Originally written by Dodo Kaipdodo on May 14, 2009 11:47 AM Yeah... Each time I hear something like that my fists itch...

Then you should not be taking trains where young people notoriously wear those small ear pieces with annoying music hammered away at fellow passengers who cannot help wondering why one could not turn the volume down when listening to music.

One interesting aspect worth adding to this poll: When you listen to music while translating, do you also keep the volume up?

Originally written by Jacek K. on May 14, 2009 5:57 AM Then you should not be taking trains

I don`t.

One interesting aspect worth adding to this poll: When you listen to music while translating, do you also keep the volume up?

I second the proposal.

Well since I also play (as in creating, not listening to) music and am studying it on the side, listening while translating is an impossibility. Music is not a pleasant sound that washes by for me - even if I think I'm not, I'm processing what I'm hearing.  I've had conversations with people while they had background music going, thinking that I'm involved in the conversation and then discover that part of me has been following the music.  I'll get intrigued by something that has happened at that point in the music and if I don't watch it, I'm gone from the conversation wishing the guy would shut up so I could hear better!   Which is not what conversations are supposed to be about!  I would be distracted in a similar way while translating.  There is no time when music is on when part of me isn't processing what I'm hearing. 

This is the thing that I have not been able to quite grasp.  I've been in stores where the clerks will say they have to have music on.  But while in the checkout counter there will be some bit of music that repeats the same 5 notes over and over --- like somebody stuttering who can't finish what they are saying --- or somebody shrieks into a wrong note, and when I can't suppress a shudder the clerk says "Oh, I never listen to it."  That's the part I don't get - They don't listen to the music, but they have to have it on.  What is it that they do with this music that they don't listen to, and how are they enjoying it if they are not listening to it?  What is it that people do with background music?

Originally written by Maxi Schwarz-Bastami on May 14, 2009 2:57 PM What is it that people do with background music?

It seems to me that people who have grown up with an iPod on whenever they finish a conversation on their mobile, need background music as they do oxygen. In fact, when talking about train compartments before, I also meant this guy who simply fell asleep with his iPod on. What do you do then? Do you wake him up to say "Excuse me, we've been putting up with your, hm, music, oozing out of your ear pieces all this time, but at least when you are asleep, could you, please, turn this forced entertainment off for us?"

even if I think I'm not, I'm processing what I'm hearing.

This has a lot to do with our ability to concentrate. Research shows that we really only concentrate on one thing at a time, despite today's apotheosis of multitasking. As an aside,

There is an interesting article written by Joel Spolsky titled Human Task Switches Considered Harmful. It compares which way of working is better: sequential processing or multitasking. Suppose we have two tasks at hand: A and B. Sequential processing means we work on the task A until it’s finished before moving to task B. On the other side, multitasking means we work on both tasks together. Since we can only work on one task at any given time, it means that we spend the first time slot on task A, then move to task B on the second time slot, move back to task A on the third time slot, and so on.

Joel shows that even without switching time, the average completion time for sequential processing is better than that of multitasking. Since in reality switching time is not zero (in some cases it could be significant), then the average completion time of sequential processing will far outdo that of multitasking. http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2006/12/23/sequential-processing-vs-multitasking/

No, it has nothing to do with concentration!  It's a different type of listening.  The "background" kind does not listen, and things are not heard and followed.  I got tangled up trying to write about it.  I would not think that somebody who uses background music has greater concentration than I do.  From conversations, it seems the people I talked to do not really follow the music and in a way they don't hear it. 

It also has nothing to do with multitasking.

Originally written by Maxi Schwarz-Bastami on May 14, 2009 3:58 PM it seems the people I talked to do not really follow the music and in a way they don't hear it.

Do really all translators who listen to music when translating not really follow it and in a way they don't hear it? In my side note on concentration I was speculating on what happens should anyone of them try to hear and follow what they are listening to. I am glad to hear that there is no such danger.

Originally written by Maxi Schwarz-Bastami on May 14, 2009 8:57 AM There is no time when music is on when part of me isn't processing what I'm hearing.

Of course. Translating is serious work, and listening to good music is a serious occupation, and the two should never be mixed.

I've been in stores where the clerks will say they have to have music on.

What they have on is usually not music.

They don't listen to the music, but they have to have it on.  What is it that they do with this music that they don't listen to, and how are they enjoying it if they are not listening to it?

They need their dope.

What is it that people do with background music?

Well it depends... There`s background and background. When in a a pleasant company, one puts on something nice and pleasant for a background; never too loud, never too serious - just nice. When it comes to dancing, one puts on also something nice, yet louder and more rhythmic. But if it comes to really listening - then you want no guests, however nice. You just listen and are there, inside. And the music is not necessarily nice, in this case, it`s what`s really yours.

It sure is annoying, sitting in a train or a bus and hearing the noise from those headphones.

I understand what you mean but the background music is supposed to relax you.  

Or when you are alone in your house, it should you help not feeling so lonely.

And translating is a lonely job.  We are sitting many hours alone in front of that computer and are working.

But I have to admit, most of the time with any translation (except real simple translation and I usually don't get these but rather difficult stuff which those that speak the same languages don't want to do) I would like to hear music but it is disturbing and I can't concentrate.

Even the birds, the nature sounds of the rainforest did bother me after 5 Minutes....

I'm currently attempting to translate a document in corporate-speak with Beethoven's Emperor Concerto on the radio 'in the background.' It's hopeless: Beethoven wins (literally, in this case) hands down...