| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Off topic: Are Translators Normal? Thread poster: Raf Uzar
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| It depends... define normal | Feb 2, 2010 |
As a woman, I do get my fair share of other working parents asking me to watch their kids when school is out and they don't have anyone else to care for them. I simply say, fine by me, as long as you understand that I do it so they will entertain my own children and I will not pay one minute of attetnion to them if I have a project going on. Most of them do appreciate that I'm actually working, but desperate times beg for desperate measures, and as long as there's an adult presence in the house... See more As a woman, I do get my fair share of other working parents asking me to watch their kids when school is out and they don't have anyone else to care for them. I simply say, fine by me, as long as you understand that I do it so they will entertain my own children and I will not pay one minute of attetnion to them if I have a project going on. Most of them do appreciate that I'm actually working, but desperate times beg for desperate measures, and as long as there's an adult presence in the house while the kids are in, the police cannot accuse the parents of child neglect (who cares if the adult presence is, for all intents and purposes, actually absent, working her little tail off on a large litigation translation).
My son, luckily, understands that what I do while at home is real work, which is very sweet of him, as my own husband sometimes seems to forget that I actually don't have time to pick up his dry cleaning as I'm working against the clock to make a deadline. The family also understands that the house is my office. The ENTIRE house, is my office. And if ask someone to move from one room to another because here comes mom with her laptop, they better move, and sharpish, or they will be kicked out to the back yard, even in sub-zero temperatures.
With that said, how normal can it be that I don't mind being shackled to the computer for weeks at a time? In older times, when I used to work for someone else, I would have called that masochism.
Eh... to each his/her own. My crazy little world works for us. Who cares what other people think?
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| | | | Nicole Schnell 
United States
Local time: 07:33
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam | I second that | Feb 2, 2010 |
Edward Potter wrote:
I'd say the weirdo rate amongst translators is approximately the same as in other professions.
I know that in the United States bilingual people are highly regarded. Speak three languages and you'll be seen as a demi-god. Make a living with translation? What? Never thought of it.
Actually, from my American perspective, it seems strange that translatiion is seen as a lower form of work by so many people in Europe. Perhaps that is because they have 37 gazillion languages, none of which is dominant over very large areas.
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:33
Flemish to English
+ ...
Edward Potter wrote:
I'd say the weirdo rate amongst translators is approximately the same as in other professions.
I know that in the United States bilingual people are highly regarded. Speak three languages and you'll be seen as a demi-god. Make a living with translation? What? Never thought of it.
as.
What if you speak five languages (and have an understanding of three and a half other languages: are you a god?)
When I was in the States before the era of internet, but with faxes already available, my acquaintance said: "where can you make a living with translation"? The answer was "everywhere". This is more true today than back then (1991).
No, seriously. I come from a commuter's town through which thousands of people passed on their way to work every day. Especially if your neighbour is a person with "30 years of service" (being there) at a state-subsidised institution, it is difficult to explain that you don't have to "go" to work to make a living.
Many people see "work" as a job with a superiour paid according to labour-agreements.
| | | | Raf Uzar
Poland
Local time: 16:33
Polish to English
TOPIC STARTER | a god ? Certainly! | Feb 2, 2010 |
Williamson,
You ARE a god. Don't let them tell you otherwise!
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Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:33
Flemish to English
+ ...
| Translator: double status. | Feb 2, 2010 |
I am quite normal.
That said, the only places where the job of translator is highly regarded are international institutions. If your answer were : "I am a translator at the UN or the institutions of the E.U.", people would look at you differently. Ah, a well-paid official with good pension prosepcts, lucky you. Which is why every time, there are competitions, +thousand participate (with the exception of small E.U-Member-States with rare languages).
| | | | | Not "going" to works is getting popular... | Feb 2, 2010 |
Plus, I ready need much more than those
Oleg Rudavin wrote: 21 days a year... or ... some three years to himself or herself during the entire lifetime - three years for all things we have been dreaming of having done; for all places we've been dreaming of visiting...
So, I am normal.
