Orientation for First-time Conference Attendees
Leah Ruggiero and Anne L. Vincent
Thursday, 11:00am-11:45am - Beginner

If you are a first-time attendee, the official program may seem overwhelming and somewhat confusing. The presenters will outline a few strategies you can adopt to help make the most of your experience in Toronto. Learn how to chose between equally appealing sessions; how to read the map and navigate crowded hallways; why the colored dots are important; which gatherings are invitation-only and which are open to all; the best times to tour the exhibits; strategies for using the Job Marketplace room; and other practical information. Preconference tip: make sure you attend the Wednesday night Opening Reception, and do wear your colored dot(s)!

While codes of ethics sometimes appear dry and boring as written, applying them in real life can create interesting and juicy dilemmas. We will look in detail at the ATA Code of Professional Conduct and Business Practices. In particular, we will discuss some of the gray areas of professional conduct in translation and interpreting, including: What does "fully qualified" mean in the context of ATA? What exactly is "unpaid work for the prospect of a paid assignment?" This workshop fulfills the ethics requirement for maintaining ATA certification.

This forum is offered for ATA members who seek a better understanding of the ATA Certification Program. The panel will respond to questions from the audience about certification policies and procedures.

This session will give newly-elected division administrators a chance to discuss their future responsibilities. Topics will include: 1) through the year as an administrator—what happens, when and how; 2) finding your contact in the organization; 3) budgeting; 4) recruiting and working with volunteers; 5) coordinating the newsletter; 6) delegating tasks in the division; 7) mediating conflicts; 8) communication basics; 9) communicating with the other divisions; and 10) what to do when problems arise.

This session will continue previous discussions dedicated to putting the Regional Network for North America on a sound organizational footing. Anyone interested in establishing strong communications links among the professional organizations in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. is invited to attend. Topics for consideration include establishing a web-based calendar of translation and interpreting events in North America, scheduling training events across borders, comparative ethics and credentialing standards, and outreach and public relations. Volunteers able to assist in coordinating a web-based exchange of information will be particularly welcome.

This session will be used as a sounding board for chapter and regional group officers and anyone else interested in creating, or strengthening, local group outreach and activities. Come and share your ideas, victories, and concerns.

This presentation is intended for mentees and mentors who have participated in ATA's Mentoring Program, as well as newly-trained mentors and mentees and anyone else interested in getting involved. Several mentees and mentors will share the expectations they had going into the program last November, as well as their successes and disappointments throughout the year. Those who participated in the program this last year will have the opportunity to evaluate their experience and bring closure to it. Come learn about one of our most important ATA benefits! Everyone is welcome.

While codes of ethics sometimes appear dry and boring as written, applying them in real life can create interesting and juicy dilemmas. In this workshop, we will look in detail at ATA's Code of Professional Conduct and Business Practices. In particular, we will discuss some of the gray areas of professional conduct in translation and interpreting, including issues such as: What does "fully qualified" mean in the context of ATA? What exactly is "unpaid work for the prospect of a paid assignment?" This workshop fulfills the ethics requirement for maintaining ATA certification.

The ATA Certification Program is always looking to refresh its grading pool. If you are ATA-certified and have the time to devote to furthering the goals of the program, you might be a good candidate to join one of our grader workgroups. Come learn more about the responsibilities and benefits of being a part of this group of professionals.

Practical Leadership: Releasing the Positive Energy in Your Organization for Creative Growth
Ann G. Macfarlane
NEW TIME Friday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

Dedicated leaders of nonprofit organizations focus sharply on their goals, but sometimes find themselves, and their organizations, tripped up by the process of getting there. Learn a new way to observe how you and your group function in order to bring out the best in your members. Topics include: what Jane Goodall's chimpanzees teach us about human beings; the role of fear, shame, and guilt in nonprofit organizations; and how love and imagination help the effective leader get things done. The session combines broad philosophical reflection with highly practical ways to let your organization grow and thrive.

NEW Chat with the Board---WE ARE LISTENING
Scott Brennan
Thursday, 11:00am-11:45am - All Levels

NEW Certification of Language Professionals in North America: Overview of Credentialing Procedures in Canada, Mexico, and the United States
Esteban Cadena, Ann G. Macfarlane, Pascal Sabourin , and Jiri Stejskal
Saturday, 3:30pm-5:00pm - All Levels

The panel discussion will focus on practical aspects of credentials available to language professionals in North America. Speakers will provide an overview of the history, the development, and the implementation of certification procedures in Canada (exams and on-dossier systems), including an introduction to the new Organización Mexicana de Traductores certification process and discuss government certification in Mexico. Speakers will discuss the certification options available in the United States. The panelists will welcome feedback from the audience, particularly concerning possible cooperation among the three countries. The development of credentialing models and standards which would be transferable within North America is one of the main objectives of the Regional Network for North America under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs, an initiative which will serve as a framework for the discussion.

Doing Business with the Government
Jennifer DeCamp
Thursday, 3:30pm-5:00pm - All Levels

This presentation will reveal the means of improving communication between industry and the U.S. government. Such means of communication include websites and contacts for federal business opportunities, the Government Services Administration, the Department of Commerce, and the Foreign Language Resource Center. The speaker will discuss resources and contacts for other areas as well, such as the National Virtual Translation Center and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. In addition, the speaker will provide references to government grant and award programs.

What do independent translation and localization contractors require to satisfy their clients (i.e., agencies)? What do agencies require from independent contractors to satisfy their clients? What are the respective roles of agencies and independent contractors in the quality process? The goal of this session is twofold: a) to explore expectations in the marketplace today in terms of delivery of services, quality, technical expertise, and specialization from the point of view of the independent contractor and that of the multilingual agency; and b) to propose solutions to practical problems commonly encountered by those in the translation supply chain. Participation is encouraged.

An outline of the quality-first theory, including suggestions concerning the practices that are required in order to make the theory work (even when it seemingly conflicts with the realities of translation and localization and the demands of the client). Other topics include client-driven versus quality-driven strategies, quality control procedures, managing client accounts, and how to stick to the quality-first principle, even under "special circumstances." This session will help project managers, as well as translators and translation end-users (clients), to manage the process better and avoid many potential nightmares.

An informal presentation for project managers and linguists to test their skill at identifying whether a document is written in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech, Slovak, or any number of "similar-looking languages." A brief discussion of the orthographic cues to identifying various languages will also be offered.

Don't miss the boat! You will find this session fun, interactive, and revealing. Managing projects is frequently like sailing through uncharted waters. You are likely to encounter hidden rocks along the way. This presentation will focus on problem solving and ways to prevent potential problems. Issues pertaining to Asian-language marketing projects will be highlighted. Examples of how to overcome obstacles will be discussed. Through brainstorming, we will buoy our self-confidence by learning how to handle these projects. Come get your feet wet as we splash our way to a safe harbor.

What is the difference between selling your services and selling them successfully? The answer is branding. Find out how to market your brand (yes, you do have one). Identify your core strengths and weaknesses. Learn how to use your strengths and differentiate yourself from the competition. Selling need not be a numbers game only. Find out how to play on another level and win.

Participants will learn sales management techniques to optimize the acquisition of new clients. By creating a matrix of prospects using targeting and profiling strategies, translators and translation companies can get more and better clients.

Your human resources—your employees and contractors—are your most important asset. Learn what you need to know and do in order to manage them successfully, treat them fairly, and motivate them to perform at their best and remain loyal. Handbooks, paperwork, policies, performance evaluations, recruitment, terminations, and more will be covered in this session on HR basics. You literally can't afford to miss it!

Guerilla Marketing for Translation Agencies
Greg S. Churilov
Saturday, 4:15pm-5:00pm - All Levels

Created by Jay Conrad Levinson, "guerrilla marketing" is a powerful marketing style that allows you to compete and beat the competition even on a shoestring budget. It is diametrically opposed to traditional marketing. Rather than leveraging money, it encourages business owners to use time, imagination, and knowledge, as well as the laws of human behavior. Guerrilla marketing is a conscious decision to make every aspect of your business promote your services. This presentation includes the key differences between traditional marketing and guerrilla marketing, the seven key ingredients of a marketing plan, and the 12 essential competencies that make great companies great.

This presentation will deal with the convergence that is taking place between European and Canadian French terminology in the fields of accounting and auditing. The presenter will briefly explain some of the factors behind this convergence, giving examples of terminological changes on both sides of the Atlantic that have contributed to the elimination of many former discrepancies. He will also provide examples of differences in terminology that still survive today. English equivalents will be supplied for all French terms reviewed.

This presentation is an overview of how to build, process, and use extensive corpora of financial texts to: 1) get a more accurate picture of financial/commercial terminology; and 2) produce better translations. We will review some computer tools that are available to process extensive corpora of financial/business texts. We will then see how these computer tools can be used to better understand: 1) the current, specialized terminology/phraseology, including collocations; and 2) geographical variations (e.g., differences between U.S./U.K./Canadian English or European/Canadian French). Specific documents such as prospectus and annual reports will illustrate our demonstration.

