Babbelingua

Last week I attended a virtual translation conference. A free gig designed primarily for companies to push their overpriced software on us underpaid translators. I sat at my computer in my pajama, drinking coffee and maneuvering my avatar around slick Second Life-style spaces that looked curiously outdated. I tried to snag some free software, did a quiz to win an ipod, showed up for virtual lectures only to realize I was in the wrong time zone. At 5pm GMT there was a virtual cocktail hour and at some point I attempted a little networking in the translators’ lounge. The following is an excerpt from a chat with translation colleagues from around the world…

(For the non-translators out there, here’s a few terms you might find useful:

CAT tools or CATs – Computer Assisted Translation tools

TRADOS, Wordfast, Across – examples of CAT tools. TRADOS is the CAT behemoth that has pretty much taken over the market and charges accordingly. Wordfast is a cheaper tool, and Across is free.

TM – translation memory, an element within a CAT system. Many translators are extremely protective of the TMs they build up.

Source and target language – the language you’re translating from and the one you’re translating into.)

And now…Welcome to the Translators’ Lounge, where linguistic experts gather to discuss the essential matters of their trade…
A. M:
Welcome A 🙂
O. G:
Am I paranoïd or being censored
M. W:
some languages, like german, have long words.
B. W:
just because you are NOT paranoid G. does NOT mean they are NOT out to get you!
M. S:
In Germany we charge by line of 55 characters includin spaces
M. W:
less number of words but more characters to type. i really like to charge by character.
M. R:
Hi, greetings from Mexico
M. R:
Who’s there?
A. D:
View XXX.com conferences on video!
Click to visit our site!
M. S:
Hi to Mexico!
S. L:
Hi, I am S. from Spain
M. R:
Where are you from?
R. P:
US  It-EN translation
M. W:
malay is a bit like german. longer words and more wordy sentences but less wordcount. so translation tends to expand without the benefit of price increase
M. R:
Hola S.
C. W:
from Argentina, living in Israel
M. S:
M. from Germany
S. C:
Hello all from California, French translator, I am reading this chat and I am surprised by the possibility of some to charge by the target language.
K. S:
Hello! Greetings from Hungary.
S.L:
Hola M. R.
M. S:
S. C: In Germany you can. Even for translations into French
M. S:
they tend to expand about 20%
B. W:
how many of you think the end client KNOWS how many words there are?
M. R:
that’s what you really type!
K. V:
Hello everyone!
M. S:
Haaa they don’t B.W.!
M. W:
rule of thumb is to to assume they do KNOW.
P. E:
depends on origin x target language. english to portuguese, origin is a trap
N. E:
S.L -de donde en espana eres?
J. F:
In the early Cretaceous when there was no Trados (just imagine …) one always charged by target. Yes, yes, I know what you’re going to say.
S.L.:
no idea – I have only one end client and, yes, they know exactly how many words there are
I. D:
In my experience, customers aren’t interested in numbers of words, just numbers of pounds and pence!
S. C:
Yes, in French it is much longer too, but how can you be certain of the number of words?
S.L.:
de la costa blanca
O. G:
Thank you B W but my answer has disappeared 3 or 4 times into thin air I give up
R. P:
CATs are for translators to use, not for translators to be used.
M. D:
The client didn’t pay for them, did he?
B. W:
can I throw a cat among you pigeons…who agrees that it is time for translators to start setting the rukes…….rather than having the tail wag the dog?….discuss!
M. N:
How is wordfast?
P. E:
G: you lost the answers?
O. G:
In fact I manage to make it shorter sometimes
M. S:
so right!!#
P. E:
I like wordfast
M. F:
I agree with you,P!
O. G:
I tried to explain how I get a wordcount from a pdf
R. P:
ditto
C. W:
Wordfast is great!
M. N:
is it better than trados?
O. G:
select copy paste into word and Voilà
T. S:
I agree that translators should not be used by cats!
M. W:
i think it’s good business to generally agree before starting work.
S.L.:
a lot better than trados
O. G:
Finally !
C. W:
contact me and i’ll tell you (they don’t pay me for saying this)
S. C:
yes sometimes some sentences are shorter
P. E:
I copy and paste to word.
B. W:
wrong kind of CAT!
R. K:
I think these CATs too costly for translators in eastern countries
P. E:
I prefer classic
C. W:
i don’t know if it’s better, just very good and cheaper
T. S:
For me all these CATs are very expensive.
R. K:
yes
M. S:
across is free for freelancers
T. S:
Translators are not well paid in Belarus
L. G:
maybe this can help
R. P:
