Translation Israel Planet

Translation Israel Planet http://translation.org.il/planet Translation Israel Project Daily Video: How I Use Lingopie to Learn Modern Greek in 2026 https://translation.org.il/videos/watch/4531 2026-06-10T18:20:20 Stephen Rifkind - Tip of the Tongue: Prime perspectives on adopting a new country http://tip-o-tongue.blogspot.com/2026/06/prime-perspectives-on-adopting-new.html  <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a " style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> 37 years ago, on the date I am writing this post, I made aliyah, immigrated, to Israel. The actual day was not as eventful as D-Day, which also occurred on the same date, albeit some 54 years previously, but has had a huge impact on my life. I came to Israel and have made it my home, notwithstanding 5+ wars, because my decision was carefully calculated, both rationally and emotionally. I have paid a price in terms of becoming an alien to one degree or another. However, looking back, it was the best road taken.<o:p></o:p> Every immigrant’s story is personal and unique. In my case, moving to Israel was the search for a place that felt permanent. I had spent most of my adult life moving from city to city, apartment to apartment and job to job. I enjoyed Oregon and still appreciate its pace and beauty. However, it never felt like home despite the friends and lifestyle. Facing another period of unemployment, I chose to join the yearlong “Sherut La’am” [Service to the People] program in which I taught English at a high school in Ashkelon, in southern Israel. We lived in and taught students from the “wrong side of the tracks”. Many of my neighbors had no books in their houses. Even worse, one neighbor was a drug dealer while there was a local “working lady” below in the square. We received housing and a small stipend. I was contented for the first time despite the less-than-glamorous reality around me. I returned to the States for a year and then formally decided to immigrate to Israel. My father asked me: “Are you going to or running from”. The answer was clear and correct. I was going to. I ended up in Karmiel, in the North, where I still live today. I have never looked back.<o:p></o:p> My successful transition to living in Israel, far from obvious, derives from my decision to embrace the whole experience, positive and negative, to the best of my ability. I insisted on speaking Hebrew and actually avoided the Anglo-Saxon community. I married an Israeli and raised my child in Hebrew, watching all her videos and reading her books in Hebrew, mistakes and all. My second wife is also Israeli. I have tried to understand and selectively adopt Israeli social mores or at least anticipate them. As they used to say, I went native. I did not become fully Israeli nor will I ever be. I arrived too late in my life and did not serve in the army. Furthermore, it is impossible to erase almost 30 years of education, formal and informal. Yet, I am much as part of Israel as I can be.<o:p></o:p> Of course, there was a high price to pay: becoming a permanent alien. I do not speak nor in particular write Hebrew as a native language. I miss small subtleties in conversation and make stupid errors, particularly with gender forms in verbs. Culturally, I have learned to expect certain behaviors but cannot or choose not to adopt them. They are not my style. Not having grown up here, I don’t have friends from childhood or the army and lack the “bande”, as my mother would say, the group of people that have known you since you were small. For the same reason, I lack the shared experience of high school, the army or university studies. My growing-up period was in a different country. On a deeper level, I also stopped being an American. The America I grew up in has long disappeared. I felt the divide even while I was still frequently traveling to the States to see my parents. I can live in three countries (the United States, Israel and France) without belonging 100% to any of them. That loss of clear identity is a heavy price.