Articles tagged "translation"
Tales from Portsmouth
Posted by Jody in Doc Byrne’s Translation Miscellany on November 9th, 2009
Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth (via Wikitravel)
I’ve just come back from a conference in sunny Portsmouth where I gave a keynote on the subject of “the translator as writer“. Of course you can never be completely happy with your performance at conferences but overall I think my presentation went down pretty well. It was quite unnerving though that it was recorded on video so hopefully I won’t find it too painful when I get to watch it back. My topic was “Are technical translators writing themselves out of existence” and at some point over the next few days I’ll write something about it here.
The conference itself was excellent as usual with a good variety of topics presented by practitioners and academics from all over the world. The Portsmouth translation conference is, I have to admit, my favourite not just because of the topics discussed or the friendly, relaxed atmosphere but because it draws practising translators as well as researchers. For me, conferences that are solely for academics can be quite dull so to have presentations from the word-face too is quite refreshing. Sometimes academics can lose sight of what translation is about and focus on obscure issues far removed from the actual process of translation.
There were some hits and one or two misses at this year’s conference. I won’t name and shame the misses because that’s not nice but I will point out some of the highlights for me. First up was Arvi Tavast from Talinn University who gave a really interesting and really useful look at how translators view their roles and whether they should correct errors in the source text. Backed up with empirical research, Tavast showed that there was quite a significant difference in how translators approached, for example, errors in source texts. He also showed that opinion is divided among agencies as regards expectations for translations and translator behaviour. For me, this was one of the most relevant pieces of research I have come across in quite a while.
Quite a useful way of explaining punctuation as it turns out (via Air Guitar Australia)
I also went to a workshop by Janet Fraser which looked at how we teach writing skills to translation students although the activities, she stressed, could be used by professional translators as a “warm-up” exercise. Normally I run a mile whenever someone mentions workshop but this one was actually useful and fun. The activity involved giving participants several trigger words and asking them to write an advertisement aimed at tourists. The upshot of it all was that without exception everyone knew how to write texts like this. We all knew that particular linguistics structures and strategies were expected and we all produced quite similar texts. The challenge, then, is getting students to unlock these skills when translating.
Other highlights were Stephen Crabbe’s talk on the development of controlled language as well as the other keynote, entitled “Inspiration” by director and translator Neil Bartlett. Neil managed to persuade a room full of people to act out some bizarre circular arm movements to illustrate the need to be mindful of punctuation in translation. From the back of the room the result looked like the national air guitar championships. Classic stuff!
One theme which cropped up a lot over the course of the various presentations was that the public doesn’t fully understand what translation involves. Some of the examples of how this manifests itself included vague instructions for translation jobs, unrealistic expectations as regards the type of translation, unreasonable deadlines etc. This is probably true and it might suggest that there is a need to educate the general public and raise awareness among non-translators of what it is we do. But the thought also occurred to me that this might come across as some sort of cheap and desperate attempt to make people respect us, maybe even love us poor misunderstood translators. After all, do we fully understand what it is doctors, architects or pilots do? Nope! But we still respect them and trust their judgement. I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m still exhausted from the drive back from Portsmouth and could really do with a nap.
The Big Brother approach to job applications
Posted by Jody in Doc Byrne’s Translation Miscellany on September 25th, 2009
Media types have always used wacky tactics or "wacktics" to get jobs
Video CVs are, apparently, the the next big thing. I’ve just read an article on Jobs.ac.uk by Catherine Armstrong in which she asks whether such an approach could ever work in academia. But the idea of presenting yourself on video to prospective employers is nothing new. People have been doing something similar for years, just think of actors and broadcast journalists with their show reels. All of this is perfectly normal for media-type jobs where personal appearance is important but it’s a weird prospect for a “normal” job.
