Poll: How likely are you to recommend freelance translating to someone considering their options?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Feb 17, 2019

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How likely are you to recommend freelance translating to someone considering their options?".

View the poll results »



 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:09
Spanish to English
+ ...
Less than before Feb 17, 2019

There is already too much competition from non-native intruders in my pair. Disappointingly, many university/college translation courses now appear to be training their pupils to translate into what is not their native tongue. I wouldn't mind so much, but they can get darn uppity when called out. Just the other day I had some guy from Venezuela on FB trying to school me in English grammar. With the aid of a dictionary, no less.
In other, less common language pairs, perhaps freelancing mig
... See more
There is already too much competition from non-native intruders in my pair. Disappointingly, many university/college translation courses now appear to be training their pupils to translate into what is not their native tongue. I wouldn't mind so much, but they can get darn uppity when called out. Just the other day I had some guy from Venezuela on FB trying to school me in English grammar. With the aid of a dictionary, no less.
In other, less common language pairs, perhaps freelancing might still be a worthwhile option. Another point to consider is that the increasing "industry" reliance on technological innovations means that would-be translators may have to consider investing in more than just a basic computer setup.
Collapse


Muriel Vasconcellos
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Chris Spurgin
Jean Shearer
Ricki Farn
Elaine Ruby
Paul van Zijll
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:09
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Not very likely Feb 17, 2019

I see that the profession is being mechanized, standards are falling, and there is intense pressure to lower rates to levels that will make it impossible to yield a living wage. This trend will mean that it can only be a sideline, supplemented with other sources of income.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Tanja Oresnik
Lise Henriques-Lacourcelle
Philippe Etienne
Jean Shearer
Ricki Farn
Spyros Salimpas
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 11:09
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Not very likely Feb 17, 2019

First of all, I’m not the recommending type and then again I don’t think freelancing is for everybody and it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Freelancing is a personal choice… To be a freelancer not only you should be very organized, have experience as a translator and a wide range of administrative, marketing, negotiation and project management skills. Besides all that, you need a tough skin to deal with non-payers and to navigate its ups and downs. I love being a freelance but I recognize t... See more
First of all, I’m not the recommending type and then again I don’t think freelancing is for everybody and it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Freelancing is a personal choice… To be a freelancer not only you should be very organized, have experience as a translator and a wide range of administrative, marketing, negotiation and project management skills. Besides all that, you need a tough skin to deal with non-payers and to navigate its ups and downs. I love being a freelance but I recognize that I learned a lot during the years spent in-house and that experience was paramount.Collapse


Muriel Vasconcellos
Catherine De Crignis
Henry Schroeder
Christopher Schröder
 
Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:09
German to English
+ ...
Other: I would inform them Feb 17, 2019

I'd find out about their background, and given them information on the field.

Ricki Farn
Tina Vonhof (X)
neilmac
 
Gibril Koroma
Gibril Koroma  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 07:09
French to English
+ ...
Highly Likely Feb 17, 2019

Very good profession. Highly likely to recommend it.

 
Barbara Cochran, MFA
Barbara Cochran, MFA  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:09
Spanish to English
+ ...
Not Very Likely Feb 18, 2019

Recent interactions with translation agencies have proved to me that they want to pay less than I was earning per word over 10 years ago.

The only reason that I can afford to continue to work as a translator is because I now collect Social Security, which is what anyone in the United States who has paid into it through other, non-freeelance forms of employment can collect every month, as soon as they turn 62.

So I guess I could modify my response somewhat to say that if
... See more
Recent interactions with translation agencies have proved to me that they want to pay less than I was earning per word over 10 years ago.

The only reason that I can afford to continue to work as a translator is because I now collect Social Security, which is what anyone in the United States who has paid into it through other, non-freeelance forms of employment can collect every month, as soon as they turn 62.

So I guess I could modify my response somewhat to say that if one does want to translate because they enjoy it, or because they need or want supplemental income, it might be more feasible to wait until they reach the official retirement age to solely concentrate on translation work.

