Useful Tools, Information, & Resources For Wessels Library

CNM Workforce Training Center

NMTIA is proud to offer premium Continuous Education training. CEU approval is pending in NM, CO, TX, AZ and CA.

The American Translators Association (ATA) has granted approval for ten (10) CEPs

(Category A)

PRESENTERS

Aimee Benavides began her career interpreting within educational contexts as a dual role interpreter in a school district. She has been Court Certified in California since 2003 and federally certified since 2015. She began specializing in focus group interpreting in 2005 and in agricultural meetings and conferences as of 2012. She served on the NAJIT Board from 2017-2022, two of those years as Chair. While on the NAJIT board, she contributed to the most recent update to the position paper regarding Transcription & Translation and has testified as an expert witness. At the beginning of the pandemic, she began to collaborate with colleagues to learn about more opportunities for remote interpreting and that collaboration gave rise to TEA Language Solutions.

Alejandra J. Chan was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts in Languages and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of New Mexico School of Law. During law school she helped her Professor organize the training program for interpreters of Native languages in the court system as well as organizing a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course on court interpreters. Today she practices law in Santa Fe, New Mexico with an emphasis on Spanish speaking clients.

Carlos Radillo grew up in a Spanish speaking household in the United States and Mexico. He learned English growing up and attending elementary school in Kalamazoo, Michigan and was formally educated through high school at a bilingual school in Mexico City. He attended College at Montana State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. Working as a designer in Seattle, he was quickly drawn to the field of interpretation. He began working as an interpreter in Seattle in 2005 upon passing the Washington State Court Certification exam. After gaining experience in State Court and furthering his studies in interpretation, he passed the Federal Court Interpreter exam and began working in the Federal Courts in Seattle and Yakima. In 2005 he moved to California and was certified as a court interpreter. Since that time he has worked continuously as a court interpreter for both state and Federal courthouses in Washington and California, where he currently resides. He has also worked as an interpreter for television and broadcasting. In 2008 he was one of 5 interpreters working for Univision in the simulcasts of the Obama-McCain debates. In 2010 he began teaching interpretation and translation at the University of Arizona’s Court Interpretation and Translation Institute where he continues to teach as a Senior Instructor.

Damián Wilson is a Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at University of New Mexico where he also directs the Spanish as a Heritage Language program. He has conducted extensive research on bilingualism, sociolinguistics, language sociology and language acquisition in a cultural setting. His publications appear in journals such as the International Journal of Bilingualism, Spanish in Context and Hispania. He is also coauthor of a recent book, Language Ideologies and Linguistic Identity in Heritage Language Learning (Showstack, Pascual y Cabo & Wilson, 2024). His experience working with bilingual populations has served as a platform for him to work on legal cases as an expert witness at state and federal levels. The majority of his testimony informs situations in which law enforcement uses memorized phrases to attempt to obtain consent to search the property of Spanish speakers or in which they assume Spanish speakers are able to understand complicated English in legal settings. He also employs his knowledge of the field of sociolinguistics to weigh in on English language cases that involve potential coercion. Through his combined efforts, he hopes to shed light on important issues facing Spanish speakers in the US and contribute to their overall advancement.

Ernest Niño Murcia is an interpreter and translator based in Des Moines, Iowa. Both state and federally certified, he has interpreted legal proceedings and prepared translations, transcriptions, and expert witness reports/testimony for clients in the private and public sectors. He is also certified as a Spanish to English translator by the ATA and is an active member of The International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC). As a speaker and trainer, he has presented live and online sessions through organizations including NAJIT, the University of Arizona& National Center for Interpretation, and the U.S. Department of Justice, among others.

Humberto Orive practiced law in Mexico for 14 years before relocating to the United States in 2002. He is now a Federally Certified Court Interpreter on Staff with the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, and previously worked for the Colorado Judiciary as Managing Court Interpreter for the Second Judicial District of Colorado, which encompasses all of Denver District and Juvenile Courts. During his tenure with the Colorado Courts, he served as a member of the Colorado Translation Advisory Board, the Colorado Managing Court Interpreters Committee, and the Colorado Court Interpreter Oversight Committee. He has given a number of presentations at events in the U.S. and Mexico.

