| Teemakohased leheküljed: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7] > | First ProZ.com translation contest Vestluse postitaja: María Florencia Vita
|
|---|
Ruxi
saksa - rumeenia
+ ...
| Still something to say | Jan 26, 2007 |
Yesterday, after the decision of Enrique to admit only paying members to the contest I decided to not come back to this discussion anymore, but the last postings brought some questions which I really have to answer, in no special order:
1. It seems indeed, like somebody said, that the opinions and suggestions of the members (being they paying or not) are not considered, so I wonder why we were asked after all.
2. Somebody said something about the contest ruining the profesionalism of... See more Yesterday, after the decision of Enrique to admit only paying members to the contest I decided to not come back to this discussion anymore, but the last postings brought some questions which I really have to answer, in no special order:
1. It seems indeed, like somebody said, that the opinions and suggestions of the members (being they paying or not) are not considered, so I wonder why we were asked after all.
2. Somebody said something about the contest ruining the profesionalism of the site.
I don't imagine why and don't understand why this site is only considered as a profesional site. It is a site for translators dot. Translators are first of all human beings and need a community and need relaxing moments too.
It is not only a site for work matters.
3. Pictures in profiles, as well as platinum titles have nothing to do with profesionality. You can put your picture, or pay for the site and this does not make you a better translator.
4. Somebody also suggested a literature contest.
First of all this is a site for translators and not for writers, so a translation contest in only normal. A literature (composition) contest, as they were in the past, are much more difficult because one can not write just when actioning a button. And literature is a large area, for different tastes. I did not understand and was not able to write on the suggested themes, pictures, or I don't know what modern style and only on a certain number of words. It is a about tastes and ages and cultures aso.
5. Regarding the problem members-users to participate. I was very sad of the reaction of unfriendly and hard comments against "only" users.
Like someone said it is about integrating in a community and feeling well in a friendly atmosphere. This can not be if a certain group of colleagues are always treated like second - hand people.
If some members wrote here about re-evaluating the decision of continuing to pay membership and even give it up, we, users can also decide under such circumstances to never become members, even if we finally could some day.
For many of us it is about a lot of money which we don't have yet, for others about some other reasons to not pay for the site.
I had the wonderful experience to meet on private messages some very kind colleagues who wished to help me. This attitude of friendship, of understanding some situation and not being selfish I appreciate a lot. I thank them again, here open.
I would have liked friendship and collegial attitudes and supporting to be sepparate from money and profesional matters, so that we could all feel the same in this group with common profesional interests.
Money is not everything in this world.
I can not pay for the site but I try to support it in different ways, which seems not to have any value.
I intended to ask if users could post their translations outside competition in the forum, but I will not do it, I will not begg.
Oh, and somebody said that there are other free translation contests on internet. Can you tell me were, I would try there.
One answer to Malik: there can not be bad written English translations, because the contest is from English into other languages (e.g for you, in Turkish) and not vice-versa.
Btw - what about the half/partial paying members? Are they in or out now?
[Edited at 2007-01-26 10:21] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Malik Beytek (X)
Local time: 03:44
| Consider olympic games versus gladiator games.... | Jan 26, 2007 |
Well I thought the decision was made any way to proceed with translation contest, but the discussion seems to proceed instead, hence, a few additional remarks, if I may.
I checked the internet for translation contests for a few minutes and it would appear that translation contests are typically designed for students or novices.
Yes, there ARE counter examples, I saw at least one, but that seemed to be a special contest; they seemed to imply that the original text to be... See more Well I thought the decision was made any way to proceed with translation contest, but the discussion seems to proceed instead, hence, a few additional remarks, if I may.
I checked the internet for translation contests for a few minutes and it would appear that translation contests are typically designed for students or novices.
Yes, there ARE counter examples, I saw at least one, but that seemed to be a special contest; they seemed to imply that the original text to be translated (I think it was in Portuquese) was an exceptionally difficult one to translate.
Translation, although an art to a degree, is not exactly an art like architecture or painting is. For there to be a contest in translation, the original text would indeed need to be exceptionally difficult to translate in this or that way. Thus the winner is obviously skillful, but not necessarily, at all, the best translator (or architect, or painter) of all times.
Hence that's a point organizors might wish to keep in mind if they decide to proceed with translation contest after all.
As regards the argument for contest(s) in skills relevant to translation (such as writing) rather than a contest directly in translation, that's like olympic games versus gladiator games.
Olympic games is about different physcial capacities relavant to survival -- running, jumping, throwing, and even fighting, but in a very specific, limited, and safe way (I hope).
