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The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) has announced a series of competitions for translator positions in eight European Union (EU) languages: Danish, Dutch, English, French, Greek, Italian, Maltese, and Spanish.
The job, for which the announcement says “no professional experience is required,” consists of translation from at least two source languages into a target language, updating translations, editing, performing quality assurance, researching terminology, and contributing to training activities and the development of IT tools.
The source materials are described as often complex texts that usually cover political, legal, economic, financial, scientific, and technical subjects related to the EU’s business. Translators are also expected to translate communications and subtitles using specialized tools.
Who Can Apply and How
Applicants must be citizens of an EU member state, have a university degree, or have completed at least three years of university studies and earn a diploma no later than April 10, 2025.
They should also have outstanding language skills, including knowledge of at least three of the 24 official EU languages. This includes the translator’s mother tongue and two additional languages.
The application period opened on December 3, 2024, and will close on January 14, 2025, at noon, Brussels time. More information can be found in the announcement and in this video. Applications must be submitted online through the EPSO website.
– New research shows that 94% of multilingual event planning professionals said they would consider using AI as part of the live translation services at their events. –
New research announced today has revealed that an overwhelming majority of event planning professionals (94%) said they would consider using AI as part of the live translation services at their events.
However, as it stands for the moment, in-person professional simultaneous interpretation is THE most popular translation service used by 70% of multilingual event planning professionals.
AI-powered speech translation is a close second at 67%, which shows that event planning professionals are already considering which technology is best suited for the event they are organising.
These results are part of an exclusive report published by Interprefy, the multilingual event technology and services partner that surveyed the views of 1000 key decision makers in events, marketing, and project management positions for multinational companies around the world.
The market value of the AI/ machine translation industry is predicted to reach $3 billion by 2026/27. This shift has been fuelled by the adoption of hybrid working and the acceleration of organisations seeking out employees and freelance teams across the world.
Powwows are informal get-togethers of groups of ProZ.com users living in close proximity. The events are organized by local translators, for local translators.This event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas among industry professionals.
Anyone who is registered with ProZ.com may attend, regardless of membership status. In addition, spouses, children and guests of members, as well as translators who are not ProZ.com members, are welcome.
If you’re a linguist, translator, and/or interpreter based in or around the city of La Plata, Argentina you’re invited!
This event is organized by local translators, for local translators.
The powwow is scheduled for September 28th at Green Garden, where we’ll gather over coffee (or beer). Come together with us to share insights and experiences while enjoying the evening.
Looking forward to connecting with you and fostering meaningful connections!
As in previous years, ProZ.com is hosting a two-day an online event for International Translation Day on September 25-26th, 2024! ITD2024 includes free online streaming webinars and presentations, live Q&A, networking sessions and features sessions from speakers and panels from industry experts and recognized members at ProZ.com.
The sun shone brightly as industry leaders gathered for a series of presentations and panels at SlatorCon Silicon Valley in Menlo Park on September 5, 2024. Anna Wyndham, Slator Head of Research, moderated the first afternoon panel session, titled “The Language AI Stack.”
In this panel, Phrase’s CEO, Georg Ell, and Uber’s Head of Globalization, Hameed Afssari, engaged in a lively discussion about the practical applications of large language models (LLMs) and their transformative impact on the localization industry, with AI as a tech stack.
The language AI stack, concurred the two leaders, is a concept encompassing the computing power behind LLMs, the applications built on those models, and the services layer that facilitates their use in the enterprise.
The language AI stack addresses various aspects of LLMs in localization, including machine translation (MT), workflow optimization, and linguistic asset management. At Phrase, the infusion of LLM capabilities into its signature platform has been a game-changer, explained Ell.
This SaaS language technology platform has evolved significantly in recent years, and LLMs are being used for automated scoring, routing, and improvement of translations, leading to increased efficiency and quality, added Ell.
The CEO went on to explain how in a typical localization workflow the system automatically selects the most suitable MT engine, either from aggregated third-party options or customer-provided ones, and then leverages existing language assets to perform a translation.
Our film editor takes a look at the tangled art of international film titles translated for the German screen.
Hot Fuzz: Zwei abgewichste Profis (2007, d. Edgar Wright). IMAGO / United Archives
Occasionally I search my press emails for an upcoming film, and I’m confused when it doesn’t show up. I search the director and actors’ names, find the poster with their faces. But it turns out the movie is called something else entirely.
This happened to me this month; while writing about the Luis Buñuel retrospective upcoming at filmkunst66. I was confused by the title The Strangling Angel – a Buñuel I had missed during film school? No, it was in fact just the German title for his masterpiece The Exterminating Angel (in the original Spanish, El Ángel Exterminador). The altered name gives off a totally different mood and feeling – more calculating than constraining.
