| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Definitely worth reading if you are a freelance translator! Thread poster: Michelle Kusuda
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Great article!
http://patenttranslator.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/are-translation-agencies-really-lsps-language-service-providers-or-lsrs-language-services-resellers/
"Translation agencies purchase translations from translators and then sell them to direct clients. Ergo, translation agencies are not the providers of translation services either, they are also resellers of translations that were already sold once to them by the translators.
Perhaps a more honest abbreviation for a translation agency would be an LSR – Language Service Reseller, and the abbreviation LSP should be reserved only for translators who actually provide the translation service, which is often, but not always, sold first to an agency, and then resold by the agency to a direct client."
[Edited at 2013-01-17 12:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Parrot 
Spain
Local time: 19:53
Spanish to English
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| Thanks for posting | Jan 17, 2013 |
Actually, over here it turns out the tax office was smarter about that distinction than we were.
Agencies are classified (in its obscure encryption) "7430". Translators and interpreters are "744".
Different businesses, different interests. I've been clear about it ever since they told me. It may sound like hair-splitting, but it's handy to know in legal matters.
| | | | Michelle Kusuda
United States
Local time: 13:53
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | If only end-clients were as smart as the tax office! | Jan 17, 2013 |
Parrot wrote:
Actually, over here it turns out the tax office was smarter about that distinction than we were.
Agencies are classified (in its obscure encryption) "7430". Translators and interpreters are "744".
Different businesses, different interests. I've been clear about it ever since they told me. It may sound like hair-splitting, but it's handy to know in legal matters.
Thank you for sharing that bit of information! I think as freelancers we need to educate the end-client. The more educated the final translation buyers are, the higher the chances they will go directly to the actual "translation service provider = translators".
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Sorry, but I fail to see anything new or exciting about this.
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| Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule | 564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 19:53
Danish to English
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| I found it boring, too ;) | Jan 18, 2013 |
We are all different, and there will always be different ways of assessing what is interesting and what isn't. I read the article and yawned a lot along the way. To be frank - who really cares about the LSP designation? As you say, only very few people know what it means, and those of us who do know what it means, don't need to have a stupid made-up abbreviation that encompasses both agencies and translators. Let the agencies have the 'title'. I sure don't want it. I'm a translator, for goodness... See more We are all different, and there will always be different ways of assessing what is interesting and what isn't. I read the article and yawned a lot along the way. To be frank - who really cares about the LSP designation? As you say, only very few people know what it means, and those of us who do know what it means, don't need to have a stupid made-up abbreviation that encompasses both agencies and translators. Let the agencies have the 'title'. I sure don't want it. I'm a translator, for goodness sake. 
[Edited at 2013-01-18 13:37 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 10:53
English to German
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In memoriam | Thanks for posting! | Jan 18, 2013 |
It's not news, but I am glad that you found proof after 32 years of translation (Info: your profile page).
| | | | Michelle Kusuda
United States
Local time: 13:53
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | It may not be new to us but few end-clients realize it! | Jan 18, 2013 |
Nicole Schnell wrote: It's not news, but I am glad that you found proof after 32 years of translation (Info: your profile page).
It might not be news to us, but few Communication Directors realize they are dealing with a "Translation Reseller" and not a "Translation/Language Service Provider". We are the Service Language Providers.
Yes, it seems after 32 years some people are choosing to leave political correctness aside and use the correct terms!
And if we quit being such a fragmented crowd, we would stand to benefit from it!
Have a wonderful extended weekend, everyone!
Michelle
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Phil Hand
China
Local time: 01:53
Chinese to English
| Naive view of language... | Jan 18, 2013 |
Michelle Kusuda wrote:
I find it interesting that we work so hard to always have the most exact translation and we fail to call Translation Agencies "Translation Work Resellers!" and use the inaccurate term "Language Service Providers!"
I like the mad translator blog, but if you still think that the primary use of language is to accurately describe the world, then I dread to think what your marketing translations read like...
I would put "accurate description of things" about fifth in the list of human uses of language.
| | | | Michelle Kusuda
United States
Local time: 13:53
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | Pollution in china... | Jan 18, 2013 |
Phil, you missed the point that I also do Court interpretation where everything has to be very precise and that article hit a funny cord with me the other day. I thought others might find it as interesting as I did.
