| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21] > | translation is dead as a profession Thread poster: Daniel Rich
|
|---|
| Generalist vs specialist | Apr 18, 2023 |
Yes, generalist translators will eventually be replaced by MT, but specialist translators still stand a good chance. By finding your own niche, whether it's regulated technical documents, culture-sensitive marketing texts, literature or something else, there will always be some sort of work.
I'd say the biggest threat is all the translators selling themselves short in negotiations; if you have expertise knowledge, it's your most valuable asset. Use it! If you are a generalist, think... See more Yes, generalist translators will eventually be replaced by MT, but specialist translators still stand a good chance. By finding your own niche, whether it's regulated technical documents, culture-sensitive marketing texts, literature or something else, there will always be some sort of work.
I'd say the biggest threat is all the translators selling themselves short in negotiations; if you have expertise knowledge, it's your most valuable asset. Use it! If you are a generalist, think of what area you could specialize in and find your clients. Also, I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects as long as the rate is reasonable; either an hourly rate or approximately a third of your word rate. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 11:46
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
| Two thirds ? | Apr 18, 2023 |
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
Also, I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects as long as the rate is reasonable; either an hourly rate or approximately a third of your word rate.
That would be 33% of your translation rate, which would be impossibly low. I suppose you mean two thirds ?
| | | | Tony Keily
Local time: 11:46
Italian to English
+ ...
| Ne travaillez jamais | Apr 18, 2023 |
Tom in London wrote:
Ice Scream wrote:
I wouldn’t recommend translation as a career
I wouldn't recommend anything as a career. Careers are over. We won't need to have careers any more. We'll have T E C H N O LO G Y to do them for us. We'll just live off the fat o' the land (apologies to Steinbeck). [Edited at 2023-04-16 15:48 GMT]
![]() https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ne_travaillez_jamais#/media/Fichier:Ne_travaillez_jamais.jpg
| | | | | Did I read that right? | Apr 18, 2023 |
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
Yes, generalist translators will eventually be replaced by MT, but specialist translators still stand a good chance. (...)
Also, I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects as long as the rate is reasonable; either an hourly rate or approximately a third of your word rate.
You think people stand a good chance of survival by giving up two thirds of their income?
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
I'd say the biggest threat is all the translators selling themselves short in negotiations;
If working for a third of your rate isn't selling yourself short in your book, what would be?
| | |
|
|
|
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:46
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
.... I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects ....
I wouldn't be able to stand the boredom.
| | | |
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
I'd say the biggest threat is all the translators selling themselves short in negotiations…… I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects as long as the rate is reasonable; either an hourly rate or approximately a third of your word rate.
😱
Fun fact: I sold myself shorts once, when I worked in H&M.
| | | | Sadek_A 
Local time: 14:46
English to Arabic
+ ...
| hehehehehehehe! LMAO! | Apr 18, 2023 |
Lieven Malaise wrote:
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
Also, I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects as long as the rate is reasonable; either an hourly rate or approximately a third of your word rate.
That would be 33% of your translation rate, which would be impossibly low. I suppose you mean two thirds ?
Going Once...Going Twice...Sold!
We have a saying in Arabic: بقشِش من جيبك، مش من جيبنا
Which translates into: tip/be generous out of your own pocket, not ours!
Some fellas here think we are bound by their plans (or should I say, fantasies!)!
Allow me to spell it: NO ONE OWES YOU ANYTHING! That's what you always say around here, and I'm just repeating it for you!
| | | | Sadek_A
Local time: 14:46
English to Arabic
+ ...
Matthias Brombach wrote:
Arabic and all the Far Eastern languages have very different grammar compared to the Germanic languages
You seem to be confusing Grammar with just Basic Comprehension of the text. In the example, MT didn't fail grammar, it failed meaning.
Matthias Brombach wrote:
and these combinations need more sophisticated algorithms and databases.
You mean need more "stealing" of databases, without consent of original authors, i.e. translators!
