Science and Technology

[CANCELED] ST-1 (S, 1:30-3:00pm) - ALL
Organic-Chemical Nomenclature—A Workshop
S. Edmund Berger, independent translator, Tonawanda, New York

This session will deal with selected aspects of organic-chemical nomenclature. The purpose is to point out potential areas of difficulty to translators of chemical texts. The US Chemical Abstracts system will be compared to the international IUPAC system of naming organic chemicals. The nomenclature of organic compounds used as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, etc. will be discussed briefly. This workshop should be of interest to those who occasionally or regularly undertake chemical and related translations, as well as to those who have had no formal education in chemistry. Those who work in the patent field should be particularly interested.

ST-2 (S, 2:15-3:00pm) - ALL
Translating Technical Manuals: What are They? What are They Used for?
João Roque Dias, Technical Translator, Lisbon, Portugal

A technical text is not a literary text sprinkled with hard to understand, complicated, puzzling words (the so called technical terms) and funny sentences. Far from it. A technical text, or the manuals that form its natural habiat, is written for a very precise and specific purpose: to convey information to those who need it to perform their work, keep their jobs, or, simply, to enhance their lives. With these simple facts in mind, in this presentation we will look at a manual's anatomy, dissect it part by part (from the translator's point of view), and study some examples of what to do (and not to do…). Not convinced? Look at the spines (yes, just the spines…) of the books lying on your shelves and try to spot the differences.

ST-3 (S, 3:30-4:15pm) - ALL
Pharmaceuticals: Lab Testing
Denzel Dyer, translator, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

This is a relatively narrow presentation on how pharmaceutical products are tested in laboratories in the United States. The emphasis is on physical and chemical tests and the terminology used, with passing mention of animal and clinical testing.

(S, 4:15-5:00pm) - ALL
Dinosaur Cloning 101: A Whimsical Look at the Process of Cloning
Heather A. Murchison, ATA-accredited (Portuguese>English) freelance translator, and assistant editor, PLData, Clinton, Washington

Can dinosaurs really be cloned? Can Tyrannosaurus Rex be brought back to life? Do we have the technology? Do we have the nerve? Explore the answers to these questions and in the process, review basic genetic engineering terminology and concepts such as PCR, vector cloning, genome mapping, and nuclear transfer. Everything you wanted to know about cloning and then some.

ST-4 (S, 3:30-5:00pm) - ALL
Nuts and Bolts from Bumper to Bumper
Paulo Roberto Lopes, certified translator and conference interpreter, São Paulo, Brazil

This workshop will try to give translators and interpreters a general idea about major car parts/assemblies and industrial mechanics alike, working its way up from simple screws (or is it bolts?) to wishbones, gearboxes, and crankshafts, from monkey wrenches through boilers, and lathes to hoisting gear. Some of the equipment utilized in general processes (chemicals, machining, steam generation, hydraulics, etc.) will be dealt with in a very practical, visual way (PowerPoint).

ST-5 (S, 4:15-5:00pm) - INTERMEDIATE
Clinical Laboratory Basics for English<>Spanish Translators
Marcela D. Pinilla, Spanish and Portuguese biomedical translator and interpreter, and founder, Latino Médica Consultants, Inc., Kirkland, Washington