ATA SLD

Slavic Languages Division (American Translators Association)

American Translators Association: The Voice of Interpreters and Translators

Slavic Languages Sessions at ATA67

If you’re attending the 67th ATA Annual Conference (October 28-31, 2026, in San Francisco), make sure to check out these sessions in the Slavic Languages category! If you haven’t decided yet, there’s still time: early registration rates have been extended to October 12.

Important note: The Slavic Languages Division will be holding its annual meeting on September 26, independent of the conference. We encourage all members to attend, so the division can better serve our members! Please check your email for communications from ATA on division annual meetings for the schedule and registration links.

(024) The Translator’s Voice: Inaudible, Naturalizing, Foreignizing, or Something Else?

Presented by Christine Pawlowski, Thursday, October 29, 2:40 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.

The concept of translation “sway” was introduced by Ori and Rom Brafman in the book of the same title. The discussion was further developed by Lawrence Venuti and by Douglas Robinson in his book Translation and the Problem of Sway. Henryk Sienkiewicz’s novel Quo Vadis? is one of the best-selling novels of all time. The most well-known translations are by Jeremiah Curtin and Wieslaw Kuniczak. The sway of these translations is vastly different. How? Why? Let’s compare. What would you do?

(035) When One Button Moves Money: Strategies for Localizing Cryptocurrency Interfaces

Presented by Svitlana Romanenko, Thursday, October 29, 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Cryptocurrency user interfaces combine financial terminology, technical language, and regulatory messaging within space-constrained environments where precision is critical. Designed for translators and localization professionals working in finance or technology, this session examines linguistic challenges unique to cryptocurrency interface translation that demand careful linguistic judgment. Drawing on experience with major cryptocurrency exchanges, the speaker will analyze high-stakes elements such as action buttons, confirmation flows, and risk disclosures, focusing on terminology choices, verb forms, borrowing versus adaptation, and cross-product consistency. The session will also highlight the role of ongoing linguistic quality control in maintaining clarity and consistency across cryptocurrency products.

(148) Working in Linguistic Validation: Skills, Responsibilities, and Career Pathways

Presented by Megan Kregel, Saturday, October 31, 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Linguistic validation plays a vital role in bridging language barriers, and skilled linguists are at the heart of this process. You use your knowledge and expertise to ensure that translated materials are not only accurate but also culturally relevant. Your ability to interpret subtle nuances, idiomatic expressions, and regional differences is essential for resonating with diverse audiences. In this session, we’ll delve into how you can make a profound and positive impact on global health by safeguarding the accuracy, clarity, and effectiveness of translated materials. Your dedication enhances cross-cultural understanding, supports groundbreaking research, and ultimately helps people everywhere.

ATA67 Registration Now Open!

Registration for this year’s ATA Annual Conference is open! The 67th Conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco, CA on October 28-31, 2026. You can find all the information, including the schedule at a glance and hotel info, at the ATA67 website.

Early registration rates are available until September 8. In addition to the full conference, there are also 1-day and 2-day registration options.

SLD hopes to see you there!

My First ATA Conference: A Newcomer’s View of ATA66 in Boston

Newcomer review by Oleh Bilyk

As a first-time attendee and a relative newcomer to the world of professional conferences, I was excited to travel to Boston for the American Translators Association’s 66th Annual Conference. Over three days, I discovered a packed schedule of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, but for me the true gems were the community events organized by the Slavic Languages Division (SLD) and the thought-provoking presentations by our Distinguished Speaker and SLD members. The conference began with Advanced Skills & Training Day, which set a strong educational tone. These longer, in-depth sessions allowed participants to dive deeply into specific topics, including the practical use of AI in translation and interpreting workflows, as well as the often-overlooked challenges of escort interpreting. For someone new to ATA conferences, this format was especially helpful, as it allowed time not only to learn but also to ask questions and connect with colleagues in smaller settings.

As the main conference days unfolded, it became clear just how thoughtfully the program had been designed. Business and professional development sessions addressed real concerns faced by freelancers and agency owners alike — how to market services, communicate value to clients, manage time and finances, and adapt to a rapidly changing industry. These sessions were practical, honest, and reassuring, particularly for those still finding their footing in the profession.

Technology and AI were woven throughout the program, not as abstract concepts but as practical tools. Discussions focused on how translators and interpreters can responsibly integrate AI into their work while preserving quality, ethics, and the essential human element of language. Rather than fear-driven narratives, these sessions emphasized adaptability, critical thinking, and informed decision-making.

Legal translation and interpreting were also strongly represented. Sessions covered contracts, ethics, sworn translations, court procedures, and terminology, offering valuable insight into the realities of working in legal settings. For someone interested in the intersection of language and law, these talks provided both clarity and inspiration.

One of the most meaningful aspects of ATA66 was its attention to language access and inclusion. Sessions on relay interpreting for languages of limited diffusion highlighted the importance of ensuring that smaller language communities are not excluded. Discussions on healthcare language access emphasized that true safety and equity depend not only on patient communication but also on ensuring that staff can communicate effectively across languages. There was also a powerful focus on immigration document translation, reminding attendees that behind every document is a person whose future may depend on accuracy, ethics, and cultural understanding.

Robert Chandler on Russian Translation

One session that stayed with me long after I left Boston was Robert Chandler’s talk “Changing Attitudes to Translating from Russian.” As a distinguished translator of Russian literature, Chandler drew on his deep experience to challenge some of the conventional wisdom we often hear about translation. He shared stories about Constance Garnett, whose early translations of Chekhov, Dostoevsky and other great Russian writers helped shape how English-speaking readers encountered those voices for the first time. Garnett’s work has been both praised and criticized over the decades, and Chandler used this history to illustrate how debates over literal versus free translation can become dogmatic.

What I found most powerful was his insistence on tact and sensitivity as guiding principles. Rather than clinging to a single theoretical approach, he urged us to develop the intuition to know when to be direct and when to let a little “strangeness” remain, when to preserve ambiguity and when to clarify. He also spoke about the value of collaboration — reading drafts aloud with colleagues and discussing tone and rhythm — and the importance of humility: studying other translations, not to copy them but to learn from different solutions. Chandler’s talk was a reminder that translation is a living art, one that requires as much heart as it does technique.

A Warm Welcome at Servia

The Slavic Languages Division Annual Dinner brought us together at Servia, a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant tucked near Faneuil Hall. Over platters of hummus, grilled meats, and vibrant salads, I had the chance to meet colleagues I’d only ever seen on Zoom, catch up with old friends and make new ones. Conversations ranged from the challenges of translating dialects to the best places in Boston to grab a cannoli. By the end of the evening, I felt like part of a close‑knit community rather than just another conference attendee.

Equally important were the informal moments: hallway conversations, shared meals, division gatherings, and evening events. As a first-time attendee, I was struck by how welcoming the community was. The Slavic Languages Division dinner, in particular, provided a warm and relaxed environment to meet colleagues, exchange stories, and feel genuinely included. These conversations were just as valuable as the formal sessions.

The conference culminated with a keynote that traced the human drive to decipher language from ancient history to modern AI, offering a fitting conclusion to a week focused on both innovation and tradition. By the final day, what stood out most was not just the volume of knowledge shared, but the shared sense of purpose among translators and interpreters from around the world.

Final Thoughts

This year’s conference reminded me why I’m proud to belong to the Slavic Languages Division. As a newbie, I was welcomed warmly into conversations and felt supported every step of the way. Our dinner at Servia created a space where colleagues could relax and connect, and Robert Chandler’s session challenged me to think more deeply about my craft. I left Boston feeling inspired, grateful, and eager to apply what I learned to my own work. I hope that by sharing these impressions, I can encourage more of our members — especially those who haven’t attended before — to join us at future conferences. There’s nothing quite like experiencing the energy and camaraderie of the SLD in person when you’re just starting out.

Oleh Bilyk is the founder and CEO of Speakr LLC, a language solutions provider specializing in medical, legal, and educational interpreting and translation. He is an NBCMI-certified medical interpreter and certified by the Oregon Health Authority. Drawing on his background in law and his personal experience as an immigrant, Oleh focuses on ethical, culturally sensitive language access, particularly for underserved and emerging language communities. He currently works nationwide in high-stakes medical and legal settings and is active in professional associations supporting language access and interpreter development. He can be found on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/oleh-bilyk-9ba5641a7 (personal) and https://www.linkedin.com/company/speakrllc (Speakr LLC), and at the Speakr LLC website, https://speakrllc.com/.

Robert Chandler at ATA66: Changing Attitudes to Translating from Russian

Session Review: (067) Changing Attitudes to Translating from Russian, presented by SLD Distinguished Speaker Robert Chandler on Friday, October 24, at ATA66

Review by Trace Dreyer

The art of tact, Robert Chandler argued in his first talk as Distinguished Speaker, is at the heart of translation, not choosing sides in theoretical debates. Drawing on examples from Constance Garnett’s groundbreaking work and the collaborative methods of Samuel Koteliansky, Chandler dismantled the false dichotomies that have long constrained translation theory: literal versus free, foreignization versus domestication, transparency versus opacity. Instead, he proposed that great translators must develop the sensitivity to know when each approach serves the text, negotiating meaning through dialogue rather than dogma. His message, delivered through historical examples and practical wisdom, challenges translators to abandon rigid ideologies in favor of something more demanding: the passionate commitment to bringing literature to life for new readers, whatever tactical choices that requires.

Getting down to brass tacks

Robert Chandler galvanized the room by opening with a poignant rendition of Maria Remizova’s searing poem “The House that Jack Wrecked,” translated powerfully by Dmitri Manin and published in the Smokestack Books anthology of Russian poetry Disbelief: 100 Russian Anti-War Poems (see below). This drove home the approach he would go on to advocate: grounding translation in tact, sensitivity, and communicating meaning.

Shining a light through the window of translation

Chandler brought theory to life by tracing the historical roots of translation philosophy back to the earliest Bible translations, identifying two fundamental approaches that continue to shape the field today. He likened these to the architectural differences between Protestant and Catholic churches: The windows in Protestant churches offer transparency, allowing light to stream through clearly, while the rich colors in Catholic churches’ stained-glass windows nuance the light even as they reduce its intensity. Both approaches have merit; the transparent translation gives readers the sensation of accessing something deep and complex directly, while the more ornate approach may sacrifice some clarity to preserve the distinctive character of the original language. Chandler suggested that the most successful translations transcend this binary.

Honoring Constance Garnett

Chandler began by shedding light on the success of Constance Garnett’s early-twentieth-century translations of Chekhov, Dostoevsky, and others, despite harsh criticism by those who hold fast to dichotomies.

Chandler reminded his audience that this courageous and independent woman accomplished something remarkable: Garnett’s translations successfully enabled English-speaking readers to sense the greatness of those Russian writers for the first time. Her work profoundly influenced Arnold Bennett, D.H. Lawrence, Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and other great writers.

What made Garnett’s work successful, Chandler argued, was her tact, that is, her ability to look beyond rigid adherence to structure, grammar, and literal meaning to capture something more essential. In her translation of Chekhov, for instance, she preserved his characteristic indefiniteness, his contradictions, his loose ends. She understood that Chekhov’s genius lay partly in what he left unresolved.

The Collaborative Model: Samuel Koteliansky

Chandler also highlighted Samuel Koteliansky, whose approach was, crucially, collaborative and oral. He would read translations aloud with literary partners, D.H. Lawrence and both Leonard and Virginia Woolf, discussing and negotiating where the meaning was to be found, not just in individual words, but in tone and rhythm. This method of reading aloud and negotiating meaning offers a model for how translators might work: not in isolation, following rigid principles, but in dialogue, seeking the living spirit of the text.

Practical Wisdom

Chandler insightfully recommended that translators examine other translations into English, even translations from languages other than Russian, before beginning their own work, not to copy but to discover good ideas and solutions to common problems. This approach requires humility, a willingness to learn from predecessors rather than simply dismissing them.

He invoked the translators of the King James Bible, who “sought the truth not their own gain” and recognized the importance of not rushing their work or coveting praise. Their example reminds us that translation is ultimately a service to the author, to the text, and to readers in the target language.

Bringing Life to Translation

The session’s through-line was clear: rigid ideologies—whether favoring literal fidelity or creative adaptation, foreignization or domestication, meter or meaning—can interfere with the translator’s essential task. That task is not to demonstrate theoretical consistency or to showcase one’s own linguistic cleverness, but to bring the original text to life in a new language.

For translators of Russian literature, especially those working in today’s complex cultural and political landscape, Chandler’s message is challenging and liberating as well. Let’s develop our tact: the sensitivity to know when transparency serves the text and when a touch of strangeness is needed, when to preserve ambiguity and when to clarify, when to follow the letter and when to pursue the spirit.

Translation is not about following rules. It is about negotiation, sacrifice, and above all, the passionate commitment to bringing the text to life for those who are unable to read the original. As Constance Garnett demonstrated over a century ago, when done with tact and dedication, translation can change literary history itself.

Robert Chandler is a distinguished translator of Russian literature, whose translations include works by Pushkin, Akhmatova, and Vasily Grossman, among others.

Tracy Philip Dreyer is a professional translator and interpreter with over 25 years of experience with international agencies, government entities, and non-governmental organizations working in human rights, environment, development, and others. He is highly proficient in translation, as well as simultaneous and consecutive interpreting, and has proven familiarity with the institutional languages of UNDP, FAO, ILO, the World Bank, and other multilateral agencies. L1 English, L1 Spanish, L2 French, L3 Portuguese. Since 2020, he has been the Translation Coordinator with Signify Translation in El Salvador, Central America, where he lives and works.

The House that Jack Wrecked

Maria Remizova

This is the house

that Jack wrecked.

And these are the tenants who went to hide

In the dark basement and so survived

In the house

that Jack wrecked.

 

This is the merry titmouse

That flies no longer about the house,

The house

that Jack wrecked.

This is the cat

That cowers and whimpers and doesn’t get

What’s going on with the bombs and all that

In the house

That Jack wrecked.

 

This is the tailless dog,

Toothless, gutless, beheaded, declawed.

Maybe up in heaven it will meet God

In the house

That Jack wrecked.

 

This is the cow with the crumpled horn,

Mooing, its udder tattered and torn,

Dripping blood and milk in the morn

On the road to the house

That Jack wrecked.

 

This is the old woman, sad and forlorn,

That can’t see the cow with the crumpled horn,

Can’t see the dead dog without tail and all that,

Can’t see the mewling, hysterical cat,

Can’t see the silent and motionless titmouse,

Can’t see the mess in the basement of the house,

The house

That Jack wrecked.

She clings to the steps in an odd embrace,

A meat fly crawling across her face.

translated by Dmitri Manin

 

Original:

Дом, который разрушил Джек

Мария Ремизова

 

Вот дом,

Который разрушил Джек.

А это те из жильцов, что остались,

Которые в темном подвале спасались

В доме,

Который разрушил Джек.

А это веселая птица-синица,

Которая больше не веселится.

В доме,

Который разрушил Джек.

Вот кот,

Который пугается взрывов и плачет,

И не понимает, что все это значит,

В доме,

Который разрушил Джек.

Вот пес без хвоста,

Без глаз, головы, живота и хребта.

Возможно, в раю он увидит Христа

В доме,

Который разрушил Джек.

А это корова безрогая,

Мычит и мычит, горемыка убогая.

И каплями кровь с молоком на дорогу

К дому,

Который разрушил Джек.

А это старушка, седая и строгая,

Старушка не видит корову безрогую,

Не видит убитого пса без хвоста,

Не видит орущего дико кота,

Не видит умолкшую птицу синицу,

Не видит того, что в подвале творится

В доме,

Который разрушил Джек.

Она как-то криво припала к крыльцу.

И муха ползет у нее по лицу.

ATA66: SLD Roundup

66th ATA Annual Conference, October 22-25, 2025

If you’re heading to Boston for the 66th ATA Annual Conference this year (October 22-25) and wondering what will be there for the Slavic languages enthusiast, we have you covered! In this roundup, we’ve compiled a rundown of SLD-related happenings at the conference, from the Wednesday night division meetup to our Distinguished Speaker sessions to the annual dinner. Hope to see you there!

And if you haven’t registered for the conference yet, there’s still time!

Division Mingle

Keep Connecting and Celebrating with Divisions & Special Interest Groups

Wednesday, October 22, 7:00–8:00 PM (after the Welcome Celebration)

Commonwealth Ballroom AB

Come find the SLD area, meet our administrators and fellow members, and get the conference off to a good start!

SLD-Related Sessions and Sessions by SLD Members

(067) Changing Attitudes to Translating from Russian

Robert Chandler (Distinguished Speaker)

Friday, October 24, 2:40–3:40 PM

Session description: Constance Garnett was a courageous and independent woman. She translated at least five great Russian writers well enough that readers could sense their greatness for the first time (there are few translators of whom one can say that). Her translations influenced such varied writers as Arnold Bennett, D.H. Lawrence, Katherine Mansfield, and Virginia Woolf. Bizarrely, both Nabokov and Brodsky and, more recently, Pevear and Volokhonsky, have criticized her work. These attacks exemplify how rigid ideologies of translation can interfere with our real work–that of communicating meaning, whether thought, fact, or feeling.

(099) Learning from My Mistakes

Robert Chandler (Distinguished Speaker)

Saturday, October 25, 10:30–11:30 AM

Session description: In some fields of translation (e.g., legal), mistakes are likely to be noticed. In other fields, there may be no one checking your work. That’s why it’s essential to find a way of getting another person to do this. One of the dangers in our profession is that the better one’s command of English, the better one can be at disguising a misunderstanding. A serious source of misunderstandings is verbal aspects. The speaker will provide memorable examples of his own misunderstandings to help attendees grasp the power of these aspects.

This session is also available on livestream (https://www.atanet.org/ata66/education/livestream/), which is included with every level of conference registration and can be purchased separately before October 16.

An interview with Robert Chandler is available on the blog.

(103) New Directions on the Contact Line: How the Russia-Ukraine War Changed Terminology

Steven McGrath

Saturday, October 25, 10:30–11:30 AM

Session description: After more than three years of intense fighting, the war in Ukraine has resulted in numerous consequences for diplomatic and military affairs, as well as for the lives of millions of soldiers and civilians in harm’s way. Nonetheless, English-language media has struggled with terminology for discussing even the technical aspects of battlefield weapons and tactics, let alone the deep, distinct Russian and Ukrainian cultural contexts involved in home-front mobilization and information warfare. In this session, attendees will discuss various approaches for conveying wartime concepts to a general audience in English as they explore terminology with potential applications in various translation fields.

(119) Three Paths to Publishing Professional Literary Translations

Shelley Fairweather-Vega

Saturday, October 25, 1:30–2:30 PM

Session description: No literary translator can succeed without publishing their work, but most translator certification programs teach nothing about publishing. That means too many highly skilled translators never pursue a career in book translation. This session will dispel some of the mystery around the publishing process through case studies of three recent translations published by different routes: a teen romance self-published by the author, short fiction published by a tiny university press, and literary fiction commissioned by a prestigious imprint of another university publisher. We’ll explore specific differences in process, cost, editing, marketing, and more in each publishing scenario.

(138) Court Interpreting – The Translation Side of It

Ana Biškup

Saturday, October 25, 2:40–3:40 PM

Any court interpreting job, whether consecutive or translation, will always include analyzing relevant documents and making sure to use accurate terminology. This session will highlight the importance of research for a court interpreter that goes beyond what any available Artificial Intelligence tool could offer. This includes knowledge of consular affairs, relevant historical sources, and comparative analysis of the source and target language. It also implies using consistent terminology that conveys the correct meaning in the target language.

SLD Annual Dinner

Thursday, October 23, 7:00-9:00PM

Join us for a delightful dinner featuring dishes from Mediterranean, Italian, and Mexican cuisines. We will head out to Servia, located near the famous Faneuil Hall Marketplace, on Thursday evening between the job fair and After Hours Cafe. Servia offers a buffet of dishes to serve various tastes (salad, ratatouille, grilled chicken, pork tacos).

Location: Servia (https://serviaboston.com/)

126 State St, Boston, MA 02109

Guests will pay for their own food, but registration ensures we can reserve the right number of tables. To register, please contact Assistant Administrator Natalia Postrigan at divisionSLD@atanet.org.

