Background
After completing my master’s studies in the Netherlands and Norway in the fields of European Governance and Administration, I worked as a professional translator in the European Parliament in Luxembourg.
Tag: Native translator
Valentina Sarno, professional English translator
Hello, my name is Valentina Sarno and I have been translating (as well as interpreting and teaching languages for many years) since 1990!
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Raquel Hurtado, native Spanish translator
A mu
lticultural upbringing
I have always lived in Barcelona, but my parents’ will to make a world citizen out of me, had a large impact on my love for languages. I started learning English, French and German when I was just a child, and a strong friendship was the perfect guide to Italian. There is still room for more knowledge, there always is. When it comes to words, cultures and communication, I just can’t get enough.
Laura Dixon, native English Translator
My name is Laura. I’ve always loved languages. From the day I started learning Spanish at school, I knew I wanted to work in this field. I studied Spanish and Human Resource Management at the University of Leeds, falling in love with Spain and all things Spanish, especially when I spent my Erasmus year in Alcalá de Henares, near Madrid. After graduating I was lucky enough to qualify and work as a teacher of English as a foreign language in Palma de Mallorca.
Vladimir Trkovnik, professional Croatian translator
Background
My name is Vladimir Trkovnik and I have been enjoying myself in this amazing world of translation for over 18 years now.
I am professional native Croatian translator with proficiency in English, Italian and German.
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The easiest and most difficult languages to translate
As English speakers we are really spoilt, as pretty much the whole world is trying to learn English, and where large parts of the world have not yet fully succeeded in the endeavour, they are well on the way. So this takes the pressure off as native English speakers, which might be seen as a good thing.
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Professional Croatian Translator: Nadira Ljevaković Garić – Part 2
Based on the few months I’ve been working with you, I can only say that you are one of the best clients I’ve ever had. I prefer long-term cooperations and BigTranslation offered me that very thing. It really is a pleasure to be a part of a professional team where you always get your questions answered and, at the same time, have the freedom to organize and decide the amount of work you accept – this is definitely something that makes BigTranslation stand out from other companies.
In what capacity do you work with BigTranslation and what was it that made you choose the company? In your opinion, what makes it stand out from other companies?
Based on the few months I’ve been working with you, I can only say that you are one of the best clients I’ve ever had. I prefer long-term cooperations and BigTranslation offered me that very thing. It really is a pleasure to be a part of a professional team where you always get your questions answered and, at the same time, have the freedom to organize and decide the amount of work you accept – this is definitely something that makes BigTranslation stand out from other companies.
What essential qualities or skills should a translator possess? What’s your ‘motto’ on translation, if you like?
In my opinion, working as a freelance translator is not as easy as it may seem. The knowledge of source and target language is essential. Translation goes way beyond being able to speak both the languages you’re working on. One needs to be able to flawlessly transfer both syntax and semantics from one language to another and make the final “product” as natural as the source it came from.
The process of translating itself aside, you need to organize your time, especially if you are working for many clients at the same time. You need to plan, communicate to clients, look for new ones and only then you do the translation work. Many people tell me that I’m having super easy time, a great job where I can work whenever I want to without realizing that I, myself, do the same amount of work which is distributed to 3-4 people in the companies they work in. My motto is: „Think, translate, fascinate“. The greatest pleasure I can have is my clients’. ☺
Imagine a world without translators. What would it be like?
I’ve recently read an interesting story. A professor from the USA was giving some lectures in Japan and started one of them with a joke that lasted a few minutes. After he told the joke in English, he waited for the translator to do his job. The translator only talked for a few seconds and the audience burst into laughter.
After the lecture, the professor asked the translator how she managed to convey all the humour from his joke in only a few seconds. She shrugged and said: “I told them our American guest had just told a funny joke and that all should laugh.”
Most things that we use and buy daily go through the process of language adapting first which is obviously done by translators. Imagine you need to cook for some very special guests and go to a supermarket to buy spices, among other things. How spicy would your lunch be if you didn’t know which spices you used? That’s just a small example how important translation is.
In the bigger picture, translators are the ones connecting the world. Be it culture, finance, politics, education or any other crucial aspect of human existence and growth – none of it would be possible without translation.
Will Native Translators Ever Rule the World?
Or, being more pragmatic, instead of speculating, we could name the main reasons your business needs professional translation services from native translators. Globalisation initiated a brand new era which means that the vast majority of companies have had to cross their national borders and penetrate new foreign markets.
We could say that there are a few arguments for why native translators should rule the world…
Or, being more pragmatic, instead of speculating, we could name the main reasons your business needs professional translation services from native translators. Globalisation initiated a brand new era which means that the vast majority of companies have had to cross their national borders and penetrate new foreign markets. Essentially, this means that if you’re looking to seriously bring your business and product before the eyes of consumers in emanating markets, sooner or later, you will need professional translation services!
What should I take into account when looking for a translation service?
