Posts Tagged ‘Translator’

These days it is impossible for a translator to do his or her job without using a computer. But let’s not forget that it wasn’t always like this…

A few decades ago, before there was such a thing as advanced technology, translators worked only with pen and paper. Research was a very difficult aspect, since it required a lot of effort to access texts from other parts of the world. In addition, those were different times, since the translations had to be written out by hand or, even better, on a typewriter. Finding out that some friend or acquaintance was traveling to another country was a big deal, since this gave the translator the perfect opportunity to get his or her hands on priceless material. Informational material handed out by certain foreign companies was also of great value.

Today this reality has changed. In certain ways we have become salves to technology. By this I only mean that a translator who does not have at least a fundamental understanding of software and other technological aspects of the job will not see as many opportunities. To work with a variety of clients, be it with companies or with translation agencies, we need to be well-versed in the finer workings of programs such as Acrobat, Excel, Word, Multiterm, Trados, among other. For this reason, it is highly important that we are certified in these tools. If we are already working with these software programs, we have to stay constantly up to speed on the latest features and changes. Unfortunately, a translator who fails to stay updated on technological issues will fall behind the rest.

We often ask ourselves if it’s important to be registered as a translator. I think it is. Belonging to an association that brings professionals of the same field together offers different benefits for all of us.

Professional registration is useful in marking a difference. Registered translators, regardless of the quality of their work, will have a significant advantage, since they can perform certifiable translations as long as their fees at the institution are paid in full. This is a very important aspect, since legalizing our translations grants them a sense of legitimacy, in the same realm that public documents give testimony to a specific situation.

In addition to legalizing them, the associations also allow us to share our experiences with colleagues and perhaps (why not?) develop our “political” inclinations. Maybe we are interested in doing something for ourselves and our colleagues, perhaps trying to change some aspect of the profession that many of us are unhappy about. In that case, we can officially approach the organization and have discussions, debates, and meetings centered around that issue. Let us not forget that taking part in a group that works for the benefit of our profession puts us in a good position.

Likewise, we can also benefit from the different opportunities that our association offers us, such as extra references in the library, discounts for courses, seminars and other types of qualification, among other things.

I recommend to all translators to register in an association. Having this opportunity opens many doors in the professional world, since by being part of an institution we are thus included in the database and there is always the chance that someone searching there will find us.

As a translator, I have asked myself this a thousand times while I was going to school and I had to work out the answer when I got my degree. Right now I am going to outline some advantages and disadvantages of both situations so that everyone can come to the conclusion that makes the most sense for them.

Autonomy

Being an autonomous, or as it is referred to in the industry, “freelance” translator in an interesting choice from the point of view of comfort and organization of your time. Since you don’t have to go to an office at a specific time, you can work comfortably from your own home and decide the schedule and working conditions for yourself. It also the important advantage of income: once you have established yourself in the market, the jobs you will receive will allow you to earn more than with a monthly salary at a company.

On the other hand, independence has its price. When there is a lot of work and you are tempted to take on more, it is hard to know where to draw the line and decide, for example, to take a break instead of working all weekend. We also shouldn’t forget that unfortunate circumstances can always arise when it comes time to collect on a payment, since the translator him/herself is the one responsible for the organization of how much he/she has worked and how to receive the money that is owed.

Lastly, one of the essential topics for this subject is the social aspect. Working alone at home can be productive, since you are relaxed, but we can’t forget that a group setting is what nourishes us and helps us grow.

Direct employment

As far as direct employment, without a doubt its greatest advantage is security, both in the source of work and in the simple fact that you know there will be some money coming into your account every payday. Likewise, some people enjoy having a structured workday and the ability to check out of their professional responsibilities when the end of the day comes. Another irrefutable positive aspect of direct employment are the benefits associated with most jobs, such as a health care plan, among other things.

However, this working relationship takes away some of our freedoms as far as the chance to make certain decisions and, as a result, limits us. In certain working environments it is difficult to grow, whether in regards to salary or professional development. Additionally, having a set schedule presents difficulties in solving personal situations, whether they involve going to an office to file some paperwork or taking a nap after lunch.

