Looking Forward to Boston: CLD Offerings*
Distinguished Speaker:
Bok Kow Tsim Translating United Nations Documents into Chinese, Part I:
Organization and Operation
The presentation will focus on the organization and operation of the Chinese translation service provided by the United Nations. Special attention will be given to technical issues specific to the Chinese translation of United Nations documents and the range of tools available to translators. Related background information on documents of the United Nations and the in-house translation organization structure will be given. The presentation will also discuss the training and preparation necessary for Chinese translators to excel in handling United Nations documents.
Translating United Nations Documents into Chinese, Part II: Challenges and Solutions
The presentation will focus on the nature of United Nations documents and some of the attendant challenges, especially those more problematic for Chinese translators. Using United Nations documents and Chinese translated texts as examples, the presenter will discuss from a practitioner's perspective problems such as those relating to compromise text; historic text; local or regional submissions; institutional language and drafting style of departments or agencies; and the usage of legalese in non-legal text. The goal is to heighten the sensitivity of translators in analyzing and translating documents of the United Nations and other international organizations.
Zhengsheng Cheng The Issue of Collocation When Translating Official Chinese
Documents into English
Semantic ambiguities or inaccuracies in English translation often derive from our propensity for using English merely as an instrument to express ideas in the source texts. We tend to focus on finding linguistic elements in English that ostensibly correspond to their counterparts in the Chinese text, resulting in English translations marred by obscurity and elusiveness. The “expressive” approach to translation should be replaced by a “communicative” approach that emphasizes the linguistic bonds between the writer (translator) and the English reader. This paper presents both a theoretic elaboration on the distinction between the two approaches to translation -- “expressive” and “communicative,” and an analysis of specific examples relating to various types of collocations in the English translation of official Chinese documents to illustrate the practical significance of this distinction.
Huilin Gao Introduction to Gaming Translation
An introduction to the increasingly popular area of translation: the gaming industry. The session is primarily for Chinese <-> English translators and will review different modes and purposes of gaming and how these can vary the translation outcome as gaming language often contain a lot of slang, clichés and dialect as well as be intended for different audiences. Participants will be introduced to and practice gaming translation methods that are often unique from traditional translation methods, such as recognizing a picture associated with a word to translate which is more accurate than simple word-to-word translation.
Anne Henochowicz, Exploring Chinese-English Interpreting Techniques
Yian Yang
& Liping Zhao
There is a growing demand in Chinese/English interpreting. This has always been one of the most daunting language pairs. We will examine the following, speaking from personal experience: number conversions, tenses, plurals and pronouns, dialect/accent difficulties, different problems faced by native Chinese and native English interpreters, what to do when a word or phrase is unknown, what to do when an interpreting mistake has been made, and interpreter self-assessment and training.
Jeffrey Keller Translating Chinese Plants and Animals
While most translators do not specialize in plants and animals, they tend to show up when least expected. Since many plants and animals native to China don't have native equivalents in the West, translation can be tricky. This presentation will provide some strategies and resources for translation and a basic introduction to dealing with the scientific nomenclature. Traditional Chinese medicine will be mentioned, but it will not be the main focus of the presentation.
Yuanxi Ma & Nuts and Bolts in Chinese<>English Translation II: Dealing
Di Wu with the Parts of Speech
We are continuing from our presentation given at the last ATA conference in Denver bearing the title: “Nuts and Bolts in Chinese<>English translation”; this time dealing with some other “nuts and bolts”. The parts of speech are important components of English grammar, which used to be very strict in their application. But nowadays, there seem to be more and more interchangeable' use of them. Adjectives and their attributive forms and functions also seem to have been broadened and more flexible. Then we will go on exploring the world of idioms and proverbs, which have always fascinated us translators. Discussion with the audience as to how we attempt to deal with these challenges (with examples) will be incorporated in our presentation.
Hua (Barbara)
Y. Robinson Chinese Sensitivities in Language and Visual Choices
When translating English content into Chinese, the speaker often observed customs and taboos related to business and promotional documents including power points presentation, posters and signage. Like every culture, Chinese culture contains certain customs and taboos. Being conscious of its sensitivities can illustrate translator’s respect and understanding of the Chinese community, and help to establish understanding among different cultures. The speaker intends to have an overview of the Chinese sensitivities in language and visual choices and discusses with attendees of their personal experience.
*Please note that all offerings are subject to change
Boston Here We Come!
