| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Off topic: discounted rates for "not perfect" translations Thread poster: df49f (X)
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We've all done "quick and dirty" translations - but personal pride would *never* let me send out a document which hadn't been proofed (however fleetingly!) and spell-checked!
On the other hand - I have proofread some *shocking* translations in my time; at least this agency/member is being honest by not attempting to pass off sub-standard work as a quality translation!
| | | | tr. (X)
Local time: 10:59
English to Italian
| since we're talking food... | Feb 14, 2005 |
La différence entre une traduction Standard et une traduction Discount ressemble un peu la différence entre la préparation d'une soirée avec des invités le samedi et la préparation d'un repas simple pour vous-même le lundi. Vous ne feriez pas toutes les décorations et les détails gastronomiques le lundi, mais vous ne *quitterais* pas la table en *avant* faim et vous n'attraperiez pas un empoisonnement alimentaire non plus."
Well, I guess this is what the food equivalent of a Discount Translation looks like - definitely filling, and guaranteed not to poison you:
http://www.unilever.co.uk/ourbrands/brand_potnoodle.html
This is the Standard:
http://www.napastyle.com/kitchen/recipes/recipe.jsp?recipe_id=1
And there was a Deluxe it would be something like this:
http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/relais/techniques/lorain/turbot.htm
Bon Appetit!
Seriously - like others already said, I don't think the notion of a cheaper "gist translation" is necessarily a horrifying idea, but it's quite another thing from a translation that may contain typos, spelling mistakes and inappropriate choices of words. That's not "gist", only "bad".
But yeah, well, at least they're being honest...
| | | | Pat Jenner (X)
Local time: 09:59
German to English
+ ...
| Could be an argument in favour of quality | Feb 14, 2005 |
Occasionally agencies will try to pressurise me on price, saying that they only have a certain budget for the project. What I then do is offer them what amounts to a first draft - not checked for spelling, grammar, consistency or revised for style, sounds fairly similar to the Discount translation being offered here. I make it perfectly clear what the shortcomings will be. On the occasions that this offer has been taken up (and I make sure I spend no more than the minimum time on the job), the a... See more Occasionally agencies will try to pressurise me on price, saying that they only have a certain budget for the project. What I then do is offer them what amounts to a first draft - not checked for spelling, grammar, consistency or revised for style, sounds fairly similar to the Discount translation being offered here. I make it perfectly clear what the shortcomings will be. On the occasions that this offer has been taken up (and I make sure I spend no more than the minimum time on the job), the agency inevitably says that their end client was disappointed with the quality. You get what you pay for, or should do, and I agree that this approach at least has the benefit of transparency. ▲ Collapse
| | | | df49f (X)
France
Local time: 10:59
TOPIC STARTER | difference between gist and plain bad | Feb 14, 2005 |
[quote]Traweb wrote:
Seriously - like others already said, I don't think the notion of a cheaper "gist translation" is necessarily a horrifying idea, but it's quite another thing from a translation that may contain typos, spelling mistakes and inappropriate choices of words. That's not "gist", only "bad".
Agree 100%, there's a big difference! - this person advertises the fact that his translations are plain bad... and there's no excuse for "typos, spelling errors, grammatical errors, inconsistencies and imperfect choice of words" - the phrase might actually be used as an almost perfect description of a bad job!
You can't afford the real price, so I'll be generous and sell you a house half-price, if you'll just accept that the roof leaks, the walls are cracked and it stands askew...??
Or: you're poor, so I'll sell you food real cheap, if you accept a little mold on your bread, curdled milk and meat with a few maggots in it?
What kind of work or even personal ethics is that? and what kind of reflection does it throw on our profession??..
Offering discount rates for "gist and no-frill translation" has nothing shocking as such, and may even be perfectly reasonable and appropriate, as some have rightfully remarked... but this is something else!...
But yeah, well, at least they're being honest...
OK I'll give him that!! but put your client's cap on: doesn't it immediately make you wonder about the quality of the "standard translations"? It's so self-defeating that it doesn't even make good marketing sense!!
thoughts for the day...
df
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| Might have to borrow that one! | Feb 14, 2005 |
Pat Jenner wrote:
Occasionally agencies will try to pressurise me on price, saying that they only have a certain budget for the project. What I then do is offer them what amounts to a first draft - not checked for spelling, grammar, consistency or revised for style, sounds fairly similar to the Discount translation being offered here. I make it perfectly clear what the shortcomings will be. On the occasions that this offer has been taken up (and I make sure I spend no more than the minimum time on the job), the agency inevitably says that their end client was disappointed with the quality. You get what you pay for, or should do, and I agree that this approach at least has the benefit of transparency.
I actually think that's a very smart idea. I was definitely guilty of underpricing myself when I started out, and it's only shooting yourself in the foot. Providing a great service for peanuts can be misleading to the end client (they won't find that service everywhere) and encourages agencies to think that they can keep paying rubbish rates. But - do your clients/agencies come back and say "please do this again, we'll pay more this time!" or do they take their business elsewhere?
| | | | Alaa Zeineldine 
Egypt
Local time: 10:59
Member (2002)
English to Arabic
+ ...
I wonder if this is a trick. When the customer pays more, they will believe they paid for the premium service. This might affect their judgment of what they get, perhaps seeing poor work in a positive light. It's the same translation, but perception can do wonders.
--
Just an afterthought: I am referring only to the subject of the original posting.
[Edited at 2005-02-14 22:56]
| | | | Pat Jenner (X)
Local time: 09:59
German to English
+ ...
Hilary Davies wrote: Pat Jenner wrote:
Occasionally agencies will try to pressurise me on price, saying that they only have a certain budget for the project. What I then do is offer them what amounts to a first draft - not checked for spelling, grammar, consistency or revised for style, sounds fairly similar to the Discount translation being offered here. I make it perfectly clear what the shortcomings will be. On the occasions that this offer has been taken up (and I make sure I spend no more than the minimum time on the job), the agency inevitably says that their end client was disappointed with the quality. You get what you pay for, or should do, and I agree that this approach at least has the benefit of transparency. I actually think that's a very smart idea. I was definitely guilty of underpricing myself when I started out, and it's only shooting yourself in the foot. Providing a great service for peanuts can be misleading to the end client (they won't find that service everywhere) and encourages agencies to think that they can keep paying rubbish rates. But - do your clients/agencies come back and say "please do this again, we'll pay more this time!" or do they take their business elsewhere?
It hasn't happened so often that I can detect a regular pattern. When I do get requests like this it tends to be from agencies that are not my regular customers, or very occasionally from regulars who are being pressured by their customer. A couple of times the newbies have asked for the 'gold standard' service (at a commensurate price) for the same job or for other jobs in future, but of course there are those who you never hear from again. It's much more satisfying to use this technique with regular customers, as they then realise the difference between a proper job and a discounted effort, and of course it's important to make sure that you don't lose out by keeping the effort to return ratio the same as for a normal job (i.e. spend two-thirds of the time you normally would if you're charging two-thirds of your normal price).
| | | | NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 04:59
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
MODERATOR | Good comparison | Feb 15, 2005 |
The Standard example contains one typo
Nancy
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