President's message - International Federation of Translators
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INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF TRANSLATORS
The voice of associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters around the world
No. 1, 2020 FIT Newsletter
President’s message
Kevin Quirk
Dear FIT Members, that the deadline for the call for papers is bringing pressure to bear on the powers
30 April 2020. We look forward to hearing that be and in informing those responsible
many perspectives from a diverse array of that the high quality services we provide
Welcome to this Q1 2020 issue of Translatio,
presenters this year. are not commodities and that we have no
which summarises just some of the recent
plans to be part of the “gig economy”. It is
activities of FIT, its Regional Centres and its In addition to the XXII FIT World Congress,
my hope that FIT can become more involved
member associations. this year looks set to be a packed and
in similar cases by issuing statements of
important year for FIT. Our physical Council
The highlight of this upcoming year support for our members who are battling
meeting, scheduled for 21–22 April 2020,
will undoubtedly be the XXII FIT World such issues, promoting professionalism
will be hosted by the Association of
Congress in Varadero, Cuba from 3 to 5 in the disciplines we represent and living
Professional Translators and Interpreters of
December 2020. We would like to welcome up to our goal of being “the voice of
Catalonia (APTIC Catalunya) in Barcelona,
all of you to join us there in celebrating associations of translators, terminologists
Spain. And since this meeting will be
translation, terminology and interpreting and interpreters around the world”.
held immediately before Sant Jordi’s Day,
together with our colleagues from the
which I have been reliably informed is a Happy reading!
Cuban Association of Translators and
day for lovers, books and roses, FIT Council
Interpreters (ACTI) under the broad theme Kevin Quirk, president@fit-ift.org
is looking forward to celebrating the
of A World without Barriers: The Role of
importance of translated literature there.
Language Professionals in Building Culture,
Watch out also for upcoming news of APTIC
Understanding and Peace. ACTI and FIT
and FIT’s World Atlas of Translation and
hope that this congress will be our most
Literature.
memorable event to date, so please do
your utmost to be there in December! It is clear that FIT’s member associations are
To ensure you receive all updated battling many of the same issues. Whether
announcements, kindly send an email to it is the folly of putting interpreting and
fitvaradero@fit-ift.org to request that your translation contracts out to tender and
name be added to the preregistration list. awarding contracts based solely on price
If you already know you will be travelling and not quality, as we have seen previously
to Cuba this December, I would urge you in the United Kingdom and more recently
to register at the early bird rate before 31 in Denmark, for example, or reclassifying
March, guaranteeing you considerable freelance translators and interpreters as
savings compared to signing up after that employees, as has happened with the
date. More information about the congress passage of State Assembly Bill 5 in California,
is provided in this issue. Please note too known as AB5, we all have a job to do in
translatio@fit-ift.org | www.fit-ift.org | Registered Office: REGUS, 57 rue d’Amsterdam, 75008 Paris, France
T he International Federation of Translators (FIT) and the Aso-
ciación Cubana de Traductores e Intérpretes (ACTI), as the
hosting organisation, are pleased to announce the XXII FIT World
added to the preregistration list to ensure you receive future
announcements.
Congress, to be held from 3 to 5 December 2020, in Varadero, REGISTRATION FEES
Cuba. All language professionals are welcome to join us for the
first FIT World Congress ever to be held in Latin America. Before 31 March 2020 Before 30 September 2020 After 30 September 2020
The work language professionals do is not always valued 3-day 3-day 1-day 3-day 1-day
enough. However, our work makes it possible to enjoy world Type of participant
registration registration registration registration registration
literature and the fruits of scientific and technological progress,
Member of a FIT
assist those affected by conflict or natural disasters, and ac- association
CUC 330 CUC 440 CUC 220 CUC 550 CUC 275
cess different cultures. Understanding among nations and the
pursuit of peace would be at risk without the contributions of Non-member CUC 430 CUC 550 CUC 275 CUC 660 CUC 330
language professionals. Translation, terminology and interpreta- Student CUC 165 CUC 220 CUC 110 CUC 250 CUC 150
tion support the human rights and fundamental freedoms that
are crucial for sustainable development, inclusive governance, *Registration fees are non-refundable.
peace and social equity. They are vital to creating a viable and
desirable future. ALL-INCLUSIVE ACCOMMODATION
Translators, terminologists, interpreters and other language profes-
sionals are invited to dialogue on the broad theme A World without Hotel Single room Double room
Barriers: The Role of Language Professionals in Building Culture, Under-
Meliá Internacional CUC 208 per night CUC 256 per night
standing and Peace. Some of the topics we would like to address
during the XXII FIT World Congress are, among others: For hotel reservations, please contact Grupo Gira at
• Current and future issues affecting language professionals’ ventas1@gira.co.cu.
work
• Sign languages CALL FOR PAPERS
• Legal translation and interpreting If you would like to present a paper at the Congress, please write
• Literary translation and access to minority languages and to paperproposalsfit2020@fit-ift.org to request the Speaker Pro-
cultures posal Form. Proposals should be received no later than 30 April
2020. The Programme Committee will review your proposal and
• Language professionals in international organisations
give you an answer before 30 June 2020.
