Ethical Considerations for Interpreters
Today, I wanted to address ethics and ethical considerations in my practice. It’s a very important part of our practice, mainly because I work in the courts. However, I would like to stress that having a very strong sense of ethics is important for all translators and interpreters, even if they don’t work in a …
Four Things to Know About Our Practice
I’m lucky to be a translator and an interpreter. My work is an intellectual exercise that reveals to me the common concepts that underlie the grammar of my three languages (Farsi, French, and English). In this post I would like to address some common questions we field “in the trenches” at The Farsi Translation Center, …
What’s in a Name?
In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet famously sums up her exasperation with the war between the Capulets and the Montagues by lamenting, “…a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” I think Shakespeare was showing that Juliet was wise beyond her years when she made that observation.
The Human Cost of Bad Translation
My mother is not fluent in English and this fact counted heavily against her on a call to an insurance company recently. The call was about an important question relating to my mother’s account, so I joined her to make the call. The person on the other end of the phone said they had to …
The Importance of ATA Certification
The American Translators Association (ATA), a well known international organization, offers a translator certification—a distinction that puts all translators, regardless of work status, in a better position to market themselves. For Farsi translators and interpreters in particular, the ATA certification is more than just a suffix. I am very passionate about the mission of the …
Invitation to Cooperate With the American Translators Association (ATA) to Formally Establish a Language Combination In Farsi To And From English
Dear Farsi Translators and Colleagues: Respectfully, the translation of Farsi to and from English in the United-States has become questionable. Due to a lack of employment, many young individuals who are familiar with the language but do not possess adequate knowledge and skills to translate, have entered the profession. As you know, the quality of …
To ‘D’ or not to ‘D’, that’s the question.
Even though English is not my first language, I always thought the English speaking world is not speaking correct English. When it comes to pronouncing consonants that are grouped together, the familiar way of pronouncing them is to cut the words. Is it ice tea or iced tea? It seems that nobody cares. Skim milk …
Happy Holidays!
How to Choose a Farsi Translator
A friend of mine recently graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in Tehran. She told me that while the university has a renowned and acclaimed faculty and a very high standard for achievement, most of their textbooks were difficult to read. She specifically mentioned a textbook in economics that was translated into Farsi …
Are Farsi and Arabic the Same?
I was waiting for the elevator on the 9th floor of a quiet office building in midtown. It was noon and I was headed to have lunch after a productive morning at work. A colleague approached me and asked, “How different are Arabic and Farsi?” I had been asked the question many times and I …