Server Troubles

Apologies for the problems. The server's hard drive is starting to fail. Hopefully it'll last a bit longer while I can go get anew one. Bear with us.

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Shady practices

Ever wonder how the big guys get to be the big guys?

Here's a little inside info: They sell below market price. It is pretty well known amongst those who work there that the prices agreed upon by the sales departments are regularly lower than a freelancer's rate, let alone the rate of freelance translator + editor. Where the companies make their money is on the side services. Publishing, consulting, software, licensing and other such things.

This is the reason there's so much pressure on prices when working for the big guys and the reason PMs there are rather psychotic. Its a constant uphill battle to make the translation budgets work out.

I think in some countries this practice is even illegal, but there's little way to prove it of course.

It is really no wonder people burnout of localization so much.

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Blatant mistakes

Once in a while something slips through the cracks. Some companies of course have bigger cracks than others but this one was particularly bad.

I was working on a urgent translation for company L. who is notorious for not reviewing work. They were in a terrible rush and pushed and pushed for an earlier delivery.

I probably should have refused the job but if I didn't do it someone else would and this agency usually pays on time. I delivered as quickly as I could with the caveat that I could not guarantee quality because of the rush.

Of course they accepted the translation, didn't review, and sent it to the client who also didn't review. A few days later I get a PDF of their newly printed brochures (5000 copies) and sure enough... a HUGE mistake right on the first page. I said something about it but haven't heard back since. At least I got paid.

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But I wanted this in French...

Another typical client blunder: We create a quote based on a telephone conversation with the client. We setup an FTP area for the file transfer and sent the proposal to the client. They have some comments and we make a new proposal wich they sign and return.

he task was a bit of a pain since the document was filled with technical specs which they did not want to pay for, but eventually we got it translated into German. We delivered on Friday and happily go home.

Monday morning the phone rings, as usual on a Monday morning. Unusually though the client says, we received the delivery but... we wanted French! HAH! At least we have their signature on the proposal.

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There's no such thing as marketing while you wait!

This very, very big software company asked us to localise an entire business website, full of marketing content (also referred to as bullshit). They needed us to do a little test piece before the real work was due to start, so they gave us a week to deliver 500 words and get the client's feedback. This worked out fine, because it gave me the time to translate the thing, put it aside, let my brain work on it a little and perform some fine-tuning before the delivery.

I was happy to see that for once, a client had realised that if there's one thing you require to create a good marketing translation, it's time. Of course, big company's employ many people who don't necessarily educate each other on best practices. So on Friday, they sent us the website this was all about, with a word count of nearly 4000 new words. You read my mind: the hand-off said please deliver Tuesday at 4.

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Flawed process?

When a process is created to handle a particular kind of file, its obvious that linguistic changes need to be made within the translation environment or they will not be included in the memory. In fact that needs to happen with ANY filetype, even Word. So when a manager says a process is flawed because a client wants to make changes after the entire process is finished... does that mean the process is flawed? or has the client been misled in what's possible and what the repurcussions are.

It happened today again, where a process was criticised because a client reviewed post-production files. Then the process was blamed for not being able to handle this. I\'m not sure about you, but instructions that were clear when the project was sold, still apply at the end of a project. Perhaps its not the process that is flawed, but the management that accepts the changes?

Methinks if these things are clear up front... its the latter.

Damn sales manager. Of course he's willing to accept alterations which have no repurcussions on the amount of work he's responsible for... he's just looking for the commission on the next sale. Talk about a process that's flawed.

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The Proof of the Need for Proof!

I just saw this on yahoo news and thought it was a perfect example of why it's so crucial to have the time and budget for real proof and edit steps. -- Read on...

********************************
Jerusalem? Never heard of it

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Something always gets lost in translation, but usually not an entire city.

"Jerusalem. There is no such city!" the Jerusalem municipality said in the English-language version of a sightseeing brochure it had published originally in Hebrew.

The correct translation: "Jerusalem. There is no city like it!"

