What can be created to benefit the translation industry?
Thread poster: Traductrice PRO
Traductrice PRO
Traductrice PRO  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 10:48
Member (2014)
French to English
+ ...
Mar 17, 2016

Lucinda Brooks created eCPD for translators, Gliderpath was invented for translation agencies because of a lack of a proper translation management system, what else do you think is missing in our industry and/or needs improvement? As a translator and/or outsourcer, what do you feel is lacking?

 
Paweł Hamerski
Paweł Hamerski
Poland
Local time: 15:48
English to Polish
+ ...
In my translation industry nothing is lacking Mar 17, 2016

except maybe a few more good customers. I can manage without such inventions easily.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Better CAT Mar 17, 2016

An advanced CAT tool that is built with the user in mind rather than agencies would be nice.

Like Wordfast Classic only without the things that don't work!


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:48
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
More compatibility between tools Mar 17, 2016

In my opinion, what is missing is a bigger drive towards standardisation in project handling and exchange.

Today, I have to handle translatable files, translation memories, glossaries, POs, and project rules in a host of formats. It would be grand if my agency customers could send me one package with everything that any reasonably good CAT tool would be able to open and put in place, without me having to open, convert to a standard format, and import into my CAT tool. This way, inst
... See more
In my opinion, what is missing is a bigger drive towards standardisation in project handling and exchange.

Today, I have to handle translatable files, translation memories, glossaries, POs, and project rules in a host of formats. It would be grand if my agency customers could send me one package with everything that any reasonably good CAT tool would be able to open and put in place, without me having to open, convert to a standard format, and import into my CAT tool. This way, instead of spending a lot of time daily just converting files and handling administrative information, I would be able to translate right away when a project comes in.

We have standards like XLIFF, TMX, TBX, SRX... but I don't think we have anything in the sense of a whole project package exchange format we could all open and use in our preferred CAT tool. Ideally, such package exchange format should allow us to add projects to our management tools.
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Bruno Depascale
Bruno Depascale  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 15:48
Member (2009)
English to Italian
+ ...
are you serious? We lack basic things.. Mar 17, 2016

is your question aimed only at technological things?
Because I think that translation industry lacks many immaterial things, like honesty (from some agencies) and respect for the translators' work.
We are going nowhere with these rates..


 
Richard Bartholomew
Richard Bartholomew  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 15:48
German to English
The nice thing about standards Mar 17, 2016

Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:

We have standards like XLIFF, TMX, TBX, SRX...


"The nice thing about standards is that you have so many to choose from."
-- Andrew S. Tanenbaum (cf. https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Andrew_S._Tanenbaum)


 
Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:48
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
Qualifications: a double-edged sword Mar 17, 2016

Lovenah Panray wrote:
As a translator and/or outsourcer, what do you feel is lacking?

The advantage of the translation industry is that there are almost no barriers to entry and anybody can declare themselves a translator.

The disadvantage of the translation industry is that there are almost no barriers to entry and anybody can declare themselves a translator.

Naturally, clients have difficulty working out who they can trust to do a good job in translation.

A single, well-known, widely accepted and legally protected qualification that guaranteed a high minimum level of competence would probably do a great deal to raise the image of the translation profession.

At the same time, it would also reduce the supply of "qualified" translators - because it would become more difficult to obtain the qualifications - increase the cost of translation and encourage their customers to invest more money in developing alternatives to human translators.

There are no free lunches.

Regards
Dan


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:48
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
LOL! Mar 17, 2016

Richard Bartholomew wrote:

Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
We have standards like XLIFF, TMX, TBX, SRX...


"The nice thing about standards is that you have so many to choose from."
-- Andrew S. Tanenbaum (cf. https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Andrew_S._Tanenbaum)


Yes! That is so true! Thanks a lot for sharing.


 
Jeff Whittaker
Jeff Whittaker  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:48
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
+ ...
What can be created to benefit the translation industry? Mar 18, 2016

What we desperately need is a translator's organization that will help educate clients about what has become of the industry's supply chain for the benefit of both translators and translation agencies. And it's not just about price. A client who is only paying .05 a word, deserves what they get, but a client could pay .25 a word and at the end of the chain, the translator is only getting .06. Clients need more information so that they can select an agency that knows how to select competent trans... See more
What we desperately need is a translator's organization that will help educate clients about what has become of the industry's supply chain for the benefit of both translators and translation agencies. And it's not just about price. A client who is only paying .05 a word, deserves what they get, but a client could pay .25 a word and at the end of the chain, the translator is only getting .06. Clients need more information so that they can select an agency that knows how to select competent translators and that pays them accordingly and does not sub-sub-sub-outsource to anyone with an internet connection and a pulse. Clients need to know what is going on (beyond the sometimes false and misleading advertising information displayed on websites) so that they can ask the right questions and select the right agency.

For example, a viral video showing the home office of a professional translator working at her computer, surrounded by dictionaries, classical music in the background, framed college diploma on the wall, talking on the phone asking experts for the verification of terms, using computer tools and on-line resources, staying up late at night to finish a project, etc. Next scene: happy client using the translation at a board meeting with now happy international clients signing deals, shaking hands.

Cut to the next scene of a young 20-year old drinking and dancing at a nightclub with loud music in the background. Suddenly, he gets a text message for a quick "post-editing" job and sneaks off to the bathroom to quickly jot off a translation on his cell phone while angry inebriated customers with full bladders bang on the stall door. A message pops up on the cell phone "Congradulations! [sic] You've just earned another .10 cents!". The next scene is the client receiving a hefty bill and a rejected bid proposal from the very confused foreign client.

I believe that if clients were aware of what happens to their translation projects and who was actually translating them (and under what conditions) at least some would move over to better and more professional agencies.
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What can be created to benefit the translation industry?







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