MY SKILLS
Legal Translation
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When you decide to hire a legal translator, you should be as demanding as when you choose your lawyer. Writing a legal text is a difficult task, as you must respect specific codes and standards, and legal experts often use odd sentences. So you don't just translate, you also have to write in this legal 'language' and respect its standards.
My job as a legal translator is to write in this language to make sure that your translated text has the same legal value as the original document.
Technical Translation
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There are technical documents everywhere in the industry and in your daily life –operating instructions of your personal and professional devices, data sheets of your products, etc. Most of these documents were probably translated. For this kind of translation, it is essential to have an expert knowledge in the technical vocabulary for each field, such as aeronautics, steel industry, chemistry, etc.
By practicing technical translation, I was able to create a great amount of glossaries and to acquire automatic reflexes to translate as close to the original text as possible. I have studied and researched a lot about my fields of expertise –automobile and aeronautic industries – so I can perfectly understand what I translate.
Editorial Translation
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What is editorial translation? It's everything which is neither technical translation (including legal translation and localization) nor literary translation. So it can be a marketing text, a newspaper article, a press release, etc. Editorial texts are rarely technical, but what is difficult in this kind of translation is to have good writing skills.
I think editorial translation is always a great challenge – I have to find the right word or the right expression, and keep the atmosphere of the original text, its acerbic tone, humour or cynicism.
IT and Multimedia Localization
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Localization is the translation of an IT product (website, software, video game, etc.) and related documentation, but not only. The translator must also adapt the product to its target audience, respect space restrictions (such as the names of the menus on a software) and other obligations related to the target audience (for example, as some colours don't have the same meaning in all countries, you should choose the colours of your website very carefully). Ideally, the translator works with the developers, so that he can tell them what should be corrected directly in the programme of the software or in the code of the website.
As I have a certain experience in localization and many CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools to help me, including SDL Trados 2009 software package, I'm ready to help you with all your translation projects of IT products.
Editing / Proofreading
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Although they are not very well-known, these two steps are essential in the translating process and should not be neglected. Editing is made once the translation is finished: the translator carefully reads his translated text, while looking at the original text, to correct grammar and spelling mistakes and make sure the meaning is correct. Proofreading is the very last step of the process and consists in reading the translation without looking at the original text. This can be made by the translator, but you can also call a professional in the field of the document, to ensure that the text is correct and understandable for an expert.
When I translate, I always edit and proofread my documents before I send them back to my clients. I think it's important to give priority to quality insurance and professionalism. If you want, I can also edit and/or proofread your documents already translated into French.
