ProZ.com Translation Forums

Amazon Crossing - is any ProZ member a current Amazon translator | There's Babelcube too

Angela Barbosa — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 19:57:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Amazon Crossing - is any ProZ member a current Amazon translator
Poster: Angela Barbosa
Post title: There's Babelcube too

I found an 18 month old conversation in the ProZ group on Facebook. It's seems it's not really an invitation that you need, there are some conditions. Here's the link to the conversation: [url removed]

I haven't heard of this program with Amazon before, but in case you don't know about it, you can translate books with Babelcube
>> [url removed]

[Edited at 2020-09-23 20:16 GMT]

Amazon Crossing - is any ProZ member a current Amazon translator

Gloria Onwuneme (X) — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 11:10:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Amazon Crossing - is any ProZ member a current Amazon translator
Poster: Gloria Onwuneme (X)

Hi!

I recently found out about the Amazon Crossing programme for book translations:
[url removed]

At the moment, translators get hired on an invite-only basis, so I just want to know if anyone on ProZ currently works for them, and what it's like!

Kind regards,
Gloria

Performing free test translations | Testing Methodology

Nick_Baker — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 18:35:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Performing free test translations
Poster: Nick_Baker
Post title: Testing Methodology

Interesting and relevant comments, and I agree with the points about when a test should be free or paid. Actually, on balance I think tests should be paid for because the cost is marginal, it concentrates the mind of the recruiter on whom to consider, and it treats the professional translator with some modicum of respect.

The main problem with the tests used by agencies, apart from the way they are implemented, is the absence of rigorous testing methodology. They appear, in many cases, to be 'homespun' and thus unreliable as indicators of competence. That's why in all probability one rarely gets a marked-up copy back. Many of the 'corrections' by the revising translator could very well be open to challenge.

Detecting and reacting to false job offers and other scams | Scams go both ways

Steven Onken — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 15:45:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Detecting and reacting to false job offers and other scams
Poster: Steven Onken
Post title: Scams go both ways

I am so sorry to hear of scams like this! I did not realize they occur both ways. Have seen this, I can certainly see why someone would do it - to try to get work done and then not pay. Here we receive emails almost daily from individuals claiming to be translators who want to work for us. We find 95 percent of them to be scammers. This is why we go through a vetting and registration process with all of our linguists. We establish a contractual relationship with each linguist before any services are rendered. We welcome your participation with us, and you can read our reviews here on ProZ from others who have worked with us.

Sincerely,
Steve Onken
Senior Project Manager
Compass Languages

[quote]Manuela Hoffmann-Maleki wrote:

Hello,

after reading this, I am sorry to say that I took one of these mails for a real request. Fortunately, I answered that I would just accept bank transfer, not a cheque, but in case they send money - is there anything to do? I gave them my banking details. Hope that doesn't turn out to be a bad idea...

This is the first mail I received via ProZ:

"Hello,

My name is Dennis Rio from United Kingdom . I will
need the service of English to German interpreter while
i
will be coming to (Bavaria)Germany for a 3day event with
my wife
who is 5month pregnant. My wife does not understand
German
and as such will need English to German Speaking
Interpreter
to assist her in the area of purchasing certain items and
other relevant services. Your services will only be
needed
from thursday23 ,september to Saturday 25 September, 2010
from
9am -2pm
daily.

I will prefer that such an interpreter is someone who is
very familiar with Bavaria places of interest and will
be a
very nice and jovial person that can keep a smile on my
wifeâ?Ts face till I return because she means a lot to
me.

If interested, do get back to me with the fee involved so
i
can make deposit.
best regards
Dennis Rio"

And this is the one I received after I gave him my price details:

"I am okay with the fee.i would have love to come down to pay you by cash, but its going to be stressful and time consuming so i will send you an international Bank Certified check that you can easily catch at your bank.in case you stay outside Bavaria Munich do calculate your Transportation .Do provide the below details for payment.

Name to be written on the check
Full address to send the check
Your phone number
kind regards
Dennis"

So the latter contains almost everything that makes it look like the above-mentioned spam mail.

I reported this mail now by clicking on the link in the last line of the mail.

I hope there is not going to be any more trouble with this one. It had appeared somewhat strange to me, but when I found nothing via Google, I answered it...

Best regards,
Manuela [/quote]

Detecting and reacting to false job offers and other scams | Another scam attempt

Geraldine Oudin (X) — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 09:33:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Detecting and reacting to false job offers and other scams
Poster: Geraldine Oudin (X)
Post title: Another scam attempt

Hello!

I'm Mark Davis from Bedford,U.K.I'll be making a presentation to some groups of French speaking people in Paris,France on the 7th of September,2015.However,i will need you to help in translating some documents from English to French,so each of my audience can have a copy in their local language and they can follow through.The deadline for the delivery of translations is September 4,2015.Please,let me have an estimate for the documents(see attached).I look forward to hearing back from you.

Best Regards,
Mark

--------------------------------
I have asked for the details of his company to prepare a quote. When I contacted the said company, as I suspected, no one had heard of a Mark Davis. Beware.

Creating an effective CV / resume | New to Freelance

Sarah Valentina — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 11:43:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Creating an effective CV / resume
Poster: Sarah Valentina
Post title: New to Freelance

This is a very good information. Although I have a question. I am currently working as an in-house translator too. In a resume intended for my freelance work, should I write the agency where I am working now or not?

Converting a PDF document to .DOC format | pdfonline

mazharm — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 10:49:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Converting a PDF document to .DOC format
Poster: mazharm
Post title: pdfonline

Thanks james i tried pdfonline, this was fine, one can do many changes to their pdfs there.

Main Page | Interesting...

Chichie (X) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 10:11:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Main Page
Poster: Chichie (X)
Post title: Interesting...

I have just accessed this link with a view to keeping up with trending issues in the translation industry, I hope to learn a lot and contribute when possible. Thank you to the masterminds behind this wonderful initiative.

Main Page | a great idea

Erzsébet Ráczné Czopyk — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 20:56:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Main Page
Poster: Erzsébet Ráczné Czopyk
Post title: a great idea

from a great community. Thank you, Liza

Publicly accessible translation memories (TMs) | Which ones can be used directly in CAT tools?

Silvio Picinini — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 05:33:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Publicly accessible translation memories (TMs)
Poster: Silvio Picinini
Post title: Which ones can be used directly in CAT tools?

They are all great as an external searches, but maybe it could be good to identify which of these can be used directly as TMs in CAT tools. It seems that MyMemory can be used in most tools.

[Edited at 2013-08-01 05:33 GMT]

Translator scam alert reports | The end user might have been scammed too

jyuan_us — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 13:09:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: jyuan_us
Post title: The end user might have been scammed too

[quote]ravindrasw wrote:

Hi.
Even I am one of the translators, who got cheated by Basil Wolff. I got an email from Madlen Cox and I did not get paid..

but fortunately, I translated some contracts and I am going to sue / threaten the end users and asking them to be responsible for the misdeeds of their vendors.

let us hope, that I get my amount.
[/quote]

Or the scammer is not the vendor of the end user in the first place. it could just be that their document had been stolen by the scammer.

Translator scam alert reports | BEWARE OVERPAYMENT FRAUDULENT CHECKS.

GRI BUONGIORNE — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 05:42:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: GRI BUONGIORNE
Post title: BEWARE OVERPAYMENT FRAUDULENT CHECKS.

Beware: Another faudulent individual who is mailing gross overpayment checks. Do not cash them! Here is the name. I was contacted in what looked like a legit manner, signed a PO, emails back and forth and did not see red lights until the moment of payment when I was told that he did not have Paypal and that he was travelling in Europe and that he would send me a check. I reluctantly said OK, when the check came it was for $1,900 and I should deduct my $400...yeah, right! duh...

