Haven't been around lately

Sorry for taking such a long hiatus, but work's been killing me. I'll spend some more time with my blog and all of my readers soon. I promise.

All right, enough blogging for today!

I have work to do now. I have to set up my next translation project (I use wordfast - love it!)

Translation schools

One of the blogs I have been following had an interesting opinion piece on translation schools. The author, himself a graduate of a translation school, shared his views on translation theory and the various elements that a good translation programme must incorporate, according to him. In a nutshell, he is not too thrilled with the teaching of translation theory; he wants more hands-on translation workshops, or so it seems. Here's the comment I posted to that blog today (and that was also the moment I decided to start my own blog :-) )

I am a translator working from French and German to English. I never
attended translation school. I was trained by three experienced translators. I
have been in business for almost 25 years, and my clients are always satisfied
with my work. Do I think translation theory is a must? No, not at all. I never
cracked one of those books, and I can't say that I feel less rich as a
result.
As concerns native language translation, I translate into English
only. But I do know some translators who do an excellent job translating into a
foreign language. But overall I'd agree with your thesis.

About the Vienna school, though, I think you're spot on. I know a few
graduates of that school (old-timers by now), and they don't like the direction
in which the Austrian translation schools are headed either. But let me put it
this way: if you decide to get your training at uni, you should not complain
about being exposed to theory and translatology. If you want practical, hands-on
training, find yourself two or three experienced translators and ask them if
they would agree to mentor you.

Blogs by French translators

If you know of any good blogs by French translators (primarily French-English translators), please use the Comment feature to share them with me. Thanks a million.

Just typing away ..

Here I am, just finished a short translation (a letter of reference for a young architect). It was short, but it sort of dragged on.

Now, after a short break, I'll have to continue working - got myself some 2,000 words from German to English - it's a bit technical, but mostly marketing-oriented. So, it's no big deal, and I won't have to deliver this one until Wednesday.

Welcome to my blog!

Today was the day that I decided to join the world of blogging, or the blogosphere, as it's called. I am translator for French-English and German-English, and I have been a translator much longer than I care to remember.

So, please keep coming back to this blog to follow my musings about translation and many other things.

Cheers!