| A témához tartozó oldalak: [1 2] > | Refusing work due to ethical beliefs Téma indítója: Nath93MCR (X)
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Nath93MCR (X)
Egyesült Királyság
Local time: 00:10
francia - angol
+ ...
Hi everyone,
I'm a masters student from Manchester University studying translation and interpreting. I'm writing an essay on ethics and was wondering whether anyone had refused work due to ethical beliefs and how you approached it/declined the work?
Thank you,
Nathalie
| | | | | They are different | Apr 20, 2016 |
Ethics is different and work is different.
Especially when you accept an interpreting assignment, you cannot excuse yourself after learning about the ethics issue." The show must go on".
In translation after seeing the material, you have an option to accept or not.
| | | | Bruno Depascale 
Olaszország
Local time: 01:10
Tag (2009 óta)
angol - olasz
+ ...
| military documents | Apr 20, 2016 |
I wouldn't translate documents about weapons or of military content.
It would be simply unacceptable. Until now I've never received such offers, but on some occasion I've seen a couple of job posts here on proz
[Edited at 2016-04-20 19:37 GMT]
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Kristina Cosumano (X)
Németország
Local time: 01:10
német - angol
| Won't translate anything racist, misogynist or homophobic. | Apr 20, 2016 |
Unless it's for a human rights outfit that needs to know what's written/said.
Right now I am working on a long list of consumer "testimonials" for a penis extender. I suppose someone may have found that too offensive or just plain awkward to translate. I'm having fun, though.
| | | | | Refusing to work for companies | Apr 20, 2016 |
Although I've never been offered texts that I found objectionable, there are several translation agencies that I would refuse to work for on ethical grounds, as I believe that their behaviour is harmful to the translation industry. And when I say ethical grounds, I mean that these are companies which behave aggressively towards translators or their own in-house staff, or have poor payment records, or work in a way which doesn't guarantee good quality, etc. I am in the fortunate position of not n... See more Although I've never been offered texts that I found objectionable, there are several translation agencies that I would refuse to work for on ethical grounds, as I believe that their behaviour is harmful to the translation industry. And when I say ethical grounds, I mean that these are companies which behave aggressively towards translators or their own in-house staff, or have poor payment records, or work in a way which doesn't guarantee good quality, etc. I am in the fortunate position of not needing to accept every assignment I am offered, so I am able to turn down work from these companies - and I believe that if all translators do this, we and the industry as a whole will benefit. For me, it's about making sure we have a sustainable profession in which professionals are valued and motivated, and clients are happy with the service they receive, so I equate ethics with sustainability. ▲ Collapse
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 01:10
cseh - francia
+ ...
Tobacco, fraudulent "self-improvement" schemes, religion... However, after nearly 30 years of practice, I can assure you that what you find objectionable when you are respectively 25 and 55 are two different things. For example, I used to be outraged by "adult" content, now it's a laugh. No, I don't do it on any regular basis, but it just doesn't seem so horrible any more, just pointless.
As someone said before me, you can do nothing when it's interpreting and you are already there. It ha... See more Tobacco, fraudulent "self-improvement" schemes, religion... However, after nearly 30 years of practice, I can assure you that what you find objectionable when you are respectively 25 and 55 are two different things. For example, I used to be outraged by "adult" content, now it's a laugh. No, I don't do it on any regular basis, but it just doesn't seem so horrible any more, just pointless.
As someone said before me, you can do nothing when it's interpreting and you are already there. It happened to me years ago - I remember a business meeting that turned out to be about illegal dealings, and a training in a chemical company purportedly about marketing, but really about fight against environmental associations.
But what Peter Shortall says is not "ethical grounds", it's just good business practice. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
Franciaország
Local time: 01:10
francia - angol
I refuse anything that goes against my stance as a pacifist and a vegetarian, so nothing military, nothing about hunting or fishing, nothing about meat or fish consumption (tired of explaining that I do wine menus but not food!)
I once translated a letter for a "science company" about rebranding GM crops and it gave me a migraine, so I then decided simply not to work for these people any more, except for the department making safety equipment and lab coats.
And I... See more I refuse anything that goes against my stance as a pacifist and a vegetarian, so nothing military, nothing about hunting or fishing, nothing about meat or fish consumption (tired of explaining that I do wine menus but not food!)
