Five Networking Tips for Translators

Posted On August 28, 2012By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  1 Comment

Translation work can be pretty lonesome sometimes. High speed internet connection at home, a professional email for work purposes and a reliable computer is all that the qualified translator needs on a daily basis. If he or she isn’t careful, it can be very easy to become a kind of recluse and feel fairly isolated from the rest of the working world in general.

This is why it is important for translators to network. It is inspiring and productive to stay in contact with new trends and to make an effort to be part of the translation community close to where you live. The problem is that not all translators really know where to start or how to network effectively.

The following tips cover some of the most useful networking strategies for translators worldwide. A daily dose of networking communication is all that it takes to turn a worn-out, stale translator into a modern, energetic master of language once more. If you love translation, but you feel that you need guidance and support every now and then, the ideas below are perfectly designed to meet your needs.

Contribute to Portals
Translation portals can be some of the best ways for translators to find support from other translators, find work and further develop their translating skills as the demands of their jobs expand.

Two of the most well-known translation portals are www.proz.com and www.translatorsafe.com. Both portals are particularly popular thanks to the extensive support and guidance translators can find via the forum discussions and translator help pages. Proz operates on a points system whereby translators who dedicate regular time to helping other industry experts and contributing to posts that have been published in the forum space earn more points. The more points a translator earns, the better their profile looks in Proz.

Positive profiles are clearly the best way forward for securing more work and better paid work too, which is why it is a really good idea to join these portals and make a constant effort to stay active on these sites as well.

Join Associations
It is also a very wise idea to join at least one translator association, particularly if you are working as a freelance translator as is the general custom of most translators across the globe.

There might be times when you need legal support or sound advice before signing a contract or launching into a long term project with any given company or independent client. As a member of a translator association, you will always have somewhere to turn should you require support of this kind.

Some of the most popular translator associations include:

1. The American Translators Association
2. The Institute of Translation and Interpreting
3. The Association of Translation Companies

Get Social
A quick search on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Termwiki will immediately highlight a long list of translators, translating companies, translating experts or translating sites that you can join and follow.

Once friends with other translating professionals, you will be able to share posts to your work and to job opportunities that come your way. The more you share, the more people will share with you in return and promote the translation work that you do. Essentially, getting social on social networking sites is one of the best and cheapest ways to spread information about your translation skills and learn about translation opportunities in record time.

Blog It
As an expert in translation, recognize that you have an important skill to share with others. Translators are in high demand across all industries, particularly in recent years as international business is now open to small businesses too via cheap, international online advertising with the likes of Google AdWords, for example.

If you start blogging about translation and translation-related topics on a weekly basis (regular posts are essential), then people interested in translation or people looking for translators will actually end up contacting you directly or following your blog and all your interesting updates.

Find your Specialization and Cut out the Middleman
This final tip is directly aimed at those translators who are looking for work and it highlights the benefits of cutting out the middleman. Ignore translator forums, translator groups and translator associations or websites and hit your potential client at the very source.

Make a decision and decide what kind of translation work you want to specialize in, if you haven’t done so already. There’s a huge difference between translators who specialize in medical translation and those who specialize in legal translation. Translating tourist material is nothing like translating novels and other kinds of creative writing.

When you know what kind of translation you want to dedicate most of your time to, head straight to the source with CV and past work examples at the ready and find out who, in your chosen industry, is in need of a translator.

For example, if your idea of a dream job is translating for hostel and tourism websites, send your CV to as many different hostels as possible and perhaps even visit some of them in person if you can.

 

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English Language Remained More Stable in the 20th Century

Posted On August 1, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, English Language, Languages, Tips for Translators/  No Comments

A scientific and linguistic analysis of data culled from digitized books shows that the English language remained relatively stable in the 20th century, with popular words and phrases falling out of favor at a slower pace as compared with past centuries.

