July 2013 Newsletter

In this Number:

Alcohol Regulation in the USA
Interpreting Without Voice
Translating the Purposely Ambiguous, Unclear, and Silly
What is a Digital Pen?
Cocoa Might Prevent Memory Decline
The Hagley Museum
Delaware Crime Lab

Welcome!

   It was a great pleasure to see you at the meeting. Xiaochuan, Catalina, and Alina were at the Brew Ha-ha and we discussed several interesting issues. Alina arrived a little late because she had to travel to take the oral and final portion of the Court Certification Exam.
   At the meeting we talked about the history of prohibition in this country and how the states regulate the selling of alcohol. We talked about our fear of tests, our pre-exam rituals, and how difficult we all consider consecutive interpreting. I mentioned that at a recent seminar in Pennsylvania there was a Monterrey graduate with impeccable consecutive skills and I asked this interpreter about note-taking skills, (I always believed that note-taking was the key to good consecutive interpreting.) The interpreter responded that training at the University focused a lot on creating images in one's head and that the notes recorded the main idea of what was being heard. I learned a lot from that seminar especially that it is very important to create a balance between relaxed attention and note-taking in order to make sure that the note-taking process doesn't work against you. I hope my words helped. There are several videos and articles posted in past newsletters and on the Videos page that talk about this.
   Richard, Linda, and Xiaochuan will not be at our August meeting due to their travels. Richard has bravely taken a journey up the Appalachian Trail, Linda is on a shorter yet beautiful vacation, and Xiaochuan is enjoying the rest of the summer visiting friends throughout America. I hope to see you all again soon.

Update: We've recently learned that Alina passed the test! Congratulations Alina on obtaining your Certification!

PROHIBITION IN THE UNITED STATES

In the United States there was a national ban on the sale, production, and transportation of alcohol from 1919 to 1933. It was called “Prohibition” The ban was mandated by the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. The Volstead Act set rules for enforcing the ban and defined the types of alcoholic beverages that were prohibited. Private ownership and consumption of alcohol was not illegal under federal law, but many local laws were stricter and in some states possession of alcohol was banned completely. Prohibition seemed to work at the beginning but as time passed it became more unpopular, created controversy within political and social settings, and brought about many side-effects such as organized crime. Prohibition ended with the ratification of the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment, on December 5, 1933.

Section 2 has been the source of every Supreme Court ruling directly addressing 21st Amendment issues.
The 21st Amendment in its Section 2 was interpreted to essentially give states absolute control over alcoholic beverages, and many U.S. states remained dry.

Many states now delegate the authority over alcohol granted to them by the 21st Amendment to their municipalities, counties, or both, which has led to many lawsuits over 1st Amendment rights when local governments try to revoke liquor licenses.

Doctor's Prescription for the Use of Medicinal Liquor

Courtesy of the Rex D. Davis Historical file, ATF Reference Library and Archive

   During the prohibition years there was only one way to legally obtain alcoholic beverages. It was through a physician's prescription then purchasing the liquor from a pharmacy. Physicians could prescribe distilled spirits, usually whiskey or brandy, on government prescription forms. The government would allow the limited production and distribution of whiskey when stocks were low.

    Since ancient times there were widespread beliefs that alcoholic beverages had medicinal value. Those beliefs spread widely after the development of distillation techniques. Physicians prescribed alcohol for all sorts of treatments, from snake bites to disease control. By the early 19th century, especially in England, there was an extensive use of alcohol in medical treatments.

    The rise of scientific medicine after 1850 led to changing views, and by the end of the 19th century the therapeutic value of alcohol was disputed and discredited by many practitioners. In 1916 whiskey and brandy were removed from the list of scientifically approved medicines of The United States Pharmacopeia. In 1917 the American Medical Association voted in support of prohibition. The prohibition laws allowed medicinal use of alcoholic beverages through prescription and allowed the distribution of wine for sacramental purposes.

WHAT IS A DIGITAL PEN?

