ALTA Joins FIT
Report by Lynn Hoggard, ALTA President
August 1999
The American Literary Translators Association had three delegates (Lynn Hoggard, John Biguenet, and James Hoggard) attending the 15th Statutory Congress of the International Federation of Translators/ Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT) at the École d'interprètes internationaux in Mons, Belgium, August 3-5, 1999. Additionally, Lynn and James Hoggard attended the committee meeting of the Literary Translators wing of FIT on August 6, where Lynn reported on ALTA activities and James reported on the 1998 ALTA meeting and the Guadalajara Book Fair. John Biguenet presented a paper during the FIT Open Congress, August 6-10.
FIT's Statutory Congress is directed by a six-member executive committee that meets four times a year and 17-member Council that meets annually to manage FIT business; the full statutory congress meets triennially. The two official languages of FIT being French and English, all discussions at the Congress by delegation members, who sat by small flags representing their countries, were in one of these two languages. Each delegate had access to a headset, and simultaneous interpreters translated all statements made in French into English for those who desired it, as well as from English into French.
Lynn Hoggard gave a brief presentation about ALTA—its mission, activities, plans—for the approximately 200 assembled delegates from 30 countries (see list of 1999 Statutory Congress participants), after which FIT delegates voted ALTA into full voting membership in FIT (from associate membership, which ALTA has held for two years).
One of the first agenda items was a proposal to restructure dues to more fairly represent the diversity in membership size of member associations (sizes that range from a few dozen members to 30,000). The proposal that passed stipulates that FIT dues will be $2 per member per year for each association, with a minimum total assessment of $300 and a maximum of $2000. In related motions, delegates initiated a spontaneous passing of the hat that garnered $3,100 to add to a FIT Solidarity Fund assisting associations periodically unable to pay their full dues (with wealthier associations urged to contribute to the Solidarity Fund on a more regular basis). Additionally, FIT President Florence Herbulot announced the start of a Hope Fund to assist with heavy FIT administrative expenses (pointing out that with 83 associations belonging to FIT, the entire annual budget is only $60,000) and donated $1000. For reasons of cost efficiency, two FIT publications, Babel and Translatio, will be discontinued in order to use those funds for other FIT activities.
The Congress passed two resolutions affecting the status and practice of translation. One urged greater political and military protection of translators and interpreters working in dangerous areas, suggesting concrete ways in which this protection might occur. The other urged active intervention by the European Ministers of Culture in the Karin Krieger translation situation in Germany. (In short, Ms. Krieger had initiated efforts to increase royalties for her best selling translation of Italian writer Baricco, in a work published by Piper Verlag, which is part of the Swedish conglomerate Bonnier. Although she was within her legal rights to renegotiate her contract, since German law provides for such contingencies, Krieger was removed as translator; another person was hired, and a new edition of the translation appeared under the same title and dustcover.) Referring to the Krieger situation as "cultural vandalism," FIT called for stronger support of rights for translators in traditional publishing, on the Internet, and throughout emerging multi-media technologies.
In other business, FIT delegates chose Vancouver, Canada, as the site for the 16th Triennial Meeting of FIT in 2002. Interim meetings were urged of regional FIT associations prior to the 2002 meeting (the U.S. is part of the Regional Center for North America [RCNA] and comprises Canada, the U.S., and Mexico). Elected to the Council were Adolfo Gentile (Australia), Betty Cohen (Canada), Peter Bush* (United Kingdom), Linda Sivesind (Norway), Peter Krawutschke (USA), Wusun Lin* (China), Annemarie Beukes (South Africa), Gabriella Mauriello (Italy), Wojciech Gilewski* (Poland), Jeannette Orsted (Denmark), Jean-Marie Vande Walle (Belgium), João Esteves-Ferreira (Switzerland), Eliane Mau (France), Atsuko Kanaya* (Japan), Jianguo Han (China), Bruce Knowlden (Canada), and Bente Christensen* (Norway).
In a special workshop on copyright, translators were presented with information concerning how royalties are collected through collective management associations in Norway. These rights include royalties on photocopies and library lendings as well as on published books. Translators were urged to assume and insist on their right to own the copyright for works they translate.
FIT members were reminded that triennial reports are required of member associations. The 1999 reports for participating organizations (with names and addresses of liaisons) are on file at ALTA's Dallas headquarters.
