The Savvy Newcomer aims to serve newcomers to the translation and interpreting professions by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed content on a weekly basis. We strive to provide you with the answers to the many questions you face as a new or aspiring translator or interpreter.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform industries, many translators and interpreters are asking themselves: Is there still a place for me? The answer is a resounding yes, but it comes with an important caveat. The future of translation and interpretation belongs to those who can do what machines cannot, that is, bring cultural competence, empathy, and context to language. At least, thus far. Cultural competence has always been at the heart of effective communication. It enables professionals to interpret meaning beyond words, including humor, idioms, tone, and intention within specific cultural frameworks. While AI can process vast amounts of…
Nouveaux traducteurs : 10 conseils pour bien démarrer
By Gaëlle Gagné (@trematweet) Reblogged from Le Blog de Trëma with permission from the author (incl. the image) Il y a quelques semaines, j’ai répondu avec plaisir à l’invitation d’une de mes professeurs de l’ÉSIT qui m’avait conviée à un de ses cours afin que je partage mon expérience avec les étudiants de la promotion 2016. La plupart envisagent d’exercer…
ATA Conference Recap
By Jamie Hartz It’s been just over two weeks since the 57th Annual American Translators Association Conference ended, and we’re excited to report that it was, once again, a blast. This year’s highlights included Brainstorm Networking, an event where colleagues meet to discuss business practices-related scenarios in a quick but fun setting; the Job Fair, featuring a number of agencies…
5 lessons from SLAM! on promoting professionalism in the translation industry
How do you differentiate yourself and earn a living as a freelance translator or interpreter? Arm yourself with huge doses of entrepreneurship, pride and courage. Keep on reading to get more tips and be ready to rock! About SLAM! The Scandinavian Language Associations’ meeting (SLAM!) was held on the 24th of September in Malmö. The theme of the event was…
Always leave the door open for future opportunities
Learning to say no is widely covered in our profession. It is a skill many of us have to work on. It took me a long time to identify my limits and realize that yes can be a huge and attractive trap. There is another aspect of our profession that does not receive as much attention: learning to hear no…
Interview – Robyn Dean on Ethics: Metaphors or Values?
Reblogged from the ATA Interpreters Division blog with permission from the author (incl. the image) In preparation for the ATA conference, Marsel de Souza interviewed Robyn Dean, the Interpreters Division’s guest speaker at the ATA 57th Annual Conference in San Francisco. This interview focuses on the following sessions and much more: Returning to Ethics: A Meta-Ethical Analysis of Community Interpreters’ Codes and Standards of…
Revision: a nlboe and etessanitl srcviee
ATA Conference session T-10, Saturday 10:00-11:00, Garden B If you can read the intended title of this presentation, then you can understand that it is impossible to catch all our own mistakes. As translators, we become as close to the material as the author (some say closer). Our eyes begin to gloss over typos and errors as our brain becomes…
Ensuring Payment – Before, During and After the Project
Session IC-3 at the 2016 ATA Conference – Thursday, 3:30-4:30pm ATA57 will mark the 6th time I have given this presentation at an ATA annual conference, and the ninth time overall. The presentation is based on the knowledge and experience I have gained as a freelance translator working with agencies for more than twenty years and from monitoring payment issues…
Buddies Welcome Newbies at ATA57
by Jamie Hartz If you’re a newbie to the American Translators Association, or to translation or interpreting in general, and you’re thinking of attending the ATA conference in San Francisco this November, then this post is for you – so read on! The Savvy Newcomer Team would like to tell you about an event that was a huge success its…
How to Have a Super First Year in the ATA: Go to Your First ATA Conference
Welcome to the fourth and final article in the series How to Have a Super First Year in the ATA. This time, I’ll be talking about why you should attend your first ATA conference this year, what you can expect and some tips for success. This year’s annual conference, ATA57, will be held in San Francisco, California from November 2-5,…
Quoting a Large Translation Project
By May Fung Danis and Steven Marzuola May Fung Danis and Steven Marzuola each responded to a question about writing a proposal for a large translation project recently on the ATA Business Practices discussion group. We’ve combined our remarks for The Savvy Newcomer blog. First, take a look at the following resources from the ATA: Model translation job contract A…