Joseline Segovia is the Language Access Coordinator at the Albuquerque Police Department. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with her Master’s degree in Linguistics. As a linguist and Communications Specialist, Joseline specializes in facilitating multilingual and multicultural communication through community-centered practices and innovation. She is passionate about creating engagement toward the advancement of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility and has acted as consultant and language expert in the fields of education, public service, government, tech, and the entertainment industry.

Judy Jenner is a Spanish and German business and legal translator, conference interpreter, and federally certified Spanish court interpreter as well as state-certified court interpreter in Nevada, California, and Washington. She has an MBA in marketing and runs her boutique translation and interpreting business, Twin Translations, with her twin sister Dagmar. She was born in Austria and grew up in Mexico City. She is a former in-house translation department manager. She writes the blog Translation Times and the "Entrepreneurial Linguist" column for The ATA Chronicle, serves as one of the ATA spokespersons, and is a frequent conference speaker at conferences around the country and the world. She is the co-author of The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation, which has sold more than 10,000 copies. Judy also holds a master’s degree in Spanish/English conference interpreting from Glendon College at York University in Toronto, Canada and teaches interpreting at the University of California-San Diego and at her alma mater, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Her special talent is memorizing airport codes.

Leilani Padilla holds a M.A. in Translation and Interpretation from MIIS from 2021, became a Federal Court Certified Interpreter in 2022, is Court Certified in New Mexico and California. Leilani has been a conference interpreter and has provided interpretation services for all levels of government, International Organizations, NGO’s, over the past 25 years. Leilani is currently a freelance conference interpreter, and a court interpreter contractor for the California Court System in the Monterey Bay area. Leilani is also a hypnotherapist and yoga instructor, and she constantly is seeking ways to bring her own areas of professional practice and interest together for the betterment of court and conference interpretation as a profession.

Néstor Wagner was born in Argentina. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1986 and his Master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1990 from the University of Washington. He is a certified Medical, Administrative Hearings and Court Interpreter since 1989. In 1993 he founded the Southern California School of Interpretation in Los Angeles and quickly grew to four different locations throughout California and Nevada. He inaugurated a beautiful and spacious campus in 2002 in Santa Fe Springs and trained over 10,000 students from 2002 until 2020. Néstor has always been an innovative training leader offering specialized training for interpreters using the latest technology available. He launched the first online training program for interpreters in 2006 and fine-tuned it in 2012. By 2020, thanks to his innovation and inclusion of technology in all his training platforms, his students seamlessly transitioned from onsite to online training. His training headquarters and studio are in El Segundo, California where he continues to teach his excellent courses offering online and hybrid online platforms, reaching hundreds of new interpretation and translation students all over the world! Néstor is passionate about technology and teaching and welcomes A.I. technology as an innovative, exciting, and motivational training tool to improve his own training platforms. He recently earned a certificate from M.I.T. for “Designing and Building A.I. Products and Services” and is currently enhancing and preserving his teaching and renowned methodologies for generations to come. He will soon unveil a unique training product that has already been approved to train Superior Court interpreters on the East Coast. Néstor is excited to show us today what the future of technology and A.I. can do for us.

Melinda González-Hibner currently serves as the Supervisory Court Interpreter for the U.S. District Court of New Mexico. Before joining the federal judiciary, Melinda enjoyed a happy freelance career beyond the courtroom, contracting for the Department of State and the Department of Defense, teaching interpreter orientation and skills building workshops for state courts, presenting at professional conferences, and serving as a test writer and rater for interpreter credentialing programs. She took a short hiatus from that life to serve as the first Court Interpreter Program Administrator for the Colorado Judicial Department from 2004-2006, foreshadowing her future as a federal court staff interpreter many years later. An ATA certified translator, Melinda holds a BA in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, a MSC in Political Sociology from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for graduate research in Cuba. Passionate about the many elements that play a role in the wellbeing of interpreters and the excellence of the services they provide, she has long been a committed and active advocate for the profession, serving as a board member for NAJIT, ATA, CAPI and NMTIA.