There is no need for you to come on the attack. Literary and Marketing texts are very different from legal, patents, medical, pharmaceutical texts. I hope for your sake that you do know the difference and can apply your translation skills as necessary.
Th... See more Phil, you missed the point that I also do Court interpretation where everything has to be very precise and that article hit a funny cord with me the other day. I thought others might find it as interesting as I did.
There is no need for you to come on the attack. Literary and Marketing texts are very different from legal, patents, medical, pharmaceutical texts. I hope for your sake that you do know the difference and can apply your translation skills as necessary.
The bad air in china is probably poisoning your reasoning!
Cheers!
Phil Hand wrote: Michelle Kusuda wrote:
I find it interesting that we work so hard to always have the most exact translation and we fail to call Translation Agencies "Translation Work Resellers!" and use the inaccurate term "Language Service Providers!" I like the mad translator blog, but if you still think that the primary use of language is to accurately describe the world, then I dread to think what your marketing translations read like... I would put "accurate description of things" about fifth in the list of human uses of language. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 19:53
Italian to English
In memoriam | Rants and rankings | Jan 18, 2013 |
Phil Hand wrote:
I would put "accurate description of things" about fifth in the list of human uses of language.
Number one has to be:
Language, n. The music with which we charm the serpents guarding another’s treasure.
(Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary)
| | | | Phil Hand
China
Local time: 01:53
Chinese to English
Michelle Kusuda wrote:
Phil, you missed the point that I also do Court interpretation where everything has to be very precise and that article hit a funny cord with me the other day. I thought others might find it as interesting as I did.
There is no need for you to come on the attack. Literary and Marketing texts are very different from legal, patents, medical, pharmaceutical texts. I hope for your sake that you do know the difference and can apply your translation skills as necessary.
The bad air in china is probably poisoning your reasoning!
Cheers!
I didn't mean to sound negative, I was aiming more for wry...
My problem right now in China is not the bad air, it's the bad internet. I can't even read the blog you linked to because our overlords have decided to censor it.
Giles - absolutely right, and number two is cursing those serpents whom we fail to charm! And my invective today is aimed at the censors, serpents among men that they are.
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 19:53
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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But Phil you took it all wrong, actually by "pollution in China", Michelle meant "roses in your garden"; remember, accurate descriptions are fifth in the list of language uses!
Yes, what this article suggests is probably true, however, I am afraid correct denotations won't change situation in the market even a bit.
Have a nice day/morning/evening depending where you are. : )
[Edited at 2013-01-18 15:28 GMT]
| | | | | A contrary viewpoint | Jan 18, 2013 |
Actually, if you look at what agencies (at least, the good ones) actually do, I think the LSP name fits very well.
They find the customers, coordinate multiple translators (possibly in multiple languages), interface with the end customer, have the documents reread, perform quality control, front the money to translators even if they haven't been paid and so forth. These are all services, they are all ... See more Actually, if you look at what agencies (at least, the good ones) actually do, I think the LSP name fits very well.
They find the customers, coordinate multiple translators (possibly in multiple languages), interface with the end customer, have the documents reread, perform quality control, front the money to translators even if they haven't been paid and so forth. These are all services, they are all language related and they are all provided by the agency. At least, they should be, I am well aware that many agencies fall down on at least some of these items but even that doesn't mean they are not LSPs, it just means that they are bad LSPs!
I think the problem here is that, as translators, we tend to think that translating is the entire job. It is not. ▲ Collapse
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Terry Richards wrote:
Actually, if you look at what agencies (at least, the good ones) actually do, I think the LSP name fits very well.
They find the customers, coordinate multiple translators (possibly in multiple languages), interface with the end customer, have the documents reread, perform quality control, front the money to translators even if they haven't been paid and so forth. These are all services, they are all language related and they are all provided by the agency. At least, they should be, I am well aware that many agencies fall down on at least some of these items but even that doesn't mean they are not LSPs, it just means that they are bad LSPs!
I think the problem here is that, as translators, we tend to think that translating is the entire job. It is not.
Amen.
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