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"So you're a translator? When are you getting a real job?"
Thread poster: Michael Marcoux
Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Point? Jan 26, 2015

[quote]RobinB wrote:

Merab Dekano wrote: Will Lady Gaga... no, sorry... Leda Braga (provided you resist the temptation to translate her last name into Spanish)
She’s Brazilian. Do you have something against Brazilians? Or successful women?



Not against (neither Brazilians nor successful women). However, I could be agains their opinions (anybody's opinions, in fact).

I guess she won't, as the post goes: "Leda Braga, who runs...". It does not go: "Computers that run..."


And the computer algorithms for which Leda Braga is responsible run fund trading operations faster and more effectively (and more profitably) than humans.


This if fine. We also use CAT tools, computers, dictionaries, glossaries, etc.

[Edited at 2015-01-26 12:50 GMT]

[Edited at 2015-01-26 14:07 GMT]


 
Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales
Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:33
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
+ ...
My standard answer Jan 26, 2015

"Never. Why should I? I love what I do and I make money doing it. Is that a problem?" (said with a puzzled smile).

That's my answer to those who don't know me well.

Those who do would never ask such a stupid question.

[Edited at 2015-01-26 13:26 GMT]


 
Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:33
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
It's complicated Jan 26, 2015

RobinB wrote:
For “run” read “manage”, not handle the day-to-day trading. People run funds, like people run banks. Computers do the grunt work. And the computer algorithms for which Leda Braga is responsible run fund trading operations faster and more effectively (and more profitably) than humans.

Your understanding is flawed and the article is somewhat misleading. I can assure you that human fund managers still exist, and in great numbers. They run funds and make investment decisions pretty much as they always have done. Automated systems run on different timescales and are usually much smaller in scale but trading activity is orders of magnitude higher.

I have been involved in the markets for nearly quarter of a century and articles like this pop up every few years and have done since artificial intelligence boom of the early 1980s. There is a genuine difference now, which is that high-frequency trading is a major component of volume and simply cannot be performed by humans.

But if 50% of trading volume consists of HFT transactions that are opened and closed in milliseconds, then the counterparties must be other HFT systems, which means that if every one of those trades results in a win or a loss, a HFT system is on the losing end as well. Nobody's perfect.

Dan


 
David Turner
David Turner  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:33
French to English
+ ...
A lot of people certainly just don't 'get it'... Jan 26, 2015

... even well-educated ones. A translator friend once told me about the puzzled response of a doctor on being told what she did for a living: after all, dog = chien, cat = chat, etc. What's the problem?
She replied that there was a bit more to it than that: it would be a bit like saying that the doctor's job could be reduced to: headache -> aspirin, stomach ache -> alka seltzer, etc.
That seemed to strike a chord.


 
Akiko Kawagoe
Akiko Kawagoe
Japan
Local time: 19:33
English to Japanese
Come to live in Japan! Jan 26, 2015

oh, Michael, is that so in the US? In this case, come to Japan! In Japan, if you say "I am a translator", everybody respect you because it's kind of our dream job. There are lots of Japanese people yearn for this job, really. So I am really happy and proud of being a freelance translator though I am still a beginner.

 
Vadim Kadyrov
Vadim Kadyrov  Identity Verified
Ukraine
Local time: 12:33
English to Russian
+ ...
The same story here, in the CIS countries Jan 26, 2015

But, the thing is that here you have two absolutely different markets: domestic one, with pathetic rates (you obviously work for free; not too bad for freshers or undergraduates, or those who have just graduated from any university), and the market of international LSPs/direct clients (not a an easy path to follow, actually).

I chose the second one a while ago (well, some 5-6 years ago), and when I started telling my friends and relatives the numbers I began to use to talk about my
... See more
But, the thing is that here you have two absolutely different markets: domestic one, with pathetic rates (you obviously work for free; not too bad for freshers or undergraduates, or those who have just graduated from any university), and the market of international LSPs/direct clients (not a an easy path to follow, actually).

I chose the second one a while ago (well, some 5-6 years ago), and when I started telling my friends and relatives the numbers I began to use to talk about my income (in response to their remarks), they would suddenly and quickly change their opinion.

