tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post4200746794442312961..comments2024-03-06T02:46:19.929+00:00Comments on Translation Tribulations: Clients get the translators they deserveKevin Lossnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-43449943777135139862012-12-18T07:30:32.246+00:002012-12-18T07:30:32.246+00:00Great post :)Great post :)Adhesive Producthttp://www.fevikwik.in/about-fevikwik.phpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-36137990827401815452012-12-08T06:49:16.052+00:002012-12-08T06:49:16.052+00:00Kevin, thank you so much for your kind words. No c...Kevin, thank you so much for your kind words. No comment, but I need to <a href="http://anmerkungen-des-uebersetzers.com/2012/12/08/the-making-of/" rel="nofollow">return the compliment</a> Valerij Tomarenkohttp://www.tomarenko.de/Blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-63173278096398350572012-12-06T20:29:14.755+00:002012-12-06T20:29:14.755+00:00Interesting point, Thomas. I'm probably the wr...Interesting point, Thomas. I'm probably the wrong one to answer the question, since I began consulting in 1985 doing multivariate optimization of manufacturing processes for adhesive tapes and continued to consult on medical materials development, software design and a host of other things in the decades after that. In fact, one problem I face is understanding how a good translator can be anything but a consultant in his or her clients' communication efforts. I've sought enlightenment from various wise colleagues such as Valerij here, Chris Durban, Marc Prior, Robin Bonthrone and others, but alas! they all seem to suffer similar delusions and have failed to induct me into the mysteries of the Peanuts Poverty Cult.<br /><br />The manner in which I became involved in commercial translation after a few decades of translating recipes for my mother and patents and research articles for professors and research colleagues probably didn't help. I worked for a company in Germany that had terrible problems getting their software manuals out on time in other languages and whose translation department had no idea how to re-use content between platforms and no curiosity to find out how to do this. There was a problem with partners in the US, the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands not getting the information they needed in a language they understood to set up and troubleshoot the archiving and document management systems they sold. (There were problems with other countries too, but I was a technical liason mostly for these countries.)<br /><br />So I got off to the wrong start in this profession by trying to solve those problems rather than realizing that I should derive more satisfaction from being part of the problem by restricting my role, avoiding responsibility for processes and, like most others in my host country Germany, going on vacation when the shit really hits the fan. I have consistently failed, despite attentive contact with colleagues at all levels, to appreciate the virtue of following instructions to the letter and no further, to understand the supremacy of processes based on Excel spreadsheet questionnaires designed by recent school grads who probably don't know what the usual purpose of a spreadsheet is and to accept the right of clients to commit image suicide on the market by presenting themselves or their products in the glaring light of linguistic incompetence.<br /><br />I see that you, too, are likely among the afflicted, Thomas. Your clients suffer the indignity of reliable service which requires little or no intervention in texts to set them back on the rails - surely a source of grief to second language speakers eager to show what they've learned in a two-week vacation in Florida. But take some comfort at least in your intact self-respect and the probability of being able to afford the high-priced fuel at the local filling station and the soaring cost of utilities.Kevin Lossnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-27738750665992845602012-12-06T19:40:02.437+00:002012-12-06T19:40:02.437+00:00Fascinating article. Here is a question I had: The...Fascinating article. Here is a question I had: The type of translator described here goes far beyond the run-of-the-mill translator commonly found working for the big agencies in terms of skill and importance to the client.<br /><br />Thus, bearing in mind that clients have certain concepts of what a translator should be paid, whether fair or not, should translators rebrand themselves as consultants in their particular fields? <br /><br />Businesses have little problem paying out quite extraordinary amounts for consultants, yet even very big companies, i.e. Fortune 10, will turn to translation mills for their requirements.<br /><br />The idea struck me when I realised that my most profitable and reliable client does not really see me as a translator, but a lawyer who writes for them in English.Thomas Carneyhttp://justlegaltranslation.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-84049755692922559012012-12-05T21:03:47.863+00:002012-12-05T21:03:47.863+00:00Great post. Loved the end so bad that I had to quo...Great post. Loved the end so bad that I had to quote you in my blog.<br /><br />http://tradutora.tumblr.com/post/37277667507/i-think-that-building-a-longtime-relationship-with<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />NicoleN. Rodrigueshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02771897669363564499noreply@blogger.com