And now revisiting the social aspect, it is the greatest advantage of working as a direct employee, from my point of view. Group work is completely gratifying, as it allows us to learn and, at the same time, to share our knowledge. This setup keeps us from being isolated, which is a vice that is all too common in our profession.

So what is the right choice?

How do we decide? That decision with be the result of many factors: our age, our economic situation, our confidence in ourselves, the translation market where we live, the path we want our career to take, our goals, and, fundamentally, our own will.

If you are a translator working with the Trados CAT tool, you may have seen a component called MultiTerm in your product package. So, just what is this tool and how practical is it for every-day translation jobs?

MultiTerm is ideal for translators working with bilingual glossaries or ongoing projects with highly specific terminology. Many times clients will send their glossaries in an Excel sheet with their own translations of product names or terminology for the sake of consistency between terms found in user manuals, online material, etc. In these cases, it is critical to use the glossary sent by the client. What the MultiTerm product does is convert the glossary into an .xdt file which is recognized by Trados and can then be linked to the Trados workbench. What this means for the translator is that instead of searching through countless entries of an Excel file looking for the right term, Trados will automatically recognize if the term is in the glossary, and if so, it will display the corresponding translation in the “Term Recognition” window on the Workbench.

While there are several steps involved in the process, I have found that it is well worth the time and energy to learn how to use this product, as well as its other features. Not only is this ideal for translators, but it is also great for project managers who are using several different translators for a document with very specific terminology.

Frequently, we are faced with the task of determining whether or not the translation we revise is good or bad. As professionals, our opinions should be well-grounded and not a result of our mood at that time or the friendship we have with the translator who delivered the product.

There are some objective factors that will help to clearly determine which translations do not meet minimum quality standards.

1.    The translation must have all paragraphs and sentences from the original document. For example when there is a list of synonyms, such as “home, house, dwelling”, all synonyms must be translated. Otherwise, the translation would be incomplete and would not contain all the ideas expressed in the original document.
2.    The translation should not blatantly modify the purpose or meaning of the original document. This involves avoiding bringing errors in the original into the translated document and translating too literally.
3.    Before delivering the translation, the translator should read it to make sure that it complies with points 1 and 2 above and to correct spelling and grammar errors. Automatic spelling and grammar checkers are very useful for this.
4.    The translation should have a fluid writing style that is easy to read, and thus, understood. In this way, the message is effectively delivered. It is worth noting that language preferences don’t necessarily constitute errors.
5.    Before delivering the project, the translator should check to make sure that all the project’s files are delivered, thus preventing having to make a second delivery. It is always important for the translator to deliver the file on time, so that the document can continue with the edition process in a timely manner.
6.    And finally, and perhaps most importantly, everyone involved in the project should communicate and clarify doubts as soon as possible and as professionally as possible.

Even though these problems may arise while working on a project, it is important that we use point 6 in order prevent or correct the errors listed above.

So, with that being said…let’s get to work!

Today, clients commonly deliver files in PDF format for a price quote for translation, edition and proofreading services.

This format, which is very practical for sending a file through the Internet, cannot be edited, and thus, when the translation, edition and proofreading services are purchased, it would be helpful if the client would send the original document in an editable format, whether in Word, Excel, InDesign, Quark, Publisher, etc. so that the translator can easily work with the same format of the original document, without having to read the PDF with some conversion program.

If this original editable document is not sent, graphic design services have to put in an extra effort to recreate the file, which will likely be reflected in the translation costs billed to the client.

Therefore, in order to reduce costs for the client for graphic design services and in order to facilitate the translation process, ideally the client would send the freelance translator or translation agency the original editable documents for translation, edition, etc.

As we already know, one word can have several different meanings which will be defined according to the context. For example, the word trial can have one meaning in a legal document about litigation and another meaning in a document about labor relations. What’s more, these meanings shouldn’t be confused with the meaning that the word has in a medical document.

