Why:

• because when my big brother and I were teens growing up in Paris, we learned English in school and thought it would be exciting to do translation
• because I want French to be a part of my professional life
• and because translation disseminates ideas that might help others.

How I got my first translation job:

I told everyone I knew in France that I was seeking translation work. A friend put me in touch with her colleague, a French professor of pharmacy, who happened to be discussing with his publisher the translation of his 900-page textbook into English.

Need a Translator?

Common advice for those who hire a translator is to make sure he or she will translate INTO his or her native language—to avoid embarrassing goofs. As the exception that proves the rule, I translate scientific and technical material from my first language, French, into English. I deliver fine products because I live immersed in English, in the U.S. where references in English are readily accessible. My writing seems good enough compared to the international language of science—broken English! I have co-authored 28 scientific articles and encyclopedia chapters, and received the Society for Technical Communication Excellence Award twice.

 

Career Advice:

Doing translation works best for those who love reading, writing, the relevant languages, and communication, who naturally pay meticulous attention to detail, and who have a deep interest in the subject matter. Professional training and accreditations exist. I have neither—I just do it!ノベルティウェットティッシュ