   A digital pen or SMARTPEN is a pen that digitally records voices and writes with ink like a regular pen. It uses special digital paper, software applications, and developer-tools to combine the audio and writing and coordinates them all in an innovative manner to allow the user to retrieve the information in sections on-demand, save it on a computer, email it, etc.
   Smartpens are essentially ballpoint pens with an embedded computer and digital audio recorder. When used with it's specific digital paper, it records and synchronizes those audio notes with the writings on the paper. This allows users to replay portions of a recording by tapping on the notes they were taking at the time the recording was made. I recommend the kit that comes with special earphones (the mic is in the earbuds so they record away from the scratching tip) and 2 notepads. You do not need to be connected to anything in order to use the SMARTPEN, but if you want to download information into your computer, know that there are two types of pens: wired and Wi-Fi. They both need to be charged with a cable to the computer, so if you want to save some money just get the wired version, but check before you purchase because these may not work with the newer iPads.

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

   The digital pen is a useful tool for practicing simultaneous interpreting and many trainers and interpreters call it a portable booth. The digital pen records audio and written notes at the same time, so the user can easily play back the recorded audio by simply placing the tip of the pen on the words or symbols the user wrote on the special paper while recording. Since the audio is recorded while writing, the user can play back the entire track or just single sections of the recording by tapping the desired section of the notes with the tip of the pen.

   The digital pen can be used for training or working. Although court interpreters are not allowed to use this device in the courtroom today, the digital pen is being used for depositions, business meetings, conference interpreting and community interpreting. In settings where recording equipment is frowned upon, always notify your client and request permission to use the digital pen.

Translating the Purposely Ambiguous,
Unclear, and Silly

   Being a translator, you might pay a lot of attention to the way things are said and sometimes you may come across expressions that boggle your mind. Some simply make you laugh, some make you angry, and some terms send you into research frenzy in hopes of obtaining some background that explains the writer’s choice of words. Here are some of the statements I found and my analysis:

If cancer happens…

    Expressions like these are heard in advertising. It seems as if the writers have a very poor vocabulary or they are purposely avoiding certain words with the intention of keeping users from associating the product with getting cancer, or suggesting that the medication may produce the disease. The commercials usually say that if you use this drug and cancer happens you should discontinue the drug immediately. Many Spanish speaking countries do not allow drug companies to advertise directly to the public, so for me to even start to translate “if cancer happens” is disconcerting. From the linguistic point of view, how do you translate this? “Si cáncer le sucede…” “Si tiene cáncer…” “Si contrae cáncer…” or maybe “Si de casualidad mientras está tomando este medicamento lo diagnostican con cáncer…”

If you or a loved one died or suffered...

    These are usually advertisements for law firms trying to wright a wrong. They are letting you know that if you suffered or are already dead, or if somebody else died or suffered due to a certain substance you should call their law firm. Well, that’s not really what they meant to say. It seems like advertisers are suffering from severe cases of word deprivation. These statements would be clearer with one more “or a loved one” and the translation would be much easier: “Si un ser querido falleció o si usted o un ser querido sufrió...” But time is money and more words mean more airtime. Or maybe I’m completely wrong and these commercials are really able to broadcast over to the other side.

Hire a real estate agent because buyers are in the market

    This is funny. A market needs two sides: buyers and sellers. If there weren’t buyers there would be no market, just a bunch of crazy people with signs on their lawns.

Part of a complete breakfast

   I know that all things complete have parts; it’s a matter of mathematics. Part of a complete breakfast…this statement prompted a doubt in me. Is there such a thing as a complete breakfast? I’m not being philosophical. I’m serious; is there a national standard for completeness in breakfasts such as a certain percentage of proteins, carbohydrates, sugars, fats, etc.? If there is, this statement would make sense. As a good translator would, I also looked it up. My online research provided no useful information. Many just had lists of foods. So far, a complete breakfast was eggs, bread, coffee, and some kind of meat, and I already knew that; it’s called a Grand Slam. My research was going to have to go deeper, specifically into the realm of the Official Sites: Food and Drug Administration, Public Health, etc. I finally arrived at a wonderful site called Chose My Plate. They have an article that talks about breakfast and how people should try to include foods from the five food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy.) Unfortunately I did not find any list of items that specifically makes a complete breakfast. I suppose that if a person knows the five food groups and knows that breakfast should try to contain some of those elements, the statement is true.

