| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Have your ever done a big translation for free? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have your ever done a big translation for free?".
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| | | | Oriol Vives (X) 
Spain
Local time: 17:21
English to Catalan
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The first thing that came to my mind after reading this ludicrous question was "Has the bank ever payed your mortage for free?".
The sad thing is that proz.com allows this.
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 17:21
Member (2006)
German to English
Why would you do a large project for free?
| | | | | Yes, once or twice | Jun 9, 2021 |
Some years ago I did a big translation FR-PT for the UN Online Volunteer Service. Curiously enough, and quite unexpectedly, this volunteer assignment turned into a paid job later on. Life is full of surprises!
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My first big translation project was actually a fan translation of a videogame with around 300k words. We were a small team but I ended up doing most of the work. It was this project that convinced me I could do this professionally. Now I only needed to convince everyone else.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 18:21
Member
English to Turkish
Where are those people who donated hundreds of thousands of words to TwB? I remember seeing dozens of them here, proudly showing how many thousands of words they've donated. Why are they such a minority in this poll (only %5)? So was it all a marketing gimmick? What happened to the 'love'? 'Playing with words' and the like?
| | | | P.L.F. Persio
Netherlands
Local time: 17:21
Member (2010)
English to Italian
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| Yes, as a volunteer | Jun 9, 2021 |
Until 10 years ago, I used to translate many sermons (EN>IT; I did a book, too) for an Evangelical organisation in the USA; I was also a UN Online volunteer in the same linguistic pair but, occasionally, I'd put myself forward for RU>EN translations and was chosen, surely because there weren't any other English-native translators available, or even Russian ones.
There was this really interesting – if unsettling– Report of the National Human Rights Centre of the Republics of Uzbe... See more Until 10 years ago, I used to translate many sermons (EN>IT; I did a book, too) for an Evangelical organisation in the USA; I was also a UN Online volunteer in the same linguistic pair but, occasionally, I'd put myself forward for RU>EN translations and was chosen, surely because there weren't any other English-native translators available, or even Russian ones.
There was this really interesting – if unsettling– Report of the National Human Rights Centre of the Republics of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine on the UN OHCHR Questionnaire on prevention and elimination of child, early and forced marriage.
I translated it to the best of my abilities, and the coordinator in Geneva told me they were very satisfied, but it's definitely not something I would do now: too fewer energies, too much self-awareness in order to tackle translation between 2 non-native languages. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | No big translations | Jun 9, 2021 |
In general I don't do big translations at all. I get tired of them, long before they are finished!
I have one regular non-profit museum that I do small jobs for free of charge. They pay for larger books or catalogues with more than 5000 words or so. (Those are really 'picture books', although the text may be quite demanding.)
I have also done other jobs for free as support for non-profit organisations, but otherwise business is business! I prefer clients to pay, and the... See more In general I don't do big translations at all. I get tired of them, long before they are finished!
I have one regular non-profit museum that I do small jobs for free of charge. They pay for larger books or catalogues with more than 5000 words or so. (Those are really 'picture books', although the text may be quite demanding.)
I have also done other jobs for free as support for non-profit organisations, but otherwise business is business! I prefer clients to pay, and then I make a cash donation if I want to suport a good cause. ▲ Collapse
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Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 11:21
Member
Spanish to English
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| Asylum-seeker papers | Jun 9, 2021 |
A convincing asylum hearing in the U.S. requires a lot of translation work. I am active in a Vermont refugee action network that is hosting a family of four (among others). Besides all their birth certificates and such, there were a lot of newspaper articles documenting the political background in their country and the incidents of violence that were occurring. I believe there's a total of 65 pages, some of which require fancy formatting. In addition, the medical report for the person who was s... See more A convincing asylum hearing in the U.S. requires a lot of translation work. I am active in a Vermont refugee action network that is hosting a family of four (among others). Besides all their birth certificates and such, there were a lot of newspaper articles documenting the political background in their country and the incidents of violence that were occurring. I believe there's a total of 65 pages, some of which require fancy formatting. In addition, the medical report for the person who was shot at for handing out food to street people is about twenty pages. Most of it is hand-written (!), so I am translating only what I can clearly understand. A bilingual doctor in the group has offered to fill in the blanks, which is easier for her, because she has a general idea of the procedures involved in caring for trauma caused by gunshot. ▲ Collapse
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Baran Keki wrote:
Where are those people who donated hundreds of thousands of words to TwB? I remember seeing dozens of them here, proudly showing how many thousands of words they've donated. Why are they such a minority in this poll (only %5)? So was it all a marketing gimmick? What happened to the 'love'? 'Playing with words' and the like?
I’m here! No marketing gimmick at all! Over the years I’ve donated many translated words to TwB, but I no longer do (I don’t accept that they impose a specific CAT tool)…
| | | | Elena Simonelli
Italy
Local time: 17:21
Member (2006)
English to Italian
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Only for friends or family members, but really big translations. Does it count?
[Modificato alle 2021-06-09 13:16 GMT]
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 17:21
Spanish to English
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A few years ago, a young former acrobat from my local area suffering from spinal injuries asked me to help out by translating a website for a spinal injury related website, featuring a well-known researcher from a respected institution in the region, who had apparently achieved stunning breakthroughs in spinal surgery, and was on the point of starting to work on human patients. As it seemed like a good cause, I did the job, which would usually have cost a few hundred euros, free of charge. A few... See more A few years ago, a young former acrobat from my local area suffering from spinal injuries asked me to help out by translating a website for a spinal injury related website, featuring a well-known researcher from a respected institution in the region, who had apparently achieved stunning breakthroughs in spinal surgery, and was on the point of starting to work on human patients. As it seemed like a good cause, I did the job, which would usually have cost a few hundred euros, free of charge. A few months later, I was surprised to find that said lead researcher was now involved in a fraud case, litigated by families who believe they had been misled with claims of a miracle treatment. I don’t recall how the case ended up, and it may still be ongoing, giving the slowness of the Spanish justice system. I’ve also done the odd freebie for what I considered deserving cases in the past, but that website was the biggest.
PS: I don't think that the researcher or the young man who approached me had any fraudulent intentions at first. What happened was the research funding for the project was cut off, and the researcher in question had been approached by outside agencies who offered to fund the research in exchange for promoting it and, obviously, hoping to make a profit from it. Which is what ended up in the fraud case, with families being misled to believe there was a miracle cure just waiting for them. ▲ Collapse
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Ombeni Mtanga
Tanzania
Local time: 18:21
English to Swahili
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| Free translation service | Jun 9, 2021 |
I often offered it for free
| | | | Meridy Lippoldt
United States
Local time: 11:21
Member (2014)
French to English
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| Pro bono translating | Jun 9, 2021 |
I can highly recommend doing volunteer work for the non-profit Translators without Borders. Their subject-matter is usually produced by non-governmental agencies and is invariably for a good cause. I always learn something language- or substance-wise from the experience.
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 17:21
Member (2006)
German to English
I did not see the question relating to non-profit organisations because that is another matter. I saw the question relating to companies that take advantage of you doing the work for free.
If I had the time and it was actually helping someone for non-profit, that is another thing.
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