CIOL Survey Shows Surprising LSP-Linguist Communication Preferences

CIOL的一项调查显示了语言学家令人惊讶的交流偏好

2020-09-22 16:50 slator

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The UK-based Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) ran an online survey for four weeks in April 2020 among language professionals and language service providers (LSPs). Among the 180 respondents, the majority (78+%) identified themselves as translators and/or interpreters (T&Is); 20% said they worked at or own an LSP, while the rest said neither. CIOL conducted the survey to better understand where T&Is and LSPs concurred or diverged on certain topics, such as fees, managing assignments, and their relationship with one another. All respondents were given the chance to comment how that relationship could be improved. When asked how they regarded their relationship with LSPs, T&Is generally felt more positive than negative about it. About 44% described it as Positive (38%) or Very positive (6%), versus the 22% who said it was either Negative (18%) or Very negative (4%). Some 34% were neutral about the relationship. Among those that said Positive/Very positive, comments revolved around three areas, fees, recognition, and communication. The survey found that “a number of respondents felt it was difficult to increase their rates once they were established with an LSP, even to keep pace with inflation, or were unhappy about being asked for ‘extras’.” According to one respondent, T&Is did not want LSPs to treat them as a “replaceable resource”; while another said, “large LSPs tend to treat translators as employees,” not as independent contractors. Yet another pointed out the need for LSPs to treat language professionals as “partners that they can work with to provide the best possible service to their clients.” LSPs were much more positive, on the other hand, with 23 out of 24 respondents saying their relationship with T&Is is Very positive (14) or Positive (9). Only one respondent called it neutral. No LSP described their relationship with T&Is as Negative. Some of the most interesting portions of the CIOL report were the comments in the respondents’ own words as they weighed in on how assignments were relayed and the delivery timelines set by LSPs. Key takeaways and related feedback as follows: 1. Personal email preferred, please. T&Is were asked how they preferred to receive assignments from LSPs, while LSPs were asked how they preferred to offer projects. Personal email remains the top choice for both groups: more than 80% of T&Is and two-thirds of LSPs. According to one LSP: “We have a good relationship with our translators. We don’t use automated software to assign projects, as in a short trial I did they didn’t like it, so it is all done via email. They were not happy with the impersonal way automated systems work.” As for the rest, among T&Is, 9% preferred a phone call, 5% preferred to get assignments through a translation management system (TMS), while one respondent selected “group or marketing email.” Among LSPs, however, 20% said they prefer assigning projects via TMS and 8%, via phone call. 2. More context, enough info, and give us enough time to digest it all? While most T&Is (65%) said they were given enough info to correctly carry out assignments and deliver on time Always (9%) or Mostly (56%), several offered suggestions on how they could be better briefed about translated text and target audience. Among the typical comments were — Some T&Is also said the name of the end client was often withheld, “despite being expected ‘to reflect their house style/brand, etc.’” They expressed frustration at this, according to the study, because “as members of CIOL or NRPSI (National Register of Public Service Interpreters) registrants, they were bound by confidentiality obligations and could therefore be trusted with sensitive information.” One translator, overwhelmed with the volume of material given, said: “If a lot of reference material is provided this takes a little time to wade through and this needs to be reflected in the deadline, rather than a presumption that if reference material is provided, it will take less time to translate.” The study also noted how “the lack of