There is always someone in the delegations from China for whom I interpret asking how Boston ranks among American cities. Well, with a total land area of 48.4 square miles, Boston is the second smallest of the 30 most populous cities in the country. The city proper has a population of about 617,000, but the daytime population doubles as people come into the city to work, shop, go to school, receive health care, visit cultural and historic sites, or attend cultural or sporting events.
The conference will be held October 26-29, 2011. The fall color peaks in mid-October in Boston. If the weather is calm and not too cold before you arrive, you may see the red and orange leaves on the trees. Otherwise, you may want to go to Connecticut after checking the foliage report or the local news.
Boston was founded in 1630 by Puritans - not Pilgrims (who had established the Colony of Plymouth 40 miles south of Boston 10 years prior) - who named their settlement Boston for the small English town from which most of them had emigrated. Obviously they knew little about urban design. Therefore, Boston’s streets are not rigidly patterned like a checkerboard but artistically angled in different ways, and they are not mechanically numbered but affectionately named. Cars are going in the same direction in two or even three neighboring one-way streets. Two-way streets can become one-way without warning. One-way streets can suddenly change direction for no obvious reason. There are streets in which cars go in one direction and buses go in the other. I have gotten lost numerous times following GPS directions in downtown Boston and Harvard Square.
These twisty streets are great reasons for not driving in Boston or Cambridge. Boston is a very walkable city - put on your walking shoes and keep the money you would spend on car rentals. Walking is good for your health but finding a parking space in Boston is not. Besides, you can walk from the conference hotel, Marriott Copley Place, to many hotspots in minutes. I find the 5.25 by 3.75” pop-out map of Boston with the subway map on its back (ISBN 1-84139-009-7) very handy when walking around town and in Harvard Square.
If you love high heels or want to go to places farther than walking distance, you may want to take advantage of North America’s oldest subway known to Bostonians as the T. The T opened in 1897 and now has five city lines as well as twelve commuter lines to surrounding towns and cities. To go to the conference, take the Green Line to Copley or Orange Line to Back Bay. To visit Chinese visitors’ Mecca of higher education, take the Red Line (direction Alewife) to Cambridge and get off at Harvard Square or Kendall/MIT. The T entrance on the street may be labeled INBOUND or OUTBOUND, which is confusing even for longtime suburbanites of Boston. If the Downtown Crossing stop is on the way to your destination, take the inbound train; otherwise, outbound.
For convenience and economics, you may want to buy a Charlie Card to take the T. You don’t have to take the card out of your wallet. Just put the whole thing on the sensor and enter the gate. With the Charlie Card, you pay $1.70 instead of $2 per trip. Many businesses also offer discounts just for showing your Charlie Card which can be purchased at major T stations. Buyers beware: there is a scam on the Internet offering huge discount on Charlie Cards - the T authority does not offer any discount on any ticket.
In the Neighborhood
The ATA 52nd Annual Conference will be held at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston’s Back Bay, a neighborhood which embraces one of America’s richest collections of art and architecture. There are plenty of things to see right in the neighborhood:
The Boston Public Library (2 blocks away) is the first free municipal library in the world. Free tours are available.
Skywalk Observatory (three blocks away) located at the top of the Prudential Center, provides 360 degree views of Greater Boston and is New England’s only observatory.
The Trinity Church (3 blocks away)
A National Historic Landmark, built in 1877, this is the only church in the U.S. ever honored as one of the "Ten Most Significant Buildings in the United States" by the American Institute of Architects. When you are there, remember to turnaround to see the church’s reflection on the neighboring green glass building, the Hancock Building (tallest in New England.) The Church is open for worship.
A National Historic Landmark, built in 1877, this is the only church in the U.S. ever honored as one of the "Ten Most Significant Buildings in the United States" by the American Institute of Architects. When you are there, remember to turnaround to see the church’s reflection on the neighboring green glass building, the Hancock Building (tallest in New England.) The Church is open for worship.
Boston Common and Public Garden (20-minute walk or Green Line to Boylston)
Dating from 1634, the Common is the oldest city park in the U.S. Seperated from the Common by Charles Street, the Garden was established in 1837 as the first public botanical garden in the U.S.
Dating from 1634, the Common is the oldest city park in the U.S. Seperated from the Common by Charles Street, the Garden was established in 1837 as the first public botanical garden in the U.S.
