| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Poll: To me, translating is... Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Berna Bleeke (X)
Local time: 09:31
English to Dutch
| I voted 'a job' | Dec 19, 2012 |
But Julian is right, it's really a profession.
| | | | | It may be any or all of them | Dec 19, 2012 |
A job - Yep, that's what I do for a living.
An art - Quite often, the art of concealing that something was not originally written in the language it is now.
A mission - When a professional decides to do it comme il faut, in spite of the pressure for l... See more A job - Yep, that's what I do for a living.
An art - Quite often, the art of concealing that something was not originally written in the language it is now.
A mission - When a professional decides to do it comme il faut, in spite of the pressure for low rates, impossible deadlines, often unjustified specific software (usually CAT tools), and indecisive clients who wait beyond reason before requesting the inevitable to be done, and then who pay only after the pressure on them has become unbearable.
A dream - When I get hired by clients who value my work.
A nightmare - When the source material is so bad that I wonder what's the point in translating it. Sometimes, when the source material is already a bad translation, and I am expected to salvage whatever I can from it, as quickly and as economically as I can.
A bore - When the original writer was paid like me - by the word - and was in a desperate need for cash, so they may have used, say, nine words to express what could be said in one, over and over again. Very common in business agreements.
It may also be a host of other things, a challenge, teamwork, a craft, a pleasure, etc. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Allison Wright (X) 
Portugal
Local time: 08:31
| a many-splendoured thing! | Dec 19, 2012 |
A job - It is the best job I have ever had, and I have the nicest boss!
A mission - Only for unresolved issues, does it become a mission. It is not a mission in the sense of being a vocation, but translation is something that I feel I am "meant to do".
A nightmare - This description is reserved for those times when I have not had any translation work to do.
An art - Fine art, more like. Someone (I do not know who) said, "... See more A job - It is the best job I have ever had, and I have the nicest boss!
A mission - Only for unresolved issues, does it become a mission. It is not a mission in the sense of being a vocation, but translation is something that I feel I am "meant to do".
A nightmare - This description is reserved for those times when I have not had any translation work to do.
An art - Fine art, more like. Someone (I do not know who) said, "Translation, like any science, is a difficult art."
A bore - Only to other people (non translators). Ha, ha!
A dream - Before I became a translator, it was a dream. Now it is a beautiful reality.
Other - Full of passion, love, precision, intensity, creativity, interest, and a good deal of satisfaction. Someone should start breaking out in song!
[Edited at 2012-12-19 12:51 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samantha Payn
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:31
Member (2008)
Russian to English
+ ...
| I'm with Allison, really! | Dec 19, 2012 |
I voted dream because it was my dream and it is now a dream come true for me. Honestly.
I could have answered many things but, as with all of the polls here, I see them as a bit of fun and choose whichever of the answers suggested most matches my mood at the time.
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A job: The job I had in my mind when I was 15
A nightmare: the way translators are considered is a nightmare
An art: it is, not everybody who knows a foreign language can be a translator
A dream: yes, my dream that became real
 I love translating
| | | | Mónica Algazi
Uruguay
Local time: 04:31
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
| Two "LIKE" buttons | Dec 19, 2012 |
One for Julian Holmes, one for Neilmac.
In my case, also a dream come true.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 03:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
I recently wrote a new blog entry in my blog (http://wordsmeet.wordpress.com for those interested) about translation craftsmanship.
I agree with some of the readers here, that translation is a mission and an art. A job? Well, it pays the bills, but so is working as a sanitation engineer.
As a writing activity, translation is a beautiful craft to be involved in. And it's not just a... See more I recently wrote a new blog entry in my blog (http://wordsmeet.wordpress.com for those interested) about translation craftsmanship.
I agree with some of the readers here, that translation is a mission and an art. A job? Well, it pays the bills, but so is working as a sanitation engineer.
As a writing activity, translation is a beautiful craft to be involved in. And it's not just about text but much more: anything that is used as a glyph or a symbol to convey meaning, we translate: text, graphics, artistic renditions of text, manipulated graphs or symbols, the location of elements on a page or a cover, etc. Everything is subject to translation.
Enjoy your day! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I answered job but I prefer the term "profession" | Dec 19, 2012 |
Julian Holmes wrote:
Because I take pride in what I do, something I can't do with just "jobs."
