Advancing on a ground that is not so secure- a few words how translation could be defined, especially if you have a translation issue.

Waiting on the answer of fellow translators

In the 1. part I stressed the importance of fellow translators who can aid the translator in getting the job properly done.

By asking questions or soliciting help from others, you can learn a lot about how other translators view your problems and whether they are willing to set aside their present occupations to address your issues.

In one of my first posts here about communicating with clients http://tralangia.com/communication/?lang=en, I mentioned how crucial it is for the translator to answer quickly to quiries. Since the question a translator asks another translator will not be that important to the lastly mentioned, as it may be a distraction or obstruct the work he or she is currently doing, a possible answer may only ensue if the translator helping out has solved everything else on his or her priority list. This is only natural.

At least the question is out there and you can hope it being answered just in time before the proposed or agreed deadline for your translation.

But what if that does not happen?

Well, then you must resort to other channels and try to have your issue sorted out before the deadline.

The internet and the uncertainties

The internet is like a bottomless sea. You can hope to eventually fish out exactly what you need or try to be at peace with the second best option for your translation problem. Either the best or the second best. Don’t opt for a third choice or settle for less.

Translations are relatively easy when you have almost a neglectable number or expressions or words which you find considerably difficult to transfer into the target language. So, the vast majority of the text in the target language sounds good, if almost perfect to you. This is what every translator should strive at- to minimize that certain feeling you have when you know that something in the target language is wrong and you wouldn’t want to return such a text unremedied to the client.

Other fears and worries that translators have to grapple with are listed at  http://wantwords.co.uk/school/translation-fears.

So, you must localize and repair, until the translation seems spotless. At least in your eyes. The more eyes get to see the target text, the more they shall find faults with it.

Even you, taking a distance from the translated text, spending a day or two away from it, may find quality lacking. Deadline only makes choices more abrupt and hasty, propelling you to put an end to the agonies that certain translation projects seem to cause. No more dabbling, no more modifications- full stop and already sent.

From that point there will be no returning back.