Conference Sessions

Keynote Presentation, with Corinne McKay

The past four years have probably brought more changes to the translation and interpreting professions than the previous two decades combined. Remote interpreting has brought a whole new world of opportunities, but it has also forced interpreters to deal with some pressures to which they were previously immune. Translators comment that although machine translation has been on the scene for decades, “This time feels different” as many translation agencies are moving more work to a machine translation + human editor model.

Is this the end of the language professions as we know them, or just the next step in our professional evolution? The speaker will offer insights based on her 20+ years as a freelance translator, court interpreter, and conference interpreter, and her leadership roles in language industry professional associations.

How to Prepare for (and Pass!) an Interpreting Exam, with Corinne McKay 

Exams are a reality of life as an interpreter, and passing an interpreting exam can open new markets and greater income potential. In this session, we'll look at why so many interpreters fail these types of exams, then we’ll examine how to create a “training plan” for any type of interpreting exam, how to make the best use of available resources to prepare for your exam, and how to give yourself the highest chance of success on exam day. The speaker will share practical tips based on her experience preparing for and passing (on the first try!) three sets of interpreting exams.

 

Aiming for Six Figures as a Freelancer, with Corinne McKay 

Many freelance translators and interpreters would like to earn US $100,000 per year or the part-time equivalent, but struggle to achieve that goal. Based on the presenter’s experience earning a gross income of over $100,000 per year since 2017, this session will look at the factors that go into a six-figure income: mental and logistical roadblocks, rate zones, limiting beliefs, diversification, and the effect of artificial intelligence and machine translation. 
 
  

When Helping Hurts: A Debriefing Session for Interpreters, with Yuliya Speroff

In our daily work, we help people navigate healthcare, legal matters, and community services. Sometimes, we deal with tough topics and traumatic situations, which can take a toll on us. Like professionals in other helping fields, interpreters are susceptible to vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue. But here's the thing: unlike some other professions, we don't always have a chance to talk about it.

That's where this session comes in. It's a safe space for us to connect with each other, share our experiences, and support one another. The session will end with a brainstorming activity for self-care and resilience-building strategies so that we can take better care of ourselves and keep doing our best work. Don't miss out on this opportunity for mutual support and personal growth! 

 

Adding “CT” to your Name: What you need to know about the ATA Certification Exam, with Yasmin Alkashef

ATA certification is a professional credential that attests to a high level of competence in accurately and naturally translating texts on a variety of topics, resulting in translations that are publishable after routine editing and proofing. Passing the ATA certification exam results in one of the most respected and recognized credentials in the field, with a pass rate of around 20%. However, many translators do not know what the certification process is and what skills the exam really tests for. This session will attempt to explain the ATA certification program and the process of getting certified. The presenter will discuss the benefits of taking a practice test and shed light on how the exam is graded. The session will conclude with recommendations on what to do before, during, and after the certification exam.
 

  

Reconsidering Interpreter Ethics: National Conversations in 2024, with Cynthia E. Roat

In 2004, after two years of national consensus building, the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) published the National Code of Ethics for Interpreters in Health Care. It joined other existing codes produced for translators, judicial interpreters and ASL interpreters in delineating ethical guidelines to inform the work of interpreters in the field. Twenty years later, NCIHC has initiated a review of the National Code of Ethics in order to align it with current practice in healthcare interpreting, expand it to address remote interpreting scenarios, and adjust its language to conform with DEI standards. Also this year, the American Association of Interpreters and Translators in Education (AATIE) published a new code of ethics for interpreters in education, and a dialogue has ensued among AAITE, NCIHC, ATA, and NAJIT about the differences between the codes guiding interpreters in different venues. Are the differences between venues great enough to justify separate codes of ethics? Are there some shared principles, and some which differ by venue? Or should there be one unified code of ethics for all interpreters, regardless of venue? This presentation will both update participants as to the current state of these initiatives and provide an opportunity for participants to develop a deeper understanding of the purpose and implementation of ethical codes in varying venues.

Translating Beyond Words: Using Localization to Create “World-Ready” Products, with Zakiya Hanafi

When we translate we often remain limited to textual environments. But culture extends beyond words to physical factors, such as geography and climate, informing our everyday rituals of eating, dressing, sports, and socializing. In this workshop, we will learn about cultural models and apply them to adapting a product (a protein bar) to make it appealing and useful to groups around the world and in different conditions (for example, a refugee camp).   

