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Reminder to all members: Don't undervalue yourself when quoting!
Thread poster: Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
TOPIC STARTER
The great culling of translators May 10, 2018

I agree that the market may be swollen for some languages.

It is inevitable that in the medium to long term, however, that many in our industry will be replaced by the ever-improving MT. Left will be those translators who are certified, speclalised, and highly-trained in their specific fields.

The Australian certification process, for example, now requires potential translators to have completed one of a list of approved tertiary courses in order to be eligible to sit
... See more
I agree that the market may be swollen for some languages.

It is inevitable that in the medium to long term, however, that many in our industry will be replaced by the ever-improving MT. Left will be those translators who are certified, speclalised, and highly-trained in their specific fields.

The Australian certification process, for example, now requires potential translators to have completed one of a list of approved tertiary courses in order to be eligible to sit the exam. In order to keep our certification, we are required to undertake regular PD. This maintains that body of highly skilled, highly educated practitioners that was mentioned.
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Daniel Frisano
Daniel Frisano  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 22:21
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
Something please tell me where I am wrong May 10, 2018

Meanwhile we are all oh so happy to find providers that are willing to work for ridiculous rates, or no rates at all.

Children enslaved to work in cobalt mines so we can buy a cheap phone are OK with us, personnel cleaning hotel rooms for a few dollars a day so we can enjoy cheap exotic vacations are welcome, but God forbid somebody translating for $0.04 a word... outrageous!


 
Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
TOPIC STARTER
A matter of perception (self or other's) of the profession May 10, 2018

If you consider a translator on par with a cleaner.
If you consider a lawyer on par with a bus driver.
If you consider an accountant on par with a gardener.

Even in those places that you're referring to, where children work in mines and people clean rooms for low-pay, there are professionals earning 'professional' rates of income.

I think you're wrong in your perception of our profession having equivalence to such menial tasks.


[Edited at 2018-
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If you consider a translator on par with a cleaner.
If you consider a lawyer on par with a bus driver.
If you consider an accountant on par with a gardener.

Even in those places that you're referring to, where children work in mines and people clean rooms for low-pay, there are professionals earning 'professional' rates of income.

I think you're wrong in your perception of our profession having equivalence to such menial tasks.


[Edited at 2018-05-16 22:59 GMT]
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Daniel Frisano
Daniel Frisano  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 22:21
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
Yes, I do May 10, 2018

Dylan Jan Hartmann wrote:

If you consider a translator on-par with a cleaner.



Yes, I do. By the way, I have been a cleaner, a gardener and a number of other "menial" qualifications, and I certainly don't consider myself a better professional now than I was then, nor do I think than my current job is more useful than, say, painting white stripes on asphalt. I am just luckier -- but luck is not a quality.


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Yeah boiiiii May 10, 2018

Brain surgeons and rocket scientists ain’t got nothing on me and all my customers know it.

Which is why they are all happy to pay over the odds for their Porches.

And their Porsches.

Oh yeah baby.


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Cleaners May 10, 2018

I would like to raise a fist in solidarity with all the cleaners of the world. Without them your life would fall apart.

 
Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:21
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
Supply and demand May 10, 2018

Daniel Frisano wrote:
nor do I think than my current job is more useful than, say, painting white stripes on asphalt. I am just luckier -- but luck is not a quality.

Ultimately it's about supply and demand. If it's easy to find people to paint lines on asphalt, wages will be lower, at least in the absence of activities by special interest groups (unions). If it isn't easy to find people to paint lines, wages will be higher.

If an individual decides to shift from an area of the workforce where there is high supply of labour but low demand, to an area where there is low supply of labour and high demand, and where wages are correspondingly higher, that isn't luck. That's a combination of thought, planning, and willpower. Human agency matters.

Dan


 
Daniel Frisano
Daniel Frisano  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 22:21
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
Yup May 11, 2018

Dan Lucas wrote:

Ultimately it's about supply and demand.



Amen. In other words, you don't get to assess your own value. In other words yet, you get what you deserve, not what you ask for.

Expecting cheap providers from one side and generous clients from the other, while behaving the exact opposite, sounds like a hell of a contradiction to me. Am I wrong?

