Forum: Subtitling
Topic: Netflix Hermes test
Poster: Franjo Varšić
Post title: trouble with football
[quote]Andrejs Gorbunovs wrote:
[quote]Franjo Varšić wrote:
How are you gonna research the text in 10 minutes?
I don't know, but I'd bet my left foot that no Eastern European language has any words that correspond to football terminology. The translator is forced to make stuff up in 10 minutes, which in no way replicates how things would be done normally.
[Edited at 2017-04-08 14:08 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-08 15:49 GMT] [/quote]
Well, you have much more time than 10 minutes for subtitling test (10 minutes is for multiple choice).
Besides, if you are unable to do something, have you thought about the fact that you should not do it?
Maybe translating Netflix is not for you?
I see that people with experience in subtitling have a mostly positive opinion of the test, while you try to fish for information on what the test might have instead of just taking it.
The fault is with you this time, not with Netflix or American Football. ;) [/quote]
Is that right? I'm curious how you translated first down and fullback into Latvian.
[quote]Elena Pizzetti wrote:
I took the test last Monday. The result should appear on everyone's dashboard, I know some translators are already seeing their results in percentage (80%).
Andrejs, I see your point, but the competition you talk about, in this case, is also between people who got the football video and people who don't, and they all have the same amount of time. Your position would make more sense if everyone had the same exact test. I didn't get the football video and feel I was very lucky not to. It's not about being a better or worse translator, technical content requires more research, and therefore more time, than non-technical content. We all want to make the best in this test, finding the best way to translate each sentence and adapt the tone of the dialogues, proofread and make every detail perfect to prove our talent, and the time given is just ok for the videos I got (actually, I wasn't able to proofread the first one because the time was up), but if you also have to research several technical terms and rules of a sport you have never watched, you need more time, and you don't have that much time in this test, while in a normal paid task you would take your time to do your accurate researches.
Of course there were also some difficult parts in the videos I got (I believe they were from "The Characters" and "Chelsea Does"), including a couple of puns and two American advertising characters that needed to be adapted in a funny way in the target language, but I believe the football video would require even the most experienced translator more time to research the terms, and therefore leave less time to make every other detail perfect.
If they want to offer different tests, then it would be fair if a little more time was given. Then it would be true that only the skills in translation and research would make the difference, because no matter the subject, everyone would be able to work on the translation as they would on an actual job, without being so rushed and having to give up on refining other details that are instead pretty much all the applicants who get the other videos have to focus on.
I also found, like someone already wrote, that in the first sections of the test there were often two answers that were both correct, one was maybe more literal than the other, or longer than the other, and it was not always easy to spot the "correct" one. This problem was also evident in Sfera's test, but I guess a couple wrong answers in these sections will happen to everyone and will not influence too much the final result.
The technical issues were terrible, the day I had planned to take the test the login form didn't work because the digits in the user's ID were more than those they had built the form for. For some days one section of the test didn't work for most users. I still don't know if the second part of my test was actually submitted, because the "submit" button didn't work and when the time was up an error appeared. I see it as "completed" on my dashboard, but I don't know if the answers got through. I sent an e-mail to the support team 5 days ago and still haven't received any answer. I suppose they got way more tests than they were prepared for, due to the crazy amount of articles about this test that are being shared everywhere.
Regarding the individual vs. vendor profile: I collaborate with two agencies, but I took the test as an individual. I would like to see if something comes up from Netflix and then I hope we can just give our H number to the agency or update our Hermes profile in the future. If the rates the article talk about are true, it's crazy to think that professional translators who already work with agencies will continue to work for the old, low rates, while potential users totally new to the market can take the test as individuals earning x3. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens (hoping Netflix will release a statement clarifying some of these points).
Good luck to everyone!
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:40 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:40 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:41 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:41 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:42 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:43 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:48 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:52 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:59 GMT] [/quote]
Thanks for the report!
And you're exactly right on the football thing. Puns are one thing, if you're creative enough you can often find a solution, terminology that doesn't exist in the target language, from a sport that doesn't exist in the target language is another matter.
What are these football terms that appear in the video that are giving everyone trouble?
