tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55186376216691249632024-03-13T14:11:20.580-07:00So what does a translator do?A career in the life of a freelance translator
Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-35422027638872071672020-12-09T06:09:00.004-08:002020-12-09T06:21:43.722-08:00<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18pt;">What’s the recipe for a good book (about creativity)?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXgNcCFlLoY/X9DZjLA72PI/AAAAAAAAAWc/rGgdtOoo_7U2Jyz9ZZQnhljbXAB1mz46wCLcBGAsYHQ/s800/book%2Bimage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="271" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXgNcCFlLoY/X9DZjLA72PI/AAAAAAAAAWc/rGgdtOoo_7U2Jyz9ZZQnhljbXAB1mz46wCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h271/book%2Bimage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Ask a publisher and they’ll
probably say you need a fascinating topic, an original angle and an attractive
layout. Plus, it must be well written and inspiring to read. And these are the
very ingredients for Volume 2 of my book 'La créativité liée au vélo –
Bike-inspired creativity' (out now!).</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">How do you create great content? Each day, for more than
20 years, my job has been to provide an answer to this question for my clients.
And I’ve applied the same formula to a pet project of mine: velosophy.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Nine years ago my love of cycling and creativity led
me to launch my blog <a href="https://velosophe.be/" target="_blank"><b>https://velosophe.be/</b></a>. Week after week I publish posts
about incredibly creative bikes and it’s proved to be a winning formula. To
date, I’ve published over 250 posts, given talks on the subject, put together
exhibitions of extraordinary bikes and just published my second book.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">An adventure in creative
publishing</span></strong><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></h3>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“I
believe a title is first and foremost a promise of what’s to come”</span></i></p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Naturally, mention creativity and people understandably
expect something quite special. To meet these expectations, every detail
counts, from the writing to the choice of paper, the translation and the
layout. And it’s vital they all come together as a coherent whole.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Creative translation </span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">As in <b><a href="https://velosophe.be/livre-de-velos-speciaux/" target="_blank">Volume 1</a><a href="https://velosophe.be/livre-de-velos-speciaux/" target="_blank">,</a></b> the articles in the second book are all
bilingual (French and English), which was quite the challenge considering my
reputation for wordplay and the odd touch of humour. Two amazing translators –
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/moira-bluer-52217319/" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Moira Bluer</span></b></a> (technical) and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahcreattrans/"><b>Alison Hughes</b></a> (creative) – joined forces to make
it happen.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“This project was completely different from the kind
of jobs I usually take on because of the freedom Pascal gave us to ‘play’ with
his source texts in order to make the English version as lively and creative as
the French, and even introduce wordplay where possible. You’re entering the
realms of ‘transcreation’, which is a long way from a translation that stays as
close as possible to the original. Here you need to convey the message while
retaining the flavour (or spirit) of the original. You can give free rein to your
imagination,” Moira says<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Pascal is the master of wordplay. Unlike some
authors, his plays on words are not just there to show off, they’re really
clever in the context. Sometimes they can’t be replicated in the English and we’re
lucky that he lets us create our own if we see the opportunity to use English
ones elsewhere. The titles are a great example. Sometimes they take a bit of
thinking out and I need to use a thesaurus in both languages and other Google
searches to find synonyms and rhyming words,” Alison adds.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">There was a huge amount of communication between the
two translators, resulting in some great flashes of inspiration, such as the
one below (see the title):</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qhHMFk6A7DI/X9DZ-sWEg6I/AAAAAAAAAWo/9CjRJnmfDzQwZRlHCkz2yQlpqzmTt75CACLcBGAsYHQ/s1392/sno%2Bjoke.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="1392" height="173" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qhHMFk6A7DI/X9DZ-sWEg6I/AAAAAAAAAWo/9CjRJnmfDzQwZRlHCkz2yQlpqzmTt75CACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h173/sno%2Bjoke.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“It takes time to do this kind of job well. Inspiration
can strike immediately or it can take days. The highlight of this project? That
sweet ‘oh, yes’ moment when you finally figure out a nice solution to a
linguistic problem,” Moira concludes.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">"Working
on a project like this gives you the confidence to be more creative in other
jobs"</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">(Moira
Bluer)</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Creative layout</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">For the layout I worked with a friend (a distant
relative, in fact). “It’s not every day you get the opportunity to create the layout
for a 180-page book from start to finish,” <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigittefoissac/" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Brigitte Foissac</span></b></a> tells me. “The challenge was to
try to use my creativity on every double-page spread to ensure the layout echoed
(and did justice to) the ingenuity of each of the bike inventors. I had to
think long and hard about it and try to highlight one specific feature of each
creation, without having the luxury (unfortunately) of being able to spend
three hours on every page.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Brigitte very much enjoyed the process but did mention
the intricate nature of the task. “You need to pay attention to every single
detail. I’d very much like to repeat the experience and continue to work with
all types of media, moving away from the digital world from time to time.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What was particularly motivating and enjoyable about
this project was the creative input from all sides – the subject matter of
course, but also the content and translations. It’s really stimulating to find
yourself in an environment where the ideas are flowing freely and you can pick
up on lots of details. For inspiration, I always begin a creative graphic project
by reading and looking for ideas and concepts everywhere I can. With this one,
I had (almost) everything right in front of me!</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Print to impress</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The final stage is printing the book. Not every paper
grade is equal and the weight you choose can have a huge impact on the
underlying costs, such as shipping charges.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“The paper chosen must set off the quality of the
photos and illustrations while ensuring the book is easy to read,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabienne-naumann-de-morteuil-7711264a/" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Fabienne Naumann-de Morteuil</span></b></a>, sales
manager at Graphius. “Nowadays, we have less and less paper in our daily lives.