<o:p></o:p> Yet, as Edith Piaf said, Je ne regrette rien – I regret nothing. Even before the current ugly wave of antisemitism in the United States and Europe, Israel was my home. It is an imperfect place, I would agree, but native born Israelis are equally, if not more, critical than I am. I am always happy to return to my country, wars, missiles, and political chaos included. Ultimately, without fully being aware of it, Israel is my home because I am Jewish here without apology and adjustment. I do not have to prove my Jewishness by being religious or politically active nor do I have to push back against my neighbors that are actively or passively antisemitic. To highjack Jacques Prévert, je suis comme je me suis; je me suis fait comme ça, or, in English, I am what I am; I made myself that. I have become Israeli in my own way, just as hundreds of thousands of immigrants have done before me and after me. Even more importantly, home is where you feel internal peace. I have always felt at home in Israel, from my first day here. I do not wish to live anywhere else. Thus, on this 37th, a prime number by chance, anniversary of my Aliyah, I have attained my goal and am content. That feeling is the ultimate success.<o:p></o:p> noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Rifkind) tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7446668869695334043.post-1945692289361964420 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:09:28 +0000 דגש קל: חשד לקטימת עצים תחביריים https://dagesh.wordpress.com/2026/06/03/%d7%97%d7%a9%d7%93-%d7%9c%d7%a7%d7%98%d7%99%d7%9e%d7%aa-%d7%a2%d7%a6%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%aa%d7%97%d7%91%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%99%d7%9d/ הלל ביטון רוזן מדווח על פרשה בצמרת צה"ל. רגע. מה הפרשה שמדווחת פה? "חשד ליחסי מרות"? מה יש לחשוד פה? או שיש יחסי מרות בין שני האנשים, והקריטריונים די ברורים, או שאין יחסי מרות. מהמשך המשפט ברור לחלוטין שיש יחסי מרות – תא"ל שומר הוא מפקדה של הפקודה שמתחתיו. אפשר לפזר את החשד! לפתע מרעים […] מהנעשה בעירנו סמנטיקה עברית פרגמטיקה תחביר https://dagesh.wordpress.com/2026/06/03/%d7%97%d7%a9%d7%93-%d7%9c%d7%a7%d7%98%d7%99%d7%9e%d7%aa-%d7%a2%d7%a6%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%aa%d7%97%d7%91%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%99%d7%9d/#comments http://dagesh.wordpress.com/?p=5947 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:19:22 +0000 Stephen Rifkind - Tip of the Tongue: Google-eyed translator search – Shocked and uh-ed translation buyers http://tip-o-tongue.blogspot.com/2026/06/google-eyed-translator-search-shocked.html  <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a " style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> Freelancer marketing has never been a simple task just as finding any proper professional for the first time has always been a bit of a gamble. As an exercise, I “posed” as a translation buyer in my area of specialty – Hebrew-to-English official documents, a marriage certificate in this case – and searched for a service provider using both ChatGPT and Google. While the former provided a reasonable response, the options raised by Google illustrated the irrelevance of the search for translation purchasers and the need to focus marketing for translation providers.<o:p></o:p> In terms of methodology, I used free ChatGPT and posted the following prompt: “I am looking for a certified Hebrew-English translator to translate a marriage certificate for immigration purposes.” I then added, “I am looking for three freelancers”. Aside from some fairly accurate but somewhat vague background information, which is understandable since my prompt did not include all the relevant information, the AI engine initially provided three agencies and then, following the second prompt, three freelancers. The referred translation agencies and independent translators were all experienced professionals. Thus, GPT did provide an adequate starting point for a search for a translation professional.<o:p></o:p> By contrast, Google’s output to the same initial question was highly biased. The first page was almost entirely AI-based translation companies. I understand that people pay for top billing but I am not familiar with any government agency that will accept a certified translation of an official document produced by AI. The first human agencies were a few large, low-cost agencies. I am aware that some customers have a limited budget but it seems penny- wise and pound-foolish to skimp on the translation of a document that may make or break an important opportunity. Among the early entries (page 2) was a site for freelancers. It was shocking to see their average prices. Almost all of the more than 20 freelancers on the first two pages posted a rate of 5 USD a page, without defining what a page is. At that price, I would not trust the result as the rate is too good to be true. Thus, faced with a choice of AI, budget agencies and prostituting freelancers, the search was a non-starter.