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Poll: "Translators know the name of everything and the meaning of nothing" Autor wątku: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question ""Translators know the name of everything and the meaning of nothing"".
View the poll results »
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| I don't agree! | Oct 14, 2016 |
Whoever said that has a very low opinion of translators in general...
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neilmac
Hiszpania
Local time: 08:24
hiszpański > angielski
+ ...
However, as I go through life I've found that you can get away with uttering all sorts of stuff and nonsense simply by saying it authoritatively, with conviction, because people will believe you (See Brexit, for example).
@Mario: I'm glad you liked it. Here, have some "BALderdash" to wash it down...
[Edited at 2016-10-14 10:04 GMT]
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| Other -- I partially agree | Oct 14, 2016 |
Translators know the name of everything, but have DEEP knowledge of nothing
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Christine Andersen 
Dania
Local time: 08:24
Członek ProZ.com
od 2003
duński > angielski
+ ...
Of course, you can find wannabes who can score thousands KudoZ points and find a word for everything without understanding the deeper meaning. I have been lucky that way myself. But it is very easy to get the wrong word that way too. Right from childhood, I have looked at why one word fits where another doesn't, and made an effort to know what I am talking about. I hate not knowing the precise meaning.
Admittedly, when I watch programmes like "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" (prefer... See more Of course, you can find wannabes who can score thousands KudoZ points and find a word for everything without understanding the deeper meaning. I have been lucky that way myself. But it is very easy to get the wrong word that way too. Right from childhood, I have looked at why one word fits where another doesn't, and made an effort to know what I am talking about. I hate not knowing the precise meaning.
Admittedly, when I watch programmes like "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" (preferably in German with Gunther Jauch) I find I can often select the right answers with only a superficial understanding of the meaning. Jauch himself actually knows an impressive amount about many fields, and his comments are not pure patter, and that is why he is so entertaining.
However, the colleagues I work with really know the ins and outs of their own specialisms. Some have become translators precisely because they are specialists and appreciate the need for in-depth understanding of the subject.
I don't know a single translator with the approach in the question! But it is a neat description of translation machines and artificial intelligence.  ▲ Collapse
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 02:24
angielski > hiszpański
+ ...
| Heheheh, he said poppycock! | Oct 14, 2016 |
neilmac wrote:
However, as I go through life I've found that you can get away with uttering all sorts of stuff and nonsense simply by saying it authoritatively, with conviction, because people will believe you (See Brexit, for example).
Agreed. We live in the slogan-as-authoritative-quote age. Just take a look at LinkedIn. Disgusting.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 02:24
angielski > hiszpański
+ ...
| The meaning of a good espresso | Oct 14, 2016 |
Speaking of meanings, who's up for a cup of Portuguese coffee? My treat!
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I can't translate unless I understand the meaning. If I find something I don't understand, I do the research until the concept is clear to me. In my entire 40+ year career I don't think I have never used a word from a dictionary without first finding out what it meant.
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Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
I can't translate unless I understand the meaning. If I find something I don't understand, I do the research until the concept is clear to me. In my entire 40+ year career I don't think I have never used a word from a dictionary without first finding out what it meant.
Our job is to make sure that the meaning and context are never lost in translation, isn’t it?
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Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
I can't translate unless I understand the meaning. If I find something I don't understand, I do the research until the concept is clear to me. In my entire 40+ year career I don't think I have never used a word from a dictionary without first finding out what it meant.
Whoever said that simply does not know what he is talking about. If the person had ever handled any project in her life, he/she won't utter such rxxxxxx.
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| Unlike some quiz and Scrabble nerds ... | Oct 14, 2016 |
... I'd say that generally translators are most particularly interested in the exact meaning of words and technical terms.
Certain Scrabble nerds can become champions by learning the lists of words which are acceptable according to the game's rules but they aren't remotely interested in what those words mean or how they are used.
The same applies to certain quiz nerds. They can learn lists of US state capitals, top 40 UK hit singles, Oscar winners, Nobel prize winners, the periodic t... See more ... I'd say that generally translators are most particularly interested in the exact meaning of words and technical terms.
Certain Scrabble nerds can become champions by learning the lists of words which are acceptable according to the game's rules but they aren't remotely interested in what those words mean or how they are used.
The same applies to certain quiz nerds. They can learn lists of US state capitals, top 40 UK hit singles, Oscar winners, Nobel prize winners, the periodic table, etc. etc. without taking any interest in the facts surrounding them.
Yes, you can get away with statements such as the one offered here by putting it in inverted commas but not attributing it to anyone. Ridiculous. ▲ Collapse
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Ümit Karahan
Turcja
Local time: 09:24
angielski > turecki
+ ...
| Yes but machine translators | Oct 14, 2016 |
This must be the google translate I think
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Erzsébet Czopyk
Węgry
Local time: 08:24
Członek ProZ.com
od 2006
rosyjski > węgierski
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | wannabes? really? | Oct 14, 2016 |
Christine Andersen wrote:
Of course, you can find wannabes who can score thousands KudoZ points and find a word for everything without understanding the deeper meaning. I have been lucky that way myself. But it is very easy to get the wrong word that way too.
Wannabes?
Really? I would not call anyone who sacrifizes his/her own time to help others call this way.
Dear Christine, I respect you very much and this is they first time I disagree with you. It is so easy to look at someone's efforts and ruin the day. (IMHO, it is too easy...)
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Erzsébet Czopyk
Węgry
Local time: 08:24
Członek ProZ.com
od 2006
rosyjski > węgierski
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | definitely not | Oct 14, 2016 |
Alexander Kondorsky wrote:
Translators know the name of everything, but have DEEP knowledge of nothing
Even translators do not know the name of everything BUT they are sthe specilaists in the deep ocesan of words and they will find the meaning of any owrd if they search for it.
So they do have DEEP knowledge in linguistics, syntax, grammar etc.
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Henry Schroeder
USA
Local time: 02:24
Członek ProZ.com
od 2002
niemiecki > angielski
+ ...
| "translators" needs to be replaced with "people" | Oct 14, 2016 |
Isn't that what was the question was supposed to say?
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