Foren über ProZ.com » Poll Discussion »
Poll: Do you ever feel emotionally drained by translating highly sensitive subject matter?
Initiator des Themas: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com-Mitarbeiter
Jun 26

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you ever feel emotionally drained by translating highly sensitive subject matter?".

View the poll results »
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 13:46
Mitglied (2007)
Englisch > Portugiesisch
+ ...
Heavy topics stay with me all day Jun 26

When I was working as a sworn translator in Belgium, I had to deal with several cases that affected me for days on end: domestic violence, incest, and rape.

Thayenga
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Dänemark
Local time: 14:46
Mitglied (2003)
Dänisch > Englisch
+ ...
Sometimes the background research affects me more than the basic text Jun 26

Often the text I translate is a tiny piece in a much larger puzzle, and then it does not affect me so much - a divorce on the grounds of violence without details, or whatever.
Sometimes I have had whole case histories, and several instalments, and then I have gone round with them for days and never forgotten! The first was a young man who mercifully recovered almost completely from horrifying burns.

Another was a long series about the victim of a traffic injury, who struggled... See more
Often the text I translate is a tiny piece in a much larger puzzle, and then it does not affect me so much - a divorce on the grounds of violence without details, or whatever.
Sometimes I have had whole case histories, and several instalments, and then I have gone round with them for days and never forgotten! The first was a young man who mercifully recovered almost completely from horrifying burns.

Another was a long series about the victim of a traffic injury, who struggled through rehabilitiation, but then had to fight with ridiculous regulations in order to come back to work part time with an employer who could accommodate special needs. Unfortunately there were far too many of these stories, when I checked the rules ...

And then there was a series of dental records that kept coming back - that really hurt!

On a happier note, I also go round in a good mood when I have a success story to translate - like the career of a lad who left school the minute he could get away. He took a job on a farm, where he started repairing the machines. He ended up as the CEO of a large and successful company, but there were some bumps along the way!

I still translate occasionally for a fund that supports work with children and cancer patients, and I think a lot about the stories that come up.

[Edited at 2026-06-26 11:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
Luca Adie
Luca Adie
Deutschland
Local time: 14:46
Deutsch > Englisch
+ ...
... Jun 26

I've dealt with a lot of death certificates, but it's very much forgotten about when I'm onto the next text.

One transcription and translation project for UK courts stuck with me: a group of Spanish businessmen who were being investigated due to fraud - the way they talked about women and money made my mouth drop. Apparently 3 million is loose change. I won't repeat their misogynistic nonsense.
 
expressisverbis
expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 13:46
Englisch > Portugiesisch
+ ...
Yes Jun 29

Yes, I regularly translate legal reports involving child abuse, and yes, it can be emotionally draining.
 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderatoren dieses Forums
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Do you ever feel emotionally drained by translating highly sensitive subject matter?






Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »
TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »