ATA SLD

Slavic Languages Division (American Translators Association)

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
    • Comments Policy and Disclaimer
  • SlavFile
  • Resources
    • Slavic Languages Presentations Archive
  • Contact Us
  • SLD Practice Group
  • SLD Podcast

SLD Podcast Conference Preview: Friday

October 18, 2018

If you enjoyed the first episode full of ATA59 previews, don’t miss the second episode, featuring speakers from Friday sessions. This Friday episode brings you over two hours of interviews with twelve speakers, both SLD members and non-members: Elizabeth Adams, Larry Bogoslaw, Veronika Demichelis and Natalia Noland, Winnie Heh, Corinne McKay and John Milan, Elena Morrow, Lydia Razran Stone, Ana Lis Salotti, Madalena Zampaulo, and Jost Zetzsche.

More information on the speakers and their talks is available in the show notes. As always, you can find all of the SLD Podcast episodes on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Filed Under: Annual Conferences, ATA59, Podcast Episodes Tagged With: ATA59, interview, podcast

SLD Podcast Conference Preview: Wednesday and Thursday

October 16, 2018

As we gear up for the ATA conference in NOLA (just a week and a half left!), now is a great chance to take a listen to the conference preview series from the SLD Podcast. This set of three episodes features mini-interviews with various speakers, both SLD members and beyond.

The first podcast in the series, which you can go to directly on SoundCloud, features speakers from the training sessions on Wednesday (Athena Matilsky, Jay Marciano, and Sameh Ragab) and one from a Thursday session (Manuela Sampaio). The interviews cover topics from machine translation and technology to project management and interpreting skills. Additional information on the speakers and their sessions can be found in the show notes.

You can access all of the SLD Podcast episodes through SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play. Make sure to subscribe to avoid missing an episode!

Filed Under: Annual Conferences, ATA, ATA59, Podcast Episodes Tagged With: ATA59, interview, podcast

ATA59 Pre-Conference Bulletin Available!

October 2, 2018

Are you not yet excited enough for this year’s Annual Conference? Are you wondering what you can expect if it’s your first time? Are you looking forward to perennial events like the SLD Dinner or Newcomers’ Lunch and wondering about the details? Then you’re in luck: the SLD’s ATA59 Pre-Conference Bulletin is now available to answer all your questions!

You can find the bulletin on the SlavFile page or directly here. This year’s edition includes information on off-site events such as the SLD Dinner and Newcomers’ Lunch, links to past conference reviews, meeting minutes and other SLD business, and – new this year – a rundown of SLD Podcast interviews with conference session presenters. You can find the episodes themselves on SoundCloud, or subscribe on iTunes or Google Play.

Looking forward to seeing you all at ATA59!

Filed Under: Annual Conferences, ATA, ATA59, Podcast Episodes, SlavFile, SLD Tagged With: ATA59, events, podcast

ATA59 Early Registration Ending Soon!

September 11, 2018

The Early Registration deadline for ATA59 is rapidly approaching! Don’t miss this opportunity to save on registration, and come join other ATA members (and SLD members in particular) in New Orleans this October.
Registration: http://www.atanet.org/conf/2018/registration/
SLD sessions: http://www.atanet.org/conf/2018/sessions/?track=18ATA-ANNUAL-4915&token=395015f5f9494b96299ca49666e04400

Wondering what you might see at the conference? Check out the conference reviews from past conferences in past SlavFiles or on this blog (last year’s conference), under the tag ATA58: http://www.ata-divisions.org/SLD/tag/ata58/

 

Filed Under: Annual Conferences, ATA, ATA59, SLD Tagged With: ATA59, professional development

SLD Podcast: Episode 5 on ATA Certification

June 18, 2018

Catch the latest episode of the SLD podcast, in which Julia Thornton and Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya talk about their experiences taking the ATA certification exam and the role certification has played in their careers.

Be sure to subscribe to the ATA podcast on iTunes and Google Play so you never miss an episode!

Filed Under: Certification, Podcast Episodes Tagged With: certification, podcast

The Ins and Outs of ATA Certification

April 30, 2018

SLD member Julia Thornton originally wrote this post for the Smartcat forum fresh on the heels of getting ATA certified in the summer of 2017. She kindly agreed to update the post, and it is published here with her permission. The original can be found here.

ATA is a professional association with over 10,000 members in more than 100 countries. It promotes translation and interpreting professions.

One of the benefits of being an ATA member is taking the certification exam. The certification exam is widely recognized in the USA and is a widely-used credential. The exam is offered several times each year in different locations throughout the USA, as well as in Mexico, Canada, South America, and in Europe. Certified ATA members are listed as such on the ATA website.

