I love hot links!

O.K. The title for this blog is a tease. I’m not talking about the kind of hot links you eat (although I do love those). I’m talking about the kind that you click on from your Internet browser. I usually blog (goglobalatsnu.blogspot.com) about global opportunities at SNU or going global locally (i.e., global issues in the Bethany/OKC area). With this blog post, I thought I would just share some links that should be of interest to novice translators, aspiring translators and translation students. At the end, I’ll also include a link to a funny take on Twitter as well as a link to Pat Buchanan putting his foot in his mouth on Hispanics in the U.S. If those last two links sound more interesting than the translation links, just skip to the end of the blog.

Yesterday I spoke with a student who is very interested in translation. I always like talking to students who are interested in translation. In the short time that I had with the student, I answered some questions and tried to explain a little bit about career opportunities in translation. That’s the kind of talk you can’t do very well in a few minutes. So, my suggestion to students (and others) interested in translation is to check out some translator/translation blogs. A good place to start would be with Masked Translator at maskedtranslator.blogspot.com/. I don’t know who Masked Translator is, but he/she says,

"I am the Zorro of the translation blog world! Masked Translator is not trying to sell you anything or self-promote. Masked Translator just wants to tell it like it is about the real life of a professional translator."

Besides the interesting posts by Masked Translator, on the right side of the blog there is a list of links to other resources. Many of those other resources will have links to even other resources. From one location, you can discover endless possibilities to help you get a feel for what the world of translation is all about. Be sure to click on the link to the Translation Journal blog (translationjournal.blogspot.com/). From there, you can click on the link to Translation Journal (translationjournal.net/journal/). Translation Journal is a great translator resource.

While you’re clicking on links, check out ProZ.com (proz.com/). ProZ is a translator resource site/translation job clearing-house that is full of information. Of course, every aspiring translator/translation student should check out the website of the American Translators Association (ATA) at atanet.org. When you navigate to places like ProZ.com and the ATA website, spend some time following links and seeing what information is there. All of it will give you some insight into the life and work of translators. Also, check out regional translator associations. I’m a member of the Mid-America Chapter of the American Translators Association (ata-micata.org/), the regional association that covers Oklahoma, and the New England Translators Association (netaweb.org/cms/), the translators association that has events in Boston where two of my children live. (I’m always looking for an excuse to go to Boston to visit them.) Most regional translator associations hold monthly, semi-annual or annual conferences and workshops and would welcome aspiring translators at those events.

I’m always also on the lookout for interesting translation related links. I recently found a short article in the Wall Street Journal on the work of a British playwright/translator. You can read the article (Turning Paris into Brooklyn) at online.wsj.com/article/SB123758495427799425.html. If you’re a comic strip fan, you might like Blondie’s comic strip for 03/25 (blondie.com/dailies/index.asp).

Finally, as promised, a Twitter link and a Pat Buchanan link. First, check out the funny take on Twitter at dailymotion.com/video/x8puil_twouble-with-twitter-soustitre_creation. Next, ask yourself why Pat Buchanan is so afraid of Hispanics in the U.S. (dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/24/712489/-Buchanan-still-scared-of-the-scary-Latinos).

Ciao!