Claudia KP

Would you call an electrician and tell him it's a "simple" job?

Unless we are fellow electricians, we probably won't know how complex a task it might be.

This ad by a major book publishing company only suggests one thing to me: they *think* translations should be quick and easy, and therefore, they'll pay very little. 🚩

Am I too cynical? Maybe… but probably not.

#xl8 #translator #GermanEnglish #EnglishGerman #publishing #translation

Jul 2, 2024 at 2:46pmWeb
Show threadPeter ChristensenJul 3, 2024
@ClaudiaTranslates Presuming they are paying low rates, to continue your analogy, would an electrician charge a lower rate for a simple job? Of course not. You’re paying for their expertise, regardless of the complexity of the job.
Show threadClaudia KPJul 3, 2024
@petergarner Exactly!
Show threadErik MercerJul 3, 2024

@ClaudiaTranslates Let's be honest: You get what you pay for. I had "simple translation jobs" before. But, in that case, all they wanted was a semi-automated rough translate, they could edit themselves.

Unfortunately, people tend to use the words "simple" whenever they mean "cheap".

Show threadClaudia KPJul 3, 2024
@erik Yep. I wouldn't want to read their translated books, to be honest.