Shopping
There are also numerous shopping experiences to be found in the area. Visit The Prudential Center (three blocks from the Marriott Copley Place) for upscale shopping mall and restaurants. Newbury Street (four blocks north of the Marriott) offers upscale boutiques, beauty salons, restaurants, etc. housed in eight blocks of historic 19th-century brownstone buildings on each side of the street, making it a popular destination for tourists and locals. Newbury Street is one of the most expensive streets in the world. The most expensive boutiques are located near the Boston Public Garden. The shops gradually become slightly less expensive and more bohemian toward Massachusetts Avenue. Just a T ride away (take the Green Line to Haymarket), the Haymarket is an open-air fruit and vegetable market near Faneuil Hall Marketplace. It has been open since the 1830s and offers produce at a price much lower than a normal supermarket does. Make sure they give you the good ones from the top of the pile!
Exploring Beyond Back Bay
City Tours
City Tours
Freedom Trail—Boston’s historic walking tour
The Trail takes you to 16 historical sites in 2-3 hours. A red brick or painted line serves as a guide connecting sites along this self-guided tour.
Boston By Foot, Inc. is a non-profit organization offering a 90-minute walking tour of Boston’s architecture and history.
Boston Duck Tours let you ride like a champ in an amphibious vehicle. The ride is eighty minutes long, twenty minutes of which are spent on the Charles River. These vehicles also carry Boston’s professional athletes for the rolling rallies in the City after they win a championship. They have been used for that purpose seven times in the last nine years because New England’s football (Patriots), baseball (Red Sox), basketball (Celtics), and hockey (Bruins) teams have won seven championships in total since 2002.
The Beantown Trolley and Old Town Trolley let you hop on and off at designated stops an unlimited number of times all day long.
Museums
There are too many museums in Boston to list even just those in the city proper - these are just a few of the most notable. For a comprehensive list visit the city’s official museum listing site.
Bunker Hill Monument
294 steps lead to a pinnacle where you can enjoy an amazing vista. Admission is free.
294 steps lead to a pinnacle where you can enjoy an amazing vista. Admission is free.
Harvard Museum of Natural History
Don’t miss the world famous exhibit of 3,000 glass flowers!
Don’t miss the world famous exhibit of 3,000 glass flowers!
In addition to housing a remarkable fine art collection, this museum is famous for the thirteen works of art which were stolen from its galleries by a pair of thieves disguised as Boston police officers in the early morning of March 18, 1990. The estimated value of the stolen artworks is $500 million, making the theft the largest single property theft in recorded history. Empty frames are still hanging in the Dutch Room gallery both in homage to the missing works and as a placeholder for their eventual return. Visitors named Isabella are admitted free, and those wearing Red Sox paraphernalia receive $2 off.
JFK Library
Overlooking the Boston Harbor, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum offers an opportunity to experience firsthand the life and legacy of John and Jacqueline Kennedy.
Overlooking the Boston Harbor, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum offers an opportunity to experience firsthand the life and legacy of John and Jacqueline Kennedy.
Museum of Fine Arts
Admission is free on Wednesday night from 4 to 9:45 PM.
Admission is free on Wednesday night from 4 to 9:45 PM.
Peabody-Essex Museum
Explore the region’s legendary connections to the art and culture of Asia as well as two centuries of New England life, art, and architecture through the museum's National Historic Landmark houses. A 200-year old Chinese house named Yin Yu Tang was moved from China and reassembled piece by piece in this museum.
Explore the region’s legendary connections to the art and culture of Asia as well as two centuries of New England life, art, and architecture through the museum's National Historic Landmark houses. A 200-year old Chinese house named Yin Yu Tang was moved from China and reassembled piece by piece in this museum.
Reservations are required (617.727.3676) for a free 45-minute tour of this historic building from 1798.
USS Constitution
Nicknamed “Old Ironsides” and first launched in 1797 this is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world.
For the Young
Nicknamed “Old Ironsides” and first launched in 1797 this is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world.
For the Young
The hands-on learning experience is great for toddlers and elementary school children. I haven’t been there for years but all the little visitors I sent there in the last few months said, “I like Boston” when they exited the Museum.
Museum of Science
This museum offers 700 interactive exhibits, all hands-on and minds-on. Its Discovery Center is designed for children from birth to age eight and their accompanying grownups. Pay extra for Omni Theatre (five-story high domed screen), Butterfly Garden, Planetarium, and 3D Digital Cinema
New England Aquarium
Besides a four-story Giant Ocean Tank, the Aquarium’s Simons IMAX Theatre offers 3D film on New England’s largest screen. Admission is only $1 on Friday Nights, 5-9 PM.
