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Another threemonths have goneby and a lot ofthings havehappened withinAUSIT. Onceagain, your
National and State representa-tives focused their efforts onareas which directly impact thecurrent and future livelihood ofour members.
In March and April, AUSITNational and State representa-tives met the new Director ofTIS, one of the major employersof interpreters, and raised a largenumber of issues. Read about itin this newsletter in the newregular feature on Pay andConditions.
As agreed at the last NAGM, weaddressed the long-standing issueof the 60 points allocated byDIMIA to new migrants whopass the NAATI accreditationtest. You can read the AUSITposition paper on our website.
A detailed submission was sentunder my signature to the RTANSW. Members and non-members alike have often told mehow restrictive the driver licencetranslation policy is to their busi-ness and how it affects theirreputation in their community aswell as their other work, asclients decide to take all theirbusiness elsewhere.
In March, only days after ourmembership was confirmed, Iattended the first ProfessionsAustralia event, a one-day work-
shop on Ethics held in Canberra.This was an opportunity to intro-duce AUSIT to the other 21professions represented, tonetwork and to find resources wecan access from other associa-tions without re-inventing thewheel. During the same trip, Imet ASLIA’s National Presidentand we are looking at areas inwhich we can operate together.Whilst the context is verydifferent for our organisations,we can pool the strength that ourrespective memberships give us.
In a different direction, AUSITcontinued to pursue the issue ofstrengthening professional devel-opment. Continued professionaldevelopment is the way to ensurethat our skills underpin thequality of the work we deliver asinterpreters and translators.Simple tools and guidelines willbe presented to members in thenext few months. PD is also amajor element of professionalreforms that are under way andfor which AUSIT must prepare.
Finally, after more than fouryears without a change andfollowing extensive discussions,members and branch committeessupported an increase of ourmembership fees. The maximumamount of $40 will be imple-mented in two steps, and it istax-deductible and inclusive ofGST. For many of us, working inisolation, AUSIT is a life-line to aclosely knit community and ourimproved finances give us lati-tude to significantly developmembership services. As an
From the President
National NewsletterTHE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS INC.
Volume 12, Number 2, June 2004
continued on page 2
In this Issue
From the President 1
Who's Who 2
Power to the Profession 3
AGM 3
Focus on Translation 4
Pay & Conditions 5
Technology Bytes 6
e-Bulletin 7
Ethical Quandaries 8
Industry Issues 9
Branch News 10
FIT XVII World Congress 12
National Council 12
Ausit Membership 13
Professional Development 14
2
How to contact AUSIT
National Telephone Number: 1800 284 181Website: www.ausit.orgNorthern Region (ACT, NSW, QLD) Southern Region (NT, SA, Tas., Vic., WA):PO Box 5108 PO Box 1070Turramurra South NSW 2074 Blackburn North VIC 3130E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
The regional administrators, Tineke Millard (Northern Region) and David Connor (Southern Region), will be happy to assist you with membership inquiries / renewals and all other administrative matters.
Who’s Who
PRESIDENT:
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:
VICE-PRESIDENT:
SECRETARY:
TREASURER:
PRINCIPAL DELEGATES
ACT
NSW :
VIC/TAS:
WA:
QLD:
SA/NT:
NORTHERN NATIONALADMINISTRATOR:
SOUTHERN NATIONAL ADMINISTRATOR:
Yveline [email protected]
Moreno [email protected]
Annamaria [email protected]
Tineke [email protected] [email protected]
Mike Ovington [email protected]
Barbara [email protected]
Chris [email protected]
Younghi [email protected]
John [email protected]
Tineke [email protected]@ausit.org
David [email protected]@ausit.org
NATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS 2003-2004
example, check out our upgraded website, that offers alot of new material and useful links, as well as a moreprofessional look.
Yveline PillerNational President
From the President
continued from page 1
Newsletter Contacts and Editorial Policy
National Newsletter Editorial Team:Anne Richardson, Outgoing EditorNiki Baras, Design and ProductionLouise Dyer, ProofreadingParticular thanks are also due to David Connor for his assistance in liaising with the printers.Contributions deadline for next issue:
6 August 2004.Please make every effort to ensure that all contributions reach the editor or newsletter coordinatorno later than the due date to avoid delaying publication.At the time of going to press, the appointment of thenew editor has yet to be finalised, however all newslettercontributions or inquiries may be sent to the newslettercoordinator:
Sarah WallsP.O. Box 661, Surry Hills, NSW 2010.Tel/fax: (02) 9698 9259E-mail: [email protected]
The AUSIT national newsletter is published four times a year. Lettersto the Editor, short articles and items for the calendar of events andother sections are invited. The Editor reserves the right not topublish or to edit any item submitted for publication. Opinionsexpressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent
those of the Editor or of AUSIT or its executive.
3
"POWER TO THE PROFESSION"The Australian Institute of Translators and Interpreters (AUSIT),
andThe Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association (Victoria) (ASLIA Vic)
have great pleasure in announcing
THE 2004 COMBINED AUSIT/ASLIA (VIC) BIENNIAL CONFERENCE22 – 24 OCTOBER
PRELIMINARY CALL FOR PAPERS
From the EditorAs this is the last issue of the newsletter I shall be editing (I’m taking a maternity break), I’d like to take this oppor-tunity to thank a few people.Those who have given assistance and support are too numerous to name them all here, but I would like to expressmy particular thanks to Moreno Giovannoni and Silke Gebauer for their vision and creativity in planning the “new”newsletter in early 2003, David Connor for liaising with the printer and mailing company (amongst so many otherthings David does for AUSIT), the regional administrators (David Connor and Tineke Millard), branch committeesand National Council members for keeping me up-to-date with events and issues around the country, all thenewsletter contributors, Sarah Walls for assisting me in editing this issue and, last but not least, our fantastic andunflappable typesetter, Niki Baras, and proofreader, Louise Dyer.I wish the incoming editor every success and am sure I speak for him/her in asking you all to keep the contributionscoming.Anne Richardson, June 2004
Translation and interpreting of written, spoken andsigned language takes place at every level of businessand in every walk of society. It is an essential and inte-gral part of many processes that we take for granted.
Interpreting and translation practitioners neverthelesssuffer a variety of frustrations in their working lives.The profession, as such, is relatively new, and unfortu-nately the high level of skill and ethical proprietyrequired for practice goes largely unacknowledged bysociety at large. This leaves practitioners without thepower to plead their case; the power to generateincome that is commensurate with their value; thepower to advise clients effectively; the power todevelop and maintain skills; and the power to influencepolicy development that is appropriate for an organisedprofession.
Paper presentations of 20 ~ 30 minutes in length, andproposals for workshops and panel discussions aresought, that seek to enhance the power of the profession.
