Did you know?

• The easiest way to reverse the language direction of a Translation Memory is to export it and then import it into a new TM going the other direction? For example: export a EN-FR TM, Create a new FR-EN TM, Import and voilà!
• You can translate a Word document with tracked changes on, you just have to change the default setting to allow this. (I have spent more time that I would like to admit opening files, accepting all changes, turning OFF track changes, and resaving. I will have to do some testing to see if this also compensates for the occasional formatting problem that was only solved by toggling back and forth between .docx and .doc files.)
• So, ah, it turns out you can search for a file with any number in it using regexp, instead of searching each number one by one. This comes up a lot with QA checking of number formats and I am truly embarrassed it took me this long to learn.

Those are just the easy tips. I am going to be spending a loooong time in the TM mines.

1. Legal translation is secretly a very broad niche. There are the basic categories of civil and criminal law, but there are specialties and subspecialties spiraling into the distance until you find a lawyer whose office is lined with equally well-thumbed copies of puppetry collector’s guides and maritime law.
2. There is something in me that loves dry and dusty subjects. I cannot explain it, but it most closely resembles my love for British humo(u)r.
3. Legal documents are ABOUT something. It might be a contract to develop a new method for finding documents or a lawsuit involving multiple generations of a family living in five different countries, but there is a reason, and a reason worth paying a lawyer, for the document to have been generated and then translated.
4. I love getting the inside story. The level of confidentiality involved in legal documents means that I am one of the few people, besides the interested parties, to see behind the curtain. I love this, and yes, I do take the need for confidentiality very seriously.
5. While not every lawyer is a virtuoso, it is a true joy to translate the complex arguments made by a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer.
6. The law itself is a system made up of words. I love words and I love systems. The two together are a delightful puzzle.
7. Law carries its history inside it and while English common law, the Napoleonic code, and international law may not be the most natural of friends, the ways in which they conflict are never dull.

What do you think? Do you love legal translation as well? If not, what do you love about your corner of the translation world?

Client #1: This client found me in the ProZ directory in 2011 and sent an email asking if I would be willing to complete a test translation:

I know that test translations can be controversial in some circles, but on the internet where no one knows you’re a dog, I understand when a client prefers the reassurance of a test (or small initial project). I replied that I would be happy to complete a short test of 250-300 words, but would charge my standard rate for longer tests. The project manager stated that this test was longer, but they were willing to pay my standard rate. They were happy with my test translation, I was happy with the payment and we all lived happily ever after (well, not quite, but that is a story for another day). This client was my largest customer in 2012.

Client #2: Personal networking through Twitter and at ATA Conferences

I have worked with this translator/editor on many projects. We have compatible working styles that make for an easy collaboration. I think the fact that we have a friendly relationship helps with our working relationship. Nonetheless, before we started working together, she requested samples of similar translation projects – trust but verify.

Client #3:  Dropped business card in fish bowl at a local Business Expo

Yes, that’s right. I dropped my business card in a fish bowl at large, multinational company’s booth at a general business event and received an email asking about my rates and translation experience. My work flow with them  has gone up and down as they have adjusted their business model and Project Managers have come and gone. I have been working for this company since 2009 which makes them one of my oldest continuous clients (I founded my translation business in 2008). I think it is important to note that their booth had nothing to do with translation or even international business.

Clients #4 & 6: Contacted directly through ProZ email

It doesn’t get much easier than this. I have maintained my ProZ membership, kept my profile up to date, and was contacted by these agencies when they needed legal translation. Of course, not every potential client who saw my profile contacted me or selected my services, but these are excellent results from what is essentially a passive effort.

Client #5: Established relationship at a Translation Conference

I attended a translation conference in Québec which required a bit more travel, but was ultimately rewarding both for the knowledge and the networking opportunities. I picked up a new translation project at the conference itself and established several relationships that may yet lead to new work.

Client #7: ProZ.com Connect! Jobs

Connect Jobs are not posted on the main page, but are instead emailed directly to translators who meet a specific set of qualifications. These are not guaranteed jobs, but as the pool of translators is smaller, I have seen a better rate of return than with general job postings. In fact, I did not acquire any of my top clients by replying to a generic job posting on ProZ or other site.

As I go further down the list, the numbers get smaller, the sources get more random, and I have lost track of some of the initial contact information. Many of the clients with smaller totals are individuals and other one-off jobs.  Even more intriguing, number eight on my list for last year is on track to be in my top three this year, but I have lost track of how we made the initial connection. Who knows what the rest of 2013 will bring?

Final Thoughts

There is no one magic source to find clients.  Memberships in ProZ and ATA definitely made a difference. I found clients (or they found me) via ProZ, at conferences, and networking events unrelated to translation. In many cases, it took a number of years and multiple connections to form a business relationship. Finding translation clients requires a combination of active and passive techniques, flexibility, and a healthy dose of patience. Now keeping clients… that is a subject for another day.

