Poll: You see other translators as: Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| | | Competition doesn't stand in the way. Long live competition! | Oct 1, 2009 |
Actually, there is a deficiency of good translators...
...especially in high-quality professional translations (and "human" - non-CAT) translations. And there always will be...
Of course, students, amateurs and secretaries do beat down prices, but they are no competitors to pros, while for pros, competition does not stand in the way
So don't make our slippers laugh (BTW, this is also a "trans... See more Actually, there is a deficiency of good translators...
...especially in high-quality professional translations (and "human" - non-CAT) translations. And there always will be...
Of course, students, amateurs and secretaries do beat down prices, but they are no competitors to pros, while for pros, competition does not stand in the way
So don't make our slippers laugh (BTW, this is also a "translation").
Of course, sometimes competition HURTS, especially when a big project in one of your favorite fields is given to your colleague/friend/acquaintance/COMPETITOR and then that he/she/they ask you (or on KUDOZ) some questions that make you wonder about real motivation of our CLIENTS when they choose translators, editors etc.
But this, as a rule, hasn't to do with competitionand COMPETING...
[Edited at 2009-10-01 09:03 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Alexander Kupriyanchuk wrote: Of course, students, amateurs and secretaries do beat down prices, but they are no competitors to pros, while for pros, competition does not stand in the way
You made the point perfectly well, Alexander!
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but that need not be a bad thing.
We're in competition if we're pitching for the same job. Apart from that, I ask my colleagues for their opinion on words/phrases all the time. Their feedback and opinions are essential: sometimes it can help me understand a concept better, other times it is just to confirm that I've understood something correctly, and of course there will always be a time when something is just staring me in the face/is on the tip of my tongue but a deadline can't w... See more but that need not be a bad thing.
We're in competition if we're pitching for the same job. Apart from that, I ask my colleagues for their opinion on words/phrases all the time. Their feedback and opinions are essential: sometimes it can help me understand a concept better, other times it is just to confirm that I've understood something correctly, and of course there will always be a time when something is just staring me in the face/is on the tip of my tongue but a deadline can't wait!
One of the many things I like about being a proz member is Kudoz. I like being able to swap opinions and also being able to tap into more experienced translators' knowledge. ▲ Collapse
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 14:23
Spanish to English
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| Depends on who they are | Oct 1, 2009 |
Mostly colleagues, but occasionally competitors.
I went into hospital on Sunday, so left a "holiday response" in my email, saying would be unavailable until Thursday. However, the treatment had less complications than expected in my case and I was discharged on Tuesday. The first thing I did was check my mail and I had a job from a client agency. When I emailed confirmation of receipt, they told me they'd already passed the work on to another translator because of the "not available" mess... See more Mostly colleagues, but occasionally competitors.
I went into hospital on Sunday, so left a "holiday response" in my email, saying would be unavailable until Thursday. However, the treatment had less complications than expected in my case and I was discharged on Tuesday. The first thing I did was check my mail and I had a job from a client agency. When I emailed confirmation of receipt, they told me they'd already passed the work on to another translator because of the "not available" message. I was a shame because the text was the next part of something I'd already worked on for them and I'd have like to keep going with what I saw as my "baby".
On another tack, there are nowadays many self-styled "translators" out there working for peanuts, thereby busting the market and threatening to turn all of us into monkeys! That's is what I call unhealthy competition! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 14:23
English to French
+ ...
All translators (good or bad) are my colleagues, I suppose.
Quite a few are also friends or potential friends.
Competition is a useful characteristic of the free market. Some competitors are as good/better than I am, the market is big enough for them and me. Some are not, they will not last, whatever their prices.
[Modifié le 2009-10-01 10:32 GMT]
| | | | | definitely colleagues | Oct 1, 2009 |
[quote]Alexander Kupriyanchuk wrote:
Of course, students, amateurs and secretaries do beat down prices, but they are no competitors to pros, while for pros, competition does not stand in the way
That's the point: we if apply for the same job, it is fair, the client chooses the one who meets the requirements for a lower proce, obvious.
But I have formed a team with colleagues, and in the same team there are transaltors with my language pair... definitely colleagues.
| | | | Henry Hinds 
United States
Local time: 06:23
English to Spanish
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In memoriam | All Colleagues | Oct 1, 2009 |
We are all colleagues and friends. Here we all work in the same local (not global) market, we have our Association, our educational activities and we gather frequently. We have a great spirit of cooperation and we help one another. No one is ever "diminished" by someone else's success; rather, we celebrate it. If we look carefully, each one of us has our own "niches" in the market and our own particular strengths and specialties. When a project comes along where others are needed, we work togeth... See more We are all colleagues and friends. Here we all work in the same local (not global) market, we have our Association, our educational activities and we gather frequently. We have a great spirit of cooperation and we help one another. No one is ever "diminished" by someone else's success; rather, we celebrate it. If we look carefully, each one of us has our own "niches" in the market and our own particular strengths and specialties. When a project comes along where others are needed, we work together and provide support and we all profit. We compete on the market by doing our best, but professionally we are all associates. We do not take from one another; we give.
I think that is how it should be. ▲ Collapse
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| Competition is good! | Oct 1, 2009 |
Only 7% said "Competitors". But there is nothing wrong about feeling other translators in your language pair are your competitors. In fact, there is a lot to gain for us all with a competitive mentality: we get a set of goals, like being better, providing a better service, staying ahead, being recognized among the rest. This can only be good, not just for the individual, but also for the profession as a whole!
Being a competitor is nothing personal: You don't hate a competitor; you ... See more Only 7% said "Competitors". But there is nothing wrong about feeling other translators in your language pair are your competitors. In fact, there is a lot to gain for us all with a competitive mentality: we get a set of goals, like being better, providing a better service, staying ahead, being recognized among the rest. This can only be good, not just for the individual, but also for the profession as a whole!
Being a competitor is nothing personal: You don't hate a competitor; you can admire a competitor and his/her qualities and strive to be better in the long run; and a competitor can also be a friend if both people are fair and honest in their business and life.
I am glad I can consider many English-Spanish/German-Spanish translators my friends as well as my competitors and wish them lots of luck and success. But that does not mean I will let them escape with all the customers! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mohamed Gaafar
Egypt
Local time: 15:23
Member (2005)
English to Arabic
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| I totally agree | Oct 2, 2009 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
We are all colleagues and friends. No one is ever "diminished" by someone else's success; rather, we celebrate it. If we look carefully, each one of us has our own "niches" in the market and our own particular strengths and specialties. When a project comes along where others are needed, we work together and provide support and we all profit. We compete on the market by doing our best, but professionally we are all associates. We do not take from one another; we give.
I think that should be. "Global" cheers:)
[Edited at 2009-10-02 07:28 GMT]
| | | | | Colleagues - Henry says it beautifully | Oct 3, 2009 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
We are all colleagues and friends. Here we all work in the same local (not global) market, we have our Association, our educational activities and we gather frequently. We have a great spirit of cooperation and we help one another. No one is ever "diminished" by someone else's success; rather, we celebrate it. If we look carefully, each one of us has our own "niches" in the market and our own particular strengths and specialties. When a project comes along where others are needed, we work together and provide support and we all profit. We compete on the market by doing our best, but professionally we are all associates. We do not take from one another; we give.
I think that is how it should be.
At the same time, when I'm asked to work for rates I was earning 25 years ago, I realize that some colleagues are undercutting. I don't consider this "competition." The perpetrators are still colleagues, but they are hurting us all.
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