<o:p></o:p> It would seem that first-time translation buyers seeking a professional translator should take a much more directed approach. The best option may be national association search engines (such as the ATA in the US and ITA in Israel), which allow a full comparison of credentials and demonstrate some measure of professional approach. Service provider recommendation lists may also be relevant, albeit with a grain or two of salt. Of course, traditional personal recommendations are always relevant. Notices in relevant Facebook groups will provide several options. Finally, ChatGPT with more specifics is an ever more relevant path. Clearly, finding an appropriate translation will require some thinking and effort.<o:p></o:p> This situation should determine how translators market themselves. As AI seeks specifics that make one option more relevant than the others, translators need to include relevant details in as many locations as possible. These factors include languages, qualifications, experience, types of documents and skills. A website is an important but not the sole place to post such information. Furthermore, appearing on reputable translator lists, e.g., national associations and government bodies, enhances the probability that a search will produce one’s name. Of course, additional activities, including lectures, blogs and volunteer work, further enhance one’s presence. Ultimately, word-of-mouth, whether through customers or peers, is the best source of reference, requiring translators to produce quality results regardless of the rate. It is not enough for translators to prove and improve themselves. They need to market those attributes in multiple ways.<o:p></o:p> God helps those who help themselves. I am not sure that Google is a god even if it does seem to be omniscient and omnipresent. AI is far too naive to be a god but people increasingly treat it as one. Translation providers need to help purchasers find an appropriate option. Keeping on the astral plane, the devil is in the details. Purchasers need to make intelligent decisions while freelancers must provide the information they need to make those decisions. The result can be awe-inspiring, far superior to the uhs produced by simple Google searches and even ChatGPT.<o:p></o:p> noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Rifkind) AI ChatGPT google Hebrew marketing searching translation buyers translators tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7446668869695334043.post-7064438780176825849 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:28:34 +0000 שלומית עוזיאל - הקוראת הראשונה: מצב הצבירה של הכסף https://hakoret-harishona.com/2026/05/26/%d7%9e%d7%a6%d7%91-%d7%94%d7%a6%d7%91%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%94-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%94%d7%9b%d7%a1%d7%a3/ בפינתי בתוכנית "מה שכרוך" עסקנו היום בנושא פיננסי: למה הכסף נוזל לנו בין האצבעות? הסיבה היא הנטייה החזקה של השפה לתאר כסף כמים, או בכל אופן כסוג של נוזל. על העניין הזה העיר הסופר שחר קמיניץ בספרו החדש והיפה "מחול הקיפודים". גיבורת הספר, ענת, משוחחת עם יועץ המס החדש שלה והוא מציע "נתחיל בתמונת מצב […] בלשנות המלצות טכניקות בכתיבה ובאמנות וירג'יניה וולף חדר משלך כסף מה שכרוך מחול הקיפודים מטאפורה שחר קמיניץ https://hakoret-harishona.com/2026/05/26/%d7%9e%d7%a6%d7%91-%d7%94%d7%a6%d7%91%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%94-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%94%d7%9b%d7%a1%d7%a3/#comments http://hakoret-harishona.com/?p=9177 Tue, 26 May 2026 18:03:20 +0000 Stephen Rifkind - Tip of the Tongue: A call for a small action – Freelancers of the nation, unite! http://tip-o-tongue.blogspot.com/2026/05/a-call-for-small-action-freelancers-of.html  <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a " style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> It has been some 100 years since the heyday of unions. Today, the sad truth is fewer and fewer workers, both freelance and salaried, feel the need to join an association. Many, if not most, professional associations are experiencing declining membership numbers and energy and increasing average member age, including translator associations worldwide. Yet, despite the massive changes in the world since the beginning of the 20th century, the need for collective associations remains as valid as ever: market forces are as unbalanced as in the late 19th century; banding together strengthens individuals; and associations foster satisfying human connections. Thus, I encourage every freelancer, regardless of his/her profession or country, to join and contribute to a professional association.