Did I learn Latin?

No.

But my goal was not to learn the entire language, but simply to learn more than I had before I began. On this measure I can claim success. I am not going to be talking to any dead Romans any time soon, but I discovered, or perhaps rediscovered, a lot of vocabulary. After studying French and Spanish, I found many terms familiar. In fact the Wheelock book is set up to exploit this familiarity with many charts showing words with similar roots in French, Spanish, Italian, and English. My biggest challenge was declensions, as I had suspected it might be from the very beginning. I have heard that in Shakespeare’s time, beatings were considered to be integral to the Latin learning process. Judging from the number of times Wheelock insisted that I memorize lists declensions, I do not doubt that a brute force, rote learning approach would be quite effective. As I was only “sampling” Latin, I skimmed (shhh!) the lists of declensions. However, I did come to understand how Latin’s declensions contribute to its reputation for being an elegant language. The declensions are very specific, but because of this, they contain a lot of information.

I also met my language learning goals in another way. This is a chart of “sum,” the Latin verb “to be.”

Cogito ergo sum

Students of French and Spanish will again find this very familiar – and yet different. In some ways it reminds me of Catalan or other Romance languages just out of reach. When I see these subtle changes in words, I think of cultures and individual people rubbing against each other, sharing and changing their language. I do not believe that Latin is the one, perfect, original language as it has often been portrayed. It is a root language, but one of many that shared and influenced others across the years. I feel like I cannot lose with this pursuit of language. Either I find something new and unexpected or an old friend.

On December 28, 2012, I received an ATA Newsbrief announcing that the Active Review Process was now online. I clicked the link and it took me all of five minutes to complete the application – including a few minutes to stare at the screen in amazement that it was that easy. On January 8, 2013, I received confirmation that my application had been approved.

Key Facts about Voting Member Status:

• This is not equivalent to certification.
• There is no cost for the review.
• You do not need to send in any paperwork BUT… you do need to have it on hand for a possible audit.

Who is Qualified (short version)?

ATA members who have been working as professional translators and interpreters and can provide proof of such upon request or that you are a “Persons professionally engaged in work closely related to translation and/or interpreting.” In other words, if it is worth it to you to be a member of the ATA, there is a good chance you meet one of the conditions. Some of the ways to qualify include being a member of Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs, being a translator or interpreter with a certification or degree from programs accepted by the ATA, being able to provide three years of tax returns showing that you have worked as a professional translator or interpreter, having letters of reference, etc.

See the Active Membership Review page on ATA’s website for the long version.

How easy is it?

1. Click on this link: Active Membership Review or go to the ATA website and search under membership for “Active Membership Review.” You may need to be logged in to view this page.
2.Check the box corresponding with the applicable qualification as listed above (such as member of FIT, 3 years of Schedule C’s etc). Note: you do not need to mail these forms off but you do need to…
4. Check the box pledging that the information you have provided is correct and you are willing to send documentation if requested.
5. Answer a simple Math Captcha (Ex: “What is 7 + 10?”) to show that you are a human being, or at least a human being with some rudimentary math skills.

That is it!

• While Latin is no longer a “lingua franca” used throughout the world, it is the root of the two non-English languages I have studied the most: French and Spanish. I have often been able make a good guess about French vocabulary based on my Spanish knowledge and vice-versa. Learning even just a bit of Latin will no doubt help me with both of the Romance languages I know now as well as give me a good basis for others I will be studying during this project.
• Latin Grammar: I shudder at the thought learning strict Latin grammar, but I concede that I will probably learn a thing or two about English grammar. Many English grammar rules are based on Latin, for example,  the split infinitive rule and regardless of how misguided these Latin-based rules may be, learning more about their origin and logic in Latin can only be helpful.
• Legal Translation: Latin is used frequently in both French and English legal terminology, although in different ways.
• Simplicity: the lack of native speakers means that pronunciation and grammar have been standardized over the centuries.

There are a few disadvantages of learning Latin as well.

• Latin Grammar: It may be good for me, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
• It’s dead, Jim: Despite its linguistic and historical importance, any attempt to speak Latin with a fellow human being is only slightly less pointless than speaking Elvish or Esperanto. Actually, I take that back. Even  Elvish would be  more relevant that Esperanto.

Resource: Wheelock’s Latin (Note: I am using the 6th edition, while the current edition is the 7th, but again, it’s a dead language. How much could have changed?)

I picked this up at a used book store a few months ago and have read through the introduction and the first chapter. This book has an excellent reputation and it has been easy to work through on my own.  Time permitting, I will augment this with content on YouTube, but this is much less important for Latin than it will be for other languages.