A profession requires expertise, while anyone can do "jobs".
The word "profession" conveys the idea of passion and personnal fullfilment that I feel when I say : "I am a translator".
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| ????????????????????? | Dec 19, 2012 |
I thought people here were mostly CAT-loving technical translators, but it turns out everyone is an artist.
I wonder if the people who wrote the original manuals/contracts/accounts/whatever see themselves as artists too?
| | | | | Why I submitted this poll | Dec 19, 2012 |
I originally submitted this poll because I was tired of reading statements like: "Ohhh, this is not a profession/job/occupation /(add synonyms), this is my passion/love/(add synonyms)" on profiles, forums, etc.
Thank goodness I see that the majority of those who answered still thinks it is a job after all...
| | | | Thomas Pfann
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:31
Member (2006)
English to German
+ ...
| Job/profession and a mix of everything else | Dec 19, 2012 |
I agree with most (if not all) which has been said in this discussion so far.
Still, for me translation is first and foremost my profession and the job I do to earn a living. But of course, like any other profession, it is also a mix of all the other points.
What I do not agree with, though, is the notion that translation is somehow different, or even better, than other professions. I am convinced that the great majority of people (whatever their profession) take pride ... See more I agree with most (if not all) which has been said in this discussion so far.
Still, for me translation is first and foremost my profession and the job I do to earn a living. But of course, like any other profession, it is also a mix of all the other points.
What I do not agree with, though, is the notion that translation is somehow different, or even better, than other professions. I am convinced that the great majority of people (whatever their profession) take pride in what they do and see their profession as more than just a job.
Of course, most of us will say we "love" translating. And that's great. But it's not much different from other people who love what they are doing (be they teachers, plumbers, butchers, traffic wardens, musicians, museum curators, dentists, brick layers or whatever else you can think of). I would expect pretty much the same result and discussion in similar polls among other professions.
[Edited at 2012-12-19 15:07 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 08:31
Chris S wrote:
I thought people here were mostly CAT-loving technical translators, but it turns out everyone is an artist.
I wonder if the people who wrote the original manuals/contracts/accounts/whatever see themselves as artists too?
I am busy updating a large accounting manual at the moment. One of my favourite cousins threatened to stop our Skype chat last night as I began waxing lyrical about a moment years ago in the corporate world when I was working together with a brilliant young accountant through whom I perceived (to quote myself) "the beauty of the structure and architecture of a set of consolidated financial statements". As an artist is the conventional sense of the word, she obviously has little time for accounts or accountants.
My take is that even if people do not consciously see themselves as "artists", they frequently are.
[Edited at 2012-12-19 12:56 GMT]
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It is a job, but is so much more. As an activity I enjoy, this job also gives me the flexibility to work just about anywhere, to be at home with my kindergartener, and to choose who I work for and with every day. A far cry better than when I was stuck in an office working with people I couldn't stand, doing something I did not enjoy at all. So, it's a job, but what a great one to have!
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 03:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Why the surprise? | Dec 19, 2012 |
Chris S wrote:
I thought people here were mostly CAT-loving technical translators, but it turns out everyone is an artist.
I wonder if the people who wrote the original manuals/contracts/accounts/whatever see themselves as artists too?
Chris, technologies are just tools to an end. I don't see translation as a job (i.e., a way to pay my bills or meet my mortgage obligations, etc.). Of course, different people will feel differently depending on their particular circumstances.
I am assuming, all things considered, that you were being a bit sarcastic about the "everyone is an artist" bit.
@Giuseppina, I appreciate greatly that you put a face to the poll's author, and it's an interesting topic, since it touches on our professional identity and our self image, among other things.
Maybe you were tired of reading statements that read like superficial or empty platitudes, like things people don't really mean. Some words tend to be so overused that they lose their original meaning and impact.
If you think that translation is just a job, pray tell us more. After all, saying that "it's a job" may well be another superficial platitude...
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 16:31
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
We got a passionate discussion going here tonight about what we love doing. After all, it's passion that makes professionals.
Oh, and by the way, even CAT-lovers such as myself are meisters who lovingly craft words.
Boing! "Time for bed," said Zebedene in a hot, sultry voice. 
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