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tranfree issue 44 - 19 December 2001
The Internet and the Translation MarketBy Glyn L. Haggett Experiencing a shortage of work recently (partly, I suspect, a consequence of the fallout of the events of 11 September, partly the natural ebb and flow of the freelance translator's lot), I found myself for the first time entering a bid for a job posted on one of the online translation marketplaces.
What an eye opener!
Although the job listing in question included a short test piece (8 - 10 lines) and stated quite clearly that all bids were open (i.e. accessible to other bidders), some people took the trouble to enter a bid amounting to nothing more than offensive, condescending remarks to the effect that open bidding was unprofessional and that they would not therefore be participating in the process. Even now, well into my 15th year of involvement in the translation industry, I have not quite worked out whether translation just happens to appeal to the pedantic or whether involvement in translation turns formerly well-adjusted people into pedants. I am sure, however, that the arrogant attitude of these people does nothing either for the standing of the profession as a whole or that of those translators themselves. It may also deter those who posted the job on the Website from doing so in the future, to the detriment of all concerned.
Nor should it be forgotten that, for some of us, one of the attractions of life as a freelance is freedom from office politics. It is therefore extremely galling to encounter something just as corrosive in the online environment. Perhaps more interestingly, the pricing of the bids entered varied considerably. I suspect that English, as the international language of commerce, is exceptional in this sense. Many non-natives exhibit an admirable mastery of the spoken language; only when they attempt to translate written documents into English do the flaws in their knowledge really become apparent. Our profession remains misunderstood and undervalued. Translation clients are often unable to recognise the importance of high quality translation and its capacity to add value to a product. So there is a tendency to opt for the lowest bid - even when that demands more editing by a client's own staff once the translation is returned. This tendency can only increase in times of economic uncertainty. Some of the bids on the job in question offered prices which would not be viable for those of us based in Western Europe. We would not be able to cover our costs, let alone make a profit. As with any other market, the existence of low-cost providers is apt to bring down the value of the market in its entirety. The Internet and the global marketplace it fosters have created opportunity for some at the expense of increasing the challenge faced by others. Yet more evidence, if any were needed, of how important it is for us to exercise solidarity in our continuing efforts to improve standards and to educate clients to see translation as an investment rather than an expense.
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