Translations - Equipment - Resources

Retired from electrical and cabinet making trades,
I’m currently a freelance translator and a film subtitler.

My main motto for all my works:
"Accuracy & Excellence"

** My Translation Speciality **

- Back in Argentina (1978 - 1981), whilst working for the National Gas Co. at the Technical Division, I translated technical specifications from manuals, instructions and products.
- I translate and subtitle in many fields such as: literature, psychology, psychiatry, philosophy, history, legal, medical, chemical, and technical (motor, mechanical, electrical, electronic, computing, operating systems, applications, drones, optics, photography, video-editing, etc.), etc.
- I work in both ways: English to/from Spanish in compliance with publishing standards.

**My Recent Translation Work **

- From 2007 - 2011, I've done an extensive quantity of pro bono translation (and interpreting in TeamSpeak IRC global meetings), subtitling and proofreading work for the international Zeitgeist Movement linguistic team. I have done 2 Spanish proofreadings of Peter Joseph's most known movie productions "Zeigeist" & Zeigeist- Addendum"), plus 2 other of his videos and one from Jacque Fresco. I was a member of their Linguistic Team, helping them in many international internal documents.
- In 2014, I have prepared an extensive Report - Case Study (36 pages) plus Updates with Annexes with my corrections in Spanish, regarding incorrect translations into this language, including distortions, syntax and grammar errors (throughout 10 years) of thousands of books published/printed into Spanish by an international Latin-American Foundation in charge (I cannot disclose due to "Confidentiality" agreement. The result of my Report and Recommendations, was the immediate suspension of further publishing by this Latin-American Foundation by the American & English Foundation (who actually owns the Copyrights); including the resignation of its responsible President.
- Since 1997, I have extensive experience in interpreting + translating official and legal documents for Centrelink.
- I completed 5 translations and subtitling for 2 worldwide and well-known important producers (I am not able to provide their names in compliance with "Non-disclosure Agreement- NDA").
- As most film + video-producers request today, (just as a linguistic tool, not a "dialect") I use this variant of "neutral" - Standard Spanish for subtitling, in order to avoid localisms and the old specific Castilian-Spanish (North & Central Spain), to comply with most Latin-American countries, including a great community of Spanish speakers living in USA.
- I've recently finished translating into Spanish 335 pages of this book which was already published.
- Still translating (60 completed) 90 chapters of an extensive biographical material about the philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, including its web-page editing here from its English original here.

** My Equipment &
Home/Office Resources **

- A dedicated office/studio for translations or other related work.
- 2 powerful desktop computers + 2 laptops.
- Broadband connection (100Mb/s download - 20Mb/s upload)
- Webcam ready for video-conferencing through Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook, WhatsApp, Skype, or any IRC chat if required.
- Experienced in: multifaceted + dense video-captioning, Subtitle Composer, accurate time-shifting + video-editing, and SMPTE time code management.
- Extensive experience in using all Windows, Microsoft Office suite, including MS Project, Photo editing, HTML, Java for websites, advanced sound + video-editing software, incl. Audacity, Gimp, incl. Linux apps, etc.
- Up-to-date translating tool applications.

( Click on the photo to enlarge )

** My Code of Ethics **

.- I always abide by:
Professional conduct, privacy, confidentiality, "non-disclosure", competence, impartiality, accuracy, my specific role boundaries, maintaining professional relationship, development and solidarity with other translators.
- I never discriminate:
On gender, nationality, sex preference, religion, political stand, etc. I only refuse to translate material that may promote criminal activities or to endanger any other people's health and safety.

** My Formation as a Translator **

- I was born in 1956 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Besides of having English as a module in my secondary school, I went to a private ('Windsor') college in Bahia Blanca city and studied more English in 1972 and 1973.
- In 1985 and 1986 I studied Advanced English in another college ('Aricana') in Rosario city. I left the course uncompleted because I migrated to Australia in September of the same year.
- I never had any formal "certification" as a professional translator, but I am also perfectly aware that no title can guarantee accuracy and expertise from individuals in this profession. Having said this, I must recognise that other excellent advanced translators (with or without degree) do exist, but they are less than the majority.
- However, despite not having this mentioned certification, I am a true professional in this Art. Being in Australia since 1986, I have worked in many different areas including a government agency, whilst studying my Diploma on Information Technology & Network Systems, and soon after opened my own educational establishment where I taught Spanish in 3 levels. Overall, I have been trained and I've taught myself in many fields. (For more information about my Qualifications, Studies & Training, please, refer to this page).
- Since my youth, I was a "multi-skilled" fast learner because I was always interested in many things, not just in one or two specific professions or trades, besides the qualifications I've acquired in Argentina, plus other later whilst living in Australia. Therefore, I have been involved in highly technical and administrative areas (quite often at the same time) as I described on this Resume since I was 19 years old.
- Basically, I always had a very solid knowledge of my own native Spanish language in its syntax and grammar. This is another reason why I liked reading, journalism, broadcasting and writing. This knowledge is essentially advantageous in my translation and subtitling work in order to convey the right content to the readers and film viewers.

