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Off topic: Have You Ever Been Marginalized Because Of Your Occupational Status As A Translator?
Thread poster: Barbara Cochran, MFA
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Universalized "Hi-tek, low life" Jul 29, 2020

Tom, while I agree there're great and promising philosophers with clever quotes, one should always consider the context and zeitgeist.

I really doubt that a thinking divorcé Jew who took his own life yet was buried as a true Catholic could answer once and for all, not to mention--

(1) His idea is very different from modern PE/MT/CAT approaches.

(2) The real businesses require real specialists who can do biz (preferably with foreign language skills), where
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Tom, while I agree there're great and promising philosophers with clever quotes, one should always consider the context and zeitgeist.

I really doubt that a thinking divorcé Jew who took his own life yet was buried as a true Catholic could answer once and for all, not to mention--

(1) His idea is very different from modern PE/MT/CAT approaches.

(2) The real businesses require real specialists who can do biz (preferably with foreign language skills), whereas 'pure' translators are just larvae--rejected one-time jobbers and serve as food for the middleman-sponger clan.

(3) With the pandemic and economical sanitation, the real business requires more mid/long-term dedicated specialists with several in-demand specialties coupled with foreign language skills as a bonus, not mere typists-theorists with glossaries.


Can't you answer it for yourself in your own words and arguments, no?
Sometimes even calling a spade a spade works like a charm for one just needs very those sobering words to improve. Me too)

Anyway, it would be interesting to learn why a dime a dozen a 'translator-only' is allegedly so important.

[Edited at 2020-07-29 12:53 GMT]
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Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:21
German to English
+ ...
not over here - never occurred to me Aug 2, 2020

Barbara Cochran, MFA wrote:

We're all familiar with the notorious Italian phrase that promotes this attitude in the ignorant and ill-informed. And, in one case, somebody I was talking to referred to translation as a "hobby", when I've made multiple thousands of dollars doing them, no matter what kind they have been.


I live in Canada's beautiful capital, seat of the government which has taken languages and translation/interpreting seriously for a long time; and of course full of a lot of civil servants. Mention to a stranger that you're a translator, and either they, their cousin, or their friend, or a bunch of them are also translators. (not marginalized) A translation degree is a four year university course. If you want to get certified, it's better to get some postgraduate experience first to ensure passing the exam. It's a respected profession. (I never heard of that Italian phrase before).


Barbara Cochran, MFA
expressisverbis
 
Jean Dimitriadis
Jean Dimitriadis  Identity Verified
English to French
+ ...
Pure translators, remote occupations and unsung heros Aug 2, 2020

@DZIW Please, no more of this "pure translator vs biz-aware specialist" malarkey. It sure gets old now.

To paraphrase a Greek saying, pure translators exist only in dirty minds.

---

On topic, with all these new remote workers because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I expect working from home (or from anywhere, for that matter) gets more admiration than before. It is not a mince feat and it can still be priceless.

For those who don't appreciate it, th
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@DZIW Please, no more of this "pure translator vs biz-aware specialist" malarkey. It sure gets old now.

To paraphrase a Greek saying, pure translators exist only in dirty minds.

---

On topic, with all these new remote workers because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I expect working from home (or from anywhere, for that matter) gets more admiration than before. It is not a mince feat and it can still be priceless.

For those who don't appreciate it, there is always Aesop: The Dog and the Wolf: https://fablesofaesop.com/the-dog-and-the-wolf.html "Better starve free than be a fat slave". And wolves are not skinny in the land of plenty.

Regarding "Traduttore, traditore", I think it is more related to literary translation, where some texts may indeed appear as "impossible to translate faithfully". For pragmatic texts, I think impossible is nothing. Still, literary translators are not among the least respected unsung heros in my book…
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Barbara Cochran, MFA
Christopher Schröder
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Kay Denney
Tom in London
expressisverbis
Elena Feriani
 
polyglot45
polyglot45
English to French
+ ...
marginalised ? No. Underestimated? Perhaps Aug 2, 2020

In all the years I have been translating, I have never once felt marginalised.

That said, I recognise that, as an interpreter, I earned more respect than as a translator. My skills were out there on display, especially in consecutive interpreting situations and the people for whom I was working were able to appreciate my abilities and the nature of the job I was doing up front.

As a translator, I have had quite a lot of positive feedback but it was often from people I
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In all the years I have been translating, I have never once felt marginalised.

That said, I recognise that, as an interpreter, I earned more respect than as a translator. My skills were out there on display, especially in consecutive interpreting situations and the people for whom I was working were able to appreciate my abilities and the nature of the job I was doing up front.

As a translator, I have had quite a lot of positive feedback but it was often from people I had never met or would never get to meet. More impersonal and less direct therefore.

Bizarrely, or perhaps not so bizarrely, I am conscious that it was my university teaching activities that have always prompted the greatest interest and response.

As to why all this should be so, all I can think is that teaching commands respect, especially at high level, that interpreting is more glamorous and that translating usually elicits responses such as "oh, you translate novels?", when I have never been involved in literary translation at all.

So translators may be underestimated but not marginalised as the OP would have it IMHO
My three cents
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Christopher Schröder
expressisverbis
P.L.F. Persio
 
WS McCallum
WS McCallum
New Zealand
Local time: 10:21
French to English
Those Romance languages and their awfully hard accents Aug 5, 2020

Tom in London wrote:


...it's about the pronunciation. I can't stand the mispronunciation "omèrta". It's horrible. Almost as bad as "Tarànto", or "prosekeo"




[Edited at 2020-07-29 10:59 GMT]


I feel much same way about those who can't pronounce or write "clique" properly in English or who add redundant accents when they're trying to write French - mais c'est la vie....

