SZABLYA CONSULTANTS, INC.
Translators
and Interpreters
Languages:
Hungarian, German and Latin. Also: French and Russian
P.O.Box
578, Kirkland WA 98083, USA
Helen M.
Szablya, Active Member ATA, President
Dr.
John F. Szablya, Active Member ATA, Vice President
CONTENTS
Translations and Interpretation Experience
Computing Equipment
Resumes
Notarization
Comparing Hungarian and English Languages
MAY WE
INTRODUCE OURSELVES
Welcome to
Szablya Consultants' home page.
As you have noticed, we
offer a wide range of services. This particular segment discusses our
translation and interpretation activities.
Although we do
translation and interpretation into English and Hungarian from all the
languages shown on the letterhead, our main line of business is English to
Hungarian, Hungarian to English, and Latin to English and Hungarian.
We have wide background
and experience in areas of subject matter including, but not limited to,
computer hardware and software, engineering, energy, environment, waste,
business, legal, marketing and advertising, including video translations and
voice-over, economics, journalism, medical, scientific, literary. We did
manuals, specifications, software localizations, depositions, police
reports, court trials, business plans, annual reports, videos, private and
business correspondence, literary works, theses, etc., etc.
We can notarize and
authenticate documents: Helen is an Honorary Consul of Hungary and John is a
Notary Public for the State of Washington. Helen's consular certification is
accepted by all Hungarian authorities, courts, businesses, etc.
We worked with over 60
agencies from all over the USA in the past years.
Please give us a call if
we can be of service to you and fax a few typical pages of the source text.
We undertake translations only if we have the expertise to do a very good
job.
We hope to be at your
service in the future and hear from you soon.
Helen M. Szablya and John F.
Szablya
SUMMARY OF
TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION EXPERIENCE
HELEN M. SZABLYA
Raised in a bilingual
(Hungarian-German) family environment in Budapest, Hungary. Started learning
French at age six, English at twelve, Latin at eleven, Russian at sixteen.
Translated and interpreted
for foreign guests from an early age. Her first major assignment was at age
of fourteen (1949) when acting as interpreter/translator for her father,
president/owner of Hungary's largest drugstore chain and related industries,
at a series of meetings with Elizabeth Arden in Paris,
Geigy in Basel, and others.
Translator for the
Hungarian National Technical Library and the Technical University of
Budapest (1951-1956). She is also an award-winning author and journalist in
both English and Hungarian and has been involved with
translation/interpretation ever since she had escaped Hungary in 1956. (See
below). She was President of the Washington Press Association in 1987-1988.
JOHN F. SZABLYA,
Ph.D.,P.E.
Raised in a bilingual
(Hungarian-German) industrialist and artist family environment in Budapest,
Hungary. Started learning English at age eight, Latin at ten, and French at
fifteen.
Translated and interpreted
for foreign guests, acted as a guide to show Budapest from age eight. During
his college years (1942-1947) he did considerable translating and continued
doing so once with Ganz, one of Europe's oldest
and most prestigious manufacturers and with the Technical University of
Budapest.
Dr. Szablya taught at
universities and did consulting work in Hungary, Canada, USA, Germany and
the West Indies, always in the country's native language.
JOINT EXPERIENCE
In 1956 the Canadian
Embassy in Vienna assigned the Szablyas to act
as interpreters to the Sopron University to be
settled in Vancouver BC. They were the only translators/interpreters for 500
people initially. This involved work in all possible combinations in
Hungarian, German, French and English. It also included the filling out way
over 1,000 visa applications and other forms.
In Vancouver BC they
continued their work with The University of British Columbia (where Dr.
Szablya was appointed to the faculty immediately after their arrival),
Immigration, Courts, Schools, Hospitals, etc., and private individuals.
Since settling in the State
of Washington (1963) they continued translating/interpreting. They worked
with Washington State University, where Dr. Szablya was professor, and
adviser to foreign engineering students, and Mrs. Szablya received her BA
with Distinction in Foreign Languages and Literatures (Russian, German,
French). In addition they have been translating/interpreting for Schools,
Courts, Immigration Service, Hospitals, Corporations, etc. Since their move
to Metropolitan Seattle (1982) they have been actively involved in
translation/interpretation. Involved languages are mainly English,
Hungarian, and German, some French, and Latin document translations. They
have been working with over 100 agencies in the past years. Their
specialties include engineering, business, management, law, medicine, public
relations, economics, finance. They also do video translations, including
timing and voice over.
