Freelancers, price negotiations and opportunity cost – a resulting tale

 

Freelancers set their own prices and must, therefore, negotiate them. Many customers, especially from the Middle and Far East, relish price haggling and practice it at every opportunity. This face-off presents the entrepreneur with a set of choices, namely if and how much to bend. Yet, in deciding how much to handle these negotiations, many solo businesspeople forget the impact of opportunity cost, a factor that cannot be ignored. I will share my experience dealing with this situation, a positive one I am happy to say, and my analysis of the potential outcomes.

To begin, it is important to define the term opportunity cost. The basis is the assumption, generally true of freelance work, that a person working on Project 1 at a specific moment cannot take on Project 2 at the exact same time, i.e., the cost of taking on Project 1 is the inability to accept Project 2. This cost is most noticeable on larger projects that require many hours or several days to complete. Its verbal expression is the outcry “Why did I agree to this job? Now, I can’t take on that project!” Of course, in some cases, it is possible to work almost simultaneously on two different projects or outsource one of them. Even more importantly, the cost is only potential as it is generally impossible to know if and when a better project will arrive in your email. Thus, opportunity cost can be high, but it is uncertain.

This week, an established customer contacted me about certified translation of some 7 personal documents from Hebrew to English. I provided a quote, which was immediately followed by a significantly lower counteroffer. I made a small concession to no avail. The next day, the customer sent me an amended package, 4 of the 7 documents. The result was the same, but without any concession to price on my part. The following day, the customer informed me that it had found another service provider. All this correspondence took almost an hour. Most curiously, several hours later, a new customer contacted me with an interesting new project, a certified translation of a Russian-English asylum request, and immediately agreed to the quoted price and deadline. The invoiced amount was much higher with very few additional hours. On this occasion, I came out ahead in all respects.

In terms of odds,  a positive result is highly probable in this situation. If the customer refuses to compromise and I lose the order, my maximum potential loss is a small amount of income and future business. Neither the insistence nor the loss of the customer is certain. It is quite possible that this buyer will return to me. Meanwhile, I may and did gain a new customer and quality project, which is far more valuable separately and together than the original project. If no new project appears in the immediate timeframe, I lose a small amount of business but I can use that time for alternative activities, e.g., marketing, physical exercise, viewing webinars or watching Wimbledon, each valuable in its own way. Thus, standing firm on prices requires faith but is often the correct strategy.

Therefore, if faced with the demand for compromise beyond their point of comfort, freelancers should remember that every choice carries an opportunity cost. It may help them make the decision that provides the greatest probability of a successful result, however one defines success. As they say in Hebrew, if you are not for yourself, who will be?

Shibboleth – French legal terminology then and now

 

Traditionally, legal language has two purposes: to provide a precise term and to prevent the uninitiated from understanding. The Plain Language movement, at least in English-speaking countries, has somewhat diminished the second tendency to want to confuse the person on the street but that change is far from universal or consistent. As a case in point, Tom West, in his outstanding webinar for the ATA discussed recent changes to the French codes of law, emphasizing terminology. First, I would recommend watching his webinar (through the ATA) if you do legal translation or interpretation in the French/English language pair. On the linguistic front, it was fascinating how the French legal language achieves the desired level of encryption, notably applying vagueness, generality and sheer misleading. Granted, the code reforms have improved the situation in some cases but the examples shed light on the codification of law in both senses of the word.

The first technique is using a general term to describe a specific action. It is similar to saying “kitchen” when you mean to ask someone to turn off the light in the kitchen. One example in French legal terminology is imprévision, which means something unforeseen. In legal language, it refers to the damage caused by an unexpected event not specified in the contract or list of force majeure cases. The English translation is hardship. Another example is that, traditionally, French laws had to meet the standard of bonnes moeurs, literally “good morals”. The new term is ordre public  but the English term is public policy. Finally, the French equivalent of the famous standard of the reasonable person (previously man) is pėre de famille, taken from the Latin term. The term suggests a test of whether a proper father of a  family would take a given action. The French have quite reasonably replaced it with reasonable, apparently because the mothers of the family had had enough of this sexism. In all these cases, it is possible to guess the meaning of the word but it takes a bit of imagination.

A second technique is to take a general word and give it a specific meaning, creating the false impression that the reader actually understands the significance. A prime example is the word crime. Contrary to appearance, the term in French law only refers to the most serious of all offenses, murder, rape and the like, with délit referring to lesser crimes and contravention applying to a misdemeanor. I imagine that a French lawyer would not fully understand the name of the movie Crimes and Misdemeanors. Likewise, a jurisdiction d’exception actually refers to courts with specialized but limited areas of jurisdiction, such as the Commercial Court. Jurisdiction actually refers to a court while exception relates to a specialty. A final example is the common French word proximité, which sounds like and generally means nearness. Alas, in legal French, it would refer to a local or district court. Knowledge is the key.

Finally, some terms are simply misleading. The reformed code replaces the traditional French legal répétition with restitution. The previously used chambre de l’instruction is now honestly called a chambre des investigations and libertés. At least the first term is clear. Finally, the appel public à l’épargne, which had nothing to do with savings (the last word), is now an offre au public des titres financiers. That is a public share offering to English speakers. At least, someone in the French Parliament cared about plain language.

Legal language has always served as a way of allowing or preventing entrance, a shibboleth. To its credit, the French government is working on reducing its level of encoding. I suppose that French will always be more ambiguous than English for better or worse. A word (or two) to the wise, including those in the webinar,  prevents some serious misunderstandings for lawyers and translators.

Multidirectional wandering and wondering

 

One of the most interesting cross-cultural exchanges is the seemingly simple request for directions. As a non-native, even if you are from the same country, you make yourself dependent on the “kindness of strangers”. The results are quite uneven. Some people prefer not to get involved for one reason or another while others feel happy or duty-bound to help you. The manner and efficacy of their assistence vary extremely. Fortunately, modern city guide applications are ready, available and far more reliable.

The attitude to helping strangers goes beyond individual character and reflects civil attitudes to a certain degree. Many cities are characterized by rather insular lifestyles, i.e., people mind their own business. For example, it is fortunate that Paris is at least 50% non-Parisians. The Chinese are not very forthcoming either. The reason for this taciturn approach is often language ability. Most locals may not be familiar at all with any other language aside from their native tongue. Thus, they don’t want to embarrass themselves. It may simply reflect a lack of interest, i.e., they don't care. On the other extreme, some cultures place a great importance on welcoming guests. As a consequence, they are both happy and honored to try to guide you to your goal. The lack of language and actual knowledge has no impact on their enthusiasm. They feel obligated to try.

