive Director

Treasury Department Responds to ATA on Freedom to Translate
By Kirk Anderson

ATA Medical Seminar: An Attendee's Perspective
By Deb Kramasz
ATA's Medical Translation and Interpreting Seminar in Minneapolis not only provided specialized and difficult-to-find information, but also gave participants a welcome networking opportunity.

CIATI Conference in Brazil Spotlights ATA Speakers: Focus on Literary Translation
By Alexandra Russell-Bitting
Some 900 linguists descended on the Universidade Iberoamericana to explore the theme of “New Times, an Old Art—Translation, Technology, Talent.”

The Proper Care and Feeding of Humans: Human Resources Basics for Translation Companies
By Kim Vitray
Your human resources—your employees—are your most important assets. Here is some basic information about how to manage their employment process—from hiring to performance evaluations and termination.

Translating at the U.S. Department of State: Past, Present, and Future
By Joseph P. Mazza
The State Department's Office of Language Services (LS) has been providing translations to the nation's diplomats and policy makers for over 200 years. Generations of staff translators, including many colorful figures, have helped LS develop a high level of institutional expertise in the rarefied art of diplomatic translation.

The Embassy Translator: A Connecting Link Between Cultures and Countries
By Cheryl A. Fain
Through translating and editing embassy documents with a U.S. reader or audience in mind, a translator for a foreign embassy in the U.S. plays a vital role in helping the embassy to accomplish its mission and achieve its goals.

An Exercise in the Organization of Interpreting Services at High-Level Diplomatic Conferences
By Georganne Weller
This article deals with simultaneous interpreting services at a specific high-level diplomatic event and stresses the key role played by the chief interpreter.

Invisible in the Spotlight: Interpreting for Film and Performing Artists
By Ellen Sowchek
The consecutive interpreter working with film and performing artists has the privilege of being able to assist them in communicating their works and ideas to the public. It is incredibly rewarding, but it requires considerable preparation and, on occasion, is not for the faint-of-heart.

Lunch with a Legend
By Tanya Gesse©

An interview with Peter Less, who served as an interpreter at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal.