LN Sabadosa Translations

Skype Issues

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Mon, 23 May 2011 19:08:00 +0000

Recently, I downloaded the latest version of IE (yes, I use IE) and all of a sudden, Skype stopped working. I just couldn't sign in. Since I've been extremely busy, I let it slide for a bit but today I just needed to get this resolved. After searching through the Skype forums, I found this very helpful little trick.

If you get the message,"Skype has stopped working - A problem caused in the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available," try this:

1. Right-click on the Skype shortcut or icon under Programs.
2. Select "Properties"
3. Click on "Compatibility"
4. Disable any "Run this Program in Compatibility Mode for..."

and voila, Skype works again. And life is good.

Restoring the Trados Toolbar

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:52:00 +0000

I don’t know if anyone else out there has the same issue but every so often my Trados Toolbar disappears. I have no idea why and I’m sure there are more technologically-minded people out there who would better be able to explain why this occurs but I have a solution. I don’t know if this will work for all of you but for those on a PC with Windows 2003, try the following:
1. Close Word.
2. From the Start menu, select Run.
3. Type regedit into the Run box, and click OK.
4. Open the following key:
* Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Data.
5. Highlight the Data key, and press [Del].
6. Confirm that you want to delete the key.
7. Close the registry.
8. Launch Word again. The toolbars and menu bar are reset to their default options.

This did the trick for me. If there are any others out there with the same problem, hopefully it works for you as well.

Do I Still Qualify As a Translator If All I Do Is Rewrite Stuff Lately?

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:09:00 +0000

I'm in the midst of a tift with a client about this sentence:

The shadow moves over the bodies, and the people start to flirt with it. It’s a real game which has soon caught on with everyone in the room. Split between light and shadow, this dance is rhythmed by a strong musical beat.

This is from a translation that I'm reviewing and it's supposed to be for a marketing text. Not great, right?

Here is my dilemma. When you get something like this, do you a) retranslate the entire thing from scratch? b) rewrite the entire thing from scratch? or c) work with what you have?

My problem is that no one is paying me to retranslate or rewrite. They paid the translator a decent rate to produce this not-so-top-notch work and now I'm stuck with trying to fix it - in an hour or less per 1,000 words, naturally.

I guess the obvious solution is no more revision work for me. Anyone else experiencing this problem? Is it just another effect of the economic downturn or do people just really not get that marketing texts require writing skills, not just translation skills?

A Thousand and One Meanings

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:17:00 +0000

I’m working on a file today that needed editing. Naturally, there is no source text so it’s particularly vexing. There are so many places where I just want to climb into the brain of the person who wrote the text and say “What did you mean?” Or rather, yell at the translator who translated it. I’m not 100% sure it was a translation though because if it were, wouldn’t there be a source text somewhere?

The English is also not truly atrocious enough to be the work of a non-native but it’s certainly the work of someone who doesn’t write well. When I received it, the client said “My client sent this to his customers but they complained that it was hard to understand.” If anyone out there is awarding prizes for the understatement of the year, this one might just be a candidate!

Here’s an example. Please note that this is a standalone sentence with its very own subheading and all. There is no other context before or after.

The ADVERTISER alone shall be responsible for the definition, design, digitalization, modification and interruption of the latter’s PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMMES on the PLATFORM.

Naturally, the question is the “latter” – who is the latter in this case? Isn’t it helpful to have TWO subjects so that there actually are a former and a latter. Are we talking about the Advertiser or someone else that was supposed to be mentioned and wasn’t. The part that says “on the PLATFORM” isn’t great either. It seems like it should be “programs involving the platform” rather than “on the platform.”

I suppose this is just all part of the job but it’s a frustrating part. Why not leave writing to writers? Or in this case, lawyers? These are sales conditions after all so a lawyer should have been involved. I realize there is a recession/depression/bad economy but the penny-pinching I’ve seen of late really just results in sloppy work and the need for revisions (resulting in more money being spent). Why do people never learn?

Walmart Strikes Again!!

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:55:00 +0000

This has been an incredibly busy month so far (fingers-crossed it stays that way) and a certain company that I've wrote about before has been very quiet. Likely because I've said that there is no way I'm working for the peanuts they are offering. But, lo and behold, today I got a mass e-mail from them offering an "exciting opportunity" to translate 200,000 words of legal text with rolling deliveries - you have plenty of time, don't worry! - for the bargain rate of.... wait for it.... can you guess?.... $0.06?... No, that's low but we can go lower!... $0.05?... No, that's insulting but let's see if it could be worse. $0.04!!! Yes, that's right. That's what I charge for proofreading and that's ONLY if the text is a decent quality (otherwise I charge by the hour).
So, let's say that 200,000 words can be translated in about 333 hours (600 words an hour, which might even be high without seeing the text). Plus you'd need about that to proof the text. So let's say 600 hours of work.
200,000 x 0.04 = $8,000
$8,000/600 = $13.33
Deduct for taxes and such and you could basically flip burgers and make more.
I deleted the e-mail without responding, naturally. AND I hope everyone else does the same.
Actually, I hope that they find someone whose native language is not English to take on the translation, it is massively botched, they get sued and the judge awards the law firm that suffered the consequences of their penny pinching so much money that they have to close their doors forever.
Alright, back to work for my clients who actually pay decent rates!