Eager to find out whether this really is a daft idea I decided to do a minimal amount of snooping around to see if I could find an example of a video CV. Lo and behold, the first thing I found after typing “Video CV” into Google was a website dedicated to hosting people’s video CVs in a variety of languages. This site will host your video or, for a fee create one for you. There are three examples on their main page which are presumably some of their best examples but as sure as I’m sitting here they’re the best for all the wrong reasons. I’ve included them below for you to enjoy later. Chris Dautremont’s video looks and sounds like a cross between a media student’s over-the-top Big Brother audition tape and one of those public service ads persuading young people to stay at school. Then there’s poor Dilyara Risbayeva’s video which looks more like one of those videos kidnappers send to the cops with a ransom demand. Bless her, she’s so wooden and uptight that you keep expecting to see her holding up a copy of today’s newspaper while the muzzle of an AK-47 pokes out from the side of the screen. Finally we have David Merhi’s video which starts off like an audition tape for MTV’s Real World proclaiming his general “awesomeness” but then degenerates into a dating video. YouTube is littered with more examples -- just search for video CV or video resume.
A still from my never-to-be-released video CV
I know I shouldn’t mock. It’s possible and indeed, quite likely, that I’m simply projecting my own self-consciousness and painful awareness that I am not in the least bit photogenic. I know that if I ever did a video like this, people would either think it was a help the homeless ad or a heavy metal video. But it’s really hard to imagine how videos like these could help you get a job in any industry other than advertising or media. I try to imagine how a video CV for a translator would work: Bob or Mary translator showing off their computer, reading out a translation or even worse, giving a practical demonstration of how they translate. An academic video CV would be even more interesting considering an academic’s CV is often three times longer than a regular CV by the time you add in all the publications, grant applications and teaching details. It could end up being an epic production with a cast of thousands.
But is it really that daft for academics? After all, a key part of the job of a lecturer is being able to stand up in front of a group of people and communicate clearly, effectively and in an engaging manner. All academic recruitment processes involve the inevitable sample lecture where staff and students are rounded up to provide a ready-made audience where candidates can prove that they have this ability. A video CV could provide a glimpse into an academic’s presentation style and it wouldn’t involve as much organisation as a proper sample lecture. Okay there’s no way of recreating an interactive and high-pressure Q&A session but that’s what an interview is for, right? You would, however, have to factor into the equation the “old guard” that can be found in virtually every university. These are the academics who print off emails before they read them, still use transparencies and overhead projectors and generally eschew anything technical that doesn’t have Thomas Edison’s logo on it. For them wireless means the radio. Can you imagine them buying into this new-fangled technological flim-flammery? It’s nearly worth the embarrassment of making a video just to see the look on their faces…
Rogues gallery
Translation agencies turning the screw on freelancers
Posted by Jody in Doc Byrne’s Translation Miscellany on September 19th, 2009
Should translators be at the mercy of agencies? (Image: Colin Anderson/Corbis.com)
When I teach translation technologies to my students, I always make the point that we are not just concerned with the nuts and bolts of how the technology works but also with the sociological, commercial and financial effects the technology has on the profession. Acquiring skills in translation technologies, so the literature goes, helps translators improve themselves by adding new skills to their repertoire and this helps raise their self-image and raises the status of the profession. Tools like translation memories eliminate the mundane, repetitive tasks which are the less palatable part of a translator’s lot and allow us to concentrate on the creative, challenging and ultimately more satisfying aspects of translation. All true to a certain extent although from a translation and linguistic point of view, I’m still somewhat sceptical about the merits.
One of the key effects translation memories had on the industry is that it brought about a re-evaluation of payment practices and translation rates. This is well documented (for example, here, here and here). Although it is rather unfair that we lose money if we use translation memory tools most of us have come to terms with this, but I recently received an email from a relatively new client informing me that “given the current economic climate, many of their customers are demanding even bigger discounts for fuzzy matches” and as a result, they would be imposing a new pricing structure. This new structure involved even bigger discounts for customers and even less money for translators. What made the email so interesting and to be honest, more annoying was that it was a diktat; there was no question of negotiation or compromise. This was the agency’s decision and as a translator, I would have no choice but to comply. That’s what they think because I am going to exercise my right to choose never to accept work from them again. Or, to refuse to use Trados on any of their translations. See how they like that!
