Great Translation

2008-12-24T07:45:00.001-08:00

You Say Choclo, I Say Jojoto

2008-07-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

The language barrier doesn't stop at different languages. You can speak the same language and still not have any idea what the person just said. You know that whole "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus" saying? Well, that's a familiar feeling when you're speaking the same language with somebody from a different country. I believe that is one of the hardest things to grasp about a language: the local influence.

My fiance was born and raised in Ecuador and I was born and raised in Venezuela. Although we have both lived in the USA for more than a decade we mostly speak Spanish among ourselves. I feel very comfortable with the language and dread the thought of loosing my intimacy with it. But it can be tricky to communicate in the same language with a native from a different country. And let me tell you, I have had some embarrassing moments... laughable, but embarrassing.

There are those little words that mean something to you and have a completely different meaning to somebody else... you know those words... the "do you have a fag?" or the "get the suitcase from the boot" words. My fiance and I run into those little incidents frequently. If he tells me ahorita I know he means later... but when I tell him ahorita he knows I mean right now! Or maybe is the tone of voice combined with that look that translates it for him. Either way, we always find a way to communicate and celebrate our bilingual world!

Just Advertising

2008-07-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'm just here today to get down to business:

I offer accurate and reliable translations. I am a native Spanish speaker with a college degree in the USA. I am fluent and educated in both languages.

I can translate your legal documents, technical documents, college reports, etc. Contact me for a FREE quote!

Email: greatranslation@gmail.com Tel: 561.400.0936

Charades

2008-06-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever put two people that speak different languages in a room? It's bound to be loud, frustrating and above all, fun! I love how my friends have helped me cope with my ESL moments. We all just sit there after a second or two of silence and then laugh.

My early conversations were an ongoing game of Charades. I'd be in the middle of a sentence and then... oooh I know that word... it starts with... and then I'd just venture into describing it: it's that little worm that carries its house on top. My friends would all be looking at me like a puppy right before getting a treat... fingers snapping... oh oh... a snail! Yessss, a snail!!! And then the conversation would go on as if nothing ever happened.

That's my game of Charades!

Image by Ali Spagnola

Lost in Translation... and then found again

2008-06-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

Throughout the years I have had the opportunity to translate various documents from Spanish to English and vice versa. The range is wide: college applications, resumes, technical documents, letters, songs, etc. It evolved naturally. Most people that know me are aware of my bilingual skills, so naturally they come to me with their translation needs. That's how it started: "hey, could you help me with this paragraph over here? I'm trying to write to a company about a job position."

In the midst of going between English and Spanish I have learned so much about both languages and cultures. There is often that enlightenment moment of "aha! I just found the perfect translation for that!" It is amazing how much you can learn while helping others communicate. At first I was lost in English. It just sounded like one long sentence to me. "What do I do about rolling my Rs?" I used to think. "My tongue doesn't know how to lightly caress that letter." "Did you say run-on sentence? But that's the beauty of Spanish. You can write and write and just let it flow!" And then little by little I found myself, both in English and in Spanish. I understood the root of each language. I understood how to be passionate, in very different ways, as I expressed my thoughts and ideas.

And that is how I found myself again. Translating: in my head, in writing, on the phone, as I sang, interpreting.

Don Quixote de La Mancha by Miguel Cervantes

2008-06-25T06:18:00.001-07:00

Illustration by Honoré Daumier

It's impossible to read this book and not fall in love with the characters. The brave and conflicted long-limbed Don Quixote with his loyal and realist friend Sancho Panza. Don Quixote de La Mancha was one of the first real books I read as a school assignment. I had the fortune to read it in its original language and believe me, they call it a Romance language for a good reason. So I decided to venture into Don Quixote's world once again and get lost in the turmoil of adventure and romance. The book is on hold in the library!

Wedding Wiggles

2008-06-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

So I'm in the middle of wedding planning and even though it is so much fun, I have to say it's a bit nerve wracking. Have you ever tried to coordinate a wedding in two languages? Yes, it's double the fun! The flowers, the cake, the invitations, the dress... hmm... the dress... then the diet and exercise plan... then the panic and the chocolate binge!But in the middle of all this, I found Punam Bean. A great photographer in NYC with a very artistic eye and on top of all a love for diversity and all people (and things). I leave you with her "Obersvations" as she calls them: http://www.punambean.com/blog/

Oh, and remember: if you need a translation please e-mail me at greatranslation@gmail.com!

Photo by: Louis Felix Photography
Bouquet by: Flowers by Leah, Sunland, CA

Little Translations

2008-06-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

My translating business goes beyond the typical legal document. I have a 5 year old stepdaughter full of energy and love. Her father and I are trying to introduce Spanish to her at home. We know it will be useful to her in the future as she tries to get into college or find a job. So we have been trying to speak mostly Spanish to her and teaching her new words every day. Like most kids, when it comes to a new language she's very receptive and enthusiastic. But then there are those language gap moments that like the MasterCard commercial says are "priceless."

We'll tell her what we think is a simple command that we've given her before. She'll stare at us with a blank face. We say it again. She now squints her eyes and seems to be thinking "I know I should know this... but what are they saying?" Then she'll say "oh OK" and go to the living room to pick up her toys instead of going to brush her teeth as we were asking. As we're about to say it again she'll finally just give up and say "I just don't understand when you speak to me that way"

That's where a little translation comes in...