My name is William Jolliffe and I offer a professional online translation service, specialising in rendering Spanish and Romanian texts into well constructed and readable English. My longterm studies of both Spanish and Romanian languages and culture enable me to convey the meaning of texts supplied to me both eloquently and with an understanding of idiom so that so that my translations are appropriate to the circles in which they are to appear or be published.

When translating, I try never to impose my ideas of what I would have written, were I in the original writer's position.  I try to reflect what the author wrote, and how they wrote it.  As will be clear from
the examples , I sometimes cut one long sentence into two, three, even four (!) English sentences, to make the translation as readable as possible.

Spanish and Romanian function much more logically than the mixture of German, Latin and French which I call my mother tongue.  For example, in those pure Latin tongues, a car tyre grips to the road, but English does not need the logical bridge between the tyre and the road which "to" provides.  An English translator should strive to do full justice to the substance of the original, but something of the manner of expression is very likely to be lost:  "OMNIS TRADUCTOR TRADITOR" ! (" Every translator is something of a traitor"), for no three words of the language of Chaucer, Tyndale, Shakespeare and Dickens can render those three Latin words.  Nonetheless, I strive at all times to convey the author's intent as precisely and sensitively as possible.

Probably like most native English speakers I am disappointed by the efforts of foreign interpreters to render their languages into English. Naturally, I accept that the first rule of translation is ALWAYS to
translate into your mother tongue.

My approach to translation is influenced by my gift of Aspergers syndrome, a form of autisty.  The effect of this neuro–diversity is that my brain and nervous system function somewhat differently to the norm, so I have more logic, and less instinctive sense.  As a child, I was irritated by people using four, five or six words when three would suffice. So, far from being an obstacle, the desire for logical perfection which is natural to neuro–diversity channels my linguistic talent and sensitivity to create logically satisfying sentences and a polished result.

Find out more about commissioning a translation.

For more information about Asperger’s Syndrome & neuro diversity please
visit:

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome

and also: Wizcase.com

Images on this site depict Spanish and Romanian landscapes and were taken by William Jolliffe: visit William's photography website >>>