Translation Times

Dictionaries: Found

2012-05-27T18:26:00.004-07:00

Book signing at the InTrans booth in Denver, 2010.

Every outstanding translator and interpreter we know is quite proud of his or her dictionary collection. We've never really met a serious linguist who is not passionate about acquiring as many top-notch resources as possible, but unfortunately, in the US, it is sometimes quite challenging to find a place to purchase dictionaries that are not widely available. Enter our friend Freek Lankhof from InTrans Book Service. While Freek is a fantastic friend of ours and also sells our book, we've been filling our bookshelves with books bought on his website and at the many conferences he atttends before he even knew that there are two of us.

Judy and Freek after the AAIT in suburban Atlanta, 2011.

In Europe, Dagy is in the enviable position of having several good bookstores at which to buy materials, but in the US, we only purchase from Freek. Imagine this: without InTrans, you might be hunting for that difficult-to-find book on random websites that might or might not ship it to you within a reasonable amount of time, and most dictionaries you won't find at all. Luckily for us, Freek has excellent relationships with publishers around the globe, and he's sure to have the most recent book or dictionary that you just need as reference material. Unfortunately, the book selling business is a low-margin business, and while Freek is very passionate about sharing his books with linguists (mainly for Spanish and German), it's also a tough job: imagine traveling 3,000 miles with hundreds of books to display them at a conference. However, for more than 25 years, he's done precisely that, and he hasn't missed an ATA conference or the 10 or so other, smaller conferences he attends, in years. He's a staple at the conferences, and we'd say, a staple of our profession. We are truly lucky to have him, but if you decide to purchase a relatively-easy-to-find book on Amazon for $3 less than what it would cost on InTrans, you know what might happen. Let's support small businesses, particularly those that sell us somethign we really, really need.

InTrans and Freek Lankhof will once again be an exhibitor at the ATA conference in San Diego, CA, this coming October. We will both attend the conference, and as always, our first stop in the exhibit hall will be Freek's booth, where we get our hands on new dictionaries (we can never have too many). If you are looking for us, try the InTrans booth first, where you will be most likely to find us. Then try the NITA table and the hotel bar, where we might be enjoying a fruity cocktail with friends and colleagues, dictionaries in tow.

Supreme Court Ruling on T&I

2012-05-22T14:14:00.001-07:00

It's been an exciting week for language news: the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that, essentially, translators write and interpreters speak. Of course, it's a bit more complicated than that, and to read up on the details, we'd like to point you to analysis by professor Barry Olsen of the Monterey Institute and co-president of InterpretAmerica, who contributed to the amicus brief that was submitted to the Supreme Court a few months ago. You can read his excellent analysis here.

So now, when you get ready to explain the difference between interpreting and translation to someone, and they question your explanation, you can confidently say that the Supreme Court said so.

Another Giveaway: $100 in Google AdWords

2012-05-14T16:28:00.001-07:00

Google keeps on sending us so many free certificates for $100 in Google AdWords for new users, and we are happy to raffle them off. As usual, we will raffle off the certificate to a colleague (freelancers only, please) who answers one question correctly. We will e-mail the access code to the winning person so he or she can get started with Google AdWords. The certificate expires July 31, 2012.

A caveat: you have to be a NEW user of Google AdWords, as this certificate is not valid for existing users (in that case, we'd probably use it ourselves).

Here's the question: where were these pictures taken? Hint: it was not in the U.S. Give us the state/city/area (not just the country; that's too easy!), and you will win the prize. We've made it easy for you by including several clues in the pictures, and both pictures were taken in the same place.

Google+ Hangout: Court Interpreting

2012-05-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

Endless Possibilities is a an informal online "hang-out" organized by dedicated industry professionals Esther Navarro-Hall, Gerda Prato-Espejo and Al Navas. You don't have to have a Google Plus account to join the conversation (as of a few days ago, Judy did not, either). The channel is public, so anyone can join! A recording will also be available on YouTube. For this upcoming Sunday, Endless Possibilities has invited Judy to talk about court interpreting and the pay cuts that have been in the news recently -- both in the UK and in Nevada.

The event will take place at 12 noon on Sunday, May 13, 2012 -- Pacific Time. For full details and for information on your time zone, please visit the Endless Possibilities blog.

We are looking forward to this informal virtual chat. Will you join us?

You Must Read This: How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator

2012-05-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

When we started our business many moons ago, relatively little information on how to run a translation business was available. We only wish that Corinne McKay’s classic “How to succeed as a freelance translator” was available back then, but it came out in 2006, after we’d already made many beginners’ mistakes. The new generation of translators and interpreters are in the lucky position of having many books at their disposal, and there’s no doubt that Corinne’s book, now in its second edition, is the best book on the market.

Full disclosure: we are very good friends with Corinne, especially Judy, but we were fans and attended her seminars long before Judy had the pleasure of meeting Corinne at the ATA conference in Seattle in 2005. However, if the book weren’t any good, we would certainly tell you. As you might have guessed, it’s a fantastic book. The first edition sold more than 4,500 copies around the world, and we have no doubt that the second edition will outsell the first.

We reviewed the first edition a few years ago. The title of that blog post was “The bible for freelance translators” and that continues to hold true. The long-awaited second edition, which many, including us, pestered Corinne about writing for quite a while, was released to rave reviews last August. You may ask yourselves why it took us so long to review a book that we are clearly very fond of. The answer is that Judy had committed to doing an original, not-before-published review of the book for Translation Ireland, and we had to come up with two different reviews. Here it is.

This book should be required reading at every university or college that teaches any class related to translation. At the very least, it should be essential reading for every aspiring and established linguist. We always continue learning from others, and to say we’ve learned a few things from Corinne’s book is an understatement – there’s a wealth of information from which linguists at all levels can benefit. Corinne's writing, known to many through her outstanding blog, Thoughts on Translation, is clear and precise. She’s perhaps one of the most gifted writers in the industry, and her ability to communicate oftentimes complex material in an easy-to-understand manner is unsurpassed. There’s no pretense or purposefully difficult writing here – you are very much reading a book by the approachable, highly successful and laid-back Coloradan translator next door. After reading the book, you might be tempted to knock on Corinne’s door to grab some coffee to continue the conversation.

