| Stran v tématu: < [1 2] | Poll: What concerns you most right now about the translation business? Autor vlákna: ProZ.com Staff
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Sheila Wilson 
Španělsko
Local time: 15:38
Člen (2007)
angličtina
+ ...
| The unregulated state of the business | Dec 7, 2016 |
I agree with Annamaria's concern that too many agencies are accepting rubbish translations, and indeed encouraging them by offering end clients translations at ridiculously low prices, yesterday.
But while I'm very happy to put much of the blame on those unscrupulous shark agencies, I think part of the problem lies with those freelancers who do the work. Without them, those agencies wouldn't be able to operate.
There's a never-ending supply of people who sort of speak ... See more I agree with Annamaria's concern that too many agencies are accepting rubbish translations, and indeed encouraging them by offering end clients translations at ridiculously low prices, yesterday.
But while I'm very happy to put much of the blame on those unscrupulous shark agencies, I think part of the problem lies with those freelancers who do the work. Without them, those agencies wouldn't be able to operate.
There's a never-ending supply of people who sort of speak a foreign language and think that entitles them to translate for money. Few see themselves as professional translators. They're just sitting at home earning a bit of money: students, retirees, carers, unemployed, or maybe working but not making ends meet. They'll take on anything that's offered. After all, GT and dictionaries help just as much with medical and legal translations as they do with shopping lists.
And then there are far too many translators who can do a good job of translating but are totally incapable of running a business. In fact, many don't even seem to realise that they are running a business. They see themselves as sweat-shop workers, glad to earn a few pennies for every page of words they send back, rushing to keep up with the quotas set by their bosses while knowing that they only really have the choice of being fined for late delivery or being fined for poor quality,
Before I get landed on like a ton of bricks, I do realise that people have to live, to put food in kids' mouths. But this totally unregulated way of doing business is only working for some people. It's fine for well-run agencies who want to deliver the quality their clients need at reasonable prices. And it's fine for those of us who can run a business and work with those agencies and with direct clients. But it's encouraging far too many sharks and amateurs, and it's a very dangerous place for our most vulnerable professionals.
I don't know how it could be regulated, and I probably wouldn't like the restrictive practices that would result. And anyway, it's probably impossible now, with GT etc out there. But I do feel that things are going to get worse, and that's very worrying. ▲ Collapse
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 16:38
čeština -> francouzština
+ ...
| Agency requirements for specific CAT tools | Dec 7, 2016 |
and low quality of source texts - not necessarily non-native or machine-translated. People can do horrible things to their own language.
| | | | Anne Savaris
Brazílie
Local time: 11:38
Člen (2016)
portugalština -> italština
+ ...
That's it, although at the moment I wouldn't complain about lack of work, I've been undertaking jobs that do not reach my standard rate... despite that, I do have a bottom under which I never charge, no matter what.
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I'm not overly concerned, since I can feed my (small) family, but as Sheila said, I'd also point out that the lack of regulation is a real issue. French translators have refused it in the past and now some 20 years or so down the line, implementing anything "proper" would be even more difficult because of the soaring unemployment rate (ideal excuse for not regulating or deregulating). Looking back, that seems so short-sighted and irresponsible indeed, considering how the German managed to defend... See more I'm not overly concerned, since I can feed my (small) family, but as Sheila said, I'd also point out that the lack of regulation is a real issue. French translators have refused it in the past and now some 20 years or so down the line, implementing anything "proper" would be even more difficult because of the soaring unemployment rate (ideal excuse for not regulating or deregulating). Looking back, that seems so short-sighted and irresponsible indeed, considering how the German managed to defend their profession, at least in comparison. But I expect that required a much broader vision that one's narrow little practice. ▲ Collapse
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| Poor rates and unrealistic deadlines | Dec 7, 2016 |
I agree in large part with most of what has been said. It simply amazes me how many established agencies there are that can still afford to offer low rates and get away with it. But, as has also been pointed out, one sometimes wonders what the priorities of the customers are. You would have thought that quality is a priority, especially if the translations are in the public domain. What impression does that make?
| | | | | Lack of regulation and lack of language teaching in schools | Dec 7, 2016 |
There is no need to repeat what Sheila says about the lack of regulation in the profession. Denmark has even ABOLISHED its State Authorized Translators scheme, and the title is no longer protected. While I and many others criticized it for being too exclusive, we we wanted to see it extended, not abolished!
Another thing that worries me is the way languages are downgraded and given lower priority in schools, universities are closing modern language departments, and there are cuts e... See more There is no need to repeat what Sheila says about the lack of regulation in the profession. Denmark has even ABOLISHED its State Authorized Translators scheme, and the title is no longer protected. While I and many others criticized it for being too exclusive, we we wanted to see it extended, not abolished!
Another thing that worries me is the way languages are downgraded and given lower priority in schools, universities are closing modern language departments, and there are cuts everywhere. A monolingual generation is growing up in the UK, and here in Denmark it is quite possible for pupils to get through school with English as the only foreign language and even their native Danish at a very shaky level. (They pick up English from Facebook and television, but don't write it well, or write their own variety of Danglish.)
I have passed pension age, and my clients are reluctant to let me stop working. I have just met a couple of colleagues who specialise in French, who are older than me and constantly busy. I took a basic qualification in French myself, and could see that the younger generation are simply not getting the teaching that we did.
I have resigned myself years ago to the fact that English is breaking up, as Latin did, and there is no going back. This makes even greater demands on those who use it as a world language - they need to know their target group and write in a way that will be understood, specifically where the text will be read.