But, that change takes place exclusively "thanks to" the contrast between internationally recognized rates and the general level of income, rates and salaries paid here.

[Edited at 2015-01-26 14:31 GMT]
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LEXpert
LEXpert  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 05:33
Member (2008)
Croatian to English
+ ...
All in how you present it... Jan 26, 2015

Just incorporate (easy enough in the US, and in many respects not a bad idea after a certain critical mass), appoint yourself president and tell anyone who asks that you are a company owner and CEO!

 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:33
French to English
Another misunderstood translator here! Jan 26, 2015

Typically, people look at me a little strangely when I say I'm working from home as a freelance translator. It doesn't help that they confuse translation with interpreting. They see me out walking my dog at all hours and probably think I'm just a crazy lady making up a fancy title for herself. I suppose they're half right

 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:33
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
The question is... Jan 26, 2015

It basically all boils down to the one important question: what is a real job? Answer: a real job is one that earns you money, supports you and your family, and allows you to lead a good life. Does being a translator fulfill these requirements? It certainly does, well, for most of us anyway. In short, is there a "realer" (I intentionally did not use the correct "more real") job than being a translator? The answer: being a translator means that we/you have a job that's as real as it gets.... See more
It basically all boils down to the one important question: what is a real job? Answer: a real job is one that earns you money, supports you and your family, and allows you to lead a good life. Does being a translator fulfill these requirements? It certainly does, well, for most of us anyway. In short, is there a "realer" (I intentionally did not use the correct "more real") job than being a translator? The answer: being a translator means that we/you have a job that's as real as it gets.Collapse


 
Tim Friese
Tim Friese  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 05:33
Member (2013)
Arabic to English
+ ...
A few extra layers Jan 26, 2015

Yes, people are constantly confused, think I'm an interpreter (currently a minority of my work is interpreting), that I must travel constantly, that I must know Latin/Finnish/Chinese/Swahili/etc, that my work is all about the 'subtleties, the nuances, the cultural side of things'... my answer: actually, it's not generally about contemplating the beauties of contractual language, it's more about the research, the incredibly specific terms, juggling the mismatches between incompatible legal system... See more
Yes, people are constantly confused, think I'm an interpreter (currently a minority of my work is interpreting), that I must travel constantly, that I must know Latin/Finnish/Chinese/Swahili/etc, that my work is all about the 'subtleties, the nuances, the cultural side of things'... my answer: actually, it's not generally about contemplating the beauties of contractual language, it's more about the research, the incredibly specific terms, juggling the mismatches between incompatible legal systems and their terminologies, etc.

I also get to deal with everyone's (unsolicited) opinions about Arabs and the Arabic language? 'wow, that must be so hard', 'I'm surprised the government will let you work as a freelancer' (luckily in the US our government doesn't generally restrict us flat out from given occupations!), and 'there must be so much work in intelligence *wink*'. Answer: actually, a lot of intelligence work is very boring (transcribing phone conversations with no clear significance, etc.), and I find the legal and technical work I do fascinating!

Stay strong, fellow translators!
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Frankie JB
Frankie JB
France
English to French
+ ...
... Jan 26, 2015

As a rule I don't like to put job labels on people because I find it simplistic and it can create negative feelings. I don't like to say I'm a translator either because I often fear that people will see me as a subtalented person / have less respect when I'll have to elaborate and tell them 1) I only translate into French and 2) it's in writing, not oral and 3) I work from home (not glorious for men).

But when I had to, the reactions were usually more negative than positive. For exa
... See more
As a rule I don't like to put job labels on people because I find it simplistic and it can create negative feelings. I don't like to say I'm a translator either because I often fear that people will see me as a subtalented person / have less respect when I'll have to elaborate and tell them 1) I only translate into French and 2) it's in writing, not oral and 3) I work from home (not glorious for men).

But when I had to, the reactions were usually more negative than positive. For example, when I was still a language student considering translation, my grandmother told me "But Frankie, do you know that translation is only a part-time occupation? You need another source of income". Another time where relatives were invited at home, I was asked what was my job, I answered and they said, with a clearly disdainful face: "Oh, so you translate instructions* and mp3 stuff" (!!) - I'm sure they had in mind some illegible machine-translated user guide...

