Translation as a Professione Feb2011

8/3/2019 Translation as a Professione Feb2011

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Translation as a Profession...Il Mestiere del Traduttore

Domenica GrangiottiFreelance technical translator

[email protected]


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Who is a translator?

Atranslatortransfers written text from a

source language into the target language

while maintaining the authors intent. An interpretertransfers oral speech from a

source language into a target language while

maintaining the speakers intent.


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Job profiles

A professional translator can work:

In-house vs. as a freelancer

On technical vs. literary texts Other specializations are: localization, terminology

management, project management, software development


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Localisation

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is both a necessity (cultural differences) and

a marketing strategy: Brand Names &

Software need to be localised.e.g. Crayola: Flesh=> Peach; Indian red => ChestnutItalia 90 => Ciao

McDonalds menu (Mozzarillo)

Shell (currency)

Follow the advice of an expert Alessandra

Muzzi: http://www.amtrad.it/loclinks.php


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Project management

Means more than just translating:

If you work as a PM in an agency, you walk

through all the steps of the translationprocess: contact with a customer quotation

outsourcing the job to a translator

proofreading/ editing delivering the final text

invoicing follow-up

Is very helpful to get a first-hand insight of the

translation industry5


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Gianni Davico Lindustria della traduzione -

Realt e prospettive del mercato italiano

10-15.000 traduttori in Italia e 600-800 agenzie

La professione misconosciuta, un secondolavoro per chi sa le lingue vedi la Canalis che

interpreta DeNiro al Festival!

Salvo eccezioni, non si diventa ricchi! (in denaro)

Il settore relativamente nuovo (1927

Conferenza internazionale del lavoro- Ginevra)


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Why become a translator?

A job that becomes a way of life:

Watching TV: the new Giulietta commercialGoing to the cinema: The Kings Speech

Meeting new friends: Clinical statistics is a

fascinating subject!


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How to become a translator?

1) Proficiency in source language(s): Get a certification (e.g. CPE etc)

2) In-depth knowledge of target language: Translate into yourMOTHER TONGUE only!

Use reliable sources specific for the subject!

3) Excellent writing skills Whos your audience?

4) Specialize choose something you like!

5) Become computer-savvy Exploit technology to your advantage!

e.g. Skype


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A technical translator ?Richiesta di aiuto:

brochure pubblicitaria di una ditta americana che produce feeders, print

stations, die cut accuracy systems, harmonic registers, ecc. e parti di ricambio

per unit alimentatrici (feeders).

Titolo: Get behind the wheel

Testo: *Wheel treads* by any other name (and color) are just not thesame. It's hard to ignore the super performance... Make your feeder

purr.... non stiamo parlando di cerchioni o battistrada, ma di

ingranaggi/componenti di macchinari.

Chiave per la comprensione:

Gioco di parole automobilistico tra get behind the wheel, "wheel treads" e

"purr"....

Cambia il tuo stile di guida

Questi ingranaggi dalla sagoma e dal colore speciali fanno andare in estasi

il feeder, che si mette a rombare (pardom, fare le fusa) come una Ferrari

sulla pista....


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A technical translator ?

On the seal of a US Notary Public: My comm.

exp. 11/1/2015

Australia: Community nurse; UPS: Uninterrupted Power Supply

PPE=> DPI?! What are these?

Avoid translatorese: Refer to: Fareriferimento a vs. Vedi in Italian. See also:http://www.robertocrivello.com/influssi.html


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A literary translator ?

is not easier than translating technical

subjects, whatever you might think!

involves a deep knowledge of the culturalbackground

C' questo poliziotto americano che fa un brindisi in onore di un collega di origini irlandesi

che va in pensione. Dice: "He was as stubborn a mic as ever stumbled out of the

Northeast parishes to take a patrolman's shield"

Fermo restando che "mic" lo slang per "irlandese"... a cosa fa riferimento di preciso la

frase del personaggio? Soluzione possibile: caparbio come pu esserlo un

irlandese sbucato dalle contee del nordest per portare il distintivo di poliziotto di

ronda. (parish in Louisiana al posto di county)

Poi continua e ad un certo punto dice ifImay quote Shakespeare, "No traveler has

ever returned La citazione di Shakespeare e' tratta dall'Amleto e la terra da cui

nessun viaggiatore ritorna e' l'Aldil: That undiscovered country from whose bourn

no traveler returns. (Hamlet,A

ct 3, Scene 1)11


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A technical translator ?

