Traducteur provocateur: The perfectionist
von Helena Stamatovic
Are translators perfectionists? The Traducteur provocateur sure isn’t. And he has convincing arguments. Read about his latest outrageous coup here.
C: "Hello translator."
TP: "Oh, hello customer! What’s up?"
C: "I have to file a complaint with you."
TP: "Something to do with the most recent translation?"
C: "You can say that again! Would you please tell me why you always send me not only your translation, but always also a dozen questions? That has got to stop!"
TP: "Well ... they are legitimate questions."
C: "Legitimate? That is pathological perfectionism! I do not care if it says ’CHF’ or ’Fr.’ or ’SFr.’, whether you write the date out in full or whether you use ’customer service’ or ’customer support’. Our readers will understand it either way."
TP: "But customer, your corporate language should be important to you!"
C: "Corporate what?"
TP: (sighs) "Corporate language. Like corporate design, only related to the languages."
C: "Mmh, yes, I may have heard that term before."
TP: "I’m sure you have. The point is that not only your visual appearance should be consistent but also your texts – in all languages. I don’t ask these questions just for fun!"
C: "Okay, maybe you’re right." (thinks) "Still: I just don’t have time for that. And anyway: You’re the language expert, you decide!"
TP: "Me?! Oookay. Then next time I’ll change the font of your weekly newsletter. I like Calibri better than Verdana. I’ll also scale down the logo, it’s too big, and then this bright green, I would ..."
C: "All right, I get it! What should I do?"
TP: "Creating a style guide and a small glossary would be good for starters."
C: (types) "Style guide ... Glossary ... Okay, it’s on the agenda for the next meeting."
TP: "Awesome! You’ll see, that’ll make a lot of things easier."
C: "If it decimates your gazillion questions, then I’m happy. By the way, there is something else."
TP: "Yes?"
C: "Production feels that our ’services’ should be translated as ’solutions’ now rather than ’services’. Shouldn’t we put this down in a list somewhere? Then everyone is always on the same page and doesn’t get it wrong anymore."
TP: "Seriously?!"
C: "What? Don’t you think that’s a good idea?"
TP: (sighs) "Customer, you’re the best. How do you always come up with such ideas? We’ll do it that way! Oh, and customer ..."
C: "Yes?"
TP: "Don’t forget the glossary and style guide, all right?" (laughs and hangs up)