We have all heard or read about battery hens. There is such a debate on free range/organic products, including eggs and chickens. The less lucky hens, the so called battery hens are forced to live in horrible conditions: small and crowded cages, with wires that hurt their feet and beaks, kept in the dark.
You are probably wondering what this has to do with translators. Well, from time to time I have come across some websites (dealing with translations) offering prospective clients the possibility to have their text translated on the spot, by chatting to translators. I think it is easy to understand why this is wrong on so many levels. First of all, a quality translation takes time. The translator needs to see the context, needs to consult a dictionary, a glossary. Not to mention that a proofreader should check to make sure the text is error-free. Just imagine the poor (or should I say naïve) translators who agree to work for such companies. I can envisage them waiting for the client to start chatting and immediately, like robots, start translating.
But the worst thing is that this bad practice has repercussions: on the quality and sometimes on the prices of the translation market. Some freelance translators or even agencies might be tempted to lower their prices to cope with this situation.
One question remains: why would you, as a client, pay for such translation services? What you get is poor quality that can do more harm than good to your business.
