 Member since Sep '07
Working languages: Spanish to English
English to Spanish
|    Kate Major
Analytical and creative
Granada, Andalucia, Spain Local time: 19:18 CET (GMT+1)
Native in: English  | | |
Spanish to English freelance translator/proofreader based in Granada, Spain. Literature and languages graduate with excellent writing skills and a genuine passion for the arts. | Freelancer,  Verified member | | Translation, Editing/proofreading, Subtitling, Transcription | | Specializes in: | | Government / Politics | Journalism | | International Org/Dev/Coop | Tourism & Travel | | Poetry & Literature | Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting | | Music | History | | Cooking / Culinary | Cinema, Film, TV, Drama |
| Also works in: | | Idioms / Maxims / Sayings | Linguistics | | Slang | Philosophy | | Photography/Imaging (& Graphic Arts) | Education / Pedagogy | | Cosmetics, Beauty | Printing & Publishing | | Folklore | Anthropology | | Psychology | Environment & Ecology | | Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. | Telecom(munications) | | Advertising / Public Relations | General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters | | Textiles / Clothing / Fashion | Architecture | | Business/Commerce (general) | Human Resources | | Medical (general) | Retail |
More Less | | EUR | | PRO-level points: 672, Questions answered: 324, Questions asked: 578 | | Wire transfer | Sample translations submitted: 2 | Spanish to English: THE BATTLE OF THE NAVAS DE TOLOSA (EXCERPT) | Source text - Spanish
UN RESULTADO DECISIVO
Las consecuencias de la victoria castellana en las Navas de Tolosa se hicieron más evidentes a largo plazo que de manera inmediata. La batalla marcará un punto de inflexión en la lucha por el control de España entre el Islam y la Cristiandad. En palabras de Juan Eslava Galán “la batalla de las Navas de Tolosa marca un hito en la historia de España... hizo saltar el cerrojo de la puerta de Andalucía y consolidó la frontera castellana en Sierra Morena facilitando las grandes conquistas castellanas en el siglo XIII.”
PROCEDENCIA DE LOS CONTINGENTES
Para enfrentarse a la amenaza lanzada por Alfonso VIII, el califa Al Nasir puso en marcha la poderosa maquinaria bélica del califato almohade, un estado altamente militarizado, y exigió para ello el cumplimiento de las obligaciones militares que vinculaban a numerosas tribus de sus vastos dominios. Por ello veremos concentrarse en Sevilla un numeroso ejército formado por los almohades, el contingente más numeroso, reforzado con contingentes andalusíes, beréberes, árabes y kurdos.
EL RETO LOGÍSTICO DE LA CAMPAÑA
El califato almohade contaba con una eficaz organización administrativa que le permitía mover con relativa facilidad a ejércitos numerosos por su territorio. Una red de puntos de abastecimiento y de áreas de acampada de los ejércitos jalonó el recorrido de las tropas. Un punto clave de la logística fue el paso del Estrecho de Gibraltar. En Tánger y Ceuta fue necesaria una flota de alrededor de doscientas naves. El número de tropas era tal que la flota tardó dos meses en trasladar a todos los efectivos hasta la Península. Las crónicas musulmanas narran algunos casos de corrupción de gobernadores andalusíes que fueron castigados por Al Nasir con la pena de muerte.
PROCEDENCIA DE LOS CONTINGENTES
Comparada con la del califato almohade, la capacidad militar del Reino de Castilla era muy pequeña. Por ello, para poder enfrentarse con éxito a Al Nasir, Alfonso VIII solicitó la ayuda de sus vecinos los reyes cristianos peninsulares (sólo el Rey de León se negó a participar) y la de los cruzados europeos a través del Papa Inocencio. El resultado es que el ejército cristiano, formado mayoritariamente por castellanos, que se concentró a finales de junio del 1212 en Toledo contó con la presencia de tropas aragonesas, catalanas, navarras, portuguesas y los llamados ultramontanos, es decir, tropas llegadas de Francia, especialmente, de Provenza.
EL RETO LOGÍSTICO DE LA CAMPAÑA
Para imaginar el problema logístico del abastecimiento de la tropa en su marcha al campo de batalla basta fijarse en el consumo diario de un caballo de guerra: 14 kilos de pasto, 5 kilos de avena y 35 litros de agua. Un contingente de 1000 jinetes necesitaba 1.620 toneladas diarias sólo para las monturas. Una carreta podía cargar 500 kilos. Para estas montas fueron necesarias 3200 carretas, las cuales componían un rastro de 20 kilómetros de largo, que representa una jornada de camino. Los problemas de abastecimiento del ejército en su marcha fue la razón que indujo a los ultramontanos a abandonar la cruzada.
EL EMIR
Era una obligación para los gobernantes andalusíes acudir a la batalla. Sobre ellos recaía el peso de línea jerárquica de mando para dirigir a las diferentes cabilas, grupos de guerreros que se dispusiesen a su servicio.
EL INFANTE ALMOHADE
Proveniente desde Marrakech, el infante almohade constituía el grueso del ejército regular. Su función consistía en sostener principalmente una pica larga y servir de muro en contra de la caballería pesada cristiana.
EL ARQUERO KURDO
Provenían de Oriente Medio. Se trataba de guerreros muy bien instruidos en las artes propias de la guerra como muy pocos lo eran en su época. Especialistas en la monta de caballo y en el uso del arco era capaces de cabalgar y lanzar flechas tan rápido que sus tácticas podían vencer rápidamente a un cuerpo pesado y lento de caballería acorazada.
EL VOLUNTARIO
Durante la batalla de las Navas el fervor religioso sirvió de estímulo y motivación para que personas ajenas a la guerra, estudiosos del Corán, gente de letras, de artes y ciencias, así como gente del campo y de familia, decidieran unirse al ejército de al-Nasir y combatir contra los cristianos sin temor de perecer en el campo de batalla.
EL SEÑOR FEUDAL
El señor feudal es un caballero, miembro de la nobleza que ostenta el privilegio de la violencia. Estos caballeros vivían para la guerra y podían llegar a adquirir gran reputación de apellido y de experiencia militar. Estaban obligados a prestaciones militares con el rey o con otro señor feudal por vínculos de vasallaje.
LA MILICIA CONCEJIL
Las únicas tropas regulares que encontramos en el ejército cristiano que participó en la batalla de las Navas de Tolosa son las milicias urbanas de los Concejos castellanos.
EL FREY CALATRAVO
El papel del especialista en la guerra medieval lo ostentan los freires de las órdenes militares que son los mejor entrenados, los mejor equipados, los más temidos y los más odiados por los musulmanes.
EL VOLUNTARIO
Acompañando a los cruzados encontraremos siempre una multitud de peregrinos que buscan el martirio en la guerra santa.
TÁCTICAS DE BATALLA MUSULMANA
Aunque pueda parecer extraño, el Imperio Almohade, al igual que el resto de estados islámicos medievales, no desarrolló un arma similar a la carga de la caballería acorazada característica de los reinos cristianos. Frente a la brutal potencia de la caballería acorazada, los musulmanes desarrollaron una técnica conocida por los cristianos con el nombre de tornafuye y que, como su nombre indica, consistía en atacar, retirarse y contraatacar. Esa táctica dio la victoria a los almohades en Alarcos. La imposibilidad de ponerla en práctica, y no las rivalidades internas y las deserciones, explican el fracaso del ejército almohade en las Navas.
LA TÁCTICA DE BATALLA CRISTIANA
La táctica seguida por la coalición de reinos cristianos en la batalla de las Navas fue la clásica de los ejércitos europeos de la época que tenían en la caballería acorazada su principal fuerza ofensiva. Todos los movimientos tácticos estaban orientados a poder lanzar oleadas sucesivas de haces de caballeros que cabalgaban muy apretados y se lanzaban en tromba contra la formación enemiga con el objetivo de desbaratarla. Si la carga no era profunda y era absorbida por la formación atacada entonces los caballeros quedaban a merced del enemigo. El éxito del ejército cristiano en las Navas se debió en buena parte a que el número de combatientes fue el suficiente para permitir lanzar sucesivas oleadas de cargas de caballería a un ritmo que hizo imposible su absorción por parte del cuerpo central del ejército almohade.
| Translation - English
A DECISIVE RESULT
The consequences of Castile's victory in the Battle of las Navas de Tolosa became more evident over the long term, rather than being immediately visible. The battle would be a turning point in the struggle for the control of Spain between Islam and Christianity. In the words of Juan Eslava Galán: "The Battle of the Navas de Tolosa is a milestone in the history of Spain … It sprung the locks of the gates to Andalusia, and consolidated the Castilian frontier in the Sierra Morena, facilitating the great Castilian conquests of the 13th century."
