| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: To find a word when specific knowledge and research isn’t enough, I fall back on: Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Tatty 
Local time: 04:48
Spanish to English
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| What a question! | Jun 8, 2013 |
I would look at the word in other contexts using Google, and I would infer the meaning - naturally logic plays a part in that process. And as a last resort I would post a question on proz, hoping that someone else may have been stumped by the term in the past.
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For me, "specific knowledge and research" will include logic, common sense and a fair dose of intuition. Guess? Never!
KudoZ can be helpful and on the odd occasion when I have asked a question, once you rule out the bad grass, then there are some roses in there. It is often a matter of reading a question in a particular way which will sort the problem out. Two (decent) heads are better than one.
As someone has said above, then a translator's note is sometimes necessar... See more For me, "specific knowledge and research" will include logic, common sense and a fair dose of intuition. Guess? Never!
KudoZ can be helpful and on the odd occasion when I have asked a question, once you rule out the bad grass, then there are some roses in there. It is often a matter of reading a question in a particular way which will sort the problem out. Two (decent) heads are better than one.
As someone has said above, then a translator's note is sometimes necessary once all usual solutions have been exhausted. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I just ask... | Jun 8, 2013 |
If I really get stuck, and none of my normal resources work, I just ask the author (as has already been mentioned). That way the client can explain what they're trying to say and an acceptable alternative can be found, if necessary.
Another good tip is to run spell check on the original, if possible. ^_^
| | | | macimovic
Netherlands
Local time: 04:48
English to Serbian
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| Logic and intuition | Jun 8, 2013 |
I never guess because it leaves me with that terrible feeling that I may be embarrassingly wrong. In this case, logic combined with intuition proved to work for me.
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| I'm with Jack | Jun 9, 2013 |
Jack Doughty wrote:
Agree with Emma, but if all the suggested methods fail, you may just have to put something like "[untraced word]" plus a translator's note with your thoughts about it. Absolutely the last resort, of course.
Cheers!
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:48
Spanish to English
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Depends what you mean by "find" a word. I'm keen on brainstorming, whether via proz or similar sites, or friends, colleagues, or even strangers who might be able to help. For example, I once went round some furniture stores asking about the usual terms for certain items, which I found out can vary considerably between companies or manufacturers, retailers, etc. Perhaps this approach simply falls under "research"?
On some occasions, certain imponderables turn out to be due to mistak... See more Depends what you mean by "find" a word. I'm keen on brainstorming, whether via proz or similar sites, or friends, colleagues, or even strangers who might be able to help. For example, I once went round some furniture stores asking about the usual terms for certain items, which I found out can vary considerably between companies or manufacturers, retailers, etc. Perhaps this approach simply falls under "research"?
On some occasions, certain imponderables turn out to be due to mistakes or typos, which explains why I couldn't "find" them... which is always a relief! ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:48
Spanish to English
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| Blind leading the blind | Jun 9, 2013 |
Triston Goodwin wrote:
If I really get stuck, and none of my normal resources work, I just ask the author (as has already been mentioned). That way the client can explain what they're trying to say and an acceptable alternative can be found, if necessary.
Good solution, but sometimes even the authors themselves, or the people sending you the text, don't know either....
| | | | Jaime Oriard
Mexico
Local time: 20:48
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
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Emma Goldsmith wrote:
If "intuition" and "guessing" were grouped together
and
"logic" and "common sense" were also grouped together
then there would be room for the missing options:
- ask the client
- ask a subject expert / ask on a terminology forum
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I assume that's what's meant by 'terminology forum'. I don't think I recall ever delivering a job without solving all my doubts first. There is always an answer somewhere.
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