The increased availability of digital information through initiatives such as Google Books makes quantitative academic research more feasible than ever. This access to copious amounts of digitized data allowed Slovenian researcher Matjaz Perc from the University of Maribor to analyze English-language books spanning five centuries. He discovered that during that time period, the English language has grown by about one-third. Additionally, he found that while the word “the” holds the distinction of most-frequently-used word between the years 1520 and 2008, the most common five-word phrases have changed quite dramatically since the end of the 16th century. In 1575, the top three phrases were “I have the honour to,” “Long Service and Good Conduct,” and “Lord’s Commissioners of the Admiralty.” By 2008, those top three phrases were supplanted by the following: “at the end of the,” “on the part of the,” and “in the middle of the.”

Perc found that popular words and phrases—referred to as “n-grams” in the study—went in and out of style much quicker in the 1500s, often being given the linguistic boot after just a few years. It wasn’t until the end of the 1700s that the English language’s list of top 100 phrases began to stabilize. Today common turns of phrase can live on for decades.

From a mathematical point of view, a snowball effect of sorts seems to be at work with these commonly used words and phrases. Once a particular phrase becomes popular, its popularity continues to grow and grow, making it less likely to be phased out of the language in the near future. And so, for better or worse, it looks like those well-worn clichés are here to stay.

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Tips for Proofreading Translations

Posted On July 26, 2012By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  No Comments

Proofreading a translationProofreading a translation before sending it off to a client is a final yet important step in every translator’s workflow. Careless errors not only reflect poorly on the translator, but they can have serious consequences for the client as well. Keep the following proofreading tips in mind to ensure that the client receives a polished, professional document every time.

  • Devote your complete attention to the text while proofreading. Minimize distractions, and work in a comfortable area with adequate lighting. If possible, work from a hard copy of the document so that you can make notes and corrections on the printed draft.
  • Imagine that you are the end-user of the document, and read through the text as though you were seeing it for the first time. Highlight any errors that you spot as you go along, and fix the mistakes that you marked once you’ve finished reading.
  • Read through the text a second time, paying extra attention to individual words, phrases and sentences. Highlight any errors that you find. Keep an eye out for misspelled words, run-on sentences, unnecessarily long paragraphs, use of the proper tense, consistent tone and register, and common errors such as it’s/its, then/than and there/their/they’re. Consult a dictionary or style guide if you have a doubt.
  • Carefully scrutinize formatting, punctuation, headers and footers, page and section numbering, headings, captions, etc. These items are also important, so resist the temptation to merely skim over them. In addition, double check the accuracy of dates and figures such as currency amounts, measurements or quantities. Mark each error and make corrections at the end of your second reading.
  • Now take a break to help clear your mind. If possible, come back to the text the next day so that you’re reading it with fresh eyes. Read through the entire document for a third time, searching for any possible errors in spelling, grammar, formatting or flow. Make sure the translated text sounds natural; the goal is to avoid “translationese.” If you spotted any additional errors during this third pass, correct them and save the document. You’re now ready to send the translation on its way to the client!
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The Value of Professional Translators

Posted On July 19, 2012By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Ever since the advent of machine translation, naysayers have been predicting the extinction of the human translator. In their opinion, it’s only a matter of time before this new technology renders professional translators completely obsolete. However, it’s not as easy to replace a human translator as some would have you think.

Trained professional translators possess a vast range of knowledge of at least two different languages and cultures. In addition, they have expertise in specialized topics including, but not limited to, law, science, medicine and business. Language service professionals have exceptional writing abilities in their native languages, and they must be able to adapt their writing style to the tone of the original text, whether it be formal, humorous, etc. They also possess knowledge of various dialects and an understanding of the cultures and customs in the places where their working languages are spoken. As a cultural and linguistic bridge—a language ambassador of sorts— translators are, in large part, responsible for effective communication with the world outside their countries’ borders.