Pavlos Panagopoulos, CFP® has been a registered representative with Cetera Advisor Networks (formerly Financial Network) since 1986. He started the Panagopoulos Insurance Agency in 2001 to help his clients with their insurance needs. A native of Carlsbad, NM, he attended Mercer University and received his BBA in 1986. Pavlos received his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 1991. He has been honored as Rep of the Year (2011), Citizen of the Year by the Belen Chamber of Commerce (2007), AHEPAN of the Year (2012), and Belen Optimist of the Year (1999). He served as AHEPA District Governor and Chairman of the Silver District Scholarship Committee for many years. Pavlos calls in a stock market report to the Bob Clark Morning Show, KKOB 770AM, on Tuesday mornings at 7:43 am MST.

Peter Katel was ATA-certified in 2018 for Spanish to English translation. Since 2016, he has worked mainly as a New Mexico-certified court interpreter. Previously, he was a journalist for New Mexico and national publications, based in Santa Fe, Mexico City, Miami and Washington DC.

Peter Pabisch, Ph.D., Dr. Phil. is Professor Emeritus of German and European Studies at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and co-founder (1975-76) and co-director of the German Summer School of New Mexico. He is writer of lyric and poetry and has also published numerous academic titles on German authors. Among other awards, Peter is recipient of the Grand Decoration of Honor by the Republic of Austria and is also member of the Austrian P.E.N.

Uwe Schroeter works as an English-German technical translator. He started out as an in-house translator in 1994 and has been working as a freelance translator since his relocation to New Mexico in 1997. Uwe became ATA-certified in 2003 and has proctored both handwritten and computerized ATA Exams six times.

Viviana Márquez is a linguist with a passion for social justice and cultural sensitivity. She has been an interpreter and translator for over 30 years with experience in the fields of forensic and medical interpreting and translation and has actively participated in several interpreter and translator associations, as well as volunteered as an advisory committee member for interpreting and translation programs at institutes of higher education. She is a Federally Court Certified Interpreter and a State Certified Court Interpreter, formerly in California and presently in New Mexico. Viviana earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree and a Master of Public Administration, both degrees earned in her late forties, proof that age is but a number and that the mind never ceases to learn new things. She has also completed coursework in Biochemistry at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, her mother land.

Strongly influenced by her family’s experience with the military regimes of the 1970’s and 80’s in Argentina, Viviana holds a firm belief in the intrinsic values of humanity grounded in collective compassion, freedom, reverence for life, and fairness. These beliefs are what led her to a career in interpreting and translation, a profession that provides a voice to those who, otherwise, would not have one due to language barriers. Ultimately, her vocation and passion led her to a decade-long career as head of a public hospital interpreting program in Southern California, a once small program that Viviana developed into a comprehensive department by incorporating needed languages, educating staff on the importance of language access, and updating remote interpreting technology, thereby, extending language services to other facilities within a county level.

Viviana has retired from the State of California but is currently freelancing as an interpreter and translator in New Mexico. As she enters the next stage of her life, she vows to continue learning and, among her future endeavors, plans to include advocacy for Hispanic immigrant women—one of the highest risk groups for domestic physical violence and emotional abuse.

SESSIONS (Subject to change)

March 1, 2024- DAY 1

REGISTRATION/MORNING NETWORKING:

7:30-8:30 AM

WELCOME

8:30-9:00

SESSION 1A

9:00-10:30

Business (Language Neutral)

Aimee Benavides

Freelancing: How to treat your practice as an interpreter as a business.

This presentation includes a discussion regarding quoting, types of services offered, licenses, insurance, accounting and referrals.