Here are some questions you might have about the exam — and some answers!

Should I take the ATA exam?

I think being a certified translator sets you apart from other translators. It testifies to your ability to do the job professionally. While being certified does not guarantee that you will get more jobs or better jobs, it can make a difference.

Can anyone take the exam?

Yes, anyone can take the exam. The only stipulation is that the person needs to be a member of ATA (associate membership is $195 per year) at least two weeks before the exam.

How much does it cost?

In 2018 ATA certification exam costs $300. In 2019 the fee for the exam will go up to $525. You have to be a member to take the exam (associate membership is $195). You really want to make sure you prepare well!

What is the exam like?

The exam is 3 hours long. You are given three passages, and you need to choose two of them to translate. In other words, you get 1.5 hours per passage of 250-275 words. The passages are general in nature, but they can be on the subjects of finance, healthcare, politics, science, etc. The passages are designed to be hard to translate: they include idioms, proper names, punctuation and sentence structure that is not easily translated into another language. The translator needs to prove that he/she can produce a translation that sounds natural and is accurate.

Can I use my computer for the exam?

Yes, you can use your laptop or you can choose to write it out by hand. Most people opt for a computerized exam.

What reference materials are allowed at the exam?

All paper dictionaries and reference books are allowed. ATA has a list of approved online dictionaries for some languages. The key principle is that an online source cannot be interactive (a forum), where you can ask your question and have someone respond. Merriam-Webster online, for example, is allowed. ProZ forum is not.

How is the exam graded?

Each exam will be graded by two graders. Each text can have up to 17 mistake points and still pass (which is quite generous, in my opinion). The mistakes can be in grammar, terminology, syntax, understanding of the original text, etc. Each mistake is also graded on a severity scale from 1-16, depending on how it affects the translation: for example, a forgotten comma might be a “1” while missing a key word that affects the whole sentence would be more points. If the two graders disagree on passing/failing the translation, they will bring in a third grader. An encouraging thought is that graders are professional translators who are not looking for a perfect translation, because they realize there can be several ways to translate the same passage. They are looking for a solid precise translation.

What can I do to prepare for the exam?

ATA offers a practice test ($80 for members, $120 for non-members). It is a passage that was an exam text the previous year. You will get it back with your mistakes marked and commented on by a grader. I highly recommend taking a practice test: you can try to simulate the exam setting and see how you do. Some ATA language divisions have practice groups that are very helpful. If your language division has a practice group, join it! But most importantly, you can practice on your own. I practiced once a week for four months before the exam: I would take a text of 250-300 words, open online dictionaries and grammar references, and start the timer.

Where do I find texts to practice?

Any national publications, such as Newsweek, The Atlantic, etc. will prepare you well. Remember to translate articles on varied subject matter.

What can I do to improve my chances of passing the exam?

  • Learn to type fast in both languages: in your target language, it will help you type out the translation faster; in your source language, it will help you type in the words into the search window of online dictionaries. All this will give you more time you for thinking, looking up words in the online dictionaries and proofreading your translation.
  • Brush up on your spelling. The exam is taken in WordPad with the spellcheck disabled. When you practice, do it in WordPad: it will help you to get used to looking for typos.
  • Read grammar and punctuation rules. Starting today, if you are not sure what punctuation mark is needed, look it up! Most of us need many times of looking up the same rule before we remember it. And there are many, many rules. Start today and look up at least one rule every day. You might need to look up a grammar or a punctuation rule at the exam, but you won’t have time to cross-check everything. You need to know them by the time you go to take the exam!
  • No addition, no omission. Do not add words if they are not needed. Added words might count as a mistake. Also, it is very easy to skip a word and even a sentence. Be extra careful!
  • Check your translation twice: once, go over both the source and the target text to make sure you translated the words correctly. The second time, just read your translation to see if it flows, to catch typos and punctuation marks.
  • Check your translations starting from the end vs the beginning. Our brain naturally gets tired toward the end of the text, and we become less attentive.
  • Practice with a timer – learn to find it on your computer and to turn it on every time. While there was a clock in our room, I was glad I knew exactly how many minutes were left per passage (I set the timer for each passage, i.e. for 1.5 hours).
  • Do not leave early – if you have a lot of time left, go out of the room for 5 minutes (you will need to leave everything behind) and then come back refreshed. Look over your translations again.

What are my chances of passing the exam?