ORIGIN OF THE CONTINGENTS
The Caliph Al Nasir, in order to face up to the threats made by Alfonso VII, put the powerful military machine that was the Almohad Caliphate – a highly militarized state - into motion, and demanded that the numerous tribes within his vast dominions fulfilled the military obligations that bound them. For this reason a large army consisting of Almohads - the largest contingent - reinforced by Andalusian, Berber, Arab and Kurdish contingents was seen to be gathering in Seville.
THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE OF THE CAMPAIGN
The Almohad Caliphate boasted an effective administrative organization which allowed it to move large armies around within its territories with relative ease. The troops’ route was punctuated by a network of army supply points and encampment areas. The crossing of the Straits of Gibraltar was a key logistical moment. In Tangiers and Ceuta a fleet of around two hundred ships was needed. The number of troops was so large that it took two months to move them up to the Peninsula. The Muslim chronicles record some cases of corruption amongst the Andalusian governors, who were punished by Al Nasir with the death penalty.
ORIGIN OF THE CONTINGENTS
Compared with the Almohad Caliphate, the Castilian Kingdom had a very limited military capacity. Consequently, in order to successfully enter into conflict with Al Nasir, Alfonso VIII requested the help of his neighbours, the Christian Kings of the Peninsular (only the King of Leon refused to participate), and - by means of Pope Innocent- the help of the European Crusades. The result was that the Christian army -consisting mainly of Castilians - that found itself in Toledo at the end of June in 1212, was accompanied by Aragonese, Catalan, Navarrean, and Portuguese troops, as well as the so-called ‘Ultramountain’ crusaders, that is to say, troops that had come from France, and in particular, from Provence.
THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE OF THE CAMPAIGN
In order to visualise the logistical problem presented by supply lines for the troops during their march to the battlefields, we just need to look at the daily consumption of a warhorse: 14 kilos of grass, 5 kilos of oats and 35 litres of water. A contingent comprising 1,000 horsemen had a daily requirement of 1,620 tonnes of supplies for mounts alone. A wagon could carry 500 kilos. For these mounts 3,200 wagons were needed, creating an entourage that was 20 kilometres long, which in turn represented a day’s march. The army supply problems when on the march were the reason why the Ultramountain troops abandoned the crusade.
THE EMIR
It was obligatory for the Andalusian governors to go into battle. They carried the burden of the hierarchical line of command in order to control the different Kabilas, groups of warriors who were at their service.
THE ALMOHAD INFANTRY
The Almohad infantry, who came from Marrakesh, comprised the main body of the regular army. Their main duties were to carry a long lance and create a wall to defend the troops against the heavy Christian cavalry.
THE KURDISH ARCHERS
Originating from the Middle East. These warriors were very well-trained in the art of war, which was most unusual for the era. Specialized in horse riding and the use of a bow, they were capable of riding and shooting arrows so fast that their tactics could quickly defeat a slow, heavy armoured cavalry.
THE VOLUNTEERS
During the Battle of the Navas, religious fervour provided stimulus and motivation which led people not directly involved in the war - students of the Koran, scholars of literature and science, as well as country people and those of a good family - to decide to join Al Nasir’s army and fight the Christians with no fear of perishing on the battlefield.
THE FEUDAL NOBLEMAN
The feudal nobleman was a member of the nobility who had the honour of being involved in combat. These knights lived for war and could gain a great reputation for their family name and military experience. They were bound by military debts to the crown or by homage and fealty to other feudal noblemen.
THE MILITARY COUNCIL
The only regular troops of the Christian army who participated in the Battle of the Navas de Tolosa were the urban militias of the Castilian Councils.
