|
| |
|
|
|
|
Translation: What the
Author Needs to Know
Professional translators work into their native language.
 |
My native language is English.
|
Just because someone speaks English doesn't mean they can write for publication.
|
I am a professional editor. I have the experience and knowledge to produce
English prose of the highest quality. I understand the specialized vocabulary
used by social scientists.
|
Just because someone is bilingual
doesn't make them a translator. Fluency in speaking does not guarantee fluid
writing. Being bilingual does not guarantee cultural sensitivity. Very few
bilingual individuals are equally strong in both languages.
|
I am a specialist in English.
I can write prose that is sensitive to the expectations of the target audience.
Being bilingual was only the first step on the path to becoming a translator.
|
Just because someone is a trained
translator doesn't mean that they possess the judgment needed to work in your
area of specialization. A medical or legal translator or someone working
for the business community is not the person you need.
 |
I have lived in Mexico, studied Latin America, and
worked as an editor in the social sciences. I read widely on the topics of
migration, political institutions, economics, criminal justice, history, and
other subfields. I understand the jargon, and I understand the concepts.
|
Many translators stop once they apply knowledge to a project.
They take the words in the source language and write corresponding terms in the
target language using syntax that makes the word convey a coherent message.
|
I go several steps farther. I understand that
the original text was intended to communicate in a
specific situation and to a target audience. An academic audience
expects accuracy. I check facts. It expects clarity. I write polished
prose. It expects a contribution to an ongoing debate. I ensure that your
writing makes the contribution that you want to make.
|
|
|
| |
|
|