Everything looked OK though, amazing what a good color printer can do...my bank could not even find the bank or routing number...and yet it all looked so legit...so BE ALERT! I Almost go scammed...well, I did, for $400 and not $1,900 so I should be thankful I guess. :)

This is what I reported to the BBB and the IFA:

Nicholas Depina
17 Kahler Ave., Milton MA, 02186
Cell: [phone removed]
[email removed]

INDIVIDUAL CONTACTED ME ON 5/7/13 ABOUT MY SERVICES AS A TRANSLATOR. GOT MY CONTACT FROM THE US DPT. OF LABOR VIA MY BUSINESS LICENCE. WE AGREED ON THE FEE OF $400 TO BE PAID TO MY PAYPAL ACCOUNT. I SENT HIM THE PROJECT COMPLETED AND AFTER A WHILE HE MAILED ME A CHECK FOR $1,900 TELLING ME TO SEND HIM THE DIFFERENCE BACK ONCE I CASHED IT. I TOOK IT TO MY BANK AND THEY DECLARED IT FRAUD. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE INDIVIDUAL SINCE AND HAVE NOT BEEN PAID FOR MY SERVICES.I ASKED HIM TO PAY ME VIA PAYPAL BUT HE HAS NOT YET DONE THAT AND I DOUBT HE WILL.
CHECK NO.11866619 CITYBANK DELAWARE, ONE PENNS WAY, NEW CASTLE DE 19720
DATED 5/27/013
FROM TRAVELERS ONE TOWER SQUARE HARTFORD, CT 06183
PAID TO SILVIA GRISELDA BUONGIORNE
MEMO: PAGO AUTORIZADO (SPANISH)
SIGNED BY DOUGLAS K RUOYN (?)
ROUTING AND ACC # [phone removed] # : [phone removed] : [phone removed]
AMOUNT: $ 1,900

So legit and yet so fraudulent. Hope this helps you hard working translators out there...

All the best.

gri buongiorne

Translator scam alert reports | BEWARE OF CHECK FRAUD...

GRI BUONGIORNE — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 05:25:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: GRI BUONGIORNE
Post title: BEWARE OF CHECK FRAUD...

I recently have been the victim of a scam which is similar to some of the ones outlined above. The person contacting me is somebody by the name of Nick De Pina. (Nick Depina 17 Kahler Ave., Milton MA, 02186 Cell: [phone removed] ). I googled him and found him and his address somewhere in the US. His cell number was fake. However after I finished 5 hours of a document on Terrorrism and after signing what looked like a legit PO he sent me, I received a check for $ 1,900 with instructions to deduct my fee of $ 400. Yeah, right! duh...not that stupid...however, I did do my work for free and it was a perfectly good translation. At least I was only scammed for $400 and not 1,900 which the bank told me I would have owed them when the fraud check bounced. Yikes! Putting this out there for all to see. I reported him to the BBA, and some other online agencies that deal with this sort of thing.
Here is what he wrote me at first: "
Nick Depina
May 7
Good Day,
I got your email from the US Department of Labor, that you are a translator.
I need you to help me translate from (English--Spanish) if u don't mind.
I would like to know your terms and how much it would cost for the article.
I will be waiting for your reply.
Sincerely
Nicholas Depina">>

Sounds all legit, but it ended up being a fraud. This individual went to some trouble to make himself sound legit but he was not...SO BE ALERT!

I started to be suspicious when he sent me an email, telling me that he did not have his credit card with him and that he was travelling in Europe or some such nonsense and could not open a Paypal account and would just send me a check. Finally he mailed me the check for 1,900 which my bank could not even find the routing number for...at that point and after my toungue lashing he stopped communicating...so HE ALMOST GOT ME! still, I did 5 hours of work for free, which he probably put in the dumpster...