<o:p></o:p> The rise of the trade unions did not occur in a vacuum. The industrial barons of the 19th and early 20th centuries enjoyed full freedom to make any decision they wanted, almost unfettered by government rules or issues of social justice. The unions challenged their privileges, including the ability to set wages, hours and working conditions unilaterally. 21st-century labor markets are not so different. For example, the conglomeration of the translation agencies has reduced competition and rates to new lows as well as significantly reduced translator choice in rates and technology. Any translator that chooses not to agree to those rates or, increasingly, to use AI suffers. As for autonomy, as Henry Ford and his colleagues had no problem replacing any “problem” worker with a more flexible one, the modern axiom “the customer is always right” seems to justify patently incorrect translation and punishing linguists that insist on quality. Finally, one of the most important benefits of trade unions was to provide opportunities to socialize and be a human being, not a human machine. Especially before the advent of television, going to the union hall was as much an act of social expression as worker action. There, you were a human being, not just an employee. Today, too many freelancers spend the vast majority of their time alone in front of the computer and may even have forgotten how to have a conversation and its benefits. Meeting and talking make you feel like a human being, just like then.<o:p></o:p> Therefore, I call on every freelancer, including translators, to join an association. The annual cost is minimal and tax-deductible as a business expense. In return, one receives emotional and organizational strength, i.e., the knowledge that you are not alone. Moreover, being a member allows access to an incredible amount of professional knowledge. For example, the ITA (Israel) and ATA (US) each have an incredible library of webinars available to their member on any subject. This library can shave years off the learning curve. Often, being a member brings direct financial benefits, e.g., buyers seek members of the association and even post job requests in its networks. Likewise, getting to know colleagues often leads to referrals and recommendations. Making some contribution, whether time or knowledge, multiplies that benefit as colleagues learn more about your unique traits. Mutual support creates amazing synergy, often in unexpected ways, all for a small investment of time and energy.<o:p></o:p> As a personal testament, my father helped organize the reporters of the AP news organization into a union at a time when that organization treated them only slightly better than slaves. He paid a professional price for that but was proud of it to his last day. I am a member of three translator associations (Israel, France and the US) and participate, when possible, in their meetings. I regularly receive job offers from buyers that see my name on their sites, direct notices from the association and referrals from colleagues that have met me. Maybe just as important, I feel that I am part of a larger community, which professionally strengthens me just as my contributions strengthen that community. Although I lack the "organizational" mind to run an organization, I sit on the ITA Audit Committee and contribute ideas when relevant. I give what I have to give. I have gained far more than I have contributed.<o:p></o:p> In summary, if you are new to a profession, join an association. The knowledge that you can access can save years of errors and wasted effort. If you are established, the association can provide you with the tools and knowledge to adapt to a rapidly changing market. Yesterday’s business model is increasingly irrelevant; the association can help you quickly adapt. If you find yourself complaining about rates, conditions, AI, your colleagues or lack thereof, joining an association is one positive act. In unity, there is strength for everybody. We get by with a little help from your friends.