What type of sample translations do you recommend?
Thread poster: Dan Mackey (X)
Dan Mackey (X)
Dan Mackey (X)
United States
Local time: 17:38
Arabic to English
Feb 27, 2017

I would like to create a small portfolio of sample translations. Can anyone recommend some basic guidelines? I'm all ears

 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 22:38
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Use samples in specific fields. Feb 27, 2017

Are you talking about public ProZ samples? I would advise you to use samples in the fields you would like to be contacted about or in which you would like to work and receive offers. Some rich content, one or two passages. Make them diverse in document tone, purpose, structure and writing style so you can demonstrate what you are able to do using different styles and registers.

Hope this helps.

[Edited at 2017-02-27 17:51 GMT]


 
Dan Mackey (X)
Dan Mackey (X)
United States
Local time: 17:38
Arabic to English
TOPIC STARTER
But where to acquire them? Feb 27, 2017

Thanks for your quick reply! So to ask an additional question, where do you recommend I acquire an original source text to translate? I would imagine there may be some legal considerations...

 
Ricki Farn
Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 22:38
English to German
Creative Commons Feb 27, 2017

I do what John Holland suggested to me in this thread: http://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom_profile_help/310397-how_to_select_sample_translation_texts_for_profile_copyright_aspect.html

That works really well for me.


R
... See more
I do what John Holland suggested to me in this thread: http://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom_profile_help/310397-how_to_select_sample_translation_texts_for_profile_copyright_aspect.html

That works really well for me.


Ricki
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Dan Mackey (X)
Dan Mackey (X)
United States
Local time: 17:38
Arabic to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Ricki and Lingua 5B! Feb 28, 2017

I will create some samples and put them on ProZ and my website. www.DMVArabicTranslation.com if you are curious

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:38
Member (2008)
Italian to English
L00k at mine Mar 1, 2017

Dan Mackey wrote:

I will create some samples and put them on ProZ and my website. www.DMVArabicTranslation.com if you are curious


For more examples you can also look at my Proz page


 
Romina Navarro
Romina Navarro
Spain
English to Spanish
Use some volunteer work you have done Mar 3, 2017

I've done some volunteer translations for NGOs which are not protected by an NDA, and one of them was a translation test itself. The texts are from 2011 or older, and they were divulgative or informative.

The Creative Commons option is a good idea! I didin't know about it.

Regards

[Edited at 2017-03-03 04:25 GMT]


 
Elisa de la Torre Castejón
Elisa de la Torre Castejón  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 22:38
English to Spanish
+ ...
Sample translations: Word - PDF Mar 3, 2017

I think it is interesting to include some short texts in your Proz profile and then you can prepare a Word or PDF file with more extensive texts and a personalised design. This way you can show your skills in specific areas and send this document attached to emails.
If a specific text mentions the name of a company or personal details such as name, address, emails, phones, etc., I would be very careful with that information. You can edit the original text to make sure confidential informat
... See more
I think it is interesting to include some short texts in your Proz profile and then you can prepare a Word or PDF file with more extensive texts and a personalised design. This way you can show your skills in specific areas and send this document attached to emails.
If a specific text mentions the name of a company or personal details such as name, address, emails, phones, etc., I would be very careful with that information. You can edit the original text to make sure confidential information is not shown. If you are the author of this translation I think you have the right to show "real extracts" (maybe you can ask for permission first, depending on the company).
I would also say that if you are a freelancer but you don't have so much experience and "real professional samples" to include in your portfolio, you could add examples of volunteer translations or even good quality texts translated during your university studies.

Regards and good luck!
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PATRICIA SOUZA SILVA
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Accurate ones! Mar 3, 2017

I've yet to see any sample translations on ProZ that don't contain mistranslations, grammatical errors and/or typos, so for goodness' sake check whatever you put up really carefully!

Edited for typo


[Edited at 2017-03-03 17:51 GMT]


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
It should be Y-R-B Mar 3, 2017

Yours (shall we discuss it?)).
Relevant (in your specialization).
Best (not only from your point, but also from your client's--or a peer, an editor, or a native).

Of course, preferably neutral, without private/sensitive info/names.


 


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What type of sample translations do you recommend?







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