| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Off topic: Are translators masochists by nature? Thread poster: John Cutler
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Henry Hinds 
United States
Local time: 21:53
English to Spanish
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In memoriam | Look Over the Fence | Mar 10, 2007 |
When you see what so many other people have to go through to make a living, I don't think we have it so bad.
Just ask any of them. As least 90% will make you feel we don't have it so bad.
It would be hard to get me to want to trade places even with the other 10%.
| | | | Mónica Algazi
Uruguay
Local time: 00:53
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
| SHE IS THE AUTHOR | Mar 10, 2007 |
Jane:
The poem "La Tribu de los Traductores" was actually written in Spanish by Translator María Cristina Plencovich. Isn't it great?
| | | | Alicia Casal
Argentina
Local time: 00:53
English to Spanish
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I guess she is Argentine, not sure.
A.
| | | | Aurora Humarán (X)
Argentina
Local time: 00:53
English to Spanish
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| Cris Plencovich | Mar 10, 2007 |
Yes, she is Argentine. Cris is a lovely human being and seasoned translator. She is a member of the Uacinos list and also a ProZ.com user: http://www.proz.com/pro/51988
Hugs,
Au
pd: plus... she was the one who introduced me to Alessandro Baricco.
[Edited at 2007-03-10 18:49]
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John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 05:53
Spanish to English
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TOPIC STARTER | What interesting answers | Mar 10, 2007 |
I sure have enjoyed reading everyone's answers. To answer Charlie Bavington's question:
Are you having a bad few days?
The answer would be no, but thanks for asking!! : )
P.S. I really liked the Jeeves story in your About Me section.
| | | | Patricia Rosas
United States
Local time: 20:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
In memoriam | beautiful answers ... | Mar 10, 2007 |
From some of the responses to this question, I'm beginning to think that some translators are not masochists, but enlightened beings, who -- regardless of what they did in another life -- will reach Nirvana in the next.
For me, it's all about the pleasure I get out of working with words and a sense of being in alignment with my principles. I do work that I think is important. Low pay is all right; (as long as I can eat and pay the mortgage) money is NOT everything.
Nnon... See more From some of the responses to this question, I'm beginning to think that some translators are not masochists, but enlightened beings, who -- regardless of what they did in another life -- will reach Nirvana in the next.
For me, it's all about the pleasure I get out of working with words and a sense of being in alignment with my principles. I do work that I think is important. Low pay is all right; (as long as I can eat and pay the mortgage) money is NOT everything.
Nnone of us can snap our fingers and walk out of unrewarding jobs (or away from unrewarding clients), but I think that most people could make positive changes in their lives if they simply quit griping and started looking for solutions to their problems. Focusing on the negative, creates negativity... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 05:53
Italian to English
In memoriam | I don't think that translators are necessarily masochists... | Mar 10, 2007 |
... but when I see the rates some of them are prepared to work for on ProZ it's obvious that quite a few masochists happen to translate now and again
Cheers,
Giles
| | | | Cecilia Civetta
Italy
Local time: 05:53
Member (2003)
Italian to Spanish
+ ...
Henry Hinds wrote:
When you see what so many other people have to go through to make a living, I don't think we have it so bad.
Just ask any of them. As least 90% will make you feel we don't have it so bad.
It would be hard to get me to want to trade places even with the other 10%.
I couldn't agree more. Just look around you! I do, and I think I'm so lucky!
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| Check out Charlie's Jeeves story. | Mar 10, 2007 |
John Cutler wrote:
I sure have enjoyed reading everyone's answers. To answer Charlie Bavington's question:
Are you having a bad few days?
The answer would be no, but thanks for asking!! : )
P.S. I really liked the Jeeves story in your About Me section.
Anybody whose curiosity has not yet been piqued--head on over to Charlie Bavington's profile page and read his Jeeves story. It's a hoot! And an excellent allegory. (Picturing Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie doing the scene makes it even better, of course.)
| | | | Amy Duncan (X)
Brazil
Local time: 00:53
Portuguese to English
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| I'm grateful, that's for sure! | Mar 10, 2007 |
Even though translation is not my "chosen" career - I'm a musician/composer/bandleader, but don't make enough money from that to live on - I'm grateful to have found this quite pleasant way to pay my bills.
First of all, I do like working with words, having been a journalist and something of a poet, so translation work is generally not upleasant for me (except for contracts and financial stuff!!). Also, I love, love, love working at home, having my own hours, being able to cook my... See more Even though translation is not my "chosen" career - I'm a musician/composer/bandleader, but don't make enough money from that to live on - I'm grateful to have found this quite pleasant way to pay my bills.
First of all, I do like working with words, having been a journalist and something of a poet, so translation work is generally not upleasant for me (except for contracts and financial stuff!!). Also, I love, love, love working at home, having my own hours, being able to cook my own lunch, not have to dress up (or even dress at all, if I don't feel like it!) and go somewhere to get to work...these things alone are enough to make me feel pampered, rather than like a masochist!