THE ORDER OF CALATRAVA
The role of medieval warfare specialist was played by the friars of the military orders, who were the best trained, best equipped, and the most feared and hated by the Muslims.
THE VOLUNTEER
The crusades were always accompanied by a large throng of pilgrims in search of martyrdom in the Holy Wars.
MUSLIM BATTLE TACTICS
Strange as it may seem, the Almohad Empire, along with all other medieval Islamic states, did not develop any weapons that might be considered similar to the armoured cavalry characteristic of the Christian kingdoms. Faced with the brutal power of the armoured cavalry, the Muslims developed a technique known to the Christians as tornafuye, which, as its name in Spanish indicates, consists in attacking, retreating, and counterattacking. This tactic brought victory to the Almohads in Alarcos. The fact that it was impossible to put this technique into practice, and not internal rivalries and desertions, is the reason for the defeat of the Almohad army in the Battle of Navas.
CHRISTIAN BATTLE TACTICS
The tactics used by the coalition of Christian kings in the battle of Navas were the classic tactics of the European armies in that era, which used armoured cavalry as its primary offensive force. All the tactical movements were orientated around being able to launch successive waves of cavalry units that rode very close together and stormed forward against the enemy formation with the aim of breaking it up. If the charge was not deep enough and the impact was absorbed by the formation under attack, then the knights ended up at the mercy of the enemy. The Christian army owes its victory in the Battle of Navas in great part to the fact that the number of soldiers was high enough to allow successive waves of cavalry charges, at a rate that made it impossible for the central body of the Almohad army to absorb them.
| | Spanish to English: Emma Thompson | Source text - Spanish
Emma Thompson
La actriz inglesa (Paddington, Londres, 1959) estrena la adaptación a la gran pantalla de Retorno a Brideshead.
No todas las estrellas solidarias resultan verosímiles en sus misiones benéficas por el Tercer Mundo, ya sea adoptando hijos que más bien parecen comprados en el mercado negro o realizando exquisitas cenas con caviar y langosta para recaudar fondos destinados a acabar con el hambre en África. No todas las estrellas cumplen el papel de perfecta samaritana porque son muchas las que actúan como si ése fuera otro papel que abordar en su dilatada carrera. Emma Thompson no es de las que actúa por pose sino por convicción. Cualquiera que hable con ella sabe que no finge, que no miente, que toma cada decisión como impulso dictado por su corazón. Sí, es probable que alguno piense que se excede, que se mete en muchos fregados y tal vez la baza de actriz comprometida. Demasiado comprometida.
Su última batalla la ha llevado a realizar un vídeo que denuncia la trata de blancas y las redes mafiosas de la prostitución: “Como mujer y como londinense, no puedo consentir que haya esclavas.” Pero a Emma Thompson no le bastó con cumplir con su papel en la pantalla: se plantó en el Foro de Davos, soltó su discurso ante las personalidades y demostró que el compromiso con las causas justas no está reñido con el glamour de Hollywood.
Una mujer que camina por el mundo con el libro de Virginia Wolf Una habitación para uno solo, no es una mujer cualquiera. La primera vez que nos vimos fue en Londres, para una entrevista con motivo del estreno de Carrington, biopic sobre la pintora Dora Carrington. Está entusiasmada ante un proyecto centrado en un artista que rompió con muchos de los tabúes sexuales de esa anquilosada Gran Bretaña heredera de los valores victorianos. Emma hablaba de la represión vivida por su generación: “Envidio pero de una manera sana, si eso posible, a todos esos jóvenes que viven su sexualidad sin miedos. Han sido tantos los cambios sufridos por nuestra sociedad en tan poco tiempo que no hemos asumido que, en realidad hemos sido testigos de una revolución. Las mujeres pueden, al fin, decidir en cuestiones que antes les estaban vetadas.”
