Arabic - French - Spanish - English
ABOUT
Founded in 2014, Yalla! Translate provides high-quality language services, tailored to each client's needs and specifications, and specialising in translation from Arabic, French and Spanish.
Jennifer Blundell
Arabic, French and Spanish to English
Translation, editing, proofreading and précis-writing
Qualified and experienced.
Cultural awareness.
Preferred working field: medical/applied health professions.
Born and raised in rainy Lancashire in the north-west of England, I grew up on fertile soil and with a love of languages. I chose to study modern languages at the University of Durham, where I continued with French and Spanish and, on a whim, took up beginner's Arabic – which turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made! My year abroad was the start of several years of adventure and travel: I worked as a receptionist for a business centre in Barcelona, fielding questions from clients and lost tourists alike; I studied Arabic in Damascus over the winter, leaving just before the first waves of civil war rippled across the country; and I interned in the valuation department of an international commercial property company in Paris, where I spent my lunch breaks strolling along the Champs-Elysées and marvelling at how lucky I was.
After graduating in 2012 (BA Modern Languages, First Class Honours), I couldn’t resist the lure of living abroad again and promptly moved to Changsha, China, for a year, where I worked as an English-language teacher and learned how to ask for all sorts of delicious dishes in Mandarin. I returned to the UK in 2013 to study for an MA in Applied Translation Studies at the University of Leeds, during which I received training in specialised translation (in fields such as medical/scientific, journalistic and administrative texts) and in the use of a number of CAT tools, including SDL Trados Studio 2011 and memoQ 2015 (which I now use in my work).
During my time at Leeds University, I travelled to Geneva to translate for the city’s annual model United Nations conference and to Vienna to work as a translation trainee in an actual United Nations office for a month. After graduating, I started a three-month traineeship in the English and Irish Translation Unit of the European Parliament in Luxembourg, which was subsequently extended to six months and which included two three-week placements in the English Editing Unit. After half a year’s intense revision as part of one of the world’s most prestigious translation teams, I was more prepared than ever to tackle translation projects of every size and style.
I now translate on a freelance basis for agencies and direct clients. I also supply précis- and record-writing services on a contractual basis to international organisations.
My preferred working area is medical and health, in particular allied therapies/therapeutic medicine. I have a network of medical professional contacts whom I can consult concerning problem terminology and concepts, and I have access to a growing, self-made glossary of medical terminology and a list of resources for finding unknown terminology. I am also working to continously update my skills and knowledge through relevant courses, webinars and reading.
I also have a working interest in culinary fields and cooking and in Oriental/Middle Eastern dance.
Yalla... let's translate!
Education
MA Applied Translation Studies (Distinction), University of Leeds (2013–2014)
BA Modern Languages (First Class, Honours), University of Durham (2008–2012)
Arabic Language course, Damascus University (September 2010 – February 2011)
Further training/Continued Professional Development (CPD)
Clinical Trials and Medical Documentation: Resources and Translation Strategies for New Translators, webinar, Carmen Cross, ProZ, 22 January 2016
The Pharmacokinetics of Drugs Commonly Studied during Clinical Trials, webinar, Carmen Cross, ProZ, 24 July 2015
Key Terminology and Concepts in Common Law: Contract and Civil Liability, day course, David Hutchins (Lexacom English Law Courses), 15 March 2014
Food-related translation, workshop, Yorkshire Translators and Interpreters, 23 November 2013
SDL Trados Studio 2011 Advanced certification
TESTIMONIALS
"[Jennifer Blundell] was very quick to grasp the unit’s technical procedures and workflow arrangements, working autonomously from this point of view within a short time of arrival. Ms Blundell showed herself to be efficient, well organised and punctual; she never failed to meet editing deadlines and was proactive in foreseeing workflow needs and potential problems. Where linguistic correction is concerned, Ms Blundell showed herself to have a good grasp of syntax, style and register, as well as an appreciation of the need to tread the fine line between under- and over-editing. She was adept at finding neat solutions to cumbersome original wording, demonstrated excellent research skills and coped well under pressure."
- Helen Swallow, Head of Editing Unit, European Parliament
"Ms Blundell showed a masterful grasp of register and tone and an excellent ability to render nuance. She has a very solid comprehension of her source languages. She learned about the technical systems used in the translation unit extremely quickly and proved herself to be an able and meticulous researcher. She is a highly talented translator and a very pleasant colleague. It was a pleasure to have her in our team and I can recommend her services as a translator unreservedly."
- Sally Reading, Chief of English, Publishing and Library Section, United Nations Office at Vienna
"Through her work, Jennifer has demonstrated her professionalism and translation skills to a high level, and has always delivered quality work on time. We greatly value her collaboration with us and can recommend her as a skilled and qualified translator."
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- Marta Font Espriu and MarÃa Teresa Vera Rojas, Co-Directors of 452°F, Journal of Literary Theory and Comparative Literature
"I very much appreciate the quality [Jennifer Blundell] brought in terms of translating/transcribing/proofreading skills, level of English, football knowledge and speed-of-delivery. Our workflow strictly requires candidates who can work under pressure and adapt to our innovative workflow and latest technology. I am pleased to confirm that Jennifer truly is one of those people."
- Remy Wigmans, Head of Translations - FIFA World Cup 2014, Manager CFL Media Services
"Jennifer, whom I met at the European Parliament, translated the website for my business from French into English. I greatly appreciated her perfect command of English, her sense of style and her accuracy in rendering a translation that has fulfilled its purpose perfectly – that is, to promote my business and to make it more accessible to an international audience. I have recommended Yalla! Translate to several friends who were looking for English translation services, and, given the unwavering quality of Jennifer’s translations, I will continue to do so!"
- Louis Tarpin, Freelance Translator and Owner of AltTrad [translated from French]