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Poll: When I first started as a translator I felt _____ by other translators.
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jan 14, 2014

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "When I first started as a translator I felt _____ by other translators.".

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Ehsan Alipour
Ehsan Alipour  Identity Verified
Local time: 18:04
Member (2012)
English to Persian (Farsi)
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Nothing Jan 14, 2014

Well, I felt nothing by other translators. Should I have felt something?

 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 02:04
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Other N/A Jan 14, 2014

I just don't know. Still haven't a clue!

This was just over 30 years ago, and there were so few of us J>Es. So, I felt welcomed by customers who appreciated decent translation.

There was no Internet, PCs hardly existed and there was no 'translator community' per se to talk of. Typing was done on manual typewriters (electric ones were soooo expensive) and data communication was done by an acoustic coupler, if you lucky enough to find one, after 8-bit micros hit the marke
... See more
I just don't know. Still haven't a clue!

This was just over 30 years ago, and there were so few of us J>Es. So, I felt welcomed by customers who appreciated decent translation.

There was no Internet, PCs hardly existed and there was no 'translator community' per se to talk of. Typing was done on manual typewriters (electric ones were soooo expensive) and data communication was done by an acoustic coupler, if you lucky enough to find one, after 8-bit micros hit the market.

People have it soooo easy these days!
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Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 18:04
Member (2006)
German to English
Oh Jan 14, 2014

Other, i did not go out asking...

Oh yes Julian, I went through the phase of introducing CAD into the market at the end of the 80´s, interesting and challenging those days

[Edited at 2014-01-14 08:28 GMT]

[Edited at 2014-01-14 13:24 GMT]


 
Mary Worby
Mary Worby  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:04
German to English
+ ...
Other Jan 14, 2014

When I started out, I had no relationships with other translators.

 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:04
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Encouraged Jan 14, 2014

I was working as an editor in an international organization when they started giving me translation assignments, both as part of my regular duties and on detail to conferences. I felt very encouraged and supported by the senior translators. I learned a lot from them over a period of 6 years (and afterwards at conferences as a freelancer).

When I transferred to another organization, there were no colleagues. I mostly worked alone until I was able to build up a team. No feedback.
... See more
I was working as an editor in an international organization when they started giving me translation assignments, both as part of my regular duties and on detail to conferences. I felt very encouraged and supported by the senior translators. I learned a lot from them over a period of 6 years (and afterwards at conferences as a freelancer).

When I transferred to another organization, there were no colleagues. I mostly worked alone until I was able to build up a team. No feedback.

I never felt much encouragement from translator organizations, though it was fun to get to know colleagues.
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Heather McCrae
Heather McCrae  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 18:04
German to English
other Jan 14, 2014

When I started 20 years ago, I sat in a mobile home and had practically no contact with any live person (apart from my parents). It is really only since the advent of translator communities online that I have more contact with other translators, but mainly via mail, forums, etc. Proz is nice to have and the various forums on facebook are also entertaining, informative and uplifting.
So I think life is pretty good these days


 
M. Anna Kańduła
M. Anna Kańduła  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:04
English to Polish
Other Jan 14, 2014

While I started in the era of the Internet, I didn't network back then and had little to no contact with other translators, except my classmates from the university. So there was no feeling to perceive.

 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 18:04
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Other Jan 14, 2014

Welcomed & encouraged is the only possible answer for me.

This was my experience when I started as an in-house translator. The support my colleagues were then giving to this "newbie" was invaluable and much appreciated.


 
Mike Sadler (X)
Mike Sadler (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:04
Spanish to English
+ ...
I was made to feel very welcome Jan 14, 2014

My first experience was as an intern (thought they weren't called that then, in 1976) in Simon Engineering in Stockport, Manchester, UK.
The translation team hand-wrote their work then passed it to a typist. They had the latest technology - golf-ball typewriters.
The team were all very kind to me. I think the most important lesson I learnt was, "never keep your cup of coffee where it might spill onto an important piece of paper".


 
John Cutler
John Cutler  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:04
Spanish to English
+ ...
Supported Jan 14, 2014

When I first started, I only knew or had contact with one other translator. We'd compare notes on various aspects of the work. It helped me see that what I was experiencing was normal, so I guess I could say I felt supported.

 
Helen Hagon
Helen Hagon  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:04
Member (2011)
Russian to English
+ ...
Welcomed and encouraged Jan 14, 2014

On the whole I have always found the translation community to be very supportive. ProZ is an excellent example of this - if I have a question I can post it on the relevant board and there will usually be someone out there who is willing to help. I am also a member of several other online groups and try to get to the occasional meet-up or conference from time to time so that I can talk to 'real' translators. Generally I find that other translators are a friendly bunch who are happy to share their... See more
On the whole I have always found the translation community to be very supportive. ProZ is an excellent example of this - if I have a question I can post it on the relevant board and there will usually be someone out there who is willing to help. I am also a member of several other online groups and try to get to the occasional meet-up or conference from time to time so that I can talk to 'real' translators. Generally I find that other translators are a friendly bunch who are happy to share their experience.Collapse


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 17:04
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Both welcomed and encouraged! Jan 14, 2014

Like Thayenga, I started as an in-house translator. All the support and help I received from my colleagues was much appreciated. I still miss occasionally the camaraderie of that closely knit team...

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 17:04
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Still remember the day... Jan 14, 2014

Julian Holmes wrote:

Typing was done on manual typewriters (electric ones were soooo expensive).

People have it soooo easy these days!


... I could buy an IBM electric typewriter (a Selectric) with all those special typeballs!!!


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Disliked (feared?) Jan 14, 2014

I remember winding up a fair few people on a forum on Compuserve in the mid-1990s by questioning the value of experience.

I was so tired of agencies not giving me a chance due to my lack of experience - and persisting in using experienced old duffers who didn't have a clue.

The world hasn't changed much.


 
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Poll: When I first started as a translator I felt _____ by other translators.






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