I have worked pretty hard to produce some great posts over the past year (if I do say so myself). Recently, I considered what a shame it would be if some people have missed out on some gems just because they were not following my blog or me on Twitter at the time of publication. So I thought I would have a look into ways of exposing my old posts to a new audience. I have now tried and tested two methods, which have both proven quite successful.

Why draw attention to old posts?

• It can bring more traffic to your website, which can only be a good thing
• It maximises the profit from your past efforts
• It highlights your breadth and depth of experience
• If done the right way, it can look very professional
• It takes little time to set up
• It costs nothing
• It can be used to disguise inactivity in busy periods

Method 1:  Wordpress Plugin “Tweet Old Post”

This plug-in is already quite popular, and some of you may already be using it. However, if you are not, this post should come in quite handy.

This is a pretty standard, well-functioning plugin for WordPress. It takes mere minutes to install and the settings are very straight forward. Take a look:

Tweet Old Post settings

These settings are wonderfully customisable: you can set what precisely is tweeted (e.g. title, excerpt, etc.), set the additional text and where it appears, include a link, set which shortening service will be used (my only gripe: I can’t use my custom xl8.in shortener! That, and the typo…), any particular hashtags – which can also be made from the post tags, the minimum interval between tweets plus a maximum random interval, the minimum and maximum ages of a post for it to be retweetable, and, conveniently, a means to exclude certain categories or posts that you may not be as proud of. You can also keep a log of what has been tweeted, although this will be evident in your own Twitter profile, anyway.

One note of warning: the default frequency of posts is pretty frequent. I did not want to annoy people, so I set mine to be a LOT less frequent.

There really is not any more to it than that! Since using it, I have seen an increase in hits, even without posting anything new to my blog. I have had tweets, retweets, new followers, new likes on Facebook, comments and thank you messages. That all seems pretty conclusive: it is worth using.

Method 2: Mozilla Thunderbird Add-On “random(signature)”

This one is a little harder to set up, but well worth it if you happen to be a Thunderbird user and understand the basics of HTML. First, you need to install the add-on, either through the Tools > Add-ons menu (easiest), or downloading the add-on from here. Once you have it downloaded, you need to configure it. Have a look at how I have configured mine:

You will see I used the “fortune cookie file” method. These methods are all explained well within the add-on, if you click the yellow question mark, but I will talk you through this method just for clarity.

You will need to know a little basic HTML if you want to have active links in your email footer. For those who do not know any HTML already – do not worry, it really is not too complicated! I put together a tiny text file for you with instructions on how to insert links and add bold or italic formatting which can be downloaded here: Basic HTML for signatures. All you clever people that know HTML already will not need it.

First you will need to set up a “Fortune cookie file”, which should just be a text file, which can contain HTML, with each random option you want to appear in the text file, separated by % and with no % at the start or end of the file. To give you an idea, you can take a look at mine.

Next, you will need to assign a blank HTML file for the program to write its randomly generated file to. In my example, this was footer.html.

Then you should enter the signature text that should appear before and/or after the randomly generated part from your fortune cookie file. The first part should be entered in the first tab, called prefix, then click the suffix tab to enter the final part.

Finally, you just need to select how often you want the signature to change in seconds. Finished!

So, that is all! I would be quite interesting to hear how you all get on – especially with the random signatures trick!

NB: Dropbox

Some of you might have noticed that I store my signature in my Dropbox. This is because I use multiple computers and Dropbox is a handy way to keep any changes I make to my signature consistent. To find out more about Dropbox, please see my post on sychronising and backing up files online.

Dear translators

Thank you so much for reading, sharing, following, liking, commenting on, blogging about and recommending the Translator’s Teacup and my various articles over the past year. It has been quite a year!

A great end to the year was receiving the finished version of a collective masterpiece: “MOX: Illustrated Guide to Freelance Translation”. I am so honoured to have been a part of it! I will publish my contribution, “The Crados Conspiracy”, on my blog at some point later this year, but for now you will have to get the book to read it. But that is no penance! It’s filled with excellent contributions from Sarah M. Dillon, Alex Eames, Céline Graciet, Judy Jenner, Laurent Laget, Benny Lewis, Kevin Lossner, Corinne McKay, Pablo Muñoz, Jill Sommer, Ramón Somoza, Steve Vitek, and of course myself. Not to mention Alejandro’s amazing translation-related cartoons!

In June I also had the “honor” of a personal approach from the editor of the ATA Chronicle, produced by the American Translators Association. They requested to publish a “regionalized” and slightly shortened version of my popular post, “The Ethics of Proofreading”, and of course, I happily obliged. As a result, you will now find my blog listed among many other greats on the ATA’s useful list of translation-related blogs, the Blog Trekker.

The year in Google Analytics

Google Analytics for the past year - quite a success!

According to this, I’ve had just over 9,200* unique visitors. Quite an achievement! It also appears that around 35%** of my visitors keep coming back! I’m so proud!

* …Not including those that have opted out or disallowed the various things required for Google Analytics to collect information, and including some crawlers and spam-bots.
** …This will also include some crawlers and spam-bots.

The most popular posts

• With more than 2,800 page views, “What makes a good, successful and happy translator: Part 2″, was my most successful post.
• This is closely followed by “Part 1″, with just over 2,400 views.
• Closely thereafter comes “Part 3″ with just over 1,000 views.

I try and I try, people, but it seems people are still more concerned with success than quality, or even, worryingly, their own happiness!

Other popular posts included:

• My breakthrough post, “The Ethics of Proofreading”.
• My hugely popular tips for consideration when buying a computer (or more) for your translation tasks, “Tech Tip: Computers for Translators”
• My analysis of a so-called agency, “The Unprofessionals: a time-wasting agency”
• My tips for young linguists, “I want to be a translator when I grow up: tips for young linguists”

The future…?

What lies in store in 2012 for the Translator’s Teacup and its writer? As some of you will have noticed, I am now quite busy with university, and in the coming months will begin work on my thesis. The tone of this blog has always been on the technical side, but is now likely to lean more and more in this direction since my time for actual translation (and blogging!) is limited by my studies. I am however very much still a geeky, blogging translator, and promise to keep you inspired and amused with the occasional blog post over the next twelve months. To all of you, I wish you a good, successful and happy 2012!

…And last but not least, the very best of the rest

That heading sounds a little arrogant, as if my blog is the best. I am indeed very proud of it, but I thought it would be nice to include some of my favourite blog posts of the past year by other translation, language, marketing and technology bloggers, of which I would also be immensely proud had I written them myself.

Chrome extensions for Translators
A handy techy post for Chrome users by the wonderful Italian to English translator David Turnbull, better known as @Lega11ySpeaking on Twitter.

8 weird opinions on translators and how to educate the public
Another hilarious, helpful and well-structured post from English to Polish translator, Marta Stelmaszak.

The Accidental Linguist
An interesting discussion of how Japanese to English translator Matt Young came into his current profession, despite his strong focus on sciences at school and university.

Translation of official documents: What does it really mean?
This is an excellent post from English to Polish translator Aga Gordon, which is handy reference when clients ask for a “certified” translation.

Custom Captcha”
Adam is my highly-talented, over-worked web guy. I mentioned I had a problem with spam on my website – and within 15 minutes, I had my very own colour-matched captcha. Check it out!
(Adam: You know I’d like the the cat version soon, though. But with pigs. Lingocode-pink piggies.)

The wonder of you
This fantastic post from French to English translator, Charlie Bavington, goes into the issues of implied gender and translation. You’ll have to read it for details, but it is a very interesting and important discussion.

If you are lost in translation – find a way out!
English to Spanish translator and games localiser Curri Barceló wrote these fantastic tips on how to deal with a dodgy source text.

Five tips for dealing with criticism or differences of opinion in translation
French, Italian and Spanish to English translator Kate Larkin (a.k.a. Lingo Woman) wrote this excellent set of tips for dealing with criticism or differences of opinion in translation, but I think they apply to life in general, too!

5 myths about direct clients
Polyglot translating sisters Judy and Dagmar Jenner are prolific bloggers and inspirational translators, and their book The Entrepreneurial Linguist helped me a lot. They advocate translators working directly with their end-clients, and in this post smash some of the common misconceptions about working with direct clients.

6 ways to get more clients
A great post by English to Polish translator, Ewa Erdmann, with everyday tips to find more clients.

South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Translation
An interesting perspective from Spanish to English translator Rebekka Wellmanns on trauma experienced through translation.

Switching from a PC to a Mac: Practical Tips
You’d never get me to do it, but Spanish, French and Portugese to English translator Philippa Hammond has some great tips for making this switch.

An Apple a day… (aka: my ITI’s Computing in Nick’s attic article: my gears)
Another Apple/Mac-themed post, this time from Valeria Aliperta – all about her various Apple choices, as well as some handy tricks of the trade at the bottom. These two still won’t get me to abandon Windows and Linux, though.

Defense techniques against evil clients
This is one of many hilarious posts from Alejandro Moreno-Ramos. It was so hard to choose a favourite!

10 things to do before attending a conference
A great set of tips from English, French and German to Greek translator Catherine Christaki, which apply not just to conferences, but any formal event where you might meet potential or existing business partners and contacts.

Get more traffic from Twitter with these 6 great headline tips
Jim is a marketing whiz – I follow his blog for some excellent, snappy, quickfire marketing tips. I recommend you do the same!

Personalities of poor email signatures
I found this one pretty randomly – but I found it quite amusing, simple and insightful.

I wish you all the best, indeed – a good, successful, and happy 2012. Keep translating!

Take a look at this:

xl8.in - the #xl8 URL shortener

As a little thank you to all my translating Twitter pals, I decided to create a dedicated #xl8 (the translation hashtag on Twitter) URL shortener.

To use it, type xl8.in into your browser. You can then enter your website URL to be shortened, and, if you like, make it something memorable for easy future reference. It will then shorten the URL for you, saving valuable characters in those 140-character tweets. As this is relatively new, you will find short URLs on xl8.in are shorter than on, say, bit.ly. Another added advantage is, of course, the instant association with #xl8, right from the URL.

This handy URL shortener can also be accessed by a little window on the bar on the right hand side of this blog post, too.

Enjoy!

Why it has been a while…

First of all, I would like to offer a big “SORRY” to my readers. I have been pretty busy over the past few month preparing for my move to the Netherlands, as well as settling in once having got here. Why am I here? I decided to study Information and Communication Sciences, specialising in Human Aspects of Information Technology, at the Tilburg University. Am I still translating? Of course! Now I am somewhat settled in, I will get back to blogging, too.

Quite a while back now, I began my series on what makes a good, successful and happy translator. In Part 1 I covered “what makes a good translator”, i.e. the skills one needs to be good at the practical skill of translating and how to obtain them (including some skills one would not expect). In Part 2 I covered “what makes a successful translator”, i.e. the skills one needs to find work, good clients, and earn a living wage (avoiding the pitfalls of poor Mox). Now, I am finally going to offer my thoughts on how to do well in your freelance career and achieving happiness.

How to be a happy translator

There was a natural flow to this series, since each of these sections requires having already tackled and achieved the goals in the preceding sections. First and foremost, one must one be good. Success is not implicit and one must work on this separately – although of course raw translation skills are required, too. Happiness, therefore, requires that one has achieved success as a translator. Happiness is the goal for those who have achieved the basic goal of being a successful translator – a steady flow of work with a predictable and professional income. If you feel you are successful but not happy, it is possible there are further tips that you can gleam from my advice on how to be a successful translator – especially when it comes to self-respect.

Self-Respect

Konstantin Kisin recently wrote an interesting post on achieving a work-life balance as a freelance translator, and I believe he hit the nail on the head here:

During the London workshop on Negotiation Skills, I asked the attendees to raise their hand if they felt they were “too busy” and more than 50% did. I then asked the group to answer the question of “How busy do you want to be?” and most people looked at me with a mixture of bemusement and disbelief!

This is the crux of the issue: If you are too busy, you are working more than you need to.

Some readers may come back with comments such as, “But I have to please my clients”, or, “But I have to work such long hours to earn my living wage” – and these people in particular I would refer back to the section on self-respect in the previous section. To find happiness as a freelance translator, you must learn to:

• Set professional rates
• Refuse to work for less than you are worth
• Never offer volume discounts
• Value your own free time
• Dump bad clients
• Be true to yourself and your values

Translators with self-respect do not put their clients first beyond the point where this impacts on their own standard of life. Nor do they charge low rates, put up with dodgy payment practices or sell-out on their own values. Doing these things will lead the unpleasant feelings of loss of self-determination and independence: a terrible sacrifice when this is something every freelancer should be free to relish. It would be daft to repeat myself, so anyone who would like to read more on these points should read my previous post on “what makes a successful translator”.

Set your priorities

To ensure happiness in your (working) life it is important to make sure you are fully aware of what it is you are striving towards. Your professional activities should enable you to achieve the things that will make you happy (within reason – it will not get you a date with Colin Firth/Keira Knightley, but it can, if you desire it, bring you into contact with educated and possibly attractive people of a similar mindset). Think deeply about what would bring you satisfaction: you are a freelancer, so you are in a good position to shape your professional life to achieve these things.

Know when to take time out

The alternative issue is that you may have inadvertently become a work-a-holic. You may in fact have many clients that fully respect you, and you find it so hard to say no to a well-paying, interesting job… It is even harder to say no when you think of the economic climate, or how badly some of our nearest and dearest are doing… It seems only good sense to put more, and more aside for a rainy day.

But we must keep some perspective. Yes, it is true, we do not have the commuting time or other work stresses that other professionals do, but at the same time, this is no reason to work long hours for days on end without a break. Make sure to make time for yourself . Take care to not end up being your own nightmare boss.

Giving back to yourself and society

Taking time out for your friends and family is somewhat obvious. But what about other things? Do you have a favourite sport or other leisure activity? If so, you should take time out to enjoy the key benefits of being a freelance translator – financial freedom and the ability to simply take time out when you feel like it. If you want to learn a new skill, be it another language, watercolour painting or climbing, actively schedule time to pursue this.

Similarly, maybe now is the time to balance your karma and give something back to a cause you care about. Of course, we can give money or free translations for good causes, but there are further interesting ways we can use our skills to help a good cause, perhaps even broadening our professional horizons. As a translator, it may be a nice change to do some voluntary interpreting for immigrants in difficulties. Or you might try writing, or editing: for example, I have spent a good two or three weeks this year editing a book for a European environmental and marine life protection organisation, “The Black Fish”. Similarly, you might like the chance to do something completely different, such as cooking for the homeless.

Charity is not for everyone, of course, many of us would rather earn the money and donate it, or simply have too many existing demands closer to home. However, there are reasons for even the most self-interested of us to consider charity – namely, the chance to exercise new skills and gain new experience, as well as a demonstration of your integrity to paying clients.

Diversify your work

As explained above, charity is a great way to learn new skills and diversify your work. However you can also do this in your paid professional work. For example, you might find it stimulating to take a break from translation and engage in a sideline career.

In translation, we are well-suited to a number of related professions – from interpreting and monolingual editing to language tuition on a one-on-one or even university level. You may even have further options relating to your chosen specialisation, e.g. chemistry tuition or programming. The choice is yours. If you feel you might gain something from pursuing one or more sideline careers, then go for it – there is nothing to lose, just experience to gain – even if you fall flat on your face!

Set boundaries – for everything!

This part applies to all parts of your life, not just your paying clients. If friends and family are not clear on the importance of you having dedicated working time, this can cause problems when it comes to deadlines. That will cause you undue stress and may even cost you clients. To achieve balance, everything must have a set priority in your life and an appropriate schedule to match, but nothing should be able to invade the other parts of your life at will and at random. Alejandro Moreno Ramos published a wonderful cartoon on the consequences of friends and family not understanding these boundaries.

If you decide to take on voluntary work, you must set deadlines you can meet – and those you agree to work with must understand that, like any professional, the work agreed cannot massively expand and still be expected by the same deadline, nor can the deadline be brought radically forward without due notice. Sure, you can do your best to help, but you are under no obligation. Similarly, you should ensure that whoever it is you are assisting respects the value of your time and skills – if they do not, there are plenty of other good causes you can assist.

The rules for paying clients are pretty clear – if you are on “personal time” (e.g. a holiday or other scheduled time-out), then it is always your choice whether you wish to be reachable or not. You should not be sitting there at your sister’s wedding, tapping away a quick response to an “urgent ” query from a client on your BlackBerry. Their query can always wait, or they can find another solution.

Get efficient

A good way of ensuring happiness in your work is to ensure you minimise the daily frustrations. For me, this means having a lot of convenient programs, and occasionally outsourcing things I really do not like. The exact selection of computer programs that will help you will depend a lot on your working style. I personally am big on synchronisation, so here are some of the synchronisation applications I love:

1. Dropbox – so handy for synchronising across computers, even without a shared network. See my post on Dropbox here.
2. Microsoft SyncToy – there are a number of programs that will perform this task, but I use this one. It synchronises certain folders between two computers on a local network (wireless or wired) at set intervals, or when you desire.
3. Google Sync – very handy for synchronising email, calendar and contacts between various devices, formats and operating systems.

There are numerous other handy programs I use, but there are too many to list here. Just remember a basic principle when faced with something inefficient in your working practices: if you have been frustrated by something before, so has a programmer. That programmer probably solved the problem, so have a look for the solution online.

For example, if you type “how to update multiple social networking sites at once” into Google, someone will eventually recommend Tweetdeck or Hootsuite. If you type “free .doc to .pdf converter”, you will find a number of free options, as well as someone pointing out that the free office software from OpenOffice.org, has such an integrated function. Search engines are your friend – use them to solve your problems and save you time.

Consider hiring others

As I said above, you may be at the stage where you might want to consider hiring others. Most obviously, this could be an accountant or book-keeper, or even a part-time secretary to deal with your invoices. I have found this especially handy when I have both a translation and invoicing deadline pending at the end of the month.

The other option is a little more controversial. It involves, to some extent, “becoming the demon”. You could begin hiring other translators to do the translation, whilst you take on the proofreading. That way, you can assure your clients that they will still receive a translation that is to your high quality standards. This can prove rewarding in both a financial and spiritual sense, as you teach a newbie the tricks of the profession, and ultimately secure their long-term professional success. However, nobody should ever underestimate the drastic change this will entail – you will go from being a freelancer in the truest sense of the word, to someone who others rely on, and to whom responsibility ultimately falls back on. Outsourcing the very core of your business is an option only to take with the maximum precautions, involving only persons one can fully rely on. Whilst it risks destroying an already working formula, this greater management focus could be exactly what an experienced translator seeks to capitalse on their excellent, loyal clients, useful connections and top-notch experience.

Find your own path

The final word of advice here is left to you. I cannot tell you in a single blog post what will make you happy, or even a thousand, and nor can anyone else. You will have to experiment for yourself, set your own goals, and these will determine the exact path that is right for you. Consider all of the above as mere suggestions, some of which will not apply to you in the slightest, others of which may seem to be exactly what you were looking for. If I knew how to instruct anyone to find happiness, I would be rich and happy enough to never study, work, or write a single blog post again…

No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.
- Barbara de Angelis

In Part 1, I outlined the key attributes of a good translator. In this part I will attempt to outline what makes a translator successful: since talent alone is not enough.

I would also like to apologise for the delay in submitting this post. As the length probably indicates, it took quite a while to put together – even in terms of how to illustrate it. As I detail below, it is hard to put down a single definition of what is a successful translator or the single way to achieve it. I hope you appreciate the personal approach.

What makes a successful translator

The word “successful” is somewhat harder to define than what makes a “good” translator. Some would consider it a success to get enough work to pay the bills. Others (myself included) set their sights (and rates!) a little higher – we have noticed the greater demand for our services as good translators, and we have responded accordingly. We work for those clients that treat us the best and compensate us most fairly.

The point I want to make here is that a good translator is not necessarily a successful one. I was a “good” translator long before I was a successful translator. So what changed? My clients – the number and quality of them. What was the result? A better work-life balance, more flexibility, better compensation. How did I change it? Well, what follows will not be a one-size-fits-all guide to being a successful translator, but it will tell you what worked for me. It will tell you how I gained success as I define it.

How do I define success?

Steady flow of work

I have collected a good number of reliable clients and established a good relationship with them.

I can turn down rush jobs, complicated jobs or uninteresting jobs. I do not have a “take what I can get” mentality. I know something better will come along.

Predictable income

Whilst my income fluctuates, the steady flow of work at similar, fair rates means my income is much more predictable than a translator with a variable flow of work or work at vastly differing rates.

I can budget properly for my outgoings and decide freely when I would like to take holiday – without woefully regretting whatever jobs I may have missed out on.

Professional income

I charge a fair rate for the services I provide.

I can take my time to ensure a high-quality output. I appreciate my clients for paying me a fair wage that rewards my skills and experience, rather than resenting them for their exploitation and my own wilful submission.

What works for me

Passive (Online) Marketing

Website(s) and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Content Marketing (blog and freebies), Directory Pages, Online Listings

This is where I am most, ahem, “active”. This is the kind of marketing where I put myself out on display, showing people my abilities to entice them in. The advantage of this sort of marketing is that it largely keeps going even when you are having an off-day. It has also got a very good ROI (Return-on-Investment) – since, if you do it well, it not only brings people in, but helps you to show your skills and command a fair rate.

The basics for success in passive (online) marketing

• At least one website is essential for translators. If you are not online, you will not be found. People rarely look in the phone book anymore. Even if they did, I doubt the localisation department at Deutsche Telekom in Bonn, Germany has a copy of the Nottingham Yellow Pages. One that you can personally take control of and update regularly is best. A lot of translators prefer to use self-hosted WordPress for this reason. Prettier themes can be downloaded from WordPress for free, or you can pay money to access a range or just one more suitable, elegant theme. I use Graphene.
• SEO skills, whilst complicated, can really serve you well. Try reading about the fine details of SEO on great sites such as Search Engine Journal (a blog) or SEOMoz.org (handy paid and free tools, blog and VERY useful free guide, which can be viewed online or downloaded). Master these through well-crafted, original content, meta descriptions, alt tags, links and appropriate link text. It might sound complicated, but it is worth learning: just look where I come for the phrase “German to English Technology Translator” (without quotes). THAT is SEO. DIY SEO in fact. A key fact to remember is that Google likes dynamic, often-changing content (like a blog), tweets and links. Write a good, popular blog and your ranking will start shooting upwards. Another fact to remember is that it is not a good idea to pay someone to up your ranking artificially – as Google are cracking down on these tactics (see my blog post on Plagiarism and SEO here). I never spent a penny. Think about it.
• Blog This is what has made my business. After the initial hit of The Ethics of Proofreading, which was linked to (and plagiarised!) everywhere, my rankings started to climb – not just for the blog on a subdomain – but my main site, too. This is another reason to host your own blog.
• Comments on other blogs Such links are usually “NoFollow”, i.e. less valuable to your search engine rankings, but they still count somewhat, and above all else, this is a great chance to get involved in the conversation and arouse interest in you and the services you offer. Keep things interesting, relevant and non-self-promotional though, of course.
• Freebies This is an area I have not yet fully explored. This basically involves giving away some “freebies” to clients – e.g. e-books. When I get time one of these days, I plan to finish one I have been working on.
• Directory Pages These can be varyingly helpful. My page at ProZ, for example, is very helpful in presenting my skills as a German to English translator for IT and technology to a wider audience. I get a fair few approaches through directories.
• Online Listings Use Google Places to list your location on Google Maps, or simply use all of these possible sites to link back to your main site. Do not spam, of course, and try to use original content, as this will ensure Google does not apply a duplicate content filter.

Face-to-Face Networking

Going to local events and generally striking up conversation – and never leaving the house without your business cards

This traditional method is great for meeting other businesspeople, making contacts and establishing connections. Even if the people you meet are not going to be your clients – their friend or business partner might be! You might even make such a great impression that you will make a friend, who can speak for your services in their own networking.

In an industry as dependent on our individual reputation and personal style as translation, it is no surprise that face-to-face networking works wonders. You might not reach as many people in one go as you may through an email marketing campaign, but you will be able to make a full, memorable and (hopefully!) positive impression on those that you do reach out to – and (hopefully) they will remember you when a time comes that they will need your services.

The basics for success in face-to-face networking

• Never leave the house without your business cards. You never know when you will meet a useful contact. I once made a business contact on a delayed Eurostar train, for example. Good business contacts can be anyone and be found anywhere in your daily life – at the gym, on the train, your neighbour’s friend, your mother-in-law’s accountant – you never know! I recommend not going for the cheapest business cards available – people recognise them and they are often a smaller size. Your business card says a lot about how you view yourself and, accordingly, how your clients will view you.
• Always keep an eye out for sponsored and free events in your local area and beyond. Your government or local authority may sponsor some events to support small and independent businesses, e.g. seminars on anything from self-employed tax regulations to email marketing. What a great chance to learn more and even figure out the other attendees before you get chatting at the buffet lunch!
• An expo, trade fair or conference on something in your specialisation may also be a good networking opportunity, as well as an excellent chance to keep your factual and linguistic knowledge of the area up-to-date.
• Others have recommended joining various paid networking groups and events. Some can be very expensive, but will offer you a chance to meet other businesspeople (with the money to attend such events) and introduce yourself and your business to a room of people. Some, such as the local Chambers of Commerce or BNI, seem pretty well-organised and I have heard positive things, though not explored these myself.
• Attend local powwows and informal translator meet-ups to network with colleagues face-to-face. You will not only gain valued counsel from informed colleagues, but you may also make handy contacts who could pass work your way, either directly in the form of outsourcing or through passing on one another’s details to others.
• You should always dress to impress for all such business events. A good first impression lasts even longer than a business card.
• Be friendly and engaging whenever you meet a potential contact (read: everyone!). Do not hesitate to tell another professional what it is you do and do not be afraid to enthuse about your work (as long as it is not a 10-minute monologue) – a lot of people are very curious about our profession and many have misconceptions, so why not take the chance to enlighten them (politely, in an educational and friendly manner)?
• Prepare a brief introduction in advance, and tailor it a little to fit the client as appropriate. Try to keep it brief and effective.
• Define your different selling points (i.e. experience and attributes that will interest a potential client) and how you might be able to slip these into conversation.
• Nobody has all day, so tailor your selling points to fit the specific person. Whilst listing all your achievements, memberships and clients may feel tempting, this simply represents poor social skills and will come across as boring at best and arrogant at worst. Make a good impression and they will happily read anything you wished to mention online later (assuming you have that website set up by now).

Social Networking

Getting to know clients, prospects, colleagues and contacts on social networking sites

Social networking offers a variety of advantages. Of course, it is a great way of spreading word about your business, but what is more, it is a great way of expanding your knowledge and exchanging ideas with colleagues. If you follow my advice on writing a blog, you will also find social networks to be a great way to spread word on your blog.

