Poll: Do you rely on your intuition for your translation work? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you rely on your intuition for your translation work?".
This poll was originally submitted by Elías Sauza
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more ... See more This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you rely on your intuition for your translation work?".
This poll was originally submitted by Elías Sauza
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629 ▲ Collapse
| | | | janen
Local time: 16:24
Spanish to English
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| A constant process | Aug 16, 2006 |
I think it is impossible to understand texts, even in your own language, without applying some intuition and common sense. Many statements are inherently ambiguous but we often don't even notice it. One example I happened to think of recently was the question 'Are you going to race your greyhound?' Is the answer No, he's just a pet, or No, he's too fast for me?
| | | | Elías Sauza 
Mexico
Local time: 22:24
Member (2002)
English to Spanish
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| Now and Then | Aug 16, 2006 |
Personally, intuition used to be an important tool for translation. Before the Internet and the globalization, I used to rely frequently on my intuition when it was hard to find some terminology (we must confess that this is true nowadays for some fileds). Now, after the Internet and the globalization, intuition can be supported with research, which is greatly facilitated by all the modern resources available.
Elías
| | | | Parrot
Spain
Local time: 06:24
Spanish to English
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| Just wondering | Aug 16, 2006 |
whether the 75% means the job is 25% "perspiration"
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Thomas Pfann
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:24
Member (2006)
English to German
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| Intuition still has its place | Aug 16, 2006 |
I agree with Elías in so far as yes, it is great that intuition can so easily be supported with research with all the modern resources which are available to us today.
On the other hand, very often there is such a huge amount of information out there and very often you will find conflicting results when doing your research. This means that you will still have to use your intuition to choose which of the sources of information to trust, for example, or to decide which of the existin... See more I agree with Elías in so far as yes, it is great that intuition can so easily be supported with research with all the modern resources which are available to us today.
On the other hand, very often there is such a huge amount of information out there and very often you will find conflicting results when doing your research. This means that you will still have to use your intuition to choose which of the sources of information to trust, for example, or to decide which of the existing translations you may have found for your term is more suitable in your context.
As in any creative profession, I'd say, intuition (and the confidence to trust in your intuition) is very important in translation.
[Edited at 2006-08-17 00:12] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Dyran Altenburg (X)
United States
Local time: 00:24
English to Spanish
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That is, if by intuition you mean perception without rational thought or reasoning (sixth sense, gut feeling, etc.).
Now, if you mean educated guesses based on acquired knowledge, experience, and common sense, that's a different story.
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Dyran
| | | | RHELLER
United States
Local time: 22:24
French to English
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| Technical translation | Aug 17, 2006 |
Hi everyone!
I mostly do technical translations and would be crazy to rely on my intuition.
Modern technology changes everyday!
My response was....I do research
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Dyran Altenburg wrote:
Now, if you mean educated guesses based on acquired knowledge, experience, and common sense, that's a different story.
--
Dyran
I agree. I couldn't understand the question...
Giovanni
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DehaCeviri
Local time: 07:24
English to Turkish
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| Intuition or ??? | Aug 17, 2006 |
However experience always comes before intuition... The more you have experience, the more you rely on your intuition.
| | | | | Always research | Aug 17, 2006 |
Although translation is not an exact science, this is not really an excuse not to research, much less for romantic ideas about the role of intuition.
Approximations and educated guesses are sometimes unavoidable, but solid research leveraging on the best technology leads to better translations.
| | | | Javier Herrera (X)
Spanish
| Most of the time | Aug 17, 2006 |
My intuition tells my where I should start researching, what sources are reliable, what nuances there are in the original text and whether the client would agree with my decisions.
(It doesn't tell me how to translate a term. Obviously, it's nothing to do with sixth sense, gut feeling or anything of the kind.)
| | | | | Just like Javier Herrera... | Aug 17, 2006 |
I have learnt to research and check until there is no time to check any more.
But intuition tells me where to start looking when I check. I find results faster than I did five years ago, and the results I find are more reliable. This intuition is based on experience and a good idea of what I think I found last time.
But I do know intuition can't stand alone, especially when I'm tired, so I check most things anyway.
My intuition tells me very reliably indeed... See more I have learnt to research and check until there is no time to check any more.
But intuition tells me where to start looking when I check. I find results faster than I did five years ago, and the results I find are more reliable. This intuition is based on experience and a good idea of what I think I found last time.
But I do know intuition can't stand alone, especially when I'm tired, so I check most things anyway.
My intuition tells me very reliably indeed when to say sorry, no, I can't do this job, and to tell the client to find someone better qualified. I override it at my peril on that one!
Intuition tells you which of the five or fifteen options in the dictionary is most likely if you check it in context or in the target-to-source direction. I may have to try again, but I don't begin at the beginning and work through them all.
Intuition is what makes the difference between a translator and a machine. ▲ Collapse
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