Italian in English

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:44:00 +0000

On Twitter today, someone posted a link to this website, claiming that it cites foreign expressions commonly used in English. Curious, I went to check out the Italian section.

The Italian section had 14 words, some of which I think are debatable. They include:

al dente: yes, this expression is used. I also think that most restaurants are completely incapable of cooking their pasta al dente too so I’m not sure if it’s meaning is understood…
al fresco: okay, sure.

basta: really? I’m not sure if you walked down the street and asked people, they would know this means enough.

chiaroscuro: in the art world, okay. Elsewhere? Hmm…

conoscenti: since my spellchecker just changed this to cognoscenti, I’m not at all convinced. I didn’t know this was used in English!

cosa nostra: maybe but again, only a select segment of the population will know this.

da capo: no, sorry, this is not commonly used.

dolce vita: maybe a bit more common
fiasco: definitely

graffiti: definitely

lingua franca: okay, not sure about common but used

ma non troppo: really? I don’t think so.

prima donna: definitely

sotto voce: not common but I’ve seen it

All in all, not so impressed with this list. Anyone impressed with the other languages? I’m trying to think of other words that should have been included in this list and weren’t but haven’t come up with any yet.

The Big Project and the Cancelled Project

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:20:00 +0000

Today I had NOTHING to do. Literally, nothing. No translations at all. Of course, I wasn't particularly worried because I was waiting for files to come in for a largish project that will take up a few days. Very exciting. AND it's for a good cause, which always makes me happy.
It's a nice way to start off September. Naturally, though, I would have been happy to take on something else - small that could be completed in a day or two - should the need have arisen but today was also the day of cancelled projects. I had three different clients e-mail about projects only to cancel them later. What's going on with that? One, in particular, insisted that I guarantee availability because it was "super urgent" only to e-mail four minutes before her day ended in Europe to cancel. I *suspect* that if what she said was true and she had spent hours finding translators for the project, it was more likely that she had found someone cheaper. Especially since she never sent the Project Order... Hm, maybe I'm just a bit jaded. Working with certain agencies does that to you. At least my big project didn't cancel!

How 'Bout I Just Do It For Free?

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:01:00 +0000

E-mail this morning:

*****

We have a project for a client you've worked for before so it'd be great if you could do this one too? It would be 1,800 words for tomorrow morning. Does that work? We can pay a flat rate of $120.
Let me know.

*****

Yes, 0.06 a word. So I answer, no, I don't work for that little. Sorry.

Response?

*****

Would you mind doing the proofreading for $25?

*****

Hm, so you've found someone else who'll work for peanuts and now you want me to proof that person's work for a pittance? Thanks but no thanks.

Running

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Yes, everyone is back from holiday. I hope that means that some of them actually pay their bills now but what it means in general is a LOT of work coming in.
Some highlights this week:
- a legal case which has the potential (fingers crossed) to last a while
- a chapter of a plant safety manual
- a 10,000+ word contract
- financial texts
and lots of smaller files in between.
Fun, fun. Alright, back to work! I hope everyone else is experiencing an end-of-summer boom too!

Windows 7

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:20:00 +0000

No, no critique of Windows 7 here but I did want to comment on their commercials, at least those running in the US of late. I've been really impressed for a few reasons.
1) They all have an international slant. As far as I can remember, one was set in France, one in the UK and now one in Germany. Commercials for the US that remember the world doesn't end at the US border? An oddity. Bravi!
2) Commercials with subtitles. VERY rare. Kudos for that.
3) The new commercial about the US exchange student in Germany not getting German humor and vice versa is adorable. It shows how humor doesn't always "translate." It's just an example of why works that need to be translated need to be localized as well so that they make sense to the target audience.
Now I just hope that the product turns out to be as good as its commercials...