Just like other professionals, translators must continually engage in training and professional development to keep abreast of important issues in the field of translation. Many translations are of a highly sensitive nature, and errors or shoddy work are simply unacceptable. Professional translators maintain high ethical and quality standards, standards which non-professionals are not bound to uphold.

Sadly, the prestige associated with the profession of translator seems to have waned in recent times. In many cases, the skilled translator is no longer viewed as a valuable professional, but one that can be easily replaced by a machine or an individual who is merely capable of communication in two languages. As an example, a new translation outfit known as Duolingo will soon be offering companies translations performed by language students. The students supposedly gain experience and knowledge while working for free, and companies get low-cost “translations” performed by individuals who are clearly lacking the requisite skills to produce quality work. The fact that a market exists for translations from a source like Duolingo speaks to the public’s low opinion of translation and all that it entails.

It’s important for language professionals to continue to educate the public about the role of translators and the true nature of their work. When the public understands the value of professional translation services, both clients and translators stand to benefit.

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The Field of Translation Ranks among Top Recession-Proof Industries

Posted On July 10, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  1 Comment

Translation BusinessWith the global economy still feeling the effects of the recession, some industries are holding their own while others are floundering. Fortunately, the prospects for the field of translation look extremely promising, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projecting industry growth of 42% during this decade, a figure that exceeds growth estimates for other industries evaluated by the BLS. As the U.S. population continues to become more diverse, the demand for interpreters and translators will also grow.

According to a market research study by the firm Common Sense Advisory, the market for language services will total $33.5 billion this year. Overall, the translation industry has experienced a compound annual growth rate of 12.17%. Unlike many industries where a handful of top performers dominate the business landscape, the market for translation and interpretation is splintered, with over 26,000 companies worldwide offering translation services. Only nine of those companies reported revenue in excess of $100 million last year.

Despite the proliferation of machine translation tools such as Google Translate and BabelFish, the market for language services has not suffered a downturn. While machine translation tools do offer insight into the meaning of a text, computers fail to render the nuanced, culturally correct translations created by humans. Given the current limitations of machine translation, it would seem that translators’ jobs are safe.

With that said, it is important for language service professionals to adopt new technology. Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools allow translators to work more quickly and efficiently, and with a potential shortage of qualified translators looming on the horizon, the use of technology will be necessary to meet the growing global demand for translations.

Experienced, educated, professional translators make up the backbone of the translation industry, and it is their expertise that will keep the industry riding high throughout this difficult economic period.

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New Additions to the Dictionary of the Real Academia Española (DRAE)

Posted On June 28, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Language, Tips for Translators/  No Comments

Last Friday, the Real Academia Española—the absolute authority on all aspects of the Spanish language—updated its online dictionary by means of 1,697 modifications, including new words, abbreviations, anglicisms and more. This update constitutes the fifth revision to the venerable dictionary since 2001.

With an average of more than 2,000,000 visits per day, the DRAE is the most frequently consulted online Spanish dictionary. Despite the dictionary’s popularity, the academy sometimes draws criticism for being overly conservative in terms of changes and additions to the DRAE. With that said, it seems that the Real Academia loosened up a bit this time around, adding new terms that reflect changes on societal, technological and economic levels as well as a number of slang words that have been in use for some time but were previously unrecognized by the RAE.

One of the most noteworthy changes came to the word “matrimonio” (marriage), which now incorporates same-sex union as one of the term’s accepted meanings. Given that both Spain and Argentina have legalized gay marriage, now both the law and the language reflect the concept of marriage equality in these countries.

Other words included in the update arose from social networking and the tech world, with terms such as “bloguero/a” (blogger), “chatear” (to chat), SMS, “tableta” (tablet computer) and USB finally gaining acceptance. Although “tuit” and “tuitear” (the word “tweet” both as a noun and verb) did not get the go-ahead this time around, the terms will likely be included in the next update.

With the global economic crisis at the forefront of many people’s minds, a number of financial and political terms entered the dictionary as well including riesgo de crédito (credit risk), riesgo país (country risk), and euroescepticismo (euroscepticism).

