About me
When I first joined ProZ.com, some three years ago, I did it with a mixture of expectancies and doubts, for I was not coming from the translation industry. I had the language knowledge, a long time performing translation work, and a lifetime of experience in my interest technical fields. But I was new to the trade and I had to learn the uses and “how-to” of the profession. I knew I had the ability to translate, but this alone was not enough to ensure a successful performance.
As a former worker in those areas, I have a vast bilingual experience in technical fields. I had what I would call "expertise" in a couple of subject areas. That means that I am confident about translating in those areas, I can follow the logic of the texts and the principles behind them, I have a direct grasp of the way people in the trade in my target language phrase things, I have a number of paper reference works (bilingual and monolingual in both languages) and a good grasp of the Internet sources that I can refer to when I need to do so. And in several aspects of these subjects I have attended formal training. Expertise is knowing enough about a specific subject area to the point of being able to coherently write one's own concepts and ideas on the subject in both source and destination languages. It means I know the nuts and bolts in that area, and I am able to understand the meaning of the message even in poorly written text.
I only translate into my native language, and even though I can handle general texts, I prefer to stick to my fields of expertise, where I can provide clear, concise and well written translations. I am heavily concerned about quality, and put the necessary effort to ensure every job is delivered complete, fully checked, and on time.