• Risks interpreters and translators face in their work
The Congress will be held in FIT’s official languages (English and
environments
French) plus Spanish. Most presentations and panel discussions
• Relationships between practitioners, academics, agencies will be interpreted.
and clients in the TTI sector
Time allotted:
• Benefits and threats of the internet and CAT tools
• Presentations: 20 min + 10 min Q&A
• Training of language professionals and the need to keep up
• Posters: displayed throughout the day, with the presenter be-
with rapidly changing times
ing available for 40 min to answer questions from attendees
FIT and ACTI are committed to providing a forum for exchanging
• Panels: 60 min + 30 min Q&A from the floor
ideas, fostering the development of professional relationships
between translators and interpreters, agencies and language • Workshops: 120 min
service users, government entities, third-party organisations Please share this invitation with your language colleagues, pro-
and other industry stakeholders, and promoting ethics and fessional associations and translation agencies. The more nu-
quality standards throughout the industry. merous, diverse and representative the participants, the richer
If you are interested in attending the XXII FIT World Congress, the discussion and exchange on these topics will be.
please contact fitvaradero2020@fit-ift.org to have your name See you in Varadero, 3 to 5 December 2020!
2 TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020
ACTI: International Literary Translation Symposium
in Havana and XXII FIT World Congress
T he 15th International Literary Translation Symposium, organ-
ised by the Literary Translators Division (STL) of the National
Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) and the Cuban As-
sociation of Translators and Interpreters (ACTI) was held in Hava-
na on 27–28 November 2019.
More than 80 literary translators, academics, researchers and writers
from 12 countries participated in the event, which featured nearly
20 sessions dealing with various aspects of translation.
Kevin Quirk, President of the International Federation of Transla-
tors (FIT), and Réal Paquette, Secretary General of FIT and hon-
orary member of ACTI, were the organising committee’s special
guests. They were welcomed by Luis Morlote Rivas, UNEAC Pres-
ident, and Otto Vaillant Frías, Director of the Centre for Transla-
tion and Interpretation (ESTI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During his opening remarks, Kevin Quirk underscored the vital work
of Cuban translators, who have won several international awards. L to R: Jesús Írsula, Miguel Barnet (writer and honorary UNEAC president),
Kevin Quirk, and Ana Elena Arazoza (acting as an interpreter)
In his remarks, Luis Alberto González Moreno, ACTI president,
announced the formal invitation and call for papers for the XXII
FIT World Congress, which will be held in Varadero from 3–5 De-
cember 2020.
During the closing ceremony, the José Rodríguez Feo Literary Trans-
lation Award was presented to José Adrián Vitier Rodríguez for his
excellent translation into Spanish of The Napoleon of Notting Hill.
The symposium received considerable media coverage, both
written and televised, and was the capstone on a year of cele-
brations for ACTI’s 25th anniversary.
The day before the symposium, the FIT World Congress 2020
organising committee took advantage of the FIT president and
secretary general’s visit to Cuba to tour the Meliá Internacion-
al de Varadero resort hotel to “inspect” the congress venue and
confirm some of the planning details. Both visitors were pleased
with the conference halls, rooms, and services offered. They were L to R: Luis Alberto González Moreno, Otto Vaillant Frías, Jesús Írsula (STL
also amazed by the beauty of the resort and its surroundings. president), Luis Morlote Rivas, Kevin Quirk, Ana Elena Arazoza (STL vice
Luis Alberto González Moreno, President of ACTI president), and Réal Paquette
What’s new at APTI
T he Panamanian Association of Transla-
tors and Interpreters (APTI) celebrated
its 35th anniversary in 2019, a milestone
2019 the International Year of Indigenous
Languages. Thirty-eight speakers (28 of
whom came from overseas) participated
Throughout the year, APTI held numer-
ous professional development events for
translators and interpreters seeking to
that was marked by a number of special in the event and more than 40 papers enhance their skills. These events were
events during the year. were submitted on topics of interest to attended primarily by APTI members, al-
The year-long celebration began with translators, terminologists, and interpret- though some professionals from abroad
APTI’s Third International Congress, held ers. In conjunction with the congress, the also participated.
in Panama City in March. The theme was FIT Council held its annual meeting in APTI signed four cooperation agreements
“When Cultures Meet Languages”, a nod Panama City, marking the first time the in 2019 with Latin American member as-
to the UN General Assembly proclaiming Council has met in Central America. sociations, three of which are members
TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020 3
of FIT. The agreements provide for tech-
nical, scientific, and educational exchang-
es between the various associations and
APTI. The agreements with the National
Association of Official Translators and In-
terpreters (ANTIO) of Costa Rica and the
College of Translators of Peru (CTP) led to
a webinar presentation on ISO standards
for the members of each association. The
webinar was conducted by Alan Melby,
FIT Vice President.