Gladiator games are (were) directly about who survives and who doesn't -- no rules.
A writing contest among translators would be more like olympic games, even like a chess tournament, maybe -- I have a hunch that there skills in chess playing relevant to translation.
A translation contest among translators, however, is like gladiator games, -- too direct, too definitive, too ultimate -- unless the subject original text is very difficult or specific and the translated texts produced by different persons could very well be very different, yet nearly equally good. (Poetry translation maybe? Hah!?)
So what about architectural design contests among architects? But an architectural design problem is always very difficult; very different but nearly equally good designs are always possible; the winner is obviously talented, but never the best architect for all design problems and certainly not in all places and at all times.
Those are my views about this issue. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Aurora Humarán (X) 
Argentiina
Local time: 21:44
inglise - hispaania
+ ...
| Members and users | Jan 26, 2007 |
I do think that there must be differences in what the site offers to those who pay for a membership and to those who do not. (A couple of years ago, I bought the most expensive ticket to sit as close to Caetano Veloso as possible. )
That is how life works.
You pay, you have access to more features in the site. Totally fair.
However, I think that there should not be differences when it comes t... See more I do think that there must be differences in what the site offers to those who pay for a membership and to those who do not. (A couple of years ago, I bought the most expensive ticket to sit as close to Caetano Veloso as possible. )
That is how life works.
You pay, you have access to more features in the site. Totally fair.
However, I think that there should not be differences when it comes to...having fun.
My two humble pesos,
Aurora ▲ Collapse
| | | | Malik Beytek (X)
Local time: 03:44
| There can be badly written original text in English, though that was just an idea for improvement... | Jan 26, 2007 |
Ruxi wrote:
"...One answer to Malik: there can not be bad written English translations, because the contest is from English into other languages (e.g for you, in Turkish) and not vice-versa.
Recently I translated from Turkish to English (which I could not do unless I had the technical capacity to write that in English even without an original, to put it in an exaggretaed way) and believe me, it was very, very, very badly written in Turkish. I saw posts in Turkish in these forum written by a non-native and they were about ten times as good.
Conversely, I once translated from very bad English to Turkish as well, which, again I could not do unless I could write it directly in Turkish practically without an original text, because I was fully familiar with the logic and concepts involved in the subject matter.
So, yes, it can be a badly written original text in English, though, again, that was only an idea for possible improvement.
| | |
|
|
|
Sarah Ponting wrote:
Like many others, I voted against the idea in the poll the other day, and was horrified to see that it's already being implemented. Do the views of those who voted against count for nothing?
The poll mentioned above asked "Would you like to have fun taking part in a ProZ.com's translation contest? "
The results were: 55.1% of the 1457 participants voted YES, 38.1% voted NO and 6.8% voted N/A
Regards,
Enrique
| | | | | Requirements | Jan 26, 2007 |
telefpro wrote:
Moreover, no English dentists are allowed.
This edition of the contest will be members-only and it will cover only a set of the possible language pairs (in this case from English into all non-English languages that have an active dedicated forum in the site). These (and the normal site rules) are the only restrictions to participate in the translation phase of the contest (there are some extra requirements for voting).
Regards,
Enrique
| | | | Fan Gao
Austraalia
Local time: 11:44
inglise - hiina
+ ...
| Sheer entertainment | Jan 26, 2007 |
I haven't caught up with all of this thread yet but it's very entertaining from what I've read so far and the contest hasn't even started yet.
Just imagine the threads that will come out of it once the results are announced! There's sure to be a lot of hair-pulling and shin-kicking when we hear from the "losers" as to why the winner shouldn't have won and why they should have:)
Seriously though children, just keep it in the spirit of fun as it is intended. If you don't ... See more I haven't caught up with all of this thread yet but it's very entertaining from what I've read so far and the contest hasn't even started yet.
Just imagine the threads that will come out of it once the results are announced! There's sure to be a lot of hair-pulling and shin-kicking when we hear from the "losers" as to why the winner shouldn't have won and why they should have:)
Seriously though children, just keep it in the spirit of fun as it is intended. If you don't want to take part, don't and if you can't take part this time then I'm sure you'll have an opportunity another time.
Anyway, the winning entry can only be taken with a pinch of salt. You know how competitive people get over Kudoz. Who's to know the winner didn't get their foreign friends round to help them understand the source text corrently or even went as far as to get it done professionally. Having that little icon on your profile could be a good marketing ploy and turn out to be worth the investment:) ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ruxi
saksa - rumeenia
+ ...
| One last try | Jan 26, 2007 |
[quote]Chinese Concept wrote:
Seriously though children, just keep it in the spirit of fun as it is intended. If you don't want to take part, don't and if you can't take part this time then I'm sure you'll have an opportunity another time.