Unfortunately, the results will vary. On one extreme, you meet the right person with all the required knowledge and time. For example, a friend of mine  just returned from Japan and recounted how a policeman guided him to where he wanted to go, even stopping traffic so that he and his wife could cross the street. Regretfully, such willingness to go above and beyond duty does not always reflect actual knowledge. Strangers will often take you in the wrong direction or a completely different location, of course, only with good intentions. Remember that a certain road was paved with those same intentions. Language issues can render simple instructions into a challenging puzzle. A hand pointed in a direction followed by the words “1, 2, 3, right” can be rather ambiguous as it is not entirely clear whether the numbers refer to streets, lights or traffic circles. In Israel, I have even had the experience of the addition of a truly cryptic bit of data: opposite where the felafel stand used to be. I found that one as amusing as it was useless. The most serious problem is that many people simply do not want to admit that they don’t know how to get there, as if confessing to ignorance would somehow harm their pride or ego. As a result, they confidently lead you astray. Thus, the level of willingness does not always reflect the level of knowledge.

Fortunately, modern applications have made travel so much easier. I am not the generation that automatically exudes joy over every new toy on the telephone. However, I have to admit that GPS-based city navigation applications allow me to enjoy two contrasting experiences when exploring a city: getting lost and arriving at my destination. I took maximum advantage of these capabilities during a trip to Paris a few years ago. Furthermore, I can err in terms of streets and even directions without fear of finding myself needing to ask a stranger for guidance. Moreover, they are fluent in most languages and even specify the names of streets. They even specify the noun after the “1, 2, 3”. In my opinion, the natives are as appreciative of these applications as travelers are. Not only do they spare them the embarrassment of not having to help lost souls but they also allow them to avoid the shame of having to ask others for directions in their supposedly home territory. Technology does have its benefits.

So, the next time you are a “stranger in a strange land”, just for the fun of it, try asking for directions from some apparent locals. It will be amusing to note their willingness to answer, the actual knowledge and the effort they are willing to invest to help you. After you complete that social science experiment, I suggest using a city navigation application. You can feel confident that you will arrive at your destination. As Serge Regiani sang (in a different context): bonne route.

Long briefs and AI wisdom

 

A word to the wise is sufficient, but only sometimes; a kick in the ass makes a far greater impression. As a case in point, this week I made an apparently unsuccessful proposal on a translation project. In retrospect, I could have and should have handled it differently and will do so in the future.

The project in question was the translation from French into English of a 45-page real estate purchase contract containing nearly 25,000 words. The document posed several challenges, including PDF formatting and quite precise legal vocabulary. Furthermore, the customer required a signed statement of accuracy, which would entail even more QA time to ensure that demand. Due to the extensive time required because of the document’s length and complexity, the quote involved four figures (in euros) and a long deadline. I received a polite but understandable “I will let you know when relevant”. It was clear from the start that the customer was neither expecting or willing to pay such an amount. To be fair, I was not surprised but stood by my quote as I knew how much time and effort such a translation involves.

Looking back, I see that I had another option, one that I know about and had forgotten. Specifically, I had heard Naomi Shenkar, a respected Israeli attorney and translator, say that, for long documents,  she provides two quotes: one for human translation and one for AI + editing. The first is based on standard human translation elements while the second quote is contingent on the quality of the AI output. She also noted that most customers ultimately prefer the human translation. In this matter, she provides the potential buyer with a choice, an unequal one in many respects, but at least an option.

I now recognize that I should have done the same. If I had offered to edit an AI version, the customer may have considered and understood the human translation proposal. While I am not particularly fond of AI or any machine translation, for longer documents for which the time and financial investment may be beyond the customer’s situation, it can provide a reasonable alternative. Furthermore, I would have created a win/win solution. Shorter projects create income and allow the translator to help other customers.

When I began translating some 22 years ago, I promised myself that I would limit myself to one time per mistake. I have been fairly loyal to that vow. The next time I have the opportunity to make a proposal on a long legal document, I will provide an AI option. Better late than never.

Prime perspectives on adopting a new country

 

37 years ago, on the date I am writing this post, I made aliyah, immigrated, to Israel. The actual day was not as eventful as D-Day, which also occurred on the same date, albeit some 54 years previously, but has had a huge impact on my life. I came to Israel and have made it my home, notwithstanding 5+ wars, because my decision was carefully calculated, both rationally and emotionally. I have paid a price in terms of becoming an alien to one degree or another. However, looking back, it was the best road taken.

Every immigrant’s story is personal and unique. In my case, moving to Israel was the search for a place that felt permanent. I had spent most of my adult life moving from city to city, apartment to apartment and job to job. I enjoyed Oregon and still appreciate its pace and beauty. However, it never felt like home despite the friends and lifestyle. Facing another period of unemployment, I chose to join the yearlong “Sherut La’am” [Service to the People] program in which I taught English at a high school in Ashkelon, in southern Israel. We lived in and taught students from the “wrong side of the tracks”. Many of my neighbors had no books in their houses. Even worse, one neighbor was a drug dealer while there was a local “working lady” below in the square. We received housing and a small stipend. I was contented for the first time despite the less-than-glamorous reality around me. I returned to the States for a year and then formally decided to immigrate to Israel. My father asked me: “Are you going to or running from”. The answer was clear and correct. I was going to. I ended up in Karmiel, in the North, where I still live today. I have never looked back.

My successful transition to living in Israel, far from obvious, derives from my decision to embrace the whole experience, positive and negative, to the best of my ability. I insisted on speaking Hebrew and actually avoided the Anglo-Saxon community. I married an Israeli and raised my child in Hebrew, watching all her videos and reading her books in Hebrew, mistakes and all. My second wife is also Israeli. I have tried to understand and selectively adopt Israeli social mores or at least anticipate them. As they used to say, I went native. I did not become fully Israeli nor will I ever be. I arrived too late in my life and did not serve in the army. Furthermore, it is impossible to erase almost 30 years of education, formal and informal. Yet, I am much as part of Israel as I can be.

