Comments for April Textworks http://www.apriltext.co.uk Intelligent German to English translations Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:20:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Comment on Haiku and poetry by Betti http://www.apriltext.co.uk/well-random/haiku-and-poetry/#comment-120 Betti Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:20:38 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=851#comment-120 Hi Oliver Many thanks for your comment – and for confirming that the rules can be dispensed with, once one has understood the general approach. I've added a few hyperlinks to the names of haiku poets you mention. Great to have this list on here! So thank you for that too! Hi Oliver
Many thanks for your comment – and for confirming that the rules can be dispensed with, once one has understood the general approach.
I’ve added a few hyperlinks to the names of haiku poets you mention. Great to have this list on here! So thank you for that too!

]]> Comment on Haiku and poetry by Oliver Lawrence http://www.apriltext.co.uk/well-random/haiku-and-poetry/#comment-105 Oliver Lawrence Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:58:39 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=851#comment-105 Hi Betti, haiku is a favourite medium of mine too, and it's flourishing in English. Two of my favourite haiku exponents are <a href="http://www.inpressbooks.co.uk/hamish_ironside_f01817.aspx" rel="nofollow">Hamish Ironside</a> and <a href="http://www.davidcobb.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">David Cobb</a>, definitely worth a read, along with the works of the old masters, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bash%C5%8D" rel="nofollow">Basho</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosa_Buson" rel="nofollow">Buson</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobayashi_Issa" rel="nofollow">Issa</a>, of course. Many contemporary authors are happy to dispense with the 5-7-5 rule, and I don't think it's the most crucial aspect of the form either. Hi Betti, haiku is a favourite medium of mine too, and it’s flourishing in English. Two of my favourite haiku exponents are Hamish Ironside and David Cobb, definitely worth a read, along with the works of the old masters, like Basho, Buson and Issa, of course. Many contemporary authors are happy to dispense with the 5-7-5 rule, and I don’t think it’s the most crucial aspect of the form either.

]]> Comment on Notes from Berlin by Siobhan Soraghan http://www.apriltext.co.uk/well-random/notes-from-berlin/#comment-102 Siobhan Soraghan Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:57:29 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=1189#comment-102 I just loved reading this - enjoyed the sights smells and the light-touch but illuminating context. Sounds like just the kind of place I'd love to spend time in, I want to go there! I just loved reading this – enjoyed the sights smells and the light-touch but illuminating context. Sounds like just the kind of place I’d love to spend time in, I want to go there!

]]> Comment on Blogger’s block (and its positive side effects) by Elisabeth Hippe-Heisler http://www.apriltext.co.uk/blogging/bloggers-block-and-its-positive-side-effects/#comment-101 Elisabeth Hippe-Heisler Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:28:30 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=992#comment-101 Hi Betti, I enjoyed reading this blog post. It reflects what I myself sometimes go through when trying to put together a blog post. It can take ages until I get to the stage where I can say: Now, at last, it's good enough for publication. I've just gone through a little period of procrastination myself and found your article really encouraging - thanks! Hi Betti, I enjoyed reading this blog post. It reflects what I myself sometimes go through when trying to put together a blog post. It can take ages until I get to the stage where I can say: Now, at last, it’s good enough for publication.
I’ve just gone through a little period of procrastination myself and found your article really encouraging – thanks!

]]> Comment on Just in case you were wondering… by Betti http://www.apriltext.co.uk/writing/just-in-case-you-were-wondering/#comment-92 Betti Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:25:15 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=1012#comment-92 Thank you for your comment, Eline. It's really reassuring to know that I'm not alone and that others feel the same. Yes, I definitely write more fluently and find it easier to express myself in English (which is why this blog is in English and not in German). I still can never quite express myself as fluently and eloquently as I <em>would like to</em>. But I think that's an entirely separate problem that many writers suffer from and that probably comes with the territory. Maybe another blog post for another time! Thank you for your comment, Eline. It’s really reassuring to know that I’m not alone and that others feel the same.

Yes, I definitely write more fluently and find it easier to express myself in English (which is why this blog is in English and not in German).

I still can never quite express myself as fluently and eloquently as I would like to. But I think that’s an entirely separate problem that many writers suffer from and that probably comes with the territory. Maybe another blog post for another time!

]]> Comment on Just in case you were wondering… by Eline Van De Wiele http://www.apriltext.co.uk/writing/just-in-case-you-were-wondering/#comment-91 Eline Van De Wiele Thu, 09 Jun 2011 08:35:14 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=1012#comment-91 Thank you for this post! I too translate into English even though technically my mother tongue is Flemish. However, having spent 2/3 of my life in the UK, I too feel much more comfortable in English now. I love its richness, nuances and expressiveness. It's the only language that allows me to write well and be truly creative. Hence, I think of it as my "2nd" mother tongue. With regards to your last comment, I can well imagine this to be true. Perhaps an advantage that you might have over a native speaker is that you were forced (or you forced yourself!) to study the grammar, nuances and structures of English until you knew them inside and out. I think this is what makes you a more careful and therefore a better writer. Ultimately, you've turned yourself into a native speaker with extra advantages! Judging by the writing in your blog, this is most certainly possible. Thank you for this post! I too translate into English even though technically my mother tongue is Flemish. However, having spent 2/3 of my life in the UK, I too feel much more comfortable in English now. I love its richness, nuances and expressiveness. It’s the only language that allows me to write well and be truly creative. Hence, I think of it as my “2nd” mother tongue.
With regards to your last comment, I can well imagine this to be true. Perhaps an advantage that you might have over a native speaker is that you were forced (or you forced yourself!) to study the grammar, nuances and structures of English until you knew them inside and out. I think this is what makes you a more careful and therefore a better writer. Ultimately, you’ve turned yourself into a native speaker with extra advantages! Judging by the writing in your blog, this is most certainly possible.

