Poll: Has the speed at which you translate increased over the last five years? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Has the speed at which you translate increased over the last five years? ".
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| | | | Parrot 
Spain
Local time: 06:10
Spanish to English
+ ...
I reached my cruising speed well over five years ago and have been using CAT tools for more than that time.
Translation itself is a fast activity (or simultaneous interpretation would not be possible), but the limits are determined to some extent by typing speed.
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 06:10
Spanish to English
+ ...
Absolutely! Mostly due to use of Wordfast (it's not called "fast" for nothing), DNS, increased resources (internet) and knowledge of how to make the most of those resources, simple experience, specializing, and so on.
| | | | | Probably not | Apr 16, 2010 |
For a variety of reasons, probably not.
I don´t aim at speed, so I voted ´don´t know´.
If I go too fast, the rate I maek typos increases, bot teh speed I translate. 
Like Parrot, I probably reached a sort of cruising speed over five years ago, though I do not have so many years experience, and I was still running my CAT in. (I started translating 12 years ago and went freelance 7 years... See more For a variety of reasons, probably not.
I don´t aim at speed, so I voted ´don´t know´.
If I go too fast, the rate I maek typos increases, bot teh speed I translate.
Like Parrot, I probably reached a sort of cruising speed over five years ago, though I do not have so many years experience, and I was still running my CAT in. (I started translating 12 years ago and went freelance 7 years ago.)
I would claim that CATs do not actually increase my overall speed. In the kind of work I do there are not enough exact matches, and in practice it takes as long to check the last 20% as to type a whole new sentence.
I do use CATs, mainly Trados, because I like Multiterm, and I find the concordance useful. But I also spend a lot more time checking previous jobs in the same field or for the same client than I would without the concordance.
When I worked in-house and was paid by the hour, I was producing very roughly the same (fluctuating) amount of words per day. But the types of jobs were different.
I think and hope I am producing better quality than five years ago, but no, not faster.
Why all the rush anyway? It is not an advantage in itself as a rule. It encourages bad planning and causes stress!
Happy translating at a comfortable speed...
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Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 22:10
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Basically because of DNS, my typing speed and OpenOffice's Write
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 06:10
Spanish to English
+ ...
Like Christine, I don't aim for speed unless the client demands it (everything in Spain apparently has to be classed as "urgent" or it doesn't get done), but now that I come to think of it, I probably do work faster nowadays, although I subscribe to the adage "more haste less speed" and for some text areas prefer to go slowly and carefully rather than rushing into it like a bull at a gate...
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My problem-solving skills keep getting better, so I handle challenges faster. Also, my Internet searching skills have improved.
The big problem with fast typing is the possibility of making mistakes. I find that I make fewer mistakes if I type with my eyes closed. It's also more restful, and I think more clearly. So I'm doing that more and more often. You out there who are touch typists: Try it! You'll like it!
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 00:10
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
I have a couple of repeating projects that have an extrememly high number of similar phrases, so those increase in speed due to the CAT tools.
Otherwise, I have gotten better at doing research, I have a better stable of online resources, and I simply type faster.
In my other specialty, which is handwritten documents, more exposure to the old handwriting means that I am simply better at picking out letters. I'm sure there is an eventual limit to how fast I can translate... See more I have a couple of repeating projects that have an extrememly high number of similar phrases, so those increase in speed due to the CAT tools.
Otherwise, I have gotten better at doing research, I have a better stable of online resources, and I simply type faster.
In my other specialty, which is handwritten documents, more exposure to the old handwriting means that I am simply better at picking out letters. I'm sure there is an eventual limit to how fast I can translate those documents. ▲ Collapse
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Well, even though I am not for being "always in a hurry", I can type much faster than 5 years ago, my search-skills have improved and so on. So definitely YES I translate faster. This doesn't mean, I have to run all the time.
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