[Edited at 2017-04-09 09:37 GMT]
Topic: Netflix Hermes test
Poster: Franjo Varšić
Post title: trouble with football
[quote]Andrejs Gorbunovs wrote:
[quote]Franjo Varšić wrote:
How are you gonna research the text in 10 minutes?
I don't know, but I'd bet my left foot that no Eastern European language has any words that correspond to football terminology. The translator is forced to make stuff up in 10 minutes, which in no way replicates how things would be done normally.
[Edited at 2017-04-08 14:08 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-08 15:49 GMT] [/quote]
Well, you have much more time than 10 minutes for subtitling test (10 minutes is for multiple choice).
Besides, if you are unable to do something, have you thought about the fact that you should not do it?
Maybe translating Netflix is not for you?
I see that people with experience in subtitling have a mostly positive opinion of the test, while you try to fish for information on what the test might have instead of just taking it.
The fault is with you this time, not with Netflix or American Football. ;) [/quote]
Is that right? I'm curious how you translated first down and fullback into Latvian.
[quote]Elena Pizzetti wrote:
I took the test last Monday. The result should appear on everyone's dashboard, I know some translators are already seeing their results in percentage (80%).
Andrejs, I see your point, but the competition you talk about, in this case, is also between people who got the football video and people who don't, and they all have the same amount of time. Your position would make more sense if everyone had the same exact test. I didn't get the football video and feel I was very lucky not to. It's not about being a better or worse translator, technical content requires more research, and therefore more time, than non-technical content. We all want to make the best in this test, finding the best way to translate each sentence and adapt the tone of the dialogues, proofread and make every detail perfect to prove our talent, and the time given is just ok for the videos I got (actually, I wasn't able to proofread the first one because the time was up), but if you also have to research several technical terms and rules of a sport you have never watched, you need more time, and you don't have that much time in this test, while in a normal paid task you would take your time to do your accurate researches.
Of course there were also some difficult parts in the videos I got (I believe they were from "The Characters" and "Chelsea Does"), including a couple of puns and two American advertising characters that needed to be adapted in a funny way in the target language, but I believe the football video would require even the most experienced translator more time to research the terms, and therefore leave less time to make every other detail perfect.
If they want to offer different tests, then it would be fair if a little more time was given. Then it would be true that only the skills in translation and research would make the difference, because no matter the subject, everyone would be able to work on the translation as they would on an actual job, without being so rushed and having to give up on refining other details that are instead pretty much all the applicants who get the other videos have to focus on.
I also found, like someone already wrote, that in the first sections of the test there were often two answers that were both correct, one was maybe more literal than the other, or longer than the other, and it was not always easy to spot the "correct" one. This problem was also evident in Sfera's test, but I guess a couple wrong answers in these sections will happen to everyone and will not influence too much the final result.
The technical issues were terrible, the day I had planned to take the test the login form didn't work because the digits in the user's ID were more than those they had built the form for. For some days one section of the test didn't work for most users. I still don't know if the second part of my test was actually submitted, because the "submit" button didn't work and when the time was up an error appeared. I see it as "completed" on my dashboard, but I don't know if the answers got through. I sent an e-mail to the support team 5 days ago and still haven't received any answer. I suppose they got way more tests than they were prepared for, due to the crazy amount of articles about this test that are being shared everywhere.
Regarding the individual vs. vendor profile: I collaborate with two agencies, but I took the test as an individual. I would like to see if something comes up from Netflix and then I hope we can just give our H number to the agency or update our Hermes profile in the future. If the rates the article talk about are true, it's crazy to think that professional translators who already work with agencies will continue to work for the old, low rates, while potential users totally new to the market can take the test as individuals earning x3. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens (hoping Netflix will release a statement clarifying some of these points).
Good luck to everyone!
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:40 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:40 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:41 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:41 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:42 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:43 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:48 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:52 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-04-09 08:59 GMT] [/quote]
Thanks for the report!
And you're exactly right on the football thing. Puns are one thing, if you're creative enough you can often find a solution, terminology that doesn't exist in the target language, from a sport that doesn't exist in the target language is another matter.
What are these football terms that appear in the video that are giving everyone trouble?
[Edited at 2017-04-09 09:37 GMT]