If anything, I'd say that most translator are overpaid, at least judging from the material I proofread and the replies of self-proclaimed experts in KudoZ. Don't fret though, I won't campaign for lowering the average translation rate. Stuff seeks it own level anyway.


 
sailingshoes
sailingshoes
Local time: 22:21
Spanish to English
There's another aspect May 11, 2018

This is a message from a professional association to its members, not to all translators. The association has the right and the need to protect its image. I imagine members may use the logo or wording such as "Member of the..." in business correspondence. If they accept rates no professional should accept (given that their skills should give them access to segments out of reach to the unskilled - and most associations require demonstration of a certain level of qualification and/or experience as... See more
This is a message from a professional association to its members, not to all translators. The association has the right and the need to protect its image. I imagine members may use the logo or wording such as "Member of the..." in business correspondence. If they accept rates no professional should accept (given that their skills should give them access to segments out of reach to the unskilled - and most associations require demonstration of a certain level of qualification and/or experience as a prerequisite of membership), they are devaluing the association's name and image.

Having said that, if someone does have the appropriate skills, it's hard to understand why they would accept low rates. I'm working to English from five languages and almost always have too much work, at decent rates, in all of them.
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Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you, yes this is true May 14, 2018

sailingshoes wrote:

This is a message from a professional association to its members, not to all translators. The association has the right and the need to protect its image. I imagine members may use the logo or wording such as "Member of the..." in business correspondence. If they accept rates no professional should accept (given that their skills should give them access to segments out of reach to the unskilled - and most associations require demonstration of a certain level of qualification and/or experience as a prerequisite of membership), they are devaluing the association's name and image.


Yes, you not only have to have passed NAATI certification testing but have a proven track record and good feedback from regular clients. Yes, we use the AUSIT logo (as you can see on my ProZ.com profile) and are typically assumed to be very reliable, we uphold ethics and maintain professional standards.

I tend to assume that the majority of the translation community are highly skilled and educated and that only the minority may be questionable. That's why I shared this!


 
Andy Watkinson
Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 22:21
Member
Catalan to English
+ ...
Well... May 14, 2018

Chris S wrote:

Brain surgeons and rocket scientists ain’t got nothing on me and all my customers know it.

Which is why they are all happy to pay over the odds for their Porches.

And their Porsches.

Oh yeah baby.



But can you pronounce "Porsche" like Alan Harper? There's the rub.



The Australian certification process, for example, now requires potential translators to have completed one of a list of approved tertiary courses in order to be eligible to sit the exam. In order to keep our certification, we are required to undertake regular PD. This maintains that body of highly skilled, highly educated practitioners that was mentioned.



Well, thank god I don't live in Australia.

I've never "trained" as a translator, never taken a single translation course in my entire life, have no qualifications and don't know what a "regular PD" is (and the only suit I own, DJ, is now far too small, having been bought some thirty-five years ago to be best man at brother's wedding, which I never actually went to)

Am I in the wrong profession?


 
Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
TOPIC STARTER
PD May 14, 2018

Andy Watkinson wrote:

Well, thank god I don't live in Australia.

I've never "trained" as a translator, never taken a single translation course in my entire life, have no qualifications and don't know what a "regular PD" is.

Am I in the wrong profession?


Having no 'translation' qualifications, I managed to become accredited before this kicked-in at the start of 2018. Prior to then, we just had to sit an exam.
I think the infamous 90% failure-rate made them re-think eligibility to sit NAATI exams.

PD = Professional Development


 
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Mirko Mainardi
Mirko Mainardi  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 22:21
Member
English to Italian
One side of the coin May 17, 2018

Dylan Jan Hartmann wrote:

I think you're wrong in your perception of our profession having equivalence to such menial tasks.


Then we should also inform those translation agencies and clients who seem to hold a similar perception...


 
Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
TOPIC STARTER
Australia May 17, 2018

Mirko Mainardi wrote:

Then we should also inform those translation agencies and clients who seem to hold a similar perception...


The difference with how Australian agencies treat you is remarkable. Now, working as a certified translator in Australia where agencies only hire certified translators, all agencies offer very high rates and treat translators professionally with high esteem. International agencies are a mixed bunch, some are good, most are like sweatshops!


 
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