The Savvy Linguist serves a worldwide community of translators and interpreters who are looking for practical solutions to everyday problems, ideas for growing their business, and support as they achieve their career goals. With high-quality, peer-reviewed content, you will find the answers to the questions you face as an innovative language professional.
ATA’s 67th Annual Conference takes place October 28-31, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, and those four days will fly by. The attendees who get the most out of the conference are rarely the ones with the best luck; they’re the ones who did a little homework before boarding the plane. Here are nine things you can do ahead of time so you arrive ready to learn, connect, and enjoy yourself. 1. Order paper business cards now Yes, still. Paper cards remain the fastest way to close a conversation gracefully in a noisy hallway. Order them early enough so…
Need advice or want to share your wisdom? Join the ATA Mentoring Program!
The Mentoring Program is an ATA membership benefit. Any ATA member can apply to become a mentee; this is a valuable privilege many members don’t know they have. If there is some new skill you want to learn but don’t know how, this is a good place to come. ATA counts many talented translators and interpreters who are experts in…
In Defense of Working with Translation Agencies
Amidst all the chatter about rates, discounts, treatment of freelancers by agencies, etc., the commonly suggested solution seems to be to stop working for agencies and get direct clients. I, for one, have absolutely no desire to work for direct clients and wish to speak in defense of the practice of working solely for agencies. While working for direct clients…
What is the Hardest Foreign Language to Learn?
By Alison Kroulek Reblogged from The Language Blog by K International with permission from the author (including the images) No matter what, learning a foreign language takes some effort. But some languages are easier than others. Which languages are the hardest for English speakers to get a grip on? This infographic, based on information provided by the Foreign Service Institute…
Savvy Technical Translators: What do They Have that You Need?
When you come into the translation business, you usually know deep down if you have what it takes to be a technical translator. As a basic starting point, you need good technical instincts in the field you are interested in. That may come from a prior career, a course of study, a family business, or a hobby that you are…
Multilingual holiday carols and wishes
The Savvy Newcomer team would like to wish you happy holidays in some of the languages our team members know. Thanks for interacting with us in 2015, and we look forward to staying in touch in 2016. 2015 has been a fantastic year to share with you! We’ve traversed the seas of translation and interpreting and covered as many topics…
My Transition from College to Professional Life: A whole new kind of juggling act
by Cynthia Eby Just a little under six months ago, on June 13 of this year, I graduated from college at Seattle Pacific University, with a major in Linguistics and Cultural Studies and a minor in Spanish. Over those months my life has changed in many ways, some of which were quite unexpected and difficult to handle. Before graduation, I…
Finding good translators
By Kevin Lossner Partly reblogged from Translation Tribulations with permission from the author Over the past decade I’ve spent many hundreds of hours helping clients and colleagues find suitable translators to collaborate on their projects, mostly involving German and English, but occasionally venturing into other languages such as French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese or even Vietnamese and Sinhalese. Unfortunately, it can be…
People Do Business with People They Know, Like, and Trust
by Jamie Hartz One of my more menial but surprisingly rewarding jobs during college was working at a Chick-fil-A. This came in handy recently when I had to translate a 20,000-word catalog of industrial kitchen equipment, most of which I would have never laid eyes on had it not been for the many hours I spent chatting in the “back…
How (Not) to Be a Professional Translator and 6 Tips to Help You Become One
By Alina Cincan Reblogged from Inbox Translation blog with permission from the author A professional translator’s job is not as easy as it looks. A bilingual dictionary, the internet and a working knowledge of the source and target languages are not sufficient to become a self-styled professional. Depending on the speciality area, an aspiring translator needs several hundred hours of practice, subsequent certification…
Don’t Just Sit and Pitch: What I’ve Learned as a Translator-Turned-Salesman
Over the past few months I’ve learned more about translations, the people who need them, and good customer service than I ever thought I would—all without translating a single word. In May, I joined Multilingual Connections, a translation and transcription company based near Chicago, as their customer relations manager. In the office, we have debates over what words really mean…