| Pagine: < [1 2 3] > | Off topic: Translation myths! Iniziatore argomento: yolanda Speece
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Henry Hinds 
Stati Uniti
Local time: 15:34
Da Inglese a Spagnolo
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In memoriam | How about interpreting? | Jul 26, 2005 |
What do you mean two interpreters? Only one is needed. There is only one group, and only one person will be talking at any given time (all day long, that is).
Well, OK, I can do it... but that will be double my regular rate.
| | | | Tadzio (X)
Da Inglese a Spagnolo
| "Are yo gonna work for 10 or 12 cents...!!??" | Jul 26, 2005 |
(Yeah, I replied, not bad at all.)
And here I am.
Cheers, translators!
Tadzio.
| | | | Can Altinbay
Local time: 17:34
Da Giapponese a Inglese
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In memoriam | Define these terms | Jul 26, 2005 |
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]
| | | | | A good translator can translate ANYTHING... | Jul 26, 2005 |
Rosa Maria Duenas Rios wrote:
If you speak two languages (or three, or four or more), you can translate back and forth into any of them!
[Edited at 2005-07-26 00:53]
Not only that, a good translator apparently should be able to be an expert in just about any field. I was recently asked by s.o. to translate a lengthy thesis JAP>ENG (neither being a native language of mine)on the subject of a chemical synthesis robot.
He was completely flabbergasted when I turned the offer down, explaining that as I have absolute no technical knowledge in this field, I could not possible translate it (bear in mind I'm a legal translator!)
Seems to happen all the time...
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I could talk here about two myths, one of them being "a female translator can be called a secretary and make coffee", but anyway, let's get focused
I usually get urgent translations from my office saying "I just want to know what it says, more or less" (for those of you who speak Spanish "una traducción por encima"). Sometimes you can say, ok, I'll try not to take too much care of it, but I don't think I can! But I r... See more I could talk here about two myths, one of them being "a female translator can be called a secretary and make coffee", but anyway, let's get focused
I usually get urgent translations from my office saying "I just want to know what it says, more or less" (for those of you who speak Spanish "una traducción por encima"). Sometimes you can say, ok, I'll try not to take too much care of it, but I don't think I can! But I remember not long ago being asked exactly that about a German financial text. Ok, for those of you who translate from German it can be fairly easy, but I'm just studying it, so you can imagine my face when someone told me "Can you tell me right here and now what it more or less means?". ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Biggest of'em all | Jul 26, 2005 |
Sorry, but translation is NOT possible, people! (theoretically, especially concerning 'literariness', and most of the times philosophically - chech out the dichotomies ) Move along now...
And what the devil are you all babbling about on this useless forum? Get a real job!
| | | | Pnina
Israele
Local time: 00:34
Da Italiano a Ebraico
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| The client's viewpoint | Jul 26, 2005 |
Translators are mind readers. They can produce a perfect translation without having to consult the author of the original text, irresprctive of whether it is ambiguous, vague, or badly written.
| | | | inkamaria (X)
Local time: 23:34
Da Inglese a Tedesco
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Now picture this, a client the other day walked into our office and requested a translation of about 30 pages (medical related). He handed me the document and said, "I'll wait in the lobby - this won't take long, right?!"
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Daniel Bird
Regno Unito
Local time: 22:34
Da Tedesco a Inglese
| Only one reply to that... | Jul 26, 2005 |
Anabel Martínez wrote:
you can imagine my face when someone told me "Can you tell me right here and now what it more or less means?".
"It means you need to get a specialist on the job right now."
One of my favourites is that because we are all linked by instant communication (e-mail etc) the jobs themselves can be turned round instantly; it was exactly the same when the fax machine was the new Wundertechnik, around the time I started out in the profession. Client says "I'll send it over straight away (subtext - "I expect it back straight away too")"
| | | | yolanda Speece
Local time: 16:34
Da Inglese a Spagnolo
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AVVIO ARGOMENTO
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]
| | | | | Academic/literary vs. "technical" translation | Jul 26, 2005 |
This one isn't limited to the general public; it's a myth, or point of view, that's widespread among a subset of translators, too.
The highest form of translation is literary translation. It is inconceivable that love for the art and craft of translation could motivate translators to translate contracts, business documents, instruction manuals or product brochures by choice. We only translate texts like these as a distant second-best; a way to earn money while working our way upward... See more This one isn't limited to the general public; it's a myth, or point of view, that's widespread among a subset of translators, too.
The highest form of translation is literary translation. It is inconceivable that love for the art and craft of translation could motivate translators to translate contracts, business documents, instruction manuals or product brochures by choice. We only translate texts like these as a distant second-best; a way to earn money while working our way upwards towards literary translation.
...NOT! ▲ Collapse
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yolanda Speece
Local time: 16:34
Da Inglese a Spagnolo
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AVVIO ARGOMENTO | HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHHAHHHAHAHAHAHHHAHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAH | Jul 26, 2005 |
GoodWords wrote:
This one isn't limited to the general public; it's a myth, or point of view, that's widespread among a subset of translators, too.
The highest form of translation is literary translation. It is inconceivable that love for the art and craft of translation could motivate translators to translate contracts, business documents, instruction manuals or product brochures by choice. We only translate texts like these as a distant second-best; a way to earn money while working our way upwards towards literary translation.
...NOT!
Oh my!
| | | | yolanda Speece
Local time: 16:34
Da Inglese a Spagnolo
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AVVIO ARGOMENTO
We have a lot of bilingual people who work in this office. My secretary is bilingual. I'll just give it to her/him to translate.
I wonder if they do this when they need legal or medical advice? Could you imagine them going to their secreatary for an appendectomy or something like that?
| | | | Edward Vreeburg
Paesi Bassi
Local time: 23:34
Membro (2008)
Da Inglese a Olandese
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| Translation myth: Payment 30 days net | Jul 26, 2005 |
or 45 or 60... or ...at the end of the month
OK, OK, some do pay on time...
; )
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