Linguistic technologies are taking giant steps in the translation industry. You can stay ahead of the game by participating in our hands-on presentation on Memo Q, an innovative translation memory tool. The presentation will be made by Dr. Mark Ritter, Chief Language Officer at McElroy Translation.

Download a trial version from http://en.kilgray.com/?q=node/download to inspect its many features and learn how to use it at our next meeting.

Come for the presentation, then stay to enjoy delicious refreshments while meeting up with fellow translators and interpreters for an afternoon of information and great networking at our downtown space at the ICA premises on Saturday, July 11th, from 1 to 4 pm (check www.aatia.net for the address and directions.)

Free parking is available at the Convention Center parking garage, which is on the west side of the building that houses our offices. Enter from Brazos Street, inform the attendant that you are attending an AATIA event, and sign a garage parking record sheet. There is no charge.

See you then!

AATIA will offer a workshop for court interpreters on September 19th. This 8-hour workshop is aimed at practicing court interpreters and will enable those licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to fulfill their annual continuing education requirement. Details will be posted in August.

A call for assistance has been sent out by the Translation and Interpretation Initiative for Iranian Protesters (TIIP):

The wiki is now up that we will use to translate the communications coming out of Iran. For the present time, the only text on the wiki is a page from a samizdat newsletter being distributed among the Iranian protesters called Khyiban (Street). If you would like to help to translate immediately, please go to http://translate4iran.wikispaces.com/Khyaban+4.2 Please recall that you don’t have to be a Farsi translator or even a Farsi bilingual to help!  We desperately need help from English writers, editors, proofreaders, publication relations professionals, techies, geeks, and administrative personnel.

To learn more, click here.

In a letter to the editors of the New York Times, responding to Paul Berman’s review of Gabriel García Márquez: A Life, by Gerald Martin, Ezra E. Fitz, of Brentwood, Tennessee, made an important point — one all translators automatically appreciate — about the logical flaw of an English-speaking critic discussing Márquez without mentioning Rabassa or Grossman.  To read the letter, click here.

Celebrate World Refugee Day and welcome our newest Texans to this community on Saturday, June 20 from 1-5 pm at The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum! This event is FREE, open to the public, and will offer a wide variety of activities for the whole family!

This year’s World Refugee Day will feature: Sara Hickman, WinoVino, El Tule, a Refugee Fashion Show, a naturalization ceremony, and performances by refugee musicians and dancers. Refreshments will be provided by Catering by Rosemary.

Currently, 10 million refugees around the world are under the protection of UNHCR. Less than 1% will be fortunate enough to be resettled in one of the 10 or 12 countries that have a formal refugee resettlement program. For this year alone, the US is planning to accept and resettle a total of 75,000 refugees. In Austin alone, we expect to resettle at least 600 refugees — families from Iraq, Burma, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Afghanistan, Nepal, Somalia, Ethiopia, the Congo, and Burundi.

Refugees living in Austin are legal, international refugees brought to the United States by the Department of State because they have been persecuted in their home countries. The US government only provides for short term assistance — all refugees are expected to be self-sufficient within 2 to 4 months of arrival regardless of their level of education, English speaking capabilities and exposure to western society.

All refugees apply for their permanent residency one year after arrival and plan to become citizens within 10 years after arrival. To celebrate this transition, a naturalization ceremony will be taking place during the World Refugee Day for refugees who are becoming U.S. citizens!

Please join AAIM, The Bob Bullock State History Museum, Caritas of Austin, Catering By Rosemary, Iranian Christians International, Multicultural Refugee Coalition, Center for Survivors of Torture, and Refugee Services of Texas as we honor the unique journeys of refugees living in Austin.

See you on Saturday, June 20th!

The AATIA Interpreters SIG will meet on Saturday, June 13, from 10:00 to 12:00 noon at the International Center of Austin. (See www.aatia.net for map and parking instructions.)

If you are preparing for the state and federal court interpreting exams, you will learn about study materials and techniques from Alejandra Gonzalez in the first hour.

If you are having vocal issues and are desperate to correct them, the second hour is just for you. Juanita Martin de Ulloa will show you how these problems are avoidable if you learn basic lifestyle rules about how to care for your voice. In addition to this presentation on vocal power, Juanita will talk about her accent modification seminar for all languages.

Don’t miss this great opportunity!

The Translation and Interpreting program at Austin Community College will offer the first course in the series this Summer.

FRNL 1070 - Introduction to Translation and Interpreting is intended for individuals who are fluent in a foreign language and interested in putting their language skills to work. It offers an overview of the translation and interpreting professions and defines the knowledge, skills, and credentials necessary to work successfully as a translator or interpreter. Students also gain an awareness of the general problems involved in translating and interpreting.

This class meets once a week for 10 weeks at ACC’s Highland Business Center. There are two sessions available:
18 97482 Wednesdays, 5:30 - 8:30 PM - June 10 - August 12
18 97483 Saturdays, 1:00 - 4:00 PM - June 13 - August 15

Tuition is $175 for students in the ACC District. You may register in person at ACC Highland Business Center, 4th floor, 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, M-Th and 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Friday; or by phone at (512) 223-7542.

For further information, contact:
Esther Diaz
Translator and Interpreter Trainer
ATA Certified for Translation from
English to Spanish and Spanish to English
mediaz@austin.rr.com
(512) 731-5266

AATIA member Tony Beckwith is still waxing poetic about language. Here’s one of his recent rhymes:

Pink Flamingos

At the bottom of the garden
under the eaves
near the palm festooned with leaves
two pink flamingos stoop to graze
and pass the time on summer days

They watch the shadows cruising by
and muse on how it feels to fly

I’d join them if I knew the lingo.
Wish I’d learned to speak flamingo!