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Poll: Do you see yourself as a "freelancer" or as an "independent professional"? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you see yourself as a "freelancer" or as an "independent professional"?".
This poll was originally submitted by Julian Holmes. View the poll results »
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Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:25
German to English
+ ...
| What's the difference? | Sep 12, 2012 |
If asked, I'd probably say I was a 'freelancer' as it sounds more down-to-earth than an 'independent professional', which is more something you'd put on your CV. But I don't see a semantic difference between them.
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| They mean the same... | Sep 12, 2012 |
... though personally I prefer independent professional as there's a subtle negative connotation to the term "freelancer".
PS Please, please don't kill the messenger!
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Angus Stewart
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:25
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
| Professional | Sep 12, 2012 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
personally I prefer independent professional as there's a subtle negative connotation to the term "freelancer".
I share similar sentiments to Teresa. Being a professional is a much more positive way to self-identify.
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| Freelancer = mercenary?? | Sep 12, 2012 |
To me, "freelancer" would be the anglosaxon term while "independent professional" would be derived from Latin. Maybe I'm missing a nuance because I am not a native English speaker. You mean to say that a freelancer has something of a mercenary in it?
Hugs,
Lucía
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Emin Arı
Türkiye
Local time: 21:25
English to Turkish
+ ...
The word of freelancer comes from 'Free' (no master but just money) 'Lancer' (Soldier, of course a pro) and was first used in 1820 to describe Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. That is what wiki says.
So both freelancer and independent professional are true term regarding definition. If someone hires you then you must be a pro otherwise why they should choose you.
No master at all! that is the best side of being freelancer.
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Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:25
Hebrew to English
| I see myself as.... | Sep 12, 2012 |
..."an Independent Language Replacement Practitioner" ....kidding! ...but I do know translators who call themselves that...with or without sarcasm I'm not sure.
Joking aside, I wasn't really aware "freelancer" had any particular negative connotations, so I've never minded being referred to thus.
I suppose it depends who's asking. If I was ... See more
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Susanna Martoni
Italy
Local time: 20:25
Member (2009)
Spanish to Italian
+ ...
| A professional | Sep 12, 2012 |
Indipendent.
Yes, also freelancer.
Un libero professionista.
Un profesional libre.
The word "free" is crucial here.
[Modificato alle 2012-09-12 08:43 GMT]
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inkweaver
Germany
Local time: 20:25
French to German
+ ...
As a non-native speaker of English I may be missing some subtle nuances, but I definitely prefer to call myself a "freelancer".
@Ty: Thanks for sharing the link. The author's final thoughts sum up nicely how I feel about being a freelancer.
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| Well I'm just a translator | Sep 12, 2012 |
All these euphemisms like waste operative and language service provider and vendors and all that other tosh - who do they think they are kidding?
The other day I saw someone on here describing themselves as "a boutique LSP". That'll be a freelancer who sends out the odd job. FFS.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:25
Spanish to English
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Other, definitely other. Because I caught a whiff of trick question there and I don't like being pinned down. To all intents and purposes, I'd say they are the same. I suppose you could say I'm whatever you want (or pay) me to be, although some of my behaviour (like telling clients to take a hike) is extremely unprofessional.
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| One of the approaches | Sep 12, 2012 |
One of the approaches is that the words have meaning.
From this point of view, what's the difference between "freelancer", "hawk", "tiger", "independent writer", etc?
[Edited at 2012-09-12 09:08 GMT]
A very very small tiger, size 0.01 dollar per source word or even less
[Edited at 2012-09-12 09:31 GMT]
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Isn't that called OCT ("Ongoing Client Training")? Surely there should be some money available from the Fundación Tripartita or whatever it's called nowadays, to learn how to do this?
Noni
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Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 19:25
Member (2010)
French to English
+ ...
| they mean the same | Sep 12, 2012 |
is what I voted.
I generally use "self-employed" and add "as a translator" if I am asked but would never use "independent professional" and don't really see any negative undertones with "freelancer" other than possibly every Tom, Dick and Harry being one in these recessionary days.
I think "self-employed" implies a more professional approach but I could be wrong!
[Edited at 2012-09-12 09:54 GMT]
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Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:25
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
| We are all medieval mercenary warriors | Sep 12, 2012 |
Lucia Moreno Velo wrote:
To me, "freelancer" would be the anglosaxon term while "independent professional" would be derived from Latin. Maybe I'm missing a nuance because I am not a native English speaker. You mean to say that a freelancer has something of a mercenary in it?
Hugs,
Lucía
From the Online Etymology Dictionary:
freelance
also free lance, free-lance, "medieval mercenary warrior," 1820 ("Ivanhoe"), from free (adj.) + lance; apparently a coinage of Sir Walter Scott's. Figurative sense is from 1864; specifically of journalism by 1882. Related: Freelancer. The verb is first attested 1903. Related: Freelanced; freelancing.
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