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The Couch is back.  This is a space where we can share our doubts, our knowledge and help our colleagues. All data that might make the parties or case identifiable have been removed. Please note: all contributions should be sent to the Editor and not entered in...

07 July, 2017 /

We have another Guest Post. This time, our guest is Ryan Bridges a contributing writer and media specialist for the Presentation Training Institute. Ryan regularly produces content for a variety of business and presentation blogs, based around the transitional challenges that come with communication and...

30 June, 2017 /

By Gio Lester © 2017 One of the reasons we love what we do is the impact it has on other people’s lives. We work to feed our passion for learning and helping others while we also put food on the table. Maybe the order should...

23 June, 2017 /
This article by Janis Palma was first published two years ago, almost to the date. It is a good reminder of the importance of proper terminology and the traps we face in our work - both translators and interpreters!
©Janis Palma- 2014
Beware of false friends! I don’t mean the people, I mean the words. 
One of the first impulses a young interpreter must overcome is the use of words that may, at first glance, seem to be equivalent terms and concepts in two languages... but are not. Taking that direct path from similarly-sounding words in our source and target languages is not always wrong, but part of being a good interpreter is knowing exactly when to take this path and when not to. In the rapid pace of judiciary interpreting, our brains may lean heavily towards cognates in source and target languages. Cognates are words with a common origin or etymology. True cognates, like “library” and “librería” in Spanish or “livraria” in Portuguese, with a common Latin root -- liber -- may come to have new and different meanings with usage and the passage of time. In this example “library” is a place where books are kept for people to read or borrow, whereas “librería” or “livraria” is a place where books are sold. So although they may be true cognates, these words have become false friends, or faux amis.
16 June, 2017 /

Okay, perhaps it’s a bit far-fetched to compare a courthouse to Shakespeare’s famous rose, but I have to admit that after months away from court (or, should I say,  du palais de justice…our francophone neighbors certainly have a way with words, don’t they?!) when I...

09 June, 2017 /

This post was originally published on The Savvy Newcomer on August 2, 2016. Republished with permission from the author, Helen Eby, NAJIT Member and one of the leaders of our 2017 Advocacy Day efforts. By Helen Eby ©2016 One of my resources is The Routledge Handbook of Interpreting,...

02 June, 2017 /

And here are some moments for you to relive. Header photo courtesy of NAJIT member Flávia Lima who also contributed some of the photos in the gallery. If you'd like to add a picture, please send it to tno_editor@najit.org. ...

26 May, 2017 /

This article was originally posted on November 15, 2012. Some social media tools have added features, others have lost their appeal.  As ephemeral as some of its elements are, social media is here to stay. Got something to add? Use the comments area below. By Gio...

19 May, 2017 /

by Janis Palma, USCCI, NCJIT-S I can remember how to say “Compass Rose” and “boatswain” in Spanish at the drop of a hat, but I cannot remember what I ate for lunch 2 days ago. I can recall every word of a 2-minute narrative by a witness and...

12 May, 2017 /

This is our first double feature in preparation for two important upcoming events. Enjoy! [vc_row][vc_column width='1/2'] T Minus 14 Days: Are you ready? -By Susan Cruz, CFP®, NAJIT Administrator With NAJIT’s Annual Conference only 14 days away, HQ wanted to share some of the excellent things in store for...

05 May, 2017 /
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