The Bonner Übersetzer- und Dolmetscherforum (Bonn translators and interpreters forum), in its weblog, links to an article that appeared in the General-Anzeiger Bonn on Friday, January 2nd (article is in German).
A journalist, Katharina Heimeier, came to the monthly meeting of the group (every first Wednesday in the month at 7 p.m. in the Chinese restaurant Man-Wah).
The emphasis in the article is on the need for preparation and knowledge by translators and interpreters.
I wonder how many people will turn up to the next meeting next Wednesday?
The Bonn forum is an interesting arrangement. It is not a society but an informal network of about seventy translators and interpreters with all languages and in all forms of employment. They have a website with a search function for those looking for translators or interpreters. I presume they simply share the costs of this. In the BDÜ, you have to pay 50 euros a year extra simply to have a link to your website, and the website will not be linked if the organization objects to the name of the URL. On the other hand, the BDÜ is a bigger organization and on the national level.
> The Bonn forum is an interesting arrangement.
> It is not a society but an informal network
It was originally a ‘Stammtisch’, but that term doesn’t fly very well with the public. Hence the rebranding as a forum or network since we started doing things like the website. The group has unanimously voted on several occasions not to become a Verein and is careful to remain ‘verbandsunabhängig’.
> They have a website with a search function
Don’t remember programming that! ;-) To be accurate, it has two lists, one for ‘die Justiz’ and one for everyone else.
> I presume they simply share the costs of this.
That’s right. One of the group members has it in her name and we each give her a couple of euros a year to cover the cost. I do all the HTML; I’m also the first to admit that the design is looking dated, but then I do it in my spare time.
Happy new year!
Robin