MemoQ - translator's enemy? Thread poster: AngelaB
|
|---|
AngelaB
Local time: 04:41
Portuguese to English
I've recently started working for a new client, using MemoQ exclusively. It's the first time I've used this CAT tool, provided by the company, but I feel that it is not to my advantage. I've found that I earn more, or almost the same, from proofreading than translation. And sometimes the translations I get to proofread seem to have been barely more than "pre-translated".
Has anybody else had this problem?
| | | |
Shai Navé 
Israel
Local time: 06:41
English to Hebrew
+ ...
| MemoQ is not a scam | May 15, 2013 |
If I understood correctly, the situation that you have described doesn't seem to have anything to do with MemoQ, which is a very legitimate translation environment, and a lot more to do with a bad, abusive, and unprofessional agency client, of which, sadly, there is no shortage in the marketplace.
[Edited at 2013-05-15 02:53 GMT]
| | | |
| I don't get it | May 15, 2013 |
As the colleague said already, memoQ is just the CAT tool. Your customer could have required you to use any other tool and your situation would be the same.
If the texts you get for proofreading have a low quality, you should clearly state that to your customer so that they choose better translators or better processes. If the situation does not change in a short time, you should clearly charge more for your work or discontinue the work. You are your own boss!
I don't q... See more As the colleague said already, memoQ is just the CAT tool. Your customer could have required you to use any other tool and your situation would be the same.
If the texts you get for proofreading have a low quality, you should clearly state that to your customer so that they choose better translators or better processes. If the situation does not change in a short time, you should clearly charge more for your work or discontinue the work. You are your own boss!
I don't quite understand what the problem is, and don't see why memoQ should be a problem. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Woodstock (X)
Germany
Local time: 05:41
German to English
+ ...
| I've used MemoQ for more than 2 years | May 15, 2013 |
and really like it. I prefer using it over SDL Trados, which I also have for clients who require it (2007. Studio 2009 + 2011), because I find it more user-friendly and less prone to problems, but others may have a different opinion. I'm in complete agreement with the other posters who point out that what you are experiencing has nothing to do with the CAT tool, and everything to do with shoddy, unprofessional agency practices. It seems to me you are being exploited: The agency isn't paying you ... See more and really like it. I prefer using it over SDL Trados, which I also have for clients who require it (2007. Studio 2009 + 2011), because I find it more user-friendly and less prone to problems, but others may have a different opinion. I'm in complete agreement with the other posters who point out that what you are experiencing has nothing to do with the CAT tool, and everything to do with shoddy, unprofessional agency practices. It seems to me you are being exploited: The agency isn't paying you enough for your translation work, and is giving you sub-standard translations to "proof-read" to bring them to a standard that should be there to begin with. I would consider dumping this new client, and looking for alternative clients who will remunerate your work more fairly.
Good luck!
Edited for clarity
[Edited at 2013-05-15 08:17 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Natalie
Poland
Local time: 05:41
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...
MODERATOR SITE LOCALIZER | Moving the thread | May 15, 2013 |
Hi folks,
This thread has been obviously posted in the Scams forum by mistake. Moving it to the MemoQ forum.
Natalia
| | | |
Natalie wrote:
Hi folks,
This thread has been obviously posted in the Scams forum by mistake. Moving it to the MemoQ forum.
Natalia
It doesn't seem like this has anything to do with MemoQ... or scams...
MemoQ is a legitimate product used by many and offering a great alternative to Trados and SDL.
| | | |
Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 05:41
Italian to English
In memoriam | I feel your pain | May 15, 2013 |
Angela O'Driscoll wrote:
I've recently started working for a new client, using MemoQ exclusively. It's the first time I've used this CAT tool, provided by the company, but I feel that it is not to my advantage. I've found that I earn more, or almost the same, from proofreading than translation. And sometimes the translations I get to proofread seem to have been barely more than "pre-translated".
Has anybody else had this problem?
Others have pointed out that your dilemma has nothing to do with MemoQ, which is a CAT tool. Actually, it sounds as if you are being sent translation memories produced by a machine translation (MT) program. MemoQ is merely the go-between in this relationship.
Sometimes people send me MT versions of texts to "revise". I generally reply that it would be quicker, and therefore cheaper, if they just let me retranslate the Italian from scratch. The reason is that if you are translating from a neo-Latin language into English, the corrections you will want to make to the MT draft have more to do with syntax and the organisation of thought than the vocabulary or phraseology, which are the things that MT programs - and non-native or poor native translators - tend to focus on.
Remember that it's up to you which assignments you accept and which you turn down. In the long run, customers will appreciate you more if you take on jobs to which you can add demonstrable value.
| | | |
Login to reply/comment 
