Political fallout strategy: what DO you do when politics in your language pair are bad for business?
Thread poster: Adieu
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
Feb 19, 2021

Is there a (non-intelligence community) safe haven in the translation industry for when the politcal climate in the biggest source of your language pair starts souring?

I've had the distinct feeling that Western companies have been pumping the brakes and dragging their feet on any new business with Russia for the last couple of weeks. Clients have gone pretty quiet, with only occasional small jobs that seem to be wrapping up loose ends on existing projects.

No idea if t
... See more
Is there a (non-intelligence community) safe haven in the translation industry for when the politcal climate in the biggest source of your language pair starts souring?

I've had the distinct feeling that Western companies have been pumping the brakes and dragging their feet on any new business with Russia for the last couple of weeks. Clients have gone pretty quiet, with only occasional small jobs that seem to be wrapping up loose ends on existing projects.

No idea if they are in pause and wait or full planned retreat mode, but not seeing any new-new projects has me worried.

Any hints on fields in the industry that are relatively immune from or positively affected by bad foreign relations? Other than intelligence/military work, not going there.
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Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:35
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I like Russia and Russians.... Feb 19, 2021

.... especially when my friend Aza jumps up from the table, grabs her daughter Katya, and sets off on a dance around the kitchen singing at the top of her voice. Russians are great people (generally speaking). It has been quite amusing how over recent months, Western politicians and media have been sneering about the Sputnik virus, which has been proven to be better than all the others and everybody wants it now! Russia is a very important country and I'm sure your current shortage of work is on... See more
.... especially when my friend Aza jumps up from the table, grabs her daughter Katya, and sets off on a dance around the kitchen singing at the top of her voice. Russians are great people (generally speaking). It has been quite amusing how over recent months, Western politicians and media have been sneering about the Sputnik virus, which has been proven to be better than all the others and everybody wants it now! Russia is a very important country and I'm sure your current shortage of work is only temporary.

[Edited at 2021-02-19 16:08 GMT]
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Wilsonn Perez Reyes
P.L.F. Persio
Robert Rietvelt
 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Not gonna matter much Feb 19, 2021

...if the bent folks in power take a sharp turn towards Belarus or Turkmenistan.

[Edited at 2021-02-19 16:19 GMT]


P.L.F. Persio
 
matt robinson
matt robinson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:35
Member (2010)
Spanish to English
Take advantage of some free time Feb 22, 2021

Work is not a wolf – it won’t run away to the forest!

P.L.F. Persio
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Follow the money Feb 22, 2021

Adieu wrote:
I've had the distinct feeling that Western companies have been pumping the brakes and dragging their feet on any new business with Russia for the last couple of weeks. Clients have gone pretty quiet, with only occasional small jobs that seem to be wrapping up loose ends on existing projects.

Extrapolating one translator's quiet fortnight to a full-on geopolitical crisis brewing seems a bit of a stretch...

But finance and banking never stop.


P.L.F. Persio
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:35
Member (2008)
Italian to English
oops Feb 22, 2021

Tom in London wrote:

the Sputnik virus


I meant the Sputnik *vaccine*, of course.

All these inter-related current words beginning with "v" get me confused.



[Edited at 2021-02-22 11:40 GMT]


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
I'm the same Feb 22, 2021

Tom in London wrote:

Tom in London wrote:

the Sputnik virus


I meant the Sputnik *vaccine*, of course.

All these inter-related current words beginning with "v" get me confused.



Lol it's clearly no laughing matter




[Edited at 2021-02-24 11:37 GMT]


 
Paweł Hamerski
Paweł Hamerski
Poland
Local time: 18:35
English to Polish
+ ...
I go quietly hang myself unless Feb 22, 2021

I change the sentence to internal emigration with the last vestiges of hope.

 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I never underestimate Feb 22, 2021

That regime's capability to screw the pooch and bugger up the economy.

Chris S wrote:

Adieu wrote:
I've had the distinct feeling that Western companies have been pumping the brakes and dragging their feet on any new business with Russia for the last couple of weeks. Clients have gone pretty quiet, with only occasional small jobs that seem to be wrapping up loose ends on existing projects.

Extrapolating one translator's quiet fortnight to a full-on geopolitical crisis brewing seems a bit of a stretch...

But finance and banking never stop.


 
Robert Rietvelt
Robert Rietvelt  Identity Verified
Local time: 18:35
Member (2006)
Spanish to Dutch
+ ...
I won't worry too much Feb 22, 2021

Adieu wrote:

That regime's capability to screw the pooch and bugger up the economy.

Chris S wrote:

Adieu wrote:
I've had the distinct feeling that Western companies have been pumping the brakes and dragging their feet on any new business with Russia for the last couple of weeks. Clients have gone pretty quiet, with only occasional small jobs that seem to be wrapping up loose ends on existing projects.



In my humble opinion, it has nothing to do with geopolitics. Work is slow(er) everywhere. We are living in strange times. It will come back.


P.L.F. Persio
 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Not necessarily Feb 23, 2021

Robert Rietvelt wrote:

Adieu wrote:

That regime's capability to screw the pooch and bugger up the economy.

Chris S wrote:

Adieu wrote:
I've had the distinct feeling that Western companies have been pumping the brakes and dragging their feet on any new business with Russia for the last couple of weeks. Clients have gone pretty quiet, with only occasional small jobs that seem to be wrapping up loose ends on existing projects.



In my humble opinion, it has nothing to do with geopolitics. Work is slow(er) everywhere. We are living in strange times. It will come back.


What, even covid-related projects? Somehow, I don't think the covid response is quite that triumphant yet.


 
Robert Rietvelt
Robert Rietvelt  Identity Verified
Local time: 18:35
Member (2006)
Spanish to Dutch
+ ...
Yes, even covid related projects! Feb 23, 2021

Adieu wrote:

Robert Rietvelt wrote:

Adieu wrote:

That regime's capability to screw the pooch and bugger up the economy.

Chris S wrote:

Adieu wrote:
I've had the distinct feeling that Western companies have been pumping the brakes and dragging their feet on any new business with Russia for the last couple of weeks. Clients have gone pretty quiet, with only occasional small jobs that seem to be wrapping up loose ends on existing projects.



In my humble opinion, it has nothing to do with geopolitics. Work is slow(er) everywhere. We are living in strange times. It will come back.


What, even covid-related projects? Somehow, I don't think the covid response is quite that triumphant yet.


Their 'big boom' was during the first lockdown. Everthing was new, and nobody knew what was going on or what to do.

I don't know the situation in Russia, but here in Holland we still have a (sort of) lockdown, we have to keep distance from each other, we are only allowed to visit our family/friends with just 1 person, we have a curfew (since short), we have to work from home (if possible), restaurant/bars/theaters/cinemas/musea are closed, etc., etc. Nothing new there, everybody is aware of the situation. Why write it down again?

What I mean to say, that is the reason there are less covid related projects.

Stay positive.

[Edited at 2021-02-23 22:44 GMT]


 


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Political fallout strategy: what DO you do when politics in your language pair are bad for business?







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