XIII International Translation and Interpretation Conference San Jerónimo 2009

This past November, Skala translators attended the third annual San Jerónimo Conference. It took place in Guadalajara, Mexico during the Fería Internacional Del Libro (FIL), the largest book fair in the Spanish-speaking world (second largest in the world). Both the FIL and the San Jerónimo Conference offer incomparable resources for professionals, students and teachers, and provide a forum for professional advancement and enrichment for both translators and interpreters.

Skala International, being based in Guadalajara, was lucky enough not only to attend the conference, but also to take part in the practical workshops and conferences that were held during the two-day conference. We thoroughly enjoyed listening to the range of interesting guest speakers that gave presentations and we took full advantage of the opportunity to introduce Skala and make new contacts within the translation industry.

Various renowned translators and interpreters spoke about their experiences, analyzing ethical, practical and linguistic problems that can arise in their craft. They offered their points of view and specialized knowledge with regards to translation theory and practice. This year’s theme was “Translation: The Borderline between Cultures,” and the speakers gave presentations about both the physical and symbolic border that can be seen from the perspective of translation and interpretation. Some of the topics discussed were: translation and intercultural negotiation; cultural and linguistic identity; translation and immigration; contact between languages and linguistic interference; bilingualism and translation; Spanglish; as well as more general themes such as translator training, translation tools, translation and interpretation in specific fields.

This event offered our translators a wealth of unparalleled advice and tips that we will endeavor to put into practice in our company’s policies and code of ethics. We look forward to next year’s San Jerónimo Conference!

Hannah Breckner, Translator (Spanish, English)