(*in French "notices", which is more negative than the English word "instructions").

One day, though, a plumber I called to fix my water-boiler asked what was my job and he answered "Woah, so you're a highbrow" - that was uplifting. My parents and close friends, too, have respect for what I do because they know me and know it's not for half-brainers. I'm sure there are many people that would stare at us in awe upon learning what we do, too. When I have the opportunity, I try to raise people's awareness. I explain them it takes way more than babbling some foreign languages and having dictionaries. I tell them I started reading my bilingual dictionaries when I was 14 (etc.) but 14 years later I often handle topics that I find very challenging. They are not clients but they form the general opinion and improving the way we are seen can only benefit the industry in the long-term. Wir sind keine Wasserträger und die Welt muss es wissen!!

[Edited at 2015-01-26 15:41 GMT]
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S_G_C
S_G_C
Romania
Local time: 12:33
English to Romanian
Romania here Jan 26, 2015

Oh, yeah, some of my relatives also asked me this question. Several times. Maybe even every time we met. They still do not understand why Google Translate is not good enough (it sucks into Romanian, btw). They are still curious about my monthly earnings and they have even set a daily amount for me, like a target. I am not lucrative unless I meet that target. In their opinion, of course. Which is why I never tell them how much I really earn. When they bug me too much, I just give them a random nu... See more
Oh, yeah, some of my relatives also asked me this question. Several times. Maybe even every time we met. They still do not understand why Google Translate is not good enough (it sucks into Romanian, btw). They are still curious about my monthly earnings and they have even set a daily amount for me, like a target. I am not lucrative unless I meet that target. In their opinion, of course. Which is why I never tell them how much I really earn. When they bug me too much, I just give them a random number, they will comment upon it anyhow.Collapse


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:33
French to English
none of their business Jan 27, 2015

Sorana_M. wrote:

Oh, yeah, some of my relatives also asked me this question. Several times. Maybe even every time we met. They still do not understand why Google Translate is not good enough (it sucks into Romanian, btw). They are still curious about my monthly earnings and they have even set a daily amount for me, like a target. I am not lucrative unless I meet that target. In their opinion, of course. Which is why I never tell them how much I really earn. When they bug me too much, I just give them a random number, they will comment upon it anyhow.


People who want to know how much I earn get told that it's none of their business!

It so happens that I don't really need to earn as much as I could, in that my partner makes obscene amounts of money without even trying. This gives me the luxury of being picky about the projects I take on, and I don't ever have to compromise on rates or deadlines. I know that if my financial circumstances were to change, I could easily take on more work and double my income.

When I'm asked about my work, I say that I'm a translator and immediately talk of my speciality subjects (art music history architecture fashion textiles tourism...) and there's usually something in there that tickles the asker, and then we get to talk about something we're both interested in.

Reading this thread, it seems like the men suffer more from "lack of prestige" than women, I suppose because expectations are lower for women, and women are not frowned on for working at home while juggling piles of laundry, babies spitting up and whatnot.


 
sandrutedal (X)
sandrutedal (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:33
Russian to Lithuanian
Same story Jan 27, 2015

When I has job as a Food Technologist, to answer in to people question "what do you do?", they looked at me like I was just a simple cook, . Here is problem with people education, culture, not with translator, not with food technlogist. But definantly is not nice to see some one to look at you , like you are "rubish" or very poor man.
For this kind of people I never ask what they doing, and do not want them to have any conversation.

[Edited at 2015-01-27 13:48 GMT]


 
Balasubramaniam L.
Balasubramaniam L.  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 16:03
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Sound advice! Jan 27, 2015

Rudolf Vedo CT wrote:

Just incorporate (easy enough in the US, and in many respects not a bad idea after a certain critical mass), appoint yourself president and tell anyone who asks that you are a company owner and CEO!




I do have a company, of which I am the managing parter (the other one is my wife). But I find it too pompous telling people I am a Tata or a Birla (or Bill Gates, for those outside India).

And it doesn't solve the root problem. They would look around the shabbily furnished home and comment, you don't live like one, are you not doing too well?

Which would then need a lot of lengthy (and eventually unconvincing) explanations. So my originally strategy of pretending to be a whiler, is much better. It elicits much less inquiry.


 
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