SATI SERIES/SAVI-REEKS 7 BRIDGING LANGUAGE BARRIERS SATI THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS SOUTH AFRICAN TRANSLATORS INSTITUTE

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1 SATI SERIES/SAVI-REEKS 7 BRIDGING LANGUAGE BARRIERS SATI THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS SOUTH AFRICAN TRANSLATORS INSTITUTE

2 Table of contents On looking back Anne-Marie Beukes, SATI chairperson 5 The beginning Article by Marion Boers 9 The pioneers: Setting the ship a-sail Article by Marion Boers 13 Moving ahead with Jan Picard at the helm ( ) Article by Jan Picard 19 The academic and the practitioner ( ) Article by Marion Boers 23 Raising the profile: Annette Combrink ( ) Article by Annette Combrink 25 The road ahead 28 Getting to grassroots level: Regions and chapters through the years Article by Wilna Liebenberg 29 Giving the Institute a voice: SATI publications over the years Article by Marion Boers with assistance from Adriaan Smit 31 On building bridges: The signs of SATI s times Article by Anne-Marie Beukes 39 Glimpses from the past 43 SATI s long walk to international acceptance Article by Anne-Marie Beukes 47 SATI s involvement in South African terminology practice Article by Mariëtta Alberts 55 The development of SATI s regulatory documentation Article by Johan Blaauw 59 Proving our worth: SATI s accreditation system Article by Wouter le Roux 63 Making a difference: SATI s Development Committee Article by Anne-Marie Beukes 65 Rewarding excellence: SATI s awards Article by Marion Boers 68 The Institute s Executives: Highlights in SATI s history:

3 Making a difference: SATI s Development Committee Article by Anne-Marie Beukes In line with the Institute s objectives of promoting the interests of the translation and interpreting profession, training and professional development have always been a high priority. In fact, the first few years of the Institute were characterised by concerted efforts to establish admission criteria, set up public exams for prospective members in collaboration with the then Department of Education and discussions on introducing dedicated translator training courses at universities. The Institute was established by a group of enthusiastic, self-trained translators who mainly worked in government and municipal translation offices. Translator training came into its own in the mid-fifties in Europe, but no such training was on offer in South Africa. Quite soon after its establishment the Institute s commitment to professionalism became evident when in 1960 it approached the University of South Africa with a request to consider introducing suitable translator training programmes. In the 1970s the Institute was instrumental in promoting the establishment of translator training programmes at South African universities. Through the efforts of SATI Rhodes University introduced a postgraduate course in translation in In addition, the Institute engaged in negotiations with the then Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), the University of the Orange Free State (UOFS) and Potchefstroom University in 1975 regarding the introduction of translation courses at these institutions. A permanent Translators Training Committee was established by SATI in 1973 and representatives from South African universities were subsequently appointed to serve on this committee. The UNISA diploma course was introduced in 1976 following a process of negotiation by the Institute that commenced in The year 1993 represented a turning point in the language dispensation in South Africa and accordingly also in the life of SATI and its members. Following a protracted process of negotiations, South Africa s new Constitution was adopted at the end of One of the ground-breaking provisions of this progressive document enshrined official status for 11 languages used in South Africa. SATI was quick to recognise the immense ramifications of this bold step for translation and interpreting. In a press release shortly after its 1993 AGM, SATI announced the establishment of a Development Committee to give concrete effect to its commitment to promoting a multilingual culture in South Africa and the development of a tradition of translation and interpreting in African languages. Recognising that the official status of African languages would make new demands on the training of translators and interpreters, SATI was of the opinion that the time had arrived for collective action to support such training. SATI was determined to assist in preparing a new generation of language practitioners who would be suitably trained to meet the needs of a truly multilingual society. One of the main objectives of the newly established Development Committee chaired by Anne-Marie Beukes was to establish and manage a Development Fund with a view to collecting funds and making assistance available to deserving translation and interpreting students. Since 1993 the Committee has managed the allocation of 53 bursaries totalling R to deserving translation and interpreting students. The first response to requests for financial support came from the then Terminology Society of 65

