Translation

If I were consistent enough to have a core business instead of dabbling in too many things, it would be translation – at least, it is my steadiest source of income. If you happen to be looking for a Spanish-English translator, I hope you don’t need a detailed CV as I haven’t updated it in a long while, but here is a kind of mini-profile:

Languages: Spanish to English. Accepted good practice is to translate only into your native tongue, so under normal circumstances, I only translate from Spanish to English. I occasionally translate into Spanish, but there needs to be a good reason. I have varying degrees of proficiency in other languages – French, Portuguese, even Latin – but don’t work with them.
Specialities: air traffic control; civil engineering tenders; radar systems; presence and access control, etc. The full list is very long, as I have been translating professionally since 1991, approximately. Inevitably, I have worked with most language areas, though the bulk of the work that comes my way is technical.
Availability/Output: I am usually available for translation work. I turn out around 3,500-4,500 words a day comfortably and can accept up to 2,000-2,500 words a day from a single client, more when a relationship of trust has been established.
Rates and Payment: normal Spanish rates, by which I mean rates in Spain, that being where I live and have to buy my groceries. I rarely haggle, but the better the rate you offer, the more likely I am to be available. Payment on delivery would be nice, but the truth is most people pay me at 45-60 days.
Contact: send queries to jgross52 AT gmail.com, please.

And now, for your edification and amusement (if you are interested in language at least), the following are feeds from some of the sites I browse regularly to keep up to date or put myself in a translation frame of mind (this page is about the translation business – you’ll find more general, usually lighter articles about linguistics and language on the Language Stuff page). If you know a site related with translation or the translation business that would be in good company on this page, do drop me an e-mail or, better still, a comment.

Beyond Words – Language Blog

The Colonization of the English Language

Posted 5 days ago

In a BBC News Magazine article published several months ago, Matthew Engel discusses and laments Americanisms. The article, “Viewpoint: Why Do Some Americanisms Irritate People?,” explores the increasing presence of Americanisms in the British vernacular, and how some Americanisms should be a cause for alarm. As an American, I found Engel’s opinions humorous and a bit trite, but I’d like … [Link]

The Benefits of Flexing Mental Muscle

Posted 12 days ago

Brain Many roads lead to the education of a populace and the process and approaches to that end have changed, undergone scrutiny, been adapted, ramified, and revisited over mankind’s existence. Many centuries-old techniques, such as the regular memorization of poetry both in one’s native language and in foreign languages, have since fallen out of favor. Today, much of the Western world … [Link]

Thoughts On Translation

Book review: How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator

Posted 6 days ago

Judy and Dagmar Jenner posted a very flattering review of the second edition of my book How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator on their blog. In the spirit of disclosure, Judy and I are good friends, but we were fans of each other’s work before we became friends, so I trust her to be objective. I really appreciate this … [Link]

When a non-paying client “plays dead”

Posted 11 days ago

Non-paying clients are never fun to deal with, but it can be especially hard to deal with a non-paying client who “plays dead”: simply never responds to your phone calls, e-mails or letters. As a freelancer, what’s the best course of action when faced with a client who owes you money and practices nonviolent noncooperation? Here are a few thoughts. … [Link]

Musings from an overworked translator

Have the Top 100 Language Blog awards run their course?

Posted 3 hours ago

I received a reminder the other day that my blog had been nominated, but it just occurred to me that I had completely forgotten all about it – and none of the other language blogs I follow have even mentioned the awards either. Bravo, fellow bloggers, for seeing the awards as a way for a website to get a ton … [Link]