What fees to charge for translation work

[Showem 868]

Why is it silly to charge per hour rather than per word for translating? Just curious, because I can't see what the difference would be.

[DDBug 1,665]

We have one agency that charges by the hour, most charge by the line in Germany, and a few that charge by the word.

The difference is, why should we pay more because one translator is slower than another? And it's difficult sometimes to justify why they charge so much for a certain text. Most customers prefer to know ahead of time what the project will cost - and that's usually based on the amount of text.

However, proofreading is more often by hour, because the worse the text is, the more time is needed. And it's easier to justify paying for a new translation if the text is really crappy and hours of correction are needed.

[Tomasino 5]

DDBug nailed it right on.

 

If you have daily gigs with the same customer, you might just consider a friendship price (which, within limits, doesn't necessarily have to be undercutting the market). The problem is that many less regular, would-be customers can't easily descern differences in product.

 

I would like to add that a translation price should be (but is usually not) based on important factors including whether the person can actually write well or not. Translation for accurate gist is one thing, good writing is another.

 

The translation industry is often overflowing with nerdy, non-colorful, zero-flamboyant, need-a-girlfriend-big-time persons who "create" text that makes the sleeping pill industry feel like it has a serious alternative medicine competitor.

 

Anyway, DDBug's brief and accurate deal about editing taking a long time if text is crap is my belabored point.

 

Should I reiterate for clarity?

[Showem 868]

I guess you translate for more-or-less accurate gist, eh Tomasino?

 

Okay, well that answered the question DDBug, thanks. I am going to charge them by the hour, which suits me since I don't do it so often so am out of practice and the document is non-standard format anyways, so it's hard to do a by-line price.

[Katrina 4,522]

Sometimes you need to write nerdy, non-colourful text, it depends on the context. From my freelance consulting days, I remember doing a application to tender going to a German state body for an IT project, ain't gonna get flatter than that, but it still was correct in context.

[DDBug 1,665]

 

I guess you translate for more-or-less accurate gist, eh Tomasino?

 

Okay, well that answered the question DDBug, thanks. I am going to charge them by the hour, which suits me since I don't do it so often so am out of practice and the document is non-standard format anyways, so it's hard to do a by-line price.

That's exactly why we don't pay people by the hour as a rule*! Good luck though!

 

* We recalculate our vendors bills into a standard price model at the end anyway, just to check on them ;)

[Showem 868]

DD, I have a good relationship with the company, they know they are asking me a favour and so I'll charge them what's fair to us both, which in this case is by the hour. They've already agreed. :)

[DDBug 1,665]

Showem - I'm sure you're on the up and up! I was just commenting on general statistics in the field.

[tallblackman 0]

The translation industry is often overflowing with nerdy, non-colorful, zero-flamboyant, need-a-girlfriend-big-time persons who "create" text that makes the sleeping pill industry feel like it has a serious alternative medicine competitor.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble but that may have been 4 years ago but today the translation industry is made up of 95% young women. I am not one myself but I work with them and of a staff of 60 only 5 are men doing translations in our office, elsewhere in germany there are 6 men to 100 girls. oh and by the way support is the greatest job I just love to support ;)

[Tomasino 5]

What was the four years ago reference about?

 

Also, where's the male implication in "nerdy, non-colorful, zero-flamboyant, need-a-girlfriend-big-time persons"?

[Kay 4,137]

 

Also, where's the male implication in "nerdy, non-colorful, zero-flamboyant, need-a-girlfriend-big-time persons"?

You might wish to reread your own prose, Tomasino. :rolleyes:

[Tiggi 144]

Not, of course, that the industry is hostile to lesbians... ;)

[Tomasino 5]

And therein lies the apparently too subliminal implication.

 

Thanks Tiggi for getting my frivolous dig.

[crazy gracie 0]

I was a freelance translator and the amount you can charge depends on the subject matter. If it's something legal or medical then you can charge top dollar where as standard conversation would be the lesser end of the scale.

 

My second language is Japanese and I charged per character and had a minimum charge for non-regular clients. I also charged a higher fee if the translation was needed very quickly.

 

I'm interested in the 4 years ago reference that someone made as that was around the time I stopped being a translator.

[Verbatim 0]

 

I'm interested in the 4 years ago reference that someone made as that was around the time I stopped being a translator.

If you look at the beginning of the thread you'll see it was started four years ago.

[englishbooksandfoods 56]

Four years ago, more like 10, was the start of the slide in prices or stagnation for translations, (and teaching)

Translation progammes were thrown onto the market, better internet connections encouraging more translators entering the market, resulted in a massive increase in translation suppliers.

 

Moreover, the companies themselves had a large number of staff who they felt were good enough for their purposes.

 

Plus the pressure to reduce costs in non core expenditure. Translations, training (English) has resulted in price reductions. Buget translation and teaching firms plus free translations have lowered the benchmark for these services.

 

Another consideration, is the change in HR staff. New managers bring in their own people, a generation change if you like.

The translation industry, is being slowly de-skilled. As any Dick can do it.

robert Hamburg

[DDBug 1,665]

I've watched the developments for about 15 years now - one thing I've noticed in the past 2 or so is an increasing demand for good translators and less willingness to pay less for crap translations - as was common about 6 years ago when the biggest price crunches hit.

[englishbooksandfoods 56]

Good to hear

robert

[juliadirect 0]

Hi,

I have recently been asked to translate a 60 page book from German into English for personal use. I'm a native English speaker in Berlin with fluent German, but I have never done this kind of work before. Does anyone know how much to charge for a personal translation job like this?

Thanks!

 

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[lolo 178]

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Angebot_und_Preise

 

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