| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you ever sacrifice quality for speed? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Mario Chavez (X) 
Local time: 14:42
English to Spanish
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| Never…with some exceptions | Sep 25, 2015 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
First of all, I only accept tighter deadlines or rush jobs in a few exceptional circumstances and from a very short list of long-standing customers. So, speed is the least of my worries. I’m always looking for accuracy, clarity, tone, cadence, appropriateness for the target audience… In short, a translation that sounds natural and reads like an original. All this takes time!
The word never is such a strong and final word that leaves no room for exceptions.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 14:42
English to Spanish
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| I don't assembly-line words | Sep 25, 2015 |
I refuse to discuss quality when it comes to writing and translation.
Are book authors asked whether they can write a quality chapter? Or a quality ending to a fiction story? Are they?
Are lawyers asked to write up a quality summons? No. Are physicians expected or asked to write up a quality prescription for a patient? Are you kidding me?
I think we need a Robert De Niro character in our field to set certain things right. Let's stop talking nonsense about ... See more I refuse to discuss quality when it comes to writing and translation.
Are book authors asked whether they can write a quality chapter? Or a quality ending to a fiction story? Are they?
Are lawyers asked to write up a quality summons? No. Are physicians expected or asked to write up a quality prescription for a patient? Are you kidding me?
I think we need a Robert De Niro character in our field to set certain things right. Let's stop talking nonsense about quality. The whole 'quality' thing and 'quality metrics' have been hoisted on us by idiotic marketing people with dollar signs for eyelashes.
In all honesty, I couldn't answer No, never because, let's face it, we have all been there: getting started with our first or second client, and a job with a tough deadline comes our way. We cram in the words per day and we get paid a nice sum of change. So, let's not say never, ok?
The more years of experience in translation I accumulate, the less inclined I am to speed things up. Writing properly, whether it's a translation, a novel, a poem or a contract, takes time: being rushed is not going to get it done any sooner. There are exceptions, of course.
I had to handle a rush job today, between 200 and 300 words, for a hospital flyer. Not just the Spanish translation but the inDesign typesetting. I did all that inside of two hours because I could and because this is a long-time customer I value greatly. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:42
Hebrew to English
| Great sentence | Sep 25, 2015 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
The whole 'quality' thing and 'quality metrics' have been hoisted on us by idiotic marketing people with dollar signs for eyelashes.
| | | | | Just to be clear! | Sep 25, 2015 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
Teresa Borges wrote:
First of all, I only accept tighter deadlines or rush jobs in a few exceptional circumstances and from a very short list of long-standing customers. So, speed is the least of my worries. I’m always looking for accuracy, clarity, tone, cadence, appropriateness for the target audience… In short, a translation that sounds natural and reads like an original. All this takes time!
The word never is such a strong and final word that leaves no room for exceptions.
Even in those few exceptional circumstances of tighter deadlines I do not sacrifice quality for speed. If I feel that I can't guarantee quality, I simply won't accept the job!
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EvaVer (X)
Local time: 20:42
Czech to French
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when the client explicitly requires it. They need to know what is in the document and don't care whether all commas are in the right places or whether the text is beautiful to read. Recently, in such a case, a delivered a preliminary version for that purpose, and then a corrected version afterwards.
| | | | Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 01:12
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
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SITE LOCALIZER | I always sacrifice quality over speed - my tagline is "fast, accurate, elegant" | Sep 25, 2015 |
In my dictionary, there is no such thing as a quality translation - there is always scope for improvement. Even now, when I pull out decades old translations that I have done and which have successfully been implemented by the client and have stood the test of time in that they are being used over and over again in their manuals and publications, I cannot resit reaching out to my red pencil (figuratively, these days it is the keyboard) and tweak a word here, a sentence there, and look back for t... See more In my dictionary, there is no such thing as a quality translation - there is always scope for improvement. Even now, when I pull out decades old translations that I have done and which have successfully been implemented by the client and have stood the test of time in that they are being used over and over again in their manuals and publications, I cannot resit reaching out to my red pencil (figuratively, these days it is the keyboard) and tweak a word here, a sentence there, and look back for the effect, with a frown or a scowl on my face!
So deadline is the overriding criterion for me, and also for my client. If clients want quality (some do!) they give me sufficient time for me to work on the translation. If they demand the translation yesterday, they get an approximation of quality which is possible under the constraints, and they are answerable for the consequences - I make it a point to register this with them.
But having been in the translation business for decades and having a genuine affection for my profession, it is only with great difficulty that I am able to produce a shoddy translation, and that saves the day for me and my clients most of the time. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 16:42
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Never, ever, no room for exceptions! | Sep 26, 2015 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
Mario Chavez wrote:
Teresa Borges wrote:
First of all...
The word never is such a strong and final word that leaves no room for exceptions.
Even in those few exceptional circumstances of tighter deadlines I do not sacrifice quality for speed. If I feel that I can't guarantee quality, I simply won't accept the job!
This is what you would expect to hear from a professional. Congratulations, Teresa!
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