Carrying a photograph of the brochure,
Israel's Maariv newspaper said on Wednesday tens of thousands of flyers had been distributed before city hall realised its mistake.

source: bbcnews

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Wordcount Dispute

Don\'t always blindly trust what a translation agency says! Last week I received a request for translation of 2300 words. Included in the batch was a log file of the analysis. Indeed it reported around 2300 words. When I opened the document, I saw there were far more words.

Translation tools do not always count all words in documents, especially words appearing in embedded and grouped text boxes. This was ths case in this file and it resulted in a wordcount of around 4000 words.

Luckily I informed the agency before I started working on the translation.

I learned my lesson fromt the one time that I started translating without double checking the figures then realized I was spending far more time than should have been spent on the translation only to hear from the agency that the budget did not allow for paying more for the document, despite my word rate. I stopped right then and there and delivered the document as it was, uncomplete. Since the PO purchased the translation of a certain number of words from me, I asked for a PO with the additional word count to cover the difference. Only when they realized the mistake was theirs, and that their PO limited them (not me) did they relent.

So... agencies take note, don\'t try to screw the translator because you made an error! Take responsibility and face your client.

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New posting method

Now you can post without using email! Entirely anonymous, no IP logging and fully automated posting. So now you have absolutely no excuse to keep your stories to yourself.

If its abused I'll start moderating it and stories will be signed "Anonymous Poster". Its ugly right now (sorry) but first function over form. I'll pretty it up in the coming weeks. Also, remember, there's no UNDO! So if you post and you need something changed... you'll need to submit a comment requesting the change.

Happy posting!
-The Postmaster

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Finding resources...

Find a good translator is difficult. Sometimes it takes more time than others, especially for certain language combinations. If only bosses knew what they were asking...

Recently, I was asked to find resources for an upcoming project. Our database was sorely lacking in this particular language combination. I was given certain guidelines to follow and it proved very difficult to find people.

Three days after I was given the request, I was called into the boss's office, asking about the status of the resources since we were starting first thing Monday. I said we have found none within the limits you set, but here's the current alternative: three resources who are more expensive than your limit.

Simply put, this was found to be unacceptable and I got a "stern talking to" to which I simply replied that if they wish to find resources under certain condition, time is necessary to do so. In additional when our qualification process that they had developed takes 2 weeks to certify a resource, and they expect results within 4 days, the expectations are already impossible.

Really, I think bosses should know their own policies and the industry well enough to realize what is possible especially within their own guidelines.

thanx k. resource management can certainly be a real pain, especially at a large company!

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Children's Japanese...

When translating, its also very important to remember your target audience...

I was working on a childrens tv program and comic book several years ago when the client wished it translated into Japanese because they thought the cute furry nature of the show would appeal in Japan. Well the agency I was working for accepted and translated the job, but of course, due to the rediculous deadline agreed upon, we didn't have time to review it. Something that should never be done. Never accept a project that you don't have time to review!

The project was deliverd when several weeks later it came back with a very nasty accompanying letter indicating that we were responsible for the show's pilot failing in Japan. A review would have revealed that the language use in the translation was of a university level, not a 6yr old level!

Well suffice it to say, heads rolled, especially the person who agreed on the deadline. Luckily there's a deadline clause in the contract which prevented a lawsuit, but seriously... its better to say no and sell another day than to say yes and ruin a relationship forever.

Yikes... I know the Japanese never really say anything is perfect (my experience has been that taking personal responsibility for someone else's work is very difficult to accept there), but yeah... a review would have saved an awful lot of trouble. Thanks K.!

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Fonetiks

Once in a while you get project across your desk that you think "hey this could be fun". We had a "translation" that we needed to do that translated english words phonetically into several asian languages. What came out of it was really pretty hilarious, especially hearing it in testing (yeah, flied lice)

But the client also wanted it the other way around. We use IPA notations (and the client agreed) since phonetic pronunceation is exactly what the IPA was created for. So it was "translated" using the IPA and delivered.

Just what you think would go wrong did go wrong... the people we tested it with had no idea how to read IPA and if language professionals had no idea, then random Joe wouldn't either.

Solution? translate IPA into normal-person readable sounds.

Of course the client went nuts a few times and was in general a real pill, but hey... who cares ;) During those times I would remember the hilarity of the first round and slowly tune out.

