Request to review another translator's work Thread poster: Helena Grahn
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Helena Grahn 
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:00
English to Portuguese
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Yesterday, when I checked my email late at night I found an email from a translator asking me to review her translation in EN as a favour, as she never done translations in the law field before. I am not talking about one or two paragraphs but pages and pages.
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| Give her a cost estimate | Oct 4, 2012 |
since it is more than a few lines.
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Attila Piróth
France
Local time: 13:00
Member
English to Hungarian
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| Quote your fee | Oct 4, 2012 |
If you specialize in the field of law and provide proofing / coaching / assessment services,m then you should quote your fee and explain the benefits to the translator: she would get expert feedback that show how good her translation is in this field, how to improve, etc. If she is looking for a long-term arrangement, she will have a firm basis to calculate her fee for a solution that includes translation + revision by a second professional.
If you do not specialize in the field of... See more If you specialize in the field of law and provide proofing / coaching / assessment services,m then you should quote your fee and explain the benefits to the translator: she would get expert feedback that show how good her translation is in this field, how to improve, etc. If she is looking for a long-term arrangement, she will have a firm basis to calculate her fee for a solution that includes translation + revision by a second professional.
If you do not specialize in the field of law and/or do not provide proofing / coaching / assessment services, direct her to a colleague who does (if you know one), and explain her what she should be looking for for her money.
Best,
Attila ▲ Collapse
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Kelly Gill
Italy
Local time: 13:00
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Sometimes when this happens to me I say "sure- no problem, but I will need a few days (a week) because I have to do my paying work, so if you can wait great- otherwise I can't help you out"
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| That's too much of a favor | Oct 4, 2012 |
I'd apologize and explain that I can't spend precious time doing (a part of) my job for free.
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Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 14:00
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
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| Review a sample | Oct 4, 2012 |
Then you know how good she is and if you are interest to help her out.
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 13:00
French to English
| Do you know her? | Oct 4, 2012 |
If it's a friend I'd gladly have a look at least to assess the extent of the damage and then explore possible solutions, including payment if it involves a lot of work.
If it's someone who found you via your website or something then I would simply quote my price, along perhaps with a gentle admonishment for taking something on that she couldn't handle.
A friend would at least get an admonishment in the form of a question ("What on earth possessed you to take that on... See more If it's a friend I'd gladly have a look at least to assess the extent of the damage and then explore possible solutions, including payment if it involves a lot of work.
If it's someone who found you via your website or something then I would simply quote my price, along perhaps with a gentle admonishment for taking something on that she couldn't handle.
A friend would at least get an admonishment in the form of a question ("What on earth possessed you to take that on? Were you already counting on me to bail you out or what?"). ▲ Collapse
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Helena Grahn
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:00
English to Portuguese
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TOPIC STARTER | If I know her? | Oct 4, 2012 |
No, not at all. Even worse.
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| Are you sure that she expects that you do it for free? | Oct 5, 2012 |
The idea is rather strange - after all I presume that she's not doing this translation for free. Maybe by favour she meant that you will accept this (paid) job - after all there is no guarantee that you have time for it at all...
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Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 04:00
English to German
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In memoriam | My thoughts, too. | Oct 5, 2012 |
Stanislaw Czech wrote:
The idea is rather strange - after all I presume that she's not doing this translation for free. Maybe by favour she meant that you will accept this (paid) job - after all there is no guarantee that you have time for it at all...
A favor among busy colleagues means to squeeze in a project on short notice - it doesn't mean that it goes without any payment.
When I started out as a translator, I did the same. Yes, I was a copywriter, yes, I was familiar with a particular industry - yet I paid colleagues for smallish jobs at times and during my first months as a translator higher rates for editing than I was being paid for the translation, just to be able to learn and to provide a perfect result and because I didn't know what was expected from me. This kind of investment pays off in the long run. A lot!
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Russell Jones
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:00
Italian to English
Nicole Schnell wrote:
When I started out as a translator, I did the same.
This kind of investment pays off in the long run. A lot!
I had the same experience. After answering a few KudoZ questions for the same Asker, 10 years ago, she asked me to proofread her translation. She then recommended me to her former employer, a translation agency.
They are still my best client.
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Helena Grahn
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:00
English to Portuguese
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TOPIC STARTER | Yes, I also answer KudoZ questions but this time it was a totally different thing | Oct 5, 2012 |
Russell Jones wrote: Nicole Schnell wrote:
When I started out as a translator, I did the same.
This kind of investment pays off in the long run. A lot! I had the same experience. After answering a few KudoZ questions for the same Asker, 10 years ago, she asked me to proofread her translation. She then recommended me to her former employer, a translation agency. They are still my best client.
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| Another suggestion | Nov 14, 2012 |
Hi!
Another idea is:
You take a litlle part of her translation (no more than 10 lines) and proofread it. If you have time, comment it. And then tell her for the whole rest you can only accept the job for (here your usual fee). Don't forget to mention the deadline you could deliver it.
Why the hell should you do for free a hughe work she gets paid for????
If you think she is a newbie and she is really not aware of what is she really asking you for, just tell... See more Hi!
Another idea is:
You take a litlle part of her translation (no more than 10 lines) and proofread it. If you have time, comment it. And then tell her for the whole rest you can only accept the job for (here your usual fee). Don't forget to mention the deadline you could deliver it.
Why the hell should you do for free a hughe work she gets paid for????
If you think she is a newbie and she is really not aware of what is she really asking you for, just tell her. I.e. "This job would take me XX hours to complete. Please accept that I can't do it on the go, neither for free. Thank you!"
My two cents.
Regards,
Helena ▲ Collapse
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Quiddity
Local time: 13:00
English to Spanish
| Don't even know him/her? | Nov 16, 2012 |
Don't even know him/her? Just forget about it.
Anyway, you shoud be paid for any proofreading you do unless is an agreement that you have with somebody of proofreading each other's work. Some translators do that. It's not a bad way of working but of course you both have to take your part...
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