Report on the
Twenty-Third Annual CATI Conference
The 23nd Annual CATI Conference, which was held at UNC Charlotte on March 20, 2010 attracted a record 112 attendees, including many new members and 38 students, including 23 from UNC Charlotte and 15 from other educational institutions such as USC Upstate. They enjoyed a full day of networking and thought-provoking, relevant, and well-prepared sessions on a range of translation and interpretation topics.
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Opening the conference, CATI President Michael Collins (left) welcomed the attendees and thanked the college's staff and student members for their help. He dedicated the conference to Sarah Insch, his long-time friend, colleague, and fellow CATI member, for whom the conference observed a minute of silence, and also to the other CATI members who have recently passed away.
Dr. Michael Doyle (right), Professer of Spanish, Translation, and Latin American Studies at UNC Charlotte then welcomed the attendees back to UNC Charlotte — the CATI Conference was also held there in 2007 — and introduced Dr. Robert Reimer, Department Chair, Department of Language and Culture Studies. Dr. Reimer welcomed the attendees and said that, despite the economy, UNCC is a booming university with about 25,000 students, and that it has offered its Translating and Translation Studies (TTS) program since about 1981.
Michael Collins then thanked Maria Rodriguez (left) for her 10 years of service on the CATI Board of Directors. He introduced the CATI 2009-2010 Board of Directors and thanked the CATI Administrative Manager Heather Hille, and CATI Webmaster and CATI Quarterly Editor David Heath.
After the general announcements, Michael Collins introduced the keynote speaker Mark Herman (right). Mark is well-known as a translator of opera and a humor writer, and for his regular column “Humor and Translation” in the ATA Chronicle.
In his keynote presentation, “Making Translators and Interpreters Laugh,” Mark Herman shared his expertise and experience in translations in the arts along with a healthy dose of humor. He included material from many of his ATA Chronicle columns from the past 15 years. He also presented many real examples of humorous and totally incorrect translations to illustrate the importance of always hiring a professional translator or interpreter.
During his very humorous presentation he was joined by his wife Ronnie Apter, who is Professor Emerita of English Language and Literature at Central Michigan University and a published poet and translator of poetry. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed took on Ezra Pound's contribution to the translation of poetic forms into English, Digging for the Treasure: Translation After Pound (1984, Peter Lang) and other works. She took part in role playing with Mark to illustrate some of his examples. Mark spoke about the difficulty of translating opera because the words must not only fit the music but also be easily singable. He illustrated some of his points by actually singing some passages extremely well. The audience (left) enjoyed a highly entertaining and educational presentation.
Download Mark Herman's laugh handout a (PDF)
Download Mark Herman's laugh handout b (PDF)
CATI Board member John Milan, in the second plenary session “Why Can't I Raise My Rates? An introduction to the Economics of Translation and Interpreting” (right), discussed some basic concepts of pricing. These included value, scarcity, and marginal utility; supply and demand, where the unit is words or hours and the demand is from agencies, businesses, government, and individuals, all of which are subject to budget restraints; price determination; competitive markets vs. monopolies; and differentiation of ourselves within the market.
During his thought-provoking presentation he said that consumers need to understand the services that are being offered and their value, and questioned what the current perception is. He stressed the need for client education and said that professional organizations can help with this by providing information that members can use. He pointed out that it would be useful to know how the services that professional translators and interpreters provide influence some of the clients' other costs.
Concurrent Sessions
Mark Herman and Ronnie Apter (left) provided yet more humor with their session “Opera can be funny, even in translation.” Translators of comic opera must retain situational and verbal humor, but must also translate humor that depends on the interplay of words and music. Here he is illustrating his presentation by singing a passage from one of his translations.
David Stephenson (right), in his session “ATA Exam Grading. What is in it for me?” reviewed in detail the nature of the ATA certification exam, how it is administered and graded, and what candidates can do to improve their chances of passing the examination. He provided the answers to a large number of frequently asked questions, explained what the exam consists of, explained the framework for standardized error marking, and provided a flowchart for error point decisions.
