FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Q - Do you use a CAT tool / do you use TRADOS ?
A - I use OmegaT as my CAT tool. I like OmegaT (a free tool !), because it is very easy to use, requires little or no support, and compiles blindingly fast. OmegaT is also platform-independent, and thus I can use it with my Apple Mac OS X platform. (I do not use Trados, which is tied to the MS-Windows operating system and which also is ranked very low in terms of usability, ease of use, and support). I choose free and easy over hard and expensive !
Q - What are your prices ?
A - My price is project-specific. It depends on things like how hard the text is to translate, the deadline, and whether the source text is in PDF or MS-Word (Word is easier to translate). My price range is from $0.09 to $0.13 per source word. The specific price will be in that range.
Q - How many words per day can you translate ?
A - I have a policy of limiting the words I translate to 2,000 to 2,500 words per day. I have the policy for quality control reasons.
Q - Do you translate from English into German ?
A - No. Professional translators generally do not translate into foreign languages, rather, only into their native language, and my native language is English. My German is fluent, but I only translate from German into English.
Q - Who do you work for ?
A - I have a policy of not disclosing the names of clients I work for, for confidentiality reasons. However, I have clients in the United States, Germany, and Austria.
Q - What about confidentiality ?
I take client confidentiality very seriously. As a professional translator, rest assured, I will safeguard your confidential information. I will safeguard any and all information that you provide me, that you define as confidential (not included under confidentiality for instance would be client information that appears on websites accessible by the general public, etc.).
Q - How do clients pay you ?
A - You can pay me by (physical) check, or through PayPal (PayPal will automatically convert euros into U.S. dollars). Direct bank transfer is also possible (you can pay me in euros, because my bank will convert euros to U.S. dollars when the transfer is made).
Q - Why should I hire you, instead of someone else ?
A - I put service and quality first. I view my job as being to provide quality translation, and to make your work easier. I have a degree in German translation. When you hire me, you know who your translator is.
