| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5] > | Poll: Which is the weirdest place where you've ever worked on a translation/interpretation job? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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David Wright 
Austria
Local time: 17:54
German to English
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| What's wierd about working on the train | Aug 31, 2011 |
I put other, cos working on the train ain't wierd, it was part of my existence for about five years.
| | | | opolt
Germany
Local time: 17:54
English to German
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| On a rail bridge over a river | Aug 31, 2011 |
A manufacturer of rail points/switches had asked me to interpret for a potential client of theirs. I have survived other jobs related to the railway industry, which involved going to repair shops with everyone looking underneath locos and so on, but this one was really bizarre:
Down below us, there was the Spree river flowing, visible between the gaps in the bridge's steelwork. Trains were running over the bridge at our back and front all the time, with the brakes screaming at times... See more A manufacturer of rail points/switches had asked me to interpret for a potential client of theirs. I have survived other jobs related to the railway industry, which involved going to repair shops with everyone looking underneath locos and so on, but this one was really bizarre:
Down below us, there was the Spree river flowing, visible between the gaps in the bridge's steelwork. Trains were running over the bridge at our back and front all the time, with the brakes screaming at times (the Berlin-Friedrichstraße station is very close).
Each time a train approached on our line (every 4-5 minutes or so), the flagger in his orange vest would blow his horn, and we all had to step aside in time. We would let the train pass -- just two feet in front of us -- and step onto the track again to proceed. You had to look out for the live contact rail however, which in the case of the Berlin S-Bahn runs just above ground :-]
When the business part had come to an end, the German engineers made an attempt to explain the Berlin landmarks visible from the bridge, which were quite a few because the bridge is right in the city centre ... I can still remember one of them pointing in the direction of a bright golden cupola, and mumbling something to the effect of "Jewish Cathedral", which of course was translated as "synagogue" by me.
Oh, and their clients weren't even English native speakers -- they were Koreans trying to make themselves understood in English :-]
On top of that, I hadn't slept well the night before. So, overall quite an interesting assignment ;-]
[Edited at 2011-08-31 13:29 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 11:54
Spanish to English
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| Airport/Airport lounge/Boarding area/Plane | Aug 31, 2011 |
And multiple times in each of these places during the past two years.
The question serves as a bit of a prod to me not to create conditions that require doing this (or, perhaps better, to hope that I am not ever again in a situation where I feel I have to do this).
It is by no means a terrible thing to have to work when in international transit, but I would myself prefer avoid doing it and to relax and read a book or newspaper instead. I also feel that I've reached a ... See more And multiple times in each of these places during the past two years.
The question serves as a bit of a prod to me not to create conditions that require doing this (or, perhaps better, to hope that I am not ever again in a situation where I feel I have to do this).
It is by no means a terrible thing to have to work when in international transit, but I would myself prefer avoid doing it and to relax and read a book or newspaper instead. I also feel that I've reached a point where "I've paid my dues" and therefore can dispense with certain behavior that I wouldn't have thought twice about in years past. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | At the Red Cross | Aug 31, 2011 |
I've translated in a tent or at a campsite on many occasions, which is always a bit incongruous, but probably the weirdest place would be at the Red Cross blood donation center with a needle in my arm. It's a tricky balancing act!
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I was flown in to Toronto and worked in a hotel room to translate documents for a conference. Never got out in 2 days. All I saw from Toronto was from a taxi from and to the airport.
| | | | James McVay
United States
Local time: 11:54
Russian to English
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| Not necessarily the weirdest... | Aug 31, 2011 |
...But the hardest. I had a accompanied a math professor to the Library of Congress to help him with some Russian math books, several of which he checked out. Then during a long car ride afterwards he wanted me to translate orally from the books. I kept asking if my translations were understandable because the esoteric math was pure gibberish to me. He always responded enthusiastically that I was making perfect sense and urged me to keep going. After about an hour, I got so car sick I had t... See more ...But the hardest. I had a accompanied a math professor to the Library of Congress to help him with some Russian math books, several of which he checked out. Then during a long car ride afterwards he wanted me to translate orally from the books. I kept asking if my translations were understandable because the esoteric math was pure gibberish to me. He always responded enthusiastically that I was making perfect sense and urged me to keep going. After about an hour, I got so car sick I had to stop. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jenn Mercer
United States
Local time: 11:54
Member (2009)
French to English
| My not so boring office | Aug 31, 2011 |
I admit, I have become accustomed to my collection of physical dictionaries, my big screen, and my full-sized keyboard. I rarely translate on my laptop and working during vacation is strictly forbidden for the sake of family harmony. Really, I cannot complain as my husband would cheerfully sneak in work as well so it is best to keep all of the computers off.
