Another member’s work for Haiti

by Erandy Pacheco

Last March, I was one of the MiTiN members that answered DePaul University’s call to join a project called Zafèn.  This project was created to help a nation in need, Haiti, by designing a website (www.zafen.com) that allows people from all over the world to boost the Haitian economy through donations and loans to micro, small and medium enterprises. In order to do that, Zafèn receives profiles from such enterprises describing their needs and objectives. Once they are approved, the profiles are translated into English, French and Spanish and posted on the website.

When experience is your only dictionary

by James Kirchner

A few months ago, I did a pro bono translation job for an organization called Traducteurs sans frontières, whose name translates as “Translators Without Borders”. The assignment I was given was a sheet of general local information for people arriving to attend a conference on gender violence that was being held in the Congo.

Everything went smoothly until I reached the section on money.

A MiTiN translator helps Haiti rebuild

by Osaine Gomez-Reamer

I heard of the earthquake in Haiti on the news like most everyone. As attention to the matter grew, through my local TV station, I followed the reports and relief efforts taking place both nationally and locally. I have to admit I was a bit surprised by the involvement of Michigan-based citizens and organizations in that area.

Keep your reader’s level in mind!

by James Kirchner

One occasionally fatal assumption of many translators is that the materials they are writing will be used by people with an advanced, native command of the target language.  However, especially if you’re translating into English, this may not be true.