2004-09-09 15:30:39andie

我見青山多嫵媚

20040908

  想了半天,這個星期的標題下不出來,找了身邊的所有的CD,連觀音大悲咒都出現了,但是,嗯,還是下不了標題。所以,擺著吧!等等寫完之後,或許,標題就自己冒出來了也不一定。

  這星期,或者是說最近,發生了一些事情,這些事情,隱約著,有著一些關聯,但是我現在說不上來是什麼關聯,我們,且看且走,看看這些關聯是什麼。

  上個星期,有些朋友接到我的信,信上請大家幫忙想一想怎樣去對付一家差勁的翻譯社,因為有些朋友沒有收到那封信,所以,我再放上來一次,然後,看過的人,自己跳過這一大段,直接看我們的後續發展:

─────────────
Subject: 你們覺得可以用什麼方式告訴大家這家超級爛的翻譯社

  這是發生在表姊和我身上的事情,其實是我惹得表姊經歷這一場粗魯又讓人難受的事件。在台灣同學會的網頁上看到徵翻譯的消息,所以轉寄給精通中英文的表姊知道。他們的徵人訊息如下:

A translation company located in Taiwan is looking for part-time or full-time traditional Chinese to English translator (not English to traditional Chinese), you can work at home via email!!
Requirements: (1) Master or PHD degree preferred, can work 20 hours at least in the weekdays, have PC and email account and mobile phone ready.
(2) Must have very good command of English because Chinese to English translation is a different story than English to Chinese translation, in the former,English is not your mother tongue .
(3) Must be able to finish a translation case right in time (because each case has its deadline).
(4) Must provide an account in Taiwan since the transfer of payment across country which involves foreign currency exchange is too expensive. You can provide an account with internet bank function such that you can check the balance through internet bank service.
Payment:Roughly 10 USD to 12 per hour.
To apply:Please send your resume for a brief introduction indicating what kinds of fields you can do for the translation.
Email to us at: ohmygod@hotmail.com
Thanks a lot for your attention.

  然後,表姊興致高昂地寫了一封信去問他們,他們怎麼計算工資啊,有什麼要求啊之類的,也順便介紹了自己的學經歷背景。那那家公司的某個人,其實就該是那個在網站上的那個人,他就寫了一封信,告訴表姊說,他們已經直接回答她的問題在問題後面(#後面是他們的回答),然後順便,他們就問表姊一個問題,妳不覺得妳的問題有點笨嗎?就寄所謂的履歷來給我們,讓我們多了解妳一點就好了!

From: ”Ohmygod Translation Service”
To: (避免表姊曝光所以改掉email address)
Subject: Re: Employment as Translator
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 16:35:34 +0800

Dear Sir/Madame,

Thank you for your interest with us, your questions are answered in the spaces right after your questions.

”I don’t know what’s wrong with me” at Ohmygod Translation Service (我的天翻譯社)

From: ”I don’t wrong what’s wrong with me” < ohmygod@hotmail.com>
To:
Subject: FW: Employment as Translator

>From: ”aaaaaa”
>To: ohmygod@hotmail.com
>Subject: Employment as Translator
>Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:11:59 -0400
>
>August 29, 2004
>
>Hello,
>
>I was made aware of your advertisement for a traditional Chinese to English translator. This sounds like something in which I would be interested in participating.
>
>My name is AAAAAA; I was born and grew up in Taiwan. I am a native traditional Chinese speaker. I came to the United States in 1993 to pursue a Masters Degree. I received a Masters Degree in Reading and Language Arts from the Florida State University in 1996. Since becoming a US Legal Permanent resident, I have worked full time as a System Review Specialist for the State Government. I am fluent in both Mandarin and English. I believe I would be perfect for this job.
>I can work part time, in the evenings after work or weekends. Before I get more deeply involved in this endeavor, I need to know a few things.
>1. How are we paid for the work? Does each translation job come with an hourly rate assigned or do we keep track of actual hours worked?
>#Ans: We pay you by each Chinese character count for C to E translation in each case, if you translate regularly and the case is in your expertise of translation field, you should have no problem to reach 10~12 USD per hour. For instance, if a case is 3000 C words, we pay you 1500 NT dollars, I think you should be able to finish it in less than 3.75 hrs.
>2. About getting paid in Taiwan. Do you do direct deposit to the bank account? Can you recommend any banks that have online banking?
>#Ans: Provide us an account in Taiwan, we ATM transfer the money to your account here in Taiwan. How to transfer the money to USA from Taiwan’s account into your hand is your business, we don’t take care that part.
>3. Can a person do just the amount of work that they can handle? At least 20 hours? Can a person work weekends?
>#Ans: sure you can work at weekend.
>4. Do you require a certain number of hours or minimum number of translations per week?
>#Ans: Sure, if you can only work one hour in a whole week, you find other employer for you.
>5. What amount of turn around time is given for the translations? Meaning how long do I have to finish each one? That day? Next day? Depends on length of document to be translated?
>#Ans. Sir, just tell us how many hours you are avaialble(翻譯社的人拼錯字,available) Monday thru Friday. if you are available only 6 hours in the next two days, and we have a case due in next two days but takes 10 hours, we of couse (翻譯社的人又拼錯字,course)won’t find you, we will pick up another translators from those hundreds in our translator database.
>#Don’t you think your Q is a little stupid, send us something call ”Resume” to let us understand more about you.
>
>Best regards,
>
>AAAAAA

