Moved to Google+ Page：Avery's Vida Loca
See you there!
相較於社群網站，傳統部落格的介面實在太麻煩了，所以開了Google+的專頁：Avery的異想世界。
See you there!
相較於社群網站，傳統部落格的介面實在太麻煩了，所以開了Google+的專頁：Avery的異想世界。
- 5月 17 週一 201023:11
搬家囉～～留言前請閱讀本篇。感謝！
- 8月 09 週二 201120:49
別讓直覺騙了你
「想像有個致命疾病，已感染了總人口的5%。有項方法可以檢驗你是否感染疾病，準確率也很高：如果受驗者已遭感染，有90%的機率驗出正確的『陽性』結果，有10%的機率誤判為『陰性』；如果是未感染的人接受檢驗，有90%的機率驗出正確的『陰性』，有10%的機會誤判為『陽性』。假設你接受檢驗，結果呈現陽性反應，請問你實際患病的機率有多大？」
答案「不」是90％。為什麼？
在開始翻《別讓直覺騙了你》之前，多少也看過腦筋急轉彎的書，或玩過推理益智的小遊戲；不過，翻譯這本書時還是開了眼界。原本以為自己是個飽讀詩書、思路清晰的文青，沒想到書中提到的思考障礙，我幾乎一個都跑不掉，看來我也不過是個自命清高的凡夫俗子。（汗）
書中提到很多我們平常不自覺的思考障礙，因為心中已有定見，反而看不出原來答案其實近在眼前。不過翻這本書最可怕的地方在於……作者介紹了增加記憶的方法，而且其中運用到諧音與雙關！
這樣一來，原書舉的英文例子就不能直翻，小弟我只好認真地上網查，看中文裡數字的「一」到「三十」可以聯想成什麼，這一章的英文人名也通通代換成中文人名（我還出賣自己的同學，用她們的中文名字當成記憶法的例子），實在折煞我也！書中的英文腦筋急轉彎也讓我想了好久，希望翻成中文後這些問題與答案還算對得起來。
回到本文一開始的問題，想到為什麼不是90％了嗎？大家有興趣的話我再公佈答案囉！
- 7月 13 週三 201119:58
When Lovers Get High
英語是強勢語言。就算母語不是英語，許多人也會在說話時不知不覺用到英文單字（不只台灣這樣，而是舉世皆然）。舉例來說，「OK」跟「hi」大概是台灣最常用的單字，常用到我們根本不覺得這是英文。
只是，這些外來語進到台灣，意思也難免產生變化。譬如：
「他是我的lover。」
在英文裡，「lover」的意思近乎「砲友」。雖然「lover」在某些情況下也可以指「情人」，但兩者聽起來還是很不一樣。
一位美國朋友就說：「 我每次聽到台灣人說lover，都會想原來台灣這麼的開放喔！」
另一個可能讓英美人士大驚失色的例子，就是「high」這個字。例如：
- 7月 09 週六 201115:04
搞買賣與搞藝術的差別/Between Business and Art
口譯員像生意人，出手要準，收手要快，講究的是「時機」。筆譯員是藝術家，一字一句雕到海枯石爛，作品從來沒有完成的一天－－畢竟，搞的是「藝術」嘛。
What’s the difference between an interpreter and a translator?
An interpreter is a businessman:
despite his effort to produce decent output, the key to his success is getting in and out--as quickly as possible--at the right TIMING. he makes more money and makes it quicker, but he seldom gets appreciated for his quality products, which are meant to be consumed right away.
A translator is an artist:
he treats every single word as a piece of ART and he never seems to finish his work--possibly why most artists/translators are poor. The silver lining? Their works stay forever.
- 7月 02 週六 201116:13
The Waking Hours
The other night, I was woken up by mosquitoes at 3 am and couldn't go back to sleep.
I walked into a FamilyMart and had an early breakfast. The man behind the counter was subbing for the night shift. An old gentleman came in and sat down two seats away from me, reading his newspapers. A lady walked in and the clerk immediately recognized her. On my way home, I saw a man delivering papers on a motorcycle. The day was just about to break.
Then it occurred to me that there are so many people who live in the same neighborhood, go to the same shop, even eat at the same table. But we've never come across each other. Not because we do different things. Because we wake up at different hours.
- 4月 04 週一 201117:23
The Nederland - Chapter 2
The first person Jerry met after moving in was Paolo, an young Italian man who was doing his master's in the same school.
Jerry woke up with a headache, a running nose, and tears--signs of an allergy possibly caused by lack of sleep. That was his very first jet lag. Not a very pleasant experience.