I’ve seen on other forums and blogs that this isn’t the only agency to chance their arm at squeezing a few more drops of blood from translators using the global economic downturn as a convenient yet cynical smokescreen. We shouldn’t be surprised because there is a long and ignoble tradition of translators being penalised for investing in the latest technology, which rarely comes cheap incidentally. I can’t be the only person who thinks that the price you pay for a service should reflect the quality of the service. So if you choose a service that uses the latest technologies, you should expect to pay more for it. It’s simple market economics really: the service provider invests in new technology and then factors this into their fees to reflect the improved service and ultimately to recoup the cost.
Of course you could always argue that by investing in technology, the service provider gains more business and, depending on the technology, will have a higher work rate and this will offset the investment. This is most likely the case with translation. But by imposing these increasingly grasping discount systems, translators are seeing any commercial benefits being eroded. The discounts are effectively negating the whole point in getting the technology. Can you imagine paying a doctor less for using a shiny new scalpel than if the doctor used a rusty old hacksaw? Or would you expect to pay less for a meal cooked in a modern, clean kitchen than you would for something cooked on a hot stone at the side of a busy road? Unlikely.
The more altruistic among us would say “Ah, but greater cost efficiency and less effort is only part of the story. The real benefit is an improved product for the client”. Such improvements might include greater consistency in translations, better safeguards of accuracy and fewer formatting errors. But the other benefits for the client and in particular, agencies, include the reduced costs as a result of discount schemes imposed for repetitions and fuzzy matches, faster turnaround times and, more worryingly, less dependence on a particular translator. You see, once upon a time a translator who worked regularly on projects for a particular client became, over time, an invaluable repository of useful information, expertise and know-how relating to that customer and their documentation. A regular translator would accumulate the kind of knowledge you simply couldn’t get elsewhere. And with all of this information safely stored in the translator’s head, agencies and clients had to keep using the same translator if they wanted to ensure the same level of quality, consistency and expertise. With translation memories the translator is no longer the guardian of this expertise – it is segmented, formatted and stored in translation memories which can be sent to any number of other translators if the original translator is unavailable or ceases to be economically viable. So by using translation memories, the translator not only loses money but also loses job security.
You’d almost be tempted to stop using translation memories altogether and start using a typewriter.
The only fuzzy thing around here is my...
Localisation – When Language, Culture and Technology Join Forces
Posted by Jody in Doc Byrne’s Translation Miscellany, Publications Archive on September 18th, 2009
When you switch on your computer and type up a letter, what language do you see? What about when you visit a website or play a computer game? Does your mobile phone speak your language? Chances are that each of these technological marvels of the modern age communicates with you in your own language. For many of us, this is so commonplace and seamless that we hardly give it a moment’s thought but behind the scenes there is a whole industry dedicated to making sure that technology bridges the gap between language and culture without you even noticing.
Once upon a time, if you wanted to use a computer for whatever reason, you had to be able speak English. The alternative was a tedious process of trial-and-error using a dictionary and your powers of deduction. The reason for this is that Personal Computers were originally developed in the sunny, English-speaking climes of Silicon Valley in the USA where engineers and programmers concerned themselves with producing the next technological break-through. Back in the 1980s it never occurred to companies that there could be people in the world who did not speak English, or worse, who, even though they spoke English, actually preferred to speak their own languages. Over time, however, companies realised that in order to break into foreign markets and maximise profits, they would have to provide foreign language versions of their software rather than expect those pesky foreigners to learn English.
And so, once software was developed it was sent back to the developers who were told to “translate” it into whatever languages were required according to the company’s sales and marketing goals. Developers were less than enthusiastic about this, naturally. After all, they had done their job and now they were expected to do even more work which, strictly speaking was not their job. What’s more, because individual products, like languages, had their own peculiarities, customs and conventions, the process of translating the software was often time-consuming, incredibly complex and not always successful. One way of describing this process is to imagine baking a fruit cake and then being told afterwards to remove the raisins from it!
Read the rest of this article on the Language at Work website…
Believing the technology hype…
Posted by Jody in Doc Byrne’s Translation Miscellany on August 8th, 2009
These days it seems technology is everywhere. Just the other day, the bin in our local foodcourt, having been somehow instilled with a technological soul, thanked me for dumping my half-eaten cheeseburger into it.