Being a bit of a loner, I don't miss having people around (I live alone), certainly don't miss the office gossip, etc., etc. To me, being a free-lance translator is the ultimate freedom.
Amy ▲ Collapse
| | | | Andrea Riffo
Chile
Local time: 23:53
English to Spanish
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Jenny Forbes wrote:
For me, being a freelancer is vastly better than being an employee at the mercy of the whims of a single boss - now that takes real masochism!
My thoughts exactly
| | | | | A Masochist No More! | Mar 12, 2007 |
I was a masochist when I thought I had to keep on putting up with the hostility and degrading behavior from supervisors and clients alike in a 9 to 5 job I had for nearly 8 years. I woke up one day and decided to take a risk-in the back of my mind I knew there was a good chance to be successful at what I knew I was always meant to do-working with languages. I am through with suffering in silence, 8 or more hours a day. The rewards I have gained by returning to translating far outweigh any of its... See more I was a masochist when I thought I had to keep on putting up with the hostility and degrading behavior from supervisors and clients alike in a 9 to 5 job I had for nearly 8 years. I woke up one day and decided to take a risk-in the back of my mind I knew there was a good chance to be successful at what I knew I was always meant to do-working with languages. I am through with suffering in silence, 8 or more hours a day. The rewards I have gained by returning to translating far outweigh any of its bad points. Better pay, supportive colleagues, for the most part. I feel renewed and vital-an important facilitator of communication.
Most things have their opposite in this life. If translators are masochists, then project managers are sadists when they impose unrealistic deadlines. Other than the late payments and certain translation agency directors ignoring my collection e-mails for long periods of time, I have no regrets about giving up a conventional, steady 9 to 5 job where my skills were being wasted anyway.
I'm extremely happy now that I decided to take the risk that fateful morning. ▲ Collapse
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| Amen to that | Mar 12, 2007 |
Giles Watson wrote:
... but when I see the rates 's obvious that quite a few masochists happen to translate now and again
[/quote]
Agreed.
| | | | Jenny Duthie
France
Local time: 05:53
Member (2006)
French to English
| re are translators masochists | Mar 13, 2007 |
hi to you all - I really enjoy reading this, as for me I'm slightly schizophrenic about this - one minute I think it's brilliant that if I'm in rush I can sit in my PJs if I have to (though I try not to)and finish a job, and the next I'm feeling lonely, but for sure I do not miss my previous life as an "internal account manager" for a printer/copier manufacturer, helping photocopier suppliers to sell our products, being on the phone all day. I knew I had to leave and start as a translator when I... See more hi to you all - I really enjoy reading this, as for me I'm slightly schizophrenic about this - one minute I think it's brilliant that if I'm in rush I can sit in my PJs if I have to (though I try not to)and finish a job, and the next I'm feeling lonely, but for sure I do not miss my previous life as an "internal account manager" for a printer/copier manufacturer, helping photocopier suppliers to sell our products, being on the phone all day. I knew I had to leave and start as a translator when I became more focussed on all the spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes in my boss's and in his boss's emails, rather than on what they were asking me to do!! Plus they were getting paid a lot more than me!! yes we are masochistic I think, or perfectionists, personally for me, if I couldn't contact people on sites like this one I'd go mad from loneliness. If anyone lives near me I'm in Northern France, about 1 hour from Calais please get in touch!!
have a good day, everybody. At least we don't have to deal with office politics! and I think one of the worst jobs ever is working in a call-centre - I pity those poor people who have to do that for a living - I know because I've done it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Viva la tribu de los traductores! | Mar 14, 2007 |
MÓNICA ALGAZI wrote:
All I can think of is a poem that perfectly describes this sort of incurable addiction to "wordicrafts".
I'm quoting it below and apologise to the non-Spanish-speaking tribe:
La Tribu de los Traductores
Brindemos por la tribu de los traductores,
los que conjuran el silencio con la palabra exacta
y la hacen danzar con la voz del autor:
Extraña tribu, ésta,
de los traductores:
celebran el encuentro de las palabras
y se contentan
cuando sus propias presencias
se vuelven invisibles.
(Dicen que los buenos tienen el don de desaparecer
de los textos sin dejar huellas.)
Hacen hogueras que duran varias noches
y junto a ellas se consuman,
doblados
sobre textos extraños
y papeles con sellos de colores
y enormes águilas.
No viven en bandadas,
aunque se comunican entre sí
con señales,
y se ayudan en la caza de palabras
en la intemperie de sus territorios.
No guardan los Domingos
y otras fiestas,
aunque se postran ante
la Sabiduría
y el preciso sentido
de los textos.
Cuando caen las sombras,
si no se encuentran limando,
como piedras preciosas,
las palabras,
sueña la tribu
que hombres y mujeres,
pueblos y comarcas,
se comunican;
y ese sueño
alegra sus noches y sus días,
y aligera su alma.
Trad. María Cristina Plencovich (Argentina)
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