So, when it comes to printing books, our primary concern is that the reader
must want to touch the paper and enjoy it as something special!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As you can see, this project was very much about teamwork. In addition
to the contributors mentioned above, I would also like to thank the
photographers </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-zoso-6466805a/" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; padding: 0cm;">Kévin Zoso</span></b></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> and </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelevrard/" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; padding: 0cm;">Michel Evrard</span></b></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">, and my friend </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacques-bodart-5482b3a6/" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; padding: 0cm;">Jacques Bodard</span></b></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> for his invaluable help in filming the </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0swoet61E8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; padding: 0cm;">video</span></b></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> for the crowdfunding campaign.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; padding: 0cm;">Looking
for an unusual Christmas gift?</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://velosophe.be/livre-de-velos-speciaux/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; padding: 0cm; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Order a copy now </span></i></b></a></span><b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; padding: 0cm;"> (free postage)</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-12994483047597245282020-05-15T08:26:00.004-07:002020-05-15T08:29:18.312-07:00COPING WITH COVID<div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We saw it coming but it was still a shock. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">After watching other countries succumb to the novel coronavirus, the UK finally went into lockdown on 23 March. I still had some
work to finish so was kept busy for the first two weeks. Suddenly it seemed as
though the country had shut down, everyone was putting their feet up and I
wasn’t getting a chance to join the party.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then my work run out and I had permission to press the stop
button, which I did and promptly went into a deep coma. I was exhausted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m normally pretty motivated. I’m not a procrastinator. And
yet suddenly I found myself sitting on the sofa in my PJs at 10am staring out
at our beautiful view with some programme spewing Corona facts at me from the
TV. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IxpSdDWSnCc/Xr6uaKIstEI/AAAAAAAAAQY/ZLjKh8qT0EQgNXPe9A6a1GDGqmZe1wASwCK4BGAsYHg/view.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IxpSdDWSnCc/Xr6uaKIstEI/AAAAAAAAAQY/ZLjKh8qT0EQgNXPe9A6a1GDGqmZe1wASwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/view.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> <b> Sunshine at last</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was not some deep depression. I was enjoying every
minute of it. As a bonus, the sun was shining after many weeks of rain. I could
have been on holiday in the Med (well, technically speaking I couldn’t but that
was how it felt).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now,<span> </span>I’m not someone
who has to be constantly busy, takes on too much work and too many other things
and is permanently exhausted. I don’t deal with stress very well so I keep my
activities to a minimum, enjoy a glass of wine after a long day and lose myself
in home improvement programmes on the TV.<span>
</span>So why was I so tired?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quite apart from the emotional stress of the situation that
was unfolding worldwide, I realised that even with keeping everything to a
minimum, my life had still been pretty busy. I wasn’t in a high-powered job with
constant travelling or setting myself ambitious mental of physical challenges
but I had reached the limit of my own mental and physical load. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">When running a business you don’t often switch off. I was still
checking my emails and reading social media posts in the evenings. Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram don’t close at 5pm and there were interesting
opportunities to be found, information to read and, after a day at the
computer, it was nice to interact with colleagues. I may even have posted the
occasional photo of my grandchildren.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1sH5mcIaveM/Xr6yu1yzXOI/AAAAAAAAARk/7sqSSdpNudAgCP277TBK3KlhxjfWPStUgCK4BGAsYHg/kids.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2054" data-original-width="2448" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1sH5mcIaveM/Xr6yu1yzXOI/AAAAAAAAARk/7sqSSdpNudAgCP277TBK3KlhxjfWPStUgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/kids.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Speaking of which, we were responsible for their childcare
on a Wednesday, though sometimes with a sleepover which meant a full 24 hours.
