| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Off topic: Why isn't the back translation exactly the same as the original? (I billed for explanation) Thread poster: Anthony Baldwin
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John Fossey 
Canada
Local time: 01:37
Member (2008)
French to English
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| After-sale support plan | Apr 27, 2012 |
Many software suppliers seem to get away with charging for a "Support Plan" to give support after the initial sale. Why not translators?
"I'll be happy to explain why the back translation doesn't exactly match the original - just click here to subscribe to my $300/year support plan that provides up to 5 hours of explanations per year"...
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 01:37
Portuguese to English
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TOPIC STARTER
John Fossey wrote:
Many software suppliers seem to get away with charging for a "Support Plan" to give support after the initial sale. Why not translators?
"I'll be happy to explain why the back translation doesn't exactly match the original - just click here to subscribe to my $300/year support plan that provides up to 5 hours of explanations per year"...
Where's the "Like" button for this post?
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 01:37
Portuguese to English
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TOPIC STARTER
Phil Hand wrote:
Sorry, I wasn't clear enough with my terminology. When I said "translation buyer", I meant the end user, not agencies.
An agency *must* know a considerable amount about the nature of translation (including back-translation) because this is the product it sells. And when we work through agencies, they take half the revenue because, among other things, they will be responsible for explaining the nature of the product to the buyer.
they will be responsible for explaining the nature of the product to the buyer
I especially believe this above should apply. The agency should know what they're doing, and should be supporting their own product.
Sadly, it seems more and more these days agencies are nothing but resellers (good capitalists).
Increasingly I encounter PMs and agencies with no real knowledge of language and translation.
What they do seem to know is
a) how to market the service
b) how to shoulder the entire burden of production and support onto the labor they are exploiting.
| | | | | I bill every time | Apr 28, 2012 |
I often translate material that undergoes back translation. Unless the text is very simple, it will come back to me and this is part of the process. It is the fine tuning of the harmonization process and it is often required for ICFs or standardized scales.
Sometimes a translation comes back with questions that seem self-explanatory to me and this does tend to get annoying. However, my aim is to serve my clients well, so I answer their questions as thoroughly as I can or need to. Al... See more I often translate material that undergoes back translation. Unless the text is very simple, it will come back to me and this is part of the process. It is the fine tuning of the harmonization process and it is often required for ICFs or standardized scales.
Sometimes a translation comes back with questions that seem self-explanatory to me and this does tend to get annoying. However, my aim is to serve my clients well, so I answer their questions as thoroughly as I can or need to. Although PMs in agencies tend to be knowledgeable, someone who is starting out will often have many questions.
On occasion, I find myself thinking of what the possible back translation might be and what comments a certain translation point might generate. It is a fine line between producing a natural sounding translation and a one that is tailored to the back translation.
Over the years, I have answered numerous questions and this has served me well. Justifying my choices has made me aware of different aspects of the translation process. I am also quite happy to point out to the client that sometimes, a colloquialism needs to be used and that is fine and necessary.
Key points:
- Alway get payed for your time. You are a professional and each justification you write up will require time and perhaps even some research.
- The translation/back translation/harmonization process works best when all parties have gained some experience and understand the process. Once a team works well together, the process runs smoothly and can become enjoyable ▲ Collapse
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Silvia Zele
Australia
Local time: 17:37
Slovenian to English
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John Fossey wrote:
Many software suppliers seem to get away with charging for a "Support Plan" to give support after the initial sale. Why not translators?
"I'll be happy to explain why the back translation doesn't exactly match the original - just click here to subscribe to my $300/year support plan that provides up to 5 hours of explanations per year"...
I would also support having a 'like' button and would use it to support this post.
| | | | Daniel Bird
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:37
German to English
| Some good material here | Mar 19, 2013 |
Thanks to forum search there's no need for me to post my new topic on the hairy topic of back translation.
Before reading I was bursting with judgments on the topic; after reading I haven't toned them down very much. It still seems to me that it adds little of the value that a good proofreader can supply and comes at a premium too.
The ATA article in particular had some good insights, the main one being, as its title suggests, to concentrate on what really matters. In any given docum... See more Thanks to forum search there's no need for me to post my new topic on the hairy topic of back translation.
Before reading I was bursting with judgments on the topic; after reading I haven't toned them down very much. It still seems to me that it adds little of the value that a good proofreader can supply and comes at a premium too.
The ATA article in particular had some good insights, the main one being, as its title suggests, to concentrate on what really matters. In any given document, that might actually apply only to a small proportion of the text. A reasonable client should value a pro-linguist's judgment if s/he suggests focusing on those areas and we shouldn't be shy, confrontational or dare I say too flexible or easily swayed when making that suggestion. ▲ Collapse
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