[Редактировалось 2010-02-02 21:01 GMT]
| | | | Raf Uzar
Poland
Local time: 16:33
Polish to English
TOPIC STARTER
Sergei,
Do you say that because you're afraid of NOT being normal?
| | | | Sumit Sarkar
India
Local time: 20:03
Member
English to Bengali
+ ...
| I am finding a phenomenon very strange | Feb 3, 2010 |
Hello everybody,
Same discussion is on somewhere else. Did u know that? In an another translators forum also they are asking: Are translators normal?
I really find it very strange. Are we responding to any social survey?:o
[Edited at 2010-02-03 11:20 GMT]
[Edited at 2010-02-03 11:26 GMT]
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I just second the idea expressed by Oleg.
It is normal to be in/with the family during the day. Working from home is working in the most convenient environment. So, I think "going to office" is abnormal.
| | | | Brandis (X)
Local time: 16:33
English to German
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| translators are ciphers ... | Feb 3, 2010 |
HI! they can never be normal. Just like the outsourcers can never be normal. Translators however have the ability to look into the text and write back a secret which the dear outsourcer would like to have cheap. It has become unfortunately a handwerk on the road side, today you have translators staning in the kiosk, but most of them cannot write, no - no CAT tools nothing about terminology. Hearing them speaking itself is very hurting, someone outght put these back in schools, may be send out a... See more HI! they can never be normal. Just like the outsourcers can never be normal. Translators however have the ability to look into the text and write back a secret which the dear outsourcer would like to have cheap. It has become unfortunately a handwerk on the road side, today you have translators staning in the kiosk, but most of them cannot write, no - no CAT tools nothing about terminology. Hearing them speaking itself is very hurting, someone outght put these back in schools, may be send out as salesmen ( outsourcers) Brandis ▲ Collapse
| | | | gianfranco
Brazil
Local time: 11:33
Member (2001)
English to Italian
+ ...
Brandis wrote:
HI! they can never be normal. Just like the outsourcers can never be normal. Translators however have the ability to look into the text and write back a secret which the dear outsourcer would like to have cheap. It has become unfortunately a handwerk on the road side, today you have translators staning in the kiosk, but most of them cannot write, no - no CAT tools nothing about terminology. Hearing them speaking itself is very hurting, someone outght put these back in schools, may be send out as salesmen ( outsourcers) Brandis
Amusing, to say the least, the proposal to send somebody (else) back to school.
Gianfranco
| | | | Raf Uzar
Poland
Local time: 16:33
Polish to English
TOPIC STARTER | No... AGREED! | Feb 3, 2010 |
I completely agree, Sergei!
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Brandis (X)
Local time: 16:33
English to German
+ ...
gianfranco wrote: Brandis wrote:
HI! they can never be normal. Just like the outsourcers can never be normal. Translators however have the ability to look into the text and write back a secret which the dear outsourcer would like to have cheap. It has become unfortunately a handwerk on the road side, today you have translators staning in the kiosk, but most of them cannot write, no - no CAT tools nothing about terminology. Hearing them speaking itself is very hurting, someone outght put these back in schools, may be send out as salesmen ( outsourcers) Brandis Amusing, to say the least, the proposal to send somebody (else) back to school. Gianfranco
| | | | Raf Uzar
Poland
Local time: 16:33
Polish to English
TOPIC STARTER | No Social Survey | Feb 3, 2010 |
Social Survey? Not that I know of...
| | | | | hard to understand | Feb 9, 2010 |
Hi all,
Interesting topic!
I think people working in full-time, 'regular' office jobs often find it hard to accept the fact that that isn't the only way of working, generating an income and contributing to society. I think this is something that will change over the years, as new working models develop and things like freelancing and telecommuting become more commonplace.
The reality is that translation is one of the most skilled, difficult and interesting... See more Hi all,
Interesting topic!
I think people working in full-time, 'regular' office jobs often find it hard to accept the fact that that isn't the only way of working, generating an income and contributing to society. I think this is something that will change over the years, as new working models develop and things like freelancing and telecommuting become more commonplace.
The reality is that translation is one of the most skilled, difficult and interesting jobs there is, and translators should be recognised and respected as the highly-trained professionals they are. ▲ Collapse
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