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Typos! Send me your stories

My favorite one I've ever heard was when a Dutch tester was working on printers for the H. variety and came across a button which was supposed to say "afdrukken" (print) but in reality said "afrukken" (jerk-off). Thank goodness that one didn't make it to market, though I'm sure teenage boys would enjoy that button thoroughly.

Anyone else got good ones?

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Flemish? Dutch?

For those of you not familiar with the Benelux area, from a language point of view, there are in factat least 7 "official" languages spoken and tons of languages that people are screaming to have recognized but are being generally ignored by the EU bigwigs in Brussels.

Among these languages we have Flemish and Dutch, spoken in Flemland and Dutchland respectively. Well here's where the problem starts: think about in how far people relize where languages are spoken. Usually the name of the language gives it away in Western Europe (French-France, English-England, German-Germany etc.etc.). Then we get our Flemish spoken in Belgium (WTF?) and Dutch spoken in The Netherlands (another WTF?). I suppose Belgish and Netherlandian would sound rediculous. Regardless of why this is, it causes confusion on the client's side. Please also note that in the appropriate native languages, it makes total sense.

Oftentimes I get texts where the client says, can you update this Dutch translation with the new text? Of course we send it to our translators and get back "this isn't Dutch, this is Flemish". We tell the client and they go bonkers.

I know its unfair to generalize this way, but do not translate your Dutch texts in Belgium. People will notice. While on programs like "10 voor taal", a Dutch language-game show, the Flemish regularly trounce the Dutch, the general public functions a little differently.

The latest fiasco came when a client wanted to release a product in The Netherlands, but had it translated by a Belgian agency. Simply thinking re-recording the sounds bites with a Dutch accent would be enough, they budgetted only for one round of recording in the studio. This went terribly wrong. The recording studio should have stopped the process when they noticed problems as well, but they didn't so as a result you had en entirely funny phone system. Then of course it comes to us to fix it and then all hell breaks loose when we say it needs to be retranslated and rerecorded.

So... make sure your clients know the difference between target markets and languages. Examples: the different flavors of Spanish (and Catalan), UK or US English, Traditional or Simplified Chinese, Canadian or France French, and Brazilian or European Portuguese. And woe is me if you start working with Arabic (Lebanese say theirs is most pure, Egyptian is spoken by a ton of people, Saudi is huge too and Moroccan is useful for Western Europe and Northwest Africa).

So... GET IT RIGHT FROM THE START!

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Hostage Situation

Roughly a year and a half ago, I was working with a large Chinese vendor P. They we taking care of the Japanese and Simplified Chinese translations for a rather large project. The deadline was very tight, with files being delivered literally hours before presentations they were being used in.

Then suddenly, the vendor sent a message saying they wanted to renegotiate the terms and would only send the password to access the latest batch upon receipt of payment. This was unbelievable. They had accepted the Purchase Order and already sent several deliveries. In addition the agreement was very clear, payment within 30 days of receipt of invoice. We had done business with them several times in the past and propmptly handled the finances in this manner. It really came out of left field.

We refused of course, at which point they threatened to sue us. This was getting rediulous, sue us because they were breaking the contract? We told them to go ahead, we will consider the entire project default and not pay anything. The guy about had a heart attack, he would need to eat tens of thousands of euros in costs he made if we did such.

Eventually he caved in, but we certainly won't be working with them again. It is truly unacceptable to hold the files hostage.

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Proofing? This is crap

Something usually rather underhanded translation agencies do... Be wary! Thanks R.!

Sometimes you receive a request for editing and when you're working on it you swear its translated by a non-native. This of course is possible, but what worse is when you get a text and its obviously Machine Translated! For all the translators/editors out there, I highly recommend when you receive a job, have a quick look at it. When something is poorly translated, simply send it back to the agency and tell them it is of such poor quality, only retranslating it will do. The good agencies will accept your feedback and sometime you even get the whole translation job from them.

Of course if you do this too often to the same agency, they will think you are simply too difficult.

Its true, I know a few agencies who use non-natives based god knows where for the initial translation. This kind of cost cutting is unacceptable!