Attending the conference? Consider writing for SlavFile Online, the division blog! Doing a writeup of an SLD-related session (or any session if it really made an impression!) is a great way to collect your thoughts and impressions, extend the reach of knowledge shared at the conference, and raise your own profile. If it’s your first time attending, you can also share general impressions of the conference for a Newcomer’s Column. If interested, contact editor Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya at eugenia@sokolskayatranslations.com.

 

Interview with ATA66 Distinguished Speaker Robert Chandler

SLD DS Robert Chandler reading Platonov's novel ChevengurAt ATA66 in Boston this year, SLD has invited literary translator and translation teacher Robert Chandler as its Distinguished Speaker. Robert began learning Russian at 15, and when he was 20, he spent a year as an exchange scholar in Voronezh, where Andrey Platonov was born and Osip Mandelstam was exiled. He has translated a wide variety of works, including by Sappho, Nadezhda Teffi, Alexander Pushkin, Vasily Grossman, and the Uzbek novelist Hamid Ismailov. He has edited three anthologies of Russian poetry, Russian short stories, and Russian magic tales for Penguin Classics. He has also taught translation workshops in London for many years. Before deciding to translate full-time, he worked for eight years as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, a valuable discipline involving breath, voice, and movement. In Boston, he will be presenting two sessions:

  • “Changing Attitudes to Translating from Russian” on Friday, October 24, at 2:40 PM, about the shifting legacy and interpretation of the classic translations by Constance Garnett and what that reveals about attitudes toward translation
  • “Learning from My Mistakes” on Saturday, October 25, at 10:30 AM, focusing on misunderstandings of verbal aspects

If you haven’t already registered for ATA66, don’t wait: early bird registration ends Sunday, September 14!

What brought you to Russian in the first place, and what motivated you to stick with it? What was your path toward translating professionally and teaching translation workshops?

I was fifteen years old. I was very good at Latin and Greek but did not want to continue with what, at the time, I contemptuouly thought of as “dead languages.” And we had an excellent Russian teacher at my school – kind, patient and dedicated.

You have been teaching translation workshops for many years. What do you find rewarding about teaching translators, and what do you find challenging?

Teaching is rewarding in many ways. It makes me focus more intently than ever on each word. And there are few subjects where a complete beginner may come up with truly helpful contributions. If I were teaching engineering or astrophysics, it is unlikely that a beginner would come up with something I have never thought of. But in a translation workshop it happens all the time. There are often thousands of choices to be made, and I am never going to think of all the different possibilities myself. Real collaboration is very enjoyable.

In your opinion, what makes a good translation? Is the ability to translate well something that can be taught, and how do you go about imparting it to your students?

What makes a translation good or bad is no different from what makes any piece of writing good or bad. As for imparting the ability to translate, I don’t really know. All I can do is encourage people to focus on every word of the original – and every letter of every word. And if something doesn’t make sense – to ask questions. And then to read their translation aloud to someone who does not know the original. That is the real test: does it or does it not convey real intellectual and/or emotional meaning to the listener?

I’m very far from literary translation, so I’m mystified by the process of choosing what gets translated. When reading foreign-language works, do you ever come across something that speaks to you and makes you want to translate it? Is there any pattern to the types of works that inspire you in this way? Or do publishers come to you with something they want translated?

Every translator’s experience is likely to be different. For the main part, I myself have made my own choices and proposed them to publishers. I choose works I believe in, works that I can re-read many times with pleasure. And if it is a long project, I need to feel confident that I can live for months or years in that particular author’s world.

When translating, what’s your approach to elements of the text that draw on cultural knowledge the Russian reader would have, but an English reader wouldn’t?

As with nearly all translation questions, it depends on the individual case. Sometimes a five or ten page introduction may be the best way. Sometimes end notes may be more helpful. Sometimes, for the sake of clarity, it may be possible to slip a few extra words into the main text.

I know that picking a favorite translation project can be a bit like choosing a favorite child, but do any of your translations stand out to you as particularly memorable in some way – positively or negatively?

Hard to say. I feel a great warmth towards Teffi.  Her wit, grace and resilience are remarkable.  It is a joy to be in her company.  I am also deeply moved by the number of people who have written to me, unprompted to say that reading Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate has changed their lives.

