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How many words per hour is considered safe/realistic/sustainable?
Thread poster: Merab Dekano
Nicole Coesel
Nicole Coesel  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 03:19
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Well ... I learned my lesson well :) Oct 23, 2014

The very first issue I will address when a (potential) customer asks about my daily output capacity is that (whatever follows) is based on an editable source file.

In general, I find myself 'growing into' a TR, and I end up spending a lot of time proofing and editing in order to deliver a consistent, professional TR - just the way it should be.

As said before, output mostly depends on the (quality) of the source text, and therefore I wanted to draw your attention to its
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The very first issue I will address when a (potential) customer asks about my daily output capacity is that (whatever follows) is based on an editable source file.

In general, I find myself 'growing into' a TR, and I end up spending a lot of time proofing and editing in order to deliver a consistent, professional TR - just the way it should be.

As said before, output mostly depends on the (quality) of the source text, and therefore I wanted to draw your attention to its format as well

In general terms, my daily output varies between 3000-3500 words per day. Having said that, my workday ends when commitments are complied with - not when the clock tells me so.

Best of luck!

Nicole.
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Robert Rietvelt
Robert Rietvelt  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:19
Member (2006)
Spanish to Dutch
+ ...
Depends on the complexity Oct 23, 2014

Let me start with my absolute maximum ever: 6300 words in 8 hours without a CAT-tool, but the text was so simple that it was a 'read-and-write-down' job. The only check I had to make afterwards was for typo's.

My absolute lowest daily output was about 1000 words (confusing german technical text). It also once took me more than 3 hours to translate a 250 words heavy legal text (not my suite), didn't understand one word of it, and I am talking about my translation here, lets stand alo
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Let me start with my absolute maximum ever: 6300 words in 8 hours without a CAT-tool, but the text was so simple that it was a 'read-and-write-down' job. The only check I had to make afterwards was for typo's.

My absolute lowest daily output was about 1000 words (confusing german technical text). It also once took me more than 3 hours to translate a 250 words heavy legal text (not my suite), didn't understand one word of it, and I am talking about my translation here, lets stand alone the source text.

Normally my daily output varies between 1500 and 2500 words, depending on, as the title indicates, the complexity.

[Edited at 2014-10-23 21:35 GMT]

[Edited at 2014-10-23 21:36 GMT]
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Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Could not agree more Oct 24, 2014

Kevin Fulton wrote:


A lot of translators get into trouble for overpromising in terms of output, delivery date, etc. Offer a rate of output you're comfortable with and which allows you to deliver a polished product. You won't regret it in the long run, and your customers will appreciate it as well.


Could not agree more. Very wise approach.


 
Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Oh, those PDFs... Oct 24, 2014

Nicole Coesel wrote:


As said before, output mostly depends on the (quality) of the source text, and therefore I wanted to draw your attention to its format as well

Nicole.


PDFs come to mind. Convert? takes a lot of time. Copy and paste in a Word file and than correct / format? Takes a lot of time. Translate from the PDF file right away? You cannot use your CAT tool, then.

Before you even got started with the actual translation work, two hours of your time are gone. It would be wise to factor those two ours in when agreeing on a deadline. It would also be nice to get paid for those two hours:-)


 
Phil Hand
Phil Hand  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 10:19
Chinese to English
polish vs not Oct 24, 2014

In terms of actual translation speed, I can go pretty quickly. On easy texts, when the deadline is looming, I sometimes set myself a target of 1000 characters per hour, which is about 650 English words. I sometimes hit that target, sometimes miss it. But that's first draft quality only.

I've had a couple of survey questionnaire jobs where most responses were "It's great," "I like it," and I was charging through 10,000+ words per day on those, but of course that's the exception rathe
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In terms of actual translation speed, I can go pretty quickly. On easy texts, when the deadline is looming, I sometimes set myself a target of 1000 characters per hour, which is about 650 English words. I sometimes hit that target, sometimes miss it. But that's first draft quality only.

I've had a couple of survey questionnaire jobs where most responses were "It's great," "I like it," and I was charging through 10,000+ words per day on those, but of course that's the exception rather than the rule.
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Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
"speed" vs "stamina" Oct 24, 2014

Robert Rietvelt wrote:

Let me start with my absolute maximum ever: 6300 words in 8 hours without a CAT-tool, but the text was so simple that it was a 'read-and-write-down' job. The only check I had to make afterwards was for typo's.



I once was "forced" by my good customer to deliver 6400 words the same day. They contacted me on Friday afternoon. I was astonished and did not believe they were actually serious or that they actually believed what they were asking me. After a long silence during the phone conversation I "politely" told them that I could only make it if they could push the deadline to the next day (I hate to say just "no, thank you").

In 10 minutes I received the PO with 15:00 deadline next day. It was Friday afternoon. I confirmed. It took me literally two hours to get all the PDF files in a Word document, corrected and formatted. I started the actual translation work at about 18:00. I never actually seriously stopped until about 14:00 next day.

That is 320 words per hour, but this is not about the "speed". Rather, this is more about "stamina".

I was a physical and emotional wreck.

I will never do it again.


 
Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
That's "quick" Oct 24, 2014

Phil Hand wrote:

In terms of actual translation speed, I can go pretty quickly. On easy texts, when the deadline is looming, I sometimes set myself a target of 1000 characters per hour, which is about 650 English words. I sometimes hit that target, sometimes miss it. But that's first draft quality only.

I've had a couple of survey questionnaire jobs where most responses were "It's great," "I like it," and I was charging through 10,000+ words per day on those, but of course that's the exception rather than the rule.


Thanks, Phil. Indeed, it very much depends on the source text. However, you are rather on the "quick" side:-)


 
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How many words per hour is considered safe/realistic/sustainable?







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