The third agreement, entered into with
the National Sign Language Association
of the Republic of Panama (ANPROSIS-RE-
PA), led to a workshop on sign language
interpreting during which APTI members
were taught basic signs by ANPROSIS-RE-
PA members. APTI Sign Language Seminar attendees
The fourth agreement was signed with
Intercontinental University (UIC), an asso- to draft a document that could be used services. It would also serve as a venue
ciate member of FIT, in Mexico City, Mex- as the basis for a new law to regulate the for discussing technical or ethical issues.
ico. UIC will make an online translation translation and interpreting profession in APTI is looking forward to meeting with
and interpretation curriculum available Panama. The draft introduces the creation the General Secretariat of the Ministry of
to APTI members. Upon successful com- of a Technical Board of Translation and In- Education in the near future to review the
pletion of the coursework, participants terpretation, designed to be a regulatory draft and make adjustments suggested
will receive a diploma from UIC in special- agency that oversees the development by the Ministry. The completed draft is
ised translation and online professional and operation of the profession. The new expected to be submitted to the National
interpretation. board would be responsible for evaluat- Assembly in 2020.
To strengthen professional standards in ing and approving applications for licens- Reina de Bettendorf, FIT Vice President (APTI)
Panama, APTI has taken the lead in helping es to provide translation and interpreting
OTTIAQ launches new advertising campaign
A s 2020 gets underway, the Ordre des
traducteurs, terminologues et inter- Mettez de l’Ordre
prètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ) is tar-
geting potential clients and employers
across Quebec as it unveils a new digital
dans vos communications.
advertising campaign to promote mem-
bership in the Order and enhance the vis-
ibility of its members as translation, termi-
Exigez un professionnel agréé.
nology and interpretation professionals.
OTTIAQ’s last large-scale public awareness A source of great pride for OTTIAQ, this and indirect interest in online translation
campaign, which ran mainly in Montreal initiative is the result of extensive discus- tools.
and Quebec City from 2015 to 2017, relied sions that stemmed from an upstream Using a colourful yet classy palette, the
primarily on advertisements displayed on thinking process, and the members of campaign features a simple and effective
city streets (photos of the campaign here). our advertising campaign working group call to action for clients and employers to
As the Order paved the way for a major dig- deserve many thanks for their valuable “keep their communications in Order by
ital shift in 2019 with a new website, online contribution. insisting on working with a certified pro-
membership application process and pro- A number of mass media sites in Quebec fessional”. The idea is to highlight the add-
active social media strategy, it was only nat- will be carrying the campaign, including ed value that OTTIAQ members can offer
ural to embrace a web-based campaign this LaPresse.ca and Radio-Canada.ca, over a their clients and employers while subtly
time. It was crafted in collaboration with ad period of around three months from Jan- drawing attention to our professional
agency Camden, whose strategic and cre- uary to March 2020. Another aspect of the order.
ative input will continue to flow all the way campaign will involve the programmatic Émilie Bachelier,
through the rollout phase. targeting of web users based on direct OTTIAQ Communications Officer
4 TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020
BDÜ Conference: Machine translation – threat or opportunity?
M achine translation (MT) and artificial
intelligence (AI) are, without a doubt,
game changers for the language services
museum dedicated to post-war German
history.
The conference tackled the “fear factor” of
MT head on, encouraging translators and
interpreters to take a proactive approach
The programme was packed with high-cal-
industry as we know it. How will they af- ibre, thought-provoking presentations, in order to help shape the development of
fect our future as translators and inter- workshops, panel discussions and keynotes our profession (rather than being shaped
preters? Will our industry survive, and in from Florika Fink-Hooijer, the Director-Gen- by it), embrace machine intelligence and
what form? And how do we best position eral of the European Commission’s Inter- work in partnership with it.
ourselves to prosper in the digital age? preting Division, and Florian Faes, co-found- My main takeaway from the conference
These and many more questions were at er and managing director of language was that expertise is key. While less qual-
the heart of the conference “Translating services intelligence provider Slator. ified providers will struggle to compete
and Interpreting 4.0 – New Ways in the Workshops and presentations explored with MT, the changing landscape is an op-
Digital Age”, held by the Federal Associa- the rise of MT and its impact on the indus- portunity for highly skilled language pro-
tion of Interpreters and Translators (BDÜ), try from multiple angles. These included fessionals to refocus and highlight their
the professional association of interpret- providing insight into how neural ma- expertise, using their intimate knowledge
ers and translators in Germany, on 22–24 chine translation systems work, highlight- of both technology and their subject mat-
November 2019 in Bonn. ing their strengths and weaknesses com- ter. It is also a chance to add new skills and
More than 1,000 attendees from 25 coun- pared to human translators; suggesting additional services in order to create val-
tries participated in the event, which was strategies for translators and interpreters ue for and strengthen relationships with
hosted at the historic former German par- to specialise and position themselves in clients.