Topics of interest include recent developments in thetheory and practice of written, spoken and signedtranslation, and the business, economic and policyimperatives of the industry. Presentations shouldendow listeners with better knowledge of currentresearch in both theory and practice, better ability toexplain themselves to the world outside the industry,and an increased power to represent and promote theirprofessional and commercial interests.
The audience will be practitioners, service providers,educators, academics and policy makers.
Preference will be given to presentations based onresearch and empirical evidence, although impassionedpleas and gratuitous rants will be considered.
Clarification of deadlines, program and organisercontact details will appear within the coming months.
Contact the PTTP Conference Organising committeeat the following
E-mail : [email protected] : 1800 284 181
Advance Notice of AUSIT Annual General MeetingAdvance notice is hereby given that the 17th National Annual General Meeting of the Australian Institute of Interpreters andTranslators Inc. (AUSIT) will be held in Melbourne to coincide with the joint AUSIT and ASLIA (Vic) conference on theweekend of 22 – 24 October 2004. Further details will be made available shortly. In the meantime, any inquiries may bedirected to the Vic/Tas branch at the e-mail address or telephone number indicated above.
JULIO CORTÁZAR (1914-1984)is considered one of the majorexperimentalist writers of the 20thCentury. He was born in Brussels,Belgium, to Argentine parents andthe family returned to Argentinawhen he was four. There he studiedto be a teacher at the EscuelaNormal de Profesores MarianoAcosta, and then continued hisstudies at the University of BuenosAires. In 1944 he moved toMendoza, where he taught Frenchliterature at the University of Cuyo.In 1948 he graduated as a PublicTranslator in English and in French,taking just 9 months to complete athree-year curriculum. His intellec-tual intensity found a natural outletin writing and his first book ofshort stories, Bestiary, waspublished in 1951. That same yearhe received a grant from the Frenchgovernment, and moved to Pariswhere he lived until his death on 12February 1984.
Complex and eclectic, Cortázar’sworks reflect the influence of Frenchsurrealism, psychoanalysis, and hislove for both photography and jazz,as well as a strong commitment torevolutionary Latin American poli-tics. Among his works available inEnglish translation are The Winners(1960; tr. 1965), Hopscotch (1963; tr.1966), All Fires the Fire and OtherStories (1966; tr. 1973), A Manual forManuel (1973; tr. 1978), We LoveGlenda So Much and Other Tales (tr.1983), Around the Day in EightyWorlds (1967; tr. 1986), and End ofthe Game and Other Stories (tr.1967), which includes ‘Las babas deldiablo’ (literally, ‘Devil’s Drool’), thestory that became the basis for thefilm Blow-Up, directed byMichelangelo Antonioni.
English Translations
I have often wondered whyCortázar – a master of short fictionand one of the central authors ofthe Latin American literary boomof the early 60s – is not as widely-known as a short story writer in theAnglo-American culture as JorgeLuis Borges or Gabriel GarcíaMárquez, for example. Is thisrelated to flaws and inadequacies insome of the published versions inEnglish, the strategies used by histranslators, or is it more to do withCortázar’s own positioning withrespect to the literary canons? Oneimportant contributing factor, assuggested by McLean (1998), maybe that less than half of his books
have been translated into English,and these translations have been thework of more than a dozendifferent authors. Gabriel GarcíaMárquez’s work, for instance, hasconsistently been translated intoEnglish by Gregory Rabassa andmore recently by Edith Grossman.And while only three of JulioCortázar’s short stories have beentranslated more than once many ofJorge Luis Borges’s have been trans-lated several times – some havebeen published in thirteen differentEnglish versions.
Among the dozen or so translatorswho have rendered Cortázar intoEnglish we find names such as
Claribel Alegría, Nick Caistor,Thomas Christensen, Margaret JullCosta, Paul Blackburn, DarwinFlakoll, Jean Franco, Suzanne JillLevine, Alfred MacAdam, AnneMcLean, Alberto Manguel, EleineKerrigan, Stephen Kessler, Gregoryand Clementine Rabassa.1 TheEnglish translations did not gainhim much recognition, however, aswas the case with other authors ofthe Latin American boom. Onlyfourteen of his more than thirtybooks have been translated intoEnglish, and only two of the shortstory collections have contained thesame stories as the Spanishoriginals2.
Cortázar the Translator
Julio Cortázar worked as a trans-lator himself, in Buenos Aires andin Europe for UNESCO. His trans-lations include titles by G. K.Chesterton, Daniel Defoe, LouisaMay Alcott, André Gide, JeanGiono, Marguerite Yourcenar, LordHoughton’s Life and Letters of JohnKeats, and the complete works ofEdgar Allan Poe. Not surprisingly,we find translators as charactersand/or narrators in many of hisstories. And yet, Cortázar wasrather pessimistic about the efficacyof literary translation. He oncestated that ‘he knew too well thecraft of the truchman not to knowthat language withdraws to a func-tion above all informative … whenliterature is translated the euphonic,rhythmic, chromatic, sculptural,structural stimuli are deadened orwithered’ (cited in McLean 1998:9). And he writes:
Every time I’ve had to revise a trans-lation of one of my stories (or attemptthat of another author, as once with
4
And yet, Cortázar wasrather pessimistic aboutthe efficacy of literary
translation.
Focus on Translation
Remembering Cortázar
by Alejandra Hayes
5
Poe) I have been struck by the degree to which the efficacyand the meaning of the story depended on those valuesthat give poetry, like jazz, its specific character: tension,rhythm, internal pulse, the unexpected within foreseenparameters, that fatal liberty that cannot be alteredwithout unstaunchable loss.(Cortázar 1969: 42, Translation by McLean 1998: 9)
On the 20th anniversary of Cortázar’s death, I wouldlike to invite all those translators who are not familiarwith his short fiction to discover these fantastic stories.I sincerely hope that this brief biography will inspirecreative minds to produce the first published Australiantranslations of Julio Cortázar’s work.
__________Notes1 In her M.A. Dissertation, Mc Lean (1998) points out that Cortázar has been translatedinto English almost exclusively by North Americans, and that only one of them has trans-lated books from more than one stage of the writer’s career.
2 Cortázar’s books of short stories have been translated into English by P. Blackburn, A.
Manguel, S. J. Levine, and G. Rabassa.
References
Cortázar, J. (1969).Del cuento breve. Último Round. México: Siglo XXI.
McLean, A. (1998).Julio Cortázar and Translation: ‘Message in a Bottle’ &‘Diary for a Story’. First English Translations withCritical and Historical Introduction. MA Dissertation, unpublished. Middlesex University,London, UK.