It might be a sign of the times that the amount of e-mails about how to get started in the industry we receive have increased exponentially. We aren’t able to give individual advice to everyone who asks – we’d spend all day answering e-mail – but we always recommend Corinne’s book. Her smart, 200-page book will tell you everything you need to know about the industry. It will tell you how rewarding of a profession this is, but readers will also learn about the challenges of building a business and that there’s no magic button to press (or wand to wave) that will make you a successful translator. It’s all hard work, but Corinne has made it easier for you by compiling all the information that would take you months to compile elsewhere. If there were any true secrets to being successful in our business, Corinne would surely detail them in her book. In the absence of real secrets, she’s written a book that tells you everything you need to know to get set up for success. The book assumes that you have the language skills necessary to become a translator.

The fully updated second version of the book might be even better than the first edition. It’s a bit longer with an additional chapter, has a redesigned cover and it’s beautifully laid-out. Our well-thumbed first edition has been sitting on our bookshelves for years, and now we had to put a “display only” sticker on the new edition. We take the book to industry events from our local translator and interpreter associations, but we want to make sure the copies don’t walk off – after all, they are our prized autographed copies.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the book’s highlights:

Table of contents and index. They make it easy to find what’s in every chapter, and they make this book a fantastic reference source. Say you are looking for “rush charge” because a customer just asked you, on a Friday, to translate a document that’s due Monday morning. You go to the index and quickly find out that information on that topic can be found on both pages 30 and 150. It’s the print equivalent of ctrl + F, with the difference that you are holding a gorgeously bound book in your hand.
The 10 chapters start off with a great overview of the translation business. Section 1.5, which gives you brief description of the kinds of work that’s available for linguists, is a fantastic tool to help you decide what kind of work is right for you. Chapter 2 (Launching your freelance translation business) contains everything you need to know about getting started. From advice on how to set up your home computer to how to polish your résumé for translation agencies, this chapter will make your early business decisions infinitely easier. Our favorite section here is the handy start-up checklist.
Chapter 3 (Your first year as a freelance translator) will give you a reality check about what to expect in your first year. This chapter contains a plan in four stages, including what every new freelancer should do in their first year.
Chapter 8 (Translation and technology) is a brand-new chapter, and it provides solid guidance for linguists who are not sure what to make of translation environment tools, also known as computer-assisted translation software and translation memory software. The chapter starts out with a good overview of the role of technology in our industry in the 21^st century. The bottom line is that it’s here to stay and that you should embrace it. This chapter will teach you how not to be afraid of technology and will give you a much-needed introduction into all the available tools. Do you need speech recognition software? How much does Trados cost? Are free tools available? Should I invest in one of the proprietary tools?
Chapter 9 (Rates, contracts and terms of service) answers many of the questions that beginning translators have, such as setting your translation rates (no specific rate recommendations are made, as the author respects the ruling antitrust legislation on the topic), how to research your customers, how to deal with international payments, questions you should ask before accepting a project, how to word your terms of service, etc. It’s a goldmine of information, and we have quoted from this chapter more than any other chapter. This chapter also includes valuable information on how to deal with adversity. We particularly like the section on non-payment, which all of us will have to face at some point. The book includes dunning letters that you can use to remind your clients that you are expecting payment. The author even includes a sample invoice on page 164 – she really does make it easy for her readers.

A few months ago, Corinne invested the time and energy necessary to make this book available on the Kindle, which is a fantastic addition. Her book was originally published by Lulu.com, and while it’s also available on Amazon and a number of other outlets, please consider supporting Lulu by purchasing the book on their site. This smart book will make a great gift for any translator – beginning or not. It will give you all the advice you need to get started in the industry or to have a more structured approach in your business. If this book is not the bible for freelance translators, we don’t know what is.

We are sometimes surprised how little newcomers are willing to invest when starting in the business. We usually recommend five or six books, and many times, we are asked to narrow it down to one. If you only have $19.95 to spare to start or re-start your translation career, then we suggest you spend it on purchasing "How to succeed as a freelance translator". Next time you see Corinne at a conference, bring your copy and have her sign it. It might have collector’s value at some point – we are betting on that and keeping our copies safe and pristine. Happy reading!

InterpretAmerica: Early Bird Deadline Extended

2012-04-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

The 3rd North American Summit on Interpreting, organized by industry veterans Katharine Allen and Barry Olsen, will take place in Monterey, California, on June 15 and 16. Unfortunately, we will not be able to attend, but the event sounds fantastic! InterpretAmerica just announced that they've extended the early bird deadline, which means you can still get into the conference for a lower price (until May 7, that is). They've also announced some fantastic new speakers. We just received the following information from InterpretAmerica:

Groundbreaking Session:

Conflict in Interpreting Zones

InterpretAmerica is the guest author for the NAJIT Blog this week with an in-depth post on Interpreting in Conflict Zones. Please view the blog here.

Then check out the first-of-its-kind panel on Interpreting in Conflict Zones at the upcoming 3rd North American Summit on Interpreting. Panel members include one of the principal authors of a translation and interpreting curriculum for military linguists, an O9L combat linguist from the 51 Translation and Interpretation Company at Fort Irwin, California, a military officer who has served multiple missions working with interpreters, a contract interpreter with vast experience working in conflict zones and subsequently training military linguists, and Dr. Barbara Moser-Mercer, who spearheaded the creation of InZone for the University of Geneva.

New Speakers, New Events Added to the Summit!

From Weekend Workshops to PhDs: Is A Generalist Educational Framework for Interpreting Possible in the United States?

Dr. Renée Journdenais, Dean, Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education, Monterey Institute of International Studies

and

Dr. Andrew Clifford, Chair, Glendon School of Translation, York University

will present this important session.