Of course, there was a high price to pay: becoming a permanent alien. I do not speak nor in particular write Hebrew as a native language. I miss small subtleties in conversation and make stupid errors, particularly with gender forms in verbs. Culturally, I have learned to expect certain behaviors but cannot or choose not to adopt them. They are not my style. Not having grown up here, I don’t have friends from childhood or the army and lack the “bande”, as my mother would say, the group of people that have known you since you were small. For the same reason, I lack the shared experience of high school, the army or university studies. My growing-up period was in a different country. On a deeper level, I also stopped being an American. The America I grew up in has long disappeared. I felt the divide even while I was still frequently traveling to the States to see my parents. I can live in three countries (the United States, Israel and France) without belonging 100% to any of them. That loss of clear identity is a heavy price.

Yet, as Edith Piaf said, Je ne regrette rien – I regret nothing. Even before the current ugly wave of antisemitism in the United States and Europe, Israel was my home. It is an imperfect place, I would agree, but native born Israelis are equally, if not more, critical than I am. I am always happy to return to my country, wars, missiles, and political chaos included. Ultimately, without fully being aware of it, Israel is my home because I am Jewish here without apology and adjustment. I do not have to prove my Jewishness by being religious or politically active nor do I have to push back against my neighbors that are actively or passively antisemitic. To highjack Jacques Prévert, je suis comme je me suis; je me suis fait comme ça, or, in English, I am what I am; I made myself that. I have become Israeli in my own way, just as hundreds of thousands of immigrants have done before me and after me. Even more importantly, home is where you feel internal peace. I have always felt at home in Israel, from my first day here. I do not wish to live anywhere else. Thus, on this 37th, a prime number by chance, anniversary of my Aliyah, I have attained my goal and am content. That feeling is the ultimate success.

Google-eyed translator search – Shocked and uh-ed translation buyers

 

Freelancer marketing has never been a simple task just as finding any proper professional for the first time has always been a bit of a gamble. As an exercise, I “posed” as a translation buyer in my area of specialty – Hebrew-to-English official documents, a marriage certificate in this case – and searched for a service provider using both ChatGPT and Google. While the former provided a reasonable response, the options raised by Google illustrated the irrelevance of the search for translation purchasers and the need to focus marketing for translation providers.

In terms of methodology, I used free ChatGPT and posted the following prompt: “I am looking for a certified Hebrew-English translator to translate a marriage certificate for immigration purposes.” I then added, “I am looking for three freelancers”. Aside from some fairly accurate but somewhat vague background information, which is understandable since my prompt did not include all the relevant information, the AI engine initially provided three agencies and then, following the second prompt, three freelancers. The referred translation agencies and independent translators were all experienced professionals. Thus, GPT did provide an adequate starting point for a search for a translation professional.

By contrast, Google’s output to the same initial question was highly biased. The first page was almost entirely AI-based translation companies. I understand that people pay for top billing but I am not familiar with any government agency that will accept a certified translation of an official document produced by AI. The first human agencies were a few large, low-cost agencies. I am aware that some customers have a limited budget but it seems penny- wise and pound-foolish to skimp on the translation of a document that may make or break an important opportunity. Among the early entries (page 2) was a site for freelancers. It was shocking to see their average prices. Almost all of the more than 20 freelancers on the first two pages posted a rate of 5 USD a page, without defining what a page is. At that price, I would not trust the result as the rate is too good to be true. Thus, faced with a choice of AI, budget agencies and prostituting freelancers, the search was a non-starter.

It would seem that first-time translation buyers seeking a professional translator should take a much more directed approach. The best option may be national association search engines (such as the ATA in the US and ITA in Israel), which allow a full comparison of credentials and demonstrate some measure of professional approach. Service provider recommendation lists may also be relevant, albeit with a grain or two of salt. Of course, traditional personal recommendations are always relevant. Notices in relevant Facebook groups will provide several options. Finally, ChatGPT with more specifics is an ever more relevant path. Clearly, finding an appropriate translation will require some thinking and effort.

This situation should determine how translators market themselves. As AI seeks specifics that make one option more relevant than the others, translators need to include relevant details in as many locations as possible. These factors include languages, qualifications, experience, types of documents and skills. A website is an important but not the sole place to post such information. Furthermore, appearing on reputable translator lists, e.g., national associations and government bodies, enhances the probability that a search will produce one’s name. Of course, additional activities, including lectures, blogs and volunteer work, further enhance one’s presence. Ultimately, word-of-mouth, whether through customers or peers, is the best source of reference, requiring translators to produce quality results regardless of the rate. It is not enough for translators to prove and improve themselves. They need to market those attributes in multiple ways.

God helps those who help themselves. I am not sure that Google is a god even if it does seem to be omniscient and omnipresent. AI is far too naive to be a god but people increasingly treat it as one. Translation providers need to help purchasers find an appropriate option. Keeping on the astral plane, the devil is in the details. Purchasers need to make intelligent decisions while freelancers must provide the information they need to make those decisions. The result can be awe-inspiring, far superior to the uhs produced by simple Google searches and even ChatGPT.

A call for a small action – Freelancers of the nation, unite!

 

It has been some 100 years since the heyday of unions. Today, the sad truth is fewer and fewer workers, both freelance and salaried, feel the need to join an association. Many, if not most, professional associations are experiencing declining membership numbers and energy and increasing average member age, including translator associations worldwide. Yet, despite the massive changes in the world since the beginning of the 20^th century, the need for collective associations remains as valid as ever: market forces are as unbalanced as in the late 19^th century; banding together strengthens individuals; and associations foster satisfying human connections. Thus, I encourage every freelancer, regardless of his/her profession or country, to join and contribute to a professional association.

The rise of the trade unions did not occur in a vacuum. The industrial barons of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries enjoyed full freedom to make any decision they wanted, almost unfettered by government rules or issues of social justice. The unions challenged their privileges, including the ability to set wages, hours and working conditions unilaterally. 21st-century labor markets are not so different. For example, the conglomeration of the translation agencies has reduced competition and rates to new lows as well as significantly reduced translator choice in rates and technology. Any translator that chooses not to agree to those rates or, increasingly, to use AI suffers. As for autonomy, as Henry Ford and his colleagues had no problem replacing any “problem” worker with a more flexible one, the modern axiom “the customer is always right” seems to justify patently incorrect translation and punishing linguists that insist on quality. Finally, one of the most important benefits of trade unions was to provide opportunities to socialize and be a human being, not a human machine. Especially before the advent of television, going to the union hall was as much an act of social expression as worker action. There, you were a human being, not just an employee. Today, too many freelancers spend the vast majority of their time alone in front of the computer and may even have forgotten how to have a conversation and its benefits. Meeting and talking make you feel like a human being, just like then.