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What is proofing?

Of course, any good translation agency also gets all their translations proofed. While this doesn't always happen, that's a story for another post. Here's one from a translator who evidently had some "miscommunication" in what proofing really involved.

I received a request for proofing from an angecy several weeks ago which turned into a big mess. The job involved several thousand words of work for which I would be paid an hourly rate. Relatively normal request I would think. However the agency, and I myself did not think of this as well, evidently used different metrics to calculate words per hour.

when I calculate proofing, I do a thorough job. 1000 words per hour. If the translation is well done, I calculate 1500 words per hour and I honestly give this feedback to the client.

However this client had simply thought a proofing meant saying "ok" or "not ok". Though contradicting that they also wanted it checked against the original which they also supplied. How someone does their 10000 words per hour while comparing against a source, I do not know.

Regardless, I took time time and sent them my invoice. Ultimately since they had not created a PO for a specific amount of hours, I was given my way, but I do not believe I will be working for that bureau again.

Sounds like an inexperienced PM to not discuss specific hours/costs beforehand.

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The Friday 16:30

Another infamous situation that often comes up is the Friday 4:30 request.

Just about every Friday at around 4:30 a client seems to call up and ask for a super urgent extremely large and complicated translation requiring 263 different steps to be delivered no later than Monday morning 09:00 sharp.

My typical strategy for these: ask a question I know will take them a few hours to sort out and say we cannot guarantee any kind of quality without the answer. Terminology is usually a good subject for the question. Sometime even asking what flavor of language they want (flavor or flavour? see?) works well.

So when a client does this to you, see how urgent their request really is. If its so important that they really much have it, they'll work late themselves to get you the answer. Of course right before you end the conversation that time you gently remind then that the office closes at 17:30 and will reopen at 09:00 on Monday to further handle any still open requests.

Send me your strategies, tactics, questions and other ways you have to dodge this bullet. I'll make a list and post it under resources-for-translators (when I build that page).

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As sales strikes again

Never does it cease to amaze me the shortsightedness of a salesperson. Yet again has the following happened:

A request comes in weeks ago for a technically involved and difficult project. The request sits on the desk of our salesperson, being discussed with everyone *except* the technically oriented people in the company. Then the request finally comes my way with the note "can I have this back in 1/2 hour? I have a meeting with the client at 11."

What a doof.

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Know your languages...

Here's a good one from T.

Last week I received a translation back from [company deleted]. I'm not sure what someone over there was thinking, but when you ask me to translate into English, I translate into US English. So the conversation goes something like this:

"Hello, we sent you back your translation. The client has made some comments and we would like you to look through them and adjust the remaining translation accordingly"

"Ok, I'll have a look today"

A few hours later I call R. at [company deleted] back and say "these edits are realy not within my capability to implement."

"How so?"

"They are mostly comments turning the text into British English, I'm not British"

"Isn't that the same?"

"No its, not. You'll need to send this to someone in the UK. Please, in the future make sure you know what the client's wishes are before you outsource a translation. I would like to help, but since I'm a California native there's not much I can do."

You know, especially in our world you would think they would know better... At least it remained a friendly conversation.

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Interactive Posting

Message from The Postmaster...

So the blog has been up and running for two and a half weeks now and now its time to hold a story- and readership drive. We all want this place to work out, so take the address www.joysof.com/locblog/ and send it to all your friends, post it on mailing lists and pretty much market the bejesus out of it. This especially counts for translators because, well, the rest of the industry really just puts pretty fringes around your core work.

So spread the word some more, send me your stories and help make this place a success. The goal is to post one or two posts a day (more would be great!); let's see if we can pull this off.

Feature and link suggestions are welcome, send them to the same place.

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I won't pay, I won't pay, no wa-a-a-ay

Another translation story... thanx L.

I worked on a job for Spanish translation agency [I] and am getting a horrible runaround from them for paying my invoice. They have "lost" it twice and now come back with the third one commenting that I need a VAT number. I live in the United States. VAT does not apply! It has been 4 months since the job and still no money. Is this a common tactic to use against translators? We have little recourse when we have problems.

