Don't overdo it

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

Hey, I'm back.
Never been away, really, but I haven't posted in years.

Now, this is about my translations business.

I got an email from a person asking how much I'd charge for a certain job. I answered that normally I charge by the page (with a specific definition of "page" - that is, 2,000 characters spaces included) on the final result. So I could give her an idea, knowing the exact length of the text, but not a final quote.

She sent me the exact character count, and I gave her a ballpark quote - keeping in mind that normally a translated Italian text is longer than its English original simply because Italian, on average, uses longer words. It came just over 50GBP. She didn't seem convinced.

I offered to make it 50GBP, whatever the exact length: I imagined it'd come to about 52 or 53 anyway. Still "too much".

She proposed, then, to translate it herself with Google Translate and have me only proofread it. Now: Google Translate can be OK to get a general idea about a text, but this needed to be something commercial. I have already done this [the story will be coming soon, it's hilarious] and it didn't work. And I explained her this.

I offered to do it for 45GBP - and found out that she didn't want to spend more than 15EUR. Which is... no. Very much no.

I hope nobody accepts the job for that sum...

[eltf177]

Glad to see you back, and looking forward to the other story!

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

Cheers - and I didn't get any better with post titles, as you can see -_-

[wolfie]

I offered to do it for 45GBP - and found out that she didn't want to spend more than 15EUR. Which is... no. Very much no.

Since this is about translation, it's not just "NO!" - it's also "NON!", "NEIN!", "NYET!", and a bunch of others.

[Chromatix]

...and both "EI!" (Finnish) and "IIE!" (Japanese).

[An Haddock]

This is a customer who needs to be "fired".


I had a guy come in a couple of weeks ago who though that $45 (half hour service time) was too much to remove a forgotten password.


Well how much did you think it was going to be? I got rent to pay.


Next time I have someone complain about the price I should ask them how much they think it would cost. I'm sure I'll get some amusing responses.

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

Yes, usually you do get some very weird things. And don't get me started with the many "But this will put your name out there". First of all, my name is ALREADY "out there". Second, being "out there" doesn't. Pay. The. Choiceword. Mortgage.

[wolfie]

And don't get me started with the many "But this will put your name out there".

Doing a freebie will "get your name out there" - where other people looking for freebies will see that you did one for someone else, and expect the same.

[Golden Phoenix]

Since this is about translation, it's not just "NO!" - it's also "NON!", "NEIN!", "NYET!", and a bunch of others.

...and both "EI!" (Finnish) and "IIE!" (Japanese).

I can give you a few variations in Welsh too if you like.

Na - Flat no
Nag oes - No it's not / there is not.
Nag ydw - No i'm not.
Nag Ydy - No it isn't.
Nag Yn Wir - No indeed!/Indeed Not! (may be a slang usage, my next door neighbour was fond of this one)

[WishfulSpirit]

Let's try Gangsta: Hells Naw!

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

"Nae chance" in Scots, too.
Doing a freebie will indeed get my name out where... people looking for freebies are, thank you.

[roxtar]

in american sign language: *extends middle finger*

[BeeMused]

in american international sign language: *extends middle finger*

Edited for acuracy...

[Seshat]

In Auslan, polite form: touch thumb to index finger, hold horizontally in front of chest, move to the right (or left, if you're signing left handed). Degree and forcefullness of movement provides a range from 'kinda nah' to 'oh hell no'.

In Auslan, impolite form: hold hand upright, bend middle finger at first joint. Move hand forward emphatically. (Correct translation: 'fuck you'.)

Note that facial expression is also part of Auslan, so for the polite form, feel free to shake your head or give other negative expressions.
For the impolite form, go nuts.