Financial Translations in Switzerland
Markus Greiss and Michael Zürcher
Saturday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

The banking sector is one of the most important pillars of the Swiss economy. Switzerland is known for its traditional banking expertise and bank/client confidentiality, and attracts investors from all over the world. As the country itself has four official languages, Swiss banks always work in a multilingual context. This leads to an important demand for high-quality financial translations. This presentation will focus on the characteristics of the Swiss financial translation market and the specific challenges faced by financial translation companies.

Late and non-payments are a fact of life in all businesses. The Internet and the rise of translator "auction" portals, while increasing the translator's exposure to the global market, have, unfortunately, also made it easier for unscrupulous people to delay payment or even intentionally defraud freelancers. This presentation will cover steps that all translators can and should take to minimize the risk of not being paid for their services. Topics will include actions to take before, during, and after the project, standard business practices regarding accounts payable, and resources for checking a company's bona fides, dunning, and collection procedures.

Freelance translators and interpreters are in business. This presentation will introduce language mediators to the elements of budgeting and business management, using a non-technical procedure for calculating a minimum price. The method should help anyone develop personal criteria for determining whether a proposed assignment would be profitable. The presentation will suggest ways to track work volume and revenue, which are important for business health and tax reporting. This year's presentation will include completely new material on financial planning and surviving hard times. There will also be more time for questions and answers.

Technical writers and translators are natural partners—they both work with words to create a document a final user can work with. They are, however, stationed at very different positions along the documentation/communication process, work with different sources and tools, and address different audiences. This session will explore how the two can work together to streamline the process, improve quality, and lower costs.

Outsourcing and the Translation Industry
Memuna Williams
Friday, 4:15pm-5:00pm - All Levels

The U.S. is currently embroiled in a debate over the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing jobs to countries such as China, India, and Mexico that can provide services at a lower cost. This presentation looks at the historical role of outsourcing for clients, agencies, and freelancers in the translation industry, and how these different stakeholders can expect to be affected by the changes being brought about by the recent new wave in outsourcing.

NEW Claims Against Translators: What Are They and How Can They Be Prevented, Mitigated, and Defended?
Antonella Dessi
Saturday, 8:30am-10:00am - All Levels

This presentation focuses on professional liability claims against translators and strategies that can be implemented to minimize risk and exposure to your business. The speaker will highlight claims from an insurance perspective and emphasize the impact and importance of policy terms and conditions. Particular attention is paid to early dispute resolution as a means of avoiding litigation. The standard of care required of translators will be discussed and examples of claims will be given.

An interpreter for the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal in 1946 recounts his experiences sitting a few feet away from Hess, Goering, and others accused of Crimes Against Humanity. The Tribunal was the first time simultaneous interpreting was used in public (with primitive interpretation equipment with bolted-down microphones and heavy headsets).

As the number of interpreters grows, so does the need for training at every level. Many interpreters feel they cannot teach others because they still have so much to learn. But the truth is that as we acquire field experience, there are many "pearls of wisdom" we can share with others who are less experienced and knowledgeable. This presentation takes participants through the simple steps of identifying training needs in the interpreting community, assessing your own strengths and weaknesses to pinpoint areas of expertise that can benefit other interpreters, designing a course, gathering course materials, and feeling comfortable in the role of an instructor even when you have never taught before.

Join us for a hands-on demonstration of state-of-the-art simultaneous interpretation technology. This session will provide an overview and training on the various types of systems available on the market, including an in-depth discussion of wireless, FM, and infrared products. Touch, feel, and program interpreter consoles, transmitters, receivers, infrared radiators, microphones, and various styles of headsets. Attendees will also be able to try out different types of interpreter booths, including the portable tabletop booth and full-sized Audipack Interpretation Booth.

As information technology continues to evolve, more challenges are presented to language mediation professionals involved in overabundant information processing. Telephone interpreting represents massive communication practices that expose interpreters, within a short span of time, to a broad range of topics, conversational scenarios, personality types, and behavioral patterns more visibly than other settings. Some interpreters, regardless of their language expertise, find it difficult to cope with the stressful nature of such multifarious exposure. We will introduce and discuss interpretation and communication strategies aimed at alleviating tension and creating a balanced, focused, efficient, resourceful, and stress-free professional interpretation environment.

In 1995, a task force investigated the status of languages other than English in Delaware. They found that the Hispanic population was significant, especially in the agricultural and poultry-processing regions of southern Delaware. This largely non-English-speaking group was posing problems for the legal system, as interpreters were scarce and increasingly required. As a result of the task force's findings, the Supreme Court issued Administrative Directive No. 107 in April, 1996. This is also the year that Delaware joined the National Center for State Courts Testing Consortium. This presentation focuses on an appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court that was based on two issues: 1) the use of a child as an interpreter; and 2) allowing a "limited English proficiency" (LEP) juror to serve. The original trial court case and the appellate decision will be discussed in detail. A related issue is the Delaware State Bar Association's (DSBA) awareness of the challenges facing the courts regarding interpretation services. This talk will also briefly highlight the success of an April 2004 DSBA Continuing Legal Education program that discussed these matters from both a spoken- and signed-language perspective.

Many translators consider delving into interpreting either as a new career path or as a supplementary activity. One bridge between translation and interpretation is sight translation. Here, a document written in the source language is read in the target language. The ability to do this seamlessly, that is, reading the resulting translation in the target language so that it sounds like a document read aloud from the source language, takes practice. Learning how to deal with sight translations successfully takes some time and practice. Attendees will learn the steps leading to successful sight translation and participate in tasks developed to put the steps into practice.

Accurate self-assessment in simultaneous interpreting can lead to improved interpretations. This presentation presents a five-step self-assessment. A portion of the interpretation rendered is selected for improvement and is then revised. The original interpretation is studied to determine the error types present in the interpretation. The probable effect on communicative function is determined and an action plan is developed to improve future interpretations. Self-assessment skills lead to accountability in interpretation because the interpreter analyzes both the process and product and assumes greater accountability for accuracy in interpreting.

Memory presents a major challenge for consecutive interpretation. Note-taking systems, on the other hand, are cumbersome and difficult to master. This is why the new method of digital voice recorder-assisted consecutive interpretation is bound to revolutionize the field. During the course of this session, we will: discuss the dramatic results of tests conducted on this method at Florida International University; explain the technical characteristics of the equipment and method; and conduct some hands-on demonstrations.

Is it Ethical to Work from Your C Languages into Your B Languages in Simultaneous Interpretation?
Georganne Weller
Saturday, 4:15pm-5:00pm - All Levels

Is it morally correct to work from your weakest language combination? Can you do as good a job as when working into your strongest language? Doesn't this affect quality? On the other hand, eliminating the possible C into B combinations discourages an interpreter from adding more languages and reduces one's market potential. This presentation discusses these issues in depth, and will hopefully reach a conclusion as to whether or not a conference interpreter should work from his C language(s) into his B language(s), and if so, when and under what circumstances. Audience participation is highly encouraged.

This presentation focuses on the importance of researching law when translating legal documents. The presentation will explain the need for such research, with step-by-step examples of how to find and analyze these sources for terminology information. Examples will be given of specialized terminology and specialized use of terms that require such research. The talk will explore how ambiguities in source documents can be clarified by reading legal references. As a final example, the language of multilingual international instruments and their terminology will be explored.

Much has happened in the area of legal interpreting since the landmark decision 34 years ago of United States ex rel Negrón vs. New York. Most noteworthy are the following events: significant pieces of federal legislation, an ever increasing linguistically diverse population, a dramatic rise in the need for interpreter services, heightened public awareness of court cases involving limited English speakers, as well as appellate reviews of such cases, and a strong focus on the credentialing of court interpreters. This presentation will discuss these events within the framework of professionalization, and present the factors that indicate future trends.

Translation at the International Court of Justice
James Brannan
Saturday, 1:45pm-2:30pm - Intermediate

This session will provide an introduction to translation at the International Court of Justice. The speaker will look at the history, the organization of departments and resources, and the different types of documents translated. This will be followed by an overview of the specific sui generis terminology of international law, with reference to the differences between international fora. Examples from actual cases will be used to illustrate the translation of "culture-bound" terms from national law. The linguistic aspects of a judge's work will also be addressed, including the difficulties of drafting judgments in two official languages and the comparison of language versions for the interpretation of treaties or other instruments.

The session will show the different methods used to solve problems while translating children's literature. Participants will be given a half-page literary piece to translate (genre and language to be chosen by attendees). The rest of the session will be devoted to reading and commenting on the translations, including a discussion of the challenges and possible solutions. Time will be allotted at the end for questions and answers.

Many ATA members teach literature in translation. Whether they teach under the aegis of foreign languages or general literature, they want their students to be aware of the translator's mediation. The presenters will discuss the various strategies of reading translated texts and identifying changes that occur during the transfer to English. Presenters will also address marketplace economics, library collection policies, and monolingual reader resistance. Examples will be drawn from literature translated into English from varied languages and cultures, both Eastern and Western. Participants are invited to share their experience and insight in teaching literature in translation.