The title of a film bears a lot of weight. Like an elevator pitch, it gives one a sudden burst of understanding, or it plays with you viscerally. Often the title is translated as literally as possible into new languages, but different countries have different film markets and audiences – what works in one area may not land in the same way elsewhere.
Sometimes distributors decide against the original title, renaming it or adding a long sentence that wouldn’t pass for the byline for the picture. In the comparatively verbose German tongue, the straight-up translation method doesn’t work as easily.
WALTHAM, MA, UNITED STATES, September 10, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Lionbridge, a global leader in translation and localization solutions, has published a new eBook, “AI and Language Strategy in Life Sciences.” This comprehensive guide explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on language outcomes within the Life Sciences industry. It provides the latest guidance for safely embracing AI to enhance language capabilities across the drug and medical device lifecycle.
Life Sciences companies are adopting AI, but are understandably cautious about trusting Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI to translate regulated content. Lionbridge’s eBook addresses how to achieve trust and control when deploying AI-powered language services. It also offers guidance on where and how LLMs can be utilized for cost efficiency without compromising language quality and compliance.
“As a leader in life sciences language services, Lionbridge is at the forefront of understanding how new language technologies are transforming the industry.”
— Pia Windelov, VP Life Sciences Strategy and Product Marketing
Authored by industry experts Pia Windelov, Vice President of Life Sciences Strategy and Product Marketing at Lionbridge, and Camilla de Villiers, Managing Director of Life Sciences at Lionbridge, the eBook bridges the trust gap and clarifies potential applications of LLMs to produce reliable language outcomes.
The shortlist for the 2024 Medal for Excellence in Translation, administered by the Australian Academy of the Humanities (AAH), has been announced.
The shortlisted translators and their works are:
Stephanie Smee for On the Line: Notes from a Factory (Joseph Ponthus, Black Inc.)
Josh Stenberg for For a Splendid Sunny Apocalypse (Jiang Tao, Zephyr)
Kevin Windle and Elena Govor for Voices in the Wilderness: A Digest of the Russian-language Press in Australia 1912–1919 (Australian Scholarly Publishing).
Established in 2016, the medal ‘recognises outstanding achievement in translation and the vital role of translators and translation in Australian culture and scholarly discourse’, and is awarded biennially for a book-length translation into English of a work of any genre.
The winner of the 2024 medal will be announced on 30 September, which is also International Translation Day.
On August 20, 2024, researchers from Northeastern University, Jinan University, Harbin Engineering University, and NiuTrans Research published a comprehensive overview of the challenges and advancements in the field of simultaneous speech translation (SimulST).
The authors describe SimulST as “especially beneficial in scenarios that require fast and smooth communication,” such as live conversations and voice conferencing.
Given its critical role in real-time communication, the field has received significant attention and made notable progress in recent years. However, it remains a “demanding task,” according to the authors, who identified and outlined four key challenges that complicate SimulST:
SimulST models must effectively handle lengthy and continuous speech inputs while maintaining high translation accuracy and low latency.
These models also face the challenge of “deciding” when to start translating without having access to the complete input, balancing the risk of premature outputs — leading to incomplete translations — against delays that increase latency, as both can negatively impact the user experience.
Achieving the right balance between translation quality and latency is complex, as no single evaluation metric effectively addresses both aspects simultaneously.
SimulST suffers from a lack of annotated training data, making it difficult to train models effectively and achieve optimal performance.
“These factors collectively contribute to the intricate nature of the SimulST task,” the authors noted.
While previous studies have proposed solutions to these challenges, a comprehensive overview summarizing these practices has been missing. With this paper, the authors aim to fill that gap by providing “a more complete and comprehensive introduction to SimulST.
Continuing the celebration of Women in Translation Month and taking advantage of the few days left in August, I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Chantal Wright, Professor of Creativity and the Language Industry at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences and, none other than the founder of The Warwick Prize for Women in Translation, now coordinated by Holly Langstaff. And when I say “I had the pleasure…” I really mean that it was an honor and a privilege to chat with someone I personally admire greatly for her work, who is also incredibly kind.
For those who don’t know her, Chantal was born in Manchester, England, and she is a translator of literary and academic material from German and French into English. She is also the author of Literary Translation (Routledge, 2016), recipient of the inaugural Cliff Becker Book Prize in Translation (2012), and of a PEN/Heim Translation Fund grant (2009), among many other accolades.
I’m excited to share the delightful conversation we had a few days ago as part of the ProZ.com Women in Translation initiative and Women in Translation Month, where she talks about how the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation addresses a significant gender imbalance in the field, discusses how translation studies have evolved over the years, particularly with the increasing focus on gender and diversity, and shares some advice for women aspiring to enter the field of literary translation.
The translation industry, like many other fields, thrives on the collective support and collaboration of its members. For women in this sector, building a nurturing community can greatly benefit both their personal and professional development.
