ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | For charities and for my husband

Muriel Vasconcellos (X) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:23:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Post title: For charities and for my husband

I used to be more generous with my time than I am now.

My late husband was a prolific writer, and I have translated some of his writings for publication in English. In fact, I feel guilty that I haven't translated more, and until I assuage that guilt anything else takes a back seat.

[Edited at 2009-09-16 03:24 GMT]

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Before being a freelancer...

Valérie Catanzaro — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:53:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Valérie Catanzaro
Post title: Before being a freelancer...

I did some free translations for Freelang.com mainly from English and Italian to French,
and others from Japanese to French about music for a J-music website.

It was very interesting. =)

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | yes for friends

Frances Leggett — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Frances Leggett
Post title: yes for friends

I often translate CVs or letters and do proofchecking for friends for free.

I also did a big job 14 months ago for a company and am still waiting for payment from that company, needless to say that translation was not for free although I think the clients would have liked it that way and legal proceedings are going ahead... slowly...

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | I translated for Rotary without charging

Andres Larsen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:08:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Andres Larsen
Post title: I translated for Rotary without charging

As a former member of Rotary (1995-2003) I translated two concurrent projects for free during 2002. The first involved a donation from the Wheelchair Foundation ( [url removed] ) in California, of a container with 200 wheelchairs manufactured in China. The second a cochlear implant in a geology student who had been totally deaf since the age of 4 because of meningitis. The Alabama Ear Institute ( [url removed] ) performed this implant surgery and donated this implanted hearing device free of charge.

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | for friends

Gianluca Marras — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Gianluca Marras
Post title: for friends

I have sometimes, for friends, or colleagues who had problems with deadlines.
not in big projects, as I have never been asked to do it

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Oh yes

Simon Cole — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:34:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Simon Cole
Post title: Oh yes

When you ask "for free", I presume you mean knowingly free.
Yes, I did site for someone who was starting a business making realistic dolls of babies for people who want to remember their children as newborns.

Of course I have also done "tests" for organisations such as Human Rights Organisation, who farm out 400 word sections to translators as tests and then presumably compile them all together to make a finished document.

As opposed to "unknowingly free" - 10k euros of work for an agency group that went broke through bad management and I never got paid.

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Indymedia

Francesca Grandinetti — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:52:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Francesca Grandinetti
Post title: Indymedia

Yes, used to give some free help for translations on Indymedia, a few years ago :-)

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Yes!

Paola Prodan — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:49:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Paola Prodan
Post title: Yes!

I translated the CVs of all my friends for free and also some medical docs. for the mother of a friend of mine and some brochures for a non-profit organization.

Oh! and a lot of docs. for my husband (I think I should charge him from now on...)

Happy translating!
Paola

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Translations for orphaned parents

Andrea Brumma — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Andrea Brumma
Post title: Translations for orphaned parents

I offer translations of memorial websites and similar from parents who have lost their children during early or late pregnancy or after birth due to an illness or accident. It is a very moving experience; the texts are so full of love. It is wonderful to see that couples who had children with fatal diseases like anencephaly have the force to write about their experience and support other parents with the same fate. Although I offer those translations for free, many people insisted on paying me at least a small amount for my time and the delicacy with which I handled the texts about their beloved children. I receive an unbelievable (sad) amount of requests per year and I am not sure if I will be able to handle all requests myself in the future, but I’ll try to help where I can and I have a colleague who helps me out where needed.

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Yes

Cristina Heraud-van Tol — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Cristina Heraud-van Tol
Post title: Yes

The website of the Lady of all Nations into Spanish -> [url removed]

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Yes

Christina Bergmann — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:27:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Christina Bergmann
Post title: Yes

Translated the website of a handicapped 6-year old boy called Noah from German into English.

The English version should be up shortly.

Until then all German-speaking people interested in Noah's story can visit his website at
[url removed]

[Bearbeitet am 2009-09-15 12:27 GMT]

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project? | Volunteered and translated for free. 100's of times

Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:28:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk
Post title: Volunteered and translated for free. 100's of times

I volunteered and translated/interpreted for free in the UK for many compatriots,
in Ukraine and Russia -- for scientists, engineers, "exchange" professionals and students. Sometimes - for expats and tourists.

I translated even research papers, dissertations, patents, and business documents for free - especially in the times of severe crisis in Ukraine, when the inflation rate was a five-digit figure.

Sometimes doing free work is just as enjoyable as receiving a good fee :). Agree?

On the other hand, there is a lady and a company who owe us money, and naturally we want to recover that (and we will), because we did not do their work for free.

[Edited at 2009-09-15 14:41 GMT]

[Edited at 2009-09-15 14:51 GMT]

[Edited at 2009-09-15 15:03 GMT]

[Edited at 2009-09-15 15:09 GMT]

Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?

ProZ.com Staff — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:56:54 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?
Poster: ProZ.com Staff

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever translated for free, or volunteered in a no-fee translation project?".

This poll was originally submitted by Ziad Alghamdi

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: [url removed]