I have dedicated so many hours of translating and localizing for the business industry, including advertisements, product sheets and instructions. Some of my works are:
- How to call 911 information for Compass Account holders.
- Safety procedures for BASF‘s employees
- Value survey for SEIU
- Social media content for several companies
A few words about my career
I’m a graduate from AAU’s School of Civil Engineering, 2013. Being linguaphile from early childhood, I started out as a freelance translator during my early campus years, aiming to pursue a dual-career path as a localization specialist and an engineer. After graduation, I’m working as an engineer and a freelance translator for local and global vendors. Over the years, I have translated, proofread and edited approximately 4.5 million words, successfully.
Some of my major cooperations
META
Translated the company’s Privacy Policy, including Terms of Service, to Tigrinya and Amharic, on Phrase (formerly Memsource).
Localized products for the company’s subsidiaries, Facebook and WhatsApp.
Uppsala Municipality
- Translated Voting Procedures and General Information for Swedish Election 2022, to Tigrinya, that served eligible Tigrinya speaking voters residing in Sweden.
Companies I regularly freelance for
- After being certified by Mars Translation, I work with the company as an English-to-Tigrinya and English-to-Amharic Translator.
- I also work with Motaword as an English-to-Amharic Translator.
Why you need me as your professional linguist
Quality
Your project will be accurately and consistently dealt with.
On time delivery
Your documents will be completed and delivered within the provided turnaround time.
Accuracy
You will get accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation and industry-specific terminology.
Cultural adaptation
To ensure your content resonates to a local audience, local settings, statutory requirements and social standards will be served.
My professional methodology for a standard translation project is
I first research, read, or at least take a quick look at the whole source document so that I could grasp a general overview of the context.
Then, I go segment-by-segment, translating each sentence and phrases.
I make sure that I am accurately and efficiently adapting to the culture and nuance of the target while avoiding literal translations and maintaining formatting, punctuation, consistency, style guide, and glossary (If applicable).
After completing the first draft, I go through the whole target to check for issues like typographical errors, white space & trailing space errors, consistency, deviation(s) from style guide and/or glossary.
Finally, I read through the whole target, with the source placed side-by-side, checking if the right expressions and vocabulary are incorporated. And If I’m certain of my performance, I complete the project.
This is how I manage terminology consistency in my area of expertise
Exclusive use of glossaries
I prepare and create an Industry-specific glossary (If the client doesn’t provide one), maintaining consistency and orderliness, throughout the project.
Client’s glossaries
Some clients provide style guides or specific instructions regarding preferred terminology, writing conventions, and branding guidelines. I adhere to these guidelines to maintain consistency with the client’s established terminology and tone.
Context analysis
I consider the context in which terms are used within the source text to ensure appropriate translation choices. Understanding the intended meaning and context helps me maintain consistency while avoiding mistranslations or misunderstandings.
Quality assurance
I check and verify the quality and consistency of my translations. This also helps me to comply with client specifications and standards.
This is what motivates me to do my best work
Through my 10-year career as a Freelance Translator:
Satisfied clients have been continually motivating me with their positive feedback. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I say, trust and efficient communication with clients is the paramount to my success.
Entertainment and learning platforms such as books, movies, tv shows and especially sitcoms provide me with constant exposure to different cultures, nuances and lexicon, while having fun at the same time, and that motivates me tremendously,
Passion for languages motivates me as I have a genuine love for languages and enjoy the process of converting meaning from one language to another.
Professional pride in my work and seeking to uphold professional standards of excellence motivates me too.
This is how I continue my learning in my area of expertise
As a professional translator, I understand that it is important to steadily update and improve one’s skills and knowledge. In order to provide high-quality translations, I put an extra effort to maintain my sharpest edge by:
Performing various types of tasks that challenge my abilities and expose me to new topics and terminologies, such as reading books, magazines and digests.
Making use of the media including resources in my source and target languages, such as books, podcasts, videos, and articles.
Performing translation exercises to practice my skills, such as translating texts from various domains, or comparing different translations of the same text.