I once translated a letter for a "science company" about rebranding GM crops and it gave me a migraine, so I then decided simply not to work for these people any more, except for the department making safety equipment and lab coats.
And I also take a more proactive stance in that when looking for clients I seek out those who are actively engaged in sustainable development (my clients include manufacturers of wind turbines, organic cosmetics and food products, bicycles, holistic medicine) and I also do pro bono for several organisations (not Amnesty, the reports of torture are too harrowing) ▲ Collapse
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Ilan Rubin (X)
Oroszországi Föderáció
Local time: 02:10
orosz - angol
| It makes sense to turn it down | Apr 21, 2016 |
If you really believe in something then you are unlikely to translate something opposed to those beliefs in my view. If you do translate it then you probably don't hold those beliefs very strongly.
Recently I was asked by an agency to translate a short press-release. After I started I looked up the website of the end client and found that it was a religious order, one of whose clear aims was to restrict women's rights in certain situations. So I told the PM that I had changed my min... See more If you really believe in something then you are unlikely to translate something opposed to those beliefs in my view. If you do translate it then you probably don't hold those beliefs very strongly.
Recently I was asked by an agency to translate a short press-release. After I started I looked up the website of the end client and found that it was a religious order, one of whose clear aims was to restrict women's rights in certain situations. So I told the PM that I had changed my mind and too bad. The PM (a woman) was surprised but didn't argue. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ilan Rubin (X)
Oroszországi Föderáció
Local time: 02:10
orosz - angol
| Are you sure? | Apr 21, 2016 |
Kristina Cosumano wrote: Right now I am working on a long list of consumer "testimonials" for a penis extender. I suppose someone may have found that too offensive or just plain awkward to translate. I'm having fun, though.
Are you sure that this is not harmful and it works? I haven't researched the topic but I would have thought that this causes harm and probably doesn't work (which makes it fraud). In which case I would turn it down.
| | | | Lincoln Hui
Hongkong
Local time: 07:10
ProZ.com-tag
kínai - angol
+ ...
| Darwinian test | Apr 21, 2016 |
ILAN RUBIN wrote: Kristina Cosumano wrote: Right now I am working on a long list of consumer "testimonials" for a penis extender. I suppose someone may have found that too offensive or just plain awkward to translate. I'm having fun, though. Are you sure that this is not harmful and it works? I haven't researched the topic but I would have thought that this causes harm and probably doesn't work (which makes it fraud). In which case I would turn it down.
I can't find any sympathy inside me for those harmed by the use of penis extenders. It is better that that such...innocent minds...do not pass their genes to the next generation, which, incidentally, use of penis extenders would ensure.
[Edited at 2016-04-21 10:12 GMT]
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... and for ethical and also religious/spiritual reasons that in today's world seem almost laughable to others.
I do feel much happier when I turn down jobs I find objectionable for various reasons. The stress and awful feeling of lack of integrity are much worse than the loss of income from those jobs.
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Oksana Pooley
Egyesült Államok
Local time: 17:10
ukrán - angol
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| Yes, when I see that the outcome of the job is going to cause harm. Information is a weapon. | Apr 21, 2016 |
Nath93MCR wrote:
Hi everyone,
I'm a masters student from Manchester University studying translation and interpreting. I'm writing an essay on ethics and was wondering whether anyone had refused work due to ethical beliefs and how you approached it/declined the work?
Thank you,
Nathalie
I have. It was very clear that the video (of children!) was going to be used for propaganda purposes and to whitewash crimes of a certain group of people trying to make it into high political office. Information is a strong tool that can, sometimes, be used as a weapon.
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Nath93MCR wrote:
anyone had refused work due to ethical beliefs and how you approached it/declined the work?
I've recently declined several jobs relating to French companies bidding for contracts in Saudi Arabia, and I said I felt that the West's long-term interests would be better served if we were less financially involved with Saudi Arabia at this point, so I wanted no part of it. I also declined work for arch-tax dodgers Rothschild, and said that was the reason.
| | | | Paul Dixon
Brazília
Local time: 20:10
portugál - angol
+ ...
| Never happened to me | Apr 22, 2016 |
This has never happened to me, but I would refuse work on any homophobic materials.
Another issue I would never touch would be instructions on bomb/weapon use.
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