Unfortunately, not all examples are as clear as this one, and in this case, the translator must have vast knowledge of the topic in order to properly translate the document. We have all been in uncomfortable situations where we are concentrated on reading the document and have found a rhythm when suddenly an unintelligible phrase or word makes us put on the brakes.

This phrase is unintelligible to us precisely because the person who wrote the document did not understand it and thus formulated a completely incoherent sentence lacking basic logic. Of course, we can’t all be specialists and translators in different areas at the same time, but we must rely on specialists in the diverse areas of our translations as much as possible in order to clarify questions or doubts. It is important to keep in mind that the client can act as the specialist and help resolve these types of problems as well.

For many agencies and translation service providers, the process of translation for client delivery involves more steps than simply the translation. It typically requires both an edition and proofreading stage before the document is ready for delivery. However, as translation is the first step in this process, also known as TEP (translation-edition-proofreading), delivering a quality translation from the start is essential for the other steps to run smoothly.

For this post, we have put together some simple tips that will help the translator deliver a higher quality product and thus facilitate later revisions:

1. Before agreeing to a translation, be sure to revise the document first and make sure that you feel comfortable both with the subject matter and language flavor.

2. Also, make sure you are familiar with the file format or requested translation tools such as CAT tools.

3. While translating, use any reference material, style guides or translation glossaries sent to you so that your terminology and style are consistent with other documents for the same client.

4. While you are working, have dictionaries or other online resources specific to the topic you are translating at hand for easy reference.

5. Contact the project manager or client immediately if you foresee any problems with the document.

6. When finished translating, read over the document once more to make sure that the text makes sense and there are no errors.

7. You should always look at your translation as if it were the final product, and don’t count on editors or proofreaders to fix your mistakes.

8. Be sure to run a spelling and grammar check before delivery.

9. Check the translated document against the source for any missing text or formatting issues.

10. With your file delivery, be sure to include any notes or comments for the client or for the editors about the translation.

Most translators are familiar with the expression “traduttore, traditore” meaning “translator, traitor” and have their own personal experiences with the difficulties in translation. We have all seen poor-quality translations, translated text that is virtually unintelligible for a native speaker, translations that misrepresent the original text and blatant mistakes whether in subtitles, song lyrics, or in day-to-day document translations. Translators become the villains in this story–the easy targets when pointing the finger. After all, translation is really about just taking words from one language and finding the equivalent in the target language, right? So how hard can it really be?

Well, for starters, translation is no easy task and involves much more than simply transferring the words into another language. It requires research, thorough understanding of both the original and target languages, cultural knowledge, and specific training on the topic you are translating. And even then, there are still inherent problems with the language itself that lend themselves to numerous interpretations and glaring mistakes. There are just some phrases that are so connected to cultural context that it is next to impossible to provide an equivalent translation of the text that also bears the same meaning.

So, what exactly is the translator’s job when faced with these difficult expressions? Is it better to translate them literally so as not to “betray” the text but at the risk of a lower quality translation, or is it better to find the closest alternative that makes sense in the target language, even though the translated version may slightly modify the idea? Most translators would say that their task is to effectively communicate the same idea so that it makes sense to native speakers, but does that mean we are doomed to constant criticism?

The accusations and criticism aside, translation is an essential and rewarding task. As Goethe puts it, “Say what we may of the inadequacy of translation, yet the work is and will always be one of the weightiest and worthiest undertakings in the general concerns of the world.”

As translators, we frequently work on high-volume projects, but keeping consistency within one or several documents can be tricky. In order to delivery a quality product to the client, we need to use the CONCORDANCE function within the TRADOS CAT (computer-aided translation) tool, which is widely used, or should be, among translators.

In order to apply this function, do the following:

1. Highlight the expression you want to search within the translation memory:

2. Click on the CONCORDANCE function in the TRADOS bar:

3. The translation memory will display the other occurrences of the expression you highlighted within this document or within the other documents used with this same translation memory:

If we make it a habit to utilize this Trados function when translating or editing, all documents that we deliver to the same client will always be consistent in the terminology.