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Author
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Topic: translating rate portuguese or spanish to English
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joydiane
Member Posts: 9
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 27 November 2003 11:19
  
Is my rate too high or too low..I live in USA..I charge .04/word . I love the two languages I translate from ..so dont really want to over charge..I translate from Portuguese to English and form Spanish to English.. Joy
IP: 64.136.26.235 |
Hikmat
Member Posts: 7
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 29 November 2003 17:58
Hi,I think the best way to gauge a price is by looking at a number of translation web sites where you can see published prices. Also, prices depend on the level of difficulty of the text. You would charge a different rate if you were doing general text than if you were doing technical stuff. I hope this helps. You do not want to run the risk of underpricing, because (a) you make very little profit, and (b) if you decide later it is too low and want to increase your price your customers will find it hard to accept that. Good luck quote:
Originally posted by joydiane:
Is my rate too high or too low..I live in USA..I charge .04/word . I love the two languages I translate from ..so dont really want to over charge..I translate from Portuguese to English and form Spanish to English.. Joy
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Hikmat Faraj
Translator,
Arabic-English-Arabic IP: 68.219.203.233 |
alex
translatortips staff Posts: 462
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 01 December 2003 19:34
I agree with Werner that 4 cents a word is too low, but I don't think there can be an arbitrary threshold above or below which someone can be automatically regarded as unprofessional.In the UK, the average rate charged by freelance members of the ITI for French and German into English is 53 GBP per 1000 words. Even at today's weak dollar, this equates to 8.6 cents a word, and would label the average Ger-Eng/Fre-Eng ITI member unprofessional. Don't get me wrong, I am an advocate of high quality - high rates. 4 cents is too low and I would question the quality from that person. But in some markets, 10 cents or slightly less would be OK.
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Alex Eames
http://www.translatortips.com
helping translators do better business IP: 62.254.128.7 |
joydiane
Member Posts: 9
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01 December 2003 19:40
Regarding too low and other comments..I just finished a document for a lawyer..I shared with him your comments..He said that in most countries the rate is lower than .10/word and that to compete with other translators you must drop the price..Quaility is not the question...It's competition and whether or not someone wants to pay your rates.
IP: 64.136.26.235 |
joydiane
Member Posts: 9
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01 December 2003 20:04
I feel very sorry for any translator who has to lift himself up by putting others down. You are riding high on your horse George, but remember its a longer drop!
IP: 64.136.26.235 |
Hikmat
Member Posts: 7
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01 December 2003 20:51
I think we need to go back to the original question Joy asked, and the spirit in which she asked it. Joy, I wish you good luck, but remember that it is always good to gauge the market before you commit to a price. On the question of quality, George does have a point. Recently I translated a document from English to Arabic. I was shocked by the English text. But my translation did not reflect the poor language usage. Just because the source language is badly written doesn't mean the target has to be badly written. Of course I didn't charge extra for "reading" the source in good English. ------------------
Hikmat Faraj
Translator,
Arabic-English-Arabic IP: 170.140.212.112 |
joydiane
Member Posts: 9
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01 December 2003 21:31
Yes, Please do visit my website. It isn't a professional site. I am not a member of any agency. Although I am working very closely with other translators.
http://yourtranslator.has.it also visit:
http://www.geocities.com/littlefranciscan/littlefranciscan.html Also visit http://www.poetry.com and look up Joy D Pachowicz.. God love you!!
IP: 64.136.27.226 |
joydiane
Member Posts: 9
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01 December 2003 21:43
George..You seem to have some problem here. I never said I wasn't a professional. I simply said I dont belong to an agency.Seems you have nothing better to do but to pick at everything I write; but you know what, I shall pray for you . I live a life that is full to the brim..Work 70 hours during the day caring for an elderly lady, attend daily Mass, say daily prayers, clean the church, teach the children and then do translation work so I do give idle time to the devil. Seems you need something else to do..Well perhaps you can take time to say a prayer for me? I think it would help me more than any of the words you have posted here so far. God bless you!
IP: 64.136.27.226 |
joydiane
Member Posts: 9
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01 December 2003 21:49
A person who tells another not to pray for him is badly in need of prayer. You probably are as smart as Lucifer was when he fell from Heaven. Will pray!IP: 64.136.27.226 |
alex
translatortips staff Posts: 462
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 02 December 2003 10:05
I'm closing this thread now.IP: 62.254.128.7 |
Topic Closed
