| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Use of Internet Resources vs. Kudoz Thread poster: Henry Hinds
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Krys Williams 
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:07
Member (2003)
Polish to English
+ ...
| I have the mirror-image problem with Kudoz | Feb 4, 2015 |
One can also assume that some people do not have the skills to do a focused web search, especially if it involves two languages!
I was put off answering after seeing incorrect answers selected over correct, well justified and/or well researched answers supplied by myself or others.
My real problem with Kudoz is the mirror image. The few times I have asked questions there, it has been after extensive web searches did not supply an answer. I posted my questions with as fu... See more One can also assume that some people do not have the skills to do a focused web search, especially if it involves two languages!
I was put off answering after seeing incorrect answers selected over correct, well justified and/or well researched answers supplied by myself or others.
My real problem with Kudoz is the mirror image. The few times I have asked questions there, it has been after extensive web searches did not supply an answer. I posted my questions with as full contextual information as I had, sometimes more, sometimes less. In the majority of cases, the answers when they finally came (usually too late to be useful), consisted of nothing more than the same (incorrect/inadequate/ambiguous) information I had already found on the Net myself, or even showed a total lack of comprehension of what the question was about.
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert. Unfortunately, such an event was too rare, so I no longer view Kudoz as a viable option for my own queries.
[Edited at 2015-02-04 20:52 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Googling lessons | Feb 4, 2015 |
Neil Coffey wrote:
judicious Googling
That seems to be something that not everyone has mastered. There are many upskilling courses offered on Proz.com but so far I haven't seen one on "How to improve your googling skills". Perhaps I should organise one.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| I'm not surprised. | Feb 4, 2015 |
Krys Williams wrote:
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert.
I tend not to offer suggestions to Kudoz questions that fall within the fields in which I have expertise, for the simple reason that the person doing that translation is someone obviously less skilled than I am but who is charging less than I would, and so got the job instead of me. So I'm certainly not going to help them. So who's being nasty - them for charging less and then going looking for help with terminology they ought to know, or me for not helping them?
[Edited at 2015-02-04 21:01 GMT]
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 08:07
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER In memoriam
"How to improve your googling skills" sounds like a great idea to me. It's the best idea I've heard so far!
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Henry Hinds wrote:
"How to improve your googling skills" sounds like a great idea to me. It's the best idea I've heard so far!
How much should I charge? My eyes have turned into dollar signs already...
$ $
[Edited at 2015-02-04 21:02 GMT]
| | | | Cesar Silva (X)
Brazil
Local time: 11:07
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| I still like Kudoz | Feb 4, 2015 |
I several times wondered the same: "If I am capable of answering all my questions during translations, even the hard ones, why there are some people who can't?". Although I agree that some lack of professionalism may be there, I also think in most cases it may be that the person is just time constrained.
What I like in Kudoz is that you never really waste your time. Even when the person choose the wrong answer, which sucks, I learned a new difficult term and that will be useful when... See more I several times wondered the same: "If I am capable of answering all my questions during translations, even the hard ones, why there are some people who can't?". Although I agree that some lack of professionalism may be there, I also think in most cases it may be that the person is just time constrained.
What I like in Kudoz is that you never really waste your time. Even when the person choose the wrong answer, which sucks, I learned a new difficult term and that will be useful when I find the same in my translations. Also, after answering several questions we improve our research capabilities, a thing that we always use. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Krys Williams
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:07
Member (2003)
Polish to English
+ ...
| Not necessarily, Tom. | Feb 4, 2015 |
Tom in London wrote: Krys Williams wrote:
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert. I tend not to offer suggestions to Kudoz questions that fall within the fields in which I have expertise, for the simple reason that the person doing that translation is someone obviously less skilled than I am but who is charging less than I would, and so got the job instead of me. So I'm certainly not going to help them. So who's being nasty - them for charging less and then going looking for help with terminology they ought to know, or me for not helping them? [Edited at 2015-02-04 21:01 GMT]
I have a PhD in biomedicine and more than 10 years experience as a medical translator. Many of my clients tell me I am one of the best translators on their books. I think my rates are within the normal range charged, and I never enter into negotiations if I am asked to lower them. I have more than enough work as it is and am not struggling to find new clients.
Nevertheless, medicine is a broad and rapidly changing field. Even though I do not accept work in certain areas of medicine with which I am less familiar, I still find at times that I am suddenly having to do terminology research and, on rare occasions, draw a blank in my searches. A prime example is a hospital report that is mainly in a specialism with which I am comfortable, but suddenly there is a paragraph regarding a consultation with a practitioner from another specialism with which I am not comfortable. Then there are those infuriating non-standard abbreviations...
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 08:07
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER In memoriam
I don't know how much you should charge, Tom, but to my way of thinking such a course is certainly worth money, especially to a lot of people here. In my own case I learned it on my own, as I also learned how to translate, but a good course would be a real advantage for many!
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Henry Hinds wrote:
I don't know how much you should charge, Tom, but to my way of thinking such a course is certainly worth money, especially to a lot of people here. In my own case I learned it on my own, as I also learned how to translate, but a good course would be a real advantage for many!
Yes Henry - that is the problem. Having acquired a skill that gives me an advantage, wouldn't it be better to keep it all to myself?
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Krys Williams wrote: Tom in London wrote: Krys Williams wrote:
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert. I tend not to offer suggestions to Kudoz questions that fall within the fields in which I have expertise, for the simple reason that the person doing that translation is someone obviously less skilled than I am but who is charging less than I would, and so got the job instead of me. So I'm certainly not going to help them. So who's being nasty - them for charging less and then going looking for help with terminology they ought to know, or me for not helping them? [Edited at 2015-02-04 21:01 GMT] I have a PhD in biomedicine and more than 10 years experience as a medical translator. Many of my clients tell me I am one of the best translators on their books. I think my rates are within the normal range charged, and I never enter into negotiations if I am asked to lower them. I have more than enough work as it is and am not struggling to find new clients. Nevertheless, medicine is a broad and rapidly changing field. Even though I do not accept work in certain areas of medicine with which I am less familiar, I still find at times that I am suddenly having to do terminology research and, on rare occasions, draw a blank in my searches. A prime example is a hospital report that is mainly in a specialism with which I am comfortable, but suddenly there is a paragraph regarding a consultation with a practitioner from another specialism with which I am not comfortable. Then there are those infuriating non-standard abbreviations...
If you substitute "architecture" for "medicine" it would describe my situation too.
| | | | Inga Petkelyte
Portugal
Local time: 15:07
Lithuanian to Portuguese
+ ...
I quitted with KudoZ a long time ago. For the same reasons as Henry and others have pointed out.
Once here was a similar topic about KudoZ, and I wondered how it is allowed at all to ask on a pro-level to help translate Legal Department. My post was banned!
Curious, how long this one will survive
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