ATA SLD

Slavic Languages Division (American Translators Association)

Upcoming ATA webinar August 25: Transcreation in Video Game Localization 

https://www.atanet.org/event/transcreation-in-video-game-localization/

Presenters: Lucio Alcaide, Marina Ilari
August 25, 2021, at 12 noon U.S. EDT
CE Points: 1 ATA-approved

Localizing video games sounds like fun, and it is. But any game localization expert will tell you it’s also one of the most challenging jobs in the industry. Luckily there is a way to make the process a bit easier!

Join this webinar to learn how transcreation can be used to create an immersive experience for players—from story to characters to culture. Real examples, tips, and tricks included!

What will you learn?
* The difference between translation, localization, and transcreation
* The evolution of video game localization
* Where transcreation might be needed in video games
* Examples of transcreation in a variety of video game content
* Strategies to use when working on projects that require transcreation

Register Now!
ATA Member $45 https://web.atanet.org/membersonly/login.php?rm=login&msg=0&redirect=/membersonly/webinar.pl?cid=290
Non-Member $60 https://web.atanet.org/webinars/shopping_cart.php?itemCode=290

ATA Compensation Survey: Deadline Extended to July 30, 2021

Dear SLD members,

Please remember to take the ATA Compensation Survey: the deadline was extended to July 30, 2021.

ATA is working with Dynamic Benchmarking, LLC, an independent firm specializing in association-related research, to conduct an industry-wide survey of compensation for translation and interpreting services. Dynamic Benchmarking is collecting the survey responses, thus ensuring your anonymity.

There is a need for a comprehensive picture of the market for translation and interpreting services. Your participation is essential to collecting sufficient data.

The survey results will be an invaluable resource for individuals as well as the industry itself. Not only will you be able to see how your earnings compare to colleagues working in your language pair and specialty, but ATA will also have the data necessary to lobby the U.S. Department of Labor to correct its T&I compensation statistics which currently do not adequately represent independent contractors.

Survey-takers who complete the survey will receive a copy of the results formatted to allow filtering by language and specialty. You will be able to easily compare your compensation for the years 2019 and 2020 to that of your colleagues.

Learn more: https://www.atanet.org/business-strategies/ata-compensation-survey/

Upcoming ATA Events: June 2021

ATA’s events schedule is as busy as ever. Here are a few upcoming events not to miss!

“Introduction to Localization” by Alaina Brandt
June 15, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT / ATA CEP: 1.0
ATA members: $45; non-members: $60. Click to register.

Localization is the act of customizing language services and products to audiences who speak different languages. The strategies employed in localization are highly dependent on cultural, subject field, and textual/product expectations. Localization strategy is tailored to business goals in areas like sales, expansion, and growth. Localization work is performed in a dynamic environment of rapid technological advancements, ever-shifting regulations, and looming and unforeseen risks.

Join us to learn about opportunities in this exciting field and the skills needed to be a successful localizer. You will leave this session understanding that localization is anything but a one-size-fits-all approach.

Virtual Brainstorm Networking
June 29, 5:00 – 6:00 pm EDT
FREE and limited to ATA members! Click to register.

Join your colleagues for this fun, fast-paced hour of solving common business challenges in small teams. Attend this virtual event to meet new people, learn new skills, and expand your support network, while sharing your own experiences. Don’t miss it!

“Practical Strategies to Capture Notes Virtually When Providing Remote Interpreting” by Armando Ezquerra Hasbun
June 30 / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT / ATA CEP: 1.0
ATA members: $45; non-members: $60. Click to register.

The pandemic has forced us to adapt to interpreting from home. In this webinar we will review basic and advanced pointers on how to use low-cost or free programs and applications you may already have to capture information, bypassing the traditional approach of handwritten note-taking strategies.

“Interpreting Insults from Spanish into Your Target Language” by Darinka Mangino
June 30 / 1:00 pm – 2:30 pmEDT / ATA CEP: 1.5
ATA members: $65; non-members: $90. Click to register.

Even seasoned interpreters have a hard time making the right choice when dealing with big words and colloquial expressions when content is more emotional than technical. In some cultures, expletives might be used as a form of flattery and expressions of closeness, even if authoritative dictionaries list those big words as taboo.
When you do not know how to interpret insults, you may use a different register than the speaker used originally. A colloquial expression could become a formal one or—even worse—a word that is key to the message could be omitted.

Having a strategy to delve into the cultural meaning will help you detach from the awful feeling of uttering insults you don’t mean but have to say in the first person. You will make confident choices and be assured that you did not compromise the speaker’s agency or your client’s trust.

In this webinar, you will learn how to not take words at face value, how to perform a comprehensive analysis of the message, and how to convey the speaker’s message accurately.