We have live people at our customer service centers

    The term “live” has several definitions. A TV episode can be broadcasted "live" meaning that it is being broadcasted and acted at the same time. Sometimes shows are announced to have been filmed in front of a "live" audience," to which case many linguists would object because if the audience weren't "live" it wouldn't be an audience at all. The term “live” applied to employees is also incorrect because in this case the term “live” is used as an antonym of virtual, computerized, or fake. To say that there are live people in a call center is saying that the call center is not staffed with corpses. The proper way to convey that a company favors human interaction and direct client/service-provider contact would be to indicate that their call center is staffed with real operators, people not programs or machines. When you call customer service remember, however, that not all people are the same; take my phone service provider for example, I am convinced that some of them really are zombies.

The Hagley Museum and Library

My mother was visiting last month and I took her to the Hagley Museum. She loved it and I was impressed and proud, not only of the site itself, but of what I learned about the progressive and socially-conscience business philosophy of the du Pont family. I recommend you take a day off, or half a day, and experience this amazing place. The Hagley Museum and Library is for people of all ages. It enriches you to observe the unfolding of history. American business, technology, innovation, and its impact on the world are all exposed in this wonderful museum. Make sure you take advantage of the guided tours to the du Pont home (Eleutherian Mills), the schoolhouse, and the historic DuPont powder yards on the banks of the Brandywine. Hagley Museum and Library is located on 235 acres along the banks of the Brandywine River in Wilmington, Delaware. Hagley is the site of the gunpowder works founded by E. I. du Pont in 1802.

Simple Rules for Success

The most important rules to remember in any profession, interpreting or other:

1) Be on time
2) Be brave
3) Be kind

Why bringing any booze into or through Delaware is illegal

When you attend a conference in a country famous for producing great wines it is difficult to return without a few bottles for friends and family. But if you were to travel by car to a small vineyard, say in Pennsylvania, and wanted to bring home some souvenirs, you might find yourself in a barrel of trouble. You could get charged with smuggling, failure to pay tax, or other charges. The law that explains this type of action reads more or less this:

Any individual wishing to bring into the state of Delaware alcoholic liquor which is not available through regularly licensed importers must:

     A. Notify and receive approval from the Commissioner a letter of intent, and identifying the "Port of Entry", date of arrival and cost.

     B. Ship by common carrier to a "Port of Entry". The common carrier must have a bill of lading with type of items, size, brands and amounts on it.

     C. Notify the Commissioner that the shipment of alcoholic liquor has arrived and have an agent from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner inspect, validate, and approve said merchandise.

     D. Pay the Delaware state tax and 25% enforcement fee which will be computed on the value of the alcoholic liquor. After making payment, the consignee will receive two copies of the realized purchase order.

VI. EXCEPTIONS:

     A. This rule shall parallel federal regulations in that U.S. citizens are allowed to bring into the state of Delaware up to one liter per day of alcoholic liquor, days not cumulative.

     B. Any adult non-resident who is in transit and shall stay not more than 72 hours in Delaware is allowed to have tax free four liters of alcoholic liquor.

     C. Any adult non-resident who shall stay longer than 72 hours in the state of Delaware is allowed to bring in up to one liter of alcoholic liquor.

     D. Diplomatic, consular, and other privileged personnel have the privilege of importing alcoholic liquor free of tax.

English/Spanish Federal Court Glossary
with Simple Definitions

This document began with a public dictionary of Federal Court terms and simple definitions. I researched each term's meaning and added its equivalent in Spanish. I incorporated a few of my own glossaries as well so the dictionary would include civil, criminal, and probate court terminology. It resulted in a great tool that I use frequently, and I would like to share it with you. Now and then I realize that some things could be better, so I will update it now and then. Enjoy!
Jennifer