Choose a genre: noir, fantasy, childrens

stories, romance ... and also essays.

Learn the rules: how to deal with publishingcompanies, copyright, contracts

You need all the help you can get :

www.biblit.it & Sindacato Nazionale Scrittori Last but not least rates are lower than for

technical translations.12


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Language combinations

AITI Survey - 2007


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A translators SKILLS

Specialization AITI Survey 2007


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A translators SKILLS

Specialization AITI Survey 2007


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How to become a translator?

Formal training (University

education is not enough!)

Computer literacy Experience in a specific

sector

A thirst for knowledge

continuing education

Enthusiasm


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AITI Survey - 2007

No University degree

Degree in

Languages

University Education

Degree in

Translation &

Interpretation

Other degree


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ProofEdit

How does a translator work?

Terminology

research

Subject matter

research

Translate

The Process of Translation

Sentence structure

Readability

Check spelling,

grammar, tables,

charts, graphs Completeness


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The final translation will be:

Accurate in meaning

Grammatically correct Stylistically effective

If requested:

Formatted (DTP - desktop publishing) Certified (asseverata)

Be professional. Addvalue to your translation!

See: MariaAntonietta

Ferros Vademecum delTraduttore Giurato

http://www.ferrotraduzioni.it/

index.shtm


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RESOURCES

Dictionaries (printed & on CD)

Specialized glossaries

IATE

Internet (search engines Google)

Specific reference material supplied by

customers

Remember: Resources COST!


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TOOLS

Office suite

Adobe Acrobat Professional

OCR Software (& a good scanner) CAT Tools

Dictation software: Dragon NaturallySpeaking

Automatic reading software: Readme


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Computer-Aided Translation

(CAT) - Machine Translation

MT (Babelfish and the like) will never replace

human translators... BUT...

Google Translate: EN: TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY. For a period of24 Months from the

date of purchase, if this product is determined to be defective, XXX will

repair or replace the product, at its option, at no charge.

IT: DUE ANNI DI GARANZIA LIMITATA. Per un periodo di 24 mesi dalla

data di acquisto, se questo prodotto determinata a essere difettoso, XXX

provveder a riparare o sostituire il prodotto, a sua discrezione, senza alcuncosto.

In spite of the mistakes, this is definitely good enough for gist translation.

What about Google Conversation Mode?


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(CAT)

Star Transit, Trados, dj vu, SDLX, Wordfast ...

For an overview see: http://www.amtrad.it/articles/cat.php; OmegaT is OpenSource

Requisites consistently and well written electronic files

repetitive content and/or developed glossary OR job that will be updated

Some agencies ask for CAT discounts

The EU is moving in this direction:

See Una mini-guida su come scaricare e utilizzare la TM

del corpus legislativo dell'Unione Europea.

http://blog.transis.it/2009/09/memorie-tm-dellacquis-

comunitario-fr-acquis-communautaire/


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(CAT) AITI Survey -2007% of translators using CAT tools


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(CAT) AITI Survey - 2007

Most widely used CAT tools


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From theory to practice

Where?

IN-HOUSE

As a FREELANCER


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Working In-House

PROs & CONs

Steady income

Work for private

companies,

Governmentinstitutions, the EU

Exposure to all aspects

of translation industry

Gain subject area

knowledge and

translation experience

Fixed timetable no

flexibility

Office duties


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Working as a Freelancer

PROs & CONs

Motivation

Flexibility & opportunity for

income growth

Variety of customers andworking fields (marketing

strategy& customer

retention are key issues)

Offer additional services

(traduzioni asseverate) Home office & equipment

professional tools

No steady income, no

guaranteed salary

Highly competitive,

globalized market 24/7 availability

Management costs

Be 100% Professional & Reliable!


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How to find work as a

freelancer

Prepare a professionally-looking CV

Create your own website

Choose your customersTranslation agencies

Direct customers

Exploit the Internet: www.proz.com

www.gotranslators.com www.translatorscafe.com

and many others .

