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Vol. 30, No. 1
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"Many Languages.....One Voice"
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Winter, 1998
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CCIA's Tradition of Service Continues…
Scholarships Prepare a New Generation of Professionals
News from Continuing Education
By Lourdes Gonzalez Campbell
The Web-Footed Interpreter
Have Web Will Travel - Part IV
Catch up with Carlos as he chats about networking, bridge-building, politicking and education…
Dear Colleagues:
CCIA is moving forward on several fronts. Here's a brief rundown on some of our activities.
First and foremost, we continue to negotiate with the AOC concerning our per diem compensation. This has been a long, exhausting process but I am confident that with a little luck and some patience, the prospects for our profession in the year 2000 look bright.
We have had some informal talks with the other interpreter organizations to find common ground and common objectives. This is a delicate issue because great rifts already existed among the groups before I became president. I am committed to bridging those rifts without losing sight of our own philosophy.
We are reaching out as well to embrace our colleagues who work as administrative-hearing and medical interpreters. We want their voices to be heard and look forward to involving them in our goals and objectives as we work to improve the future for all interpreters.
Our print media, by which I mean the CCIA website and The Polyglot, have both undergone some changes. A new subcontractor is updating our web page; we are looking forward to the exciting results and hope you will drop by the next time you're out netsurfing. And our newsletter editor, Donna Jackson, five years and many innovations and improvements later, has decided to let somebody else have all the fun! On behalf of the CCIA, I would like to thank her for all the energy, enthusiasm and expertise she put into editing The Polyglot. We have a new editor in Susan Burris. We are all very pleased with her writing talents and ideas. Please help her with news and articles.
Speaking of articles, be sure to check out page 3 of this issue to learn about the eighteen student grants awarded by the scholarship committee. The Lygia Ribeiro Cintra Scholarship and the Ely Weinstein Scholarship are two really great examples of what interpreters can accomplish through networking and cooperation. Many, many thanks to the indefatigable Marina Lunche and her committee of CCIA veterans! Let's keep that positive energy flowing!
Other news on the education front: We are again discussing the feasibility of developing a four-year college program for training future interpreters. Also under consideration is a proposal to incorporate into law school curriculums a compulsory course on the proper way to work with interpreters. The CCIA representative who will soon be appointed to the Judicial Council Advisory Panel will be able to articulate these ideas in a place where they may well bear fruit.
Another home-grown committee that is hard at work on your behalf is the Fees and Working Conditions Committee. A catchy name, I know! Maybe Groans and Gripes? At any rate, JoAnn Breeze is the lucky chair of same, responding to Judge Ito's request for a formal report on things that drive us crazy at work. See Sean Lillywhite's comments on this subject on page 4. Proving once again that there is strength in numbers, CCIA is looking into offering Errors and Omissions Insurance to its members.
Just a sample of the things that CCIA is doing this summer. As I have been saying in my visits to the chapters: Please help and participate; apathy only breeds whiners and naysayers! Speaking from personal experience, I can say: "Get involved and your attitude will change!"
See you in October at our 27th Annual Conference in God's country: beautiful Santa Barbara!
Carlos Cerecedo
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CCIA's Tradition of Service Continues…
Scholarships Prepare a New Generation of Professionals
Providing continuing education for its members has always been one of CCIA's main goals. It's not surprising that, over the last quarter century, we have also tried to find ways to fund scholarships for aspiring interpreters. However, in spite of applying for grants to many public and private agencies it wasn't until 1984 that the first CCIA scholarship was finally created. It was called the Ely Weinstein Scholarship Fund, in memory of one of our colleagues. Significantly, the funding source was contributions from our own members.
Then, in 1995, another wonderful thing happened! I had the good fortune of meeting Claudio Eskenazi, a senior interpreter at the European Union. We invited him to speak on the duties of interpreters at that organization. He agreed, speaking first for our Central Coast Chapter and later as a presenter at our Annual Conference in Sacramento. I had several discussions with Mr. Eskenazi and was able to tell him of my dream of providing financial aid for people who wanted to become interpreters. Mr. Eskenazi said that if CCIA presented him with an acceptable proposal, he would be willing to fund such a scholarship! With the help of Richard Weatherby, who was then the president of CCIA, we developed a proposal to fund the scholarship for five years. The first year, CCIA would receive $20,000. Our proposal was accepted and CCIA received the first $20,000 around July of 1997.
There were several conditions. First,, the fund was to be called the Ligia Ribeiro Cintra Scholarship, in memory of Mr. Eskenazi's mother. As Mr. Eskenazi had also specified, the applicants must be bilingual persons who want to become interpreter-translators but who don't have the money to pay for their schooling. They must also have been accepted at an accredited school either in California or another state.
We have been deluged with applications! After a thorough and conscientious consideration of each applicant, the committee has approved grants for eighteen students.
So that's the wonderful news about the Ligia Ribeiro Cintra Scholarship! The Ely Weinsterin Scholarship, although now entirely depleted, has also been put to good use. Its funds were used to send three students to other schools, such as the California School of Languages in Santa Fe Springs. One scholarship recipient is about to take the State exam and several have become student members of CCIA.
It has been a wonderful experience to be able to help qualified students. The important thing for us to remember, however, is that the true beneficiary is the interpreting profession as a whole. By helping these students, we are making sure that new interpreters will be well-prepared and fully qualified to take our place in areas of critical importance, such as the State and Federal Courts.
Please take a moment after you finish this story to help us replenish the Ely Weinstein Scholarship by writing a check to CCIA. Be sure to specify the name of the scholarship. A minimum contribution of $10 from each of 500 members would provide $5,000! This small amount will enable you, as a CCIA member, to make a big difference in many people's lives.
Thank you,
Marina Lunche
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Monterey Institute of International Studies
June 9, 1998
Dear Colleagues:
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for awarding the Ligia Ribeiro Cintra Scholarship to three of my students! They are most grateful for the assistance you've given them, and we at the Monterey Institute are very appreciative of the support you're giving to the education of future colleagues. Many qualified students who otherwise would be unable to pursue training in court interpreting will now be able to avail themselves of that opportunity, thanks to your farsighted generosity. This marks the beginning of a new era in court interpreter education.
Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Holly Mikkelson, Director
International Interpretation Resource Center
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"This scholarship is a great boon to me, and I thank you and the committee for the extra hours of time you put into considering the applications and making your decisions. You are helping future translators and interpreters meet their goals, a noble endeavor." -Linda Arvanites, Ph.D.
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Send me a dream
San Diego Envisions the Ideal Interpreter Coordinator
During Carlos Cerecedo's visit to the San Diego Chapter in March, he remarked that with the enactment of the State Trial Court Funding Act, the selection and hiring of key figures such as the interpreter coordinator would be handled henceforth by the State of California. He saw this event as a perfect opportunity for judicial interpreters to express their opinion on a matter of vital importance and proposed that the San Diego Chapter prepare a profile of the ideal interpreter coordinator. This report, drawn up by a group of experienced interpreters, could then be made available to the consulting firm hired by the state to draw up a job description for the position.
Rising magnificently to the occasion, a committee headed by Gloria Mayne and Eugenia Arguello, researched, organized and wrote a very thorough and very thoughtful analysis of the qualifications and responsibilities of the position. The eight-page report was presented to the Judicial Council Interpreter Advisory Panel at its May 16 meeting in San Diego. The work done by this committee represents a most worthwhile and significant achievement for improving working conditions for all judicial interpreters throughout the state. Its members deserve our congratulations and our thanks.
The entire report is available for inspection by any of our members at the CCIA office, which can be reached at the address and telephone number indicated on page 2 of this issue.
(Web Page Editors Note: You can also see it right here.)
Susan Burris
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An Interpreter's Trials
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if any of you is bilingual, please let us know if you hear the interpreter make a mistake." Sound familiar? Words to this effect are still spoken in many courtrooms throughout the state. You would never hear judges asking jurors to correct any other expert in the courtroom, so why interpreters? The obvious answer is that there still exists a general misunderstanding about what it takes to do our job, even among judges. "If you speak another language, you can interpret." But the not-so-obvious reason is the absence of a policy or standard to instruct judges in this regard. That is why you will hear some judges say something similar to the above, while others tell bilingual jurors to accept the court certified interpreters without question, and still others say nothing one way or the other. There is a general lack of consistency on the bench regarding this issue and it should be clarified. I understand that Judge Ito has been working on revising the jury instructions to include something that covers this topic. But it is not known how the final wording will come out. As interpreters, we have a responsibility to stay informed about this and other matters affecting our profession, and to influence their outcome. Call your local representative today and volunteer to help out. Our profession is going through many changes. Now is the time to get involved and help shape the future of our profession.
Sean Lillywhite
Chair, Orange County CCIA
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Los Angeles County Chapter Offers Double Program
On May 20, the LACC was pleased to host a general membership luncheon and workshop for its members. Carlos Cerecedo, continuing his swing through the CCIA's eleven chapters, addressed the group on the CCIA's current activities and conducted a question-and-answer session. This presentation was very well received.
