Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS January, 2006, reprinted with permission)
By Kathy MacMillan, M.L.S.
Acronym Finder
www.acronymfinder.com
For interpreters working in technical, medical, and military settings, acronyms can be a H/A – that’s “headache” for acronym users, and this well-organized website is a handy resource for figuring our what all those letters mean. Users can search for an exact acronym, for an acronym beginning with specific letters, or can do a reverse lookup by inputting words to find acronyms containing them. The results are broad (“RID” yields 32 results, ranging from “Robots in Disguise” to “Radioimmunodiffusion” to our own organization), but users can sort results to show certain categories, such as technology, military, or medical acronyms first. Most hits also link to more information at other websites, making this the ideal jumping-off point for an interpreter researching terminology for assignments. The handy “side-search” feature allows users to open the search box in a side frame, then go to other websites in the main frame. With over 2,444,000 entries, this user-friendly resource will make handling acronyms and abbreviations EAP. (You’ll have to go look that one up!)
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Medical Terminology Demystified
Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS November, 2006, reprinted with permission)
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Medical Terminology Demystified: A Self-teaching Guide. By Dr. Dale Layman. McGraw-Hill, 2006. ISBN 0-07-146104-3. $19.95.
We all know how hard it is to interpret when you don’t even understand what’s being said in the source language…and medical terminology provides some of the most challenging source language interpreters face. This self-paced guide goes far beyond your basic medical dictionary by providing background information, context, and history, all in an entertaining, easy-to-read format. Information is divided logically; the first section details “The Foundations of Medical Terminology” with a broad introduction to the basics, and then later sections delve into the specifics of cells, bones and muscles, respiration and circulation, and other body systems. This, along with the comprehensive index, allows an interpreter to use the book as a solid grounding in general medical terminology, or as a ready reference for a particular subject area. Terms are introduced in context, each accompanied by a pronunciation guide and broken down by meaning for better memory retention. “Case histories” demonstrate the practical use of the terms, ensuring better understanding for the reader, and notable names in medicine (such as Hippocrates, Florence Nightingale, and Shen Nung, the “founder of pharmacology”) are presented along with their notable accomplishments. A helpful summary table at the end of each chapter breaks down key terms by prefix, root, and suffix. The book also features a multiple-choice quiz at the end of each chapter, a test at the end of each section, and a final exam at the end of the book. Though the illustrations are frankly amateurish, and the author’s elaborate “Memory Pillbox” system is of debatable use, Medical Terminology Demystified will assist interpreters working in the medical setting in learning new terminology, gaining confidence in the terms they think they know, and providing more conceptually accurate interpretation for deaf consumers.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Medical Terminology Demystified: A Self-teaching Guide. By Dr. Dale Layman. McGraw-Hill, 2006. ISBN 0-07-146104-3. $19.95.
We all know how hard it is to interpret when you don’t even understand what’s being said in the source language…and medical terminology provides some of the most challenging source language interpreters face. This self-paced guide goes far beyond your basic medical dictionary by providing background information, context, and history, all in an entertaining, easy-to-read format. Information is divided logically; the first section details “The Foundations of Medical Terminology” with a broad introduction to the basics, and then later sections delve into the specifics of cells, bones and muscles, respiration and circulation, and other body systems. This, along with the comprehensive index, allows an interpreter to use the book as a solid grounding in general medical terminology, or as a ready reference for a particular subject area. Terms are introduced in context, each accompanied by a pronunciation guide and broken down by meaning for better memory retention. “Case histories” demonstrate the practical use of the terms, ensuring better understanding for the reader, and notable names in medicine (such as Hippocrates, Florence Nightingale, and Shen Nung, the “founder of pharmacology”) are presented along with their notable accomplishments. A helpful summary table at the end of each chapter breaks down key terms by prefix, root, and suffix. The book also features a multiple-choice quiz at the end of each chapter, a test at the end of each section, and a final exam at the end of the book. Though the illustrations are frankly amateurish, and the author’s elaborate “Memory Pillbox” system is of debatable use, Medical Terminology Demystified will assist interpreters working in the medical setting in learning new terminology, gaining confidence in the terms they think they know, and providing more conceptually accurate interpretation for deaf consumers.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Register: Comparing ASL and English
Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS December, 2006, reprinted with permission)
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Register: Comparing ASL and English. CD-Rom or streaming download. 3 hours. Signs of Development, LLC. 2003. $35.85. (www.signs-of-development.org). Also available for free loan through the Described and Captioned Media Program (www.cfv.org)