Festival of Cultures

When making your travel plans, don't miss Thursday evening's opening reception, Festival of Cultures, generously hosted by Language Line Services, which is celebrating it's 30th Anniversary connecting people and cultures through interpreting. 6:00-7:30pm.

Introduction to California Court Interpreting,

Workshop provided by the Court Interpreters Program, Administrative Office of the Courts, California. Thursday, June 14, 4:30-6:00pm. OPEN TO ALL.

New Moderators for Workgroup Sessions!

Toward a Working Technology Partnership:

Becca Bryant of Williams Sound and Dan Gatti of Stratus Video will provide a framework template for participants to envision a working collaborative between interpreters and technology developers and vendors.

One Profession, One Voice

Award-winning communications consultant Spencer Critchley from Boots Road Group, will moderate the PR Workgroup Session: One Profession, One Voice - Selling the Interpreting Profession to the Public. Attendees will receive a crash course on PR and then work to create a unified messaging for the profession. Your contributions will be captured and published as a beginning publicity template for our industry.

For complete information about the Summit, visit the InterpretAmerica website.

See you in Monterey June 15-16!

Court Interpreters in the News: PRI's The World

2012-04-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

We are both fans of National Public Radio (yes, we are members), and we particularly enjoy The World on PRI (Public Radio International). The program is a co-production of the BBC World Service, Public Radio International and WGBH. One of the reporters, Jason Margolis, contacted Judy a few months ago, and as of today, there's a story that revolves around court interpreting in Nevada -- and around the country. Have a listen and you will agree that Judy does not have a future in radio. Here's a link to the article. Here's the podcast: Nevada Court Interpreters Protest Wage Cuts by The World

Open Thread: Would You Work For...?

2012-04-21T09:05:00.002-07:00

A few months ago, there was some discussion on other blogs about companies that our fellow translators and interpreters would not work for due to ethical reasons. Among the companies that were mentioned by our colleagues were weapons manufacturers, extremists groups, companies that are known to explore workers in developing countries, businesses that don't share the translator's religious views, and many others. We think this is a fascinating subject, and we've put some thought into it throughout the years. Our guidelines aren't set in stone, but in general, we have declined work from weapons manufacturers, companies that make sexually explicit materials, extremist groups on all political sides, companies that exploit women, etc. Some companies we've had concerns about, but weren't quite sure. Sometimes it's a bit of a challenge to research exactly how companies conduct their business affairs. When in doubt, we go with our gut (which isn't a foolproof method, of course). Of course, this conversation opens a can of worms. How do we know that a specific clothing manufacturer doesn't violate labor laws? And what about the semiconductor company? Are they discriminating against some folks in their hiring practices? If yes, should that be a deal-breaker? No business, including ours, is perfect. There's lots of food for thought here, and we're not proposing that all translators stick to a specific ethical standard. Rather, we are just interested to hear how our colleagues have handled this and what their views are on the subject.

What about you, dear colleagues? Do you accept work from all customers? Do you have specific guidelines? If yes, what are they? We'd love to hear your thoughts. One of our colleagues is also thinking about writing an article on this topic for the American Translators Association's Chronicle magazine, so we figured we'd get the conversation started right here.

Please chime in by leaving a comment below.

Spanish-English Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination

2012-04-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

The FCICE (Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination) registration page for the written exam, which will be held in August of this year, just became available on April 16. For the first time, the FCICE will be administered at Prometric testing centers across the nation, eliminating the need to travel to specific locations to take this challenging exam. The exam dates are August 6 through August 13. Applicants who pass the written exam will qualify to sit for the oral exam, which will be held at some point next year (dates to be announced).

If you've ever thought about taking the federal court interpreter exam, this is a great opportunity to do so. With several thousand testing centers across the nation, we bet there's a Prometric location close to your home office. Judy just signed up for the exam. To do the same, start here. Applicants must register for the exam (cost: $175) before they are able to schedule the exam with the testing provider.

Update: the National Center for Interpretation at the University of Arizona is offering prep courses for the written exam. They seem a bit pricey at $495 ($396 for NAJIT members), but they are conveniently offered around the country. You can register for classes here.

Jobs: NFLC (National Foreign Language Center) Consultant Opportunities

2012-04-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

The job announcement comes from an e-mail that we received through one of our listservs (the highly recommended IRL, Interagency Language Roundtable; anyone can join here).

Please read on for more details:

NFLC Language Consultant Opportunities

The National Foreign Language Center (NFLC) at the University of Maryland is a research institute dedicated to promoting communication within the United States in languages other than English.

If you are interested in working with us, or if you know a qualified candidate who would be interested in working with us, please contact the NFLC via email at recruitment@nflc.org. Submit your current resume or CV with your language in the subject line.

We are currently working on a project that provides adult language learners with interactive online tools to reinforce their foreign language skills. We focus on less commonly taught languages. We are currently looking for several individuals to help us launch projects in the following languages:

·         Dari
·         Hausa
·         Hindi
·         Tamil
·         Yoruba orWest Punjabi

Minimum Requirements:

Native, or near-native, proficiency in the target language
English proficiency
Ability to conduct Internet research and submit Word documents and/or audio files

Desired Qualifications:

Knowledge of ILR scale of language proficiency

Specifically, we need educated native speakers of these languages (or individuals with equivalent proficiency levels) to review online activities and cultural notes for online foreign language learning modules for their native language using software we provide. In addition, we are looking for speakers to find authentic reading and audio passages, to record audio files, and to perform various editing tasks in these languages.

The work is part-time, contractual, and most of the work can be done from your home computer. All candidates must have permission to work in the United States, or reside and work outside of the United States.

Donation Update: Thank You

2012-04-09T14:29:00.001-07:00

On December 28, 2011, we started a donation campaign for our colleague Álvaro Degives-Más and his wife, Trish, who were in dire financial straits. For some reason, we were initially worried that no one would donate. We were the first donors, followed by many family members, and then the donations from colleagues around the world came pouring in. To say that this demonstration of support and love was an incredibly enriching and wonderful experience is an understatement. We were moved to tears every time a donation came in. We were traveling, and were getting the donation notifications via e-mail. One day, on December 30, 2011, the *only* items we had in our inbox were PayPal donation notifications -- wow!

