Vol. 41, May 2004

The Translation E-Buzz
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Table of Contents

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Employee Profile
Nelda Gaydou

I am one of the fortunates of the world—a native bilingual, born and raised in Argentina by American parents. Love of language, reading and research was planted and nurtured by my mother, who read me endless stories, taught me to read in English and sent me to the dictionary to find my own answers.

I attended a series of public and private schools in Argentina until I graduated from high school, and got a B.A. in English/History and an M.A. in Spanish in the U.S. My acquired languages are French, which I learned in high school, and Italian, which I learned for fun after college.

My employment history includes jobs as secretary, teacher (English, Spanish and Italian), interpreter (worker’s compensation hearings and telephone interpretation) and translator. I began with literary translation in the early 1980s, translating approximately one book per year for several Christian publishing companies, and I have been working as a full-time independent contractor in technical translation since 1991.

I have been married for 27 years. Among his many virtues, my husband is my very own in-house consultant for terminology in industrial maintenance mechanics, electronics and the food industry. We live in the center of the beautiful Punilla Valley in the Sierras Chicas of the Province of Córdoba. Our three children are grown. Both of our daughters (and two little grandsons) live in Austin, Texas, and our son is in the city of Córdoba.

Being an independent contractor has allowed me to work from my home and arrange my hours around family needs. Translating is fascinating work that forces the mind to keep sharp–there is something new to be learned every day. I work with several translation agencies, but McElroy Translation is special. Teamwork has been perfected to a fine art and translators are allowed to focus all their attention on what they do best—translate.

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McElroy Participates in Montreal CSN Conference

General Manager Shelly Orr Priebe and Marketing Development Manager Lisa Siciliani participated in Client Side News’ Localization and Globalization B2B Expo 2004 on April 28-30 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Shelly presented a session on “Operational Philosophies and Strategies That Work,” and also accepted an “Excellence in Localization Education” award on behalf of Austin Community College’s Localization Certificate Program. Lisa served on two committees that supported this Expo, the Awards Nomination Committee and the Steering Committee, and was recognized during the banquet for her instrumental input on nominating and voting procedures and key suggestions to enhance the integrity of the process. Lisa also attended an all-day pre-conference seminar entitled “Strategic Supplier Management” presented by Fiona Agnew, 2003 Localization Vendor Manager and Localization Professional of the Year.

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Austin's Own—
Lance Armstrong

For those of you who are (1) Lance Armstrong fans and (2) get the OLN (Outdoor Life Network) channel on your cable or satellite TV, starting April 29 there is a 30-minute show about him at 8:30 EST every Thursday for the 13 weeks until the Tour de France starts on July 3.

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Austin Welcomes Translation Agencies to Conference

McElroy Translation and Austin to Host Annual TCD-ATA Conference

McElroy Translation, a member of the Translation Company Division (TCD) of the American Translators Association (ATA), is co-hosting the 5th Annual TCD Conference in Austin, Texas on July 8-11, 2004. This event is tailored to the needs and concerns of translation company owners and managers. The venue will be the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Executive Meeting Center, a dedicated and intimate conference facility located downtown in the heart of the “Live Music Capital of the World” and near the 6th Street entertainment district.

McElroy Operations Manager Kim Vitray serves as Assistant Administrator of the Division and co-chairs the conference organizing committee, and several other McElroy staff will also participate in the event. “The TCD conference is a unique opportunity for translation company executives to meet and discuss industry issues,” says Vitray. “There will also be a wide variety of educational presentations by industry experts on translation tools, localization processes and global market expansion.”

A highlight of the conference will be the keynote address, given by Renato Beninatto of Common Sense Advisory. “Mr. Beninatto is a recognized localization industry authority, and we are extremely pleased to be bringing him to Austin,” says General Manager Shelly Orr Priebe, who is also presenting at the conference.

For more information about this conference contact Linda Gauthier, TCD Administrator, BG Communications International, Montreal, Canada, linda@bgcommunications.ca; or Kim Vitray, TCD Assistant Administrator, McElroy Translation, Austin, Texas, vitray@mcelroytranslation.com.

About the TCD-ATA

The Translation Company Division represents the several hundred translation companies nationwide who are corporate members of the American Translators Association. The ATA, founded in 1959, is the largest professional association of translators and interpreters in the U.S., with more than 9,000 members in more than 60 countries.

About McElroy Translation

McElroy Translation has 36 years of industry success providing legal, technical, medical and business translation and web site localization. From historical roots in Austin, Texas as a family business, McElroy has emerged as an industry leader that enjoys high-profile visibility and a reputation for excellence. Quality, experience, and customer service are the cornerstones of our client relationships.

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McElroy Translation helps clients translate and localize websites as companies rely more and more on global e-commerce.

Survey: Denmark Tops E-Commerce Use

By JONAS FREDEN, Associated Press Writer

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Denmark, where personal computers are found in nearly every home, mobile phones in nearly every pocket and people consider going to the bank to pay their bills an outdated if not quaint activity, is the global leader in e-commerce.

Denmark leapfrogged over Sweden to take the top spot in the annual global ranking of countries where e-commerce is prevalent, and surpassed Britain, last year’s No. 3, according to a new report by the Economist Intelligence Unit released this week.

The study ranked Britain No. 2, with the top five rounded out by Sweden, Finland and Norway, all Nordic countries. The United States was ranked sixth and Japan 25th, but can only improve if e-commerce in the two biggest economies in the world is given a helping hand by their governments, the survey found.

“Here is where Europe—and especially Scandinavia—excels,” the Economist Intelligence Unit found. “Smart government initiatives are contributing to the steady rise of the northern European countries, Singapore, Hong Kong and Korea, and the relative stagnation of such e-enabled but uncoordinated markets as the United States.”

Ulf Essler, director of e-business research at Stockholm University’s School of Economics said the strong presence of technology companies in the Nordics, such as Finland’s Nokia (news - web sites) and Sweden’s Ericsson (news - web sites), have helped the region, too.

“They contribute to internet penetration by using the homogenous, well-educated Scandinavian people as test labs to refine their various products before launching worldwide,” he said. “Besides, trade unions here have consistently promoted, not resisted, technological change.”

The nearby Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were ranked 26, 34, 38, respectively, the first time the countries were included in the survey. Rounding out the bottom of the 64-country list was Vietnam, Algeria, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

The report, published earlier this week, annually measures nearly 100 criteria, from PC ownership to countries’ general business environment. The Economist Intelligence Unit is the business information arm of The Economist magazine.

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Localization Summer School in Austin

Austin Community College, in cooperation with the Localisation Research Centre of the University of Limerick, Ireland, will host the second Localization Summer School in Austin June 16-18, 2004. While the program offers a well rounded foundation of knowledge to translation/localization professionals, it also serves individuals in the workplace who require translations to meet business objectives—individuals who want to understand the challenges of translation and optimize the process. This summer school is a 3-day intensive program encompassing globalization, internationalization, and localization. McElroy Translation General Manager Shelly Orr Priebe will lead a course on sales and the client/vendor relationship.

The summer school is a complement to a leading training program for localization at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. Dr. Tim Altanero has built a global network of instructors and introduced the first localization certificate program in Texas. McElroy Translation staff members Patricia Bown, Translator Coordinator, and Mark Ritter, Chief Editor, are both teaching online courses during the spring semester in Austin Community College’s localization program.

Austin Community College has an outstanding 9-course, 72-hour sequence leading to a certificate as a Localization Generalist certified by many premier companies such as Pervasive Software, Lionbridge, Inc., McElroy Translation, Hewlett-Packard and IBM. The program has been featured in Localisation Ireland, MultiLingual Computing & Technology, STC Intercom, and the ATA Chronicle. ACC’s innovative localization program is the nation’s only program certified by industry.

For more information, visit mistsy.home.texas.net or e-mail Dr. Tim Altanero at taltaner@austincc.edu or call 512-223-4021. Dr. Altanero is Associate Professor of Technical Communication and Program Manager for the Localization Program.

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May
Promotion

Lazy Days of Summer

Does summer evoke memories of lazy days, lemonade stands, swimming with friends and that luxurious notion that time was in great supply? We can’t deliver that return to yesteryear, but how about a prize that frees up a little bit of that valuable commodity?

More than 88% of employees in a recent survey stated that the struggle to balance work and life was their biggest concern. Time is precious, and winning this month’s promotion will give you a bit more of it. McElroy Translation is offering a ServiceMaster gift certificate that can be applied to nine leading home services as described at http://www.servicemaster.com.

Click here to register to win a ServiceMaster gift certificate. Once you receive the gift certificate, you can schedule a service on www.servicemaster.com or call toll free at 1-866-938-4438. The Customer Care Center will answer your questions and schedule your service.

This month’s winner will be selected and notified on Monday, May 24. Good luck! Results will also be posted to the web site. A random number generator will be used to select the winner from an ordered list of entries.

