| Страниц в теме: [1 2] > | Quality of a translation Автор темы: Mihai Badea (X)
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Mihai Badea (X) 
Люксембург
Local time: 18:15
английский => румынский
+ ...
Seemingly, we have a problem. There is no easy way to prove a translation is high quality, and trust is not enough ...
How could we mitigate that? Any ideas?
Here is a rather interesting fragment from the chapter written by David Jemielity for a Routledge translation handbook:
"Leaning on the concept of asymmetric information, they argue that when buyers cannot determine the quality of a translation they are purchasing (for example, because it's in a langua... See more Seemingly, we have a problem. There is no easy way to prove a translation is high quality, and trust is not enough ...
How could we mitigate that? Any ideas?
Here is a rather interesting fragment from the chapter written by David Jemielity for a Routledge translation handbook:
"Leaning on the concept of asymmetric information, they argue that when buyers cannot determine the quality of a translation they are purchasing (for example, because it's in a language they don't speak) those buyers tend to be unwilling to pay premium rates. Instead, the rate they offer every provider—including, crucially, the very best ones—is based on what the buyers think the "average" quality is. If Chan is right this is obviously a bad deal for the best providers. This is why he has suggested (2005) that many of the most talented budding translators might well ultimately leave the market and pursue other careers."
From chapter 29 Translation in intercultural business and economic environments
David Jemielity
The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Culture
Edited By Sue-Ann Harding, Ovidi Carbonell Cortés
Rotledge, 2018 ▲ Collapse
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I don't have that problem, working into English. My clients generally have good enough English to see for themselves the quality they're getting.
Even going the other way, any client regularly ordering translations will soon find out that translators need to be vetted.
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I translate exclusively into European Portuguese and I don’t have that problem either. Whatever the language pair there’s always more than one parameter to determine, assess and ensure translation quality (reviewing by another translator being one of them). It's time to stop thinking that clients are unwilling to pay premium rates, mine do…
| | | | | Are you sure? | Feb 6, 2022 |
Ice Scream wrote:
I don't have that problem, working into English. My clients generally have good enough English to see for themselves the quality they're getting.
Most of my clients are non-native speakers of English, even those in the US and UK, and I think I'm fairly typical. I agree that there is almost no market for premium-quality translation.
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| Bulk translation vs. premium translation | Feb 6, 2022 |
philgoddard wrote:
I think I'm fairly typical. I agree that there is almost no market for premium-quality translation.
I share this opinion. The emphasis nowadays is on low price and rapid delivery, which is why rates have remained at best static in this segment of the market. Doubtless there are people earning premium rates, but it appears that individuals who claim above-average earnings have shifted to making their money selling tips on how to succeed. I might mention that Alex Eames, author of a famous book on how to get rich in the translation biz, appears to having gotten out of the business altogether.
I've also seen a serious decline in the quality of the manuscripts I'm given to translate. It appears that some publishers accept submissions because the authors are experts in their field, but many of the articles I've seen in the past few years haven't been vetted for style, typos, grammar or even complete sentences. Although I'm paid an OK rate for my efforts, it's discouraging to realize that I've put more thought into my translation than the author did when writing the piece. This is academic publishing, not bulk crap ground out by drones in some IT department.
For a differing opinion on the premium market, see
https://kevinhendzel.com/it-was-the-best-of-times-it-was-the-worst-of-times-how-the-premium-market-offers-translators-prosperity-in-an-era-of-collapsing-bulk-market-rates/
| | | | Tom in London
Великобритания
Local time: 17:15
Член ProZ.com c 2008
итальянский => английский
| Not believable | Feb 6, 2022 |
philgoddard wrote:
..... there is almost no market for premium-quality translation.
That assertion doesn't bear much examination. You are probably reading premium-quality translations every day, of such high quality that you don't even know that what you're reading is a translation. So there is, certainly, a market for premium-quality translation. A very big market.
[Edited at 2022-02-06 08:39 GMT]
| | | | | Yes, I am sure. Otherwise they’d use someone cheaper… | Feb 6, 2022 |
philgoddard wrote:
Ice Scream wrote:
I don't have that problem, working into English. My clients generally have good enough English to see for themselves the quality they're getting.
Most of my clients are non-native speakers of English, even those in the US and UK, and I think I'm fairly typical. I agree that there is almost no market for premium-quality translation.