INTERPRETING WITHOUT VOICE

   Since judicial interpreters began working in the courtroom with the guidance of the code of ethics for professional court interpreters, interpreters and the court are assured that equality, freedom, and neutrality are being attained. An interpreter does not advocate for a cause, does not offer opinions or advise, and does not take sides. The interpreter is not a party in the case, rather an officer that conveys the messages of others so that cases can be heard and decided in the courts.
   I was once asked if interpreting turns professionals into "wimps"? I was somewhat shocked by the question because I knew that a wimp was a cowardly or unadventurous individual. I thought of doctors, teachers, and judges and how they may not agree with everything happening around them, yet they do their job every day with the hope that their fair treatment will serve a greater purpose. As far as being unadventurous, I believe that the adventures should be personal and taken on one's own time. When an interpreter is working, the star is the non-English person, not the interpreter. The non-English speaker is the person in the driver's seat or spotlight, if you will. There is nothing disgraceful in holding one's tongue when on the job because there is a time and a place for everything. There are public and private resources available for an interpreter to unburden, disclose injustice, feelings, and frustration. Although these environments are more appropriate for sharing, they may not always be enough. If there are issues that an interpreter cannot tolerate due to their opposition to core beliefs or principals, he or she should reject these types of assignments or ultimately consider becoming an advocate.
   Another question I was asked was if interpreting requires lack of humanity? A good interpreter interpreter is an interpreter with emotions; one that can appreciate the human aspect of a situation. A good interpreter does not behave like a robot. A professional interpreter learns to become detached from the parties and hide his or her emotions because if the interpreter displays anything not voiced by the speaker the interpreter is adding weight to a testimony and tilting the scales toward those who feel the same way; there is now one more person sympathizing with a party, and that is in exact opposition to the true role of the interpreter. Professional interpreters do not display their feelings while on assignment because they know that these demonstrations might influence the opinion of others. Avoiding conversation that might be taken as a sign of alliance and avoiding gestures that may suggest views or emotions are difficult tasks. If there are assignments that an interpreter knows he or she will not be able to manage, the interpreter should reject them.
   The important thing to remember that interpreting without voice can be accomplished and by doing so the interpreter is a more responsible professional.

Cocoa might prevent
memory decline

Drinking cocoa every day may help older people keep their brains healthy, research suggests.

Based on the study “Neurovascular coupling, cerebral white matter integrity, and response to cocoa in older people” by doctors Farzaneh A. Sorond, MD, PhD, Shelley Hurwitz, PhD, David H. Salat, PhD, Douglas N. Greve, PhD, and Naomi D.L. Fisher, MD cocoa might prevent memory decline.

    The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between neurovascular coupling and cognitive function in elderly individuals with vascular risk factors and to determine whether neurovascular coupling could be modified by cocoa consumption.

    It began with a study of 60 elderly people with no dementia but some with problems with blood flow to the brain. Ultrasound tests at the start of the study showed 17 of them had impaired blood flow to the brain but experts said more research was needed before conclusions could be drawn. It is not the first time cocoa has been linked with vascular health and researchers believe that this is in part due to it being rich in flavanols, which are thought to have an important role. Researchers asked the 60 people with an average age of 73 to drink two cups of cocoa a day - one group given high-flavanol cocoa and another a low-flavanol cocoa - and consume no other chocolate. There was no difference between those who drank flavanol-rich cocoa and those who had flavanol-poor cocoa. Whichever drink they were given, 88% of those with impaired blood flow at the start of the study saw improvements in blood flow and some cognitive tests, compared with 37% of people whose blood flow was normal at the beginning of the study. It found that two cups of cocoa a day improved their blood flow. Participants whose blood flow improved also did better on memory tests at the end of the study, the journal “Neurology” reported.

    “Start Quote: A cocoa-based treatment would likely be very popular, but it's too soon to draw any conclusions about its effects” Dr. Simon Ridley Alzheimer's Research UK

    "We're learning more about blood flow in the brain and its effect on thinking skills," said study author Dr. Farzaneh Sorond a neurologist at Harvard Medical School.

    "As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer's."

    The researchers said the lack of difference between the flavanol-rich and flavanol-poor cocoa could be because another component of the drink was having an effect or because only small amounts were needed.

    Dr. Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said this was a small study but that it added to a wealth of evidence.

    But he added: "Poor vascular health is a known risk factor for dementia, and understanding more about the links between vascular problems and declining brain health could help the search for new treatments and preventions."

Delaware Crime Lab

The Delaware State Police Crime Lab is located on the State Police Headquarters complex in Dover. Since its inception, the lab has provided services for numerous local and municipal police departments, federal agencies, and the Delaware State Police. Under the direction of Mrs. Julie Willey, the Crime Lab is staffed by five civilian employees. The lab is composed of four units specializing in blood and breath alcohol analysis, hairs and fibers analysis, questioned document analysis, and forensic and general photography.