How do you know if a translator is qualified?
Just as you expect accountants and teachers to have credentials, the same goes for translators.
Most professional translators have a combination of the following:
– Experience
– Education
– References
– Certifications
Professional translators are essentially writers who produce texts that read well in the target language. Translators are also usually fluent in their source language. They will render the message of the original text with appropriate style and terminology in their native language.
What about bilingual people? Doesn't that make you automatically a translator?
Bilingualism is not a guarantee of written fluency or skill in translation. Bilinguals speak two languages fluently, but may not necessarily be good at moving information between the two, especially in writing. The fact that you how to read and write doesn't automatically qualify you to author a book.
My language pairs are the following:
– English into Spanish
– English into Catalan
Unlike Spanish and Catalan, I acquired English as a second language. I began learning it when I was 5. Later, I started using it professionally after turning 18, and at home since age 30. While it is now my primary language, I prefer to translate into my mother tongues.
Professional translators work into their native language. There are exceptions to this rule, but not many. For instance, I can translate from Catalan and Spanish into English. However, I choose to do it only on those occasions in which I'm very familiar with the subject matter.
MORE: My Top 3 Languages
While I prefer to translate into Spanish and Catalan, I've learned to feel more and more comfortable doing it into English. The fact that I've been residing in the US for several years has helped tremendously, as well as practicing my writing skills in this blog.
Some people may lose touch with their native language after years of living abroad. Nonetheless, expert linguists keep their language skills up wherever they are. It's a must if you want to continue to be relevant in your field!
The following picture summarizes my professional credentials:
I began providing language services in 2004. For the next 10+ years, I held in-house positions for a number of companies in the financial and technology sectors. These jobs involved using my linguistic skills and knowledge of foreign languages.
In 2010, I graduated with the equivalent of a master's degree in Translation & Interpretation from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. I majored in Translation from English into Spanish and Catalan and minored in Linguistic and Cultural Studies in French, German, and Russian.
My central fields of study were:
– General Translation
– Mother Tongues (Catalan and Spanish)
– Foreign Languages (English, French, German, and Russian)
– Documentation, Technology, and IT applied to Translation & Interpretation
– Specialized Translation (Audiovisual, Legal, Literary, and Scientific)
– Consecutive Interpretation
– Simultaneous Interpretation
A year later, I began freelancing part-time with BPM Traducciones—a brand that a business partner and I founded to provide translation, interpretation, and language instruction services. Our clientele included AudioProjects, Copisa, Delphi, Ficosa, Galeria Àlex Telese, Louis Vuitton, Tatay, and Volpak.
Relocating to America in 2016 meant that BPM Traducciones had to come to an end, but it also represented the beginning of my full-time career as a freelancer. That led to the creation of a new business: AM Language Services.
CHECK: Why Get Certified?
In 2017, I earned the ATA Certification—one of the industry's most respected and recognized credentials—in the English into Spanish pair. I expanded my skills and began offering new services too.
Besides translation, subtitling, and transcreation, I'm providing transcription services as well. My specialties are the financial, healthcare, legal, and marketing sectors. I've also been working on projects for clients from the arts & multimedia, education, immigration, insurance, and pharmaceutical sectors.
I define myself as a professional who is passionate about bridging linguistic barriers and improving the flow of communication. I offer timely solutions that ensure content accuracy and client satisfaction. Contributing to the process that helps people connect with multilingual audiences through translation is a highly rewarding job.
Feel free to contact me if you'd like to know more!