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info required by an agency Thread poster: biankonera
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biankonera 
Latvia
Local time: 19:53
Italian to Latvian
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You live and learn thats true, but Im a bit puzzled by info required by one agency that has approached me for collaboration - they want to know the name of my parents. Why would they need that for? Do the names of my parents make me a better or worse translator? Does my payment depend on the fact if they will like those names or not? I dont get it, sorry. Maybe someone could explain this to me? Thanks:)
Stella
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| A strange request | Mar 9, 2007 |
Hullo Bramasole,
Yes, it does seem a strange request. Perhaps they think the names of your parents would indicate your nationality and hence your mother tongue(s)?
Kind regards,
Jenny.
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the Train
Local time: 17:53
English to Arabic
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| I have realized something | Mar 9, 2007 |
hi,
I have realized that on a form that a translator submits to an agency, the translator provides
His/Her phone number, e-mail address, home address, alternative address, sometime IP address, your birth date, your postcode, your tax card number, your insurance number, your mobile number, name of your bank, number of your account, your sort code, and even more...
You add to the above your parents name and the picture becomes very grim when you contemplate this;
... See more hi,
I have realized that on a form that a translator submits to an agency, the translator provides
His/Her phone number, e-mail address, home address, alternative address, sometime IP address, your birth date, your postcode, your tax card number, your insurance number, your mobile number, name of your bank, number of your account, your sort code, and even more...
You add to the above your parents name and the picture becomes very grim when you contemplate this;
What if they are not a translation agency..... I received a similar request on a form from an agency and when I called to verify that their contact numbers do exist, they simply put down the phone while I am talking and diverted their business land line to a mobile phone ** switched off.
[Edited at 2007-03-09 13:45] ▲ Collapse
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Sounds like enthusiast data collectors to me. Quite some years ago it was normal in Germany to add the names of your parents to your CV but it no longer is. Maybe in some countries or at some offices it still is.
I usually just do give the data I think necessary. If someone wishes to know more, they first have to explain why. It is a very reasonable question to ask and if you get a reply that is not a polite answer, steer away from them, they do not respect you and this will only c... See more Sounds like enthusiast data collectors to me. Quite some years ago it was normal in Germany to add the names of your parents to your CV but it no longer is. Maybe in some countries or at some offices it still is.
I usually just do give the data I think necessary. If someone wishes to know more, they first have to explain why. It is a very reasonable question to ask and if you get a reply that is not a polite answer, steer away from them, they do not respect you and this will only cause problems in the future.
By the way: Neither my mother tongue nor my nationality nor anyone in my family is Polish (no offense meant, it's just a fact!), so names are absolutely no indicators for language.
[Bearbeitet am 2007-03-09 13:52] ▲ Collapse
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Can Altinbay
Local time: 12:53
Japanese to English
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In memoriam
the Train wrote:
hi,
I have realized that on a form that a translator submits to an agency, the translator provides
His/Her phone number, e-mail address, home address, alternative address, sometime IP address, your birth date, your postcode, your tax card number, your insurance number, your mobile number, name of your bank, number of your account, your sort code, and even more...
You add to the above your parents name and the picture becomes very grim when you contemplate this;
What if they are not a translation agency..... I received a similar request on a form from an agency and when I called to verify that their contact numbers do exist, they simply put down the phone while I am talking and diverted their business land line to a mobile phone ** switched off.
[Edited at 2007-03-09 13:45]
Banks in the US have always (OK, over 30 years) asked for your mother's maiden name as part of ID information. Many Web sites are now doing the same. That gives credence to Train's assertion. I'd be very very careful, as any information just helps someone rob you of your money or good credit.
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Can Altinbay
Local time: 12:53
Japanese to English
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In memoriam | Let's see if anyone can tell... | Mar 9, 2007 |
Jenny Forbes wrote:
Hullo Bramasole,
Yes, it does seem a strange request. Perhaps they think the names of your parents would indicate your nationality and hence your mother tongue(s)?
Kind regards,
Jenny.
I have news for anyone who believes this. My father's name is Ahmed and my mother's is Ravile (maiden name omitted, see my other post). What can you tell me about their linguistic capabilities, and mine?
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WSLyon 2024
France
Local time: 18:53
English to French
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| Father's first name | Mar 9, 2007 |
Hi Bramasole,
When I was in Greece, the company I worked for asked me for my father's first name -apparently it's a standard practice. And in every document I received, I was always addressed as "Aurelia R., Francis" -contract, reference letters, pay slips, etc.
Perhaps it was to avoid some kind of confusion?
But why the first name? And why not my mother's name? Funny...
Have a nice day,
Aurelia
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And see what happens...
Or not applicable (that should be funny)
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Andrea Riffo
Chile
Local time: 12:53
English to Spanish
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Marijke wrote:
And see what happens...