The other part of the program was devoted to Iris Fiorito's workshop for Spanish language interpreters entitled <<Introduccion a la Linguistica Espanola-Semejanzas y Contrastes>>. Ms. Fiorito is the program director of the Interpreting/Translation Program at California State University, Los Angeles. Another workshop scheduled for the same day and designed for OTS interpreters was cancelled because of insufficient enrollment.
It is important for members to realize that CCIA and the profession as a whole needs more active participation from its members. The LACC Board is more than willing to set up meetings to discuss current events affecting interpreters. We encourage these opportunities to share ideas and exchange information as it helps to dispel rumor and erroneous conjecture.
We also encourage written input from our members. Send a card, letter or note with your ideas, suggestions or questions to: LACC-CCIA, P.O. Box 90812, Pasadena, CA 91109-0812
Renee Veale, LACC Chair
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You Go, Girl!
San Diego's Alee Alger Robbins is one of three "National Speakers" invited to make a presentation at the Minnesota Bar Associations Annual Conference for Continuing Education on August 24th.
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News from Continuing Education
By Lourdes Gonzalez Campbell
As many of you already know, our annual conference will be at the Radisson Hotel in Santa Barbara this year. The theme of our conference will be Ethnic Diversity in California-Languages & the Law. Please remember that this is a conference for judges, lawyers, law students, and interpreters. Space is limited, so sign up early! Make your hotel reservations by calling the Radisson at (805) 963-0744. Mention CCIA for a group rate. There will be a special arrangement with an airline for those flying into Santa Barbara Airport; this information will be provided when available.
Just a preview of some of the topics and presenters:
The Honorable Steven Z. Perren-Judge, Ventura County Superior Court:
Sensitivity to Ethnic Differences in the Courtroom
Judge Perren has a wealth of experience in this subject-he is the child of immigrant parents, and has dealt with serious ethnic issues in his own courtroom. Judge Perren is a truly multi-talented individual; he has a great voice, and he sings and performs in theater productions in Ventura. His contributions to many civic and charitable organizations are greatly appreciated by the community.
1 MCLE/CIMCE credit requested.
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Gary Windom, Ventura County Public Defender, Judicial Candidate, and Professor at Ventura/Santa Barbara College of Law:
Motions and Emotions
Mr. Windom will make a joint presentation with Daniel Robert, who needs no introduction to experienced interpreterrs. For the newcomers, he is a Certified Court and Federal Interpreter, and also an attorney, from Mexico City. He has a very quick and witty sense of humor. Mr. Windom will walk us through the process of those terribly complicated motions, and Mr. Robert will give us the precise translation into Spanish of the motion, along with the etymology of those Latin words that come up in these motions.
2 MCLE/CIMCE credits requested.
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The Honorable Thomas Adams-Judge, Santa Barbara Superior Court:
The Judge, the Lawyers and the Interpreter
Judge Adams has recently presided over a long homicide trial where Asian Languages and ethnicity were an integral part of the proceedings. He is a great speaker!
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Stuart Hanlon, Attorney from San Francisco:
Mr. Hanlon's lecture will cut to the core of the justice system-the case of Mr. Geronimo Pratt, and ethnic issues that came up in his 1972 trial. After his murder conviction was overturned just last year, Mr. Pratt, a former Black Panther Party leader, was released from a Los Angeles jail. Mr. Pratt has steadfastly maintained that he did not commit the crime for which he was convicted. The presenter is the attorney who represented Mr. Pratt in the appeal that resulted in a new trial.
Mr. Hanlon has recently filed a suit on behalf of Mr. Pratt, against the FBI, for malicious prosecution.
1 MCLE/CIMCE credit requested.
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Terence Geoghegan, Medical Malpractice Attorney, multilingual, 5th Dan Black Belt in Taekwon-do, violist and violinist, Editor-in-Chief, CITATIONS, and author of the column The Language Police:
"Shooting from the Chip"
Mr. Georghegan will combine a discourse on virtuoso English grammar and usage with a seriously advanced exposition of English vocabulary for guns and computers, to enrich our glossaries. (While this will not be a class in computer use or internet navigation, those topics will be fully covered for vocabulary.)
2 MCLE/CIMCE credits requested.
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Joyce Dudley, Santa Barbara District Attorney, Sexual Crimes Division:
Assisting our Most Vulnerable Victims - the Children
Ms. Dudley brings to us her considerable expertise in handling sexual cases with child victims. Her compassion and sensitivity will teach us all how to better present ourselves to these innocent witnesses, many of whom do not speak English. She will explain how she has involved everyone in the courtroom, from the judge to the interpreter, to make the horrific experience of testifying against a perpetrator more bearable for child victims and witnesses.