The Walmart of Translations

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:14:00 +0000

There is a company that is often referred to as the Walmart of translations. They offer lower and lower rates and demand “excellent” quality work with super short deadlines. (“Excellent” in parenthesis because they really don’t seem to care about quality so long as the client doesn’t complain.) The work isn’t much of a problem but the lower and lower rates are. Sometimes, they’ll send out job offers with good rates but will then try to obtain discounts later – usually any way they can. I have not been working with them very much lately – primarily due to the fact that I refuse to work for mere pennies. Recently, I received a request for a project and the PM offered 0.06 a word. I told her there was no way I was going to work for that little. I pointed out the obvious – years of experience, an advanced degree, the fact that I actually have some dignity. Her response was that she understood and would pay my rate only if I ensured the translation did not then exceed x words (sure, I’ll just stop translating if that happens?!?!?). Surprisingly (insert dripping sarcasm here), the project was cancelled shortly thereafter. A week or two later, I was offered a project for 0.05 cents a word. Again, I answered with a simple, “No, thanks. I can’t pay my bills if I work for that little.” Again, the PM tried to accommodate me; she offered 0.055 cents a word. Um, okay, thanks but no thanks.

Last week, I got another offer which I said I would be happy to accept if a decent rate were being offered. The PM didn’t respond. When I pointed out that I would need to know if this project was going to occur or not so I could organize my schedule, she informed me it was cancelled. I wonder why things that they keep offering me get cancelled when I try to talk money?

So I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that I was contacted by their Quality Assurance Department recently as well. The person (who was probably new because they usually are) told me that I would need to grant them a significant discount on a project because it was very late and the client was upset. Huh, interesting… since that project was delivered early. So I sent her all the e-mail proving that that project wasn’t late. The original delivery, the confirmation of that delivery, the question the PM later asked, the answer I provided. I even pointed out that I had offered to go above and beyond by creating a glossary for the client since it was a repeat client and it seems no one had thought of creating one. I have had no response from that Quality Assurance person. I imagine she is sitting in a meeting somewhere trying to figure out how she can argue that I should grant a discount despite having done nothing wrong.

Note, this is the SECOND time this has happened with this company. The first time, I sent all the e-mails I’d sent to the PM as well as all of her confirmations and, further, pointed out that their in-house staff was still reviewing the files days after delivery since they asked me questions about another translator’s files so there was no possible way delivery had been late to the client unless something had happened in-house.

It’s incredibly frustrating because not only are you accused of not knowing how to do your job but you are then required to spend ridiculous amounts of time justifying all of your actions. All in the name of penny-pinching.

Ad esempio, a few months ago, they asked me for a discount on a project that I had delivered over a year ago because there was a typo. ONE TYPO. Now, after a year, they wanted a 15% discount on the project for one typo when, according to their website, they have an editor check all projects and then review it internally. When I pointed that out, the Quality Assurance person (who has since left the company) told me that they had in fact fired the person who had reviewed this file internally because he kept missing things but they’d need a 15% discount anyway. Seriously?

Needless to say, this company is hated by most translators. They are large so a lot of people work for them but the caliber of translator that works for them is also going down because – well, do I have to explain it or does the above treatment and the 0.05 cents a word they’re offering explain it all? In fact, there has been significant discussion about them on LinkedIn (no, I’m not giving you the link) as well as on a few list servs I belong to. I suppose they do provide a service but, as far as translators go, they just make us happy that there are great agencies out there that do not behave in such a ridiculous and disrespectful manner.

I ALREADY told you v. I already told you – The Interpreter’s Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:26:00 +0000

Today, I had the pleasure of observing the work of an interpreter at the delightful Hampden County District Court in Massachusetts. Now, I realize things could be worse. I read a few days ago about a pregnant widow in Afghanistan who was flogged and then shot in the head for allegedly having sexual relations after the death of her husband. Then today, a woman in Iran was convicted to death by stoning for a coerced confession for a crime she clearly didn’t commit. So, yes, things could be much, much, MUCH worse.
But that doesn’t make the US legal system any peachier. After sitting there for a few hours, it felt like the whole thing was a game. The DA and the police officers seemed to be part of the old boys’ club – high-fiving and congratulating themselves in the hallway – while the defendants acted like they could just talk their way out of anything. Seriously, I heard things like, “Uh, what if I just paid a fine? Would that be alright?” And that coming from the man who had had a bag of drugs fall out of his pants when the police were questioning him. Yes, apart from some solicitation and assault cases, the vast majority of criminal charges are drug-related and the interpreter I wanted to discuss today was working on one such case.

There was a trial and the defendant’s girlfriend was testifying. She was basically providing an alibi for her boyfriend and explaining why he had all the money in his car that the police later found. While she spoke English, she didn’t have a good enough grasp of it to speak in such a tense situation so the interpreter was called in. The girl was very young and, while she didn’t seem particularly nervous, spoke in a whisper and often nodded her responses (which infuriated the judge by the way). Her voice was almost monotone the entire time so I was surprised that the interpreter’s rendering of her statements in English was so very inflected.

In one case, the DA asked the witness the same question twice and the second time, she answered with the same monotone. The interpreter, however, said “I ALREADY told you, I’M the ONLY person who supports my children” (insert emphasis on the capitalized words and add pretty snotty tone). I wonder why? If the witness spoke in monotone, what business does the interpreter have to put a certain spin on her statement, shedding a rather negative light on it in this case.

