| Páginas sobre el tema: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you ever translate in a language pair that you do not advertise your services in? Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you ever translate in a language pair that you do not advertise your services in?".
This poll was originally submitted by Luisa Tono. View the poll results »
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My combinations are Portuguese and Spanish to English. Several times in the past I have translated from French at conferences when there was no one else to do it. As far as I know, I didn't cause an international incident.
| | | | neilmac
España
Local time: 12:53
español al inglés
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Only once - someone convinced me to translate a document from Italian, not one of my languages. I almost got my fingers burnt thinking that "meló" meant melon when in fact it's an apple tree, but that got caught in the proofing. It's not something I'd normally do, and I wouldn't do it again.
| | | | Marjolein Snippe 
Países Bajos
Local time: 12:53
Miembro 2012
inglés al neerlandés
+ ...
Not professionally anyway; I do sometimes translate from Spanish and, more rarely, Italian into Dutch or English for friends. I have translated one Spanish sentence that somehow was left in an English text I received (after notifying the client, who agreed for me to translate it, if I felt certain of the meaning).
I would not translate professionally from Italian although I might, when asked, take on a not too complicated Spanish text. As there are enough Dutch translators listing S... See more Not professionally anyway; I do sometimes translate from Spanish and, more rarely, Italian into Dutch or English for friends. I have translated one Spanish sentence that somehow was left in an English text I received (after notifying the client, who agreed for me to translate it, if I felt certain of the meaning).
I would not translate professionally from Italian although I might, when asked, take on a not too complicated Spanish text. As there are enough Dutch translators listing Spanish as one of their working languages however, I reckon it is unlikely I would be asked to. ▲ Collapse
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I once translated some subject lists for a university. A couple of the lists were in Galician, but translating single-word items like "Xeografía" really wasn't a problem.
| | | | Michael Harris
Alemania
Local time: 12:53
Miembro 2006
alemán al inglés
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neilmac wrote:
Only once - someone convinced me to translate a document from Italian, not one of my languages. I almost got my fingers burnt thinking that "meló" meant melon when in fact it's an apple tree, but that got caught in the proofing. It's not something I'd normally do, and I wouldn't do it again.
No accent for the apple tree, there are indeed many, many, many false friends
| | | | Thayenga
Alemania
Local time: 12:53
Miembro 2009
inglés al alemán
+ ...
Why should I translate in a language pair that I don't offer? Not offering it means that I don't speak/write the languages properly; let alone being able to translate them.
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| Yes, but rarely | Dec 5, 2014 |
Although I speak fluent German and French it is not the same as mastering those languages at a professional level, correct grammar and all.
Mostly I prefer to leave it to the experts.
| | | | | Depends what you mean by advertising | Dec 5, 2014 |
I mention, for instance, on my profile that I occasionally translate from Swedish and Norwegian, which is true.
However, I do not advertise the fact very much.
I have some very satisfied clients who regularly send work from those languages. It is a commonly held theory among some agencies that if you translate from one Scandinavian language, you can translate from all three, but I found a recent Swedish job was definitely pushing my limits.
Luckily there was a lot of su... See more I mention, for instance, on my profile that I occasionally translate from Swedish and Norwegian, which is true.
However, I do not advertise the fact very much.
I have some very satisfied clients who regularly send work from those languages. It is a commonly held theory among some agencies that if you translate from one Scandinavian language, you can translate from all three, but I found a recent Swedish job was definitely pushing my limits.
Luckily there was a lot of support in English and Danish (it was a report for the Nordic Council). And lots of aha! moments.
There are plenty of false friends and pitfalls, which is why I don't advertise those pairs more, and am picky about the texts I take on.