The lack of other languages will cause serious problems in most of the world. For all their shortcomings, Scandinavians' English is not the worst. Poor English and the inability to speak any other language will inevitably lead to misunderstandings and all kinds of problems.
The tide may just be turning - I hope so. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 10:38
angličtina -> španělština
+ ...
| Like beer: it's a craft | Dec 7, 2016 |
neilmac wrote:
The overweening, grubby tendency to perceive or portray translation first and foremost as a "business" to be fiercely monetized, rather than as an art or skill.
I was invited to read and comment on a posting yesterday:
Here's what the six-figure translators are doing that you're not doing http://bit.ly/2hed3z7
I told the author that there was an inadvertent petulant tone in that statement
In America, you can sometimes see a TV ad by James Patterson, a prolific writer, peddling his latest fiction book. Yes, he's visible and I suppose he runs a good business, but there's something grubby (as you said) and commercially promiscuous about it.
I have stopped going to ATA conferences because of that same spirit pervading the professional conversation, as if it is all about marketing services. Like an MLM conference, bleh!
| | | | Thayenga
Německo
Local time: 16:38
Člen (2009)
angličtina -> němčina
+ ...
| Deteriorating rates | Dec 7, 2016 |
John Hein-Hartmann wrote:
I agree in large part with most of what has been said. It simply amazes me how many established agencies there are that can still afford to offer low rates and get away with it. But, as has also been pointed out, one sometimes wonders what the priorities of the customers are. You would have thought that quality is a priority, especially if the translations are in the public domain. What impression does that make?
Reading product descriptions or manuals oftentimes clearly shows that the main interest lies in getting translations "acap" (as cheap as possible). So for as long as the customer pays only 10 - 12 cents per word and the translator gets only 1 cent per word, everybody is happy, especially some of these agencies. Well, except that the translator is not only expected to work for peanuts, but to also be held liable for any problems the customer might find. (This was the "sarcasm of the day".)
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age and lack of incoming work when you are for example 60.... Not because you are old but what you clients think and because people you have established long good relationships with retire...
| | | | | Agencies, and translators | Dec 7, 2016 |
Agencies undercutting freelancers to win government contracts and then using shite translators and delivering shite translations, and government bodies not noticing or not caring or not being allowed to do anything about it
Oh, and agencies abusing CAT
Plus shite translators working for peanuts
And half-decent translators working for peanuts
The end is definitely nigh
[Edited at 2016-12-07 20:13 GMT]
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 10:38
angličtina -> španělština
+ ...
| Unfair comparisons | Dec 7, 2016 |
Chris S wrote:
Agencies undercutting freelancers to win government contracts and then using shite translators and delivering shite translations, and government bodies not noticing or not caring or not being allowed to do anything about it
Oh, and agencies abusing CAT
Plus shite translators working for peanuts
And half-decent translators working for peanuts
The end is definitely nigh
[Edited at 2016-12-07 20:13 GMT]
I keep seeing this unfair and inaccurate comparison between rates being paid and the level of skill in translators, as if low-rate translators were low-skilled translators by default.
If all you've known (I mean you for the reader) is your own country or region, and you don't know the economic realities of other countries or continents, don't berate colleagues who charge 1/10 of your rates.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazílie
Local time: 11:38
Člen (2014)
angličtina -> portugalština
+ ...
| Several of these | Dec 8, 2016 |
Chris S wrote:
Agencies abusing CAT
Plus shite translators working for peanuts
And half-decent translators working for peanuts
[Edited at 2016-12-07 20:13 GMT]
..in addition to some things the asker mentioned, like non native "source" text, which are actually converted from Chinese to Chinglish using TMs, the terrifying so-called "post editing" market, which I'll never adhere to, and unfavorable formats, which are a constant and not a recent thing.
What we have to do is to refuse all such shit.
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memond
Local time: 10:38
Člen (2015)
angličtina -> francouzština
+ ...
| Ridiculous deadlines and disrespectful behaviour of some PMs. | Dec 19, 2016 |
Even before the money, I would say ridiculous deadlines and disrespectful behaviour of some PMs.
Recently, I had to translate a dozen of documents within a crazy timeframe (10-16 hours a day for two weeks), and I was able to meet the deadline. I received the reviewed documents many days later, on the night of Saturday to Sunday between 22:00 and 3:00 in the morning (the agency is in the same time zone as me). I have been asked to review, and return all the documents by Sunday mornin... See more Even before the money, I would say ridiculous deadlines and disrespectful behaviour of some PMs.
Recently, I had to translate a dozen of documents within a crazy timeframe (10-16 hours a day for two weeks), and I was able to meet the deadline. I received the reviewed documents many days later, on the night of Saturday to Sunday between 22:00 and 3:00 in the morning (the agency is in the same time zone as me). I have been asked to review, and return all the documents by Sunday morning (the same Sunday) because 'it was a very strict deadline.' The reviewer had no knowledge of the target language, and he relied solely on a 'dirty TM' for the review. Therefore the reviewed documents were full of mistakes. I asked for at least 24 hours to rearrange everything and proposed to resubmit everything by Monday night, but I have been told that if I were not able to deliver this new cycle of revisions on time, (meaning Sunday morning), the agency would consider that I was not available. Apparently, they asked another linguist to do the job (I really don't know how and where they could have found another linguist in the middle of the night on Sunday) and I have been told that the PO for my translation job will be adjusted accordingly, because the 'followup' of the translation is supposed to be included in the rate of the translation per see (which was quite low). This was the end of the discussion. Is it normal when you received documents in the middle of the night, that the job must be already done by getting up in the morning? (and I wake up early in the morning).
[Edited at 2016-12-19 19:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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