SESSION 1B

9:00-10:30

Judy Jenner (Language Neutral)

10 things I love about Translators: How to make yourself popular with clients.

While they say that every client is different, some best practices should be used with each and every client – whether it’s a direct client, a language services provider, or a fellow linguist who runs a boutique T&I business. The presenter, who falls in the latter category, hires interpreters and translators for projects around the world, and has learned a thing or two about being on the other side of the transaction. Judy will share what she loves about translators, and yes, also, some things that they could improve. She will share practical tips that linguists can take home and implement immediately. Most of these tips require no investment – just some time and a bit of a paradigm shift.

SESSION 1C

9:00-10:30

Civil Terminology (Spanish specific)

Néstor Wagner

This is a language-specific presentation. A comparison between criminal and civil terms will be presented in this seminar. Localization by jurisdiction is also covered. This seminar includes terminology in the following civil areas:
1. Family Law

2. Unlawful Detainers,

3. Conservatorship,

4. Probate Law,

5. Contract Law,

6. Personal Injuries, and

7. Corporate Law

BREAK

10:30-10:45

SESSION 2A

10:45-12:15

Meditation and Visualization for Peak Performance in Simultaneous and Consecutive Interpretation

Leilani Padilla (Language Neutral)

At this session, participants will practice relaxation and visualization techniques for enhanced memory and retention. This session is designed to strengthen word retrieval, décalage, accuracy and focus while interpreting. Participants will explore and assess in themselves aspects that make for solid, well-rounded interpretation renditions and will work on expanding those aspects in themselves through a guided meditation and visualization technique. At the beginning and at the end of the session, participants will be asked to render a short consecutive speech to one another in pairs and take stock of the differences and improvements between the two renditions. Time permitting, the session will include a brief discussion on different methods to boost memory and retention for interpretation purposes.

SESSION 2B

10:45-12:15

The Beauty of Spanglish

Carlos Radillo (Spanish specific)

This session will deal with Spanglish as an emerging language. The class will encourage student participation in hopes of establishing a discussion surrounding the "value" of Spanglish.

Many formally educated Spanish speakers look down on Spanglish as evidence of ignorance, or as a regrettable deterioration of Spanish as it is misspoken by second or third generation Hispanics.

The intention of this class is to have attendees understand that languages are constantly evolving organisms. It is just as ridiculous for us to look down on Spanglish as it was for a 4th century Latin speaker to look down on French, Spanish or Portuguese. The intention is for participants to embrace Spanglish, enjoying its creativity and understanding that it will continue to evolve. A glossary of Spanglish terms and expressions will be presented.

SESSION 2C

10:45-12:15

Language Access, Linguistic Bias and Diversity in APD

Joseline Segovia, Language Access Coordinator (Language Neutral)

This presentation will demonstrate the importance of properly training law enforcement personnel in dealing with non-English speakers. Increasing awareness of the importance of language access and learning how to bridge communication to understand the linguistic diversity, bias and barriers people experience in Albuquerque. You’ll hear about interactions between officers and non-English speakers resulting in precarious situations.

LUNCH

12:15-1:30

SESSION 3A

1:30-4:00

TOUR OF ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LAB

The tour will begin with a lecture in which different techniques and protocols of evidence collection will be discussed. This will be followed by a tour of the lab including the ballistics and toolmarks department, chemistry lab, and evidence room/warehouse.