There are many different social networks, but I will focus on what I consider to be the big four for freelance translators – Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook pages and, in this context, ProZ.com. There are of course others – such as Google Buzz, but, aside from link-building and an automatically high ranking on Google, I have yet to discover a truly social use that is not already served by Twitter or the other sites it connects to.

The basics for success in social networking

• Join Twitter immediately! This is a staple of social networking – it says something that ALL of the other sites I am focussing on link to it.
• When you have joined Twitter, follow some great translation tweeters – you could start with @LinguaGreca (Catherine), @atgtranslations (Silvina), @ACGtranslation (Aga), @transliteria (Ewa), and myself – @lingocode (there are lots of good ones – I suggest browsing who I follow for a more comprehensive list). I would also recommend following some great business, SEO, marketing, writing and copywriting tweeters, such as @FreelanceFolder, @sejournal, @JimConnolly, @HookedOnAds, @ShesSelfEmployed, @lorelleonwp, @sallyormond, @brianwong. I also follow some of my favourite technology brands (like the less-unethical-than-most-plus-pretty-innovative-and-reliable Asus), since this also relates to my specialisation and keeps me informed.
• Get to grips with Twitter etiquette – follow interesting people, get involved in the conversation, tweet and be retweeted – but also get into the habit of sharing the love. If you see something you find interesting, retweet it. The people that are rated highly on Twitter, like my friend Catherine (@LinguaGreca), retweet the good work of others as well as anything they may personally be involved in. Twitter is a conversation – people quickly bore of someone who only ever talks about themselves, but the Twitter-breed of social butterflies who can introduce you to other interesting people and information through well-selected retweets quickly become very popular.
• Use hashtags on Twitter. A hashtag is simply a word or accepted shortening that people can search for to see what people are saying about that topic. Common ones used in translation include #xl8 or #t9n. I tend to just stick to #xl8. I also put #marketing or #seo on posts relating to those fields, of course.
• Next, you should make sure to join LinkedIn.
• Join relevant discussion groups on LinkedIn. Much like Twitter, it is a great idea to engage in the conversation and have a look at what others are posting. It is, of course, a great way to spread word about your business or your latest blog post (provided these are relevant and interesting, of course!). The Shareaholic and AddThis links at the bottom of this post (I include both… I guess I figure each will appeal to different people) enable quick and easy sharing of a post to multiple groups, individuals and your network at once. How handy!
• Connect your LinkedIn profile to your blog and/or Twitter to receive updates from these sites and keep your LinkedIn profile fresh and interesting without any additional work. I recommend you do not allow LinkedIn (or Facebook, or any other site) to update your Twitter, though, since this can lead to duplicate posts if Twitter is (as it should be) your primary networking site.
• Join local business networking groups on LinkedIn to receive information about events in your local area and make interesting contacts. Check out your fellow group members and consider getting in touch if you might be able to help one another.
• Now you might want to consider creating a Facebook page for your blog and/or business. Take a look at this wonderful post from Brian Wong’s blog for some tips on how to make it stand out. I also recommend people use two separate accounts on Facebook. I do not think it is a great idea for all my business contacts and clients to have instant access to all manner of holiday snaps (though some I really am proud of) or lists of people I went to school with. That is a bit “information overload”. For this reason, I have two Facebook accounts, one personal, one for business. The Facebook Page for my blog and business is then linked to that.
• If you do not have time to update both all the time, link your Facebook profile and page to your Twitter account. It will show up that it came from Twitter, but that is not so bad. Also consider using one of a variety of WordPress add-ons to post your blog posts automatically to your Facebook profile and page.
• Download and install Tweetdeck to ease your networking on all of the above, especially Twitter (it also does Buzz, Foursquare and MySpace). In fact, I could not get to grips with Twitter at all until I downloaded Tweetdeck. Best of all, you can customise what is displayed to your heart’s content, and it is FREE.
• Finally, you should join ProZ.com. Even with a free account you can attract prospects, use forums and access some of the wealth of useful articles, making it an absolute must if you wish to establish a presence in the translation industry. If you pay for full membership, however (keep an eye out for membership campaigns), you will get first access to all translation jobs posted on the site. Whilst many may be bottom-feeders (the lovely name for agencies that pay the lowest rates to their translators, competing on price and not quality), there are also some great clients on there. Somewhat incredibly, every single one-off job I have acquired via ProZ.com has led to further offers of work, to the point that now I never really need to look for it. Paid members will also show up higher in search results, and I certainly have received more enquiries since paying for membership.
• Make your ProZ profile stand out through some pretty html-coding. Take a look at mine for some inspiration. If that is a bit geeky for you, perhaps your web designer or a skilled friend can help?
• …There are further social networks I have not gone into. Mostly because I don’t really have a use for them. Some people highly recommend FourSquare, which allows you to “check in” to places (e.g. conferences). I have yet to discover a real use for this as a home-worker, since I doubt my office, sofa and bed really count as separate locations… All of these can be good for SEO, if you get a free, relevant link back to your own site though, of course.

Good Accounting

Banking and keeping records

It sounds so incredibly dull, but these things really do make a difference. They enable you to keep track of who has paid, who you have yet to bill, and who is a late payer. You should also keep a record of your business-related outgoings, too, since this will enable you to budget and make things easier when the tax man comes around. There are lots of different tools that people use (feel free to list your recommendations in the comments!), but, just as success is different to everyone, I will describe what has worked for me.

The basics for successful accounting practices

• Make a spreadsheet and include details of all the invoices you send – including the name, the client, the date of submission, the due date, date received and the amount in both the foreign currency (if applicable) and domestic currency (based on an estimate, then updating it when received). You may also wish to include additional details, depending on your preferences (e.g. word count, if you are looking to apply for ITI/IoL/ATA certification).
• Check your statements to confirm if and when a client has paid. Chase them up if they are late. I have heard it recommended to send a reminder note just before an invoice is due for payment, precluding any excuses such as “I forgot about it” or “It was never received”. It also seems a great idea to include late fees as part of your agreement, as well as reminding late payers from 2 days after payment is due. Thankfully, I mostly work with regular or recommended clients, so have not had too much cause to think about these matters. I should, though. The latest payment I have had to face is 15 days.
• Never start work before receiving a PO to ensure you are in full agreement of the terms before beginning. You may decide in certain circumstances that it is okay to wait, but remember that without a PO you have no real legal recompense to ensure that the work was ordered and that you will be paid for it.
• Always check your PO upon receipt to ensure no mistakes have been made. Project Managers are human too, they may make a genuine error, or there may be a misunderstanding. Either way, these will be easier to clarify there and then rather than in two weeks when you do your invoicing.
• Do your invoicing on a set date every month. This will make chasing your invoices easier, as well as making things easier for your clients who may only pay their invoices once a month. Many clients do their invoices on a 30-day EOM (within 30 days of the end of the month in which the invoice is submitted). As such, submitting your invoices on around the 28th of every month seems to ensure a smoother process.
• …There is one exception to that for me. I immediately submit invoices for new clients. Remember that an invoice unpaid is the equivalent to extending credit. Especially when this is a new cooperation, it is a good idea to submit the invoice whilst everything is fresh in your mind and any issues you have can be discussed there and then. There should be a little more trust and predictability with older clients.
• On this note, you should set a credit limit for each client, based on your level of trust. I really cannot put it any better than Alex Eames does here, although to summarise, you should remember that every invoice has a risk of not being paid, that even a reliable client may go bankrupt. You should certainly exercise more caution for newer clients – although how much is a matter of your personal discretion. I highly recommend reading Alex’s post for a sample framework.
• Finally, I do not take it lying down if a client is consistently late. This slides nicely into my final section…

Self-Respect

Not getting walked all over.

This part is one of the hardest for a translator at the beginning of their career to learn and master. Not getting worked over is pretty simple: it means reminding yourself what your skills are worth and having the self-belief necessary to not put up with clients that pay bottom rates, pressure you on said rates, expect a lot more than they paid for and can never manage to pay your invoice on time.

The basics for success in self-respect

• Set professional rates that reflect your skills and professionalism. A good way to determine what these are is not to go on what agencies offer you. Instead, consult other translators, preferably in your language combination and/or specialisation, or take a look at the ITI survey as a guideline – though please consider that this survey is both ten years old and a mere average. Many good translators will charge rates above these stated averages. (I do)
• Refuse to work for less than you are worth. Remind yourself that others are already charging professional rates, that there are other translators out there who charge as much or even more than you would aspire to. If you have one client who pays your desired rate, but others do not, take this good client as confirmation that there is this demand for your services and consider refusing to work for less.
• Never offer volume discounts because these projects simply tie you up when you could be working for higher rates, looking for other work or enjoying your free time, which you should value. It merely means you will be working for a substandard rate for longer.
• Value your own free time.  If there is no work paying you a fair wage available, consider using that time for investing in yourself or your business – be it brushing up your skills and expertise, spending some time on your passive marketing, updating your social networking sites or reading some interesting links (and retweeting them!) on Twitter. If you establish your expertise through an excellent website, blog or marketing materials, you will enhance your chance of gaining better work in the future. Try to think about things in the longer term. Or, of course, you could take some time off. We work to live, after all, right?
• Dump bad clients like you would a bad boyfriend/girlfriend who showed you no respect. If a client consistently pays late or pressurises you on their potentially already poor rates, dump them, without a second thought. You are worth more than that, and so is your time. Think back to the step above if you are going through thoughts on the lines of, “but I need them” or “what if I cannot find anyone to replace them?”.
• Be true to yourself and your values. Part of self-respect is having the respect for yourself to defend and stand by whatever values you consider to be fundamental to your being. If you are a feminist, do not demean yourself by translating pornography. If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, do not trash your values by translating gambling texts. If you are an animal lover, do not go against all you stand for by translating something for a leading vivisectionist. Simple. This is what professionalism and self-respect is all about. If you only translate texts for clients you can fully support you will be a happier and more dedicated translator, and therefore, a more successful translator, with clients who will value your integrity. Stand by your values, whatever they may be. I will be expanding more on this theme in an upcoming post…

Active Marketing

Email marketing, leafleting, posters, mailings, online newsletters, promotional items, Google Adwords, Facebook ads, other online ads

These are the areas I have not explored and as such, I will not be telling you how to succeed in them. I will simply list things that I have considered, which may work better for you. Well, I have explored them enough to know what they involve, but for reasons of either not seeing (or failing to see) the benefit or shyness, I have not engaged in them.

The basics that I have not yet explored for successful active marketing

• In the case of email marketing, I am too shy. I get so tired of the amount of spam or undesired applications from freelancers (when my website clearly states I would never outsource to people who apply in this manner), so I think my biggest fear is “becoming the spammer”. I have certainly explored the idea – I have attended day-long seminars on topics such as email marketing or list buying and data protection. Whilst I have heard that email marketing works for some, it is just something I cannot get my head around. Email marketing can be done on a large scale by purchasing lists, or on a smaller targeted scale by researching companies either through LinkedIn, a group you are already a member of (e.g. your Chamber of Commerce) or the internet. If you decide to try this, you should check out the law regarding unsolicited marketing emails for the countries concerned. At a very minimum, all emails from a list should include an unsubscribe option.
• In the case of leafleting, posters and mailings I have a similar issue to with email marketing, although I see that this might work quite well if living in an area where your combination is in great demand. However, I do not think these are ideas that will work for me in my present location.
• Online newsletters seem like a great idea, but a lot of work to set up. I really should set something up like this to promote my expertise through my blog posts, but it is not something I have had time to look into properly. Of course, the same legal issues apply as with email marketing and marketing in general.
• Promotional items certainly seems like a fun idea and perhaps worth the investment. I know it is something some other translation bloggers advocate. Perhaps it is a British thing, but the idea of business gifts comes across a little smarmy or flash to me, even if it is something as innocent as a novelty item relating to my language combination. It might simply not fit with my personality and/or culture, but perhaps it would work well for you or in a culture where exchanging gifts among business partners is a lot more usual.
• Google Adwords has been recommended to me but I do not see the point in it, when I am already ranking highly in organic searches for my desired terms. Plus, studies have shown that people are more inclined to click on the organic search results than the paid advertisements. What is more, I worry that a lot of people would click on the link whilst actually trying to find some kind of Google translate technology, or a translator that will accept 0.01 USD per word. I think I might indeed get hits from it, but these may not necessarily be the clients I wish to attract.
• Facebook advertising has all the problems of Google Adwords, but I would expect even lower-quality results and even less-informed potential clients, and I have yet to find any other online advertising that might avoid these issues.

Conclusion

There is no one path to success as a translator. Both how you will achieve AND define success will vary greatly on where you live, your working languages, your respective markets, your competition, your lifestyle AND your own attitudes. You should feel confident in exploring your own path – taking some of my advice, ignoring other parts, exploring parts I have neglected or inventing your entirely new methods – creativity, innovation and individuality are your friend!

Once you have achieved success as a translator – an excess of demand for your services paid at professional rates, for good clients – your next step is to secure the equilibrium, to ensure a healthy work-life balance and that your work does not take over. Success brings its own trappings and challenges. As such, in my next post I will offer advice on how to ensure you are a happy translator. We do work to live, after all…

Happy translating!

I love what I do.

Working when I work,

on what I want,

for whom I want.