No era el suyo un discurso feminista de corte cargante y radical. Eran las palabras de una actriz que reivindicaba el derecho a la libertad de las mujeres: “Cuando estudiaba en Cambridge, me afeité la cabeza en un intento de quitarme de encima la feminidad para ser valorada sólo como ser humano. Había un punto de rebeldía que, con los años, ha dado paso a otra lucha más serena. Además, ahora me siento más cómoda como mujer que cuando tenía 20 años.” El suyo es un feminismo con mucho humor, sentido y sensibilidad. Por ello, no sólo no me sorprendió sino que celebré su Oscar al mejor guión por la adaptación del clásico de Jane Austen. Meses después nos vimos en Roma. Debía convencerla para que fuera madrina del lanzamiento de una nueva revista de cine. Por un error en su agenda, apareció una hora antes de lo previsto en mi hotel. Divertida por la confusión, pidió un té y charlamos de cine, de teatro, de política, y todo con una naturalidad que venció mi inicial sorpresa hasta el punto de hacerme sentir en plena charla con una amiga.
En el Festival de San Sebastián, Emma Thompson presentó la revista y, para celebrarlo, fuimos a comer a Arzak. En la cocina. Como poca gente ha logrado comer en ese templo gastronómica. Emma se saltó toda dieta y compartió con todos los deliciosos postres de chocolate y crema. Arzak estaba encantado porque pocas veces una estrella de cine se había dejado guiar así, sin prejuicios, por un menú degustación trufado de sorpresas.
Hubo un tiempo que Emma Thompson y el que fuera su marido, Kenneth Branagh, copaban las revistas con sus proyectos: Enrique V, Morir todavía, Mucho ruído y pocas nueces… Incluso una serie para la BBC, Fortunes of war. Una vez divorciados pasaron un tiempo en el ostracismo: él hundiendo su propia carrera; ella, recomponiéndola junto al también actor Greg Wise.
Emma, que ha inspirado una canción a Georges Moustaki, ha sido capaz de hilvanar una trayectoria que combina las adaptaciones de Shakespeare con comedias comerciales protagonizadas por Arnold Schwarzenegger (Junior) o John Travolta (Primary Colors). Y también se ha subido al carro de las superproducciones de la factoria Harry Potter.
A pesar de tan delicada apuesta, Emma no ha renunciado a un espíritu rebelde que la ha llevado a aceptar proyectos independientes y de cierto riesgo como El beso de Judas, ni a una sincera sencillez que explica que mantenga su residencia en Hampstead West, la misma calle donde vive su madre, la actriz Phyllida Law, con quien compartió pantalla y desgarro en El invitado de invierno, y su hermana.
Serena y con el pelo al estilo de Su Graciosa Majestad, Emma se sumerge en un clásico de la literatura que lo fue también de la televisión, Retorno a Brideshead, una obra en la que, una vez más, derrocha sentido y sensibilidad.
| Translation - English
Emma Thompson
The English actress (b. 1959, Paddington, London) will be appearing in the first big screen adaptation of Brideshead Revisited.
Not all the supposed charity missions carried out by conscientious stars in aid of the Third World are genuine: the child they have adopted seems to have actually been bought on the black market, and the fundraisers they hold to stop famine in Africa consist of hosting exquisite dinner parties where the guests dine on caviar and lobster. Not all the stars manage to convincingly play the role of the Good Samaritan simply because many of them treat it as if it were just another acting role to tackle during their extensive careers. Emma Thompson, on the other hand, does not act because she is a poser, but because she has convictions. Anyone who speaks to her can see that she does not pretend, she does not lie, and that she takes each decision on impulses dictated purely by the heart. Yes, some people might say that she overdoes it, that she has her fingers in too many pies, and even plays on the fact that she is a socially committed actress. Too committed.
Her last campaign led her to make a video condemning the white slave trade and mafia-controlled sex trafficking networks: 'As a woman and a Londoner, I cannot consent to the existence of slavery.' But Emma Thompson did not stop at playing a role on screen: she went to the World Economic Forum in Davos, gave her speech before all the big names, and demonstrated that a commitment to worthy causes is not incompatible with the glamour of Hollywood.
