Famine relief – Profiting from lean times

Most freelancers, including translators, suffer the extremes of work demand. A period of having to refuse work is suddenly followed by one of seeking work.  To one degree or another, this instability is a part of doing business.  As such, the freelancer must learn to cope with it both psychologically and actually benefit from the free time. The key to keeping in an even keel in those quiet times is to view the free hours not at a threat but instead as an opportunity.

To clarify, the cause of the quietness on the email front may be known or unknown. Worldwide, August and the three weeks from December 15^th to January 6^th are great for retailers but awful for service providers simply because most non-retail businesses close or go in sleep mode. Likewise, national and bank holidays affect transactions for one to three days.  A quick Google search can quickly identify the various and multifarious off-days of a given country.  In fact, in Israel and many countries, there is the term “after the holidays” to explain why nothing can be done during certain times of the year. A hidden factor may be an internal company matter or specific sector crisis. The long term and fundamental causes of downtime are slow but constant trends in the economy or business sector, such as a recession or conglomeration, which change the supply and demand curve. Clearly, a despairing freelancer can often but not always find a comforting explanation for the down trend.

A time to breath after a long stretch of intense work can actually feel quite refreshing.  It is the ideal moment to clean up unfinished matters.  These include ongoing accounting or financial issues, bill collecting, financial reporting, email correspondence and inventory, to name just a few. Given the importance of the Internet for most businesses, it is vital to periodically review and revise all profiles, brand identifiers and approaches.  All these tasks tend to be postponed while work is heavy but must be carried out in order to maintain a business.  In industrial management terms, these actions are considered productive even if they are not lucrative since they must be performed in order to maintain business efficiency.

Having completed these essential tasks, the freelancer can use the time to develop known potential contacts. During busy periods, the names of people and companies that could turn into clients come up. The quiet now makes it possible to carefully consider the manner of developing these contacts and actually follow up. Not only is this time productively spent but such actions are an essential part of future growth.

For sole proprietors, the background quite allows them to switch hats and become the director of marketing and research.  The problem with being a freelancer is the multiplicity of roles that need to filled and leads to the problem of “jack of all trades and master of none”. With only one hat on the head, the entrepreneur can analyze, research and discuss macro medium- and long-term trends and decide on actions to take to stay in line with them. Such a process requires time and concentration, which is only generally available when work is slow.

Of course, business people are also human.  Quiet times provide the best opportunity to spend time with family and friends without watching the clock. Short and even long trips become possible. It is a great time to lose a few grams of extra weight or see nature (or pick mushrooms as we do.).  It becomes possible to put a check on household tasks that have been put on hold for months or higher end purchases that must be considered carefully, such as buying a car. 

The message is that down time can be up time, both psychologically and operationally. It is the ideal time to accomplish all tasks that cannot be or simply are not handled when work is aplenty. As such, the freelancer can more easily maintain a good attitude and worry less. Remember that growth in children occurs when they sleep. Likewise, freelancers prepare their growth when business is slow. They can profit from the worst of times no less than from the best of times.

Lexical sexual harassment – In English and Hebrew

The most innocent phrase can turn into a sexual double-entendre if speakers so wish and understand.  The classic example is the line “what knockers” in Young Frankenstein. This human preoccupation with sex has an everchanging influence on the words we use.  Whether we stop using them, consider their use carefully and or ensure their innocence, it affects our lexical choice.

In English, the word gay once only met happy and could be used without second thought.  The sexual identity aspect of the word has all but eliminated use of its more original meaning. Likewise, the first name Dick was common and even made famous (and infamous) by the cartoon character Dick Tracy and the ex-President (Tricky) Dick Nixon, formally known as Richard.  Today, almost no parents would give that name. Other words have mixed asexual and sexual application. On an official form, the word sex is generally marked by two options: male or female. Yet, even here, many forms are using the more neutral word gender to avoid any connotation. In some parts of America, people ask whether you want white meat, not the chicken breast, so as not to offend the more sensitive. To maintain a more genteel atmosphere, the family feline is referred to using two words, pussy cat, not only the first one. When society requires correctness, people must exercise due care in choosing their words.

Hebrew also has its sexual innuendo. A בולבול [bulbul] is a type of bird but every Israeli child knows that it can refer to the male sex organ.  Fortunately, people very rarely actually talk about the bird. There are two verbs in Hebrew that mean to finish: לסיים [lesayem] andלגמור [ligmor]. The latter also is descriptive in sex and, thus, is being used less and less in normal conversation. An interesting example is the Hebrew verb לזרום [lezrom], which means to flow. In slang, in regards to a woman, it means that she is easily convinced to have sex. Most of the time, no interference occurs but occasionally people regret what they say.

This contextual ambiguity is highly fluid, often changing from generation to generation.  It is impossible to know how the next generation will hint at their sexual activities in public speech or whether the current linguo will still be relevant. Consider that most of the puns in Shakespeare’s comedies are meaningless to speakers of modern English without explanations. One generation’s giggle is another one’s yawn and vice versa. Still, in some way, sex is lying somewhere in the background of all language.

Ode to the Mediterranean diet - Portion, proportion and price

                                           (Eggplant and tahina as prepared by my wife)

I just returned from a three-week trip to the United States. I was happy to return to my bed, cats, computers and, no less importantly, my diet.  It was not that I ate badly on my trip.  I ate solid American food, fancy French food, tasty Asian food and good basic Mexican food, to name a few.  I certainly did not go hungry.  Still, it is a relief to go back to my Mediterranean diet, filed with lots of vegetables in dishes and salads, a reasonable amount of protein, fresh fruit and nuts.

