“success is driven by passion”
Brand Translations
Translations that meet your Needs
Frog
▶noun: a tailless amphibian with a short squat body, moist smooth skin, and very long hind legs for leaping
Frog
▶noun: an elastic horny pad growing in the sole of a horse’s hoof, helping to absorb the shock when the hoof hits the ground
The importance of the right translator
“The stallions were very much in heat”
[De hengsten waren erg hengstig]
A sentence I read many years ago in an article in one of the Dutch newspapers about the financial interests involved in presenting a stallion at the KWPN Stallion Inspection Show.
The journalist had visited the Stallion Inspection Show, and somewhere along the way he had picked up the Dutch word ‘hengstig’ (being in heat). And to someone without horse knowledge, it probably sounds very masculine or macho, as it seems to be a derivative from the word ‘hengst’, meaning stallion. The journalist had clearly heard something, but he did not know the origin of it. A pity he did not ask a horsey person to check the text before publication.
“The 2-year old filly foal was led into the starting gate”
[Het tweejarige merrieveulen werd de startbox ingeleid]
A sentence in a translation of one of the books of the famous jockey-turned-author Dick Francis. The translator clearly struggled with all the equine and equestrian terms. At the time, Van Dale, the authoritative English-Dutch dictionary, included ‘merrieveulen’ [filly foal] as the translation for ‘filly’. However, the English words ‘filly’ and ‘colt’ have a much broader meaning than the Dutch word ‘veulen’ [foal]. I informed the dictionary’s editor of this omission. A few months later they informed me that ‘After checking a number of sources, we are happy to inform you that you were right and we will adjust this in the next edition’.
The Importance of the right translator
The examples above show that the translator you choose to translate your carefully drafted document should not only be a language expert, but should equally have profound knowledge of the subject.
With my 20+ years of experience as a translator, I feel comfortable translating a broad range of subjects, but consider the following my specialist areas:
I am happy to have a look at your project and provide you with a fair offer, or alternatively I will refer you to one of my expert colleagues when I feel my knowledge will not do your document justice.