ATA SLD

Slavic Languages Division (American Translators Association)

American Translators Association: The Voice of Interpreters and Translators

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 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!

ATA59 Pre-Conference Bulletin Available!

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!

ATA59 Early Registration Ending Soon!

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.

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: https://www.ata-divisions.org/SLD/tag/ata58/

 

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

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.

SLD Practice Group in Numbers

By Maria Guzenko

The Slavic Languages Division exam practice group is entering its second year. The background and activities of the group were covered in detail in our SlavFile article and a subsequent ATA Chronicle column. Now is a good time to report on how the group is doing.

To this end, the administrators of the group (currently Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya and Maria Guzenko) conducted a brief survey among group participants in late summer of 2017. We received responses from 21 group members. Although our sample was too small to be talking about any trends, we thought it may be interesting to share some numbers. The respondents had the option to skip questions, so some of our numbers will not add up to 21.

Participant Statistics

Of all respondents, 15 (71.4%) reported working in the English to Russian pair, 10 (47.6%) in Russian to English, 2 (9.5%) in English to Ukrainian, and 1 (4.8%) in Ukrainian to English, Polish to English, and French to English, each. Respondents had the option of choosing more than one combination.

Most participants (90%) were located in the United States, with one person located in Poland and Ukraine each. English to Russian was the most popular language combination for practice (14 respondents), followed by Russian to English (11), English to Ukrainian (2), Polish to English (1), and English to Polish (1). Unfortunately, none of the respondents reported joining the practice group in the Ukrainian to English, Croatian to English, and English to Croatian directions.

Bar chart of language directions that people had joined in the practice group

Experience with ATA Exams

Nine respondents (42.9%) had taken a certification exam before joining the practice group. Of those respondents, 4 did so in the English to Russian combination, 3 in Russian to English, 1 in Polish to English, and 1 in English to Ukrainian. Six of the participants who had taken the exam reported failing, while 2 reported passing.

Pie chart showing participants' plans to take the exam within the next year

Most of the respondents (66.7%) were planning to take the exam in the next year, with only 19% not planning to, and 14.3% undecided. The combinations in which candidates planned to take the exam were as follows: 12 English to Russian, 6 Russian to English, 1 Ukrainian to English, and 1 English to Ukrainian.

Thirteen (61.9%) of all participants reported taking the official ATA practice test, 8 in the English to Russian direction, 4 in Russian to English, and 1 in Polish to English.

Bar chart of the language directions that participants had taken the exam in since starting with the group

By the time the survey was distributed, 33.3% (7) of the participants had taken the certification exam. The most popular exam directions were English to Russian (3), Russian to English (2), Ukrainian to English (1), and Polish to English (1). 57.1% (4) reported failing, and 28.6 % (2) reported passing, with the remaining respondent waiting for their result. Since then, we have heard from at least three more participants that they had passed.

Continued Engagement

Pie chart showing frequency of participation in the practice group

Of all participants, 23.8% reported participating in the group weekly, 28.6% monthly, 19% occasionally, and 28.6% had ceased to participate in the group’s activities. Of those no longer actively participating, 50% said they planned to return to the group in the future, 33.3% answered “maybe,” and 16.7% (1 person) was not planning to resume participating.

Practice Group Rankings

On a scale of 1 (worst) to 5 (best), the average rankings for the following categories were:

  • User-friendliness of the Slack website: 4.00
  • Source texts for practice translations: 4.63
  • Feedback from peers: 3.94
  • Feedback from certified translators/graders: 4.12
  • Admin responsiveness: 5.00
  • Scheduling of practice rounds: 4.80
  • Improving my translation skills: 4.53
  • Enhancing my familiarity with exam standards and procedure: 4.26

Most participants (44%) found the feedback received from their peers “very useful,” 33% “somewhat useful,” 11.1% “not very useful,” and 11.1% “have not received feedback.”

Pie chart showing how useful participants had found feedback from their peers

We also received some useful verbal feedback from the respondents, which was covered in the Chronicle column. In a nutshell, most participants appreciated the group, although some wished the online platform were easier to navigate, participation were steadier, and peer feedback were more consistent.

We plan to continue and expand practice group activities in the coming year. To join us as a participant or volunteer reviewer, please get in touch with Eugenia (eugenia@sokolskayatranslations.com) or Maria (maria.guzenko@intorussian.net).

Maria Guzenko is an English>Russian translator working in the healthcare and corporate domains. She holds an MA in Translation from Kent State University and has worked as a translation project manager and a Russian instructor. She is a co-administrator of the certification exam online practice group for ATA’s Slavic Languages Division. 

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!

Call for Volunteers: Help Us Review ATA58!

Photo by Thomas Lefebvre via Unsplash

Are you going to this year’s ATA Annual Conference? See any particularly interesting non-SL sessions on the schedule? Consider writing it up for the SLD blog!

Slavic language sessions are typically thoroughly reviewed in SlavFile in the issues following any given conference, but conferences are also chock-full of sessions in other categories that may also be of interest to our members. We would like to publish short reviews of those sessions on the blog after the conference. Unfortunately, just like every other conference-goer, we can’t be everywhere at once. That’s where you come in!

If you’re planning on going to a session – or several! – that might be a good candidate for a review on the blog, please let me know (eugenia@sokolskayatranslations.com). Feel free to contact me even if you are interested in publishing a review, but you don’t have a session in mind yet. Alternatively, you can volunteer to review one of the following sessions that we think might be of interest to the SLD blog readership:

We invite all of the ATA attendees, but SLD members in particular, to share their newfound knowledge with other and discuss thought-provoking sessions on SLD blog.

A new initiative for SLD members: SLD Goes out

Lunch photo

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Several members have requested SLD to start compiling sign-up sheets to facilitate mingling between SLD members during ATA conferences.

This year we offer all SLD members attending the ATA 58th Annual Conference an opportunity to explore Washington, D.C., restaurants offering Slavic (or, in one case, Uzbek) food together.

If you are interested, you can see additional information on the venues and sign up here.

Once the registration closes on October, 23, we’ll send out group emails to participants interested in the same time, date, and venue. From there it’s up to them to decide whether or not to make a reservation, where to meet, and how to get to the venue.

We hope that this new initiative will be of interest to the SLD members!

You’ll notice that there are no options for Thursday. We would like to encourage our members, both new and old, to attend the division events scheduled for that day: Newcomers Lunch and SLD Division Dinner.

Please remember that the registration deadline is October 20th for both of the events.

For SLD Dinner, please remember that we need to reach a minimum number of attendees in advance to avoid event cancellation. Do not wait until the Welcome Celebration to register!

 

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