Things I like about being British: Tea, marmite, the English language, the sarcastic sense of humour, the vast range of different accents and regional characteristics. The fact I can get to the coast in less than an hour, and the melting pot of different cultures.
Things I don’t love about being British: The weather, the inability of much of the population to learn a language, and now Brexit.
Despite my heartfelt wishes otherwise, the UK business secretary tells me the UK has indeed left the EU and the transition period ended on 31 December 2020. What a way to end a horrendous year!
Living in Kent, in South East England, I’m only too aware of potential problems this can cause international manufacturers. We have a dedicated space affectionately called the ‘Brexit car park’, which was already put to work in December when France locked her borders. Add a certain virus into the mix and you can understand why I was still receiving Christmas cards in mid-January.
What changes post Brexit?
Current guidance may be subject to minor amendments. I have attended a lot of information sessions, read government advice and spoken to relevant experts. However, as things stand, nothing changes for my clients in the way they work with me.
I deliver translation and proof-reading work by email or using a secure file transmission service and accept payment in euros. Video conference calls enable us to speak face to face, at least virtually, and I still intend to travel to events in Germany to meet in person when it’s safe and possible again. There’s no difference between working with me or a person a few miles away from you. Except with me you get a native speaker to polish your English texts to perfection.
An ear to the ground
You get someone who works almost exclusively with companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Living in the UK means that I have one ear open to the subtle nuances of language as it changes. You can see just how rapidly language changes when provoked from the Covid terminology that has popped up. And how the pandemic has altered the meaning of pre-existing terms. On the flip side, although I’m well versed in your industry and native language, I don’t presume to know everything. You’re the expert when it comes to your products or research. You can expect the odd question from me to clarify and help decide whether translation option A or B fits best.
Should you need any help with amending documentation, product labelling or providing updates to your customers and business partners, then please get in touch.
