| Stron w wątku: < [1 2 3 4 5 6] > | 4000 words per day? Autor wątku: Rebecca Hansford
|
|---|
Ty Kendall 
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
hebrajski > angielski
| Agree with Hege, Christine & Neil.... | Mar 9, 2012 |
I think 2000 is about right for me, there are many variables which can increase/decrease that number.
...There was another thread of the same theme way back in the archives somewhere, where one "translator" (site rules prevent me from describing him any other way) who boasted of being able to translate something ludicrous like 10,000 words a day. Not only that, he insinuated that translators unable to reach this threshold lacked the necessary "intelligence" to do so. If my memory se... See more I think 2000 is about right for me, there are many variables which can increase/decrease that number.
...There was another thread of the same theme way back in the archives somewhere, where one "translator" (site rules prevent me from describing him any other way) who boasted of being able to translate something ludicrous like 10,000 words a day. Not only that, he insinuated that translators unable to reach this threshold lacked the necessary "intelligence" to do so. If my memory serves right he even went further and claimed some kind of correlation between intelligence and output.
I guess I should be grateful for small mercies that he hasn't reappeared on this thread. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Hege Jakobsen Lepri
Norwegia
Local time: 20:07
Członek ProZ.com
od 2002
angielski > norweski
+ ...
| I'm so slow/unintelligent | Mar 9, 2012 |
.. that 10000 words is about what I manage to proofread in an 8 hour day if I aim at catching at least 98% of possible errors. And last time I checked I was a very quick reader.
[Edited at 2012-03-09 22:34 GMT]
| | | | Ty Kendall
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
hebrajski > angielski
| I wish I could find it... | Mar 9, 2012 |
....but finding it is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. It really did make my jaw drop.
| | | | |
|
|
|
Neil Coffey
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
francuski > angielski
+ ...
| Congratulations! | Mar 10, 2012 |
Ty Kendall wrote:
"intelligence" to do so. If my memory serves right he even went further and claimed some kind of correlation between intelligence and output.
If it is the thread mentioned above, then they specifically mention a relationship between "IQ" and translation speed. So if you can imagine folding up cubes in your head and can draw associations between words based on the social values of the 1900s then congratulations: it seems that translating at the speed of light also figures among your panoply of vital skills.
And this was rigorously confirmed in several peer-reviewed studies published in the journal of... oh wait, no actual study is quoted.
Why all this matters, I'm not sure...
| | | | | Translation speed IS related to intelligence! | Mar 10, 2012 |
Neil Coffey wrote:
If it is the thread mentioned above, then they specifically mention a relationship between "IQ" and translation speed.
Sorry for veering a tiny bit out of topic: I wonder why it is so terrible to say that intelligence is related to translation speed. I don't know whether IQ gives a true indication of a person's intelligence in terms of global capacity, but it is a fact that translation requires a lot of thinking, and that if you think fast you are more capable of translating faster.
Why is it incorrect to say that IQ is related to translation speed? Isn't IQ related to work speed in any other human activity that requires a lot of thinking, like mathematics, physics, linguistics, etc.?
(Although I agree that implying that you are a super-translator because you are super-intelligent is sheer pedantry... or maybe stupidity.)
| | | | Ty Kendall
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
hebrajski > angielski
| Just interesting, and a reminder to take it all with a pinch of salt | Mar 10, 2012 |
Neil Coffey wrote: Why all this matters, I'm not sure...
It was just a quick aside, but it does illustrate that you really have to view these types of threads (my output's bigger than yours...) with a certain suspicion (more than most). There are already enough over-inflated and unsubstantiated claims flying around [this site] as it is and these threads can bring out the worst offenders.
[Edited at 2012-03-10 08:51 GMT]
| | | | Erik Freitag
Niemcy
Local time: 20:07
Członek ProZ.com
od 2006
niderlandzki > niemiecki
+ ...
| Personal factors | Mar 10, 2012 |
Ty Kendall wrote:
There are already enough over-inflated claims flying around [this site] as it is and these threads can bring out the worst offenders.
[Edited at 2012-03-10 08:34 GMT]
Ty,
I'm sorry if in your opinion I'm one of those "worst offenders". There probably is no possible wording I could have used for my statement that would save me from being accused of playing a "who's got the longest" game (which I'm not). I was really trying to make a factual contribution (though slightly off-topic in this thread, admittedly).
I think we can all agree that translation speed depends on many factors, like complexity and quality of the source text, familiarity with the subject field, working conditions etc.
On the other hand, I think there can be no serious doubt that translation speed also strongly depends on personal factors, of which typing speed is only one, but probably not the most important one. Anyway, speed is quite an unimportant means to evaluate a freelance translator's performance.
To get back on-topic, I do think that there's nothing wrong per se in setting a target productivity for an in-house translator, but these can serve only as a rough guidance. Things like "you can't leave the office until you've reached your daily goal", or tying payment to it, are of course ridiculous and unacceptable.
rhansf1, to answer your initial doubt:
rhansf1 wrote:
I feel I will be staying long hours and producing poor quality work with this target and would like other opinions on this matter.
Make sure you get paid for each and every of these hours, and that you get extra payment for working overtime. Unless this is the case, I wouldn't consider working for that company any further.
The question whether you will be able to deliver good quality, and whether you will be able to deliver it within normal working hours, depends on a lot of factors and also is a very personal one. The opinion of the majority seems to suggest that this will not be possible, though.