<o:p></o:p> noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Rifkind) associations freelancers ATA ITA tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7446668869695334043.post-8160979323271540430 Mon, 25 May 2026 04:26:27 +0000 ענבל שגיב, מתרגמת: מלכת הקוצים https://metargemet.com/archives/3902 יצא לאור בתרגומי “מלכת הקוצים” מאת סשה פייטון סמית (עריכת התרגום: נאוה צלר). זהו ספר ההמשך ל”ברית הוורדים” והוא סוגר את סיפורם של אייבי, בראם, אמט ולידיה. אייבי נישאה לּבְרָאם, והפכה למלכתו. אבל מלך אנגליה הוא גם מלך העולם האחר, והוא ממהר לפתוח את השער בין שני העולמות. כעת אנגליה הופכת לשדות הציד, ובני הפיות […] The post <a ">מלכת הקוצים</a> appeared first on <a ">ענבל שגיב נקדימון, מתרגמת</a>. ספרים בתרגומי אוסטן תלבושות https://metargemet.com/archives/3902#comments https://metargemet.com/?p=3902 Thu, 21 May 2026 05:58:35 +0000 Stephen Rifkind - Tip of the Tongue: The linguist’s tale – A personal confession of native language interference http://tip-o-tongue.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-linguists-tale-personal-confession.html  <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a " style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> The sad truth is the 99% of humanity will never sound like a native speaker when they speak a foreign language. We may have a great ear, solid knowledge of grammar and well-developed vocabulary. Yet, some strange turn of the tongue gives us away. The culprit is interference from our native language, tendencies that are so ingrained that they affect every other language we speak. It is similar to those habits learnt from our parents, which we swore we wouldn’t continue when we became adults, but which we have to ultimately accept. I will demonstrate by recounting my misdoings when I speak Russian, French and Hebrew, habits that I wish I could eliminate but never will. All that is left is accepting imperfection.<o:p></o:p> Russian involves a completely different form of thinking and construction. I have managed to grasp most of its peculiarities. Case declensions are a matter of memorization and practice. Putting a noun in the singular after any number that ends in the number 1, including 1,000,001, has its peculiar logic but still carries a rational rationale. Practice helps hone the differences between the imperfective and perfective verb forms, which reflect, as a rule, incomplete and complete actions, respectively. However, placing adjectival phrases before the noun they describe is beyond the ability of my brain to apply. To demonstrate, the English sentence “The dog sitting on the table enjoys vegetables roasted in the fire.” comes out in Russian “The sitting on the table dog enjoys roasted in the fire vegetables. This structure is too alien for me to apply consistently. Thus, I will always sound like an alien, a foreigner, when speaking Russian.<o:p></o:p> French is much more similar to English but also has its intricacies. A little practice helps a student master the subjunctive. Furthermore, my plus que parfait is almost better than perfect. After an insightful webinar by Grace Shalhoub, I even feel confident when I need to adjust the past participle to agree with the gender and number of the preceding direct object, not as simple as it may sound. However, regarding gender, here I fail. I cannot and have never been able to remember the rules for knowing whether the noun is masculine or feminine. Aside from the “tion” class of nouns, which are all feminine, I can find no rhyme or reason. Thus, I have always double-checked every noun to be sure. I do not trust my intuition or my ear, only the dictionary. It is my cross to bear in French.<o:p></o:p> Hebrew is my daily language. I enjoy a rich vocabulary and an intuitive sense of how to choose the proper verb category from the root. Thus, I can read awful Hebrew legalese and can apply the rules to form the right verb from a root even if I don’t formally grasp the rule. My downfall is cultural. In Hebrew, the verb form changes depending on whether the grammatical subject is male or female (as well as singular and plural). This manipulation occurs in 1st, 2nd and 3rd persons. In simple words, the verb takes on a different form when a woman talks is or is talked about. As I have spent most of my life surrounded by females, e.g., spouse, daughter and colleagues, I tend to use the feminine form at all times, especially when I am tired and my brain is dragging. It sounds quite strange to refer to a male using the feminine form. In my defense, many foreigners make the same error. I understand that the cause of this error is the lack of such distinction in English. People forgive me because I am a foreigner but I am almost as embarrassed as my wife is when I make this error. I will continue to strive to reduce the error but it is impossible to eliminate.