| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Poll: The worst thing a translator can do would be... Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
| | Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 08:25
Member (2006)
German to English
| | Nothing to do with quality | Feb 27, 2012 |
I think that the worst things a translator can do have nothing to do with quality. Quality is important but I believe that for instance a breach of confidentiality - like divulging contents of translated contract to competition would be a way more serious.
Cheers
S
| | | | | Other: Make a serious mistake in translation | Feb 27, 2012 |
Everything else can be forgiven, but I have seen translators pilloried for major linguistic errors. Here are some cases that ruined the translators' reputations.
1. In translating a conference resolution on appointing a new auditor, the translator understood that the previous one had died, and in fact he had merely retired. This was at an international conference, and the resolution about to be submitted to a vote. He was fired on the spot and sent home.
2. In referri... See more Everything else can be forgiven, but I have seen translators pilloried for major linguistic errors. Here are some cases that ruined the translators' reputations.
1. In translating a conference resolution on appointing a new auditor, the translator understood that the previous one had died, and in fact he had merely retired. This was at an international conference, and the resolution about to be submitted to a vote. He was fired on the spot and sent home.
2. In referring to tuberculosis patients who had dropped out of treatment and were lost in follow-up, a contract translator decided they had gone to Heaven. This infuriated his supervisor who never used his services again.
3. In the translation of an important diagnosis that said the tissue was "indemne" in Spanish, the translator said 'damaged', which misled doctors. Think of how a mistake in dosage or administration of a drug could change a person's life.
4. Then there was the interpreter (I know who he was--he confessed it to me) who translated "frozen semen" into Spanish as 'marineros congelados'. He never worked as an interpreter again. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| Ok but.....! | Feb 27, 2012 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
4. Then there was the interpreter (I know who he was--he confessed it to me) who translated "frozen semen" into Spanish as 'marineros congelados'. He never worked as an interpreter again.
Well, Yes, ok. But I've often thought that the most important skill for someone doing "live" interpreting has to be having a thick skin. Mistakes WILL happen, you can't be absolutely perfect all the time, but you do have to be able to live with it and carry on, or you'd go mad.
I know that I couldn't do it, I would replay the mistake over and over in my mind, and eventually the stress would kill me - so that's why I stick to written translation!!
I feel for your friend with the "frozen seamen" - but I don't necessarily think it means he's a bad interpreter!! Surely??
| | | | Adnan Özdemir
Türkiye
Local time: 09:25
Member (2007)
German to Turkish
+ ...
| Other: D D T | Feb 27, 2012 |
Dying
During
Trans_lating
[Edited at 2012-02-27 09:53 GMT]
| | | | | Agree with Muriel | Feb 27, 2012 |
Getting it wrong has to be the ultimate sin
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 15:25
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| Agree with Muriel too | Feb 27, 2012 |
Chris S wrote:
Getting it wrong has to be the ultimate sin
Well at least a hot contender in the Top Three
I once had a translator translate a "toilet seat" as "stool," as in "Don't forget to clean the stools at the end of the day." in a public parks' maintenance manual. 
I'm glad I caught that one before the job went to the client and the stool really hit the fan!
Happy translating!
| | |
|
|
|
Emin Arı
Türkiye
Local time: 09:25
English to Turkish
+ ...
| no internet connection! | Feb 27, 2012 |
loss of customers, online glossaries and bank account access!
| | | | | The wrong place at the wrong time | Feb 27, 2012 |
I agree with Stanislaw Czech that the worst things come under the ethical issues. Many of the other situations are irritating and embarrassing, but not disasters.
I am a hopeless typist, but I have colleagues who barely NEED the spelling checker! Obvious typos are irritating, but not exactly the end of the world. The 'frozen semen/seamen' would not be caught by a spelling checker in writing, or by the ear in the spoken language... It's an understandable human error.
Not... See more I agree with Stanislaw Czech that the worst things come under the ethical issues. Many of the other situations are irritating and embarrassing, but not disasters.
I am a hopeless typist, but I have colleagues who barely NEED the spelling checker! Obvious typos are irritating, but not exactly the end of the world. The 'frozen semen/seamen' would not be caught by a spelling checker in writing, or by the ear in the spoken language... It's an understandable human error.
Not proofreading and therefore not catching that kind of error, quite apart from the other examples Muriel quotes, is far worse. Translating the meaning is at the core of the business, and rendering it faithfully must be given top priority.
We strive for perfection, and perfection is put at risk by most of the situations mentioned in the poll. However, the dream of perfection must not be reduced to nit-picking. Attention to detail is important, but must never be allowed to cloud the major issues.
I don't think you can generalise. You have to ask: what is most important to the specific client, each time. Some will say never mind the typing errors, I NEED this as soon as you can deliver. Others can give you more time, as long as the result makes a good impression on their customers. Then plan your translation accordingly.
Happy translating! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Except for "to accept a tight deadline" | Feb 27, 2012 |
(why not accept it? It is up to you to manage your time!), I cannot select just one option and I do agree with Muriel that "Getting it wrong has to be the ultimate sin"!
| | | | | Most of the above indeed, but... | Feb 27, 2012 |
Michael Harris wrote:
Most of the above!
... all these may have mitigating factors.
to accept texts in unknown fields - It depends on the level of the audience in unknown fields. I have chosen five fields of human knowledge in which I won't translate material intended for professional practitioners. Yet expert reviewing could do the trick.
Medicine is one of the fields I've declared off-limits. A couple of weeks ago I had a request to translate and subtitle a medical video. BTW I know no medical translation specialist in my pair who does video subtitling. My two medical translation experts were MIA. So I got the client to agree that the end-client (obviously a pharma company) would review my translation for the subs before I burned them. To my surprise, the MDs only made half a dozen changes, all of them being matters of word preference.
to miss a deadline - I voted for this one, as it is my priority. Never missed a deadline in almost four decades translating, and hope I never will. If the client needs it by a certain date, you can either say it's impossible (and thell them what is a possible deadline), or turn down the assignment offer.
to not translate only into their native language - This is a matter of applying common sense and some really honest self-judgment. Giving just one from countless examples: I'd be a much better choice to translate material, say, on people management into my technically non-native language, than highly literary, poetic material into my truly native language.
not using the spell-checker - This is silly. While the convenience of a spellchecker will deter you from leaving a "1" in place of an "l" (lowercase L), by no means it will assure that your translation is properly written. I recall that Word 2.0's spellchecker would not accept "nuvens" (PT for "clouds"), and would suggest replacing it with with "nu vens" (PT for "naked you come"). Using the spellchecker should be taken for granted, always.
to accept too much work and to accept a tight deadline - Both stem from not knowing accurately your production capacity. If you have made a commitment to do it, you must do it! ... no matter what it takes. At least, knowing your production capacity will enable you to know beforehand how much effort it will take.
| | |
|
|
|
David Wright
Austria
Local time: 08:25
German to English
+ ...
| Making a mess of a project | Feb 27, 2012 |
and then refusing to admit it to the client!
To err is human, to admit it is professional.
| | | | m_temmer
Local time: 00:25
English to Dutch
+ ...
Doing a lousy job is according to me the worst thing a translator can do. And then I'm not talking about one huge interpretation mistake in perhaps a document of 20 pages. I'm talking about overall quality. Mistakes are of course to be avoided as muchas possible, but we are all human and make them anyway. However, there's no excuse for a lousy translation (whatever the underlying reason!).
| | | |
all of them apart from "not accepting a tight deadline"... if it said "an impossible deadline", then I would have agreed...
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: The worst thing a translator can do would be... | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