Then there was the 20-mile round trips to do a nursery drop off and pick up, trips
to the beach or park with lots of physical activity, not to mention the three
flights of stairs we all had to climb back up to the flat. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My grandson was two and my granddaughter four although, as
she recently reminded her grandad on a FaceTime session, she has since turned
five (Don’t call me sweetie, Grandad, I’m five now). While they are adorable, childcare was physically demanding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After I dropped them off I would pour myself a glass of
wine, settle down to watch the TV and promptly fall asleep. The next morning I would
drag myself from my bed to attend a yoga class before launching myself back
into work.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturdays I went to Glasgow to visit my mum. Although I
took the train and didn’t do much when I got there, I still didn’t get home
till nearly 7pm. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday was my day of rest, unless I was catching up with
some work to allow me to take the following Wednesday off for childcare. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So my weeks were pretty busy (for me) and, on reflection, I
was only really taking about two weeks holiday a year, including bank holidays.
One week was sacrosanct; my solo trip to visit friends in France during which
we did very little apart from visiting a few local places and eating and drinking
plenty of wine and champagne. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what about all those lovely places I travelled to for
conferences and workshops? After all, I sometimes tagged on a day for
sightseeing. But they often involved two days travel and, much as I enjoyed
them, the mental load was quite considerable and the noise of 200+ people in
one place after a silent office was sometimes deafening.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you think that for a positive person this all sounds very
negative, you’d be right. Truth be told, I felt as though I had entered a new
phase of my life and the one I had just left behind didn’t sound very appealing
any more. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Add to this the fact I turned 60 during lockdown and I
simply longed for retirement. I imagined being able to switch off and stop
worrying about where my next month’s money, next translation and next client
were going to come from. And waking up in the morning with the full day ahead
of me to do everything I had been longing to do for years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apart from the fact I had to cancel a holiday and lots of
subsequent birthday celebrations, the day itself was lovely with messages, nice
food and drink and a virtual Zoom party with some friends. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyW2kcF6DwM/Xr6uoTVV8qI/AAAAAAAAAQk/6sSsFLEsrdkYOqwDmcQE960FQVZvNA9NwCK4BGAsYHg/bottle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyW2kcF6DwM/Xr6uoTVV8qI/AAAAAAAAAQk/6sSsFLEsrdkYOqwDmcQE960FQVZvNA9NwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/bottle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b> Birthday bubbles</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next day it was back down to earth. By now I was not
feeling so much tired but overwhelmed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everywhere I was being reminded we might not get this time
again so I needed to make the most of it. There was<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span><span><span style="font: 7pt "times new roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->cleaning to be done,</li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">so much free CPD material online and reading I
needed to catch up on,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">so many online exercise options,</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">so many films and TV programmes to watch,</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">so much cooking I wanted to do (not least to
work my way through all the exotic ingredients I’d filled my cupboards with
over the years) </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">So many options available to stop us getting bored and make sure our business survived the crisis. But I wasn’t bored and wasn’t quite sure how my business was going to survive in all the uncertainty. </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">n </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> On the first day of lockdown I read a useful article on
Twitter posted by an academic who had lived in war-torn countries warning
people to stop. To give up the idea of writing that article you’ve been meaning
to write, of becoming the best home-school teacher in the country, of throwing
yourself headlong into marketing as soon as work dries up. To simply stop and
give yourself time to adjust. I took these wise words on board.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast forward a month and I’m pretty glad I did. I now feel
as though I’m waking up from my coma, picking up a few books from the bedside
table, watching webinars and starting to think about what I’ll actually do when
I do get out of bed, metaphorically-speaking of course. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But there’s still that nagging uncertainty. How can I possibly
plan ahead? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve accepted that I might not be able to make big plans but
that doesn’t mean I should sit back and do nothing. I’ve had my rest and
recuperation so it’s time to pick up speed again but I won’t be going from 0 to
60 anytime soon. We’re in this for the long haul so I want to take it slowly
and follow my instincts. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The one challenge I did set myself was to do one meaningful
thing each day. During the week this can be watching a webinar, answering
emails, writing something or sorting out files which should have been thrown
out years ago. At weekends this is cooking something, cleaning something I
haven’t cleaned for a while, tidying cupboards and – coming soon – I’m going to
paint my office. I’m not 100% strict with this. Yesterday (a Thursday) I didn’t
feel like doing anything work-related so I rearranged my kitchen. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is how I’ve been structuring my days and, although I
feel I’m still pretty much in holiday/retirement mode, a Twitter conversation this
morning led me to reflect on what I have actually done and I was quite
surprised. I’ve done a lot without realising it because the reality is that my
work has ground to a halt and I’ve more time than I’ve ever had at my disposal. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what have I done?<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul><li>I’ve attended a 5-day virtual conference (BP20) and add-on
event</li>
<li>I’ve finally put the finishing touches to my website revamp</li>
<li>I’ve watched weekly French wine webinars</li>