 

Editing and Reviewing for Language Specialists, with Irina Spinosa

Proofreading, editing, and revision are essential components of a translation and localization process. In the era of machine translation, post-editing is also an important skill for language specialists to master. During the presentation we will learn about the difference between reviewing, editing, proofreading and post-editing; learn how to edit and proofread your own translation and translation performed by another specialist; we will discuss common tasks of a reviewer, including evaluations and feedback, and a role of CAT tools and other resources in the reviewing and editing process.

 

Decálage is Not a Dirty Word: Simultaneous Interpreting for Healthcare Interpreters, with Elena Langdon

This hands-on session will present the basic theory and skills necessary to learn, monitor, and improve one’s ability to interpret in the simultaneous mode. We will start with a framework for understanding the appropriate use of simultaneous in the field of healthcare interpreting, based on the national standards of practice. After examining some theoretical models of interpreting, we will break down this mode into skills that can be learned and spend much of our time practicing exercises that help build those skills. We will cover apps and software to use when practicing simultaneous, the importance of continuous monitoring and improvement, and groups that can help with future deliberative practice. To get the most out of this session, please bring a recording device (including a phone, iPad, or digital recorder) and a pair of headphones/earbuds for that device. 

  

Decálage is Not a Dirty Word: Simultaneous Interpreting in Legal Settings, with Elena Langdon

This hands-on session will present the basic theory and skills necessary to learn, monitor, and improve one’s ability to interpret in the simultaneous mode. We will start with a framework for understanding the appropriate use of simultaneous in the field of legal interpreting, based on the national standards of practice. After examining some theoretical models of interpreting, we will break down this mode into skills that can be learned and spend much of our time practicing exercises that help build those skills. We will cover apps and software to use when practicing simultaneous, the importance of continuous monitoring and improvement, and groups that can help with future deliberative practice. To get the most out of this session, please bring a recording device (including a phone, iPad, or digital recorder) and a pair of headphones/earbuds for that device.

Better Online Searches, with Elizabeth Adams

Researching terminology online can be hard. And lonely. (And what about those new AI overviews – are they any good?) In this session on research skills, you will learn to refine and structure your research questions and use familiar tools in new ways to locate high quality answers. While the focus of the session is cognitive — how we think about what we don’t know — we will also look at how AI tools are changing the search landscape.

  

Literary Translation as Co-creation: A Case Study of the English Translation of Mr. Ye Zhaoyan's Road to Fatherhood, with Xialin Ding

Usually regarded as a solitary or even lonely endeavor, literary translation is now more and more considered a collective enterprise. The phenomenal successes of Howard Goldblatt and his wife Sylvia Li-chun Lin, and Nicky Harman and Jun Liu, in the area of Chinese-to-English literary translation, have proven this point. Informed by such masterpieces as Lawrence Venuti's The Translator's Invisibility and Walter Benjamin's “The Task of a Translator”, this presentation plans to discuss the translation techniques involved in the co-translation of Mr. Ye Zhaoyan's Chinese novel 《通往父亲之路》 (Road to Fatherhood) into English by Xialin Ding in the USA and by Andrew Endrey in Australia. As Dr. Ding experienced some of the historical events that took place in the novel, and Mr. Endrey, as a native speaker of English, has a good command of English idioms and sayings, they have solved many a problem that would otherwise prove to be a high barrier across Chinese and English and their relevant cultures. For instance, they have come up with “trishaw” instead of “tricycle”, “cow dung” instead of “bullshit”, “Imperial Exams” instead of “imperial exams”, etc. — all thanks to their friendly and fruitful cooperation. Thus, their efforts have contributed to the emergence of an “afterlife” for this work, made possible only by means of (co)-translation.

Court Interpreter Ethics: Are your Ethics as Fluent as your Language? (Hint: Practice Makes it Better…), a panel discussion with Eunyoung Kim & Rosemary Nguyen

As a court interpreter, you have practiced your language(s) to perfection. But what about your ethics? Are you proficient in the Washington State Code of Conduct for Court Interpreters? Mastering court interpreter ethics and protocol is not much different from acquiring mastery of a foreign language. It takes constant practice and up-to-date knowledge. This lively, interactive workshop will discuss how to become “fluent” in ethics, resources to help you, and how this skill set can become one of your most valuable tools and a reliable partner while working solo in the courts.