Poll: How often do you tackle fields in which you have no or hardly any experience?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Oct 20, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you tackle fields in which you have no or hardly any experience?".

This poll was originally submitted by Barbara Carrara. View the poll results »



BogdanDjordj
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
Occasionally Oct 20, 2018

As long as I'm available, I'm usually prepared to have a bash at most things I think are doable. I think I can usually tell if I'll be able to handle a translation or not, whatever the field. However, I no longer do financial translations, as I don't enjoy them and it is one specialised area I prefer to leave to people with more knowledge and experience. There are probably others, but all I can say is that in the past twenty years or so I've only rejected a few work offers due to lack of knowled... See more
As long as I'm available, I'm usually prepared to have a bash at most things I think are doable. I think I can usually tell if I'll be able to handle a translation or not, whatever the field. However, I no longer do financial translations, as I don't enjoy them and it is one specialised area I prefer to leave to people with more knowledge and experience. There are probably others, but all I can say is that in the past twenty years or so I've only rejected a few work offers due to lack of knowledge of the subject area.
PS: Come to think of it, patents is another area I'd be reluctant to work in, preferring to leave it up to people with more knowledge and experience. I collaborated with a colleague on a patent translation with a colleague once, and I remember thinking "rather you than me"…

Almost all of my clients are direct, so I am usually familiar with the material I get sent to translate for them, so perhaps that's why I rarely find myself faced with unfamiliar subjects.

[Edited at 2018-10-20 09:33 GMT]
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BogdanDjordj
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:26
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Occasionally Oct 20, 2018

It depends on the subject! Whatever the subject, I always examine first the source document. I will avoid like the plague extremely technical stuff (IT, engineering, pharmacy, chemistry, for instance). If I’m available and feel that with a good amount of research I’m able to do a good job, I’ll do it. I view translation as a constant learning curve...

Muriel Vasconcellos
Gibril Koroma
BogdanDjordj
Miyoung Park
Rachel Shaw
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 03:26
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Occasionally Oct 20, 2018

If its a subject matter that interests me and not in one of the areas that I strictly avoid (legal, engineering), and I think I can figure it out with online resources, I will give it a try.

Last year, for example, I translated a ginormous project on dam safety oversight in Brazil. I'm interested in anything that has to do with water (and had recently seen the devastation from the dam breach in Minas Gerais), and I found an authoritative bilingual glossary online, so I got through
... See more
If its a subject matter that interests me and not in one of the areas that I strictly avoid (legal, engineering), and I think I can figure it out with online resources, I will give it a try.

Last year, for example, I translated a ginormous project on dam safety oversight in Brazil. I'm interested in anything that has to do with water (and had recently seen the devastation from the dam breach in Minas Gerais), and I found an authoritative bilingual glossary online, so I got through it quite admirably.

[Edited at 2018-10-20 10:22 GMT]
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Vuka Mijuskovic
Vuka Mijuskovic  Identity Verified
Serbia
Local time: 11:26
English to Serbian
+ ...
Hardly ever Oct 20, 2018

The Google (culture) has programmed me to refrain from diving into a new field unless I have a refferent connoisseur at my reach. Getting to know a field from a totally ignorant starting point cost far more time and effort invested in elimination of fake news and irrelevant aspects than it takes for learning. But if I find myself holding prejudice against some issue or fenomenon, I try harder to reach a connoisseur whose wisdom I can rely upon.

Ricki Farn
Yaotl Altan
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 11:26
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
Occasionally Oct 20, 2018

Less often now than in earlier years.

It still depends on the topic and the level of detailed knowledge required. If the text is targeted for the informed general reader, I may have a go, and I have sometimes turned down a job, only to see it bouncing back a couple of days later, with the client begging me to try anyway, as they could not find anyone more suitable!

I was terrified of a text about rebuilding a church organ. It was a delight to read - a Marcussen organ is
... See more
Less often now than in earlier years.

It still depends on the topic and the level of detailed knowledge required. If the text is targeted for the informed general reader, I may have a go, and I have sometimes turned down a job, only to see it bouncing back a couple of days later, with the client begging me to try anyway, as they could not find anyone more suitable!

I was terrified of a text about rebuilding a church organ. It was a delight to read - a Marcussen organ is a wonderful instrument.
http://marcussen-son.dk/en/more-about-organs/
None of this was translated by me.
Luckily, the client found a translator who really understood all the lovely manuals and stops and voices, diapasons, pipes and bellows, so I was glad I had refused to struggle with it.

There are definitely occasions when it is best to say no and stand by it.
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Ricki Farn
Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 11:26
English to German
Hardly ever Oct 20, 2018

I try not to. Sometimes I do an unfamiliar field to help out a good client who has a good reason for asking me. But the research is just too time-consuming.

The obvious exception are texts for friends - "can you translate my best-man speech in the wrong direction, I need it two hours from now" is irresistible, isn't it


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
often Oct 20, 2018

I work as a translator and an interpreter, so I often encounter interdisciplinary fields and indirect facts, which I have to research; why?

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:26
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Not commonly Oct 20, 2018

I developed a client portfolio of companies that mainly work in the areas I'm specialized at, or agencies that know well my specialty fields and send me mostly these documents. It happens regularly that agencies ask me to translate things that are not in my areas of expertise. In these cases, there are three possibilities:
1. I refuse documents in areas like medicine, pharmacy, and the like. These require expertise and inaccuracy could mean harm to other people. So I indicate friends who a
... See more
I developed a client portfolio of companies that mainly work in the areas I'm specialized at, or agencies that know well my specialty fields and send me mostly these documents. It happens regularly that agencies ask me to translate things that are not in my areas of expertise. In these cases, there are three possibilities:
1. I refuse documents in areas like medicine, pharmacy, and the like. These require expertise and inaccuracy could mean harm to other people. So I indicate friends who are specialized.
2. I also refuse most college/university papers, not because I'm not able to translate them, but because they are a real PIA, as well as the clients. Pedantic language, using 10 words to say something anyone else would use three words, people who think they speak the other language and want to make corrections in your work, etc. I really don't have to go through this anymore. Find someone else.
3. In most other cases, I'll just take a good look at the document and see if I feel comfortable with it, and translate it.
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Yaotl Altan
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:26
French to English
not very often Oct 22, 2018

I only have one source language but I have done translations in loads of different fields.

I never touch anything legal, financial or overly-technical, although I might just do a straightforward contract for a customer whose business I know well, and I do tackle fairly technical stuff when it's a subject that interests me. I've found out all sorts of things about the workings of bicycles, and I've also expanded my knowledge of biofuels, simply because I've been persuaded to do trans
... See more
I only have one source language but I have done translations in loads of different fields.

I never touch anything legal, financial or overly-technical, although I might just do a straightforward contract for a customer whose business I know well, and I do tackle fairly technical stuff when it's a subject that interests me. I've found out all sorts of things about the workings of bicycles, and I've also expanded my knowledge of biofuels, simply because I've been persuaded to do translations in those fields. While I don't "do tech", I'll make the effort for people working in sustainable development simply because it's something I believe in.
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Poll: How often do you tackle fields in which you have no or hardly any experience?






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