Effective use of register in interpreting is one of those concepts that takes a few minutes to understand and a lifetime to put into practice. This clearly organized, easy to navigate “WWWorkshop” features deaf ASLTA Professional Tom Riggs, who explores frozen, formal, consultative, informal, and intimate registers. Of more immediate use to interpreters, he also provides detailed examples and comparisons of the features of each register in both ASL and English. Having provided the theoretical framework for understanding register, this program then allows the viewer to put the theory into practice by identifying the features of each register in presentations given by both hearing and deaf presenters, giving the same information, but in different registers each time. Not only does this help viewers identify the features, but it also provides excellent source material for practicing interpreting various registers from ASL to English and from English to ASL. A nuanced understanding of register is a vital part of any interpreter’s professional toolkit, and this presentation will provide something useful for students, new interpreters, and veterans alike. In addition, 0.3 CEUS may be earned upon completion of the workshop, all collateral activities, and the payment of a processing fee.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Register: Comparing ASL and English. CD-Rom or streaming download. 3 hours. Signs of Development, LLC. 2003. $35.85. (www.signs-of-development.org). Also available for free loan through the Described and Captioned Media Program (www.cfv.org)
Effective use of register in interpreting is one of those concepts that takes a few minutes to understand and a lifetime to put into practice. This clearly organized, easy to navigate “WWWorkshop” features deaf ASLTA Professional Tom Riggs, who explores frozen, formal, consultative, informal, and intimate registers. Of more immediate use to interpreters, he also provides detailed examples and comparisons of the features of each register in both ASL and English. Having provided the theoretical framework for understanding register, this program then allows the viewer to put the theory into practice by identifying the features of each register in presentations given by both hearing and deaf presenters, giving the same information, but in different registers each time. Not only does this help viewers identify the features, but it also provides excellent source material for practicing interpreting various registers from ASL to English and from English to ASL. A nuanced understanding of register is a vital part of any interpreter’s professional toolkit, and this presentation will provide something useful for students, new interpreters, and veterans alike. In addition, 0.3 CEUS may be earned upon completion of the workshop, all collateral activities, and the payment of a processing fee.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Information on Sexual Harassment
Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS January, 2007, reprinted with permission)
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Information on Sexual Harassment
http://www.de2.psu.edu/harassment/
Originally created in 1995 by Professor Nancy Wyatt as a supplement to a course on gender and communication, this must-click resource offers extensive information on every conceivable aspect of sexual harassment. From the legal definitions of terms like “quid pro quo harassment” and “hostile work environment”, to an overview of how the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) works, to summaries of important court cases, this site makes the legalese comprehensible. The scope of the site is most impressive; the issue is presented from a variety of perspectives. Victims of sexual harassment will find guides for reporting and documenting the behavior, as well as contact information for relevant state agencies. Those accused of sexual harassment will find an overview of the complaint process and steps for defending themselves. Managers and supervisors will find a variety of resources for creating and enforcing sexual harassment policies and arranging training for employees. And those with a more theoretical bent will find pages of psychological theories attempting to explain the phenomenon and a history of sexual harassment legislation. There’s even a discussion of international perspectives on the issue. Extensive links to outside sites and an annotated bibliography provide fuel for further research. Whether you are a victim of sexual harassment, have been accused of it, are interpreting a meeting about it, or developing policies about it, this website is a fast, user-friendly way to begin.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Information on Sexual Harassment
http://www.de2.psu.edu/harassment/
Originally created in 1995 by Professor Nancy Wyatt as a supplement to a course on gender and communication, this must-click resource offers extensive information on every conceivable aspect of sexual harassment. From the legal definitions of terms like “quid pro quo harassment” and “hostile work environment”, to an overview of how the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) works, to summaries of important court cases, this site makes the legalese comprehensible. The scope of the site is most impressive; the issue is presented from a variety of perspectives. Victims of sexual harassment will find guides for reporting and documenting the behavior, as well as contact information for relevant state agencies. Those accused of sexual harassment will find an overview of the complaint process and steps for defending themselves. Managers and supervisors will find a variety of resources for creating and enforcing sexual harassment policies and arranging training for employees. And those with a more theoretical bent will find pages of psychological theories attempting to explain the phenomenon and a history of sexual harassment legislation. There’s even a discussion of international perspectives on the issue. Extensive links to outside sites and an annotated bibliography provide fuel for further research. Whether you are a victim of sexual harassment, have been accused of it, are interpreting a meeting about it, or developing policies about it, this website is a fast, user-friendly way to begin.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Descriptionary: A Thematic Dictionary
Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS February, 2007, reprinted with permission)
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Descriptionary: A Thematic Dictionary. By Mark McCutcheon. Checkmark Books, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-5926-8. $22.95.
