A few months ago, I was somewhat stirred up when a client informed me “I buy translations locally in the same way as I buy my vegetable box.”
It took me a long time to work out why that riled me so much. After all, vegetable growers are skilled people.
In the end it boiled down to two things:
1. Few translations are commodities in the sense that local vegetables are. If I want to “buy” a certain language pair or specialist subject I wouldn’t necessarily even be able to procure it locally or even on the same continent.
2. I felt the person in question was in a position to be more aware of that, which is why I am posting it here – another small contribution to making buyers aware of the nature of the product and the care that is needed in sourcing translation and interpreting.
I was translating this client’s non-English qualifications for a job application in another country where English was spoken. Try the above sentence with a few telling substitutes: “I buy scientific research/nuclear physics/Emerging Economy investment advice locally in the same way as I buy my vegetable box.” See? Not essentially local businesses. They’re purchased on quality and expertise, you would be proud to find a local provider, but would you really make it the primary criterion? Think about it.
On a lighter note, I have two puzzles to share with you, one linguistic and the other not:
1. Why do people who come from hot climates hate the British weather, but dive under cover into air-conditioned houses as soon as they get home?
2. Why is the football team FC Bayern München known in English as FC Bayern Munich and not FC Bavaria Munich?
September 21, 2011 at 9:37 am |
Puzzle 2., I really don’t know, but would also like to know why the Bavarian flag is ‘weissblau’ and not ‘blauweiss’.
September 21, 2011 at 9:40 am |
Good question too, Kim – I have a feeling maybe both puzzles could be down to pronounceability!