I occasionally polish up my rusty French, but only when I know a particular friend/client can't pay and can't find anyone more suitable. She can proofread it herself, but her English is not as native as mine.  ▲ Collapse
| | | | nrichy (X)
Francia
Local time: 12:53
francés al neerlandés
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I translate sometimes from English or German into French, which is my second language.
| | | | | Until two weeks ago, my answer would have been 'never' | Dec 5, 2014 |
I grew up in translation (long before the Internet) under the assumption that a good translator should always be able to work in both directions within a pair. So I took great care in preparing myself to translate "in reverse gear" too, i.e. from my 100% native PT into my early-learned EN.
For the same reason, I gave up on ever translating from IT and FR, because it would take me a few more years' study to translate into them. I speak these when needed, but only for my personal use.... See more I grew up in translation (long before the Internet) under the assumption that a good translator should always be able to work in both directions within a pair. So I took great care in preparing myself to translate "in reverse gear" too, i.e. from my 100% native PT into my early-learned EN.
For the same reason, I gave up on ever translating from IT and FR, because it would take me a few more years' study to translate into them. I speak these when needed, but only for my personal use. I also learned to speak ES quite fluently by sheer osmosis, but never sat through a formal class, so I'm illiterate.
For many years, I mean, before the Internet, nobody hired me to translate from PT into EN, however I always kept my skills sharp. Then in 1999 the Brazilian gov't examination for sworn translators in my state came up and I passed. All my preparation for it was a cup of coffee. After my appointment, the law says that I MUST translate in both directions. This caused demand, and practice makes perfection.
Two weeks ago, a constant video subtitling client, a translation agency within reasonable walking distance from me though I've never been there, sent me a video to translate and subtitle.
The mix was so amazing, that I made a list of the entire sequence:
- an Italian speaking IT
- an Italian speaking EN
- an Italian speaking IT
- an Italian speaking EN
- a Frenchman speaking FR
- an Italian speaking EN
- a Frenchman speaking EN
- a Pole speaking FR
- an Italian speaking FR
- a Frenchman speaking FR
- an American speaking EN
- a Frenchman speaking FR
- an Italian speaking IT
- a Frenchman speaking EN
- a Spaniard speaking IT
- an Italian speaking IT
- an American speaking EN
- an Italian speaking EN
- a Frenchman speaking EN
- a Pole speaking FR
- an Italian speaking EN
... and all this in only 6 minutes of total playing time!
The video had EN subtitles whenever any other language was spoken, however only after I was done translating, I realized that I had done it from the audio track as usual, with the subtitles turned OFF! ▲ Collapse
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I think it would be hard to do a good job working from a language you don't regularly work from.
In theory I could work from German, but it would be very slow, I wouldn't know where to go for help and I would probably make some real howlers, and I just can't imagine being that desperate.
| | | | Augusta Habas
Francia
Local time: 12:53
italiano al francés
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| No but I can get inspired by other languages | Dec 5, 2014 |
I mean: sometimes, a PM sends me a text which exists in my source language and in other languages which I know more or less. When I am not sure about the meaning of my source expression, I have a look at the other ones and use dictionaries. Basically, I end up translating in a pair which is not one of my usual pairs (but only a few words or sentences)!
| | | | Mike Sadler (X)
Reino Unido
Local time: 11:53
español al inglés
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| Once - Russian | Dec 5, 2014 |
Even though my degree was joint honours in Russian I've never considered my Russian good enough to offer it as a professional language.
One customer pleaded with me one Sunday afternoon to have a go at a small Russian text that was desperately needed. I at first declined out of hand, then quoted an outrageous price, on the understanding that if I could't make sense of the text I would still decline it then.
I was amazed to find I could understand it easily so did the job.
I've ... See more Even though my degree was joint honours in Russian I've never considered my Russian good enough to offer it as a professional language.
One customer pleaded with me one Sunday afternoon to have a go at a small Russian text that was desperately needed. I at first declined out of hand, then quoted an outrageous price, on the understanding that if I could't make sense of the text I would still decline it then.
I was amazed to find I could understand it easily so did the job.
I've still not touched Russian since, though. ▲ Collapse
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