Off topic: Confusing term in agency email
Thread poster: Andrea Verdugo Tur
Andrea Verdugo Tur
Andrea Verdugo Tur
Spain
Local time: 11:51
Catalan to Spanish
+ ...
Dec 14, 2019

Good morning (from spain)!
I write in the forum because the other day I was contacted by a translation agency and they asked:
"How many text cards can you translate in one day?
How much do you charge for the text card?"

Does anyone have any idea what "text card" means? We were not talking about an specific field of translation, and the agency does all kind of translations.
I don't want to ask the agency because I don't want to look like an inept, but I've nev
... See more
Good morning (from spain)!
I write in the forum because the other day I was contacted by a translation agency and they asked:
"How many text cards can you translate in one day?
How much do you charge for the text card?"

Does anyone have any idea what "text card" means? We were not talking about an specific field of translation, and the agency does all kind of translations.
I don't want to ask the agency because I don't want to look like an inept, but I've never been asked that before and I don't know what to answer.

Thank you very much!
Andrea.
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Robert Rietvelt
Robert Rietvelt  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:51
Member (2006)
Spanish to Dutch
+ ...
As the word says Dec 14, 2019

Andrea Verdugo Tur wrote:

Good morning (from spain)!
I write in the forum because the other day I was contacted by a translation agency and they asked:
"How many text cards can you translate in one day?
How much do you charge for the text card?"

Does anyone have any idea what "text card" means? We were not talking about an specific field of translation, and the agency does all kind of translations.
I don't want to ask the agency because I don't want to look like an inept, but I've never been asked that before and I don't know what to answer.

Thank you very much!
Andrea.


Exactly what the word says. Text cards = cards with a text, any (amount of) text with or without images, and come in several sizes.

"How many text cards can you translate in one day?" You don't know, depends on the amount of text. In your case I would ask the client for more information.

Just google "Text Card" and have a look at the pictures.


writeaway
 
Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:51
German to English
+ ...
I did Dec 14, 2019

Robert Rietvelt wrote:

Just google "Text Card" and have a look at the pictures.

I got lots of hits about party games that had cards with text on them. I'm as lost about this as before.


Laurent Mercky
 
LEXpert
LEXpert  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 05:51
Member (2008)
Croatian to English
+ ...
Standard page Dec 14, 2019

They mean a standard page. "Text card" is just just overly literal translation of the Spanish term.

It's a set number of characters, usually ranging somewhere between 1350 to 1800, with or without spaces included. Ask them for their definition of a "standard page", no. of chars, source or target, with or without spaces.

Then pick a typical text you've done, do a word count in Word. and the stats will give you words and characters with/without spaces. When you have that
... See more
They mean a standard page. "Text card" is just just overly literal translation of the Spanish term.

It's a set number of characters, usually ranging somewhere between 1350 to 1800, with or without spaces included. Ask them for their definition of a "standard page", no. of chars, source or target, with or without spaces.

Then pick a typical text you've done, do a word count in Word. and the stats will give you words and characters with/without spaces. When you have that some simple math will allow you to convert your word rate to a page rate.
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Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei  Identity Verified
Ghana
Local time: 10:51
Japanese to English
Don't be scared Dec 15, 2019

Andrea Verdugo Tur wrote:
I don't want to ask the agency because I don't want to look like an inept, but I've never been asked that before and I don't know what to answer.

Don't be afraid to ask questions or seek clarification where necessary. An agency that condemns you for trying to avoid a misunderstanding is not an agency you want to work with.


Omer Dasbilek
Vera Schoen
Robert Rietvelt
Zibow Retailleau
Erwin van Wouw
MollyRose
Fiona Grace Peterson
 
Tony Keily
Tony Keily
Local time: 11:51
Italian to English
+ ...
c. 200-250 words Dec 18, 2019

As has been pointed out, they mean standard pages. Here in Italy this tends to be shorthand for 200 words. EU institutions count c. 250 in my experience.

 


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Confusing term in agency email






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