Test translations fraud! Be careful! Thread poster: shabda
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shabda 
Bulgaria
Local time: 12:49
English to Bulgarian
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Hi, colleagues!
Proz.com job notifications remind us to beware of large test translations, but I think some outsourcers bent on fraud are using several small tests, presenting them as necessary for a different field each.
Some time ago I translated 6 such small tests and the agency gave me negative on exactly the 3 fields that I am best versed in. Apart from this fact, which speaks volumes of the bad faith of the agency, following repeated requests for details of the as... See more Hi, colleagues!
Proz.com job notifications remind us to beware of large test translations, but I think some outsourcers bent on fraud are using several small tests, presenting them as necessary for a different field each.
Some time ago I translated 6 such small tests and the agency gave me negative on exactly the 3 fields that I am best versed in. Apart from this fact, which speaks volumes of the bad faith of the agency, following repeated requests for details of the assessment, they provided the reviewer’s comment that the translations a too much of one-to-one translation. But pursuant to my standards of truthfulness, this is a merit, not a shortcoming of a translation, for loose translation mostly do not keep the connotations, but only the main meaning.
So beware of such test translations. There might be some software techniques to present the source text as unique, but it actually being only one in a conveyor belt presenting a new text to each candidate.
Best wishes ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Makes no sense to me | Dec 11, 2014 |
If they translate, say, 6k document at a rate of 300 words per “test", that is a staggering 20 translators cheated on. Now, what on earth are they going to do with 20 different approaches to one single text? A nightmare for the editor, provided they have one.
And the name of the agency starts with “P”, doesn’t it?
[Edited at 2014-12-11 14:19 GMT]
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 05:49
Member (2008)
French to English
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| When one-to-one translations are inappropriate | Dec 11, 2014 |
shabda wrote:
... the translations a too much of one-to-one translation. But pursuant to my standards of truthfulness, this is a merit, not a shortcoming of a translation, for loose translation mostly do not keep the connotations, but only the main meaning.
There may indeed be times when a one-to-one translation is entirely inappropriate. Marketing and advertising is one such area, as are literary translations. Translating idioms one-to-one will often produce nonsense in the target language.
[Edited at 2014-12-11 16:23 GMT]
| | | | | One-to-one translations | Dec 11, 2014 |
Some time ago I translated 6 such small tests and the agency gave me negative on exactly the 3 fields that I am best versed in. Apart from this fact, which speaks volumes of the bad faith of the agency, following repeated requests for details of the assessment, they provided the reviewer’s comment that the translations a too much of one-to-one translation. But pursuant to my standards of truthfulness, this is a merit, not a shortcoming of a translation, for loose translation mostly do not keep the connotations, but only the main meaning.
I'm afraid I can't agree with this. Translations need to be accurate, but if they are too literal they can sound clunky and wooden or, in the worst case, simply not make sense at all. John mentioned marketing and literary translations, but even technical translations can need a certain degree of rewording to sound right in the target language because different languages work differently. If I received feedback that my translations were too "one-to-one" I would certainly be concerned and think hard about whether there might be a grain of truth in that. Maybe they have actually given you useful feedback that could help you to become a better translator.
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shabda
Bulgaria
Local time: 12:49
English to Bulgarian
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TOPIC STARTER | The fields of the tests | Dec 11, 2014 |
Greetings,
Thank you for your comments. The fields that were found not good enough were nutrition, fitness/sport and spiritual and social sciences. While in the ones that am not so familiar with - law, medicine, tourism - there were no flaws alleged.
On one hand, it is a very subjective criterion to allege that the translation is too literal, on the other hand I agree that too literal translations, if they sound unnatural in the target language for example, are poor tra... See more Greetings,
Thank you for your comments. The fields that were found not good enough were nutrition, fitness/sport and spiritual and social sciences. While in the ones that am not so familiar with - law, medicine, tourism - there were no flaws alleged.
On one hand, it is a very subjective criterion to allege that the translation is too literal, on the other hand I agree that too literal translations, if they sound unnatural in the target language for example, are poor translations. My spiritual teacher Swami Sivananda says "A yogi should speak the truth with mathematical precision". I transfer this injunction to translations. To be penalized for translating with mathematical precision is wrong.
If such quality of 20 translations by 20 different translators are lumped together I don't think it would be a big disaster, for style may be different but the main message of the original will be kept.
[Edited at 2014-12-11 17:33 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Agree with Rachel | Dec 11, 2014 |
I am often requested to edit or evaluate highly specialised translations, and being too literal is one of the mistakes I encounter fairly often. In fact, for each translation that is too loose, I see at least ten translations that are too literal.
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Rachel Waddington wrote:
I'm afraid I can't agree with this. Translations need to be accurate, but if they are too literal they can sound clunky and wooden or, in the worst case, simply not make sense at all.
"Literal" and "literature" do not go together, no question about that. Legal texts fall into different category, though. One of the “senior” editors wrote:
“The more literal a translation – within acceptable lexical parameters - the better”.
I do not fully agree with this statement. The only point I am making here is that oftentimes it is a subjective interpretation on the part of the editor that will eventually prevail.
I also think that “literal” translation is much easier and less time consuming. I am all for to avoid it, if possible. The ultimate criterion is this:
- To achieve the same legal “effect” in the target text
- To make the language flow naturally
Whenever possible.
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