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Thread poster: WS McCallum
Tina Vonhof (X)
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 10:22
Dutch to English
+ ...
Paper Feb 4, 2021

I need paper copies only when I translate personal documents. Those need to be stamped, signed and then sent to the client per post. Many clients only want a scan of the stamped documents, so then the paper copies need to be shredded. I collect those in a box and once a year the Alberta Motor Association, of which I am a member, holds a shredding event in several parts of the city, where they bring two huge shredding trucks. Your paper goes into the shredder box and all. The payment? A can of fo... See more
I need paper copies only when I translate personal documents. Those need to be stamped, signed and then sent to the client per post. Many clients only want a scan of the stamped documents, so then the paper copies need to be shredded. I collect those in a box and once a year the Alberta Motor Association, of which I am a member, holds a shredding event in several parts of the city, where they bring two huge shredding trucks. Your paper goes into the shredder box and all. The payment? A can of food or a few dollars for the food bank.

Speaking of old translators, I turned 82 last week but I'm still not quite ready to give up translation...


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P.L.F. Persio
Zibow Retailleau
Matthias Brombach
Mervyn Henderson (X)
neilmac
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
expressisverbis
 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 17:22
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
Never give up... translation Feb 4, 2021

Tina Vonhof wrote:

Speaking of old translators, I turned 82 last week but I'm still not quite ready to give up translation...



Best wishes of a happy birthday, Tina, and of many years of happy translating!


Zibow Retailleau
Matthias Brombach
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Dan Lucas
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
neilmac
Silke Walter
 
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Mervyn Henderson (X)  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:22
Spanish to English
+ ...
@Tina Feb 4, 2021

I had no idea. Well done! Me, I'm going to pack it all in when I'm half that age, I swear.

P.L.F. Persio
Matthias Brombach
Zibow Retailleau
expressisverbis
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:22
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Tell them. Feb 4, 2021

Marina Taffetani wrote:

Why, what do translators do then?


They translate:

- instruction on package of rice you cooked today
- ingredients on soap you washed with yesterday
- signs and guidelines at the airport you traveled from last month
- menus in restaurant you ate at last weekend
- laundry machine manual you bought two days ago
- fancy clothing labels you bought from Japan two weeks ago
- etc, to be continued.

[Edited at 2021-02-04 17:40 GMT]


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
P.L.F. Persio
Marina Taffetani
Mervyn Henderson (X)
 
Marina Taffetani
Marina Taffetani  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 17:22
Member (2013)
German to Italian
+ ...
Sorry Feb 4, 2021

I apologize to those of you who felt offended by my words about "older people". I didn't mean to generalize or be offensive.

Just as an example for those who asked where that came from: I was once talking to a man who must have been 90 or so, and when I told him I worked as a translator, he went still for at least a minute, after which he said "Well, I guess that's a job, too, after all". I suspect he heard "porn actress" instead of "translator" (we were speaking Italian so maybe,
... See more
I apologize to those of you who felt offended by my words about "older people". I didn't mean to generalize or be offensive.

Just as an example for those who asked where that came from: I was once talking to a man who must have been 90 or so, and when I told him I worked as a translator, he went still for at least a minute, after which he said "Well, I guess that's a job, too, after all". I suspect he heard "porn actress" instead of "translator" (we were speaking Italian so maybe, just maybe, a person who couldn't hear very well might misunderstand the two words - "traduttrice" vs. "pornoattrice"). But that's just an example, it actually happened many times. I guess in small towns here in Italy many people that age more often than not didn't have a chance of going to school. My grandparents had to leave school at 10 years of age, because families needed children to work in the fields at the time - at least, those who lived in the countryside and weren't rich. The same goes for my parents, actually. After 10, they simply had to work, no more school for them. No wonder then many people that age don't know what a translator is or does.

I honestly didn't mean to come out as rude or offensive. I just wanted to point out what I've seen many times here. I'm sure it's not the same everywhere.

[Edited at 2021-02-04 18:37 GMT]
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Mervyn Henderson (X)
P.L.F. Persio
Matthias Brombach
Zibow Retailleau
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:22
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Lol. Feb 4, 2021

Marina Taffetani wrote:

I apologize to those of you who felt offended by my words about "older people". I didn't mean to generalize or be offensive.

Just as an example for those who asked where that came from: I was once talking to a man who must have been 90 or so, and when I told him I worked as a translator, he went still for at least a minute, after which he said "Well, I guess that's a job, too, after all". I suspect he heard "porn actress" instead of "translator" (we were speaking Italian so maybe, just maybe, a person who couldn't hear very well might misunderstand the two words - "traduttrice" vs. "pornoattrice"). But that's just an example, it actually happened many times. I guess in small towns here in Italy many people that age more often than not didn't have a chance of going to school. My grandparents had to leave school at 10 years of age, because families needed children to work in the fields at the time - at least, those who lived in the countryside and weren't rich. The same goes for my parents, actually. After 10, they simply had to work, no more school for them. No wonder then many people that age don't know what a translator is or does.

