Become a certified translator via E-Bay (German) /Zertifizierter Übersetzer über E-Bay

You can become a ‘zertifizierter Übersetzer’ (certified translator, literally – although in BE that sounds as if you were ready to go to a lunatic asylum) – see the item on E-Bay.

The firm appears to have been on ebay for a while. It claims to certify knowledge you already have. It says you train and do a final exam and then you get a certificate. The title can legally be used in Germany. The company was founded in the UK, but of course EU law permits that, no matter whether the object was to save money. But maybe the company does have a lot of English-language operations and I just haven’t found them.

On a cursory search I failed to find an English version.

More activities here (German).

Thanks to Robin Stocks, translator, who is in Bonn and also does a home page for the Bonner Übersetzer- und Dolmetscherforum (German, database of translators and interpreters), and Christiane Sprinz, food technologist and translator.

On the firm’s personal page at E-Bay (registration probably necessary), it says you don’t need to do any training if you confirm by email that you have the necessary experience.

bq. Frage: Ich habe ausreichend Fachwissen muß ich trotzdem an der Schulung teilnehmen?

bq. Antwort: Nein, sofern Sie uns Ihr Fachwissen per Email bestätigen (z.B. “Ich …. bestätige hiermit das ich über genügend Fachwissen in dem zu zertifizierenden Bereich verfüge”).

3 thoughts on “Become a certified translator via E-Bay (German) /Zertifizierter Übersetzer über E-Bay

  1. >… it says you don’t need to do any training if you confirm by email that you have the necessary experience.<

    That is one step up on DIN CERTCO translator certification to DIN 2345 – DIN CERTCO doesn’t even ask for a confirmation of experience and training. All that is required is that the annual fee (EUR 200) is paid on time and that the requirements of DIN 2345 are met. I find the eBay certification to be somewhat of an improvement – at least they ask!

    Derek

  2. Something else is bothering me about this scheme.

    The certificates are being auctioned and (presumably) sold to the highest bidder. This makes sense only if the supply is limited and if, once the auction is closed, the item is no longer available to the auctioner. However, there is no mention of the certificates being numbered and restricted in quantity.

    How can a market price be determined by auction for an item of which there is an unlimited supply?

    I suppose theoretically, if a sufficiently high price could be obtained, say EUR 10000, it could be argued that this demonstrated that the holder is a successful translator, since an unsuccessful translator would be unlikely to be able to afford the price? For that purpose, the price paid at auction would need to be marked on the certificate!

    This would have to be set against the question of why a successful translator would need such a certification? To me the certificate demonstrates clearly that the translator so certified is unsuccessful in the trade and is desperate to correct the situation.

    Derek

  3. It’s all very strange. It’s quite common on e-bay for things to be sold as ‘sofort kaufen’, and for there to be several. If you look at the firm’s other auctions, they have actually had a bid for 19 euros and the ‘buy immediately’ option has gone. It is a strange thing to actually auction and maybe we should see whether it is actually bought. I would have thought the seller’s only interest was selling several at 185 euros, not auctioning one. They say you are only entitled to buy if you are over 18 and have the expert knowledge already! Another thing: I did a Google search, and most hits for ‘zertifizierter Übersetzer’ in Germany (it may be a protected title in Austria) were similar sales, but the first firm I found was Abacus Translation Services
    Zertifizierter Übersetzer und Konferenzdolmetscher Englisch, Deutsch, Französisch, Spanisch. Tätig in Europa und Nordamerika.
    http://www.abacustrans.com/
    When I clicked on their website, I got a message that the website was available and an offer to increase my penis size.
    I now have to do something else…

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