timeliness and completeness of information appeared more marked for interpreting than translation assignments,” with some interpreters saying they did not have enough info to properly prepare in advance for, say, interpreting at a medical appointment. One interpreter commented: “Also, as the system is changing, some court bookings are conducted remotely, and I would like to see whether it’s a face-to-face or a remote booking prior to accepting it.” While a number of T&Is left positive comments on generous deadlines and good working practices, the study said others pointed out, “the need for certain project managers to understand more about the nature of the work, not least to be able to educate their end clients about the kind of information needed to allow the translator or interpreter to do their job effectively.” 3. Send the correct file type…and don’t just disappear when there are problems! LSPs were more positive about how assignments were carried out, just as they were when asked about their relationship with T&Is: 100% said assignments were Mostly or Always carried out along the brief and delivered on time. One comment read: “It already works extremely well as we work with linguists we’ve known, in many cases, for 10 years or so.” For the problems that did arise, however, the following were cited as points for improvement: The CIOL report also noted how “the need for translators not to ‘disappear’ if there were problems with delivery emerged strongly.” Additionally, while several LSPs “spoke warmly” about their T&Is, one admitted that tensions did exist but the relationship could be improved “if certain factions of the translator world realised that LSPs are not always the enemy and if certain LSPs did not try and exploit translators.” The study concluded, “Many of the problems identified appeared to stem from limited human interaction, poor communication or a lack of understanding of the pressures and constraints faced by translators and interpreters on the one hand, and LSPs on the other. Mutual recognition, respect for each other’s positions, a commitment to openness and honesty and a willingness to compromise would no doubt help overcome some of the obstacles reported.”
2020年4月,英国特许语言学家协会(CIOL)对语言专业人士和语言服务提供商(LSPs)进行了为期四周的在线调查。在180名受访者中,大多数人(78+%)认为自己是笔译和/或口译员(T&Is);20%的人说他们从事或拥有LSP,其余的人则表示两者都没有。 CIOL进行这项调查是为了更好地了解T&Is和lsp在某些问题上的一致或分歧,例如费用、任务管理以及他们之间的关系。所有的受访者都有机会评论如何改善这种关系。 当被问及他们如何看待自己与LSPs的关系时,T&Is通常对此感到积极多于消极。约有44%的人认为是积极(38%)或非常积极的(6%),22%的人认为是消极(18%)或非常消极的(4%)。约34%的人对这段关系持中立态度。 在那些积极/非常积极的评论中,评论围绕着三个方面:收费,认可和沟通。调查发现,“一些受访者表示,一旦他们建立了长期服务计划,就很难提高他们的税率,甚至难以跟上通胀的步伐,或者对被要求提供‘额外津贴’感到不满。” 一个答复者表示,T&IS不希望LSP将其视为“可替代的资源”;而另一人则说,“大的LSP往往把翻译当作雇员”,而不是独立的承包商。还有另外一位指出,LSP需要将语言专业人员视为“他们可以合作的伙伴,以便为他们的客户提供尽可能好的服务。” 另外一方面,LSPs更加积极乐观,24个回复中的23个人认为和T&Is的关系是积极的,其中有9人认为是积极的,14人认为是非常积极的。只有一个采取中立态度的人。没有一分LSP认为他们与T&Is的关系是消极的。 CIOL报告中最有趣的部分是受访者在权衡任务是如何传递的以及LSPs设定的交付时间表时自己的言论。重点总结及相关反馈如下: 私人邮件优先。 当T&Is被问到他们如何优先接受来着LSPs的任务时LSPs也被问到他们是如何优先提供方案的,个人电子邮件当然是所有选择中最优先的选择:超过80%的T&Is和三分之二的LSPs。 根据LSP的一个成员说:“我们和译员有一个良好的关系,我们不用自动的软件去分配任务,简单来说我不喜欢那样,所以他们都是通过电子邮件的方式来完成。用一个自动的系统不用本人出席的方式工作他们不会开心的。” 至于其余的部分,T&Is中9%的人更喜欢打电话,5%的人更喜欢从翻译管理系统领取工作任务,但有一个回复者选择“群发或者标记邮件”。然而LSPs中20%的人表示更喜欢在手机上的翻译管理系统分配任务。 更多的背景,足够多的信息,以及充裕的时间能让我们处理好所有问题吗? 基于65%的T&Is表示他们有足够的信息准确完成任务,9%表示他们可以经常按时上交,56%表示大多数时候他们可以按时上交,提供几个可以解决如何让他们针对特定的读者更加简洁的翻译文本。几个典型的评论有—— 一些T&还说最终客户的名称通常是保留,“尽管预期”,以反映他们的房子风格/品牌等”。“他们对此表示不满,根据这项研究,因为“CIOL成员或NRPSI(国家公共服务口译员)注册者,他们受保密义务的约束与敏感信息,因此可以被信任。” 一名译员面对大量材料惊慌失措说道:“如果有大量的参考资料这需要很多时间,而且这需要反映截止日期,如果一个推定有很多可以参考的资料那将会节省很多时间去翻译。” 这门学科当然也注意到“缺少时间线和出现的翻译复杂性标志着口译的任务难与笔译任务”,一些口译员说他们没有足够的信息去提前准备,比如医疗预约的口译工作。 以为口译员也发表评论说:“还有,随着系统的改变有些法庭预约是远程进行的,我会去想那是不是要面对面或者远程预约。” 尽管一些T&IS对慷慨的截止日期和良好的工作实践留下了积极的评价,但研究报告称,其他人指出,“某些项目经理需要更多地了解工作的性质,不仅仅是只会教育他们最终的客户,让笔译或口译人员有效地完成工作所需的信息。” 正确地发送文件类型,并且当问题出现的时候别只是逃避! 当被问及他们与T&的关系时,LSPs对任务的执行情况更为积极:100%的人认为任务大部分或总是按照简报执行,并且按时交付。一条评论写道:“我们已经和我们认识的语言学家合作了10年左右,这种方法已经非常有效了。” 然而对于已经出现的问题,以下的点需要被改进。 CIOL的报告还指出,“在翻译出现问题时,翻译人员不需要‘消失’。” 此外,当一些翻译服务提供商“热情地”谈论他们的翻译服务时,其中一人承认,紧张的确存在,但“如果翻译界的某些派系意识到翻译服务提供商并不总是敌人,如果某些翻译服务提供商不试图利用译者的话,”关系可能会得到改善。 该研究总结道:“发现的许多问题似乎是由于人际交往有限、沟通不周或缺乏对笔译和普通译员所面临的压力和制约的了解。”相互承认、尊重彼此的立场、承诺公开和诚实以及愿意妥协,无疑将有助于克服所报告的一些障碍。”

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