There was certainly a fair amount of racism at play in the court room (as evidenced by some lovely comments I heard the DA make as he left the building during the lunch break – classy, right?) but you wouldn’t imagine that would be an issue for the interpreter, who by all accounts appeared bilingual. Perhaps he disliked the witness? Perhaps there was something hidden in her words that led him to make this decision?

Still, I suppose that when it comes to interpreting, I still fall on the side of things that says interpret the meaning but leave emotion out of your voice and let the words speak for themselves. That may sound silly in some cases, like when the person you are interpreting for is yelling, but I think it’s far more damaging to use a rude tone when one wasn’t used in the source language than it is to interpret “flatly.” After all, even if the other people present don’t speak the source language, it’s pretty easy to gauge emotion, even when you understand nothing of the other language. It’s harder to remove the voice of an interpreter using a rude and disrespectful tone when addressing the judge on behalf of his client. Frankly, I think that the defendant’s attorney could have a case for an appeal based on the bias created – his client was eventually sentenced to two years in prison. Of course, I’m not an attorney. Anyone else have any thoughts on this one? I suppose it’s just another example of how important interpreting and translation really are.

Vacations

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:21:00 +0000

My client list is pretty evenly divided between US and non-US based companies. Still, some years, it feels like all my projects come from the US and other years, it feels like I get more work from Europe. The last year, I've started moving toward working with more agencies in Europe again. It makes for a killer schedule with the +/- 6 hour time difference but c'est la vie, n'est-ce pas? Now, however, all those agencies seem to be going on vacation. Can you imagine??? The entire office is closing up shop for two weeks in some cases.
Not all agencies, naturally. That would be tough. But most of the ones I work with in Italy are closing their doors for a few weeks. I got an e-mail from an agency I work with in France, proudly announcing that they will be open. Well, the world doesn't close down so I suppose it's a good thing that SOMEONE will be around. The agencies I work with in Germany, Austria, Spain and the UK all seem to be open for business. One agency in Italy only took projects by appointment for the month of August. Others are just closed.
I have to say, part of me is jealous. Vacations are rare around here (not traveling but actually, "nope, I left my computer at home vacations") and I'd like the luxury of two weeks at the beach - preferably a deserted one though - which is hard to find in Europe in August - not impossible - just hard. Of course, the other part of me says "Hey, you are going to the ATA conference in Denver in October and then you have to go to India for your dear friend's wedding festivities in December so why are you jealous?" But, oh, when it's 100 degrees in the shade and my computer is throwing enough heat to cook dinner with, two weeks at the beach seem like heaven.
I wonder if any of those agencies are hiring?

It's like playing the piano....

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:22:00 +0000

The other day, I was working very, very early in the morning when it was still dark out. I was working on some files in TagEditor and the file required me to expand a lot of segments so as to put sentences back together that had been spliced. It looked something like this:

To put the sentence back together, you have two options.

The first is what I usually do. Under the Workbench tab, you simply click on Expand Segment...

and voila...

the segment is expanded and we have a complete sentence.

This is essential for the TM to be any good. I've found a lot of times, there are many, many more 100% matches than first thought when sentences are whole. For some projects, the ttx file (the one you use in Tag Editor) is spliced in some very unpredictable ways so a sentence like "Ieri siamo andati al cinema" is spliced as "Ieri/siamo andati al cinema," "Ieri siamo/ andati al cinema" e "Ieri siamo andati al /cinema." Naturally, when you run an analysis, Trados will tell you that these aren't 100% matches, even though, when you expand the segments, they are.

Of course, I did say there were two methods. The other way to expand the segment is to use a simple ctrl+ alt + pg dn (to shrink a segment that contains multiple sentences, etc, use ctrl + alt + pg up).

Herein lies the rub. It was dark and although I knew where all those keys are on my keyboard, I couldn't do it. My brain literally wouldn't let my hands hit those three keys in the necessary order. I tried because it would have been easier but I kept hitting the wrong keys or getting the order wrong. Weird, right?

That's when it hit me that I use the same part of my brain to type as I use to play the piano. I started to look at this key combination as a trill. In Chopin Nocturne no. 8 op. 27 no. 2, there are several such trills and, as I play less and less, I realize that I read the music but my fingers don't remember the path anymore. In the case of this Trados operation, it wasn't that I didn't remember. I was reading the music but I hadn't practiced enough. Since that morning, I've done it so many times, I can do it with my eyes closed - something my mother always told me I should be able to do when I was playing the piano - play it with my eyes closed. To her, it was a sign that you'd actually learned the piece.

