AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION & RATES

Common
Russian & Bulgarian

I have lived in both Russia and Bulgaria, and have traveled extensively to many other countries where these languages are spoken. I have translated all kinds of materials over two decades, ranging from everyday items like newspaper articles, school, medical, bureaucratic and employment documentation, and certificates and personal letters, to autobiographies.

I am often willing to translate short, personal items for no charge, especially in cases where the processes of invoicing take longer than just doing the translation, but of course this depends on available time. Suffice it to say, I can handle most text except perhaps for the crudest or most arcane communications, where the jargon is unique and only accessible to a close circle of users.

Bio/Pharma

Here is a list of just some of the types of documents I have translated in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

  • Pharma and medical device clinical trial protocols and other documentation

  • Informed Consent and Patient Information Forms

  • Intake and Discharge forms and summaries

  • Back translations

  • Drug labels, brochures and instructions for use

  • Questionnaires and survey instruments

  • Autopsy and death certificates

  • Biomedical research

  • Medical marketing and communications

  • Drug marketing authorization

  • Medical Ethics Committee findings

Information Technology

I have a strong background in software development as a project manager, agile/scrum product owner, business analyst, technical writer, and inventor/designer of AI/semantic web knowledge retrieval systems. I supervised a team of Java programmers in Moscow, Russia for two years. Thus, I am conversant with the language of IT, including networks, cloud, UI/UX, and various coding languages (such as Python). Nevertheless, the language of IT is changing rapidly with the onslaught of AI. I will be glad to discuss whether my background is adequate for your IT translation needs.

Humanities

The language of literature is much broader than that of science and technology. While the sciences have extended vocabularies to cover concepts and equipment, unlike literature science tends to avoid ambiguity, and does not depend so much on cultural nuances. Although the social sciences are indeed sciences, they cover broader ranges of human endeavor, action and communication.

I am a published poet whose translation of Tristia was recommended by Library Journal for the list of Best Books of 1987. When it comes to translating literature, I believe it is important to understand the author’s broader connotations. Thus, it can take longer to do a good job with high-quality literature.

Regarding the humanities and social sciences, I have taught writing at the college level, and have published a scholarly book in the field of cultural anthropology. I am thus conversant in the lexicons of most of the social sciences. I would be glad to discuss a project in these domains.

Basic Rates

Translation (inc. back translation) $0.11/target word
(negotiable for longer projects)
Editing $0.04-$0.045/word
Hourly $35.00
Minimum fee: $25.00
MT post editing: 50% of translation rate

Rush

If I get a job that is straightforward (that is, it is typed, readable, and in a standard format), I am willing to take on rush jobs where there is adequate time to do a good job. The old saying “Cheap, good, and fast - pick two” applies to rush jobs. I charge 10% above my basic fee for jobs that require me to bump other jobs.

CAT tools

Most of the documents I have translated from Russian and Bulgarian did not require the use of computer-assisted translation tools like Trados or MemoQ. However, in recent years, that has been changing. I have competence in the more commonly used sytstems, but each of these tools has its own peculiarities. Therefore, for jobs that require use of a non-standard CAT tool or other system, discussion may be needed to determine how its use will affect turnaround time.

Guarantee

A good translation can often be mission-critical. A sloppy, incorrect, or hard to read translation should never be accepted by any client. Because translation necessarily involves linguistic ambiguity and lexical, syntactic and semantic choices, it is always possible that errors - both large and small - will creep in, despite the intentions and competence of the translator. My policy is to stick with a job, once i have accepted it, until it is perfect or meets the client’s standards. I am willing and able to explain any choices I have made, and of course will rectify any errors that are identified.