Words and their meanings – the 2022 Israel Translators Association Conference

 

[row of large stones*]

Despite trying times and great uncertainty, the ITA presented its 2022 conference, online of course. Its formal moto was “Moving Forward”. However, from the presentations I was able to attend, the unifying theme was also our interaction with words. I learnt about how people, including translators, produce, interpret, regulate, visually frame and market with words. It also provided a quite affirmative answer to the question posed by the keynote speaker regarding translators and interpreters, specifically whether we are optimistic about the future of the professions.

The conference addressed one of the key issues in modern translation, specifically the possibility of coexistence of human and machine translation. Yuri Balashov correctly put the aside the emotional resistance and clearly demonstrated using MemoQ how reference to machine translation enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of human translation. In other words, he showed even ever-improving machine translation is actually a benefit to translators, not a threat. Judy Jenner in her keynote speech expressed concern and uncertainty in regards to this issue but expressed reasoned hope in the future. Even those that choose to ignore machine translation came out with food for thought.

As a linguist, I truly enjoyed the presentations on how people interpret words. Immanuel Lottem provided numerous examples of how translators and editors see the words and their context in a different light, which often leads to great frustration. On a brighter note, Rik Smits entertained listeners with his amusing breakdown on the actual meanings of curse words, which go far beyond their dictionary listing, including surprise, joy and extreme emotion. I find this profound multicultural approach illuminating and somehow encouraging as I don’t feel so bad about using choice words at specific times.

Another interesting theme was the approach to regulating the use of words. Vicky Teplitsky Ben-Saadon, The Academic Secretariat, Academy of the Hebrew Language, analyzed the general language structure of gender in pronouns, especially in the second person, and discussed the complicated situation in Hebrew, where gender not only impacts all pronouns but also verbs and adjectives. She expressed the policy that the Academy does not impose usage on users but attempts to create some order in actual use. In other words, she stated that the Academy is going to let people decide if and how to create gender inclusive forms. Amina Hassan, Science Secretary of the Academy of the Arabic Language, discussed the projects of Arabic Academy and brought up the issue of the Arabic in road signing in Israel. Not only do current signing suffer from curious spelling but it also often reflects transliteration of the Hebrew name of cities and villages, not the recognized name in Arabic, if it exists of course. As linguists, we wish the Academy success in rectifying this situation. Eitan Wellisch illustrated the approach and structure of his online dictionary and show how his site can make identifying the correct English equivalent easier as words are placed in context. I would also like to mention the presentation of Andy Benzo regarding the appeal process in the US court systems. Not only was it clearly organized but the clarity of the terminology showed the importance of precision in choice of legal vocabulary. Whether in expanding or narrowing interpretation, the conference brought out the challenges of understanding words.

Two speakers illuminated the visual aspect of words. Eyal Holtzman provided details examples of how the shape, size and location of words in letters emphasize and connect different language when they are placed on the same page. Adele Shapiro recounted the story of daemons and devils from Egyptian to modern times but in linguistic terms. She noted that the in Egypt the written script reflected the neutral as compared to negative status of demons by also displaying them as protective creatures in specific situations, not just as creators of chaos. Unlike modern languages, pictures, not letters, showed this role. It was interesting to see how non-alphabet elements impact words.

Finally, in the face of a rapidly changing business setting, there were several presentations on how translators and interpreters can use words to market themselves. Nicole Koenig explained on the manner of marketing content while I spoke about the process of writing marketing content. Mireya Perez discussed making a digital footprint. It is clear that translators and interpreters not only should use other people’s words but create their own.

My only regret about this conference was my inability to attend all lectures due to the existence of two tracks and some previous commitments. I confess to having missed all the presentations on interpreting and hope that someone can report on them. I thus apologize to those whose names I did not mention or was not more specific. Overall, the conference reinforced the need for translators and interpreters to master words in all of their dynamic movement in order to create the best translations and improve ourselves. The conference was truly about moving forward.

* Picture captions are vital in creating access for the blind.

