Poll: If you suddenly stopped receiving all work, how long could you maintain your current lifestyle? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "If you suddenly stopped receiving all work, how long could you maintain your current lifestyle?".
View the poll results »
| | | | | Indefinitely | Aug 19, 2022 |
I would cope financially as I receive a comfortable pension from my in-house years, but I’m not sure how I would cope mentally and emotionally. If genes have to be blamed, I come from a very large family of hard-working people, both on my father’s and my mother’s side: my father worked as a consultant until the day he died at 93 and my mother who died 5 years ago at 105 used to say that the worst decision she ever took was to stop working at 90. So, health permitting, I'll follow their steps…
| | | | Kevin Fulton 
United States
Local time: 16:26
German to English
| Preview of coming attractions | Aug 19, 2022 |
This summer has been the slowest in years. July was the first month in decades that my translation income ($00.00) didn't cover my basic monthly living expenses. Fortunately I have other resources in addition to the paltry Social Security emolument I receive each month. Mainly it's my own doing. In anticipation of retirement I haven't taken on new clients in a long time, so when my remaining customers have a slow period, I do as well. Since I tend to live relatively frugally and have developed s... See more This summer has been the slowest in years. July was the first month in decades that my translation income ($00.00) didn't cover my basic monthly living expenses. Fortunately I have other resources in addition to the paltry Social Security emolument I receive each month. Mainly it's my own doing. In anticipation of retirement I haven't taken on new clients in a long time, so when my remaining customers have a slow period, I do as well. Since I tend to live relatively frugally and have developed spending discipline, the absence of translation income, followed by what likewise portends to be a very unrewarding month, although unanticipated, has not affected my lifestyle significantly. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Bonkers categories | Aug 19, 2022 |
I could keep on for a fair few years but not forever.
Those who could only last weeks really need to build some savings for a rainy day. You never know when you might have an accident etc.
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Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 14:26
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
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For years, because I can work in other areas. Furthermore, I don't buy unnecessary things to "ramp up my status".
As a matter of fact, I dislike a lot the "trendy" malls and similar places.
| | | | Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 17:26
Portuguese to English
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| Things already very bad | Aug 20, 2022 |
Things are already very bad. Business stopped with the pandemic and has not picked up again. Looking for a second source of income.
| | | | | Savings and Language Classes | Aug 20, 2022 |
Currently I am having a side job as a language teacher for multiple languages. Students always need language classes, so I consider it a safe option in case there#s no translation work coming in. I do it online through several platforms so I don't have to do it in presence. Also having a modest lifestyle and saving every month where I just spend money on things I really need, which is more eco-friendly anyways.
| | | | Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 17:26
Portuguese to English
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| Language teacher here too | Aug 20, 2022 |
I am a language teacher too, and thought about going back into teaching as an additional source of income. However, can't afford to advertise and can't afford to get someone to set up a system for online lessons. And books are expensive, over 300 reais (60 USD) each as all are imported.
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| Meanwhile*, in Brazil | Aug 20, 2022 |
Linguist Daniel Everett spent over twenty years living with the Pirahã, a group of foragers in the upper Amazon. In Don’t Sleep, There Are Snakes, his memoir of those years, Everett writes, “The Pirahã laugh about everything. They laugh at their own misfortune: when someone’s hut blows over in a rainstorm, the occupants laugh more loudly than anyone. They laugh when they catch a lot of fish. They laugh when they catch no fish. They laugh when they’re full and they la ... See moreLinguist Daniel Everett spent over twenty years living with the Pirahã, a group of foragers in the upper Amazon. In Don’t Sleep, There Are Snakes, his memoir of those years, Everett writes, “The Pirahã laugh about everything. They laugh at their own misfortune: when someone’s hut blows over in a rainstorm, the occupants laugh more loudly than anyone. They laugh when they catch a lot of fish. They laugh when they catch no fish. They laugh when they’re full and they laugh when they’re hungry.”
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"Since my first night among them, I have been impressed with their patience, their happiness, and their kindness. This pervasive happiness is hard to explain, though I believe that the Pirahãs are so confident and secure in their ability to handle anything that their environment throws at them that they can enjoy whatever comes their way.”
From Civilized to Death, by Christopher Ryan
*Meanwhile is used somewhat abusively here, for rhetorical effect. The original account was published some years back. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
| @Jean Dimitriadis | Aug 21, 2022 |
At first, I read it as Piranhã. For a moment I was like “wot?”
But I agree. Improvise, adapt, overcome.
| | | | Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 17:26
Portuguese to English
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| Piranha - Note | Aug 21, 2022 |
For people not familiar with Brazil: Piranha (not Piranhã) is a flesh-eating fish in the Amazon. It is also a slang word in Brazil for 'a prostitute' or 'someone who sleeps around'.
And regarding Pirahã, I was surprised to read that they have their own language. It is the only language of its family (the Mura family) that is not extinct, and also one of the languages with fewest phonemes in the world, corresponding roughly to A, I, O, G, H, S, T, B, P. There is also an additional consona... See more For people not familiar with Brazil: Piranha (not Piranhã) is a flesh-eating fish in the Amazon. It is also a slang word in Brazil for 'a prostitute' or 'someone who sleeps around'.
And regarding Pirahã, I was surprised to read that they have their own language. It is the only language of its family (the Mura family) that is not extinct, and also one of the languages with fewest phonemes in the world, corresponding roughly to A, I, O, G, H, S, T, B, P. There is also an additional consonant (a bit like K) that only men use. (Source: Wikipedia).
Pirahã to Anglo-Saxon... what an interesting pair that would be! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 23:26
Member
English to Turkish
Jean Dimitriadis wrote: Linguist Daniel Everett spent over twenty years living with the Pirahã, a group of foragers in the upper Amazon. In Don’t Sleep, There Are Snakes, his memoir of those years, Everett writes, “The Pirahã laugh about everything. They laugh at their own misfortune: when someone’s hut blows over in a rainstorm, the occupants laugh more loudly than anyone. They laugh when they catch a lot of fish. They laugh when they catch no fish. They laugh when they’re full and they laugh when they’re hungry.”
When you don't have bills to pay or don't have to translate marketing texts that are geared towards making people buy things they don't need (as a colleague once informed us), you might be able to find humour in most things...
Point taken though 
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 22:26
French to English
I could afford to live for more than a year with my current lifestyle if work dried up, thanks to saving for rainy days. I don't actually spend as much as I earn.
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