Only a few places remain in the English-Spanish contrastive grammar workshop, to be presented by Xosé Castro on April 5th. If you’ve been intending to register, but haven’t done so, don’t delay! Contact Laura Vlasman to find out whether there is still room in the workshop.

Localization is a crucial element in the process of translation because it involves the precise understanding of meaning. This is obviously a factor when communicating a message from one language to another. But it also comes into play within languages, for example from one region to another. As in this story about a chance encounter.

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The character etymologies and modern associations for the Chinese words for six common colors that are associative compounds are discussed in a recent COLOURLovers article.

90% of modern Chinese characters are phono-semantic compounds: they are part semantic (a portion of the character, called a radical, provides the general meaning) and part phonetic (the other portion of the character tells you how it is pronounced). The characters for red, green, blue, and purple in Chinese are phono-semantic (all bearing the radical for silk, ?), but a few color characters are associative compounds: two or more ideographic elements combined to create another meaning.

The AATIA will soon cease to publish its newsletter and move all communication to an electronic environment.

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You might have received files in .docx format that your version of MS Word did not know how to handle. The reason for this is that Microsoft uses a different file format for Word 2007. Users of the new version of Word can save documents in the familiar .doc format, but they have to remember to do so, as the default format is now .docx.

So what can you do if you only have Word 2003 or Word 2002? You can download a compatibility program here that covers Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This is not a perfect solution, as Microsoft points out that some elements in Word documents will be changed by using it:

Although you can open Office Word 2007 files in previous versions of Word, you may not be able to change some items that were created by using the new or enhanced features in Office Word 2007. For example, equations will become images that cannot be changed.

In the long run, we will end up using Office 2007, but if you are not quite ready to make the jump and usually deal with simply formated documents, this compatibility program might bridge that gap for the time being.

A new cartoon by Tony Beckwith illustrates an article by Fabiano Cid, "The Best Breed of Project Managers: How to make the most of your feline or canine features when managing a project," in GALAxy, the newsletter of the Globalization and Localization Association.

Some may think of cats as smart and superior beings, while others consider them self-centered and unreliable. The same occurs with dogs: they may look stupid and subservient to cat lovers, but cynophiles consider them loyal, sociable and dependable. Project managers can also have either characteristic when performing their daily work. The trick is to balance your feline and canine qualities to make sure the most important goal is achieved: client satisfaction and retention.

The AATIA Board has called for volunteers and donations to help staff and furnish its headquarters office at the International Center of Austin.

AATIA would like volunteers to staff the office Monday thru Friday. If you enjoy meeting new people and talking about the profession, this may be a good opportunity for you. Hours are very flexible. Duties include the following:

• Be in the office and meet other ICA tenants
• Answer inquiries about using qualified translators and interpreters
• Identifying opportunities to promote AATIA to international businesses and visitors
• Initial office set-up (unpacking and sorting files, organizing library materials, office decorating)
• Help plan Open House event for April 12th

Greet foreign delegations

In exchange for the use of ICA facilities, AATIA volunteers will help welcome foreign delegations visiting Austin. This usually involves attending a reception at the ICA and sometimes other social events. Announcements will be issued through the AATIA listserv.

Office wish list

Equipment

• Laptop computer with DVD/CD RW and wireless capability
• Locking cable for laptop
• Desktop computer
• Headset with mic for computer
• Printer/copier/scanner
• Wireless router
• Ethernet cables
• Speakers (to attach to desktop/laptop)
• DVD Player
• External drive or other form of backup memory

Furnishings

• Locking storage cabinet (with combination lock)
• Bookshelf
• Filing cabinet
• Wall plaque/signage for AATIA
• Wall art
• Wall planner
• Wall calendar
• Whiteboard
• Organizing trays
• Office supplies: printer paper, ink cartridges, pens, pencils, notebooks/pads, paperclips, stapler, staples, Post-it notes, phone message pads, bulletin board, push pins, letter-size file folders and labels, business envelopes, three-ring binders, etc.
• Wall hanging letter file (for brochures outside office)
• Sundries: coffee, filters, tea, mugs. etc.
• Resource library: dictionaries, language-related books, language CDs
• Non-licensed software
• Guest book

Donate or volunteer by making a comment on this post (below) or by contacting Esther Diaz.

ATA-certified translators may earn 6 continuing education points for the Xosé Castro contrastive grammar workshop, which is scheduled for April 5.

The registration form and flyer for are now available. Space is limited, so register today!