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formeracctus (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:03
French to English
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| Translating for good causes | Dec 29, 2013 |
As Christine mentioned, translating for non-profit organisations can be a good way to get started. Lots of experienced translators give up their time to do pro bono work when they can and I found it a great way to get some experience without undercutting my colleagues. Sometimes I even got my work proofread by more experience translators, which was really helpful.
| | | | | Don’t bother with TWB | Dec 29, 2013 |
Actually don’t bother with Translators Without Borders: they don’t take translators without at least 2 years of experience. In fact they require those two years to be paid experience; for some reason even previous volunteer/pro bono experience doesn’t count.
| | | | Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 23:03
French to English
Ambrose Li wrote:
Actually don’t bother with Translators Without Borders: they don’t take translators without at least 2 years of experience. In fact they require those two years to be paid experience; for some reason even previous volunteer/pro bono experience doesn’t count.
This I didn't know! I suppose I already had the experience when I started, and I got in through the back door in fact in that one of the people who started it up is a friend, they knew about my experience and so didn't need to ask.
I'm sure there are plenty of other NGOs who would be happy. Amnesty and Greenpeace are both international NGOs who need to translate tons of stuff (if you can take it: I did exactly one translation for Amnesty then refused any more because the subject matter was so gruesome - now I just send cheques without reading the newsletter.)
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 22:03
Member (2007)
English
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| Pro bono isn't for gaining experience | Dec 29, 2013 |
Ambrose Li wrote:
Actually don’t bother with Translators Without Borders: they don’t take translators without at least 2 years of experience. In fact they require those two years to be paid experience; for some reason even previous volunteer/pro bono experience doesn’t count.
I didn't know that the experience had to be paid but in a way it makes sense. NGOs rarely use proofreaders; TWB certainly don't. They rely on their translators to produce adequate translations that don't require checking, so it follows that they only use already experienced, tested translators. You shouldn't expect, and you won't get, feedback about your pro bono translations (although if they remove you from their database I suppose that's negative feedback ). Remember, pro bono should rightly be referred to as pro bono publico - it's for the public good, not the individual's.
If you want to cut your teeth on unpaid translations then you would do better contributing to a worthwhile, and non-commercial, cloud-sourced translation, e.g. Wiki or the TED videos. Then your translations will be edited - for you to gauge whether for the better or for the worse. Or you can contact the owners of websites for clubs and associations that interest you, and arrange to translate them in return for feedback from users.
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| I never said pro bono is for gaining experience | Dec 29, 2013 |
Sheila Wilson wrote:
I didn't know that the experience had to be paid but in a way it makes sense. NGOs rarely use proofreaders; TWB certainly don't. They rely on their translators to produce adequate translations that don't require checking, so it follows that they only use already experienced, tested translators. You shouldn't expect, and you won't get, feedback about your pro bono translations (although if they remove you from their database I suppose that's negative feedback ). Remember, pro bono should rightly be referred to as pro bono publico - it's for the public good, not the individual's.
If you want to cut your teeth on unpaid translations then you would do better contributing to a worthwhile, and non-commercial, cloud-sourced translation, e.g. Wiki or the TED videos. Then your translations will be edited - for you to gauge whether for the better or for the worse. Or you can contact the owners of websites for clubs and associations that interest you, and arrange to translate them in return for feedback from users.
Yes, this is exactly the rationale they gave me, but it doesn’t sound convincing.
The problem is that even if you have had years of solid volunteering/pro bono experience for some other reason (such as you never planned to go professional in the first place), your experience is discounted. Even if your volunteering have always targeted a national or international audience (so it had to be reasonably perfect anyway) or had to meet strict publication deadlines (so you had to be reliable). And if the person happened to be volunteering with an organization with a more formalized volunteering structure, TWB could have just called up the org and asked the translation coordinator (i.e., PM in professional parlance) about the person’s quality or experience. All this makes TWB’s rationale sound very hollow.
Aside: When I was more involved with volunteering some of us used to laugh at professional translators (i.e., they produce mistakes that we would never make). If you thought volunteers are not reliable you will need to have a second look at what kind of work volunteers are producing, or at least what kind of attitude you can expect from volunteers when you discount their work as less than that of professionals.
(Sorry for the multiple edits.)
[Edited at 2013-12-29 21:37 GMT]
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Sheila Wilson wrote:
If you want to cut your teeth on unpaid translations then you would do better contributing to a worthwhile, and non-commercial, cloud-sourced translation, e.g. Wiki or the TED videos. Then your translations will be edited - for you to gauge whether for the better or for the worse. Or you can contact the owners of websites for clubs and associations that interest you, and arrange to translate them in return for feedback from users.
By the way I wouldn’t agree with you on “testing your teeth” on a Wiki or Amara (TED), because others who are going to edit your translation might have a lower standard than yourself, and you might or might not be bothered to defend your work. On a platform like Wikipedia, sometimes it’s really difficult to defend your rationales.
The thing is on a Wiki or Amara you’re going to volunteer your time because you find the cause worthwhile and want to contribute. I don’t think viewing it as “testing your teeth” will work out.
[Edited at 2013-12-29 20:55 GMT]
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 22:03
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Ambrose Li wrote:
I wouldn’t agree with you on “testing your teeth” on a Wiki or Amara (TED), because others who are going to edit your translation might have a lower standard than yourself, and you might or might not be bothered to defend your work. On a platform like Wikipedia, sometimes it’s really difficult to defend your rationales.
I agree that it's not a totally satisfactory method of apprenticeship, Ambrose. I didn't actually say it would be good - just better. Of course, we do need to learn how to defend our choices and some of our clients are just as ill-informed.
As already mentioned, there are mentoring programmes here on ProZ.com and elsewhere, and participation would constitute a much more worthwhile entry into the business. Otherwise, if you've had had some training, Phillipa, then I'd advise you to just go for it, and apply for jobs with agencies who will give you all the feedback you need. For an average rate or just a tiny bit below; no less. If you're really worried about damaging your reputation by delivering sub-standard work then charge at least the average and spend a few cents per word on having the work proofread by a highly experienced translator. You won't get such thorough feedback (errors will be corrected but maybe not explained - that could cost extra) but it would ensure quality for your client while you were learning the ropes.
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