At each of the restaurant types I dined in, something seemed off.  Typical American fare, such as deli sandwiches, pancakes and American breakfast, is tasty and filling but the portions are simply too big.  The feeling after the meal borders and even sometimes crosses over to heaviness. While it is possible to order smaller portions or split dishes, the eyes are much bigger than the stomach.  The food on the plate only turns out to be too much when after you have finished eating it. I really can live without American food.

I also enjoyed several Asian restaurants.  I relish curries and spicy food. The issue is the matter of proportion.  Hot is as hot feels. Everybody has a different comfort zone but a restaurant can only cater to it to a limited degree. I always felt that I wanted it a bit hotter or milder. Having eaten Chinese food in China I understand that there simply is no single standard of spicing.  The process of trial and error is a long process. Also, the proportion of meat to vegetables is low by Western standards. That is probably good for the body but not always enough for the soul. For me, Asian food is a treat, not an everyday meal.

I also dined a several very fine French restaurants.  The portions were right for middle-aged persons and left me with a nice feeling of having eaten enough but not too much. The taste was rich with complicated sauces complementing the well-prepared meats.  The problem was that the price was rich also.  Comparing the price and the amount of food it purchased, something seemed off. While I was satisfied in terms of quantity and quality, the cost seemed exorbitant. French restaurants are an expensive diet.

Now I am back home with my eggplant, chopped vegetable salad, tahina, shakshuka, falafel, kabab and humus, not to mention lamb, chicken and fish.  The portions, even in restaurants, are sufficient but not exaggerated. The flavors are balanced.  If I want it hotter, I can add some sahug, a hot pepper condiment. The prices are quite reasonable by local income standards and more than reasonable for tourists. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I would say it also has the same effect on the taste buds and stomachs.

Certified translation for immigration purposes

An essential part of the immigration process is providing the required documents to the authorities. If the documents are not in English, they may need to be translated.  The requirements to attest for the translation vary from authority to authority and document to document.  They range from minimal to very specific. Whatever the case, to avoid wasted time and money and possible rejection, it is necessary to ask the authority for their specific requirements.  If you need a “certified translation”, be aware that that the term may have different meanings depending on the government body and language combination. 

The most demanding (and expensive) requirement is a transition by an embassy-approved translator with an affidavit. In most countries, the cost of the legal seal is set by the government and is rather high, unlike in the United States. Thus, the applicant must pay for both the translation and notary seal.

Another equivalent option, when there is no requirement for an embassy-approved translator, is to find a translator-attorney, who will both translate and attest to its accuracy.  Such a translation should satisfy even the most demanding authorities. However, the number of translators that are also attorneys is limited, which would be reflected in their fee.

Fortunately, this high level of certification is not always required. Authorities will often accept translation by a “certified” translator.  The meaning of that term depends on the language and place. In a few countries, like Argentina, the government approves translators.  In the United States, the American Translators Association certifies translators of many but not all language combinations through a test.  A list of ATA certified translators can be found on their site https://www.atanet.org/. For some language combinations, you need to contact the national translator’s organization for the equivalent. For example, the highest level of certification for the Hebrew-English pair is “Recognized Translator” by the Israeli Translators Association. In this case, the translator must sign a statement attesting to the accuracy of the translation and, in so required, attach an avadavat attesting to the signature.

It should be noted that translation by a non-professional or self-translation will almost never be acceptable for reasons of accuracy and objectivity and may even make the application invalid. It should go without saying Google Translate is not an option.

In summary, when translation of documents is needed, the applicant needs to clarify the requirements and identify the closest equivalent. it is always advisable to confirm the acceptability of the option with the specific authority.  While it is often possible to avoid notary fees, immigration documents must be translated by a professional translator to ensure their acceptability.

© Stephen Rifkind – Gaguzia Translations 2019

     stephen@gaguzia-translations.com

     Hebrew/French/Russian to English

Diversity and hope

I just returned from the ATA60 (American Translators Association) Conference in Palm Springs. It was a large event, with some 1400 participants and around 170 presentations (including ones by my wife and I) on various subjects spread over some four days. To say that the conference was a rich experience is an understatement.

Given the sheer quantity of conversations I had over that period, it is still difficult to recall specific points and people.   Regardless, I left feeling very hopeful not only about the future of the profession of translation but also about the ability of people to treat their differences not as barriers but instead as opportunities for enrichment and friendship.

Despite that the fact that all of the participants were involved in the language industry in one way or another, the greatest pattern was no pattern at all.  It was impossible to create a picture of a typical translator or interpreter. They came in all sizes, ages and colors, had unique styles of dressing, began their careers in countless different ways and spoke widely varying sets of languages. Many were expatriates but no less were those who still lived close to their place of birth. Since it is was a conference of the American Translators Association, the language of communication was English but English was not the mother tongue of a large percentage of the participants. A journalist visiting the conference would be at lost for words to describe the average translator or interpreter except for the ability to speak more than one language.

The amazing and exhilarating aspect of this conference, one that arises from the fog of several days of talking with people over several days, is that these differences did not create tension or lead to conflict but instead provided a basis for dialogue, understanding and even friendship. It was amazing to discover how a Russian ended up living in Colorado or an American in Germany. I met people who had specific skills way beyond mine. This recognition does not create envy but instead inspires me to learn and improve. Each of us brought a different package of experience and knowledge to the conference and shared it. Synergy, not competition, was the spirit.

In an increasingly sectarian world, I discovered an island of sanity, where diversity is a positive force for understanding and friendship. I do not know how much financial benefit I will gain from the ATA conference but I clearly experienced a gush of fresh air, filled with hope, mutual respect and even some friendships.  On that basis alone, the time and money I invested to attend this conference were more than justified. Variety is the spice of life.