In honor of Women in Translation Month (#WITMonth), which focuses on celebrating and advancing the contributions of female translators and the works of women in translation, this article explores how women can create a supportive network to uplift and promote each other’s achievements.
Here are some strategies for women to strengthen their connections and enhance each other’s success in this dynamic field:
The power of honest praise
Women in translation are the majority in the line of work, but (maybe not so?) surprisingly, the most visible and heard voices still relatively stay the domain of male colleagues. Women in the workplace need more positive encouragement to step into the spotlight than male colleagues. By being supportive and encouraging colleagues to each other, women can hope to see more women step up and shine.
To do this, female linguists can openly and honestly praise each other for their achievements. Some women rarely receive positive feedback as a “cog in the machine” of the language services providers’ world. Women can do it for each other, though!
Women in Translation Month (WIT Month) is an annual celebration held in August, dedicated to promoting and honoring women authors who write in languages other than English and the translators who bring their voices to a broader audience. This movement was initiated in 2014 by Meytal Radzinski, a blogger and translator passionate about addressing the gender imbalance in translated literature. Her efforts have spotlighted the critical yet often underrepresented contributions of female authors and translators worldwide, raising awareness and appreciation for their work.
Through August, we are all invited to celebrate women in translation in some way. Here are some fun and meaningful ideas:
Reading challenges: organize or participate in a reading challenge focused on books by women writers in translation. Share your progress and reviews on social media using the hashtag #WITMonth.
Book club discussions: host a book club meeting featuring a female author in translation. Engage in discussions about the themes, cultural contexts, and the translation process itself.
Author and translator interviews: arrange interviews with female authors and translators to share insights into their work, challenges, and the impact of translation on their stories.
Online events and webinars: attend or organize online events, webinars, and panel discussions featuring women writers and translators. These can provide valuable perspectives and foster a sense of community.
Readers might recognize Aida Salazar’s name as the author of award-winning middle grade novels, such as The Moon Within andThe Land of the Cranes, and even her most recent Caldecott Honor winner, Jovita Wears Pants, illustrated by Molly Mendoza (2019, 2020, 2023, all Scholastic). But Salazar wears another hat in the children’s publishing sphere. She’s also a translator of books, including Isabel Quintero’s La panza de mamá, the Spanish-language edition of Mama’s Panza(both Penguin, 2024)—both SLJ stars. The picture book by Morris Award–winning Quintero, illustrated by Iliana Galvez, is about a little boy who expresses his appreciation of the comfort of his mother’s belly. It is a tribute to mother’s bodies and all the love and security that can be found there.
Salazar’s journey into translating happened in the most unexpected of ways. During the pandemic, a publisher requested that she translate Peace by Miranda Paul and Paul Baptiste (NorthSouth, 2021), an ode to peace, from English to Spanish. “They asked me to translate this 300-word poem in rhyme, which was a huge, beautiful puzzle and an incredible challenge,” says Salazar.
Seán Kelly has called for Irish to be treated equally to other European languages
“Immediate and sustained action” is needed by the European Parliament to ensure Irish is treated equally to other European languages.
That is according to the Irish MEP – and former president of the GAA – Seán Kelly.
He claimed that Irish speakers in Northern Ireland, who hold Irish passports, can face problems in applying for jobs with the parliament.
He has also called for it to establish a link with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) in order to recruit more Irish-speaking staff.
Mr Kelly has written to the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, raising his concerns.
Irish language challenges
Irish was recognised as an official language of the European Union (EU) in 2007.
It is one of 24 official languages in the EU, which means that speeches in the parliament and documents are translated to and from Irish.
But since then a shortage of translation staff has meant that the number of EU documents translated into Irish has been limited.
A European Commission report in 2021 said that EU institutions employed 138 Irish speakers, although over half of the jobs were temporary.
It said that although Irish translation had increased, recruiting enough Irish speaking staff was “the main challenge” to providing full services in Irish.
In early January 2024, when many in the language industry were likely pondering how to eventually incorporate AI into their offerings or processes, OpenAI announced its GPT Store. Back then, a few translation GPTs could be found, including one built by Phrase called “Phrase Expert.”
By the time OpenAI launched the store to the general public, there were already more than three million GPTs done by pre-release testers. After the kind of hype seen in late 2022 with ChatGPT and all the drama surrounding the company’s CEO and Board in 2023, the store launch was also a popular subject in the news and on social media.
Then, the announcement of the company’s text-to-video generator, Sora, arrived in February 2024, lest people get OpenAI out of their minds for too long.
In March 2024, we asked readers if they had ever used Custom GPTs since the store was launched, and over two-thirds of respondents (64.6%) said No. Over a combined quarter of readers said they tested GPTs a bit after launch (14.6%) or from time to time (12.5%), and a very small percentage said they have been using them daily (8.3%).
NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa to ask question in Anishininiimowin on Tuesday
Decades after being punished in a residential school for speaking his own language, Sol Mamakwa will hold the powerful to account at Ontario’s legislature in the very same language past governments tried to bury.
On Tuesday, Mamakwa, the only First Nation legislator at Queen’s Park, will rise in the legislative chamber — with his mother, sister, brothers, friends and elders watching from the gallery — and ask a question in Anishininiimowin, known in English as Oji-Cree.
For the first time in its history, the Ontario legislature will allow, interpret and transcribe a language other than English and French.
It will also be a birthday gift to his mom, Kezia Mamakwa, who turns 79 that day, and a nod to his late father, Jerry Mamakwa.
“Language is nationhood, language is identity, language is where history comes from and language is me and my people,” Sol Mamakwa, a 53-year-old NDP legislator, said in an interview.
“It’s important because there’s so many of us who are losing our languages. I think it’s a step toward reconciliation and a step toward reviving our languages.”
The ProZ.com Outsourcer Assistance Team is searching for Canada-based interpreters in a variety of languages to field remote interpreting calls. The initial languages sought are:
Afar
Korean
Amharic
Kurdish
Cantonese
Mandarin
Farsi
Mongolian
Georgian
Portuguese (BR)
Hungarian
Romanian
Italian
Russian
Japanese
Tamil
Karen
Vietnamese
Khmer
Interested interpreters should submit an application to the ProZ.com Interpreter Pool by clicking on the “Apply” button at https://www.proz.com/pools/interpreters
ProZ.com members will have first access to this work, and if needed will also be provided with free interpreter training designed to get you compliant and start taking interpreting work through a variety of platforms.
Austin, TX – April 9, 2024 – Boostlingo, a leader in language access technology, announces AI Pro – a new AI solution offering real-time captions, transcriptions, translations, and speech features in multiple languages. AI Pro empowers professionals to communicate on conferencing platforms regardless of language or hearing disabilities.
In addition to the AI Pro launch, Boostlingo unveils a new brand identity and website reflecting the company’s expansion of services beyond interpretation technology. The new branding reflects Boostlingo’s commitment to innovation and increased language access.
“Boostlingo’s rebranding was a strategic decision as we are building upon our innovative technology and adding new products that incorporate AI,” shared Morgan Teller, Director of Marketing. “We’re also expanding our technology from just interpretation to being capable of supporting broader language services.”
Are you a translator who wants to play with Al and don’t know where to start? Here’s an opportunity to learn the basics of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and so on, for immediate application in your translation projects.
Ideal for Al newbies, curious hearts or colleagues and students wary of Al systems, this will be a mostly practical workshop; with some theory where it’s needed, but not much.
This month I interviewed Certified PRO and ProZ.com professional trainer Konstantin Kisin on his upcoming workshops on improving essential business skills. Konstantin’s background in the psychology of communication and human behavior, as well as his extensive experience in the language services industry, give him unique insight as to how freelance translators and interpreters can improve their negotiation skills, be more productive, and achieve a better balance between work and life. These workshops will be held on November 17th, February 16th, and March 30th in the London area: http://www.proz.com/conference/group/8
I begin this interview by asking Konstantin which characteristics make someone an effective negotiator. In his response, Konstantin dispels the notion that a good negotiator must necessarily be tough or confident – but focuses instead on the value of exhibiting what he refers to as “behavioral flexibility.” According to Konstantin, behavioral flexibility is “doing the right thing, at the right time, and for the right reasons.”
Konstantin continues by saying that negotiation skills are essential in allowing freelance translators to put themselves in control of their businesses. These skills are largely what help freelancers determine how much they are paid, when their deadlines will be, and what their working patterns will be like. In short, he explains that negotiation and communication skills are key in fostering successful and healthy relationships with clients.
Later in the interview I ask Konstantin what makes his workshops on productivity different from the rest. He explains that while most productivity courses or training sessions deal with this topic from a general business standpoint, his workshops focus specifically on what freelance translators can do to improve their productivity. As a successful freelance translator himself, Konstantin offers some unique advice focused on what language service providers can do to cut procrastination and be more productive.
Finally, I ask Konstantin to sum up what makes the content of his workshops so valuable for freelance translators and interpreters. He says that, simply put, the topics covered in this three part workshop series are aimed at helping language service providers be in control of their businesses, increase their productivity, and achieve more balance between work and life.
Think these workshops might be right for you? Be sure to check out what others have said about Konstantin’s training courses in the feedback section of the workshop pages:
The translation news daily digest is my daily 'signal' to stop work and find out what's going on in the world of translation before heading back into the world at large! It provides a great overview that I could never get on my own.
susan rose (X)
United States
ProZ.com Translation News daily digest is an e-mail I always look forward to receiving and enjoy reading!
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