Helen and John have
extensive experience in legal interpreting. They started interpreting for
courts in 1957 in Canada and for Federal, State, County and City courts in
the State of Washington in 1982 and 1991, respectively. They interpreted at
many hearings, depositions, etc. They attended several courses offered by
the Washington Bar Association
Both Szablya's are Active
(professional) Members of the American Translators Association (ATA), the
Northwest Interpreters and Translators Society (NOTIS) and the Washington
Court Interpreters and Translators Society (WITS). Helen is a founding
member of the latter two organizations. They authored several publications
dealing with translating/interpreting, including a one-day workshop at the
ATA Conference in Washington DC.
OTHER SERVICES
Helen M. Szablya is the
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Hungary, and as such she can act as a
Hungarian Notary Public. She can authenticate documents, signatures.
Documents, including translations, signed and sealed by her are accepted in
Hungary by courts, government agencies, and other organizations.
John F. Szablya is a
Registered Professional Engineer in six states and two Canadian provinces.
He is also a Notary Public in the State of Washington and can notarize
documents, including translations. As someone who taught at universities in
several countries, Dr. Szablya is familiar with the American and several
foreign educational systems. He can evaluate transcripts, diplomas,
certificates, etc. His evaluations have always been accepted.
___________________________________________________________
Helen M. Szablya
Translator, INTERPRETER, WRITER
past president Washington press
association
HONORARY CONSUL OF THE REPUBLIC OF
HUNGARY
Active Member, American Translators
Association
P.O.Box
578, Kirkland WA 98083, USA
Phone: (425)
576-8997 Fax: (425)
739-6931 E-mail: szablyahj@aol.com
Web: www.szablya.com
RESUME
EDUCATION
B.A. with distinction (equivalent to summa cum
laude) Foreign Languages and Literatures (Russian, German, French),
Washington State University. Other languages: English, Hungarian, Latin.
Diploma in Sales and Marketing Management
(forerunner of Executive MBA), The University of British Columbia, Canada.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Several legal credit courses offered by the
Washington State Bar Association and courses sponsored by Small Business
Administration (SBA) and U.S. Department of Commerce.
EXPERIENCE
1993-present Honorary Consul of the Republic
of Hungary for the States of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
1990-1993 Publisher and editor of Hungary
International, monthly newsletter on business with Hungary. Won two awards
from Wash. Press Assoc. (WPA).
Lecturer (won first WPA
prize).
1989-present Owner - President, Szablya
Consultants, Inc., translation agency and trade consulting.
1987-1989 Inquiring Mind Lecturer, on
Hungary, Washington Commission for the Humanities.
1987-1988 President of the Washington
Press Association (WPA). "Presidents' Award" from National Federation of
Press Women. "Communicator of Achievement", the highest award given by WPA.
1985-1986 Coauthor and project director
of the play "Hungary Remembered", won several national and international
awards, incl. George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation,
Voice of America transmitted releases in 42 languages.
1984-present Hosted and organized lectures,
concerts, as well as publicity, for visiting writers and other celebrities.
1980-1991 Weekly column in Trinidad, West
Indies, a developing country.
1974 "Energy and Culture" lecture
at EUROCON '74.
1967-present Writer, columnist, lecturer,
translator: four books, a play, and over 700 articles in English.
1965-present Writer with over 700 articles
published in English, others in Hungarian and German, two books, one play,
several translations.
1957-1963 Assisted with resettling a
Hungarian university at The University of British Columbia, in Vancouver
B.C., Canada.
1949-present Simultaneous and consecutive
interpreter, and translator: Court, legal, medical, literary, technical and
scientific texts, books and videos; e.g. Larry King Show on CNN, AT&T,
Berlitz, etc.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Translators Association (ATA), Active
(professional) Member
Northwest Interpreters and Translators Society
(NOTIS), Founding Member
Washington Court Interpreters and Translators
Society (WITS), Founding Member.
AWARDS
(partial listing)
First prize for the book "Fall of the Red
Star", Washington Press Association (WPA), 1996, First prize National
Federatio of Press Women ((NFPW), 1996.
"Special Articles", WPA 1992, in tie with The
Seattle Times.
"First Place for Speeches: Translate Ways of
Thinking!" WPA, 1990.
"Community Woman of the Year", American
Business Women's Association, 1990.
"Excellence in Journalism" - Editorials,
Society of Professional Journalists, 1990.
"Public Service Group Achievement Award",
National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), 1989.
"First Place for Columns in a Weekly", WPA,
1987
"George Washington Honor Medal", Freedoms
Foundation at Valley Forge, 1988.