- 3月 08 週二 201119:35
你願意接受嗎？
編輯回信了，也很客氣，說是自己能力不足，才沒能讓我信任他們公司。雖然事情已成定局，但有些東西還是不吐不快，於是又手賤地回了一封：
XX：
我這兩天會將原本未簽署的合約寄回；沒記錯的話，裡頭附的回郵信封應該是寄給財務部的。
我想澄清的是，這從頭到尾都是公司的制式條款不合理，與妳個人無關，也絕對沒怪妳的意思。
如果可以，也麻煩妳傳達我小小譯者的心聲：許多小譯者看到不平等條款悶不吭聲，是因為不知道下一頓在哪裡，不敢得罪金主，並不是因為真的願意接受不公平的合約。
- 3月 07 週一 201122:51
小譯者的堅持
新的合作編輯表示無法在合約註明「稿費最遲會在X個月內付清」。也就是說，合約只說剩下的二分之一稿費會在出版後一個月內付清，但沒說萬一書沒出或拖很久才出版怎麼辦。想了又想，我回信給編輯：
XX：
謝謝妳的即時回覆。我瞭解很多事不是小編自己可以決定的。尤其在大公司裡，上面的規定如何，底下的人也只能照辦。
但我想了又想，如果連最晚付清尾款的期限都不能寫明，這樣的合約又有什麼意義？就像妳說的，既然不可能拖欠稿費，為什麼不能註明最晚會在交稿後六個月、一年甚至一年半之內付清？
誠信與合作默契固然重要，但如果合約只是形式，又何必簽名畫押？條款不見得會執行，那為何內容在在保護出版社，不見譯者權益？
我不生氣，只是非常沮喪，我也知道編輯有滿腹苦水。當自由譯者這麼多年，勉強混出一點資歷，沒想到連最低保障都要不到。這不是妳的錯，這是公司的政策，我懂。只是如果連我都悶不吭聲，還有哪位譯者願意為自己的權益發聲？編輯常說好譯者難求，但這樣的工作條件，怎留得住人才？
第一次接觸翻譯工作以來，也快九年了。每一年，我都會問自己，翻譯這一行這麼辛苦，錢這麼少，又不穩定，真的要繼續做下去嗎？
還好，很幸運碰到一些願意改掉不平等條款、待遇也不錯的合作對象。目前的我，吃不撐但也還沒餓死；大不了，不做翻譯找個工作有22K就好了。台灣就業環境不好，不過我（天真地相信）應該還餓不死吧？
每個公司都有自己的商業考量，我懂。只是希望至少讓貴公司的管理階層聽到小譯者的聲音：不平等條款本來就不合理，總是會有譯者不怕死，硬是要裝有骨氣；若是僥倖遇到願意平等對待的出版社，優先跟對方合作，也是人之常情。
立即回覆妳，也是希望妳有充分的時間另尋合適的譯者。很抱歉造成妳的困擾，也謝謝妳當初願意給我這個機會。
辛苦了！
Avery
- 2月 28 週一 201109:16
A Privileged Life
Saturday noon, I just left a study group meeting. Planned to go home but changed my mind immediately when I stepped out of the MOS Burger on Gongyuan Rd. It was such a beautiful day. I was in no rush to do anything.
So I walked to 228 Peace Park. After taking a few pictures and a walk in the sun, I sat down in the park. Took out my laptop and started translating because I felt like it. 10 minutes later, I finished a page. I got up and walked a bit more. There was a giant building. It was National Taiwan Museum.
I entered the museum. Soon afterwards, I learned that I just walked into a building of a 100 years’ history. It was set up by the Japanese colonial governor in 1908.
I joined a tour on amphibians and reptiles. I saw more of its collection on dispaly as the tour went on, and suddenly it occurred to me: this was exactly what I did when I traveled in Europe. One museum after another. Tours. Paintings. Sculptures. Just really taking my time. How come I never did this in my homeland?
I left the museum and sat down on the front stairs. Leaned against a giant column and looked at things happening around me. Took a few more pictures and just waited for the next thought of action. Hey, this is what I did in Europe, I thought to myself. This is vacation. I’m traveling now.
The cool breeze. The warm sunlight. The greens of trees and grass surrounding me. I never found this city so lovely. Probably because I never tried to. I felt ashamed but content at the same time.
I decided to translate another page because I felt like it. 10 minutes later, I stopped--because I felt like it. I put away my laptop and looked at those who only have the luxury to come here on weekends--if they indeed have their weekends off. That's when I realized I'm luckier than most of them.