Comments for Thoughts On Translation http://thoughtsontranslation.com ...the translation industry and becoming a translator Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:30:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on Some thoughts on feedback and the translation process by Talking from here http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2009/03/30/some-thoughts-on-feedback-and-the-translation-process/#comment-3764 Talking from here Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:30:00 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=496#comment-3764 I stumbled across this link while browsing another translation-minded blog. What strikes me in the first place (my native language is not English, and I do not come/write from an English-speaking country) is that not a single blog whatsoever (sorry, slip of legalese) ever mentions the possibility of a smaller client not being able or willing to pay for excellent translation work. You never mention the money issue as if it were not important or those small businesses were capable of paying for everything at its face value. They cannot and will not borrow funds from a bank to pay a translator all he deserves. Solvency is a problem. Even more so in these days when so many countries fail economically round Europe. Secondly, everyone takes for granted that businesses are run by the educated only. Or that the texts businesses produce will easily pass a quality test in their own right (and field). Nothing of the sort. Many of them learn from their mistakes. They know nothing about accounting, contract drafting, and so forth. All they know is that they must run a private business in order to succeed in this world this way or another. And then they turn to you. And then you (not me, I am sure !) start flattering them. Think it all over again well. I stumbled across this link while browsing another translation-minded blog.

What strikes me in the first place (my native language is not English, and I do not come/write from an English-speaking country) is that not a single blog whatsoever (sorry, slip of legalese) ever mentions the possibility of a smaller client not being able or willing to pay for excellent translation work. You never mention the money issue as if it were not important or those small businesses were capable of paying for everything at its face value. They cannot and will not borrow funds from a bank to pay a translator all he deserves. Solvency is a problem. Even more so in these days when so many countries fail economically round Europe.

Secondly, everyone takes for granted that businesses are run by the educated only. Or that the texts businesses produce will easily pass a quality test in their own right (and field). Nothing of the sort. Many of them learn from their mistakes. They know nothing about accounting, contract drafting, and so forth. All they know is that they must run a private business in order to succeed in this world this way or another. And then they turn to you. And then you (not me, I am sure !) start flattering them.

Think it all over again well.

]]> Comment on New site banner! by Valerio http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/22/new-site-banner/#comment-3762 Valerio Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:10:53 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=981#comment-3762 Congratulations. This is the first time I visit this blog and it looks AMAZING. It definitely deserves to be in the top 100 language blogs. Well done! :) Congratulations. This is the first time I visit this blog and it looks AMAZING. It definitely deserves to be in the top 100 language blogs. Well done! :)

]]> Comment on New site banner! by ebodeux http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/22/new-site-banner/#comment-3758 ebodeux Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:37:31 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=981#comment-3758 Looks great! Can't wait to see the entire roll out! Looks great! Can’t wait to see the entire roll out!

]]> Comment on Some industry tidbits by Judy Jenner http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/16/some-industry-tidbits/#comment-3756 Judy Jenner Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:52:59 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=969#comment-3756 Congratulations indeed! For those of us who know Karen, we know how much of her time she already donates as a volunteer to various organizations, so kudos to her for adding another one to her plate! Congratulations indeed! For those of us who know Karen, we know how much of her time she already donates as a volunteer to various organizations, so kudos to her for adding another one to her plate!

]]> Comment on Great translator vacation photo by Judy Jenner http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/19/great-translator-vacation-photo/#comment-3755 Judy Jenner Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:51:36 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=973#comment-3755 Too funny -- Dagy and I are laughing as we speak. We collect translation mistakes, which get posted on our German-language blog, but we don't have a funny translation-vacation :) photo to share. Too funny — Dagy and I are laughing as we speak. We collect translation mistakes, which get posted on our German-language blog, but we don’t have a funny translation-vacation :) photo to share.

]]> Comment on New site banner! by Judy Jenner http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/22/new-site-banner/#comment-3754 Judy Jenner Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:50:25 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=981#comment-3754 Absolutely love it -- gorgeous, clean, and simple! I think the two pens are a very nice touch, too. Absolutely love it — gorgeous, clean, and simple! I think the two pens are a very nice touch, too.

]]> Comment on New site banner! by Fabio http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/22/new-site-banner/#comment-3747 Fabio Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:46:14 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=981#comment-3747 Corinne, congratulations on the new header image. Excellent choice and very good taste. :-) Corinne, congratulations on the new header image. Excellent choice and very good taste. :-)

]]> Comment on Great translator vacation photo by Patricia http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/19/great-translator-vacation-photo/#comment-3743 Patricia Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:31:26 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=973#comment-3743 If the quality of the automated translation is reflectied by the written one, the audiotour must be quite amusing. Having said that, I just came accross Google's new claim. They now translate your pet complaints :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I24bSteJpw Unfortunately, my own lastering of pig and donkey language does not enable me to verify the accuracy of their translation... If the quality of the automated translation is reflectied by the written one, the audiotour must be quite amusing.
Having said that, I just came accross Google’s new claim. They now translate your pet complaints :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I24bSteJpw
Unfortunately, my own lastering of pig and donkey language does not enable me to verify the accuracy of their translation…

]]> Comment on Great translator vacation photo by ebodeux http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/19/great-translator-vacation-photo/#comment-3736 ebodeux Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:18:17 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=973#comment-3736 What a find, Jiri! That is priceless! What a find, Jiri! That is priceless!

]]> Comment on Great translator vacation photo by Kirsten N http://thoughtsontranslation.com/2010/07/19/great-translator-vacation-photo/#comment-3734 Kirsten N Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:33:35 +0000 http://thoughtsontranslation.com/?p=973#comment-3734 Italy is a good place to spot wonderful translations. My favorite is from Museo del Duomo in Siena (taken some years ago): http://www.flickr.com/photos/8082645@N03/4809281626/ Italy is a good place to spot wonderful translations.
My favorite is from Museo del Duomo in Siena (taken some years ago):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8082645@N03/4809281626/

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