<li>I’ve written an article</li>
<li>I’ve worked on a committee handover</li>
<li>I’ve finished reading my backlog of Decanter magazines</li>
<li>I’ve renewed my subscription to Marie France magazine</li>
<li>I’ve sorted out my finances and pension</li>
<li>I’ve read as much as I can about the Covid situation in my
specialist areas</li>
<li>I’ve cleaned cupboards</li><li>I've switched energy supplier </li>
<li>I’ve totally rearranged my kitchen</li>
<li>I’ve made a face mask</li>
<li>And finally I’ve done a lot of thinking.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some of these are small achievements and not all are
business-related but they’re still very important to me. After I rearranged my
kitchen yesterday it felt like I was cooking in a brand-new kitchen with so
much space. And the bonus? I realised I’d not only cleared space in my cupboards,
I’d cleared space in my head. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SUkLNzhQCcU/Xr6xOokudhI/AAAAAAAAARI/YtR45eYV0-wsrun--v4WnE5ZBnghjWS4gCK4BGAsYHg/kitchen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SUkLNzhQCcU/Xr6xOokudhI/AAAAAAAAARI/YtR45eYV0-wsrun--v4WnE5ZBnghjWS4gCK4BGAsYHg/s320/kitchen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"> <b>Clear kitchen, clear head</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you look back on the past few weeks you too will probably
realise that you’ve achieved more than you realised. Even if it is keeping a
sourdough starter alive or not murdering your children or partner.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I took a similar step back about ten years ago when I was
feeling totally overwhelmed by agency work, increasingly tight deadlines and
falling rates. When I did, I realised I had done quite a bit to form the basis
of a move into a specialisation and towards better clients. Writing this has
taken me back to the presentation I gave at the ITI conference in Newcastle,
the message of which was that you can always do small things to move your
business forward if the time’s not right for big investment.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last on my list was thinking. I’m not one to jump into
things with two feet at the best of times so, true to form, I’ve decided to
take a step back, analyse the situation and think about how I might move
forward. I’m lucky that the UK government is providing the self-employed with
some financial support that will give me breathing space to think about the
future. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are so many uncertainties, especially because I work for
a lot of small direct clients. Will my clients survive the crisis? If they do
survive will they continue to export? For some of them their income will have
taken a hit and perhaps even stopped completely. How long will it be before
they have a budget for translation again?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve made it my mission to find out as much as I can about
how Covid has affected their industries and think about how I can fit into
their future. If theatre companies can’t perform live, will they go online and find
themselves in front of international audiences? If they do, will they require
translations? The food and drink industry has benefited hugely from off-trade
sales (takeaways and deliveries) but that has mainly been local. Now they’ve
tested the water locally will they be tempted to ship to new
English-speaking markets? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Attending the virtual BP20 conference also played its part. For
half a day for four days I was ‘thinking business’ again. There were sessions
by Chris Durban, Tony Parr and Ros Schwartz about things we could do during a
lull in business. And Sarah Silva’s talk on fearless follow-up was a useful
reminder that we really do need to follow-up quotes and contacts, sometimes up
to six times. Most of us would feel uncomfortable doing this but Sarah gave us
compelling reasons for why, if done properly, it didn’t constitute harassment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone’s situation is different and none of us have
experienced anything like Covid-19 before. It’s stressful in many ways but if
you do find yourself with more time on your hands just now maybe a few baby
steps will help keep your business on track for when the economic situation becomes
clearer? <span> </span>Or – the opposite extreme – if
your normally silent house is packed with kids and partners trying to work and
home school, it might be reassuring to know that not everyone is making
sourdough, doing five exercise classes a day and marketing like mad to snare
new clients. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-40365115362506138272016-11-03T09:26:00.003-07:002016-11-03T10:24:14.688-07:00Life happens<b><span style="color: magenta;">It's been a while...</span></b><br />
<br />
Where have I been? As some of you will know, we moved to the beautiful west coast of Scotland in May and I've been busy doing up our new flat which just happens to have a stunning view over the Firth of Clyde.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ss6O8-Uueak/WBtb8bymFwI/AAAAAAAAAJw/jKCNtE5Z2S8bY2Fw1RFkf85EXlAgVPdGACLcB/s1600/Goatfell%2Bsunrise.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ss6O8-Uueak/WBtb8bymFwI/AAAAAAAAAJw/jKCNtE5Z2S8bY2Fw1RFkf85EXlAgVPdGACLcB/s320/Goatfell%2Bsunrise.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
When you wake up to this every morning, it's hard to get into work mode but, a few weeks ago, I realised it was time to get real. But how was I going to get myself motivated?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">A trip to Paris maybe? </span></b><br />
<br />
Sounded like a good idea. And imagine my excitement when I discovered I could combine it with a trip to the world-famous Salon du Chocolat. A few clicks of the mouse later I was booked on a flight and had sorted out my hotels (including one night at my absolute favourite, Citizen M at Charles de Gaulle airport).<br />
<br />
I moved to central Paris the next morning and set off for the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. It was a complicated journey due to a bomb scare so this photo celebrated my eventual arrival. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efv3wIumvEQ/WBtdyCBoqEI/AAAAAAAAAKA/MK-WgJge6y8Ut0JKx0LV2cw8bYJkmBISwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efv3wIumvEQ/WBtdyCBoqEI/AAAAAAAAAKA/MK-WgJge6y8Ut0JKx0LV2cw8bYJkmBISwCLcB/s320/IMG_1261.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">A feast for the eyes and tastebuds</span></b><br />
<br />
There was chocolate from every corner of the world, talks by chocolate experts and - <i>la piece de résistance</i> - the chocolate fashion show. I can't pretend this wasn't the real pull. I read about it in the press and social media last year and couldn't believe I was actually there to see it with my own eyes.<br />
<br />
