SEE YOU IN SUNNY
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!
Come October, you and the ATA 53rd Annual
Conference will be in San Diego, the eighth largest city in the United States,
the land of sunshine, big surf, soft white beaches and miles of coastline offering
unobstructed views of the deep blue ocean all the way to Mexico.
If you have time to drive up Coast Highway 101, you will understand why people who have come here don’t want to leave. Besides
the tanned surfers crossing the road barefooted, surf boards under their arms,
their wetsuits half-open, flapping in the wind, you may also catch a glimpse of
dolphins frolicking in the ocean and an occasional whale spouting in the
distance.
This city has fresh air – unlike our smoggy neighbor, Los
Angeles, to the north. San Diego is also a melting pot, where myriad ethnic
communities have settled. At the southern tip of the Golden State, just across
the border from Mexico, San Diego is 29% Hispanic, 16% Asian and 45% white. The
rest of the population is mix of African-Americans, Native and Alaskan American
and Pacific Islander in origin.
Demographics
It is not known how many Chinese are here, but conservative
estimates put them at 50,000. The population is not big enough to support a
China Town. However, if you drive up to Convoy Street in Kearny Mesa, about 35 minute
from where the Conference will be held, you will find clusters of Chinese
restaurants and shops mixed in with Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese eateries. I
recommend China Max and Emerald Restaurants. For the super health-conscious,
San Diego is also a destination for vegan food and organic produce although you
may not find them readily available at eateries around the Hilton.
Food & Shopping
Around the Hilton
Now, a little about the Hilton’s immediate neighborhood.
Just across Harbor Drive is the trendy Gaslamp Quarter, so called because of its gas lamps. From the hotel, walk toward Harbor Drive,
find the Fifth Avenue pedestrian crossing, and enter the Gaslamp Quarter under
its welcoming arch. Once a blighted district full of tattoo parlors, seedy
bars, adult businesses and pawn shops, today’s Gaslamp Quarter is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and is a hub for fine dining, art
galleries, bars, dance clubs, Irish pubs and night life.
One restaurant deserves mentioning. That’s Croce’sRestaurant & Jazz Bar at 802 Fifth Avenue, opened by Jim Croce’s widow, Ingrid,
as a tribute to her late husband. The Jazz Bar offers live music every night.
Conference goers who like Asian food – alas, there are no
really good Chinese restaurants downtown – Rama Thai on 327 Fourth Avenue could be a good place for a sit-down meal. If you want casual fare, try J Wok’s
Asian fusion at 744 Market Street, or just walk to Horton Plaza, where you can enter the mall on
Fourth Avenue near Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza. On the top level of Horton Plaza
are sundry fast food shops and a cinema. You can’t miss Horton Plaza’s
brightly-colored façade and mismatched levels. It was the centerpiece of a
downtown redevelopment project, and has been a shopping destination since.
Next to the Horton Plaza is the Lyceum Theatres, home of the
San Diego Repertory Theatre. The theater may not have anything playing at the
time of the Conference.
Just next to the Gaslamp Quarter is $474 million Petco Park,
home of the Padres. The ballpark opened in 2004 with 42,000 seats. It fueled
the redevelopment of the old warehouse district to its east, called East
Village, a chic neighborhood.
Not interested in eating and shopping？Then walk the length of Harbor Drive
toward the ocean to experience the variety that San Diego has to offer. First,
you will see the San Diego Convention Center, a sprawling
structure with sails on the roof. Farther west is Seaport Village, a kind of Fisherman’s Wharf with a
lovely boardwalk. Farther down, you will see the massive gray USS Midway, which
is permanently ‘parked’ here as a museum.
Continue on, and you will come to the entrance to the
Coronado ferry pier. The ferry ride is short, but it will give you a taste of
being afloat. If you want a more extensive boat tour, take the Hornblower cruise. Still farther down the road is
the Maritime Museum on the multi-sailed Star of India, a majestic vessel at
Harbor Drive and Broadway at the entrance to downtown San Diego. Now that you
have seen this stretch in daylight, come back at night to enjoy the lights and
breathe in the smell of the sea swept ashore by the light, year-round ocean
breeze.
If you don’t want to walk, try the red trolley. It stops at
the Gaslamp Quarter, the Convention Center and Seaport Village before turning
into downtown’s Santa Fe Depot, and then heading into Little Italy.
No matter what you decide to do with your spare time here, I
can guarantee that you will enjoy some part of this city and its heritage. Let
me extend a hearty welcome to you, and say 欢迎， 歡迎！
Things
to do if you have a car
1. Drive up Coast Highway 101
Take Interstate 5 North, exit Genesee Avenue, and then
follow the road, which becomes North Torrey Pines Road. Go up the hill, and
then down, and take in the crashing waves of Torrey Pines State Beach below.
Follow the road into Del Mar, then veer off to the left when Camino Del Mar
forks, so you will continue driving on Highway 101. You will pass through
Solana Beach, Encinitas, where Swami’s, a famous surf spot, is located. You
will then drive through Carlsbad, and then, just at the border of Carlsbad and
its northerly neighbor, Oceanside, turn around and return downtown.
On your way back, stop by the Salk Institute at 10010 North
Torrey Pines Road. The Institute was founded by Jonas Salk, inventor of the
polio vaccine. The façade is a bit weathered now, but the structure was built
in such a way that every research office has a view of the ocean to inspire
innovation.
Across the street from Salk is UCSD, where the space-ship
shaped Geisel Library is an attraction. The library was named after Audrey and
Theodor Geisel, creator of Dr. Seuss.
3. The seals of Children’s Pool, La Jolla Cove and La Jolla
downtown
Down the hill from UCSD is the Children’s Pool on Coast
Boulevard, home of the blubbery pinnipeds that have been the source of
consternation and legal battles between seal lovers who want the colony to stay
and residents who want them kicked out. The seals have taken over the
Children’s Pool, carved out of the ocean by a breakwater commissioned by the
late philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps.
The La Jolla Cove nearby is spectacular. Wade into the
shallow waters and look for colorful garibaldis and other fish in the
underwater park.
La Jolla downtown, within walking distance of the Cove and
Children’s Pool, is another shopping destination. La Jolla, Spanish for “The
Jewel,” is a fitting name for one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the
city.
4. San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park
The San Diego Zoo is world famous, and Balboa Park
has numerous museums and gardens, one of which is the Japanese Friendship
Garden. You can drive up Sixth Avenue from downtown, turn right at Laurel
Street, and enter the heart of Balboa Park. The zoo is next to the park, and
you can drive there.
5. Hotel Del Coronado
Cross the 2.12-mile San Diego-Coronado Bridge. The
red-roofed Hotel Del Coronado, a National Historic Landmark, is on Orange
Avenue, the town’s thoroughfare. King Edward VIII was said to have met divorcee
Wallis Simpson here.
Go to the Del’s Sun Deck, where there is a bar and outdoor
fire pits to keep you warm while you enjoy the beach and the spectacular
sunset.
6. Casinos
Native-American operated casinos are scattered all over San
Diego County.
7. Tijuana, Mexico
It is just south of San Diego, Tijuana is a popular hangout
for many. The wait to cross the border by car, however, is somewhat taxing.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection web site, it takes one to
two hours to cross at Otay Mesa and San Ysidro at 4 p.m.
Important dates for
the Chinese-Americans of San Diego (source: The
Journal of San Diego History)
1860s - 1870s
The discovery of gold and labor recruitment brought the Chinese to San Diego.
Many ended up as fishermen who lived in shanties along the waterfront. By 1870,
the Chinese supplied all the fresh fish in the city.
1881
More Chinese arrive to work on the
California Southern Railroad.
1882
Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, cutting off entry
into the United States.
1885 The Anti-Chinese Club was formed in San
Diego to protest the hiring of Chinese over whites.
1894
The Geary
Law required Chinese aliens to register.
1927 The Chinese Mission was built on First
Avenue between Market and G Streets, providing a venue for religious and social
gatherings.
1943 The Exclusion
Act was repealed, but a quota system was put in place.