liament building, now the World Confer- the market and acquire new skills that I, for one, left the conference reassured
ence Centre, in Bonn, under the watchful will help them stand out in the changing and with a more confident, proactive out-
eye of the iconic federal eagle. The three- business landscape; the translation buy- look. I would like to thank the BDÜ for a
day schedule left plenty of time to enjoy er’s perspective; and questioning how the superbly organised, insightful event.
the fabulous location and food, network academic training of translators and inter- By Daniela Gieseler-Higgs (ITI)
and attend fringe events such as a guid- preters needs to change to prepare them
Photo Credit: Daniela Gieseler-Higgs
ed tour of the Haus der Geschichte, a for the digital age.
TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020 5
Fantastic ATA60 in Palm Springs includes FIT presentation
In a picture-perfect setting of sunbathed slopes, radiant skies,
swaying palm trees and exceptional architecture, the 60th annual
American Translators Association Conference (ATA60), held from
23–26 October 2019, offered wonderful opportunities to meet
colleagues, explore new specialisations, and further professional
development at the stately Palm Springs Convention Centre.
The conference featured advanced skills training, networking
with colleagues, exchanges with sponsors in the exhibitor hall,
a sleek app with all the information needed to make the most
of the event, and a well-curated line up of thought leaders and
distinguished speakers with highly relevant lectures. It was also
a great setting for the T&I Forum, which took place prior to the
opening session. The forum brought together leadership from
various North American associations who engaged in a lively
discussion about the challenges facing the profession and new
opportunities to engage with new generations of members.
The conference programme offered several continuing education
tracks covering diverse topics, language combinations and inter-
ests. Alan Melby, FIT Vice President, FIT ISO Standards Standing
Committee member and ATA member, and Bill Rivers, FIT North
America chair, delivered an enlightening presentation on “what
FIT is all about” entitled Get FIT: No physical exertion required. They
walked attendees through FIT’s origins, current activities, key
events (such as the yearly ITD celebration, the Statutory Congress Alan Melby and Bill Rivers presenting at ATA60
and the recently introduced FIT Forum) and the status of its work
on professional standards. Importantly, they also shared some of Judging from participants’ gleaming faces at the educational
the benefits translators, terminologists and interpreters receive sessions, brainstorming events, communal outdoor breakfasts,
when their professional associations are members of FIT. The and the opening and closing celebrations, ATA60 delivered on
speakers’ informative presentation was followed by a Q&A with the its promise to be the perfect place to connect, learn and leave
audience that helped paint a better picture of FIT’s purpose and inspired and re-energised. It was certainly a conference to re-
advocacy initiatives at the global level. It was a great session, invit- member! For official conference highlights, visit this link.
ing attendees to get involved in association work and spread the
news of what FIT stands for. It blended perfectly into the very com- Marita Propato (AATI, CTPCBA, ATA) and ATA60 presenter
plete schedule of activities at ATA60. Photo credit: Marita Propato
First international meeting of native and minority
language translators and interpreters
O f the many metaphors used to represent
translation, that of the bridge is one of
the most common. However, we often forget
Perhaps because of this, little research has been
done about minority and minoritised language
translation. In these situations, translators play
that sometimes, the bridge may be broken, an essential role in providing access to funda-
only allow for crossing in one direction, have mental rights, such as the right to health, justice,
a different toll for different people, or that the communication, education and identity. They
people on one side serve those on the other. also help disseminate cultural heritage and dif-
Relationships between languages (and their ferent ways of understanding the world. It is im-
speakers) often occur in contexts of social portant to create spaces that serve as meeting
and/or economic inequality, discrimination, points and enable the exchange of experiences
diglossia, and language conflict. and shared challenges.
6 TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020
With this in mind, the first international
meeting of native and minority language
translators and interpreters was held in
Bogotá, Colombia from 25–29 November
2019. Participants included 18 translators
and interpreters of native and minority
languages from 12 countries, who fo-
cused on the importance of their role, the
tasks they perform, and the contexts in
which they work.
The experiences they shared stood out for
their diversity: from indigenous language
interpreter training organised by the gov-
ernment or NGOs in coordination with uni-
versities to the complete absence of any
public policy. The viewpoints were diverse
but agreed on several points, including
promoting and protecting linguistic rights,
strengthening language revitalization pro-
cesses, advocating for cultural sovereignty,
and valuing indigenous wisdom and world
views, among others.