Therefore, I call on every freelancer, including translators, to join an association. The annual cost is minimal and tax-deductible as a business expense. In return, one receives emotional and organizational strength, i.e., the knowledge that you are not alone. Moreover, being a member allows access to an incredible amount of professional knowledge. For example, the ITA (Israel) and ATA (US) each have an incredible library of webinars available to their member on any subject. This library can shave years off the learning curve. Often, being a member brings direct financial benefits, e.g., buyers seek members of the association and even post job requests in its networks. Likewise, getting to know colleagues often leads to referrals and recommendations. Making some contribution, whether time or knowledge, multiplies that benefit as colleagues learn more about your unique traits. Mutual support creates amazing synergy, often in unexpected ways, all for a small investment of time and energy.

As a personal testament, my father helped organize the reporters of the AP news organization into a union at a time when that organization treated them only slightly better than slaves. He paid a professional price for that but was proud of it to his last day. I am a member of three translator associations (Israel, France and the US) and participate, when possible, in their meetings. I regularly receive job offers from buyers that see my name on their sites, direct notices from the association and referrals from colleagues that have met me. Maybe just as important, I feel that I am part of a larger community, which professionally strengthens me just as my contributions strengthen that community. Although I lack the "organizational" mind to run an organization, I sit on the ITA Audit Committee and contribute ideas when relevant. I give what I have to give. I have gained far more than I have contributed.

In summary, if you are new to a profession, join an association. The knowledge that you can access can save years of errors and wasted effort. If you are established, the association can provide you with the tools and knowledge to adapt to a rapidly changing market. Yesterday’s business model is increasingly irrelevant; the association can help you quickly adapt. If you find yourself complaining about rates, conditions, AI, your colleagues or lack thereof, joining an association is one positive act. In unity, there is strength for everybody. We get by with a little help from your friends.

The linguist’s tale – A personal confession of native language interference

 

The sad truth is the 99% of humanity will never sound like a native speaker when they speak a foreign language. We may have a great ear, solid knowledge of grammar and well-developed vocabulary. Yet, some strange turn of the tongue gives us away. The culprit is interference from our native language, tendencies that are so ingrained that they affect every other language we speak. It is similar to those habits learnt from our parents, which we swore we wouldn’t continue when we became adults, but which we have to ultimately accept. I will demonstrate by recounting my misdoings when I speak Russian, French and Hebrew, habits that I wish I could eliminate but never will. All that is left is accepting imperfection.

Russian involves a completely different form of thinking and construction. I have managed to grasp most of its peculiarities. Case declensions are a matter of memorization and practice. Putting a noun in the singular after any number that ends in the number 1, including 1,000,001, has its peculiar logic but still carries a rational rationale. Practice helps hone the differences between the imperfective and perfective verb forms, which reflect, as a rule, incomplete and complete actions, respectively. However, placing adjectival phrases before the noun they describe is beyond the ability of my brain to apply. To demonstrate, the English sentence “The dog sitting on the table enjoys vegetables roasted in the fire.” comes out in Russian “The sitting on the table dog enjoys roasted in the fire vegetables. This structure is too alien for me to apply consistently. Thus, I will always sound like an alien, a foreigner, when speaking Russian.

French is much more similar to English but also has its intricacies. A little practice helps a student master the subjunctive. Furthermore, my plus que parfait is almost better than perfect. After an insightful webinar by Grace Shalhoub, I even feel confident when I need to adjust the past participle to agree with the gender and number of the preceding direct object, not as simple as it may sound. However, regarding gender, here I fail. I cannot and have never been able to remember the rules for knowing whether the noun is masculine or feminine. Aside from the “tion” class of nouns, which are all feminine, I can find no rhyme or reason. Thus, I have always double-checked every noun to be sure. I do not trust my intuition or my ear, only the dictionary. It is my cross to bear in French.

Hebrew is my daily language. I enjoy a rich vocabulary and an intuitive sense of how to choose the proper verb category from the root. Thus, I can read awful Hebrew legalese and can apply the rules to form the right verb from a root even if I don’t formally grasp the rule. My downfall is cultural. In Hebrew, the verb form changes depending on whether the grammatical subject is male or female (as well as singular and plural). This manipulation occurs in 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd persons. In simple words, the verb takes on a different form when a woman talks is or is talked about. As I have spent most of my life surrounded by females, e.g., spouse, daughter and colleagues, I tend to use the feminine form at all times, especially when I am tired and my brain is dragging. It sounds quite strange to refer to a male using the feminine form. In my defense, many foreigners make the same error. I understand that the cause of this error is the lack of such distinction in English. People forgive me because I am a foreigner but I am almost as embarrassed as my wife is when I make this error. I will continue to strive to reduce the error but it is impossible to eliminate.

This is my slightly tragic but mostly humorous tale about sounding like a foreigner. I know that I am not alone. The vast majority of people drag some feature of their native language into their adopted language. It is not a sin. However, as Tevye sang in Fiddler on the Roof, it is no great honor either. As humans are no more perfect in other parts of their lives, we have to accept our linguistic warts just as we need to come to peace with our other imperfections. To paraphrase Shakespeare, it is better to have spoken and erred than never have spoken at all.

Cancelling the experience/skill equation and what it means for translation purchasers and buyers

 

In many service areas, buyers assume that experience and skill are correlated, i.e., the greater the experience, the higher the level of performance. While this may be true for some professions, this does not necessarily apply to translation. Granted, experience hones certain areas of knowledge, but it does not necessarily attest to professional knowledge of the translation field. Thus, translation purchasers should not avoid newer professionals while the latter should not discount themselves.

Translation buyers, specifically because they are buying a service blindly the first time, seek indications that the individual is proficient. One of these indicators is experience. Experienced freelancers are likely more skilled at the complementary tasks. These processes include QA, customer communication and time assessment. Experienced translators have learned their typical errors they make in their first drafts and the cost of not catching them before delivery, the need to ask questions and the actual time required to complete the translation. Beginning translators often lack this knowledge and, thus, often misjudge deadlines and are less efficient in their time use. In practice, these issues will most likely be invisible to the translation buyer.

By contrast, since translation quality is highly correlated with the knowledge of the subject area, new translators may suffer from no actual disadvantage as compared to experienced ones. If a new translator has years of experience in the subject area, e.g., having worked previously as a broker, doctor or lawyer, the resulting translation will sound professional. In a certain sense, translation is merely an evolution in the use of that knowledge. On the other hand, some translators with years of experience in a given specialty not only do not improve but actually become convinced that their erroneous phrasing and terminology are correct and relevant. The fact that “no customer has ever complained” is irrelevant. Thus, it is impossible to accurately assess the extent of experience by only looking at the actual translation .

