ATA SLD

Slavic Languages Division (American Translators Association)

American Translators Association: The Voice of Interpreters and Translators

2020 Summer-Fall SlavFile: Looking Ahead to ATA61

SlavFile Header

The latest issue of SlavFile is out! At a whopping 32 pages, this summer-fall installment of the newsletter includes something for everyone:

  • Previews of the upcoming ATA conference
    • An interview with this year’s Greiss Lecturer / Distinguished Speaker, Ellen Elias-Bursać, co-sponsored with the Literary Division
    • Abstracts for Slavic-related sessions
  • Timely resources for our new pandemic reality
    • A glossary of COVID neologisms
    • A review of another COVID glossary
    • COVID-related (and unrelated) humor
    • How to keep your skills fresh in quarantine
  • Literary translations and related articles
    • What it’s like being a newcomer to the literary field (complete with an excerpt of said newcomer’s translation!)
    • The hands-on process of translating The Cherry Orchard for teenagers
    • Poems translated from Slovenian
  • Bonus material
    • An explanatory guide to American news and political jargon

You can find the latest issue on the SlavFile page (see tabs above), along with issues going back to 1995, with new issues added to the archive just this month. Happy reading!

end of SlavFile reprint

New Webinar: Challenges in Human Rights Translation

Promotional image for human rights translation webinar

Have you ever wondered about the field of human rights translation? There is no shortage of human-rights issues in the post-Soviet space, but breaking into this specialization may feel too daunting. Fortunately, with research, you can become confident in your translations. But where should you look?

Join fellow SLD member Lucy Gunderson to learn research techniques to track down terminology in a wide range of documents available to human rights translators. Lucy will also demonstrate how to use human rights documents originally written in English to energize translations and inspire word choices.⁣ Let this webinar be your window or even stepping stone into human rights translation!
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This webinar will be presented in English with Russian examples.⁣
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Cost: ATA members $45, non-members $60⁣
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Unable to attend live? Register now to receive a link to the on-demand recording after the live event!⁣

Present at ATA61 in Boston!

The ATA has issued its call for speakers for this year’s conference, ATA61 in Boston! Proposals can now be submitted online and will be accepted through March 2, 2020. This is your chance to share your expertise with T&I professionals, even if you are not a member of the ATA or SLD.

The Slavic Languages track will have 4 slots available, but we also encourage you to submit proposals in other subject areas and cross-listed in several tracks. You can also submit your proposal as a limited-capacity AST (advanced skills training) workshop.

Complete information on the proposal process, requirements, and topics of interest to ATA members, along with a link to the proposal submission form, can be found here.

SLD Podcast: Episode 18 with New SLD Admins

The last episode of the SLD Podcast’s “Business Matters” season welcomes the new SLD Administrator Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya and Assistant Administrator Steven McGrath. Outgoing co-hosts Veronika and Ekaterina chat with them about the future of the division and the podcast, and look ahead to ATA60.

Be sure to subscribe to the SLD Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode!

Register for SLD Newcomers Lunch at ATA60!

People eating
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Join your SLD colleagues to welcome newcomers to the ATA conference! Sign up for the SLD Newcomers Lunch and meet the new faces of our industry and division – or, if you’re a newcomer, introduce yourself to the old hats.
SLD NEWCOMERS LUNCH

Who to lunch with the first full day of the conference? Why, your SLD colleagues, of course! This event gives first-time conference attendees a chance to meet their experienced colleagues, so all are welcome! We will dine at the Grand Central Palm Springs – see info below. Meet us in the lobby of the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel (connected to the convention center) at 12:20 to walk over together (about a 12-minute walk), or just meet us at the restaurant around 12:30. Reservations required. Space is limited; to reserve your spot, please email Jen Guernsey at jenguernsey@gmail.com by Tuesday, October 22.

Thursday, October 24
12:30 PM
Grand Central Palm Springs
160 La Plaza, Palm Springs, CA

Also wondering where to get dinner that same Thursday? Join the SLD for its annual division dinner! This year it will be held 7-9 PM on Thursday at the Greek Islands restaurant. The cost is $58.00 per person (incl. sales tax & gratuities), and seats can be reserved via PayPal to eugenia@sokolskayatranslations.com (preferred) or mailed check received not later than Friday, 10/18/2019. Checks should be made payable to “Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya” and mailed to: 565 Juniata Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081. Please mention any dietary restrictions when you purchase your ticket. There will be no last-minute ticket purchases. If you intend to pay cash at the Welcome Celebration, you must let Eugenia know in advance and bring exact change. We hope to see you there!

ATA English to Russian Editing Webinar

Photo by J. Kelly Brito on Unsplash

On July 31, ATA will host a 2-hour practice-driven webinar for English to Russian translators on editing their own translations. During this webinar, participants will go through a sample text and practice their editing skills, as well as learn a framework to edit their own translations more efficiently.

You can register at https://www.atanet.org/webinars/ataWebinar203_russian_editing.php.

ATA 60th Annual Conference: Proposals Due March 1st!

The American Translators Association is accepting presentation proposals for the ATA 60th Annual Conference in Palm Springs, California, October 23-26, 2019. Proposals must be received by March 1, 2019.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/ata60speak

If you are looking for proposal ideas, here is a call from Jen Guernsey specific to the SLD:

Hello everyone! The deadline for submitting a proposal for a conference presentation is March 1. Presenting at a conference – whether as a solo act, with a colleague, or as part of a panel or a translation slam – is a fun way to get your name and face out there, connect with your colleagues, and support our conference, which relies on us members to provide nearly all of the sessions on offer. Jen Guernsey would be happy to provide you with information, suggestions, and help in getting your proposal submitted.
We have had requests for presentations on tricky interpreting situations, differences in training (particularly interpreter training) in the US vs Slavic countries, and additional translation slams. Please email Jen Guernsey (jenguernsey@gmail.com) if you would be willing to serve as a participant, panelist, or moderator on any of the following:

  • Panel comparing interpreter training programs in the US versus Slavic countries
  • Panel on challenging situations in interpreting
  • Translation slam: from English into any Slavic language
  • Translation slam: from any Slavic language into English

Thanks, and see you in Palm Springs!

Apply to Speak at ATA60!

The ATA has put out its call for speakers for the 60th Annual Conference in Palm Springs, CA. Details on proposal requirements and perks can be found here.

The SLD encourages anyone with an idea for a session to apply. Our members have expressed specific interest in sessions focusing on the day-to-day practice of interpreting, including cultural expectations, as well as deeper dives into specialized fields and the linguistic aspects of translating, but other topics are always welcome! Keep in mind that the SLD is limited to 6 slots (of which 2 are reserved for the Distinguished Speaker), so we encourage potential speakers to consider submitting sessions overlapping with other topics and divisions (such as interpreting, literary, T&I education or technology, etc.).

We look forward to seeing you at the conference in October!

ATA Law Seminar in Jersey City

Happy New Year! If one of your professional New Year’s resolutions was to do more continuing education in the coming year and you are a legal translator or interpreter, the ATA has just the opportunity for you. It will be hosting a full-day law seminar in Jersey City on February 16, with morning and afternoon sessions divided between translation and interpreting. ATA-certified attendees can earn 7 CEPs!

The schedule, session descriptions, and hotel and registration information can be found here: https://www.atanet.org/events/law_jerseycity.php.

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