We still haven't even been able to fully comprehend how incredible of an effort this has been -- we've raised a bit more than $10,250 for Álvaro and Trish. Most of the funds were raised within the first four weeks of our campaign. The vast majority of donors donated online via PayPal, while others gave us checks and even cash, which we happily stuffed into envelopes and sent to Reno. Yet other colleagues requested the couple's address to send checks to them. Donations came in from 25 countries (at last count) and ranged from $2 to $1,000 (really).

We've written a thank-you note to each and every donor (more than 400) and we are forever grateful to everyone who donated. We are so lucky to have such amazing colleagues and friends! We'd previously posted an update on the campaign (and another update), and now it's time for a message from Trish, Álvaro's wife. Things are still challenging for them, but they are getting better, and it's thanks to you, dear donors. Trish prefaced the message below by saying: "Words just seem so inadequate when trying to express the depth of my appreciation, as the donations truly did save our lives. I'll never be able to thank you - and everyone else - enough. " Read on.

Dear Judy, Dagmar and the compassionate and generous individuals who came to our aid when tragedy struck:

Please accept our boundless gratitude, as well as our sincere apologies for the delay in expressing our appreciation. The past three to four years have brought one catastrophe after another, which had entirely depleted our financial cushion when Álvaro suffered the heart attack. Your generosity saved our lives. The stent installed in his artery requires that he not miss a single dose of two very expensive medications, which your donations have made possible. I was finally able to see a physician and obtain medication for extreme hypertension, which put my life at great risk each day it remained untreated. You also made it possible to cover basic living expenses during the period we were entirely without income. I hate to contemplate where we would have been without the generosity of both friends and strangers.

Álvaro's glasses, upon which he's completely dependent, disappeared the day of his heart attack. Despite multiple surgeries, I've lost all vision in one eye and the other was in need of corrective lenses. After multiple trips to the ophthalmologist and optician and weeks of waiting, we both had glasses and were finally able to see, which you made possible. About five weeks after Álvaro's myocardial infarction, I was in an ambulance after suffering a fall that immobilized me for over a month. Just as I was recovering, pneumonia struck. We're now trying to address so many things that fell through the cracks over the past three months. Please forgive our failure to express our gratitude in a more timely manner. Despite our silence, your profound kindness has not for a moment been forgotten - and never will.

The husband of another interpreter invested considerable time and effort locating a mechanically sound used car we were able to purchase with donations, which is essential to Álvaro earning a living due to the travel involved. Without a vehicle, we'd have little to no income. Your generosity has made it possible for us to survive financially.

It's not possible to adequately express the depth of our appreciation. You literally saved our lives and our family from destruction. Slowly but surely, we're recovering physically and financially, due to your generosity. Please know how much each and every one of you mean to us.

With love & gratitude,

Trish

The 30% Court Interpreter Paycut

2012-04-02T20:52:00.002-07:00

Cartoon courtesy of Alejandro Moreno-Ramos.

Most of our colleagues have probably all been following the debacle about court interpreters in the UK -- and so have we. The best summary we've found so far comes courtesy of Rainy London (Valeria Aliperta's blog). The summary: the UK government tries to save money on court interpreting by giving the nationwide contract to a private company, the infamous ALS, which obviously has an incentive to cut costs -- after all, they want to make a profit. The'd promised the Ministry of Justice that they'd provide low-cost interpreting services, so in order to make any sort of profit on this deal, they have to pay their interpreters peanuts (they are not very picky about whom they choose, read on about Jajo the interpreter bunny). While this is still playing out, the end result has been, thus far, that thousands of interpreters have refused to work, leaving the courts in dire straits. Alejandro Moreno-Ramos' cartoon sums up the situation in just a few sentences (visit his hilarious Mox blog or buy the book).

On the other side of the Atlantic, many thousands of miles away, something similar is happening (minus the interpreter unity and the media attention). Here in Nevada (Clark County), the effects of the global economic crisis are hard to miss. Nevada leads the nation in many things, including unemployment rates and foreclosures. It's a sad thing to witness, and as is to be expected, the local and state governments are trying to make ends meet with decreasing tax revenue from gaming operations and tourism dollars (hotels are still full, but they are much cheaper). Furloughs have been introduced for many state workers, and universities are closing entire programs and departments.

The latest victims of the downturn are...you guessed it: court interpreters. Effective February 15, 2012, Clark County gave a new contract to all certified contract court interpreters, reducing their rate by an astonishing 30%. Unfortunately, many fellow court interpreters have come to rely on the court system to feed them work so much that they've had no choice but to accept the new conditions. Judy, however, has chosen to send a message and has not signed the new contract, thus ending her working relationships with the courts. She still interprets in court, but for private parties (law firms, etc.). Ironically, the rate has only been decreased for certified Spanish interpreters. All other languages are still paid at the old rate.

What do you think, fellow interpreters? We understand that governments need to save funds, but reducing the rates of contractors who are such an important part of the legal puzzle is concerning. Court interpreters receive no benefits, insurance, vacation time or even mileage and travel time, and a 30% decrease in rate means that more and more top-notch interpreters will look for work elsewhere. The people who suffer are invariably those who need it most: defendants in criminal cases. We don't know what the answer is, but for now, Judy is not willing to work for 30% less. Court interpreters go through a very challenging and long certification process in Nevada (with a 3% pass rate on the first try), and the pay rate doesn't do all that work and expertise that one needs to become a court interpreter any justice.

We'd love to hear your thoughts.

What Interpreters Really Do

2012-03-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hot off the presses from our favorite newsletter, Interpreter's Launch Pad, comes the meme that's been created by interpreters around the world. These memes have been very popular to describe other professions, and thanks to Interpreter's Launch Pad we now have our own. Thank you to everyone who collaborated on this project.

