From my observations and experience as a translator during this, book publishers and abroad tend to set low translation rates.
Classic reason they always make is that when translators are paid a decent rate, publisher will market the book translation difficulties because they have to put a high price. The second reason often given is given order volume translation of the typically large (one book usually consists of hundreds of pages), so naturally when the publisher asked for a substantial discount.
True reason a mainstay publisher to suppress this translator? Is this reason to have a strong foundation of economic logic?
Both classic excuse is simply not true and has no basis in logic strong.
The translator should be aware that in the prevailing economic scale publishing industry (scale economy), the growing number of books published, the higher the efficiency of production, and thus the greater the benefits publishers. Profits earned will continue to rise exponentially if the same books repeatedly reissued.
When translators standard rates apply to translation a book, only once publishers pay a "high." In a single publication with a certain number of books that have been calculated based on the cost of production and translation costs, publishers are able to make a profit. In subsequent publications, which can be repeated many times, publishers do not need to spend any more money on translation costs because they publish the same books that have been translated previously.
In other words, translation is only required one time only, and publishing can be done repeatedly. Of course, benefits will be increased manifold.
Now let's look at the translator. As has been said above, translation of the book is only required once. Therefore, translators have benefited once from one translation orders given publisher. Of course, publishers will not ask for an interpreter to translate the same book again.
Further, in the translator does not apply economies of scale. That is, order volume greater translation does not make a translator to pay a little more. The greater the volume of orders has earned translation, the longer it takes to complete the translation; the greater the force required in the translation process; growing number of offline and online research as needed during ongoing translation; the higher the level of concentration and accuracy are required to keep the translation quality assured; greater responsibility for the translation of the resulting translation; and the greater the risks faced by the translator.
In a nutshell, the greater the volume of orders received translation translator, the greater cost required to complete the translation. Thus, discounts should not apply in the business translation service because economies of scale do not apply in the business of translation services.
From the above it can be concluded:
1. Publisher
a. Only need to spend a one-time cost of translating a book to be published. Further, publisher can publish the same book over and over again. Therefore, they can gain double profit.
b. The more the number of books printed in one publication, the higher the efficiency of production, and thus the greater the benefits.
2. Interpreter
a. Just got an order translation just for one book to be published. Translators can not be re-translated the book that has been translated. Therefore, translator can not double the profit gained.
b. The greater the volume of orders received translation translator, the greater the cost to complete the issuance of such translations.
Based on the above, clear that the translator could set the default rates for translation order book at the publisher. By providing appropriate payment to the interpreter, publishers have nothing to lose. Otherwise, they can still make a profit doubled from a translation of a book that was later published.
The latter, demand discounts from publishers for translation order book clearly unacceptable because economies of scale do not apply in the business of translation services.
In connection with the above description, publisher obvious benefit is so much greater than the translator. However,, back to the title of this paper – why publishers tend to set a translation book cheap rates?
They set translation rates are cheap because they apply the principle of capitalist economy is grossly unfair and inhumane – get the maximum profit at the expense of the smallest.
Are co-translator will still receive a translation of the book offer cheap rates from publishers dare to stand up and make a decision to charge a decent, it all depends on the individual self translator.
However,, as a translator who has a dozen years of his business translation and often exchange ideas with fellow translators from around the world, I sincerely hope my fellow Indonesian translators are beginning to realize and continue to enhance their professionalism and professionalism.
Thus, in the future there is no longer a translator who unwittingly or intentionally or otherwise receive the discount rate is not feasible order translation offered by the client.
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