This is what I reported to the BBA:

Hope this helps somebody...

silvia griselda buongiorne

Translator scam alert reports | same happened with me

Ravindra -- — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 14:59:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: Ravindra --
Post title: same happened with me

Hi.
Even I am one of the translators, who got cheated by Basil Wolff. I got an email from Madlen Cox and I did not get paid..

but fortunately, I translated some contracts and I am going to sue / threaten the end users and asking them to be responsible for the misdeeds of their vendors.

let us hope, that I get my amount.

Translator scam alert reports | Experts Of Linguists Agency

Marlon Marti (X) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: Marlon Marti (X)
Post title: Experts Of Linguists Agency

Apparently Scammers. Pls be aware. see also [url removed]

----------------------------------------

Hello,

Kindly please find attached file for editing and proofreading of German text. PDF files are for the correct terminology.

Words - 3894 words

Deadline until Sunday 7 PM

Rate : 0.025 USD / word

The yesterday send excel file is for website translation [url removed]

Kindly please use the correct terminology from PDF files send yesterday.

Please let me know if you Are available or not !!

Also Please don't Start Til I confirm you

Regards

--
Regards
Stephani
Project Coordinator

Experts Of Linguists Agency

Small Business of the Year 2007 & 2012

Skype : Ch.Trans

[url removed]

Converting a PDF document to .DOC format | Thanks Bergazy online pdf almost perfect

James (Jim) Davis — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 07:33:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Converting a PDF document to .DOC format
Poster: James (Jim) Davis
Post title: Thanks Bergazy online pdf almost perfect

I have a lousy conversion of a file which I did with Nuance pdf converter professional 5. I **was** looking at signing up to adobe online conversions at what seems like 16 euro or pounds sterling a month or buying the latest version 8 of the Nuance product (around 60 dollars) and pdfonline [url removed] has just converted my document near perfectly. It is a pdf stuck together from word files, excel files and some images of excel files. Everything is perfect except for the images which it didn't attempt to do but just copied in as images.
I downloaded adobe acrobat pro trial version and converted the same pdf, the result was identical to the free pdfonline conversion. It left the images as images. I tried and searched. The options were set on convert with ocr where necessary, but no way would it convert the images to editable text. Tried ABBYY Finereader, which is pretty good, but it treats the whole pdf as an image, when only some of it is an image, which means there is a risk of errors in text which could be just copied and pasted.

[Edited at 2013-06-23 11:39 GMT]

Performing free test translations | Free sample of their review process

Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:19:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Performing free test translations
Poster: Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz
Post title: Free sample of their review process

Participating in a free test may give you a sample of their review practices in turn. Better to identify an agency that trusts a so-so or outright incompetent proofreader or reviewer earlier than later, and better after a short free sample than a long translation that you have done in reliance on an expectation of payment.

I don't mind longer tests because they are likely to be more fair in the hands of a qualified examiner. In my experience, short tests may be an exercise in meeting the examiner's terminological preference rather than actually translating. There is less risk of being failed simply for choosing a different convention out of available alternatives. There is also more context if your sample is longer. You also get more opportunity to show off sustained high quality. Again, the same goes for the examiner. A whimsical or less than competent reviewer will be more likely to show his true colours over some 500 words of a specialised or literary text. A shorter one might fail to trigger his antics.

Some things I don't like:

- Tests that contain serious errors (unless the meaning is clear).
– Tests that aren't representative of the field (e.g. an accounting document for law).
– Legal translation tests concentrating on the first page of a contract or judgment. There's really nothing interesting there from the point of view of evaluating a translator's ability to translate. It only checks whether the translator and examiner have the same default choices, as if the agency and translator couldn't establish a style guide or glossary.

Translator scam alert reports | TranslationSecrets

Marlon Marti (X) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:15:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: Marlon Marti (X)
Post title: TranslationSecrets

Here is another Mail received by this "company" and person reported as scam on proz and other forums.

from: [email removed]

-----
Hi,

How are you doing? I need you to work on a project. It's 2600 words, from German to English, do you think you can do it?

Let me know as soon as possible. It's very urgent. I have attached the PDFs.

