Christina Rena
Freelance Greek translator
Translating from and to English, Greek & French
Polyglot & communication enthusiast
Translating from and to English, Greek & French
Polyglot & communication enthusiast
The single biggest problem about communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
There are probably countless ways in which you may have experienced this. Whether this feeling of confusion and incomprehension catches you staring at a break-up text message on your phone or a not-so-encouraging business e-mail from a (no longer potential) client or partner, it is very likely within the realm of communication that things took the wrong turn.
Wittgenstein was quite straightforward on the matter: 'Whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent'. I can't say I completely agree - I don't find the idea of blank pages, empty banners, clean notebooks or untouched books completely appealing. Perfect communication is, as the word implies, impossible, but the other extreme of complete silence implies a condition of idleness and inactivity.
In a broader sense, communication is everything - the mere fact of one's existence is an act of communication, an expression of something, an effort to make some sort of order out of the surrounding chaos of the universe.
If there's energy to be invested in something, it makes a lot of sense for that something to be better communication. And that's what I've been doing - I call myself a translator, in the broader sense, arranging words and pixels and lines in a way that really works.
There are probably countless ways in which you may have experienced this. Whether this feeling of confusion and incomprehension catches you staring at a break-up text message on your phone or a not-so-encouraging business e-mail from a (no longer potential) client or partner, it is very likely within the realm of communication that things took the wrong turn.
Wittgenstein was quite straightforward on the matter: 'Whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent'. I can't say I completely agree - I don't find the idea of blank pages, empty banners, clean notebooks or untouched books completely appealing. Perfect communication is, as the word implies, impossible, but the other extreme of complete silence implies a condition of idleness and inactivity.
In a broader sense, communication is everything - the mere fact of one's existence is an act of communication, an expression of something, an effort to make some sort of order out of the surrounding chaos of the universe.
If there's energy to be invested in something, it makes a lot of sense for that something to be better communication. And that's what I've been doing - I call myself a translator, in the broader sense, arranging words and pixels and lines in a way that really works.
Translation services
Translation to & from Greek & English
I have extensive education and experience in legal, financial, technical and medical translation to and from English and Greek.
Most of my professional experience involves legal, business & financial documents (Management Reports, Financial Statements, etc.) With regards to technical translation, I have undertaken technical specification projects in the field of construction.
My network of partners and language professionals is there to ensure that you're getting full value in every step of the way.
Most of my professional experience involves legal, business & financial documents (Management Reports, Financial Statements, etc.) With regards to technical translation, I have undertaken technical specification projects in the field of construction.
My network of partners and language professionals is there to ensure that you're getting full value in every step of the way.
Other languages: French, Finnish, Russian, Spanish
Studying to be a translator would not have been an easy choice for someone who is not passionate about languages.
My other two translation language pairs are thus French - Greek and Greek - French, with a specialization in legal texts.
Moreover, I have completed several translation projects from Finnish, as well as Russian and Spanish. For other language combinations, please do not hesitate to contact me.
My other two translation language pairs are thus French - Greek and Greek - French, with a specialization in legal texts.
Moreover, I have completed several translation projects from Finnish, as well as Russian and Spanish. For other language combinations, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Writing & QA
One can't be a good translator without being a good writer - translation is highly creative and challenging, so it develops the skills you might expect from any communication expert: excellent writing skills, creativity, editing & proofreading abilities in Greek and English.
Why hire a professional translator?
High Quality
It is a common misonception that anyone who is bilingual or even anyone with a foreign language degree can translate. That is simply not the case - a good translation requires years of training and specialization. Translating means that you have a very good understanding of what you are translating, that you have the necessary skillset and methodology to carry out a preliminary reseach, find parallel texts etc. So if your translated text is going to appear, for example, on a leaflet, you might want to make sure it does not end up on a "funny mistranslations" joke site!
Personalized services
The rates of translation agencies often include the cost of HR departments, project managers, often low-paid unskilled translators doing the work, and the involvement of many people who might not necessarily understand your needs or have a direct channel of communication with you.
Hiring a freelancer means you're guaranteed to get personal service and direct communication about every part of the translation process, and any change is easier to implement.
Hiring a freelancer means you're guaranteed to get personal service and direct communication about every part of the translation process, and any change is easier to implement.
Technical skills
My translation training has made me well-versed in linguistic and theoretical skills, but it takes more than books to make a good translator: that is why I have taken care to obtain enough hands-on experience with specialized CAT tools, such as Memsource and SDL Trados.
See the Panhellenic Association for Professional Translators of the Ionian University guide for buying translation services (available in Greek).