How do you look up a word when you know its meaning, but you don’t know the word itself? You get out your Descriptionary. Unlike a regular dictionary, this fantastic resource is arranged by subject. Twenty-four broad categories (including Animals and Insects, Electronics, Finance, Food and Drink, Medicine, Sports, and Weapons, to name a few) are further broken down into subcategories, which then list relevant terms alphabetically with their definitions. For example, if you wanted to find the name of that little plastic or metal bit at the end of your shoelace, you would just need to look in the Table of Contents to find “Clothing”, which would lead you to its sub-category, “Clothing of the 20th and 21st Centuries”, under which you’d find “Footwear” and a section entitled “Parts of a Shoe”. From there, it’s an easy skim through the terminology list to find your answer (“aglet”). Try doing that with Webster’s.
But the Descriptionary does much more. An extensive section of “Words and Expressions You Should Know” offers great study material for English vocabulary building, and the subject-based organization makes this a dictionary that’s actually interesting to read. An alphabetical index of all terms allows readers to find definitions if the word is known. With its broad scope, including urban and Mafia slang, common Internet abbreviations, and legal and military terms, this book deserves a treasured spot on the resource shelf of every interpreter. What better way to prepare for assignments than this quick and easy guide to terminology on nearly every subject.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Descriptionary: A Thematic Dictionary. By Mark McCutcheon. Checkmark Books, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-5926-8. $22.95.
How do you look up a word when you know its meaning, but you don’t know the word itself? You get out your Descriptionary. Unlike a regular dictionary, this fantastic resource is arranged by subject. Twenty-four broad categories (including Animals and Insects, Electronics, Finance, Food and Drink, Medicine, Sports, and Weapons, to name a few) are further broken down into subcategories, which then list relevant terms alphabetically with their definitions. For example, if you wanted to find the name of that little plastic or metal bit at the end of your shoelace, you would just need to look in the Table of Contents to find “Clothing”, which would lead you to its sub-category, “Clothing of the 20th and 21st Centuries”, under which you’d find “Footwear” and a section entitled “Parts of a Shoe”. From there, it’s an easy skim through the terminology list to find your answer (“aglet”). Try doing that with Webster’s.
But the Descriptionary does much more. An extensive section of “Words and Expressions You Should Know” offers great study material for English vocabulary building, and the subject-based organization makes this a dictionary that’s actually interesting to read. An alphabetical index of all terms allows readers to find definitions if the word is known. With its broad scope, including urban and Mafia slang, common Internet abbreviations, and legal and military terms, this book deserves a treasured spot on the resource shelf of every interpreter. What better way to prepare for assignments than this quick and easy guide to terminology on nearly every subject.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation
Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS March, 2007, reprinted with permission)
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. By Deborah Tannen. Harper, 2001. ISBN 0060959622. $13.95.