The session will present the problems and difficulties encountered in translating the works of a writer like José Martí (collating his articles in the original newspapers, finding the original drafts in French and comparing them, translating them into Spanish, etc.). The speaker will discuss the publication process.

Resistance literature can take many forms. The translator of resistance literature is called upon to play hybrid roles from multiple angles as receiver and producer, speaker and listener, witness and jury, and writer and reader. Through an examination of translations and their strategies which blur the boundaries separating "source" and "target" texts, the translator emerges as the enabler of a story, the witness to an event, and the bearer of news. Examples and exercises will be from French and Spanish into English, but examples from any language pair are welcome for discussion.

Feedback on literary translations tends to come solely from other literary translators, yet we aim for a larger audience: the general reading public. However, with the exception of critics, we seldom have any way of knowing how our work is perceived. Among the topics this panel, made up of experienced translators in fields other than literature as well as a representative of the educated general public, will discuss: what makes a good translation; how to tell a good translation from an inadequate one; resistance to reading translations; and whether or not knowledge of the source language is necessary or even desirable.

NEW Marilyn Gaddis Rose Lecture
Ilan Stavans
Saturday, 8:30am-10:00am - All Levels

This session offers an introduction to the world of multimedia translation, including a discussion of the unique challenges of translating scripts for narration. We will begin with an overview of the terminology associated with audio recording and the various styles and techniques of AV adaptation, including UN-style narration and lip-sync dubbing. At the end of this interactive session, participants will have the opportunity to try out their new video translation skills in a mock voice-over session with a professional narrator utilizing the translations they prepared. Come learn firsthand what happens in the recording studio before you accept a video translation assignment!

Clear pronunciation in English is an essential skill for professional translators and interpreters, but one that is difficult to master because American English has 15 vowel sounds! It's not surprising that these sounds are perceived as "pronunciation monsters," especially when there are only five vowel sounds in many other languages. This workshop will show you how to tame such "monsters" with easy-to-understand guidelines. The presenter will give humorous anecdotes illustrating pronunciation problems. Participants will also be introduced to the International Phonetic Alphabet, which is found in bilingual dictionaries. Come to this workshop and leave with improved pronunciation! Participants should bring a bilingual dictionary that includes American English not British.

National Geographic Translations for International Distribution
Anthony F. Barilla, Camilla Bozzoli Rudolph, Patricia C. Caron, Wojciech T. Stremel, and Juan F. Tituana
Saturday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

National Geographic Television programs are translated into more than 35 languages and are seen by over 100 million households worldwide. The presentation will focus on the approval process of television script reviews. Procedures in reviewing documentary television scripts for accuracy and fluidity ready for narration will be shown along with actual video samples. Various panelists will offer their point of view as contract translators working for National Geographic. The translation division of the Society will participate with a brief presentation describing its work, especially on National Geographic Magazine. Panelists will include tips on how to find the solution for situations that arise on the job and examples of how to handle specific translation issues. Questions from the floor are most welcome in this informal exchange of ideas among peer translators.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been around since the dawn of time. Archeologists have found proof of their existence in almost every site they have excavated and in almost every culture they have studied. STDs caused by bacteria or protozoa have been easy to diagnose since the invention of the microscope, and fairly well controlled since the appearance of antibiotics. However, in recent years these diseases have become resistant to certain forms of antibiotics, which makes them more difficult to treat. STDs caused by viruses are more difficult to diagnose, and myths and misconceptions create obstacles to their prevention.

In Canada, Rx&D (Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies) is made up of close to 60 brand-name pharmaceutical companies. About 20 of these companies, with head offices in Toronto or Montreal, have a linguistic services department. For over 20 years, the translators working for those companies have striven, within the Translation Group - Rx&D, to improve French communications in their industry as well as relations among professional translators. They publish a bulletin, meet regularly to exchange information on various topics, and formulate recommendations to standardize terminology. This is an update on their progress and the challenges they face.

The role of the medical interpreter is a highly contested construct. The presenter will report on a quantitative and qualitative study of the interpersonal role of interpreters in a hospital setting. This study describes the perceptions interpreters have about their behaviors in terms of: 1) alignment with the parties involved; 2) establishing trust by facilitating mutual respect between the parties; 3) communicating affect as well as message; 4) explaining cultural gaps/interpreting culture as well as language; and 5) establishing communication rules during the conversation. The study also discusses interpreters' perceptions of their actual behaviors during practice through discourse analysis of transcripts and interviews.

This presentation will introduce the facts of Diabetes Mellitus to non-medical personnel who may work as medical translators or medical interpreters. While there will be a glossary of pertinent, diabetes-related medical terms, the session's emphasis will be on teaching aspects of diabetes using both didactic and experiential techniques. Topics will include: the current epidemiology of diabetes (How common is it and who is at risk for getting it?); the sequelae of diabetes, including metabolic problems (diabetic keto-acidosis), circulation problems (hardening of the arteries), and nervous function problems; and a review of current treatment plans, including new rapid acting insulins, basal insulins, the use of oral agents, diet control, recognition and treatment of hypoglycemia, and the future of both medical treatment and diagnostic technology.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the most common form of heart disease and the leading cause of death for Americans. About 12-13 million Americans suffer from CHD, which results in over one million heart attacks a year, half of which are fatal. The underlying process of atherosclerosis (the build up of plaque and fatty substances) that ultimately blocks coronary vessels is already silently present early in life. What are the risk factors for overt disease? How early can the disease be detected? What are the symptoms and how do they differ in men and women? What is the rationale for treatment and, most importantly, how effective is it in preventing future problems? Surgical interventions of various kinds will be discussed. Curious instances of a higher or lower incidence of CHD will be discussed, as well as the most recent attempts at reducing already established plaque.

The California Healthcare Interpreting Association and Molina Healthcare, Inc. developed an Organizational Assessment Tool for Linguistic Access, a "how-to" guide for assessing a healthcare facility's current linguistic access services and creating recommendations for their improvement. The tool includes a four-phase assessment process for: 1) improving compliance with legislation governing language access in healthcare; 2) reducing the cost of Limited English Proficiency patient services through improved service delivery and patient outcomes; 3) improving access to healthcare services; and 4) reducing risk in service provision. This session details the tool and pilot program, and identifies elements to improve language access services in distinct healthcare settings.

Political unrest has forced many peoples from the Nuer tribe of Sudan to immigrate to the U.S. This presentation discusses some of the historical and cultural factors that shape the healthcare beliefs and practices of the Nuer, how these beliefs and practices directly conflict with those of the U.S. biomedical system, and how a skilled interpreter plays a crucial role in finding common ground. The audience will be encouraged to share their own experiences working with different immigrant communities in healthcare settings, the challenges they have encountered, and the strategies they have used to overcome these barriers.

The all-too-widespread belief that any bilingual individual can interpret has led to an overemphasis on linguistic skills as the most important tool for healthcare interpreters. Without diminishing the importance of ensuring accuracy and completeness through linguistic proficiency and interpreting skill, this presentation will debunk that notion and elaborate on why cultural competency is the essential basis for effective healthcare interpreting and how entry-level interpreters can learn the crucial skills of culture brokering. The presentation will also provide attendees with information about how training, such as Language Line University's Advanced Medical Training, can help interpreters become more culturally competent.

This presentation will review of the medical and pharmaceutical translation industry in Canada, including professional resources and client expectations.

Translating Psychiatric Texts
Maria Rosdolsky
Saturday, 3:30pm-5:00pm - All Levels

This presentation will summarize the history of psychiatry and psychiatric terminology, as well as changes in psychiatric terminology with an emphasis on recent years. Topics will include a brief description of the structure and content of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the types of psychiatric texts with which a translator may be confronted, and the problems the translator will encounter when translating poorly written psychiatric material. Cultural differences in the symptomatology and terminology of psychiatric diseases and treatments, as well as their impact on translation, will also be discussed.

NEW National Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care: Where Are We at?
Karin B. Ruschke and Shiva Bidar-Sielaff
Saturday, 8:30am-10:00am - All Levels

The National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) is a multidisciplinary national organization that promotes culturally competent professional healthcare interpreting as a means to support equal access to healthcare for individuals with limited English proficiency. As part of its work for the past two years, the Standards, Training, and Certification (STC) Committee of the NCIHC created a National Code of Ethics for Interpreters in Health Care. In addition, the STC committee has received joint funding from The Commonwealth Fund and the California Endowment to implement a national consensus-building process to develop a set of standards of practice for interpreters working in healthcare settings. The co-chairs of the STC Committee will describe the steps that the NCIHC undertook to arrive at the Code of Ethics for Interpreters in Health Care and highlight the discussions that arose during this process. The new code will be shared with participants. The presentation will also discuss the STC Committee’s ongoing work on standards of practice for interpreters in healthcare settings.

The principles of plastics manufacturing, characterization, processing, and application will be presented with an emphasis on concepts, terminology, and acronyms that are potentially troublesome to the translator. Examples from selected fields and unusual situations will be used for illustration. By way of introduction, basic polymer concepts will be reviewed. This presentation should be of particular interest to colleagues translating technical literature and patents concerning plastics who do not have a strong educational background or experience in the field.

