Translation
Literary and academic translation to English from French and Spanish
Translation service from Claire O’Kell
Every day, all over the world, skilled translators open up new worlds to those who’d like to read a book, an article or an academic text but don’t speak the language of the original.
‘Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture’ (Anthony Burgess, 1984).
I have many years’ experience of translating, revising, editing and proofreading, including almost four years at a translation company, where I was responsible for correcting and improving translations into English of texts of many different kinds on a wide variety of subjects.
In 1995 I was awarded a BA Hons (2:1) in French language and literature with Spanish by the University of Leeds. I gained first class honours in all my final language papers (both French and Spanish), and an outstanding first in my final French–English translation paper; this was consistent with the results I’d obtained throughout my degree programme. I also obtained a distinction in spoken French. In 1999, having responded to an advertisement in the Guardian and completed some test translations to a very high standard, I won a place on UNESCO’s list of translators in the face of huge competition. (Unfortunately the translation department no longer exists.)
I’m a member of English PEN, and have been involved in many of the organisation’s activities, which, it’s hoped, will continue to expand over the next few years. In 2010 I interviewed the translators of several titles published in collaboration with PEN – Nick Caistor, Polly McLean, Arch Tait and Jonathan Wright – and redrafted a press release on Roberto Saviano, author of Gomorrah (an exposé of the activities of the Italian mafia). I’ve also helped out at PEN on a number of occasions, including (in September 2011) International Translation Day – an event which coincided with the publication of the new Global Translation Initiative report, Taking Flight: New Thinking on World Writing, which encourages publishers to commission a much wider range of translations of literary works into English from other languages.
Fees: My current rate is £70 per thousand words, which equates to approximately half a day’s work for an experienced translator (i.e. £20 an hour). Discounts are available; please contact me to discuss your project.