The dictionary’s next update to its print edition is slated for 2014; however, spokespeople for the academy note that the updating process is an ongoing one. You can consult the entire DRAE online at http://rae.es/drae.

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The Ethics of Translation

Posted On May 1, 2012By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Just as professionals such as doctors and lawyers occasionally grapple with ethics, translators and interpreters will likely face a range of ethical dilemmas in the practice of their profession. Certain countries have established codes of conduct that set out guidelines for issues such as quality standards, impartiality, and confidentiality; however, the truly difficult decisions arise when linguists are asked to translate a text that clashes with their personal ethical standards.

Consider these situations:

  • A translator is asked to translate the election platform of a political party whose views the translator vehemently opposes.
  • A translator with pro-life values is assigned a translation project involving educational materials about abortion.
  • A translator firmly against animal cruelty is presented with advertising copy for a company operating in the fur industry.
  • A translator opposed to the business practices of XYZ Corporation is asked to translate information about one of the company’s product lines.

The role of a translator is to objectively render the message provided in the source language into the target language. Ideally, linguists detach themselves from the topic in order to achieve the highest degree of objectivity when reproducing the message. A translator should be able to produce a sound translation even when his or her views come in conflict with those expressed in the text; however, if the source text tackles an issue that the translator feels so strongly about that it precludes his or her ability to remain detached and professional, then the translator should turn down the project.

In addition, it’s important to remember that many subjects are distasteful or unpleasant (e.g. reports of human rights violations), yet information concerning these topics is often needed to help combat horrific practices, investigate crimes, etc. Translators must evaluate not only the topic of the translation but also its end use.

Virtually all professional translators draw the line at translating texts that describe illegal activity, but when the topic of the translation falls into an ethical gray area, the decision to accept or reject the project on moral grounds ultimately rests with the translator. With that said, individuals who rely on translation to put food on the table may be slightly more open-minded than those who can afford to turn down unsavory projects thanks to other sources of income.

All freelancers have the right to choose which projects they take on. If they do turn down a translation, they don’t necessarily owe the client an explanation; nonetheless, it can be helpful to let the client know the reason for the rejection. In many cases, the client/agency will be understanding and supportive; however, translators should be aware that by turning down a project, they run the risk of losing the client.

If objectionable themes are likely to arise with a particular client, translators should consider adding a clause to their contract with that client, outlining the subjects the translator refuses to handle for ethical reasons. Another idea is to draw up a statement of principles, which summarizes the types of texts the translator will not accept on moral grounds. This statement may be sent to translation agencies or direct clients looking to engage the translator’s services so that his or her limits are clear from the very beginning.

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Notes on Back-translation

Posted On April 24, 2012By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

What is back-translation?

The process of back-translation consists of translating a previously translated text back into the original language. Ideally, a back-translation should be performed by an independent translator who did not participate in the original translation. The back-translation may then be compared to the original text to check the accuracy of the initial translation. Even careful translators and editors make mistakes, and the back-translation process offers a second chance to catch errors, omissions, additions or misinterpretations of the text.

A back-translation will rarely yield a result identical to the original text. Above all, it’s important for the back translation to reflect the same meaning as the original document, even if the word choice or word order differs slightly. A back-translation should be very literal but still idiomatic.

When is back-translation typically used?

  • Clients often request a back-translation to check the quality of the translation when the subject matter demands an extremely high degree of accuracy, for example, in clinical trials. They prove particularly useful for picking up errors that may be easily missed by the proofreader but that can have dire consequences. Some ethics committees and institutional review boards (IRBs) require back-translations before granting research approval.
  • In the field of advertising, translators tend to get creative and embellish the copy, occasionally moving away from the meaning of the original text. In some instances, even slight deviations in meaning can cause serious legal problems for the agency or client. With a back-translation, the client’s legal department can detect these potential legal issues. In addition, back translations of ad copy can allow the client to get a better feel for how the advertising concept is being expressed in the target language.
  • A back-translation may be requested when the reviewer doesn’t know the target language, especially in the case of unusual language combinations (i.e. Spanish to Luxembourgish).