[Edited at 2020-08-07 06:45 GMT]


Tom in London
P.L.F. Persio
 
WS McCallum
WS McCallum
New Zealand
Local time: 10:21
French to English
A matter of definition Aug 5, 2020

I have been mulling this question over and can't think of anyone who has ever marginalised me because I was a translator. I did once witness the slamming shut of a closed mind when someone at a party found out that I didn't fit their definition of a translator (namely I wasn't a literary translator).

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I hate having to think up a title every time I post in a forum Aug 5, 2020

I have often been marginalised, but it wasn't because I was a translator. It was usually because I "didn't know the right people".

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
What does it mean to be marginalised anyway? Aug 5, 2020

Is it just a “woke” version of misunderstood?

P.L.F. Persio
expressisverbis
 
expressisverbis
expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 21:21
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No, never Aug 5, 2020

I have never experienced negative attitudes, stereotypes or any other issue that could lead to marginalization, harassment or discrimination.
On the contrary, when I say I run my own translation business, or I am a professional translator, I always get positive and welcoming remarks.
I feel very proud of my profession! Try to picture a world where translators do not exist!
"We are rare individuals who (always) f
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I have never experienced negative attitudes, stereotypes or any other issue that could lead to marginalization, harassment or discrimination.
On the contrary, when I say I run my own translation business, or I am a professional translator, I always get positive and welcoming remarks.
I feel very proud of my profession! Try to picture a world where translators do not exist!
"We are rare individuals who (always) find a way to enchant readers":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGYL5sUwr2Q
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Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Margarine Aug 7, 2020

In some professions, such as my own other one (architecture) it doesn't matter what you know, or how good you are; if you don't know the right people you'll get nowhere. And you may only get to know "the right people" during your formative years at school; so of course you must have gone to "the right school". That's what I'd call "being marginalised" and all the professions are full of people who are similarly blocked from making progress. Only a few get to the top, and they're the ones who had... See more
In some professions, such as my own other one (architecture) it doesn't matter what you know, or how good you are; if you don't know the right people you'll get nowhere. And you may only get to know "the right people" during your formative years at school; so of course you must have gone to "the right school". That's what I'd call "being marginalised" and all the professions are full of people who are similarly blocked from making progress. Only a few get to the top, and they're the ones who had the connections - not the best ones although (very) occasionally ability and connections do coincide. I succeeded in architecture by carving out my own pathway, thinking laterally, and breaking conventions. I "got in by the back way" and made a good go of it.

I'm so glad that there seems to be none of this in the translating profession. Unless someone here has a different story.



[Edited at 2020-08-07 09:53 GMT]
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P.L.F. Persio
 
Elena Feriani
Elena Feriani
Italy
Local time: 22:21
Member
French to Italian
+ ...
Why don't you apply there? Aug 7, 2020

I've had people telling me that companies were recruiting and I should apply for random entry level jobs, thinking that working from home basically means "unemployed".
After the lockdown this has changed though, as working for home is no longer considered "odd".


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Birds of a Feather Flock Together Aug 8, 2020

I often meet people with bizarre jobs(?) like “Yorkshire terrier stylist", "Chow groomer”, “blogger”, “SEO guarantor”, “business insider”, and so on. Certainly, if I find a person interesting, then it doesn’t matter, yet more than often I throw away their business cards very soon for I don’t need them—nor hardly ever would. The real status/label is whether one is useful [now/for you] or not. The same goes about the community and neighborhood—mind how many friends those �... See more
I often meet people with bizarre jobs(?) like “Yorkshire terrier stylist", "Chow groomer”, “blogger”, “SEO guarantor”, “business insider”, and so on. Certainly, if I find a person interesting, then it doesn’t matter, yet more than often I throw away their business cards very soon for I don’t need them—nor hardly ever would. The real status/label is whether one is useful [now/for you] or not. The same goes about the community and neighborhood—mind how many friends those “doctors”, “repairmen”, “plumbers”, and other useful people have, as a rule.

At least in UA, translators and interpreters are not usually in favor, unless they can do something else too—write essays/reports and work in a big company or as mentors/tutors. It appears there’re no translators in my contacts (but a few department heads and business owners) for at least two good reasons: either they are no longer wanted, or they are useful for other skills. Of course, people simply choose what is better for them, no discrimination or marginalization.
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Daryo
Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:21
Serbian to English
+ ...
Which town would that be? Jul 5, 2021

Ice Scream wrote:

Omerta?

Yes, some things should never be said.

If I came out as a translator, I’d be run out of town.


Which town would that be? As much I'm in favor of new experiences, I would make sure to give that town a miss.

I've been in few towns, in few countries, and as far as I can remember people had a rather positive reaction when hearing I'm interpreter. Even those who knew about "traduttore, traditore" never interpreted it as an argument to be a priori dismissive of the whole profession.

The only negative reaction I can remember is one silly woman that was genuinely shocked to see a male interpreter showing up, as in her head it was supposed to be a "women only" profession.


 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:21
Spanish to English
+ ...
? Jul 6, 2021

Mervyn Henderson (X) wrote:

... consultant. Hopefully they'll be so wowed and cowed they won't ask you to elaborate.


What happened to Mervyn?


Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Matthias Brombach
 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 22:21
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
The answer ... Jul 6, 2021

Robert Forstag wrote:

Mervyn Henderson (X) wrote:

... consultant. Hopefully they'll be so wowed and cowed they won't ask you to elaborate.


What happened to Mervyn?

... I mean, the true answer to your question when published here, could lead to being banned from this very site, I'm afraid.

[Bearbeitet am 2021-07-06 11:46 GMT]


P.L.F. Persio
expressisverbis
 
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Have You Ever Been Marginalized Because Of Your Occupational Status As A Translator?






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