For translation purchasers, this means that actual experience should not be the only deciding factor in choosing the freelancer. While it is true that survival in a field indicates a certain level of competency, it does not imply excellence. A newbie with sufficient background and a professional approach may provide an equal or better result. Furthermore, as most newcomers are younger and have fewer customers, they often are more capable of meeting tighter deadlines. Therefore, those seeking a professional translator should also consider other factors beyond experience.

Translators with little or no experience need to put their personal (and natural) insecurity aside and approach the business in a professional manner. These newcomers should take on any project for which they are competent with outward confidence and charge professional rates. It is important to remember the difficulty of raising rates once they are established. That approach is key to success in translation. Nobody trusts doubt and discounts. At the same time, they should take into account a lack of experience by avoiding tight schedules and even seeking outside help in the QA process. Later projects from these customers will more than compensate for any initial income loss. If you make an error, remember that experienced translators also make them and learn from them. Furthermore, the manner in which you relate to and fix the error can create customer loyalty. Clients can be quite forgiving. New translators should pick their project carefully but hit a home run with their results.

Thus, translation experience is only one factor among many in determining the skill of a potential service provider. Subject knowledge and professional approach are equally important. Purchasers should not avoid relative newcomers to the profession nor should new translators sell themselves short. In practice, experience does not necessarily equal skill.

Intuitive vs logical – complementary and necessary grammar approaches

 

Mastering the grammar of any language involves both intuition and rules. Clearly, every language user relies more heavily on one approach but neither by itself is foolproof. Both students and teachers require reinforcement of the weaker sense in order to hone their knowledge of a language. For example, ESL students benefit from grammar teaching that strengthens both approaches. Likewise, ESL teachers, whether native or non-native speakers cannot depend on intuition or knowledge of rules alone to master grammar and must invest in complementing their knowledge. I can attest to that process as I view my career as an ESL teacher.

Clearly, a good ear and an analytical mind both aid in learning in English grammar. Due to the quantity of English language material available worldwide, both audio and written, students can and do access English material from an early age and develop an instinctive grasp of “what sounds good”, sometimes almost to the level of those living in an English-speaking country. However, the grammar, vocabulary and register of much of this material are often very low, e.g., rap songs and TikTok videos. Thus, the learner may normalize a very low level or even incorrect sentence structure. By contrast, the formal grammar rules provide a certain scaffolding for correct grammar use. However, they also add an additional layer of processing before producing the sentence, which reduces fluency and confidence. Furthermore, formal rules may lead to artificial speech, i.e., structure that does not actually reflect actual language use. For example, it is possible to ask the question “With whom am I speaking” but the vast majority of English speakers say “Who am I speaking with”. Thus, overly rule-based speakers sound rather unnatural in terms of fluency and structure. Thus, it is not advisable to rely on only one approach.

Consequently, ESL students benefit from grammar teaching that creates both confidence and formal structure. For those students that hesitate to express themselves because they lack confidence in their knowledge or feel a need to be perfect, it is important that ESL teachers encourage spontaneous speech based on intuition. The solution is to emphasize that the listener will most probably fully understand the meaning even if there are grammatical errors. Moreover, the formal error may actually be the far more common form. For example, Americans tend to use past simple instead of present perfect in situations describing current consequences to past actions. Compare UK “I have eaten lunch.” (and am not hungry) to US “I ate lunch.” For “natural” speakers, learning the rules helps them identify and rectify improper use and interference from their native language. For example, in formal language like means "similar to", not "such as", as it is used in conversational speech. To err is not only human but actually better for communication in terms of fluency and natural language while a little knowledge of the rules can help them reduce grammar errors that create interference with meaning.

This issue also affects ESL teachers and their mastery of the material. On the one hand, native-language English teachers may have a highly-developed “ear” for the correct form. However, they often lack a formal knowledge of the rules as English classes in the US and UK generally do not teach grammar rules. For such teachers, it is vital to actively study the formal rules and, just as importantly, their similarities and differences with the first language(s) of the students. The former is required in order to properly explain while the latter is necessary to “hook” that information into the minds of the students. On the other hand, many non-native speakers develop an excellent understanding of the former rules as they have learned them in ESL classes. Unfortunately, many teachers, especially from those countries where governments have limited travel to English-speaking countries, have far less developed awareness of how people actually speak. Furthermore, they often are unaware of the nuances of grammar, i.e., the unspoken meaning that a native speaker would naturally pick up. When a parent asks a 15-year-old American girl what she was doing at 3:00 in the morning, the issue goes far beyond her physical location at the time. Thus, a complete teacher not only knows the rules but also the practice.

My journey as an ESL teacher reflects this dual need. Having educated parents and being a reader, my English was quite proficient. Yet, I failed standardized English tests because, having dyslexia, I read sentences instead of words. I applied my intuitive skills, including predictive reading, to become a highly effective reader but a poor analyzer of sentences. When I became an ESL teacher, I invested significant time and effort to understand how to teach grammar. I first grasped the rules and then sought (and seek) ways to transmit this information to my students not only to help them understand the concepts but also intuitively apply them in their use of English. After more than 30 years of English, my fellow staff members consider me an expert on grammar, which I find quite amusing. I even view it as a revenge on my 11^th grade English teacher, who gave me a “D” in her class. Learning how to teach English is an ongoing process.

In summary, language knowledge is a mélange of intuitive and formal knowledge of grammar and structure. Either one by itself is not sufficient to produce high-level language. Every language learner begins the journey with different levels of competency in the two aspects. However, to create the best language, both have to work in concert. It takes two to tango.

Restaurants and location – in a different sense

 

There is something universal about eating in a restaurant. Wherever you may be, sitting down and having a meal in a restaurant is somehow familiar and comforting, regardless of the alien world outside the restaurant window. At the same time, restaurants also reflect local culture, culinary and other, making it an adventure to find a quality restaurant in an unfamiliar locale. In practice, the correlation between peripheries, quality and value is a local variation.