The photo isn't great (it was very busy) but will give you some idea of the fabulous chocolate creations which graced the runway. Apparently it can take up to 100 hours to create one outfit. I wonder how much chocolate they eat in the process.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Was it worthwhile?</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Apart from eating my way through my own body weight in samples, it was great to chat to exhibitors and get a feel for what's new in the industry. Raw chocolate is big. I listened to a talk by an eccentric raw chocolate maker and sampled raw cacao beans, one totally unadorned and the other coated in a chocolate powder. If I'm honest, it's obviously an acquired taste, but quite possibly the biggest future trend.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Takeaways</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Well I couldn't leave without making a few purchases, purely for research you understand. A beautifully-packaged 75% Venezuelan, dark chocolate 'fish' made with olive oil and almonds and - my ultimate favourite - these gorgeous Paris Perles (crunchy caramel balls coated in milk and dark chocolate) by Paris Chocolat.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
However, for me, the biggest takeaway was a boost to my confidence. When you don't live in your source language country it is not always easy to find opportunities to test your fluency in the spoken language. I thoroughly recommend you 'go solo' as lots of people will speak to you, although next year I don't think I'll be able to sneak away on my own. I've already had a few offers to keep me company. I wonder why?<br />
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Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-47647464782211133102016-07-11T03:22:00.000-07:002016-07-11T03:22:54.397-07:00Continuous Professional DevelopmentA professional translator will have many years of study and/or experience behind them and also many years of learning ahead of them. In the industry we call the latter Continuous Professional Development (CPD).<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFxsL1Ng0Jg/VpzAJRZQm2I/AAAAAAAAAGI/xZPbInx81tA/s1600/IMG_1085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFxsL1Ng0Jg/VpzAJRZQm2I/AAAAAAAAAGI/xZPbInx81tA/s320/IMG_1085.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: magenta;">
Why?</span></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
Like many other professions, it is actively encouraged by our professional associations and is in fact a requirement of some of them.<br />
<br />
But that's not the only reason.<br />
<br />
It makes our work more interesting and our job easier. It also helps us to understand our clients' business and the language they use.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: magenta;">
How?</span></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
Methods vary from the simplest (reading) to the most demanding (but arguably most rewarding) in terms of time and money: going to client events and conferences.<br />
<br />
<b>Reading</b>:<br />
<br />
The first of the month is always a special day for me. This is when all my magazines drop through the letterbox.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
I specialise in fashion and cosmetics, food and drink and the arts so I subscribe to a variety of magazines. Each and every one of them is a pleasure to read. And I don't just read them. I take notes and write down the latest buzz words for future reference.<br />
<br />
<b>Webinars</b><br />
<b><br /></b>eCPD is a specialist webinar provider for the translation and interpreting industry. In April 2016, I presented a webinar for eCPD: <a href="https://www.ecpdwebinars.co.uk/downloads/translating-for-the-creative-industries-fashion-beauty-and-wine/">Translating for the creative industries: fashion, beauty and wine.</a><br />
<br />
We also tune in to the many non-translation webinars we find on social media.<br />
<br />
Another great way to improve our skills from the comfort of our own homes.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But I also like to get out of the house regularly to keep my business brain switched on. </div>
<br />
<b>Local events</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Some translators belong to local associations such as the Chamber of Commerce, a BNI chapter or similar. Others find local events which help them learn more about their specialist area. <br />
<br />
In November 2015, I learnt how to improve my sense of smell at a Perfume Society event in Glasgow.<br />
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<br />
<b>Translation industry events and conferences</b><br />
<br />
In my first post I said that we like to speak to each other. Translation events and conferences are the perfect opportunity to meet up with colleagues and learn the tools of our trade.<br />
<br />
What's more, we build networks and refer work to each other. So if you have a specific translation request I can't handle I will most likely know - or be able to find - a colleague who can.<br />
<b><br /></b>
S<b>pecialist industry conferences</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Have you ever met a translator at an event? I suspect many of you will shake your heads in answer to this question but it may not be long before you do.<br />
<br />
More and more translators are working in specialist areas and joining associations and attending conferences in their specialist industries.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">And so...</span></b></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll be writing about some of my CPD events and courses in future posts. But so it's not all about me - and the creative industries - I'll be asking colleagues to write about how they keep up to date with their particular specialisms.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="color: magenta;">
Would you like to talk to a translator?</span></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you'd be interested in talking to a translator about your current or future language requirements, then write a comment and I'll do my utmost to find you the person you need.</div>
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<br />Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-25674050646648987712016-03-18T03:24:00.000-07:002016-03-24T12:20:42.474-07:00How do you know you've received a top notch translation?Your translation has just arrived back on your desk.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dRynU85DAZk/VsR-_pQ1swI/AAAAAAAAAI4/GA08htXcnTY/s1600/canstockphoto6913676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dRynU85DAZk/VsR-_pQ1swI/AAAAAAAAAI4/GA08htXcnTY/s320/canstockphoto6913676.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white;">Can you assess it?</span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">The big problem with many translations is that the finished product will be in a language you don't understand. How do you know if it's good or bad?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Trust: </b>if you've chosen your translator carefully or used a translator who was recommended to you, perhaps you can simply trust the translator to do a good job? </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Four eyes</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white;"> many translators will work in pairs, with a second translator checking the work of the first. This will be an additional cost but is highly recommended. Even great translators can make the odd typo or misunderstand something.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><b>In house review</b>: maybe you could have a native speaker in your company check the translation? </span></li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: magenta;">Problems? </span></h3>