Concerts and Theaters
Museum of Science
This museum offers 700 interactive exhibits, all hands-on and minds-on. Its Discovery Center is designed for children from birth to age eight and their accompanying grownups. Pay extra for Omni Theatre (five-story high domed screen), Butterfly Garden, Planetarium, and 3D Digital Cinema
New England Aquarium
Besides a four-story Giant Ocean Tank, the Aquarium’s Simons IMAX Theatre offers 3D film on New England’s largest screen. Admission is only $1 on Friday Nights, 5-9 PM.
Concerts and Theaters
Symphony Hall
Built in 1900, the Symphony Hall is a National Historic Landmark and the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Handel and Haydn Society. Acoustically, it is among the top three concert halls in the world and the finest in the U.S.
Built in 1900, the Symphony Hall is a National Historic Landmark and the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Handel and Haydn Society. Acoustically, it is among the top three concert halls in the world and the finest in the U.S.
Opera House
Take the Green Line to Boylston, the nation’s oldest subway station, to visit the Opera House which opened in 1928. With Broadway Across America and Boston Ballet as primary tenants, and a host of other presenters lining up dates between those runs, the Opera House has the busiest theatre schedule in New England. Its interior is magnificent.
Take the Green Line to Boylston, the nation’s oldest subway station, to visit the Opera House which opened in 1928. With Broadway Across America and Boston Ballet as primary tenants, and a host of other presenters lining up dates between those runs, the Opera House has the busiest theatre schedule in New England. Its interior is magnificent.
Colonial Theater
Opened in 1900, this is the oldest continuously operating theatre in New England and continues to present the best Broadway shows and world premieres - enjoy 21st Century technology surrounded by 19th Century elegance.
Opened in 1900, this is the oldest continuously operating theatre in New England and continues to present the best Broadway shows and world premieres - enjoy 21st Century technology surrounded by 19th Century elegance.
Blue Man Group at Charles Playhouse
The playhouse provides a unique form of entertainment combining comedy, music, and multimedia theatrics.
The playhouse provides a unique form of entertainment combining comedy, music, and multimedia theatrics.
Joe is a standup comedian emigrated from China and is still based out of Boston. Besides appearing in major TV talk shows, he was invited by VP Joe Biden to perform at the Correspondents Dinner in the White House last year.
For Sports Fans
Whether you like or hate the Boston/New England teams, tickets to watch them play are hard to get. You can buy them online if you are lucky. The Celtics and the Bruins will be playing in October at TD garden (Green/Orange Line to North Station). The Red Sox will play in the 100-year old Fenway Park (Green Line C/C/D train to Fenway) if they make the playoffs, which is very likely. The Park is small, the games are always sold out, and the fans are very loyal and expressive creating a playoff atmosphere for every regular season game. The resonance you experience here is unmatchable in any other ballpark or stadium. Fenway Park Tours and you can also visit the sports museum found on levels 5 and 6 inside the TD Garden.
Campus Visits
Boston is an intellectual center and a college town with more than 250,000 students attending college in Boston and Cambridge alone. If you have college-bound kids, you may want to visit some of the more than 100 colleges/universities in Greater Boston. Green Line B trains take you to Boston University and Boston College. Take Green Line E trains to Northeastern University and the New England Conservatory (the only music school in the U.S. designated as a National Historic Landmark). All Green lines will take you to Simmons College in Fenway while the Red Line will get you to the University of Massachusetts at Boston, Harvard and MIT.
For Sports Fans
Whether you like or hate the Boston/New England teams, tickets to watch them play are hard to get. You can buy them online if you are lucky. The Celtics and the Bruins will be playing in October at TD garden (Green/Orange Line to North Station). The Red Sox will play in the 100-year old Fenway Park (Green Line C/C/D train to Fenway) if they make the playoffs, which is very likely. The Park is small, the games are always sold out, and the fans are very loyal and expressive creating a playoff atmosphere for every regular season game. The resonance you experience here is unmatchable in any other ballpark or stadium. Fenway Park Tours and you can also visit the sports museum found on levels 5 and 6 inside the TD Garden.
Campus Visits
Boston is an intellectual center and a college town with more than 250,000 students attending college in Boston and Cambridge alone. If you have college-bound kids, you may want to visit some of the more than 100 colleges/universities in Greater Boston. Green Line B trains take you to Boston University and Boston College. Take Green Line E trains to Northeastern University and the New England Conservatory (the only music school in the U.S. designated as a National Historic Landmark). All Green lines will take you to Simmons College in Fenway while the Red Line will get you to the University of Massachusetts at Boston, Harvard and MIT.
Manyee Tang
Chinese <> English Translator and Interpreter
e-mail: eagonsys@comcast.net
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