SESSION 3B

1:30-4:00

Ambiguous requests from police officers to NES

Damián Wilson Vergara (Language Neutral)

What happens when police attempt to gain consent to search property of Spanish speakers when the officer only knows a few Spanish phrases? This presentation focuses on attempts by English-speaking police with minimal Spanish to gain consent to search property of Spanish-dominant subjects with minimal English by deploying memorized phrases, such as “Me permite registrar vehículo”, which may be analyzed in multiple ways by a Spanish speaker. By applying interactional notions from the fields of pragmatics, sociolinguistics and language acquisition to select interactions, we see that these encounters generate a range of interactional phenomena such as accommodation, acquiescence, negotiation of meaning, code-switching and lack of uptake due to lack of proficiency. On a more general level, other factors influence these interactions: a) there is a power imbalance that influences the overall interaction, b) there is a great deal of confusion in these interactions, and c) both parties employ strategies to negotiate and mediate these interactions. Despite limited proficiency, law enforcement may believe that they have achieved consent (Berk-Seligson 2009), in which case they will carry out a search of property. The results of analyzing these interactions cast doubt as to whether a Spanish speaker can provide meaningful consent when the language deployed by the officer is below the level of proficiency needed to engage in such a speech act. This study demonstrates applications of linguistics that go beyond analysis of structure or the articulation of ideologies. As Eades comments upon the context of legal interactions, “sociolinguistics can go further, making a valuable contribution to bigger issues of justice” (Eades 2010, 11). By shedding light on these interactions, we promote a more equitable treatment of Spanish speakers by law enforcement.

SESSION 3C

1:30-3:00PM

Tips for freelance professionals: Learn to successfully Invest, Insure, and Manage for your Now and your Future

Pavlos Panagopoulos (Language Neutral)

In this session, participants will better understand options to invest wisely, have the proper insurance for freelance businesses, and learn to manage money effectively for their day-to-day lifestyle and future retirement plans.

BREAK

3:00-3:15

SESSION 4A

3:30-5:00PM

Technology

Aimee Benavides (Language Neutral)

What is your ideal tech setup?

This session reviews various tech tools that can improve your ability to interpret remotely with confidence. This session will also include a basic tutorial about understanding a computer's settings- what is memory versus storage, and how that affects interpreters. Participants can see first-hand what some of the peripherals look like.

SESSION 4B

3:30-5:00PM

ATA-Exam tips

Uwe Schroeter and Peter Katel (Language Neutral)

In this session, two ATA-certified translators (English into German & Spanish into English) will discuss their experience of passing the ATA Exam and will make recommendations regarding how to prepare and what materials and resources were helpful to them. The speakers will also highlight the newly created Online Exam, which is now available in addition to in-person exams. Session attendees will have the opportunity to ask the presenters questions about the ATA exam experience.

March 2, 2024- DAY 2

REGISTRATION/MORNING NETWORKING:

7:30-8:30 AM

WELCOME

8:30 –9:00

SESSION 1A

9:00-10:30

Ethics: Mapping the lines of professionalism in and out of the courtroom: Officer of the Court, Expert Witness, Colleague, Competitor?

Melinda González-Hibner (Language Neutral)

Often, our sense of obligation to the justice system, to language access, or to our role as officers of the court collides with the expectations of unobtrusiveness and impartiality that are fundamental to the profession. This is understandable, as we can be defined as expert witnesses, officers of the court and/or interpreters. The fact that many of us work in healthcare, community and conference settings can also serve to complicate our sense of professional boundaries in the courtroom.

The situation outside the courtroom, while perhaps less complicated, also poses challenges for novice and experienced interpreters alike. In the absence of guidance from our code of professional conduct, professional interactions with our peers can be rewarding, frustrating or unclear.

What should one do if a colleague is misinterpreting testimony? What if the translated evidence presented by one of the parties is inaccurate? Where does the role of the interpreter end, and the duty as an officer of the court begin? What about knowingly undercutting your colleague to win an assignment? Or giving your opinion about the work of a colleague to one of your clients? Can you ever be a respectable “check” interpreter?

If you have ever wondered when to speak up or bite your tongue, or how to interact with your peers in difficult situations, this session is for you. Come look at our field from a wholistic perspective, increase your awareness of the issues, and learn about the repercussions your personal practices can have on your profession and your peers.