Download David Stephson's presentation (PDF)
Download the ATA Into-English Grading Standards (IEGS) in PDF format
Daphne Morgan (left), in her presentation “Accounting for Translators and Interpreters,”
addressed some of the accounting terminology and other sources of confusion that you face when you form and run your own company. She covered the basic legal forms of business and the differences between them. She also explained business expenses and deductibles, how and where to keep track of revenue and expenses, and the differences between employees and independent contractors.
Download Daphe Morgan's presentation (PDF)
Kasia Hallman and Maria Rodriguez, in their presentation “Interpreting Challenges during Diabetes Training,” focused on the terminology related to diabetes, which is constantly evolving as a result of advances in medical technology and medications. This training focused on terminology related to diabetes from an interpreter's perspective. By the end of the session a collaborative effort between the speakers and the attendees resulted in a Diabetes Glossary.
CATI Board members Georgia Betcher, John Milan, and Graciela White (right) provided a “Panel for Students: Learning the Ropes.” One year ago, the “Learning the Ropes” program was launched with the goal to provide a safety net for beginners in the fields of translation and interpreting. So far, several CATI members have taken advantage of this opportunity. This informal session provided further insight into this initiative and a forum for candid questions.
For details of this program, go to members only (log in at the top of the home page).
Jackie Metivier (left) drew from her 19 years of experience in the business to offer her interactive session “Translating in the Triangle: From Philantropy to Pizzas.” She shared real-life experiences of pitfalls and difficulties in the English⁄Spanish translation of advertising slogans, medical information, banking brochures, and video scripts. Participants were asked to translate examples of problematic material and discuss possible solutions.
David Heath (right), in his presentation “Common Errors in English Grammar and Usage,” an interactive session for translators into English, invited discussion on many real but sometimes subtle errors that have become so common that they have become widely accepted usage. His basic theme was that despite such acceptance of incorrect grammar and usage you cannot be faulted for being correct. He ended his presentation by recommending, especially to ATA certification candidates, the ATA Into-English Grading Standards (IEGS) (see link following David Stephenson's presentation, above.)
Javier Castillo (right), in his session “Evaluation of Interpreter Performance and Expert Witness Reports,” described the methodologies used to gauge interpreter competence and basic language that can be used to present findings to interested parties. The presentation was intended for interpreters who have to evaluate the work of other interpreters and also for working interpreters who want to focus on the fundamentals of strong and sound interpreting services.
Catalina Bradley, Erin DeBell, Mike Doyle, Veronica Janis, and Andrew Parkhurst presented a session entitled “Methodology in Translation Standards and Assessment.” They emphasized that standards and assessment constitute core concerns in Translating and Translation Studies (TTS), and they presented the methodolgy used in the graduate workshop at UNC Charlotte. The learner outcomes included:
- Development of a discipline-based professional discourse for addressing translation standards and assessment
- Development of group and individual assessment techniques based on an application of the ATA framework for standardized error marking (English<>Spanish)
- Preparation for the ATA Certification Exam (English<>Spanish)
- Development of a methodology for quality assurance in translation
General Meeting
CATI Vice President Georgia Betcher (left) presided over the General Meeting, CATI President Michael Collins being unable to attend. She thanked all attendees, including student members, and invited everyone to join the reception after the conference. She said that the topic of client education had come up several times during the conference and asked members to carry the message about client education out into the community with them after the conference.
CATI Administrative Manager Heather Hille (right) then gave her report and stated that, as of the conference date, CATI had 160 members but expects to have 200 by the summer. CATI membership includes several student members, and there are South Carolina members who have indicated they are interested in growing membership in their area.
Heather asked members to check their online profiles and submit any updates, and asked if they had any questions.
Georgia Betcher then told the meeting that CATI will be going green with the membership directory, which will be available online-only starting in 2011.
