In defense of translators and the translation profession

Recently, as is increasingly common in the translation industry, as of 2009 into the beginning of 2010, prospective customers are complaining about rates.

"That's expensive" or "That's too high", they say.

Certified translations

For example, a certified translation (in the U.S., this means a translation with a notarized statement of accuracy) of one page, such as a birth certificate, costs around $60.00 to $105.00. Customers will complain that it is only one page and can't take longer than 20 minutes to complete; but, there is more involved than they know...

First of all, that little birth certificate must be printed up to provide a workable copy from which to translate. The translator often has to use a magnifying glass to read the fine print, messy handwriting or faded print, and official codes, numbers, and seals on the document.

Secondly, The translator must double check terminology, as official language and terms vary from one province of a country, like France, to the next.

Then the translator must type up the document and proofread, making sure dates, numbers, codes, spelling of names, etc., are correct.

The translation must then be printed up (Think printer ink ribbons last a long time and are cheap?) along with a statement of accuracy with official letterhead.

After all this, the translator must drive to a public notary, perhaps wait in line at a bank or office, to get the statement notarized. It costs, in the year 2010, $10 for this notarization. This little trip to the notary public, assuming he or she is available in conjunction with the due date/delivery date requested by the translation customer; takes upon average one hour.

Then of course, the notarized documents, both source and target texts, must be mailed. So, a trip to the post office is necessary, too. Either wait in line(more time consumed) or use the automatic postage machine. This can be from $3 to $5 depending on weight of documents, distance, etc. Don't forget envelopes, which can cost up to a dollar depending on size.

So, for that little certified translation of a one-page birth certificate, it may take the translator up to 3 hours to finish the job.

And, in addition to that, did the customer compute the translator's electricity bill, gas costs for travel to notary and post office, phone bill, web site and advertising costs?

Technical, legal and other translations...and the qualifications, knowledge and work involved...

Translation customers sometimes erroneously assume that we translators just whip up a translation document immediately, as if we were interpreters listening to one spoken language and transforming it instantly into another.

There is a process. First the source language text must be read over and difficult terminology, as in a legal or technical document, must be picked out for a glossary to be created. These words must be looked up in dictionaries, in online terminological databases, in other glossaries, etc., and compared with sometimes several definitions to choose the best word for the context. This itself can often take a full day for large documents.

Then typing. Hours of it sometimes. Days. Sitting in the same position. Finger strain. Back and neck aches. Eyestrain.

After all this, then the proofreading and editing. Spellcheck, read over slowly, edit, re-translate...

Almost all translators have at least a university BA degree in some discipline. And it takes at least two years to become a proficient translator, trial and error, experience with different texts, knowledge of online resources, etc.

All that work would add up to a graduate degree or a law degree!

Home business: translators and translation agency start up

Becoming a freelance translator/My Journey from freelance translator to translation agency entrepreneur

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Early Days, the Roots of My Translation Career

Prague

The Beginning of My Freelance translation Career

Mobile Translation Office: The Trip to Spain

Scrambling Around Malaga with Laptop/Search for Wi-Fi

The London Translation Agency

Cutting back on per-word rates for translations

Summer 2008