On Saturday, April 12, 2008, some two score and ten enthusiastic translators and interpreters gathered to celebrate the opening of the AATIA’s new home in downtown Austin. Housed at the ICA, the International Center of Austin’s premises at 201 East 2nd Street, the association now has a permanent office and some very convenient meeting and workshop space available to its members.

In spite of the glorious weather, the Open House was well-attended, and after champagne toasts and welcoming speeches by President Michael Blumenthal and other Board members, guests enjoyed refreshments (including cold boiled shrimp and a spectacular chocolate cake!) and the opportunity to visit with their colleagues.

This is the first time that the group has had a home of its own. Many thanks are due to AATIA founder (and new office manager) Esther Diaz for her tireless efforts on behalf of the association that have, once again, resulted in improved conditions and services for members.

Congratulations to all who contributed to making the event a success, and our sincere appreciation to Ralph McElroy Translations for their generous sponsorship.

Were you there? Or do you wish you could have been? Either way, please add your comments here, and share your thoughts with all the other members who visit this blog. Let’s keep the conversation going!

The Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators (TAHIT) will hold its annual symposium in Dallas on April 25-26.

The Interpreter Special Interest Group meeting scheduled for Saturday, April 5, has been canceled due to a conflict with the Spanish-English contrastive grammar workshop.

The Translation Company Division (TCD) of the American Translators Association will hold its 9th Annual Conference July 17-20, 2008, in a Rocky Mountain setting at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood, Colorado. The theme will be "TCD in the Rockies: Translation with Altitude."

• Thursday evening reception and banquet
• Two days (Friday and Saturday) of informative educational sessions tailored to the needs and concerns of translation company owners and managers
• Topics include industry trends, workflow tools, project management, sales and marketing, and behavioral interviewing
• Plenty of time and opportunity for networking, networking, and more networking!
• Optional Friday or Saturday evening activity in Denver, The Mile High City
• Sunday morning buffet breakfast

Michael Blumenthal will speak at the American Translators Association Spanish Language Division Conference, which will be held March 28-30 in Philadelphia. The abstract of his bilingual presentation, titled “The Pancreas: Function and Dysfunction,” follows:

Homeostasis, the dynamic balance of neurological and chemical processes in the human body, is maintained by constant feedback and regulation involving the brain, nervous tissues, and a great number of glands and organs. One important and essential organ that helps maintain homeostasis that many translators and interpreters do not know much about is the pancreas. Pathological conditions of the pancreas can be chronic or acutely life threatening. The goals of this workshop include: identify the pancreatic anatomical structures with which medical translators and interpreters must be familiar; discuss function and dysfunction of the pancreas including pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, and diabetes; become familiar with the most common diagnostic and laboratory tests; and provide a useful Spanish<>English glossary of terms.

Beginning literary translators may now apply for travel funds to attend the 2008 conference of the American Literary Translators Association in Minneapolis/St.Paul, Minnesota, on October 15–18. To apply, send a letter that includes the applicant’s curriculum vitae, ten double-spaced pages of translation into English, and the original foreign language text to:

ALTA Travel Fellowship Award c/o UTDallas 800 W. Campbell Road - JO51 Richardson, TX 75020-3021 Attention: Lindy Jolly

Application deadline is May 15.

Patricia Bown from McElroy Translations will explore the Spanish translation market at the Spanish Special Interest Group meeting at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, February 9, at the Austin History Center.

She will address the changing needs that the Spanish translation market faces and how to prepare for it as a Spanish translator (areas of specialty that are in high demand in Spanish translation, qualifications agencies seek when hiring translators, and types of translations requests they get).

Susana Roca-Smith, Spanish Special Interest Group Coordinator, reports that SpanSIG and the Interpretation SIG have set dates for their respective meetings in 2008. Unless otherwise announced, all meetings will be held at the Austin History Center, 10:15am-12:00pm., on the following dates:

SpanSIG
Feb. 9
May 10
Sept. 13
Dec. 6
ISIG
April 12
June 14
August 9
Oct. 11