| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | a problem of old age? Thread poster: Jennifer Barnett
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| This is not an age problem | Oct 11, 2008 |
It is well established by now that memory and certain cognitive functions can be trained. And, conversely, if not used actively, they may deteriorate. Since the job of a translator is a highly mental activity, translators are constantly putting to good use their brains. Therefore I don't believe that this particular bad performance is due to age. I am much more inclined to attribute this to fatigue or some kind of stress. Not simple tiredness, but fatigue. Although I am relatively far from 57 ye... See more It is well established by now that memory and certain cognitive functions can be trained. And, conversely, if not used actively, they may deteriorate. Since the job of a translator is a highly mental activity, translators are constantly putting to good use their brains. Therefore I don't believe that this particular bad performance is due to age. I am much more inclined to attribute this to fatigue or some kind of stress. Not simple tiredness, but fatigue. Although I am relatively far from 57 years of age, I notice with myself that I'm getting weary and have some difficulties remembering things.
So my suggestions would be to keep that bad moment in mind and to keep on working with the usual attention as before. But also to arrange a better work schedule with more regular rests (not necessarily longer, just more regular). And to engage in some kind of regular physical activity - house work doesn't count If only I could follow that last piece of advice myself... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mónica Algazi 
Uruguay
Local time: 13:46
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
| I agree with Patricia Lane | Oct 11, 2008 |
Hello Jennifer,
I think Patricia Lane made a point there.
And forget about your age. Just begin a brand-new life!
All the best,
Mónica
Patricia Lane wrote:
Hello Jennifer,
I can well understand why you are a bit shaken.
If you are concerned that something is off (short term memory as you say), then a check-up would probably alleviate your concerns (concerns that can affect your concentration, self-confidence and all the rest). We *all* have off days - fatigue, stress, preoccupation, poor eating habits etc.. - do have an impact on work. Nothing unusual there.
I took a look at your profile and CV and you have tremendous expertise in a very particular area -- but principally as a researcher, consultant and author. Translation seems to have stumbled into your life because of that expertise, and it is not yet a full or even half time endeavor. It is a far different thing to translate someone else's prose than to compose your own, even if you know the topic inside out and sideways. I have a hunch that this, combined with fatigue and health concerns, may have something to do with the comments you received from the agency.
I wouldn't go back to them to ask for another chance, but I would take the original text (without looking at your translation) and work on it again, and again, another day, perhaps asking a full time professional in your language pair for feedback.
Like any profession, translators have to work at their craft constantly, seek additional training, and benefit from constructive criticism.
If you want to make translation a big part of your life, keep plugging away at it. But first, wipe our the health worries thanks to a nice chat with your physician!
HTH,
Patricia
| | | | mohanv
India
Local time: 22:16
French to English
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| age is not a major factor | Oct 12, 2008 |
Hi Jennifer,
Sorry that you had a problem. Please do not loose confidence in yourself. Age is not a major criterion in translation work. For your info, I am 67 years and I am in this activity only after the age of 60. My clients are satisfied with my work. I do get into difficulties now and then; but that is not due to old age but due to stress of continuous working. There have been instances, when I have had a relook into my translation (before the final proofing), I have wondered whethe... See more Hi Jennifer,
Sorry that you had a problem. Please do not loose confidence in yourself. Age is not a major criterion in translation work. For your info, I am 67 years and I am in this activity only after the age of 60. My clients are satisfied with my work. I do get into difficulties now and then; but that is not due to old age but due to stress of continuous working. There have been instances, when I have had a relook into my translation (before the final proofing), I have wondered whether I had done it. As a matter of rule and practice, I allow a cooling time of at least few hours, before I do final proofing. I prefer to check after having a nap and I have always found corrections at this stage. My suggestion is there is nothing wrong and don’t give up. It could have been due to stress of work or other reasons. Accept jobs to the extent you can handle and do several proofing. I would like to mention here that I always take a printout for checking and corrections and I avoid doing it on the system.
best wishes
v mohan ▲ Collapse
| | | | | My advice... | Oct 12, 2008 |
stop drinking! Only joking...
G
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| Jack is possibly right | Oct 12, 2008 |
Jack Doughty wrote:
Also in my mid-fifties, I think. One translation from an agency I worked for regularly evoked an indignant phone call about the errors in it, which I had to admit was justified. I corrected it and refused any payment for it. The agency continued to send work and it never happened again. I just put it down to an off-day for no known reason. I hope it will be the same with you.
I think we all suffer from this regardless of age. It happened to me too a few months back (I'm 46). I was doing too much and just had a very off day. I read one of the keywords wrong and consistently translated it wrong. (Funny but not for the customer.) Don't get too stressed by this (take a break and try again).
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we all have off-days, even when you are only 45...
| | | | Juliana Brown
Israel
Local time: 12:46
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
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| It feels horrible. | Oct 12, 2008 |
mohan venkatraman wrote:
I would like to mention here that I always take a printout for checking and corrections and I avoid doing it on the system.
best wishes
v mohan
I had a final copy go out once (once was enough, believe me) which was missing the last several changes I had made and of course, it was a new client, referred by a colleague...in short, dreadful. The PM was very kind about it, but it took a while for ME to get over the feeling of horror and self-loathing (Virgos are good at that when things are not done perfectly ).
I love my computer and use it for work all the time, BUT...I know that for longer files, I need to print them out in order to be sure I haven't missed anything. Give it a try, because we assimilate things differently from a printed page, until you're feeling confident again (which I hope you do soon).
Hang in there!
[Edited at 2008-10-12 13:01]
| | | | PRen (X)
Canada
Local time: 13:46
French to English
+ ...
| Excellent advice | Oct 12, 2008 |
Juliana Starkman wrote: mohan venkatraman wrote:
I would like to mention here that I always take a printout for checking and corrections and I avoid doing it on the system.
best wishes
v mohan I had a final copy go out once (once was enough, believe me) which was missing the last several changes I had made and of course, it was a new client, referred by a colleague...in short, dreadful. The PM was very kind about it, but it took a while for ME to get over the feeling of horror and self-loathing (Virgos are good at that when things are not done perfectly ). I love my computer and use it for work all the time, BUT...I know that for longer files, I need to print them out in order to be sure I haven't missed anything. Give it a try, because we assimilate things differently from a printed page, until you're feeling confident again (which I hope you do soon). Hang in there! [Edited at 2008-10-12 13:01]
Yup, we've all had that at least one translation that brings us back to earth and reminds us that a little well-placed fear can go a long way. I agree absolutely with proof-reading a printed copy - I see things on paper that I miss entirely on screen. As for age, maybe I am getting a little forgetful at the grand old age of 56, but with age comes wisdom (or so they tell me!).
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:46
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| it isn't old age | Oct 12, 2008 |
Jennifer, as we get older some of us begin to assume that bad things have to start happening. We approach old age as some kind of threat. In actual fact, maturity may be the best time of all.
I would stay away from doctors as much as possible.
Translation-wise, I understand the problem you encountered. Usually when I've finished a translation I try NOT to send it off right away but leave it at least overnight, and then reread it next morning before sending it.
<... See more Jennifer, as we get older some of us begin to assume that bad things have to start happening. We approach old age as some kind of threat. In actual fact, maturity may be the best time of all.
I would stay away from doctors as much as possible.
Translation-wise, I understand the problem you encountered. Usually when I've finished a translation I try NOT to send it off right away but leave it at least overnight, and then reread it next morning before sending it.
Or else I take my laptop to a different place and read my translation there.
What you thought was good, the next day may reveal the faults you didn't see. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Nesrin
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:46
English to Arabic
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| Cooperating with a proofreader? | Oct 12, 2008 |
Hi Jennifer,
May I first applaud you for sharing this with us here. I feel that people here are often too wary of seeking advice when it comes to personal weaknesses, but I hope you haven't been disappointed and will encourage others to follow suit.
In addition to the good advice and words of reassurance offered by others above, one thing you could do - if you feel that the problem persists - is to ask a... See more Hi Jennifer,
May I first applaud you for sharing this with us here. I feel that people here are often too wary of seeking advice when it comes to personal weaknesses, but I hope you haven't been disappointed and will encourage others to follow suit.
In addition to the good advice and words of reassurance offered by others above, one thing you could do - if you feel that the problem persists - is to ask a colleague you trust to work with you as a proofreader. Depending on how confident you are, you may ask him/her to just have a quick look or a more thorough one (for which they would obviously be paid by you).
Good luck!
Nesrin ▲ Collapse
| | | | Russell Jones
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:46
Italian to English
| Just a thought | Oct 12, 2008 |
As well as acting on all the excellent advice offered above, why not write to the agency, tell me that on re-reading the translation you have to agree with their comments, can't understand how you managed to send out work so far below your normal standard and apologise.
They're human too and they might just give you a second chance, at least when they're stuck for a translator.
| | | | Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 22:16
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | No, it's not age | Oct 13, 2008 |
57 is no age to worry about. You are still young. These days human life-span is increasing by leaps and bounds and it is clos a 100 now with props from modern medicine. The brain can remain alert and active late into the nineties.
Think of people who have been active right up to the end of their lives, Bertrand Russel, comes to mind, but they are others too, in whose case there is no difference in the quality of the work they produced when they were younger and when they were older.... See more 57 is no age to worry about. You are still young. These days human life-span is increasing by leaps and bounds and it is clos a 100 now with props from modern medicine. The brain can remain alert and active late into the nineties.
Think of people who have been active right up to the end of their lives, Bertrand Russel, comes to mind, but they are others too, in whose case there is no difference in the quality of the work they produced when they were younger and when they were older. In fact their older works are more mature and better.