Working as a freelance translator is a profession and lifestyle that suits me perfectly, so I would recommend it to anyone with a similar mindset and the appropriate skills. In fact, I often do. However, I think a little more analysis of what makes a good, successful and happy translator would be helpful both for those considering the profession and those looking to improve their skills, income and happiness. I will divide this into three parts, released on a weekly basis. Welcome to part one.

What makes a good translator

First off, you need to be good at translation. It sounds somewhat obvious, but in my experience reviewing translation test pieces for agency clients, some people still have not got this part nailed before they start sending off these test pieces to potential clients. So what makes a good translator?

Source language skills

You should be able to understand the majority of texts without the aid of a dictionary, to the standard of an educated native-speaker. You do not have to be able to write to the same standard (particularly in terms of grammar, which few non-natives will ever fully master), but you should be able to understand concepts as well as any native.  A good translator will use a dictionary and other resources to find the precise words to express the concepts, terms and ideas in the target language, but should also remember that such tools are there to assist only, and cannot do the work for them.

Whilst many translators have at least a Bachelor’s degree in either translation, languages or a field related to their specialism, there are some excellent translators out there who do not. The same goes for the various diplomas, additional degrees and memberships, to some extent. Whilst these are an indicator of talent, the ultimate test is satisfied repeat clients, who also pay the translator concerned a fair wage. This is not to say these qualifications and memberships are by any means worthless, just that, by themselves, they are no guarantor of success, nor is one without them doomed to failure.

In addition to the pure linguistic skills, you should also be familiar with how the language is currently used, together with commonly used slang, dialect, and new words borrowed from other languages (if appropriate).

How to improve

1. Spend time in the source country.
2. Purchase and refer to language guides.
3. Read newspapers and journals in the source language.
4. Read texts appropriate to your specialism in the source language.
5. Take language courses and obtain qualifications.

Target language skills

Exceptional skills in one’s target language is an area that is surprisingly often neglected. A translator’s job is to communicate, so you should be able to communicate accurately, appropriately and concisely. Therefore, you should have a broad, expressive vocabulary and excellent, in-depth knowledge of the grammatical nuances, quirks and rules of your target language.

You should be experienced in reading the sort of text you wish to create, in both your source and target language (see “Specialisation”). You should therefore be able to spot a translation that is too literal and feel confident in selecting a less-literal, more-free translation that better suits the norms of the target language and field.

As communicators, our role is to ensure smooth transfer of information. The reader should not stumble over anything that looks less usual. Your personal preferences should not dominate too significantly over what is more usual – e.g., if writing in British English, regardless of the historical reasons for any Z that became an S, it is best to write an S – since a Z will come across as American English or an error, alienating the text from the intended audience.

The same applies to any spelling or grammatical variations, particularly on compound nouns, e.g. “bone meal” – where the variants “bone-meal” and “bonemeal” are significantly outnumbered in terms of Google hits. Wikipedia, whilst not always a reliable source in terms of factual information, is a good indicator of accepted common usage. In the case of “bone meal”, Wikipedia has gone with the separated form. Of course, the norms vary – this is where Google is your friend.

How to improve

1. If you have been away from your target country for a while, it is especially important to spend time there to get re-acquainted with modern usage and refresh your knowledge.
2. Do not be ashamed to purchase and refer to language and style guides – these are especially helpful for addressing common grammatical errors.
3. Read newspapers and journals in your target language.
4. Read texts appropriate to your specialism in your target language.
5. Consider further education (Masters, diplomas, seminars, shorter courses) in your specialist area, translation and writing skills so you can ensure an appropriate writing style for the texts you translate.
6. Get into the habit of checking yourself on any term you are not 100% sure of. Check yourself against the opinion of friends, family, and the internet (especially Google, as described above).

Specialisation

Specialisation is incredibly important in translation. Why? Nobody can be an expert in everything, but as a translator, you are expected to be an expert in translating each individual text you translate. If the texts are on related topics, you will have less vocabulary to learn each time. Your understanding of the field will also grow, improving your natural ability to perform a “logic check” on your translated text – i.e. you can tell whether a text works logically, not just linguistically. Put simply, specialist translators are better translators.

An ITI survey, unsurprisingly, illustrated a link between specialisation vs. generalisation and income, especially at the top end of the scale. It also revealed that some specialisations pay better than others. “Patents” pay the most (but are probably the most specialised and time-consuming), followed by “Defence”, closely followed by “Legal” and then “IT”, “Banking and Finance” and “Medical” all on similar levels. Much lower down comes the more general specialisation of “Business”, followed by the more passion-related fields of “Art History” and “Classical Music”.

A good translator chooses a specialisation relevant to them – appropriate to their academic training, professional experience and/or hobbies and interests (obviously, all three is a brilliant combination!). When choosing your specialisation, think first about your interests – as that is what you will enjoy, but then also seriously consider whether you have academic, professional or other relevant experience to back that up. If you do not have such “credentials” to back up your claims of expertise, then you will probably find good clients are less willing to work with you, you will receive less offers of work, and you will be offered lower rates.

Also bear in mind that not all specialisations experience the same level of demand. The demand for a particular specialisation (and the prices paid for it) can vary dramatically between the language combination and region. It depends a lot on the industries and end-clients working in the source language.

Remember that different fields also vary in terms of how long they take to translate. This has an additional impact on the rates paid across the various specialisms.

The other matter to consider is how many fields to specialise in. The ITI certainly seems to suggest choosing a single specialism. General discussions with other translators seem to suggest anywhere between one to four, although one to two seems to be the norm, with a couple of closely-related or highly-specific fields.

As mentioned before, it is best to choose something you are interested in, so you can keep up to date with developments and proper terminology through websites, blogs, magazines, journals and books written in both your source and target languages.

How to improve

1. Choose a specialism relevant to your academic, professional and other related experience, as well as your hobbies and interests.
2. Consider the time and research texts in your specialism will require, and charge accordingly.
3. Keep your total number of specialisms to a manageable minimum – one to four, and if more than two – it is better that these fields are closely related, e.g. Business and Finance, IT and Technology, Marketing and Journalism.
4. Keep up-to-date on the latest developments and terminology through various media in both your source and target languages.

Computer skills

Basic computer skills are a must in this job, whilst advanced computer skills are a very considerable bonus. A translator spends all day at a computer and, if freelance, will need to be capable of learning how to meet and overcome new challenges and problems on a regular basis.

The software we work with and documents we receive, as well as the computers we work on, are not always problem-free, so being able to solve the majority of problems yourself is a huge advantage. If your basic office or computer management skills are lacking, it may be worth asking someone to teach you or taking a course.

Typing speed is also very significant. If you do not touch-type and spend a long time looking for the letters, or, alternatively, rely on dictation software which then requires manual correction, you will find your speed, ergo productivity and ultimately income, greatly reduced. This struggle and need to constantly observe the keyboard may also lead to increased back problems as you crane over the keyboard, compared to your touch-typing colleagues. As such, you will also tire faster and may find your professional pleasure impaired, too.

Online research skills are incredibly valuable – for everything from checking for the most common term by comparing hits for set phrases on (put the exact phrase you want in ” ” marks on Google, e.g. “this exact phrase”), to researching a field or finding appropriate references and glossaries.

Excellent computer skills can also offer significant advantages, such as:

• The ability to figure out, use and optimise more efficient but less-shiny translation memory tools such as OmegaT and its close friend Okapi Rainbow, for example.
• …Some of the most handy software, like those above, are also free open source (GNU), saving plenty of money for other valuable resources such as dictionaries and journals.
• You will be able to solve problems yourself and much faster in the event of  a technology failure – which will improve your reliability, please your clients and save you time.

How to improve

1. Ask friends and fellow translators for advice.
2. You can learn a lot from Google, forums, blogs and online magazines.
3. Consider taking a course to improve your skills.
4. If really stuck, see if it is possible to partner up with someone who can reliably provide you with some IT support – either casually or professionally.

Education

A good level of education is another huge advantage, and for most agencies and many direct clients, a must. A Bachelor’s degree in your specialist field, translation or your source language are particularly helpful, whilst any degree helps to develop and illustrate a standard of research skills, commitment and writing skills in your native language.

A Master’s degree is also not uncommon among translation – either specifically in translation, a related field, or a chosen specialism. This can be particularly advantageous in developing further research skills, linguistic ability and technical expertise. It is also a considerable plus when marketing yourself to potential clients, especially to direct end-clients. It is, however, by no means a must, especially if you are coming into translation with a decade of experience in your specialist, professional field, living in your source country, for example.

Professional translation qualifications (Master’s in Translation Studies or DipTrans) can also be a big help, although qualified membership status in the ATA, ITI or IOL is probably the more valuable side to this – and you may be eligible for this without taking a full Master’s or DipTrans (e.g. ITI accepts a degree PLUS a membership exam). Also be aware that many successful translators do not have or consider that they need such memberships (if they have more demand than they can keep up with and charge decent rates, why bother?), whilst such qualifications alone do not guarantee commercial success (wait for the next instalment for advice on that!) or even skill.

Ongoing education is also useful – and can be found in evening classes, online courses, one-off events, day-seminars, short courses and summer schools. Keep an eye out on the publications of your professional associations, as well as local and national universities offering relevant courses.

How to improve

1. This is an easy one – if you want to improve, you can obtain a Bachelor, Masters, DipTrans or other professional qualification.
2. …But do not ignore the private-study option, if you are interested in education alone and do not need the printed proof…
3. …But if you want the paper, you could undergo private study and just sit the exam in some cases…
4. …Or follow an online course with final exam under similar conditions.
5. Education also comes in the form of evening classes, online courses, one-off events, day-seminars, short courses and summer schools. Keep an eye out for anything relevant, anywhere.

Resources

A good translator also has access to the best resources to assist them in their work – so a stable, fast internet connection is vital, as well as general and specialist bilingual and monolingual dictionaries, style guides, computer software and hardware.

Where computer software and hardware are concerned, remember the advantages of computer skills – the best and most appropriate software and hardware is not always the most expensive. Use some research skills to help you make your choices. Good, efficient, reliable software and hardware can make your task a lot quicker and easier.

Also consider a subscription to a journal or subscribing to related RSS feeds to keep informed on your specialist areas. A great RSS feeder is RSSOwl. In fact, RSS readers are great for keeping up to date with your favourite translation blogs, too! You can subscribe to my RSS feed to ensure you do not miss parts 2 and 3 by clicking the orange RSS logo in the top left corner, or here!

How to improve

1. Get your wallet out! In most countries such expenses are also income tax and/or VAT deductible, so there is no excuse!
2. Enjoy the wealth of free resources available online – from twitter to online newspapers, software, and RSS feeds.
3. …Start off with RSS by downloading the free RSS reader RSSOwl and subscribing to the Translator’s Teacup!
4. …Or join Twitter today to get chatting to myself (@lingocode) and other informative successful tweeps. Check who I follow for a list of friendly fellow translators, writers, technology geeks and translation bloggers!

I hope you enjoyed these tips! Please come back next week for part two – How to be a successful translator – which will be full of tips on how to be successful in freelance translation!

Translation and Geekery Combined

I love computers with a passion. I regularly use three different computers for my translation work, whilst I know many only use one. Why use more than one? Well, this article will help to explain the different choices I have made, and where and why these are helpful to me in my profession.

I love each of my computers dearly. As such, they all have names, which also helps when referring to each one to my geeky friends. The names all follow a pattern of beginning with the letters “Al-”, because my first ever computer was given the name I would have been given had I been born a boy – Albert.

I will start with the most common (perhaps recommended?) initial set up: a relatively modern but not flashy laptop computer, then work through why my team has expanded and for what reason, summarised in handy bullet point pros and cons.

However, before I get started, I would like to contribute some general considerations when buying a computer:

• As with any purchase, shop around for the best price and product. However, unlike other purchasers, we may have a linguistic advantage: remember to compare home and overseas manufacturers’ and online retail sites. You may find different hardware availability and prices, as well as a difference in service. For example, some countries’ retailers may be legally obliged to offer longer warranties as standard (e.g. Germany). See the comments on “Algernon” below.
• Consider what your computer will be used for. Whilst a good graphics card is important if you are creating your own marketing and web materials, right down to the pixel, or for keeping up with the IT and games industries if this is an area in which you translate, you probably will not need such luxuries if you translate books on aromatherapy. Also consider that such an expense, if unjustifiable, may attract the attention of the tax man.
• Consider your working habits. If you are a bit like me, and have a million and one browser windows open at once, a little extra RAM and processing speed in your CPU can come in handy. It won’t perhaps be your primary consideration, but it is worth bearing in mind.
• If you are bilingual, your computer should be too. Whilst some translators might choose to have their operating system set to their source language, others may find it confusing. A more practical tip for translators is to consider purchasing a keyboard for your source language, or unusual target language, or both (depending on which has the most unusual alphabet). English can be typed pretty easily on a German keyboard, so, as a German to English translator, I use a German keyboard with my desktop, and my laptop and netbook have German keyboards. Similarly, I would recommend an English to German translator living in the UK purchase a German keyboard. Note: laptop keyboards can be changed, some simply, some with more difficulty. See eBay and Amazon for options.
• What to do in the event of hardware failure. If you rely solely on one computer in the house, perhaps you should think about what you would do in the event of failure. Think twice, for example, before you throw away a working laptop because it has a broken screen – a tiny processor like that is a handy fallback option if your desktop PC fails – all you need is to attach a monitor and you have a working computer. You might also want to consider further backup options – like using “cloud” (online) storage (e.g. Dropbox), or a second hard drive. In my case, I have a second hard drive where my data is backed up onto, as well as a second working installation of my operating system – so I can literally plug it in and go.
• What if the internet dies. In a similar line, it might be worth considering your backup options if your internet fails – can you connect to the internet via your mobile phone? If not, and you do not have a friendly neighbour you could call on, consider purchasing a pay-and-go mobile broadband dongle or mifi solution.