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Spotlight on Spain

The People

Personal pride and individualism are highly valued, as are character and breeding. Modesty is valued over assertiveness. Flaunting superiority, intelligence and ability is not appreciated. People strive to project affluence and social position. Personal appearance, image and human relationships are very important.

Meeting and Greeting

  • Shake hands with everyone present—men, women and children—at a business or social meeting. Shake hands again when leaving.
  • Men may embrace each other when meeting (friends and family only).
  • Women may kiss each other on the cheek and embrace.

Body Language

  • Never touch, hug or back slap a Spaniard you do not know well, unless a friendly Spaniard touches you first.
  • Generally, Spaniards stand very close when talking.
  • Spaniards speak a lot with their hands. Never mimic them.

Corporate Culture

  • Spaniards do not take punctuality for business meetings seriously, but expect that you will be on time; call with an explanation if you are delayed.
  • Spain is not a meeting culture. Meetings are to communicate instructions or to save time.
  • Spaniards will want to spend time getting to know you and establishing chemistry before doing business. Personal qualities are valued over technical ability, professionalism or competence.
  • Typically, Spanish is the language of business, but most large companies conduct business in English and Spanish. You cannot expect English to be widely spoken. Check ahead to determine if an interpreter is needed.
  • Spaniards’ lack of trust in institutions produces a constant atmosphere of crisis and emergency.
  • Spaniards like making decisions on their own. Do not impose a decision in direct language. It could be humiliating to your associates.
  • The organizational chart is social, not functional. The third or fourth level down may be more powerful than those at the top.

Dining and Entertainment

  • It is acceptable and common to be late by 30 minutes in southern Spain and 15 minutes in northern Spain for social meetings. Never be late for a bullfight.
  • Lunches/dinners are a vital part of business used to establish a relationship, to see if the chemistry is correct and to develop trust.
  • Attempt to give a toast in Spanish. Be brief when toasting. It is acceptable for women to give toasts.
  • Tip everyone for everything.
  • No bread and butter plate is used. Bread is set directly on the table. Restaurants generally charge for bread by the piece. Spaniards don’t waste food. It is better to decline food rather than leave it on your plate.

Dress

  • Appearance is extremely important to Spaniards. They dress elegantly, even for casual occasions.
  • Dress conservatively. Avoid bright or flashy colors.
  • Shoes are the most important element of dress. Shabby looking shoes can ruin a very nice outfit.
  • For business, men should wear jackets and ties, even in warm weather. If the senior person takes his/her jacket off during a meeting, you may do so, too.
  • Women should wear dresses, blouses and skirts.

Gifts

  • When invited to someone’s home, always bring a small, wrapped gift for the hostess.
  • Open a gift immediately upon receiving it in the presence of the host.
  • Give: pastries, cakes, chocolates, flowers (red roses connote passion, yellow roses infidelity; give an odd number of flowers).
  • Do not give: chrysanthemums, dahlias or 13 flowers (unlucky number).
  • Gifts are normally not exchanged at business meetings, but small gifts may be appropriate at the successful conclusion of negotiations. Do not give a gift at the first meeting.
  • Do not give a gift until meetings are finished, and then give only a token gift. Be careful not to imply a bribe.
  • Give: desk items, books, art, music.

Helpful Hints

  • Expect to be interrupted when speaking.
  • Be patient. Nothing is done in a hurry. Spanish trademarks are procrastination and delay.

Especially for Women

  • Foreign women are accepted in the business community. Establish credentials and ability immediately.
  • Traditionally, a macho and chauvinistic behavior toward women has persisted, known as machismo. This has changed drastically over the last few years.
  • Be aware of eye contact. Returning a man’s gaze may be interpreted as flirting or a show of interest.
  • Do not dine alone in a restaurant or bar at night. However, it is acceptable to do so at lunch.
  • It is acceptable for a visiting businesswoman to invite a businessman to dinner. However, realize it is very difficult for women to pay for a man’s meal. Spanish men expect to pay. Speak to the maitre d’ or waiter in advance if you wish to pay.

-- Excerpted from the “Put Your Best Foot Forward” series by Mary Murray Bosrock. These publications are available for the U.S., Asia, Mexico/Canada, Russia, Europe and South America.

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Reach RMTC at

910 West Avenue
Austin, Texas 78701
800 531 9977
512 472 6753
512 472 4591 fax
sales@mcelroytranslation.com