Making Lasting Connections: A look back at the 2019 American Translators Association Conference

The American Translators Association (ATA) 60th Annual Conference was held on October 23-26, 2019 in Palm Springs, California. This year’s venue differs from that of previous years because it was held at a convention center instead of on the premises of a hotel. The main hotel for the conference was, however, linked to the convention center for very convenient access.

The Venue (spoiler alert: it had a pool with inflatable pink floats)

The Palms Spring Convention Center is a 15-minute walk from the city’s downtown area. It’s surrounded by palm trees and the grandiose San Jacinto Mountains. The setting could not be better if you are looking to experience a Southern California vibe, with high temperatures, clear blue skies, and sunshine.

If you are part of the translation and interpreting industry, the ATA 60th Annual Conference (ATA60) was an event not to be missed. ATA’s conferences provide the opportunity to expand your knowledge, featuring sessions, panels, and workshops on a variety of topics for all levels of experience. As an attendee, I am always inspired by the speakers and the connections I make with fellow industry professionals. This year’s conference in Palms Springs was no exception.

With approximately 1,400 attendees and over 170 sessions, the conference was a busy 4-day event that offered opportunities to network with colleagues and clients, as well as get involved with the association.

The Translation Company Division of ATA

As the Administrator of the Translation Company Division (TCD) at ATA, I know first-hand that volunteering with the association is one of the most rewarding activities. It allows you to work as a team with other members who have similar interests towards a common goal. You can see the efforts from a whole year’s work come to life during the conference. For example, this year TCD nominated Andrew Lawless as its distinguished speaker, who presented two sessions: "Overcome the Fear of Selling - and Do It Your Way" and “The Mindset of the Translator: Use It to Thrive”.

The TCD’s activities during the conference included an annual event, where all members learned about the division’s activities as well as its leadership’s vision for the future. Additionally, there was an off-site dinner held at Brickworks American Restaurant. The dinner was well-attended and provided great networking opportunities for members and some fun activities such as the raffling of 3 memoQ licenses.

Favorite Sessions (let′s talk about creativity!)

Two of my favorite sessions this year had to do with creative translations. One of them was given by Kristy Sakai about transcreation. She described what a transcreation project can entail and what traits a good transcreator should have. She also shared a very hilarious quote that read: “Writing is hard. Get one letter wrong and everything is urined.” I couldn’t help but think about what could have been a good transcreation into Spanish of that phrase. While listening to the rest of the session, I came up with the following: “Escribir es difícil. Colocas una letra mal y el significado se puede ver afeitado”. It was hard! Transcreating humor is particularly difficult when it deals with word-play!

Another favorite session was “Kapow! Graphic Novels Deconstructed (for Translators)” by Mercedes Guhl and Nanette McGuinness. I learned about the different parts of a graphic novel, as well as the translators′ “superpowers” to tackle its challenges. In this type of content, humor is also particularly challenging to translate, as graphic novels regularly present swear words, slang, puns, wordplay, and jokes that need to be localized. They usually have a graphic factor that cannot be ignored while translating.

My Conclusion

I have been attending ATA’s conferences diligently since 2012 and the experience changes over time. This year felt particularly busy for me, since I wanted to connect with so many friends and colleagues. I spent countless hours talking with people in the hallways in-between sessions. Those unpredictable run-ins are always exciting and fun! Upon reflection, I believe this was my favorite part of the conference: the connections I made with current (and future!) friends and colleagues. Working independently as a translator, there is nothing more valuable than being able to foster those relationships (in person for a change!). You need a sense of community and the opportunity to learn from more experienced linguists and business owners. It’s important to share information and provide support to others facing similar challenges in the industry.

Whatever your role in the translation and interpreting industry, the ATA Annual Conference is the place to be every year. I look forward to seeing you at the ATA conference in Boston next year, and please, do stop me in the hallways to say hi, it will make my day!