To demonstrate, last night my wife and I went out to dinner in order to support businesses in the hard-hit northern Galilee where I live as well as to give my wife a break from cooking. We went to a small restaurant called Mazaj in the nearby village of Rameh, a mixed village with Muslims, Christians and Druze. Upon arriving, the waiter brought over a dozen small bowels of various salads as well as pita bread. We ordered stuffed boneless chicken on a bed of long rice and almonds and baked Denis fish with French fries (or chips as they are known to the British). We also ordered a beer and soft drink. We concluded the meal with a cup of mint tea and a dessert called “Lebanese nights”, a light semolina cake with whipped cream and syrup. We were no longer hungry when we left.

To many abroad and even in Israel, on the outside, the restaurant does not appear to have great potential. It is located slightly off the main road of the village, next to an auto repair shop. The sign for the turn, which was never in great condition, has almost completely faded this winter. The room is spacious, featuring simple wooden tables and chairs. The waiters are typical for most of Israel: the good ones act like they have been on the job for three weeks while, in some establishments, one week seems more common. The menu and plating are simple and direct, not screaming out “sophistication”. As in most Galilee eating spots, you go there for the food, not the milieu.

By contrast, there is no questioning the quality of the raw material and cooking. The chicken was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The rice combination was tasty. The chef prepared my wife’s fish to perfection. The mint in the tea was clearly from the garden. The service was properly timed, i.e., allowing sufficient time to think, delivering the food nice and hot and clearing away the plates once it became clear we could no longer eat any more. The chef, who had appeared on television, greeted us when we entered, answered a question about an item on the menu and asked if we had enjoyed the meal as we left. The restaurant itself is clean and even enjoys a nice view of the setting sun. It is not an accident that we return to this restaurant and that it has survived both Corona and the recent war, events that have decimated the restaurant business in Israel, especially in the north.

As for value, the prices are quite reasonable for the area. In the restaurant business, local costs, including rent, food, labor costs and utilities, vary. Furthermore, the ability for people to eat in restaurants is dependent on their financial situation and income. As the Galilee is less developed, people eat out less and are less willing to spend 400-500 NIS for a meal for two ($130 and more). In this case, our meal cost 240 NIS, which is around 80 USD at today’s exchange (noting that the dollar-shekel exchange rate is at a historical low). For comparison’s sake, 2 McDonald’s McRoyal meals would cost around 108 NIS (35 USD) while 2 300-gr. Entrecote steaks at a chain go for 260 NIS. Thus, in terms of the quality-to-cost correlation, the meal was quite reasonable.

To be clear, locals and visitors eating in any of Tel Aviv’s many fine dining establishments would find much more elegant dining rooms and possibly more sophisticated food. They would also pay far higher prices without blinking an eye. Curiously, the added decor and price do not always guarantee any better food. As for the waiter, it is possible that the waiters are more proficient there. 

The correlation between the elements is quite different from what it is in the Galilee. These local distinctions also exist in other countries, e.g., Paris versus Brittany. Thus, location does have a significant impact on restaurants. Not only does it affect its success, it also influences customer expectations of décor, food and price value. In this case, as MacArthur said in a rather different context, I shall return.

Not as simple as it seems – the challenge of translating payslips

 

Most customers do not - and generally need not - understand the actual work process. Sometimes, this lack of knowledge impacts their price expectations. In this case, the service provider must provide some justification for charging an amount for a seemingly “simple” task. For example, private customers sometimes require translations of a series of payslips. To the uninitiated, while the first one may require a significant time investment, the additional slips involve very little effort. In fact, specifically because the forms are so similar but not identical, the later ones demand serious attention. The translator must look for expected and unexpected differences as well as perform a thorough QA on the document in order to avoid errors. All these efforts require time, which should be reflected in the price.

The most obviously challenging part of translating payslips is the original template. In the best possible world, it would be possible to use a conversion tool or AI that would automatically produce a usable template into which to enter the categories and numbers. Alas, in most cases, the template produced by these tools requires unreasonable time and effort to tweak. Even worse, the result is often not a visually exact replica of the original text. Furthermore, given that a translation may have a different number of characters, even significantly more in the case of Hebrew to English, the amount of space required for a given entry varies from translation to translation. Furthermore, the tools generally do not account for additional visual elements, such as shading and lines. Thus, in most cases, the translator has to manually build the template for the first payslip. Most customers understand this and take it into account when assessing the price.

The main issue revolves around the remaining payslips. While the form remains the same as well as some details, certain numbers predictably vary from month to month. Clearly, the payslip month and sometimes even year change, with this information generally appearing in several parts of the form. Likewise, service time increases in line with the date. On the financial side, the income numbers generally vary from month to month as do the quantity of hours of regular and overtime work. The cumulative pay numbers increase in accordance with the latest data. In addition, the summary of sick and vacation days changes according to their latest accumulation and usage. Finally, issuance and printing dates reflect the latest month. All this involves a methodical working through the form.

What is more challenging are the surprising changes. Income categories may come and go. For example, certain months include holidays, for which gift benefits show up in the payslip on a one-time basis. Sometimes, the employee receives a new or temporary benefit or loses a previously granted benefit. Thus, the number and type of benefits may vary from month to month. Employees occasionally change position, branch, home address and even bank. With all these numbers, it is surprisingly easy to miss a change in one number in a static data area. Employers occasionally add a short note to the employee regarding taxation, one that only appears in one payslip. Translators have to keep a keen eye for these among the sea of data.

Even when the translator finds all the differences, thorough editing is indispensable. Some of the common errors discovered in the first draft (hopefully) involve numbers. Notably, it is easy to switch two numbers, i.e., 4,214 instead of 4,124. Another minefield is the comma/period mistype. It is actually quite difficult to detect this error over a series of slips, e.g., 4.214 instead of 4,214 and 4,59 instead of 4.59. The risk is increased when translating forms from a language with a different set of punctuation rules, such as French to English. Finally, with so many details to which to pay attention, a translator can actually misspell a name in the first draft or change the spelling in another location in the document. Proper QA involves the careful checking of all these details.

Thus, translating payslips is ant work. This month, I told one of my customers that translating seemingly similar documents require great time and effort, with the quote reflecting those elements. The customer accepted my explanation. In practice, the project took as long as I predicted. Therefore, while there is no need to explain every detail of the work process, it is sometimes necessary to educate the customer to a certain degree. Not everything is as simple as meets the eye, especially to the unknowing.