<o:p></o:p> This is my slightly tragic but mostly humorous tale about sounding like a foreigner. I know that I am not alone. The vast majority of people drag some feature of their native language into their adopted language. It is not a sin. However, as Tevye sang in Fiddler on the Roof, it is no great honor either. As humans are no more perfect in other parts of their lives, we have to accept our linguistic warts just as we need to come to peace with our other imperfections. To paraphrase Shakespeare, it is better to have spoken and erred than never have spoken at all.<o:p></o:p> noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Rifkind) English French Hebrew language learning Russian tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7446668869695334043.post-7773717912519507500 Mon, 18 May 2026 04:54:16 +0000 ITA - Israel Translators Association אגודת המתרגמים בישראל: The Annual General Meeting of the ITA – June 8, 2026 https://ita.org.il/en/the-annual-general-meeting-of-the-ita-june-8-2026/ The Annual General Meeting of the Israel Translators Association Annual General Meeting Will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026, 16:00-20:00 There will also be a pre-AGM event The AGM and the pre-AGM event will be hybrid events The in-person event will take place at Mindspace, Ahad Ha'am 54, Tel Aviv If there will not […] News https://ita.org.il/the-annual-general-meeting-of-the-ita-june-8-2026/ Sun, 17 May 2026 14:59:43 +0000 ענבל שגיב, מתרגמת: אל תאכילו את המפלצת https://metargemet.com/archives/3889 יצא לאור בתרגומי “אל תאכילו את המפלצת” מאת יונית לוי וביאנה גולודריגה. שמחתי לפגוש באירוע ההשקה את שתי הסופרות ובעיקר לשמוע שהן אוהבות את התרגום ומעריכות את תהליך העבודה. נדיר שאני מתרגמת סופרים שמסוגלים לקרוא עברית, על אחת כמה וכמה סופרת שאמונה על השימוש המקצועי בשפה, והיה חשוב שהתוצאה תתקבל בברכה. התודה על כך מגיעה […] The post <a ">אל תאכילו את המפלצת</a> appeared first on <a ">ענבל שגיב נקדימון, מתרגמת</a>. ספרים בתרגומי https://metargemet.com/archives/3889#respond https://metargemet.com/?p=3889 Thu, 14 May 2026 15:51:24 +0000 נקודת ראות - הדר פרי: יירט https://hadarperry.wordpress.com/2026/05/14/%d7%99%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%98/ מאמר זה עוסק בפירוש הפועל יירט ובשינויים שחלו בו במרוצת השנים. הלשון העברית טיל יירוט יירט עריכת לשון עריכת ספרי עיון ומחקר עריכת תזות ודוקטורטים https://hadarperry.wordpress.com/2026/05/14/%d7%99%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%98/#respond http://hadarperry.wordpress.com/?p=68108 Thu, 14 May 2026 17:10:32 +0000 ITA - Israel Translators Association אגודת המתרגמים בישראל: האסיפה הכללית של אגודת המתרגמים 8/6/2026 https://ita.org.il/%d7%94%d7%90%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%94-%d7%94%d7%9b%d7%9c%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%aa-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%90%d7%92%d7%95%d7%93%d7%aa-%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%aa%d7%a8%d7%92%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%9d-8-6-2026/ האסיפה הכללית של אגודת המתרגמים Annual General Meeting תתקיים ביום שני, 8 ביוני 2026 כ"ג בסיוון 16:00- 20:00 ב-8/6 תתקיים האסיפה הכללית וכמו כן יתקיים אירוע לפני האסיפה האירוע יהיה אירוע היברידי נפגש ב-Mindspace רח' אחד העם 54, תל אביב אם בשעה 16.30 לא יהיה מניין תקני, תידחה פתיחת האספה ל- 18:30, גם ללא מניין תקני. 16:00 – […] חדשות https://ita.org.il/?p=9462 Tue, 12 May 2026 11:33:28 +0000 ענבל שגיב, מתרגמת: דרכה של אנבידיה https://metargemet.com/archives/3884 יצא לאור בתרגומי “דרכה של אנבידיה” מאת טאי קים (עורכת התרגום: הלית ינאי לויזון). אנבידיה היא כוכבת עידן הבינה המלאכותית: השבבים שלה מניעים את מהפכת ה-AI והביקוש להם אינסופי. אך למרות תשומת הלב האדירה שהיא זוכה לה כיום, אנבידיה אינה תופעה חדשה. החברה נוסדה לפני יותר משלושה עשורים במסעדת פועלים קטנה בסן חוזה, קליפורניה ובמשך […] The post <a ">דרכה של אנבידיה</a> appeared first on <a ">ענבל שגיב נקדימון, מתרגמת</a>. ספרים בתרגומי https://metargemet.com/archives/3884#respond https://metargemet.com/?p=3884 Tue, 12 May 2026 12:48:12 +0000