| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you think it is wise for translators to accept machine translation post-editing projects? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
Katrin Bosse wrote:
Since four years now, I only do proofreading for very select clients and colleagues and take on only a handful of offers altogether. I hate proofreading in general, it's always trouble and too much of it for too little money.
I agree with Katrin: I hate proofreading to begin with. If it was up to me, I'd only do translation, but I do have to keep offering proofreading services to my good and loyal clients, who hire very experienced and reliable translators, making the review process pretty simple and even quite profitable.
However, when approached by new direct clients or agencies, I make it very clear that, right at the beginning, I don't offer proofreading under any circumstances. Only after establishing a mutually convenient business relationship and confirming their quality standards, do I accept proofreading. So far, this method has worked just fine. I can guarantee that every text I've proofread has come from a human.
| | | | Katrin Bosse (X) 
Germany
Local time: 07:27
Dutch to German
+ ...
| Hello, sister! | Jul 1, 2016 |
Susana Magnani wrote:
when approached by new direct clients or agencies, I make it very clear that, right at the beginning, I don't offer proofreading under any circumstances. Only after establishing a mutually convenient business relationship and confirming their quality standards, do I accept proofreading. So far, this method has worked just fine. I can guarantee that every text I've proofread has come from a human.
This is exactly what I do, and it works! The quality of offers has increased, while at the same time barring all the immoral let's-take-advantage-of-a highly-trained-professional-to-clean-up-this-cheap-crap offers from my threshold. 
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 01:27
English to Spanish
+ ...
| So many answers | Jul 1, 2016 |
A work friend once told me Statistics is the science of intentions.
I used to take statistical percentages of a given topic on faith. Over time, I learned to read the intent behind the questions and started to understand statistics better.
It's not a question of math or higher understanding of numbers, but an old-age matter of social manipulation.
Accepting a particular job, whether it's proofreading an MT-generated document to salvage or translating... See more A work friend once told me Statistics is the science of intentions.
I used to take statistical percentages of a given topic on faith. Over time, I learned to read the intent behind the questions and started to understand statistics better.
It's not a question of math or higher understanding of numbers, but an old-age matter of social manipulation.
Accepting a particular job, whether it's proofreading an MT-generated document to salvage or translating a document with your least-favored CAT tool, or doing it blindfolded with a pencil, it's not a matter of wisdom because each project comes with its own circumstances.
Put it another way, the poll's question is tendentious and wants to elicit a particular response. The pollster is not interested in what you think but in what percentages he or she can show others as “proof” of his/her opinion, served up as fact.
I could easily ask if it is wise to get up at 8 a.m. in the morning or at 10:30 a.m. instead. Or ask if it is wise for a translator to use an Android smartphone.
The human brain is capable of much better stuff than this. I refuse to be this poll's performing monkey. I don't think in soundbites and neither should any of you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 01:27
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| You can accept the project... | Jul 1, 2016 |
... but at the same rate as standard translation.
I never understood why translators offer reduced rates for pseudo-translation post-editing?
The machine translation is FREE to anyone. So, why should I give a discount for receiving such a file?
| | |
|
|
|
| Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member for the following reason: Requested by user. | R. Alex Jenkins
Brazil
Local time: 02:27
Member (2006)
Portuguese to English
+ ...
I don't. Is there anything else I should say?
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 01:27
English to Spanish
+ ...
| MT isn't free | Jul 1, 2016 |
LegalTransform wrote:
... but at the same rate as standard translation.
I never understood why translators offer reduced rates for pseudo-translation post-editing?
The machine translation is FREE to anyone. So, why should I give a discount for receiving such a file?
Machine translation is not necessarily Google Translate. I have worked with MT-generated translations and I needed to rewrite large passages, despite the fact that the client was paying a third party to customize the machine translation engine to client's specifications.
I did MT-postediting and got paid a generous hourly rate because I demanded it. Before we dismiss MT postediting so offhand, in a knee-jerk reaction, we should do some due diligence first, get the facts, talk to people who have already done it, not to the complainers who know little about MT.
| | | | Kristina Cosumano (X)
Germany
Local time: 07:27
German to English
| Stem the tide | Jul 1, 2016 |
An agency which sends me more or less regular work asked me to help them out recently. They sent me a source text and its translation, and asked for my opinion and whether it needed to be re-translated or just have changes made to it.
Now, I couldn't figure out whether this was a case of a client complaining about a mediocre translation, or whether the agency was testing some new MT method and wanted to try it out on a translator. It wasn't MT, but looked as if someone was using MT and doi... See more An agency which sends me more or less regular work asked me to help them out recently. They sent me a source text and its translation, and asked for my opinion and whether it needed to be re-translated or just have changes made to it.
Now, I couldn't figure out whether this was a case of a client complaining about a mediocre translation, or whether the agency was testing some new MT method and wanted to try it out on a translator. It wasn't MT, but looked as if someone was using MT and doing a bad job of "fixing" things. I made sure to tell them just what was wrong with it, and that it may as well be re-translated as the translator will get no help from the target text as it were.
In the end they came back and asked me to re-translate, so I guess it was the first case after all (unfortunately I couldn't help them at the time) but the second certainly seemed plausible.
I also refuse PEMT projects. I don't see the point of working so hard on something so boring, for so little money.
[Edited at 2016-07-01 21:15 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 02:27
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Please don't allow this plague to invade our market! | Jul 2, 2016 |
Although this has been a trend for a while, it seems to have been fading out lately (thank God).
As decent professionals, we should do all we can to prevent this horrendous plague from invading our market. IF you have worked on any of these, you know that it requires the same amount of work or even more than a regular translation. It's a "smart-ass" move against us. I hope we all notice that and abominate this practice.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 01:27
English to Spanish
+ ...
I have read with some degree of dismay the attitude of not offering proofreading services, apparently because of past experience with poorly written translations.
I've had my share of proofreading subpar translations, but I can't see why I should deprive myself of the pleasure of proofreading someone else's work. The skills needed to proofread a writing are somewhat different from the ones we employ to translate, but we need to develop those skills.
Consider this: if yo... See more I have read with some degree of dismay the attitude of not offering proofreading services, apparently because of past experience with poorly written translations.
I've had my share of proofreading subpar translations, but I can't see why I should deprive myself of the pleasure of proofreading someone else's work. The skills needed to proofread a writing are somewhat different from the ones we employ to translate, but we need to develop those skills.
Consider this: if you are so good at translation that you eschew proofreading someone else's job, how would you react to a fellow translator not wanting to proofread your work? You're doing a disservice to the customer —who may well be offering translation AND proofreading services— and to the profession out of sheer pride and misplaced concern.
[Edited at 2016-07-02 01:27 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | inkweaver
Germany
Local time: 07:27
French to German
+ ...
I did it once, years ago, and I ended up rewriting the whole thing.
However, I have stopped offering proofreading services altogether and I think it shouldn't necessarily be assumed that a good translator is a good proofreader and vice versa.
| | | |
I postedit text using a very high-quality machine translation system developed by one of my clients. This client pays better than what most agencies offer for regular translation. I've been doing it for 30 years, so I know how to handle the output. If the output is too scrambled (which can happen, especially if the input has been OCR'd), one always has the option of shifting to human translation.
I would never do this for a low rate.
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: Do you think it is wise for translators to accept machine translation post-editing projects? | 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 » |
| | Trados Studio 2022 Freelance | The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.
Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop
and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