A group of volunteers has devoted the last year to developing a new English-language handbook on the subject of patent translation. With a working title of Translating Patents into English, this handbook aims to serve as a practical, comprehensive, and reliable resource for experienced technical translators interested in patent translation. This panel presentation, including many of the handbook contributors, will outline the content of the forthcoming handbook and address many of the issues and problems faced in developing a work of this kind.

POTS, Twisted Pairs, and Hotspots: An Overview of Telecommunications Concepts and Terminology
Walter Jay Eidson Jr.
Saturday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

This session introduces translators and interpreters to the field of telecommunications and related technologies, from basic phone services to modern-day Internet usage, fiber optics, wireless technologies, etc. It identifies terminology databases and defines many of the acronyms and "buzz words" often used in this sector, and interrelates the various concepts that are key to having a basic understanding of this field. It also addresses the challenges of translating some terms from English into other languages. This session is intended for individuals with little or moderate levels of understanding about the fields of telecommunications and information technologies.

This session will examine a number of Haitian Creole bilingual dictionaries and a few other reference tools, such as a Creole thesaurus, a Creole etymological dictionary, and specialized bilingual Creole dictionaries, and discuss their usefulness to translators of various types of Creole texts.

When dealing with specialized languages, experts resort to new terms to refer to new processes, technological advances, trends in their area of specialization, etc. There are several methods used for the creation of new terms. This presentation focuses on the use of metaphors in the macroeconomic domain. Metaphors play a fundamental role in human understanding. We will analyze the reasons why metaphors are so frequent in the language of macroeconomics. We will also provide examples of metaphoric expressions compiled from the current economic and financial discourse, which is rich in imagery, metaphors, and collocations. Finally, we will analyze the challenges translators face when dealing with metaphors.

Translation could be a lot more productive without daunting speed bumps such as researching too many undefined terms and deciphering ill-written, torturously complicated source sentences. From the view point of translation process management, it is extremely important to provide translators with "plain source text" together with well-organized terminology and context information. The presenters will explain linguistic approaches for controlled English, utilizing the global content analysis system. The concept-based terminology management system and the Natural Language Processing-based text analysis tools will be demonstrated.

Many have rightly chuckled at the improbability of anyone being able to put together The Great Global Termbase that includes all terms in all language for all subject fields. However, a more feasible project may be the creation of a multilingual termbase for translators, interpreters, journalists, language trainers, and spectators in the context of global events such as the Olympic Games and World Cup Soccer. The nonprofit consortium LTAC Global has consulted with the International Olympic Committee and determined that there is an unfilled need for a termbase available to those outside the relatively small Olympic family. This project follows in the open-source tradition of Linux: the results will be freely available to all. It is similar in spirit to the Wikipedia project, except that there will be a quality control stage. Come to this session to make suggestions and find out how to get involved in the GEvTerm (Global Event Termbase) project.

Canadian English: Eh-to-Zed
David C. Rumsey
Saturday, 1:45pm-2:30pm - All Levels

Although most linguists are acutely aware of the difference between European French and Canadian French, most Americans, and even American translators, are unaware of the English dialect North of the Border. This topical overview outlines the history and distinguishing characteristics of "Canadian English," which is a uniquely oblique blending of British grammar and American vocabulary. This is a useful session for all translators working into English.

Research Forum: Empirical Research on Translation and Interpreting Studies, Parts I-III
Claudia V. Angelelli, Brian James Baer, Christian Degueldre, and Holly E. Jacobson
Thursday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

Part I: Teaching Basic Tools—Dictionaries, Parallel Texts, and Background Texts
This presentation analyzes the empirical research on the use of dictionaries and parallel texts in translator training in order to frame a study carried out among graduate students of French and Russian translation at Kent State University. The study attempts to isolate the effects of three translation tools (dictionaries, parallel texts, and background texts) in order to quantify their relative benefits in moving novices from sign-oriented translation to more sense-oriented translation. Two different language groups are tested in order to see if the results may be, to some extent, language specific. The ultimate goal of the study is to suggest more efficient pedagogical interventions related to the use of translator tools in the early stages of translator training. Analysis of the first group of results of this two-year on-going study will be presented.

Part II: Determining Adequate Language Proficiency Levels for Professional Translation
The language level required to face the challenges of the twenty-first century is what the U.S. government calls Advanced Professional Proficiency (ILR Level 4 on the language scale used by the Interagency Language Roundtable). This level is informally referred to in the language field as Distinguished Level, “native like,” or “near-native” proficiency. Diplomats, journalists, interpreters/translators, international business people, negotiators, and other international specialists find that full cultural understanding, job performance, translation, interpreting, negotiation, and diplomacy suffer, if not fail, at less sophisticated levels of language ability. This research examines, through the collection of authentic linguistic data, the characteristics of language at the near-native level by analyzing nuances, subtleties, and hidden meanings in source texts.

Part III: Translation of the Health Brochure—A Contrastive Analysis of the Co-occurrence Patterns of Translated vs. Non-translated Texts
This study uses multifeature/multidimensional analysis to determine how the co-occurrence patterns of linguistic features that serve the overall communicative purpose of a particular genre, the health brochure, differ between: 1) brochures that were translated from English into Spanish and 2) brochures that were developed originally in Spanish. Differences are attributed to the interpersonal relations and cultural and social contexts in which the two text types are embedded (Mexico vs. U.S.).

Part IV: An Empirical Approach to Affective Considerations in Interpreter Training Programs
Most studies related to interpreter training and performance focus on cognitive processing, linguistics as applied to translating and interpreting, and interpreting strategies and techniques. Little attention has been paid to the affective aspects of the interpreting experience, especially as regards to novice interpreters involved in training programs and making their first forays into professional interpreting. This presentation will present a pilot project that will be implemented during the 2004-2005 academic year at the University of Alicante (Spain) to try to identify personality traits, attitudinal variables, self-confidence quotients, and feedback strategies in relation to interpreter performance and success, both in class and in professional and quasi-professional venues.

Part V: Meaning, Rhetorical Value, and Clarity—An Empirical Model for Interpreter Self-Assessment
A model for the objective assessment of interpreter performance is adapted to self-teaching and evaluation. By examining one's own performance in light of three universal aspects of communication and the mechanics by which a source message is altered, interpreters may measure the quality of their own work and develop personal programs for self-improvement.

Part VI: Bridging Second Language Acquisition and Interpreting Studies to Assess Interpreting Skills—The Case of Cantonese, Hmong, and Spanish Medical Interpreters
It is often the case that speakers of a language (native, non-native or heritage) are called upon to interpret in a medical setting due to the shortage of qualified professional interpreters. Organizations are faced with ethical dilemmas. They need to assess linguistic and interpreting skills with little or no time and resources, and they want to provide the best service to assure equal access to healthcare. This presentation will report on the conceptualization, development, and administration of assessment tools to measure linguistic and interpreting skills in a medical setting. All tests are empirically based and respond to a state and federal mandate.

Part VII: Discussion

The Highline School District near Seattle, Washington, has been working with the Translation and Interpretation Institute of Bellevue Community College since 2002 on a project to teach high school students fundamental interpreting skills. This program is funded by Social Venture Partners, innovative philanthropists who commit to personal involvement in the projects they fund. The Translation and Interpretation Institute has been providing instructors, curriculum, and overall guidance. The curriculum is currently being tested in three different high schools. The presenter will review the lessons learned and plans for the coming year. Discussion and input from colleagues with an interest in this and similar programs is invited.

In translation, differences in cultural backgrounds of different language communities play a significant role. Although the weight of the cultural component varies greatly from one type of text to another, creating equivalent texts is almost never reduced to finding the equivalence of correlated language units. Therefore, it is imperative that translation should involve a kind of cultural adaptation to provide for the preservation of the original communicative effect. The presentation deals with the translator's choices and strategies in his or her attempts to ensure an adequate understanding of the original message by members of a different language community.

Starting a university course sequence in conference interpreting within an established program directed primarily toward consecutive legal interpreting requires some innovation and adjustment. Particularly acute for us was the lack of adequate laboratory facilities, along with a paucity of materials. We have dealt with the first challenge by assembling a low-cost portable system using specialized consumer equipment, and the second challenge through the judicious accumulation of recorded material from university lectures, academic conferences, and broadcast presentations. We will demonstrate our basic equipment set-up and tapes and discuss other alternatives, along with some special requirements of conference interpreter training.

Over the past decade, the interpretation market has changed significantly. The demand for professional interpreters has shifted from the institutional sphere of international organizations to the private sector. Corporations increasingly demand highly qualified professionals specialized in technical subjects. However, most schools of interpretation around the world fail to provide students with the adequate tools to face this growing demand. A specific course on technical simultaneous interpreting is often missing from most curricula, and even more so a well-structured method to train students for real job opportunities. This presentation describes a functional method to enable student interpreters to acquire not only the skills for simultaneous interpreting, but also the right mindset to work in technical interpreting.