Slovo Episode 36: John Riedl and Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya

The SLD podcast, Slovo, has a new episode! Host Halla Goins chats with Russian-to-English ATA exam graders Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya and John Riedl about the session they presented last year at ATA65 in Portland, entitled “I can’t place the accent: Identifying the characteristic traits of machine translation.” Eugenia and John share how they approached the contentious topic of AI in translation, how they drew on their background as graders and their fellow SLD members to gather data on perceptions of human and machine translations, and what they and their audience learned during the session in Portland.

This session has also been reviewed for this blog by Christine Pawlowski, and the slides for it are available in the Slavic Languages Presentation Archive.

You can listen now on Soundcloud at https://soundcloud.com/atasld/episode-36-eugenia-tietz-sokolskaya-and-john-riedl or look for this and past episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Join SLD at the Annual Dinner in Boston!

Thursday, October 23 | 7:00PM-9:00PM

Join us for a delightful dinner featuring dishes from Mediterranean, Italian, and Mexican cuisines. We will head out to Servia, located near the famous Faneuil Hall Marketplace, on Thursday evening between the job fair and After Hours Cafe. There, we will be offered a buffet of dishes to serve various tastes (salad, ratatouille, grilled chicken, pork tacos), non-alcoholic drinks, and table wine.

Location: Servia (https://serviaboston.com/)
126 State St, Boston, MA 02109

Cost: $55 per person (includes tax, gratuity, non-alcoholic drinks, and table wine while supplies last)
Guests will have the option to order alcoholic beverages out of pocket.

Space is limited! Reserve your seat by October 16th or as space allows.

To register, please contact Natalia Postrigan at divisionSLD@atanet.org.

Division Roundup: June 2025

Natalia Postrigan, SLD Assistant Administrator

Registration for the ATA 66th Annual Conference in Boston, MA, is open now! Head to the conference website for updates on registration and the agenda for what promises to be an exceptional gathering of translation and interpretation professionals.

The conference kicks off on Wednesday, October 22nd with:

  • AST (Advanced Skills & Training) sessions
  • In-person certification exam
  • Welcome reception at 5:30 PM
  • Divisions & Special Interest Group (SIG) meet & greet, 7-8 PM

Over the following three days, attendees can enjoy multiple sessions alongside exciting networking opportunities including division events, a job fair, after-hours open mic café, book & resource fair, game night, and the annual ATA members meeting. The conference concludes on Saturday evening with a closing session (5:15-5:45 PM) followed by the legendary annual dance party.

SLD Annual Dinner: Our team is currently working on picking a restaurant. Stay tuned for updates! If you can recommend a great venue, please contact Natalia at divisionSLD@atanet.org.

Get Inspired: ATA65 Session Reviews

Need motivation to start planning for Boston? Read Conferences and Marketing on Stephen Rifkind’s blog for ideas on how to maximize the economic benefit of participating in a professional conference.

You can find reviews of sessions presented by SLD members in previous conferences on the SLD blog. For example, “On Interpreting for Russian-Speaking LGBTQ+ Individuals“ (presented by Olga Bogatova and reviewed by Julia LaVilla-Nossova).

Distinguished Speaker Announcement

We are thrilled to announce that our Distinguished Speaker will be Robert Chandler, a literary translator and poet with over 50 years of experience, including highly acclaimed translations of Vasily Grossman and Teffi.

Mr. Chandler began learning Russian at age 15 and spent a transformative year at 20 as a British Council Exchange scholar in Voronezh – the birthplace of Andrey Platonov and the city where Osip Mandelstam was exiled. It was there that he first discovered these writers and began his lifelong journey translating Russian poetry and prose. Currently based in London, he runs translation workshops and mentors emerging translators. We’re honored to welcome him from England and hope you’ll join us in Boston to celebrate his remarkable achievements.

Community Building Initiatives

Polish Certification Study Group

SLD member Katarzyna Kawalec is launching a peer practice group for the Polish<>English ATA certification exam. Inspired by Maria Guzenko and Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya’s primarily Russian-language study group of past years, Katarzyna is building a community for feedback exchange on practice texts and mutual support throughout the certification journey. If you’re planning to take the PL>EN or EN>PL exam, contact Katarzyna at kontakt@kawalec-tlumacz-przysiegly.pl.