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Notes of a non-native son – to technology

 

["Retrain your mind"*]

I have been privileged to witness and experience the most amazing period of electronical transformation. In almost all spheres of life, the manner of accomplishing the simplest of tasks has changed fundamentally. I was born in 1961, at the start of that revolution. For writing, I learned on a manual typewriter and have used an electric and electronic typewriter, a Commadore 64 word processor, Basic based word processing systems (“…2s…” was the command for double space, I still remember), Word Perfect and other local variants until finally settling into, along with almost everybody, Word. The phone at home was a rotary dial hand unit and evolved through touch-tone phones, dumb phones and smart phones to phone watches. Banking used to involve tellers and cash and now is almost entirely digital ATM’s and applications, not to mention the gradual disappearance of paper cash. Real-time monitoring has become the norm, even in physical fitness. Applications now tell you how many steps you have taken, calories you have burned and heartbeats per minute. There seems to be an app for everything. The pace of electronic-based change in our life is extraordinary.

While my age gives me an interesting historical perspective, it renders me non-native to this technology. Specifically, I may use it, sometimes by choice, but I do not understand it intuitively nor really embrace its use. To explain, I use a computer for work and play, do my banking online, order takeout food and make restaurant reservations through sites and invoice my customers through an online service. I use MemoQ, a CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tool, and do most of my term searches online despite my extensive collection of dictionaries. I maintain communication with my teaching colleagues through WhatsApp and email and can teach on Zoom. I am clearly computer literate to a respectable degree. Still, I approach each new technological application on a need-to-know basis, absorbing only those features that I require, with no curiosity on what else can be done.

Not surprisingly, when I attend conferences (virtually lately) and workshops and hear fellow translators and educators discuss technological solutions, I am left with the feeling of inadequacy and even inferiority. These experts show how amazingly simple it is to use a specific application or software to speed up or automate professional tasks. They exhibit great knowledge and joy explaining how our lives will be improved if we use these tools. My first uncomfortable feeling is the sense of the gap between my prehistoric or at least Bronze Age methodology and that these experts so heartily recommend. However, I do not use age as an excuse and know that I am capable of learning new technologies as I have done so before. What is more disturbing is my strong internal resistance to making the jump to these more efficient tools. In blunt terms, I generally do not want to make the effort to catch up with the latest technology. I know that I am not “up to snuff” but am emotionally paralyzed to take the “necessary” steps to address that issue.

This inaction leaves me with a disconcerting feeling. On the one hand, I know that I am far more computer literate than many. In a recent questionnaire, some 25% of translators in the American Translators Association still do not use CAT tools. I also realize that life is not a competition, i.e., my happiness is not based on my ranking as compared to others. On the other hand, part of me says that I should (such an awful word) care and embrace technology with all my heart, soul and brain and that doing so will make a better professional and person. Alas, fundamentally human beings are rationalizing, not rational, creatures if given a choice. I am not native to digital technology and can at best selectively use it to meet my needs. I try to remember the words of Jacques Prévert: Je suis comme je suis; je suis fait comme ça – I am who I am; that is my nature. In most cases, I accept my imperfections quite well but, in this case, it does somewhat bother me but evidently not enough to motivate me to overcome that barrier. As in James Baldwin’s book of essays Notes of a native son, albeit to much smaller degree, I feel out a little out of place and powerless in my own society. I am almost certain that I am not alone in this feeling but that sharing only goes so far in compensation. I simply will continue to live and strive, someone uncomfortably, as a non-native.

* Pictures captions allow the blind to access the Internet.

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Keeping the power in the PowerPoint – a view from the gallery

 

[opera theatre*]

Presentations, in-person or virtual, must have PowerPoint slides or so it appears. It is no longer acceptable to just speak clearly and be organized. The messages need a visual crutch. While many embrace the use of this technical tool and have mastered it, many others, including experienced professionals, are not experts in PowerPoint are unsure how to best use it. My long exposure with PowerPoint is mainly through suffering through engineering student presentations. Over the years, I have had the privilege of viewing hundreds of student attempts to boost their oral presentation by adding slides, with varying degrees of success. I have also prepared quite a few PowerPoint presentations when I have lectured at various conferences. From this experience, I can state as an observer that the best PowerPoint slides use selected words to reinforce the oral message and are ideal of numbers and statistics. Furthermore, considered use of graphics, colors and fonts are vital for their success.

[script]

In choosing which words to insert in a slide, it is vital to remember that PowerPoint is the bridesmaid, not the bride. In other words, it is a serious error to insert the script of a presentation in the slides (unless the slides are for student review of the material) because people will almost always prefer to read a text than listen to a lecturer. Therefore, PDF slides should include phrases or words, not sentences, which will be orally explained in depth by the lecturer. Not only does the audience pay greater attention to the lecturer but the words on the slide reinforce the key words through wish they remember the content. If it is necessary to insert a full quote, it is advisable to limit its length or highlight the relevant parts. An additional advantage of outline style text is that it reminds lecturers of their intended content, a vital hint when preparation time is limited. PowerPoint texts should be short and specific enough to create a visual cue to the oral material.

[numbers]

By contrast, PowerPoint is perfect medium for numbers. Even in their native languages, listeners find it difficult to grasp numbers, even simple ones, when spoken. By contrast, it is possible to effectively provide a full set of statistics on a slide. However, it is vital for the lecturer to organize and present an interpreted set of numbers, not raw data. Listeners generally do not want to spend time analyzing statistics and expect the lecturer to have already done so. Of course, everything in moderation, including numbers. Avoid overloading the content of any single slide. This use of PowerPoint for numbers definitely adds value.

[dart]

For graphics, simplicity is best to ensure that they do not overwhelm the content. It is generally not desirable to have all items appear at once on a slide as a full list causes the audience to count them down and even try to figure out when this slide will end. While PowerPoint has a wide variety of animation styles to determine how items appear, no matter how creative the use, they fail to impress after a few repetitions. Pictures can either provide essential details, such as a drawing showing the name of the parts or chart showing the action flow, or reinforce the messages by adding a visual image representing the main point of the slide. Either way, they boost the message.

[green on green]

Color and font must be appropriate. The best hue is often a matter of audience expectations and lecturer preference. However, dark text on a dark background is hard to read. Also, it is vital to keep in mind that a beautiful combination on a PC or laptop may look rather different through a projector. A good tip is to run the presentation on the actual system before the lecture. As for font, it is vital to ensure that the size and form are easy to read. Clearly, pseudo handwriting and overly ornate fonts create problems for the audience. The easiest way to check if the font is acceptable is to ask several people for their opinion. Once again, practicality is the essence.

It is not necessary to be maven on PowerPoint or graphic artist or invest copious amounts of time to produce an effective PowerPoint. By making the written text add value to the oral presentation, presenting numbers in written form and thinking about audience ease when choosing graphics and form, listeners enjoy the audio-visual performance, with the PowerPoint reinforcing the message to the gallery.

* Captions help the blind access the Internt.

All picture through Pixibay.

Hungarian obituary? – A Review of Sandor Marai’s "Metamorphoses of a Marriage"

 

[Bourgeois couple*]

It is not often we read a book that triggers reflections and expands our understanding of very basic but not simple matters. Such books cannot nor should be read quickly as the content is not easily digestible however worthy it may be. In fact, I took me a year to finish Metamorphoses of a Marriage (I read an excellent translation into  French by Georges Kassai and Zeno Bianu but it also has been translated into English). The pleasure in savoring this book was that it reminded me of so many different books, it is a unique recital in itself and its essence is universal both in terms of time and geography. It ultimately expands the understanding of one’s own attitudes and actions.

The story takes place in Hungary from pre-World War I to post World War II and centers around the two marriages of a grand bourgeois, the son of a very rich industrialist, to first a bourgeois and then a peasant woman, with a mysterious writer in the shadows. In terms of a structure, the leading characters tell their story individually, thus creating a three-dimensional picture of the entire saga. As the story takes place during a long and dynamic period in Hungarian history, outside events influence the drama and provide an illuminating picture of the changes in Hungary during the 20^th century.  The writer also introduces a discussion of the role of literature and writers in the modern world. Therefore, as its basic level, it is a story of two failed marriages in Hungary.

