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“Translation is a transformation.”
Photo (changes made): © Derek Ramsey; Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 2.5, CC BY-SA 2.0, CC BY-SA 1.0
German-English Translator – Valais
Native Speaker (English)
German Translation, Valais
Having lived and worked in German-speaking Switzerland for more than 30 years, I am intimately familiar with the nuances of the German language. This is one of the most important prerequisites for crafting a high quality translation.
My work as a translator also profits enormously from my musical training and many years as a professional cellist. I am attuned to the rhythm of language and understand how to properly interpret underlying meanings; I am also highly disciplined and detail-oriented.
Thus I am not satisfied until your texts are both correctly translated and stylistically harmonious to the ear. All of this delivered on time and for a fair price.
You as the customer play an important part on the way to a good German translation by providing the following information:
- One generally speaks of two types of translations:
for-publication or for-information.
Which do you need? - Should the text be translated into US- oder GB-Englisch??
- What kind of text is it and where will it be placed (magazine, website, sales brochure ...)?
- Who will be reading it and what effect should it have on the reader?
- Could you show me translations of similar texts produced for you in the past?
- Do you work with glossaries or terminology databases that would help me observe your corporate wording?
- Is there helpful background information that you could provide?
Translation prices can only be calculated after having a thorough look at the German source text. It goes without saying that any texts received are treated with utmost confidentiality.
My price calculations are based on factors such as the length and difficulty of the text and the type of translation (for-publication or for-information). I invoice per word of the English target text, which is common practice in Germany.
The amount of time that is needed for creative adaptations such as slogans, advertisements, and PowerPoint presentations varies greatly. This is why in these cases I do not charge per word, but instead per hour.
Additional fees may apply for rush-orders, weekend, or holiday work.
For more tips on buying translations, see “Translation – getting it right (PDF)“, an American Translators Association (ATA) booklet written by financial translator Chris Durban.