Thank you for eating me. Sorry about the cholesterol!
I’ve always been a big believer in technology and there was a time when I would dump a perfectly good mobile phone because a newer, shinier one with more bells and whistles came out and I would buy gadgets just because they were new and revolutionary. I even taught myself MIDI programming because Roland launched a synthesiser that you could play with a guitar. The epitome of what industry types call an “early adopter” I was always first in line to try out some new piece of software or some such gizmo but lately I’ve found myself suffering from technology fatigue and I’m starting to question exactly how useful all of this technological gimmickry really is.
Although people seem to assume I do, I don’t have an iPhone or Blackberry and have no plans on getting one because I really don’t need or want one (they’re far too trendy for my liking and I’m not that much of a sheep) and can’t be bothered learning how to use something that I’ll probably break and have to replace in 6 months anyway. I don’t use Twitter because I can’t see the point and if I’m honest, my ego doesn’t need that much of a boost and my stalker tendencies haven’t developed to that level yet (although I do use Facebook and Myspace, shame on me). I refuse to get a Sky+ box (Tivo for you Americans) although I did dabble with digital radio before it inexplicably died in a splutter of electronic epilepsy. I’m not sure whether my newly emerging Luddite nature is because I’m getting older (bah!) or because I’m getting cynical but either way I’m increasingly sceptical about gadgets billed as absolutely essential.
The proliferation of technology does seem pretty unstoppable in virtually every area of our lives and translation is no exception. We are constantly told that in order to keep up with the competition and attract those high-value projects we simply have to embrace ever more sophisticated technologies. Of course with a few exceptions, none of this technology comes cheap. But then again, if we are to believe the promises of increased productivity, improved quality and consistency, customer satisfaction, world peace and an end to hunger isn’t it worth it?
In translation, the mantra among those in the know is that nobody can realistically expect to work as a translator without technology. I’m a whole-hearted believer in this. I can’t imagine a translator not using a PC, not translating directly onto the screen by overwriting the source text). But is all this technology going too far? Lots of people I know hate translating with TM tools such as Trados or Deja Vu because it spoils the enjoyment of translating and if I’m honest, I’m not a big fan of translating with them either and there is at least one study that I know of which shows that TM tools can actually damage the quality of texts. There’s also the fact that I now automatically factor in an additional hour or two at the end of a translation project to fix whatever unforeseen and unpredictable calamity will invariably befall my leading tag-based translation memory tool. Terminology management tools, too, may be useful but unless someone sends you a ready-made database you can waste so much time creating one that it’s just not worth the effort. So for all the promises and hype, you have to wonder whether the technology really does help us as translators. I feel something of a hypocrite because I teach technologies to my students and hammer home the importance of it yet I have my misgivings about the tools.
TranslatorBot 3000™
The technology companies, however, seem desperate to try and fuel this obsession with technology by churning out update after update and new product after new product even if what they are offering doesn’t seem to really offer anything new, worthwhile or even useful. You get the impression that the people pushing for more technology in translation won’t be happy until they we’ve been turned into translating cyborgs, one and the same with our computers. But dig beneath the surface gloss and you’ll find that what they are offering in many cases is a way of dealing with the increased workload and problems which their products themselves have caused. Just look at some of the latest releases which were supposed to add new features but which have been so buggy that translator forums are filled with frustrated users’ stories and people are being advised to wait until a service pack is released.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that software and other types of technology are just tools. They are supposed to help you do something else. They’re a means to an end, not and end in themselves. You should only use something because you need to, because it will help you do your job better or more easily not because you think you should because of some mercurial promise of everlasting revenue by a software company. Buying something simply because it’s new or because the company makes a fuss over some new feature or other (possibly because they want to boost their cash-flow to see them through the recession and which in reality provides very little benefit to the ordinary translator) is a waste of time, money and precious sanity. The long and the short of this technology business is don’t believe the hype, do your research and buy what you need. And if you do need to indulge in frivolous purchases, buy a guitar, a vocoder, a remote control helicopter or a robot.
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