Well, I wish them pesk of luck with that!
| | |
|
|
|
Peter Shortall wrote:
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
Also, I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects as long as the rate is reasonable; either an hourly rate or approximately a third of your word rate.
You think people stand a good chance of survival by giving up two thirds of their income?
I think the idea is that you process (i.e. review/MTPE) 3 times as many words in a given period of time, thus earning the same per hour as you would for translating the words from scratch.
Assuming one can secure 3 times as much MTPE work as translation work, your income would be the same.
Whether one thinks 1/3 is a fair fraction for MTPE is another matter.
Personally, 1/3 is approx the fraction I apply for reviewing/proofing reasonably well-written translations (or just English text).
There would doubtless be some debate as to whether MTPE fits that description. Some possibly does; some certainly doesn't (IME).
| | | | Tony Keily
Local time: 11:46
Italian to English
+ ...
| MPTE has some advantages | Apr 19, 2023 |
If someone asks you in a bar or on a train what you do, you can tell them 'I'm a machine translation post-editor.' It has a good Orwellian ring to it, much better than that 'translator' tag, with its tired air of wannabe respectability.
As for translation, I've always looked at it as an alternative to having a career. I mean, I'm fine just where I am, doing what I do.
| | | |
Lieven Malaise wrote:
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
Also, I don't see anything wrong in working on MTPE projects as long as the rate is reasonable; either an hourly rate or approximately a third of your word rate.
That would be 33% of your translation rate, which would be impossibly low. I suppose you mean two thirds ?
.
.
.
One third is very reasonable if it's a good quality MT. If it's not particularly good, I would insist on an hourly rate to ensure a fair fee.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 11:46
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Charlie Bavington wrote:
I think the idea is that you process (i.e. review/MTPE) 3 times as many words in a given period of time
Then I should be paid 3x more.
| | |
|
|
|
Lingua 5B wrote:
Charlie Bavington wrote:
I think the idea is that you process (i.e. review/MTPE) 3 times as many words in a given period of time
Then I should be paid 3x more.
No, you should be paid the same per hour.
Anna said:
One third is very reasonable if it's a good quality MT. If it's not particularly good, I would insist on an hourly rate to ensure a fair fee.
Which implies that it takes less than a third of the time to correct good MTPE than to translate it from scratch. I couldn't normally correct a human translation in a third of the time it would take to translate it myself...
| | | |
Lingua 5B wrote:
Charlie Bavington wrote:
I think the idea is that you process (i.e. review/MTPE) 3 times as many words in a given period of time
Then I should be paid 3x more.
I wouldn't charge a standard translation rate for an editing job, and no agency would agree to paying that either. Ultimately, the final fee should reflect the effort/skill/time needed to carry out the job. If it takes 10 hours, I should get a fee that corresponds to at least 10 hours of work, as simple as that. If it's highly specialized text, the word rate or hourly rate should be set accordingly (i.e. a higher fee). You can certainly make a good amount of money by insisting on your terms - but getting paid 3x more is pushing it a bit... (Maybe this was a joke?)
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 11:46
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
| 1/3 is my editing rate | Apr 19, 2023 |
Anna Grynfeld Smith wrote:
One third is very reasonable if it's a good quality MT. If it's not particularly good, I would insist on an hourly rate to ensure a fair fee.
As someone mentioned before 1/3 is about the rate I ask for editing of normal quality human translations. There is absolutely no way that I am able to deliver MTPE quality at that rate. I would have to achieve a post-editing speed of over 1300 words per hour to achieve that, which is absolutely bonkers (my normal full-editing speed being about 1500 words per hour). Machine translation can be surprisingly good sometimes, but it's definitely not that good.
In my opinion 60-70% of your normal rate is a fair price for full-quality MTPE, but anything below it isn't anymore.
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » translation is dead as a profession | CafeTran Espresso | You've never met a CAT tool this clever!
Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer.
Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools.
Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free
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 