SESSION 1B

9:00-10:30

Remote Team Interpreting

Ernest Niño Murcia (Language Neutral)

In this session you will learn how to work with a remote booth partner, how to prepare materials, how to execute seamless handovers and to set up a monitor device to communicate and hear each other during an assignment. We will discuss tried and tested approaches to educate clients on how to work with interpreters, carry out sound checks and guide participants on how to use the Zoom interpreting function. We will have a short demo and cover some basics about equipment.

SESSION 1C

9:00-10:30

Immigration Terminology

Néstor Wagner (Spanish specific)

This is a language-specific presentation. A comparison between criminal and immigration terms will be presented in this seminar. Single and double localization principles are introduced in order to better define the original terms and their equivalent in Spanish. Interference principles are also discussed along with their corresponding filters.

During this seminar, the speaker will review key terminology used in a master calendar hearing, merits hearing, statements of the law, and court orders. Scripts of typical immigration proceedings will be made available to all participants. Participants will become familiar with the Spanish equivalent of the mostly used terms in immigration court.

Video practices are included in this presentation.

BREAK

10:30-10:45

SESSION 2A

10:45-12:15

Pricing Strategies

Judy Jenner (Language Neutral)

Pricing: it’s a controversial and complex subject, and it’s one that all linguists need to address in order to make a good living in our profession. The 10 topics to be discussed during this interactive workshop include: overview of demand and supply, the peanuts/monkey’s phenomenon, the business case against free translation tests, surcharges, adversity, adjustments for inflation, why no linguist is an island, etc. The speaker will analyze pricing strategy from a straightforward business and economics perspective. In accordance with anti-trust legislation, the speaker will not be making specific price recommendations.

SESSION 2B

10:45-12:15

Advanced Zoom Simultaneous

Aimee Benavides and Ernest Niño Murcia

In this session you will learn about hacks to take your RSI to the next level, troubleshooting common issues and hidden settings that can help make RSI less stressful.

SESSION 2C

10:45-12:15

Consecutive workout

Carlos Radillo (Spanish specific)

This will be an exercise-based, skill-building class. The focus will not be on any specific note-taking method, but rather on improving the combination of an interpreter's current method in tandem with the individual peculiarities of his/her memory retention ability.

In my experience, note-taking systems often do not require students to evaluate their particular memory retention skills beforehand, but rather prescribe a set of procedures, layouts and symbols which are not tailored to the individual.

Through a series of progressively longer exercises where students record their renditions (without taking notes), I aim to reveal to them the limitations, inclinations and prejudices of their memory.

The second part of the class will be a series of exercises where the students apply what they have learned by rendering the same scripts, this time with notes.

LUNCH

SESSION 3A

1:30-3:00

KEYNOTE SPEAKER-Néstor Wagner (Language Neutral)

AI Technologies for Interpreters and Translators

Is AI going to replace interpreters and translators? How can AI help interpreters and translators?

This presentation discusses the difference between an AI model based on ChatGPT versus an AI model based on knowledge base created by an interpreting education institution.
This presentation discusses:

1. The shortcomings of ChatGPT are presented through a research paper developed by the speaker.

2. The role of the principle of localization and interference in the design of an AI model.

3. Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Designs that combine AI and human Intelligence applied to interpreting and translating.

4. Human interpreters in the loop.

5. Basic explanation on how AI model for interpreters works.
6. The Southern California School of Interpretation AI Model for Interpreters and Translators. A demonstration is included in the presentation.

7. Current AI resources for interpreters and translators which are capable of improving accuracy, performance and transfer of terminology and legal structures are.

BREAK

3:00-3:15

SESSION 4A

3:15-4:45

Panel Discussion: The Future of Interpretation and Translation

Judy Jenner, Ernest Niño Murcia and Aimee Benavides (Language Neutral)

Moderated by Melinda González-Hibner

Do translators and interpreters live in a scary new post-pandemic world? What will 2024 and beyond hold for our profession? How has the global pandemic impacted our profession? Is RSI here to stay? Will translators and interpreters face the fate of horses? Will technology play a more important role? What job types will be available for linguists in the future and what’s a content curator? While everyone has an opinion, but no one has a crystal ball, one thing is certain: there will be changes, and the best we can do is to learn about what is (probably) coming, keep up to date on new developments, and think about how to adapt and evolve. The speaker will present a high-level view of what she thinks is coming (she may have lost her crystal ball in a Vegas casino) and how linguists can ensure their success in this decade, the next one, and beyond.

