Marc Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Today's clients speak not a single word of English. Realtor speaks it but I could tell when I met her today that my report will be seriously watered down if not totally changed if I depend on her. Anyone speak spanish? I was thinking I could Email the body of the report to a spanish speaking inspector, get an electronic, spoken translation of it and forward that to the client. I'm trying to come thru for this couple, like the blind client that someone here picked up at the airport once for an inspection. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baird Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hey Marc, Google has a free translating service if your format does not have your report too bound up. It does a lot of tongues including pig latin. Copy and paste piece by piece might work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Google Translator is pretty good for bare bones translation, but don't count on it to convey subtleties. Keep your language very straight forward and simple. I use it a lot for talking to China, and the other end tells me it's not bad. Not good, but not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Take lots of pictures. I get Asian clients all the time, and I watch the realtors translate my three sentences into 3 simple words. So I use some universal lingo like "this is all Mickey Mouse" and it gets them nodding and laughing. Then the pics get the points across, like a screwdriver sticking out of a hole in the stucco or the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted May 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 I'll try it. Copy/paste the language to a Word document then submit it to Google. My spouse is PR. Speaks latin but not well enough for this task. Perhaps well enough to judge the google translation though. I'm on a fast track here. Really appreciate it fellas. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 I do the picture thing too. It's really the best way. Like John, I use a few basic phrases. I've got a couple translators on my iPhone that allow me to choose one or two words to convey ideas. And it's not Latin, compadre.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Morrison Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 I have business proficiency in Spanish. Give me a shout tomorrow AM if you run into trouble. 978.973.2432 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Get in touch with Arlene Puentes, http://www.octoberhome.com/ She has the technical expertise and the language skills to do the job really well. Of course, you'll probably have to cross her palm with silver. . . Another thought: call the local courthouse. They usually have a pool of translators who'll work by the hour for very reasonable prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Simon Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Google Translator is pretty good for bare bones translation, but don't count on it to convey subtleties. Keep your language very straight forward and simple. I use it a lot for talking to China, and the other end tells me it's not bad. Not good, but not bad. My best bud travels to China 5-6 times a year; building a Caterpillar plant there. Here's what he taught me for my chinese clients: "How" = Good/okay "Boo-How" = Bad "Mamma Hoo-Hoo" = So-So (with a palm down, fingers apart hand waiver) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Simon Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 And of course, for my Polish clients. . . "Waddnihhh-Dome" = Good House "Zwwihhh-Dome" - Bad House Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 For those who don't have it, this is courtesy of Arlene Puentes at October Home Inspections: Download Attachment: Reporting In Spanish.doc 786.89 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lamb Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 If you have already done the inspection it is too late, but you should have someone there they can trust to translate verbally what you see during the inspection. I find a lot of my adult clients don't speak English but their kids do very well. I make sure a trusted translator will be there. I've never done an inspection for an Hispanic client who doesn't have kids or relatives who speak English very well. It's a cultural thing but usually the whole family and then some are there during the inspection. I have had 12 year ols translate what I am saying and we get along just fine. Prepare the report in English. Don't mess with a language you have not mastered. Make it clear to the client and everyone else that they need this translated to them when they receive it and to call you immediately regarding anything that is not clearly understood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted May 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 If you have already done the inspection it is too late, but you should have someone there they can trust to translate verbally what you see during the inspection. I find a lot of my adult clients don't speak English but their kids do very well. I make sure a trusted translator will be there. I've never done an inspection for an Hispanic client who doesn't have kids or relatives who speak English very well. It's a cultural thing but usually the whole family and then some are there during the inspection. I have had 12 year ols translate what I am saying and we get along just fine. Prepare the report in English. Don't mess with a language you have not mastered. Make it clear to the client and everyone else that they need this translated to them when they receive it and to call you immediately regarding anything that is not clearly understood. I'm working on it now. Not due until late am tomorrow. I tried following the 'observations' section on my plumbing page with a google-translate copy in spanish. Spouse says it looks surprisingly good. My language is simple, like I learned here and it works on the translater. I can't post it here Jim, the forum's software gets a lot of characters wrong. My client owes you, fellas, and so do I. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewBrown Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hey Marc, Google has a free translating service if your format does not have your report too bound up. It does a lot of tongues including pig latin. Copy and paste piece by piece might work? That's true, but Google translator is not that much proficient for translating professional documents. Also it is unable to translate complex sentences. So it will be better for you to approach online Spanish interpretation providing services, having excellent experience with them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Andrew, I hope your post wasn't translated with that service...I couldn't make out half of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrmnk Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 For those who don't have it, this is courtesy of Arlene Puentes at October Home Inspections: Download Attachment: Reporting In Spanish.doc 786.89?KB That is a great little guide. That will be going in the clipboard, thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewBrown Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Andrew, I hope your post wasn't translated with that service...I couldn't make out half of it. Whats there not to understand[?] I simply said that Google translator is not that good for official work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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