What do you really do as an interpreter? Can you describe it in a sentence or two? We'd love to hear more.

ATA Pricing Webinar Questions: Answered (Part II)

2012-03-21T21:09:00.002-07:00

As promised, here is the second part of Judy's answers to questions that were submitted during her American Translators Association Webinar on February 29. Due to large amount of questions received, she wasn't able to answer all of them during the live session, but she answered the first part of the questions here. Read on for part two. If you'd like to purchase a recording, please visit the ATA's webinar section. The questions are unedited.

Q: I do not think it makes sense to refer a cheap customer to a colleague with lower rates. (This is in response to Judy's suggestion that you send a customer who's not in your price range to a colleague who charges a different rate than you do.)
A: Well, ideally, all translators and interpreters would charge adequate and professional rates. The reality is another, so I don't see why you wouldn't want to make both your customer and your colleague happy. If the price doesn't work for you,why not send the potential client to a linguist who does offer the requested service at the requested rate? If you can't get the business, why not give it to someone else? I think it makes sense, but I'd love to hear your perspective on it as well. The customer will only be forced to pay the adequate rate if no one is willing to work cheaper, which is not the case at the moment (nor do I think that will ever be the case).

Q: Response to request for translation test: make it part of a paid assignment at regular rates, with the proviso that if you "fail" the test, the assignment is off -- either you then get paid for the test or not, depending on negotiation -- what do you say?
A: I knew it! My opposition to free translation tests (=free work) always generates a lot of interesting questions. While I think your proposal is interesting, it's still a risky undertaking. Evaluating the quality of translation is a highly complex and subjective matter, and you are taking a monetary risk by letting the non-linguist client determine if your work passes muster. I still think that clients should pay for work performed -- any work performed. It's not like you can ask your CPA for a sample tax return and then hire her if you, as the non-expert, deem her work correct. At some point, customers have to trust the expert they are hiring to do the job for them. There's risk inherent in any purchase, and the purchaser traditionally has to bear that risk. You, as a provider, can alleviate it by offering references and samples of previous translations (with the existing client's permission, of course).

Q: This is about free test translation: what about for an existing client=agency, trying to win a new account?
A: Good point. Providing great service to an existing client and helping them win new business is great, but it doesn't change the facts. If the agency wants to win a new client, they might have to invest something (hiring you to do sample translations). You, as the freelancer who has no say in that business relationship, should not have to make that investment. This is an investment that the entity trying to win the customer should make -- in my opinion. You are not responsible for your customers' business relationships, nor should you be. After all, you are not an employee. You are a contractor.

Q: A particular agency in my area charges truly peanuts for its work and they are driving all business in the city down. How do I reach out to them so they stop doing that?
A: Ah, that's a good one. Unfortunately, it happens all the time. Put them on your black list and don't work with them. The best thing you can do is to stay clear of that agency and let the chips fall where they may. I wouldn't necessarily reach out to them to ask them to stop their behavior. My guess is that they won't, but if you are not afraid of confrontation, it's certainly worth a phone call. Let's hope that the market forces will, at some point, eliminate bottom feeders. But you know how bottom feeders can really, truly be eliminated? If no one works for them. So rather than convincing the agency to change its ways, the real job is to convince colleagues to stop working for them. It's a tall order, but we can start now.

Q: How do you feel about giving commission to people who refer you other jobs and vice versa? For instance, 10% of contract price?
A: Excellent question. We don't actively look for work we cannot handle ourselves, but we do get so much work that we outsource to others on a regular basis. Many times, we will just send on the project to the superstar colleague we have selected. Other times, if the client asks us to coordinate the translation, we will take on the role of mini-agency and make a little bit of money off the top. More often than not, we just refer projects out. We don't charge commission nor do others charge us if they send work our way (which happens a lot). It's only Wednesday, but this week I've already sent work to three colleagues. I don't expect anything in return, but they can always buy me coffee if they want!

Q: Can you give webinar for pricing strategy for Translation Agencies working with direct clients...like my biz? That would be great, Judy!
A: Thanks so much for the suggestion. Unfortunately, as we are not an agency ourselves, I don't think I am the right person to give such a webinar. Be sure to contact the American Translators Association to see if they have an agency owner who could give this webinar.

Q: How do you suggest dealing with clients who send your work for review - to non-translators who get nit-picky (and the problems lie with the source documents)?
A: That's a difficult one, and it happens more often than you think -- because everyone is a translator, right? (Insert sigh here). I suggest gently educating the client on the process, sending them one of the great ATA brochures (Translation: Getting it Right) and to point out that you have been hired as the outside expert to do the work. Ultimately, after the client has paid for the translation, they own it, so they may modify it as they please, but it would be reasonable to request that your name not appear on a translation that's been tinkered with. We have a long way to go before our services are truly respected in the larger marketplace, but we are on our way. Whatever you do: try not to take it personally and resist the urge to engage in finger-wagging. It's annoying to have your work challenged, but it happens to other professionals as well. Stay calm and collected and show a willingness to cooperate -- up to a certain point.

Q: How do you handle customer-initiated revisions after the project has been started?
A: I would solve this off the bat by having a strong translation contract that specifies exactly what your services will include and what they will not include. Professional translation typically does not include customer revision, but you have to play it by ear: if a client just wants your input into why you selected a few specific terms, then that's certainly a reasonable request. However, if the customer wants to challenge every sentence, then you may gently point out that revisions are beyond the scope of the contracted services. You could offer to do revisions at an additional charge. I think it's paramount for the customer to know which services are included before translation commences. It's important for both sides to know what the expectations are. This will help prevent a lot of headaches, so be sure to have a solid translation contract.

Thanks for all the great questions! Any other questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you.

Food for Thought: People Don't Respect....

2012-03-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

Neon Boneyard, Las Vegas.
Photo by Tom Gruber

Thanks to our tech guru for letting us know about this fabulous article by Forbes blogger Selena Rezvani. In a short, but very to-the-point article, she tells us why we should charge for work: because people don't respect free work. This is very, very true for any line of work, and it directly applies to our business (think free translation tests!).

