The Saint George’s Day when APTIC took translators to bed

This Saint George’s Day has undoubtedly made more impact for our association than any other. Media, professionals and the general public have been talking about this year’s teasing campaign with its leading question: “How many translators have you been to bed with?”

Hundreds of people walked past the stands in Girona and Barcelona, including fellow translators and intrigued passers by. We can confirm it was a success, both in terms of visibility and recognition for translators and cohesion between APTIC members and translation professionals in general.

That’s why we want to thank all the members who helped to create this campaign and make it possible, the organising committee, the people who were on the stands, those who came to say hello, the translators who got into bed with us and, in general, all the members of our Association, because, between all of us, we make APTIC.

Here’s the list of people who took part in this special day, in alphabetical order:

Volunteers in Girona
Yolanda Cervià
Isabel Vilalta
María Piedad Álvarez
Valérie Espinasse
Francesc Jubany
Anna Asperó
Isabel Hortal
Susanne Pospiech
Sílvia Molins
Vanesa Plana
Gemma Castan
Omar Salem
Elisa Serra
Bibiana Creixans

Volunteers in Barcelona

AdaArbós
Aida Aragon
Anna Navarro
Asun Renau
Barbara Catenaro
Carmen Villalba
Jose Luis Diez Lerma
Juliette Lemerle
Lluis Cavallé
Maria Causadías
Marta Morros Serret
Montserrat Sardà
Noemí Salas
Paola Tormo
Sara Geloni

Guest translators
Ainara Munt
Anna Llisterri
Daniel Menezo
Maria Llopis
Mireia Alegre
Tina Vallès

Poster and bookmark design
AdaArbós
Ariadna Goberna

We also particularly want to mention the translator Xosé Castro, as the campaign was based on a phrase he often uses in his talks.

 

Finally, to give you an idea of how the day went in Barcelona and Girona, we recommend you look at the photographs(we’ve added more). You can also read the reports written by our members Anna Llisterri, from Barcelona (which you will find here), and Isabel Vilalta, from Girona, which we translate below:

“Many rather confused students and some recent graduates who have not yet found their way in the profession. Members of APTIC who first took a look at the stand and then showed their membership cards clandestinely, as if they were a password for entering a select secret club (let’s be under no illusions, it is very select, of course). Purchasers in full Book Day frenzy, who even wanted to buy the sample books – originals and translations – we had on the stand. People who looked at us, surprised, letting slip a nervous laugh when bold girls asked them how many translators they’d been to bed with. “Me? None!” said most of them to start with (especially if they were holding hands with a partner). “With lots of women translators but not men,” said one bright spark. Winks, smiles and praise for the slogan and the poster when they realised we weren’t really asking them about their love lives. Many bookmarks handed out and many interesting conversations with those who took them. One who was looking for a translator from Korean – and who went off in fine fettle carrying the guide to commissioning translations – and another looking for translations from the subconscious – in his case we thought the guide wouldn’t be much use to him and it would be better to refer him somewhere else.

In short, a lovely day, full of reunions with professional colleagues and meetings with new acquaintances. More of the same next year. But, as much as we love the north wind, we hope it stays up in L’Empordà next time.“