I'm mostly concerned with translators of books. How is the market like in the States? Do you get paid by hour or by the number of words translated? Approx. what is the rate? And also, how long does it take you to translate a book in general? Thanks!
2007-08-22 03:13:05 · 3 answers · asked by Henry X 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I have no answers to your questions, just suggestions.
Contact book publishers and agents that deal with foreign rights (most publishers do, some agents do) and ask the questions about how to apply-- If you want to do this freelance you might be able to find the name of a working translator in a book that has been taken from another language, and contact them thru the publisher.
Hope you get the information that you need. (don't ask the publisher about fees until they offer you a job, bad form)
2007-08-22 03:56:06 · answer #1 · answered by Wanda K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's software that can translate books to almost any language in minutes, once the book is in digital form. And converting it from print to digital takes just a couple of hours.
Translators who work at the U.N. or in foreign consulates get paid not so much for their translation, but for their value at interpreting protocol and getting that across. Some get paid really well, some don't.
The average translator, that translate books, letters, legal documents, etc, can charge whatever they wish on a piece by piece basis. However, they are not working all the time.
2007-08-22 03:34:55 · answer #2 · answered by livemoreamply 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe they are making quite a lot. I'm young, but my parents always told me 120-170k a year in global politics translations, etc... Translating a book must takes weeks. =/
2007-08-22 03:23:47 · answer #3 · answered by Ace of Spades 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