A woman who takes a copy of Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own with her when she travels the world is no ordinary woman. The first time we met was in London for an interview to mark the premiere of Carrington, a biopic about the painter Dora Carrington. She was very enthusiastic about being involved with a project that was based on an artist who broke many of the sexual taboos in the prudish British society that was the product of Victorian values. Emma talked about the repression that that generation suffered: 'I envy -in a healthy way, if that's possible - all those young people who can live their sexuality without fear. The changes that our society has undergone in a very short space of time have been so many that we haven't realised that we have witnessed a revolution. Finally, women can have a say on issues that they were previously forbidden to talk about.'
Hers was not an aggressive or radical feminist discourse. These were the words of an actress who defended women's rights to freedom: 'When I was studying at Cambridge, I shaved my head in an attempt to be rid of my femininity and be valued solely as a human being. I had a rebellious streak which, as the years have passed, has given way to a different, much more serene way of fighting. Moreover, I feel more comfortable now as a woman than I did when I was 20 years old.' Her feminism possesses a great deal of humour, sense and sensibility. For these reasons, not only was I not surprised that she won an Oscar for the best adapted screenplay for her adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel, I also celebrated it. Some months later we met in Rome. It was my job to convince her to be the spokesperson for the launch of a new film magazine. Due to a mistake in her diary, she arrived at my hotel an hour earlier than expected. Amused by the mix-up, she ordered a cup of tea and we chatted about cinema, theatre, and politics with an ease that conquered my initial surprise -so much so that I felt like I was having a chat with an old friend.
Emma Thompson did present the magazine at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, and to celebrate this we went for dinner at Arzak. We ate in the kitchen. Few have managed to dine in this temple of gastronomy. Emma ditched her diet and shared all the delicious chocolate and cream desserts. Arzak was delighted: rarely does a film star let themselves be guided through a tasting menu stuffed full of surprises in such an unprejudiced way.
There was a time when Emma Thompson and her now ex-husband Kenneth Branagh's projects were always in the press: Henry V, Dead Again, Much Ado About Nothing … They even made a series for the BBC called Fortunes of War. Once they were divorced they were out of the picture for a while: he was busy sinking his own career while she was building hers up again together with the actor Greg Wise.
Emma, who was the inspiration for a song by Georges Moustaki, has been able to weave a career that intertwines Shakespeare adaptations with commercial comedies starring the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger (Junior) or John Travolta (Primary Colours). She has also got on board with the super-productions churned out by the Harry Potter factory.
Despite this tricky selection of projects, Emma has not renounced the rebellious spirit that has driven her to accept more risky independent projects such as Judas Kiss, neither has she lost that sincere simplicity that explains why she still lives in West Hampstead in the same street as her sister. Her mother, the actress Phyllida Law, who she also shared the screen with in The Winter Guest, also lived in that same street.
Serene, and sporting a hairdo reminiscent of Her Majesty the Queen, Emma plunges into another classic literary tale with Brideshead Revisited, which also inspired a classic television series: it is a work which, once again, exudes sense and sensibility.
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More Less | | Bachelor's degree - Cardiff University | | Years of translation experience: 6. Registered at ProZ.com: May 2007. Became a member: Sep 2007. | Spanish to English (First class degree Spanish/ English, Cardiff Unive, verified)
English to Spanish (First class degree Spanish/ English, Cardiff Unive, verified)
| | N/A | | Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, DejaVu, Logoport, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, SDL TRADOS, SDLX, Wordfast | | English (DOC) | | Conferences attended | Trados Inicial  [download] | | Kate Major endorses ProZ.com's Professional Guidelines (v1.0). | | About me
Education and Experience:
• First class degree (BA) in English Literature and Modern Languages, heavily geared towards criticism/writing skills, and translation skills English-Spanish, Spanish-English
• Qualified TEFL teacher (Cambridge exams, TOEFL).
• Diploma in Art and Design. Also studied Fine Art and Art History at degree level (BA).
Previous jobs include English and Spanish teacher (specialized in workshops for university students on how to plan, structure and write effective essays, proposals, theses etc. in English), Telecommunications (technical advisor: Internet, mobile telephones, landline faults, digital television), insurance (customer services advisor), planning assistant, music shop assistant, and four years as a bookshop assistant.
• Able to work with various computer programmes including TRADOS and TagEditor (official training sessions attended), Déjà Vu, Wordfast, Logoport, PoEdit, etc.
