Comments on: The really hard part about translating http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/2009/12/25/the-really-hard-part-about-translating/ Random scribbling about programming, translation, and Japan Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:27:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Laurent J Krauland http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/2009/12/25/the-really-hard-part-about-translating/comment-page-1/#comment-13600 Laurent J Krauland Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:27:28 +0000 http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/?p=1442#comment-13600 Hi all, @ Kevin: I agree with the fact that "the start" is (more than often) the main obstacle to getting started. And yes, sometimes, I take half a day or a full day off. Doing something else helps a lot too... as long as I am away from the computer ;) Hi all,
@ Kevin: I agree with the fact that “the start” is (more than often) the main obstacle to getting started. And yes, sometimes, I take half a day or a full day off. Doing something else helps a lot too… as long as I am away from the computer ;)

]]> By: Kevin http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/2009/12/25/the-really-hard-part-about-translating/comment-page-1/#comment-13594 Kevin Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:03:38 +0000 http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/?p=1442#comment-13594 That's good advice, Ryan, thanks. Actually, the second technique there is one that I was taught very early on in my career about 10 years ago when I started being mentored in financial translation. I didn't end up getting into financial translation (way too much deadline pressure) but I did keep that technique of splitting up sentences into meaningful phrases, which is perhaps even more useful with patent translation. And that's one thing that is difficult about working with hard copy or with un-OCR-able PDFs -- can't put in returns after phrases to break up the sentences. But I like your idea of making a file of one paragraph and just doing that. I guess it's like many things (exercising, dishwashing, house cleaning), it's just the start that is the main obstacle to be faced and got over. After that, things often fall into place or that illusive rhythm just kicks in. That’s good advice, Ryan, thanks.
Actually, the second technique there is one that I was taught very early on in my career about 10 years ago when I started being mentored in financial translation. I didn’t end up getting into financial translation (way too much deadline pressure) but I did keep that technique of splitting up sentences into meaningful phrases, which is perhaps even more useful with patent translation. And that’s one thing that is difficult about working with hard copy or with un-OCR-able PDFs — can’t put in returns after phrases to break up the sentences.
But I like your idea of making a file of one paragraph and just doing that. I guess it’s like many things (exercising, dishwashing, house cleaning), it’s just the start that is the main obstacle to be faced and got over. After that, things often fall into place or that illusive rhythm just kicks in.

]]> By: Ryan Ginstrom http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/2009/12/25/the-really-hard-part-about-translating/comment-page-1/#comment-13446 Ryan Ginstrom Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:54:57 +0000 http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/?p=1442#comment-13446 @Kevin Sometimes, when the concentration won't come, you just need to take a day off. :) Translation takes a lot of mental effort, and we can't really slog away like factory workers. But we've got to put tofu on the table, so I do have some tricks to get things done when the translation starts slogging. One is to copy out the first paragraph into a new document, and just translate that. That tricks your brain into going along. Usually, by the time I've translated that first paragraph, I'm into the swing. Otherwise, I'll set the translation aside, and after a break, it'll be easier because the translation is already started. A similar ploy is to break up a long sentence into phrases, one line per phrase, and just translate those phrases, and then stitch together the sentence. After doing that for a sentence or two, I'll usually be able to start holding the whole sentence in my brain as I translate (necessary for Japanese, since you often need to translate from the outside in, doing the beginning and end of the sentence, then the parts in between). @Kevin

Sometimes, when the concentration won’t come, you just need to take a day off. :) Translation takes a lot of mental effort, and we can’t really slog away like factory workers.

But we’ve got to put tofu on the table, so I do have some tricks to get things done when the translation starts slogging.

One is to copy out the first paragraph into a new document, and just translate that. That tricks your brain into going along. Usually, by the time I’ve translated that first paragraph, I’m into the swing. Otherwise, I’ll set the translation aside, and after a break, it’ll be easier because the translation is already started.

A similar ploy is to break up a long sentence into phrases, one line per phrase, and just translate those phrases, and then stitch together the sentence. After doing that for a sentence or two, I’ll usually be able to start holding the whole sentence in my brain as I translate (necessary for Japanese, since you often need to translate from the outside in, doing the beginning and end of the sentence, then the parts in between).

]]> By: Kevin http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/2009/12/25/the-really-hard-part-about-translating/comment-page-1/#comment-13133 Kevin Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:53:54 +0000 http://ginstrom.com/scribbles/?p=1442#comment-13133 Ryan, Again you've very accurately described what I've experienced as a translator. I'd just like to add to the last line of your post about "producing smooth, accurate translations at an economically viable pace," I find that there are days/hours when I can do this with little effort, it's actually enjoyable, but there are other days/hours when it just doesn't happen without a lot of effort and overall it's not as efficient. I've worked out that exercise and sleep are important, but there seem to be other factors too. And interestingly, after spending say four or five hours on good "in the flow" translating, playing guitar or reading is very relaxing, but the mental energy for chess or blogging just isn't there, for me at least. I wonder if that's the same for other translators? Ryan,
Again you’ve very accurately described what I’ve experienced as a translator. I’d just like to add to the last line of your post about “producing smooth, accurate translations at an economically viable pace,” I find that there are days/hours when I can do this with little effort, it’s actually enjoyable, but there are other days/hours when it just doesn’t happen without a lot of effort and overall it’s not as efficient. I’ve worked out that exercise and sleep are important, but there seem to be other factors too. And interestingly, after spending say four or five hours on good “in the flow” translating, playing guitar or reading is very relaxing, but the mental energy for chess or blogging just isn’t there, for me at least. I wonder if that’s the same for other translators?

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