Past and present – some global lessons from early American history

 

History classes are wasted on the young. Even if the formal history classes given to youth in each country focus on ideas, not dry facts, national educational systems tend to treat their national history as a unique, local and time-specific set of circumstances and ignore the universal human elements. For example, early US history, until the American Civil War, seems to involve a unique blend of elements: a distant, isolated continent; a relative but not entirely benevolent democracy in England; and the political complexity of disunited religious sects and native American tribes. On the other hand, certain dynamic factors shaped its development, elements that can affect history at any time and place. These factors include the sense of entitlement by the majority, the impact of governmental institutionalization of religion and the creation of existential intertribal conflict. A look at the world today provides clear evidence that these trends are as alive and well worldwide as they were several hundred years ago.

Early US history involved never-ending conflict, internal and external. Each of the original thirteen colonies was the product of a land grant from the British government to a group of religious “weirdos”, who did not wish to accept the authority of the Church of England. The most notable were the Quakers in Pennsylvania. They not only did not accept the authority of the official church but also rejected their fellow exiled sects in North America. As such, they experienced the consequences of state-recognized religion. British democracy at the time, even if rather liberal for its age, did not allow British non-landowners or women to vote, not to mention distant colonists. Thus, the American rebel slogan “no taxation without representation” is a complaint that the English government’s majority was imposing its will on a minority, a non-voting one at that. Consequently, when called upon to ratify the US Constitution, the voters insisted on minority protection in the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. The economic crises were often a result of the standard agricultural practice of its time (and still used in the Amazon): slash and burn. Settlers would cut down a forest, burn it and grow crops for seven years or so until the soil lost its fertility. The consequence of this practice was the constant need for virgin land, which was primarily east of the Appalachian Mountains. The British prevented expansion but once the new American republic was founded, the land rush began. The results were a series of wars between the Americans and Indians marked by cruelty and massacres by both sides. Some good-intentioned people tried to calm the spirits but ultimately to no avail. It became an “all or nothing” struggle, one that has left a legacy of hate and regret. All these struggles may sound limited to America of that time.

However, the concept of the tyranny of the majority remains an issue today. Many people ask whether having a majority of one in an elected body should allow the government to pass any law it wants. Many a dictatorship has developed or is developing from a democratically elected government, one law at a time. It appears that the Founding Fathers of America were correct to worry more about abuse of power than the inefficient use of power. The relevance of formal power limits remains.

As for religion, the separation of Church and State, an essential concept in American civil law, may not be popular among the most fervent religious believers. However, the national attitude towards religion seems to have an inverse relationship to its status in the government. Where religion is a private matter, it tends to thrive. For example, quite a high percentage of Americans have a marked religious identity. Where the religion becomes linked to government money and jobs, many people develop an antipathy towards the religion. It is amazing how fast the vast majority of Russians gave up Christianity after the Russian Revolution. As no religion is truly monolithic in its approach despite all of its efforts to enforce one, creating an official version tends to alienate dissenters and create conflict. As atheistic as the division of Church and State may sound, it actually strengthens religion.

One of the most tragic aspects of early American history is the wars between the Indians and Americans. The conflict was long and cruel. The leaders also framed it as “existential” as each group claimed that the land, all of it, belonged to it. Thus, as revenge led to revenge and more cruelty, politicians tapped into and fed this anger for their own purpose, creating a national tragedy. Even today, in certain parts of the United States, this hate remains for no reason and nobody’s benefit. It would be wonderful today to be able to state that such a struggle was an 18th-century phenomenon but today, unfortunately, there are too many violent and hateful ethnic struggles involving taking all the land and eliminating the enemy. Some politicians encourage this verbal and, far too often, physical violence, creating even more hatred. It takes courage to stand up and insist that the enemy is human also. That courage was lacking then and is lacking now.

History does not truly repeat itself as events occur in a specific set of circumstances. However, the forces shaping the dynamics of any particular situation exist at all times, generally latent, until conditions release them. As adults responsible for the future of our children, we need to study history to learn how to avoid releasing the forces of destruction and, maybe, just as important, how to unleash the powers of construction.

The best – in other words

 

Most people strive to be their best at something, with some making more effort than others. There was the Kobe Bryant principle: you have to invest 10,000 more hours than your closest competitor in order to stay at the top. Languages, of course, have numerous terms expressing that ideal state, including English. They refer to nature, height, relative status or personal comparison. As for which is the choicest expression, that is a matter of opinion.

Nature provides a rich source of comparison, even if the context does not always make sense. The cream of the crop and the borrowed French crème de la crème refer to the rich part that rises to the top of the milk, the tastiest bit. If someone is the cat’s whiskers or the cat’s meow, there is no better if you are a cat lover. Similarly, dog purchasers can fully understand the pick of the litter as not all dogs are born equal.  By contrast, regarding a bee’s knees, it is difficult to observe a bee’s knees or grasp their perfection, but that is the term. On the inanimate front, some people are the salt of the earth, which relates to the importance and rarity of salt in pre-refrigerator days, which also explains the word salary. Being the gold standard requires a bit of historical knowledge. It took a while before people trusted “greenbacks” as US paper bills were initially referred to (maybe similar to the attitude toward bitcoin today).  A strange expression from long ago is the best thing since sliced bread. I am too old for that to make any sense to me. However, when I was a kid, we used to refer to peers with extraordinary skill as hot shit, most curiously, a positive expression. The natural world is a rich source of vocabulary.

Of course, the best are always above the others as reflected in a plethora of comparative expressions. To be head and shoulders above everybody is even better than being second to none because the gap is larger. If a person is top-notch or tip-top, the endpoint of a literal or figurative scale, they reach where others cannot. Thus, we look up to them. On a classical note, a person that is the Mt. Olympus in his/her field is almost godlike. In a similar vein, a person can be a real Michael Jordan, Mark Spitz, Mickey Mantle or Michael Jackson, to name a few, who represent the pinnacle of success in their profession at a given time. Alas, age takes its toll. By contrast, if an object is isolated from contact with the environment, it can remain in mint condition, as perfect as it was when it was produced.  The point is that these people were the epitome of perfection in at least one aspect of their lives. The higher, the better.

Yet, success is relative. It is fantastic to be an all-star but it is better to be a GOAT, the greatest of all time. (Michael Jordan or LeBron James?) Likewise, to be recognized as a real pro is an honor but being called a pro’s pro is a cut above. Every student knows that parents appreciate the words “cum laude” but top of the class brings a shine to the face of the entire family (as well as leads to future scholarships and attractive jobs). Such people are in a class of their own. It is great to be a man among boys. Interestingly, as far as I have ever heard, nobody ever says a “woman among girls” but maybe I am wrong. For all I know, women may use it today to describe the queen of their circle. Success is relative

As Carly Simon sang so poignantly in the James Bond movie “The Spy Who Loved Me”, it can be said about some people in some areas of life that “nobody does it better”. Not only that, in English, it is possible to express that compliment in so many ways.