However... this past week, I had several interesting weather conditions visit my NC office. One rare, the other more predicta... See more I admit, I have become accustomed to my collection of physical dictionaries, my big screen, and my full-sized keyboard. I rarely translate on my laptop and working during vacation is strictly forbidden for the sake of family harmony. Really, I cannot complain as my husband would cheerfully sneak in work as well so it is best to keep all of the computers off.
However... this past week, I had several interesting weather conditions visit my NC office. One rare, the other more predictable, but always worth noting. A 5.8 earthquake hit VA and was felt in Raleigh, NC. I was working at the time and thought the rumbling might have been my husband rearranging his office upstairs. When he started coming downstairs to investigate the noise, I realized both that: it had not been him making it, the rumbling was increasing, and it just kept going. I have the good fortune to work in the portion of the house built on a slab and I could feel the vibration coming up through the ground. It was my first earthquake ever, and likely my last, as they are rare in this region. It did not cause any damage of any sort - but it was quite distracting!
The second was a rather humdrum hurricane. We were far enough outside the bands of Hurricane Irene that what we got was more reminiscent of a tropical storm - lots of rain, wind gusts of various strengths, etc. Again, no damage, but if we'd lost power, I would have been hunting coffee shops to finish my translation on time. ▲ Collapse
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[Edited at 2011-08-31 14:33 GMT]
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At a legal wedding. She, Peruvian, didn't speak a word of English; he, American, didn't speak a word of Spanish but yes, they loved each other! They met through one of those catalogues offered by wedding agencies, and I first translated all their love letters. A year later, he came to Peru to marry this woman and I had to be the interpreter at the wedding.
They are still married and live in the USA; she eventually learned English there. We became good friends and every now and then,... See more At a legal wedding. She, Peruvian, didn't speak a word of English; he, American, didn't speak a word of Spanish but yes, they loved each other! They met through one of those catalogues offered by wedding agencies, and I first translated all their love letters. A year later, he came to Peru to marry this woman and I had to be the interpreter at the wedding.
They are still married and live in the USA; she eventually learned English there. We became good friends and every now and then, we talk over the phone. ▲ Collapse
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In a van, going to Spain for holidays,
in a hotel room
and in a hotel lobby (do you think I'm weird? )
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I haven't worked as an interpreter yet, but I'm amazed that this list of weird places is endless...
P.S. Cristina Heraud-van Tol, I think you're the best - this is definitely more that just a job =)
| | | | | 1. At a tedious public meeting, on a completely diff. topic; 2. By the pool | Aug 31, 2011 |
1. My other profession is urban planner, so I often attend or moderate public meetings. This one I was a presenter. Instead of doing nothing while listening to all the speakers before me, I sat in the last row and typed madly away on my laptop on a translation on a completely different subject. I think most people who heard me (why don't they make silent keyboards?) thought I was assiduously taking verbatim notes!).
2. By the pool -- because the sun was too strong on the beach to se... See more 1. My other profession is urban planner, so I often attend or moderate public meetings. This one I was a presenter. Instead of doing nothing while listening to all the speakers before me, I sat in the last row and typed madly away on my laptop on a translation on a completely different subject. I think most people who heard me (why don't they make silent keyboards?) thought I was assiduously taking verbatim notes!).
2. By the pool -- because the sun was too strong on the beach to see the screen! ▲ Collapse
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| what a great story! | Aug 31, 2011 |
Cristina Heraud-van Tol wrote:
At a legal wedding. She, Peruvian, didn't speak a word of English; he, American, didn't speak a word of Spanish but yes, they loved each other! They met through one of those catalogues offered by wedding agencies, and I first translated all their love letters. A year later, he came to Peru to marry this woman and I had to be the interpreter at the wedding.
They are still married and live in the USA; she eventually learned English there. We became good friends and every now and then, we talk over the phone.
| | | | | At a building site | Aug 31, 2011 |
For quite a long time I had to interpret at a building site. It was weird because I was the only woman in the area, and every time I walked in everybody was staring at me as if I was some sort of top model or miss Universe (which I am not )
As for translating I hate to translate while traveling or while not in my office, but occasionally I have translated while in a plane or in a bus. Not that terribly weird, as I can read fr... See more For quite a long time I had to interpret at a building site. It was weird because I was the only woman in the area, and every time I walked in everybody was staring at me as if I was some sort of top model or miss Universe (which I am not)
As for translating I hate to translate while traveling or while not in my office, but occasionally I have translated while in a plane or in a bus. Not that terribly weird, as I can read from others' experiences ▲ Collapse
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Interlangue wrote:
In a hospital room, .
Last week my mom had a health problem and I worked on my laptop at a clinic; however, concentrating (even inside a quiet room) was a challenge. I proofread the whole thing after I was told she was better.
While interpreting, oh well, that is another story, hills, fields, markets, jewerly shops, you name it...
Have a nice day everyone!
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