German & Russian → English
What I Do for You
- I accurately translate your text. I've been fluent in Russian since 1999, and in German since 1988; as a professional translator I continuously have practice with texts in both languages. And I’m ATA-certified for translating from German to English.
- I write in a clear and natural style in English. English speakers strongly prefer a straightforward, uncomplicated style that conveys more information in fewer words. Such writing is less common in other languages, such as German and Russian.
- I prevent embarrassing errors. I’m a native speaker of American English, with outstanding spelling and grammar. I give meticulous attention to detail.
- I match the style of your original text. I'm careful to keep my translation as close as possible to the style and mood of the original. You can also give me additional instructions on the style and level of formality you want to have in your English text.
- I match your file type and formatting. I make sure my translation is as close as practical to the original source text, not only in wording but also in overall appearance. In most cases I give you my translation in the same type of file you've given me. I can translate files in a wide variety of formats including Microsoft Office, HTML, OpenDocument, Visio, plain-text, PO files, and more.
- I maintain consistency of term use. I use state-of-the-art software to ensure consistent translations of your terminology and texts—even for your subsequent orders, months or years later.
- I respect you and your needs. You have a good reason for wanting your text translated into English. I care about fulfilling your goals for this project, and I maintain full confidentiality for all my clients' information.
More About Me
I grew up in California, and have a variety of international experience including marketing, software, teaching, international trade, and writing. My degree is in International Relations, with a minor in Linguistics.
I’ve long had a great love for languages. I first studied German during middle school, and around the same time I studied some Russian on my own. In high school I studied Latin for a year, and continued with German. I learned fast, and managed to study five years of German during three years of school―this included two years of independent study during which I read literature. I also studied some Japanese during high school. I then studied German at the University of California at Davis, and studied abroad for a year at Georg-August University in Göttingen. During that year in Germany I studied and communicated almost exclusively in German. In Germany I studied a year of Italian, and I subsequently lived in Italy for a few months. Later I lived in the Kyrgyz Republic for four years, where I taught business communication, English, and office software at a university, and then helped to set up and manage a marketing agency. During my years in that country I continually studied Russian and used the language in my daily life, eventually doing business and conducting meetings in Russian. Beyond that time I also studied Spanish and Malay on my own.
I also really like computers and software: While growing up in Silicon Valley, I started fiddling around with an early personal computer that my parents bought. At my university I learned to write and format my term papers on a mainframe computer using Unix. By the time I graduated, personal computers were available all over campus, and I found them more user-friendly for my purposes. As a power-user, in almost every job I’ve held I’ve tried to make the best use of software features. And I’ve been a fan of Ubuntu Linux since 2006. UX and cyber-security are very interesting topics for me, so I plan to continue reading and educating myself further.
Since 2012 I’ve been working as a freelance translator. Though I’ve studied several languages, I confine my translation work strictly to the ones I know best, German and Russian. And like most professional translators, I translate only into my native tongue.
Professional associations are a great opportunity to learn, develop, share insights, and network. I’m happy to be a member of the American Translators’ Association (which has certified me for translating German to English) and the Northern California Translators Association (where I served on the board of directors 2015–2019).
I’ve long had a great love for languages. I first studied German during middle school, and around the same time I studied some Russian on my own. In high school I studied Latin for a year, and continued with German. I learned fast, and managed to study five years of German during three years of school―this included two years of independent study during which I read literature. I also studied some Japanese during high school. I then studied German at the University of California at Davis, and studied abroad for a year at Georg-August University in Göttingen. During that year in Germany I studied and communicated almost exclusively in German. In Germany I studied a year of Italian, and I subsequently lived in Italy for a few months. Later I lived in the Kyrgyz Republic for four years, where I taught business communication, English, and office software at a university, and then helped to set up and manage a marketing agency. During my years in that country I continually studied Russian and used the language in my daily life, eventually doing business and conducting meetings in Russian. Beyond that time I also studied Spanish and Malay on my own.
I also really like computers and software: While growing up in Silicon Valley, I started fiddling around with an early personal computer that my parents bought. At my university I learned to write and format my term papers on a mainframe computer using Unix. By the time I graduated, personal computers were available all over campus, and I found them more user-friendly for my purposes. As a power-user, in almost every job I’ve held I’ve tried to make the best use of software features. And I’ve been a fan of Ubuntu Linux since 2006. UX and cyber-security are very interesting topics for me, so I plan to continue reading and educating myself further.
Since 2012 I’ve been working as a freelance translator. Though I’ve studied several languages, I confine my translation work strictly to the ones I know best, German and Russian. And like most professional translators, I translate only into my native tongue.
Professional associations are a great opportunity to learn, develop, share insights, and network. I’m happy to be a member of the American Translators’ Association (which has certified me for translating German to English) and the Northern California Translators Association (where I served on the board of directors 2015–2019).