No time rates : standard rates for written translation

[Josh Wilson]

As someone who often pays for translation, I can tell you that the
arrangement I usually use runs as follows:

I pay for translations based on a character count in the source language. I
would never pay based on the target language as that would not encourage
brevity, which I highly value as an editor working in the English language.
Usually pay is figured at some sum per 1800 characters - I often start with
a new translator saying that the 1800 includes spaces. After they have
produced a few satisfactory translations, I bump their pay a bit by
excluding spaces from the 1800. 

I would also add that I would hesitate to pay a translator working to
translate into a target language that is not their native language. As Mr.
Braithwaite says, "'might need a bit of editing' sends up a red flag" and
I've generally found that a bad translation is worse than no translation.  
One organization I edit for was using a local translation agency when I
first came onboard. The agency insisted that their translators were trained
specifically in the type of terminology (accounting, tax, and legal), that
we were using. I would need to only "proofread" their texts. However, even
the word "edit" would not be applicable to what needed to be done to the
text to make it publishable. The term needed was "translation," (!) only
this time Ruslish>English. 

I soon convinced the organization that they needed to dump that agency and
let me find a decent freelancer, preferably a native speaker. 

That said, I should also add that I've worked nearly exclusively with
translators based inside Russia. I've seldom worked with Russian translators
who have spent years living in a foreign country, soaking up idioms and
natural speech. I should also add that the freelance translator I currently
use most often, and whom I am generally quite satisfied with in terms of
speed, accuracy, and price, is Russian. However, she's also married to an
American and has spoken English almost exclusively in her household for
years (so that their children will be exposed to both languages). 

Hope that helps somewhat. 

Best, 



Josh Wilson
Asst. Director
The School of Russian and Asian Studies
Editor-in-Chief
Vestnik, The Journal of Russian and Asian Studies
www.sras.org
jwilson at sras.org

Also: 

General Editor 
Alinga Consulting Group
www.acg.ru/english 

General Editor 
The US-Russian Chamber of Commerce of New England
www.usrccne.org

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