McLean, A. (1998b).Book Reviews. In Other Words, 12, 54-56.
Alejandra Hayes is a practising translator and interpreterand has recently completed her M.A. dissertation on JulioCortázar’s short fiction in English. She is also a tutor inIntroduction to Translation at the University of WesternSydney.
This article was first submitted for publication in thenewsletter in February 2004, the 20th anniversary ofCortázar’s death, but had to be held over until this issuedue to lack of space. Apologies to Alejandra Hayes for thelate publication of this item. (Editor)
AUSIT Meets with New TIS Director
New TIS director, Con Pagonis, has agreed to forwardto the Department of Immigration and IndigenousAffairs (DIMIA) AUSIT’s concerns regarding the 60points allocated to migrants who pass the NAATItranslating/interpreting tests, after meeting withAUSIT President and Chair of the Pay and ConditionsCommittee, Yveline Piller, and long-term AUSITmember, Bob Desiatnik, in March.
Following the meeting, Yveline sent Mr PagonisAUSIT’s position paper pointing out that the presentimmigration policy encourages people with no qualifi-cations to sit for the NAATI test, and results in a floodof newly accredited T&Is entering a saturated marketin the major languages, while failing to meet needs inemerging community languages.
The “60-points” issue was just one of several pay andconditions issues that Yveline and Bob were able toraise, after the new director of Australia’s nationalinterpreting service asked to meet AUSIT representa-tives.
Bob pointed out to Mr Pagonis and TIS businessmanager Ron Trudgen that while fees charged to clientshad doubled over the last 10 years, fees paid to inter-preters had changed little, and interpreters were alsonow expected to absorb numerous costs includingpetrol, fares, tolls and police clearances.
Mr Pagonis has offered to circulate an AUSIT flyer ontraining and development opportunities to TIS contrac-tors in the next TIS newsletter, and to meet AUSITrepresentatives in several states and territories over thecoming months. TIS has already had discussions inMelbourne with Sarina Phan and Eva Hussain for theVic/Tas branch, focusing in particular on AUSIT’s rolein supporting professional development, and in Perthwith Younghi Newman and Annamaria Arnall. TIS andAUSIT representatives agreed that closer communica-tion would have benefits for both organisations.
Bob Desiatnik and Yveline Piller
Pay and Conditions
End of Year Dear colleagues,To ensure we can distribute the Annual Report on time(24 September 2004), may I ask that:• the branch treasurers send their payment/receipts
report together with a June statement to Louis([email protected]) by 15 July 2004;
• the branch sets a date for its AGM as soon aspossible;
• the branch holds its AGM before 31 August;• the branch chair sends a Branch Chair Report to
Tineke ([email protected]) by 15September 2004 at the latest, so it can be included inthe Annual Report.
Thank you,Tineke MillardNational [email protected]
Machine TranslationThere is one, and only one, way in which computersexcel at translation. This is when there is one and onlyone way to translate from one form into another.Computers can only understand ones and zeroes, soeverything else has to be translated into ones andzeroes, and your computer does it in a flash.
Looked at another way, everything that we see on ourcomputer is in code, and computers translate reliablybetween codes.
Why does this matter to translators?Have you ever had an e-mail bounced with the message“inbox full”? This happens a lot with Hotmailaddresses, because I think they accept only a total of 2million bytes per day. One byte used to be the size ofone letter or number (and still is for e-mails withoutattachments) but an attachment can be much biggerthan 2MB.
Translation between codes matters because some codes(or “formats”) are very much bigger than others.ASCII code was the original, representing each char-acter with only seven bits. (Each bit can be thought ofas a switch or a choice between 1 and 0, and a byte is 8bits.)
Two LayoutsIf we want our documents to look better than straightASCII code, we have two common ways of describingthe layout of a document. Bitmap code divides yourpage up into a grid of dots, then says “the top left handdot is white, the next dot is…” and so on for all of thepicture. That amounts to over 7 000 000 dots in anormal page.
If the picture is black and white only, that means overseven million ones and zeroes. However, if there are 10million colours, there must be 10 million differentnumbers, with one representing each colour. You cansee how rapidly the size of a file can grow.
The other common alternative to Bitmap is Vector. If Isay “start a line where the cursor is and draw it 3.142cm at 42 degrees”, I can leave the computer to decidehow to translate the instructions into Bitmap forprinting or displaying on the screen.
Another advantage of Vector drawings is that if Idecide to enlarge the picture by 123.456 times, I simply
have to multiply the length of the line, and the angleremains unchanged. To magnify a bitmap picture, thecomputer would replace every dot with a square of 123and a bit dots per side, and the bit left over would causereal problems. Besides, you know how ugly a picturebecomes when large squares replace dots.
Word ProcessorsMost modern word processors, including MS Word,work with vector fonts, which are usually either Adobefonts or MS True Type fonts. Professional desktoppublishers and printers dislike True Type fonts, andmay refuse to work with them. This means that all thetext takes up very little room. Unfortunately, it onlyworks if the end user can decode the word processorcode. You may have to send a copy of the font to theend user, which can cause copyright problems.
Final display must always be in bitmap format. Yourcomputer translates the word processor code intobitmap code to display it on a printer or monitor.
PicturesThere are many codes for graphics, which can beconverted from one to another, sometimes losingquality in the conversion. It is best (if you havegraphics software) to work in the original format, andconvert at the very end.
Jpeg or jpgThis is a compressed format, that loses quality. If youhave a line of 1700 dots that are all black except one,you can say something like “start white, change toblack at dot 1534, change to white at dot 1435”. That isone kind of compression. Jpeg files are very good forcolour photographs with tiny shadings from one partof the picture to another.
GifGIF files are excellent for sudden changes, such as linedrawings or text. They are not very good for gentlyshaded photographs.
So the worst way you can send black and white text asan attachment is as a jpeg file.
ScannersUnfortunately your client may not know that. He mayscan a black and white document, with the contrast set
6Continued on page 15
Technology Bytes
Document Formats
by Ian McAllister
7
The AUSIT e-Bulletin is a restrictedgroup for financial members of theAustralian Institute of Interpretersand Translators Inc. (AUSIT) forthe exchanging of information andideas relating to the translating andinterpreting professions. The viewsexpressed in this group are those ofindividual AUSIT members and donot represent the views of theAustralian Institute of Interpretersand Translators Inc. which does notaccept any liability for the viewsexpressed.
