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Poll: If you were hiring a freelance translator/interpreter, would age (60/65+) influence your decision?
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ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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May 19, 2025

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "If you were hiring a freelance translator/interpreter, would age (60/65+) influence your decision?".

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Khushwant Singh
Khushwant Singh
Индија
Local time: 07:30
англиски на панјаби
+ ...
I'd prefer to hire aged translators May 20, 2025

I'd prefer to hire aged (60+) translator because of their experience

Claudio Machado Junior
Arabic & More
Maria Laura Curzi
Helena Chavarria
 
Philip Lees
Philip Lees  Identity Verified
Грција
Local time: 05:00
грчки на англиски
Limits May 20, 2025

Why only age (60/65+)? Why not, for example, age (20/25-)?



Josephine Cassar
Yuvika Kaushik
IrinaN (X)
Ian Keith Jones Williams
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Liena V.
expressisverbis
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Босна и Херцеговина
Local time: 04:00
англиски на француски
+ ...
No May 20, 2025

No, in MTPE, age is irrelevant. AI is ageless.

Claudio Machado Junior
Maria Laura Curzi
 
Denis Fesik
Denis Fesik
Local time: 05:00
англиски на руски
+ ...
I'd prefer an older person (unless the younger one is brilliant) May 20, 2025

They can be expected to use language better because books were a big part of their lives as kids. The degree of language deterioration I've noticed in the younger generation can't be disregarded: what they write in translations sometimes sounds so lame that my first impression can be, "How can anyone ever write such a thing? Maybe the translator is not native in Russian?" Exceptions happen, but the trend is there, I must be totally delusional if I'm wrong about it. We've been hiring older folks ... See more
They can be expected to use language better because books were a big part of their lives as kids. The degree of language deterioration I've noticed in the younger generation can't be disregarded: what they write in translations sometimes sounds so lame that my first impression can be, "How can anyone ever write such a thing? Maybe the translator is not native in Russian?" Exceptions happen, but the trend is there, I must be totally delusional if I'm wrong about it. We've been hiring older folks lately. Not quite 60/65+, but I wouldn't mind working with someone of that age if they can do the jobCollapse


Christina Pauly
Florence Risser
Pavel Mondschein
P.L.F. Persi (X)
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Zea_Mays
Christel Zipfel
 
IrinaN (X)
IrinaN (X)
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 21:00
англиски на руски
+ ...
I have a sneaking suspicion May 20, 2025

That a toddler who came up with this question believes that "old" folks are backward and stupid, and those horrific 60/65+ numbers by itself are clear signs of senility, dementia and regression by definition.

Sweetie, I, for one, swam with the sharks near Cape Town at 67, just got back from a long and intense trip to my beloved St. Petersburg, where I walked 15-18 thousand steps every day, and at nearly 69 work lon
... See more
That a toddler who came up with this question believes that "old" folks are backward and stupid, and those horrific 60/65+ numbers by itself are clear signs of senility, dementia and regression by definition.

Sweetie, I, for one, swam with the sharks near Cape Town at 67, just got back from a long and intense trip to my beloved St. Petersburg, where I walked 15-18 thousand steps every day, and at nearly 69 work long and tedious day or night shifts providing simo interpretation support from the Mission Control Center during real-time space walks and other ISS mission ops.

Here, have an ice cream, it's on grandma.

PS - enjoy my confession: I wouldn't mind to be 60 years young again, maybe 50 but not 20 even if you pay me.
Collapse


Josephine Cassar
Ian Keith Jones Williams
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Philip Lees
Liena V.
Lingua 5B
expressisverbis
 
Zea_Mays
Zea_Mays  Identity Verified
Италија
Local time: 04:00
англиски на германски
+ ...
never been asked May 20, 2025

Throughout my now medium-to-long career, I've never been asked my age (in some countries, this is also not permitted).
In terms of quality alone, unless I don't encounter a young genius, I'd choose someone who is more experienced, and therefore more reliable and efficient. (Language deterioration as mentioned by Denis is also a fact in my native languages.)




[Bearbeitet am 2025-05-20 07:32 GMT]


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Philip Lees
Liena V.
Josephine Cassar
expressisverbis
Mario Chávez
Maria Laura Curzi
 
Ian Keith Jones Williams
Ian Keith Jones Williams  Identity Verified
Шпанија
Local time: 04:00
француски на англиски
+ ...
Ageist May 20, 2025

Why not ask in a more direct way? Are you ageist? People of all ages have something to offer. The "generation divide" (a media construct) has crept in. Some of the best contributors on Proz.com passed away and we are no longer able to draw on their fount of wisdom.

Philip Lees
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Liena V.
expressisverbis
Maria Laura Curzi
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Португалија
Local time: 03:00
Член (2007)
англиски на португалски
+ ...
Experience May 20, 2025

Experience is an asset and quite often goes hand in hand with age. I’ve never been asked my age, but I have a sneaky suspicion that my long-standing clients have an idea… Anyway, I’m a fit oldie…

Lieven Malaise
Philip Lees
expressisverbis
Ian Keith Jones Williams
Mario Chávez
IrinaN (X)
 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
Белгија
Local time: 04:00
Член (2020)
француски на холандски
+ ...
Experience May 20, 2025

Age wouldn't be a factor as such, years of experience would. The development (for the better) a serious translator goes through through the years is immense.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Pablo Cruz Font
Philip Lees
Josephine Cassar
expressisverbis
Ian Keith Jones Williams
Giovana Zaltron
 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Данска
Local time: 04:00
Член (2012)
англиски на дански
+ ...
Yes, but to the translator's advantage May 20, 2025

My experience tells me that you need a certain age to be a good translator.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
expressisverbis
Carla Selyer
Luis M. Sosa
Christel Zipfel
Maria Laura Curzi
Philip Lees
 
Gennady Lapardin
Gennady Lapardin  Identity Verified
Руска Федерација
Local time: 05:00
италијански на руски
+ ...
60+ May 20, 2025

... if you want your piano play good

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
expressisverbis
Maria Laura Curzi
Philip Lees
 
Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule
expressisverbis
expressisverbis
Португалија
Local time: 03:00
англиски на португалски
+ ...
No expiration date on talent, skill, or value May 20, 2025

As long as the person can do the work to the required standard, their age should be irrelevant. What matters is the quality and reliability of their work.
It's sure that a translator can often be more skilled with age, given their years of exposure and linguistic nuance.
Is there a specific age for everything in our lives? The answer is no, there's no expiration date on talent, skill, or value.


Maria Laura Curzi
Philip Lees
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Босна и Херцеговина
Local time: 04:00
англиски на француски
+ ...
Yes, there is May 20, 2025

expressisverbis wrote:
Is there a specific age for everything in our lives? The answer is no, there's no expiration date on talent, skill, or value.


In many areas, there is. Not an expiration, just a requirement. For instance, in acting and voice acting, you are always asked to be a specific age for the role. Your acting age range may be somewhat wider than your biological age, but still there will be an age limit.

I don’t mind it at all, and don’t understand the heated reactions. My ego is still under control, and my mind can understand requirements and specifications, including those age related.


Carla Selyer
 
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Poll: If you were hiring a freelance translator/interpreter, would age (60/65+) influence your decision?






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