Of the many aspects of gender diversity, the most crucial for interpreters to understand is the differences in the ways that men and women communicate. Though there have been many books devoted to this topic published in the last ten years, none states its case so clearly as Tannen’s groundbreaking book, originally published in 1990 and available now with a new afterword from the author. Tannen stresses that men and women not only use different conversational strategies, but that they also tend to see different purposes behind the very act of communication: men tend to focus more on managing status and imparting information (“report-talk”), while women use communication to establish and reinforce relationships (“rapport-talk”). With copious examples from her research, Tannen makes a convincing case that male and female styles are so different that conversation between the genders can even be seen as cross-cultural communication. The problem, she stresses, is not with the way men talk, or with the way women talk, but with the unacknowledged difference between the two. Every interpreter who reads this book will surely be able to think of examples not only from his or her own life, but from interpreting situations that unaccountably went wrong. Tannen also points out that the English vocabulary available to describe women’s and men’s actions differ; for example, women “faint”, while men “pass out”. Interpreters of either gender would do well to make themselves aware of these dynamics, especially when interpreting for clients of the opposite gender.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. By Deborah Tannen. Harper, 2001. ISBN 0060959622. $13.95.
Of the many aspects of gender diversity, the most crucial for interpreters to understand is the differences in the ways that men and women communicate. Though there have been many books devoted to this topic published in the last ten years, none states its case so clearly as Tannen’s groundbreaking book, originally published in 1990 and available now with a new afterword from the author. Tannen stresses that men and women not only use different conversational strategies, but that they also tend to see different purposes behind the very act of communication: men tend to focus more on managing status and imparting information (“report-talk”), while women use communication to establish and reinforce relationships (“rapport-talk”). With copious examples from her research, Tannen makes a convincing case that male and female styles are so different that conversation between the genders can even be seen as cross-cultural communication. The problem, she stresses, is not with the way men talk, or with the way women talk, but with the unacknowledged difference between the two. Every interpreter who reads this book will surely be able to think of examples not only from his or her own life, but from interpreting situations that unaccountably went wrong. Tannen also points out that the English vocabulary available to describe women’s and men’s actions differ; for example, women “faint”, while men “pass out”. Interpreters of either gender would do well to make themselves aware of these dynamics, especially when interpreting for clients of the opposite gender.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Best Resources in Mentoring
Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS April, 2007, reprinted with permission)
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Best Resources in Mentoring:
http://www.asl.neu.edu/TIEM.online/sourcement.html
This resource site, a collaboration of Project TIEM.Online, the Northeastern University Interpreter Education Project, the RSA Region III Interpreter Training Project , and the RSA Region V Interpreter Education Project, is a treasure trove of information for interpreter mentors, educators, and mentees. With an easy to use search feature, users can quickly call up information ranging from curriculum resources to book reviews. Mentors and mentees can also access many practical exercises addressing specific issues such as the use of classifiers, cultural mediation, and writing a professional development plan. The site also includes a directory of mentors and mentor trainers, as well as examples of successful mentoring programs. Users can also contribute their own book reviews and descriptions of mentoring activities. Though there are many resources out there about mentoring, most focus on general business models; this one is aimed squarely at interpreter mentors and mentees. Be sure to check out the main Project TIEM.Online site (TIEM stands for “Teaching Interpreting Educators and Mentors”) at http://www.asl.neu.edu/TIEM.online/index.html for information about online classes and distance learning opportunities for interpreter educators and mentors.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Best Resources in Mentoring:
http://www.asl.neu.edu/TIEM.online/sourcement.html
This resource site, a collaboration of Project TIEM.Online, the Northeastern University Interpreter Education Project, the RSA Region III Interpreter Training Project , and the RSA Region V Interpreter Education Project, is a treasure trove of information for interpreter mentors, educators, and mentees. With an easy to use search feature, users can quickly call up information ranging from curriculum resources to book reviews. Mentors and mentees can also access many practical exercises addressing specific issues such as the use of classifiers, cultural mediation, and writing a professional development plan. The site also includes a directory of mentors and mentor trainers, as well as examples of successful mentoring programs. Users can also contribute their own book reviews and descriptions of mentoring activities. Though there are many resources out there about mentoring, most focus on general business models; this one is aimed squarely at interpreter mentors and mentees. Be sure to check out the main Project TIEM.Online site (TIEM stands for “Teaching Interpreting Educators and Mentors”) at http://www.asl.neu.edu/TIEM.online/index.html for information about online classes and distance learning opportunities for interpreter educators and mentors.
This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.
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