When you’re looking for a professional to translate your specialist documents from German into English, it can be hard to know where to turn. I recently became ISO 17100:2015 qualified, which got me thinking that long lists of translation qualifications and accreditations aren’t as reassuring as they could be. It isn’t always obvious what they mean or what guarantees my qualifications give you, as a client. And how much do they really matter compared to experience? Let me explain so you can decide for yourself.

An international standard for translation providers

ISO 17100:2015 is the international standard that specifies requirements for translation service providers. Being ISO 17100:2015 qualified means that I follow defined steps in my translation process to achieve high-quality texts. This is the only universally accepted benchmark in the translation industry and gives you:

Quality assurance – consistently high-quality translations through following best practice, as I have been for the past 15 years.

Confidence in my services – I’m committed to working to the highest recognised standards (at least) and have the badge to prove it. You can rest assured you’re working with a professional who looks after the details.

Compliance with standards that extend to your business partners. If you have a quality management system or work on contracts that require adherence to specified standards, it can help that your suppliers also have ISO accreditation.

If you want to read more about ISO 17100:2015, all the details are here.

Why professional membership of the ITI benefits you, my client

Now let’s talk about those letters after my name: Sarah Silva MA BSc (Hons) MITI

MITI means that I’m a qualified member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), the UK’s main professional association for translators.

Being a qualified member requires passing a specific examination translating, in my case, a highly technical chemical text from German into English. These are tailored to assess proficiency in a specific language pair and subject matter expertise.

ITI qualification also required references from translation clients who had known me and my work for over three years. These reinforced my standing as a trusted and reputable translator within the industry and as a member of this association, I gladly commit to abide by a code of conduct, adhere to ethical practices and am dedicated to ongoing training and development. There’s a certain level of reassurance for you that I’m a proficient and reliable professional!

How my education impacts my translation service

When I switched corporate life for chemical translation, I retrained. It wasn’t essential (many translators aren’t specifically trained) but I considered it important.

MA – Master’s degree in Translation, German into English

Speaking a second language fluently is one thing, but translation is a different skill. It’s how I ensure I can effectively convey the nuances and intricacies of scientific and food-related texts from German to English with precision and clarity. My dissertation, for example, was a translation and commentary of a chapter in Wissenschaft al dente by Thomas Vilgis, a theoretical physicist at the Max-Planck Institute of Polymer Research. Science, food, and language are my favourite combination!

And no one has ever asked (nor should you care) but I may as well tell you that I was awarded a distinction, so hopefully you’ll agree that I’m in the right profession 😉

BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry and German

As well as my translation qualifications, I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and German, making it a “joint honours”. After three years in the UK and one year in Germany (Regensburg), I decided these two subjects were a good combination.

My final year project focused on analysing food packaging materials and the performance of coating layers under different conditions. This involved conducting experiments, preparing solutions, and employing sophisticated analytical techniques such as graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) to identify trace impurities. Evaluating the results to find another angle of research to address (onwards with the next set of experiments) created a constant cycle of discovery that I (mostly) love.

It’s only now that I can look back and see the links between my studies and why I enjoy working with clients in the chemical coating sector, food manufacturing and research institutes.

There’s more to life than qualifications, experience matters too!

Real-life practical experience gained while collaborating with international manufacturers gives me an appreciation of how industry works from the inside. Over the years, I have:

• Actively contributed to chemical trials aimed at enhancing production efficiency.
• Learnt the language of SOPs, risk assessments, hazardous goods handling and strategic decision-making.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams, spanning R&D, production, and quality control departments.

Ever since figuring out my perfect blend of science and language meant specialist translation and running my own business, I’ve put all this experience to good use for my clients.

Ongoing training and CPD

Science and technology are continuously advancing, and it’s important to keep up to date. I regularly take part in training that covers all areas of my business:

Technology – need I say more? We’re all in pursuit of the latest tools to optimise our working processes. But it’s important to understand the pros and cons of tools like machine translation and AI as well.

Specialist subject knowledge in your area of expertise to gain a deeper understanding of your world. We might meet at an industry conference or trade fair if we’re lucky.

Language and translation skills because language doesn’t stand still either, and there’s always new terminology to master or a dialect term to add to my collection. Even writing my own books and stretching my creative writing muscles contribute.

Business and marketing strategies and insights that I apply to my own business as well as use and share for my clients’ benefit.

What does this all mean for you?

There’s no definitive end to learning and I’m here for it! Whenever we work together you can expect me to ask questions to clarify your processes or the intricacies of your new developments so I can tailor my translation to your exact specifications. I’ll check links in your documents, make culturally appropriate suggestions and refine the language I use to best fit your target audience in a way that artificial intelligence can’t replicate.

You’ll get translations that go beyond surface level, edited texts that create a lasting impression, and a partner who is invested in your success. Your expertise, unique products combined with my blend of professional translator, chemistry specialist and native English speaker could be a formulation for success!

Email me at [email protected] to discuss your next translation or editing project.