Dedicating few hours per week to learning something new or improving my existing skills.
My modus operandi for communicating with clients is
Making sure clear and realistic expectations about the scope, turnaround time, quality, and price of the project are established.
Communicating with appropriate and professional language and tone with clients, whether by email, phone, or video call.
Providing regular updates on the progress of the project and inform the client of any issues or delays as soon as possible.
Asking relevant and specific questions to clarify any doubts or ambiguities in the source text or the client’s instructions.
Requesting and accepting feedback from the client and make any necessary revisions or corrections.
Follow up with the client after the delivery of the translation and thank them for their business and trust.
I am excited about these new developments with the translation technology I use
Translation Management Systems (TMS) that are being developed and introduced to the industry excite me as they would help me and fellow translators manage multilingual content, workflows, and projects more efficiently.
Advanced Localization is expanding across various sectors, such as e-commerce, gaming, education, and healthcare. That excites me as future expansions could open more job opportunities, on the platforms and technologies I use.
This is how I solved a recent terminology, style, or linguistic challenge
The job
About a month ago, a fellow translator was offered a task, that was about the entertainment industry, specifically TV shows. And halfway through the project, she ran into the expression “binge-watching” and translated it to the target Tigrinya as, “ኮፍ ኢልካ ምርኣይ”, which roughly means “sitting and watching”,
The challenge
The translation didn’t exactly resonate the exact meaning and the client was suspicious enough to contact me to find the right terminology for it, and to review the translation in its entirety.
How I resolved it
The said expression has no direct translation in Tigrinya, so, the best thing to do in my part was to translate the essence in the phrase as, “ክፋላት መደብ ኣከታቲልካ ምርኣይ”, which translates to “to watch programme episodes in succession”.
The outcome
The client found my solution plausible and gave me positive feedback.
This is how I solved a recent communication challenge with a client
The job
About a year ago, I got a task from a multinational company to translate their promotional materials from English into Amharic for a new product launch.
The challenge
Some of the slogans and marketing messages contain idiomatic expressions and cultural references that may not directly translate into Amharic.
How I addressed it
Requested clarification: My agency reached out to the client via email to request clarification on the intended meaning of the slogans and any cultural references that may not be readily apparent to an Amharic-speaking audience.
Offered a solution: I suggested collaborating with the client to brainstorm alternative slogans or adapt the existing ones to better resonate with the target Amharic-speaking audience.
The outcome
Through effective collaboration and communication, we successfully overcame the challenge.
When clients request literal translations, this is how I handle the situation
It is often challenging to follow the source text word for word, without considering the context, grammar, or culture of the target language. There hasn’t been a time that I have received a request for literal translations before, But, If I get one in the future, I would:
Explain the drawbacks and risks of this approach to the client
Offer alternative solutions that preserve the meaning and tone of the original text, such as, using cultural adaptation and creative translation.
This is how I would describe my work style
My work style may vary depending on the type, purpose and deadline for the project. However, these are my routine characteristics for every translation project:
Accuracy
I always strive to produce a translation that is faithful to the meaning, tone, and style of source text.
Creativity
I do my best work to overcome challenges and limitations of translation, such as finding equivalent idioms, metaphors, puns or cultural references.
Research
I consistently research on the topic, context and terminology of source text.
Flexibility
I always adapt to demands and requirements of the market, such as working with different formats, domains and clients.
Organization
I make sure I plan and manage my time and resources effectively.
These are the pressures I enjoy and do not enjoy in my work
The pressure I enjoy
Solving problems
I’m constantly in the realm of overcoming difficulties and limitations of translation, such as finding the best equivalents, adapting to target audience and preserving the style and tone of the source text, That is enjoyable to me.
The pressures I do not enjoy
Low rates Vs. potential client
I don’t enjoy the pressure of being in a place where I have to opt between accepting a low rate or losing a potential client for a large or complex project.
Meeting unreasonably tight deadlines
Working on large projects with unrealistically tight deadlines can be quite stressful and unenjoyable for me.
