The ATA Podcast

While every translator needs editing and proofreading skills, you have to have a passion for it and be a true grammar nerd to make this your specialty—and that fits translator Eve Bodeux to a tee. Learn the skills required, the only reason behind every change in the text, and why technology hasn't replaced humans in the editing, proofreading, and copyediting process when she sits down to talk with...

Over 160 educational sessions, 15 Advanced Skills and Training Day (AST) courses, 30 subject- and language-specific tracks, industry leaders from around the world, and 1,500 translators, interpreters, students, educators, project managers, and language company owners—what more can you say about ATA's 63rd Annual Conference? Find out as ATA President-Elect and Conference Organizer Veronika Demichel...

Over 160 educational sessions, 15 Advanced Skills and Training Day (AST) courses, 30 subject- and language-specific tracks, industry leaders from around the world, and 1,500 translators, interpreters, students, educators, project managers, and language company owners—what more can you say about ATA's 63rd Annual Conference? Find out as ATA President-Elect and Conference Organizer Veronika Demichel...

We interpret in many areas where we don't agree with the speaker, and we think nothing of it. We recognize the specialty, build the resources, and train to become fluent in the details. Why, then, do we not do the same for spiritual care? Join Tatiana Cestari and Anne Connor in this episode of ATA's Inside Specialization series for a discussion of this overlooked specialty. You'll learn how medici...

The ATA certification exam is now available online and on demand, and Certification Committee Chair David Stephenson is here to tell you all about it. In Episode 74, David explains to Podcast Host Matt Baird how "on demand" works, from payment to scheduling to security with real time monitoring and recording. And don't miss this—David also reveals the top reasons people fail and the best way to pr...

This is not another lawyer-turned-translator story, which just goes to show that there's more than one way to become a legal translator! In this episode of Inside Specialization, lawyer-linguist Paula Arturo tells ATA member Daniel Sebesta about the role passion plays in the decision to become a legal translator and why how much you're willing to learn is key to becoming one of the best. You'll al...

Amanda Williams will be the first to tell you that her entry into international trade translation was through the "school of hard knocks"—and she loved every minute of it! Tune in to this episode of Inside Specialization to hear Amanda explain her job to guest host Andie Ho. From port contracts and technology to customs, inventory, logistics, and warehouse automation, it's way more than bills of l...

After more than 6,000 program hours of video, film, and TV, Deborah Wexler has plenty of insight and advice to offer translators interested in audiovisual translation. From the value of networking to the fatal mistake of not seeing the career ladder to the secrets of macros, shortcuts, and typing speed, Deborah's interview with the Professional Development Committee's Deputy Chair Charo Welle is n...

Even if you're not a gamer, video game localization sounds like fun, right? But is it really? Find out in this interview with top video game localizer Marina Ilari, who talked with ATA member Charo Welle about how she found her niche, the challenges of living in "other worlds," and the best ways to gain enough experience to break into the specialty.

Everyone loves a backstory. And the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation—or AFTI for short—has one that few people know. So stop and listen to Episode 70 of The ATA Podcast as AFTI Board President Geoff Koby sits down with Host Matt Baird to talk about the foundation's beginnings, its current day focus on student scholarships and T&I awards, and how your donation can make a diffe...

So often medical interpreters make the job look easy, and yet it's anything but. There's the constant challenge of new terminology, the administrative procedures of different healthcare settings, and the stress of life and death situations—not to mention actually interpreting the patient-provider encounter itself. Join guest host Anne Connor in Episode 68 of The ATA Podcast to learn more about the...

Can a specialization that is broad in subject matter still be a niche market? If you're talking about diplomatic translation, then the answer is absolutely yes! In this episode of Inside Specialization, Joseph Mazza, chief of the Office of Language Services' Translating Division at the U.S. Department of State, explains the tremendous variety of content, text types, and tasks this work involves, i...

