| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Which would be your elevator's pitch (elevator speech :-)? Thread poster: Pablo Bouvier
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Laurent KRAULAND (X) 
France
Local time: 01:49
French to German
+ ...
Nicole Schnell wrote:
I avoid "translator / translation" because I am a bit tired of replies such as (quote):
- "Can one live on translation?"
- "Every bilingual person can translate."
- "Just post-ending MT output, huh? Not a job!"
- "Oh then you work for the courts too? Must pay well..."
| | | | Pablo Bouvier
Local time: 01:49
German to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Which would be your elevator's pitch (free training?...) | Dec 13, 2009 |
Laurent KRAULAND wrote: Nicole Schnell wrote:
I avoid "translator / translation" because I am a bit tired of replies such as (quote):
If we do not want to present ourselves as translators, we can always present ourselves as owners of a business specializing in international communication.
After all, in a wide sense, this is what we do: To communicate.
I would like to propose an exercise. It is to answer the questions formulated by Nicole & Laurent. This will allow all us to do a collective brainstorming and to know how to answer these questions in the future.
- "Can one live on translation?"
Yes, I do.
- "Every bilingual person can translate."
Are you bilingual...?
- "Just post-ending MT output, huh? Not a job!"
No, it isn't my job. It is my hobby and my passion.
Only a few persons can be employed at what passionates them. Do you do it...?.
Are you employed for anything who passionates you? Or do you go to work just because you have a schedule to be fulfilled and a salary to take home every month...?
Do you get more salary at the end of the month, if you worked harder...?
- "Oh then you work for the courts too? Must pay well..."
Have you ever been in the Court (meaning been judged...)? >:-]
Any other answering suggestions?
[Editado a las 2009-12-13 09:50 GMT]
| | | | Pablo Bouvier
Local time: 01:49
German to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Which would be your elevator's pitch (elevator speech :-)? | Dec 13, 2009 |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
Whenever you meet someone, one of the first questions inevitably will be: "So, what do you do?"
Well, fine and you?
I will say something like: "I am writing the German version of (my field of specialization / depending who I am talking to) for the German speaking market."
I own a business specializing in international communication.
(Same reaction: "Oh, wow!")
I avoid "translator / translation" because I am a bit tired of replies such as (quote):
- "Wow, my friends from Germany just made fun of the signs on the Warner Brothers parking lot. You should contact them and translate their parking signs!"
Of course. I will call them. But, just now I am in hurry...
Of course, you never call them...
- "Translation? Don't they have machines for that?"
Yes, they have. As translators, we love them. Each time they do a translation, they give us a new businnes opportunity, as we have to redo them from scratch
- "Oh, my daughter isn't doing well in her German class. Maybe you could help her with her homework?"
Yes, of course. My price per hour is... (an inadmisible high price, if you do not want to help her) And, who knows? Maybe, they agree to pay what you are asking for...
- "Oh, then maybe you can tell me which is better: Babelfish or Google Translate?"
Power Translator, maybe... (notice the ironic sense of words combination...:-). Give it a try and do not forget to tell me.... The surest thing is that they will never call you back, since they do not want to lose his valuable time with these trivialities...
[Editado a las 2009-12-13 10:37 GMT]
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 16:49
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
Pablo Bouvier wrote: Nicole Schnell wrote: Whenever you meet someone, one of the first questions inevitably will be: "So, what do you do?" Well, fine and you?
Are you sure?
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Pablo Bouvier
Local time: 01:49
German to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Which would be your elevator's pitch (elevator speech :-)?" | Dec 13, 2009 |
Nicole Schnell wrote: Pablo Bouvier wrote: Nicole Schnell wrote: Whenever you meet someone, one of the first questions inevitably will be: "So, what do you do?" Well, fine and you? Are you sure?
Did you say something...? Sometimes I hear what I "want" to hear...
And I perfectly heared: "How do you do?". As people are generally quite well-educated, they will not bothering you, asking twice...
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 16:49
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
Pablo Bouvier wrote:
Well, fine and you?
Are you sure? [/quote]
Did you say something...? Sometimes I hear what I "want" to hear...
And I perfectly heared: "How do you do?". As people are generally quite well-educated, they will not bothering you, asking twice... [/quote]
I like that!
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