Register for both “Practical Strategies to Capture Notes Virtually When Providing Remote Interpreting” and “Interpreting Insults from Spanish into Your Target Language” and save $15!

SLD’s April Networking Meetup

Dear SLD members,

Spring is a time for reaching out!

After the success of the online networking meetup at ATA61 and the second one in January, we would like to invite you to the next quarterly gathering on Zoom. Come chat with Slavic Languages Division colleagues about what’s going on in life and in business. The past meetups have offered members consolation and camaraderie through the difficult winter. We hope that this one will give attendees a sense of hope and motivation as we cautiously emerge from hibernation.

Grab something from the fridge and meet us on Zoom from 1-3 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, April 25. We will do our best to accommodate latecomers.

To RSVP, please email SLD Assistant Administrator Steven McGrath (steven@mcgrathtranslations.com) before the event. Attendance is limited to 100 participants. We hope to see you there!

SLD CONTACT INFORMATION

Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya, SLD Administrator: eugenia@sokolskayatranslations.com

Steven McGrath, SLD Assistant Administrator: steven@mcgrathtranslations.com

Upcoming ATA webinars in April: Branding Basics and Doing Business with Law Firms

Several ATA webinars are coming up in April, and we thought that these two would be of interest to SLD members!

“Personal Branding Basics”: a Back to Business Basics webinar with Ben Karl on April 6 at 12:00 pm Eastern time. This webinar is free to ATA members but registration is required. All registered participants will get a handout and a link to the recording.
Register at https://www.atanet.org/event/personal-branding-basics/

Developing a personal brand is a classic “work smarter, not harder” technique. When done well, it will showcase your specific expertise and skill set, bringing focus to your marketing and targeting your ideal clients. Far more than a logo or a slogan, your personal brand will tell your story, from who you are and what you do to why you are the right person for the job.

“Doing Business with Law Firms”: a webinar with Paula Arturo on April 14 at 12:00 pm Eastern time. Registration is $45 for ATA members and $60 for non-members (including 1 ATA CEP and a link to the recording)
Register at https://www.atanet.org/event/doing-business-with-law-firms/

Legal translators are expected to master both law and language in a market with its own unique, and often rigid, set of rules. This is not a field you jump into unprepared.

So how do you know if this field is right for you? How do you prepare to cater to this demanding market? Should you sub-specialize? If so, in what? How do you get your foot through the door with top law firms? And, once inside, how do you keep them happy and coming back?

Presenter Paula Arturo will draw on her 20+ years of experience and current role at a top law firm to help get you on track for doing business with law firms.

Emergency Preparedness and Contingency Planning for Freelancers

A new webinar is coming up in ATA’s popular Back to Business Basics series!

On March 2 at 12:00 pm Eastern time, Karen Tkaczyk will talk about Emergency Preparedness and Contingency Planning for Freelancers.

As with all webinars in this new series, it will be free to ATA members (but you must register to attend). The recording will be available to members at no charge (non-members can access it for a small fee).

What happens if you are hit by the proverbial bus? Or have power outages after a weather event? Or have to spend unplanned time in the hospital? Sensible contingency planning is not only your responsibility but also a gift to whomever will be handling the business in your absence.

In this seventh episode of ATA’s Back to Business Basics webinar series, presenter Karen Tkaczyk will walk attendees through implementing a basic emergency plan, including office infrastructure, crisis communications, and business continuity.

What will you learn?

  • Where to start in making a plan
  • Which tools can help keep this simple
  • Whether to have instructions and message templates in all your working languages
  • How to reduce stress for those handling your affairs
  • How a business can smoothly restart operations after an emergency

Registration is open: https://www.atanet.org/event/emergency-preparedness-and-contingency-planning-for-freelancers/

ATA Webinars on Audiovisual Translation

The industry stats say it all: the average person will increase their daily online video watching from 84 minutes in 2020 to 100 minutes in 2021, while the total time collectively spent viewing online videos has increased 32% a year on average since 2013.

The demand for audiovisual translation is growing rapidly. So, if you’re thinking of adding a new specialty to your services, this is a good one to vet.

These two webinars organized in collaboration with ATA’s Audiovisual Division that will give you the introduction you need.

Attend them live on February 24, 2021, or watch the recordings at your convenience.

Subtitling: How a Text Translator Can Become a Subtitler by Deborah Wexler

Subtitling is a translation job. You’re a translator. Shouldn’t that be enough? Actually, it’s not. When you’re translating a book or document, you have a single stream of text to deal with. When you’re translating a movie, you have two streams of information coming at you at the same time and are limited by reading speed and the number of characters allowed. And the differences don’t stop there.

Is this specialty a good fit for your business? Register now to find out!