The argument against back-translation

Some translators consider back-translation to be a fruitless exercise. Rather than perform a back-translation, there are those who argue for the original translation to be reviewed by an experienced, qualified proofreader as well as an expert with technical background (e.g. a doctor or other medical professional in the case of a medical translation, a lawyer for a legal translation).

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The Absence of Certified Translators in the U.S. and Implications for Translation Buyers

Posted On March 27, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  2 Comments

Unlike most European and Latin American countries, licensure or certification for translators does not exist within the United States, neither at the federal nor the state level. In the case of interpreters, a program does exist to certify individuals so that they may work within the federal court system; however, interpreters in other fields are not subject to this certification process. Although there’s no official certification program for U.S. translators, they may seek accreditation through professional organizations such as the American Translators Association (ATA), which rigorously test translators before granting them a “seal of approval.” Without a formal certification scheme—and thus a lack of assurances regarding a translator’s competence—many agencies have developed their own certification procedures to vet potential translators.

In other parts of the world, only certified translators may translate certain types of documents, such as legal or medical texts, for example. However, in the United States, translators are not required to be certified or licensed in order to provide a certified translation. Any translators willing to take an oath before a notary public, attesting to the accuracy of the translation and their qualifications to translate to and from a specific language pair, can offer clients certified translations.

Unfortunately, the absence of certification for language professionals in the U.S. means that nearly anyone, regardless of experience, education or aptitude, can pose as a translator. In addition, many translators refer to themselves as “certified” in an attempt to increase their marketability. Given that there’s no licensure or certification program in the United States, it’s wise to question the qualifications of those claiming to be certified translators (i.e. who certified them?). It’s important to note that there are many highly qualified, experienced translators who are neither accredited nor certified by a particular institution.
What can translation buyers do given the lack of translator credentialing programs in the U.S.?

  • Inquire as to whether the translator is accredited by a professional organization for translators.
  • Thoroughly check the translator’s references.
  • Work with a translation agency that has taken the time to put together a trusted team of qualified translators.
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Trends in the Global Translation Market

Posted On February 16, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Companies and multinational corporations operating in the global market require translation services for many aspects of their business. Marketing materials, websites, help forums, compliance documentation, technical handbooks, and human resource manuals all require language support. To meet demand, departments routinely contract with various translation service providers from around the world; however, in light of budget constraints and corporate belt-tightening, perhaps this isn’t the most sensible approach.

The independent market research firm Common Sense Advisory released new data that confirms the benefits of centralizing language services with one trusted provider. Using this approach can lead to decreased costs and faster times to market for greater volumes of translated material. The firm conducted a survey with 226 respondents at international companies that purchase translation services. In spite of global economic concerns, the majority of these firms reported that their translation spending had increased from 2010 to 2011.

Key findings in the report “Translation Performance Metrics” include:

  • Translation costs are extremely small in comparison to the revenue they create. Virtually all companies noted that their translation costs fell well below 1% of total revenue.
  • Key industries are spending more on translation services. Spending increased by more than ¼ in the financial services, health care, manufacturing and insurance sectors.
  • The budget for translation services correlates to the size of the firm. The majority of companies anticipate an increase in their budget for translation services. Firms with revenue in excess of US $10 billion expect the highest percentage increase (31.1%).
  • There’s an upward trend in project size and the number of languages. Large translation projects consisting of one million words or more increased across almost all industries. The organizations that participated in the survey estimated that ¼ of their projects would contain a million or more words by the year 2012. In 2009, projects of 10,000 words or less were translated into an average of 16 languages, with predictions for 2012 estimating some 20 different target languages.

For more information, visit Common Sense Advisory.


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