The mirage of infallibility – Freelancers and self-forgiveness

 

In 1869, the Catholic Church issued an edict that the Pope, whoever holds the office, is infallible, at least on certain matters under certain conditions. To everybody but the most devout Catholics, this doctrine sounds completely absurd as every person, regardless of his/her wisdom, makes errors of judgment. Yet, most freelancers crucify themselves every time their work is not perfect. For example, among translators, a series of mistranslations discovered by the customer can lead to a wrenching soul-searching experience and massive self-doubt. In reality, not all errors are of equal seriousness. Furthermore, customers do not automatically end their relationship after they discover the error. Most importantly, entrepreneurs need to learn to cope with these experiences as they do occur, hopefully rarely, even after years of experience.

Most freelancers strive for perfection, an impossible goal in most cases and one that is often not economically justified. Like all people, for whatever reason, they make errors sometimes. Some are minor transgressions that the only the service provider sees. For example, when using a given template that has been applied numerous times, the translator suddenly notices an incorrect term. The matter has no impact on the content but the fact that it took so long to notice raises doubts and is bothersome. On a more serious note, customers sometimes catch minor errors and ask for correction. Often these mistakes involve names, terminology and numbers, which can escape the eye of QA tools in translation. The worst case is when these customers discover major errors. In translation, these include missing text, retained elements that should not be in the applicable document and clear mistranslations. These capital errors can shake the freelancer’s foundation of self-belief as the question of “how did I miss that” cannot be avoided. Thus, not all mistakes are created equally.

Nor do all clients react the same. Clearly, the mistakes they did not see do not bother them. As for the minor ones, in my experience, while customers would prefer perfection, they are willing to forgive minor errors if the service provider remedies them promptly and professionally. The serious errors are another matter. Here, the reaction varies greatly. At the worst, the customer pays for the job after the corrections and never returns to the service provider. More often than not, if there is a previous record of solid work, customers come back, maybe because finding a potentially better service provider is not worth the effort. In the best case, the customer sees how the freelancer remedied the issues and now has a greater appreciation of his/her professional approach. In other words, the error, however regrettable, may actually build customer loyalty. Therefore, “getting caught” is not necessarily an unmitigated disaster.

The greatest impact of making mistakes is on service providers themselves. Two essential elements of professional work and success are caring about quality and confidence in one’s ability. The discovery of errors, whether minor or major, stimulates the first and jars the second. The physical proof that, despite all one’s knowledge and efforts, such errors reached the customer is very disturbing. For many freelancers without support systems, it leads to serious self-doubt and even depression. After all, they are supposed to be the professionals, the knowledgeable ones. They may be mitigating circumstances, whether deadlines or lack of instructions, but that does not excuse the failure. The psychological cost of being less than perfect is often higher than the financial one.

As I look at my career, I see great progress in how I have come to accept my rare failings. Some twenty years ago, after I submitted a far more ideal translation, I felt depressed for over a week. I questioned whether I should continue in this profession. By contrast, recently, I submitted a translation of several complex official documents, some of them with handwritten text. The customer checked them and found several minor errors, mainly names. I calmly corrected them and resubmitted them. He paid me and appreciated the professional service. I focused my thoughts on how I could avoid such errors in the future, a constructive approach, and went on to my other work. I did not pose questions about my ability. I have learned from experience.

In summary, it is absurd to believe that any person, no matter how knowledgeable and experienced s/he may be, can achieve perfection. To err is human. While freelancers should always strive to achieve the best possible results, errors will sometimes occur due to circumstances and human limitations. In such cases, it is healthier, both on a business and personal level, to focus on remedying the issues, learning from them and moving on. By the way, even the Papal edict on infallibility did not apply to the Pope’s personal actions. Freelancers – forgive yourself.

Ageful words

 

Apparently, human beings are inherent librarians: they need to classify the people around them, divide and conquer if you will.  Clearly, one of the main criteria is age. English, like most languages, has a rich vocabulary to specify the age of a person. Some are more general; some are more specific, or at least try to be; others express some kind judgment of relationship. These words define us and those that describe us.

In general, human beings are grossly divided into children, adults, and the elderly.  People break up these large generalizations into developmental groups. At one end are infants and toddlers. At some point, they become adolescents, adults and eventually senior citizens. In general, pre-adults want to become grown-ups at some time or another. Another method is to refer to their educational or occupational status. Starting from preschoolers, children become primary or elementary school children, junior high schoolers, senior high schoolers and sometimes college students. For greater specificity, parents and teachers refer to the actual grade, e.g., 5^th graders. Statisticians use the term working-age adults to describe that long period between school and retirement.  Once people stop working, they become pensioners or retirees. In some societies, the older folk are called elders as in "Respect your elders". When school or age is a bit vague, decades will do the job. Someone is in their teens or 20’s, for example. These terms are rather objective in their meaning, without being judgmental.

However, many age-related words in English carry implications, whether about the user or the intended person. The common word kid implies that the person in question is not an adult, which may be fine or may suggest immaturity on that person’s part or an inability or lack of desire to make changes. It is not the same when a child says, “Let’s sit at the kids’ table” as when an older person scowls and says, “Those kids annoy me,” or parents say of their children over the age of 30, “The kids are coming over for dinner.” In a later period of life, the term teenager has a negative image, implying annoying and unpleasant behavior. Teenagers do not refer to themselves as teenagers. Likewise, only educators and grandparents refer to older adolescents as a “young man” or “young woman”. Similarly, no person in their teens has ever said, “I am a youth”. Judgments don’t improve later in life. Being middle-aged does not refer to an actual age. It means no longer young and going downhill. The elderly are considered weak and a bit sick. As for older people, primarily younger people use that, and at their risk. It is very difficult to be politically correct when using these terms.

Thus, ageism and age-words accompany us throughout our lives. We, the objects of the terms, can only choose how we react to them. Curiously, I do not know how I would describe myself.  I am 65 years old and still working. Childhood and even middle age are behind me; retirement and serious disability are still in the future. I like to say that I have reached the age of respect, i.e., people make allowances for me, such as giving me a seat on the bus, because of my age. Ultimately, we are who we are at any given moment; the relevant word depends on the actual circumstances but does not make any difference. Yet, that truth will never stop people from categorizing you. They can’t help it.