| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4] > | Off topic: Would you take on a 68 page translation job (approximately 33000 words) to be completed in 6 days? Thread poster: liz askew
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liz askew 
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:49
Member (2007)
French to English
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Hello
Out of pure curiosity, would you take on a 68 page translation job (approximately 33000 words) to be completed in 6 days (including Saturday and Sunday) at a relatively good rate of pay? The translation has very few repetitions and is health-related, concerning Africa.
That is, in all honesty, could you deliver an excellent English translation, translating approximately 5500 words per day?
Thanks for your replies!
Kind rega... See more Hello
Out of pure curiosity, would you take on a 68 page translation job (approximately 33000 words) to be completed in 6 days (including Saturday and Sunday) at a relatively good rate of pay? The translation has very few repetitions and is health-related, concerning Africa.
That is, in all honesty, could you deliver an excellent English translation, translating approximately 5500 words per day?
Thanks for your replies!
Kind regards
Liz Askew
[Edited at 2009-05-06 07:04 GMT]
[Edited at 2009-05-06 07:06 GMT]
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2009-05-06 12:54 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Hi Liz,
I'd negotiate a deadline extension. From what you describe, the translation sounds like it is for publication. I'd find it very tough, not to say impossible, to sustain the pace of translating more than double the max I take on for "for publication" work more than a day or so. In addition, there is no time budgeted for the bilingual review process and final monolingual proof in the time frame you describe.
And if a deadline extension is not possible, I'd probabl... See more Hi Liz,
I'd negotiate a deadline extension. From what you describe, the translation sounds like it is for publication. I'd find it very tough, not to say impossible, to sustain the pace of translating more than double the max I take on for "for publication" work more than a day or so. In addition, there is no time budgeted for the bilingual review process and final monolingual proof in the time frame you describe.
And if a deadline extension is not possible, I'd probably turn down the job, even if my checkbook were in pain, if I felt the required conditions to produce top-notch work were illusory.
Or, other option and with the client's acceptance, I'd split the job with a colleague whose writing style is very close to mine and take on the final review/harmonization process myself. But it sounds like the time-line is still a bit short for that option IMHO...
My two cents' worth!
Good luck,
Patricia ▲ Collapse
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I all honesty, I wouldn't be able to.
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But I'd have to say no to everything else and I would also make them aware that there may be a few 'minor' errors (unimportant ones to the meaning of the text).
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liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:49
Member (2007)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | No I couldn't | May 6, 2009 |
Well,
Ignoring the fact I have a bad cold at the moment so wouldn't wish to take this on....
However, thank you for the honest answers so far.
Even were I well enough I would not take this job on over a period of six days. I would not be able to do the text justice in any shape or form, and this is based on having done quite a few health-related texts. Frankly, I dread to think what this agency is going to end up with:-)
And this is a documen... See more Well,
Ignoring the fact I have a bad cold at the moment so wouldn't wish to take this on....
However, thank you for the honest answers so far.
Even were I well enough I would not take this job on over a period of six days. I would not be able to do the text justice in any shape or form, and this is based on having done quite a few health-related texts. Frankly, I dread to think what this agency is going to end up with:-)
And this is a document about vaccinations and health care in Africa!
Liz
[Edited at 2009-05-06 08:01 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I couldn't either | May 6, 2009 |
I could possibly do that much, that quickly, to a decent standard if it were strictly in my own field and very similar to a thousand other documents I'd translated before (even if not strictly repetitions - but the kind of job where your fingers know what to type while your brain's busily planning your next holiday), but certainly not under any other circumstances.
| | | | liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:49
Member (2007)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Exactly...you'd have to know the subject well | May 6, 2009 |
I agree Marie-Helene..
this is why I declined the job....although health-related, it was not one of those jobs where I could plan my summer hols at the same time:-) In fact, I don't get any jobs like that, more's the pity. Medical stuff takes a lot of concentration, research and hard slog:-)
Here's hoping you already have your summer holiday planned:-)
Byee
Liz
| | | | Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
Germany
Local time: 21:49
English to German
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Marijke Singer wrote:
But I'd have to say no to everything else and I would also make them aware that there may be a few 'minor' errors (unimportant ones to the meaning of the text).
If that is what your customer wants...
33.000 words cannot be translated by one human being in 6 days (including QS).
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liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:49
Member (2007)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | 33.000 words cannot be translated by one human being in 6 days (including QS). | May 6, 2009 |
Hello Aniello
I am so glad you stated this.
There was me beginning to think I was not up to standard:-)
Liz
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 21:49
Spanish to English
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Actually, it would be possible if you had a workforce of little elves who would sneak into your house at night while you were sleeping and do all the work for you.
Since that's not likely, I wouldn't take the offer seriously. It was obviously proposed by someone who has no idea of the inner workings of doing a translation.
Get well soon Liz.
| | | | David Moore (X)
Local time: 21:49
German to English
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| Health is vital (when you haven't got it...) | May 6, 2009 |
Hi Liz,
No, you and Aniello are definitely not alone; I wouldn't take on a job of this size even in my particular specialist field of railways to be completed within such a deadline. It just doesn't work for the average mortal. Maybe two or three per cent of translators could turn in a good job if this were their specialist field - but to be honest, I doubt even that. Just as you did, I'd smile sweetly and say "Are you absolutely sure you don't want it yesterday?" Or to give it ano... See more Hi Liz,
No, you and Aniello are definitely not alone; I wouldn't take on a job of this size even in my particular specialist field of railways to be completed within such a deadline. It just doesn't work for the average mortal. Maybe two or three per cent of translators could turn in a good job if this were their specialist field - but to be honest, I doubt even that. Just as you did, I'd smile sweetly and say "Are you absolutely sure you don't want it yesterday?" Or to give it another angle: "The impossible we do immediately; miracles take a little longer..."... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
Germany
Local time: 21:49
English to German
+ ...
| A nice one :-) | May 6, 2009 |
David Moore wrote:
"The impossible we do immediately; miracles take a little longer..."...
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| not possible... | May 6, 2009 |
maybe a technical manual with many repetitions, but not what you describe...
| | | | | 33000 words in 6 days | May 6, 2009 |
I had to refuse a job yesterday afternoon that had about 9000 words required for 9:00 am Thursday. I said that I could maybe do half in that time, but got no further reply. It makes you think that some people in the translation business have no idea about how long it takes to translate. In my subject, medicine, I can easily translate 4000 words per day, but not every day.
| | | | | The impossible we do immediately---- | May 6, 2009 |
Aniello Scognamiglio wrote: David Moore wrote:
"The impossible we do immediately; miracles take a little longer..."...
That used to be our department's (Clinical Biochemistry)motto when I worked in Hospitals. It was posted above the entrance to the Laboratory
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