I was not about to spend close to USD 900..
P. C:
Personally I think Trados is a rip off
P. E:
speaking of cats what about forming a group and “chipping in” for a tool?
M. S:
across is free.
L. C:
Talking about dinero, i would like translation rates in Europe
R. P:
Will the agencies next step be to extract the TM we have in our head?
B. W:
only if there is 20% in it for them
R. P:
LOL
A. P:
Any Mac users in the lounge?
M. S:
20%? Show me that agency! They’d charge 50 at least!
A. I:
Hi, good afternoon to all
J. F:
Yes, I expect so, R. P. The British (soi-disant) government is already trying to do that.
C. M:
R.P, I think it will
P. C:
A. P, I am a Mac user!
B. W:
actually, they usually charge 30%
C. M:
are there any free CATs?
A. D:
Hi! Hello all! If you have a Facebook account and are interested in XXX conferences, add “XXX Conferences” as a friend, and visit the official group: XXX!
M. D:
yes
M. D:
OmegaT
M. S:
YES! ACROSS! but noone seems to listen!
B. W:
there are LOOADS of free CATS but are YOU willing to stake your rep on them?
A. D:
Interested in organizing a XXX Conference in your city/country? Apply here: XXX!
M. N:
if you have to take a test for a translation project in Europe, typically how many words should you accept to do for free?
A. D:
Want to share knowledge at XXX conferences and be a speaker? Apply now here: XXX!
A. I:
Mac user in the lounge
A. D:
Feel free to come visit us at the XXX Training and Conferences booth to find out more about our upcoming events – we are in the XXX Hall.
R. P:
One of my “agencies” wanted a discount every time they gave me a TM….beware of foxes
A. D:
Don’t forget to visit our upcoming conferences page under XXX – look for some 2010 conferences to be announced soon!
I. D:
No more than 500 words.
S.L:
200 – 300, depends on the subjact
A. P:
This chat is way too schizoid for me! Next time it might be a good idea to divide the lounge into thematic spaces, otherwise everything just becomes one deafening chat chaos!
J. L:
anyway, how is wordfast better than Trados?
M. N:
but not 2000 words, right?
A. B:
any experienced English- Catalan translators out there?
B. W:
2000 ????? they are pulling your leg!
I. D:
2000 words is way too high, unless it’s being paid for.
S.L:
no, M.N. – never ever!!!
S. C:
2000 words is not a test
O. G:
It is the software that is schizo
M. N:
thanks for the tip.
S.L:
someone is trying to get a translation for free off you
S. C:
it is someone trying to rip you off
M. N:
is across a name of a tool?
B. W:
at least the famous highway robber Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask!!!
G. S:
oofff, 300 words is a test, 500 even, but 2,000…!!!
O. G:
Even going back in the conversation, it keeps jumping every time someone sends a message
G. S:
I was wondering about across too.
I. D:
Copy and paste into Notepad for jump-free reading.
M.N:
you just have to scroll up, C. W!
O. G:
jumping
P. E:
someone at XXX cancel automatic scroll please?
O. G:
Hihihi
O. G:
This is getting schizo !
M. S:
yes, please
M. N:
it’s a like true tower of babel, am loving it!!
A. P:
This chat is pure dada.
L. C:
indeed
A.L:
please, I also want to read previous messages
R. T:
Hello, we are looking for German-English translators. Regards from Stuttgart (Germany)
G. S:
can’t you just click on the individual u want to chat with?
E. B:
Any frustrated Macintosh users out there who need low-cost TM software?
M. S:
yesss, Dada
O. G:
The dada is galoping ! Jajaja !
A. R:
dada or lady gaga?
B. W:
Mr D….you are a goddamn genius!!!!
G. S:
I love the guy in the middle waggling his fingers all day ;.D
A. P:
I am a frustrated Mac user!
D. M:
Oh, this chat is driving me mad…I should continue my translation work instead…
O. G:
A dada is a horse in French so I thought the joke was not so bad …
J. B:
this chat  is a cocktail party with three or four different converstions in earshot
B. W:
you would think you were Scottish!!
O. G:
in baby talk french
O. G:
Scott me ?
B. W:
no.,…Mr D.
G. A:
I love dada but what about where to go to improve myself online for Spanish grammar…
E. B:
P: got you already.
C. G:
beam me up
E. B:
Spread the word, please.
S.L:
now, I am completely lost and off for a coffee …..
L. T:
This window really does move fast.
J. B:
You found the bar???
L. T:
Perhaps more coffee will help ;-P
T. S:
I really need some vodka. Coffee is not helpful
O. L:
I was trying to read for 4 hours….
R. P:
Well. un the US we still drink coffee while you’re cozily in bed…the way the world turns
B. W:
and while you are there…..tell them ROUND is a good idea for wheels!

(Note: edited for length, but no changes made to original phrasing or spelling.)

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