Language professionals in research work: Current observations and future considerations

Juho Suokas & Erja Vottonen, University of Eastern Finland, ReTra Research group

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Language professionals are often an invisible yet essential part of academic publishing. Research work and academic publishing involve much multilingualism and translation – carried out by both professional language service providers and the researchers themselves. However, researchers are often not aware of what kinds of language services are available, what to expect from them, and how collaboration with language service providers can work.

Our research group at the University of Eastern Finland examines translation and multilingualism as part of research work. We have interviewed 60 researchers working in Finnish and other European universities and 14 language service providers working with researchers in Finland.

The aim of this online seminar is to present our research and our observations of the assumptions and views that researchers have of language services and how they use them, and to promote discussion on what the interaction between language service providers and the field of academic research could be. Recent technological developments have brought changes to the work of both language professionals and academics, so we also wish to promote discussion on what professional human language services can offer researchers today and how these services can be communicated within academia.

Online on Zoom (Zoom link sent to registrants)

12 January 16:30 EET

Free for NEaT members

Programme:

The workshop/seminar will comprise three sections, each of which will begin with an introduction by Juho and Erja, followed by participant discussion.

16.30–17.00 Researchers’ translation awareness, discussion

17.00–17.30 Interaction between language services and researchers, discussion

17.30–18.00 Language technology in research work, discussion

A NEaT New Year

Let’s celebrate our return to work and raise a glass to our personal new working year on Wednesday, 7 January at 5 pm Helsinki time, 4 pm Stockholm time on Zoom.

What are you glad to let go of from 2025? What are you looking forward to in 2026? How were your holidays? What do you do to mark the new year?

So NEaTers, check your inboxes and the newsletter for the Zoom link!

eVent! Finding clients

Into the maze

Our last eVent! of the year is your chance to chat about how best to find new clients.

Our eVents! have no formalities and a simple agenda: unwind, share a few laughs, and vent with colleagues.

As always, this eVent! is free of charge and open to NEaT members only. Don’t forget to register in order to receive the zoom link.

⌘ Thursday, 27 November 2025
⌘ Drop in between 16.00 and 17.30 EET on Zoom
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Celebrate the holidays with NEaT

The NEaT annual holiday party will be in Helsinki on the evening of Friday, 5 December. This year we’ll have a pizza bar and an evening of pure drama! You bring your favorite pizza topping, and we’ll supply the pizza bases to build on.

Bring yourself, your favorite pizza topping and your own beverages. NEaT will provide a welcoming drink and dessert and an evening at a theatre casting. 

A note for our party-goers from the casting director: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to ‘Casting Kvetch’! The popular game show featuring a bunch of linguists trying to make a movie about a bunch of thespians trying to make a movie! I am your genial host, the Casting Director. Using the script of ‘Kiss Her, Kate’, and appointing Director, Producer, and aspiring actresses, we shall attempt to cast this show. Don’t worry, everyone gets a go. First prize is a promise of a lead role in my next play.

This is an open event so bring a friend or colleague you would like to introduce to NEaT.

5 December at 5 pm

PAM Office, Säästöpankinranta 4 C 21, Helsinki, push the buzzer and we’ll open the door

Free for members, five euros for non-members

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