Werner Patels
@abacusobserver.bsky.social
Quebec-based translator, political scientist, writer, editor, language solutions provider - NO DMs!
👉 https://wernerpatels-biz.carrd.co/
👉 https://wernerpatels-biz.carrd.co/
That was like 25 years ago… the photo appeared in the Toronto Star the next day.
Yes, I have a Getty image of myself! 😉
“Simultaneous interpreters Barbara Osterholz-Leblond and Werner Patels at work in Star studio interpreting Magna Annual Meeting into German”
Yes, I have a Getty image of myself! 😉
“Simultaneous interpreters Barbara Osterholz-Leblond and Werner Patels at work in Star studio interpreting Magna Annual Meeting into German”
November 17, 2025 at 9:17 PM
That was like 25 years ago… the photo appeared in the Toronto Star the next day.
Yes, I have a Getty image of myself! 😉
“Simultaneous interpreters Barbara Osterholz-Leblond and Werner Patels at work in Star studio interpreting Magna Annual Meeting into German”
Yes, I have a Getty image of myself! 😉
“Simultaneous interpreters Barbara Osterholz-Leblond and Werner Patels at work in Star studio interpreting Magna Annual Meeting into German”
The joys of learning a new language 😉
October 22, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The joys of learning a new language 😉
According to CBC News and official government statements, applications for immigration to Canada may now take up to 600 months (!). All or most applications in the system are expected to be binned to clear the backlog.
Note to hopeful newcomers: make sure your life expectancy is at least 150 years.
Note to hopeful newcomers: make sure your life expectancy is at least 150 years.
October 22, 2025 at 4:30 AM
According to CBC News and official government statements, applications for immigration to Canada may now take up to 600 months (!). All or most applications in the system are expected to be binned to clear the backlog.
Note to hopeful newcomers: make sure your life expectancy is at least 150 years.
Note to hopeful newcomers: make sure your life expectancy is at least 150 years.
“The Lonely Hearts Hotel”
by Heather O’Neill
by Heather O’Neill
September 23, 2025 at 11:39 PM
“The Lonely Hearts Hotel”
by Heather O’Neill
by Heather O’Neill
What we are witnessing now is the modern-day version of the Emperor’s New Clothes. Tech bros keep telling us that AI is fully clothed and decked out in exquisite garb, but in truth, AI is stark naked.
Link: medium.com/@abacustrans...
#Translation #Translators #AI
Link: medium.com/@abacustrans...
#Translation #Translators #AI
September 15, 2025 at 7:13 PM
What we are witnessing now is the modern-day version of the Emperor’s New Clothes. Tech bros keep telling us that AI is fully clothed and decked out in exquisite garb, but in truth, AI is stark naked.
Link: medium.com/@abacustrans...
#Translation #Translators #AI
Link: medium.com/@abacustrans...
#Translation #Translators #AI
September 13, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Being “open to work” doesn’t mean desperate. It doesn’t mean I’ll play by broken rules or waste my time jumping through pointless hoops.
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/they-dont-...
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/they-dont-...
September 10, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Being “open to work” doesn’t mean desperate. It doesn’t mean I’ll play by broken rules or waste my time jumping through pointless hoops.
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/they-dont-...
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/they-dont-...
Financial Times needs to learn English; it’s not Buy Canada, but Buy Canadian. The first is what Donald Trump is trying to do Canada, and the second is what we in Canada do to protect ourselves. Remember: if you want to write for a living, you must first master your own language!
September 8, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Financial Times needs to learn English; it’s not Buy Canada, but Buy Canadian. The first is what Donald Trump is trying to do Canada, and the second is what we in Canada do to protect ourselves. Remember: if you want to write for a living, you must first master your own language!
Happy Star Trek day! Today marks the anniversary of the world premiere in Canada; the series premiered in the United States two days later. 🖖
#CanadaFirst
#CanadaFirst
September 6, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Happy Star Trek day! Today marks the anniversary of the world premiere in Canada; the series premiered in the United States two days later. 🖖
#CanadaFirst
#CanadaFirst
I’m sick and tired of the cheap and insulting offers I keep receiving through LinkedIn, so I’ve updated my tagline to filter the wheat from the chaff.
September 6, 2025 at 3:40 AM
I’m sick and tired of the cheap and insulting offers I keep receiving through LinkedIn, so I’ve updated my tagline to filter the wheat from the chaff.
Too many translators allow themselves to be taken for a ride and to be scammed. This has to stop! medium.com/@abacustrans...
September 3, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Too many translators allow themselves to be taken for a ride and to be scammed. This has to stop! medium.com/@abacustrans...
Don’t let AI do your thinking. The humanities teach us how to learn and think, how to translate, how to be human. AI can summarize, but it can’t understand.
👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/why-we-mus...
#HumanitiesMatter #ThinkForYourself #AI #Languages #Education #Translation #Creativity
👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/why-we-mus...
#HumanitiesMatter #ThinkForYourself #AI #Languages #Education #Translation #Creativity
September 2, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Don’t let AI do your thinking. The humanities teach us how to learn and think, how to translate, how to be human. AI can summarize, but it can’t understand.
👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/why-we-mus...
#HumanitiesMatter #ThinkForYourself #AI #Languages #Education #Translation #Creativity
👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/why-we-mus...
#HumanitiesMatter #ThinkForYourself #AI #Languages #Education #Translation #Creativity
Europe’s trade defeat with the U.S. is a wake-up call. Too much red tape, too little work, slipping productivity. Time to innovate, work smarter... and harder.
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/europes-wa...
#Europe #Economy #Innovation #WorkCulture
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/europes-wa...
#Europe #Economy #Innovation #WorkCulture
August 30, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Europe’s trade defeat with the U.S. is a wake-up call. Too much red tape, too little work, slipping productivity. Time to innovate, work smarter... and harder.
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/europes-wa...
#Europe #Economy #Innovation #WorkCulture
Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/europes-wa...
#Europe #Economy #Innovation #WorkCulture
The world has officially become an insane asylum!
August 8, 2025 at 10:40 PM
The world has officially become an insane asylum!
So true! Which is why AI will never be up to the job.
August 8, 2025 at 10:18 PM
So true! Which is why AI will never be up to the job.
Do you make a living using your creative skills and talents? Yes? Then stay away from LinkedIn!
abacusobserver.substack.com/p/linkedin-i...
abacusobserver.substack.com/p/linkedin-i...
August 7, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Do you make a living using your creative skills and talents? Yes? Then stay away from LinkedIn!
abacusobserver.substack.com/p/linkedin-i...
abacusobserver.substack.com/p/linkedin-i...
August 6, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The Internet could be such a wonderful thing… if only it weren’t for the massive fraudulent content we see every minute and every hour of the day.
medium.com/@abacustrans...
medium.com/@abacustrans...
August 6, 2025 at 2:24 AM
The Internet could be such a wonderful thing… if only it weren’t for the massive fraudulent content we see every minute and every hour of the day.
medium.com/@abacustrans...
medium.com/@abacustrans...
Why trust is the most fragile currency in our profession (translation) — and what happens when it breaks
medium.com/@abacustrans...
medium.com/@abacustrans...
August 5, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Why trust is the most fragile currency in our profession (translation) — and what happens when it breaks
medium.com/@abacustrans...
medium.com/@abacustrans...