Translators and Computers

TAC-1 (T, 3:30-5:00pm) - ALL
Tools and Processes to Make Your Website Localization Efforts Easier
Michael R. Cárdenas, president, Multilingual Translations, Inc., San Diego, California

The speaker will address this cutting-edge issue with an informative but humorous twist. His colorful tales will keep you laughing and glued to his presentation.

TAC-2 (F, 10:00-11:30am) - BEGINNER
Critical Word Processing Skills for Translators and Editors: A Workshop
R.F. Derick Bonewitz, president, Adriana Rosado & Bonewitz, Inc., Libertyville, Illinois

This is a basic skills workshop where translation professionals will learn how to use the most important productivity-enhancing features of their word processing software, with emphasis on Microsoft Word. Focusing on concepts and strategies, this relatively nontechnical presentation will show how to: format documents properly using tables and tabs; convert between text and tables; auto-number paragraphs; add and read "sticky note" comments in a document; track changes and compare documents; sort information (such as a translated glossary); use fast search and replace strategies to lookup information; and adjust type to fit a tight layout.

TAC-3 (F, 1:30-2:15pm) - ALL
A Window to the World (Or how to Make the Internet Work for You)
Dyran Altenburg, English-Spanish technical translator, editor, and cultural consultant, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

This presentation will acquaint translation professionals with the Internet and the various resources and tools that are available to locate quality resources. Participants will also be provided with tips on how to gain exposure, create or improve their network of contacts, and market their services effectively. The main topics to be covered include finding what you want, discussion lists and newsgroups, instant messaging, online databases, and personal Websites.

TAC-4 (F, 3:30-4:15pm) - ALL
Cyborg Translation
Douglas Robinson, professor of English, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi

All translators are cyborgs. "Strong" machine translation, in the sense defined by Bar-Hillel in the 1960s as the fully automatic high-quality translation of unedited texts (FAHQT of UT), is currently not feasible, nor, according to such MT gurus as Alan Melby, will it ever be. But on the other side, "strong" human translation is no longer a reality either. Human beings do not translate anymore without some sort of human-machine interface. All translators are cyborgs. The implications of this perception are surprisingly radical. If the current reality is, and for the foreseeable future is likely to continue to be, computer-aided human translation, or what I'm calling cyborg translation, cyborg theory will help us think in innovative new ways. Cyborg theory will not only help us think about software design (the modeling of human agency for purposes of enhanced automation), but about translators' working environments as well—physical, virtual, and economic.

(F, 4:15-5:00pm) - ALL
CAT Tool Blues - or Joy?
Denise Baldwin, product support manager, SDL International, Berkshire, England

A no-nonsense guide to the benefits of computer-aided translation (CAT) tools and the important criteria and features to look for when choosing a translation memory tool. Which tool should you buy? How do you know you are purchasing the correct tool that will grow with the forever changing trends of the market? What is the future of CAT tools? Why should you use them? Will such tools improve productivity or not?

TAC-5 (S, 8:00-9:30am) - ALL
Creative Approaches to Internet Resource Management
Susan C. Rials, independent translator (French, Spanish, and Portuguese into English), Frederick, Maryland; and William H. Skinner, independent translator and interpreter, Washington, DC

The panel discussion will address two areas of daily concern to working translators: devising successful search strategies and getting the most from online terminology files and other resources. The first half of the discussion focuses on optimizing searches, keeping up with changes in search engines and technology, unconventional approaches to the search process, and Internet search software. Then the emphasis will shift to identifying useful Websites for translators, tips on how to assess the reliability of site content and find other useful sites, and strategies for targeting your use of online resources for specific projects. The session will conclude with an open forum. Participants are encouraged to bring favorite URLs and strategies to share.

TAC-6 (S, 8:00-8:45am) - ALL
Introduction to Software Localization (L10N) and Other Translation Technologies
Stephanie Livermore, software localization and quality assurance consultant, Gloucester, Massachusetts

In the US, there is a very large amount of software released each day that needs to be localized tomorrow in order to be distributed all around the globe in a few weeks. The Localisation Industry Standard Association estimates that the localization sector generates between $3 billion and $15 billion a year, which makes it the most profitable source of revenue in the translation industry. In this session, you'll discover the answer to the questions: What is I18N, L10N? What is the scope of a localization project? Which tools are available? Is L10N something that will interest you? Receive pointers on resources, literature, L10N software, and tips for newcomers to the localization industry that will give you a head start in this competitive market.

