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Charging by the "catela" - what does it mean?
Thread poster: Wendy Cummings
Wendy Cummings
Wendy Cummings  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
Nov 22, 2021

I have recently been in discussions with an Italian agency and they have asked me to provide my rate per "catela" (spelling unsure). This was defined as "approximately 225 words".
I have never come across this unit before, and was wondering if anyone can shed light?

Thanks.
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:53
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Cartella Nov 22, 2021

Wendy Cummings wrote:

I have recently been in discussions with an Italian agency and they have asked me to provide my rate per "catela" (spelling unsure). This was defined as "approximately 225 words".
I have never come across this unit before, and was wondering if anyone can shed light?

Thanks.


Cartella

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
P.L.F. Persio
Daryo
 
Wendy Cummings
Wendy Cummings  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Cartella Nov 22, 2021

Thanks Tom! Her accent was very thick and hard to understand.

Tom in London wrote:

Cartella


 
Fiona Grace Peterson
Fiona Grace Peterson  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 06:53
Italian to English
Cartella = editorial page Nov 22, 2021

It's a system that's fallen in disuse somewhat here in Italy, although some people do still use it. The number of keystrokes per editorial page varies from 1385 to 1500 or 1800, spaces included, although some agencies used to try to get out of paying for spaces. It's an advantage over a per-word rate for languages like German where words can be very long.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
P.L.F. Persio
achisholm
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:53
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Una cartella Nov 22, 2021

una cartella = 220 words

QUESTA E' UNA CARTELLA su un foglio A4

Screen Shot


[Edited at 2021-11-22 15:37 GMT]

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
P.L.F. Persio
Daryo
 
Andrzej Mierzejewski
Andrzej Mierzejewski  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 06:53
Polish to English
+ ...
Justanidea Nov 23, 2021

Fiona Grace Peterson wrote:
some agencies used to try to get out of paying for spaces.


Insuchcaseyoucansendyourtranslationwithoutaspace.Lettheminsertthespaceswherenecessary.



Robert Rietvelt
P.L.F. Persio
Vladimir Filipenko
Christopher Schröder
Maria Pia Giuseppina Nuzzolese
Daryo
 
Adam Warren
Adam Warren  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 06:53
Member (2005)
French to English
Get things straight from the outset Nov 23, 2021

Wendy Cummings wrote:

Thanks Tom! Her accent was very thick and hard to understand.

Tom in London wrote:

Cartella


If the job is offered over the phone, it would be a wise precaution to request prompt e-Mail confirmation before accepting the job, and request full project details: volume, billable time, input and delivery formats, rate, any translation aids (glossary, TM, on-line CAT and delivery portals), deadline(s).

If the spelling is shaky, I’d be inclined to give the client a wide berth; after all, an LSP should be reasonably literate and attentive to detail.

HTH, and warmest best wishes in these difficult times,

Adam Warren (Translator 41189).
 
Wendy Cummings
Wendy Cummings  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
- Nov 23, 2021

Adam Warren wrote:

HTH, and warmest best wishes in these difficult times,

Adam Warren (Translator 41189).


Thank you for your kind advice. It was a video conversation about a long-term collaboration, so have no fear, all of the details will be fully hashed out to my satisfaction!
 
Wendy Cummings
Wendy Cummings  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Does this seem low to you? Dec 10, 2021

OK, so based on your sage advice, I converted my standard per word rate into a per cartella rate.

It was rejected.

I asked them to provide their own ballpark, as I was happy to negotiate.

They offered £6 per cartella for Sp>En, and confirmed that their cartella is approx. 225 words.

I am new to this unit, but this seems incredibly low to me. Unless I am mistaken (please correct me if so), then that equates to a rate of £27 per thousand word... See more
OK, so based on your sage advice, I converted my standard per word rate into a per cartella rate.

It was rejected.

I asked them to provide their own ballpark, as I was happy to negotiate.

They offered £6 per cartella for Sp>En, and confirmed that their cartella is approx. 225 words.

I am new to this unit, but this seems incredibly low to me. Unless I am mistaken (please correct me if so), then that equates to a rate of £27 per thousand words....

I have never worked for a rate that low in my life.

Have I miscalculated completely?? ▲ Collapse
 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
Probably a Latin America rate Dec 10, 2021

It's ~$8 USD / page = 3.5 cents per word.

Kind of bad, yes, especially if you live in an expensive country with a functioning taxation system.
 


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Charging by the "catela" - what does it mean?







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