You are right with this, but who guarantees that there will other opportunities?
Look, this is the first of translation on this site, in so many years and it has so much struggle.
Do really believe there will be another one? I don't.
In the meanwhile I got some other ideas, seeing that Enrique really keeps to his decision.
What if we, users and members of other languages which do not have a forum put a thread (e.g at Off Topic) and make the contest for us too?
And by the way: I think there are enough Indian colleagues for an Indian forum to be done (for Indian and other neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh aso. of the same languages).
P.S I tried this time to answer with quote, but it seems it did not work.
[Edited at 2007-01-26 13:13]
| | |
|
|
|
Patricia Lane
Prantsusmaa
Local time: 01:44
prantsuse - inglise
+ ...
| too funny, Marc :) | Jan 26, 2007 |
Chinese Concept wrote:
Who's to know the winner didn't get their foreign friends round to help them understand the source text corrently or even went as far as to get it done professionally.
LOL!
| | | | Jalapeno
Local time: 01:44
inglise - saksa
Chinese Concept wrote:
I haven't caught up with all of this thread yet but it's very entertaining from what I've read so far and the contest hasn't even started yet.
Just imagine the threads that will come out of it once the results are announced! There's sure to be a lot of hair-pulling and shin-kicking when we hear from the "losers" as to why the winner shouldn't have won and why they should have:)
Seriously though children, just keep it in the spirit of fun as it is intended. If you don't want to take part, don't and if you can't take part this time then I'm sure you'll have an opportunity another time.
Anyway, the winning entry can only be taken with a pinch of salt. You know how competitive people get over Kudoz. Who's to know the winner didn't get their foreign friends round to help them understand the source text corrently or even went as far as to get it done professionally. Having that little icon on your profile could be a good marketing ploy and turn out to be worth the investment:)
I'm with you 100%. The discussion in this thread alone makes the whole thing worthwhile. Amazing, how everybody gets so worked up about such a small matter.
I'm looking forward to
- the discussions revolving around the source text: "Why did you choose this text, it's horrible!" - "No, it's not!" - "Is too!" - "Is not!"
- the legal action taken by the winners of the first contest when they realise that the winners of the second contest have won a prize whereas they haven't
Keep it going, everyone!
| | | | Andrea Riffo
Tšiili
Local time: 21:44
inglise - hispaania
+ ...
|
|
|
Eva T
inglise - albaania
+ ...
Too bad I cannot participate at this time.
It seems to me that not all the people who wrote negative comments on this thread are against the poll itself. Some are not happy that they cannot participate there (whether they are English native speakers or nonmembers like myself,) so they are FOR the poll and not against it.
Relax a bit and take it easy. Let those who like it, want to participate on it and can participate on it do what they want. It will be really fun to... See more Too bad I cannot participate at this time.
It seems to me that not all the people who wrote negative comments on this thread are against the poll itself. Some are not happy that they cannot participate there (whether they are English native speakers or nonmembers like myself,) so they are FOR the poll and not against it.
Relax a bit and take it easy. Let those who like it, want to participate on it and can participate on it do what they want. It will be really fun to watch it, as it the first step.
Thanks,
Eva ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Native English speakeers are not excluded | Jan 26, 2007 |
Eva T wrote:
It seems to me that not all the people who wrote negative comments on this thread are against the poll itself. Some are not happy that they cannot participate there (whether they are English native speakers or nonmembers like myself,) so they are FOR the poll and not against it.
Hi Eva, there is no reason why an English native speaker should be left out of the contest. Of course we are not including translations into English in this edition, but I am sure many English native speakers will be interested in trying their skills into a different language.
Thanks for your kind words!
Enrique
| | | | Tina Vonhof (X)
Kanada
Local time: 17:44
hollandi - inglise
+ ...
| Substantial NO votes | Jan 26, 2007 |
Enrique wrote:
[The poll mentioned above asked "Would you like to have fun taking part in a ProZ.com's translation contest? "
The results were: 55.1% of the 1457 participants voted YES, 38.1% voted NO and 6.8% voted N/A
Regards,
Enrique
These results indicate that a substantial proportion of Proz regulars don't like the idea. This thread sums up the many reasons why and most of these are very valid objections. I think these objections should be given further consideration - it should not simply be a majority decision.
| | | | | Teemakohased leheküljed: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » First ProZ.com translation contest | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
