This one is for little George

My local paper, the Lincoln Journal-Star, featured an article on its Sunday edition about George, a little boy with Cockayne syndrome, and his loving family.

It also contained a smaller article from the perspective of the medical interpreter who assisted the family in their doctors’ visits.

A word from Freek…

Mr. Freek Lankhof, he of InTrans Book Service, he whose first name rhymes with “brake”, has written a letter to the editor for the October 2007 issue of The Chronicle on the subject of independent booksellers.

It is your independent bookseller that gives you personal service and attention, who makes the effort, and pays for the trip to the conference or seminar in your region so that you can check out dictionaries and books before buying them sight unseen.

 Something to think about the next time you want to rush to Amazon.com.

A to-do list for my next assignment

There are some things I need to do in preparation for my next interpreting assignment. Of course, I am leaving out the obvious such as studying terminology likely to come up. I am just mentioning the smaller yet important items:

1. Assemble and iron (if necessary) a suitable outfit. It must meet the following parameters:
   • Consist of layers, as I have no idea what the location will do with the thermostat. Chances are, it will be freezing outside but roasting on the inside.
   • Include suitable footwear. It must be comfortable, because there will be a lot of of standing involved; look professional, to add to credibility; and be subdued enough not to call attention to itself, because the perfect interpreter is invisible. I guess this adorable pair doesn’t meet the third criteria.
2. Pack appropriately. My normal tote (crocheted and felted, multicolor, and delightfully quirky) will not get the job done, sadly. I will have to steal my daughter’s overnight bag, which is really a more subdued tote.
   • What to include: a notebook for notetaking. A couple of pens in working condition. A copy of Holly Mikkelson’s The Interpreter’s Companion. Some snacks. Water. A watch.
   • What to exclude: the digital camera I carry around on an everyday basis. Anything that could be mistaken for a weapon, such as my aluminum knitting needles. This is not much of a problem, because I prefer bamboo needles, anyway. 

Wish me luck.

Handwritten materials

I recently translated some handwritten materials. Lengthy handwritten materials. Without disclosing identifying details, I can share the following:

1. The benefits offered by the spellchecker in a word-processing program cannot and should not be underestimated.
2. For me to criticize anybody else’s handwriting would be a big fat case of the pot calling the kettle black. Eight-year-old boys produce more attractive cursive than I do. At least this text was legible.
3. If the writer of the handwritten text appears to have written it as a transcript of a conversation, try reading it out loud and treating it like a sight translation.

International Translation Day

Tomorrow, September 30, is International Translation Day (read about the history of that day).

 So tomorrow, take pride in your profession and celebrate. Cake optional.

Cold season

I am currently going through yet another cold. Sneezing, headaches, inability to sleep, and at least during Friday, the inability to speak above a squeak.  This proved rather interesting. While I had no interpreting work that day, I did have to go to my day job.  And that requires me to spend most of the day on the phone.

For interpreters, their voices are just as valuable as their language skills.  Nobody wants their interpreter’s speech interrupted by sneezes and hacking coughs, even if he or she is lucky enough to be able to sustain speech. So review these tips.

And if you are sick right now, my sympathies.

Harry Potter, mon Dieu!

As published in the Guardian Unlimited:

French teen in trouble for allegedly posting his own translation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

For those who care about such things, the article contains zero spoilers. Who knew that the French had to wait until October to read the grand finale of this saga? Or that the official French translator didn’t get to read it himself until the official publishing date in English?

I didn’t.

It takes so little to make me happy

Céline Graciet, of Naked Translations, listed my humble blog among a list of translators’ blogs she has become aware of in her June 13, 2007 post.

 All I can say is, Merci!

The interpreter’s prayer

Lord,

Grant me the ability to understand as many terms as I can…

…the serenity to accept the fact that there is no way I can memorize every single vocabulary term in the universe…

…and a strong stomach so that I don’t throw up from nerves.

 Amen.

The money has been shown

Without delving into details, I am happy to announce all the people who owed me money for translating projects have paid.

After all this time that I had to say no to interpreting projects due to my day job, an offer has landed on my lap. I will be doing some interpreting in a little over a week.  The case appears simple, but I still need to prepare. Maybe I should start by reading Céline’s Naked Translations.

 And of course, I have nothing to wear. Can I justify purchasing a business suit and awesome pumps as a business expense? Probably not.