Studying/informal translation with a chronic illness

[Stephanie Briggs]

Dear SEELANGers,

As I mentioned in the email about my trip to Russia, I have a physical
disability, cerebral palsy, plus chronic pain. I've been studying Russian
since 1999, and got a BA in it, and will be applying for a Master's program
in Translation Studies soon.

I realize the importance of translating by oneself using a dictionary amd
one's own skills, but as I was writing a note to a Russian friend of mine
whose son is very ill, I found myself, instead of reaching for my dictionary
and verb book, going to the dreacded Google Translate, and typing in the
short phrase that I wanted. I checked the translation myself, and tweaked it
a bit before writing it out. Google of course isn't perfect, so I used it
and expected that it would come out rather...weird, simplifed maybe, needing
some help to refine it.

Now I feel guilty at all for using a computer translator, which can never
really replace a human. But I used it because I am very low on energy, and
didn;t have the energy to look up, decline and etc all the words I needed.
It's very hard to read tiny dictionary print when someone has shoved an
icepick in your eyes. I know for sure that in professional translation, one
is expected to use one's brain (as well as whatever software to do a rough
translation), and the traditional dictionary, verb book, etc. Not just leap
to the easy translating machine.

Can I be forgiven for slipping this once and doing it the easy way?

Stephanie.

*****************************
~Stephanie D. (Sures) Briggs
http://sdsures.blogspot.com/

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