Each language pair is different, but an average passing rate is 18%. Do not be discouraged if you do not pass the first time, a lot of people do not. If you decide to take the exam, give yourself enough time to prepare for it well.

How long is the certification good for?

As long as you maintain your membership at ATA and accumulate 20 credits in continuing education every 3 years, you do not have to take the exam again.

Is it worth it?

I think it is. Certified translators are listed on the ATA website. Some agencies only hire certified translators. It looks good on your resume, and it’s a proof of your professionalism.

Any final thoughts?

Preparing for the exam is a wonderful way to improve one’s quality of translation. It teaches you to be precise in word choice, to be mindful of grammar, and to learn punctuation rules that you never learned before (trust me, every language has those!). Overall, you will become more critical of your own work and therefore will be a better translator.

For more information, please visit the ATA website: https://www.atanet.org/certification/aboutcert_overview.php


Julia Thornton is an ATA-certified EN-RU translator. She grew up in Russia and graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. She then moved to the US and earned a Master’s degree in theological studies. Watching her two oldest children prepare for the SAT, Julia learned some test-taking skills that helped her pass the certification exam in 2017 after 4.5 months of preparation. She can be reached at julia.thornton@alterustranslations.com.

Filed Under: ATA, Certification, Translation Tagged With: ATA, certification

SLD Podcast: Episode 3 with Maria Guzenko and Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya

April 19, 2018

Check out the third episode of the SLD podcast, where the administrators and founders of SLD’s ATA exam practice group, Maria Guzenko and Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya, discuss how the group helps participants prepare for the ATA Certification Exam, their experience managing the group, and volunteering opportunities.

Filed Under: ATA, Certification, Podcast Episodes, SLD Tagged With: certification, podcast, SLD practice group

ATA59: Join Us in New Orleans!

March 23, 2018

Get ready for Big Opportunities in the Big Easy! The ATA 59th Annual Conference will take place October 24-27, 2018 in New Orleans. ATA59 offers specialized opportunities for dedicated translators and interpreters to connect and collaborate while they shape the future of their profession. Join 1,600 of your colleagues to tackle current challenges and work with industry leaders to reach common goals.

The ATA59 conference website is now live! Find out more at: http://www.atanet.org/conf/2018/.

Filed Under: Annual Conferences, ATA, ATA59 Tagged With: ATA, ATA59, conference

Tell Us Your Conference Story

March 16, 2018

This post shared on behalf of the ATA. Photo by david laws on Unsplash

Every ATA Annual Conference comes with its share of success stories. And now we want to hear yours! Did you meet a colleague who helped you transform your business? Did you meet a client who became a favorite—or a major source of income? Did you attend a session that helped you increase your productivity?

Share what great thing happened to you at an ATA Annual Conference!

Why? Because the Conference is more than a three-day event. It’s a long-term investment in the success of an attendee’s career and business. Tell us how that investment has paid off for you.

Help us celebrate success. Click here to send us your stories:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FXSNPFM

Filed Under: Annual Conferences, ATA, ATA58, ATA59 Tagged With: ATA, conference, survey

ATA 59th Annual Conference: Call for Proposals

January 20, 2018

Image of a woman writing notes

Photo by The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash

The American Translators Association is now accepting presentation proposals for the ATA 59th Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, October 24-27, 2018.

 

What would you like to learn at the next ATA conference?

Filed Under: Annual Conferences, ATA, ATA59 Tagged With: ATA, ATA59, conference

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Next Page »

Click to learn more about the ATA Annual Conference!

Recent Posts

  • 2022 Spring SlavFile – Now Online
  • ATA SLD podcast: Episode 27 with Marian Schwartz
  • Upcoming Workshop – Become a Voice Talent
  • SLD’s Upcoming Networking Meetup
  • Upcoming Webinar – “Bilingualism Across the Lifespan”

SLD Facebook Page

SLD Facebook Page

SLD on Twitter

My Tweets

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email to subscribe to SLD blog.

SLD Blog Categories

SLD Blog Tags

Administrative ATA ATA58 ATA59 ATA60 ATA61 ATA62 audiovisual AVT blog business CAT tools certification ceu watch conference editing events feedback human rights interpreting interview legal literary localization marketing medical member profile networking newcomers podcast Polish professional development project management Russian SEO series session review SlavFile SLD practice group specializations subtitling survey translation webinar workshop

Recent Comments

  • Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya on SLD’s Upcoming Networking Meetup
  • Dmitry Beschetny on SLD’s Upcoming Networking Meetup

Search this website

Copyright © 2022 · ATA Slavic Languages Division