Poll: Do you create a glossary as you work and give it to the client?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Oct 6, 2015

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you create a glossary as you work and give it to the client?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 17:01
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No! Oct 6, 2015

I have been asked by several of my customers to build a glossary of terms before starting a long project, but I have always been paid…

 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:01
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Give, as in 'for free'? Oct 6, 2015

Why would anyone do that?

I've only been asked once to provide a glossary and I was happy to oblige, for payment.


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 18:01
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
I was assuming payment if I give it to the client Oct 6, 2015

I frequently make glossaries for my own purposes or add regular clients' terminology to my own database.

I don't charge a lot, but I do charge a small fee for making the glossary in a deliverable form and sending it to the client. (Typically an Excel file to be imported into Multiterm.) It depends on how much time I have spent searching for the terms and checking them.

One agency in particular collects terminology about older trades and crafts for a museum, and I excha
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I frequently make glossaries for my own purposes or add regular clients' terminology to my own database.

I don't charge a lot, but I do charge a small fee for making the glossary in a deliverable form and sending it to the client. (Typically an Excel file to be imported into Multiterm.) It depends on how much time I have spent searching for the terms and checking them.

One agency in particular collects terminology about older trades and crafts for a museum, and I exchange what I find for terms supplied by the client or found by other translators. They can be quite hard to find, but once we have registered them, we know they are reliable and can use them consistently.

It is well worth collaborating with clients like that.

[Edited at 2015-10-06 15:21 GMT]
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Roser Bosch Casademont
Roser Bosch Casademont  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 17:01
English to Spanish
+ ...
But I create it for myself! Oct 6, 2015

For large projects I often create a glossary for myself. I only give it to the client if I'm asked to (a particular French client of mine often asks me to create a glossary "for validation by the client" for any problematic terms).

I don't charge anything for that, as I consider it part of the terminology research work that I need to carry out anyway for the project.

The only instances in which I provided a glossary to the client without having been asked was when I kn
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For large projects I often create a glossary for myself. I only give it to the client if I'm asked to (a particular French client of mine often asks me to create a glossary "for validation by the client" for any problematic terms).

I don't charge anything for that, as I consider it part of the terminology research work that I need to carry out anyway for the project.

The only instances in which I provided a glossary to the client without having been asked was when I knew it was a large project involving several translators - then I passed it on to ensure consistency of terminology.
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Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 18:01
Member (2006)
German to English
Not unless Oct 6, 2015

I am specifically asked. But I must admit after one customer saked me to do so, I have really gotten into Multiterm, and am mad at myself for not having started it years ago.
It is a bi slow at the beginning, but when it gets fuller, it helps a heck of a lot!


 
Rolf Kern
Rolf Kern  Identity Verified
Switzerland
Local time: 18:01
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
Other Oct 6, 2015

I would have voted "It depends", if this answer would have been suggested as an option.

 
DorothyX (X)
DorothyX (X)
France
Local time: 18:01
Always, but for myself Oct 6, 2015

I always create a glossary when beginning a new subject. I elaborate it when working on the translation.
Simple Excel file with two or three columns + a column for comments, links, etc.
But this is only for myself, and if necessary for the person with whom I share a huge translation.
I never give it to the client.
I once sold an adaptation of the glossary to a client who asked for it.


 
564354352 (X)
564354352 (X)  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 18:01
Danish to English
+ ...
In a sense, yes Oct 6, 2015

I sometimes collaborate with a client about putting together a glossary, but it is as much for my own benefit as for the client's. Often, the client will have expert knowledge of the terminology in the target language, and instead of me having to do hours of research, I put together an Excel spreadsheet with my queries (and suggestions - I rarely admit to being completely clueless, but it does happen) and my choice of terms where there are alternatives. The client goes through the spreadsheet, a... See more
I sometimes collaborate with a client about putting together a glossary, but it is as much for my own benefit as for the client's. Often, the client will have expert knowledge of the terminology in the target language, and instead of me having to do hours of research, I put together an Excel spreadsheet with my queries (and suggestions - I rarely admit to being completely clueless, but it does happen) and my choice of terms where there are alternatives. The client goes through the spreadsheet, accepts/rejects my choices, indicates alternative preferences and answers my queries. They get a glossary for free, which they may or may not find useful, and I get a glossary that I can incorporate into MultiTerm. In my view, it's a win-win situation for both parties.Collapse


 
Petra Van Caneghem
Petra Van Caneghem
Local time: 18:01
English to Dutch
+ ...
No Oct 6, 2015

I have never been asked to provide a glossary ...

I translate a lot of books and I build a glossary while working (names of people and other terminology that will occur a lot in the text).
Plus I also build my own termbase while working on medical or legal documents (both translation and proofreading), but this is for my own use.

I would though if the customer would specifically ask for it, but it has never happened in the 10 years I have been working as a transla
... See more
I have never been asked to provide a glossary ...

I translate a lot of books and I build a glossary while working (names of people and other terminology that will occur a lot in the text).
Plus I also build my own termbase while working on medical or legal documents (both translation and proofreading), but this is for my own use.

I would though if the customer would specifically ask for it, but it has never happened in the 10 years I have been working as a translator.
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Chié_JP
Chié_JP
Japan
Local time: 01:01
Member (2013)
English to Japanese
+ ...
"monolingual" glossary but not always Oct 6, 2015

Separate glossary building (to send to client or agency): has to be paid.

Concordance list: a small memo (usually monolingual) only for myself.

Terms list (technical term and meaning): No, KudoZ and Google search suffice to complete everything.


Having glossary or termbase is not as efficient as it sounds. Best if you know it all in your mind.

Not to change the subject, but particularly termbase auto-suggest is annoying when they ALWAYS
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Separate glossary building (to send to client or agency): has to be paid.

Concordance list: a small memo (usually monolingual) only for myself.

Terms list (technical term and meaning): No, KudoZ and Google search suffice to complete everything.


Having glossary or termbase is not as efficient as it sounds. Best if you know it all in your mind.

Not to change the subject, but particularly termbase auto-suggest is annoying when they ALWAYS come up with alphabet while I am typing Asian language.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:01
English to Spanish
+ ...
Your TMs and glossaries are your intellectual property Oct 6, 2015

Most of the agreements we sign for clients to work with them specifically request that a) we acknowledge and agree that the translation we provide as a service includes our intellectual rights to the translation in exchange for payment, and b) that the client or company retains ownership of the files they exchange with us. The latter contains the assumption that files are the work files, including their translation memories, glossaries and such.

However, any other file
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Most of the agreements we sign for clients to work with them specifically request that a) we acknowledge and agree that the translation we provide as a service includes our intellectual rights to the translation in exchange for payment, and b) that the client or company retains ownership of the files they exchange with us. The latter contains the assumption that files are the work files, including their translation memories, glossaries and such.

However, any other files we create to aid in the work are ours to keep, i.e. additional translation memories, additional glossaries.

If a client requests a copy of the translation memory or glossary we used (that the client did not provide), then we have the right to charge for a discreet copy of such TM or glossary.

Having said that, no one can claim exclusive proprietary intellectual ownership of a glossary because it usually contains generic terms (and words are not patentable anyways). On the other hand, a translation memory can be the intellectual property of a company provided it contains company-specific and confidential information, such as patents, trade secrets, formulas and the like.

Also, if a client requests a translation without specifying a CAT tool nor requesting a translation memory or glossary as deliverable, we can safely keep a copy of such translation memory or glossary for our records, but we are not at liberty to divulge any confidential information, trade secrets, etc. that they may contain.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:01
English to Spanish
+ ...
All in your mind Oct 6, 2015

Chie. I wrote:

Separate glossary building (to send to client or agency): has to be paid.

Concordance list: a small memo (usually monolingual) only for myself.

Terms list (technical term and meaning): No, KudoZ and Google search suffice to complete everything.


Having glossary or termbase is not as efficient as it sounds. Best if you know it all in your mind.

Not to change the subject, but particularly termbase auto-suggest is annoying when they ALWAYS come up with alphabet while I am typing Asian language.


While there's nothing better than to keep everything useful in memory, human memory is not infallible nor precise.

That's why we have journals, dictionaries, specialized publications, etc. They are an extension of our memory.

As for KudoZ and Google search as methods good enough to prepare a term list, that's a wrong assumption. Many websites are built by amateurs or by knowledgeable people without peer review. You have to depend on the website owner or writer to trust the contents.

As for KudoZ, come on! Do you think that the right expression is the product of some sort of People's Choice Awards or a popularity contest?


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:01
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Never did it Oct 8, 2015

In 28 years of translating, I was never asked to provide my glossary to a client, and if that happened, my answer would be a clear "no way". If the client wants a glossary for a specific job, then, as well mentioned by the colleagues below, let's count the words and see how much that would cost.

Sometimes the clients ask for the TM. That's OK, because you can send them the TM of the document you just translated, and only that. Although it's our intellectual property, the client can
... See more
In 28 years of translating, I was never asked to provide my glossary to a client, and if that happened, my answer would be a clear "no way". If the client wants a glossary for a specific job, then, as well mentioned by the colleagues below, let's count the words and see how much that would cost.

Sometimes the clients ask for the TM. That's OK, because you can send them the TM of the document you just translated, and only that. Although it's our intellectual property, the client can easily import the original and the translation to their CAT and generate the TM, so it's a little dumb not to provide that when they ask. Just fill-in the field "Client" when you create the project, and export that client's TM when you're done. No big deal.


[Edited at 2015-10-08 13:51 GMT]
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Poll: Do you create a glossary as you work and give it to the client?






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