[Edited at 2019-02-18 00:17 GMT]
Collapse


Muriel Vasconcellos
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
neilmac
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 12:09
French to English
No Feb 18, 2019

Given how rates are falling and machines are taking over, I really don't see much of a future in translation. I'm just hoping that my particular speciality, transcreation, will remain machine-proof at least until I retire.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Philippe Etienne
Muriel Vasconcellos
JPMedicalTrans
ipv
Tansy Tazewell
Balvir Chand
 
Henry Schroeder
Henry Schroeder  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:09
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
Depends on whether I like them Feb 18, 2019

...

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Ricki Farn
Christopher Schröder
Eckhard Boehle
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 08:09
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Not very likely Feb 18, 2019

I would never to recommend anyone to study translation in college, that's for sure.

I'd highly recommend to anyone in any area to speak a second language fluently and to be acquainted with the jargon in both languages in all areas they ever work. So translation may be an extra in the future. If their first language is not English, that would be my recommendation for sure.

I'd not recommend to anyone to invest and begin their career as a translator, yet to always keep pr
... See more
I would never to recommend anyone to study translation in college, that's for sure.

I'd highly recommend to anyone in any area to speak a second language fluently and to be acquainted with the jargon in both languages in all areas they ever work. So translation may be an extra in the future. If their first language is not English, that would be my recommendation for sure.

I'd not recommend to anyone to invest and begin their career as a translator, yet to always keep practicing it, again as an extra for the future.

Commercial clients tend to fall in the MT trap very easily, to reduce their costs. So most non-scientific and non-literary translations will likely be mechanized in the future. The market will be reduced, and only the best will succeed. These will be people highly experienced in specific areas in two or more languages.

People who actually study translation in college will keep translating literature for publishers and subtitles for the media industry, disputing with MT, as it's already a trend today, and these clients are certainly not among the best payers.

So, no, I wouldn't recommend it to a son or to a friend's son.
Collapse


neilmac
Rita Utt
Eckhard Boehle
 
Alan Corbo, CT
Alan Corbo, CT  Identity Verified
Uruguay
Local time: 08:09
English to Spanish
+ ...
I would Feb 18, 2019

I agree with the comments about machine translation posing a very real threat to the livelihoods of many translators, and the drive towards the commoditization of our profession is a very clear trend in our industry. Translation agencies bear part of the responsibility for that, but translators are also to be "blamed" (for lack of a better word, since a lot of factors come into play when a translator decides to work for lower rates, having to provide for their families being one of the most sali... See more
I agree with the comments about machine translation posing a very real threat to the livelihoods of many translators, and the drive towards the commoditization of our profession is a very clear trend in our industry. Translation agencies bear part of the responsibility for that, but translators are also to be "blamed" (for lack of a better word, since a lot of factors come into play when a translator decides to work for lower rates, having to provide for their families being one of the most salient ones, and then, who are we to pass judgement on that?) for the continuous downward pressure on rates, which, by the way, is not new and makes perfect sense from a purely economic perspective.

But I digress. As for the poll, Mario Freitas was spot on: only the best will succeed. Which presents us translators with a very attractive challenge: it is mandatory to keep honing our language skills to be in that group. I am certain that the so called "machine translation threat" will wipe out non-specialized, generalist translators. DeepL and GT output is very often better than some translations I've had to edit and proofread so far in my career, and they are getting better at that. But then, I don't think we can blame that on machines, but on the unwillingness I've seen in some translators to keep polishing the many dimensions (technological, linguistic, interpersonal, etc.) related to this profession. There is a market for highly specialized translators who have a flawless command of their target language and who are able to not just transpose words from one language to another, but to actually produce error-free, natural-sounding, idiomatic translations. And the way things are going, translators who make the cut to break into those markets will be on high demand, because they are not many. And I don't see machine translation ever conquering a market like that.

So, yes, I would recommend translation as a profession, but with a proviso: if you're not willing to move out of your confort zone and admit that when it comes to language, the more you know, the less you know, you're doomed to fail. It's what happens in every single profession that's ever existed.
Collapse


Henry Schroeder
Mario Freitas
Ricki Farn
Julio Madrid
Elaine Ruby
Eckhard Boehle
 
Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: How likely are you to recommend freelance translating to someone considering their options?






Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »
CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »