Imperfect Translators Are Often Useful

[PhilipDT]

And this is the problem. It's difficult to just learn to translate from a university career. You really need to have spent some time immersed in the language. The people I know who can pop off the best accurate translations are people who are fully bilingual have spent significant time living abroad.

 

[Ceviche]

I have dealt with 4-5 translators in last 5-6 months. All a bunch of lazy jokers. Wonder, what they were learning for 5-7 yrs! The university must devote some time to teach them how to carry themselves professionally.

 

[nikad]

I have plenty of experience translating and interpreting to/from English and Spanish. My entire life is a translation lol! Seriously, if there is a need for a service as you guys describe I can do it for a small fee. Call your cable company, get appointments over the phone, call your building managers, etc. Not sure how much one could charge it either in order to make it affordable.

 

[nativexpat]

Translating is not the same as interpreting. Argentina's "traductores publicos" seem to be more trained to work on translating legal documents and written material, not on conversation.

What you probably need is an interpreter, or, as PhillipDT said, someone who is bilingual and has been immersed in both cultures.

 

[French jurist]

When I was studying Law to become a lawyer (finally changed my mind after 4 years studying, opting for the Art market instead: denying the world of lies for the world of beauty), I also got a diploma to do legal translations. Then, 15 years later, I started being a translator (started thanks to an ad on this site btw).

"Translator" covers many realities: from the guy who'll give a hand interpreting for basic administrative tasks to the one who will translate Court decisions in complex & expensive cases. A real translator is someone able to translate accurately, convey the spirit of a text while doing 0 mistake/typo in 5.000 words (even typographical ones).

It's also true you need to live in other countries to be really good. I lived in the UK + US and that proves really useful, like last week for a game to be released soon on the Steam platform: a string like "Don's Vice shirt" (outfit for the game); to understand that one, you need to have watched TV in the US back in the 1980's.

A really good translator (even telecomputing) can easily make 8/10.000 USD monthly.

Gaming (casinos, poker sites) is also an interesting market, especially when the US will become more flexible about those sites.

 

[mulderfox]

the uba translators study in figueroa alcorta ¨facultad de derecho¨ that alone tells you a lot. yes they work better with documents.

 

[Rich One]

Cristina's translator is amazing.

Amazing meaning Excellent?

 

[trennod]

And this is the problem. It's difficult to just learn to translate from a university career. You really need to have spent some time immersed in the language. The people I know who can pop off the best accurate translations are people who are fully bilingual have spent significant time living abroad.

This.
To be a really good translator you would need atleast a good few years of immersion in a country to supplement any studying I would have thought.
I have seen the work of our translators in the office (albeit its mostly writing), and the goods ones have spent a good amount of time outside.

 

[trennod]

They want good money but are extremely lazy, slow, unresposnive non-professional!

I am not sure its only the Argentine translators that fit this description

 

[Ceviche]

I am not sure its only the Argentine translators that fit this description

lazy they are !

Though am sure, their must be good ones too. especially those without a degree.