Panelists (Judy Jenner, Ernest, Aimee Benavides) will be asked about current trends in the fields of interpretation and translation and will opine about what lies ahead for interpreters and translators in the future.

SESSION 4B

NETWORKING HAPPY HOUR

LOCATION: Tomasita’s (directions are at the end of the program)

This will provide attendees with the opportunity to meet colleagues from around the region and to network professionally with them.

MARCH 3, 2024- DAY 3

MORNING NETWORKING

8:30-9:00

SESSION 1A

9:00-10:30

La Terminología del Juicio Oral en México

Humberto Orive (Spanish specific)

Esta sesión tiene por objeto familiarizar al público con el nuevo sistema de enjuiciamiento penal en México. Visitar ágilmente la legislación mexicana actual, comparar brevemente con el proceso penal Federal de los Estados Unidos, y al hacerlo extraer la riqueza terminológica que la ley nueva ha engendrado. Al efecto, se presentará un glosario exhaustivo de la terminología del nuevo proceso penal oral en México.

SESSION 1B

9:00-10:30

Problems With Literary Translations in Verisimilitude

Peter Pabisch, PhD, Professor Emeritus of German Studies (Language Neutral)

Successful literary translations must consider a multitude of cultural differences besides the pure textual element. It requires an intimate understanding of the other culture to one’s own. In addition to the adequate rendering of a standard language into one’s own under literary auspices we should discuss the question of dealing with texts that mix a standard language with several of its regional variants known as dialects. The term verisimilitude recognizes the need for an author to portray certain features and figures in that different lingual realm. And what about translating such texts satisfactorily?

SESSION 1C

9:00-10:30

Habits of Highly Effective Note Takers

Ernest Niño Murcia (Language Neutral)

Having a reliable note-taking system is key to interpreting effectively in the consecutive mode. That said, what works for one person may not make sense to another. Because note-taking is as individual as handwriting, it is best for interpreters to work on creating their own system of notes that combines basic elements such as letters, symbols and spacing. The goal of this session is to expose participants to actual examples of good note-taking technique while offering opportunities for practice to identify and perfect their individual note-taking style.

BREAK

10:30-10:45

SESSION 2A

10:45-12:15

Posts, Likes and Friending: Spanish < > English Social Media Vocabulary

Ernest Niño Murcia (Spanish specific)

The internet, including sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media, have made a huge impact on society from interpersonal relationships and business to crime and police work. This topic is particularly relevant to interpreters as they begin to encounter these words in their daily assignments. Presenters will first provide an overview of the topic before discussing particularly noteworthy or challenging terms within the framework of finding natural equivalents for terms instead of literal translations, while discussing and modeling best practices for researching new terms not yet found in traditional reference resources.

SESSION 2B

10:45-12:15

Interpreting for psych evals: Pitfalls and Suggestions for Best Practices

Carlos Radillo (Language Neutral)

I will discuss my concern (backed by research of, among others, a forensic psychologist I met during an MS13 trial) surrounding some of the problems related to accurately assessing a defendant's competency when there is not only a linguistic, but also a cultural barrier to contend with. I will address the criteria psychologists apply in determining competency and will discuss how some questions may produce misleading or equivocal answers.

Short of recusing oneself from these interviews altogether, I will propose some best practices aimed not only at facilitating a more accurate determination but also improving awareness of how these forensic tools which are imperfect to begin with, can potentially lead to miscarriages of justice.

SESSION 2C

10:45-12:15

Consecutive and Simultaneous Techniques

Néstor Wagner (Language Neutral)

This is a language-neutral presentation. Participants will learn simultaneous techniques to provide an accurate rendition of original utterances at speeds in excess of 160 words per minute. Furthermore, participants will learn consecutive note-taking techniques to improve the acquisition of the original message. The note-taking technique was developed by the speaker. Short-term enhancement techniques are also covered in this seminar. The original structure of the note-taking techniques will be developed along with apps that provide enhancement to the overall accuracy of the transfer.

Participants will be able to interpret segments of up to 130 terms at the end of this seminar.

LUNCH

SESSION 3A

1:30-3:00

Advanced Simultaneous Interpreting: Forensic Drug Analysis (Spanish specific)

Ernest Niño Murcia (Spanish specific)

Forensic chemists who identify and analyze controlled substances seized by law enforcement are among the most common witnesses’ interpreters will encounter in drug cases. The breadth and depth of terms in disciplines such as chemistry, mathematics and general science presented in a fast-paced question and answer format can challenge even experienced, skilled interpreters. This session first aims to give participants a theoretical overview of the underlying scientific principles and concepts covered by forensic chemists in their testimony. Next, participants will work to identify equivalent terms in Spanish before putting their new knowledge into action through a simultaneous interpreting exercise involving direct examination of a forensic chemist, which will be thoroughly evaluated.

SESSION 3B

1:30-3:00

The Difference Between a Good Interpreter and a Great One: A Lawyer’s Perspective

Alejandra Chan (Language Neutral)

The speaker is an attorney with experience navigating the complexities of multilingual legal proceedings and will focus on what truly separates a good interpreter from a great one. In this speech we'll delve into the qualities that make an interpreter stand out in the legal arena including: accuracy, listening, clarity, professionalism and cultural competency. This speech is more than just a theory, it includes real-life examples, courtroom anecdotes, and practical tips to help you hone your skills. You'll leave with a toolbox full of actionable takeaways to elevate your practice and stand out in the competitive world of legal interpreting.

SESSION 3C

1:30-3:00

Active Shooter Safety Training

Officer Sean Callinan (Language Neutral)

BREAK

3:00-3:15

SESSION 4A

3:30-5:00

Introduction to Medical Interpreting

Viviana Márquez (Language Neutral)

This session will provide interested participants with an overview of the field of Medical Interpreting, the similarities and differences with court interpreting, and the rewards and challenges of this profession. We will delve into the basic skills, ethics, and protocol standards of Medical Interpreting.

Upon completion of this session, participants will have gained knowledge of the following:

• The modes of interpreting and when to use each
• The various roles of the medical interpreter
• The established code of ethics and standard protocols of the medical interpreting profession
• The building blocks of medical terminology

SESSION 4B

3:30-5:00

Ethics

Aimee Benavides (Language Neutral)

Do court interpreter ethics apply to everywhere we interpret?

Lively discussion with audience participation about various settings and what is considered to be ethical behavior. Several scenarios will be presented with discussion to follow in the following sectors:

Court

Schools

Public hearings

Business interpreting

Conference interpreting

SESSION 4C

3:30-5:00

Legal Spanish, False Cognates or Spanglish?

Melinda González-Hibner (Spanish specific)

Court interpreters who work in SpanishEnglish are fortunate to have many resources and training available as they train for certification. But if you think you can rest on your laurels once you are certified, having learned all the terms that are frequently used in court, think again. Language is always evolving, terms of art used by interpreters in the U.S. get more nuanced, and the criminal codes of Spanish speaking countries continue to be updated. Interpreters who work in Spanish have no excuse not to keep up!

During this workshop, we will discuss how best to continue preparing for your interpreting assignments throughout your career and go over some frequently used terms that have undergone changes in recent memory, or that may be interpreted correctly in more than one way. Among the terms we will review: Domestic Violence, Discovery, Probation, Plea Agreement, Seizure. Come armed with your best solutions and be ready to consider others!