•  Translate 20,000 words for Translators Without Borders. I enjoy volunteering for TWB as the contents of the documents to be translated themselves are proof enough that this is work that needs be done. However, I have received benefits myself as well. My time management skills have blossomed from learning the discipline to divide up the work over the generous deadlines provided by TWB instead of pushing it all off until the end. This translation is also somewhat different than my usual contract translation and it has given me the opportunity to learn about various United Nations and NGO’s  as well as terminology for the food, farming, and infrastructure work itself.

•  Language of the month! I will be writing about this more as I start the project in January, but I have been frustrated by a desire to learn more languages combined with indecision as to which language to study first. A large part of the problem is that I know the kind of major investment in time and energy that is required to become truly fluent in a language. Instead, I am going to replace the weighty commitment with a “sampler” approach. Depending on the language, I am going to spend a few hours a week working through a basic language instruction book, listening to a few Youtube videos, and, where applicable, studying the script for the language. My tentative list thus far includes: Latin, Irish (Gaeilge), Hindu, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, and Italian. Feel free to suggest others. Remember, this project is not anywhere near as ambitious as it seems as I am not trying to learn the language so much as I am trying to learn *more* than I know today.

• Use my free time more effectively.  The language learning resolution above will help a lot with this, but I also have the eConference from ATA-San Diego to work through, Proust (always), and a number of large (see below) and small (this blog, for example) writing initiatives.

Finally, my last goal is monolingual, but I have included it here as it is still related to written language expression:

•  Finish writing a book. Depending on how you look at it, this is either an enormous goal or one that I should have finished years ago. I have three half-finished poetry chapbooks that I have barely added to since I was last in a formal writing program. As much of the joy in running is “having run,” I admit that I am looking forward to “having written.” In this case, however, I really want to read this collection of poetry and I can’t do that until I have written it. The second possibility is a fiction “thing” that, at this point, needs a considerable amount of worldbuilding, characters, and, oh yes, a plot would be nice. Nonetheless, I enjoy working on the rough drafts and perhaps it will add up to something some day.

What are your resolutions for 2013 (language related or not)? Have you had success with resolutions in the past or have you resolved not to resolve? I am open to suggestions for languages to study as even with my rather broad language interests, I am still short of 12. Then again, maybe I will just pick whatever “Teach Yourself…” book I happen to find in the clearance section – Basque, here I come!  Actually, that is not a bad idea…

So what now?

You can continue on with the same world, or accept that the old world is over and it is time to start anew. This is why I will not mock the hysteria around the Mayan apocalypse. There have certainly been times this year that I have felt the end of the world would not be such a bad idea. And while I do not believe it is healthy to “live every day like it was your last,” it is always good to consciously decide what you will take from the wreckage of yesterday to bring forward to tomorrow. This is a new world you are designing. What shall it look like? And tomorrow, you can do the same thing over again.

FEAST: Write down everything: all your deadlines, doctor’s appointments, meetings and events for you, your spouse, your child(ren), pets, everyone and everything. If your mind is filled with the details of a pumping station in Toulouse, you might just forget that the plumber is coming over at 10 or that you volunteered to be at your daughter’s school. With the normal ebb and flow of the translation business, these kinds of things can be worked in, but if you are working at your true maximum capacity, there might not be any room left for problems.

FAMINE: Clean your office. Seriously, move everything off your desk, dust, clean, file, and otherwise put things back. You will be glad not to have to do this when you are neck deep in depositions. As a side benefit, if you have allergies, you will also work better without all that dust!

FEAST: Take care of yourself. When you are factoring in whether you can translate 10, 20, or even 30% more than usual, make sure that you have left time to eat, bathe, sleep, and even exercise. Remember if you are truly working at maximum capacity, you will need a day or two off to recover. Make sure that you are charging accordingly.

FAMINE: Get your ducks in a row. Visit your website. Is it current? Do you have your current résumé available everywhere? Check your accounts on all of the social/professional networks you use and make sure all the information you have there is current. Spend some time on the forums – but be nice and stay on topic!

FEAST: Write things down! I know, if you weren’t so busy, you’d be able to update your website, stain those bookshelves, write that guest blog you promised a month ago, etc. but of course you can’t do it NOW, you are very busy now. It will be simple to knock out all these silly little projects once your deadline is over. Riiiiiight. Write them down. Each and every little promise that you are making yourself and forget about it. Drop the guilt and concentrate on your current project.

FAMINE: Remember that list?….. (crickets). Yep, it’s time for the list. Come famine time, it is easy to spend an entire day with laundry and Twitter. And the list… the list is very long now and quite impossible. That’s ok. Read over the list and tackle anything with an immediate deadline or that effects health and cleanliness. Personally, I usually find a have a lot of aquarium maintenance to do first. After that, just keep moving. It is more important to get something done than the perfect thing. Throw a dart, roll some dice, go alphabetically, it does not matter, just get things done.