Poll: Would you recommend any books on freelance translation to beginners?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Nov 20, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you recommend any books on freelance translation to beginners?".

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José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 03:26
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Fabio Said and Danilo Nogueira Nov 20, 2017

Fabio Said's books are great:
https://www.proz.com/?sp=profile&eid_s=140478&sp_mode=ctab&tab_id=5755

I'm not sure whether he published them in EN and/or DE too.


Likewise, I'd recommend Danilo Nogueira's blog/articles:
- old
... See more
Fabio Said's books are great:
https://www.proz.com/?sp=profile&eid_s=140478&sp_mode=ctab&tab_id=5755

I'm not sure whether he published them in EN and/or DE too.


Likewise, I'd recommend Danilo Nogueira's blog/articles:
- old blog - http://tradutor-profissional.blogspot.com.br/ on in PT-BR
- upcoming book - https://textoecontexto.trd.br/ - in PT-BR
- numerous articles in TranslationJournal - in EN


While Fabio takes the holistic approach to translation, Danilo delves into one aspect of it at a time.
I'm not sure they know each other.
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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 07:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes Nov 20, 2017

Confessions of a Freelance Translator by Gary Smith is an excellent practical guide on common sense tips and examples for freelancers starting out.
The only other translation manual I have come across and rate is "The Translator's handbook" (with special reference to conference translation from French and Spanish) by Frederik Fuller, which I think was first issued in the 70s, so it might not be as up-to-date as it could be.


 
Noelle Crist-See
Noelle Crist-See  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 07:26
German to English
The Bookmark ist in German, and is for those living in Germany Nov 20, 2017

Überleben als Übersetzer von Miriam Neidhardt.

 
Mariana Perussia
Mariana Perussia  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 03:26
Member (2005)
Italian to Spanish
+ ...
Two Nov 20, 2017

Guía de supervivencia para traductores (Celia Rico Pérez) (in Spanish)
images

Here is a summary of the book's content in Spanish: http://editorialpiedepagina.com/supervivencia_para_traductores.html

Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Guia-de-supervivencia-para-traductores-Celia-Rico-Perez/9788494668876?ref=grid-view&qid=1511177510294&sr=1-1



How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator (Corinne McKay, Jost Zetzsche) (English Edition)
41Lsswm3zEL

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Succeed-Freelance-Translator-Third-ebook/dp/B01CDAB134



Cómo Triunfar en la Traducción Freelance (Corinne McKay, Jost Zetzsche) (Spanish Edition)
41kF1mMEnxL

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cómo-Triunfar-Traducción-Freelance-Spanish-ebook/dp/B01MU5FKUL


 
Maria Simmen
Maria Simmen
Germany
Local time: 07:26
English to German
+ ...
For German speakers: Handbuch Translation Nov 20, 2017

It was a compulsory buy at my uni, and even though it's a fairly dry read, there's lots of good advice.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 06:26
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
For the European Portuguese readers... Nov 20, 2017

"Batalhas de um tradutor iniciante" (https://www.bubok.pt/livros/7531/Batalhas-de-um-tradutor-iniciante), written by Ana Honrado (https://www.proz.com/translator/1112123)

 
Alex Bell
Alex Bell  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:26
English
Not sure it qualifies as a proper "manual" but... Nov 20, 2017

Mox: Illustrated Guide to Freelance Translation

also available at http://mox.ingenierotraductor.com/

I have both volumes and they are just brilliant


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:26
English to Spanish
+ ...
One reason NOT to buy that book Nov 20, 2017

Mariana Perussia wrote:

Guía de supervivencia para traductores (Celia Rico Pérez) (in Spanish)
images

Here is a summary of the book's content in Spanish: http://editorialpiedepagina.com/supervivencia_para_traductores.html

Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Guia-de-supervivencia-para-traductores-Celia-Rico-Perez/9788494668876?ref=grid-view&qid=1511177510294&sr=1-1



How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator (Corinne McKay, Jost Zetzsche) (English Edition)
41Lsswm3zEL

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Succeed-Freelance-Translator-Third-ebook/dp/B01CDAB134



Cómo Triunfar en la Traducción Freelance (Corinne McKay, Jost Zetzsche) (Spanish Edition)
41kF1mMEnxL

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cómo-Triunfar-Traducción-Freelance-Spanish-ebook/dp/B01MU5FKUL



Just the title in Spanish disinvites reading from serious professionals: “traducción freelance” is a clunky and amateurish rendition of “freelance translation.” Not to mention the bad habit of capitalizing every word in English is being transferred to Spanish.

Yes, I judge a book by its cover.



 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:26
English to Spanish
+ ...
It is difficult... Nov 20, 2017

...to make book recommendations on such general premises. Do youngsters who wish to become astronauts, doctors, political scientists, nutritionists, mechanics and so forth have a similar book out there? The image of children's books pop up in my mind like a Christmas earworm song.

Besides, have others noticed the poorly written sentence? I would ask “What kind of books on freelance translation would you recommend to a beginner?” The part recommend any books is not very id
... See more
...to make book recommendations on such general premises. Do youngsters who wish to become astronauts, doctors, political scientists, nutritionists, mechanics and so forth have a similar book out there? The image of children's books pop up in my mind like a Christmas earworm song.

Besides, have others noticed the poorly written sentence? I would ask “What kind of books on freelance translation would you recommend to a beginner?” The part recommend any books is not very idiomatic in this construction either.

I would happily recommend a book on writing to the poll's author.

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Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales
Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:26
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
+ ...
I won a book Nov 20, 2017

from ProZ a couple of years ago (I think it was a raffle kind of thing for renewing my membership) called "The Prosperous Translator", which is a selection from twelve years' of a regular advice column on the translation business by Chris Durban and Eugene Seidel.

I found it both revealing and humorous, and would recommend it to anyone thinking about getting into the business, or to any already established freelancer who wants a laugh and some "yeah, I've been there" moments.


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:26
English to Spanish
+ ...
It's a blog compilation Nov 20, 2017

Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales wrote:

from ProZ a couple of years ago (I think it was a raffle kind of thing for renewing my membership) called "The Prosperous Translator", which is a selection from twelve years' of a regular advice column on the translation business by Chris Durban and Eugene Seidel.

I found it both revealing and humorous, and would recommend it to anyone thinking about getting into the business, or to any already established freelancer who wants a laugh and some "yeah, I've been there" moments.



It's rather a compilation of blog entries, not a book per se. I'm quite familiar with it because I also have a copy. There are better options out there.


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 03:26
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Nov 21, 2017

I could make several useful recommendations for beginners, but books on freelance translation would surely not be among them. I could recommend many other books and, as José Henrique mentioned below, Danilo's blog, which would be a lot more helpful than any book in any shelf.

 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 07:26
French to English
No Nov 21, 2017

I'd say to read up a few noobs threads here, pay special attention to Sheila's answers and get stuck in.

 


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Poll: Would you recommend any books on freelance translation to beginners?






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