Conditions Of Use of the AUSITe-Bulletin
As a user of the AUSIT e-Bulletinit is understood that you agree tothe following conditions of use:
You agree not to use the e-Bulletinto:
a) Upload, post, e-mail, transmit orotherwise make available anycontent that is unlawful,harmful, threatening, abusive,harassing, tortious, defamatory,vulgar, obscene, libellous, inva-sive of another's privacy, hateful,or racially, ethnically or other-wise objectionable
b) Harm minors in any way
c) Impersonate any person orentity, or falsely state or other-wise misrepresent youraffiliation with a person or entity
d) Forge headers or otherwisemanipulate identifiers in order todisguise the origin of anycontent transmitted through the
service
e) Upload, post, e-mail, transmit orotherwise make available anycontent that you do not have aright to make available under anylaw or under contractual or fidu-ciary relationships (such asinside information, proprietaryand confidential informationlearned or disclosed as part ofemployment relationships orunder non-disclosure agree-ments)
f) Upload, post, e-mail, transmit orotherwise make available anycontent that infringes anypatent, trademark, trade secret,copyright or other proprietaryrights of any party
g) Upload, post, e-mail, transmit orotherwise make available anyunsolicited or unauthorisedadvertising, promotional mate-rials, "junk mail," "spam," "chainletters," "pyramid schemes," orany other form of solicitation
h) Upload, post, e-mail, transmit orotherwise make available anymaterial that contains softwareviruses or any other computercode, files or programs designedto interrupt, destroy or limit thefunctionality of any computersoftware or hardware ortelecommunications equipment
i) Disrupt the normal flow ofdialogue, cause a screen to"scroll" faster than other users ofthe service are able to type, orotherwise act in a manner thatnegatively affects other users'
ability to engage in real-timeexchanges
j) Interfere with or disrupt theservice or servers or networksconnected to the service, ordisobey any requirements,procedures, policies or regula-tions of networks connected tothe service
k) "Stalk" or otherwise harassanother
l) Collect or store personal dataabout other users
m)Collect and analyse e-Bulletincontent for personal profit orgain, including for academic orcommercial purposes, withoutthe permission of the AUSITNational Council
Failure to observe these conditionsmay lead to removal of your access tothe e-Bulletin.
Procedure for EnforcingConditions of Use of AUSIT e-Bulletin
Procedure:
A sub-committee of 3 NC membersmay immediately suspend amember's access – the committeewill be appointed from time to timeby the National Executive.
The subcommittee will then notifythe member of the suspension andthe reasons for it.
The suspension will remain confi-dential as will all communicationswith the offending member.
e-Bulletin
New MembersThe following colleagues have recently been admitted to AUSIT membership or associate membership:
Davis Nam, Haruka Nomura, Scott Grant, Wenying Li, Naoto Takeuchi, Sao Teng Wong, Susan Li-Shan Chen,Kanae Yamane, Sanja Coso, Victoria Kristoffersen, Geoffrey Bromfield, Makiko Kato, Ernest Ho, Patricia M. Nilon,Jiajun Shen, Vanna S. Walsh, Rhiannyn Geeson, Michelle Pomella, Marcel Leneham, Dung Hoang, Soran Mawlood,J. Angelo Berbotto, Jay Lloyd-Southwell, Inha Pizzorno, Calli Patisteas, Dogan Sahin, Naty Santa Juliana, HelenKyriacou, Chris Sardelis, Tanya Avramenko, Patricia Will and Rhonda Morgan-Rivera
Congratulations and a warm welcome to all our new members.
8
Ethical Quandaries
Application of AUSIT Code of Ethics/Practice to Questions of Impartiality and Conflict of Interest
by Harry Blackmore
SITUATION: Occasionally inter-preters have to decide if a conflictof interests is present, and impar-tiality threatened, when offered anassignment. How to act?
All NAATI-accredited interpretersare required to comply with theAUSIT Code of Ethics.
The relevant general principles ofthe Code in this instance are asfollows:
1) Professional Conduct inPractice
"Interpreters shall not allow personalor other interests to prejudice orinfluence their work" (1.b.i)
Interpretation: Circumstances maybe such that an interpreter hasdifferent opinions and interestsfrom those raised during an assign-ment - the Code directs theinterpreter to contain all personalviews. If confident, proceed - if not,withdraw.
"Interpreters shall not exercise poweror influence over their clients"(1.b.iii)
Interpretation: Some clients mayfeel indebted to or dependent onthe interpreter. In such and similarcircumstances the interpreter mustavoid actual, or appearance of,directing or speaking on behalf ofclients. If objectivity undoubted,proceed - if not, withdraw.
"Interpreters shall maintain theirintegrity and independence at alltimes" (1.b.iv)
Interpretation: Interpreters mayhave a close familiarity with clientsand/or close association with organ-isations for whom they are to
interpret. The Code expects inter-preters to maintain a professionaldistance from, and show nopartiality towards, any party of theassignment. If independence not atrisk, proceed - if doubtful, with-draw.
"Interpreters shall frankly disclose anypossible conflict of interest" (1.b.v)
Interpretation: There may be timeswhen, for example, the interpreteris the only one available or suitablefor an assignment and has certaininterests in one or both parties ofthe assignment, these interests mustbe declared at the outset, in orderto allow one or both parties toeither object to or permit (undercertain mutually acceptable condi-tions) the interpreter to proceed. Ifinterests not in conflict, proceed - ifdoubtful, withdraw.
4) Impartiality in Practice
"Interpreters shall frankly disclose allconflicts of interest, including assign-ments for relatives or friends, andthose affecting their employer" (4.a.ii)
Interpretation: See interpretationfor clause (1.b.v) above. If doubtpersists, withdraw.
"Interpreters shall not accept, or shallwithdraw from, assignments in whichimpartiality may be difficult to main-tain because of personal beliefs orcircumstances" (4.a.iii)
Interpretation: See interpretationfor clause (1.b.i) above. While onlythe interpreter really knows his orher own mind, and must act inaccordance with the tenor of theCode, it is prudent to withdraw ifone or both of the clients remainsdoubtful or uneasy.
"A professional detachment isrequired for interpreting assignmentsin all situations" (4.b.i)
Interpretation: There may be timeswhen the subject matter for discus-sion in an assignment is of specialinterest to the interpreter.Nevertheless, the interpreter mustbe scrupulously careful to avoidoffering any personal view (even ifinvited) or moderating the conver-sation by slanting the interpretationin any way. If unsure, withdraw.
"If objectivity is threatened, inter-preters shall withdraw from theassignment" (4.b.ii)
Interpretation: See interpretationfor clause (1.b.iii). If uncertaintyremains, withdraw.
MembershipRenewals
A number of members arein the habit of renewingtheir membership at thedoor on the day of theirState AGM.
It might be worth bearing inmind that, in many cases, thiswill result in an extra $20 thistime, because of our new feestructure and the due date ofmembership renewal. We don'twant too many grumpymembers, so if we can "help"you ...
