What You Should Never Tell A Translator or An Interpreter

Are you aware that disturbing a crawling snake on its belly or touching its tail is one of the wrong decisions you will ever make?  If it looses its temper the only decision it will have is to bite you because you are like fooling and depriving its rights for peace on the planet earth. Likewise to translators and interpreters, telling them some things may distress and cause trauma to them, thus, in order to avoid such, let’s understand what translators and interpreters hate to be told, just a snake that hates its tail to be tempered with;

Never be attempted to say to a translator that his job is simple or easy; at times we might assume that some one’s job, task or role in an organization is simple, it’s not true, all jobs  are simple and difficult, in fact, the way you experience yours, is the way the translator does. In the translation field, you may not think, but assume that translating words from one language to another is simple and stress free, nevertheless, these translation job holders face some problems when it comes to dealing with technical and complicated terminologies in their specialized fields, they have to first study and carry a thorough research of some terminologies they come across in the project in order to produce accurate translations of that particular word in a target language, let’s assume it's you whom someone tells, “man speed up, this is something simple” will that statement be good to you or it will disappoint you? You may pretend to smile at that person because he or she is your client, but inside your heart will be painful. Therefore, telling a translator or interpreter that his/her job is easy the way you assume is annoying and not good at all.

My project is small, can you translate it for free?; this is totally annoying and unbelievable, we have a saying “ a man eats from where he works” how then can you tell some that your work is small, so a free translation service should be offered, to a translator such a statement is like minimizing him or her. Remember for them to  acquire that knowledge involved paying a lot of money, time spent attending classes, so by the time he comes to the field, he or she expects something though it’s small, not just working for free.

I can’t pay you for your translation services, but you can use it on your portfolio! In the world of business, we really need to understand that no one can work for free, therefore, translators will appreciate your offer either to mention your name in their Curriculum Vitae but this doesn’t mean they should work for free. Appreciation in a form of payment is more important for translators and interpreters. When you hire translation services from professional translators, you should kindly agree with the on the payments than telling them to use your details on their CVs, this can’t make sense for them.

Why do you take much coffee? Please, you need to get concerned about what you’ve taken to the translator to do for you, it's like asking car owners why they fuel their cars? Don't ask such a question, but rather ask what time will your work be ready, Asking that question to a translator is minor, they have their own reasons, and only need to mind about getting your work done successfully.