2 MCLE/CIMCE credits requested.
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Sandra Jenkins, Interpreter:
How Heavenly It Is to Use the Precise Word
Ms. Jenkins has a Master's Degree in History from Hunter College, New York, and a Ph.D. in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Madrid. As well as being a licensed interpreter, she holds advanced teaching credentials from the State of California.
1 MCLE/CIMCE credit requested.
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Other subjects include:
Cases Appealed on Language Issues
Joseph Allen, Attorney
Language Barriers as an Issue in Clinical Evaluations
Forensic Psychiatrist/Attorney, Ronald Shlensky
Preparing for Trial with Language Issues and Interpreters
A joint presentation by Public Defender Richard Goldman and District Attorney Hillary Dozier.
Panel Discussion: Ethics, Law, Languages and Ethnicity
Start preparing your questions! A panel of interpreters, judges, lawyers, and law professors, will participate in a panel discussion. Questions from the audience will be submitted in advance. Moderated by an interpreter.
Plans are now being finalized for other subjects and presenters, including selection of a Keynote Speaker. Information will be provided as soon as it is available; address specific queries to:
Lourdes Gonzalez Campbell
Language@west.net
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Have Web Will Travel - Part IV
As we have seen in Part I and Part II of Have Web Will Travel in the previous issues of The Polyglot, proverbs have pedagogical and formative functions. They are also used extensively in journalism and advertisement, often with word substitutions and clever punning. They are a rich source of culturally encoded materials as well. The darkerr side of proverbs was also illuminated, as they often provide vehicles for racism and sexism to rear their ugly heads. In Have Web Will Travel - III in the last issue of The Polyglot we visited the Japanese Information Home Page http://www.ntt.co.jp/japan/ and the Kotowaza (Japanese proverbs) link developed by Tim Duncan http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~timd/kotuwaza/kotuwaza.html which, in turn, yielded several additional sites under the heading of "Further links".
"Russian Proverbs" is somewhat disappointing, as it gives the proverbs only in English, without the original from which they have been translated.
"Romanian Proverbs" refers the browser to the digital publication De Proverbio at the University of Tasmania, which will be discussed later, under the last link in this group.
Neither "Dutch Proverbs" nor "Chinese Proverbs" could be accessed, although it was not for lack of trying on several occasions.
"French Proverbs" is both poor and fraught with mistakes. Don't bother.
"Proverbs from Slavic Languages" leads to the Department of Slavic Languages at the University of Pennsylvania. Even though there are only a few links posted at that site, one of then, under "Slavic Related Links" is the Russian and East European Studies (REES) web link. It leads the browser to the University of Pittsburgh and to hundreds of Slavic links (http://www.pitt.edu:81/~cjp/rees.html). These URLs cover language (and, of course, proverbs), literature, music, art, culture, government, etc. From this site, one can also access the home page of numerous East European countries such as Albania, Armenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine Yugoslavia, etc.
"African Proverbs" (http://www.demon.co.uk/africa/proverbs/docs/proverbs1.htm) provides a fun list of proverbs, such as: "The disobedient fowl obeys in a pot of soup" (Benin - Nigeria), "When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers" (Uganda), or "One should never rub bottoms with a porcupine" (Akan).
Proverbs from Around the World & Annoying Cliches
"Proverbs from Around the World" provides 290 entries from numerous countries, but all in English, without the source text available. This link will be discussed at some length in the next and last installment of "Have Web Will Travel" in the next issue of The Polyglot. "Annoying Cliches" has 96 English language proverbs listed.
Last, but not least, "Further Proverbs" refers the fortunate browser directly to a wonderful site, the De Proverbio (An Electronic Journal of International Proverb Studies) at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia (http://info.utas.edu.au/docs/flonta/DP,1,1,95/index.html). This is one of the richest sites relating to proverb studies. Under the heading "The Masters", numerous articles by Wolfgang Mieder, a professor at the University of Vermont and a leading scholar in paremiology, can be downloaded, including an exhaustive bibliography of paremiological publications. Under the heading "Books", Theodor Flonta, a professor in the Italian Department at the University of Tasmania and the editor of De Proverbio, has an excellent list of English-Romanian proverbs. He has edited a fun list of Italian proverbs compiles by the sixteenth century Sienese scholar, Antonio Vignali.
The Web-Footed Interpreter would be most grateful to all of you if you were to share any useful URL's you may have discovered. We will try to include them in the Web-Footed Interpreter column, and will most assuredly give you credit for your contribution. Please send information or any questions you may have to:
Dr. Alexander Rainof
1021 12th Street, #101
Santa Monica, CA 90403
E-mail arainof@ucla.edu
Fax (310) 395-1885
A. Rainof