The Laptop – The All-Rounder – “Alexander” 

Alexander - Asus x50N laptop

Alexander is a good budget to mid-range laptop, the Asus x50N, and about 3 years old. He was a real bargain at the time, and received rave reviews – he has a nice 2 GB RAM and a 1.6 GHz dual core CPU (central processing unit, or ‘chip’).

I have Alexander set up semi-permanently downstairs on a chair in front of the TV, where I use him for general browsing, blogging, invoicing and generally dull but simple tasks that can be done in front of the TV. I also take him away with me over Christmas and New Year, when I will be on the road for a longer period of time and may need something that is faster, capable of a little image editing, as well as appreciating a larger screen and keyboard.

Why a laptop is great:

• Portability (but not mobility, e.g. you can move it from place to place, but the battery life quickly degrades so it is not good for computing on the move).
• Decent performance for the vast majority of tasks
• A decent-sized screen and keyboard (and the ability to connect an external mouse and full-size keyboard)
• Ability to save your data and work on it for a brief period of time in the event of a power outage

Why a laptop is not so great:

• Whilst a laptop offers portability, this is massively outmatched by the mobility of a netbook. Similarly, a newer netbook could allow you to work on your data for a much longer period in the event of a power outage.
• A decent laptop like mine can cope quite well with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and similar memory hungry graphics and desktop publishing software. However, this performance can never match that of a desktop of the same age. Alex, my desktop, is a few years younger, so you can imagine the difference in performance.
• Laptops can be fixed, though it is harder and not always practical to do so. Whilst many can fix a desktop computer, laptops can be a lot more fiddly and are not always a standard design. Certain brands use their own internal design, whereas for Asus, Acer and a few others, there is a pretty standard internal design.

The Desktop Computer – The Home-Built Beast (but no Frankenstein’s Monster) – “Alex”

Alex - the home-built desktop computer

Alex is a beast of a machine. I built him myself about a year ago, choosing parts carefully on a variety of criteria – compatibility with future upgrades (future-proof), performance, ethics and, of course, price. Alex has a very speedy 3.4GHz quad-core CPU*, on a good Asus motherboard, with a speedy 2 x 2GB (4GB) of 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM taking up 2 of the 4 slots, as well as a decent 1GB ATI-based graphics card. He is more than one needs for day-to-day translations. He is, however, invaluable for a variety of more complex situations.

Unlike a laptop or netbook, Alex can handle anything, literally anything I or my clients choose to throw at him. Nothing is too complex. Whilst a huge translation memory file may start to slow some computers, not Alex. For him, huge marketing files on Photoshop are also a breeze.

The advantage of having built him myself is that I know exactly how he functions – and any minor quirks are easy to fix. Having built him myself, I also saved a lot of money for comparatively little effort.

Alex also has a nice full-size keyboard, wireless mouse, beautiful high-quality monitor, and a comfortable desk. I am faster and more comfortable working on Alex, because I am not slowed by my computer, nor do I have to spend time working out why something is not working – he always is working.

From a business perspective, I specialise in IT, so having modern hardware that enables me to keep up with the latest developments is vital. Imagine the professional advantage of knowing how similar software to that described in whatever software manual I am translating actually functions? Furthermore, the experience of building him myself certainly adds to my insight when translating texts on hardware and technology.

Of course, Alex came with quite a price tag. One I probably would have been more loathe to spend if I were not specialised in IT, or not able to cut a lot off by building him myself. Not everyone needs an Alex. As such, I would refer you back to my initial tip – consider what you will use the computer for. For me, however, he is an invaluable member of my team.

* CPUs with 6 cores are now out, but perhaps not always as fast. These are probably better suited to graphical rendering and some translation-related tasks, which, of course, we translators sometimes have to do.

Why a powerful desktop is great:

• The digital world is your digital oyster – you know no boundaries, limitations, or hardware compatibility issues. Nor will you for a good few years to come. You can try out any software or program that would enhance your understanding of your technical translation field.
• A more powerful computer is more stable when performing intensive tasks. Alexander, my laptop, has been known to be a bit overwhelmed by some tasks involving graphical tools or large translation memory files.
• Having a fixed computer you use mostly for translation and other work-related tasks is great in encouraging stable working patterns. Intermingling of your work and private life through the portability and mobility of laptops and netbooks is not always a positive thing.
• You can (almost) always feel satisfied that when something does not work, the problem (almost) definitely was not due to faulty hardware on your end.

Why a powerful desktop is less great:

• If you include the powerful part, it can be expensive. Without it, you have not really got many of the advantages you would have over a laptop of similar specifications, except for cost. Unless you have some very strong reason to the contrary (now, I am curious what these would be), I am curious why anyone would choose a moderate desktop when they could have a laptop (that could have everything connected to it when stationary to make it into a desktop). Cost, of course, but portability is such a handy thing, and a moderate desktop offers few advantages over the other solutions described here.
• Like other great things in life, you cannot take it with you. Not just to the grave, anywhere, in fact. You will have to make do with other options if away from home.
• You are vulnerable to power outages. Very vulnerable. Save often or, better still, switch to a laptop or netbook if you expect a power outage.
• Your other computers will seem so slow by comparison. Okay, not really a disadvantage, but believe me, they do. *yawn*

The Netbook – The “Pride and Joy” Statement Piece (and portable work tool) – “Algernon”

Algernon - the netbook and statement piece

My pride and joy, at just one month old, is “Algernon”. Algernon is a prime example of international shopping around – his model, a slinky Asus Eee PC 1015PW, is not available in the UK. It appears to be a regionalised version of the 1015P, but with some other differences, too, including a unique (and beautiful) metallic dark purple brushed plaster affect (and so, smudge and scratch resistant) casing. He was perhaps more expensive than the very cheap Samsung model you can see on offer everywhere right now, that has similar-ish specifications (although poorer build quality and some other differences).

A special note on what your netbook brand says about you

First off, we should consider the most unique thing about a netbook. No, not its small size, its longer battery life, its unique mobility, no… But its unique position as a statement piece for geeks and translators (and geeky translators, like myself) anywhere we go and might get one out – from conferences, to cafes, to meet-ups, to the train or even the local park. Unlike Alex or Alexander, lots of potential clients, clients and colleagues will get to meet Algernon. When they see Algernon, with his beautiful purple finish and German keyboard, they may well remember him. And me. It creates a positive, stylish impression – that I care about my technology, and I care about what the slightest details associated with my work will say about me.

I also chose the brand Asus over Samsung for a reason. As a geek, my choice of brand also says a bit about how well I know my field. Asus has served me well and is known to produce good, stable motherboards and some of the best in netbook technology. If I were walking around with just any brand (which, by comparison, Samsung is), then this is not saying much about my knowledge nor how much I care about the reliability of my tools, and therefore, my services. Asus, to me, represents a little geek cred.

Similarly, my choice of brand and its reputation also says a bit about how much I care about that brand’s ethics. I trade partly on my personal values, and have an ethical policy proudly published on my website. In a recent issue of the Ethical Consumer, Samsung (along with Toshiba and a couple of others), scored terribly – allegedly associated with abuse of worker rights, even work-related cancer and environmental destruction. Do I want my name associated with that? Whilst Asus were not top-rated, they were among the best (and none were that good).

With the above two analyses in mind, I figured that Asus was a brand I could trust and feel comfortable with having associated with my own ‘brand’ – quality technology and among the better brands where ethics are concerned.

Back to netbooks in general

Algernon is, of course, wonderfully functional. To help him in this, I also upgraded his RAM from the 1GB he came with to a nice, speedy 2GB. Whilst not vital, I would certainly recommend it. The RAM came in at around 20 EUR, and is a very simple upgrade that anyone could perform at home. This certainly helps him cope with my habit of keeping excessive numbers of windows on my browser (Chrome, for the record, it is faster on Java-based pages, which often includes online dictionaries).

I use Algernon all the time – for short breaks away, for meetings, for conferences and even for trips over to friends’ when I think I might need a computer. At only 1.3kg, it does not break my back. I have even been able use Algernon and mobile broadband to carry out some emergency proofreading in the passenger seat of a big white van!

Why a netbook is great:

• A netbook can be a bit of a statement piece. As plenty of people will see it, if you choose a brand that represents your ethics – you can be proud. If you choose a brand that represents your favoured technology – you can be proud. If you choose a brand that you happen to have done some translations for – what better a way to slip it into conversation? (by the way, Asus, if you ever need any German to English translations… )
• Perfectly adequate for the majority of translation jobs.
• Can start at very cheap prices, and be added to an external (larger) monitor, keyboard and mouse when desired.
• A netbook offers you amazing mobility. Unlike a laptop, you can truly work free from the mains for hours at a time. My Algernon manages up to 10 hours – tried and tested! You can work all day on it without having planned to. (Wait – is that such a good thing? Handy if you want to avoid missing a job, though.)
• You can keep working when the power goes out, and everyone else decides to sit cosy by the fire reading books by candlelight. (Hmm – again, is that such a good thing? Handy when a deadline is approaching, though.)

Why a netbook is not so great:

• For what the netbook offers in style and convenience, it can lack in functionality. The screen size is the most obvious issue, though this can be temporarily resolved by connecting it to an external monitor.
• It will not replace your more functional desktop or laptop. The lack of a graphics processor means programs like Adobe Photoshop may not run well, and less high-quality models may struggle with some larger translation memory files.

Any conclusions?

Not really. As the above should have made clear, each computer I own serves a different purpose. If you feel the main benefits of one particular solution do not apply to you, then perhaps that option is not right for you. I would, however, suggest a similar order of priority to that outlined above, with perhaps a swapping of the final two if you have no need to keep up with the latest computing trends.

If you are wondering why I skipped over any mention of Apple products, there are a few reasons. 1) I do not own any. 2) Compatibility can be an issue. 3) Their ethical reputation is not great. 4) Apple’s signature iPad, as well as similar tablet PCs, are not (in my opinion) as well suited to the needs of translators as netbooks.

I hope you found the advice above helpful. Any comments are more than welcome, especially those regarding your own set up or further scenarios!

Happy computing/translating!

“You sound bitter, Rose. Were you plagiarised?”

This post is a follow-up to my earlier post, The Ethics of Proofreading. After searching for this post myself on Google, I was surprised to come up with a few hits that did not relate to my own work.

Someone named “Muawiyah Haider” has ‘written’ a very similarly titled article, “Proofreading Ethics (Tips to Proofread Translation of Other Linguistics)“ [sic.!]. This article appears on various sites around the web, each with a link back to her professional site – an otherwise seemingly legitimate company that is registered on ProZ.com.  A paragraph by paragraph comparison reveals very obvious plagiarism. Each paragraph contains serious linguistic errors, perhaps a proofreader could have helped? Muawiyah has posted this same article all over the internet, each article linking back to the same site. This has clearly been done to add “authenticity” to Muawiyah’s claim to be an “expert article writer” working for a “professional translation services agency”. So professional they plagiarise the works of other translators, indeed.

It appears, interestingly, that I am not the only victim of Muawiyah’s plagiarism. I recognised one of Muawiyah’s posts, Cheap Translation Services and Poor Quality Translations, as bearing distinct similarities to another highly rated article on ProZ, Cheap Translators Around the World, by Indonesian translator Ahnan Alex. Again, many errors now exist in the new text that did not exist in the original, and similarly, this article has been posted around the web. I believe that Muawiyah also obtained my article through its 4-star appearance on ProZ.com, posted via my ProZ profile.

There are many articles posted by Muawiyah around the web and I expect many were originally written by my fellow ProZ members. It seems Muawiyah simply looked at existing articles that were rated 3 stars or above and submitted to the ProZ articles section. I will be informing ProZ about this issue, and whilst Muawiyah (if that is a genuine name) does not seem to have an account, the linked website does have a ProZ account associated with it. Perhaps ProZ will have something to say on the matter – since in the case of the articles by myself and Ahnan, the text “Copyright © ProZ.com, 1999-2011. All rights reserved.” appears at the bottom. This is because we have transferred ultimate copyright for these articles to ProZ.com in exchange for promotion on the site.

So what can we learn?

Plagiarism does not pay

There are a few lessons to learn from Muawiyah’s efforts. Perhaps the most interesting is that Muawiyah’s website is still invisible to Google. I searched Google for the language combination Muawiyah’s website specialises in, Urdu to English, and despite a pretty self-explanatory domain, the site was invisble. Why? Google is clever. It searches for identical content, and if identical content is posted on different pages on the internet, it will be penalised. Links from pages of low relevance to the subject matter (“low quality” links) are also given less weight than, say, a highly relevant link from a client or colleague. Google also penalises sites that spam. It could be that that domain has used similar black hat SEO tactics (unethical tactics intended to raise search engine rankings), which can lead to search engine penalties or even being barred. The lesson is that plagiarising an article and posting it all around the internet will not actually help the website ranking. Furthermore, anyone who googles keywords from the article will come back to the original and discover the plagiarism (as I did). Potential clients who view the plagiarised article, complete with its repeated linguistic errors – typical of any rushed job – will only be put off. Note how relatively highly ranked articles on ProZ are now invisible on these generic article publishing sites, not least for the poor English.

