| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | [Warning] International Association of Translators and Interpreters Thread poster: Arthur Godinho
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Arthur Godinho 
United States
Local time: 13:41
Member (2009)
English to Portuguese
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I have been thinking about applying for IATI certification. Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences with this Association?
Thanks to all.
[Titlu editat de un membru al personalului sau de un moderator 2009-10-09 11:36 GMT]
| | | | Paul Cohen
Greenland
Local time: 16:41
German to English
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| Nifty diploma | Oct 9, 2009 |
I have no first-hand experience with this organization, but according to their website, you can apply to be certified in any language and earn a nifty diploma that looks like this:
It's slightly odd that the diploma says International Association of Certified Translators and Interpreters (IACTI) whereas the organi... See more I have no first-hand experience with this organization, but according to their website, you can apply to be certified in any language and earn a nifty diploma that looks like this:
It's slightly odd that the diploma says International Association of Certified Translators and Interpreters (IACTI) whereas the organization is called IATI ... or the International Association of Translators and Interpreters.
Confusing!
This is of course not to be confused with IAPTI, or the newly founded International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters, which -- as far as I know -- has no plans of tackling the challenge of certifying translators and interpreters in any language. That's a truly professional approach, if you ask me. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:41
French to English
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From the website (http://certifiedtranslators.com):
IATI has been recently established with the mission of bringing together translators and interpreters that would like to be part of a professional organization where they can discuss all types of issues related to the translation and interpretation fields.
I made that word bold. Hmm.
It should be noted that more than 99% of all translators and interpreters working around the world have absolutely no academic background or training as translators and interpreters.
I'd like to see the evidence they have to support this assertion.
They charge for the certification, but refund your fee in the event that you fail the test. There are no details anywhere on the website about who runs this organisation and the kind of standards they uphold, and the procedures they use to mark tests and award certification. Indeed there is no evidence that there is anything to this organisation other than a website.
This is the application process, according to their website:
APPLICATION PROCESS: 1.- Send by email to [email protected] a resume with the languages that you speak. If the Association feels that are qualified to take the test after reviewing your information, you will be advised. 2.- We will send you a test for you to complete in your language combination. 3.- If your test is successful you will be able to apply to become a Certified Translator. 4.- Membership fees are a one-time payment of $100 upon passing the test and $30 per year thereafter. 5.- During your first year our expert translators will review all your translations at no cost to you to ensure 100% quality and guarantee the client’s satisfaction
So are they an awarding body, or a translation agency?
I'd stick with organisations that have (evidence of) actual people working for them, that run actual real-life events, and that have strict procedures for certifying or otherwise examining translators, such as the American Translators Association, the Institute of Translation and Interpreting and the Institute of Linguists. $100 is cheap but there is no evidence that you get anything at all in return, apart from a dodgy-looking certificate with illegible signatures and no printed names.
[Edited at 2009-10-09 10:01 GMT]
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Instead of a certifying body OR a serious translation agency, this smells like a money making scheme. The site might have been written by a real ProZ:
[Edited at 2009-10-09 11:07 GMT]
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| LAUGHING ALOUD!!! | Oct 9, 2009 |
Hm... no. 1: how come this "Association" is not a member of the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT)? When they become members of the Fédération I might consider looking into this again.
Bigger Hm, no. 2: Where the hell is their address and an indication of where and how they are incorporated officially? It's just an email address and a domain name? Anyone can prepare such an "association"!
And the biggest Hm..., no. 3: The whole "Application" section:
APPLICATION PROCESS: 1.- Send by email to [email protected] a resume with the languages that you speak. If the Association feels that are qualified to take the test after reviewing your information, you will be advised. 2.- We will send you a test for you to complete in your language combination. 3.- If your test is successful you will be able to apply to become a Certified Translator. 4.- Membership fees are a one-time payment of $100 upon passing the test and $30 per year thereafter. 5.- During your first year our expert translators will review all your translations at no cost to you to ensure 100% quality and guarantee the client’s satisfaction*
So they send you a text via email, for you to translate (well, anyone could translate it for you and you could even use machine translation to help you), without any controlled conditions? It just made me laugh!!!
If the association "feels that you are qualified" (HA HA HA!!!!!)... so there is no particular terms or conditions? They decide it on the fly? Oh come on! This made me laugh.
"If your test is successful..." Well, it will be successful for them as they will always approve you, no matter what crap is delivered: they will get your cash! In any certification process, you pay always because one or several people review your test and are professionals who have to be paid, and there is NO refund!!!. In any certification process, you do your exam within an estimated time, after showing your passport to prove that it is you who is sitting in front of a proctor; the proctor will only let you use the resources accepted by the certification scheme.
And... if you get "certified" (translation: if they give you the really funny diploma), they review your work for free for a year? HA HA HA HA!!
Oh come on people. Surely we cannot take this thing seriously??
[Edited at 2009-10-09 14:10 GMT]
| | | | | Why is a small translation service running an "association"? | Oct 9, 2009 |
Thank God, WHOIS comes to the rescue. By using AllWhois.com, it is easy to check who is the owner of a domain. I have checked for certifiedtranslators.com and it so happens that the domain name is owned by a small translation firm in Ontario, Canada.