1987 The San Diego City Council established a
Chinese/Asian Thematic District next to the Gaslamp Quarter. The San DiegoChinese Historical Museum at 404 Third Avenue is in the Thematic District.
Angela Lau
Chinese<>English
Translator & Interpreter
e-mail: angela@alaulanguage.com
CLD Offerings*
DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER:
Michael Berry
Logical Lapses and Trouble with Tenses:
Reflections on the
Challenges of Chinese>English Literary Translation
Based on the speaker's experience as a literary translator
of novel-length fiction, this session will explore the particular challenges
one faces in translating Chinese fiction. Topics will include tenses, logical
lapses, and Romanization of proper names. Specific examples drawn from a
variety of literary texts, including historical fiction, postmodern
experimental fiction, and the contemporary satiric novel, will be used.
Gang Li
Tips for
Taking ATA’s English>Chinese Certification Exam
The presenter, an ATA English>Chinese exam grader for
many years, will provide a brief overview of the grading procedures and exam
rules. He will also provide tips on how to prepare for the exam and review some
common errors. Attendees are invited to translate a short sample passage. (To
request a passage, please contact gangli@gangli.info.) The speaker will grade
some of the returned translations on a first-come, first-served basis. The
session will be given in a mixture of English and Chinese.
Yian Yang & Liping Zhao
Exploring Chinese-English Sight Translation
Techniques
This session will examine Chinese<>English sight
translation. Topics will include common legal terms, converting parts of
speech, and detailed discussions on sentence chunking. An interactive approach
based on exercises and discussions will be employed. Participants should gain a
better understanding of sight translation and the basic skills necessary for
linear interpreting, which is the foundation for simultaneous interpreting.
Legal and court interpreters will also benefit from attending.
Huilin Gao
Behind the Lines: Telephonic Interpreting
This session will provide an overview of the basics of
telephonic interpreting, the industry, and technology requirements and skills.
With improvements in technology, telephonic interpreting has become a popular
medium. Intended for Chinese<>English speakers, this session will be
applicable to both beginners and experienced telephonic interpreters.
Participants will gain an understanding of how to work as a stress-free
telephonic interpreter.
Yuanxi Ma & Di Wu
Nuts and Bolts in Chinese<>English Translation III: Dealing with Politically- and Legally-Oriented Excerpts and Terms
The speaker will analyze Chinese>English translations of
excerpts from legal documents and a convoluted and politically-oriented article
to see how differences in structure and expression in the two languages can be
handled. The speaker will also discuss a number of terms that are difficult to
render from one language to another (e.g., "availability").
Evelyn Yang Garland
Better Technical Translation and Interpreting: Practical Research Techniques
It has never been easier to be a good technical translator
or interpreter—as long as you have mastered the research skills to take
advantage of the enormous amount of information available today. The speaker
will discuss practical research techniques based on her experience with highly
complex technical translation and interpreting. How do you translate the name
of something from a technical field with which you are unfamiliar? How do you
interpret a technical term you have never heard of? Which of several translations
should you select for a particular project? Specific examples will be provided.
Zhesheng Cheng
On “Units of Translation” as a Working Concept in Chinese>
English Translation
There have been intense debates on the feasibility of
"translation units" as a working concept in the practice of
translation. Scholars have attempted to define "the units of
translation" with various circumscriptions, ranging from words and phrases
to clauses and sentences. Some people have even configured "units of translation"
as encompassing entire texts or discourses. The speaker will argue that
"the unit of translation" should be treated as a dynamic working
concept capable of adapting its range to different kinds of texts. Examples
will be taken from legal documents, classical Chinese texts, and poetry.
Guo Cheen & Linda Wang
Translating
Classical Chinese Buddhist Texts
The Chinese Buddhist Canon consists of many volumes that
fill an entire room. Only a small percentage of texts have been translated into
English. We will analyze the history and context for these sacred texts
briefly, how they give substance to the translation of classical Chinese
(specifically into English), and offer practical methodologies and examples on
their various forms, including classical Chinese prose, verses, poems, and
commentaries.
*Please
note that all offerings are subject to change
No comments:
Post a Comment