9
Industry Issues
AUSIT NSW Jacks up RTA Effort
by Michael Grunwald
After seeking legal advice, the AUSIT NSW branchrecently sent a letter signed by AUSIT's NationalPresident to the CEO of NSW Roads and TrafficAuthority, asking him to investigate the apparentongoing anti-competitive business practice of RTANSW, which imposes restrictions on translations ofoverseas driver licences.
The main thrust of the letter sent by AUSIT focusedon the facts that:
• overseas licence holders are prevented in NSW frommaking a free choice when selecting an accreditedtranslation service provider
• RTA NSW customers are being prevented frommaking significant savings in both time and money
• most providers of accredited translation services arebeing unfairly excluded from competing in an openmarket, especially as the RTA has been referringclients exclusively to the CRC for translation ofother personal documents
• other governmental departments, such as DIMIAand the RTA in other states, are able to dischargetheir responsibilities without resorting to restrictivepractices.
The NSW branch of AUSIT Inc. also indicated that itis willing and able to provide specialised DL translationtraining, as many of its highly experienced members areactually on the CRC translation panel.
At present, holders of overseas driver licences aregenerally advised that, according to RTA policy, thetranslation must be undertaken by the Community
Relations Commission (CRC) in Sydney, whichcharges $51.15 and $63.80 for 14-day and 7-day turn-arounds respectively.
The RTA policy was introduced in NSW in the late1980s as part of a wider attempt to combat fraudulentactivities. At that time:
• Australian driver licences did not include a photo-graph and so could be used by virtually anyone foridentification purposes;
• most European driver licences were only issued ineach country's national language/s (unlike thecurrent EU model);
• standardised testing of translators by the NationalAccreditation Authority for Translators andInterpreters (NAATI) was in its infancy;
• there was a shortage of appropriately accreditedtranslators;
• AUSIT had yet to implement its binding Code ofEthics.
Measures adopted by the RTA included using a limitednumber of government-operated translation services assuppliers, e.g. the now disbanded TIS NSW and theCRC (formerly EAC) and organising specialisedtraining for the NAATI-accredited translatorsemployed by such suppliers to help them deal with theidiosyncrasies of foreign driver licences.
At the time of going to press, a response had been received from theRTA, justifying its position in regard to the above matter.Members will be advised of any further developments (Editor).
AUSIT would like to thank all who applied for the positions ofAdministrator, Newsletter Editor and Professional DevelopmentCoordinator which were advertised earlier this year. An encour-aging number of applications was received and the selectionprocess is now underway. Thank you to all applicants for yourpatience: you will be hearing from us shortly.
To enable AUSIT to achieve its key objectives of becoming thedriving force in our industry and enhancing the status of T&Ipractitioners by increasing our association’s presence andstanding in the industry and pooling and harnessing ourresources, we will continue to rely on the dedicated services ofvolunteers for many tasks, at least in the short- to medium-term.A number of voluntary positions have been identified andremain vacant, including:
Grant Application WritersAdvertising OfficerPR LiaisonWebsite Upgrade CoordinatorAnnual Report EditorIndustrial Relations ExpertBookkeepersLegal AdviserPlease give serious consideration to how you may be able to helpAUSIT further the interests of all T&I practitioners. If you areinterested in any of the above positions, know anyone whomight be, or would like to offer your services in another areawhich may benefit our association and its members, please sendyour details to Tineke Millard, Northern Region Administrator,who will act as the first point of contact : [email protected] or POBox 376, Ramsgate NSW 2217.
JOB VACANCIES
10
Branch News
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT branch held its first professional development(PD) activity for 2004, with a presentation by Dr GeorgeKlim on “Legal and other issues for translators and inter-preters” on 27 March.
For its next PD event, the committee is trying to arrange ademonstration of various computer assisted translation(CAT) packages. We hope to program the event sometime in July. Branch members will be advised as soon asarrangements are finalised. Details will also be on theAUSIT e-Bulletin.
Mike Ovington, Chair13.05.2004
New South Wales
The NSW branch produced two letters recently, one to the Roads& Traffic Authority (RTA) regarding their policy of referringtranslation requests exclusively to the Community RelationsCommission (CRC), another state government authority. Theletter was extensively vetted by a lawyer member of AUSIT(many thanks for your help, Lawson). Depending on the RTA’sresponse, we may contact the Australian Competition andConsumer Commission as the next step.
The other letter was in relation to the extra migration pointsawarded to translators and interpreters across the board forpassing the NAATI test. Our president made it known to theDepartment of Immigration & Multicultural and IndigenousAffairs that there is a problem with that approach. The letter isavailable on the AUSIT website.
We held two very successful PD sessions, one about interculturalcommunication in T&I, presented by Michael Grunwald, and oneabout the “Déjà Vu” CAT software, presented by Ignacio Garcia.
Andrew Bean has produced an Australian version of the British“Getting it right” translation brochure, which will be used topromote AUSIT among T&I practitioners and to raise our profileamong end users.
The branch discussed (once again) inconsistent membershipadmission procedures across the nation and would like themembership category reform to be put back on the agenda.
We plan to participate in a research project by the University ofTechnology Sydney on interpreting in NSW courts. The UTSproject will involve a survey which may be of interest to AUSITnationally.
The branch suffers from relying 100% on voluntary contributionsand is considering employing a part-time office worker for projectwork. This will be advertised on the bulletin board once a decisionhas been made.
Uli Priester, Chair17.05.2004
Queensland
Professional Development
Activities made available to AUSIT colleagues included:
22 March: “Cultural diversity and the Family Court ofAustralia”, an evening seminar and networking session(discussion on court processes including use of inter-preters).
27 April: “An Iranian perspective on mental health andmental illness”, the first in a series of seminars coveringmental health issues and attitudes to mental health in ninelanguage groups.
15 May: “Intercultural skills: providing interpreting andtranslation services”, a four-hour seminar.
24 May: “Raising children bilingually in Australia: myths,challenges and opportunities”, an evening lecture anddiscussion with Prof. Anne Pauwels of the University ofWestern Australia.
The vastness of the state and the small numbers of AUSITmembers in regional areas call for new solutions regardingprovision of professional development and training.Consequently, the committee is working to developcontacts and a working relationship with governmentorganisations to create PD and networking opportunities.One such opportunity is the existing Local AreaMulticultural Partnerships program, a partnership betweenthe state and local governments, which, among otheractivities, facilitates cross-cultural and working-with-inter-preters training in regional areas. The committeeapproached the program and training was made availableto our member in Gladstone (March 2004). We are nowlooking at a more formal relationship through which othercolleagues in regional Queensland could access cross-cultural training.
Through development and training activities that havealready taken place, we are looking at increasing trainingopportunities for members through a reciprocal arrange-ment with an agency with high interpreting needs (tofollow the line of “we will learn about the agency needs inregards to interpreting/translation and they will learnfrom us, who the interpreters/translators are, what andhow they do it”). Another idea being explored is devel-oping a mentoring program for interpreting students atthe Southbank Institute of TAFE in Brisbane.
The committee is also looking at bringing interstatetrainers to Queensland. Our PD coordinator will examinethe possibility of using recorded sessions for small groupand/or individual use.
Promotional Activities
Our Chair is a member of the NAATIRegional Advisory Committee (Qld)and participated in RAC meetings inApril and May. We also plan to workmore closely with local private inter-preting and translating agencies, learnwho they are, promote AUSIT andencourage their contractors to joinAUSIT. On 22 May Ita spoke aboutthe benefits of AUSIT membership tocontractors employed through Brisbanebranch of the On-Call Interpreters andTranslators Agency.
Ita Szymanska, Chair14.05.2004
South Australia / Northern Territory
Seminar
Our seminar “Know your market -marketing strategy for T&I practi-tioners” was held on 25 March 2004. Itcovered various aspects of marketingsuch as market, client and competitoranalysis. Twenty-two T&Is and 22students attended the seminar and theresponse was positive. Finger food andsoft drinks were served afterwards andeveryone had an opportunity to chatwith colleagues.
Upcoming Event
Where are we going? What are we doing?We would like to chat with membersabout AUSIT and the profession. Maybean event called “Have your say” in June?An informal setting, good atmosphere,food and drinks and a good powwow. You have the opportunityto ask, grumble, praise, suggest, commentor just meet up and have a jolly good time.We will send out invitations when detailsare confirmed. Hope to see you all there!
AGM
Soon it will be time to hold the annualgeneral meeting. We encourage ourmembers to think about joining thecommittee. This is your opportunity toget involved, learn what is going on andhave your say. We have a great teamworking hard to make things happen. Wewould like to welcome more members.More members, more ideas, more events!Don’t be shy – join in.
Andrea Hoffmann, Chair10.05.2004
Victoria / Tasmania
They say if you want a job done, get abusy person to do it. That’s how we feelin Victoria: the work keeps coming.Having said that, I can say on behalf ofall the volunteers, we are very proud tobe part of AUSIT Vic/Tas, the fastestgrowing branch.
Some of the new and exciting initiativesin Victoria include: AUSIT inauguralawards, hosting a “Joint Conference –AUSIT/ASLIA”, engaging in fundingand sponsorship exercises, and activelypromoting AUSIT to industry stake-holders and the profession in general.
Some of the upcoming events inVictoria include: “Ethics for interpretersand translators – a panel discussion”(Networking session) May 28,“Advanced note-taking workshop” (2ndhalf of the year), interpreters group inJuly, “Small business management”workshop (August), CAT tools fortranslators and a whole lot more.
Working for your profession not onlygives you a strong sense of belongingbut contributing your ideas andcommitment to bring the professionforward makes you a true professional.If you wish to be part of the drivingengine of AUSIT, contact your localbranch.
Happy Ausiteering!
Sarina Phan, Chair19.05.2004
Western Australia
Since the last newsletter deadline, wehave staged two outstanding PDsessions in the West. The first was the“Legal terminology in focus” workshopin conjunction with a networkingsession on 21 February, presented byMichelle Gonsalves, a solicitor fromLegal Aid WA who is an excellentspeaker. The workshop was very enter-taining and useful to any practitioner.
The second workshop was on 3 April,the very special “Steel yourself”presented by Clare Wilson, a clinicalpsychologist from Edith CowanUniversity. Clare enlightened us all byshowing how important it is to debriefafter a traumatic work experience. Aswell, relaxation is a skill and, like any
skill, can be learned with practice. Wewill have to persuade Michelle and Clareto return next year as they both provedexcellent presenters.
Two of our committee members,Barbara Delevoy and MichelaClavenzani-Wilkins, had to resign dueto family circumstances. Both madevaluable contributions to the branchand I would like to thank them onbehalf of the committee.
On 16 February, the WA committeehad its first meeting of the year andwelcomed Diana Rodriquez-Losada astreasurer after the formal transfer oftreasurer’s duties from Barbara Delevoy.We also welcomed new committeemember Michele Dreyfus who waselected at our last meeting on 19 March.
Annamaria Arnall and Francine Gigueremet the visiting NAATI Boardmembers and the industry stakeholdersat a gathering presided by WA’s Officeof Multicultural Interests on 2 Marchand I attended a meeting with NAATIBoard members on 4 March. Reportson both meetings were sent to nationalcouncil members before being put onthe AUSIT website.
Annamaria and I attended a meetinginitiated by the visiting TIS ManagerCon Pagonis and Ron Trudgen on 22April. It was a brief informal occasionto maintain contact so that we can workclosely together. We asked whether TISwas interested in developing a referencegroup including AUSIT to consult onvarious language service issues. TIS willinform us of any developments on thematter.
Thanks everyone, and hope to see youall at our next event.
Younghi Newman, Chair10.05.2004
11
12
Rights On! reminds us of transla-tors’ and interpreters’ right to beseen and recognized as key playersin the multilingual communicationenvironment of today’s globallyconverging world. The FIT XVIIWorld Congress, to be held inTampere, Finland on 4 – 7 August2005, will bring together profes-sionals from all over the world andfrom different fields of translatingand interpreting to discuss topicalissues.The XVII FIT World Congress ishosted by the Finnish Associationof Translators and Interpreters(SKTL), in co-operation with theInternational Federation ofTranslators (FIT). In 2005, theSKTL will celebrate its 50thanniversary. The anniversary festiv-ities will take place in connectionwith the Congress.Come and take part in this excitingCongress, which will be held in thesafe and beautiful city of Tampere.Enjoy the professional and socialprogrammes in splendid settings, aswell as Finland’s pristine nature andthe lightness of the Northernsummer. Please visit the Congressweb site, at www.fit2005.org tolearn more about the Congress, thevenue, the City of Tampere andmuch more.The Congress topics will include:
Rights in Translation andInterpreting: Present Needs andFuture Challenges
Legal Translation and CourtInterpreting
Ethics, Status and Future of theProfession
Translation of Literature
Translation for the Media
Scientific, Technical and MedicalTranslation
Terminology and Localization
Conference, Court and CommunityInterpreting
Special Aspects of Translation andInterpreting
The Congress languages are Englishand French. Session formats:
A round table (max. 3 hours) has achairperson who co-ordinates thesession and several participants whomake brief presentations about agiven topic, which is then discussed.