ATA Member: $45 – Register Here Non-Member: $60 – Register Here

You will learn: 

  • The differences between text translation and subtitling
  • Subtitling formatting
  • Basic functions of subtitling software
  • The dos and don’ts of managing time and space constraints
  • How to train yourself in subtitling

Closed-Captioning and SDH: An Introduction by Mara Campbell

The techniques of closed-captioning and subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (SDH) are great entry-level tasks in the audiovisual translation industry. Presenter Mara Campbell will cover roll-up captions and pop-on captions with and without placement, as well as the pros and cons of available freeware and professional software.ATA Member: $45 – Register Here Non-Member: $60 – Register HereYou will learn:

  • An understanding of how closed-captioning and SDH are produced
  • The similarities and differences between the two
  • The different types of closed-captioning and SDH
  • Available freeware and professional software
  • Qualifications and skill sets professionals need to have

Register for Both Webinars and Save!

ATA Member $75   Non-Member $105

And if you are interested in audiovisual translation, check out the previous ATA webinars on this topic: What Is Audiovisual Translation? and Audio Description: The Visual Made Verbal

SLD Networking Meetup

ATA SLD Networking Meetup

Hi SLD members!

Inspired by the division meetup at the ATA 61st Annual Conference, we’re hoping to have Zoom networking meetings about four times a year.

Join us for our first one this weekend!

Where: Zoom (i.e. wherever you want!)
When: Sunday, January 31, 2021, 1:00-3:00 PM EST
Who: You! (SLD members)
How to join: Check the SLD Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn group, or email Steve McGrath at steven@mcgrathtranslations.com.

Thank you and hope to see you there too!

SLD at the ATA 58th Annual Conference: all you need to know and do before leaving for Washington, D.C.

Watch

Image by Jiyeon Park via Unsplash

The ATA 58th Annual Conference is now less than a week away. We look forward to meeting new SLD members and reconnecting with the colleagues we already know.

We have several reminders for the SLD members coming to the conference – before you start your journey to Washington, D.C., make sure you are not going to miss any of the SLD events that interest you.

For the first-time attendees: advice from SLD members, Buddies welcome Newbies and Newcomers Lunch

If you are a first-time attendee, welcome!

You’ll be able to meet with SLD members even before the sessions start at the SLD table at the Welcome Celebration. We also recommend participating in the Buddies welcome Newbies program, and attending the SLD Newcomers Lunch (Thursday, October 26, 12:30 pm) – please remember that registration for this event closes on Friday, October, 20.

Read more about the SLD Newcomers Lunch here. Remember that this event is open to both newcomers and those who have already attended ATA conferences in the past.

In addition to organizing the newcomers lunch, Jen Guernsey has prepared a blog post with advice for the first-time attendees. You can read it here. Natalie Mainland, a recent first-time attendee, shares her experience and offers advice in this post. If you would like to read other conference reviews by first-time attendees, the Summer/Fall SlavFile Preview issue has a list of articles going back to 2004.

SLD Annual Dinner

This event will take place on October 26, from 7pm to 10 pm at Meze. You can find detailed instructions on registration and information about the event here. While we do offer an opportunity to register at the Welcoming Celebration, we would very much like to have as many attendees as possible register before October, 20. Please register now to avoid possible cancellation!

Other dining options: going out with other SLD members

This year we are running sign-up sheets for SLD members who would like to explore Washington, D.C., Slavic food scene. Additional information and a link to the sign-up form are available here.

SLD sessions and the Annual Meeting

While going out with fellow SLD members is an important part of the conference experience, it is not all that we do.

You can find the Slavic languages sessions schedule online, or in the Summer/Fall SlavFile Preview issue.

In addition to that we encourage all SLD members to attend the Annual Meeting on Thursday at 4:45 pm to 5:45 pm. This is an opportunity to discuss the division initiatives, find out about division plans, meet other members and help shape the future of our division. SLD Annual Meeting agenda has been published in the 2017 Summer/Fall SlavFile issue on page 24.

Other ways to make a difference

Even if you are not willing to take on a specific position as a member of the Leadership Council, you can still contribute to the division. For example, we would love SLD members and other conference attendees to share their experiences and/or reviews of non-Slavic sessions. Read a post from Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya, the SLD Blog Editor, to find out more.

Final reminders

Please remember that there is a new badging policy in place: do not forget to wear your attendee badge for any conference events and activities.

If you would like to attend one of the SLD events, please remember to register in advance, by October, 20, for both Newcomers Lunch and Annual Dinner.

Lastly, please consider contributing to the division, either by attending the Annual Meeting or by submitting a review, a post, or a SlavFile article.

We wish all attendees an exciting time in Washington, D.C., and hope to see you there!

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