The list of translators’ strange habits can be very long at times. A few months ago we posted about the translator rituals that ensure the perfect projectand we described some of the hidden “manias” of some translation professionals, and now Kim, one of the Okodia’s translators confirms our suspicions. “We translators have our habits. Mine is talking to myself while translating” There are some translators that everyone should know and Kim is one of them. Allow us to introduce you!
1 – Have you travelled and lived in exotic countries? Is that how your passion the translation started?
Translation has been critical part of my career in marketing, tourism and international companies whilst living in Brazil, Portugal and Spain. I first studied tourism and over the years, I decided to specialise in translation. It was the best decision I made. Today I am translator from Portuguese and Spanish to English.
2 – What’s the best advice you can offer, that you didn’t know when you ventured into translation?
The best advice I can give is that learning is continuous, not only for improving and keeping up-to-date with technical developments, but also you always learning something new with every project.
[Sharer]3 – How do you think translation and interpretation contribute to our day-to-day lives in society?
We live in an increasingly globalised world in which translation professionals guarantee a clear and precise communication, not to mention in business negotiations and the sale of goods and services on the international market. In addition, professional translator can add cultural sensitivity when transmitting a message, which is absolutely crucial in communication.
4 – Some types of translation are well known, such as tourism translation, and others, to a lesser extent, like financial translation. Do you think that financial translation is equally as important as other areas, or not?
Absolutely! The financial industry moves the world and transactions between public and private organisations, financial reports, paperwork and contracts, all need to be translated with a higher level of quality and expertise.
5 – How would you highlight specialised translations?
Agencies like Okodia have a large network of translators who are specialised in their respective areas, in hundreds of languages, meaning that companies can trust that the project will be carried out by specialists and in the best and fastest way possible.
6 – Translators have some strange habits, what’s yours?
My strangest habit is…talking to myself! I think it’s really important to read my work out loud before delivery, because it helps me to ensure that the text flows perfectly.
7 – You are in daily contact with languages, which ones hold special significance for you?
I love communicating in both of the source languages I work in, but Brazilian Portuguese has a special place in my heart. My husband and his family are from Brazil, where I lived for ten years. Today I live in the Canary Islands, so we speak three languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese) at home on a daily basis.
8 – Which place would you choose to escape from the world?
Famara beach in Lanzarote, which is only 10 minutes from my house!
9 – Who do you go to when you have a problem?
If it’s related to work with Okodia, I go to them. They´re extremely helpful if I have any doubts. What’s more, my daughter is a translation student as well as being trilingual, which is very useful for exchanging ideas and discussing linguistic issues. If it’s a personal problem, I talk to my family, we’re very close.