Translation is similar to original writing in that you improve with age and experience. This is because laugage is a very complex thing and translators have to be good at two of them. This takes a while. As you age and gain experience you begin to understand many areas of the languages in which you work which were mysteries to you before. This happens intuitively as the brain establishes associations and connections between ideas, words and personal experiences.
So your one-time problem has nothing to do with age. It was just a day when you got out of the bed from the wrong side. The best thing to do is forget about it all so that you don't unnecessarily worry which is what could be more damaging.
Some questions to help you sort it out. Did you do this translation while you were in the midst of some other demanding work such as a family get-together, house-shifting, holiday, etc., which could have distracted you?
Why I am asking this is because the same thing happened to me too once (and I am 46, a good 11 years junior to you, which just proves that this sort of thing can happen to any one). A test that I did turned out to be below the mark. I was at that time on a holiday and should not have done the test at all, but it promised a potentially large job, and I fell for it. It was as a disaster. I haven't heard from the client after he informed me about what happened with my test.
So relax, at 57 you still have almost a third of your active life ahead of you. Translation is not a skill that is dented by age, in fact you become better as you grow old and gain experience. ▲ Collapse
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hazmatgerman (X)
Local time: 18:46
English to German
| Age not relevant | Oct 13, 2008 |
From editorial experience: 'Age' within reason does mean more mistakes or such, rather fewer due to experience. Lack of concentration however may be countered by sticking to formal rules, such as letting a night's sleep pass before reviewing the final draft and having a personal check list when doing the review. Best however would be independent proofreader as previously suggested. It has probably happened to all of us at some point in time, and to me for sure. Best.
| | | | | don't lose heart | Oct 13, 2008 |
If you've been translating for some time and are happy that your standards are high, don't let this single experience shake you. Translation can be a lonely matter and it's important to keep faith in your abilities.
I've had similar but not identical experiences. I find my attention lapses when I feel I'm doing a client last minute favour and/or am already heading out the door for a holiday, the weekend/the evening. I'm full of goodwill and very pleased with myself for letting t... See more If you've been translating for some time and are happy that your standards are high, don't let this single experience shake you. Translation can be a lonely matter and it's important to keep faith in your abilities.
I've had similar but not identical experiences. I find my attention lapses when I feel I'm doing a client last minute favour and/or am already heading out the door for a holiday, the weekend/the evening. I'm full of goodwill and very pleased with myself for letting the poor recipient have the benefit of my largesse... But I've now learned to be very careful in these circumstances.
I'd say assume everything's OK and go on as before. Put the episode behind you, spend some time chatting to people who hold you in high estem, and only worry if this problem repeats sigificantly. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jennifer Barnett
France
Local time: 18:46
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you once more for the encouragement; diagnosis | Oct 13, 2008 |
I greatly appreciate all this support and wisdom and especially the fact that everyone can benefit from it, not just me.
My shock experience has been well and truly put into perspective.
More for the record.
The shock was all the greater because I HAD slept the night before the final check.
I do have someone to check my texts but virtuous me had decided that would be cheating for a test. I guess I could ask them to check that a test truly represents my usual standa... See more I greatly appreciate all this support and wisdom and especially the fact that everyone can benefit from it, not just me.
My shock experience has been well and truly put into perspective.
More for the record.
The shock was all the greater because I HAD slept the night before the final check.
I do have someone to check my texts but virtuous me had decided that would be cheating for a test. I guess I could ask them to check that a test truly represents my usual standard.
There were no remarkable circumstances at the time. Some weeks earlier I had stripped on the stairs thereby breaking one foot and tearing tendons in both but am not in constant discomfort. It is still necessary to work with my foot raised, resting on the desk, but I am not aware of any related concentration impairment; it's not uncomfortable.
I do try to keep a balance between physical and mental activities.
Diagnosis
Reflecting on the explanations offered so far, I think this blunder was due to a combination of lack of concentration combined with complacency. The underlying fault was not trusting my intuition. I had an uneasy feeling but I ignored it, apparently due to the lowered concentration and complacency.
Also, I had not worked for some days and so had probably had lost a certain edge.
Well developed intuition is part of the wisdom gained with age and I must learn to trust it more, or learn to better distinguish between intuition and fleeting thoughts. When intuition speaks, in my experience (when fully aware), it literally comes from the gut rather than the head. It more of a feeling than a thought.
Just before tripping on the stairs, I felt a warning but was distracted by listening to a TV program about the human skeleton. In a split second I was writhing in agony on the floor clutching both ankles while a Dr Roberts explained how tendons and bones work. That was quite a coincidence - perhaps it was a trust-your-intuition test.
Post shock resolutions
Pay attention to intuition.
Try to be more focussed all the time. As a dear Buddhist friend once said, we should always be aware of everything that we do; i.e., don't think about B while you are doing A. Then you will be more attuned to intuition as well as more concentrated on the task in hand. The multi-tasking ability of women may hinder focussing.
Keep the language mind sharpened. In times of no work I will do other translation tasks, no matter what, every day. ▲ Collapse
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