A workshop (90 mins) is a practically-oriented session organized by achairperson and involving audienceparticipation.
A presentation (15 mins) is a talk thatdoesn’t call for audience participation.
A poster is a short description of aspecific topic displayed on a posterboard. At an appointed time, authorsare present to discuss their posters.
Proposals for participation in any ofthe above sessions are to besubmitted by 31 October 2004. Fordetails of how to submit a proposal,please refer to the Congress Website at: www.fit2005.org
The above is an edited extract of the FITCongress announcement received byAUSIT, which is a member associationof FIT. Please refer to the Congresswebsite for further details. (Editor)
FIT XVII WORLD CONGRESS: RIGHTS ON!Tampere, Finland4 - 7 August 2005First Announcement
and Call for Presentations
Apart from our eBulletin in English, AUSIT also runs 15 specific languagediscussion groups called eForums (or eFora, if you prefer!). You candiscuss terminology and write in your own language. Simply contactyour Administrator for more details on how to join them.
National Council
AUSIT’s stationery will nowinclude the following logo:
which confirms to third parties ouracceptance as a profession.
On this occasion, members arereminded that the AUSIT logomay only be used with priorpermission, in writing, from theinstitute’s Executive Committee.
In general, the AUSIT logo is to beused by express agreement forpromotional material associatedwith AUSIT initiatives or collabo-rations - such as professionaldevelopment seminars, confer-ences, and other non-profitactivities directed towards theadvancement of the Translating andInterpreting Profession inAustralia.
This protects the reputation ofyour professional organisation, byensuring that the logo is usedappropriately. Conditions mayapply when authorisation isgranted.
All members are therefore whole-heartedly encouraged to indicatetheir AUSIT membership on theirbusiness cards and stationery. Ifyou would like to use the AUSITlogo, on your website or in someother way, please contact yourAdministrator on [email protected] [email protected].
AUSIT: Working for theAdvancement of AustralianTranslators and Interpreters
PROTECT YOUR LOGO
13
Dear AUSIT members, You might have followed recent discussions on the e-Bulletinregarding our membership fees, which have remained unchangedfor more than four years. AUSIT's National Council has justapproved the increases detailed below.As in the past, members of the National Council continue tostrive to provide a wide range of services to our members. Wewill focus on: • promoting the profession through leaflets, booklets and
advertising • offering more and better professional development opportu-
nities, and employing a part-time coordinator to developconsistency and quality nationally
• adding internet resources accessible by subscription only • developing our newsletter, by securing professional servicesThe increase also ensures we can maintain the services ourmembers are already enjoying.• Have you visited our new website? Its new look and feel
have been praised by many members and it contains a bountyof useful information.
• Look at the newsletter and consider all the work that occursbehind the scenes for the benefit of our members: ªwriting, editing, typesetting, despatching the newsletter, ªsecuring advertising revenue to reduce the costs tomembers, ª8 pages of Pay and Conditions initiatives in the March2004 issue: talks with the major stakeholders, new options torepresent our interests, market study, legal advice
• See the events that your state branch has been organisingand delivering for your benefit
• Access some 20 e-Forums, where members can voice theirviews or find information, peer support, advice and even jobs
• Strategic initiatives in PD credit points and membership cate-gories, developed to ensure AUSIT is in the driving seat ofthe profession
• and many other projects in progress. As always, feel free to talk to your branch committee or toanyone on the Executive Committee. We look forward tohearing from you.Yveline PillerNational President
NEW MEMBERSHIP FEES:The first step applies to renewals due on or after June 1, 2004and before January 1, 2005. As usual, the renewed membershipwill remain valid for one year.The second step applies to all renewals due on or after January 1,2005. It includes GST, which AUSIT will have to pass on to theATO. Your membership fee is tax deductible.Step one : applies as from June 1, 2004 to • $105 ordinary members in NSW and Victoria, $90 ordinary
members in other states • $70 associate members in NSW and Victoria, $60 associate
members in other states • $55 associate affiliates in NSW and Victoria, $50 associate
affiliates in other states • $40 students in all states
• An additional $20 fee applies to all new and rejoiningmembers and to renewal fees received more than 6 weeksafter their due date.
Step two: applies as from January 1, 2005, tax deductible andinclusive of GST: • $110 ordinary members in all states, • $80 associate members in all states, • $65 associate affiliates in all states, • $45 students in all states. • An additional $20 fee applies to all new and rejoining
members and to renewal fees received more than 6 weeksafter their due date.
WHY RENEW?“What’s in it for me?” you may ask. National President YvelinePiller lists the following as only some of the benefits she derivedfrom her membership in a period of just three months. Imaginewhat a whole year of AUSIT benefits would look like and trymaking your own list. 1. A 12-page translation job, referred to me by an interstatemember2. A new client referred to me by another member3. A colleague's referral to books on linguistics, which, apartfrom upgrading my skills, allowed me to answer a client's queries4. Representation with major players such as Centrelink, TIS,NAATI, DIMIA, RTA NSW5. Information and advice on voice recognition software I wasconsidering buying6. Several tips on translating and presenting translations of offi-cial documents7. Information on industry developments that will affect me8. Information on rates paid and charged in Australia and over-seas9. Information on working conditions for governmental T&Iusers provided by interstate colleagues10.An interesting workshop on cultural differences11. Pride in being recognised as a professional by other profes-sions12.Help with diacritics13. Information on interpreting techniques and note-taking14. Information on glossary software15. Rare English words16. Links to on-line English dictionaries17. A range of tips and information on interpreting duringpsychiatric assessments18.Specialists' views on legal interpreting and the problems to beprepared for19 Many suggestions to help transfer Outlook files to my newcomputerWhat I contributed:1. An opinion on an agency I work for2. Information on how to prevent payment problems3. Information on favourite bilingual dictionaries4. Deciphered an obscure acronym for a colleague5. Decrypted illegible hand-written notes on a document foranother colleague6. Described how I saved $300 p.a. with my ISP
AUSIT Membership: New Fee Structure and a Few Good Reasons to Belong
14
Professional Development
As previously discussed (AUSIT Newsletter March2004 edition), the past couple of months were spent oncollecting information about the professional develop-ment requirements of our membership. Informalinterviews were topped up with a formal questionnairewhich was sent out by e-mail to 50 members.Practitioners working in big and small demand, Westernand Eastern languages were all targeted and the male-female ratio was 40:60. As this was a very small sampleand only colleagues with e-mails qualified, the resultswere doomed to be skewed and random - but stillindicative enough for our purposes at this stage. Response rate was a healthy 30%, which proves ourmembers' dedication to their organisation. Surveys areso plentiful these days that most get only 10% returns. What kind of activities were reported?1. Language maintenance in LOTE: a. Most respondents subscribe to magazines and
websites.b. Many had travelled overseas and had the opportu-
nity to update vocabulary and learn about recentsocial and cultural developments in the country oftheir language.
c. AUSIT language forum membership was alsoreported as a useful avenue of maintaining anddeveloping knowledge in the language other thanEnglish.