Understanding that new technologies are from interviews with each participant are Interpreters (ACTTI). The meeting was
a fundamental tool for the dissemination available on SoundCloud. The clips re- supported by FIT and FIT LatAm, the Swiss
of language, culture and knowledge, two corded in different languages, as well as a Arts Council’s Coincidencia initiative, Uni-
workshops were organised to train at- short documentary about the importance versity of East Anglia (UEA), the Global
tendees in digital sound editing and sub- of translators and interpreters of native Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), Re-
titling. Each participant worked on a clip and minority languages, will soon be avail- search England, the Brazilian Association
recorded in their own language. These able with subtitles in Spanish, English and of Translators and Interpreters (ABRATES),
skills are particularly relevant, as they Portuguese on the AATI YouTube channel. the National Indigenous Organisation of
help minority and minoritised language Sharing is encouraged! Colombia (ONIC) and the National Organi-
speakers own their words, because far too This meeting was jointly planned by the sation of Indigenous Peoples from Colom-
often, it is others who speak for them. Argentine Association of Translators and bian Amazonia (OPIAC).
The conclusions drafted by participants Interpreters (AATI), the Caro y Cuervo Georgina Fraser and Salome Landivar (AATI)
can be found in the meeting’s social media Institute, and the Colombian Associa- Translated by: Marita Propato (AATI, ATA)
page (Facebook) and the podcasts made tion of Translators, Terminologists and
Photo credit: Yann Decaumont
Disastrous interpreting public tender – the latest
from Denmark
T he Danish National Police recently termi-
nated a contract worth DKK 520 million
(approx. €70 million or £60 million) with lan-
international organisations. Up until now,
they have been organised according to
their formal training, if at all.
In Denmark, if you do not know someone
in real life, you very well may be connect-
ed to them via social media.
guage service provider EasyTranslate after
observing alleged breaches of Danish data Denmark: small, digitised and The contract
protection regulations. This contract had a well-organised
The now infamous contract was limited to
far-reaching effect on the Danish interpret- Denmark has a small population just un- a specific area, namely authorities under
ing market, which is still reeling. der six million people. Within a given pro- the National Police, the Ministry of the
In broad terms, the Danish interpreting fession, most people get to know each Interior and Migration, the courts, and
market comprises interpreters work- other. Denmark is also one of the most asylum seekers. When EasyTranslate won
ing at different crossroads of the labour digitised countries in the world, with the tender in April 2019, working con-
market, from public health and hospitals around 85–90% of the population on so- ditions and fees for interpreters in these
to the courts to corporate meetings and cial media, mainly Facebook and LinkedIn. fields deteriorated. The interpreters felt
TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020 7
humiliated. They wanted better recog- 1993 (Interpreters’ Association of 1993), did not use the term “boycott” for com-
nition, better training, better conditions and HK, a general trade union for office petition legislation reasons. Over the six
and better pay. They wanted to be proud workers. A new organisation, Tolkesa- months that followed, EasyTranslate was
of what they were doing, but what hap- mfundet (The Interpreters’ Society) was unable to fulfil the contract. After two
pened was the opposite. even created with the idea of unifying parliamentary committee hearings with
Organisation members of other associations under an the minister in charge, the National Police
umbrella organisation that focuses on the were close to terminating the contract.
Danish interpreters who have organised needs, wishes and demands of interpret- After EasyTranslate hired IT staff who were
generally belong to one of five different ers. Whether this was a good idea is still not cleared by the National Police, they fi-
associations, two FIT member associa- being debated. What interpreters need is nally did.
tions and three others. The FIT members better organisation, not necessarily more
are the Union of Communication and Back to square one
associations.
Language Professionals (Forbundet Kom- Danish interpreters are now back to the
munikation og Sprog) and Danske Trans- Interpreters push back system as it was before the tender while
latører (Danish Authorised Translators and Denmark’s highly connected digital com- the parties debate what will happen next.
Interpreters). The others include Trans- munity of interpreters did not take these It is unclear what the future holds for Dan-
latørforeningen (The Danish Association changes lying down. It organised on so- ish interpreters, but Denmark’s FIT mem-
of Certified Translators and Interpreters, cial media and managed to boycott job ber associations will do our best to advo-
a former FIT member), Tolkeforeningen offers from EasyTranslate, even though it cate for them.
By Jørgen Christian Wind Nielsen (KS)
International conference on translation
in the French-speaking world
2 020 will see the first major interna-
tional conference on translation in the
French-speaking world, organised by the
Chambre belge des traducteurs et inter-
prètes (CBTI-BKVT). The conference, which
will take place in Mons, Belgium, on Friday
8 and Saturday 9 May, will revolve around
the theme of “The French language and
its variations”.