(S, 8:45-9:30am) - ALL
Localization from a Project Management and Translation Standpoint
Kirsten Schulze, senior project manager, ASET International Services Corporation, Arlington, Virginia; and Sandra Zolotor, ASET International Services Corporation, Arlington, Virginia

This presentation deals with localization from a project management and translation standpoint. It is presented as a case study, outlining project procedures and issues specific to dealing with localization projects. Some issues will include client expectations, turnaround times, file formats, and quality control. The case study will be based on an online training localization project that contains Web content, audio/video multimedia, and complex graphics. This presentation is suitable for project managers as well as translators and clients.

[CANCELED] TAC-7 (S, 10:00-11:30am) - ALL
New Horizons in Translation: The Internet and Translation Mediated Communication
David Ashworth, director, Center for Interpretation and Translation Studies, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii; and Minako O'Hagan, freelance translation and localization consultant, Wellington, New Zealand

Internet presence exposes organizations to global audiences. Communication across language barriers is a necessary condition for globalization. This increases the urgency to recast messages in appropriate form for other languages and cultures. The traditional approach to translation as an afterthought hampers globalization efforts. Translation Mediated Communication examines the relationship among the parties involved in the communication process, i.e., clients, senders and receivers of messages, and translators. It stresses the role of technology as a communication vehicle and as a support to the translation process, the need to craft messages targeting multilingual audiences, and the impact of emerging technologies on translation work.

TAC-8 (S, 10:00-11:30am) - BEGINNER
Quark X-Press for Beginners
Krisztina Samu, owner, Appleseed Multi-Lingual DTP Services, Pennington, New Jersey

How do you decide if you should offer desktop publishing services? This seminar will cover Quark X-Press for beginning desktop publishers. Learn how to format professional looking documents in Quark, with special consideration for foreign languages. This presentation does not cover Asian or Workshop, but will cover typography (the ins and outs) and using styles and master pages. Learn why how it's built is just as important as what you see.

TAC-9 (S, 1:30-2:15pm) - INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
Online Translation: The New Trend
Andrea Ulrich, project manager, ForeignExchange Translations, Louisville, Colorado

The new era of online translation has arrived. As a result, it is important for translators to keep up to speed with new technologies. The concept of online translation is fairly new and evolves around translating on a Website. This presentation will give an overview of various types of online translation and will explain each type with examples. Different issues that may come up while translating online will be discussed. For example, linguists need to know and use different encoding sets that are appropriate for viewing, and they cannot check their work the same way as they do in a hard copy. Participants will also be shown how to do online translation projects and the process to make it easier.

(S, 2:15-3:00pm) - ALL
Computer-aided Translation: A Translator's Personal Experience
Gang Li, freelance ATA-accredited (English>Chinese) translator, Atlanta, Georgia

By now (almost) every professional translator has heard about translation memory tools. But how good are they? Can they really improve the productivity of an average translator? The speaker will compare several tools from different vendors, with which he has had hand-on experience. Brief demonstrations will be given during the process. The speaker will offer some practical tips as well, which may have helped him gain a slight competitive edge. Finally, the speaker will summarize the overall advantages and disadvantages of using this technology.

TAC-10 (S, 1:30-5:00pm) - ALL
Career Profiles and Training in the Localization Arena
Tim Altanero, freelance translator, Austin, Texas; Arle Lommel, Localisation Industry Standards Association; and Sue Ellen Wright, chair ATA Terminology Committee, Kent, Ohio

Burgeoning activity in the area of product and particularly software localization presents new challenges and opportunities for translators and other language professionals. Stringent new demands in terms of special skill sets are coupled with the opportunity for language professionals to increase their earning potential dramatically. Finding the appropriate training for entry into an increasingly complex field with a growing variety of job profiles poses a special challenge in itself, involving high costs, geographical restrictions, and serious questions with respect to the quality of available programs. This panel, consisting of representatives from industry and the academic field, will explore options available in the US and global market.