Respectfully submitted,
Lynn Hoggard
President, ALTA
*Indicates a literary translator
Report on FIT Literary Translation Committee
A special session of the FIT Literary Translation Committee was held on Friday, August 6, 1999, 2-5 p.m., at Mons, Belgium, chaired by Peter Bush, head of the Literary Translation Committee. Represented at the meeting were literary translators from the USA, England, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Yugoslavia, Africa, South Africa, Peru, Chile, and China, who each gave brief reports of literary translation activities and situations in their countries. Overall, translators emphasized the need to increase communication and create more formal structures for doing so among literary translators around the world, and that need will become a major objective for the literary translation committee during the next three years. Steps were taken to set up a literary translators' international chatroom in Ireland. A conference on translation in Eritrea, Africa, was announced—"Against All Odds: African Languages and Literatures into the 21st Century"—to take place at the end of January 2000, the first such conference based on African languages; translators were urged to attend. Also announced was the Zimbabwe Book Fair in August 2000 whose theme is translation. Translators were urged to seek information concerning literary translation and related activities in India. The literary translator from Yugoslavia, in answer to a question concerning the status of literary translation in Yugoslavia after the war over Kosovo, reported that his group, a democratic one in opposition to the current regime, was attempting through various initiatives to counter what he termed the "national hatred" spreading throughout his country. A Peruvian translator reported that a number of Iberian publishing firms were turning to literary translators from Latin America because these publishers could pay Latin American translators a fraction of the fees paid to translators in Spain. Again, communication and the gathering of such information was urged of translators. The very active literary translators association in Austria has published three European guides for literary translators and one on CD-Rom and has held a number of presentations and conferences throughout Europe. The UK Translators Association has published New Books in German, and ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting, UK) has spurred publication of Literary Translation in Higher Education, ed. Peter Bush and Kirsten Malmkjaer (1998, John Benjamins) and The Practices of Literary Translation, ed. Jean Boase-Beier and Michael Holman (1999, St. Jerome Press).
Peter Bush was re-elected chair of the literary translation committee, and Solveig Schutt Ulriksen of Norway was elected vice chair. An additional meeting of the committee was set for Sunday, August 8, to continue discussing these and related issues, including specific projects related to globalization of the translation market, ways of building solidarity among translators, and issues concerning contracts. This reporter was unable to attend the Sunday meeting, but has received word that since these meetings, the committee has set up a website (http://www.egroups.com/list/fitlit) and an e-mail chat room (fitlit@egroups.com).
Lynn Hoggard
President, ALTA
FIT FLASH
[A Brief Digest of FIT Activities: June 1999]
Translators and Interpreters in Times of War
The FIT Executive Committee is writing a letter to selected ministries of justice throughout the world in an effort to ensure that better protection is provided for interpreters and translators working in strife-torn areas.
(R) evolution in Switzerland
The École de traduction de d'interprétation of the University of Geneva (ETI), an associate member of FIT, has just restructured its curricula. In addition to the current degrees in terminology and conference interpretation, In September 99 ETI will begin offering bachelors degrees in translation and masters degrees and doctorates in translation, interpretation and multilingual data processing. This rejuvenating move of the oldest translation and interpretation school of the modern age (founded in 1942) is an accomplishment of outgoing Presidents Louis Truffaut and Albert Ribas. The new President, Bruno de Bessé will begin his term on July 15.
Upcoming events
-The 25th Belgrade Translators' Meeting, originally planned for May 26-31, 1999, has been rescheduled for May 25-30, 2000. The theme will be Translation at the Turn of the Century. Association of Literary Translators of Serbia. Fax: +381/11.626.278.
-Explaining Translation. Organized by the Leuven Research Centre for Translation, Communication an dCultures. Instituto San Pellegrino, Misiano Adriatico, Italy. September 6-21, 1999. Contact: http://www.arts.kuleuven.ac.be/cetra/
-21st Summer School Session of Translation Studies. Original, Interpretation, Translation. Budmerice, Solvakia. September 22-24, 1999. Contact: Literary Fund. Stúrova 14, 81540 Bratislava, Slovakia.
News of FIT Members
ASTTI (Association Suisse des Traducteurs, Terminologues et Interprètes) has
a new web site: http://www.astti.ch
The four FIT Prizes for translation will be presented on August 10, during
the closing session.
