Is there such a thing as a satisfied translator? Thread poster: Sandrine Ananie
|
|---|
Hello,
I just read the "perfect translation" thread and it got me thinking about something : while most translators on that thread tend to agree that there is no such thing as a "perfect" translation, do you think a translator can ever be 100% satisfied with his or her translation?
I, for one, am very rarely totally satisfied with my translations. I tend to think a translation can always be improved or made more enjoyable to read. Feedback is always great and people kee... See more Hello,
I just read the "perfect translation" thread and it got me thinking about something : while most translators on that thread tend to agree that there is no such thing as a "perfect" translation, do you think a translator can ever be 100% satisfied with his or her translation?
I, for one, am very rarely totally satisfied with my translations. I tend to think a translation can always be improved or made more enjoyable to read. Feedback is always great and people keep coming back, so I guess I must be doing something right, but will this haunting feeling last forever?!
Is this something you experience or have experienced? ▲ Collapse
| | | |
I think that this 'haunting' feeling is one of the most important things to be found in a translator capable of getting really close to producing the "perfect translation."
Unless, of course, it is caused by some sort of persecution mania
[Edited at 2009-11-27 11:00 GMT]
| | | | Jon O (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:07
Dutch to English
+ ...
| not sure but.... | Nov 27, 2009 |
I think there are very many self-satisfied translators.....
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| It never goes away | Nov 27, 2009 |
We're all perfectionists (I hope) and due to the inherent flexibility of language, and the changing times, there always seems to be "a better way" to translate something - even if the translation is already excellent.
I'm always nervous about going back and re-reading my translations done a year or more ago - I always find something that might have been done differently.
But at the same time I also know that to have done it differently would have required a comprehensi... See more We're all perfectionists (I hope) and due to the inherent flexibility of language, and the changing times, there always seems to be "a better way" to translate something - even if the translation is already excellent.
I'm always nervous about going back and re-reading my translations done a year or more ago - I always find something that might have been done differently.
But at the same time I also know that to have done it differently would have required a comprehensive rewrite of the whole translation !
I suspect this happens because our own command of our target language is always evolving, and we might not say something today in exactly the same words we used yesterday. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 00:07
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Perfectionism | Nov 27, 2009 |
- according to a friend and colleague of mine - is actually due to a feelings of inadequancy/anxiety/inferiority, a lack of confidence in oneself and one's actions.
Be that as it may, I'd usually rather have my text translated by a perfectionist, pedant or nitpicker than some slapdash "that'll do them" merchant.
Pride comes before a fall, so it is better never to be TOO satisfied with your output, but I see thoroughness and taking a certain pride in my work as part and parcel of th... See more - according to a friend and colleague of mine - is actually due to a feelings of inadequancy/anxiety/inferiority, a lack of confidence in oneself and one's actions.
Be that as it may, I'd usually rather have my text translated by a perfectionist, pedant or nitpicker than some slapdash "that'll do them" merchant.
Pride comes before a fall, so it is better never to be TOO satisfied with your output, but I see thoroughness and taking a certain pride in my work as part and parcel of the translation process, and only on very rare occasions have I handed over a translation that I thought could be improved be further revision or proofing and always at the client's insistence.
In fact, many clients would rather go for the trade-off of having a job done quickly than perfectly.
Whatever the case, if you get good feedback and the clients keep coming back, you must be doing something right! ▲ Collapse
| | | | pcovs
Denmark
Local time: 00:07
English to Danish
| It should stay, I believe | Nov 27, 2009 |
I think this is one of the things that would make a great transaltor, because you will always be aware that you are not 100% perfect, and hence you will take great caution when translating - it will keep you on your toes. At least that's what I think.
I think, that if you become completely satisfied, you will let your guards down, thus making way for mistakes.
| | | | Buck
Netherlands
Local time: 00:07
Dutch to English
| As satisfied as can be | Nov 27, 2009 |
Having said that, I agree with Jon O about self-satisfied translators
| | | | | Self-satisfaction | Nov 27, 2009 |
Jon O wrote:
I think there are very many self-satisfied translators.....