I honestly didn't mean to come out as rude or offensive. I just wanted to point out what I've seen many times here. I'm sure it's not the same everywhere.

[Edited at 2021-02-04 18:37 GMT]


Conclusion:

Not going to school prevents you from learning what a translator is or does, but still makes it possible for you to learn what a porn actress is.

IMO, you didn’t come off as rude in earlier posts. You gave an example of an aged person who is not a translator, then they countered that with an aged person who is a translator. Not comparable. Nothing to do with age though, many people are not aware of what translators do, regardless of their age.


[Edited at 2021-02-04 19:01 GMT]


Mervyn Henderson (X)
P.L.F. Persio
Zibow Retailleau
Marina Taffetani
 
WS McCallum
WS McCallum
New Zealand
Local time: 05:22
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Responses Feb 5, 2021

An interesting range of responses - so I am definitely not the only one who has experienced such reactions.

"I was once talking to a man who must have been 90 or so, and when I told him I worked as a translator, he went still for at least a minute, after which he said "Well, I guess that's a job, too, after all". I suspect he heard "porn actress" instead of "translator" (we were speaking Italian so maybe, just maybe,
... See more
An interesting range of responses - so I am definitely not the only one who has experienced such reactions.

"I was once talking to a man who must have been 90 or so, and when I told him I worked as a translator, he went still for at least a minute, after which he said "Well, I guess that's a job, too, after all". I suspect he heard "porn actress" instead of "translator" (we were speaking Italian so maybe, just maybe, a person who couldn't hear very well might misunderstand the two words - "traduttrice" vs. "pornoattrice").

Marina Taffetani, that's hilarious!
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P.L.F. Persio
Marina Taffetani
expressisverbis
 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 17:22
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
Ciao Marina Feb 5, 2021

There's nothing either remotely offensive, nor rude, in your post.

Well, at least the old gentleman didn't say: "Oh yes, I thought I remembered you from somewhere!"


Matthias Brombach
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Zibow Retailleau
IrinaN
Marina Taffetani
Tina Vonhof (X)
 
Renée van Bijsterveld
Renée van Bijsterveld  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 17:22
Member (2007)
English to Dutch
+ ...
No offense taken Feb 5, 2021

But the remark really surprised me.
Didn't feel as a rude remark, to me it's in the same category as "Well, I guess that's a job, too, after all"


Marina Taffetani
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 16:22
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No offense taken. Feb 5, 2021

I’ve just pointed out the problem with generalizations – whether they are about age or whatever.

Marina Taffetani
 
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:22
Member (2004)
English to Italian
FYI Feb 5, 2021

Marina Taffetani wrote:

"traduttrice" vs. "pornoattrice"


it works for men too... traduttore - pornoattore


P.L.F. Persio
Marina Taffetani
Zibow Retailleau
WS McCallum
 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:22
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
All these t- and p-words! Feb 5, 2021

Marina Taffetani wrote:
"traduttrice"


... and then we have traduttore, Trapppatoni and what else dangerous Italian terms!
Where I move to end of the month, there is a "Trattoria" nearby: Will that be a safe place or would we have to pay more than € 50 for a beer there?


 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 17:22
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
Trattoria Feb 5, 2021

Matthias Brombach wrote:

... and then we have traduttore, Trapppatoni and what else dangerous Italian terms!
Where I move to end of the month, there is a "Trattoria" nearby: Will that be a safe place or would we have to pay more than € 50 for a beer there?


Trattoria usually means a place where food is plentiful and unpretentious, tasty and cheap, therefore not any kind of haute cuisine/nouvelle cuisine, and theoretically you could go there and have a good meal and drink without being robbed, Matthias.

On the other hand, I've been away from da Old Country since 2005, and things may have changed. As for trattorie in Germany, I don't know. When I'm in Germany, I want German food and plenty of it, and I make well sure I get it. Never been disappointed so far.


Marina Taffetani
 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:22
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
Great! Feb 5, 2021

P.L.F.Persio wrote:

When I'm in Germany, I want German food and plenty of it, and I make well sure I get it. Never been disappointed so far.


Then you surely prefer to visit the south of Germany? Because only there they have a quite enjoyable kitchen and good wines. Rule of thumb: Never order fish when visiting the North. It was caught in any part of the world, but not in the local seas. Unless it was caught in the Nort Sea and sold to the Dutch Fish Trading Mafia, from where it then comes back again deep-frozen to Germany.


 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 17:22
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
Dutch Fish Trading Mafia Feb 5, 2021

Matthias Brombach wrote:

Then you surely prefer to visit the south of Germany? Because only there they have a quite enjoyable kitchen and good wines. Rule of thumb: Never order fish when visiting the North. It was caught in any part of the world, but not in the local seas. Unless it was caught in the North Sea and sold to the Dutch Fish Trading Mafia, from where it then comes back again deep-frozen to Germany.


Is there a Nederlands Cosa Nostra? How do they call it: Ons Ding? Oh yes, the Poldermaffia, but I guess it's not the same for the fishermen.


 
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