But ethical blogging does pay

My translation blog is hosted on a sub-domain of my main website. This means that whenever my blog is linked to (and, thank you, it often is), the ranking of my main page goes up. Whenever I make a post on this sub-domain, Google likes that too – updated, fresh content is good in Google’s eyes. This means that my main site is now no. 1 for “translator German Nottingham“, for example.

I have also made countless enjoyable and useful contacts through my blog and twitter. Whilst these are mostly colleagues, it still helps with my online visibility. It is also great for exchanging knowledge and tips relating to my profession. Fellow twitter users can be a great help when wanting a quick opinion on how to deal with an unusual situation with a client, solving a software issue, or simply letting off steam. We also retweet each others’ posts when we find them helpful, increasing both our visibility and giving us that nice warm fuzzy feeling that we get from colleagues’ approval.

The basic tenets of ethical translation blogging:

In the style of the original Ethics of Proofreading post, I will summarise the main points of ethical translation blogging here. You may also wish to refer to the CyberJournalist.net Blogger’s Code of Ethics, which offers a more in-depth framework.

1. NEVER plagiarise – If you refer to an external source whilst researching your article, refer or link to that source wherever possible. If you had inspired someone, you would appreciate some credit for that too, right? As you can see above, there are numerous negative consequences that may follow if you choose to plagiariase the hard work of another translation blogger.
2. Link your sources – Similar to the above, this is relevant when writing anything factual in nature. This adds credibility to your statements, allowing and inviting your readers to make up their own mind.
3. Be accurate – Be careful, insofar as this is possible, not to misrepresent your sources or other parties. Try to avoid quoting out of context as this may flavour the interpretation of the text. If there are any indications that the source may be inaccurate, it would be best to include these to give a balanced view. Correct any mistakes that later become evident.
4. Try to give an unbiased view – This may not always be easy, as you naturally will have a positive or negative opinion on many issues. This is countered well, however, by declaring any personal interest or investment you may have in any subject matter on your blog.
5. Give your colleagues a voice – Do not be afraid to allow comments from your colleagues, even with links back to their sites. You can benefit from their input and experience. It is well worth chatting to and befriending some, for some company whilst performing an otherwise very solitary job. We are colleagues, not competitors, even when working in the same field, in the same language combination. There is more than enough work to go round.
6. Be fair and non-libellous - This is quite a general statement, but it is more a general reminder to be wary of your reputation and potential legal consequences anything else. Do not be scared of saying something negative, as long as you can back it up. Also be sensitive in your pursuit of information. I recommend the CyberJournalist.net Blogger’s Code of Ethics for further details on these issues.

I discovered this excellent blog today on the articles section at Briar Copywriting. It is written by copywriter Sally Ormond. Sally offers some great marketing tips here – relevant to freelance translators both in marketing our services and improving our industry-specific skills. She also offers quality advice for any business looking to market their goods and services.

From a translator’s perspective, it is an absolute pleasure translating a well-written text produced by a professional copywriter. It certainly makes my job more interesting and enjoyable. It even makes my job easier – after all, it is much easier to produce quality output when the input is great to begin with! More businesses should consider hiring professional copywriters like Sally – it’s clear she knows what she is talking about!

The trouble for many businesses when it comes to understanding the value of an excellent copywriter may be similar to when it comes to understanding the value of an excellent translator. Some businesses (and people) simply don’t understand what it is we do, how we do it, or how there can be such a big difference in the quality produced by various providers. Put simply, we are often undervalued. Perhaps this is because, as Sally says, we are at our best when we are “invisible”: if our work is successful, you will not know we were there. You will not spot the text you are reading is a translation, nor will you feel the push and shove of a hard sell.

For the benefit of my fellow translators (so we have nicer texts to read), fellow businesspeople (so your businesses are more successful) and fellow creatives (I agree that the work of copywriters should be understood and valued), here is Sally’s definition of a copywriter:

Basically,  a copywriter is a person who writes marketing materials. It is sales writing – that which is mainly concerned with persuading someone (like you or me) to part with their hard earned cash and buy a particular product or service. (read more)

I am delighted to have found this blog, you should definitely take a look!

As said on the previous post where I recommended Dropbox (click “Tech Tips” above to view all Tech Tip related posts), I intend to write little articles providing tips on the technology and software I use to make my business more efficient. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming posts on Mobile phones: averting disaster with Google Sync, The Best Browsers for Translators, OmegaT and Open Source – HOW to use it and WHY support Open Source, and many more.

Whilst many are already aware of the advantages of BlackBerrys and mobile email, I thought this might help explain why they so are useful to translators and entrepreneurs alike, as well as provide some handy tips on how to use BlackBerrys and BlackBerry apps.

Why email on  your mobile phone is a good idea

Like many translators, I am constantly checking my email. A BlackBerry device, or similar mobile phone service that can be used to constantly check your email, is therefore a great idea. A BlackBerry device offers a translator the following benefits:

• You are no longer tied to your computer – you can be accessible even when you are in the supermarket, on lunch with friends, or even on holiday (if abroad, subject to arranging/ensuring coverage with your service provider, who may charge you more for internet usage abroad)
• If your client is up at 4am your time, and likely to want a quick response relating to your current project, you can make sure your phone is on and will play an extra long, extra loud tune to wake you up if an email is received.
• You can set your device to check all emails, but make different noises for each account – so you know whether to run to the phone to answer a client, or if it’s just Aunt Maude and she can wait.
• You will never miss out on a job because you took 40 minutes out to eat a meal with your family. You can relax and take your time, rather than rushing back for an email that may never come – okay, you may have to write a quick email from your phone to say you can take the job, but that is certainly quicker than going back to your computer ever so often to check, and THEN replying.
• Clients love the reliability and “responsiveness” – it’s been complimented by many of mine. They love knowing that if they send a job to you, they can relax – the job is assigned and out the way. PMs otherwise waste lots of time looking for other translators, and may end up settling for the first to respond, rather than going straight to you – a good quality translator from whom they can expect a speedy response.
• You can even inspect .PDF, .DOC, .XLS, and .TXT files (and many others) directly from your phone.

What phone to choose, does it have to be a BlackBerry?

Put simply, a BlackBerry is probably the best option. The best phones for email on your phone are those with a ‘push email’ service – something BlackBerry has always been known for, although some specific Nokia models and other handsets may offer it. The vast majority of other phones that offer email (such as the iPhone, Nokia, or Sony Ericsson models) work in a different way. BlackBerry phones use ‘push email’, which delivers email to your phone as and when they are received on your email account. I have however noticed that this service is absolutely instantaneous using gmail, but occasionally with a very small delay when using my server-hosted email account.

Other mobile phones with email work differently, they can be set to check for email on the server every half an hour or so, but this method is less efficient than push email. This may be slower, drain the battery quicker, and rack up your internet usage more. With BlackBerry, you don’t have to worry so much, your phone will continue to check and download emails only as and when it knows it to be necessary.

Note that internet usage and/or the BlackBerry service costs extra. On my major UK network (Orange), the BlackBerry service costs £5 per month and is available on both pay-and-go and contract. This also includes 1gb (near enough unlimited for a mobile phone) internet usage, from which the download size of your emails is deducted, as well as any browsing. If you choose a different phone model and set it to check every 5 minutes, you may find your usage dramatically increase. I would generally not recommend using email on a phone unless you have some kind of internet package.

Convenient apps available

BlackBerry allows the installation and use of additional apps. Some of the apps you will find pre-installed or be able to install if you so wish include:

• Google Maps (handy for knowing where to go for your latest pow-wow or business meeting, as well as great driving, public transport and beta walking directions)
• Opera Mini (a much better browser than the native BlackBerry browser – allowing you to better interact with certain websites and view content as if it were from a desktop computer)
• BlackBerry Messenger (convenient secure instant chat with other BlackBerry device owners. re: Secure, BlackBerry has faced government legal action from a certain Middle-Eastern government, determined to get their hands on the BlackBerry customer’s data.)
• MSN Messenger (handy commonly used instant messaging system)
• BlaCaDa (handy tool that can be used to access your dial-up numbers for cheaper VOIP-based international calls)
• leo.org (requires internet, but is a lot speedier than the leo.org German <> English dictionary site)
• Twitter (though I rarely use it on my phone)
• Facebook (ditto)
• Google Sync (I will be writing another post on this sometime in the near future, in short, it can be used to synchronise most BlackBerry data with a Google account)

PLEASE NOTE: Some may not work on your BlackBerry if it has an older OS (operating system), Enterprise Server restriction or Network restriction. The OS may not be upgradeable if you have any of the other restrictions. All of these restrictions however can be removed and/or replaced. But that’s a complicated and potentially process I would not recommend to everyone. I know it can be done, because I have done it myself… On that subject…

My personal mobile phone situation

PLEASE NOTE: I am a bit of a geek, and by no means recommend some of the geeky methods described below to your average mobile phone user. It’s just how I like to do things.

I have two BlackBerry phones, one for everyday use, and one as a back-up, if the first should fail. I deliberately bought an older but quite functional model, the 8800, twice. The 8800 can be upgraded to a OS 4.5, which is more than adequate. I bought both from ebay and manually upgraded both to OS 4.5, which is required to run most of the above applications. As stated previously, that can be a lengthy and complicated process. I like the 8800 because it is very good value for what it offers, without unnecessary excesses like the ability to watch YouTube videos or a camera.

I bought my own because I prefer 30-day sim-only contracts, as I hate having to rely on networks to fix my phone if it breaks. It takes ages, they may end up ripping you off, and they invalidate your warranty if you so much as undo a screw. It might be better for others to have the assurance, but as I prefer to mend my phones myself, I also prefer a 30-day contract and all the additional benefits that brings (MUCH better value on calls and can be cancelled at any time).

I recently had to switch BlackBerry devices, and an app called Google sync saved the day. I’ll be posting more about that sometime soon.

What do you use?

I am also interested in what you use, as either translators, linguists, employed (by companies) or self-employed professionals. Let us know how you ensure you can be reached by and make contact with your colleagues, clients and employees!

This is a matter I have spent some time pondering how to address. I have on a few occasions been asked for advice by young wannabe linguists and/or their parents. They wanted to know how best to start learning and practising the skills that they would later need in full-time translation. When you consider the recent cut-backs in humanities funding in the UK, and the general under-emphasis on foreign languages in the English-speaking area, I felt it important to do my bit to find ways to help youngsters* in their learning of a foreign language. I’ll address the “why” in an upcoming post. I hope this post will prove helpful and informative for both parents and youngsters. I am also sure some translators and parents will have their own helpful tips to add – so please, take a look at the comments (once people start posting them!).

*NB: I have used the term “youngsters”, as I find it less patronising and more inclusive than “children” or “teenagers”. I also find the term “kids” is a bit inappropriate for British English usage, as no child of woman borne that I have ever known has ever quite resembled a goat…

It’s not just about the books…

A key point to remember when encouraging a youngster to learn a foreign language is that youngsters learn differently. Education today is very different compared to how when we were growing up (I know, I am a relative youngster myself, but schools today still look like the Bridge of the Enterprise compared to when I was at school). Today, youngsters are used to gadgets, greater levels of interactivity with their learning tools and more task-switching to keep attention levels high. If you wrap a big German-English Langenscheidt and Hammer’s book of modern German grammar up in exciting wrapping paper for your youngster’s birthday it is unlikely to inspire or please many youngsters, even if it DOES have a really nice bow in their favourite colour.

The above is not to suggest that books do not have their place – they do – but choose carefully, preferably with your youngster. Many recent dictionaries now have more than just black and white in the print, making them easier to read. Things like this can really help readers. Even people without dyslexia or other related conditions can tire quickly when faced with a wall of black and white Times New Roman (many people say Arial or Tahoma are easier to read).

Okay, a bit about books…

Of the boring basics, I would suggest your youngster has a good quality, easy to read and comprehensive dictionary, appropriate to their level (perhaps a little above, to encourage their curiosity). At more advanced levels, there is nearly always a generally accepted gold standard producer. For German and English, I would personally favour the Collins / Langenscheidt joint publication.

It may be that there is some basic grammar explained in the dictionary you purchase. However, a good quality, well-explained, clearly laid-out grammar book with exercises (or one with the rules, and another with the exercises) is a good idea. Here it is especially important not to go for something too dull or unclear in its layout. I don’t know if it is just me, but I really hated learning grammar through exercises. I found it much easier to learn it through talking to people and studying the rules… (more about the fun ways later). I do however know many students who liked to learn through short exercises.

If your youngster is enthusiastic, you could try out some language textbooks geared towards younger learners. This however you will need to thoroughly research. I would recommend steering clear of some of the Teach Yourself and similar home courses, as these are geared towards adults. Children learn differently, picking up some things a lot faster, and other things slower. These courses are usually drier, whilst some emphasise the quick ability to get a message across before a deeper understanding of the language and the way it works (or, is written), that may end up slowing later progress as they have to learn things they were never taught previously, or even un-learn things previously simplified so much that they were taught incorrectly. This is especially true when it comes to languages that do not use a standard Western European script. Check the Amazon reviews or ask a native-speaker or language teacher for advice. Of course, make sure your child is interested in learning in this way on their own time…

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF!

(or, ‘Fun ways to learn a language’)

I am still quite a youngster, so can empathise with the boredom young people experience when going through traditional learning methods. Here are some options to encourage your youngster to try to enhance their knowledge and enjoyment of a language and possibly its culture, too.