[Bearbeitet am 2012-03-10 09:07 GMT]
| | |
|
|
|
Ty Kendall
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
hebrajski > angielski
| No, not at all... | Mar 10, 2012 |
No, I really wasn't referring to anyone in this thread, but rather to really ludicrous statements in other threads I've read in the past.
I agree with you that translation speed depends on many factors, I'm just dubious about the role of IQ/intelligence not least because as Neil pointed out, there isn't exactly a preponderance of evidence backing it up. I also think there are more overriding factors, for example I think I translate quite "slowly", mostly because... See more No, I really wasn't referring to anyone in this thread, but rather to really ludicrous statements in other threads I've read in the past.
I agree with you that translation speed depends on many factors, I'm just dubious about the role of IQ/intelligence not least because as Neil pointed out, there isn't exactly a preponderance of evidence backing it up. I also think there are more overriding factors, for example I think I translate quite "slowly", mostly because I'm a bit OCD and I tend to obsess over terminology/sentence structure etc and so I am cautious of going "too fast" in case I miss or overlook something, despite the fact that I'm sure I could go faster if I really wanted to.
I agree with the philosphy of the Yiddish proverb: "Geshvindkeit iz nor gut floi tsu chapen." ....Speed is only good for catching flies. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Neil Coffey
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
francuski > angielski
+ ...
| Relationship between intelligence and translation speed | Mar 10, 2012 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
Sorry for veering a tiny bit out of topic: I wonder why it is so terrible to say that intelligence is related to translation speed.
It's not necessarily a terrible thing to say. But I wonder (a) where the evidence is that it's true, and (b) why it particularly matters.
Or put another way: it's a bit like me saying "people with large tongues can eat biscuits faster". We might imagine that it's plausibly true, but no reliable data is readily available to prove it and it's not clear why we'd care anyway.
| | | | Erik Freitag
Niemcy
Local time: 20:07
Członek ProZ.com
od 2006
niderlandzki > niemiecki
+ ...
Neil Coffey wrote:
Or put another way: it's a bit like me saying "people with large tongues can eat biscuits faster". We might imagine that it's plausibly true, but no reliable data is readily available to prove it and it's not clear why we'd care anyway.
Very true.
| | | | Neil Coffey
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
francuski > angielski
+ ...
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
Isn't IQ related to work speed in any other human activity that requires a lot of thinking, like mathematics, physics, linguistics, etc.?
Maybe this varies from country to country, but in the UK I think the main purpose of IQ tests is for middle class parents in Surbiton to reassure themselves with a number they bandy about to prove their child is cleverer than their neighbour's. And for companies to sell IQ tests and magazine subscriptions to said middle class parents.
So sure, translation is an activity that requires some basic level of intelligence. For example, most professional translators are probably educated to postgraduate level. Practically all would come out in the top 5% of the population on an IQ test.
But... so what? I don't really see the rationale behind picking the IQ test (or whatever "intelligence" test) as a metric for judging a translator as opposed to, say, degrees and other qualifications testing actual translation ability, an evaluation of their research skills, peer/client review of their work etc.
[Edited at 2012-03-10 10:16 GMT]
| | |
|
|
|
Ty Kendall
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
hebrajski > angielski
| Returning to the topic.... | Mar 10, 2012 |
(Apologies for the detour)
Before taking/not taking the job, I'd ask myself:
a) is 4000 words a day within your output capability? (the general consensus on this thread is that it's a bit much for most people)
b) do you want to work with "production targets"? (where you may be penalized if you don't meet them)
For me, this would be too reminiscent of my banking days (reach these targets or else!).
No thanks, not for me.
[Edited at... See more (Apologies for the detour)
Before taking/not taking the job, I'd ask myself:
a) is 4000 words a day within your output capability? (the general consensus on this thread is that it's a bit much for most people)
b) do you want to work with "production targets"? (where you may be penalized if you don't meet them)
For me, this would be too reminiscent of my banking days (reach these targets or else!).
No thanks, not for me.
[Edited at 2012-03-10 11:14 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lancashireman
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 19:07
niemiecki > angielski
| Marila Tosi
Szwecja
Local time: 20:07
angielski > włoski
+ ...
| Production targets... | Mar 10, 2012 |
Ty Kendall wrote:
b) do you want to work with "production targets"? (where you may be penalized if you don't meet them)
For me, this would be too reminiscent of my banking days (reach these targets or else!).
No thanks, not for me.
[Edited at 2012-03-10 11:14 GMT]
This is a central point. I cannot agree with those considering "ability to output translations" like "ability to sell products" in a shop. But this seems one of the most popular direction of the translation industry in this crisis period (along with usage of machine translation).
On the other hand, just yesterday I finished a 2500 word job within only 3 hours or so (with no repetitions). This could happen mainly because I am very familiar with that topic. I can spend a 10 hour work day on 2500 words, if I don't know the topic very well, that's one of the reason why I prefer not to accept unfamiliar arguments. But when you work in-house you should accept all (or so I think, I am freelance and fortunately I can decide on it). In the end 4000 words/day as an in-house is too much. 2500-3000 is more reasonable, considering also interruptions, meeting, briefing and so on, like others said.
Best of luck!
| | | | | Stron w wątku: < [1 2 3 4 5 6] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » 4000 words per day? | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