As the number of non-English speakers has steadily increased throughout the U.S. and Canada, the public agencies and private entities that serve them have become hard pressed to provide adequate interpretation and translation services. This presentation will make the case that a combined effort involving local and national government, service providers (courts, hospitals, schools, etc.), public and private educators, and national and local associations is the only way to meet this multifaceted challenge. Existing and developing models for testing, training, service provision, and legislation will be evaluated in the interest of furthering a best practices discussion.

The presenters will share their experiences with starting a translation studies program at the University of Florida. A history of the process at the institutional level will be given, followed by a discussion of some of the critical decision points in creating the program. Topics will cover administrative and curriculum issues, as well as the experience of working with an ATA consultant.

Representatives from the Center for Advanced Study of Language at the University of Maryland, the Monterey Institute for International Studies, and Kent State University's Institute for Applied Linguistics will present a five-year research agenda to transform research and development on translation studies. This panel is a follow-up to the panel at last year's conference that introduced the newly-established Center for Advanced Study of Language and its plan to develop a long-term, interdisciplinary research agenda to support the effectiveness of U.S. government performance in language mediation tasks.

Within a larger translation course, small groups of students translating the same text into the same target language (TL) can be valuable resources for each other: 1) as knowledge bases, sharing specialized terminology; 2) as editors, identifying errors in the TL text; and 3) as community review panels, gauging the reading level and style of the TL text. In addition, small-group activities help beginning translators become accustomed to working in a team, an increasingly important skill in the industry. This presentation will discuss how to prepare groups for maximally effective interaction and share specific examples of notable triumphs and challenges.

Translation: The Importance of Getting the Whole Picture
María-Luisa Arias-Moreno
Saturday, 4:15pm-5:00pm - All Levels

Recent trends in sociolinguistics, pragmatics, and discourse analysis have helped us gain some insight on the way language really works. Using the ideas proposed by de Beaugrande, Hatim, and Mason as a framework for analysis, the presenter will examine some samples of actual Spanish-to-English translations where discourse indicators were ignored, resulting in serious distortions affecting coherence and cohesion. It will be argued that it is of the utmost importance to integrate discourse analysis in the translation curricula, so that future translators become aware that translating one phrase at a time without taking into account the whole text can cause major mistakes in translation. Problems with ideology will also be discussed.

Back by popular demand! The World Wide Web is an excellent way to get your message out and can be a useful tool to reach potential clients. If you have never created a webpage before or want to know how to best market yourself on the web, this is the session for you. We will introduce you to the process behind building a professional site to advertise your translation or interpreting services and offer you creative marketing ideas. A well-designed website may not bring you a lot of work directly, but it is your virtual business card.

The explosion of new translation technologies aimed at multinational companies on a global scale—corporate content management, translation memory, localization, XML (Extensible Markup Language) tools—has turned many translators into mesmerized spectators of a business built on their very shoulders. XML is an increasingly popular data exchange tool for the web and other environments that translators are forced to use while working on XML files or using XML-based translation software. This session will help participants understand the technology they are both manipulating and using. We will cover the basics of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and then introduce XML concepts and translation issues.

This question-and-answer session invites a spectrum of translation support software vendors to present their products to conference attendees in a panel format designed to spotlight the relative strengths of each. Alan Melby, who chairs ATA's Translation and Computers Committee, will moderate. Part I will consist of vendor presentations and Part II will allow attendees to participate in a question-and-answer period.

Translation Support Tools Forum, Part II
Alan K. Melby
Friday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

See abstract above for TAC-3: Translation Support Tools Forum, Part I.

The search engine Google is a great tool that interpreters and translators can use to research terminology and keep language skills updated. This presentation will show a number of tips and tricks to both novice and advanced Internet users to make the days more productive and terminology searches easier and better.

As recently as 1999, a presentation entitled "Tools and Technology: Friend or Foe" took place at ATA's Annual Conference. Today, hardly any translator would disagree that the greatest of all technical translation tools, the computer, is essential to our translation work. However, many translators still only use a fraction of the power that the computer offers. This session will give an overview of very basic techniques, such as employing Windows more effectively, and more complex issues, such as working with powerful desktop publishing and computer-assisted translation applications and many other helpful computer utilities. The session is based on the presenter's publications on the same topic.

Never pay for computer software again! After attending this presentation, you will know how to freely and legally obtain all of the software you need to work as a translator. You can do your word processing, accounting, web browsing, and more while paying nothing to obtain, license, upgrade, or modify this software. What's more, you'll be fully compatible with software produced by "the big guys," and will never need to tell your clients that you're using free software. We will focus specifically on the OpenOffice.org office suite, Gnucash accounting software, free web browsers, and free computer-assisted translation tools.

Join us in our ongoing quest as we "jump ship" by escaping the "mouse trap," cast off the "fool's gold" of auto-formatting, and venture below the surface of our keyboards and MSOffice in search of untold riches! Aside from lightning-fast formatting and content manipulation, we'll bring non-translation-related jewels such as metacharacters, outlining, and Boolean functions "topside" to discover their hidden potential for invoice tracking, project management, and other recurring tasks. The seas of software are much simpler to navigate than the languages we translate for a living. But in both cases, the "treasure" will elude those who don't immerse themselves. So come on in—the water's fine!

The original WikiWikiWeb was implemented in 1995 to collaborate on software patterns. Since then, numerous Wiki variants have been developed, sharing features that include the ability to easily create and edit web content dynamically. Today, Wiki is emerging as a technology highly suited for collaboration. This presentation will concentrate on how translators can use Wikis to share translation knowledge, insights, and data and coordinate "team translation" activities. In addition, the presentation will demonstrate how a Wiki can be used to securely compartmentalize interactions (including file deliveries) with multiple clients.

A new concept is emerging in today's ever-changing environment—working together without being physically together. Welcome to the world of virtual teams, one of the key contributing factors to global economic success. Let's discover how virtual teams came to be, the unique characteristics of their members, and how to make them really work. A strong emphasis will be placed on the impact of virtual teams on today's technology world, especially the software development and localization arenas. This presentation will also cover the translator's practical involvement and provide tips on telecommuting, the home office, time and stress management, the psychological issues of working alone, and effective communication, among other topics.

Internet Privacy for the Small Office or Home Office Environment
Roland Grefer and Jill R. Sommer
Saturday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

Privacy has been an issue since the dawn of time, but the advent of the Internet has made the matter all the more pressing. Most people are aware of the Internet's benefits, but not everyone is aware of how the Internet can threaten personal privacy as well as the confidentiality of documents one has been entrusted with for translation or proofreading. We will: a) teach you about the dangers involved with Internet use; b) offer you tips and tools to avoid those dangers; and c) help you capitalize on the Internet, knowing that you are protected.

Translators face radically new contexts, increasing performance expectations, emerging needs for multiple competencies, demanding preparatory programs, and exacting measures of competence. Panel members—practitioners and educators—will present perspectives on the changing nature of translation. The new language professional stands at the crossroads of a traditionally humanistic discipline and information technology. How may globalization affect translator education and practice? Panelists will comment on those emerging responsibilities that globalization has foisted on them in terms of issues such as ideologies, ethical concerns, quality management, and sensitive sociocultural questions. They will recommend ways to deal with these new realities.

An overview of the current "ideology" of language access—language mediation, language access policies, and planning—including both human rights and public interest perspectives. We will focus on constraints and incentives affecting compliance by public service providers with language access requirements across sectors. We will give consideration to strategies to support broad, effective compliance (and, thus, reliable access).

This panel is intended to build on the content of the panel discussion "Language Mediation: Policy and Compliance." It will provide an overview of the current supply of qualified language mediators, issues affecting that supply, and ways in which supply affects compliance efforts of individual service providers. The discussion of strategies to increase the supply of qualified language mediators will emphasize ways to enhance availability and effectiveness of training for language mediators across sectors.

What is equivalence? In questionnaire translation, each question must express the same meaning and cultural relevance in both the translation and source text in order for clients to collect purposeful data. When attempting to attain these equivalencies, translators frequently walk a delicate line between the too literal and too poetic. The first can result in something cumbersome and unintelligible, the second can sabotage any hope of comparing versions across countries. What can translators do to help ensure equivalence? This presentation will outline practical applications for those who translate questionnaires by using health-related quality of life questionnaire translations as examples.

As professionals in the language industry, we usually take for granted that editing, proofreading, and post-graphic reviewing are standard terms for all professionals involved in the translation process. However, our work experience as editors at an international services firm has proven that misconceptions and wrong expectations can frequently take place among project managers, editors, etc. Thus, we face the need of clarifying and standardizing such terms among all in-house parties involved in the translation process. In this presentation, we will share the practical steps designed to facilitate a better understanding (style guide/checklists, staff training, and feedback reviews), which will ultimately contribute to standardize the process and related verbiage, so the company as a whole can ensure and provide quality projects on a daily basis.

Do you sit at your desk and tense your back, hunch your shoulders, and crane your neck? Do you get so involved in your work that you forget to move or take a break until your whole body rebels? If so, this workshop is for you. Learn simple yoga techniques to ease repetitive motion syndrome and to loosen up the entire body. Learn how to breathe into your work, let your mind relax into the job, and be more productive. Come dressed to work out, relax, and even learn a little Sanskrit.

