Forums about proz.com » Poll Discussion »
Pages in topic:   < [1 2 3]
Poll: Would you turn down a job offer because it is poorly written (grammar/spelling errors)?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 20:43
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Make me an offer! May 1, 2012

I said "Yes," because being poorly written *could* be a reason for turning down a job. That's the way I understood the question.

However, I have turned many sow's ears into silk purses in my career. If I have the time, the money is right, I'm in a good mood, and I want to help the client out, I will do it. Fortunately, those circumstances come together quite often.
 
Marlene Blanshay
Marlene Blanshay  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 23:43
Member (2009)
French to English
+ ...
no May 2, 2012

I'm an editor and editing is part of the job. For translation, it does mean more work- spellcheck for one thing...and then the translation can be more difficult. Most people are NOT great writers anyways.
The biggest problem is when people write things they believe are 'creative' and then, when you translate it, they criticize you for 'not getting it.' I once translated something for a non-profit association, about an event they'd held for fundraising. The writing was just terrible but th... See more
I'm an editor and editing is part of the job. For translation, it does mean more work- spellcheck for one thing...and then the translation can be more difficult. Most people are NOT great writers anyways.
The biggest problem is when people write things they believe are 'creative' and then, when you translate it, they criticize you for 'not getting it.' I once translated something for a non-profit association, about an event they'd held for fundraising. The writing was just terrible but the author obviously thought she was really creative and a great writer. She did not like my translation and gave my client a really hard time because I apparently didn't 'get it'. The truth was, I actually improved on the original. I wish i HAD turned down that job!

So spelling and grammar errors aren't really a big problem...it's awful writing by people who don't know their limitations and don't understand translation. ▲ Collapse
 
Umang Dholabhai
Umang Dholabhai  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 09:13
English to Gujarati
+ ...
No but not as a rule May 2, 2012

On numerous occasions, I have accepted OCR'd sources which as all of us know, are sometimes much worse than grammatically wrong content. It all depends on the agency, deadline and the rate. I charge extra for the faulty source because I try to repair the source before I load it on my CAT. It keeps my TMs healthy.
 
Pages in topic:   < [1 2 3]


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Would you turn down a job offer because it is poorly written (grammar/spelling errors)?






TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »
Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »