Poll: How often would you say there are language-based misunderstandings with your clients? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often would you say there are language-based misunderstandings with your clients?".
View the poll results »
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| Direct clients never, agencies sometimes | Mar 28, 2023 |
Agencies tend to have many different nationalities working as PMs these days, some with very poor English.
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| Not very often at all | Mar 28, 2023 |
The only thing slightly similar to a language-related misunderstanding I can remember concerns a very regular client who sometimes sends me both texts in English (source) and French (translation). Occasionally these texts have slight differences between them, so instead of being helpful (that’s his idea), makes me ask questions…
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Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 13:12
French to English
Who's going to admit to having language problems on a translation forum?
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 13:12
French to English
Kay Denney wrote:
Who's going to admit to having language problems on a translation forum?
oops looks like I killed that poll!
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Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 13:12
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
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Kay Denney wrote:
oops looks like I killed that poll!
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expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 12:12
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
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Since writing is a translator's main means of communication, it is easier to clarify any language-based misunderstandings between the translator and the client.
In oral language, however, things can be quite different.
Anyway, one of the best skills of a translator is the ability to clear up "misunderstandings" in texts, and deal with language barriers.
So, I believe we are competent enough to cope with "language-based misunderstandings", and I would dare to say that these pr... See more Since writing is a translator's main means of communication, it is easier to clarify any language-based misunderstandings between the translator and the client.
In oral language, however, things can be quite different.
Anyway, one of the best skills of a translator is the ability to clear up "misunderstandings" in texts, and deal with language barriers.
So, I believe we are competent enough to cope with "language-based misunderstandings", and I would dare to say that these problems don't happen too often. ▲ Collapse
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Because I always communicate by email. I can't remember when I had any confusion about the terms of a job.
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Tony Keily
Local time: 13:12
Italian to English
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In my own language (English), I use expressions like 'This invoice is now due for payment', or 'I can't take on any more work this week', or even 'Translators are human beings too, you know', but clients rarely seem to understand me.
[Edited at 2023-04-03 12:44 GMT]
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