Increasingly, societies are recognizing the need for equal representation of the sexes. In translation, this raises the question of gender inclusive language. For English, it may simply mean using appropriate pronouns, but for other languages the application of gender inclusion is more complex. What is the best way to indicate both genders without turning documents into seas of dashes, slashes, and parentheses? Is gender neutrality an option? Drawing on the expertise of translators from different language groups (e.g., Romance, Slavic, etc.), articles, and case studies, we will discuss effective strategies to deal with this issue. Uptight liberals and flaming conservatives welcome.

The speaker will give examples of subtle and not-so-subtle mistakes he has encountered as a translator, editor, and grader. He will then try to guess the cause(s) of each error in order to shed some light on how to avoid it. Although the talk may be beneficial to veteran translators, the targeted audience will be beginning and less-experienced translators. The talk will be given in English and Mandarin.

We will unravel complex English sentences with an eye to breaking them down for translation. Topics to be covered include syntax, complement clauses, essential and nonessential clauses, tracing antecedents, and participial phrases. Sentence diagramming and sentence trees will be used to clarify relationships within sentences. Problems particular to English>Chinese translation will be addressed.

The translation of Chinese scientific and technical documents, particularly in the information technology fields, requires constant attention to lexicography. Because of the basic structure and contextual nature of the Chinese language, it does not lend itself to the coining of new terms. Therefore, it is difficult for translators to determine the meaning of new combinations of old characters. Some terminology has not yet been standardized, and different technologies use the same terms differently. This session will discuss some of the pitfalls in dealing with new Chinese terminology in information technology.

Translation as Cultural Mediation
Yuanxi Ma and Elizabeth A. Tu
NEW TIME Friday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

As translators, we are constantly colliding, communicating, negotiating, transmitting, and migrating between the two cultures of the language pair we work in. Efficient and effective mediation produces far-reaching results. In a broad sense, translation and interpretation mutually enrich the cultures of the two languages represented. Translated works constitute an important part of the cultural assets and heritage of a country's literary and literal warehouse. In a narrower sense, the proficient use of the metaphors of both languages strengthens the translator's and interpreter's ability to communicate the target language in a highly complex and efficient manner, which is culturally based. In so doing, the translator and interpreter performs both as language facilitator and cultural mediator. We will try to select a number of metaphors in English and pair them off with comparable Chinese metaphors for discussion.

Punctuation in Translation: Differences Between Dutch and English
Carol L. Stennes
Friday, 10:15am-11:45am - All Levels
Presenting Language: English and Dutch

It is very easy for translators to concentrate on the words in a text and not pay enough attention to their punctuation in the translation. Most translators start out by adopting the same punctuation as the source text. However, this is usually not the best strategy. Every language has its own rules of punctuation that need to be kept in mind when editing a draft translation. This session will offer a hands-on punctuation exercise with a focus on Dutch>English translation.

This workshop is intended for translators and jurists who write texts in French or translate documents from English into French in a bilingual common law setting. Participants will examine common problems that arise from the coexistence of two languages and two legal systems in countries like Canada. More specifically, participants will examine "collocations," which can be defined as the presence in a single utterance, phrase, or discourse of two or more distinct and, as a rule, related lexical units (words), or as the combination of "mots justes" that are normally used in a given context. The search for suitable collocations is, above all, intended to enrich style, promote accuracy, and facilitate the selection of appropriate word combinations. This requires proficiency in formal language structures and a thorough knowledge of idiomatic expressions.

This interactive session will present an overview of the various areas in business/commercial translation and the opportunities available in this growing field. After a brief survey of commercial translation (finance, marketing, advertising, management, etc.), we will take a comprehensive look at typical translation problems and issues at several levels: terminology, collocations, phraseology, syntax, and geographical variations (U.S./U.K./Canadian English vs. "standard" English or European/Canadian French vs. "standard" French). Finally, we will deal with the most important computer tools that can be used to produce better translations.

Contractual relationships in France and the U.S. operate from very different basic assumptions, many of which will affect our choices as translators. The presenters will discuss some of the general types, contents, and terminology of French contracts, with a particular emphasis on practical strategies and common pitfalls in translating contracts into English.

Hear how a one-man operation grew into a full-fledged translation agency by catering to the special needs of advertisers. You will learn what communications firms are looking for in translators, gain a better understanding of the creative process involved, and get pointers and strategies for getting your own foot in the door. This session is based on a case study in a French>English environment, but the lessons it offers can be applied to any language combination.

The panelists will describe various aspects of translator training in Canada, including training provided at universities, by translators' associations, and by employers. While the focus will be on the two official languages, English and French, the session should be of interest to trainers in other language pairs as well.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), located in Brussels, Belgium, recruits skilled and experienced conference interpreters and translators. NATO's working languages are English and French. This presentation is for the benefit of those interested in learning more about the demands of working in one of Brussels' major international institutions, with a strong focus on defense, technology, and diplomacy. Participants can look forward to detailed information on recruitment and careers at NATO and other aspects of the European market. There will be handouts with contact information and, if time allows, an opportunity to ask questions of the speaker at the end.

Current Trends in the French Language: The Influence of Translation and the Responsibility of Translators
Thierry Chambon
Saturday, 3:30pm-5:00pm - All Levels
Presenting Language: French

Une table ronde précédée par un bref exposé de la part des animateurs sur le thème "Influence de la traduction sur l'évolution actuelle de la langue française et responsabilité du traducteur."

What on earth is an "SE," a "KgaA," or a "GmbH & Co. KG," and how do you convert it into English? In this overview, we'll outline some of the many different types of companies under German law, some of the principles governing their formation, capitalization, and operation, and what to do with the basic terminology of corporate structures and documentation. We'll also look at some trickier and more exotic points, especially in regard to mergers and acquisitions (minority squeeze-outs, the "dissolution without liquidation," etc.) and corporate governance (the new Corporate Governance Code, related-party transactions, etc.).

This presentation will use translated contract texts as examples to analyze the contribution of comparative legal studies in clarifying terminology issues at the interface between civil law and common law. After a brief overview of the most essential differences between U.S. and German contract law, we will examine how mixed legal systems, in which the elements of civil law and common law are merged, address the linguistic challenges inherent in these diverging legal concepts. Finally, we will take a look at the efforts to harmonize private law in the European Union by establishing a connection between civil law and common law.

The presentation reports on the challenges of writing a dictionary from the author's perspective. Topics will include: 1) the problem of appropriate segmentation of subject fields for terminology purposes; 2) the wealth and mess of synonyms; 3) predilection of specialists to use metaphoric terms; and 4) searching for the right usage of Anglicism's in English>German translations.

This presentation is based on a course given in New York University's Translation Studies Program. We will look at texts written as advertisements, product inserts, directions, safety warnings, and packaging copy, especially for products being sold far from their original markets. This type of translation, which almost every translator has confronted, combines creative copywriting with an awareness of legal, safety, and other concerns. The translator's task, like that of the original writer's, is to balance "You will love our product!" with "By the way, it could seriously injure your child."

The European Union has determined that the IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards—formerly IAS - International Accounting Standards) shall be the future European standard for all companies listed on the Stock Exchange. However, important IAS standards have not been adopted by the EU. Many IFRS rules clash with German national legislation (HGB, the German Commercial Code). Will this result in two sets of financial statements in Germany? What is the function of the translator in this dispute? Many questions and numerous examples from official Accounting Standards Board translations will be handled during this seminar.

"Can you certify this?" is a question frequently heard by translators everywhere. This presentation will cover a number of aspects concerning the certification of translations in Germany, including the qualifications necessary for a translator in Germany to be able to certify his or her own translation of a document and the procedures for having such certifications recognized abroad (i.e., inside and outside of the European Union). In this connection, the "Apostille" could have implications for translators based in America.

Translation Quality Revisited: Cheap Never Pays
Dieter Waeltermann
Saturday, 4:15pm-5:00pm - All Levels
Presenting Language: English with German examples

Quality in translation is increasingly important in today's competitive and exceedingly global, yet shrinking market. Quality can make or break a product's entry on the market, as well as impact a company's image for years. Recently, some German companies entering the global market have chosen to rely on in-house and/or in-country translation service agencies and translators. This presentation will focus on the whys and wherefores of several of these endeavors, giving numerous samples to illustrate existing shortcomings. In addition, guidelines and tips on selecting appropriate venues to achieve top-quality translations for top-quality products will be discussed.

Hebrew Workshop
Merav Rozenblum
NEW TIME Saturday, 2:30pm-3:15pm - All Levels
Presenting Language: Hebrew

Maintaining a good command of Hebrew away from the place where it is spoken and evolves daily is a challenge for any translator/interpreter who works from or into Hebrew. In this strictly Hebrew-speaking workshop, aimed at native and near-native speakers of the language, we will polish our vocabulary and idioms, review a list of look-alikes, and point to the right collocations and the exact use of phrases. Participants are welcome to share their linguistic questions and experience in keeping their language up-to-date. The workshop will also include a review of some recently published books and websites that could be serviceable to Hebrew linguists.

