What made you decide to become a translator or interpreter?
In high school in Egypt, I used to enjoy the emergent pop music but could understand the lyrics. I realized then that proficiency in English shall open new doors in life. I decided to learn English literature. After graduation in 1977, I was trained by my employers on business management; but I was inclined more to writing, editing and translating Arabic and English.
List one strength that you think sets you apart from your colleagues.
My long time experience.
Name the one thing that you most enjoy in your translating or interpreting career.
Self contentment
We all have worked on those not-so-perfect assignments. Write about one such assignment that was not ideal and what you learned from it.
Original source language was Japanese, translated into English, and I was required to translate into Arabic. When I talked with the writer of Japanese text, I sensed different spirit in content of document. So, I totally changed my Arabic text. I learned to adapt.
If you could go back in time to when you were just starting out as a translator or interpreter, what advice would you give to your younger self?
Feel the spirit of the text before you start on translation.
Name one resource – such as a phone app, CAT tool, website, and so forth – that you find especially helpful in your translating or interpreting work.