When reading it, I kept on being reminded of the works of many different writers but with important differences. It reflected the flow of historical events over people’s lives as in Tolstoy’s War and Peace but Marai almost minimizes the importance of those events. The book had a similar structure to Oscar Lewis’ Children of Sanchez but none of the characters were ultimately villainized. A reader of classic Soviet realism would immediately identify the angry proletariat and evil capitalist but the characters explicitly reject those stereotypes in words and actions. It shares some of the Emile Zola’s determinism (Germinal) but the characters are not slaves to their instincts. The book shows the internal psychological drama of the characters, as Henry James did in Portrait of a Lady, but ultimately that drama is not the prime focus of this book nor are the class morays portrayed in a manner similar to Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice. Thus, Metamorphoses of Marriage encompasses a wide variety of perspectives in creating its panoramic view.

It also succeeds in expanding its relevance beyond a historical Hungarian romance. First of all, despite all the words spoken by and about them, the characters remain somehow distant and unremarkable. We know that they live in Budapest but you could meet similar characters in Paris, London or New York. They do not seem quintessentially Hungarian. Furthermore, their actions and attitudes are not deterministically defined by their class. Each character adopts an attitude towards the values of their childhood, bordering from open rebellion to full blind acceptance, and develops as these attitudes encounter changing realities. In other words, the characters choose their destiny at all times while remaining consistent to their class values. Finally, in my view, the concept of love itself goes through so many permutations that it eventually loses most of its relevance to the story. Thus, the book treats the issue of love and marriage in all of its complexity regardless of nation and time.

For that reason, Metamorphoses of Marriage is so thought provoking, creating questions about the most fundamental aspects of any relationship. Any person that has married someone from another social or national group has encountered puzzling cultural gaps in behavioral expectations and attitudes. Likewise, these mixed marriages often involve largely successful adopting of the new social rules in order to fit in and get along. At the same time, certain basic values acquired in childhood color our perspective on this new identity, both positively and negatively. “Foreigners” try to take what is beneficial from the other and retain what is comfortable from their childhood. As these characters do, we become hybrid in our relations. However, no matter how assimilated we become in a new culture, we still “smell” as we did in the nursery, a child of our environment to one degree or another. This book made me aware of this hybridization and its impact on myself and others.

I will not say that Metamorphoses of a Marriage is an easy book to read. Nor will I say that all of its elements interested me. However, I can say that it creates a deeper perspective on love, marriage and human behavior, including how they change and don’t change as circumstances evolve. Deepening our understanding of those processes can only educate us and make us more accepting of others and ourselves. Thus, I recommend this book not only because of its fascinating story but also for its penetration of the evolving human soul.

* Captions make the Internet accessible to the blind.

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Back and forth – the positive challenge of translation types

 

[Tug of war*]

Achievable challenges make for interesting work. Fundamentally, constant routine tasks are rather dulling. This week, my brain experienced the pleasure of performing two curiously different translation tasks, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. I had accepted two week-long translations orders with similar deadlines. One was a Russian to English translation of medical questionnaires while the others was a Hebrew to English translation of a consulting contract and its appendices. The challenge was not the languages but the type of translations. The first was a back translation while the second was a forward translation.

To clarify, back translation is the process, required in many medical projects to be conducted in many languages, where the content of the proposed translation is confirmed by having the translation rendered back into a text in the original language, generally English. The producing company and contracting agency wish to confirm the content is identical to the original. In practice, the back translator must produce a text that reflects the word choice and essential meaning of the target language as well as the syntactical correctness. Consequently, the key elements are ensuring that the correct word was used and that the sentence structure reflects the intended meaning. In the case of Russian to English, this is more complicated as Russian syntax is so different from English. For example, “to me is wanted” is a weaker form of “I want”, not an absurd passive. Therefore, the back translator must thoroughly understand each word and structure and express them in the target language to the level of correctness of the source text. As a result, the resulting sentence often sounds completely unnatural and awkward, even non-sensical, in order to reflect those same characteristics of the source. That artificiality is not considered poor quality as long as the back translation completely corresponds to the content and correctness of the text.