How Much Does Dino Buzzati Owe Thornton Wilder?
Camilla Bozzoli Rudolph
Friday, 10:15am-11:00am - All Levels

Wilder was a source of inspiration for Buzzati, who considered him a soulmate who understood the anxiety evoked by the unrelenting passing of time, a major theme in Deserto dei Tartari. Moreover, Buzzati learned important staging and choreography techniques from Wilder that mingled the tragic with the everyday, creating a spooky effect that appealed to the Italian author, who grew up in the Alps, where the cultural influence from Northern Europe is present in legends and fairy tales. Hence, Buzzati's affinity with Wilder, who, in turn, was deeply connected with Italy. Examining such themes and techniques may lead to a better understanding of both authors.

This session will take a personal look at the state of Japanese literary translation today with particular emphasis on the speaker's edited volume, The Oxford Book of Japanese Short Stories, and the significance of the popularity of Haruki Murakami. Participants will explore the seeming contradiction of Ogai Mori and Banana Yoshimoto being included in the same volume. This session will also look at the difficulties involved in "translating back" a Japanese writer whose primary influences come from American literature.

Mac OS and Windows have long had the ability to render electronic text into spoken words, a feature called text-to-speech, or TTS. In the first half of this presentation, attendees will learn the basics of TTS cross checking and how the process can be used to more quickly and accurately check rough translations. In a workshop held during the second half, attendees will use TTS to check draft translations that will be provided. (Bring a pen. No computer is required.) Some information will be Japanese<>English-specific, but translators of all language pairs will find this presentation useful.

TRADOS is inarguably the most commonly used translation tool today, with its ability to turn translations into a reusable translation memory (TM). However, in the real working environment of many large localization projects, where the workload is shared and TM is swapped among multiple translators, the resulting TM may include many redundant translations (multiple translations for the identical original). This makes the TM not reusable without proper management. The purpose of this presentation is to explain how redundancies occur in the translation process and how intended redundancies are effectively maintained by setting up attributes.

The Internet has become an essential tool for translators as the number of online dictionaries, glossaries, and information sources has proliferated. The aim of this session is to pool the experiences of participants and to discuss which online tools have been most useful to Japanese<>English translators. The presenter will begin the session with an overview useful tools. Participants will then be asked to share their own experiences regarding online resources.

Japanese dialects are important components of interpersonal communication and group identity in Japan. Today, dialects appear frequently in audio, video, and written media, especially in character dialogue, so most translators and interpreters working with Japanese will eventually encounter Japanese dialects. However, these primarily informal, oral modes of communication are often not covered in references. This session discusses some systematic ways in which Japanese dialects vary from standard Japanese, introduces some of the most frequently used function words from several dialects, and suggests strategies for working with Japanese dialects.

This workshop will provide a brief overview of ATA's certification system, testing procedures, and grading standards. Participants will work through either a Japanese or English passage similar to the general certification examination passage. Graders in the certification program will chair the workshop groups and provide feedback on partcipants' translations.

The first part of the session will discuss the Japanese/English court interpreting exam: content, timing, locations, qualifications, etc. The second part deals with preparation for the exam, including court terminology and expressions, ethics for court interpreters, and memory-retention exercises. There will be a practice session for a deposition or court interpreting.

Japanese entities are second only to U.S. entities in the number of patents received each year from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the number keeps growing. Conservatively, over 13 million words of translation were involved in gaining the patents issued to Japanese entities in 2001 alone. Patent translation requires a basic knowledge of patent writing styles and conventions, the filing process, and the purposes for which different translation styles may be required. Participants will look at some fundamental business aspects of working for Japanese clients seeking patents abroad, different types of translation, some stylistic conventions, and examples of different ways the same passage might be translated for different purposes.

Ethical issues often confound the translator. The ATA Code of Professional Conduct and Business Practices covers some, but many cases fall in a gray zone. A survey of working translators in 2004 uncovered many vexing situations. Three senior translators will discuss these ethical problems and invite the audience to comment on how they should be handled. Although offered under the auspices of the Japanese Language Division, this session will deal with issues that are not language-specific, so it should be of interest to people working in all language combinations.

The proper rendering of idiomatic expressions is one of the most difficult tasks in the translation of Japanese documents. Such expressions inherently contain information that is not present in the text, but is essential in order for the reader to completely understand the writer's intent or for the translation to achieve the desired impact on the reader. The speaker will present examples of idiomatic expressions and other phrases that require more than word-by-word translation. Strategies for handling such phrases in a technical or business context will be discussed.

Translating Religious and Philosophical Writings from Japanese
Judy F. Wakabayashi
Saturday, 4:15pm-5:00pm - All Levels

This presentation examines some of the recurring problems in translating Japanese texts relating to religion or philosophy, based on a study of several dozen translations of Japanese sacred texts, the speaker's own experiences translating Japanese works in the field of Old Testament studies and Greek philosophy, and the experiences of some other Japanese>English translators working in related areas.

This is a workshop for translators to practice their skills as a group by comparing their translations using a pre-assigned text distributed at and/or before the conference. Translators can gain valuable insight into how other translators have tackled challenging translations. It's an excellent exercise for translators interested in taking ATA's certification exam.

Nordic Division Annual Meeting
David C. Rumsey
Friday, 3:30pm-5:00pm - All Levels

NEW Getting the Message Right: Translating Advertising and Marketing Texts in Swedish
Ian Hinchliffe
Friday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

An examination of the challenges and joys of translating advertising copy and other marketing text that often involves translating ideas and cultural values. Using examples from his long career as a freelancer and in-house translator at IKEA, Ian Hinchliffe provides new strategies and approaches to translating Swedish and Scandinavian cultural concepts.

U.S. administrative law is becoming a very important source of information for research by students and lawyers in Brazil. Public law in Brazil has entered a new era. It has switched from its origins in France to its future in the American experience. Independent regulatory agencies, administrative proceedings, rule-making, and market regulation are no longer part of an exclusively "American" table of contents in law books. In recent years, Brazil has enacted new legislation that introduces much of the American experience in this field. In this practical session, participants will be able to polish their vocabulary and understand the main differences between the two systems. It will be specially useful for the translation of academic papers and lawyers' documents.

This session will present an overview of translation at a multilateral organization. Topics to be discussed include the staff recruitment process, procedures and processes, quality standards, and translation aids and support used such as reference unit, CAT, and the Internet. Areas of interest include government finance, budgeting, taxation and customs, central banking, exchange rate system and policy, capital markets, external debt, debt crisis prevention, legal and regulatory frameworks, and IMF arrangements and programs.

The new Brazilian Civil Code (in effect since January 2003) almost entirely supersedes the 1850 Commercial Code, of which only the part related to Admiralty Law still remains in force. As a consequence, companies of all types and business activities in general are now subject to the provisions of this new Civil Code. This presentation will provide a short summary of how the different types of companies now stand in the Civil Code, pinpointing the main changes and additions and the related terms and concepts that may pose a challenge to translators.

Pairing off the two country's court systems: when translating the name of a court of law can seem like a semantic nightmare or a terminological match made in purgatory. How an analysis of the way these systems work and what they aim to do is the first step leading to a reasonably satisfactory solution for all parties involved (including the translator).

Medical examiners perform autopsies to determine the manner and cause of death. Criminal and civil suits can result depending on the outcome of the medical examiner's report. Autopsy reports, however, are not prepared uniformly from one country to another. Brazilian and U.S. medical forensic guidelines follow somewhat different formulas. In this presentation, an autopsy report from each country will be presented and analyzed, highlighting differences and similarities in form and content.

The In's and Out's and Do's and Dont's of Editing English into Portuguese Texts
Edna H. Ditaranto
Saturday, 8:30am-9:15am - All Levels
Presenting Language: English and Portuguese

This presentation will focus on the many facets of the editing task and discuss the myth that "if you can't translate, you edit." It will present an overview of what an editing assignment entails, its importance, and the responsibility of the editor. We will also discuss when a translation should be deemed un-editable and what to do in such situations, and also why editors sometimes make stylistic changes to a text. There will be a practical section where we will discuss problems specific to editing texts translated into Brazilian Portuguese.

Anyone working in Russian<>English medical translation will agree: there is not a bilingual dictionary in existence that can be called reliable or versatile. Many dictionaries are over-reliant on cognates that do not reflect accepted usage. Translators are constantly forced to research terms in monolingual references and on the Internet. During this session, four experienced medical translators and (in two cases) interpreters will share the glossaries and resources that they have accumulated through years of experience. Some particularly troublesome terms will be discussed in depth and the glossaries will be available for discussion. Audience participation is expected and encouraged.

This interactive session is a follow-up to last year's presentation that dealt with lexical interference in English-to-Russian translation. This time, we will take a closer look at syntax and pragmatic interferences. These are a source of perpetual frustration for many end-users that find the level of risk associated with such interferences unacceptable and are willing to pay premium rates for accent-free translations. The practical goal of this session is to identify and discuss solutions to common syntactical problems, including but not limited to those encountered in technical, legal, and advertising texts.

