"Equivalence of meaning and style" in Nova Scotia

The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Nova Scotia (ATINS) was founded in 1990, in the Northern Canadian province of Nova Scotia.

Right from the beginning, three main objectives were established by the founders of this translators association. The first was to provide translators and interpreters from Nova Scotia with the chance to meet and talk about issues of common concern, at the same time creating links with translators and interpreters in other provinces of Canada as well as abroad.

As important as this, it was established by the translation association that it would “promote the profession and development of its members”. Last, but not the least, ATINS would provide user of translation and interpretation services with the access to “a body of competent professionals”.

Since its foundations, ATINS has been a member of the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC). This means the Nova Scotia translators association is at the same level as other previously established organisations from Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories.

The association is a regular participant of CTTIC’s meetings, having inclusively a share in the administration of this very important – at international levels – organism. Moreover, ATINS is also a member of the Metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce and the Chambre de commerce francophone de Halifax.

According to ATINS’s code of ethics, translation “is a professional activity (...) which requires, among other things, excellent knowledge of the source language and mastery of the target language”. The same rules apply to interpretation. Both translators and interpreters “must have extensive general knowledge and a good grasp of the subject matter dealt with in their work”. There is “an obligation not to undertake work for which they are not qualified”.

ATINS underlines the rule that says “the aimed-for ideal in translation and interpretation is equivalence of meaning and style between the original and its translation or interpretation”. However, the Canadian translators association admits the need to adapt the contents of a text or a message, if intended use of the document so requires.

Both translators and interpreters must assume “full responsibility” for their tasks. They must also respect their clients’ rights and interests, as well as their employers’. This includes confidentiality.

It is a duty of all ATINS’s members “to cooperate with their colleagues, to support organisations which represent the profession and to give help and encouragement to beginners in the profession”.

Membership

In order to become an associate member of ATINS, you don’t have to be “ready to write the certification exam or present a request for certification on dossier”, This possibility allows you to meet certified translators, to attend professional and informal workshops, conferences and seminars, as well as to attend the association’s annual general meeting. Although in a different part of the directory, the names, contacts and language combinations are also made available. “The goal of the associate member shall be to work towards certification”.

Associate members are not allowed to vote and cannot buy advertisement space in the online directory or on ATINS’s website.

The usual procedures are to fill in ATINS’s online questionnaire, after which you will hopefully receive an invitation to submit a resumé and professional dossier. In the end, there is a meeting and an interview.

To become a Certified Member of ATINS, you must (as a translator) “have successfully completed CTTIC’s certification examination” or “be a TR2 at the Secretariat of State and submit proof of 2 years of experience as a translator”.

As an interpreter, you must have a CTTIC certification examination as well, with the target language being French or English, or be accredited by the Secretary of State and provide the association with proof of at least five hundred days of experience as an interpreter.

Then you must apply for membership and pay the respective fees.

There is also the chance of becoming a Certified member by affiliation. For that you must be a Certified Member of another provincial association member of CTTIC.

ATINS does not provide contractual work to its members. Every candidate to being a member of the association must reside in Nova Scotia to submit their application.

Keep in mind that Canada’s two main languages are English (58.8 % of the population) and French (23.2 %). The latter is mainly used in Quebec, where it is the official language. The remaining population speaks other languages. Around the world, there are around 328 million native English speakers (the actual figures are estimated to be much higher), whereas French native speakers are about 125 millions.

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