The Association of Basque Translators, Correctors and Interpreters
Lurdes Auzmendi

Abstract

The asociation held last January itsfirst general meeting, as a consequence of the work carried out all along the year. At present, the Association numbers one hundred and thirty members, divided into four sections: administration, media, literature and interpretation.

Its objectives are: to get the protection of the law for basque translators; to improve their worting conditions, as well as the quality of translations from or into basque; to try that any kind of work is translated into basque; to prepare translators and polish up those working at the moment; and, generally speaking, to defend their economic and social interests.

At the meeting the conditions to enter the Association were established: a proven professional experience must be had as well as the approval and guarantee of Association members; the Board of Directors was elected, Manuel Lekuona being its president. A member of each of the four groups will also take part —two in the case of public translators, given its high number.

EIZIE has tried to tighten the reiationship with other Associations, spanish (APETI, APTCILC, ATG) andforeign (FIT). This way, at the Translation Congress for the different languages of the state, held last May in Madrid, one of the most important conclusions was the need to achieve that the administrations, both central and autonomical, give their help to these Associations. Other conclusion was, in order to strenghthen the relationship among the four Associationsj to create a State Federation of Translators and Interpreters.

The Association has already carried out several activities, such as a brief course which took place in June on technics and theories of interpretation; and six seminars on literary translation will soon be set up. I t should also be mentioned that this review, Senez, has passed from the hands of the Translators School of Martutene into those of the Association.

As for the projects, we can mention the one presented to the Basque Covernment for the translation of one hundred tilles belonging to the universal literature. At present, it is still to be specified the agreement between the Government and the publishers. There is also the project, having in mind the special situation of the hasque language, to make a surrey among the administration translators, in order to set the basis for a planning.

Finally, we shall name the economic problems of the Association; of a yearly budget of eight million pcsetas, the Basque Goverament has given only two, declaring that it is something new, whose benefits are unknown. In this sense, the "Gipuzkoako Kutxa" must be thanhedfor its collaboration in several activities of the Association.