Georgia reported that there was strong NC representation at the recent ATA meeting, and that at the ATA Chapters meeting other groups indicated that CATI is very well respected because of its innovation, programs, and great Administrative Manager (she had everyone sing ‘We Are the Champions.’) Georgia said that membership had asked for a return on their investments at the last CATI conference and that they have received it.
CATI Board member Graciela White (left) then reported on last year's workshops and programs.
Two SDL Trados workshops were given last program year: One in Durham Tech. with 6 attendees and one at UNCC with 12 attendees. The workshops took place over two Saturdays and a Saturday and Sunday respectively. Attendees were happy and liked the instruction.
Interpreting classes were also requested but cancelled due to lack of interest. Georgia reminded members to provide feedback on what works for them.
A “Learning the Ropes” program has been launched and CATI wants to see it grow. The program is an opportunity for newer members to talk to more seasoned professionals. The program is a members-only benefit.
CATI has a scholarship program and can award 10 scholarships a year. Students must write an essay on translation and interpreting by November so that the board can review it. The student receives a CATI membership, and possibly some additional benefits.
CATI Board member John Milan (right) then spoke about the CATI socials. He said that informal gatherings have been organized in the past and that the hope now is that people will get together informally and in a decentralized way. Translation can be lonely, so it helps to talk to other like-minded people.
Heather Hille and John Milan have started a book club blog of books translated into English. Comments are posted for a period after a book is read, and all members are invited to join the blog (use the link on the CATI Website home page.)
Georgia Betcher reminded everyone that money is available to fund socials.
Graciela White said that CATI tries to cover North and South Carolina. She noted that more tends to happen in North Carolina, and so a strong push is being made to return to South Carolina for the conference next year (a plan to go to South Carolina this year did not work). Next year's conference will emphasize interpreting over translation. Graciela asked members for ideas for conference locations. She said the final location will be announced in 2-3 months. Members asked for the date and were told it will be held sometime between March and June.
Georgia Betcher introduced CATI Board members Sandy Reul and Memuna Williams.
The meeting was then opened for questions, and the following questions and topics were discussed:
- Does CATI have a Facebook Page? Answer: The board will discuss.
- Is Skype communication through the Web site possible? For example, putting members' Skype names in the directory; this might even be good for the mentoring program.
Answer: Graciela reported on the board's Skype meeting, and David Heath indicated it would be possible to add Skype information to the directory
- Conference date comment: David Heath commented he would like the conference to take place in April or later.
- Suggestions for workshops:
Dubbing and subtitling
Localization and methodology
- Do any members have recommendations for books? Perhaps book recommendations can be posted on the Web site or in the Quarterly.
Answer: ATA has regular reviews and Freek Lankhof should have recommendations.
- Can books that are not good also be pointed out?
- A member is involved with a group of 9th grade students looking for an NC location where they can experience Hispanic Culture for an end-of-year trip. The member asked for suggestions.
Suggestions: Plaza Fiesta, Fiesta Carolinas, ATA school outreach
- Comment: There is a need for information on business opportunities in the area. This could be a conference topic or round table format.
- Can CATI obtain TRADOS at a group rate?
- Can CATI have joint conferences with other groups?
- Can CATI obtain Errors and Omissions insurance at a group rate?
Answer: ATA already offers Errors and Omissions insurance at a group rate.
Conference Organization
Graciela White was the 2010 CATI Conference Chair and was responsible for the overall coordination of all activities. The conference committee (Georgia Betcher and Maria Rodriguez, with the invaluable support of Heather Hille), made her job easier. While Maria focused on the location, catering, hotel selection, and volunteers, and Georgia on the keynote speaker and goodie bags, Graciela was directly involved in coming up with the program, working with the speakers, securing promotional materials, overseeing registration and confirmations (with Heather's help), and driving status meetings. The whole CATI Board pitched in to make this a very successful conference.
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