What is "80% quality"?
દોર પોસ્ટ કરનાર: Chris Says Bye
May 16, 2022

I was offered a dream job today. Do as much as you want, when you want. No deadlines. Huge volume. Quality isn't important. Just miss out anything you find difficult. What's not to like?

We have a large SV > EN translation project and we are wondering if you would be interested in joining our team. The total wordcount exceeds 2 million words.

The text is general and there are no requirements for the wordcount you can provide us with. You can work when it suits you and you will be paid for the wordcount you complete. Also, you will have the possibility to skip any string that you may see difficult or time consuming. That string will be passed to another linguist.

There are no high demands on quality. 80% counted as pass. The only requirement is not to use any Machine Translation software/tool (ex. Google Translate etc). The translation must be 100% human translation.

Rate: 0.05 USD
Deadline: No requirements

But wait...

Do they mean only 80% of segments need to be correct, or only 80% of each segment needs to be correct? Which would be more profitable for me?

And is the five cents per word, per string or for the whole 2 million words?


 
Lingua 5B
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Aliens. May 16, 2022

If you are an alien, you can’t do this. It requires humans to do the work.

Chris Says Bye
 
expressisverbis
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"Rubbish always goes to the bin" May 16, 2022

Ice Scream wrote:

The text is general and there are no requirements for the wordcount you can provide us with. You can work when it suits you and you will be paid for the wordcount you complete. Also, you will have the possibility to skip any string that you may see difficult or time consuming. That string will be passed to another linguist.

There are no high demands on quality. 80% counted as pass. The only requirement is not to use any Machine Translation software/tool (ex. Google Translate etc). The translation must be 100% human translation.

Rate: 0.05 USD
Deadline: No requirements



I would send it immediately to the bin and I wouldn't waste my time with that 80%. I don't believe in those "dream jobs", I believe in good professionals and clients who are willing to pay your own rates.
That's what happens when you need to use any other services. Do you set a rate to your dentist? No, of course not.
I still don't understand why some translators "have to work" according to the low rates of some translation companies. It can be humiliating; in case those companies didn't realise it yet.
Also, straight to the point is always preferred when doing business.


Chris Says Bye
Mr. Satan (X)
 
Matthias Brombach
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1% May 16, 2022

Ice Scream wrote:
Do they mean only 80% of segments need to be correct, or only 80% of each segment needs to be correct?


Even the Hells Angels claim that only 1% of all moto cyclists are "bad" or even criminals, but to what gang do those belong to who already make sure right from the beginning that 20% of the stuff they sell to their end clients is supposed to be crap? Is it at least some red light stuff they want to have translated? Chris, tell us more about your Scandinavian friends! Watch out when they want 81% needs to be correct. You know what "81" stands for, don't you?


Chris Says Bye
 
Michael Newton
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"80" quality May 17, 2022

Really, would a professional, experienced, qualified translator want to work for a company on a project for which "quality is not important"? Also, the parameters are so fluid and undefined that I think you would end up with very little money. A dream job could turn into a nightmare.

Chris Says Bye
Mr. Satan (X)
 
Matthias Brombach
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Seriously... May 17, 2022

...they just want you to write the basic grammar structure of the texts, e.g., correct grammar, tenses and verbs and/or terms that approximately reflect the source. They simply will or cannot afford to pay for background knowledge or for a DeepL subscription. Afterward, they will send your text to a person with more background to "proofread" for max. 30 % of their "normal" tariff.

Chris Says Bye
Mr. Satan (X)
 
Robert Rietvelt
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What is "80% quality"? May 17, 2022

80% quality = 100% rubbish!

[Edited at 2022-05-17 09:25 GMT]


Chris Says Bye
Michele Fauble
 
Peter Shortall
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Some thoughts May 17, 2022

Ice Scream wrote:

Do they mean only 80% of segments need to be correct, or only 80% of each segment needs to be correct? Which would be more profitable for me?


Either way, your total score is 80%. You're overthinking this, Chris! Because somehow, I get the feeling they don't much care about such niceties. I'll come back to profitability in a moment...

Lingua 5B wrote:

If you are an alien, you can’t do this. It requires humans to do the work.


Shucks, that rules me out, then...

Ice Scream wrote:

The only requirement is not to use any Machine Translation software/tool (ex. Google Translate etc).


Yes, because then we'd have machines training a machine to translate like... a machine!

Ice Scream wrote:

And is the five cents per word, per string or for the whole 2 million words?


Definitely the whole 2 million words. I mean, come on... they're only expecting 80% accuracy, you can skip bits you don't like and there's no deadline, what more do you want?! Who pays $0.05 per word for a translation nowadays?! So to come back to your question about 80% and profitability, it makes no difference. $0.05 is $0.05. Don't spend it all at once!


Baran Keki
Chris Says Bye
Mr. Satan (X)
 
Chris Says Bye
Chris Says Bye
વિષયની શરૂઆત કરનાર
Food for thought May 17, 2022

Rest assured I passed on this job but I see now it is an established thing called Isaac which is not always a scam, and if we do the math(s), spending 10-15% as much time for 20-25% of my normal rate would actually be much more profitable than my Scandi direct clients, and with none of the responsibility.

Plus I get to help MT and the Chinese take over the world. Win-win.


Matthias Brombach
P.L.F. Persio
expressisverbis
 
Matthias Brombach
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Plus... May 18, 2022

Ice Scream wrote:

Rest assured I passed on this job but I see now it is an established thing called Isaac which is not always a scam, and if we do the math(s), spending 10-15% as much time for 20-25% of my normal rate would actually be much more profitable than my Scandi direct clients, and with none of the responsibility.

Plus I get to help MT and the Chinese take over the world. Win-win.

...I remember one of your posts where you didn't mind working for less since your children no longer grab their pocket money from you, your mortgages have been paid, and most Chinese restaurants offer cheaper meals for the elderly*.

* although with fewer potatoes and with only one sausage left here in Germany.


Chris Says Bye
P.L.F. Persio
 


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What is "80% quality"?







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