List of Participants in
Statutory Congress, Mons, Belgium, August 3-5, 1999
Regular Members:
1. Colegio de Tranductores Públicos de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina:
Beatriz Rodriguez, Astrid Wenzel
2. Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT), Australia:
Klaus Hermes, Terry Chesher, Adolfo Gentile
3. Österreichischer Übersetzer- und Dolmetscherverband UNIVERSITAS, Austria:
Kiese Katschinka
4. Österreichischer Verband der Gerichtsdolmetscher, Austria:
Liese Katschinka
5. Übersetzergemeinschaft im Literaturhaus, Interessengemeinschaft von
Übersetzern literarischer une wissenschaftlicher Werke, Austria:
Christa Rothmeier, Brigitte Rapp, Claudia Zecher
6. Chambre Belge des traducterus, interprètes et philologues - Belgische
Kamer van Vertalers, Tolken en Filologen, Belgium:
Doris Grollmann, René Haeseryn, Marie-Louise Bouchoms-Ramisch
7. Union of Bulgarian Translators, Bulgaria:
Georgi Stoev
8. Conseil des traducteurs et interprètes du Canada (CTIC), Canada:
Arthur MacRae, Bruce Knowldon, Hendrik Brugers, Betty Cohen, Kawal Kahlon-
Macintosh
9. Association des traducteurs et traductrices littéraires du Canada, Canada:
Michelle Asselin
10. Cyprus Association of Graduate Translators and Interpreters, Cyprus:
Anastasia Pilottou, Rea Rapa Economides
11. Obec Prekladatalú, Czech Republic:
Jarmila Emmerová
12. Union des Interprètes et Traducteurs (JTP), Czech Republic:
Andrej Rády, Amalaine Diabová
13. Dansk Translatorforbund, Denmark:
Kirsten Sehested
14. Erhvervssprogligt Forbund, Skingergade 45-47, DK-1019 Copenhagen, Denmark:
Jeanette Orsted, Jan Anker, Hanne Moos, Jorgen Christian Nielsen, Christina
Bjorling
15. ADÜ Nord - Assoziierte Dolmetscher und Übersetzer in Norddeutschland
d.V., Germany:
Frank Petzold
16. Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer e.V. (BDÜ), Germany:
Giorgio Mauro, Karl-Heinz Freigang, Harmut Voigt, Dieter Huber
17. Verband der Übersetzer une Dolmetscher Berlin e.V. Germany:
Peter Ganzer. Kate Vanovitch, Manfred Schmitz
18. Suomen kääntäjien ja tulkkien liitto - Finlands översättar-och
tolkförbund r.y., Finland:
Kristina Rikman, Ari Penttilä, Sheryl Hinkkanen
19. Société française des traducteurs (SFT), 22, France:
Suzanne Boizard, Eliane Mau, Nicole Fisher
20. Irish Translators'Association, Ireland:
Mariam Lee
21. Associazone Italiana Traduttori e interpreti (AITI; e-mail:
aiti@mix.it), Italy:
Gabriella Mauriello, Vittoria Lo Faro, Rosa Urso, Gabriella Cafaro, Silvia
Punzo, Antonella Spagnoli
22. Japan Society of Translators (JST), Japan:
Atsuko Kanaya
23. Organización Mexicana de Traductores, A.C., Mexico:
Anne Hill Kinsella de Mayagoitia
24. Nederlands Genootschap van Vertalers, Netherlands:
Hanneke Kerkhoven
25. Norsk Faglitteraer Forfatter-og Oversetterforening, Norway:
Linda Sivesind, John Stanghelle, Maj-Britt Holljen
26. Norsk Oversetterforening, Norway:
Bente Christensen, Dag Heyerdahl-Larsen, Solveig Schult Ulriksen, Hilde
Sveinsson
27. Statsautoriserte Translatorers Forening, Kongensgate 15, 0157 Oslo 1,
Norway:
Linda Sivesind
28. Science and Technology Translators' Association of the Chinese Academy
of Sciences (STACAS), People's Republic of China:
Jianguo Han, Yashu Li, Wenli Zhao
29. Translators' Association of China, People's Republic of China:
Lin Susun, Zu Shigu
30. Stowarzyszenie Tlumaczy Polskich, Poland:
Wojciech Gilewski, Witold Skowronski
31. TEPIS - Polish Society of Economic, Legal and Court Translators, Poland:
Danuta Kierzkowska, Andrej Lesniak
32. Korean Society of Translators, Republic of Korea:
Yong Yung Suk, Chong Hiok Yoon, Kyung Man Park
33. Union of Translators of Russia (e-mail: gurutrus@mtu-net.ru), Russia:
Lónide Gourévitch, Olga Bouzoukina, Evgénia Terekhova
34. Association of Slovak Translators and Interpreters Organizations
(APTOS), Slovak Republic:
Milan Richter
35. Association of Scientific and Technical Translators of Slovenia (DZTPS),
Slovenia:
Olga Shrestha, Miran Zeljko
36. Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut van Vertalers en Tolke, South Africa:
Annette Combrink, Anne-Marie Beukes
37. Asociación dos Traductores Galegos, Spain:
Alberto Alvarez Lugris
38. Traductors I Intérprets Associats Pro-Col.legi (TRIAC), Spain:
Marián Hernández
39. Swedish Association of Professional Translators -SFÖ, Sweden:
Anne Verbeke
40. Association Suisse des Traducteurs, Terminologues et Interprètes
(ASTTI), Switzerland:
Hannelore Lee-Jahnke, Nicole Carnal, Thomas Fallgatter, João Esteves-Ferreira
41. Institute of Translation and Interpreting, United Kingdom:
Craham Cross, Eyvor Fogarty, Catherine Greensmith
42. The Translators Association, United Kingdom:
Michael Schields, Jane Holt, Nicholas De Lange, Gordon Fielden
43. American Literary Translators Association (ALTA), United States:
Lynn Hoggard, John Biguenet, James Hoggard
44. American Translators'Association (ATA, e-mail: ata@atanet.org), United
States:
Steve Sachs, Henry Fischbach, Peter Krawutschke, Muriel Jérôme-O'Keeffe
Associate Members:
1. Association des anciens élèves de l'ESIT, France:
Isabelle Croix, Marion Grimault
2. Dolmetscherschule Zürich, Switzerland:
Willy Urs
3. Université de Balamand, Lebanon:
Nahla Baydoun