Translators of the World Unite ...

1986 to the present

I am a professional freelance translator specialised in the IT>EN combination.

As a 'generalist' I have been translating a wide range of texts since 1986, when I gradually began to reduce my commitments as a 'TEFL' English language teacher. However, I had occasionally been involved in translation projects even before this time (from 1973 onwards).

As a 'specialist', over the years I have acquired familiarity with certain fields; in particular I have translated many legal texts (attorneys' memoranda, legal defence, writs of summons, court sentences, notarial deeds, public laws, etc).

Other projects have involved the translation of government documents (Italian Chamber of Deputies, Ministries and government departments and commissions), commercial/business texts (contracts, agreements, Chamber of Commerce certification etc) and patents and quality control reports.

Over the last decade I have translated approximately 2,000 pages of legal and government documentation (all types), a part of which was commissioned by agencies acting as suppliers for the EU. I occasionally also enjoy working in the literary field.

1989 - 2005

Language consultancy/proofreading

For many years I collaborated with the Pentastudio Marketing Agency (Vicenza) as translator, proofreader and consultant for marketing materials and advertising in English. Most of the texts I translated for this firm, such as those written for Eutelsat (the European Intergovernmental Organisation for satellite communications) and the Vicenza Trade Fair Board, were used in publications distributed worldwide.

1992

Subcontractor for translation service (API)

Apart from other commitments, for a period of about 12 months (1992) I was a sub-contractor for the Vicenza branch of the Italian A.P.I. (Associazione Piccole e Medie Industrie), for whom I managed a small translation service.

1997

EU subcontractor
Towards the end of the 1990s I was included in the lists of external freelance translators of the European Commission. This was a significant moment, as before being awarded a contract I had to prove I had translated at least 500 pages per year over three consecutive years. Much to my surprise I found that I had exceeded their minimum requirement.

1996 - to the present

Voiceovers/films
Over the years I have also worked on many 'voice-over' projects.

Published translations (partial list)

• VicenzaOro Magazine (1989-2005) - publ. by Vicenza Trade Fair Board
  - jewellery sector, journalism, commerce, economics;
  
  
• Vicenza Interiors (1991) - publ. by F&T Books (Vicenza)
  - history of architecture;
  
  
• History and Evolution of the Glider, Vol. III (1998), Author: G. Zanrosso;
  publ. by Il Cardo (Venice)
  - aeronautical history;
  
  
• Candia Veneziana (2006), Authors: M. Buonsanti, A. Galla. Publ. by Mystis Editions (Crete)
  - travel guide, history;
  
  
• Relational Competence and Eating Disorders (2007)
  Journal: 'Eating and Weight Disorders' 2007 Jun;12 (2): 101-7
  - clinical psychology/meta-analysis;
  
  
• The City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas in the Veneto - A Guide to the UNESCO site (2010)
  An editorial project of the UNESCO Office of the Municipality of Vicenza
  - history of architecture.
  
  

Working method	PC Win-XP
Words/day	1,500 - 3,000
Glossaries	Ink International etc
Prices	negotiable
Complete CV	available on request

Other professional experience

Language tuition (1974-2002)

1974-1977 - I taught English as a foreign language (beginners and intermediate students) at the British School of Vicenza.

1978-1981 - I taught English at various levels and assisted in the management of the English Study Centre in Vicenza.

1982-1985 - I taught English as a foreign language (beginners to the advanced level) at the British School of Vicenza.

1998-2002 - I taught English at evening classes (beginners to intermediate) at the Istituto Fusinieri high school in Vicenza.

Interpreting (consecutive) - partial list

1999 - I assisted two university tutors as interpreter during training sessions for psychologists attending a seminar on the 'Adult Attachment Interview' held at the University of Padua.

2006 - I assisted various British researchers and psychiatrists as interpreter at a series of training workshops on the use of Cognitive-Behavioural techniques for various psychiatric disorders organised by an Italian school of psychotherapy in Tuscany.

2008 - I translated various technical documents and acted as official interpreter at the Bratislava Exhibition Centre ('Incheba Expo') in Slovakia for a local Italian-owned firm specialised in high-pressure and gravity die-casting.

2008 - I worked as interpreter for an American psychiatrist/researcher specialised in Eating Disorders at a seminar/workshop held in Verona.

2009 - I provided assistance during a series of meetings held to focus on a possible twinning procedure involving two cities (Italy/United States), facilitating general presentations and political discussions between the mayors and councillors of the two city councils.

Education/qualifications

- University of Padua (Faculty of Psychology), Italy

- Final Diploma in Translation - Institute of Linguists (London)(1989)

- Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists

Are qualifications important?

If a physician isn't qualified, your life is at risk. If a lawyer isn't qualified, you could end up in prison or lose a lot of money. An architect's mistakes could also be very costly.
In such cases the State intervenes and says that adequate professional training and qualifications are necessary.

What happens if a translator isn't qualified? Well, apart from the predicament created by Helen Marsh in a memorable Catherine Tate sketch ('the Translator') - quod vide - I can't think of any dire situations comparable with those mentioned above. In fact, I know some fairly good translators who have no specific qualifications at all. However, I could also tell some amusing stories ...