tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post5333099997972179418..comments2023-12-02T16:18:16.417+01:00Comments on Translation Ethics: Transperfect's redefinition of proofreadingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-75824044366652836542015-11-10T14:03:51.827+01:002015-11-10T14:03:51.827+01:00This is a very interesting read. I am a qualified ...This is a very interesting read. I am a qualified translator and conference interpreter and have worked as a translator for TransPerfect for several years, along with other agencies such as Lingo24, and I actually find them ok. The PMs in the States try to negotiate rates fairly regularly, but I just stand my ground which they seem to respect. I also negotiate formatting fees, although generally tend to avoid all pdf work and stick to txmls for Wordfast. I do mostly work with the London office, however, and I find the PMs friendly, respectful and polite. I've never had any problems with payment at all either. Maybe I've been lucky? I will be vigilant having read this post and all the comments just to make sure I'm not being conned :-)<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07711864538927044729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-17666650564811312802015-10-21T07:14:11.068+02:002015-10-21T07:14:11.068+02:00From a linguist's point of view, I side with t...From a linguist's point of view, I side with the Pro. I've been working for TPT for more than five years and all in all I'm very satisfied. The initial rates were fare (unlike so many other agencies), payment time (45 days) could be better, yet, it is acceptable. Communication with the PM's is usually good and considerate. I had a problem when they switched to the "bidding" method. Then of course my communication with the PM's was greatly limited, and it seemed like they are going for the lowest offers, compromising quality. However, I got used to it and they keep providing me quite a bit of work. This is, in my view, a win-win situation.mariod10https://www.blogger.com/profile/15963171705720266602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-24213035288304455842015-08-10T22:56:05.082+02:002015-08-10T22:56:05.082+02:00Interesting post, but I disagree with the 1,000 wo...Interesting post, but I disagree with the 1,000 words an hour max for proofreading. As a translator and editor with 7 years in, I must say I think that's pretty slow. Maybe if the text was translated by a complete goon, perhaps, but 15,000 a day + is quite possible, more if you have trados.Cuthbert Rattigan-Smythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15152113664212805903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-19151904886696876032015-06-17T01:41:40.505+02:002015-06-17T01:41:40.505+02:00Hi, I've been working with TransPerfect for a ...Hi, I've been working with TransPerfect for a couple of years now and I have to admit that I haven't suffered that much. As for payment, they pay me on regular basis according to my threshold and they always help me with any arising problem regarding my payments. I just hate the invoicing method which consumes time and effort, specially when u do many tasks for low POs and u have to do an invoice for each including all details. I hope the process was automated.<br /><br />As to rates, I used to negotiate my rate to the one I prefer depending on text and urgency. However, lately, they seem to go for low rates not caring for quality. I'm facing a delema; either to lower my rate or lose many jobs. <br /><br />Nevertheless, I like working with this company, and if I get angry I'm mad from the PM, not the company itself. Sometimes the PM is so cheep and offers an unacceptable rate, but some other times I meet very good PMs who appreciate quality.<br /><br />The real thing that bugs me about that company is that with all those multinational PMs, I don't know to whom should I complain in case I have a problem with one of those cheep PMs.Mrs. Rehimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12592757596730009327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-23219629405868023082015-05-14T20:53:44.075+02:002015-05-14T20:53:44.075+02:00Well, although I generally agree with your opinion...Well, although I generally agree with your opinion I have to go and defend the PMs at TransPerfect. Unlike you think they all have a Master's/Bachelor's in Translation and Interpreting and are fluent in several languages (at least those in Europe, I think the story for US branches is quite different). PMs in the European branches are normally people who has just finished their studies and cannot go straight into freelancing/translating because they do not have the connections to do so. I was a PM there for a couple of years and I can assure you PMs do not make the rules, actually quite often they leave because they do not agree with the company's policy and almost every day they work over 12 hours (unpaid)... The company is not only sucking linguist's blood but PM's blood too using the international crisis as an excuse while billing millions.zu.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11615117205858967323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-48285523604116369292014-01-08T17:31:33.878+01:002014-01-08T17:31:33.878+01:00For proofreading as in simple checking and correct...For proofreading as in simple checking and correction of the target text : 1000 words per hour is normal.<br />Editing: less than that, from my own experience. <br />In fairness, each agency reinvents their own standards thinking freelancers will let them do so.Translationethicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12154674709384467815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-21012061346304548222014-01-08T15:26:41.564+01:002014-01-08T15:26:41.564+01:002000 words are the 'industry standard' now...2000 words are the 'industry standard' now? Used to be 1500 just a while back. Interesting inflation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-44315190412752727782013-11-27T10:22:54.842+01:002013-11-27T10:22:54.842+01:00Also here is what the employees do all day in orde...Also here is what the employees do all day in order to bring money to the company (to con those stupid linguists is their job):<br /><br /><br />"Cons – a) We used to constantly lie to the linguists and sometimes to each other. Most "client reviews" are just proofreader's opinions. We used to tell linguists "the client has an issue", while the project was still in production. It's psychological terrorism through lies. Similar practices sometimes among employees. The management from America has established this malicious culture, it affected us all.<br /><br />b) At Transperfect all linguists involved in a project may be paid less than half of a project's budget. I felt ashamed asking people for highly specialized work at such rates.<br />I had to use good linguists to secure a client (samples, glossaries etc), and promised them "a big project coming up", and then we would send the bulk of the work to the cheaper ones. To those that worked to get us the client, we would lie that "the client cancelled it".<br />Our promises worth nothing in this company, I felt I was not a trustworthy person.<br />Project managers are trained in methods to lower the linguists' rates, as if the linguist are fat cats (!). The "production metrics" for linguists are based on no scientific or empirical evidence whatsoever and are unrealistic. Cheaper linguists accept them and then we consider them responsible for the entire project.