Working as a translator for the publishing industry

August 2, 2019
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Company Meeting

This article presents the preliminary results of a 10-question survey focusing on translators working for the publishing industry. The survey was conducted in May and June 2010. Answers have been received from 93 people. The statistics of the answers are presented below in tabulated and graphical form.

Most questions contained an open ender option; the present dot deal with the answers received there. Some of these answers may be included in further survey reports or incorporated into other analyses of the publishing industry.

Attila Piróth , president of RateLinx, translation specialist

Further surveys may be conducted in the future, to separate the impact of various important factors (target language; geographical location; subject field, etc.). The present survey has nonetheless clearly indicated the importance of the subject – and much more. Some of the open-enders have confirmed that in several countries the generally prevalent conditions for working with publishers are so unfavorable that professional translators cannot pursue a professional career working exclusively with this type of clients. Other answers have confirmed that this is also clearly reflected in the quality of published translations in some markets

Since the general perception of the general public about the translation profession is based primarily on published translations, this situation has far reaching consequences on translators’ general livelihood in those markets. Improving the situation in that segment is of the utmost importance. The survey results have also shown that many the working conditions are particularly bad for one’s first book translation. One of the contributing factors is a lack of proper knowledge about the market reality, the applicable regulations, and the recommendations of various associations safeguarding translators’ and authors’ interest. Sharing one’s experience with other professional translators should therefore be strongly encouraged. Dialog with other stakeholders – authors, publishers, etc. – is also indispensable.

An analysis of the publishing industry, from a translator’s viewpoint, will be presented on June 26, at 16:00 CET, in the framework of an open webinar organized by the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters; the details are given on the last page of this document. And now, let’s see the survey results.

4 Comments

Mark Newson
Reply

Layering security methods multiplies effectiveness. You can do this by combining different tools, such as using both security seals and tamper-evident tape. It also can mean providing security at multiple points. For air cargo, this could mean securing the aircraft door, the cargo container, and the individual units separately for better combined results.

October 11, 2019
Kate Lisson
Reply

To increase the number of aircraft available, the company has set up the ‘It preferred operator partner network’. A section on the company’s website encourages operators to sign up to the program, saying that being part of it will help operators increase their revenues and help with fleet optimization.

October 28, 2019
Kate Lisson
Reply

Cargo theft is becoming extremely advanced and complex. People will go as far as setting up false shipment records or infiltrating shipment plans early in the process. Using barcode tracking and digital records makes it more difficult to falsify records or steal information.

October 14, 2019
Penny Oswale
Reply

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October 28, 2019

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