Harold W. Vadney III is a wannabe translator who lies about his credentials. In August 2007, I exposed him on the now-defunct Network of Independent Linguists’ Discussion Forum. He has now set up a blog devoted to telling lies about me and others. This is my reply. To comment or for further information write to Richard_Benham_AU-StopVadneysLies[at]yahoo.com.

Sunday 20 January 2008

Patels vs Vadney

A spat seems to have developed between the Vadney and Mr Werner Patels.

I know that Mr Werner Patels has been a controversial figure, and I am aware of some of the disputes he has been embroiled in, but was never in possession of the full details of any of them, and so decline to take a position on them. I can say that Werner has strong views and a sharp tongue, but I have been given no reason to doubt his honesty or his professionalism (implicit contrast here, for those slow on the uptake).

I have very little to say about the the Vadney vs Patels dispute. Obviously, it would be a good thing all round (especially for the Vadney) if the Vadney were successfully prosecuted for criminal libel and locked up for a few years. Even though I have long thought the charge was an anachronism and should be taken off the books, the Vadney is giving me second thoughts.

The one thing I don’t understand is where posting a comment on someone’s blog constitutes “cuddling up”. Given that that seems to be the Vadney’s view, and that the Vadney has posted no fewer than three comments on my blog (the third I deleted, because it came after I warned him to stop commenting on my blog), I assume that the Vadney is trying really hard to “cuddle up” to me. BLEAATTTCCCHHH!!! No thanks!

5 comments:

Richard D. Benham said...

Oh, by the way, I can confirm that Werner Patels has had no rĂ´le in the exposure of Vadney’s fraudulent and shameful conduct. I take full responsibiliby for my own publications.

Similarly, I decline any responsibility for anyone else’s: there has been no conspiracy. Apart from anything else, a conspiracy has to be a conspiracy to do something, and that something has to be something wrong. Spreading the truth about a charlatan and fraud is not wrong, in any sense of the word, and so cannot be the object of a conspiracy.

George said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Richard D. Benham said...

Thanks for that comment, Werner. I think it is wise to have as little to do with the Vadney as possible.

However, I fully understand your impulse to press criminal charges, which is an option I am considering too.

Of course, anyone who conducts a simple investigation of the basic facts will realize that the Vadney is a fraud, and, as his attacks on me are either gratuitous or based on the presupposition that I defamed him in exposing his lies, all his attacks on me, some of which are quite vicious, are sheer fabrication and intentional defamation. So he deserves to have the book thrown at him.

Scott Horne said...

Funny, it now appears that Mr Vadney is the one cuddling up to Werner Patels.

Richard, let's just admit to conspiracy: we're guilty as charged. We have indeed conspired to tell the truth, to defend the profession of translation, to promote high professional standards, and to insist on integrity.

Richard D. Benham said...

I suppose I plead guilty to that...but technically, it doesn’t constitute a conspiracy.

Werner has deleted his comment here, as well as his blog page “Harold Vadney has too much time on his hands”. I can’t say I blame him.

There is, of course, some unintentional irony in the Vadney’s remarks about WP. I wonder who else has spotted it.

About Me

I am a professional translator in the combinations French>English and German>English. I hold qualifications from the University of Adelaide (BA, DipCompSc), the Australian National University (LittB), the University of Geneva (Certificat de spécialisation en linguistique), and the the UK-based Institute of Linguists (Diploma in Translation for both my language combinations). I am an implacable opponent of bullshit in all its forms.