2. English language skills enhancementa. Teaching English was the only activity reported in
respect to learning and developing new skills asteachers must constantly update their skills. Severalrespondents suggested that because they live andwork in an English-language environment, theyneed no formal avenues.
3. Professional Ethicsa. 50% of respondents attended an ethics workshop
run by AUSITb. 25% of respondents attended agency-run ethics
events4. Techniques and technology of T&Ia. 35% of respondents have attended an AUSIT work-
shop on terminologyb. 25% of respondents learned a CAT tool either at a
workshop or through self-directed learningc. 25% of respondents improved their computer skills
at home or in the workplace
d. Around 20% of respondents attended AUSIT-runworkshops concerned with aspects of translatingother than terminology
e. Also about 20% reported participating in eventsorganised by someone other than AUSIT wherethey learned about interpreting techniques
5. Being a sole tradera. 30% of respondents attended workshops or courses
organised by AUSIT about various aspects ofrunning a business
b. Several individuals attended other events about smallbusiness development
6. Advances in the professionOne or two individuals reported participation in thefollowing activities: AUSIT PD events concerned withT&I theory, active participation in the AUSIT e-Bulletin, attendance of AUSIT AGM, attendance of aconference or seminar on T&I theory and readingspecialist T&I literature.We also learned about the average monthly workload ofthese colleagues:Most respondents had more than 10 but less than 80hours interpreting in an "average" month and translatedmore than 2,000 but less than 20,000 words.What next?As previously mentioned, this mini-survey served toverify some hypotheses we arrived at identifying priori-ties, trends and demands. It helped us to plan futureAUSIT workshops and also to compile a simple andstraightforward list of activities that can earn creditpoints for an AUSIT member. Membership reform has been under consideration forquite a few years now: many members feel they need anavenue to progress and reach higher status, thus gainingmore prestige and financial rewards. The title ofCertified Practising Translator or Interpreter is boundto be dependent - among other requirements - ondemonstrated excellence in professional development.No decision has been made on the introduction of apoints system yet. The team currently taking care ofthe organisation of workshops and seminars appreciatesany feedback. We actively seek opinions and sugges-tions whenever an opportunity arises. Please do nothesitate to contact me or one of us with your thoughtsor questions.
Professional Development Survey Results and Implications
by Annamaria Arnall, Vice-President and PD Coordinator
15
very badly, as a colour document.The resulting document will bemany times the size that it shouldbe, and may be in a tasteful assort-ment of cloudy tints of purple andblue, and not really legible.
Then he will send it as a jpegattachment, because that is what thescanner offers as the default option.
If you have graphic software youshould increase the contrast, adjustthe levels, convert to greyscale,adjust the contrast, and convert tobitmap. If you are lucky the resultwill be at least legible, and may begood enough to read using OpticalCharacter Conversion.
What you can do
You can educate the client, but youshould probably read up a bit moreon the subject, so that you cananswer all questions with authority.If the client is helpful, ask for thetext to be scanned as a black andwhite only image, and sent as a.bmp file. Explain that it will be amuch smaller file, taking a lot less
time to transmit.
When you return your translation,you are partly in control. You willnever make the mistake of sendingtext as a colourful jpeg file. Allcomputers can translate from a GIFfile to bitmap. I think all computerscan also read a BMP file.
Now you come to the problems ofmachine translation
If you send me a Windows Wordfile and I have a Macintosh Wordfile, my computer can almostcertainly translate between them.The only problem is that it won’ttranslate the fonts accurately. Whathappens if I have a Linux machine?
What happens if I use a wordprocessor that doesn’t recogniseWord documents?
Well, you could convert to a bitmapfile (very big) or you could convertto an Acrobat (pdf) documentwhich is very small. Adobe Acrobatis expensive, but you can get freeconverters to pdf documents.
Of course, if the client refuses touse the free Acrobat reader, youhave negotiation problems. If theclient lives in Europe, and is paying
for timed local calls, it should beeasy to explain that sending 180 000bytes instead of 37 000 000 byteswill take several hours less. Also theInternet service provider will be lesslikely to refuse the message.
Really big documents
You have shrunk your translation byreplacing pictures with a rectangle(after all the client has the originalpictures) and converted the resultinto a pdf file. Unfortunately thebook that you translated still comesto 37 million bytes. Very fewInternet Service Providers will allowa file of this size.
Tell your ISP what you want to doand ask for his help. Transfer yourfile to a web page that is password-protected. (Most ISPs give you afree web page with your account.)Give your client the URL and pass-word for the page, and he candownload the book. Don’t forget toremove the file from your web pageonce your client has downloaded it.You only use e-mail for yourinstructions to your client, andthese are in ASCII code, whichdoesn’t take up much space at all.
Technology Bytes
continued from page 6
Ausit Website Update
by Annamaria Arnalland Yveline Piller
Have you visited the revamped AUSITwebsite yet? It’s a work in constantprogress and new information is beingadded almost every week.Statistics for the first two weeks in May: • Site received 4,500 hits• Most visited pages:
Find a Translator (1,727)Training (235)Benefits of belonging to AUSIT (186)About AUSIT (171).
The following is just an example of whatyou will find there. You can see for your-self at:www.ausit.orgLinks & ResourcesUnder Resources you will findTranslators Tools: examples of formscommonly used for presenting data in
extract translations, and a sample affidavit- and a collection of recent ProfessionalDevelopment articles. The links below will take you to websitesconcerned with our profession. All thelinks below were in perfect working orderon the 12th of March, 2004. If you findone that is no longer functional, couldyou please report it to the Administrationby clicking here. Information structure:1. Study (I & T Education, Conferences,
Media).2. Work (Words, Expressions, Job
Market, Technology).3. Recreation (Bookshops, Omnibus
websites).4. Community (Newsgroups, mailing
lists, etc).StudyI & T education• Notes on note-taking • Centre for Interpretation and
Translation Studies (CITS)
Court interpreting course Court interpreter training prorams
• Guide to translation training around the world Institute for Translationwissenschaft at Innsbruck
• Listing of courses by countries • Online translation courses at LOGOS
MA in bilingual legal interpreting MA courses
The Boston Language Institute University of Western Sydney Localisation, globalisation training
ConferencesThe Linguist's list Linguists, T & I and teachers conference schedules Stockholm University's list
MediaA comprehensive list of electronic journalsTranslation Journal
