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Where to find a translator.

Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
So I have an educational website that I'm trying to get the content translated to other languages.
Well actually not so much translated, as proof read.
I had a Spanish friend helping for a while and the way we had it set up is I would run the material through google translate then she'd make sure it was accurate.
The problem I'm having is finding folks to translate other languages.
I've posted several ads on Craigslist, but every single one has flaked on me. I also went up to the local colleges and talked to a couple foreign language teachers, but that was pretty much a waste of my time.
Is there some super obvious venue I'm missing? Or is it just one of those things that is a pain to find?

Posts

  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    edited May 2014
    I don't know how well using Google Translate and then proof-reading worked out for you two, but I would be really worried about the quality of any translation which comes out of it. If you're willing to spend a bit more, there's professional translators and translation services out there, I immediately found a couple based in Seattle. I personally wouldn't volunteer to be part of any translation effort which involves Google Translate, what you get out of it is mostly gibberish.

    Platy on
  • Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
    She said the for the most part google was surprisingly accurate with each sentence just needing a word or two changed (she's from Mexico, so I figure she probably knows what she means).

  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    edited May 2014
    I figure that the Spanish translator probably gets the most attention at Google because of the importance of Spanish language in the US, but I can say that it doesn't perform nearly as well for German. It's nearly useless for languages like Japanese.

    I guess you could try putting up ads on a college campus if you would like to go that way. There's bound to be people who are either exchange students or study the language.

    Platy on
  • Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
    I never thought about putting up flyers, I'll give that a shot tomorrow.
    With google though most of the stuff is going to be SUPER basic.
    For example the google translation of a basic french sentence was:
    Tommy a 3 chemises. Plus tard, il a acheté deux plus de chemises. Combien de chemises Tommy ne possède totale?
    While according to one of the translators who emailed me it should have been:
    Tommy a 3 chemises. Plus tard, il en a acheté deux de plus. Combien de chemises Tommy possède .

    Which to me looks pretty close, but then again I don't know the first thing about any other language.

  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    Yeah, you should probably go with a professional and stop using google translate.

    That said, if the system has worked for you, and you're looking to have it done on the cheap, you could try this.

  • legallytiredlegallytired Registered User regular
    The french google translate is pretty bad. The syntax and the order of words to write a proper sentence are all wrong and there's a weird negation (ne) when asking how many shirts he has. Not sure about the volume of content you need to translate but I can offer some help in the french department.

  • Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
    noir_blood wrote: »
    Yeah, you should probably go with a professional and stop using google translate.

    That said, if the system has worked for you, and you're looking to have it done on the cheap, you could try this.

    Oh I'm not just using google (that would be insane). It's just more to get the basic gist down. I'll check out the site though.
    The french google translate is pretty bad. The syntax and the order of words to write a proper sentence are all wrong and there's a weird negation (ne) when asking how many shirts he has. Not sure about the volume of content you need to translate but I can offer some help in the french department.

    You mean on the Google one? Yeah I figured it wasn't totally accurate. I imagine it's sorta like how when my relatives try to speak english to me, and they say things like, "Are you and me going to be at the Wal-Mart after lunch?"
    So it's kinda there, but just sounds not natural.

    But thanks for the offer, but there are TONS of things to translate. As well as a need for an ongoing translator to answer e-mails, comments, etc. So it's not just a 'one-off' it'll end up being more like a part time job.

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Straight up translation work is extremely tedious. Most people aren't going to volunteer their services without pay outside of people literally in the process of learning. In which case you're very probably going to get what you pay for.

  • Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    Straight up translation work is extremely tedious. Most people aren't going to volunteer their services without pay outside of people literally in the process of learning. In which case you're very probably going to get what you pay for.

    Oh no, I'm totally paying. But just finding someone to pay is the hard part.
    =D

  • Joe Camacho MKIIJoe Camacho MKII Registered User regular
    edited May 2014
    I'm a spanish native speaker (Also from México.) and I don't know your friend's background, but as an attorney who is tasked with translating legal documents from english to spanish and viceversa, I would *never* recommend translating with google translate and then correcting it.

    Yes, google translate is a lot better now compared to a couple of years ago, I have been using it for years if I need help with an odd word or phrase to get an idea or a synonym; but still I wouldn't trust it for something you are showing it to the public. Specially if it is an educational website. If you wish to discuss spanish/english translations, feel free to send me a message.

    Joe Camacho MKII on
    steam_sig.png I edit my posts a lot.
  • MadpoetMadpoet Registered User regular
    This is who we use to localize instructions at my company: nwtranslations.com/
    I have to assume they're inexpensive if we use them, and I've never heard a complaint.

  • Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
    I'm a spanish native speaker (Also from México.) and I don't know your friend's background, but as an attorney who is tasked with translating legal documents from english to spanish and viceversa, I would *never* recommend translating with google translate and then correcting it.

    Yes, google translate is a lot better now compared to a couple of years ago, I have been using it for years if I need help with an odd word or phrase to get an idea or a synonym; but still I wouldn't trust it for something you are showing it to the public. Specially if it is an educational website. If you wish to discuss spanish/english translations, feel free to send me a message.

