Jost Zetzsche Tool Kit

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Ein blinder Glaube der Kunden an gestempelte, beglaubigte Übersetzungen

Wenn mir ein Kunde eine Übersetzungarbeit anvertraut, ist die Sache meistens ganz einfach. Ich übersetze die Texte, sende dem Kunden die Übersetzung mit der Rechnung und er bezahlt mich (hoffentlich, aber das ist eine andere Geschichte!). Die Sache ist damit für die beiden Parteien zufriedenstellend erledigt.

Aber das Posten dieses Blogs beschäftigt sich mit einer anderen Sache. Ab und zu kommt ein Kunde, der es wünscht, dass ich die Übersetzung von einem Notar beglaubigen lassen solle.

Der Kunde versteht eine Sache nicht. Diese Art der Beglaubigung bestätigt bloß die Tatsache, dass ich meine Bestätigung der korrekten Übersetzung in Gegenwart von einem Notar gemacht habe und nichts mehr. Der Notar bestätigt nur, dass ich die obige Bestätigung in seiner Gegenwart unterzeichnet habe. Der Notar ist nämlich für die Richtigkeit meiner eigenen Bestätigung nicht verantwortlich.

Aber manche Leute scheinen einen blinden Glaube an gestempelte Schriftstücken zu haben!!!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Dondu N. Raghavan

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Maintenant l'on blogue en français !

Ayant commencé le blogging en allemand, pourquoi pas en français également ? Voici mon premier billet de blogue en français.

Mon remerciement à Mme Lartet, ma première professeressa française. Sans elle je n'aurais pas été en mesure d'étudier la langue française jusqu'au niveau de diplôme supérieur, il y a plus de 33 ans.

Cordialement,
Dondu N. Raghavan

Natürlich kann ich ab und zu auch auf Deutsch-Französich bloggen, oder?

Ich war der Absicht, die Blogposten auch auf Deutsch bzw Französisch zu schreiben. Dabei blieb es lange Zeit ohne irgendeine Handlung. Nun ist es soweit und ich habe beschlossen, diese Absicht in Tatsache umzusetzen.

Wenn ich als Dolmetscher arbeite, finde ich es seltsam, dass einige deutsche Besucher beim Gespräch alle duzen. Als ein Produkt des Goethe Instituts, finde ich es etwa komisch. Dazu beherrsche ich leider die Konjugation für du nicht ganz genau. Demnach beharre ich auf "Sie". Dies findet nun der Besucher komisch.

Was soll ich tun?

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
N. Raghavan

Monday, September 05, 2011

Has the Word 2003 a bee in the bonnet about the passive voice in its spellcheck?


17:11

I use Word 2003. Whenever I do spell checking, I get cautioned when a passive construction is used. The spell check wants me to reconsider the use of passive voice. I get impatient and just ask it to ignore for once. Unfortunately there is no ignore all button. I have to go on ignoring repeatedly only once each time!

What is wrong with passive construction? In fact, during our college days, all the lab records have to be submitted in passive voice only. The instructions were very formal on this point.

After all we are grown up and do not require such sermonizing on the part of the spell checker.

I am curious. Is the passive construction then so bad that it has to be avoided?

I have posted this in proz forum too. Let us see what my colleagues have to say about this.

Regards,
Dondu N. Raghavan

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Serving as moderators to proz.com

There is a call for proz members to consider becoming moderators. A forum was specially opened for the same.

When I became an ordinary member way back in 2003, I was quite awed by this portal. I still am grateful to the site, but the awe has given rise to certain skepticism.

While calling for moderators, it is made clear that they are only volunteers and no privilege will be given to them. And this from a commercial Website, which has - indeed should have - a profit motive.

But then, why should a member be a moderator? And as I understand it, only platinum members can become moderators, who pay quite a sum of money already.

Way back in 2003, I saw wonderful moderators such as Ralf Lemster, Kim Metzger and others. These two have ceased to be one and I wonder why. A spate of well known moderators left the scene likewise. At that time there was much talk about it in the proz fora.

On seeing the conditions being imposed on a moderator and the benefits he is likely to get, I am not enamored of becoming one. Which is now beside the point as I am no longer a platinum member.

But yet:

The forum cited above has been locked. A few posts have been made invisible. I am not able to make my points there. Hence this blog post.

The benefits a moderator is supposed to get is expressed in the following words:
Moderators are volunteer members and are not paid for their work. However, there are a number of benefits to participating in the program: 

First, serving as a moderator provides an enhanced opportunity to help others benefit from the mission. For a person who has achieved success as a translator or interpreter, or in a translation company, and who has derived benefit from ProZ.com, the moderator program provides an opportunity to give something back by sharing what you have learned with others. 

Secondly, as it turns out, helping others to benefit from the mission also allows one to experience the benefits of the mission in a deeper way oneself. For example, because each class of moderators consists of a group of about 100 professionals from around the world, the program provides a great opportunity for personal networking. The camaraderie, and resulting friendships, cross linguistic and geographical boundaries. Also, because of the high profile nature of the role, moderators gain exposure that in some cases may lead to new business opportunities. Finally, as is the case with any professional challenge, the moderator role provides opportunities to advance as a professional and have fun at the same time.

Hope this explains.



No, this does not explain it, I am sorry to say. This can then be claimed for any free work. Surely the recipient of such pro bono work will think along those lines. But why should one consider becoming a moderator? 


In the Gotranslators portal. articles are solicited from members and in the event of giving one, they are offered 2 months of gomembership (equivalent to proz's platinum) free of cost. In that way I was a gomember for a period exceeding one year. 


Proz can consider such a gesture for moderators. This incentive will surely attract good talent. And by the way this gesture is not exactly new for proz. I was a platinum member of proz for 4 years and I did not spend a single cent for the same. It came about in the following manner. 


There was a move to localize proz into Tamil, my mother tongue. Three of us worked on that and a lot of browneys were given to us. It was in this connection that I wanted a platinum membership in exchange of the browneys. I initiated a forum post for this. There were lively discussions on this point. But if you now see that forum post, you will have no inkling of what actually happened. 


One fine day in July 2007, I was admitted to the platinum membership for one year against 20000 browney points. Come 2008, there was call for me to renew membership through payment with offer for 1/3 discount against 4000 browney points. I had more than 60000 browney points at that time and I remained adamant about getting platinum membership in the same way. 


In July 2008, I was given platinum membership for 3 more years and it lapsed this month. Not much browney points remained and I let the matter go.


My localization into Tamil was considered as valuable contribution and I got the membership. But then moderators too do a valuable service and they should be given at least browney poitns generously and if some of them convert it to platinum membership renewals, why not? 


There is precedence for this and I am that precedence.


Proz is a commercial site. It should consider getting the best talents. Just vaguely referring to the dubious mental satisfaction will not wash. 


Regards,
Dondu N. Raghavan