ITI's Christmas Hamper

Booking for this event has now closed.

There is an undeniable strength in the ITI community, and as we move towards the end of this difficult year we are taking the opportunity to focus on the good things that draw us all together.

ITI’s Christmas Hamper is an online members' day full of learning and networking with something for everyone. Designed so you can stay for the whole day or just drop in when you want to, the hamper will be filled with a variety of delights. There is a small admission fee of £10 that will go towards forming a new bursary fund for when we next hold a face-to-face ITI Conference.

The morning programme will comprise four webinars:

10.00 - 10.25 Christmas crack-it: my experiences of breaking into translation work

Sarah will talk about how she overcame the frequently experienced challenges of starting up a freelance translator career that led her to win the ITI Award 2020 for best Newcomer. 

Click on Sarah's picture to find out more about her.

Sarah Bowyer

Sarah Bowyer

Affiliate

10.30 - 10.55 The ins and outs of mentoring

Francesca will give an inspirational overview of her wide-ranging mentoring experiences that contributed towards her winning Mentor of the Year in the ITI Awards 2020.

Click on Francesca's picture to find out more about her.

Francesca Matteoda

11.00 - 11.40 The comma: to pause or to parse?

The humble comma has been the object of heated discussion over the years. It is the mark that generally takes up most space in punctuation guides and the list of recommended uses is long – as is the list of exceptions. In this webinar we will consider how its function has changed from a prosodic to a more syntax-based one over the centuries.

We will review the main uses (and abuses) of the comma paying special attention to discretional and controversial cases. We will then observe how the comma is used by contemporary writers in fields ranging from literature to science. Are there different rules (or levels of rigour) for different text types? Should we use the serial comma? Does the comma aid clarity and remove ambiguity in the same way for all audiences? Familiarity with the rules will help us make decisions more confidently in our work. (This presentation was originally developed for Mediterranean Editors and Translators.)

Click on Alan's picture to find out more about him.

Alan Lounds

12.00 - 12.40 What's in a name?

With the recent ‘Black Lives Matter’ events, the name 'Karen' cropped up repeatedly, bringing back what was already perceived as a white middle-aged lady who feels an unquestioning sense of entitlement. How did the name become linked to this negative image? More importantly, would speakers of other languages recognise this linkage and transfer it correctly, when it matters? If they heard the phrase ‘she was acting like a Karen’ will they literally interpret it as such, or will they explain what 'Karen' signifies?

A number of names are associated with class, ethnicity, looks and personality. This talk discusses the importance of names in communities. Summer looks at some of those names, their origins, meanings and what they pragmatically signify in English. Being aware of those links will make a difference when it comes to interpreting or translating them.

Click on Summer's picture to find out more about her.

Summer Mouallem

The afternoon programme will feature:

2.00 - 3.30 Translation duel: (Sticky) Autumn Leaves

When two skilled translators are asked to tackle the same text, how different can their translations be?

Seasoned translators from French, Martin Hemmings, who specialises in corporate communications, and literary translator Ros Schwartz, sharpen their swords and go head to head to defend their choices. No blood will be shed, but this event will shine a light on the translation process and the complex decisions involved at every step.  

Chaired by expert translator Chris Durban (FITI), the duel will be based on a page from the website of French railway operator SNCF explaining the measures they are taking to combat that perennial (and seemingly worldwide) problem of “leaves on the line”. 

No knowledge of French is needed to attend this session.

Click on the pictures below to find out more about the presenters.

Chris Durban
Ros Schwartz FITI
Martin Hemmings

3.45 - 4.45 Ann's Christmas Cracker

Join Ann and her guests for a world tour, chatting to members about Christmas where they live and how they are planning to spend the festive season. And there will be lots of other seasonal treats too. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the Christmas spirit.

Ann's crackers v2.jpg

5.00 - 6.00 Online drinks and networking

All Christmas Hamper attendees will have the opportunity to sign up beforehand to join one of our eight networking rooms on Friday at 5 pm. Each room will take the theme of a common interest or hobby and start with the question “How does your interest in [title of the group] help you in your work and well-being?”.

We hope this will be an opportunity to meet fellow members with similar interests and to make valuable connections. If you wish to attend you must make your choice before Thursday midday so that we can ensure everyone is assigned to the correct room.  Room titles and how to sign up will be shared with attendees after booking has closed.

Joining instructions will be emailed to attendees nearer the day.

This is an ITI member only event.