On the other hand, forward technical translation aims to produce a seamless, i.e., native sounding, text whose content is identical to the original but form is localized for the target language and audience. The translator must fully understand the meaning, both explicit and implicit, of the text and recreate it in another language. This process involves transcreation by nature as vocabulary is not universal i.e., each language has unique words as well as specific definitions for common words, and structure, i.e., the natural manner of expressing an idea varies. Extreme loyalty to the word choice and syntax of the original text will generally result in an unsatisfactory translation to one degree or another. The ultimate test here is not only whether the content is identical but also if the text sounds natural. Therefore, the choice of words and syntax are largely at the discretion of the translator as long as the first two conditions are met.

The challenge I faced this week was far more than switching languages. It involved changing approaches. I began the morning carefully checking each term regarding which I had any doubt of its meaning, often placing English equivalent in a “clunky” manner in an English sentence, and then comparing the original and back translation to make sure I was accurate no matter how unnatural it sounded. In the afternoon, I had to focus on the English and strive to produce a natural equivalent of the sentence to be translated. carefully considering how much freedom I had taken. I was far more concerned about the choices of the English version than applying the Hebrew structure. I have to admit that this change of thinking did not occur instantaneously each day but required a little effort and reminding of myself during the first few sentences that I was working on a different project. While both tasks were technically translation, they were in a certain sense quite different.

At the end of each day, I felt quite tired but satisfied. On the one hand, it apparently takes additional mental effort to change approaches. On the other hand, I found it fascinating to gain a deeper awareness of the differences of the two types of translations as it is rare that I work on two large projects at the same time. (Being male, I find it difficult to  focus on more than one task at a time.) I enjoyed the contrast between the projects. It felt that I was working in two completely different worlds. In work, variety is the spice of life especially if it expands your understanding.

* Pictures captions allow the blind to fully access the Internet.

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Explanation and communication – Helping customers understand price

[Man explaining smartphone*]

“I thought it was simple.” That sentence is from a phone conversation with a prospective buyer of translation this week. That same perception is shared by buyers of countless services in the market. They know what they want but are completely ignorant of the process. To clarify, the vast majority are not interested in knowing any or all of the details but would like and often need to know how the process affects the price and delivery time. As an example, I present three customer dialogues and the results, demonstrating the importance of respectful customer education.

My first correspondence was with an institutional client that required translation of a series of long documents, most of which were in PDF or Excel form. Translating them in a CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tool requires processing of the PDFs, often a long process. After estimating the total number of words, I provided a total quote, as is my policy, but added that the cost reflected both the repetitions of the numbers in the Excel files but also the time investment required to work with the PDF (formatting back and forth) and Excel (QA). Within minutes, I received the Word version of the PDFs, which gave me the exact number of words. I provided a revised quote, significantly lower. Both of us were happy as it reduced my time investment and their cost.

An agency asked whether I would accept a “half minimum” for a translation of a small number of words. It would have been natural to express annoyance regarding this oxymoron. Instead, the answer was to explain that a minimum fee also reflects the time invested in correspondence, preparing the text and invoicing. Fortunately, this project manager accepted this justification with humor and understanding, improving the relationship and hopefully preventing such requests in the future.

Finally, the bewildered first-time buyer of translator mentioned above received some simple clarifications. I explained that the time required to complete a translation is based on the number of words the average translator can translate in a day. I clarified that the English words count is between 1.4 and 1.5 times the Hebrew word count, which she had sensed intuitively. I added that QA of long texts takes times and requires many breaks, to which she could relate to a writer. Thus, she received enough information to make an intelligent decision while I improved my chances of attaining the project.

The point is the customer education, done properly, creates a win-win situation for both the customer and the service provider. It is not a waste of time as the vast majority of buyers know nothing of the service process. Whether in translation or any other service field, providing relevant information is beneficial for both parties as it makes matters mutually much simpler. 

* Captions are vital for Internet access to the blind.

