17 Oct The Fixer
In my home I am “the fixer”. This is not a role that I chose knowingly and intentionally; it just came with the territory. I own a home, so if anything breaks I am the one in charge of fixing it or finding someone...
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10 Oct Maybe It’s Time to Make Friends With Spanglish
Maybe It Is Time to Make Friends With Spanglish …And Italish, Portugish, Haitian Creolish and any other language + English! It happened this way: Judge (English): “…mortgage…” Me (Spanish): “…hipoteca…” Litigant (No language): [Blank stare; look of incomprehension and confusion.] The question was repeated. All at once, understanding dawned and the...
03 Oct Why You (Yes, *You*) Should Present at the 2015 NAJIT Conference
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” Harry S Truman (attributed)
I have no earthly idea whether Mr. Truman actually said that, but it’s a good sentiment, isn’t it? Stop right now and think of three things you wish you knew. Me, I wish I knew how to play an instrument, how my car runs, and what my toddler means when he grins at me and exclaims, "Deeesssssssh!" (Seriously, folks, he's been doing it for a month. Anyone?) Done! Three things in ten seconds. Unfortunately, when I talk to people about interpreter conferences—both ones they’ve attended and ones they decide not to—I frequently hear the same complaints. “There’s nothing for me there.” “I don’t need to know any of that.” “I’ve heard that all before.” And in fact, they may be right: maybe if you’ve been going to interpreter conferences for decades, there’s nothing being presented at most of them that you haven’t already heard. This year, NAJIT wants to change that. Our wonderful Conference Committee is putting together a special program for the 2015 conference in Atlanta. During each session, one presentation will be earmarked as relevant for interpreters who work primarily in education, and at least one will be earmarked as an “advanced” session. “But Bethany,” you say, “Who is going to teach these advanced sessions?”26 Sep International Interpreters and Translators Day 2014
Posted at 00:01h
in ASL, Community Interpreting, Conference Interpreting, Court Interpreting, Interpreting, Medical Interpreting, Odds & Ends, Translation
5 Comments
I know. The official name is “International Translation Day”. I changed it. I just have this thing about “interpreters” being included whenever anyone talks about “translators” and “interpreting” being understood as a part of “translation” in the title of such an important day. We all...
19 Sep The Wealthy Interpreter – Basking in the Wealth of Interpreting: A Different Point of View
* Maria Teresa Perez is a Spanish language interpreter. She has been a certified Spanish interpreter since 1996, previously applying her skills in California, and now as a Staff Interpreter with the Superior Court of New Jersey, Mercer County Vicinage. In her spare time, Maria...
12 Sep News from InTrans Book Service, Inc. – September 2014 – Volume 5, Number 6
Dear NAJIT Blog Readers, This week we'd like to share with you a special message from Mr. Freek Lankhof. Freek, thank you for all you've done throughout the years to strengthen our profession. - Kevin (You can read more about Freek in our June 6th, 2014...
29 Aug People Management: The Secret Job of the Interpreter
These days, when people ask me what it takes to be an interpreter, I tell them one part language skills, one part interpreter technique, and one part people management. When we embark on our interpreting career, learning interpreting technique is a good beginning, but it is...
22 Aug The Richness of Rituals
As I was putting on my make-up this morning getting ready for work, the thought crossed my mind in a flash: “I am putting on my war paint.” I realized it was a ritual, perhaps not too dissimilar from the rituals of our indigenous...
15 Aug Holly is a Big Deal in Ohio
I was at a Holly Mikkelson training on August 3rd and afterward at lunch I asked her if I could blog about it. She said yes, but another NAJIT member, esteemed colleague, and past guest blogger beat me to the punch. I asked John P....
08 Aug On the Court Reporter’s Court
- by Gio Lester© I prefer depositions and arbitration to actual courtroom work. One of the first things I do is make sure the court reporters know I am on their team. This usually helps with the flow. From my personal point of view, ensuring that the...