<div>
Suspect your translation is simply not up to scratch? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>What not to do</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Don't ask a non-native speaker who 'speaks' or 'understands' the language of the translation to review your document. </span><span style="background-color: white;">They will often be looking for exact equivalents in both documents and good translation is not about word-for-word replacement. This is especially important with creative texts where the finished article can be quite different but still convey the same message.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><b>So what do you do?</b></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Perhaps you could ask an in-house </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">native</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> speaker of the language to review the translation? If you do this, </span></b>don't let them simply cover it in red pen. <b>Ask for specific examples</b>. And remember that your native speaker may be out of touch with their own language if they have been living abroad for many years. </li>
<li>Contact the translator to express your concerns. <b>Be constructive</b>, <b>provide concrete examples</b> and ask them to respond. If justified, a good translator will take the comments on board and help you find a solution.</li>
<li>Request or arrange an independent third party review. How this happens will vary with each individual case. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">Prevention is better than cure</span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">As I said in my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5518637621669124963#editor/target=post;postID=2797244340063340463;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=1;src=postname">previous post</a>, the best way to avoid any problems occurring in the first place is to:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>take the time to select the best translator for your job,</li>
<li>plan ahead to avoid a last minute rush job,</li>
<li>involve the translator as early as possible in the process,</li>
<li>provide as much relevant information as you can...</li>
</ul>
<div>
Better still, use a translator who has been recommended to you. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="mailto:alison@alisonhughes-translations.co.uk">Contact me</a> and I'll do my utmost to find you a suitable translator.</div>
Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-27972443400633404632016-02-26T06:48:00.004-08:002016-02-26T06:49:01.271-08:00Working with a translator - what to expect<b>Found your translator? What happens next?</b><br />
<br />
I have described a typical scenario below. Not all translators will operate in the same way but it may give you an idea of what to expect.<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<h3>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Quote</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-albJBItv-2k/VsR-ocKdjpI/AAAAAAAAAI0/PZt1WRjNDKU/s1600/canstockphoto2960897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-albJBItv-2k/VsR-ocKdjpI/AAAAAAAAAI0/PZt1WRjNDKU/s320/canstockphoto2960897.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>The first step will usually be to ask for an <b>estimate</b> (a non-binding idea of the cost involved) or a firm <b>quote.</b> To deliver either, the translator will:<br />
<ul>
<li>ask to see the document/website/copy to be translated, The <b>format </b>of the files provided will influence the cost: </li>
<ul>
<li>Word is ideal,</li>
<li>PDF, PowerPoint and Excel will normally incur a surcharge,</li>
<li>not all translators will be able to work direct in HTML. </li>
</ul>
<li>ask<b> how quickly </b>you need the translation. Two things to bear in mind here:</li>
<ul>
<li>to avoid a last-minute panic and an urgency surcharge, it's best to <b>plan ahead</b>. </li>
<li>involving the translator early on in the process can iron out translation and/or cultural issues later on.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>NB: </b>It is not easy for the translator to quote accurately direct from a website unless it is a simple series of pages,<br />
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<b>Price: </b>Translators operate in different ways. Some will base the quote/estimate on wordcount, some charge an hourly rate and others will quote an all-inclusive project price.</div>
<b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<h3>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Happy with the quote? </span></b></h3>
<div>
Time for work to begin. </div>
<div>
<br />
At this stage it is really helpful if you can provide the translator with as much information about your company and/or project as possible. The more they know, the better they can tailor your translation.<br />
<br />
The translator may request:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>a glossary or style guide, if available,</li>
<li>images where appropriate,</li>
<li>the name of a contact person for resolving queries,</li>
<li>and for large projects for first-time clients, advance payment of part (or all) of the fee.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<h3>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Questions</span></b></h3>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0SGWGNQe4Fs/VqDFujyFSqI/AAAAAAAAAHU/r6Az18OJ2ZU/s1600/canstockphoto1907368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0SGWGNQe4Fs/VqDFujyFSqI/AAAAAAAAAHU/r6Az18OJ2ZU/s320/canstockphoto1907368.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Don't be alarmed if a translator asks questions: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>even specialist translators can't be expected to know everything in their chosen field,</li>
<li>company-specific terms or abbreviations will need to be clarified,</li>
<li>not everything that is clear to the author is necessarily clear to the reader,</li>
<li>translators often pick up inconsistencies and errors in the source text which can be corrected before the text goes to print.<div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">ADDED VALUE</span></b></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;"></span>£££$$$€€€</span></b></h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Notice I used capitals here? It may mess with the synergy of the document (neat freaks look away now) but let's face it, <b>ADDED VALUE</b> is what you're looking for, isn't it?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, because you have:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>taken the time to select the best translator for your job</li>
