Translator at work...

Check this very funny video created by a group of Spanish translators (which makes it a very reliable source!).

Enjoy it!

Holiday Readings

I know you are having a rest from your classes or still working on your assignments and homework, but I thought you may be interested in a few sites related to interpreting (and applicable to translating in most cases). Here they are:

• Aventuras de una traductora interprete de Madrid writes about Los Gastos de cancelación.
• Don de Lenguas, radio blog published by the Departamento de Traducción e Interpretación de la Universidad de Salamanca, broadcasts interviews with professional interpreters and translators.
• Bootheando publishes a list of her favourite interpreting/translating blogs in A ♥ for Language Blogs  

 Happy reading/listening!

CAT Tools for Translating

CAT (Computer Aided Translation Tools) also know as TentT tools (translation environment tools) are tools that help translators create a memory of their translations.

If you are thinking of getting one, check this great site, Translation Training. There are short videos that compare 20 of the most popular tools. Watch them to find out more about the CAT tools available and what they do.

You can also check to see if any of them is free (with limitations, of course), for instance WordFast and download it at home to start learning how to use it.

A good book on it is A Translator's Toolbox by Jost Zetsche. You may be interested in subscribing to his free newsletter Tool Kit.
There are lots of translator forums, blogs and sites discussing these tools.

Other useful Software tools for translators:

Open source (free software applications):

• Okapi Framework

• tuxtrans:Linux for Translators
• CrowdSight &GlobalSight,
• Tradubi
• Software libre para traductores: tables compiled by a Spanish translator

Localization tools:

• Catalyst
• Passolo (part of Trados Studio)
Project Management and invoicing:

• Translation office 3000
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tool :

• Abbyy Fine Reader
Machine Translation:

• Translate client for Google translate (free)
Searching tools:

• Xbench for Microsoft glossaries (free)
• Text Align
Training websites:

• Translatorstraining.com
• Proz.com
• Chartered Institute of linguists, UK

A Translator

UN translator talks about her job and the skills required to do it.

• Check this very interesting discussion about translators as business people vs freelancers.

• Remember your dictionary project is due this week.
• Check the assignment page in our wiki bridginggap, week 10. You will be asked to translate some birth certificates. Good practice for your future jobs as translators.