Spring 2017 Meeting Report
The spring meeting of Ohio Honyaku was held on Saturday, May 13, 2017, at JASCO headquarters in Dublin, Ohio. Our spring meeting had been postponed one month to avoid any conflicts with IJET in Columbus.
Over lunch we discussed the IJET conference and noted that there were many fine presentations. It was also mentioned that some attendees had assumed the SIG sessions were only for persons who specialize in those fields, and perhaps JAT should make it clear in the future attendees can benefit from the SIG sessions even if they do not have specialized knowledge and expertise.
We then held a short business meeting and spoke about the possibility of coordinating with JASCO about our new website http://www.ohiohonyaku.com/ and mutually providing links. We are also considering coordination with the Midwestern Activities Committee of JAT. The organizers plan to meet separately to discuss options and then hold a discussion with the entire group either online or at our next meeting.
We followed our usual practice of 5-minute presentations followed by open discussion. The first presentation involved issues of employer control over the personal lives of employees under the umbrella of corporate proprietary information. Some Japanese employers seem to be placing restrictions on their employees that are either illegal or unenforceable in the United States, but may be permitted in Japan. We also discussed the possible ramifications of non-competition clauses in employment contracts if an employee subsequently leaves the employer or is terminated.
The second presentation looked at some new terminology in the manufacturing industry that has been discovered recently by an in-house translator/interpreter with more than 20 years of experience. These includedレンチェン (running change), レマニ (remanufacturing), andレ点チェック (whereレ点refers to an English check mark).
The third presentation was a summary of useful tips for in-house interpreters from “Practical guide for professional conference interpreters at https://aiic.net/page/628/practical-guide-for-professional-conference-interpreters/lang/1 The main points were: Interpreter pre-preparation for meetings, Pre-briefing with meeting presenters, Familiarity with microphone protocol, Control over delivery of information (tone of voice, etc.), Post-meeting evaluation of performance, and Alerting the presenter and/or the listeners when there is a problem with interpreter comprehension.
The fourth presentation was an internet article entitled “10 Work Perks You Can’t Get as a Freelancer” from <http://www.wisebread.com/10-work-perks-you-cant-get-as-a-freelancer>. The presenter provided personal experiences that either support or contradict the writer’s opinions.
At the conclusion of the meeting, members gratefully accepted one member’s donation of Japaneseにらand purpleしそpotted plants for their spring gardens. What a treat for our palates!
The summer meeting is scheduled for Saturday, August 19th, at JASCO headquarters in Dublin. Please refer to our website for further information and contacts.
Report prepared by J. S.