I will soon start sending payment reminds and then a collection agency if necessary. You should start a links page with a "black-list" here. Are there any other ways to get a translation agency to pay? Prices are so low we can not afford lawyers.

Hmm, not a bad idea. Would be a little worried about the anonymity though.

Readers- please send tips on how to handle non-payment to locblog (at) gmail (dot) com

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Message, what message?

I received this one from an irate translator recently, seriously folks... its the PMs job to confirm this kind of thing. Ironically, I had to translate this one into English.

I received a very offensive email today from a Project Manager at company I. They evidently had sent an email with attachments that they wanted translated which also included the Purchase Order. I have a standing agreement with this client that if they give me enough extra time to deliver translations, I do not need any forewarning. This was roughly 1600 words for translation in 3 days. Easy as pie except when their email does not arrive!

I have checked several times through my junk messages and none are from them. The PM wrote a rather nasty note blaming me for not following up with them! Excuse me? Not following up? Am I suppose to be able to smell that you've written a message? Am I clairvoyant?

PMs, before going around laying the blame on others, which I know is a typical tactic in localization, look at yourself! Take some responsibility for Pete's sake. Remember, I don't have to work for you.

-damn, sounds like that PM needs to get a healthy dose of responsibility. Translators: always confirm jobs. PMs: always follow up requests.

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Tip: Fair market value.

Pretty much all of us in the translation and localization business feel underpaid. I remember sitting in a meeting once where it was asked, by the bosses, do you feel compensated enough. After a pensive moment, one brave soul raised his hand. Then another. And another. Eventually all but one (and afterwards I found out she was definitely well paid) person raised their hand.

Being underpaid however, can result from two sources. Low-ball offers from the employer, or a lack of raises from promotions or experience. Accepting a low-ball offer, honestly, is your own fault, but its not the end of the world.

I've learned a few things from negotiating and can give the following tips. These count for negotiating with your current employer or a potential new one.

• You can only get fair market value when you have competing bids. So if you're not willing to stick with the current employer get at least two offers from companies when changing jobs
• Set a minimum you're willing to accept. Anything under and you'll be dissatisfied from the start
• Let them make the first offer
• Set a minimum you are willing to accept
• Be willing to walk away or give your two weeks on the spot

Seriously, the last two are most important. You can really only negotiate well if you are willing to let the whole thing fall apart. It helps you stick to your guns better when you think "eeh, fuck it, I can always find something else".

Also, if the company really lowballs you, just tell them outright, "I'm sorry, I was obviously mistaken in my value to your company. Goodbye" Let them call you back. If they're really interested in you, they will call back.

Localization companie are real bastards when it comes to money, especially the big ones. They're really not there to help you, they're there to help themselves. Its not a co-op, its a business and you are a resource. An employer will not pay you more than they can afford. So... treat them like the faceless corporation they are. Don't make it personal. Take em for all you can.

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A little thought goes a long way

And this is what causes overtime, courtesy of a faithful reader

Vendor lined up – check
Specifications clear and delivered – check
Source files for all languages uploaded – check
Deliverables received – first batch, check
…
…
...
Batch two – “we don’t have the source files”

Carnage ensues.

Yup, everyone ever dealing with vendor's in localization has experienced this one. Worst is when it happens over a weekend, across time zones.

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The gall!

From a regular reader-

Regular overtime is a fact in this job. We all know this by now. Contract or no, you'll work more than your 40. A few weeks ago I had worked several weeks of 45-50 hour weeks. Pretty normal, but when you think of it adds up after a while. Well evidently my boss didn't think of it.

I had two days in the following week where I came in later. I said I would beforehand to avoid causing problems. End of the week comes by and I still managed to work 38 hours that week. Mr. S comes by and says "you will give me a vacation request for those two half days, right?"

Uum... no? Ultimately I was faced without a choice.

Since then I've worked 40 hours on the nose each week.

Fuck it, I can't wait until my next chance to get even. Watch out, its coming up!

Go for it! What goes around comes around. Its time people learn that in our industry. Doesn't the near fast-food like turnover would indicate something amiss? - The Postmaster

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