]]> Comment on The thorny issue of quality by Judy Jenner http://www.apriltext.co.uk/translation/the-thorny-issue-of-quality/#comment-82 Judy Jenner Sun, 29 May 2011 21:28:36 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=774#comment-82 @Chris: thanks for chiming in, dear Chris. I am also a big Chris Durban fan, and sorry for being so late to the party. I've been swamped. I appreciate you taking the time to explain your thinking, and the results of your research are indeed shocking. And agreed, the behavior of the LSPs is indeed completely unethical and I can completely see your reasoning for exposing them. That said, I would still have chosen to keep their names private -- perhaps because naming them in a T&I forum won't do potential customers any good, as they weren't there .:) Just a different approach, but I am glad you made this sensitive issue public, and I agree: transparency is good. It's just that public shaming makes me uncomfortable and I don't know if it has the desired results, but I respect your decision. Looking forward to our round table discussion at the ATA! :) @Chris: thanks for chiming in, dear Chris. I am also a big Chris Durban fan, and sorry for being so late to the party. I’ve been swamped. I appreciate you taking the time to explain your thinking, and the results of your research are indeed shocking. And agreed, the behavior of the LSPs is indeed completely unethical and I can completely see your reasoning for exposing them. That said, I would still have chosen to keep their names private — perhaps because naming them in a T&I forum won’t do potential customers any good, as they weren’t there .:) Just a different approach, but I am glad you made this sensitive issue public, and I agree: transparency is good. It’s just that public shaming makes me uncomfortable and I don’t know if it has the desired results, but I respect your decision. Looking forward to our round table discussion at the ATA! :)

]]> Comment on The thorny issue of quality by Caroline Devitt http://www.apriltext.co.uk/translation/the-thorny-issue-of-quality/#comment-81 Caroline Devitt Fri, 27 May 2011 16:03:26 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=774#comment-81 Although I'm coming in very late on this, I just wanted to add that I think it's perfectly ethical, and in fact a very positive move, to name and shame translators and agencies who provide bad work. The important thing is to be completely sure of your facts before saying anything negative, and in this case Chris clearly was. It seems to me that it's no different from naming and shaming a provider of poor-quality goods or services in any other field. Although I’m coming in very late on this, I just wanted to add that I think it’s perfectly ethical, and in fact a very positive move, to name and shame translators and agencies who provide bad work. The important thing is to be completely sure of your facts before saying anything negative, and in this case Chris clearly was. It seems to me that it’s no different from naming and shaming a provider of poor-quality goods or services in any other field.

]]> Comment on Raising the image of the translation profession by Pierre http://www.apriltext.co.uk/translation/raising-the-image-of-the-translation-profession/#comment-80 Pierre Fri, 27 May 2011 09:12:52 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=822#comment-80 Hi Betti, Just discovered your blog, very good posts indeed! I think you're absolutely right about being pro-active and not moaning about poor translation jobs. I also want to underline the fact that Chris wasn't moaning – I know it's not what you said, but maybe it's what some of your readers might understand? The fact that she took the time to do the 'mystery shopper' experiment is just one of the many proofs that she is the most pro-active translator out there and that she does all she can to raise the standards of the profession. The fact that she mentioned the cowboy's name could certainly be seen as an ethical issue, though I would argue that since there is no recognition of the profession, anyone can decide who's and who's not a proper member of the profession. If doctors are not doing their job properly, they get stricken off and can't use their title anymore. And their name is published around because everyone MUST (shall?) know that they've done a bad job. Off course, translation is somehow more subjective than healthcare, but hey... that's why it can cause so much stir! Hi Betti,
Just discovered your blog, very good posts indeed!
I think you’re absolutely right about being pro-active and not moaning about poor translation jobs.
I also want to underline the fact that Chris wasn’t moaning – I know it’s not what you said, but maybe it’s what some of your readers might understand?
The fact that she took the time to do the ‘mystery shopper’ experiment is just one of the many proofs that she is the most pro-active translator out there and that she does all she can to raise the standards of the profession.
The fact that she mentioned the cowboy’s name could certainly be seen as an ethical issue, though I would argue that since there is no recognition of the profession, anyone can decide who’s and who’s not a proper member of the profession.
If doctors are not doing their job properly, they get stricken off and can’t use their title anymore. And their name is published around because everyone MUST (shall?) know that they’ve done a bad job.
Off course, translation is somehow more subjective than healthcare, but hey… that’s why it can cause so much stir!

]]> Comment on Raising the image of the translation profession by Kevin Lossner http://www.apriltext.co.uk/translation/raising-the-image-of-the-translation-profession/#comment-79 Kevin Lossner Thu, 26 May 2011 22:45:22 +0000 http://www.apriltext.co.uk/?p=822#comment-79 Couldn't agree with you more, Betti, and I hope to see your collection of good examples some day. I learn nothing by seeing more examples of the same garbage I encounter from many sources day-in, day-out. I need the inspiration of competent peers. Couldn’t agree with you more, Betti, and I hope to see your collection of good examples some day. I learn nothing by seeing more examples of the same garbage I encounter from many sources day-in, day-out. I need the inspiration of competent peers.

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