Just as I can recognise a well-written text in my source languages, non-natives can normally see the quality and accuracy of my English translation, even if they won’t always know why I chose big rather than large. They will also have natives on board somewhere.
My English is more important than their original Scandiwegian, and they know that. It’s hard to see any communications department worth its salt not recognising the importance of a good English translation.
Which isn’t to say they won’t routinely mess it up at the last minute.
But I am very sceptical about the existence of this superpremium market peddled by the £1000 an hour seminar brigade. Those jobs are surely for ad agencies with whole teams of proper copywriters brainstorming on whiteboards.
| | | | Eva Stoppa
Германия
Local time: 18:15
английский => немецкий
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| How ironic is that? | Feb 7, 2022 |
Doubtless there are people earning premium rates, but it appears that individuals who claim above-average earnings have shifted to making their money selling
tips on how to succeed. I might mention that Alex Eames, author of a famous book on how to get rich in the translation biz, appears to having gotten out of the
business altogether.
So how credible are his tips if he went out of Translation? If they were working well, they would also do so for this Perso... See more Doubtless there are people earning premium rates, but it appears that individuals who claim above-average earnings have shifted to making their money selling
tips on how to succeed. I might mention that Alex Eames, author of a famous book on how to get rich in the translation biz, appears to having gotten out of the
business altogether.
So how credible are his tips if he went out of Translation? If they were working well, they would also do so for this Person himself! ▲ Collapse
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Baran Keki
Турция
Local time: 20:15
Член ProZ.com
английский => турецкий
| What is it that you find ironic? | Feb 7, 2022 |
Eva Stoppa wrote:
Doubtless there are people earning premium rates, but it appears that individuals who claim above-average earnings have shifted to making their money selling
tips on how to succeed. I might mention that Alex Eames, author of a famous book on how to get rich in the translation biz, appears to having gotten out of the
business altogether.
So how credible are his tips if he went out of Translation? If they were working well, they would also do so for this Person himself!
You can also mention a certain personality who was briefly employed by Proz on these forums and formed a social media group to provide totally useless 'tips' (at least from my perspective) and did really well for himself. He did admit that selling commonsensical tips and pseudo philosophical new age mumbo jumbo to the willing social media audience (gullible by choice) beat staring into the computer monitor for 8 hours a day.
If people are willing to pay $99.99 to hear '5 things to do to create a super duper LinkedIn profile and feel like a winner' who are you (or we) to find that ironic?
'Smart people' would go hungry if there weren't, er, well you know, 'some people' willing to feed them.
| | | | Eva Stoppa
Германия
Local time: 18:15
английский => немецкий
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| What I find ironic | Feb 7, 2022 |
...is the fact that this Person didn't manage to be successful as a translator himself, but he is giving tips to other translators on how to do so. Reminds me of all those People searching for People willing to sell telephone contracts, vacuum cleaners -- whatever -- at people's doors promissing them a five-fold earning within a couple of days but apparently not having enough Money themselves to get some orderly clothing.
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Люксембург
Local time: 18:15
английский => румынский
+ ...
Автор темы | How can we project an image of professionalism, and quality | Feb 7, 2022 |
At the time, Alex's book was very helpful. In order to get clients, you need to get in contact with them. How you do that matters. And Alex did provide some useful advice in that regard.
Back to the topic: clothes are important, especially for business meetings. Having a professional photo can make a difference, certainly, if you take good care of the other aspects as well.
What else could we do to improve our image and project the idea of quality?
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule |
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| Me, me me! I know it, sir, go on, sir. Me! | Feb 7, 2022 |
Mihai Badea wrote:
What else could we do to improve our image and project the idea of quality?
Simple: Supply quality.
| | | | Baran Keki
Турция
Local time: 20:15
Член ProZ.com
английский => турецкий
Ice Scream wrote:
Me, me me! I know it, sir, go on, sir. Me!
You don't strike me as the type that wears a suit and tie.
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Люксембург
Local time: 18:15
английский => румынский
+ ...
Автор темы | Being cryptical | Feb 7, 2022 |
Ice Scream wrote:
Simple: Supply quality.
"Me, me me! I know it, sir, go on, sir. Me!"
What do you mean?
Providing quality is essential. No doubt about that. Sadly, it might not be enough.
Obviously, it can also depend on the clients you work for.
For some clients, it might be necessary to signal quality, like Mr Keki does with his impeccable photo, for instance.
Can you think of other ways to signal quality?
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