Here's an excerpt:
Whatever the reason, if you are asked to pitch in your research, skills, or accumulated experience without some type of compensation now or in the future, I hope you will consider the request very carefully, with a bent toward saying “no.” Better yet, why not use the opportunity as a chance to negotiate better, more favorable terms? Sketching out new terms and conditions opens up the possibility that you’ll find options where there were none and that you’ll get more than you even ask for. Your compensation requirement, whatever you negotiate that it be, adds some teeth to the deal.

We couldn't have said it better ourselves. Read the full Forbes article here.

Yes, Spanish is Difficult (Video)

2012-03-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

After a long and busy week, it's time for some Friday laughs! We hope you enjoy this hilarious Spanish-language video that's been making the rounds for a few weeks now. It succinctly highlights some of the regional differences, and thus difficulties, of the Spanish language. Sure, it's widely spoken around the world, but that doesn't mean we all understand each other. We can attest to this: during last year's trip to Chile and Argentina, we struggled quite a bit, especially with food items. Among many, many things, we learned that if you are looking for an avocado, you better say palta in Chile (it would be aguacate for us). Enjoy!

ATA Pricing Webinar Questions: Answered (Part I)

2012-03-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the colleagues around the world who attended Judy's American Translators Association webinar on "Pricing Strategies for Interpreters and Translators" on February 29, 2012. As promised, she will answer the questions we didn't get to right here. To purchase a recording of the webinar, please visit the ATA's website. There were so many great questions that Judy will answer them in two batches -- stay tuned for part II!

Q: What are the strategies to set minimum rates?
A: Clearly communicate to the client what your minimum rate is. You might add that information on your website if you feel comfortable with that. Then stick to the minimum rate, unless it's a repeat customer who sends you lots of work and who just happens to need one sentence translated.

Q: What is the best strategy to inform customers of an inflation rate adjustment?
A: Clearly state that you have adjusted your rates for inflation on the price quotes that you issue during the first months of the year. It can be as simple as "Please note that my rates have been adjusted for inflation by XYZ." We update our rate sheet, which is publicly available, at the beginning of each year, and post the adjusted rates there.

Q: How do you deal with being undercut by less qualified interpreters when agencies just want to go with the cheapest?
A: That is of, course, always a problem. Unfortunately, you cannot control what others do -- you can only control what you do (trite, but true). Move on to the next client and make sure you communicate the value of your services to the potential client. The goal is to get them to see your value and your abilities, not your price. That said, there will always be clients who just want the cheapest price. We don't work with those clients and neither should you.

Q: Nowadays, the US economy is not the same as 10 years ago. Are you aware that we don't get to make many choices with reference to accepting or rejecting a client's offer?
A: I am well aware of the state of the American economy. However, regardless of the economy, you always have a choice whether or not to accept a certain rate. As a business owner, you have to make some tough decisions, and they include walking away from work that doesn't pay what you charge. Independently of the economic climate, there will always be clients who look for world-class quality and who are not very price-sensitive. Of course the economic downturn has, in general, made customers more price-sensitive in all areas. But if you demand and receive adequate rates, you don't need hundreds of clients. You just need a few good repeat customers, and trust us: they are out there. You have a choice regarding the clients you work with. Let's not take the "free" out of "freelancer." You might enjoy the tough love and brilliant advice regarding pricing in Chris Durban's book "The Prosperous Translator." Down with the poverty cult (Chris's words)!

Q: Do you charge late fees, if payments are not made on time?
A: That's a good one, and it's a tricky issue. We rarely encounter late payers as we clearly define our payment policies up front. However, when people have paid late, we have sent them updated invoices with a late fee. Most folks have provided prompt payment, but conveniently exclude the late fee from the payment. Collecting on the late fee can be frustrating and time-consuming, so depending on the amount owed and how much time you want to put into it, you have to decide whether to pursue it or to just let it go. Your time is the only resource you have, so use it wisely.

Q: A translation agency told me I had to charge them one third of the price they charged their client. Do you know if that is standard practice?
A: I am not sure. Twin Translations works exclusively with direct clients, so we don't know much about how agencies break down their rates. It's surprising that the agency shared that information with you. Perhaps one of our readers can answer this question by leaving a comment below.

Q: What about reductions for repetitions?
A: I presume you are talking about repeated words/segments in translation environment tools. We don't give discounts for those, unless the client wants to pay us for the investment in these tools that we've made and the hundreds of hours we've spent dealing with the software. Also, repetitions still need to be reviewed to make sure the context is correct. For instance, in many legal documents you will find both the word claim as a verb and claim as a noun. The system would recognize this as a repetition, but you still have to review the sentence. We also don't give discounts because we use a computer and not a typewriter -- after all, we paid for the computer. However, we recently did a a project that was a series of handouts which had the exact same information on each page four times. In that case, we certainly only charged once. There was still some formatting involved to make sure the layout was correct, but charging only once was the right thing to do. There's always some room for flexibility.

Comments? We'd love to hear from you.

Spanish-Language Interview: Radio

2012-03-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

First time doing live radio with co-host Lorena Pike.

A few days ago, Judy was asked to give a one-hour radio interview for a local Spanish-language radio station in Las Vegas: KRLV 1340 AM. It was a huge pleasure to share a bit of information about our profession with the Hispanic community in Las Vegas. The program is called "Cultura Comunitaria" and airs on Fridays at 5 p.m. Co-host Lorena Pike is a fellow translator and court-certified interpreter. We also discussed the recent significant reduction in pay for certified court interpreters in Nevada. More about that in a future blog post. We hope that you enjoy the recording, even though Judy clearly doesn't have a trained radio voice (and live radio is a bit scary!)-- but can you tell that Lorena does? Click here to listen.