"First Place in Editorial Writing", National
Federation of Press Women (NFPW), 1988.
"Senator Tom Martin Memorial Award for
Literary Achievement in the Field of Social or Political Commentary",
Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, 1979.
LISTED WITH
(partial listing)
Marquis Who's Who in America, Who's Who of
American Women, Hungarians in America
_________________________________________________________
JOHN F. Szablya
PHD., PE.
PROFESSOR EMERITUS, WASHINGTON SATE
UNIVERSITY
EXTERNAL MEMBER, HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES
Active Member, American Translators
Association
Box 578, Kirkland WA
98083, USA
Phone: (425)
576-8997 Fax: (425) 739-6931
E-mail: szablyahj@aol.com Web: www.szablya.com
RESUME
EDUCATION
Ph.D.,
Jozsef
Nador
University of Budapest
Dipl.
Econ., Jozsef
Nador
University of Budapest
Dipl.
Educ.,
Jozsef
Nador
University of Budapest
Dipl.
Eng., Jozsef
Nador
University of Budapest
REGISTRATION
Professional Engineer: States of Alaska,
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and Provinces of
British Columbia and Ontario, Canada
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1990- Vice President and Consulting
Engineer, Szablya Consultants, Inc.,
1982-1990 Manager Electrical,
Instrumentation and Control Engineering, and Electrical Consulting Engineer,
Ebasco Services,
1983- Affiliate Professor,
University of Washington,
1963-1982 Professor, Washington State
University,
1980-1981 Visiting Professor, University of
the West Indies, Trinidad,
1973-1974 Visiting Professor,
Technische Universität
Braunschweig, Germany,
1957-1963 Associate Professor, University
of British Columbia, Canada,
1951-1957 Associate Professor, Technical
University of Budapest, Hungary,
1947-1956 Design Engineer,
Ganz Electrical Works, Hungary.
PUBLICATIONS
Author and co-author of papers appearing in
such journals as: ATA (American Translators Association) Chronicle, IEEE
Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems; Proceedings of the American
Power Conference; IEEE International Convention Record; Proceedings of the
IEEE; Archiv Für
Elektrontechnik; Transactions of the Engineering
Institute of Canada; Acta
Technika; Eurocon Digest; and several
other articles on various subject matters. The number of his publications
exceeds 140.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Translators Association (ATA): Active
(professional) Member
Northwest Interpreters and Translators Society (NOTIS), Member
Washington Court Interpreters and Translators Society (WITS),
Member.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE): Fellow; Member of: Power Engineering and Education
Societies; Rotating Machinery and Power Engineering Education Committees;
Synchronous Machinery, Rotating Machinery Theory, Honors and Awards (past
chairman), and Faculty-Student-Industry Relations Subcommittees.
The Institution of Electrical Engineers
(U.K.): Fellow
Arpad
Akademia: Member
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society:
Full Member
LISTED WITH
Marquis Who's Who in America, American Men and
Women of Science; Who's Who in Engineering; Personalities Caribbean;
Hungarians In America; Men of Achievement; International Who's Who in
Engineering; IEEE Century of Honors; Dictionary of International Biography.
___________________________________________________________
COMPUTING EQUIPMENT
Hardware:
Two identical DELL Dimension XSP T450 computers. Each of the
computers is equipped with 450 MHz Pentium III, 384 MB RAM, 13.6 GB
hard disk, 40x CD-ROM drive, 100 MB I-Omega Zip Drive, 3.5 inch 1.44
MB diskette drive, and USRobotics V.90 PCI
internal fax/data modem. In addition, one of the computers has a 90 GB hard
disk and a CD-RW drive.
Operating System:
Windows XP on both PCs, which gives access to several fonts with
all characters used by European languages.
Printers:
HP Laserjet 1200, HP
Laserjet 5P and Canon i850 (color)
Word
Processor:
Microsoft Word 2000
Other
Software (partial listing):
For spreadsheet work we use Excel by Microsoft and Quattro Pro
5.0 by Corell.
For data base work we use Microsoft Access.
We also use the MS Office package which includes, among others, PowerPoint.
We work in .RTF as well.
We have installed the SDLX translation software.
We can
work with almost any software at the request of the client. John's almost 40
years of experience with computers and software is a great help in the
speedy adaptation of new software.
Although
we have programs to make charts, etc. we have very little use for them and,
therefore, lack the experience to do small jobs fast. Consequently, if we
have to do such kind of work we contract it out to a company with whom we
had excellent experience. We use the same company for jobs requiring desktop
publishing work.
