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Update on ATA Farsi Certification: A Milestone for Farsi–English Translation
Women In Iran
With the recent happenings in Iran, which raise the underlying question of why we ended up here, one might ask what really the identity of Iranian women is. It is obvious that the government of Iran is trying to change the way women see themselves and who they identify with. This is actually a very good question.
Research shows that Iranian women had a higher place in society and were treated as equal to men in the ancient Persia. The King’s mother and Principal wife led an autonomous life.
“The Principal wives had their own court, could sign agreements with their own seal, and had unlimited access to the King. Women could choose their own husbands, and did so when they were not asked to marry for political purposes. Concubines were often non-Persian women and, accordingly, could not marry into royalty but were still respected as women of high rank. Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE) added a harem building at Persepolis close to his palace, suggesting the elevated status of the women.” (See Women In Ancient Persia)
During the Achaemenid Period, women could serve in the military. “Scholar Kaveh Farrokh notes that ‘tombs attesting to the existence of Iranian-speaking women warriors have [been found in Iran and] also been excavated in Eastern Europe’ (128).’’ (See Women In Ancient Persia) Wealthy businesswomen existed and had their own entourage and commanded their own workforce.
“Women labored alongside men in the workforce and were often supervisors and managers. There was no difference in pay based on gender; one’s salary was based solely on one’s level of skill and experience in the job. Pregnant women, however, received higher wages as did new mothers for the first month after the birth of their child.”(See Women In Ancient Persia)
So why are we still struggling to define the identity of Iranian women?
Shared Origins of Words
LEARN ABOUT ATA FARSI CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Dear Colleagues:
The business of translation of Farsi in the US has become questionable. Due to the lack of a standardized certification, many individuals who do not possess adequate translation skills have entered this profession. The translations and interpretations produced by these non-qualified translators have considerably lowered the quality of Farsi translation products and interpretation services in the US compared to other countries such as Canada or Australia.
The American Translators Association (ATA) is the sole organization in the US that offers translator certifications. Given that there is no standardized certification procedure for the Farsi-English pairing by the ATA, we have formed a volunteer workgroup and have initiated the process for its certification by the ATA (Read our announcement published in ATA’s Newsbriefs here). The benefits of this certification include:
1. Ensures the quality of Farsi translations and interpretations and allows our community to safeguard the Farsi language and join the other major languages already certified by the ATA.
2. Contributes to greater confidence in the quality and credibility of our profession, the recognition of our commitment to the profession and its ethical practice and greater visibility in the ATA directory.
3. Creates a distinction that puts certified translators in a better position to market themselves and engage with others in their professional community for further development in all areas.
4. The ATA certification can open doors to new business opportunities and higher compensations for certified Farsi translators and interpreters.
The process for establishing a certification for a language pair is relatively straightforward and is described in the guide provided by the ATA. Our workgroup has already covered most of the initial steps and we are now reaching out to you to support this endeavor.
At this point, we need to collect 50 signatures. Signatories are simply declaring their interest in taking the certification exam for the Farsi-English language pairing. Please note that this does not involve any cost or obligation for the signatories. Your signature is simply a testament to the demand in the Farsi-speaking community for reliable professional translation services.
Participation from Farsi translators will shift the status quo, both in terms of leveraging campaigns for our work and the pairing’s recognition by the organization. Our journey toward ATA Certification begins here, so don’t delay! Sign up here to be included in our list of supporters and to receive important updates about the certification. Act now and Sign Up!
AN ENCOUNTER IN TEHRAN
MY STORY
Back in the winter of 2000, during a visit to Tehran, I met a young accounting student who lived in my parents’ neighborhood. Since I was also an accounting student, but in the US, we compared notes. She told me that she had a hard time understanding accounting concepts because their English-to-Farsi textbooks were too literal in translation. This experience made me reflect more deeply about the true purpose of translation. It was then that I understood fully that authenticity in translation requires a translator who is able to “read between the lines” in order to achieve the truest meaning of the words as they transform from one language into the next. The perspective gleaned from this revelation has remained at the heart of the Farsi Translation Center to this day.
