Are You Sick Of All Tools That Agencies Demand?

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Are You Sick Of All Tools That Agencies Demand?

The Translation trade, especially for beginners, is a complex and tedious means of earning money. It requires keen eyes, an adept mind, and steadfast dedication. Despite a person’s commitment to his or her craft, when something is done repeatedly for a certain period, it becomes dull and, at some point, irritating. Because of this, some agencies make use of the power of software. In this particular case, translation software.

These tools are fine. That is if you are doing menial jobs. For example, translating “Thank You” in German or how to say “You are beautiful” in German without sounding too aggressive. For these kinds of tasks, Google Translate would finely suffice. However, the same cannot be said when tasked with hundreds, if not thousands, of words.

Language translation is an art on its own. Translating one language to another requires adept mastery of not just one language but two. Aside from complete knowledge of these languages, you must also learn the simple quirks, sentence construction techniques, and slang. When interpreted directly in a different language, one particular phrase or word may mean completely different. As such, it requires a heart and deep understanding. Something that a software or tool will not achieve.

The art of translation needs a human touch. It requires deep human understanding that no software or digital tool will ever come close to mimicking. While the software and tools agencies demand are great at doing a small and repetitive task over an extensive period, they still need a deep understanding of the context and underlying meaning of the job or project you are trying to translate.

In almost every instance, the translation software and tools that agencies demand will interpret a particular word or phrase in a very literal way. An actual translator needs to feel and understand the context of the words he or she is trying to interpret. Merely interpreting one word to another for the sake of it is not enough.

Each language has unique rules regarding grammar, sentence construction, and syntax. This means that writing an excellent translation requires you to have adept skills at not just one but all these three factors. Being able to interpret grammar quirks correctly is fine, but the context of it will be lost when you do not put sentence construction and syntax into context.

Case in point. Using tools and software in translating “I completely agree with you” into German will sometimes give a result that vaguely reads “My agreement is complete.” This is because software and tools are programmed to interpret each word individually without considering the context in which those words are used.

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As a general rule of the thumb, tools and software are great when translating single words or phrases that are pretty common. However, the software disintegrates when the same algorithm is employed in interpreting complicated sentences, not to mention complete articles.

Some agencies require, and sometimes force, their employees to use algorithms and tools to help them in their tasks. While these tools are meant to help, they usually do more harm than good.
These tools are helpful, but only to some extent. You must be able to tell and comprehend when these tools are helpful and when they are performing in utter uselessness. To be able to make a difference is not that hard. A sense of human touch and feel will always subvert even the most complicated algorithms.

  • What are examples of best practices?

    Perfect examples of best practices are:

    • Giving Bonus: Rewarding workers for their efforts will increase their productivity and benefit the company in the long run.
    • Team Activities: Arranging team activities will promote unity among the workforce and improve their efficiency
    • Celebrating Festivals: This is the best way to make all the employees feel included.
  • What is a standard practice?

    A standard practice is the usual way to handle an issue. Every industry has standard practices that everyone in it follows. They are like unwritten rules that everyone has to follow at all costs. Some standard practices end up becoming a part of the code of conduct. For instance, keeping a patient’s information confidential is a standard practice and the doctor’s responsibility.

  • How do you develop best practices?

    • Do your research so you can learn from other companies in your industry
    • Discuss your ideas with every member of the workforce
    • Modify the practices according to your business
    • Create detailed plans to implement new approaches in the workplace
    • Record the success rate of every practice
    • Ask your employees and customers for feedback

What Would Be Considered As Best Practice?

As mentioned above, Translation needs heart and mastery. While computers and algorithms are getting more powerful today, they still lack the fundamental comprehension of even the simplest human languages. Computers are great when interpreting individual words or simple phrases. However, when tasked to translate documents that are even just a handful of pages long, the algorithm does not reach the quality it was programmed to do in the first place.

Translating is a tedious job. Sometimes, you will encounter rare words despite your experience and command of the language. When caught in this particular scenario, it might be wise to fire up Google Translate or whatever agency tool you have. Just remember that these tools are just there you help you work through one demanding task. These tools are not meant to complete the job. They are merely there to get you out of the swamp in which you have no idea of how to escape.

Asking a colleague or fellow employee when you are in a snitch is not that bad of an idea. The first step in solving a problem is realizing that there is a problem. There is no harm in asking. Sometimes, when you are waist-deep in dealing with a problem, it is extremely wise, and in general very useful, to ask for help.

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Conclusion.

Translation tools are meant to help you. That is it. They are not intended to do your whole job. Use translation tools when you encounter new words that are unusual to you. An excellent piece of translation is always the one that is made by the heart and the mind. No algorithm, software, or digital tool will be able to replace that, at least soon.

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