Or not applicable (that should be funny)
It already is! :lol::lol::lol::lol:
On a more serious note, I has no idea that US banks asked for your mother's maiden name...
Stella, I had never heard that before, it strikes me as really odd since I cannot think how that information would be helpful. Still, perhaps this is usual (or not-so-strange) practise in some countries, so maybe if you told us where the agency is from someone can give you a more specific answer.
On the subject of odd requests, this morning I was looking at an (reputable) agency's instructions for freelancers who wish to work with them, and one of them was to e-mail a photocopy of the valid passport.
I guess this might be in order to verify the translators' identities, but I still find it somewhat odd and way too risky...
Is this common practise?
Andrea
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| That's not what I meant | Mar 9, 2007 |
Can Altinbay wrote: Jenny Forbes wrote:
Hullo Bramasole,
Yes, it does seem a strange request. Perhaps they think the names of your parents would indicate your nationality and hence your mother tongue(s)?
Kind regards,
Jenny. I have news for anyone who believes this. My father's name is Ahmed and my mother's is Ravile (maiden name omitted, see my other post). What can you tell me about their linguistic capabilities, and mine?
Can,
I didn't mean that I myself thought that getting parents' names was a good way of ascertaining someone's mother tongue, only that the agency might (wrongly) think so - but I agree that the question seems irrelevant (if not suspicious) and I wouldn't answer it. Or I'd put "deceased".
Regards,
Jenny.
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Gerard de Noord
France
Local time: 18:53
Member (2003)
English to Dutch
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| Polish agency? | Mar 9, 2007 |
In my experience, Polish agencies have to comply with weird pre-EU rules.
Regards,
Gerard
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Can Altinbay
Local time: 12:53
Japanese to English
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In memoriam | And *I* didn't mean to... | Mar 9, 2007 |
Jenny Forbes wrote:
Can,
I didn't mean that I myself thought that getting parents' names was a good way of ascertaining someone's mother tongue, only that the agency might (wrongly) think so - but I agree that the question seems irrelevant (if not suspicious) and I wouldn't answer it. Or I'd put "deceased".
Regards,
Jenny.
Oh, I understood that it wasn't *you* who thought that way. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear.
How about "N/A"? 
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megane_wang
Spain
Local time: 18:53
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
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| It's not their business... | Mar 9, 2007 |
I think you don't need to provide any personal information that is not strictly related to a customer - provider relationship.
I think that politely asking why they need this info and suggesting that you will not provide any personal information unless it is really needed should be enough: you are a professional, not a little child answering to every single question done by a teacher.
Without a good reason I would not provide any data I don't find appropriate. As others... See more I think you don't need to provide any personal information that is not strictly related to a customer - provider relationship.
I think that politely asking why they need this info and suggesting that you will not provide any personal information unless it is really needed should be enough: you are a professional, not a little child answering to every single question done by a teacher.
Without a good reason I would not provide any data I don't find appropriate. As others have already suggested, you never know who you are talking to.
Good luck!
[Edited at 2007-03-09 22:03] ▲ Collapse
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Agnieszka Hayward (X)
Poland
Local time: 18:53
German to Polish
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| Maybe Polish, maybe otherwise | Mar 11, 2007 |
Gerard de Noord wrote:
In my experience, Polish agencies have to comply with weird pre-EU rules.
Regards,
Gerard
Gerard, I don't know how many Polish agencies - and what type (government related?) you deal with, but to date I had NO request from an agency in Poland to provide my parents' names, or - come to that - any data irrelevant to the job.
Yes, Poland sometimes strikes even me as a peculiar place, but for reasons not even remotedly related to our line of business
And... weird agencies can hatch anywhere in the world... believe me.
As to bramasole's dilemma, my idea would be to.. sod it, as hinted above, plainly ignore the request, leave the spaces blank. None of their business.
Thumbs up,
Agnieszka
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Armando Tavano
Dominican Republic
Local time: 12:53
English to Italian
| Necessary information | Mar 11, 2007 |
The problem here is how much information you could give and how much you must really give. The kind of information you must give is necessary in order to identify you without any doubt. Not more and not less than that. You could give more information but you must not, since it doen`t add any further help for your identification. First of all, identity theft is nowadays one of the most common crimes, and criminals of this branch are always looking for information, that can be related with secre... See more The problem here is how much information you could give and how much you must really give. The kind of information you must give is necessary in order to identify you without any doubt. Not more and not less than that. You could give more information but you must not, since it doen`t add any further help for your identification. First of all, identity theft is nowadays one of the most common crimes, and criminals of this branch are always looking for information, that can be related with secret codes or access to accounts when codes are forgotten. Without going further into it, I`ll tell you something that happened to me, not later than yesterday: I forgot the access code of my paypal account. Guess what kind of information I needed in order to get access to my account? My mother`s family name! It is as simple as that! ▲ Collapse
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