Posts Tagged ‘Barcelona’
Thursday, December 18th, 2008
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Aún cuando mi lengua materna no es el inglés, me siento muy orgullosa de mi habilidad de entender e interpretar este hermoso idioma y estoy muy agradecida por todos los beneficios que me ha brindado al enriquecer mi personalidad y por ende mi vida. Considero que aprender este idioma es una necesidad universal ya que ofrecer una amplia gama de ventajas en distintos niveles tales como el académico, cultural y el intelectual. Como Instructor de Idiomas siempre trato de enfatizar la importancia de aprender inglés y procuro inspirar a los participantes del curso a aprenderlo con pasión y sentirlo parte de sus vidas. Aprender otros idiomas ayuda a la gente a abrir sus mentes para adquirir una rica diversidad de información valiosa la cual es vital para estimular nuestra curiosidad racional y el intenso placer de descubrir nuevos conceptos e ideas que nos complementan como ciudadanos universales.
Hablar inglés ofrece innumerable recompensas, especialmente cuando nos conectamos al mundo a través de Internet pues hay mucho que aprender allí! También nos permite ser entendidos casi en todo lugar del planeta tanto por académicos así como el público en general. El inglés está en todas partes: la prensa internacional, programas de TV, música, deportes, programas de computación, política, ciencia, etc.
Para los hispanos aprender inglés es relativamente fácil pero no tenemos que limitarnos: podemos probar con el hebreo, japonés o árabe, entre otros, ya que aprender y disfrutarlo es un reto para la mente y el mejor estimulante para la inteligencia.
Como Traductor de Inglés – Español he disfrutado intensamente ya que el inglés me ha dado una excelente oportunidad para adquirir conocimiento en diferentes áreas. La Traducción se ha convertido en el arte que decora mi vida con sus sutilezas, matices y riqueza y no lo cambio por nada en el mundo!
Paulina Torres de Witt
www.goihata.com
Tags: Barcelona, Cataluña, Madrid, Pais Vasco, Traducciones de japonés en Zaragoza, Traductor japonés inglés español en España
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Thursday, December 11th, 2008
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We can see the results now but the economic slow-down started over a year; we have read about banks in crisis, credit restrictions, freezing of corporate investments, household consumption in freefall, rising unemployment in both industrialized and developing countries.
No doubt all economists agree about the situation being serious, involving wide-reaching reforms of our financial systems and resulting in a recession that will last for months, or even years as it’s becoming evident right now. Across the globe, many freelance Translators (like me!) have been forced to find other sources of income (I’m an In-Company English Trainer in the mornings!) and countless Translation agencies have closed down as a result of the recession.
The Translation world, which is almost entirely dependent on international trade, will obviously put up with the impact of the cost of such a downturn. If companies innovate less, open less branches in a foreign country and trade smaller quantities of products and services with their partners and clients abroad, there will be millions of manuals, corporate letters, advertisements that will no longer need to be translated in such circumstances, only those professionals with a strong will to remain visible in the market will obtain contracts in this diminishing market and stronger competition from colleagues ready to work for less.
I found these tips which might be useful for all of you to consider:
• Have your own web page where you present your profile and reference it carefully on Google
• Take advantage of public or professional websites such as Facebook or LinkedIn and create your profile there
• Remind your old customers that you are willing to serve them and provide satisfactory service. It is much easier to obtain a repeat order from an old satisfied customer than to obtain a new customer.
This will increase the chances of being contacted and will insert you in the global market as our markets are interwoven. We’ll survive
Paulina Torres de Witt
www.goihata.com
Tags: Barcelona, Bilbao, English, Interpreters, Japanese, Madrid, Sevilla, Spain, Spanish, Translators
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Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008
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Days ago I received a notification from a reliable source informing that even though there are respectable translation agencies on the Net there are a few which are unfortunately only fronts intended to deceive Translators and steal their work, and then they resell it getting a 100% profit while the Translators do not get paid. I really don’t know how do they do it, but it is wiser not to get involved with these dark entities. The names of the so-called firms are: ANIRARKANA and IXARASAMA and they appear as if they were operating in France.