  表姊接到這封信之後,嚇了一跳,問我說,Andie,是台灣的人都變成這樣子了嗎?還是我想太多了?為什麼這樣沒禮貌,我只是問他問題啊!我跟她說,我們該讓他的老闆知道他員工的行為。所以以表姊的角度寫了一封信讓表姊參考我可能的做法,然後表姊以他自己的角度適度修改之後,用中英文對照的方式發了一封信給他們,期待他們有善意的回應,或者是說,期待,這真的只是某個員工的特例行為。下面是表姊的信:

Sir/Madame

 Don’t you think your reply was a bit insulting? Perhaps I am wasting my energy to write to someone who does not even know something called ”manners”. But I think at least someone needs to let you and your company know how you treat people.
 I asked questions about the position because I was interested in the job and would like to know more about your company. I never expected the word ”stupid” would be employed.
 I think it’s a common practice to find out about the job details before applying for the position. From the job hunting experiences I’ve had in the US, it’s very common for the applicant to call or to write for the position descriptions. This avoids wasting time and effort for both the employer and the applicant. This shows a mutual respect to each party.
 Well, from the attitude I gleaned from your e-mail, I think I don’t need to waste my time in becoming more involved with you company. If asking questions results in being treated like dirt. I cannot image how it would be for anyone to actually work for your company.
 Perhaps the reply I received from your company is just an isolated case, but it represents the image of the company.
 Through the Taiwanese Student Association, I obtained the vacant position information. I could also spread the word of how I was treated throughout the same place and more. Who knows? It might save someone a slap in the face if they ever need to deal with your company.
  I am not sure if any quality control unit exists in your company that would monitor an employee’s behavior, but if so, I deeply hope its functions will be strengthened.
 It’s pity to see the reputation of a company, that emphasizes its quality control and its management style, be destroyed by some employee who does not even know how to spell manners.
 I am not in need of this job, I just wanted to express how insulting it was to be treated disrespectfully. It probably does not matter to your company to have somebody like me work for you. Well, perhaps one day, the existence of your company will not matter to anyone else as well.

你們不覺得你們的回答有點太不尊重人了嗎?也許我在浪費我的力氣跟不知什麼叫禮貌的人講道理。但是我想至少也要讓你/你們公司知道你們的員工是怎麼待人的。只是抱持興趣想要了解你們這樣的一個機構,就被以愚蠢來嘲弄?我以為在申請工作之前想多知道工作的內容是很平常的事。以我在這裡申請工作的經驗,寫信或打電話去問內容是極為正常的事。如果不合適的話,連申請都可以免了,避免彼此浪費時間。

對我而言,這是一種相互的尊重!

從你們的來信的態度, 我想我也不需再耗費時間和你們多做任何的互動。光是應徵就被如此對待,誰知道往後還會遇到什麼樣的事情?

或許今天回我信的人只是一個個案,但是他代表著的是貴公司的形象,透過台灣同學會我知道了貴公司在徵人的訊息,同樣的,我也可以透過台灣同學會告訴其他的同學我所受到的侮辱,也避免其他同學面臨相同的尷尬。

我不知道貴機構有沒有一個督導管理的系統來管理你們的工作人員,如果有的話,希望你們能夠加強你們監督管理的功能,否則,一個好不容易成立,而且強調以品質保證為經營理念的公司,被少數沒有禮貌的人毀了,個人覺得是相當的可惜的。

有沒有這份工作對我而言並不重要,但是,我想表達出我不受尊重的感受。或許,貴公司今天有沒有我這個翻譯者也同樣地不重要,然而,或許哪一天,有沒有貴公司為我們的機構翻譯,對我們來說,也一樣的微不足道了!