<br /><br />Sales charges clients with "formatting", which is actually done for free by the linguists (!!!). Shameful, and not standard in the industry at all. In one case the linguist asked me for formatting fee, which we charged the client at 3x what the linguist asked me, and I had to refuse it."<br /><br />Found on http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/TransPerfect-Translations-Reviews-E32824.htmTranslationethicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12154674709384467815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-68613719558497076802013-11-27T10:06:12.908+01:002013-11-27T10:06:12.908+01:00Thanks for sharing; it is absolutely unacceptable....Thanks for sharing; it is absolutely unacceptable. But if he or she proves that her work was undamaged they have no excuse to impose that discount. It's very important to defend yourself when a client treats you unfairly. Some will always try to blame you in order to save a bit of cash. That's what they learn in marketing schools. I had a similar problem once when a client tried to impose a discount on my translation on the grounds that the end client wasn't happy with it. They got an independant translator to check my translation and wanted to take off this extra spending from my pay!!! What was insane is that the independant consultant found absolutely nothing wrong with my work and even said it was very accurate. The odd thing is that he/she was an inhouse translator, so why should this cost anything to them? I refused categorically this discount and complained angrily. They did not insist, but they were "trying out their luck" on me.Translationethicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12154674709384467815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-80848353809441188562013-11-25T09:58:06.614+01:002013-11-25T09:58:06.614+01:00A freelance friend of mine did a translation for T...A freelance friend of mine did a translation for Transperfect, who wrote back and said they were not paying about 60% of what they owed my friend due to 'mistakes' in the translation. We went through the document together and there was not a single genuine mistake - the 'mistakes' were either subjective changes to layout or cases where the rereader, obviously with less experience and no time spent on research, had reintroduced the 'obvious' mistakes that my friend had missed. In any case, I find this behaviour shocking. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-54045034927497103542013-11-20T14:33:24.815+01:002013-11-20T14:33:24.815+01:00Mario, thanks for your comment! You are pointing o...Mario, thanks for your comment! You are pointing out something v important that I forgot not mention in my post: it's crucial to know exactly what agencies mean by "proofreading", because it's different each time. Most of them mean checking both original and target for formal and semantic mistakes, because that is what is genuinely needed. And indeed I agree with you we should call the actual semantic work "editing". "Proofreading" then in your definition could be done by someone who only knows the target language.<br />As I said proofreading is not a usual activity for me, and I fell into the taxonomic trap myself. But I d be interested to know how other translators define the term, because I believe there are plenty of opinions (and that's the problem!)<br />What I do every now and then is called by the agency "checking and editing".<br />I think that expression represents exactly what the task entails, which should be the necessary step following the translation. What I find dishonest from TP is their suggesting that their translations are so "transperfect" that they only require proofreading (as in surface correction) without the need to to check if the actual translation work is accurate. That is hypocritical. They skip the essential step of checking, which takes time, and should be done by an expert translator. An insider's perspective would be great here.Translationethicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12154674709384467815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-38046781179979971982013-11-19T22:47:16.633+01:002013-11-19T22:47:16.633+01:00Sorry for disturbing: they may really mean proofre...Sorry for disturbing: they may really mean proofreading when they say "proofreading", i.e. making sure that spelling and format are right without touching the content. I suppose you are getting carried away by a general redefinition of proofreading (designed to devalue *editing*) and you mean editing, to be done by an expert, seasoned specialist.<br />[This said, I know of course that Transperfect also means editing when they say "proofreading" but that is not a good enough reason for torturing the language]Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12096005382715047624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-81808204763484085422013-11-01T15:00:24.688+01:002013-11-01T15:00:24.688+01:00I would like to add this blog which is compiling a...I would like to add this blog which is compiling all the complaints up till 2010. This is terrifying, they should really be ashamed of themselves.<br />http://robertdenoia-hr.blogspot.se/2010/03/transperfect-translations-3-park-avenue.html<br />Translationethicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12154674709384467815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-34662634718129670402013-10-28T22:13:29.726+01:002013-10-28T22:13:29.726+01:00They have always paid me, but often paid LATE, mea...They have always paid me, but often paid LATE, meaning I have incurred numerous bank charges this year. I have always felt there was something wrong with their proofreading process and this confirms my suspicions... There are many things I could say about this agency but the main one is DON'T WORK WITH THEM!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-42088389145283514842013-10-27T18:57:40.926+01:002013-10-27T18:57:40.926+01:00I have worked for Transperfect for around three ye...I have worked for Transperfect for around three years now. In terms of making the payments and organization, they are fine. However, several months ago, they lowered their rates across the board, requiring constant negotiation. So, while it may not be pleasant, it is possible (and sometimes profitable) to negotiate the rates with them. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-54687413460835865272013-10-14T15:50:00.522+02:002013-10-14T15:50:00.522+02:00Sorry Michal for the glitch, I cancelled your comm...Sorry Michal for the glitch, I cancelled your comment by accident so I added it underneath. Thanks for posting ;)Translationethicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12154674709384467815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-49053546088511125112013-10-14T13:20:41.201+02:002013-10-14T13:20:41.201+02:00We are currently awaiting confirmation of a very l...We are currently awaiting confirmation of a very large job for Transperfect (we've previously done 3 or 4 small ones without any problems arising). After reading this we will be thinking again about accepting a large chunk of a 1000 page job.. sur TRANSPERFECT's redefinition of proofreading<br />Supprimer le contenu | Supprimer | SpamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706361992803757533.post-39884048018473615742013-10-12T12:06:17.484+02:002013-10-12T12:06:17.484+02:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Michal Poberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14752644473564509498noreply@blogger.com