So clearly this is no association but seems to be an "alternate line of business" (I am tempted to use harsher words) of that company. My advice to the original poster o... See more Thank God, WHOIS comes to the rescue. By using AllWhois.com, it is easy to check who is the owner of a domain. I have checked for certifiedtranslators.com and it so happens that the domain name is owned by a small translation firm in Ontario, Canada.
So clearly this is no association but seems to be an "alternate line of business" (I am tempted to use harsher words) of that company. My advice to the original poster of this topic (and to everyone of course) is to forget about this whole idea!!
[Edited at 2009-10-09 14:13 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | 'Apperttaining' to IACTI | Oct 9, 2009 |
I'm with the others here, this looks very dodgy and a waste of your money...
Not least because there is a typo on their diploma ...!
If I were you I'd wait a while, save up and apply for accreditation with a genuine professional body, as Angela suggests.
Best of luck,
savtrad
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 13:41
Member (2008)
French to English
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5.- During your first year our expert translators will review all your translations at no cost to you to ensure 100% quality and guarantee the client’s satisfaction*
"all your translations" - three or four full time translators could keep each of their "expert translators" busy proofreading full time ... all for a $30 per year fee each ...
Or am I missing something here?
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| How did you know about this "association"? | Oct 9, 2009 |
Arthur Godinho wrote:
I have been thinking about applying for IATI certification. Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences with this Association?
Arthur, please, would you please share with us all how you got to know about this "association" in the first place? Did they email you? Did they send a mass email to translators?
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To add some spice just look at this page: http://certifiedtranslators.com/?page_id=48
"JOBS FOR TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS AVAILABLE AT THESE COMPANIES AND MILLIONS MORE - Joseph XXX"
Then a huge amount of well known brands/logos... and below:
"For illustration purposes. CertifiedTranslators.com ... See more To add some spice just look at this page: http://certifiedtranslators.com/?page_id=48
"JOBS FOR TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS AVAILABLE AT THESE COMPANIES AND MILLIONS MORE - Joseph XXX"
Then a huge amount of well known brands/logos... and below:
"For illustration purposes. CertifiedTranslators.com or IATI is not affiliated with the companies indicated above." ▲ Collapse
| | | | Brian Young
United States
Local time: 10:41
Danish to English
That exactly what these people are, or are at least trying to become. This reminds me of the email offers to become a "certified" medical doctor with no study. Get your diploma for $100, or more. It is a good thing they are getting exposed, here at least. The internet is crawling with vermin. Stay far away from these crooks!
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 13:41
Member (2008)
French to English
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| "Certified Translator" - term protected by law in Ontario | Oct 9, 2009 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
I have checked for certifiedtranslators.com and it so happens that the domain name is owned by a small translation firm in Ontario, Canada.
If they are running out of Ontario, they need to be aware that the term "Certified Translator" is protected by law in Ontario, and can only be granted by the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO).
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| Would the ATIO be interested in knowing? | Oct 9, 2009 |
John Fossey wrote: Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
I have checked for certifiedtranslators.com and it so happens that the domain name is owned by a small translation firm in Ontario, Canada.
If they are running out of Ontario, they need to be aware that the term "Certified Translator" is protected by law in Ontario, and can only be granted by the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO).
That is very interesting information John. Do you happen to be a member of the ATIO? Is it possible that the Directors of the ATIO could be interested in knowing that this company is running this kind of "business"?
Maybe the ATIO can take disciplinary action against the company/its owner in case it/he is a member of ATIO too, which is also possible. Personally I would not like to have a member who apparently is trying to publicly deceive other translators.
Do you know whether a non-member can raise this issue for them to have a closer look?
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 19:41
French to German
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| @ Tomás & John | Oct 9, 2009 |
John Fossey wrote: Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
I have checked for certifiedtranslators.com and it so happens that the domain name is owned by a small translation firm in Ontario, Canada.
If they are running out of Ontario, they need to be aware that the term "Certified Translator" is protected by law in Ontario, and can only be granted by the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO).
It is a no-brainer: if the term "Certified Translator" is protected in Ontario and if this supposed association uses it, it is clearly violating applicable law, therefore the ATIO should drag it to court if possible... unless the motivation of the ATIO is akin to one of another translators' association, which is even incapable/unwilling of controlling the actual implementation of its code of professional conduct.
[Edited at 2009-10-09 20:20 GMT]
| | | | | I entirely agree | Oct 9, 2009 |
Laurent KRAULAND wrote:
It is a no-brainer: if the term "Certified Translator" is protected in Ontario and if this association uses it, they are violating applicable law, therefore the ATIO should drag them to court if possible... unless the motivation of the ATIO is akin to one of another translators' association, which even is incapable/unwilling of controlling the actual implementation of its code of professional conduct.
I entirely agree with you Laurent. Well, all that is left to do is to let the ATIO know about what is going on. I encourage anyone who has been lured by this false certification to report the situation to the ATIO and let them decide what's best to do.
Of course any or all of us can report this to the ATIO as well, even if we are not members, so that they are able to look into this quickly. It looks like the certifiedtranslators.com website exists since year 2000. How many decent translators have been lured by this??? I really wonder.
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