We have to be alert in order to avoid bad professional encounters and find out about the dubious “clients” who are on the prowl in our profession. We need to be cautious and establish a business relationship based in honor and trust. One could say that it would be better to cultivate the clients that we have rather than trying to get new ones on a regular basis but this is not feasible most of the time and actually opposes the very nature of our service which is helping out anyone who needs us; we are in the service sector and we have to deal with people. When we are available we are ready to accept new clients and not only those we already know. What to do then?
Before you accept a job please check the agency using, e.g., Hall of Fame and Shame at translatorscafe, BlueBoard at proz, Untrustworthy Translation Agencies at translationdirectory, among others. As a rule of thumb, it is quite risky to accept an assignment from an agency which does not have a website, uses a web based e-mail address or does not answer a phone provided as a contact number although there may be exceptions to this rule.
Paulina Torres de Witt
www.goihata.com
Tags: Barcelona, Bilbao, Japanese English Spanish interpreter in Spain, Japanese Spanish translator in Spain, Japanese translations, Japanese translators in Spain, Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia. Basque country, Zaragoza
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Thursday, November 13th, 2008
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Of course we like to get things for free, who does not? There is a lot of free material out there, and the internet has created a paradise for those who hunt for free stuff. But to be completely honest, how much of that information do you ever act upon? How many free e-books and articles have you downloaded by now and never taken the decision – or had the time – to read them? Knowledge may be cheap these days but the disappointing fact is that what you do not pay for, you never value either.
So do yourself a favor. Ask only for what you really intend to use. And especially when your education is involved, avoid saving money, on the contrary, pay for it willingly. Realize that education is valuable and comes at a price. Resolve to pay that price and move into the fast track of the self-educated and successful people in our society. If you continually just seek for free stuff, what sort of message are you sending your subconscious mind? Are you affirming your affluence and that you truly value yourself? If you spend money on a book or courses, or take time out for training, doesn’t this send a far more powerful message to your inner mind that you actually think you are worth investing in? If you do not even spend a cent on your own self-improvement, then why on earth would you expect anybody else to care? If it’s financially difficult for you, see how can you make economies elsewhere.
Model yourself on the victorious in our society, and not on those with little talent or success. Make no excuses to break into the positive spiral. You have to be your best! Truly appreciate and nurture the successful Translator in you!
Paulina Torres De Witt
www.goihata.com
Tags: Barcelona, Bilbao, Japanese English Spanish interpreter in Spain, Japanese Spanish translator in Spain, Japanese translations, Japanese translators in Spain, Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia. Basque country, Zaragoza
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Saturday, July 12th, 2008
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We should always aim at rendering the best of our ability so, it is good idea to make sure that we are delivering a good translation. What are the actual criteria to use in order to decide that one translation is good and another is not or that one translation is “better” than another?
We should check the following points first:
Precision: The translation should be accurate, it should represent the text. It should be complete without omissions and correct so that it communicates the same sense, style and genre of the original.
Suitability: Ask yourself if the translation fulfils the purpose for which it was required. You should know to whom it is intended to, who is likely to use the text and how will it be used, e.g., is it about instructions to operate a machine? To re-launch a product? Knowing this will help you to put together a translation that is best suited to its purpose.
Knowledge of area and grammar proficiency: These two are linked. We should have experience on the topic or business area we are working with and the ability to produce a coherent translation aided by a good grasp of grammar.
Filtering: You should avoid filtering the message to match your own perspective. You are transmitting a message not expressing your likes and dislikes. If you do not agree or share the ideas of the original it would be hard for you to be objective so it is advisable to decline the job and pass the work to another Translator.
We know instinctively when we have done a good piece of work although there is still a need for objective criteria to be arrived at. In the meantime, a Translator who observes the above mentioned points will not be far away from excellence.
