Category Archives: News

Corpus-based terminology project – participants needed!

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iStock_000004686082XSmallI am looking for professional legal translators (whether new in the career or experienced) to trial a new methodology on terminology called NIFTY. Participation includes a free training pack (15-minute video and handbook), in return for some feedback in the shape of two fast and easy to complete online forms.

The NIFTY methodology involves using specialized electronic corpora (collections of texts), compiled by translators themselves, to find appropriate terms in the target language, in particular types of text (just as an example – joint venture agreements, offering circulars, divorce decrees – but it could be any category you like).

The NIFTY methodology applies to all language pairs, and results of participation will be anonymized. It has also been developed to take as little time as possible (on average 30 minutes in the pilot study), so as to be useful to working translators.

If you are interested in participating, please contact me at nifty28@protrads[dot]com.

Survey: Calling those commissioning legal translations

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160_F_47429278_5GsLSXbqijigzsuABUdsiUrQm1li9F84Following last week’s post addressed to legal translators, I would now like to ask any readers that commission (or buy / procure / receive…) legal translations, or who know someone who does, to be kind enough to pass on or complete the simple online survey at this link:

http://protra.wufoo.com/forms/commissioning-legal-translation-questionnaire/

I am looking in particular for lawyers, law firms, in-house counsel, para-legals, court workers, and the judiciary.

Please feel free to repost the survey link wherever you think is relevant.

There is also a small project website here: http://www.translationandthelaw.protrads.com/

As you may know from reading the ‘About me’ page of this blog, in addition to my other activities, I am currently researching a PhD. The above survey forms part of the project, since one of the points I am looking at is issues encountered by those commissioning translations. My aim is that the project output could lead to improvements in industry practice.

Many thanks in advance!

Connections between language and economics

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I’m stretching the scope of the blog today, since this post doesn’t actually discuss law, but I hope you’ll find it interesting. I have posted before about the TEDTalks initiative (see here about a patent pool, this post about plain language in Portugal, and this talk by Arianna Huffington about getting more sleep).

In the video below, Keith Chen, professor at Yale University in the USA discusses his research on how languages without a concept for the future – “It rain tomorrow”, instead of “It will rain tomorrow” – correlate with high savings rates and retirement assets.

Continue reading →

Survey: Legal translators, How are you briefed?

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iStock_000010043942XSmallThis post is addressed to any freelance legal translators out there. I would be extremely grateful if you could spare the time (5-10 minutes) to complete the simple online survey at the link below: http://protra.wufoo.com/forms/legal-translators-how-are-you-briefed/.

Please also feel free to repost the survey link wherever you think is relevant.

There is also a little project website here: http://briefing.protrads.com/.

As you may know from reading the ‘About me’ page of this blog, in addition to my other activities, I am currently researching a PhD. The above survey forms part of the project, since one of the points I am looking at is how freelance legal translators are briefed by those commissioning translations. My aim is that the project output could lead to improvements in industry practice.

Many thanks in advance!

Euro-English at the European Parliament

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Thanks to Jeffrey Waggoner (@WagLegalEnglish) for the heads-up about this thought-provoking video on Euro-English at the European Parliament, from the Open University’s OpenLearn program (see this post).

Here are a few of the points the video covers:

  • The ‘hegemony’ of English as lingua franca
  • People choosing to speak a ‘primary’ language for more impact
  • Language conveys values – choice of language is not neutral
  • The added difficulty for interpreters of non-native speakers not saying what they mean but what they are able to say
  • Is Euro-English a jargon or a new language?
  • Maybe even native English speakers will have to learn Euro-English in order not to alienate listeners.

Entrance_European_Parliament2

UK Justice Select Committee Report published

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800px-UK_-_14_-_architechture_of_parliament_buildings_(2996839565)The UK’s Justice Select Committee has published its report on the outsourcing of court language services to Capita/Applied Language Solutions by the Ministry of Justice (see this previous post for more details). The report comes after an inquiry in September 2012, and the collection of evidence via an online forum (see this post).

Continue reading →

Washington Supreme Court judge calls for video remote interpreting

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BMadsenWAA few days ago, Chief Justice Barbara Madsen, who presides over the Washington State Supreme Court in the United States made her State of the Judiciary Address.

One of the key points in her speech was “Interpreter Needs in Washington Courts” – first she gave some details of volumes: “Seventy-eight different languages were interpreted in Washington’s trial courts in 2012, and King County’s running tally shows that they have provided interpreters for 130 different languages.  However, our state has certified and registered interpreters in only 35 languages, meaning that we are not able to ensure quality translations for many languages spoken in our courts”.

Chief Justice Madsen then went on to stress the importance of court interpreting: “Legal proceedings, with their technical language and complex processes, are confusing enough when you understand English. But, imagine walking into a high stakes situation where you didn’t understand a word of what was going on.”

Lastly, she spoke of a new project: “the Supreme Court included in its budget submission to the legislature a request for funding for a pilot program for video remote interpreting. Reducing both the cost and time of travel can better focus scarce resources where they belong.”

To read the full Address, click here.

Greece, Corinth CanalWhat do you have to say about remote court interpreting? Do share your comments, knowledge & experience.