TOP 10 THINGS THAT MAKE TRANSLATORS WANT TO SCREAM
LINGUISTIC FRUSTRATIONS
#1 Poor translation
From shop signs to official documents, mistakes in translation are sure to irritate the professionals. After all, why pay to have a sign printed but not to translate it properly first?
#2 Ambiguous phrases
Translators who don’t know the ultimate purpose of the text they are translating may find ambiguous phrases become a frustrating time drain. For example, ‘hand washing advised’ could refer to the person handling and object or the object itself – without knowing the purpose of the target text it is impossible to say.
#3 Language evolution
Languages change and develop over time, but official changes to them can cause headaches for professional translators. For example, ongoing reforms of Portuguese orthography have seen a large number of words change from one spelling to another over recent years, which has confused school children and translators alike
CLIENT FRUSTRATIONS
#4 Client delays
We’ve all had clients who are on the brink of needing a huge translation job undertaken, and then suddenly go silent for weeks on end.
#5 Friends looking for freebies
There will always be someone who thinks that because you are a translator you would like to do them a favour and translate something for them for free.
#6 Test translations
Many clients try to ‘test’ translators they haven’t worked with before by asking them to translate a sample of text for free. While one or two sentences may seem to be a reasonable request, some clients demand pages of translation in advance of hiring the translator – and all without payment.
#7 Urgent jobs
Some clients always seem to leave their translation needs to the last minute, then pile pressure on the translator to produce a flawless text in an unrealistic timescale.
FREELANCE FRUSTRATIONS
#8 Interruptions
Many translators work freelance, which prompts some friends to think that phoning or popping round is welcome at any time of day. Interruptions like this when you are working to a tight deadline or in the middle of translating a difficult text can be immensely irritating.
#9 Work flow
Many freelance translators find that they are either really busy or really quiet, with work never seeming to flow evenly.
#10 Projecting income
It can be frustrating and worrying for translators who don’t know precisely how much they will earn each month.
spelling to another over recent years, which has confused school children and translators alike. http://www.tomedes.com/translator-hub/10-things-that-make-translators-scream-hub.php