Paulina Torres De Witt
www.goihata.com
Tags: Barcelona, Bilbao, Japanese technical translations, Madrid, Quality tran, Quality translators in Japanese, Sevilla, slations in Spanish, Spanish technical translations
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Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
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A- “What did you say you did for a living?” asked me someone once.
B- “I’m a freelance translator,” I declared proudly.
A- “That sounds pretty glamorous. So you translate what important people say at press conferences and events and work with politicians, actors and actresses?” he added.
B- “No, that’s an interpreter. I work as a freelance translator,” I replied.
A- “And what do you do exactly?” he muttered, with an expression of total confusion on his face.
B- “I translate written documents, mainly legal and technical stuff,” I said.
A- “Oh, I see,” he exclaimed, as if showing disappointment and a complete lack of interest.
So what? Maybe being a translator is not a glamorous profession and you surely won’t make tons of money as probably a lawyer or a doctor would. But one thing’s for sure: if you’re up for a challenge, enjoy being alone for long periods of time and you don’t mind unreasonable deadlines, you’re on the right track. And let me tell you, there is something about this profession that is extremely rewarding. Once you get used to being completely isolated in front of your computer for days at a time, and you come to understand that you won’t be having any co-workers with whom to make small-talk or share a cup of coffee whenever you feel like taking a break, you’ll realize that this could even be a blessing. You might probably feel the need to make any type of contact with another human being once in a while – though I honestly don’t mind the solitude of my home or the fact that I might be considered a complete recluse – but once you’re past that, you’ll clearly understand what I’m talking about. I mean, nothing beats the luxury of being able to work in your pj’s if you want to.
And nothing can be better that arranging your own schedule: no need to set the alarm clock at unreasonable hours and no need to wait for the bus to go to work at 6.30 in the morning when it’s still dark outside. And if you’re thinking that having to endure the pressure of yet another deadline would be completely unbearable, you’ll see how that pressure will soon be part of a constant challenge that not only will you get used to, but you will also come to need. Since that is what makes this adrenaline-driven profession so alive in the first place. So what if being a freelance translator is not glamorous and you won’t become rich overnight? There is nothing like a good adrenaline rush when you’re alone late at night.
Clarisa Attademo
- www.goihata.com
Tags: , Barcelona, English interpreter in Bilbao, Madrid, San Sebastian, Spanish English technical translations in Spain, Spanish English translations, Spanish interpreter, Spanish translator, Vitoria
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Monday, April 7th, 2008
- www.goihata.com
Every company or individual requiring a translation service needs quality and most of the time a fast delivery wrapped in technical expertise. This is especially important with companies within the life sciences sector such as pharmaceutical and medical laboratories where any inaccurate translation of the information regarding prescribed dosage directions or product description could be extremely harmful and potentially lethal because they are usually manufacturers of medical and surgical equipment exporting on worldwide scale and must provide the most accurate information, complying with all the legal requirements for labelling or instructions in every language spoken within their target markets, for their intended audience. Inaccurate translation for such companies can be costly, both in the cost of correcting poor translations, but more critically in the potential cost to the health of the patient or end user of their products and so, expert localization is vital in these cases.
Translators working on these areas are mostly native speakers who have professional experience with a proven track record in the industry. Ideally, they should be practicing surgeons or doctors thus ensuring that the expertise applied to the translation and the terminology used are industry standard to guarantee they are upheld throughout and this is especially important with the Asian languages where perfectionism is key as linguistics is so complicated, and so challenging that it is vital for the Translator’s work to remain accurate usually by staying close to the native tongue, by staying in the country where the language is spoken.
A Translator must have a mix of sharp language skills, formal training, real-life translating experience and most especially the ability to think in two or more languages at once to ensure excellence becomes an intrinsic part and the basis of all our tasks and projects. We should (must!) really exude Quality!
Paulina Torres De Witt
- www.goihata.com![]()
Tags: Barcelona, Bilbao, Japanese technical translations, Madrid, Quality tran, Quality translators in Japanese, Sevilla, slations in Spanish, Spanish technical translations
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