In keeping with its tradition, ATA's Slavic Languages Division will offer a fun test in a game show setting. Participants will be involved in a lively, exciting, and intellectually stimulating activity. They will have ample opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and incite cross-cultural humor. Everyone is welcome!

The Runet, or Russian Internet, has grown significantly over the past several years. It contains a wealth of information of importance to people working in the Russian and English language pair. This presentation will describe the major "regions" of the Runet and show how they can be used by translators for background information, research, terminology hunts, as well as light entertainment. Effective techniques for searching and browsing the Runet will also be highlighted.

This presentation will focus on the typical mistakes made by English speakers who study and use Russian. An attempt will be made to explain why these mistakes occur and what could be done to avoid them.

SLD Conference Wrap-Up
Alex Lane
NEW TIME Saturday, 4:15pm-5:00pm - All Levels

This session is primarily intended for members of ATA's Slavic Languages Division. Its purpose is to collect and share attendee impressions of the conference while they are still fresh in everyone's mind. This session also provides attendees with an opportunity to make and hear suggestions regarding possible SLD presentations, panels, etc., for next year's conference. It will serve to impart some "momentum" to the SLD (in terms of ideas and action items) as its members return home from the conference.

NEW Susana Greiss Lecture: Translating Russia
Paul Richardson
Friday, 1:45pm-3:15pm - All Levels

Financial crime has become a key concern in today's global financial world. Governments and international organizations are intensifying their cooperation and strengthening their international frameworks to effectively combat money laundering, harmful tax competition, and the financing of terrorism. And given the need for the harmonization of standards, translators and interpreters play an active role in bridging the communication gap among countries. The aim of this presentation is twofold: 1) to describe the most important developments in regulatory standards and enforcement mechanisms in this area; and 2) to analyze new financial- and tax-related terms that have been coined as a result of such developments and their translation into Spanish.

One of the most troublesome aspects of Spanish>English translation is avoiding words, phrases, and structures that fall into that no-man's land between the source and target texts. Through practical examples, hands-on exercises, and group discussion, this session will provide participants with the skills required to find and eliminate third language syndrome from their translations.

In this session, the presenter will provide some of her favorite, most challenging passages from translation assignments and classes she has taught over the years. The passages, drawn from legal, medical, business, government, and international organization texts, will give advanced translators something they can really sink their teeth into. Participants should bring laptops (no tables or plugs in room) or plenty of paper for translating. They may bring dictionaries if they like, but the passages will mainly require analysis of convoluted syntax in the Spanish source text and creative use of English in the target text, rather than knowledge of technical terminology.

This hands-on session will provide attendees with useful tools to resolve the main difficulties encountered in the translation of insurance documents. We will work on the translation from English into Spanish of typical insurance policy terms and conditions, such as premium, subrogation, and exclusions, among others. Attendees will get an overall understanding of the clauses and will work with terminology specific to the insurance market. A glossary of the terms discussed and a list of insurance websites will be made available to attendees.

Historically, lawyers were trained exclusively in the adversarial method of jurisprudence, which is based on the concept that justice will emerge best if competing parties, represented by lawyers, present their biased version of a case to a judge or jury and have the flaws of their positions exposed through cross-examination. The Alternative Dispute Resolution methods are alternatives to litigation. Legal translators who have been trained with a focus on the adversarial method must also be up-to-date with ADR methods. This is important, since ADR methods have their own language and rules, and translators must adapt the language of their translations to the terms specific to each ADR method. This adaptation is necessary since the election of terms will influence the outcome of each procedure and because the traditional adversarial terms are no longer adequate. This presentation will deal with these new terms and the need to avoid the old-fashioned legalese associated with the adversarial method.

An estimated 25% of the pharmaceuticals in the world are being manufactured in Puerto Rico, where the labor force is Spanish-speaking. Therefore, there has been a significant increase in the demand for translation of pharmaceutical manufacturing documents, both of an FDA-controlled type and other kinds of texts. Pharmaceutical English is in constant and rapid evolution; translators have to be in touch with changes in the source as well as the target language. The process of using multiple sources from the originators of the document, print and electronic media, and the end-user of the translation will be described. Terminological issues include FDA-required phrasing, acronyms, brand names, "verbing," and neologisms.

Para traducir correctamente un formulario de consentimiento, es conveniente que el traductor tenga ciertos conocimientos básicos sobre el entorno en el cual se desarrolla un ensayo clínico y sobre los reglamentos y lineamientos que lo gobiernan. En esta presentación se revisarán conceptos básicos y terminología de diseño experimental, así como los marcos legales sobre consentimiento informado, y se hará una revisión de los problemas y errores más frecuentes en las traducciones de este tipo de documentos.

Common terms, problems, and pitfalls in translating stock market research texts will be discussed. Examples will be taken from publications from Spanish brokerage houses. There will be an opportunity to work on specific passages. Addition information resources will be identified.

The purpose of having a transcript and translation of recorded evidence (audio or video) in a foreign language is to have a faithful written record in English of the oral information contained in such recordings. A faithful record involves certain transcribing conventions that are governed by the ethical standards of the interpreting profession. Translation issues that arise from those transcribing conventions are often difficult to resolve. This presentation discusses some of those transcribing conventions for non-grammatical discourse, regional variations in speech patterns or pronunciation, and idiolects (e.g., code language of the underworld), with suggestions to resolve some of the most frequent problems encountered when translating non-standard Spanish.

An introduction to basic sentence and phrase structure and rules in the English language for improving a translator's ability to comprehend unclear/ambiguous/difficult source texts and, in turn, ensure a rendering through a target text that is clear (to the reader). Topics include the use of punctuation in relation to sentence structure and the typical problems associated with sentence fragments, run-on sentences, comma splices, and dangling (misplaced) modifiers.

Esta conferencia presenta un breve panorama de las lenguas habladas en Mesoamérica desde la época prehispánica, su afiliación lingüística y características particulares. Describe los inicios de la traducción e interpretación de estas lenguas en la Nueva España en el siglo XVI, su desarrollo posterior y concluye con el México actual. Con el fin de situar este importante aspecto cultural en el contexto de la América del Norte, hace una referencia general a las lenguas autóctonas de los Estados Unidos y Canadá y su respectiva traducción e interpretación al inglés y al francés.

This session will provide information on the regional variation of Spanish-language names for certain animals (alligators, armadillos, capybaras, opossums, skunks, and tadpoles), birds (hummingbirds, buzzards, and vultures), and insects (dragonflies, fireflies, locusts, grasshoppers, ladybugs, and mosquitos). The terms that have been found to be used in each of the 20 Spanish-speaking countries will be presented. The audience will also be asked to share its knowledge of regional Spanish terminology.

Four out of every five violent crimes occur in the home and involve cooking utensils. Besides dicing, mashing, or carving a roast, many of these utensils are put to more nefarious uses when simmering hostility comes to a boil. Thus, interpreters should know the terminology for skewers, knives, meat tenderizers, shrimp deveiners, and other utensils. This holds also true for words relating to food that have less acceptable meanings according to the Spanish one speaks. The speaker will discuss this terminology with overhead graphics. Various types of foods prepared in Spanish-speaking countries, which are sometimes mentioned in courtroom testimony, will also be introduced. Audience participation will be encouraged.

How do you sleuth an unknown term? How do you determine the proper translation adjusted to idiomatic expressions? What are the most common and dangerous technical translation errors? How can even the best bilingual dictionaries be your worst enemies? The speaker will present methods to assist technical translators to become terminology detectives using concrete examples of technical translation pitfalls. The speaker will also provide examples of the major differences in technical terminology in Latin America. Technical glossaries, resources for various fields, and Internet search techniques will also be provided to assist translators. For pre-conference materials, please contact aaronruby@swbell.net.

The translation of prepositions is often difficult regardless of the languages involved, because this part of speech varies greatly from one language to the other, both from the semantic and the functional point of view. This is especially true in the case of English and Spanish, and the problem is a common source of anglicisms and ambiguities in English>Spanish translations. This presentation discusses the main difficulties that may be encountered when translating English prepositions into Spanish and offers possible solutions.

Part I: Playing with Food: Another Problem in Theatrical Translation
In performance, spectators have no time to rethink or research references within the dialogue. Cultural gaps have to be filled for their benefit, and the language must flow easily for the actors. When playwrights decide to play with food, the translator has to swallow hard and cook up solutions. We will examine several problematic passages from Spanish>English and English>Spanish. Authors whose texts will be considered include José Luis Alonso de Santos and Itziar Pascual (Spain), Rich Orloff and Elaine Romero (U.S.), and Arnold Wesker (U.K.).

Part II: Translating Roberto Sosa
The presenter of this workshop received the National Translation Award in 2003 for her translation of the poetry of Roberto Sosa in The Return of the River. In this workshop, the presenter will relate the process of collaborating with the author in a Yaddo residency. Attendees will be provided with new texts from the same author to translate.