The Savvy Newcomer aims to serve newcomers to the translation and interpreting professions by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed content on a weekly basis. We strive to provide you with the answers to the many questions you face as a new or aspiring translator or interpreter.
Many language professionals start out doing their work “on the side” of whatever else they are doing in life. When people find out you are bilingual, you may be asked to do some volunteer interpreting to help out a friend, family member, or someone in need, or you may agree or be expected to do the occasional translation—and maybe even get paid for it. Volunteering and doing small side jobs are great ways to gain experience and improve your skills as a translator or interpreter. But in order to be a professional—whether you plan on doing this work part-time or…
Read MoreTips on Getting and Keeping Agency Clients
After a ten-year stretch as director of the interpreting department for a mid-sized language company on the East Coast, I have recently reentered the freelance world. The language industry has changed considerably for independent contractors since I last worked as an interpreter, and while there is more work to be had, there are also more interpreters and more rigorous standards,…
Read MoreFunny mistranslations in hotels
Reblogged from the Translation and l10n for dummies blog with permission from the author (incl. the image) Every translator, linguist, language lover and grammar nazi has been there. Wherever we travel, our eyes are checking everything around us for grammar and translation mistakes. The following mistranslations are some of the most ‘famous’ ones, they can be found in many webpages online. I…
Read MoreComputer-Assisted Translation Tools: A Digest
I recently asked the community of translators on ATA’s Business Practices listserv to weigh in on the pros and cons of the Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools they use. The question sparked a well-attended discussion, and brought helpful insight on using CAT tools in translation. I have compiled the conversation’s highlights here for the benefit of all. Functions Translators first adopted…
Read MoreNAJIT Scholar Program – May 19-21, 2017
Posted with NAJIT’s permission Our team at The Savvy Newcomer caught wind of a great opportunity for students and recent graduates – check out the information below to learn more! What is the NAJIT Scholar Program? The Scholars program of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) selects up to five scholars currently enrolled in or who have…
Read MoreHow to get into transcreation
The transcreation <> copywriting exchange Transcreators are often copywriters too. Therefore, if you are a translator hoping to get into transcreation, it’s a good idea to sharpen your sword in the field of copywriting itself. Copywriting is something that requires practice, a knack for understanding products and/or markets, and good writing skills. A good writer from any field within the…
Read MoreATA Certification Pass Rates 2003-2013, 2004-2014, and Statistical Trends
By Geoffrey S. Koby Reblogged from The ATA Chronicle with permission from the author (incl. the image) The Certification Committee is happy to report here on certification pass rates for 2003-2013 and 2004-2014. The average certification pass rates for these two sets of data have remained relatively stable, although other factors in ATA’s Certification Program have changed somewhat in the past…
Read MoreStudy Resources for Translation Certification
Our team leader Helen has been a busy bee compiling a list of resources to help translators interested in taking the ATA certification exam. Even if you are not seeking certification, we felt there are many useful resources here we would like to share with you—from exam guidelines & translation tips to English & Spanish language, technology and copyediting resources.…
Read MoreUniversidad de Alcalá: A Day in the Life
I went into my master’s program at Spain’s Universidad de Alcalá convinced I wanted to be an interpreter. A year later I was a passionate translator. Sitting on the edge of my seat in a conference booth interpreting for a Finnish researcher; sandwiched next to an African immigrant across from a Spanish social worker; carefully situated between a Spanish therapist…
Read MoreGoldmines for Professional Growth at FIL in Guadalajara
Congreso San Jerónimo, Feria Internacional del Libro Dates: November 26 to 29, 2016 Place: Guadalajara, Mexico The Congreso San Jerónimo is a translation and interpreting conference organized annually by the translators association in Mexico, the Organización Mexicana de Traductores (OMT). The conference is hosted by the Guadalajara International Book Fair, or Feria Internacional del Libro (FIL). The book fair offered…
Read MoreThe Translator Requests a Clarification: Tracking the conversation
By Helen Eby (@EbyGaucha) Reblogged from Gaucha Translations blog with permission from the author Translators and interpreters face a common problem: lack of clarity in the source message. Interpreters have a standard formula for addressing this: “the interpreter requests clarification”. Although translators deal with the same issue, a standard formula is missing. We deal with acronyms that are company-specific, missing…
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