    I trust that she has at least a decent idea of what she's doing. She was a mexico native up until the last 5 or so years. But she said a lot of the Google translated material is surprisingly close (if not a bit too formal).
    Madpoet wrote: »
    This is who we use to localize instructions at my company: nwtranslations.com/
    I have to assume they're inexpensive if we use them, and I've never heard a complaint.
    I just gave them a shot and they charge $0.19 per word. Which would be WAAAY over my budget (I have about 100,000 words to translate).

    Really so far the fiverr website seems like my best shot. I've contacted a few folks from there with mixed results so far.

  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    That's not bad for professional document translation. Is that per-language any language or just spanish?

    If you want it done right then you'll probably have to up your budget significantly. Something like doc translation you can find a way to cap the price on, if you need some kind of ongoing dribble of translations (responding to emails and forum posts) that's going to be difficult unless you have an existing relationship with the translators.

  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Translators need to make a living.

  • MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    edited May 2014
    Google translated material is surprisingly close

    To prove a point, I'll use Google Translate to demonstrate the poor quality of this service.

    You're offering academic services, you can not afford to grammatical errors or run the risk of losing credibility. Have a friend who can keep an eye on is terrible, but there's nothing like a professional.

    Original Text
    Para probar un punto, voy a usar el traductor de Google para demostrar la calidad pésima de este servicio.

    Estas ofreciendo servicios académicos, no te puedes dar el lujo de errores gramaticales o corres el riesgo de perder credibilidad. Tener una amiga que le pueda echar un ojo es tremendo, pero no hay nada como un profesional.

    That was "surprisingly close". I encourage everyone to reply using Google Translate.

    MagicToaster on
  • Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
    Djeet wrote: »
    That's not bad for professional document translation. Is that per-language any language or just spanish?

    If you want it done right then you'll probably have to up your budget significantly. Something like doc translation you can find a way to cap the price on, if you need some kind of ongoing dribble of translations (responding to emails and forum posts) that's going to be difficult unless you have an existing relationship with the translators.

    That's a basic language (like Spanish).
    Right now, I've set aside about 50 grand for translations. But I was expecting that to get me about 5 translations. Not 2.


    Google translated material is surprisingly close

    To prove a point, I'll use Google Translate to demonstrate the poor quality of this service.

    You're offering academic services, you can not afford to grammatical errors or run the risk of losing credibility. Have a friend who can keep an eye on is terrible, but there's nothing like a professional.

    Original Text
    Para probar un punto, voy a usar el traductor de Google para demostrar la calidad pésima de este servicio.

    Estas ofreciendo servicios académicos, no te puedes dar el lujo de errores gramaticales o corres el riesgo de perder credibilidad. Tener una amiga que le pueda echar un ojo es tremendo, pero no hay nada como un profesional.

    That was "surprisingly close". I encourage everyone to reply using Google Translate.

    We're talking k - 5 level word problems.
    Tommy has 3 shirts. Later he bought 2 more shirts. How many shirts does Tommy have total?
    So it's not exactly high level stuff... yet.
    =)

    I'm not sure what you mean by
    Have a friend who can keep an eye on is terrible
    though.

  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    If it is really that level stuff I'd t try approaching local schools' foreign language teachers. I'm sure most are looking for gigs in the summer. I was thinking this was going to be technical in nature.

  • garroad_rangarroad_ran Registered User regular
    Djeet wrote: »
    That's not bad for professional document translation. Is that per-language any language or just spanish?

    If you want it done right then you'll probably have to up your budget significantly. Something like doc translation you can find a way to cap the price on, if you need some kind of ongoing dribble of translations (responding to emails and forum posts) that's going to be difficult unless you have an existing relationship with the translators.

    That's a basic language (like Spanish).
    Right now, I've set aside about 50 grand for translations. But I was expecting that to get me about 5 translations. Not 2.


    Google translated material is surprisingly close

    To prove a point, I'll use Google Translate to demonstrate the poor quality of this service.

    You're offering academic services, you can not afford to grammatical errors or run the risk of losing credibility. Have a friend who can keep an eye on is terrible, but there's nothing like a professional.

    Original Text
    Para probar un punto, voy a usar el traductor de Google para demostrar la calidad pésima de este servicio.

    Estas ofreciendo servicios académicos, no te puedes dar el lujo de errores gramaticales o corres el riesgo de perder credibilidad. Tener una amiga que le pueda echar un ojo es tremendo, pero no hay nada como un profesional.

    That was "surprisingly close". I encourage everyone to reply using Google Translate.

    We're talking k - 5 level word problems.
    Tommy has 3 shirts. Later he bought 2 more shirts. How many shirts does Tommy have total?
    So it's not exactly high level stuff... yet.
    =)

    I'm not sure what you mean by
    Have a friend who can keep an eye on is terrible
    though.

    That's a google-translation from the original spanish he wrote in the spoiler. It makes sense as originally written. Not so in google-english.

  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    I hope you forgive us, that we are quite frivolous here, but this is a German text that was being chased by Google Translate. I guess it's not as bad as the old Babel Fish hours so far it is still quite understandable despite the poor choice of words. but I remember a professional translator for a professional offer!

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