Poll: For me, translation is...
De persoon die dit onderwerp heeft geplaatst: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
MEDEWERKER SITE
Mar 26, 2012

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "For me, translation is...".

This poll was originally submitted by Mohsin Alabdali. View the poll results »



 
neilmac
neilmac
Spanje
Local time: 11:21
Spaans naar Engels
+ ...
In the majority Mar 26, 2012

Glad to see that it's a labour of love as well as a job for most. I'll keep my opinion about the rest stewing away under my hat.

 
Simon Bruni
Simon Bruni  Identity Verified
Verenigd Koninkrijk
Local time: 10:21
Lid 2009
Spaans naar Engels
With Neil Mar 26, 2012

neilmac wrote:

I'll keep my opinion about the rest stewing away under my hat.


The ranting possibilities regarding the other two options are infinite.


 
Rosanna Saraceno
Rosanna Saraceno  Identity Verified
Italië
Local time: 11:21
Lid 2006
Engels naar Italiaans
+ ...
You love it, you hate it.... Mar 26, 2012

There are always hard moments (as in every type of job, I think), but I do love this profession 99,9% of the time. I'm sorry to say this, but I do agree with neilmac.....You can't be a good translator if you only see this profession as a way of earning your living. But this is just my humble opinion, of course!

 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Duitsland
Local time: 11:21
Lid 2009
Engels naar Duits
+ ...
Love & "Hate" Mar 26, 2012

Rosanna Saraceno wrote:

There are always hard moments (as in every type of job, I think), but I do love this profession 99,9% of the time. I'm sorry to say this, but I do agree with neilmac.....You can't be a good translator if you only see this profession as a way of earning your living. But this is just my humble opinion, of course!


I agree with everyone here. It is nearly impossible to be good in any profession if one considers it to be a mere possibility to earn a living .

There is a tiny percentage of this job that I don't enjoy, so that the "hate" factor is less than 1%. I can rightfully claim to love what I'm doing and... am doing what I love.


 
Interlangue (X)
Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 11:21
Engels naar Frans
+ ...
Other Mar 26, 2012

... a passion that allows me to make a living.

 
Rosanna Saraceno
Rosanna Saraceno  Identity Verified
Italië
Local time: 11:21
Lid 2006
Engels naar Italiaans
+ ...
Perfect! Mar 26, 2012

Interlangue wrote:

... a passion that allows me to make a living.


Just the same for me


 
JaneD
JaneD  Identity Verified
Zweden
Local time: 11:21
Lid 2009
Zweeds naar Engels
+ ...
I wonder Mar 26, 2012

what other profession would get such a positive response from its practitioners!

 
Terry Richards
Terry Richards
Frankrijk
Local time: 11:21
Frans naar Engels
+ ...
For a contrary viewpoint Mar 26, 2012

See my thread http://www.proz.com/forum/business_issues/221336-a_labour_of_love.html

Now I need a 15%er patch for my motorcycle jacket


 
Allison Wright (X)
Allison Wright (X)  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:21
my life! Mar 26, 2012

Part of the air that I breathe. A passion; a compulsion. Cannot live without it! Also, I love the work, and love the fact that I can earn my living from it.

[Edited at 2012-03-26 16:35 GMT]


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:21
Engels naar Spaans
+ ...
A thought-provoking poll question Mar 26, 2012

Rosanna Saraceno wrote:

There are always hard moments (as in every type of job, I think), but I do love this profession 99,9% of the time. I'm sorry to say this, but I do agree with neilmac.....You can't be a good translator if you only see this profession as a way of earning your living. But this is just my humble opinion, of course!


Way to put it, Rosanna! I agree...to a point. Some translators are translators by avocation, by choice, because the word gods so inspired them. Many others stumble on the profession for a variety of reasons.

I once had a very respectable and fun French translator tell me that she was actually a hack. She would write translations according to whatever instructions she would be given. That attitude is easy to criticize, right?

Others choose to be translators because they love to write, despite the fact that they didn't get a university degree in languages, writing or translation. I have a high respect for them, especially if they are doctors, engineers, painters, artists, etc. who love to write.

The ones I can't stand are those who call themselves translators and can't or won't write well or properly. Top that with a few individuals or companies in the U.S. that have the gall to come to our conferences and try to sell books on how to become a translator and make money with your knowledge of languages.


 
ANNA PRIGHIPAKI
ANNA PRIGHIPAKI
Griekenland
Local time: 12:21
Engels naar Grieks
+ ...
It is what I always wanted to do Mar 26, 2012

I always wanted to work from home, without bosses, doing what I enjoy most. I love research, reading, studying, and foreign languages, so this is ideal for me (it is also what I studied). I have been occupied in a number of firms as a secretary (translation was part of my duties) but I also had to do many other things that bored me to death; furthermore I was unhappy and stressed. I am having the time of my life now!

 
Giuseppina Gatta, MA (Hons)
Giuseppina Gatta, MA (Hons)
Engels naar Italiaans
+ ...
A job... Mar 26, 2012

...is a job is a job is a job.

Love is something different.


 
ikeda45
ikeda45  Identity Verified
Local time: 18:21
Lid 2007
Engels naar Japans
Love and hate Mar 27, 2012

I guess translating is one of the jobs that require your full capacity and responsibility, which makes this job interesting and attractive.

 
Paul Adie (X)
Paul Adie (X)  Identity Verified
Duitsland
Spaans naar Engels
+ ...
A job Mar 27, 2012

It's just a job. I'm 'passionate' (ick) about other things in life. I sometimes enjoy translating, depending on the text, but if I could get by without doing it or found that elusive thing everyone is looking for, actually working in something you enjoy, I would change. In fact, I'm looking into combining translation with another profession in the near future.

Happy translating (or not, as the case may be)!

Paul.


 


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Poll: For me, translation is...






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