** My Translation Skills & Techniques **

.- My personal technique basically depends on the overall subject to be translated. Therefore, it could be static (also called formal / literal/semantic), dynamic (also named interpretative / communicative), or both combined.
>> For example: I personally apply the 'static' method when translating technical or pharmacological data, the 'interpretative' often in poetry and some novels, or 'combined' (static & dynamic) in certain paragraphs about biographical material, or in film subtitling to compress lengthy expressions or fast talk trying not to exhaust the viewer-reader attention.

- I apply those differences within a different context such as: a technical book, an essay, a poetry, a letter, a legal document, a title translation, a scientific journal, a biographical material, a diary or notebook, a philosophical context, etc. I intend to keep a relaxed and understandable "flow" or "direction" about the key components intended to be conveyed by the author. There are many elements at play like: emphasis, pauses, questions, answers, emotions, abstractions, insights, etc., plus many others that demand a tremendous concentration (and deep revision) to capture the reader's attention.

- In all translation or subtitling scenarios, I never apply a fixed static, dynamic, or combined rule, but instead I use a perceptive BALANCE as a method. In my understanding and experience, an optimal translation can neither be stuck to a word-equivalence or synonym, nor to a total "freedom" from correct grammatical structures and the accuracy that must be respected. I never assume anything; if I am not sure, quite often I consult with the author, a variety of specific printed dictionaries (legal, chemistry, health, technical, synonyms, grammar, idioms, etc.) or other fellow translators/subtitlers.

- Unless it is strictly necessary (i.e. required by some film subtitles that depict a specific geographical area or cultural group; or to simply maintain the same author's way of expression), I avoid personal "localisms", slang, the old Castilian Spanish, or any other jargon (unless it's required for a specific film ) in order to avoid confusion between Spanish speakers from different countries. In general -but not always- I tend to use the "neutral" (or "International") Spanish as a tool (not as a dialect), being a combination of Iberian (or Peninsular from Spain), Central American, and Rioplatense (South American) Spanish, that are easily understandable by all its native speakers, including the vast population of Spanish speakers residents in USA.
This is a very common "tool" also used by many TV and film producers, including the multicultural SBS TV channel in Australia to minimise "regionalisms", aiming to be easily understandable to 580 million Spanish speaking people worldwide. Thus, I aim to a "globalisation" approach when using "neutral" Spanish.

- I maintain specific regional words or cultural terms (as "transference") that exceptionally must be respected as per their language of origin. (I.e. many computer, software or IT terms)
- I take special care about correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, inadequate vocabulary, and the best adequate style according to the general context to be translated.

- In subtitle, I use several software tools including multiplexer (mixing) techniques from the title, through main feature film, to end titles (if required), and SMPTE time code management.

- To summarise: This is my ART, not just a blind verbose skill in translations. It is about providing my customers with a feeling experience of closeness, like being 'at home'. To me, a good translation is never open to "free interpretation" as an "abstract" work; there are basic rules together with semantic accuracy that are paramount to be respected. Among this, I always aim to maintain the flow, the rhythm, the intensity, and the tenderness of the content, without changing the original course intended, or by confusing the reader with mistranslations, personal interpretations or ambiguities.

** Need a Quote or
Further Information? **

- In the "Contact me" section below, please leave your email detailing work required, document type, amount of words or pages, your company, full name, location, specify translation or subtitling, etc.

Please Note: I do not respond to anonymous or time-wasters. I am fully professional with my work. Thank you.

"Awareness is the silent and choiceless observation of what is. In this awareness the problem unrolls itself,
and thus is completely understood"
-J. Krishnamurti-