The slate is set, the candidates are ready, and the opportunity to learn more about who's running for the Board is right here in front of you! In Episode 66 of The ATA Podcast, Host Matt Baird asks the candidates running for Director positions about the T&I work they do, why they joined ATA, and what skills and vision they will bring to their position on the Board. Be sure to catch the first part...

The slate is set, the candidates are ready, and the opportunity to learn more about who's running for the Board is right here in front of you! In Episode 66 of The ATA Podcast, Host Matt Baird asks the candidates running for officer positions about the T&I work they do, why they joined ATA, and what skills and vision they will bring to their position on the Board. Be sure to catch the second part...

Sustainability and waste management are currently hot topics, but back in 2001, when Abigail Dahlberg began her translation career, they were a bit off the beaten path. Now 20 years into this translation specialty, Abigail joins Inside Specialization Host Andie Ho for a look at careers in this "still very much a niche" market. From the kinds of jobs available and the impact of machine translation...

No matter what your language or specialty, whether you are a veteran conference-goer or a first-timer, you'll walk away from ATA's 62nd Annual Conference with practical and realistic ways to build, manage, and grow your business. In Episode 64, you'll find out more about this opportunity to learn how to get better at what you do. Host Matt Baird speaks with ATA President-Elect and ATA62 Conference...

From the outside looking in, a career as a conference interpreter can often seem glamorous. Perhaps it's the travel and nights in hotels around the world. Or maybe it's the sense of being part of an exclusive community of interpreters working at high-stakes meetings. It might also be the fact that conference interpreters tend to be paid more. Episode 63 of The ATA Podcast is your chance to find ou...

As many in the U.S. gear up to head back to school, Episode 62 of The ATA Podcast steps away from association activities to examine translation and interpreting education. Guest Host Michael Schubert interviews ATA members Alaina Brandt and Jamie Hartz to discover how well their T&I courses prepared them for the transition to careers, what they wish they had known before they graduated, and what o...

What's it like to work as a highly specialized technical translator in a hard science? In our fourth Inside Specialization podcast, Host Veronika Demichelis talks with Karen Tkaczyk about how her career literally took off in a matter of months, what kinds of jobs she takes on, and what keeps her going. You'll also learn about some of the basic traits technical translators share, the need to invest...

Did you hear about ATA's new e-book  Guide to Starting Out as a Translator ? Will the ATA62 conference be virtual this year? Is it true that ATA's certification exam can now be taken online? How does the new ATA website help members make more of their membership? Why is it never too late to attend an ATA membership orientation session? Why did the number of ATA webinars double this year? And what...

In this third edition of ATA's Inside Specialization series, we're talking about the often-overlooked field of educational interpreting and translation. Katharine Allen and Natalia Abarca describe the broad range and diversity of the specialization, the skills interpreters and translators need to work in the field, and the satisfaction that comes from doing work that makes such a difference in peo...

Educating government officials and the public about the role of translators, interpreters, and language access in our society is a central part of ATA's mission to be " The Voice of Interpreters and Translators ." These efforts are led in part by ATA's Advocacy Committee. In Episode 58, Host Matt Baird speaks with ATA Board Director and Advocacy Committee Chair Lorena Ortiz Schneider about the com...

In the second Inside Specialization podcast, Host Veronika Demichelis interviews ATA Past President Corinne McKay and current ATA Director Meghan Konkol about translating in the international development market. You'll learn that it's not all the pro bono work you might have thought it was—in fact, just the opposite. You'll also hear about the types of translation work you can expect, the interest...

ATA has been in the business of acknowledging outstanding service and professional distinction in the translation and interpreting fields since 1964 when it awarded its first Alexander Gode Medal. By recognizing colleagues who, through their daily work, volunteer activities, and careers exemplify the qualities that define excellence in our industry, the association not only salutes their achieveme...

Welcome to "Inside Specialization, an all-new series on specialization and diversification developed in collaboration with ATA's Professional Development Committee!  In this first episode, Professional Development Committee Chair Veronika Demichelis sat down with Judy Jenner, an ATA spokesperson and federally certified Spanish interpreter, to find out what it's like to be a court interpreter—from...