LOL!!!!
| | |
|
|
|
| Much as I hate deadlines... | Nov 27, 2009 |
... they are sometimes the only thing that can make me finally stop revising a text and leave it alone!
I have had jobs where I had plenty of time... and fiddled and fiddled. There comes a point when things do not get better. In fact they may get worse instead, because I forget to add or remove the ´s´ from a verb, or some other little error creeps in to replace the one I deleted.
In fact this sometimes applies to other people's work too. I had a really well-written p... See more
| | | | | Very rarely 100% satisfied | Nov 27, 2009 |
Well, every time you reread a translation you may add a little bit of extra satisfaction, but the percentage of satisfaction you add is inversely proportional to the number of review steps, so perhaps:
- Just translated: 70% satisfied
- Review: +15% satisfied > 85% satisfied
- Proofreading on paper: +7.5% satisfied > 92.5% satisfied
- Reprinting for review a while later: +3.75% satisfied > 96.25% satisfied
- Let it lie for some days, then reprint and proofread: +1.8... See more Well, every time you reread a translation you may add a little bit of extra satisfaction, but the percentage of satisfaction you add is inversely proportional to the number of review steps, so perhaps:
- Just translated: 70% satisfied
- Review: +15% satisfied > 85% satisfied
- Proofreading on paper: +7.5% satisfied > 92.5% satisfied
- Reprinting for review a while later: +3.75% satisfied > 96.25% satisfied
- Let it lie for some days, then reprint and proofread: +1.88% satisfied > 98.1% satisfied
etc. etc.
Yes, eventually after letting the text lie for a couple of weeks with several reviews in-between, you could eventually be 100% satisfied... perhaps... ▲ Collapse
| | | | LEXpert
United States
Local time: 17:07
Member (2008)
Croatian to English
+ ...
| Probably more satisfied interpreters than translators | Nov 27, 2009 |
Translators at least have the luxury (or burden, depending on how you look at it) of performing multiple reviews and revisions, and thus have ample opportunity to second-guess themselves. Interpreters get only the proverbial "single take".
| | | | Jenn Mercer
United States
Local time: 18:07
Member (2009)
French to English
| I'd rather be unsatisfied... | Nov 27, 2009 |
...because the alternative is to *think* that you did a great job, only to be told that you did not! I find that I will continue to research terms that bedeviled me months after the translation has been turned in. That way, hopefully I will do better the next time that I encounter the term.
| | |
|
|
|
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
As for me, I seldom feel satisfied, only when I did manage to do something almost impossible)) *it happens.
Yet I feel more satisfied when my people are happy.
IMO my job, while quite important, has little to do with it.
So I think that my buoyancy is enough)
Cheers
| | | | | I am very satisfied when: | Nov 28, 2009 |
- the client is happy
- and pays early
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 00:07
French to German
+ ...
| Reinventing the wheel? | Nov 28, 2009 |
I think we are not challenged to reinvent the wheel or to rediscover the Grail every day. Satisfaction is a relative thing.
As it was said previously, I am quite satisfied when I see returning customers, when I receive a warm "congrats" e-mail from time to time and when I am paid on time. This is turn does not mean that I can afford to rest on my laurel leaves. There is always something to improve and the best way of achieving these improvements is to set oneself small milestone o... See more I think we are not challenged to reinvent the wheel or to rediscover the Grail every day. Satisfaction is a relative thing.
As it was said previously, I am quite satisfied when I see returning customers, when I receive a warm "congrats" e-mail from time to time and when I am paid on time. This is turn does not mean that I can afford to rest on my laurel leaves. There is always something to improve and the best way of achieving these improvements is to set oneself small milestone objectives.
And sorry, although I read some of the forum posts related to the "Perfect translation" topic, I think this was quite a futile discussion, in the style of How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
[Edited at 2009-11-28 06:49 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Is there such a thing as a satisfied translator? | 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! » |
| | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