The conference is being organised with
the support of the International Organi-
sation of La Francophonie (OIF), the Eu-
ropean Commission (French language
department of the Directorate-General
for Translation), the French Ministry of
Culture and the Wallonia–Brussels Fed-
eration. The programme will feature
a series of talks by big-name speak-
ers on Friday followed by translation
workshops on Saturday. Those already spelling/grammar correction software The CBTI hopes that the conference
confirmed include François Lavallée, a and translation programs, dictionary pub- will be the first of many major events
translator and speaker from Quebec, lishers, professional associations, transla- bringing together those working in
grammarian Michèle Lenoble, and Éti- tion agencies and others) will have booths French translation around the world.
enne Quillot, Project Lead for the Ter- during the conference. Don’t miss out on this inaugural
minology Commissions at the General At the end of the conference, representa- year! Visit www.ctf2020.org for the pro-
Delegation for the French language and tives from professional associations, the gramme, practical information and
the languages of France. A gala dinner OIF, and various international institutions registration.
will be held on Friday evening. will sign an agreement committing to Chambre belge des traducteurs
Representatives from across the trans- championing the values and importance et interprètes www.cbti-bkvt.org
lation industry (including developers of of multilingualism on the world stage.
8 TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020
Landmark publications on conference
interpreters in Mexico
I n 2010, the board of the Mexican College
of Conference Interpreters (CMIC) start-
ed to wonder how conference interpret-
in Mexico and beyond for its excellence in
social sciences and history.
Afterwards, the task of processing all the
ing started in Mexico as well as what types recordings got under way – a mammoth
of work interpreters do and how they do undertaking given the number of audio
it. After discussing these questions with hours. Once we had finished, we had to
the media and those using interpreters find a suitably qualified person to write
at conferences and seminars, we came to the book. Silvia Cuesy, a historian at the
realise that interpreting was not widely National Autonomous University of Mex-
recognised as a profession in Mexico and ico who has written widely on Mexican
that little was known about its history. history, agreed to compile all the avail-
There were no books or reference works able material. Despite a delay in the initial
on it, nor had any attempts been made to editing process caused by earthquakes
trace its history. in Mexico in 2018, the book committee
At that time, Mexico’s first interpreters worked hard to make progress and get it
were still alive, so the CMIC devised a finished.
major project with the help of two spe- Tirant Humanidades, a division of the
cialists in oral history, Melina Alzogaray Spanish publishing group Tirant lo Blanch,
and Genaro Recabarren of the “Memoria took a close interest in the book, as it was
Migrante” project. The Museo de Arte Car- the first to focus on the history of inter-
rillo Gil in the San Ángel neighbourhood preting in Mexico. Tras las Huellas de una
of Mexico City provided the venue for Profesión, la Interpretación de Conferencias
interviews with the retired interpreters en México, Memoria Histórica was unveiled
who had agreed to take part in the proj- at the Mora Institute on 20 June 2019. One delight of Mexican interpreters. It is avail-
ect, as well as for recorded conversations of the interpreters interviewed for the able in all major Mexican bookstores and
with younger interpreters, agencies, and project, Guido Gómez de Silva, worked at can also be purchased online from the Ti-
businesses that use interpreting services. the UN for many years, wrote several dic- rant website.
The process benefited from the expertise tionaries, and was a member of the Mex- Even more publications are in the works
and guidance of Graciela de Garay, a spe- ican Academy of Language. An interview in Mexico. We look forward to sharing
cialist in oral history at the José María Luis with him, La Entrevista Guido Gómez de them with you.
Mora Research Institute, which is known Silva, was recently published, much to the Edna Cerf, CMIC
Fifth national ceremony of the Translators
and Interpreters Association of Tehran
E very year, translators, interpreters and
those interested in the T&I field gather
to celebrate Translation Day in Tehran. The
Second International Award for the
Translation of Iranian Works
“Most Popular Translator” prize
The winners of the second annual “Most
Among the different parts of the cere- Popular Translator” prize were also an-
fifth annual event , which used to be held
mony, the winners of the second Inter- nounced during the event. Book lovers
by the Translators and Interpreters Asso-
national Award for the Translation of Ira- select the Most Popular Translator prize
ciation of Tehran (TIAT), was organised by
nian Works were announced. The judges winners in two categories: translators
the Iranian Union of Professional Transla-
awarded the prize to Mithra Farzad (Per- over 50 and translators under 50. Ander-
tors and Interpreters Association (IUPTIA).
sian to French), Georg Asatorian (Persian anic Khechumian, Leili Golestan and Ela-
As in previous years, many profession-
to Armenian), and Dorotha Suapa (Persian he Shamsnejad were selected as the first,
als attended to support the union, learn
to Polish). second and third place winners respec-
about Iranian translation industry trends,
tively in the over 50 category and Shiva
and meet other professionals.
TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020 9
Moghanlou, Mahsa Khorasani and Mahsa Malek Marzban were
selected as the first, second and third place winners respectively
in the under 50 category. Surprisingly, five of the six winners this
year are women.
