How can a translator become a millionaire? Thread poster: Dante1
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Are there translators-millionaires (\"self-made\" I mean  ) who have become rich without changing the profession (most of us really love). Or these two words are fully incompatible? What do you think? I am not certain, of course, that those who are on a sure path to becoming rich will share their opinions. However it\'s a very interesting subject and discussion might bring out something new, and the world is large enough for all of us.
| | | | Jacek Krankowski 
English to Polish
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| Specialize, form a team, win big corporate clients, stay in good health AND/OR: Run an agency! | Dec 27, 2001 |
...\'cos even if you were translating at an average rate of 15c/wd x 4,000 wds/day x 26 days/mo., you would \"only\" be making $187,000/yr., so it would take you 5.5 yrs. to make your first US million (gross). That\'s realistically closer to 8 yrs., even if you are a much sought-after interpreter. So, depending on your criteria of being a millionaire, the only way of becoming a net one AND not giving up the ghost in the process, is, in my opinion, to participate in a group effort.
Good luck in the new year!
| | | | DR. RICHARD BAVRY
Spanish to English
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| Use the Latest Payment to Buy Lottery Tickets? | Dec 27, 2001 |
Any translator who sets out to become a millionaire clearly chose the wrong profession!
Res ipse loquitur.
Unless, of course, he/she just might be the next Umberto Eco.
The odds are better betting on the lottery.
Ecco Eco!
You think my answer is facetious? I think the question is fatuous!
Rich (in spirit...if not in pocket)
| | | | RWSTranslation
Germany
Local time: 05:43
 Member (2007)
German to English
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| work, work, be professional | Dec 27, 2001 |
hard work and after this: hard work,
than build an small group ,.. a bigger group, ...
be professional in all parts of work
translation, dtp, faktura, client contact, ...
and maybe i future, many people will word for you and you are a....
| | | | xxxwilliamson
Local time: 05:43
Dutch to English
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| People Service Profit | Dec 27, 2001 |
He who works alone merely adds things up; he who works in a team squares the output.
No individual translator ever became a millionaire, but some agency-owners are. After all, it is people service profit which enables big corporations to be successful and not the \"I\" attitude (cfr. ATA-code) of the translator.
| | | | Clarisa Moraña
Argentina
Local time: 00:43
  Member (2002)
English to Spanish
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| Do you want to be millionaire or translator? Chose one. | Dec 27, 2001 |
I don\'t think a translator working only on translations could be millionaire... I do love being a translator because... I love languages, to help people understand other people\'s ideas and words... But as I\'m able to translate only (\"only\"?) 2,500 daily words I\'m sure I will never be a millionaire, even If I were well paid. You could start a translation agency, but you have to be a wise businessman, not necessarily a good translator. It helps, sure. Also, buy a lottery ticket! Why not?
Regards,
Clarisa Moraña
| | | | Franck Abate
United States
Local time: 21:43
English to French
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| how to be a millionaire translator? | Dec 28, 2001 |
Make other people work and cash in.
| | | | Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO)
Local time: 23:43
German to English
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| Go to www.abc.com.... | Dec 28, 2001 |
... and apply for \"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?\".
And if you make it on to the show, give Regis your final answer and hope for the best 
| | | | Medved
Ukraine
Local time: 06:43
English to Russian
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...or just convert your dollar profit in Italian Liras or Japanese Yens, then see the figures, make big eyes and close them… and fly in illusions...try it, it must heal.
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Quote:
On 2002-01-25 12:18, medved wrote:
...or just convert your dollar profit in Italian Liras or Japanese Yens, then see the figures, make big eyes and close them… and fly in illusions...try it, it must heal.
Spasibo, tovarisch!
| | | | Andras Szivak
Local time: 05:43
Member (2004)
English to Hungarian
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| Not easy but it is possible! | Jan 28, 2002 |
1. Dictate instead of typing! 5 times faster! Use speach recognition softwares like Dragon Naturally Speaking! You can translate 40000-50000 charakters daily!
2. Undertake only large projects! Small translations are not profitable.
3. Make ideally isolated conditions for your work.
4. Forget about translation memories!
5. Go in for sports every day (the most suitable sport for a translator is skiing)
Although I am not a millionaire (not yet) but I am earning 8-10 times more than an engineer (my original profession) in my country.
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That sounds great! But are these tools like Dragon really that helpful? I tried it once but there were so many mistakes...But of course having such a tool, if it works perfectly, must help a lot.
| | | | Andras Szivak
Local time: 05:43
Member (2004)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
| Not easy but it is possible! | Jan 29, 2002 |
1. Dictate instead of typing! 5 times faster! Use speach recognition softwares like Dragon Naturally Speaking! You can translate 40000-50000 charakters daily!
2. Undertake only large projects! Small translations are not profitable.
3. Make ideally isolated conditions for your work.
4. Forget about translation memories!
5. Go in for sports every day (the most suitable sport for a translator is skiing)
Although I am not a millionaire (not yet) but I am earning 8-10 times more than an engineer (my original profession) in my country.
[addsig]
| | | | | A couple of things I don't understand... | Feb 5, 2002 |
Quote:
On 2002-01-29 13:01, Szivák András wrote:
1. Dictate instead of typing! 5 times faster! Use speach recognition softwares like Dragon Naturally Speaking! You can translate 40000-50000 charakters daily!
Jeez, I\'d love to see one of these translations! Do you proofread?
Quote:
4. Forget about translation memories!
Why?!
Quote:
5. Go in for sports every day (the most suitable sport for a translator is skiing)
I love skiing (and live close to one of the best mountains in the whole wide world), but again, why!? And how can you make time for skiing every day, while working full-time?
[/quote]
Kidding aside - buy a lottery ticket 
[ This Message was edited by: on 2002-02-05 21:55 ]
| | | | | Used to be easy | Feb 8, 2002 |
It used to be easy: move to Italy, and get paid in Lire. Since the Lira was at 2,000 to the dollar, you just needed to earn $500 to be a \"millionaire\".
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