I imagine that most translators feel that way about their typing. You could do it with your eyes closed - although we don't - typos aren't especially welcome in this field! Still, I think it's just fascinating when I see connections like this. In fact, I was having a conversation today with someone who is bilingual and he was saying that he stinks at translation. It uses a different part of his brain entirely and he hasn't exercised that muscle enough to translate. So far, I'm not quite sure what part of the brain it is that I'm using when I translate - is it more like a sort of math? science? Or is it more the creative side of things? Maybe some day a lightening bolt will strike and I'll figure it out. For now, I'm just happy the "musical" part of my brain is getting a daily workout so that someday when I once again have time to really do it right, I get around to some Chopin again.

Dell: Love Them or Hate Them or Both?

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:57:00 +0000

I most certainly have a love-hate relationship with this company. For example, my computer - the same one I had a problem with months ago - is still making a clicking noise that makes it impossible to use. I suppose I could use it anyway but it randomly clicks every so often and it drives me nuts. I don't want to be focusing on a translation and then jump out of my skin when I'm called back to earth by an enormous CLICK.
I tried to resolve the issue the other night with Dell. I got instructions on how to fix it but they required a reboot so I had to sign off with the technician. Of course, when my computer rebooted, the messages I got were completely different from the ones the technician said I would get so I was none too happy. I'm still working up my strength to call them to discuss it. The problem is that I know I'll need large amounts of free time do to so and I just don't have any at the moment.
Another aspect of the company that falls firmly in the "hate" column is the "convenience" fee, which is usually for Dell providing a service that it should have provided for free and that was not "convenient" to access. Par exemple, quite a while ago, they charged me a convenience fee of about $4.99. Not much I know but annoying none the same. I lease my computer from them and pay a set amount every month. Knowing that they weren't going to go after me for $4.99, especially when I pay my bill regularly and on time each month (I'm a business customer, which is sort of like being a preferred customer to them it seems), I have paid them $0.44 extra each month. This results in them sending a reminder each month that I now owe them, $4.55, $4.11, you get the idea. Basically, I pay them just enough to pay for the cost of their next postage stamp plus a little more. Massively stupid on their part, right? Not to mention wasteful!
So you can imagine how dismayed I was this morning to find out I only owe them $.75 now. It's a little sad. I was having so much fun observing their total lack of financial savviness. Ah well, I 'm sure I can figure out something else to do. After all, I have to recoup my costs for all the time I spend waiting for them to answer their phone.

Who Do You Write Like?

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:17:00 +0000

A friend on Facebook posted a link to this website. She is a writer so I though it perhaps had some merit but I was a little wary since, despite the fact that she writes children books, her results stated she writes like Ian Fleming. Personally, I think that the two don't mix but I tried it out anyway.
I took some excerpts from this blog and each post got different results. So I guess it's not truly an accurate indicator of which author I write like. Or... no, wait... does that mean I haven't found my voice yet? Or is it a sign of a multiple personality disorder? I could sure use a clone or two but I don't think that's the same thing.

Curious as always, I plugged in a few excerpts from translations I have done lately. A few examples:

The acceptance of this proposal by XXX will authorize XXX to bill the services set forth herein according to the terms under point 5.1.1. The payment terms and conditions will be 15 days net for all billing except for the first which will be payable before the start of the works.

RESULTS: JAMES JOYCE

An elegant woman with a sweet but shy face enters the shop and approaches the counter. As she surveys the XXX chocolate bars, she notices one of the Master Chocolatiers, intently making chocolate. She finds herself mesmerized by the Master’s knowing movements. When he finishes his painstaking work, he decides to reward her curiosity by letting her taste the chocolate that has captivated her so.

RESULTS: DAVID FOSTER WALLACE

The User ID and Password are strictly personal and non-transferable. The vendor also agrees to not disclose them to third parties and to keep and protect them with the due diligence necessary.

The use of the User ID and Password means that the subjects to whom they are issued and their representatives have the right to express their opinion and take any actions done or implemented through the use of the Portal and Vendor Association.

RESULTS: MARIO PUZO

The example shows that the value entered on 31/05/2009 considers both the amount of the final stock as at 31/05/2009, evaluated at Mark to Market, and the trading activity. In particular, the former aspect (the trading activity) is defined by the Bank (see the Party’s brief) as “the purchase and sales price realized until the same date expressed respectively for the “historic” purchase and sales prices.”

RESULTS: IAN FLEMING

for the crimes provided for and punished by Articles 81, first paragraph, 110, 635, Paragraph 2, 674 of the Criminal Code and Art. 256, Paragraph 1 of the Legislative Decree 152/2006 (with reference to LRT no. 20/2006 and the following regulation no. 46/2008)

because, in the aforementioned position, having engaged in criminal activities in a concerted action among themselves and others not yet identified, at the incineration plant managed by XXX in località XXX in the Town of XXX, conducted waste disposal activities without the proper authorization. In particular, they illegally managed contaminated water, partially related to the hazardous waste classified with CER 19/01/06* (watery liquid waste produced by smoke treatment and other liquid waste as certified by XXX) present in the rain water collection tanks, siphoning it away with a pump and dumping it in the XXX River, thus contaminating it with dioxins.