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Is the “good enough” business model still good enough?

 

[Boris Badanov*]

When I visit Los Angeles, I stay at a motel that has nothing fancy about it. It has a small lobby, lacks a restaurant or bar and “boasts” a view of Ventura Boulevard. On the other hand, the room is large, comes with a comfortable bed and faces the parking lot, i.e., no noise. This motel is also half the price of the hotel chains and is run by a very friendly and helpful couple. In other words, the motel is not great but is a good enough for me.

On a larger scale, one of the classic and most successful business models of 20^th century was mass production “good enough”. Consumers were more than satisfied by a product of medium quality if they received it quickly and at a relatively low price. The best examples are in the fields of cars, food and housing. Of course, specific conditions created the perfect environment for the massive success of simple and inexpensive products. Curiously, the original appliers of this strategy have long dropped it, raising the question whether the approach is valid in this century.

The concept of a producing a standard product inexpensively and quickly was successfully implemented in cars, food and housing, among other fields. The Ford Model T simply dominated the market. Customers could buy better-built cars with more options but chose the pedestrian Ford black Model T because of its price and functionality. Likewise, hamburger restaurants had existed for decades but the original, massively successful McDonald’s concept was to provide a decent, standard hamburger quickly and inexpensively, reducing costs by simplifying the menu to basic items that could be produced in a few minutes without the need to customize each order. The post-World War II building boom opened the door to prefabricated housing using woods, drywall and cement as countries and private companies built millions of units of affordable basic housing for growing and sometimes homeless populations. They were not fancy or even sturdy but were grabbed up as soon as soon they were finished. While none of these products were fancy or even particularly well made, they were undoubtedly huge financial successes in their time.

The reason for this success was a combination of expensive alternatives, growing demand and customer expectation. In 1919, the alternatives to the Model T were unreliable internal combustion cars, expensive electrical vehicles and awkward steam-powered vehicles while the early McDonalds thrived in the face of non-chain, full-service diners with much greater costs. As for housing, traditional urban housing construction used mainly brick, wood or stone, which required more time to build and, thus, was more expensive. Growing demand clearly fed the demand for these markets. Americans fell in love with the automobile and the freedom it created. The post-war economic boom created the discretionary income to allow people with average income to eat at restaurants on a regular basis. Various government subsidies and discounted loan rates allowed young couple to purchase their first flats and houses. As for expectations, the first generation of buyers was thrilled to receive a reasonable product at a reasonable price and could not afford the luxury options. Thus, the “good enough” model thrived in a fertile market.

Most interestingly, most companies that took off using this approach subsidies have evolved in the opposite direction. For examples, even the most functional types of vehicles, vans and pickups, come with numerous options, free or at additional cost. No automobile manufacturer advertises “we have one model: take it or leave it”. Likewise, the fast-food chains, from McDonalds to KFC, boast complicated menus even in their specialty. It is hard to understand and pick which hamburger or chicken option to order due to the incredible range of options. In housing, the term “cookie cutter” today is derogatory and implies that a given house is similar to countless others. Many buyers now seek “character” (which in the UK seems to mean wooden beams in the ceiling). A 2-bedroom bungalow circa the 1950’s is considered undesirable by many. In fact, it is quite difficult to find any company today applying the simplified approach used by leading companies in the 20^th century.

Looking at the conditions that created the success for this pioneering and successful approach, I am convinced that some enterprising small company will use the same technique in the future to create an empire. Clearly, many basic goods are priced very high for low and even average income consumers. At the same time, world population and, even more important, the number of people with disposable income will likely increase. The major issue is how many consumers will be satisfied with a functional project without bells and whistles. It is clear that expectations of aesthetics, performance and status influences buying decisions. Somehow today having the same car, eating the same food and living in the same house layout as all your neighbors are considered undesirable. There may be such a product out there but I was unable to think of any.  It will be interesting to see how this innovating entrepreneur will overcome the current sentiment that good-enough is bad-enough (as Bullwinkle would say).

* Caption pictures to help the blind fully access the Internet.

Picture from the Wikipedia site.