One thing you should bear in mind is the importance of an accurate and thorough translation, carried out by a professional translator, and adequately edited and reviewed by an experienced proofreader. But, how can you be sure that you get a quality finished product every time? If your business communications are being translated into a language you don’t speak, how, you might ask, can I be sure that the service provider is doing an efficient job? The most important contributing element, without a doubt, is to ensure that your chosen language provider works exclusively with native translators of the language you wish to translate into. This way you will make sure that you avoid clumsy translations which can cost your company both money and reputation! A native speaker has extensive experience, not only conversing in the language, but of all of the subtle nuances and intricacies of the language: terminology, jargon, style, verbalisation and wording.
How can I make sure I’m getting all this?
Here at BigTranslation, we’re proud to offer language services with native in-house (as well as freelance) experts, who are skilled and reliable, and specialise in numerous different fields.
As with most things, the translation process is not black and white. Just as the life experiences of each translator are completely unique, the translation, language, and writing skills of each translator are all different. Every translation requires a specific, targeted approach with the right translator taking the job on, and we make sure that your job is always in capable hands. The authenticity and quality of the work of a professional native translator with knowledge of the subject matter in question is, unquestionably, an asset if your business is ever going to rule the world…
Will A Native Professional Translator Ever Rule the World?
Or, being more pragmatic, instead of speculating, we could name the main reasons your business needs professional translation services from native translators. Globalisation initiated a brand new era which means that the vast majority of companies have had to cross their national borders and penetrate new foreign markets.
We could say that there are a few arguments for why a native translator should rule the world…
Or, being more pragmatic, instead of speculating, we could name the main reasons your business needs professional translation services from native professional translators. Globalisation initiated a brand new era which means that the vast majority of companies have had to cross their national borders and penetrate new foreign markets.
Essentially, this means that if you’re looking to seriously bring your business and product before the eyes of consumers in emanating markets, sooner or later, you will need professional translation services!
What should I take into account when looking for a translation service?
One thing you should bear in mind is the importance of an accurate and thorough translation, carried out by a native professional translator, and adequately edited and reviewed by an experienced proofreader. But, how can you be sure that you get a quality finished product every time? If your business communications are being translated into a language you don’t speak, how, you might ask, can I be sure that the service provider is doing an efficient job? The most important contributing element, without a doubt, is to ensure that your chosen language provider works exclusively with native professional translators who are native speakers of the language you wish to translate into. This way you will make sure that you avoid clumsy translations which can cost your company both money and reputation! A native speaker has extensive experience, not only conversing in the language, but of all of the subtle nuances and intricacies of the language: terminology, jargon, style, verbalisation and wording.
How can I make sure I’m getting all this?
Here at BigTranslation, we’re proud to offer language services with native in-house (as well as freelance) experts, who are skilled and reliable, and specialise in numerous different fields.
As with most things, the translation process is not black and white. Just as the life experiences of each native professional translator are completely unique, the translation, language, and writing skills of each native professional translator are all different. Every translation requires a specific, targeted approach with the right professional translator taking the job on, and we make sure that your job is always in capable hands. The authenticity and quality of the work of a native professional translator with knowledge of the subject matter in question is, unquestionably, an asset if your business is ever going to rule the world…
Rugilė from Lithuania: Working in Translation
This week, our intern Marie, the most recent addition to our in-house team, interviewed one of our senior Lithuanian translators, Rugilė. This is a little post put together by Marie using Rugilė‘s answers to her questions.
Rugilė works with BigTranslation as part of the excellent Lithuanian translation team!
Rugilė, tell us a little about yourself.
I am Lithuanian but I have lived in Spain for just over 15 years. For the last 10 years, I have always had language-related jobs. I studied Translation and Interpreting at university and, since graduating, I have worked exclusively in translation.
What languages do you speak, and how do you maintain your proficiency?
At the University of Vilnius, I had the chance to study English and Spanish as primary languages. Currently, my working languages are: Lithuanian, Spanish, English and Russian. For me, translation is a tool which bridges the gap between people that speak different languages. It is indispensable for international communication.
Was being a translator your dream job when you were little?
Have I always dreamt of being a translator? In all honesty, I can’t say that I discovered my vocation as a child, but my interest in languages did start at a young age. That interest grew and took shape as I travelled to different places over the years, discovering different worlds and different peoples. As well as a translator, I also work as an intercultural mediator and I believe that these two professions are those which best define me professionally.
How did you become a BigTranslator?
I work as a translator and proofreader for BigTranslation. Sometimes life presents you with unexpected proposals and exciting opportunities, and that was the case with BigTranslation. One day I got a call from the team, saying that they were interested in my profile and here I am, forming part of this great and diverse team. This is a young, dynamic and enthusiastic company. Each translator, proofreader, coordinator, etc. has high standards and, together, the team works hard to always ensure that they offer the very best services to their clients. This is a translation agency which not only has the experience, energy and dynamism to adapt to the demands of the market, but also an able IT team working alongside them to make sure that all of the tools, processes and services run smoothly and efficiently.
What are your top tips for translators who are just starting out?
I believe that a good translator has the courage to move away from a text’s words when necessary in order to transmit its message. They skilfully manage the text in such a way that its message and purpose remain unchanged and the message is transmitted to the recipient in the most understandable way possible. Honestly, I can’t imagine a world without translators – translation is an ever more sought after profession, thanks to the rise in globalisation and the expansion of technology. Nowadays, all new technologies and research need to be communicated to the largest number of users as possible and, as such, translation will always be vital.