Poll: Has specializing in certain fields increased your productivity as a translator?
Téma indítója: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
MUNKATÁRS
Apr 14, 2010

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Has specializing in certain fields increased your productivity as a translator?".

View the poll results »



 
neilmac
neilmac
Spanyolország
Local time: 07:50
spanyol - angol
+ ...
Not sure Apr 14, 2010

I'm not always comfortable with the idea of specialisation per se, as I feel it is a bit of a cop-out, and try to keep my options as open as possible.
I am told that I am a specialist in certain types of text, and the more familiar I am with a subject, the faster and better I can process the texts, so maybe the answer shold be a yes. For example, today I'm working in a field (construction) that I haven't been for ages, so I am a bit rusty and going slowly, whereas yesterday I had a long t
... See more
I'm not always comfortable with the idea of specialisation per se, as I feel it is a bit of a cop-out, and try to keep my options as open as possible.
I am told that I am a specialist in certain types of text, and the more familiar I am with a subject, the faster and better I can process the texts, so maybe the answer shold be a yes. For example, today I'm working in a field (construction) that I haven't been for ages, so I am a bit rusty and going slowly, whereas yesterday I had a long text but in a field I am familiar with and I was going about 3 times a quickly. So the answer should probably be a yes...
Collapse


 
Alexander Kondorsky
Alexander Kondorsky  Identity Verified
Oroszországi Föderáció
Local time: 08:50
angol - orosz
+ ...
serious issue Apr 14, 2010

Specialization for a translator is a serious issue because one can't be deeply specialized in a wide range of disciplines while deep specialization in a limited number of disciplines will shrink your scope of customers.

 
Interlangue (X)
Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 07:50
angol - francia
+ ...
Not in the long run Apr 14, 2010

Specialisations come and go and specific fields evolve.

 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Dánia
Local time: 07:50
Tag (2003 óta)
dán - angol
+ ...
To some extent Apr 14, 2010

Outside translation I would not dare to call myself a specialist in any subject. I have dabbled in far too many to go really deeply into any of them.

But there are definitely fields I can work in quite happily, because I have read up on them, and others I turn down because I know they need real specialists. I think concentrating on a few specific areas improves quality at least as much as productivity.

Sometimes it annoys me that my knowledge is very wide, but also ver
... See more
Outside translation I would not dare to call myself a specialist in any subject. I have dabbled in far too many to go really deeply into any of them.

But there are definitely fields I can work in quite happily, because I have read up on them, and others I turn down because I know they need real specialists. I think concentrating on a few specific areas improves quality at least as much as productivity.

Sometimes it annoys me that my knowledge is very wide, but also very superficial. That is just the hand life has dealt me. Maybe no trumps, but plenty of quite strong cards all the same.





[Edited at 2010-04-15 07:46 GMT]
Collapse


 
Tatty
Tatty  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:50
spanyol - angol
+ ...
If you have a true specialisation Apr 14, 2010

how could it fail to increase your productivity? Even if it didn't increase your productivity in the short-term it should improve the quality of your translations. In time you would also improve your productivity.

I think a specialisation is something different from areas which you have worked in previously.


 
Deborah do Carmo
Deborah do Carmo  Identity Verified
Portugália
Local time: 06:50
holland - angol
+ ...
Precisely ... Apr 14, 2010

Tatty wrote:

I think a specialisation is something different from areas which you have worked in previously.


... it's something quite different!


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
Egyesült Államok
Local time: 22:50
Tag (2003 óta)
spanyol - angol
+ ...
Absolutely! Apr 15, 2010

I'm probably three times faster--and better--in the fields in which I have specialized.

 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

A fórum moderátora(i)
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Has specializing in certain fields increased your productivity as a translator?






CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »
Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »