| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4 5] > | What do you reply to 'What's your job' Thread poster: Christine Ghafoor
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When somebody asks you 'Do you work?' what do you reply?
- I am a translator
- I do translations
- I am freelance
- I work from home
- I have a home office
- ???
When you are a mom (and maybe a dad) translator working from home, don't you feel frustrating that people understand working from home by 'playing on the keyboard' while watching tv?
How do you make it clear, shortly? Maybe just saying 'I work freelance'... See more When somebody asks you 'Do you work?' what do you reply?
- I am a translator
- I do translations
- I am freelance
- I work from home
- I have a home office
- ???
When you are a mom (and maybe a dad) translator working from home, don't you feel frustrating that people understand working from home by 'playing on the keyboard' while watching tv?
How do you make it clear, shortly? Maybe just saying 'I work freelance'?
Thanks for your help,
Christine ▲ Collapse
| | | | Niraja Nanjundan (X) 
Local time: 08:57
German to English
| I usually say..... | Jul 29, 2009 |
Ghafoor wrote:
I am a translator
When you are ..........a translator working from home, don't you feel frustrated that people understand working from home as "playing on a keyboard"while watching tv?
No, not at all. I love what I do and I don't care what others think about it.
| | | | | I'm a translator | Jul 29, 2009 |
That's it! No matter where you work, what clothes you wear, how many hours a day do you work, how many computers you have, etc. etc. If your main activity is translation... you are a translator.
[Edited at 2009-07-29 11:48 GMT]
| | | | | Sometimes ... | Jul 29, 2009 |
I reply that I create added value.
When they say that I do not seem like working at all, my reply is - one can notice a work in progress if it's not being carried out properly.
:0)
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Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:27
French to English
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| I usually say | Jul 29, 2009 |
Ghafoor wrote:
When somebody asks you 'Do you work?' what do you reply?
- I am a translator
That's what I say. It usually becomes apparent that the person I'm talking to has only a shaky idea about what a translator does, so I proceed to bore them at length with details of what I do, usually involving a brief description of my last few jobs. If they ask how I got into the field, I bore them with that, too.
When you are a mom (and maybe a dad) translator working from home, don't you feel frustrating that people understand working from home by 'playing on the keyboard' while watching tv?
I'm not a parent but if I were, I think my answer to the first question would be exactly the same. I like talking about my work
If, after I have said all that, the person I'm talking to chooses to believe that working from home is a soft option, then that's not my problem.
| | | | Elías Sauza
Mexico
Local time: 21:27
Member (2002)
English to Spanish
+ ...
| I am a translator | Jul 29, 2009 |
Most of times you can see the big question mark in their faces. The word "translator" arises many more questions in people's minds than the original "What do you do?" I never hesitate replying "I am a translator" when people ask what I do. I can tell that many of them hear the word "translator" for the first time in their lives when I tell it, and most of times they choose not to inquire more, or simply they don't know how to go about it. If anyone chooses to know more details, I lecture them wi... See more Most of times you can see the big question mark in their faces. The word "translator" arises many more questions in people's minds than the original "What do you do?" I never hesitate replying "I am a translator" when people ask what I do. I can tell that many of them hear the word "translator" for the first time in their lives when I tell it, and most of times they choose not to inquire more, or simply they don't know how to go about it. If anyone chooses to know more details, I lecture them with translation memories and software, payment options and translation subjects. I know beforehand they will understand little, but I love talking about my profession.
Regards,
Elías
[Edited at 2009-07-29 14:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I am a translator | Jul 29, 2009 |
I always reply 'I am a translator'. Usually, people then ask more questions, such as "What languages, all of them?", "So you translate books?", "Oh, you're an interpreter?", "So you provide the subtitles for movies and tv-shows?".
| | | | AWa (X)
Local time: 05:27
English to German
+ ...
| I'm a (freelance) translator... | Jul 29, 2009 |
... with a universitiy degree in mechanical engineering.
That's my usual answer, sometimes I add a sentence about translating manuals.
The worst reaction I ever got was a heartfelt "How boring!"
- from someone who was in the exciting field of
exporting wallpaper.
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| I am a translator | Jul 29, 2009 |
Angela Dickson wrote:
...That's what I say. It usually becomes apparent that the person I'm talking to has only a shaky idea about what a translator does, so I proceed to bore them at length with details of what I do, usually involving a brief description of my last few jobs. If they ask how I got into the field, I bore them with that, too...
As a father of two, that's what I do too with as bland a voice as possible, while trying to highlight that one can make a living out of this profession.
Usually the other party is bored stiff by the end of my explanation and, if not asleep, he/she looks at me with pitiful eyes, sighs and spares me the reply that he/she could be one too, and a good one at that, and by the way, he/she could give me work, how much is it.
The subject is usually never raised again.
My friends, if not very much aware of what I do, know that I do real work during the day and don't bother me turning up or calling without valid reasons. Just like I don't bother them at work.
What I'd really feel frustrated about would be to spend hours in public transports to go to work and be ill-treated by a tyrannic boss.
Philippe
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 05:27
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
.. at the UN had a fancy name: language assistant
You may prefer that one, but I just prefer " translator"
What about " language artist"
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 21:27
English to Spanish
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In memoriam | I don't have a JOB | Jul 29, 2009 |
I left my last job 23 years ago. What I have is my own business, I'm a translator!
| | | | Laureana Pavon
Uruguay
Local time: 00:27
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
MODERATOR | I am a freelance, technical translator | Jul 29, 2009 |
I worked hard to get my degree in translation, I worked very hard to get my engineering degree, and I worked even harder to build my freelance business, so when someone asks me what my job is that's what I reply.
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Carla Guerreiro
France
Local time: 05:27
Member (2006)
French to Portuguese
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| Excellent answer!!! | Jul 29, 2009 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
I left my last job 23 years ago. What I have is my own business, I'm a translator!
Hi Henry and Hi all,
This is what I call an excellent answer. I have the feeling that many translators are afraid to admit and to say that they are entrepreneurs and they have a translation business.
Quite frankly, if one wants to be successful in translation activity and business (let's not be afraid to say this word!), one should say that he is an entrepreneur and should create his/her marketing and advertising strategies... like any entrepreneur!
What I say about me is: I'm a freelance translator and I provide translation services for companies (even if I also translate for individuals... but not very often), so I can be an excellent business partner if a company wants to make business with portuguese speaking countries.
| | | | Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:27
French to English
+ ...
Henry Hinds wrote:
I left my last job 23 years ago. What I have is my own business, I'm a translator!
I didn't spot the part about "jobs". I usually mention something about running my own business too (did I mention I like talking about my work?)
| | | | Eman Riesh
Local time: 05:27
Arabic to English
+ ...
| I'm a translator..... | Jul 29, 2009 |
Then I face the usual question "where do you work?". Honestly, I stopped saying that I'm a freelancer because they make me feel like a loser who can't find a place to work in. I see their eyes saying "Oh, how poor she is!"
So, I'd rather say that I have my own "small" translation office and it seems they can understand it well. They still can't perceive the nature of our freelance work.So, I think it is meaningless to try to explain what a freelance translator is.
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