Exchange programmes

Your youngster’s school, college, local youth group or religious centre may be organising a trip to an area where this country is spoken. This can be a great opportunity to learn more about the language and culture and make lasting friendships. However, make sure the opportunity is not wasted as best as you can by ensuring your youngster (insofar as it is possible) bonds with their exchange partner – spending more time with them and others in the country. This will help to ensure that they will use their language skills more and learn more about the culture. Whilst there, encourage the youngster to interact, form friendships and practice the language. Even if they don’t hit it off with their exchange partner, it may be that they will form a lasting friendship with, say, their exchange partner’s brother or best friend.

English native-speakers can get away with speaking English in many parts of the world, and many natives are happy to speak it back to them, even when you are their “guest” abroad. Try to make your youngster aware of how disrespectful and rude this can be, even if the speaker doesn’t seem to think so. Your youngster may not be old enough to understand the concepts of colonialism and linguistic imperialism, but well, you can try…

When an exchange programme goes exceptionally well, which, hopefully, it should, these bonds can be further fostered and maintained through social media and the telephone. See the later section on this.

Holidays abroad

If you and your family can afford it, this is a great option. Encouraging the youngster to order the bread stick in French, or Breze in German, is a chance for your youngster to feel responsible, helpful, gifted and unique – especially if their knowledge in this area begins to exceed that of their parents. They will associate this feeling of pride and usefulness with being able to speak that language. Furthermore, they will learn more about the country and hopefully the pleasant memories of their holiday there will make them want to come back on their own some day, armed with good knowledge of the language.

Foreign-language films

It’s relatively obvious that this will help people to be inspired by a culture and its language. Anime certainly seems to have done this for Japanese. There is a wealth of films out there in different languages. If you are curious what is out there, how about taking a look at IMDB and searching by language? Alternatively, just try doing a search for “top 20 Spanish films” or “best Japanese science-fiction movies” etc.. Find many in libraries, universities and some schools.

…Use the language features on DVDs

An alternative language learning tip: try activating the subtitles or additional languages on the DVDs you already own. DVDs often have major European languages on the disk alongside the main language, sometimes just as a subtitle, sometimes as an audio track as well. It also helps add variety for your favourite film. You could also try varying the combination (say, German subtitles + English audio, English subtitles + German audio, German subtitles + German audio). Find these in some/many libraries, universities and schools, too.

Foreign books

Some people just enjoy reading. Encourage this spirit by buying them some books in their foreign language. Be careful to keep it at a level they can manage, or, if you are lucky, you might be able to find some bilingual books. I know bilingual German and English books certainly exist. Any bilingual books may be easier to find in the country/ies where the foreign language is spoken. You should be able to buy some foreign language books from standard high-street and online bookstores in your home country, if not, the various websites for Amazon, ebay or others for the other country – most will deliver (see links below).

Language games

There are lots of games you can play based on foreign languages. I used to add a competitive element to conversations with my language buddy with a little game. As an example, I would speak in German and she would answer in English, and I would have to keep speaking in German and her in English. What tends to happen is that someone will accidentally answer in the same language they just heard. At this point, a point is gained by the person who did not foul up, and the language switches. So, if my friend then accidentally answered in German, she must continue speaking in German and I must speak in English, then if I accidentally answer in German, we switch again and my friend gets a point.

There are lots of other games you can either find online or invent. These include games involving flash cards (where you have to match the ‘pairs’, either by playing memory or snap, etc.), games like Articulate (where you describe a word to a partner), or hangman. Plus many more you can invent yourself!

Computer games

A lot of people are surprised by this suggestion, however, not your average 14 year old German schoolboy. Okay, I don’t know that many, but the couple I have met seemed to confirm this. In fluent English.

Whilst non-native speakers of English may already be aware that they might be able to learn something from playing computer games, few probably think about this the other way around. Whilst this is not always effective in your average shoot-em-up (grunts, howls and hisses sound pretty similar in every language), it may be moderately educational in simulation games, to very educational in adventure and action-adventure games where there is extensive dialogue and an emphasis on dialogue choices.

Be aware of some facts about the games and games localisation industry: a) sometimes only the subtitles are localised, and the audio remains the same. b) sometimes a game will not be released in your country, but enjoy some success in its home country. c) the translation of in-game text is sometimes a lot more creative and less literal. d) bad localisation can dramatically impact on the way a game is received, whilst good localisation can sometimes even, potentially, improve the way a game is received abroad. Note: the Final Fantasy series was heavily criticised for poor /inconsistent localisation.

From a translation perspective, games translation and localisation is particularly interesting, and offers a lot to a youngster in educational terms if they are considering a career in languages and/or translation. Games are particularly culture-dependent, using references that must also be seamlessly translated so that they can be understood by the new audience. The texts are often exceptionally creative, filled with word-play, linguistic quirks and devices that assist in the portrayal of a grand, scary, intelligent or unintelligent character. The use of metaphors, slang and cultural references in a high-quality adventure or action adventure game are a good insight into how a language is actually used, and can be used creatively, perhaps even more so than film. Furthermore, the nature of such games is that they are interactive, encouraging the player (or, learner!) to think about what has been said and what is the appropriate response.

Now I have sold you on the idea, you probably want to know what to buy and where to get it. First of all, I suggest you thoroughly check the ratings for each game, as some adventure games (even those without violence) may have language or scenes of a violent or sexual nature that you might not want your youngster to see. As such, some of these recommendations may not be suitable for your youngster.

As a start, I would recommend the game Fahrenheit (‘Indigo Prophecy’ in the US), which, on the UK edition of the disk at least, has foreign language options as part of the standard installation, standard English edition of the disk – you can just switch between any combination of audio and subtitle languages at any point! It definitely had German and French, some others too. Also see the Broken Sword or Fallout series, perhaps Deus Ex 2 and 3 (Deus Ex 1 was only subtitled in its German localisation). I played “Lost Horizon” in its original German and enjoyed it, though the English reviews were somewhat less positive (NB: Lost Horizon would be suitable for most). There are countless suitable adventure games out there.

As for where to get them, I would recommend the foreign ebay (e.g. www.ebay.es, www.ebay.de, www.ebay.fr, etc.), your standard British www.amazon.co.uk or international/American www.amazon.com Amazon online (by checking the language of the product), the respective foreign Amazon (e.g. www.amazon.de, www.amazon.fr), or similar stores. Many will deliver abroad.

Online chat

This is a slightly controversial one, especially if you otherwise have chat banned in your household. For older children who use this anyway, perhaps it is not such a bad thing to encourage, however, if it advances their language skills and friendships with native speakers of foreign languages.

For online chat you can both type to each other (or in a group), or use a microphone and chat online like you would on the telephone. Popular tools that allow both include Skype, MSN Messenger, AOL Messenger, ICQ and Yahoo! Messenger.  For safety and security reasons, I would probably suggest sticking to Skype where possible, and being sure to set the privacy settings appropriately. Skype tends to offer greater stability when using a microphone than other mediums, though remember that it requires a decent amount of bandwidth and a fast, stable connection is better for it (any broadband-speed connection should do). Skype is a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) service that is free to use to chat between two computers. Skype and other VOIP providers also allow cheaper telephone calls to landlines.

Whether just typing to one another or chatting as if you would on the telephone, this is a great chance to strengthen friendships, cultural knowledge, and enhance language skills. This is even better if both parties are happy to take turns in what language they speak (either both speak/write one language for a while and then the other, or, when feeling energetic, each speaks/writes their foreign language, or, when tired, each speaks/writes their native language). Keep these friendships active and your youngster may find themselves invited to stay, or their friend may come to stay with you!

Of course, the standard precautions about online chatting must be taken if you decide to allow your youngster to chat to any strangers online… No personal information, no webcam, no photo exchange with strangers, keep you informed, etc…

Social media and email

As with the above, social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Bebo are great for keeping in touch with friends abroad. Also remember that there are some social networks, such as the German StudiVZ, which are more specific to one area and language (although now with the option to use it in English). The nature of social networks means it is now much harder to lose touch with people – a particular risk when borders and perhaps oceans separate us! Encourage your youngster to write to these friends via Facebook, email, etc., in that foreign language, of course! Perhaps the two can agree to correct each others’ common mistakes, too? Even if they don’t, these media are a great way to stay in touch, just as with the online chat.

Phew!

I hope this guide has been helpful and given you some great ideas. If you think I missed anything, please, add a comment below. I’d also be interested to hear if anyone else is already using any of these methods, and how they are working / have worked for them. If you take any tips, please, keep us posted on how you get on!

In a recent conversation at a ProZ.com pow-wow (meet-up for professional translators) in Birmingham, I recommended the book The Entrepreneurial Linguist by Judy and Dagmar Jenner of Twin Translations, and their wonderful blog, Translation Times.

This book has given me some great inspiration and confidence to deal with marketing and business issues, and I would thoroughly recommend it to any aspiring translator or experienced translator alike. Even those of us with enough work to keep us going could always do with some more direct clients, more enjoyable work, longer deadlines and/or better rates.

For the record, I have not been asked to provide this recommendation, nor am I receiving any commission for doing so! No, I simply found this book to be amazingly helpful and would recommend it to all other linguists. Apart from everything else, books like this help to encourage and set professional standards – slowing the race to the bottom perpetuated by disreputable agencies and a combination of irresponsible and unprofessional translators (sometimes even fraudulent – oh, Google Translate there you are again!). The simple rule: PAY PEANUTS = GET MONKEYS. And no translator wants to be a monkey. *

* Please don’t get me wrong, I like monkeys. But lots of monkeys do not have nice lives.

It is not just professionalism among translators that is vital to our industry, but project managers, too. Unprofessional project managers that do not understand the business will cause a company to fail – leading to poor recruitment, client complaints, and potential ruin.

I had a recent encounter with a rather unprofessional agency, and thought I would share my experiences and the warning signs I noted. Feel free to add your own experiences and personal alarm bells in the comments.

After seeing what looked like a relevant job posting on ProZ, I decided to respond to their request for more translators in my language combination and specialisation. Despite their later interest (well, they obviously DID look at my application), I decided I would rather not work with such an agency. Look for the warning signs.

Firstly, this agency does not have a company profile at ProZ.com and so cannot be found on the ProZ Blue Board, a vital tool in checking what others have said about a given agency.

Next, although I gave them the benefit of the doubt at the time, I was surprised to see that their online application form was actually hosted on Google Docs and not on their own servers. I thought perhaps it was just easier to use.

I diligently completed the form, and they responded to ask for further details – strange, seeing as the form and my attached CV had been pretty self-explanatory. More suspicious was the fact it came from a free gmail email address – not a registered domain.

In the email, they asked some rather strange questions. Firstly, they asked if I translated into my foreign language, and from a language that I only reported myself to be “very good” in. Secondly, they asked me if I translated into my native tongue from languages I only reported to be a beginner in. Furthermore, they appeared to assume my absolute maximum word count (8,000, in extreme circumstances, under long hours and using translation memory software) would be normal, and asked whether they could expect quality of a good enough standard that they would not have to proofread it.

Anyone else feel a little confused?

To explain:

The form asked about all languages spoken by the applicant, even those that are not fluent. I assumed this was just to get a round picture or to see what languages the person could do business in. I didn’t expect to receive any comments regarding anything but translation into English (reported native language) from German (reported fluent language).

Oddity 1: Target language – non-native (German)

…So why, then, did they ask if I could translate into German? There is a widely acknowledged difference between a linguist’s native and foreign language competencies. Aside from those that are truly bilingual, we will never be able to express ourselves as competently in our foreign languages as we do our mother tongue. Even among bilinguals, there is often a bias that results from a monolingual education – even if another language is spoken in the home. We will potentially be able to understand things as well as a native speaker, but rarely express ourselves as freely. This is simply the difference between passive and active vocabulary. There also remains the potential for grammatical error, or failure to consider culture-specific connotations of certain vocabulary and expressions. The list goes on. As such, it is considered extremely unprofessional to translate into one’s non-native language.

Oddity 2: Source language – very good proficiency (Dutch)

Not only do they expect me to translate into my non-native German, but they expect me to do so from a language that I only report to be very good in. Ludicrous! At present, I would not translate from Dutch into my native English. Yes, I can understand it pretty well, but by no means do I have the cultural knowledge or linguistic proficiency required. This was made quite clear on the form!

Oddity 3: Translate between two non-native languages?

Further to the above, this is even more strange. Do you think they are just a bit lazy on recruitment?

Oddity 4: Source language – beginner proficiency?

…As if the previous suggestions were not mad enough! Yes, I might roughly be able to translate “Iki bilet, lütfen” from Turkish into passable English (2 tickets, please), but if we went much further I think we would have difficulty. Translation professionals certainly would not translate from a language they report only “beginner” proficiency in.

Oddity 5: 8000 words per day

That is not quite what I stated. I stated my standard was up to 4,000 a day, working normal hours, but I have been known to manage up to 8,000 occasionally, in my specialism, using CAT tools, and working an extra long shift. When most translators seem to translate around 2-3,000 words per day, it seems a bit ludicrous to suddenly expect that 8,000 is sustainable and 9-5!

Oddity 6: skip the proofreading?

This is possibly the weirdest statement of all. What kind of agency is willing to forego proofreading, even for the best of translators, working within their specialism? Not only that, but they say this already – so are they willing to let me loose on a client without proofing my work, even before they have confirmed my high standards? Utter madness, and liable to land them in hot water.