How to Lose a Client in 10 Easy Steps

2012-03-02T11:18:00.001-08:00

Most of the time, we are the individuals who provide translation and interpreting services to our clients. Many times, we are also the client because we frequently outsource work to our fabulous colleagues around the world. Throughout the years, through our own mistakes, others’ mistakes and clients' praise and criticism, we have learned a thing or two. We would like to introduce you to our (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) lists of how to lose a client in 10 easy steps. Take it with a grain of salt, but it’s (probably) all happened before.

Consider the deadline a mere suggestion

Deadlines are for suckers! You don’t even know what time 5 PM Pacific Daylight Savings Time is in your time zone (hint: try www.timeanddate.com). You don’t care that your client’s career depends on her getting this contract translated. Surely she can wait an hour or two for you to finish. It was a tight deadline, so she’s lucky that you finish the thing in the first place.

Complain about the client on the internet

The internet is a fantastic place to share your frustration about your client, whether you choose to name them (why not?) or just refer to them as “client from hell.” Surely your Twitter followers will back you up on this: your client is a jerk and you hope she loses her job.

Never apologize for your mistakes

Your customer requested American English and you delivered the project in British English, because it sounds more sophisticated. After the client points this out, be sure to start your e-mail with ‘’Let me explain…” and do not take any responsibility. After all, it’s always the customer’s fault.

Make excuses

The reason you did not read up on domestic violence legislation in your state for a temporary protection order hearing or the reason you didn’t research airbag technology for an automotive translation include: the dog attacked your computer, the cat peed on your dictionaries, you locked yourself in your garage or you ate bad sushi. Try the excuse about not being able to attach a file to e-mail because your computer had a virus.

Don’t follow directions

Why bother reading all the instructions? It doesn’t matter that your client is legally obligated to publish forms that are no smaller than 12-point font or that she wanted to save some money by not translating the text highlighted in red. It’s perfectly fine to deliver a PowerPoint translation in OpenOffice format, because you hate Microsoft.

Don’t turn in tax forms

It’s not important that your client has to have certain information about their providers. You will get around to turning in those annoying tax forms when you have a minute. It really doesn’t matter that your client will get in trouble with the accounting department. Let them sort it out.

Show up late

Judges are always running late, so you have plenty of time for a venti mocha latte with almond milk. Conventioneers are typically asleep for the first half hour of presentations, so if needed, your booth partner can cover for you.

Don’t respond in a timely manner

E-mail and phone calls are annoying. You need your mid-afternoon beauty sleep, so it’s perfectly acceptable not to return a customer’s frantic calls until 48 hours later. It probably wasn’t that important anyway.

Get defensive

You don’t understand why the customer insists on using “happy” when you think the term “content” is highly superior. Tell the customer that he’s just some little cubicle slave who should leave the big language questions to you, the brilliant linguist.

Have your customer solve your technical problems

Your translation environment tools just let you down, so call up your customer and tell her about your terminology memory troubles. Since you are at it, perhaps she can help you format those pesky text boxes, because the translation doesn’t fit.

Dear readers: are there any other ways of losing a client that come to mind? We'd love to hear them. Happy Friday and here's to keeping your customers happy!

Guest Post/Open Thread: Who's the Boss?

2012-02-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

We haven't had a guest post in a while, so we are delighted to welcome the first guest blogger of 2012 - and it happens to be the president-elect of the American Translators Association, Caitilin Walsh. We are honored that she's agreed to write an article for us. Read on about the important topic of providing your own benefits as a freelance translator/interpreter. We would love to hear your thoughts about affordable health care options in your state. Please share your insight with your colleagues by leaving a comment.

I have the distinct pleasure of teaching students in a translation certificate program, and one of my favorite and liveliest discussions comes when we talk about deciding to work for yourself. Since most folks are used to working for companies, everyone knows how it works: you send out résumés, go for an interview, and, if everything goes well, you receive an offer. You look at what they offer, and decide if you will accept the job. Most of us assume that a full-time position will provide us with enough to live on (assuming a modest lifestyle—no Lamborghinis here), and most of us expect things like paid vacations and some sort of benefits package.

But it's amazing how many of us fail to translate this to the self-employment model that dominates our industry. We're pretty good at seeing ourselves as employees, but not so much as employers. Here's the bottom line: we simply cannot expect to be seen as professionals if we do not charge rates that allows us to provide ourselves with benefits that any right-minded professional would expect.

If you were an architect or a CPA looking to work in-house, you would expect paid vacation; paid sick leave; paid holidays; and some employer contribution to health insurance—that's medical, vision and dental. A full package would also likely include long-term disability and life insurance, along with a 401(k). That's in addition to things like paying a share of your Social Security taxes and withholding income tax and unemployment contributions. Employers don't offer these benefits out of the kindness of their hearts: some are required (like taxes) but mostly it's because they know that they need their employees, and that means they need to protect their business by taking good care of them. This applies as well when employee and employer are one and the same.

It's encouraging to see discussions on translation and interpreting business practices lists and blogs take on things like saving for retirement and the importance of actually taking a vacation. But what about insurance? What happens when your main employee—you—can't work because of illness? How about those eyeglasses you need to see the screen or the physical therapy for your aching wrists? Not to mention house fires, hurricanes, heart attacks and the like.

It helps to remember that being a business is not just about providing excellent service, but also being an excellent employer. In all our discussions about "sexy" benefits like vacation and retirement, let's not forget to investigate the basic health insurance offered by most states, or buying a group policy as part of a larger organization with huge buying power (think warehouse clubs, national associations for the self-employed), or even setting up an Health Spending Account. Whatever choice we make, it all boils down to attracting and taking care of our most important professional asset—ourselves.

Caitilin Walsh is an ATA-Certified French-English translator who delights in producing publication-quality translations for the computer industry and food lovers alike. In addition to her longtime service to her local chapter, NOTIS (Northwest Translators & Interpreters Society), she serves as President-elect of the American Translators Association. She brings her strong opinions to teaching Ethics and Business Practices at the Translation and Interpreting Institute at Bellevue College, and chairing the T&I Advisory Committee for the Puget Sound Skills Center. When not at her computer, she can be found pursuing creative endeavors from orchestra to the kitchen.

Fluent in 11 Languages

2012-02-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

All translators and interpreters are proud of their hard-earned foreign language skills, usually in one or two languages, but we've never heard of anyone who's fluent in 11 languages. Plus, this kid is only 20 years old. Granted, he doesn't translate or interpret from these languages, but we bet Alex Rawlings would be a fine addition to the community.

Alex's story is truly remarkable, and there's no question that he's extraordinarily talented. We listened to Alex's video in the four languages that we speak between the two of us, and we were quite impressed. We can't judge the quality of the other languages, but we have a hunch they are just as good. We wish the BBC article delved into Alex's life a bit further, as we'd love to know more about him and learn more details about how exactly he has acquired so many languages in his young life.

You can watch the video on the BBC's website.

Keep it Simple

2012-02-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

Every profession comes with its own sets of rules, standards and industry-specific jargon, and translation and interpreting are no exception. We go to great lengths to avoid using high-level terminology that might or might not mean anything to the potential client. We feel that it's our job to explain the process to clients in as simple a language as we can.

Put yourself in the customer's shoes: when you get a speeding ticket, you don't want the attorney you hire to take care of it to bombard you with acronyms and stuff you don't understand. All you want to know is what you need to do to get the ticket off your record. We feel the same way about our roles in clients' lives: we want to solve their problems as opposed to making things more complicated by showing off (intentionally or not) jargon that's meaningless to clients. This seems like a no-brainer, but it's amazing how many service providers cannot get themselves to explain processes in a simple, straight-forward way (several of our CPAs come to mind here). When dealing with your own clients, our advice is to make things as easy on them as possible -- after all, they are not translators or interpreters, and they don't need to be: that's why they have you.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

Webinar: Pricing Strategies for Translators and Interpreters

2012-02-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

In 2010, the American Translators Association started offering webinars, and they've proven to be hugely successful. Judy is honored to present yet another webinar for the ATA. It's all about pricing strategies for both translators and interpreters around the world. For more details, please visit the ATA's webinar page. The one-hour webinar will be held on February 29, 2012 at 12 noon Eastern. The cost is $35 for ATA members and $50 for non-members.

Here is the presentation abstract:

Pricing is a controversial and complex subject, and it’s one that all linguists need to think about very seriously. In order to make a good living in the profession that we love, it’s essential to figure out how to price our services. It's not about the price someone tells you to charge, but rather what do you want to make and how do you get there.

The webinar will cover:

How much do you want to make?
Moral/ethical obligations?
Brief overview of supply, demand and price
The peanuts/monkeys phenomenon
Alternatives to very low prices for newcomers to the profession
The business case for no free translation tests
Surcharges (weekend, 24-hour turnaround, PDF, etc.)
Dealing with adversity
Adjustments for inflation

In compliance with U.S. anti-trust law, no specific price recommendations will be made during the webinar.

Language Access Position: Barton Memorial Hospital (South Lake Tahoe, CA)

2012-02-17T14:01:00.000-08:00

We just received this job posting from a friend of ours -- it's a 3/5 position and you'd have a very nice boss (trust us). The job is at Barton Memorial Hospital in gorgeous South Lake Tahoe, CA. To apply, please start here and click on "employment search" and then select the "professional" option. The job title is Language Access Services Assistant.

Read on for more information:

LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES ASSISTANT
Department:	LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES
Schedule:	Part Time
Shift:	Variable
Hours:	Variable days and schedule, 8-hour shifts

POSITION OVERVIEW

Assists coordination with Language Access Services (LAS), including in-house Medical Interpreters, Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) interpreters, telephonic interpreting, remote video interpreting, and written translation system-wide.Assists organization with continuing education of LAS staff; coaches, mentors and develops the skills of LAS staff.
Provides training to providers and staff, including new employees, on the procedure for requesting interpreters and written translation, as well as on methods for working effectively with an interpreter.
Follows National Council on Interpreting in HealthCare (NCIHC) Code of Ethics and California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) standards; ensures services are consistent with the standards of BMH and JCAHO and other regulatory bodies.
Assists and monitors the interpreter productivity and tracking system.
Serves as back up for interpreters/translators when necessary.
Works collaboratively with other Barton University administrative staff and other stakeholders to coordinate the content and scheduling of LAS courses, services and programs; utilizes support services and operates within budget parameters.
Reports to the Director of Education/LAS Coordinator.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

High School Degree or equivalent. Bachelor’s degree in nursing, business, education, social work, sociology or related field preferred
Computer literate: Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint.
Bilingual, bicultural, 40 hour medical interpreting course certificate preferred. National Certification for Medical Interpreter highly recommended or ability to obtain within one year.
Sufficient computer skills as are required to complete an online application and the pre-employment/annual Net Learning requirements
In compliance with patient safety standards, must be able to effectively communicate in English; Bilingual abilities preferre

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of the position without compromising services.
Prolonged, extensive or considerable standing/walking/sitting
Considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching
Must be able to lift a minimum of 25 lbs.
Routine Office/Administrative conditions
Contact with patients and guests under a wide variety of circumstances
Potential for exposure to the risk of infections and bloodborne and contagious diseases
Subject to varying and unpredictable situations, including the handling of emergency or crisis situations
Subject to pressure due to irregular hours, frequent interruptions and stressful situations due to multiple demands
(1) High School Diploma or equivalent
Minimum 2+ Years Relevant Experience Required

$100 in Google Adwords

2012-02-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

We honestly don't know why Google keeps on sending us so many free certificates for $100 in Google AdWords for new users, but we will take them. As usual, we will raffle off the certificate to a colleague (freelancers only, please) who answers one question correctly. We will e-mail the access code to the winning person so he or she can get started with Google AdWords. The certificate expires March 31, 2012.

Here's the question: where was this picture taken? Hint: it was taken in the continental U.S. Give us the state/city/area, and you will win the prize!