| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | A translator reached out to me by email with some KudoZ questions, and I offered my help Thread poster: Luximar Arenas Petty
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Sandra& Kenneth wrote:
In a similar recent case, when trying to suggest the wealth of online resources to save herself the embarrassment of asking basic questions in professional forums, this "professed professional" gave me the following stunning answer: "why should I look for answers in [online resources] when I can get them by asking?".
Live and learn. I did.
Best,
Sandra
We may have to propose to create a new system called "TransOZ" ("trans" for "translation" and "OZ" for "magic"), which will allow users to ask peers for complete translations of their projects. Then the asker can proofread the work done by others, if proper (if in mood), and safely deliver the project.
Why bother if others can do the job?
Now seriously, I think 15 questions a day is not really a limit. It should be no more than two or three a day and not every day.
| | | | | KudoZ environment | Jan 23, 2015 |
Susana E. Cano Méndez wrote: Luximar Arenas Petty wrote:
My surprise began to grow as I continued receiving more emails asking for help from Translator and promising that when he/she was allowed to post these terms in Kudoz I could go ahead and answer these questions and Translator would give the four points to me. Oh, I understand quite a few things now! In some pairs, posting a Kudoz answer is always a risky business... So that might be the cause for it. It's amazing how rude some "pros" can be when someone posts an answer that collide with theirs (even marking it with a "3").
Believe me, I learned KudoZ the hard way when I was just starting out here in ProZ. I never post an answer without any support and always try to be cautious in choosing the confidence level. You are right that it is a risky business to post answers, but it is still anyone’s choice to do. So, I take the risk.
Merab Dekano wrote:
The client asks you: are you available to translate 1k words by tomorrow morning 9:00 CET?. It's a legal text, nothing out of the ordinary. You answer: yes I am, feel free to send me the text.
You receive the text. It is a patent translation for a new machine invented by polar elfs. It is called "perpertumobile polaris magnus mayoris ad personam mutatis causa". It consists of 710 parts and 230 assembly kits. The names of those parts and kits are totally unknown to you (in either language).
Few minutes later PO follows. You pick up the phone, call the PM and sing off key: "Tradirmi egli non può! Tradirmi egli non può"! After all, so far you have only translated contracts, judgments, business correspondence, minutes, business codes and similar.The PM (Scarpia) gets the message and decides to assign the job to Claus Santos who happens to be a bilingual chief engineer working at the plant where the machine was developed. And suddenly life becomes tiny bit easier.
[Edited at 2015-01-23 09:42 GMT]
Merab Dekano wrote:
We may have to propose to create a new system called "TransOZ" ("trans" for "translation" and "OZ" for "magic"), which will allow users to ask peers for complete translations of their projects. Then the asker can proofread the work done by others, if proper (if in mood), and safely deliver the project.
Why bother if others can do the job?
Now seriously, I think 15 questions a day is not really a limit. It should be no more than two or three a day and not every day.
You have made my day with your posts. But yes, the idea is not to abuse your “help(er)”.
neilmac wrote:
AFAIK, if you pay a membership fee you can ask as many kudoz questions as you like - that's the main reason I pay my subscription, which is up for renewal shortly.
However, I don't think any translators should work so far out of their comfort zone that they need to pester colleagues the way you describe. I wonder if this person was translating into their native tongue? It certainly sounds like they had bitten off more than they could chew.
Of course, anyone can invest their membership like they want to.
Sandra& Kenneth wrote:
In a similar recent case, when trying to suggest the wealth of online resources to save herself the embarrassment of asking basic questions in professional forums, this "professed professional" gave me the following stunning answer: "why should I look for answers in [online resources] when I can get them by asking?".
Live and learn. I did.
Yes, it looks like many people prefer to go the easy way to get their jobs done.
| | | | 564354352 (X) 
Denmark
Local time: 22:22
Danish to English
+ ...
| Simple abuse | Jan 23, 2015 |
Unless this translator is someone you know personally, or someone you know professionally and with whom you have a mutual working relationship and history of exchanging helpful advice, they have no right to even contact you to ask for terminology help. Any such request, in my book at least, is a request for work to be carried out, and then it becomes a simple matter of discussing whether you are available to do the PAID work, whether you are interested at all and what your general terms will be ... See more Unless this translator is someone you know personally, or someone you know professionally and with whom you have a mutual working relationship and history of exchanging helpful advice, they have no right to even contact you to ask for terminology help. Any such request, in my book at least, is a request for work to be carried out, and then it becomes a simple matter of discussing whether you are available to do the PAID work, whether you are interested at all and what your general terms will be for completing the job.
You went way up and beyond anything anyone here on ProZ could in any way reasonably expect of you, out of a kind heart. Personally, I doubt very much that I would have been as helpful as you were, and at the mention of any kind of reference material to assist ME in doing research on the translator's behalf, I would have found myself suddenly running out of time and shutting down all communication.
It is good to be kind and helpful, but it is wrong to abuse other people's kindness.
ProZ could actually have a 'name and shame' board for translators similar to the Blue Board for outsourcers, but it would probably get swamped with entries very quickly. ▲ Collapse
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I make use of Kudoz so once a while, for the simple reasons it exists and that it makes no sense to invent the wheel again. On the other hand I also answer Kudoz questions.
Among other things, I do technical, but especially German can be a hassle: 'They have invented a new machine and with it, new words'. I know what they are trying to say, but how to put it in Dutch (= the best/most correct way). It is difficult to translate words that don't exist. In such a situation I am happy w... See more I make use of Kudoz so once a while, for the simple reasons it exists and that it makes no sense to invent the wheel again. On the other hand I also answer Kudoz questions.
Among other things, I do technical, but especially German can be a hassle: 'They have invented a new machine and with it, new words'. I know what they are trying to say, but how to put it in Dutch (= the best/most correct way). It is difficult to translate words that don't exist. In such a situation I am happy with my colleagues on Proz, many do know more than one.
Good help deserves a reward, and I always close my (answered) questions with giving points. Not doing so is simply NOT DONE!
What else can I say? If this is the worse that happened to you, you're a lucky person. Sh.. happens. ▲ Collapse
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