Oddity 7: Still no mention of a registered domain name in the footer

Very, very suspicious. How do they intend to attract clients, then?

So, as you can see, this ‘agency’ gave me more than a few reasons to not bother pursuing further. I am somewhat more curious to hear from other translators who have received similar messages, or whether anyone out there has their own theories about who is playing have-a-go project manager?

Conclusion: Expect professionalism, but appreciate a good agency and / or Project Manager

As has probably been made clear, there are some basics about the translation industry that any project manager should be expected to know. Simple things like what languages are appropriate as source and target languages, for example. If they are not aware of this, it is unlikely they will understand in other translation-specific business issues, such as why a 10,000 word document cannot be translated by 5pm after receiving it at 10am that morning. People not aware of such basic details are charlatans, clearly new to the business and not very committed.

I also found the lack of desire to proofread very worrying. It certainly suggests they do not expect repeat business, indeed, if so, how can one be sure the invoice will be paid in full and on time? Even with the best intentions to pay, a bad project manager will eventually suffer financially from their unprofessionalism and this could have a negative knock-on effect.

Lastly, it is very shocking that a genuine agency would not have its own website. Web-hosting and domain packages are so cheap these days, most translators have one too. Moreover, how do they expect to find work? I hope at least this casual attitude encourages translators to put more energy into their own promotional efforts.

I wonder how project managers feel reading about such charlatans. I am sure that employment with a translation agency is not as easy as these hacks would like to assume. It certainly takes more than gmail email address and Google Docs to run a translation agency. In fact, project managers, as far as my experience tells me, tend to have similar training and/or experience in languages to some translators, most are usually multilingual, and highly skilled. They are also knowledgeable of the industry and what the art of translation actually involves. Questions such as those asked above really should not need asking.

On the bright side, I have been lucky to work with some very skilled, friendly and professional Project Managers. Each time something like this happens, we should take a step back and appreciate all those valuable, professional project managers with whom we have the pleasure to work.

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas break. Even for those not celebrating, I expect the quiet was welcome.

Today’s post will be the first of an occasional series of so called “tech tips”. Computer skills are a great asset to a translator. Hopefully these tech tips will prove to be handy, time-saving and even crisis-averting.

What is it?
So, today’s tech tip is online file synchronisation, using Dropbox . There are a few such programs you can use, but I find Dropbox to be the best.

What are the key benefits?

• Synchronise your files to access on multiple computers
• Back up your files automatically online, every time you save
• Never have to worry about copying the latest version of every last TM each time you set off somewhere with a portable computer
• Easily share photos and files for public download and viewing (not your clients’ private files though, watch out for copyright)
• If desired, easily offer a trusted fellow translator or proofreader access to the latest versions of all the relevant files
• Never email files to yourself again
• Never fear losing your lifelong portfolio, specialised TMs, things saved on your computer or physical back-ups (which you should also have) in a crisis

What does it do?
Dropbox is a service that can be signed up for online. You then download a small, password protected program that, when activated, constantly synchronises a normal folder on your computer with your online account. You can set this up on all the computers you work from so you can access your vital files wherever you are. It also doubles as an online backup facility and public file and photo sharing system, and can be accessed online through a browser on computers where you do not want to or cannot install the Dropbox software.

Why should I do it?
Many translators work from multiple computers, even multiple locations – especially over the festive period. Or perhaps you regularly work on two or more computers, but could do without the hassle of a home network. Using this software, you can pop your current TMs (translation memories) and documents in the folder, knowing that whatever happens, you can access your files from any computer – and that they are safely backed up should the worst happen to the computer you were working on. I also find it very handy for synchronising TMs and vital files (web hosting settings, CV, marketing products, basic profile image) between computers, making sure everything vital is always accessible.

How does it work?
Simple, you just save things in the Dropbox folder as you would any other file when you want them synchronised. A little green tick will appear when a file is synchronised, a red cross when it hasn’t been synchronised, and a blue transfer symbol when a file is in the process of being synchronised. Alternatively, you can set Dropbox to synchronise specific existing folders on your hard drive.

What does it work on?
The Dropbox software is available for Windows, Mac OS 10.4, Linux and many modern mobiles (iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry). The web application will work anywhere where there is a compatible browser and it is possible to save files.

What does it cost?
The basic package is FREE and allows you 2GB of storage space. The paid packages offer more space, but there are ways to get more without spending. See below…

How much space do I get?
You can however expand this 250 MB (up to a limit of 8 GB) by recommending it to others. The person you recruit will also get a bonus of 250 MB, too. If you’d like to use the referral system to get an additional 250 MB for us both, click on this link to be referred by me. For the record, I will not get any other benefits for blogging about Dropbox or posting this referral link! I just think it is a great tool for translators like myself.

How do I do it?
The site itself offers a great instructional video. So to find out more and join up, click below for the:

standard link - www.dropbox.com

referral link (+250 MB for us both) – https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTE0MjQ3ODkxOQ?src=global0

Happy synchronising!

Like many translators, I also proofread the work of other translators.  Like many translators,  I have had at least one negative experience when having my own work proofread. Is it a coincidence that this was for an exceptionally large translation (21,000 words), and that the translation was also offered to another translator, who I nipped to the post and who was then assigned the proofreading? Probably not…

I was somewhat suspicious of the proofreader’s motives behind describing my translation as “shoddy”, despite the very small percentage of errors on this highly technical text, and some of those being from the translation memory itself. Was it for self-gain? Perhaps this proofreader, resentful that I had been selected for this valuable job, wanted to prove their superiority by expressing my inferiority? Not a very ethical approach, but I wondered if it had worked.

My friend and fellow linguist, Sasha Ward, once worked as a Project Administrator for a large translation agency. I described my situation and suspicions to him. I asked if he thought it happened a lot in the industry, and whether it was a problem noted by translation agencies. He replied, “Yes, all the time!”, “We had to get rid of loads [of proofreaders] for being too picky.”

Being careful and thorough is important, but when does this become “too picky”? When these criticisms cannot be backed up. When I criticise another translator’s work, I want to be sure the Project Manager or client concerned understands why. I include examples of errors made and the corrections necessary. I also try to offer some form of explanation and am careful to consider and mention other circumstances that may have affected the translator’s performance – everything from inexperience in that subject matter to the complexity of the text itself. Above all, I think it is important to be fair to our fellow translators. We should not unjustly criticise in an attempt to gain more work: as Sasha’s statement confirms – a too critical proofreader will only damage their own reputation. Similarly, we should praise the work of a good translator. This is not only the morally right and fair thing to do, but it offers a positive service to your client and shows that you are both fair and honest. Most clients prefer to work with people that are fair and honest.

If you receive a translation that is of good quality you should still check it thoroughly unless otherwise instructed by your client. Do not just hand it back unchanged and provide a vague estimate of how long it would have taken you to do the job had you actually done it. Yes, it may sound like an absurd thing to do, probably to anyone reading this blog. Believe me, however, that it does happen. I have re-examined my proofread translations before only to find they have been returned with no changes. This makes me a little suspicious, and lo-and-behold, I found a glaring typo or redundant word that, whilst not instantly obvious to the original translator (hence the need for proofreaders in the first place), it should have been very obvious to any diligent proofreader. Always be thorough. If you aren’t thorough, an end-client may complain, and you may lose that end-client or severely damage your relationship with that contracting agency.

So what are the essential ethical issues to consider when proofreading?

1. Be flexible. Remember that other translators have different styles to your own. Don’t change anything unless it will really enhance the quality of the document. You aren’t there to impose your own stylistic regime on the rest of the world.
2. Be thorough. Similarly, do not rest on your laurels if a translation seems to be of great quality. Check the entire document properly and do not be tempted to hand in a job without checking it thoroughly.
3. Be honest. If a translation is great, say so. Your client will respect your honesty.
4. Keep your client informed. If a translation is of particularly poor quality, inform your client. They may decide to give the translator a chance to correct their work. Such a situation could dramatically affect the amount of time it takes to complete (and the ability to meet a deadline), and their budget.
5. Provide a short summary of the translation quality. This may not be appropriate for direct clients (especially where the client is a somewhat sensitive translator of the original text!), but will usually be appreciated by agencies. Even if you only write a couple of sentences, it will provide added value that your clients will appreciate. This is a chance to show why it was worth hiring you. But do remember the next point! Keep your comments to a couple of lines, unless it is an exceptional example of poor quality.
6. If you have to criticise, don’t be mean or exaggerate. Using words like “shoddy” or “terrible” are only really fair for the very worst of translations, usually the kind by semi-literate non-natives of either language, or Google Translate (we’ve all had them!). Be critical, fair enough, but don’t get personal.
7. Be understanding. If you are aware that it was an incredibly technical text, short deadline or difficult to read .PDF, show some understanding and highlight this to the client if you think it explains some of the problems the translator may have experienced. Of course, the translator should have allowed for these things when accepting the job, but like you, they are only human. Showing honesty and a little humanity will endear you to your client.
8. Back up your criticisms. If you are saying the original translator’s word order was round the bend, then quote an example sentence or two.  If you think the translation was the hard work of Google Translate, then run a sentence or two through that to prove your point. If you found multiple translations for the same term in the same context, list them – as well as your preferred option. This is especially vital if the client wishes to register a complaint against the original translator and/or renegotiate the rates they are to be paid
9. Be open to learning from your colleagues! Proofreading is also a great chance to observe the work of others. Perhaps you always translate one phrase a particular way, but maybe this translator expressed it in a different, more succinct manner. Be open to learning new tricks and styles from your colleagues. Similarly, be careful to avoid repeating their mistakes. Every job is a chance to learn and build on your experience!

I thought it was about time I re-drafted the German version of my CV. So, I happily saved it as an .ODT and started a project for the English to German translation using my favourite translation software, the lovely, Open Source, OmegaT.

OmegaT has an integrated Google Translate look-up tool, which I had a short glance and giggle at.

Whilst I am sometimes quite impressed at the results Google Translate can produce, it seems to be having an off day today. See below:

Original Text Fluent German-speaker and has been self-employed overseas.

Google Translate: Fließend Deutsch-Lautsprecher und wurde selbständig Übersee.

The above, back into English: Fluent German-loudspeaker and became self-employed overseas*.

*Note: this is a very literal translation, inferring seas were indeed crossed, and did not consider that “overseas”, when written by a Brit, tends to mean abroad in general.

A better suggestion: Englisch Muttersprachlerin mit Erfahrung als freiberufliche Übersetzerin in Deutschland.

German speakers will note that, in the German translation of my CV, I have changed a few things around. It now emphasises that I am an English native-speaker, since the fact I speak German is now obvious from the language of the CV. Secondly, I felt it flowed better to use the “mit Erfahrung” formulation than the equivalent of “has been”. German CVs tend to have a bias toward nouns. Thirdly, freelance and self-employed basically mean the same thing, but the more accurate word,’ freelance’, has negative connotations in English that are not reflected in the German ‘freiberuflich’, so I have used its equivalent. Lastly, what is the point in saying “overseas” any longer, when I can detail that it was Germany? Surely that will be of greater interest to German clients.

As you can see, some translation jobs go beyond mere editing – there is a bit of thought regarding one’s target audience and the intention of the text.

Translators are often told, mockingly, that there is no need for their profession in a world where everyone speaks English, and for everything else there is Google Translate.

I think the reason why our industry still exists is made amply clear by the example above. Even when committing one of the cardinal sins of translation – by translating a text as a non-native speaker of the target language – I still beat Google Translate hands-down. That code could not grasp the difference between a speaker and a loudspeaker, nor could it comprehend the need to intelligently alter the text to suit the target audience. That’s the trouble with computers, and machine and computer-aided-translation (CAT) tools – they just cannot understand what they are saying. Whilst I am optimistic for a world where this is no longer the case, for now I shall rest easy, knowing my profession is quite secure…

Yes, there are a fair few out there already, and a fair few of outstanding quality such as those that have inspired me to write a blog. Perhaps most things have been covered already…

Or perhaps not.

I wondered, do I have something unique enough to add to the mix? Then I pondered how I was once told by a fellow linguist, “You don’t have the typical translator personality”. Whatever did he mean? Apparently, he said this because I am an extrovert. A joker. I love languages and computers, but I also quite like people (and animals, but that’s another blog entirely). If I had to choose, I am more of a geek than a bookworm, and more of a joker than a wallflower. Not to say all translators are quiet, introverted types, but that’s certainly the stereotype. If you’re not – brilliant – perhaps you’ll find some solace in this blog. If you are – also brilliant – perhaps this blog will present a different perspective to you.

I mentioned I was a geek, so expect to find some handy tips on software and hardware to help you in the translation business. I’ll also post the odd amusing language or translation related anecdote; I won’t be able to see you laugh, but I’ll smile at the thought of brightening someone’s dreary afternoon.

In case you were wondering, I am British, currently living in Nottingham, UK, and I translate from German to English. I first started translating professionally when I lived in Germany and have since built up a solid base of direct and agency clients. There’s no hiding that I am a relative youngster compared to some of my translation blogging peers, so I guess that is also part of this blog’s ‘unique selling point’: I’m comparatively young and working as a successful freelance translator. Perhaps I’ll have some tips to share that will add a fresh perspective to old quandries for new and experienced translators alike.

I hope The Translator’s Teacup proves to be a welcome occasional addition to the tea breaks of fellow professional linguists and anyone else with an interest in languages and the translation industry.