RESULTS: DAN BROWN

Yes, I scratched my head a few times too. I'm a chameleon, I tell you, a chameleon!

New Clients

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:27:00 +0000

As I somewhat predicted in my last post, roughly a century ago now, as people start to go on summer vacation, new clients crop up and things get busier. Well, things are busy now. Couple that with the fact that due to a death in the family, I've had many additional obligations this week, and you get a pretty crazy situation.
I love new clients. I haven't had to solicit new clients in quite a while now so it's always interesting when they turn up. In the last few weeks, clients from China, Germany, the UK and the US have cropped up and some old clients who have been fairly silent in this global recession started have poked their heads up too.
I also had a nibble from a French agency but the project never materialized. I always wonder why when that happens. Is it because they found someone cheaper? Is it because, as they say, they are still waiting for the client to confirm? You just never really know.
What I DO know is that I'm not dropping my rates to accommodate. Since I had to fire a certain client that liked to play the game of the incredible disappearing rate (i.e. they kept asking for discounts and lamenting that was "all" they could pay despite millions of dollars in revenue a year), I've had plenty of work but at a higher rate. I've been sleeping better (when I sleep) and feel less stressed overall. Plus I'm happier to have more time to focus on my other clients, getting things done earlier than usual and being able to say yes more often.
What am I working on this week? Well, to name a few....
- commercial lease agreement
- business correspondence
- legal briefs
- employment protection plan (job-saving scheme - always a sad to translate bad news)

Oh, and one of my professors at the Translation Studies Department at the University of Edinburgh contacted me the other day. They want to add me to their website under a section their developing on "successful" graduates (I did my MSc there). Without getting all metaphysical about the definition of success, I though it was a pretty nice compliment that I'd even be considered.

I'm Late, I'm Late!

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:10:00 +0000

Well, not really. I'm just behind on my blogging!! But I will catch up, that much is guaranteed.
Why so busy you ask? Well, after a slight lull last week, which I filled with invoicing and actually sleeping a full night, things are in full swing.
I picked up a new client this week in a new country: China! Through the grapevine, I hear it has a stellar reputation so I'm quite happy and there was no squabbling about rates. So all I have to do now is provide a great translation, wave my magic wand and hope I have a new long-term client. That project is due Friday.
Meanwhile, my long-term legal project that I've wrote about here several times has reared its head again in the form of 18,000 words for next week, thankfully after the holiday weekend.
Short-term, I have an editing job for a lovely woman in Northern Italy. She is a peach to work with but rarely has much for me so it's always nice to be able to work with her.
I've also had several new information requests from agencies so I may as well fill those out. I expect that July and August will be busy months. They usually are because:

clients like to send work to agencies before they go on holiday for the month (at least in Europe although I wonder if the austerity measures will change this at all?) and
translators like to go on holiday too so someone needs to pick up the slack

and I'm happy to do so too. The bills must be paid after all.

Client Education

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:16:00 +0000

There has been a lot of discussion about client education lately – or at least it’s feels that way to me. Today, I had a good example of why that’s so important.

I got an e-mail from an agency saying the client was unhappy about a term in a translation I proofed a few weeks ago. The term was Registro delle Imprese. The client claims that there is only one acceptable translation and that translation is Company Registry. Now, without going on a huge tangent that the PM should have had enough foresight into the translation process to know that there is NEVER just one translation – it’s not an exact science and there are too many cultural implications in play – there is truly no one translation for this particular term. As I pointed out to said client, if you go to the official website for the Registro delle Imprese, it is translated into English two different ways on the home page alone! After doing some digging online, I’ve found the following possible translations (and excuse me if I leave any out):

Registry of Business
Business Registry
Trade Registry
Company Registry
Registry of Companies
Companies' Registration Office
Business and Trade Registry

So, here is my problem. If the client wants a specific translation for a specific term, wouldn’t it be helpful if the client provided a glossary? And if this client is a repeat client for the agency, shouldn’t the agency create a client glossary? Or a TM if possible? I have a new agency I’ve been working for frequently lately and they provide a glossary for each client. If it’s a new client, they have me start a glossary for the client, which the client goes over BEFORE delivery of the project and approves. Doesn’t that make sense?

