Path: ccsf.homeunix.org!ccsf.homeunix.org!news1.wakwak.com!nf1.xephion.ne.jp!onion.ish.org!news.daionet.gr.jp!news.yamada.gr.jp!newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!newsfeed.icl.net!newsfeed.fjserv.net!feed.news.tiscali.de!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail From: "Ryan Ginstrom" Newsgroups: fj.life.in-japan Subject: Re: Teaching English in Japan (as a NON-native English speaker)... or other jobs? Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 10:24:41 +0900 Lines: 43 Message-ID: <37vfuhF5e9dmkU1@individual.net> References: <4219c504$1@news.broadpark.no> <37u3ckF599dpiU1@individual.net> <1gsdji1.1rq0v7h1v8fqN%dame_zumari@yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-2022-jp" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: individual.net AitFa+CO2fmCaVIsxhdeZw/x9w9b33LFfU5s10f9Qs2tXBA0VJ X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441 Xref: ccsf.homeunix.org fj.life.in-japan:25590 "Louise Bremner" wrote in message news:1gsdji1.1rq0v7h1v8fqN%dame_zumari@yahoo.com... > Ryan Ginstrom wrote: > > You could get a job butt-wiping^H^H proofreading translations into English > > by native Japanese speakers with a questionable grasp of the English > > language. > > The trouble with that sort of job is, I found, that there's always going > to be some translator or later-stage editor who will pick up on the fact > that the rewriter is not from the USA and so could not possibly > understand the subtle nuances of the English required for the preferred > market. Never mind that such translators and editors couldn't either, by > the same logic.... I recently did a translation, and had it come back with all instances of "-ize" changed to "-ise." I called up the client and asked what was up, and they told me that since the poster was for a conference in France, they wanted it in British English, so could I please change it to British English? I said sure, why not? So as an added bonus I changed all instances of "color" to "colour." > A much more interesting version of that job involves rewriting technical > papers written in English by Japanese researchers, for publication > abroad. But that requires specialist knowledge of the subject. I have a couple jobs like this. It can be a good gig, especially when the writer has a decent grasp of English. The recipe for bitterness is when the native Japanese translator + native English-speaking checker combination is being used as a cost-cutting measure. The manure that comes out of 99% of those translators is simply beyond repair. A close second is the kind of client that says "we want it translated by a Japanese to make sure the translator understands it, then we'll have you 'check' it." -- Regards, Ryan Ginstrom ryang@gol.com