| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8] > | Poll: When a potential translation job is described to me, the word(s) I dread hearing the most is Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Félicien Sirois
United States
Local time: 17:26
Member
Italian to English
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Charlie Bavington wrote:
"It's a marketing text...."
in other words, it will be utterly meaningless bilge and piffle of the kind that makes my blood boil and my skin creep.
And yet, despite my barely-disguised contempt for this particular form of writing (and I can hardly believe it doesn't somehow come through in the translation) there are actually a couple of end-clients at one agency I work with who sometimes specifically request that I translate their puerile hogwash.
LOL. You nailed it Charlie!
| | | | Félicien Sirois
United States
Local time: 17:26
Member
Italian to English
+ ...
| "We're trying out a new translator and would like you to edit..." | Apr 1, 2008 |
That's the one line that scares me most, beyond anything else.... especially when the translator has an impressive resume/CV.
The horror stories I could tell you about the work product these "new translators" (some of whom have *apparently* been translating for many years) have produced over the years would have you writhing in disgust.
I guess degrees and certifications aren't what they used to be, because the biggest blunders have issued from the quills of these "trai... See more That's the one line that scares me most, beyond anything else.... especially when the translator has an impressive resume/CV.
The horror stories I could tell you about the work product these "new translators" (some of whom have *apparently* been translating for many years) have produced over the years would have you writhing in disgust.
I guess degrees and certifications aren't what they used to be, because the biggest blunders have issued from the quills of these "trained professionals." And sadly, I often see the names of these translators here and in many circles, touting their "exceptional abilities" as translators. "Exceptional" doesn't even begin to describe it...
As such, my per-hour rates immediately apply.
[Edited at 2008-04-01 15:18] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Miranda Joubioux (X) 
Local time: 00:26
French to English
| "Yesterday" and "rewriting" | Apr 1, 2008 |
When I ask what the deadline is, they say "Yesterday". It basically comes back to "urgent", but it's the actual word that gets to me.
The other word I hate is "rewriting". It generally happens when a customer rings me to say that "so-and-so" has just looked at the document and decided that he/she is going to rewrite part of it. We don't think he/she will make many changes, but of course, you do understand our position, he's our Manager. As a general rule, this means that the transla... See more When I ask what the deadline is, they say "Yesterday". It basically comes back to "urgent", but it's the actual word that gets to me.
The other word I hate is "rewriting". It generally happens when a customer rings me to say that "so-and-so" has just looked at the document and decided that he/she is going to rewrite part of it. We don't think he/she will make many changes, but of course, you do understand our position, he's our Manager. As a general rule, this means that the translation needs to be completely redone.
This often happens just before the document goes to print, or is put online. It annoys the hell out of me, because it seriously upsets my translating schedule. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I like "urgent" | Apr 1, 2008 |
To me, urgency means a surcharge, and a surcharge means more money per hour, and more money per hour means I don't have to work as many hours.
Personally, I prefer urgent jobs, provided the client doesn't mind paying extra for the urgency.
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i should have paid attention to that word...
it meant mostly lots of weird little invoices with little text and i was not only supposed to translate but copy all the english text as well. it was atedious, laborious nightmare, with very little actual translation.
They gave me almost no instructions and she even admitted she'd barely seen the files. When i send them in she was dissatisfied because of improper formatting; i admit i may have not done it perfectly...however... See more i should have paid attention to that word...
it meant mostly lots of weird little invoices with little text and i was not only supposed to translate but copy all the english text as well. it was atedious, laborious nightmare, with very little actual translation.
They gave me almost no instructions and she even admitted she'd barely seen the files. When i send them in she was dissatisfied because of improper formatting; i admit i may have not done it perfectly...however, there was text missing because of PDF reproduction which i never even saw. Then she said she'd 'rejected' my submission. NO way...i billed her and told her I expect compensation. It hasn't appeared yet...but it's just a couple of days. I'm sure they'll comply unless they want to end up in the HALL OF SHAME ...i'd already decided that after this job I'd never work for them again. It was a tedious nightmare.
I aslo shy away from anyone who promises payment in a month. Why bother working feverishly for a week and have to wait a month?
I agree...we should get 'urgency' pay... ▲ Collapse
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I agree with all who dread this one. An extension to this is also the 'harmless' short. Before you know, you are chasing a ridiculous deadline with a so-called short text containing either technical blah or peculiar expressions.
But I do agree with Konstantin as well. Who complains if they pay you well enough for all the heart burns involved?
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 00:26
French to German
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| My favourite: job divided among many translators | Apr 2, 2008 |
Apart from urgent, easy, commercial, marketing, this CAT is a must, send us your best rates (along with your CV)...
And so on
LJK
| | | | Denise DeVries
United States
Local time: 18:26
Spanish to English
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| As soon as possible | Apr 2, 2008 |
Worse than "urgent" because it's so vague. Does it mean "possible if you don't sleep or bathe?"
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| I empathize, but | Apr 2, 2008 |
How many of you with negative comments about your clients have actually spent time working as a PM in an agency? That should be mandatory for all who study translation so they can actually see the other side of the story, perhaps be more thorough and timely in completing work they have accepted and understand some of these situations. Obviously not all of them can be understood, sometimes it just depends on an individual personality or a horrible corporate culture.
| | | | | Four cents per word | Apr 2, 2008 |
Why are they offering how much they will pay? Those are not small easy jobs.
| | | | | We are splitting this job / Are you available to proofread? / Client has terminology | Apr 2, 2008 |
One agency I know of in particular seems to specialize in taking on projects with gazillions of words in ridiculously short turnaround times - and so makes it a standard business practice to split documents among translators.
