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Off topic: Translation myths! Thread poster: yolanda Speece
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| "I don't understand why you're exhausted at the end of the day... | Jul 26, 2005 |
all you're doing is repeating what other people say. It's not like you have to think."
(Actually said to me by a delegation member after a grueling day of interpreting for a high-level meeting)
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| Let them do it themselves, then | Jul 26, 2005 |
[quote]Kevin Kelly wrote:
all you're doing is repeating what other people say. It's not like you have to think."
quote]
It's amazing, no wonder there are sooo many bad translations around, if all this is what people generally think of this profession.
I'd like to add a comment about bilingualism: I'm employed as a secretary but the only thing I do the whole day is translating (and most of the times texts done here are not easy at all), so I'd say the reverse also happens, at least I've seen it happen a lot in my country. People employ (female) translators as a secretary
[Edited at 2005-07-26 15:31]
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| #translation myth 7 | Jul 26, 2005 |
translation is not a real job.
- Would it cost so much? But... I mean... you just sit at home and do this. It's not like you have to earn your living with it!
I was so surprised I didn't even slam the telephone down but just stayed there staring at it!
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mstkwasa
Local time: 21:14
English to Japanese
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| You can fix the source text... | Jul 26, 2005 |
Even if the source text doesn't make much sense (poor grammar, mangled sentences...), surely you know what the author of the text intended to say, hence fix it and come up with a wonderful piece of translation.
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yolanda Speece 
Local time: 15:14
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | I love this! | Jul 26, 2005 |
Keep them coming!
What about excuses for not contracting with a translator? does anyone have those?
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| we can anticipate needs... | Jul 26, 2005 |
A customer came into my office with a 40 page document describing her purchase of an appartment, the community rules, local regulations, etc. this kind of document in France is very long (in Spain you only get 4-5 pages.)
She told me: I want to have some of this translated, not all, it says plenty of useless things (although she couldn't understand a word of it) just something so that if I die (she is about 50) and my son inherits the appartment he can know a bit about it...
<... See more A customer came into my office with a 40 page document describing her purchase of an appartment, the community rules, local regulations, etc. this kind of document in France is very long (in Spain you only get 4-5 pages.)
She told me: I want to have some of this translated, not all, it says plenty of useless things (although she couldn't understand a word of it) just something so that if I die (she is about 50) and my son inherits the appartment he can know a bit about it...
As much as I asked her about what part of the document interested her more, I got no answer... I summarized the community rules, I hope her son will appreciate one day
[Edited at 2005-07-26 19:01] ▲ Collapse
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sarahl (X)
Local time: 13:14
English to French
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| you're not working full-time! | Jul 27, 2005 |
you only interpret 3 days a week, what do you do with all that free time?
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Can Altinbay
Local time: 16:14
Japanese to English
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In memoriam | Have you looked at the profiles... | Jul 28, 2005 |
...of sone of the people who offer "quality/excellent translations"?
yolanda Speece wrote: Can Altinbay wrote: yolanda Speece wrote:
(A real one or a wannabe)
That depends on the translator.
There are plenty of "real" ones here who don't look real at all when you see their profiles. Nope, not anming names. [Edited at 2005-07-26 06:07]
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yolanda Speece
Local time: 15:14
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | Ah! I get the picture! | Jul 28, 2005 |
Can Altinbay wrote: ...of sone of the people who offer "quality/excellent translations"? yolanda Speece wrote: Can Altinbay wrote: yolanda Speece wrote:
(A real one or a wannabe)
That depends on the translator.
There are plenty of "real" ones here who don't look real at all when you see their profiles. Nope, not anming names. [Edited at 2005-07-26 06:07]
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Ana Naglić
Croatia
Local time: 22:14
Member (2005)
English to Croatian
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a.) Just RETYPE the text INTO English.
b.) Anyone can learn English from MTV/films.
c.) How do you say... (a very technical word in the unknown field)? Well, you MUST know that, you're a translator!
d.) I'll pay you only for the time when you were actally speaking (interpreting for the XY Asian company).
e.) Why are you spending all that money on dictionaries? You already have a few!
f.) How do you click on a link?
g.) (Web design related) I know you said you ... See more a.) Just RETYPE the text INTO English.
b.) Anyone can learn English from MTV/films.
c.) How do you say... (a very technical word in the unknown field)? Well, you MUST know that, you're a translator!
d.) I'll pay you only for the time when you were actally speaking (interpreting for the XY Asian company).
e.) Why are you spending all that money on dictionaries? You already have a few!
f.) How do you click on a link?
g.) (Web design related) I know you said you made that wab page and published it on the (requested) address. In the Internet. But WHERE is that?
h.) We are a serious agency. I'll pay you when the client pays me.
i.) The freelance translator is supposed to work only for our agency.
j.) Why won't you accept such rate? You may find plenty of language students translating for less, I'm doing you a favour.
k.) You can do 3500 words translation in 2 hours.
l.) What do you mean, I can't edit your translation work? I had English as a subject in my secondary school.
m.) Are you still unemployed (i.e. working as a freelancer)? ▲ Collapse
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Tadzio (X)
English to Spanish
| You mean "Work"??? | Jul 30, 2005 |
Maria Rosich Andreu wrote:
Translation is not a real job.
“You mean WORK? I don't work. I make so much money from my translations that I do not need to work.”
 )
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