Thanks,

Abed Rantisi.
-----

Creating an effective CV / resume | Torts

Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz — Fri, 31 May 2013 18:21:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Creating an effective CV / resume
Poster: Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz
Post title: Torts

[quote]Tomas Mosler, MITI wrote:

"you could be in breach of confidentiality, even if you have not signed an NDA"
- Could this be elaborated? If there is no NDA, how is confidentiality defined (especially with "world-wide" effect)? Thanks. [/quote]

In the EU, confidentiality falls under competition law. Statutes that regulate competition may also regulate confidentiality, e.g. by making certain specific disclosures into statutory torts or defining certain kinds of information as protected, or both, or something yet else. Information regarding the supply chain might be such information.

You generally want to be on the same page with the proprietor of any information you disclose.

[Edited at 2013-05-31 18:22 GMT]

From the article:

[quote]Avoid pointing out your lack of experience or qualifications, your weaknesses, your limitations.[/quote]

Actually, that's debatable. You can't focus on that, but you don't really lose much for admitting something that your client would prefer to know, even if it wouldn't normally lose you the deal. For example, your client may ultimately not care that you graduated only last year but may be unhappy to see you hiding dates. Just don't overfocus on the bad stuff.

[quote]A wordsmith’s resume absolutely must be convincing. Invest in professional advice if necessary.[/quote]

Either you are a wordsmith or not. When you are an actor, you don't hire a double to attend a casting for you. This said, you can surely talk to a consultant.

[quote]Too much detail: The reader simply doesn’t have the time to read it and/or loses interest[/quote]

Depends on the reader. Some people will penalise you for only giving bare-bones information, others for giving anything more than that. You can't please everybody. Business is much like dating in this regard. Therefore, among other things, don't expect anybody to be too much of a reasonable person.

[quote]Insufficient attention to detail: The reader will doubt your ability to produce a polished translation[/quote]

Hear ye, hear ye.

[quote]Over-inflated claims: These rarely work in your favour and can be the cause of grave problems[/quote]

The bolded part needs rephrasing for style and specificity.

[quote]Wrong message: The reader is looking for a competent business partner, not an employee[/quote]

Again, depends on the reader.

[Edited at 2013-05-31 18:29 GMT]

Creating an effective CV / resume | Thanks ...

ac2000 — Thu, 30 May 2013 21:38:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Creating an effective CV / resume
Poster: ac2000
Post title: Thanks ...

... a lot for this nice summary. There's lots of useful information.

Translator scam alert reports | gmail not always a scam

Norskpro — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:50:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: Norskpro
Post title: gmail not always a scam

[quote]Ines Cunha Jorge wrote:

Bad written emails + client@yahoo or gmail + Interesting documents + long deadlines = scam :) [/quote]

A recent job posting on ProZ referred to a contact person with a gmail address, which we have learned is a red flag. I checked the company name, which is on the Blue Board, and it seemed fine. I checked their web page, and I checked for the name of the contact person and another person mentioned in the posting in the company's contact list, but without success. I then wrote a polite e-mail to the Managing Director, enquiring about this person with a gmail address.
Here is part of his reply:

"You are right, XXX is a member of our sourcing team. You can contact her directly by XXX. The reason why she did not use her company email address for advertisement is that she often receives spams if she uses her company email address for advertisement on web."

Translator scam alert reports | Freelancers should do their own risk management

Enrique Cavalitto — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 19:19:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: Enrique Cavalitto
Post title: Freelancers should do their own risk management

[quote]Nicole Islinger wrote:

I took on a job from Segi Carrasco-Esteve a few days before vendor scam was posted on this web site. With the exception of a proposed cheque payment, everything around the job looked ok . I performed the translation and delivered it. the expectation was to receive a normal bank cheque with the matching amount. The surprise came when I received a letter from a 3rd-party containing several traveller cheque with an excessive amount in total. At this point I realized that something was wrong. After an enquiry by mail I got this story on accidential overpayment, cash everything and return the excessive amount. I informed my bank about it and we agreed to cash one chequeto see what happens. After 3+ weeks the bank informed me that the cheque is invalid.