Honorary Translator of the Year 2019
Translation master Mahmood Behforoozi was selected as the
Honorary Translator of the Year for 2019. During the ceremony,
Behforoozi gave the following advice: “I suggest that all new
translators study more books in Farsi and familiarise themselves
professionally with the rules of our language, as well as procure
a few editing books to help them choose new words in their
writing.” It is worth mentioning that in his 35 years of experience,
Behforoozi has translated 53 works covering literature, psychol-
ogy and history.
Translation Day in Tehran atremdees
Among the remarkable speakers this year, Mohammad Reza Arba-
bi, who addressed attendees as the president of IUPTIA, said, “IUP- He also emphasised IUPTIA’s struggle to regulate copyright in Iran.
TIA has done great things since it was founded, such as introducing More than 400 translators and interpreters from all over the
highly qualified translators to publishers, assisting with developing country took part in the event, which was covered by more than
translation studies and holding more than 50 workshops in Alborz, 50 press releases, social media posts, newsletters, and TV and
to name just a few.” Arbabi also declared that TIAT and IUPTIA were radio reports.
independent and receive no financial support of the government. Leila Heidari, TIAT
Introducing MACMA and new pathways
for professional development
T he Argentine Association of Transla-
tors and Interpreters (AATI) has been
invited to take part in the Advisory Board
the National Institute of Cinematogra-
phy of Argentina, launched an accessible
website, filed three formal petitions with
for Audiovisual Media Accessibility (MAC- the organisation in charge of ensuring
MA), a project that is bringing together accessible formats on TV, and launched
associations, public institutions, Argen- an active campaign to spread awareness
tine Sign Language interpreters, compa- of this topic during the 34th Mar del Plata
nies that provide accessibility services, International Film Festival last November.
and people with disabilities. Additionally, at this major event, AATI pre-
MACMA is the Spanish acronym for Mesa de sented the first-ever award for adapting a
Accessibilidad Comunicacional a los Medios short film for people with visual or hearing
Audiovisuales (Advisory Board for Audiovi- impairments. The judges included Maria
sual Media Accessibility). The project’s main Laura Ramos, member of the AATI board
goal is to ensure that the blind and deaf, as and audio-visual translation specialist, as
well as senior citizens or any person who well as Fernando Galarraga and Federico
may have hearing, vision or intellectual im- Sykes, expert blind and deaf consultants,
pairments, have access to audio-visual ma- respectively, for AATI’s Audio-Visual Trans-
terials in the media by adapting them into lation and Accessibility Committee. The
accessible formats. In doing so, MACMA winner was Nicanor Loreti, whose short
supports various initiatives in the field of film Pinball will be provided with closed
subtitling, sign language, closed captioning captions and an audio description.
and the use of plain language. Accessibility is gaining momentum and
MACMA members met for the first time some event organisers have already turned
in August 2019, and in just a few months, to AATI for advice on how to make their ven- Federico Sykes represents AATI and the MACMA
this diverse group managed to raise ues friendlier to people with disabilities. group on stage at the awards ceremony of the
awareness of the role of accessible me- Mar del Plata Film Festival. Nicanor Loreti re-
Maria Laura Ramos and Marita Propato (AATI) ceives the Festival’s first Accessibility award for
dia in building truly inclusive societies. It
Photo Credit: Maria Laura Ramos her short film Pinball
has established a solid relationship with
10 TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020FIT North America holds Symposium on Translation
and Interpreting for Indigenous Languages
O n 9 November 2019, FIT North Ameri-
ca (FIT NA) convened a day-long sym-
posium on translation and interpreting
for indigenous languages at the offices of
the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues
et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ)
in downtown Montréal. The Symposium
aligned with the FIT 2019 theme for In-
ternational Translation Day, honouring
the UN International Year of Indigenous
Languages, and had the goal of raising
awareness of the roles that translation
and interpreting play in the civic and
languages and the legacy of colonialism.
economic lives of indigenous peoples in
North America. Several speakers provided thoughtful
interventions; the full program is avail-
The multilingual symposium opened
able here. Among the highlights were a
with Donald Barabé, president of OTTIAQ,
presentation by Lucie Séguin, Chief Ex-
welcoming the participants and acknowl-
ecutive Officer of the Translation Bureau
edging that we were meeting on unceded
of Canada, who addressed the status of
lands belonging to the Haudenosaunee
translation and interpreting for Canadian
nations. Elder Kenny Diabo of the Mohawk
First Nations languages in light of the pas-
Nation at Kahnawake gave a traditional
sage of the Indigenous Languages Act in
opening speech partly in Kanien’kéha,
June 2019, and Odilia Romero, a Zapotec– Donald Barabé
invoking the Haudenosaunee traditions
Spanish–English translator and interpret-
of consultative government and prob-
er who works in the Los Angeles Basin and
lem solving in addressing the global
at the Mexico–US border in community,
challenges faced by indigenous cultures
medical, judicial, and immigration inter-
of preserving and transmitting their
preting. All the speakers emphasised the
need for language access for indigenous
peoples, the scarcity of qualified trans-
lators and interpreters, and the need for
training programs and technical support,
such as terminology databases, transla-
tion memories, and font support, among
others. Indeed, one of the first projects to
result from the symposium is the devel-
opment of a terminology database for im-
migration interpreting at the US–Mexico
border.
