Rachael Douglas is a freelance linguist, working from French and Spanish into English, specialising in technical translation, as well as academic, literary and marketing texts.
Who are you? Please introduce yourself
I’m Rachael and I translate from French and Spanish into English. I’m from Northern Ireland, and I’ve been working as a freelancer for the last seven years. Before that, I taught French and Spanish in a grammar school.
Do you translate, interpret, or both? What are your areas of specialism?
I am most at home working alone, so I translate! I relish any opportunity to lose myself in research and find the best way of expressing something in English. I work mainly in the technical field, because I’ve always had a passion for manufacturing, machinery, industry and engineering. I’m a total nerd when it comes to trains, cars, factories and production lines! I’m constantly looking to discover more about how things work. I also value my experience in education, as it enables me to happily dive into academic translation projects. I have done some literary translation, and would be keen to explore this some more in the future! I mostly work with agencies, but am currently looking to branch out and find some direct clients.
Why did you decide to get into translation or interpreting?
I have loved words for as long as I can remember. Once I start learning a language or reading a particular book, I can’t stop! At school, I could never decide whether I wanted to be a teacher or a translator, and in the end, I’ve done both! I had a career as a teacher for many years, but I couldn’t shake the thought of what might have been if I had pursued languages. Eventually, I went back to university, completed an MA in Translation, and subsequently set up my own translation business.
What’s your favourite type of project?
Unsurprisingly, I love translating technical manuals! Machinery, consumer products, industrial processes – any area at all will satisfy my curiosity. My favourite thing is researching obscure, very specific components in the source and target language and finding just the right term for the context. I enjoy knowing that there is a perfect word out there for that component or element, and all I have to do is find it! I also love translating content for university courses, as it enables you to learn a lot of in-depth information about a particular topic. This type of project allows me to indulge my natural curiosity and explore new intellectual avenues.
What do you do outside of translation or interpreting?
When I’m not translating or teaching, you’ll probably find me knitting clothes and toys, or cheering on the Green Bay Packers! I also love to read, in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or maybe Korean or Swedish! Like I said, once I develop an interest in a language, I get drawn in and have an inescapable need to keep going…! For me, a novel is the best place to lose yourself, and when you get sucked into another world in a different language, you can’t help but stay longer.