This has led me to come up with my own commandments for clients. I may add to these as time goes on. I’m thinking of adding a page to my website to include these once I’ve tweaked them a bit. Preliminarily:

Thou shall not request an overnight translation of a document it took four weeks to write.
Thou shall participate actively in the translation process, asking questions, ensuring your translator is native in the target language and researching the translator/agency you are hiring beforehand (if you care about the results, that is).
Thou shall provide a glossary or references if you have specific terminology that must be used.
Thou shall read the translation that is delivered to you.
Thou shall not try to translate the document yourself and then send it to a professional proofreader (9 times out of 10 – the proofread will have to retranslate it).
Thou shall not use a machine translation and then send it to a professional proofreader (9 times out of 10 – the proofread will have to retranslate it).
Thou shall hire a translator and proofreader directly or an agency that employs BOTH a translator and a proofreader; ask for proof of this, not just a promise.
Thou shall not assume that just because an agency is big, it will do a good job. (Smaller agencies who know their translators and proofreaders often do the best job for a better price – and pay their translators decent rates. Happy translators = better work).
Thou shall provide a legible, fluent text for translation (Good source = good target).
Thou shall treat the translator you are working with as a professional, not a servant or “little person” – a translator is an integral part to closing international business deals and running multinational ad campaigns. Treat your translators as if they are integral to your business because they are.

Anything I'm forgetting?

Finishing Up and Time Off

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:30:00 +0000

It's 5 am. I'll admit it. It's 5 am and I've been up for hours already but I have actually finished almost everything that I have due today and I greedily looking at having the morning off. Of course, my primary e-mail decided to start acting up and I've been watching the word "caricamento" flash across my screen for far too long so that small one-page certificate I have left may get pushed off for a bit while I do something like make coffee or read but everything looks good for some time off.
This may not sound like a whole lot but I never take time off. I've posted about this before. I work through vacations, holidays - you name it, I'm working. So a morning off is a big deal and it's an even bigger deal because I took this weekend off! That's right. Two whole days. Alright, two whole days and then I woke up early to finish everything for Monday deadlines but when you get to spend the weekend picking strawberries, tending to roses and cooking proper meals (i.e. ones that take more than 20 minutes - not my usual pasta with such and such), it just feels really special.
Speaking of which, have you ever noticed how translators always have Monday deadlines? How, dare I say it, 9 am Monday is the most common thing translators hear from agencies and clients? Does anyone ever think what that means?
It means you work all weekend to finish the project if it's long. If it isn't, you give up Sunday evening to work on it. Or get up really early Monday. In any case, it implies that you are supposed to be working when the rest of the world leaves the office and make sure that the file is there waiting for them when they get back to work Monday. Nice service, eh? And, of course, let's not forget the client in Greece who, with an 8 hour time difference, wants the file 9 am, Athens time. That's especially fun.
So, yes, I am taking today off. Yes, I'll have my blackberry and I'll be answering e-mails and calls. That's my job. But whereas the clients who sent the translations are going to be sitting in their offices, reading them over, I'm going to be baking frog-shaped cupcakes for my little one so we can have a proper tea party, tending to my gardens and enjoying a bit of summer.

Follow-Up to the Recession Strikes

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Yesterday was the deadline to get in some of the paperwork for the agency that is using Corporate Turnaround to restructure their debts. Has anyone heard of them or had a positive experience with them? I get conflicting reports online.

So far, I'm not super impressed although I don't know if it's really their fault. I think it's perhaps just the entire process that is frustrating.

I did not get all of the paperwork on time because they were sending my mail to Arkansas. Now, I like to travel and have been many, many places but I have never even been to Arkansas. And Arkansas is not alphabetically close to Massachusetts. Yes, the letter "a" and the letter "s" are contained in both words but the similarities seem to end there. Oh, yes, and the address in my invoices is correct so there shouldn't have been any issues.
The first letter they sent me asked me to send my invoice. Geesh, the one I've sent 5 times now? The one you should have got my address from? The one for the work I did in summer 2009? You mean you don't even have it anymore!? Come on! It also said if I wanted to accept about 5% of what they owed me, they'd pay ASAP. Since I tip more than that, I'm think no.
The second letter had various offers. Basically, the longer I give them to pay, the more they'll pay. If I want it all (and I do, I do), I will be paid over 11 months. Does that sound fair?
They wanted all this information faxed to them. Do you think they put their fax number in the letter? (Okay, I'll tell you - nope).

Add to that that my printer ran out of ink while I was trying to print out the invoice and documents they needed and I tried to refill the cartridge myself (I would post a picture of my ink stained hands but it's too pathetic), leading me to have to run to the print shop and pay through the nose to print and fax the documents... it was a pretty ridiculous day.

I just hope that sooner or later all this will result in me getting some money for all this work!

Yet Another Scam

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:05:00 +0000

I received this e-mail today from a translation website regarding yet another scam and I thought I'd share it because it's new to me. I'm not sure I'd fall for this one but the information about PayPal is a little worrisome.