Unfortunately I only heard about this scam web site only after getting caught. If I would have been aware about this scam web site, the scam report would have reached me in time before starting the translation. I don't see any direct link on PROZ.com site for this valuable scam site (unfortunately). I got informed by PROZ SUPPORT after reporting my problem as a support case. So people need to fall into a trap first before becoming aware that such a valuable scam web site exists.

Consequence:
It is the first time I accepted a cheque payment for a translation job and also the last time. I don't see any acceptable reason why somebody cannot perform a PayPal or bank transfer payment. [/quote]

Hi Nicole,

I am sorry to learn that you were the victim of a scam but I do not believe that the responsibility for this should be placed on improper warning by ProZ.com.

Freelance translators work as one-person companies, and as such they are responsible for the proper risk management associated with accepting or declining jobs. A first rule here, that will protect them from most scammers, is to request verifiable contact information from any new commercial contact, and then verify this information.

In order to help translators fight scammers, ProZ.com has published scam-related information in its blog, a scam alert center, a very active dedicated forum, a dedicated section in its wiki section and several newsletter articles.

Kind regards,
Enrique

Translator scam alert reports | MIT Computer Sciences lab scam

Peter Smedskjaer-Stenland — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:45:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: Peter Smedskjaer-Stenland
Post title: MIT Computer Sciences lab scam

I was contacted by a person using a spoofed MIT email address, claiming to be a researcher for the A.I. CS department.
The person offered to pay me a flat rate the equates a 20k word job, to translate a 'standardized' text using his open sourced CAT program, which he wanted me to download from a supplied link.
It seemed fishy, so I downloaded the program to a computer I could wipe clean. I had to do exactly that afterwards.
Since downloading the program, the link has died.
If someone is asking you to use a new tool, I suggest you ask them to establish themselves at a legitimate client first.

Translator scam alert reports | Scam Protection Improvement on PROZ.COM Required

Nicole Islinger — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:33:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Translator scam alert reports
Poster: Nicole Islinger
Post title: Scam Protection Improvement on PROZ.COM Required

I took on a job from Segi Carrasco-Esteve a few days before vendor scam was posted on this web site. With the exception of a proposed cheque payment, everything around the job looked ok . I performed the translation and delivered it. the expectation was to receive a normal bank cheque with the matching amount. The surprise came when I received a letter from a 3rd-party containing several traveller cheque with an excessive amount in total. At this point I realized that something was wrong. After an enquiry by mail I got this story on accidential overpayment, cash everything and return the excessive amount. I informed my bank about it and we agreed to cash one chequeto see what happens. After 3+ weeks the bank informed me that the cheque is invalid.

Unfortunately I only heard about this scam web site only after getting caught. If I would have been aware about this scam web site, the scam report would have reached me in time before starting the translation. I don't see any direct link on PROZ.com site for this valuable scam site (unfortunately). I got informed by PROZ SUPPORT after reporting my problem as a support case. So people need to fall into a trap first before becoming aware that such a valuable scam web site exists.

Consequence:
It is the first time I accepted a cheque payment for a translation job and also the last time. I don't see any acceptable reason why somebody cannot perform a PayPal or bank transfer payment.

Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages | Economically enriched

Josephine Cassar — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:09:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages
Poster: Josephine Cassar
Post title: Economically enriched

Hi Philip,
I do not agree with you. I see it exactly opposite. The whole society will lose and also the translation industry. Meant to rite yesterday but was busy translating. I think it will mean less work for translators in the first place. Fewer language variants while there will be more translators. Furthermore, I agree wholeheartedly with LilianBoland. Nowadays I never hear my language dialect, so when I hear it, I like it and appreciate it more whereas before, I used to look down on people who spoke the dialect, as if they were uneducated. Language dialects and variants are very enriching, not like dumping everybody in the same pot. So, there you are; the more people move, for study, education, various reasons- it has become easier now- the more these lesser languages will die out. Again Pity!
Good day to all.

Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages | To earn a living?

LilianNekipelov — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:52:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages
Poster: LilianNekipelov
Post title: To earn a living?

Language is one of the most essential phenomena in the development of the human race -- perhaps what makes us human. Definitely incentives have to be taken to save the endangered languages. To earn a living you may just be as well a banker, or a miner -- better chances to earn a living.

Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages | Culturally and socially impoverished, but economically enriched

Peter Linton (X) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 18:42:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages
Poster: Peter Linton (X)
Post title: Culturally and socially impoverished, but economically enriched

[quote]Josephine Cassar quoted:
"Without concrete support at European, national and local level, we will see a further decline in linguistic diversity over the next decades," he said. "This will leave all of us culturally, socially and economically impoverished."[/quote]
Yes, culturally and socially impoverished, but not economically. After all, the prime purpose of a language is to earn a living, and the fewer the languages, the easier it is to work with other people. The result is the reverse of impoverishment - greater productivity, efficiency and mutual understanding helping to make people better off. People are voting with their tongues, and that trend will only continue.

Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages

Josephine Cassar — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 13:05:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Lost in translation: saving Europe's endangered languages
Poster: Josephine Cassar

A Pity:
Mind your language - experts call for the preservation of Europe's linguistic diversity © BELGA_Berliner Verlag_S.Steinach
Dozens of languages in Europe are not much lost for words as short of speakers with some 120 believed to be dying out. The EP's culture committee discussed the problem with experts on 20 March. However, MEP François Alfonsi believes the final word on these languages has yet to be said. The French member of the Green group is drafting a report on what can be done to support them. Is there still time to save languages such as Lombard, Polesian and Saterlandic?

Mr Alfonsi wants Parliament to play a key role in protecting and promoting endangered languages. "Linguistic diversity is the soul of the European construction," he explained. "There are hundreds of languages in the European Union and each is a part of the European identity."

His report will include examples of best practice such as in Finland, where there are seven endangered languages. Mr Alfonsi believes that communities that want to implement best practices should be supported. "Without concrete support at European, national and local level, we will see a further decline in linguistic diversity over the next decades," he said. "This will leave all of us culturally, socially and economically impoverished."

His concerns were echoed by Dr Christopher Moseley, an UNESCO expert on languages. He told the culture committee on 20 March that a language becomes endangered when children no longer learn it and its speakers stop using it. Worldwide one language dies every few weeks.

REF. : 20130322STO06743

Tax issues for freelancers | Thank you Rudolph and Jenn

Jane Proctor (X) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:16:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Tax issues for freelancers
Poster: Jane Proctor (X)
Post title: Thank you Rudolph and Jenn

Thank you both. I was also thrown by Part II, Claim of Tax Treaty Benefits. I think I'll pass on that and just fill in my basic details in Part 1... then see what happens when I get paid :-o

Tax issues for freelancers | 1099?

Jenn Mercer — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 03:39:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com translation industry wiki
Topic: Tax issues for freelancers
Poster: Jenn Mercer
Post title: 1099?

[quote]Samuel Murray wrote:

[quote]Ana Castro wrote:
I was asked by an American translation agency to fill out a W-8 BEN form in order to work for them. Can anyone tell me what implications will this have? Will I have to pay taxes to the US tax authorities?[/quote]

The W8 form is the form on which you declare that you don't have to pay taxes in the US. The agency's bookkeeper wants it to prove to the US tax people that he doesn't have to calculate taxes on your behalf. I have placed my W8 form on the front page of my web site for people to download.

[/quote]

As Rudolf mentions, US Agencies most certainly do not pay any taxes on behalf of their contractors. US translators, in fact, have to pay a self-employment tax to pay taxes otherwise paid by an employer. However, I believe the W-8 BEN also relieves the agency of the need to produce a 1099 at the end of the year. US translators use this to calculate their taxes (in theory, many agencies do not send me one, even if they paid me the amount required to do so).