Turkic Languages SIG

SLD members Shelley Fairweather-Vega and Jamila DelMistro are working on starting a Special Interest Group for Turkic languages within ATA. To learn more or volunteer as a moderator, contact Jamila (jamdmistro@gmail.com) or Shelley (translation@fairvega.com).

Continuing the conversation about AI in translation

The impact of AI on translation remains a hot topic. At ATA65 in Portland, Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya and John Riedl presented “I Can’t Place the Accent: Identifying the Characteristic Traits of Computer Translation,” which compared output from newer AI/LLM models to that of older machine translation and human translators. Read Christine Pawlowski’s review on the SLD blog, and access the presentation slides in our Slavic Languages Presentation Archive.

Coming Soon: Slovo podcast editor Halla Goins is preparing an interview with Eugenia and John. Catch up on previous Slovo episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Share Your Voice

Want to contribute to our community discussions? Contact Halla about podcast opportunities or Eugenia about blog contributions and address any general questions and comments to SLD Administrator Steven McGrath and Assistant Administrator Natalia Postrigan by reaching out to divisionSLD@atanet.org.

ATA65 Review: On Interpreting for Russian-Speaking LGBTQ+ Individuals

A review of On Interpreting for Russian-Speaking LGBTQ+ Individuals, presented by Olga Bogatova at ATA65

Review by Julia LaVilla-Nossova

Finding a session that was not related to AI in translation or interpreting at the ATA Conference was a nice change of pace.  It was therefore refreshing to come across the session titled “Interpreting for Russian-Speaking LGBTQ+ Individuals” by Ms. Olga Bogatova among the offerings of the 65th ATA Conference in Portland, Oregon. What can be better than learning about something new and practical and, most importantly, related to the development of languages – the love of our lives!

In her lively and well-illustrated presentation, Ms. Bogatova examined various LGBTQ+ reference terms (such as queer, transgender, questioning, ally, pansexual, etc.) and their newness. In addition, she guided the audience in understanding the language barriers that LGBTQ+ asylum seekers encounter when they initiate asylum claims and the process that leads to obtaining legal status in the United States.  Ms. Bogatova mentioned the well-founded fear LGBTQ+ persons have of being persecuted for belonging to a certain social group and how that impacts what words should be used to characterize their situations. She also described the asylum interview structure and provided information about general and special questions one needs to answer during an interview.  Her presentation (which is available on the SLD website) included a table with a fascinating comparison between the LGBTQ+ situations in Ukraine and Russia. While this complex and sensitive topic is of great interest even of itself outside of making asylum applications, using appropriate terminology and forms of expression can be determinative in deciding the outcome of any particular case; therefore, especially in this context, Ms. Bogatova emphasized that one needs to be very careful in choosing precise English and Russian equivalents for the phrases used in connection with LGBTQ+ individuals.

This made me think about a different, albeit related, subject – translating Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the Department of State prepares and publishes every year.  The annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, also known as the Human Rights Reports, cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements, including sections on LGBTQ+ rights. Acts of Congress mandate the annual submission of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices to Congress. These important reports serve as guidance to help craft U.S. foreign policy that bolsters respect for human rights around the globe (additional information about the Human Rights reports, Trafficking in Persons Reports, and Religious Freedom Reports may be found on the official site of the Department of State). These reports are translated into several dozen foreign languages to make them available to people in various countries around the globe.  They are presented to Congress on an annual basis for its committees to pass decisions regarding granting countries most favored nation status or, on the contrary, putting countries on sanctions lists due to poor human rights environments. Information about the most recent of these reports can be viewed here.

One of the most important emphases of Ms. Bogatova’s presentation is the idea that language is a dynamic entity. These changes are often driven by societal evolution – therefore, for translators to be relevant, they must always pay special attention to this societal evolution in order to establish correct equivalences for the languages they translate.  And this makes the research conducted by Ms. Bogatova in the LGBTQ+ milieu and her sharing of it especially valuable.

Julia LaVilla-Nossova received her M.A. at Herzen University in St. Petersburg, Russia, and has been working as a freelance interpreter and translator in the United States for more than thirty years. She has been a staff translator at the Department of State Language Services since 2011.

 

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