(free and for a fee)

Pro bono work


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Translating in a time of crisis is itworkable?

Forget the romantic notion of a translatorworking from home, with herpyjamas on anda cup of coffee or tea in front ofhermonitor!!

Be prepared to fight in a global market

http://www.actainrete.it/


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The translation market today

Literature: The Report on Publishing

Industry in Italy 2010(Rapporto sullo stato

delleditoria in Italia 2010)prepared by AIE(Associazione ItalianaEditori) states that theamount of translated workscompared to the total is

progressively reducing: in2008 translated titles were10,046 (20,1% of the total),in 2007 they were 24,9%.

Technical translation: This market is in constant

growth thanks to globalconnections in very different

fields. Some fields areworth mentioning:

IT & software

marketing & advertising

economy & finance

industry & manufacturingmedical & pharmaceutical

documents.


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What about machine translation? Will it affect

the market? YES BUT:

Quality will always be a key issue in some fields(advertising)

Patents & Scientific papers (huge budgets!)

Localization is a necessity in the global market

Revision/ editing of machine-translated documents=> a new opportunity!


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From theory to practice:

A translators RATES By the word (source or target?)

By the line

By the page (cartella)

By the job

By the hour

Simon Turner www.tariffometro.it

http://www.turner.it/Conteggi.htm

Very interesting article: Come stabilire le proprie tariffe

(How to establish ones own rates)See also: http://www.amtrad.it/feewizard.php

A translators work is billed:

What aboutediting?


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Cartella?.....

Cartella letteraria: 2000 caratteri

Cartella tecnica: 1500 caratteri

Spazi inclusiifyoudonotwanttopayforspacesbecausetheyar

euseless Well, Iwont use them!

Based on source word count (to make yourquotation realistic)

How many cartelle

in one hour?


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A translators RATES

How much can I earn?

Rates depend on:

Language combination Specialization

Type of customer/ text

Deadline/ urgency

Volume (productivity)

Marketing skills

NB: CAT tools!

Set a MINIMUM rate and nevergo below!!

Think about all your expenses:

-Taxes & pension contribution

-Office costs

-Training courses

-Holidays

You dont work 365 days a year!


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Rates in vs. Language

combinations vs. CustomerAITI Survey - 2007


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How do I get paid?

Learn how to write an invoice properly!http://www.vernondata.it/langit/applicazione-iva.html

Seek the help of a reliable consultant

Open a bank account (on-line, for easierchecking)

Open a Paypal account (or similar)

Check agency reputation on:The checklist www.the-checklist.org

Payment practices www.paymentpractices.net

www.tcrlist.com


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Networking

Italian Translators Associations:AITI (Associazione Italiana Traduttori Interpreti):

www.aiti.org

ANITI (Associazione Nazionale Italiana Traduttori

Interpreti): www.aniti.it

International Translators Associations :ATA (American Translators Association):

www.atanet.org

IoL(Chartered Institute of Linguistics): www.iol.org.ukSFT (Socit Franaise des Traducteurs): www.sft.fr Choose one in a country relevant to your language

combinations.

Many of these require that you pass an exam.


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Networking

Mailing Lists:Langit (technical translators from/into Italian):

http://www.vernondata.it/langit/

Biblit (literary translators from/into Italian):http://www.biblit.it/

Facebook

...

Professional organizations in yourspecialty(ies)


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A translators life:

What I cannot do without

Langit& colleagues

Internet for terminology & networking

Paperdictionaries browsing a bookspages feels different!

Passion for the job, for languages, for words

and the awareness that tomorrow Ill discover

something new to learn & translate!


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Thanks to: ATA American Translators Association - whose

material Ive used extensively to prepare this document;

AITI Associazione Italiana Traduttori e Interpreti whose survey (2007) I reported in this document;

Colleagues: Simon Turner www.tariffometro.it

Alessandra Muzzi www.amtrad.it

Roberto Crivello www.robertocrivello.com

Maria Antonietta Ferro - www.ferrotraduzioni.it Gianni Davico - www.tesietesti.it

whose websites are gold mines of invaluable information.

Translation as a Professione Feb2011

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