==========================================

Dear Translators,

You reply to an email offering you some translation jobs for a publishing company in Nigeria. They will tell you that the client is in the US or UK and that client is to pay you directly onto your PAYPAL account (because they only want translators with Paypal). Then you receive the money from a fake client in the US and start working on the text. Then the publisher in Nigeria will ask you to send the difference to him (once you deduct your fees for the translation) via Western Union.

After about 3 weeks, you receive an email from PAYPAL telling that your account is frozen because the client did not receive the goods (i.e. the translation). Obviously the guy in the US is in touch with the one in Nigeria. Since PAYPAL automatically reimburse clients without checking anything, you get in the red on your PAYPAL account because they send the money back to the client in the US. Then you loose your money and you get collection agencies harassing you to give the money back;

BIG SCAM. I would not have worried had I not known about PAYPAL policy consisting of paying back the client no matter what. I told them the guy did receive the translation but they replied that services are not covered by their insurance, only goods.

Thanks for letting other translators know to all the translators because people in Nigeria use different names to attract translators.

Online ID Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:47:00 +0000

A recent ATA article entitled "Managing Your Online Identity for your Translation Business' Success" by Marcela Jenney (ATA Chronicle, May 2010) suggested checking out your baseline Google Quotient (or GQ and, no, not the men's magazine) using an Online ID Calculator.
It turns out, mine is pretty good. These were the results:

Congratulations. You are digitally distinct!

This is the nirvana of online identity. A search of your name yields lots of results about you, and most, if not all, reinforce your unique personal brand. Keep up the good work, and remember that your Google results can change as fast as the weather in New England. So, regularly monitor your online identity. That way, if something negative, such as an anonymous ad hominem attack on your character on a blog, crops up, you can address it quickly, before it gets out of hand.

So it seems I have nothing to worry about at the moment although since I live in New England and it's been hot, then rainy, then grey and now cold out today, I guess I shouldn't get too comfortable (I suspect the people who created this calculator live or have lived in New England too).

I was given a badge that I can post on this blog but I wouldn't want to rub my distinctiveness in too much*.

Test your distinctiveness too if you're curious. The link is here.

* I have a sneaking suspicion that my uniqueness comes from the fact that my name is actually pretty unique. Maybe I should forward the badge to my parents?

Interlink

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 22:02:00 +0000

It's rainy and cold out today so, naturally, it's the perfect day to hit up the area bookstores. Thankfully, there are lots around here (the advantage of living in a college town). I picked up a few things I'd been wanting for a while and a few new finds. My biggest discovery was Interlink Books, a publishing company that has a more "global" approach to publishing. One local bookstore had a special section with books from its world literature section. I limited myself to two, "The Honey," by Zeina B. Ghandour of Palestine and "The Hostage" by Zayd Mutee' Dammaj of Yemen. It's always a pleasant surprise when something is translated into English, especially if it hasn't topped international bestsellers lists, so three cheers for this publisher. Also, kudos for publishing the translator's name prominently on the cover. After all, it is the translator whose work made these books accessible to non-Arabic speakers.

Connected, Tuned in and in a Rush in the Digital Age

noreply@blogger.com (LNSabadosa) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:23:00 +0000

Airplane magazines have been a source of great entertainment for me over the years. Apart from the crossword puzzle (my favorite part), the articles always intrigue me. Often, this has nothing to do with the content. On international flights, where things are translated, it's always interesting to see how much importance is given to the translation. Sometimes, there are just brief translations summarizing the main point of the article. Other times, every single word is translated to varying degrees of accuracy. There is almost always an embarrassing spelling mistake but as someone pointed out in a tweet from a localization conference the other day, no one stops buying a publication because there is a spelling mistake. Maybe they should given that there are people who actually held a protest in front a spelling bee because they think English spelling is too complex!
In a US Airways magazine today, though, I found an article about work and vacations. I've posted before that I don't usually take non-working vacations. In fact, the last one was a long weekend in 2008. The article claims that we have a false sense of urgency because our digital world leads us to believe that everything is "now, now, now" and "rush, rush, rush." I'd argue that 99.99% of my clients feel that everything is "now, now, now" and "rush, rush, rush" too. So as a consequence, so do I. In fact, every time I get a call about a project, the deadline always seems to be ASAP, yesterday or (my favorite) "as fast as humanly possible." So I don't know. It may be a sort of pyramid. The people on top feel that everything is a rush because of their unlimited access to technology but when it all rolls down to those of us whose job it is to support them, it actually is urgent.
The writer may have arrived at the same conclusion though, albeit unexpressed, because he included a cute anecdote about the editor who went on a "digital-less" vacation for a week and ended up in the hospital with chest pains and anxiety because he was so worried about what he was missing at work. That's me. I wish it weren't but I'd be lying it I said otherwise. Maybe someday I can change. Maybe. Or maybe someday I'll just retire...