Legal texts have been fascinating me since the beginning of my Master studies, when I took a course called “Law for translators” as well as a special translation course on contracts. When I started working as a translator, I was able to put everything I learned into practice and gain more experience in phrasing and structuring my translations. So far, I have worked on the following types of texts:
I live and breathe quality translations. I have a B.A. in Translation and an M.A. in Translation Studies. I basically never did anything else in my life but translate ;)
What do I do?
I translate your medical and legal content and documents from English and French into German. I also provide proofreading and editing services if you’re in need of a good review! Apart from medicine and law, I have a deep passion for all things art, music and history.
The best thing about my job?
With every new project I get to put on my metaphorical Sherlock Holmes hat and cape and start my research. Nothing compares to the feeling of finding just the right term after a seemingly endless search.
What else?
When I’m not at my computer translating, you’ll find me knitting, taking lessons in classical singing and listening to music.
I have always been known for my punctuality and my organizational skills. Also, I was the kid in school that did volunteer assignments. That probably says a lot about me.
As a writer in my native language, this is how I would describe my style
My main goal is for my translations to be easily understandable and concise. I usually stay away from any frills or knickknacks and make sure the text flows naturally. Yet, I still make sure to use adequate and accurate terminology.
Also, Germans tend to use long convoluted sentences (depending on the type of text at hand). I am not a big fan of them. You start reading a sentence and already forgot its beginning once you reached the end.
This is how I manage terminology consistency in my area of expertise
Translation Memories and Glossaries are big keywords here. They make consistent terminology and phrasing so much easier. When kept well, they are a real treasure trove.
I usually keep a translation memory and a termbase for each of my clients. If a client hires me for translations in different fields of expertise, I will keep a separate translation memory and termbase for each specific field, to make searching for terms easier.
This is how I continue my learning in my area of expertise
That’s easy: reading, reading and, again, reading! Books, articles or whatever else there may be. I also like to attend webinars and courses on relevant subject matters to gain field specific knowledge from experts.