Professional Issues 1

Professional issues

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OVERVIEW 2. Code of Ethics: different codes for interpreters and translators 3. Logistic issues: equipment, software, rates 4. How to find translation jobs

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Code of ethics 1. What are ethics? 2. The role of a code of ethics for a profession 3. General principles for both translators and interpreters 4. Code of ethics for interpreters 5. Code of ethics for translators 3

Code of ethics 1. What are ethics? The principles of conduct governing an individual or a profession. 2. The role of a code of ethics for a profession • to safeguard the welfare of its clients • to ensure that the professional activities of its members are of a high standard • to ensure that the profession has a high status in the eyes of society. • to have standards to base on in cases of professional negligence or malpractice. (Gentile et al., 1996) 4

Code of ethics 3. Common ethics for both translators and interpreters

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Ensure competence Ensure accuracy Ensure impartiality Ensure confidentiality 5

General principles for both translators and interpreters • Ensure competence + Only accept work which is within the interpreter's or translator's competence • Ensure accuracy + Translate accurately and completely all that is said by all parties in a meeting or that is written in a text (no additions, no omissions, no change) + Acknowledge and correct any interpreting or translation mistakes. 6

General principles for both translators and interpreters • Ensure impartiality Professional detachment must be maintained at all times. Your service must not be affected by the professional's personal likes, dislikes, preferences, ideological leanings etc.

• Ensure confidentiality + Interpreters and translators must not disclose information obtained in the course of translation (unless permission is granted by their clients or if the law requires disclosure) + Translated documents remain the client's property. 7

4. Code of ethics for interpreters 4.1 Before interpreting assignment • Briefing on the subject • Preparation: prepare appropriately for assignments (e.g. terminology) • Punctual at all times (and if lateness is unavoidable, advise clients immediately) • Ready (pen, paper for notes...) 8

4. Code of ethics for interpreters 4.2 During interpreting assignment • Always be polite and courteous, unobtrusive, firm and dignified • Ensure accuracy • Ensure impartiality • Ensure competence

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4. Code of ethics for interpreters 4.3 After interpreting assignment • No acceptance of gifts: decline gifts and tips (except token gifts customary in some cultures) • Confidentiality • Self-evaluation: review and re-evaluate their work performance 10

5. Code of ethics for translators • These are two very different levels of translation ethics. + Level 1: Often support ideal loyalty to a source text, author or sender + Level 2: codes of ethics are written for translation as a profession, stating regulations concerning the translator's relations with other translators, with clients and with questions like confidentiality. 11

5. Code of ethics for translators • E.g. summary of the code of ethics of the Association des traducteurs littéraires de France (ATLF), 1988: Translators: 1. Must have adequate linguistic competence. 2. Must have knowledge of the pertinent subject matter. 3. Must refuse to translate from a TT unless with the consent of the author. 4. May only alter a text with the author's consent. 5. Have the right to accept or refuse a translation. 6. May demand the documents necessary for the translation. 7. Must respect professional secrets. 12

5. Code of ethics for translators 8. Must translate personally and ensure that their name appears on TT. 9. In the case of co-translation, the names of all the translators must appear on TT. 10. Must demand the same conditions if cotranslating. 11. Must refuse work detrimental to a fellow translator. 12. Must not accept work conditions inferior to those established by the profession. 13

Logistic issues • Equipment and software • Payment

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Logistic issues 1. Equipment and software

• A computer, a printer, a scanner, fax machine • Internet connection • Suitable dictionaries, preferably electronic or online dictionaries E.g. + Oxford advanced learner’s dictionary + Oxford Collocations Dictionary for students of English http://dictionary.cambridge.org (this is also linked to other useful online dictionaries such as Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms) 15

Logistic issues •

Equipment and software (cont.)

• Encyclopedia preferably electronic: e.g. Encarta •

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Any software that provides one or more of the following services: dictionaries, glossaries, and terminology banks, reference resources, storage of terms and phrases E.g. Wordfast, Trados For further information on useful translation software, go to http:// www.geocities.com/langtecheval/ 16

Payment • How will the translation be charged? Time, per word, per sentence? + offer fee + charge fee + translation rates + interpreting rates • How and when is payment to be made? • What method of payment is to be used? (cash, bank transfer, cheque?) 17

Seeking translation jobs 1.

Translation agencies:

http://www.uniworldvietnam.net/en/dichvu/ http://giaiphapngonngu.com (Cong ty dich thuat Golden Light) 2. Job-seeking websites http://vieclam.thanhnien.com.vn/ www.kiemviec.com www.jobvn.com www.vietnamworks.com www.ngocentre.org.vn

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Seeking translation jobs 3. Major organizations:

United Nations Viet Nam: http://www.un.org.vn World Bank in Vietnam: http://www.worldbank.org/vn United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Viet Nam http://www.undp.org.vn United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): www.unesco.org.vn 19

Seeking translation jobs 3. Major organizations (cont.) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): vietnam.unfpa.org United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): www.unicef.org/vietnam Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): www.fao.org.vn World Health Organization (WHO): www.un.org.vn/who 20

Seeking translation jobs • Publishers • Networking: personal contact with other translators

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REFERENCES • Chesterman, A. (1997). Ethics of translation. In M. Snellhornby, Z. Jettmarova, Z. Kaindl (Eds.), Translation as intercultural communication: selected papers from the EST Congress- Prague 1995 (pp. 147-160). Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. • Gentile, A. et al. (1996). Liaison interpreting: A handbook. Australia: Melbourne University Press. • Picker, C. (Ed.) (1989). The translator’s handbook. London: Aslib. • Samuelsson-Brown, G. (1993). A Practical Guide for Translators. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Ltd. • Sofer, M. (1999). The translator’s handbook. USA: Schreiber Publishing. 22