__________________________________________________________
COMPARING THE ENGLISH AND HUNGARIAN
LANGUAGES
The Hungarian language is not related to
any of the Indo-European languages. It is a Ural-Altaic language. The
grammar and structure of Hungarian differs basically from almost all
other European languages. In Europe only the Finn (Estonian, Lapp)
language(s) is related to the Hungarian language (so say the linguists).
The following presents some of the major
differences:
o To start with, the Hungarian language
does not have the verb "to have." One can say in Hungarian "it is mine", "it
is my property", "it belongs to me", but the concept "to have" does
not exist. (Try to speak for five minutes without using the verb "have.") By
the way, it takes a long time to make a Hungarian fully comprehend the
concept of "to have" when he/she first learns an Indo-European language.
o Hungarian makes compound words galore.
E.g. "file name," a word used extensively today, is "fájlnév"
in Hungarian.
o The Hungarian language uses prefixes and
suffixes. For example, "I love you" is one word in Hungarian: "szeretlek"
which includes "love", "I", and "you" and expresses the relation between the
three. Or the eight words "they may have let him/her play the role" is only
one in Hungarian: "szerepeltetthetnék."
o By using compound words, prefixes and
suffixes the number of words is less in Hungarian (usually between 20 to 30
percent less) than for the same text in English. For the same reason, the
average word length is longer in Hungarian by approx. 35% (7.5 character per
word in Hungarian versus 4.5 in English). The combination of the two results
in a Hungarian text which is usually longer (has more lines/pages by about 5
to 10 percent) than its English equivalent, but its number of words is less
(by approx. 20 to 30%).
o Hungarian has only one present, one
past, and one future tense. Phrases like "has been", "have been", etc. do
not exist. Or "I am eating" can be translated only as "I eat". If this is
not sufficient, it has to be circumscribed e.g. "I still eat." Furthermore
Hungarian uses present tense for future tense most of the time and uses
future tense only when it wants to emphasize that the event will
occur in the future.
o There is no passive structure in
Hungarian. "I was told..." can be said only as "They told me..." (another
feature of Indo-European languages that Hungarians have to struggle with
when learning a foreign language).
o The verb "to be" is omitted in many
Hungarian sentences which means that there are sentences without predicates
(verbs). E.g. "She/he is beautiful" in Hungarian is "szép"
("he/she
beautiful"). Explanation given in grade school: it is obvious that she/he
is beautiful, why say it then.
o Consider a sentence which includes a
numeral, or any term which indicates amount, like "many," in conjunction
with a noun e.g. "six eggs." In this case singular is used in
Hungarian: "hat tojás" i.e. "six egg." Grade
school explanation: if it says it's more than one, why repeat the plurality.
(Languages have their own rules which many times defy common logic.)
o If the letter "t" is attached to a noun
it indicates that the word is a direct object. Consequently, the direct
object can always be identified in the sentence and, therefore, the order of
words (which in English is: subject, predicate, direct object, modifiers) do
not have to follow any pattern.
o As a consequence of the preceding, the
order of words plays a significant role in the Hungarian language. The same
words put into a different order can mean something considerably different.
E.g. "Tudunk temetni"
means "We know how to bury (the dead)" but in reverse order "Temetni
tudunk" means something different "How to bury
people - that is one thing we really know".
o There is one feature which makes the
Hungarian language easier to use: it has no gender. In third person it
distinguishes only between a person (ő) and not a person (az).
Again, it is difficult to learn for a Hungarian that, particularly in German
and French, and to some extent even in English, objects have a gender
(country and ships are "she" in English).
The above is by no means a complete
listing.
All these indicate why it is by several
levels more difficult to translate from/into English into/from Hungarian
than it is with German-English, French-English, Spanish-English, etc.
language pairs.
In closing, for the fun of it, an R
rated example is presented:
To do (something) is "csinálni."
However, with prefixes the word will have considerably different meanings.
"Megcsinálni" =
to do and complete it, also to repair (that's not too far from the original
meaning).
"Becsinálni"
(verbatim: "do into") = to wet your pants.
"Összecsinálni"
(verbatim: "do together") = not just wet your pants but No.2 also.
"Lecsinálni
(verbatim: "do down") = shit onto someone (Sorry, I warned you...).
"Felcsinálni"
(verbatim: "do up") = to make a woman pregnant.
And that's not all, but probably enough for
today.
Footnotes:
Ó John F. Szablya 1997