<li>planned ahead to avoid a last minute rush job</li>
<li>involved the translator as early as possible in the process</li>
<li>provided as much relevant information as you can...</li>
</ul>
<div>
... the least we can do is offer you something in return. How about?</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>a <b>fabulous translation </b>that:</li>
<ul>
<li>is true to your corporate style</li>
<li>says exactly what you want it to say</li>
<li>flows naturally in the second language</li>
<li>and won't go viral for all the wrong reasons</li>
</ul>
<li>PLUS all the <b>added benefits</b> this brings your company:</li>
<ul>
<li>increased sales</li>
<li>visibility in new markets</li>
<li>your message in the language of your prospects</li>
<li>new export opportunities </li>
<li>...</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
You know what they are because you set the objectives!<br />
<br />
Next time I'll be talking about feedback. In the meantime, feel free to ask any questions in the comments.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-50420649273439517292016-02-05T05:13:00.001-08:002016-02-05T13:51:01.341-08:00Finding the right (wo)man for the job<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-83eJA1zntuY/VqDFKr72N0I/AAAAAAAAAHE/UlYcr5CdEKg/s1600/canstockphoto15674972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-83eJA1zntuY/VqDFKr72N0I/AAAAAAAAAHE/UlYcr5CdEKg/s320/canstockphoto15674972.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Where to begin?</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Your text is ready and you're pretty pleased. All that extra time and effort devoted to getting every detail right and conveying the right message has really paid off. Now you need it in one or more foreign languages but where to begin?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Your options</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Free translation tool:</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Let's keep this nice and simple: it's free and it's instant.<br />
<br />
BUT - be honest - have you ever laughed heartily at a translation error/gaffe/disaster (take your pick) online? We all have. Just imagine if you or your company was the butt of the joke.<br />
<br />
Unless you really just want to get the gist of a very informal conversation, then steer clear. In every likelihood you won't understand the translation produced and have to assume it's fine. If it isn't, you might not find out until it goes viral on social media... for all the wrong reasons!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Translation agency:</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
A good agency will have the skills and tools to handle large multi-lingual projects that most individual translators can't take on. But not all agencies are equal.Bear in mind:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>if an agency is promising you the earth (20,000 words overnight?) it is obvious the job will be split among several translators (in terms of output, most translators give a guideline of 2,000 to 2,500 words a day depending on the text). </li>
<li>if the agency is cheap, it can't possibly be paying its translators a decent rate and good translators don't operate in the low end of the market.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Finally, if your text is highly specialised you will probably want an agency that works with translators who specialise in your field.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Freelance translator:</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YNJbH8IJEX4/VqDIA2I1AlI/AAAAAAAAAHg/gnk_QgIktdk/s1600/canstockphoto2778369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YNJbH8IJEX4/VqDIA2I1AlI/AAAAAAAAAHg/gnk_QgIktdk/s320/canstockphoto2778369.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
There are many advantages of going direct to a good freelance translator:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>you get the same translator every time. If your project is ongoing, this is the best way to ensure consistency of style</li>
<li>the translator can contact you direct for clarification and becomes familiar with your business, preferred terms and house style</li>
<li>you can build a relationship of trust which is satisfying to both parties</li>
</ul>
<br />
Be aware, however, that good translators are busy translators. The best way to avoid disappointment is to plan ahead.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And not all translators are equal so here are a few pointers:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>professional translators work into their mother tongue. With a very few exceptions, translations produced by a non-native will have some giveaway signs, however minor, which spoil the overall effect </li>
<li>like other professionals, translators specialise. Specialist translators may have a background in the particular field or, at the very least, will have spent considerable time learning the ropes and keeping abreast of developments. </li>
<li>if you're looking for a nifty piece of creative copy, you need a creative translator or transcreation specialist. </li>
</ul>
<div>
Looking for a professional translator? You have several options:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>the online directories of translation associations such as the <a href="http://www.iti.org.uk/">Institute of Translation & Interpreting </a>in the UK. Many countries have their own associations.</li>
<li>most translators now have <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/AHcreattrans">LinkedIn</a> profiles.</li>
<li>and many translators have <a href="http://alisonhughes-translations.co.uk/"><span style="color: #999999;">websites</span></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
As I mentioned in a previous post, translators network and can often refer you to a colleague if they can't do the job themselves. Feel free to <a href="http://www.alisonhughes-translations.co.uk/contactme.html">contact me</a> if you need any help.</div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
Hopefully, you now know where and how to look for a translator. Next time I'll give you an idea of what to expect when working with a translator.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have any questions in the meantime, fire away in the comments.</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-607574787302423522016-01-21T07:00:00.001-08:002016-01-21T07:08:02.771-08:00Why pay for something when you can get it for free?<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: magenta;">The burning question:
man versus machine</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Z2D6VYe7OQ/VqDAeIpCOpI/AAAAAAAAAGg/2buNvIKtbtE/s1600/canstockphoto29713374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Z2D6VYe7OQ/VqDAeIpCOpI/AAAAAAAAAGg/2buNvIKtbtE/s320/canstockphoto29713374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
It would be naive to suggest that the Google Translate and
other similar tools are not affecting the industry.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The internet is awash with hilarious mistranslations and
young developers who don’t even speak languages themselves are creating apps
which allow you to communicate with someone in another language.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: magenta;">So should you always
use a human translator?</span><o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course we translators would rather you did but I'm going to explain the difference and let you decide.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Google Translate</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
GT and similar tools use different algorithms to mine
translations which are already available on the internet. Most simply replace
the words with an equivalent word in another language. Sometimes they get it
right, or nearly right, and sometimes they get it so wrong it’s hilarious. If
you just need the gist of a document then they can serve a purpose.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Machine translation</span></b>
<br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is more sophisticated and is often used by companies
who feed human translations into their systems for future use. It can really
boost productivity when used in the right context and is post-edited by a
translator. <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>The human advantage</b>:
<b>the brain</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><br /></b>
<br />
Translation is about so much more than understanding the
text and translating it word-for-word into another language. I particularly liked a saying I saw on social media recently:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Translation starts where the dictionaries stop"</i></blockquote>
<br />
In other words, we translators add brain power, experience, a feel for the language and an understanding of context, which machine translation can't do.<br />
<br />
But not all humans with brains – even exceptionally good
bilingual brains – can produce great translations. That is why you need a professional.<br />
<br />
My next post will help you find the right (wo)man for the job.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, do you have a translation experience to share? Feel free to tell us about it in the comments.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518637621669124963.post-11675674390154252192016-01-21T07:00:00.000-08:002016-01-21T07:53:24.945-08:00Busting the myths<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5518637621669124963" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
If I were to ask you to visualise a typical translator would they
look like this?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you answered yes, then you wouldn’t be totally wrong… but
you wouldn’t be totally right either. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me explain.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">Rolling back the years</span></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in the early 80s it was fairly common for translators to find employment with a company. Indeed, freelancing was still in its infancy.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then in 1997, when I took the plunge into the world of freelance, I worked almost exclusively for agencies and by
working 9 to 5, five days a week, I could earn a decent(ish) living.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was then…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">Fast forward 30 years</span></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh how the world of translation has changed!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In-house jobs are now few and far between and the arrival of
the Internet has changed our lives considerably. Many translators have:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>embraced social media</li>
<li>adopted one or more specialisms, and</li>
<li>ventured out from behind their computers.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span>So I thought it would be fun to spread the word and dispel a
few myths.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<h3>
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">Your questions answered</span></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a translator?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have you ever wondered what a translator does all day?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work with a
translator?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would it surprise you to meet a translator at your next
industry event?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would you like to know how to find a translator who is
perfect for you?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Did you know that some translators offer additional
services?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This blog aims to answer these questions and more... and you won’t just be hearing from me, either.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
OK, I admit it. I love talking about what I do so I will
permit myself a little self-indulgence. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on
behind the scenes in the more creative side of translation, I’m your (wo)man.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what does a financial, medical or technical translator
do? What sort of clients do they work for? Where are you likely to meet them? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My colleagues who work in these fields will be only too
happy to share their experiences with you so look out for the guest posts too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Finally</span></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-egUQBmoWPGg/VqDE0jDQBkI/AAAAAAAAAG8/Scs6_rj1J40/s1600/canstockphoto3856442%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-egUQBmoWPGg/VqDE0jDQBkI/AAAAAAAAAG8/Scs6_rj1J40/s320/canstockphoto3856442%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Translators do spend a lot of time at their computers but
they also love talking to each other and talking to you.We love learning about your
industry and what you do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course we love to work with words but we also love
to solve language and communication problems. Your language and communication problems…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, I hope you will sign up for the blog, engage in the debate
and ask your own questions. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<h3>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Enjoy!</span></b></h3>
Alison Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07061073565890947117noreply@blogger.com4