Yiddish Translators & Suggestions for Translation Jobs

First, make copies of the material to be translated, and never let the originals out of your possession. It may sound obvious, but there have been originals accidentally lost, so do not take anything for granted.

Second, printed material will always be easier to decipher than handwritten material. Depending on age, and the style of penmanship of the writer, handwritten documents will range from being clear to read, to possibly being unintelligible. If handwritten documents are involved, it is advisable to ask for a sample in advance, to enable the translator to gauge the degree of difficulty, and therefore the time involved in the task. Be aware that it is not uncommon for words from other languages to be inserted, using letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Third, it doesn't make a difference where the person who has the original documents is located. There are a number of options available today for the exchange of information, beyond the obvious use of hard copy via the mail. It is possible to fax documents, or scan them into a computer and attach the document images to an e-mail. In the latter cases, the originals certainly need not be placed at risk.

Fourth, it is of paramount importance to specify both the content and form of the final product to be delivered. More problems arise here than in any other area.

• As to content, do you want just a general idea of what is in the letters with only names, dates and addresses? Do you want a verbatim word for word translation?

• As to form, our translators can translate into English or other languages, including YIVO Standard Orthography.. Do you want the finished product to be handwritten, or do you want it typed and sent as hardcopy, or do you want it on a disk—and if so, in what format?

Fifth, especially where there is a large manuscript, it is recommended that a representative sheet be sent to the translator for preliminary review. It is recommended that the translator turn around a ‘test’ translation of such a sheet in the proposed form, to validate the requirement.

Sixth, payment can be arranged in any number of ways: by the finished job (paid periodically), by the hour, or by the page. This is up to the parties to decide. Der Bay receives no money from either party; only the satisfaction that I have helped 2 people in fostering the Yiddish language. The only time Der Bay wants to hear from either party is if there has been a transaction that was outstanding, or one that was unsatisfactory.

List of U. S. Translators--Canada--Others

JSBerger@sigmaxi.net
Yizkor Books

lugman@verizon.net

leavittx@comcast.net

rjratson@yahoo.com

bestware@home.com

http://www.onforeignsoil.com

lexigal@kfar-hanassi.org.il

English, French, Hebrew