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| User | Thread poster: Mats Wiman Pithy comments on translation (use when discussing rates) |
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Mats Wiman 
Sweden
Local time: 21:55
  Member (2000)
German to Swedish
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MODERATOR |
Dear all,
With the author's permission I must let you share:
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Suggested form of handling certain questions and comments
by Danilo Nogueira on the TCR-D list on June 7, 2004
“What do you do?”
“I am a translator.”
“Oh really? How nice, but I meant what you do FOR A LIVING.”
“You mean WORK? I don't work. I make so much money from my translations that I do not need to work.”
“Can I have this back within three days? I am really pressed here.”
“Sure.”
“How much will that be?”
“LSD$ 1500.”
“Isn’t hat too much for a three-day job?”
“I can do it in one week if it will make you feel better”.
“Can I have a discount on that?”
“Why?”
“You make more money than I do!”
“You might consider becoming a translator, then.”
“We have a better quote. Lots of translators are willing to accept the job at more sensible rates, you know.”
“Well, lots of clients are willing to pay me the rates I quoted.”
“We have a quote that is lower than yours by a good 20 percent.”
“… [Silence]”
“Hello! I said we have a quote that is lower than yours by a good 20 percent.”
“Yes, I heard you the first time.”
“Isn't there anything you wish to say?”
“No.”
“What is your best rate?” “USD X.”
“Too high for Brazil.”
“Yes, I know. That is why I never work for Brazilian clients. I just live in the place. The better of two worlds, you know: work in the U.S., live in Brazil.”
“What is your best rate?”
“USD X.”
“Jesus, how did you arrive at that astronomical sum?”
“Supply and demand.”
“What is your best rate?”
“USD X.”
“That much for a piece of paper?”
“No, sorry, I don't charge for the paper. That goes free with the translation. The price is for putting words on paper.”
“You do not have to translate spaces. So we do not pay for them.”
“Very good. I will deliver the job without spaces.”
“I know someone who charges less than you.”
“I know a lot of people who charge less than me.”
“Are they good?”
“Wouldn't know. Never seen their work.”
“Oh, well, I know someone who IS very good and charges less.”
“Then you have a problem, that is, decide who this job is going to.”
“X charges less.”
“You are talking to me, now.”
“You are raving mad!”
“Yes, I aware of that and my shrink charges a fortune. That is why my rates are so high.”
“Sorry, we cannot pay more than that. It is a very large project. We are bidding for 25 languages.”
“I am bidding for Portuguese only.”
“Sorry, we cannot pay more than that. We are taking a loss at this project.”
“Call me again when you get a profitable contract.”
“There will be more work in the future.”
“So you'd better get used to my rates.”
C'mon, people, let's not grumble, let's have fun while we can.
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I think we can all learn from this man's wisdom.
Best regards from holiday maker (8-28 July):
Mats J C Wiman
Übersetzer/Translator/Traducteur/Traductor > swe
http://www.MatsWiman.com
http://www.Deutsch-Schwedisch.com
http://www.proz.com/pro/1749
(Proz.com moderator, deu>swe, Swedish)
Träsk 201
SE-872 97 Skog
Schweden/Sweden/Suède/Suecia
Mobile:+46-70-5769797
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2004-07-08 12:30]
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tygru
Poland
Local time: 21:55
German to Polish
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| | May I just memorize some and use until "they" start listening...? | Jul 7, 2004 |
Mats,
this is lovely!
Thanks for cheering me up.
The ppt file does not appear so monstrous anymore, after I had a good laugh.
Thanks for sharing with us!
Have a great holiday and come back with more of the above 
Best
-Agnieszka-
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Maria Nicholas
United States
Local time: 15:55
Greek to English
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These were great, Mats! Gave me a good laugh. Thanks for sharing!
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BLANGSTED
United States
Local time: 12:55
Member (2002)
English to Danish
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Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 15:55
Member
German to English
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| | I'll have to take lessons from Danilo! :-) | Jul 8, 2004 |
Thanks!
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Özden Arıkan
Germany
Local time: 21:55
Member
English to Turkish
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I am honestly considering to try the one about the spaces with a client that drives me mad each time. Do you have any idea if I can lose the spaces in a text with the find/change function, or should I put the cursor in front of each word and hit delete? (Because I cannot do it during the translation  ) This is a serious question!
Thank you Mats, to you off the hats!
Have a great holiday
[Edited at 2004-07-08 01:16]
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Narasimhan Raghavan
India
Local time: 01:25
Member (2007)
English to Tamil
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| | I feel as if I myself was talking | Jul 8, 2004 |
Because many a time I have used very similar words while talking with a client.
For example:
Client: When I can get the work done cheaper elsewhere, why should I pay you your high rates?
Me: When I can get my rates paid elsewhere, why should I accept your low rates?
Client: My secreatary used to do this free of cost.
Me: Then what's your problem? Give this work to her.
Client: She resigned her job and went to another company for a higher salary, the ungrateful woman.
Me: (No comment, just smiled knowingly. The client had the grace to smile sheepishly and blush).
Regards,
N.Raghavan
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Edwal Rospigliosi
Spain
Local time: 21:55
Member (2004)
English to Spanish
+ ...
| | Of course you can | Jul 8, 2004 |
Xola wrote:
I am honestly considering to try the one about the spaces with a client that drives me mad each time. Do you have any idea if I can lose the spaces in a text with the find/change function, or should I put the cursor in front of each word and hit delete? (Because I cannot do it during the translation ) This is a serious question!
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Of course you can. Just place an space in the "search" box, nothing in the "replace" box, press "replace all" and voilá!
And I'll memorize some of these answers, too.
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xxxjamse
Germany
Local time: 21:55
German to Russian
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Graciela Carlyle
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:55
English to Spanish
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| | one more for Danilo | Jul 8, 2004 |
Hi all,
He has written some very clever things.
For example this article in the Translation Journal, http://accurapid.com/journal/12xlator.htm, about the dilema of translating into your mother language or a foreign language.
As he says..."you can't win" !!!
Enjoy,
Grace.
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diana bb
Lithuania
Local time: 22:55
Member (2003)
English to Lithuanian
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...and a lot to learn from.
Best regards,
Diana
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Lucinda
Suriname
Local time: 16:55
Member (2002)
Dutch to English
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| | Thanks, Mats! | Jul 8, 2004 |
I really needed this chuckle.
Lucinda
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Susan Ruusunen
Finland
Local time: 22:55
Member (2006)
English to Finnish
+ ...
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Tack så mycket Mats! (that is 'thanks a lot Mats, as you may have guessed)
That was a real cheer for the day! I've actually successfully used one of those (and a few similar ones) for a client who tried to get me to work for a sum less than half of my usual rates
Excellent material, Mats
*won't be needing that coffee anymore..*
(ok who am I kidding, there's no such thing as too much coffee)
-Susan-
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BAmary
Canada
Local time: 15:55
English to Spanish
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I loved the one about the spaces!
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Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 15:55
German to English
| | I charge extra for paper | Jul 9, 2004 |
**“That much for a piece of paper?”**
**“No, sorry, I don't charge for the paper.**
I charge extra for hard copies. Believe it or not, some clients have asked for faxed copies of the translations.
Kevin
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