| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: What do you do when you receive a poor quality source text (e.g. grammar issues)? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
Samantha Payn wrote:
I am astonished that the response "Produce a good translation, figuring out the problematic parts and raising any issues politely with the client" was not listed as one of the answers.
I read the options twice, because I couldn't believe this answer was not an option.
| | | |
Do my best to turn garbage into gold. No need to inform the customer.
Nobody cares or wants to know.
Sandra
| | | |
who the client is.
If it is a regular client I explain the problem and they usually suggest what to do.
If it is a new client I turn it down.
| | | | | More often the case than I dare to imagine! | Mar 15, 2017 |
Sandra& Kenneth wrote: Do my best to turn garbage into gold. No need to inform the customer. Nobody cares or wants to know. Sandra
Like!
| | |
|
|
|
I bet that there is an answer to what the source creator (writer) did miss or misunderstood. So, I do my best and struggle to find out the one and only correct translation by all means. Then, I never let it slip away and inform the PIC of it. However, if the proposed work is full of poor source strings, I simply reject the task because it costs a lot of time to have the tangled and twisted straight.
[Edited at 2017-03-15 13:14 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-03-15 13:15 GMT]
| | | | | Me too, but I'm beginning to have my doubts... | Mar 15, 2017 |
Samantha Payn wrote:
I am astonished that the response "Produce a good translation, figuring out the problematic parts and raising any issues politely with the client" was not listed as one of the answers.
TWICE in the last week, I have had clients come back and question translations where this was the policy.
One was not mine, and the original translator had IMHO done a faithful job of writing good English from a mix of technical jargon and plain sloppy writing. The text was a series of informative articles intended for non-experts. The meaning was clear enough, however.
The other translation was my own, and the client asked for a flowing translation, not necessarily word for word. It came back painted red and full of Danish syntax copied from the source... I have just spent the morning fuming and explaining why I prefer my version. I had better not comment here, or the moderator will have to remove my post... 
Everyone can English, so why ask Brits like me to mess up the client's lingua franca? 
| | | | Mario Freitas 
Brazil
Local time: 20:30
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Samantha Payn wrote:
I am astonished that the response "Produce a good translation, figuring out the problematic parts and raising any issues politely with the client" was not listed as one of the answers.
This is the answer you'd expect from a professional tanslator.
Chinglish has become part of our routine long ago. We must be able to deal with it, and this is how you do it.
| | | | Adam Warren
France
Local time: 01:30
Member (2005)
French to English
| Standardising the management approach | Mar 17, 2017 |
Samantha Payn wrote:
I am astonished that the response "Produce a good translation, figuring out the problematic parts and raising any issues politely with the client" was not listed as one of the answers.
So often do I stumble on obscure or ambiguous text that I have devised a standard queries table as a Word template, which I complete with the job and client details. I list and send the queries ahead of the deadline so that the client has time to answer, if a direct client or, if an agency, can secure a timely answer from the end client. On a long job, I send queries in batches, with chapter-and-verse references, source text and recommended or conjectured target renderings, to guide the answerer. Unsolved queries are delivered with the job, and my follow-up is part of the package, provided the volume of work it entails is not unreasonable.
Obviously, the sheer inanity of some mistakes may be thoroughly irritating; even so, one has to keep a polite, neutral tone, because this is the best way to elicit coherent and constructive answers. Translators have an implicit role as standard-setters, and their efforts to clarify the meaning may provoke thought, especially if the information flow is positive in mood.
With kind regards.
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: What do you do when you receive a poor quality source text (e.g. grammar issues)? | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
| | Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
