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.
This post was originally published on听KGH Interpretation. It is reposted with permission.听 In 2022 I facilitated a session of the Language Access Caf茅 at the NCIHC Annual Membership Meeting and was asked to speak about interpreter self-care. Prior to the meeting, I decided to do an informal survey of medical interpreters asking them some questions about their mental health. I wanted to have a little bit of data that would clue me in on some of the issues interpreters were facing. While most of the results I shared during the AMM focused on stressors and supports, I also briefly shared…
Read MorePursuing the Translation Dream: What to Know Before the Phone Rings
Have you ever asked yourself if you have what it takes to be a translator? You probably know it takes more than being bilingual, but did you know there is more to it than being a good translator? If you are curious to know what it takes to build a successful translation career, you may be pleased to learn of…
Read MoreComputerized ATA Certification Exam Option Now Available at Select Sittings
听Reblogged from听The ATA Chronicle with permission听(incl. the image) ATA is now offering a computerized option for taking the certification exam at select sittings. Candidates will now be able to take the exam on their own laptops. Candidates: May use most resources stored on their laptops, including dictionaries and glossaries. May use non-interactive Internet resources, such as online dictionaries and other…
Read MoreBook review: Manual de traducci贸n ingl茅s-castellano
Translation Handbook 鈥 Spanish book review Alert! This is a book review on a book written in Spanish. Therefore, the quotes will be in Spanish! I鈥檝e been having weekly discussions with people who want to become better translators. Some would call this 鈥渢ranslation training.鈥 As they ask questions, they drive me to read books. One of the gems I have…
Read MoreWhen translation clients ask for favors
Here’s a situation we’ve all probably encountered: clients asking for favors. “Any chance you could quickly translate 25 words?” “Do you have time to look over a couple of sentences in a source document in your language?” “You’re so great with this piece of software; any chance you could take a quick look at a problem we’re having?” A client…
Read MoreThe Savvy Newcomer Resources page
It was a genius who said, 鈥淣ever memorize something you can look up.鈥 But as any good translator or interpreter knows, you have to know where to look it up as well! In this case, you鈥檙e in luck: The Savvy Newcomer has done the work for you with our Resources page. You can find the list, which contains links to…
Read MoreTranslator Competence
Reblogged from Carol’s Adventures in Translation blog听with permission from the author (incl. the image) Translators and the need for speed I鈥檓 very excited to be writing a guest blog post for Caroline, who I met at the XXXIV Semana do Tradutor in Brazil in September. Caroline indicated that I was free to choose any topic relevant to translators or translation,…
Read MoreResources to Help Ensure Translation Payment
One of the questions that many newer translators ask is 鈥淗ow do I find good clients?鈥 This question is often closely followed by a second: 鈥淗ow do I know they鈥檙e good?鈥 To address this topic, specifically regarding scams and non-payment by translation clients, Ted Wozniak recently presented a session at the ATA conference titled 鈥淓nsuring Payment Before, During, and After…
Read MoreWhat Happens When Translators Go on Autopilot
Personally, I do not believe specialized human translators who actively use their brains will ever be replaced by machines. But if you put your brain on autopilot and work like a machine, then you could be at risk of becoming some kind of zombie cyborg competing with full-fledged machines! Here are some common problems I have seen in myself and…
Read MoreTranslation Certificate vs. Certification
By Helen Eby and Daniela Guanipa 鈥淚 have a certificate, therefore I鈥檓 certified.鈥 Wrong! So, you completed a certificate in translation from institution XYZ, you were given a nice diploma of completion, and surely, you are now a happily 鈥渃ertified鈥 translator, who can go on and certify translations, list yourself as a certified translator in professional databases, and so on,…
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,…
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