This is how a client recently inspired me
I recently received a task, from an agency regarding a client who runs a non-profit organization, that focuses on providing education and healthcare services to underprivileged communities in East Africa. The client has a passion for making a positive impact and are deeply committed to their mission. They approached the agency with their promotional materials, including brochures and fundraising campaigns, they shared heartfelt stories about the individuals they’ve helped, the challenges they’ve faced, and their vision for the future.
Inspired by the client’s dedication and empathy, I felt a strong sense of purpose in my role. I was moved by the stories shared by the client and felt a personal connection to the cause. As I was translating the materials, I strove to capture not only the words but also the emotions and motivations behind them.
This is how I solved a recent recent technical challenge on a translation project
The job
Not so long ago, I received a proofreading project (English-Tigrinya) regarding a report for an autistic child’s educational progress, on Memoq.
The challenge
The project had some major inconsistency issues, one of which being, the word “settings” inconsistently translated as “መቓን”, “መስርሕ” and “ክወና”, throughout the segments in the target text. All three are correct translations for the word, but only the latter was contextually compatible to the job at hand.
How I resolved it
To ensure consistency, I had to replace the first two with the last one, through the entire 8,177 word project.
As a writer in my native language, this is how I would describe my style
As a bilingual writer for Tigrinya and Amharic, I would say, I like to use:
- Simple words, short sentences, and humor to engage my readers. while writing from my own perspective and sharing my opinions and experiences.
- Examples, anecdotes, and questions to make my writing more relatable and interesting.
I refuse to work with clients who
Offer very low rates and/or unreasonable deadlines, as such clients may not respect my work, quality, or professionalism.
Provide unclear, incomplete, or inaccurate instructions or expectations for the translation project.
Are dishonest, or unresponsive in their communication with me.
Request translation of illegal, unethical, or harmful content.
Working with Samuel as an Amharic translator has been an exceptional experience. His profound knowledge of the language and cultural nuances significantly enhanced the quality of our translations, making them not only accurate but also culturally resonant. Samuel’s professionalism, punctuality, and dedication to meeting tight deadlines without compromising quality have been outstanding. His ability to adapt to various subjects and contexts has greatly contributed to the success of our projects. Samuel is a reliable, skilled, and insightful translator who has become an invaluable asset to our team. I highly recommend his services to anyone seeking top-notch Amharic translation.
Samuel is an outstanding freelance translator. His dedication to delivering high-quality translations is commendable. His proficiency in multiple languages (Amharic and Tigrinya) and attention to detail ensure that every project is completed with accuracy and precision. I have complete confidence in Samuel’s abilities and highly recommend him for any translation needs.
Samuel has been impressive throughout the projects we did together. He delievered projects in a timely manner, is available anytime, provided translation, editing and proofreading services, is highly responsive, and he has flair interpersonal communication skills. overall, I am 100% satisfied by his tremendous effort!
I remember our previous collaboration on a Tigrinya translation project fondly. I can attest to your professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering high-quality translations. You were always responsive to my requests and delivered the translations on time.
Samuel is a very experienced linguist, who has been working with me for years. He is a committed and dedicated translator who always reach you back before your TAT.
As a Localization Specialist for the English<>Tigrinya and English<>Amharic language pairs, I have outsourced numerous projects of various industries, to Mr Samuel, over the past 6 years. I can attest that he completed all the projects with the highest accuracy and within the given turn-around time. Mr Samuel has an excellent reputation with accuracy, attention to detail, cultural adaptations, formatting and meeting deadlines. I have always been more than confident working with him, and I recommend any potential client to work with him.
Language | Business | Legal | Medical & Pharma | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ENGLISH > TIGRINYA (ER) | €0.045per word | €0.054per word | €0.054per word | ||
ENGLISH > AMHARIC (ET) | €0.045per word | €0.054per word | €0.054per word | ||
TIGRINYA > ENGLISH (US) | €0.045per word | €0.054per word | €0.054per word | ||
AMHARIC > ENGLISH (US) | €0.045per word | €0.054per word | €0.054per word |