4 South Africa (TERMSA) chaired by a former SATI vice-chair, Pieter Taljaard, who donated R The money was used to support a group of students who enrolled for an ad hoc short course in translation offered by the then Cape Technikon in TERMSA s contributions were terminated in 1998 after having donated more than R towards seven bursaries for African language students over a period of five years: Ms S Fekheta (Wits), Mr Geoffrey Kodisang (Wits), Mr Clifford Makabele (Potchefstroom University) (two bursaries) and Ms S Luvhengo (UNISA) (two bursaries). It is interesting to note that some 17 years earlier TERMSA had also made funding available to SATI in 1977 to be used towards a bursary for terminology studies. Another big-hearted partner of SATI s Development Fund is the Afrikaanse Taal- en Kultuurvereniging (ATKV), which, from 1994 up to this year, made annual contributions towards the Development Fund for bursaries for Afrikaans-speaking students. A total of 29 ATKV/SATI bursaries to the amount of R have been awarded. The first recipient of a SATI/ATKV bursary of R2 500 was Ms Faranaz Hendricks, a student enrolled for a Diploma in Language Practice at the Cape Technikon in She expressed her thanks as follows: Ek voel geëerd om die eerste een te wees aan wie die volle SAVI/ATKV-beurs toegeken is. Met dié beurstoekenning is SAVI en die ATKV besig om my droom te bewaarheid. 1 Ms Faranaz Hendricks Harold Lesch In 1997 the first and only bursary awarded by the Development Committee for doctoral study went to Mr Harold Lesch to complete his D Litt et Phil thesis on community translation at the University of the Western Cape. Dr Lesch now teaches interpreting at the University of Stellenbosch. In another generous gesture to mark SATI s golden jubilee, the ATKV increased its contribution for the 2006 academic year to R The ATKV has made a splendid contribution towards SATI s project on training a new generation of language practitioners. It is therefore a great pleasure to say baie, baie dankie to the ATKV, a special partner in translation! SATI s own contribution to the Development Fund, through donations received from its members since 2000 and amounts transferred annually to the Fund, totals R In view of the urgent need to develop the African languages, the Development Committee is firmly resolved to support students working into and from African languages. The first recipients of bursaries funded solely from SATI funds were two Xitsonga-speaking postgraduate translation students at Wits University in 2000, Mr John Baloyi and Mr Themba Maboko. Other recipients of SATI bursaries were Mr S Dlamini (UNISA) (two bursaries), Ms M Mafole (Wits), Mr M Ntshembeni (Wits), Ms F Mthethwa (Wits), Mr M Maluleke (Wits), Mr E Mmaboko (Wits), Mr Z Dhlamini Themba Maboko (UNISA), Ms N Gqangeni (Stellenbosch), Ms C Khowa (Durban Institute of Technology), Ms M Mphetlo (UNISA), Mr Sipho Zulu (University of Johannesburg), Mr V Sefume (UNISA) and Mr K Makgobe (UNISA). 1. I am honoured to be the first recipient of the full SATI/ATKV Bursary. With this award SATI and the ATKV are making my dream come true." 66

5 Over the years the feedback received from bursary recipients has indicated that the modest efforts of the SATI Development Committee have made a difference to their lives. For example: a heart-warming letter of thanks was received from Mr S Dlamini, who was awarded bursaries towards his studies for a Postgraduate Diploma in Translation in 2001 and He wrote as follows: I would like to thank SATI for funding my studies for the past two years. And because of that I am now a Language Practitioner in Parliament in Cape Town. I cannot thank SATI enough because if it were not for SATI, I would not be what or where I am today. Now it is my turn to give back what SATI gave me, though what SATI gave me cannot be measured in monetary terms but at least I would be making a contribution. In 2000, encouraged by the success of the bursary project, SATI decided to expand its developmental work with a view to promoting the use of indigenous languages in published translations. Translation has the potential to play a vital role in securing prestige for indigenous languages in a country with 11 official languages. SATI was of the opinion that a prestigious translation award for work into and from the indigenous languages would also go a long way towards convincing the South African public that translation is an honourable and necessary field of work. SATI therefore announced the introduction of its Award for Outstanding Translation at its AGM in June The Award, a first for South Africa to target all 11 official languages, consists of a substantial cash prize supported by the SATI Development Fund and a certificate of merit. A most encouraging response was forthcoming from the BHP Billiton Development Trust, which contributed R to the SATI Development Fund to be used towards supporting the Translation Award. Awards were made in 2000, 2003 and the third award will be made on 30 September this year on International Translation Day. Language development is a long process and requires the expert input of a variety of roleplayers such as translators, interpreters, terminologists, lexicographers, academics and teachers in addition to an enabling language services infrastructure and supporting legislation. Expertise, on the other hand, is dependent on sound training, which requires adequate funding. Through our modest efforts since 1993, SATI has invested in the future of the profession by facilitating the training of deserving students of translation and interpreting. We hope to have made a contribution towards fostering a pride in our indigenous languages and the importance of their development. But we sincerely trust that we have made a difference in the lives of the more than 50 bursary recipients, our future generation of translators and interpreters, who will be required to produce quality work to promote and sustain our heritage of cultural and linguistic diversity. Sources Beukes, A-M SAVI stig ontwikkelingskomitee. In Bulletin, SA Translators Institute, No. 5, p. 1. Dlamini, S Letter to SATI Development Committee. Hendricks, F SAVI en ATKV is tops! sê beursontvanger. In Bulletin, SA Translators Institute,. No. 2, p. 10. SAITINT Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the South African Institute of Translators and Interpreters held on 12 March UNISA Archives. 67