• Modern, efficient computer system and fast internet connection. A wide range of supporting language resources and software used, including an extensive library of paper dictionaries and reference books, as well as electronic versions of various dictionaries and online resouces. Excellent, thorough research methods.
• Output: 3,000 words/day (translation). Reliable. Deadlines always respected. Reasonable, flexible, competitive pricing policy. Ample aftercare. Always available to assist with all queries, no matter how small. Positive, friendly service.
• Experience in translating and proofreading general texts in a wide range of fields including sustainability, solar and wind power, geography, psychology, graphic design, and technical translation.
• Specialized in government/politics, literature, academic texts, music, art and art history, journalism, tourism, gastronomy, history, and international organizations.
• Meticulous proofreading/editing/retranslation service also provided: particularly skilled at identifying mistakes in grammar and punctuation, and improving style, register, etc.
• Polished results, and great feedback from clients.
Past projects:
- Communiqués, news items, declarations, press releases etc. for the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (2 years). Variety of texts for other Spanish Ministries when required, including the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Equality, as well as the Spain-India Council Foundation. Risk preparedness and sustainable development training materials; report on social dialogue and sustainable development; tourist guides; publicity for hypermarkets; fashion and film journalism; hotel and spa information; tourist information; festival programmes; restaurant menus; historical texts and museum catalogues; academic articles; university study programmes; interactive museum features; various chapters from a book on ontology, taxonomy, and thesauri; proposals for HIV/malaria/TB projects in South America; scripts for children's cartoons; net art website; advertising materials; websites for various artists, illustrators, musicians, theatre groups, and so on.
Current projects:
- Monthly promotional material for Carrefour hypermarkets;
- All types of content (from politics and council procedure to tourism and culture) for Palma City Council;
- News, events, activities etc. for the Spain-India Council Foundation (Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation);
- Websites on various subjects ranging from classical music to organic olive oil;
- A complete catalogue of the work of Francisco de Goya, plus exhibition materials, etc.
I am generally asked to work on projects in the spheres of politics, international organizations, tourism, academia, gastronomy, history, the arts, advertising and so on, although I also work in other fields.
Some of my past and current end clients: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the International Labour Organization, Cartagena City Council, Benicàssim Town Council, Google AdWords, Google AdSense, the Global Fund, the Spain-India Foundation Council, Nikon, Philips, Sharp, the University of Barcelona, Feria de Madrid (IFEMA), Loja City Council, Fundación Goya en Aragón, EsMadrid, Carrefour, Palma City Council, Conservas Ortiz.
Client feedback:
"Kate is an absolute pleasure to work with. You can always count on her to deliver fantastic translations on time, even when deadlines are tight. She replies to our queries promptly and efficiently, and is always eager to help. I do not hesitate to recommend her work as translator and proofreader." (See my LinkedIn profile at http://es.linkedin.com/in/katemajor)
"[La traducción] me ha parecido muy bien, y muy ajustada a los términos que solemos utilizar en el mundo de la geografía. Gracias por tu ayuda."
"[S]é que eres muy concienzuda y 'thorough', y que puedo confiar plenamente en que será un trabajo bien hecho".
And a little personal information ...
I have been living and working in Spain for seven years, in Valencia and Granada. I currently live on a hill behind the Alhambra with my piano and my dog. I am constantly reading and studying, and am just finishing off a distance course with a view to obtaining my IoL Translation Diploma: please keep your fingers crossed for my exam in January! I do have a life outside of the world of words - of sorts - and enjoy some more reading, and visiting art galleries and foreign cities in my free time. I also have a scuba diving certificate which is growing increasingly dusty in my wallet. I am an active member of Amnesty International.
I provide high-quality translations from Spanish to excellent English. I have an eye for detail, and take pride in my work. Feel free to contact me for translation or proofreading services, for quotes, for test or sample translations, collaboration, or with any other query about me or the services I can provide. I am happy to help.
Contact Me
Tel: (0034) 958220994 / (0034) 652134006
E-mail/instant messaging: major_kate@hotmail.com / katemajortranslation@gmail.com
Skype id: kate_major
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Profile last updated
Nov 4, 2011 |
The translation workplace 
