Consistency in Translation

PMs really need to depend on their resources but also make sure to hold them responsible for the quality of the translation. I was working on a format QA (not linguistic at all, I don't speak Estonian) and came across an obvious concistency error. One that I can't believe would be left to a non-linguistic QA to catch.

The style in which terms which appeared in the UI this manual was for was done in at least 4 different ways. It was done in a random combination of: translation in parentheses, just translation, just English, bold, italic, in quotes etc.etc.

I understand the need to use multiple translators on a project, but come on, this kind of thing is a pretty basic instruction, and if you don't catch this in Edit... your editor's an idiot.

Of course around page 200 it gets really really frusterating for me!

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Too small to bother?

Hello, I'm here seeking feedback and views on this, because I thought it might mean something. An agency has been sending me all these kinds of small jobs in various subjects on a daily basis. I have accepted the first two, but then I thought it is time consuming and not rewarding at all. I was also puzzled by the fact that they keep coming every day.

I was wondering where this flow of small translations comes from? I mean are they samples for bigger projects and if so why not clearly state so? I am talking about texts less than 100 words in length.

Can anyone explain this to me?

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The Indian solution

Several localization companies are still moving production operations to India. Last year I fell victim to this trend and was being told my job was redundant. 7 years working for this major localization corporation, watching and helping it come up from a small player, and they treat me like this?

Ultimately it was the best day of my life. I stepped out of localization and into a different function in a different industry (still DTP related though). I get paid more and now I send jobs out to localization companies. All except my former company. They don't get anything, even if they're a competitive bidder.

But still, that its possible to be downsized in such a manner astounds me. If a company is going bankrupt because they can't afford the people, then I might understand why sending work to cheaper countries is allowed, but just to pad their bottom line more? Its a fundamental flaw in most large localization companies, profit at the expense of people.

For those who come across this as well, think of it this way.
1) Do you want to work for a company that considers you that expendable?
2) If the company "can't afford" you, then they're financially unhealthy and you should jump ship anyways.
3) Localization pays crap... you're better off looking for a job in another industry... On average salaries are 20% higher in other industries for similar functions.

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Working with lawyers

There's pretty good money in working with lawyers usually, but they really have no idea how much time certain things take, especially when they fax things to you. I've worked with this one office for several years now and still I receive requests to "translate this by tomorrow" and then my fax machine prints out enough paper to have killed a small tree.

I normally enjoy educating my clients and telling them how certain things work and the metrics they can use to calculate turnaround times, but sometimes its like talking to a wall.

It goes something like this:

Me: "A tightly packed page contains roughly 450 words. A translator can translate roughly 6-7 of these pages per day"

Them: "So this 20 page document will take you 3 days"

Me: "Yes, three days from start of translation, assuming I'm available."

Them: "I see. Can we have it day after tomorrow?"

My head exploded.

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We don't need no stinking documentation

I have a problem with a translation agency that keeps sending additional instructions after I've started a job. I've been very polite in humoring them, but now its getting enough. Why can't they just get their shit together and have a process created before sending out the job to me?!

Then to top it off they don't want to compensate me when their changes require work to be redone. I'm getting pretty fed up here.

Its just frusterating when the people who give you work are less professional than you are.

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Translating handwritten medical docs & hospital records

I was recently contacted to translate (Port» Eng) medical records (nurse’s & Dr’s notes)- highly vital information, on an urgent basis and (4-5000 words)at .05USD/word, which was already a great favour from the agency’s part. As if the extremely low price for the amount of responsibility weren’t enough of a concern, more than half of the total text was handwritten, in chicken scratch! After looking at the files (in PDF format), I told the requestor that I couldn’t accept the job due to the tremendous risk of interpretive error, and that was final!

My question is; who will translate these files at these super low rates, under pressure, and feel secure about the possible negative consequences (serious misinterpretations)?

All comments appreciated!

Peralta

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A good payment policy?

I've just received the vendor contract from a company which has something strange in their payment policy. Until now, companies who paid always bore the cost of a bank transfer themselves. Now this company is different and wants to charge me for sending me my money?! They will send a cheque for free, but of course cashing an American cheque here in Europe is rediculously expensive as well.

I'm debating whether or not to just refuse the terms, of course in a nicer way. Something like "I think the vendor contract is reasonable except for this one point." Luckily I do not need their business.

Has anyone else had experience with companies who are too cheap to properly administer their finances? What did you do? I'd like some advice.

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Reasonable Error Clause...

I'm having some trouble with this unbelievably unethical company in California. Several months ago they had me translate a document which only now comes back with a request to fix a few parts. It is obvious they did not have the document edited after translation and that their client caught these errors. Now, they're always late with payment, never very prompt on responding to my queries... I'm debating whether or not to accept this request of theirs. They haven't paid me for the original job (invoice is 60 days overdue now) and are trying to strongarm me into covering for their process-errors.

What should I do?! This is a rediculous way to treat your vendors.

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