Red T, the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), the International Federation of Translators (FIT), the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters (IAPTI), Critical Link International (CLI) and the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) have started a petition to protect translators and interpreters around the world who have to put their life in danger in order to carry out their jobs.
Category: For translation makers
Slavery and Grammar: Historical Erasure by Means of Linguistic Devices
Language is powerful. The terms and structures you use to talk about a particular subject can alter the effects, repercussions and opinions of people reading about a topic, particularly if these people are caught off guard.
Preaching about the power of language has become second nature to me. However, there are many who are still surprised at the thought of language influencing opinions and even actions. A couple of days ago, a friend of mine shared this article with me entitled “How Texas Teaches History”, and I have got to say that my friends know me too well, because I found it fascinating.
St Jerome, My Mate, and the Reason Why I Translate
Today, hours before International Translator’s Day finishes everywhere in the world, I’d like to write down some personal thoughts about this profession that I am so in love with.
I like to think of Saint Jerome translating the Bible into Latin because he wanted to bring knowledge to the people. And yes, I know this may or may not be true, as it was Pope Damasus I who commissioned this huge job, but I like to think of Jerome as the essence of what, in my opinion, translation stands for: a bridge between knowledge and people.
Official Translations into both English and Spanish
The New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters has decided I am qualified enough to have a stamp for translation services into both Spanish and English, and I can’t be any more excited!
“Lolita” Book Covers: from Teen Temptress to Symbolism and Suggestiveness
Few books have shaken me in the way Lolita did when I read it. Nabokov’s work plays with the reader’s emotions and sympathies, as well as their understanding of sexuality, relationships and love. There is so much going on in the book, that choosing a cover for it should be excruciatingly hard. Yet, based on what I could see in Dieter E. Zimmer’s gallery, entitled “Covering Lolita“, a great number of editions from all over the world have chosen to go with the portrayal of Lolita as a temptress, many of them featuring the iconic heart-shaped glasses which have come to characterise her.
War as a Business: How Does it Affect Linguists Involved?
Making money out of war has long been a controversial issue, so much so that terms like “war profiteer” have been coined to refer to individuals or companies getting rich from selling weapons and goods for the troops. And, if you are a linguist, you will surely agree with me in that, if the situation got lexicalised into the language, then it must be real and worth looking into.
Some Mid-Week Humour
Stereotyping Translators into Empty Vessels
Today I came across an article published in a Bollywood news and gossip website about the character of a female translator in a new movie called ‘Singh is Bliing’. The character’s role is to help the main characters communicate with each other. When describing the translator she is impersonating, actress Lara Dutta stated: “It’s funny but also quirky. I had to make an effort to look geeky and frumpy. My look was decided upon between the director, the producer and me and was executed by the film’s stylist Arun”. No translators involved in that decision, of course.
A Seal of Approval!—Translations from English into Spanish
I am now offering sealed translations from English into Spanish thanks to this handsome new stamp I received from the New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters:
New Zealand government agencies, for example, demand certified translations of all documents you turn in, which ensures it is not realised by an untrained person, computer translation software, or a friend or family member who is not a professional linguist. These translations should bear the stamp and signature of the translator, which in this case looks like that pretty stamp above, provided by NZSTI.
**Update: I am now offering official translations into both English and Spanish. New seal and all!
A Word against the Evils of Working in your Pyjamas
Lately, I have been getting many comments about working from home, in my pyjamas. I am often told to grow up, put pants on and actually get some work done. Most of the times, I get this as a joke, but the really funny thing is: I spend a lot of time working, I absolutely love my job and I am very professional about it. I turn in my projects in time, I guarantee quality translations, I work on this blog in my free time.
However, I’ve been reading a lot about the evils of being a freelancer, working from home and never changing out of your pyjamas. The argument is that we associate pyjamas with sleeping and lying around, not work. I am supposed to feel a lot more professional when I put work clothes on, even if no one is there to see me.
Translations with AM 