Like any translator worth their salt, I am a stickler for "le mot juste" - that exact, sometimes painfully elusive word which conveys the right meaning in less time than you can say "Eureka!". But all translators (more so, literary translators, perhaps) know that the exact right word doesn't always exist in your target language, nor does the exactly equivalent turn of phrase. This is both the bane of translators' lives and the spice of their professional existence. I love working as a translator also because the skills involved need constant re-adjusting, just like a craftman would make sure that their tools are in good condition; or a doctor (you would hope!) would keep up with the progress of medical science. Our knowledge in our specified area of expertise, whilst firmly established by academic training and practical experience, is also constantly up for a challenge. And, if most of the work is done alone, it is also essential we can rely on our peers, chosen fellow translators who can also rely on us for advice, comments and suggestions. We, translators, are essential vectors of communication for the written word. We express, translate, localise, interpret. We are discreet, powerful, creative, ethical. I strive, as a literary translator, to live up to the challenge. This means carefully selecting the material I will engage with, if only because experience has told me that I give my best when working on a text that I personally find to be interesting. Because what else would you want from a translator but their very best?

(On a different note, please note that my rates are for estimation purposes only, and are subject to change upon review of the job.)