FIT NA is now planning its next sympo-
sium, which will focus on translation and
interpreting for governmental entities in
North America with a focus on removing
language barriers, in keeping with the
theme of the 2020 FIT World Congress
Dr Bill Rivers, Chair, FIT NA and Executive
Director, Joint National Committee for
Languages
Photos: Réal Paquette,
Odilia Romero FIT Secretary General Kenny Diabo
TRANSLATIO N° 1, 2020 112019 FIT LatAm webinar series – a year in review
F IT LatAm has just concluded anoth-
er year of hard work. We are proud of
our achievements and happy with the
– Average number of webinar partic-
ipants: 120, with a new record of 340
for a single webinar
2020 FIT Awards
sustainable growth and success of our – Average number of countries participat- The FIT Statutory Congress and the FIT
regional educational initiative on FIT’s ing per session: 10, with a record of 14 World Congress will be held in less than
Zoom platform. a year in Varadero, Cuba. In keeping with
– Number of non-members who won passes
Some facts and figures of our 2019 tradition, FIT will be awarding prizes to
through social media contests: 12 (Argenti-
programme: acknowledge special contributions to
na, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Poland).
the various fields of our profession.
– We were honoured to deliver and This initiative put the spotlight on our activ-
co-organise several webinars with in- ities as a FIT Regional Centre and increased This past year, the Awards Management
ternational keynote speakers: our target audience. Standing Committee worked to draft a
new awards booklet describing the priz-
• Translation and Accessibility by Rosana – This year, through FIT’s cooperation
es for FIT awards. The new booklet will
Famularo, hosted by the Argentine As- agreement with the World Association
be available in January 2020. Two new
sociation of Translators and Interpret- of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI),
awards were added this year: the Marion
ers (AATI) and moderated by Martin the members of the Argentinian Associ-
Boers Prize for Translation of Work of Fic-
Chamorro and the AATI team ation of Sign Language Interpreters (AA-
tion or Non-Fiction by Authors in Any of
• Digital Marketing Tools and Branding ILS) also attended FIT LatAm webinars.
the SADC Countries, and the Albin Tybule-
for Translators by Olga Jeczmyk, host- FIT LatAm Vice President Dagmar Ford has wicz Prize for Professional Solidarity in the
ed by FIT LatAm and moderated by prepared a series of tutorials about the FIT Translation and Interpreting Community.
Dagmar Ford Training Platform that will be shared with
Please take this opportunity to nominate
• Work Market for Translators by Lorena all FIT Regional Centres and Associations
outstanding colleagues for the FIT prizes
Roqué and Federico Luis Viale, hosted to help develop joint educational activi-
described in the awards booklet. Associ-
and moderated by the Association of ties (available in January 2020).
ations may nominate one candidate per
Public Translators of the City of Buenos Upcoming webinars will be announced prize. All FIT member associations are en-
Aires (CTPCBA) on social media by mid-January. We invite couraged to submit nominations. Nomi-
• Working as an international translator – associations in the region to submit new nations may be submitted from 1 April to
will I have a job after I graduate? by Henry webinar proposals for 2020. 1 July. A link to facilitate the submission
Liu, hosted by the National Association We would like to thank all speakers, at- of nominations will be made available
of Graduates in Translation and Inter- tendees, participants and colleagues who before the end of the first quarter of 2020.
pretation (CONALTI) and moderated by contributed to the success of our 2019 The Committee will continue to post
Dagmar Ford and Emma García Webinar Series, which has allowed us to newsworthy information on its web page
– Total participants: Nearly 680 bring training to all members, beyond until the Congress later this year.
physical borders and across the region.
– Average number of attendees per live Reina de Bettendorf, Chair, Awards
session: 81 Dagmar Ford, FIT LatAm Vice President Management Standing Committee
TRANSLATIO • FIT Newsletter
January 2020, No. 1
Art Director: Jaroslav Soltys
Publication Director: Kevin Quirk
Contact: translatio@fit-ift.org
Copy editors: Helga Benigni-Cokan,
Marion Dislaire, Ben Karl, Sandra Mouton, © Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs
Réal Paquette, Marita Propato
Registered office: c/o Regus, 57 rue
Translation: Nelia Fahloun, Alice Jones, Ben Karl, d’Amsterdam, 75008 Paris, France
Sidonie Larato, Sandra Mouton, Réal Paquette
www.fit-ift.org ISSN 1027-8087
All articles published in Translatio are the responsibility of their respective authors. The views, thoughts,
and opinions expressed in this publication belong solely to the articles’ authors and do not necessarily
reflect the position or policies of the International Federation of Translators (FIT).
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