Not only is the coordination of terminology almost non-existent, but of course the larger and more urgent the project, the more the quality varies (and generally suffers) because the agency is under more pressure to use whoever they can. Viewing some of the "po... See more One agency I know of in particular seems to specialize in taking on projects with gazillions of words in ridiculously short turnaround times - and so makes it a standard business practice to split documents among translators.
Not only is the coordination of terminology almost non-existent, but of course the larger and more urgent the project, the more the quality varies (and generally suffers) because the agency is under more pressure to use whoever they can. Viewing some of the "portions" in such projects translated by other linguists (earning near enough the same money as myself) has made me wince on more occasions than I'd like to remember.
I also occasionally get asked by this agency (and others) to revise/proofread translations in these split projects or projects that have been translated by other translators.
This has almost without fail resulted in my *severe* disappointment with the amount of time and effort it takes me to patch over questionable (or downright incorrect) translations, reduce five different sets of terminology into one, or try to meld together clearly British English with my American (which I have told project managers over and over again - YES, it does matter!). I *always* have to go back and ask for a larger budget in these cases. And schedule in up to twice as much time as originally planned, possibly eating into time already earmarked for other clients. End result: no sleep and frustration you can sink your teeth into.
95% of the time, I just won't do it any more.
Another quality-limiting factor that I hate to hear is when the project manager says "the client has their own set of terminology/glossary and wants the translator to use it".
Well, that's just great if the client actually knows what they're doing, and has worked with native speakers in the past to develop this terminology.
But ohhhhhh, when that's not the case....
It makes me feel sick to have to argue with a project manager about why I cannot in good conscience use the client's terminology, because the client is simply WRONG.
I don't want to argue - I *know* the project manager doesn't want to argue - it all really comes down to a client that for some reason thinks they know the target language better than the translator. Or that received a poor translation once upon a time and has stuck with it, not realizing the mistake that has been made.
I have used logic, I have cited dictionaries and reference material and publications... in many cases, to no avail. The project managers usually do their best to act as a liaison, but in the end, the client will have what the client will have, and don't bother the client with the facts.
Ugh. ▲ Collapse
| | | | farmor
Local time: 00:26
Danish to English
| Poll: When a potential translation job is described to me, the word(s) I dread hearing the most is | Apr 2, 2008 |
prciosasoy wrote:
How many of you ... have actually spent time working as a PM in an agency? That should be mandatory ... so they can actually see the other side of the story, perhaps be more thorough and timely in completing work they have accepted... quote]
There's no doubt that there are a few bad apples around. That some translators don't know what they are doing. That some translators deliver late, and that some don't deliver at all.
Still, how many agency owners or project managers know huey about translation?
Nanna
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Charlie Bavington wrote:
"It's a marketing text...."
in other words, it will be utterly meaningless bilge and piffle of the kind that makes my blood boil and my skin creep.
LOL! How about "It's just a small marketing text/Just a few lines"...?
It's like they have no clue! I have sat for *hours* trying to resolve "simple" marketing puns and "catchy" phrases.
Universe - please spare me from small marketing texts!!! 
(as I sit and stare at one right at this very moment)
| | | | Textklick
Local time: 23:26
German to English
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In memoriam
prciosasoy wrote:
How many of you with negative comments about your clients have actually spent time working as a PM in an agency? That should be mandatory for all who study translation so they can actually see the other side of the story, perhaps be more thorough and timely in completing work they have accepted and understand some of these situations.
Mandatory is a word I would not accept from a Project Manager. I don't do mandatory!
But maybe we are "singing from the same sheet" and I am just splitting hairs.
I believe that in-house translation experience is a very sound idea, (although I would not use the word mandatory). Apart from that, who the heck is going to want to hire a greenhorn freshman translator as a project manager? If I were the proprietor of an LSP I certainly would not.
In my experience, the best and most logical career progression is college>inhouse translator>PM>freelance translator. I've seen it work incredibly well, (although I personally skipped the PM stage, having other business experience).
That way you have:
* PMs who are linguists and who also, if not indeed better, understand the issues that arise (as aptly mentioned above by Nanna).
* Freelancers who, as you say, have appropriate experience in the PM field and have gained sufficient business experience to steer their own ship. "The inside scoop", as you neatly call it.
Cheers
Chris
[Edited at 2008-04-03 12:41]
| | | | | No Experience = No chance to work ? | Apr 3, 2008 |
Dolors Selis i Masnou wrote:
I am quite new in the community and one of the things that anoys me more when trying to quote for a job is the lack of recognised experience.
Though I am a senior student at University, I have been translating for firms and business in my area for some time and I know I qualify for many jobs offered.
We all know perfectly whether we can or cannot accept a work with a short deadline and we all know if the subject is one in which whe expertise or not.
For me the main problem is to be given the first chance to work, that that will allow you to say that you have experience because you have been working for a firm willing to declare they are satisfied with your work and that they would work with you again.
I supose this is not the case for most of those taking part in this forum, but I am sure it is for many members of the community.
Well, I hope I will have my chance to obtain a WWA soon.
Have a nice Easter
Hello Dolors!
I'm even "newer" then you are and I do understand your point! I need to work and I'm willing to offer my services at reduced rates and I've been volonteering for few associations just to be able to build my portfolio. BUT....
I haven't found yet anyboby willing to "risk" working with unexperienced translators like myself, so no chance for me to get WWA.
I personaly wish I could find a Mentor for my career launch, someone who would throw at me some work they do not want or have no time to take care of, so that I could work, learn the pro tricks and have some support.
I take my work very seriously and I hope to be able to demonstrate my skills soon.
Anyone interested in becoming my long distance mentor?
My pair are English into Italian and Italian into English.
Have a fantastic day!
Buona giornata a tutti!
Kika
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