Χριστίνα Ρένα
Freelance Μεταφράστρια
Μεταφράζω από και προς Αγγλικά, Ελληνικά και Γαλλικά
Μεταφράζω από και προς Αγγλικά, Ελληνικά και Γαλλικά
They say 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 trying to do - I call myself a translator, in the broader sense, arranging words and pixels and lines in a way that 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 trying to do - I call myself a translator, in the broader sense, arranging words and pixels and lines in a way that works.
Quick Bio
I am a native Greek speaker with a solid education and experience in the field of Translation. I obtained my 4-year Bachelor's Degree in Translation from the Ionian University in Corfu, having English, Greek and French as working languages. My specializations during my studies have been Legal, Financial and Medical translation. During my studies, I also spent a year in Finland and learnt Finnish - I also have knowledge of Spanish, Italian and Russian.
My professional experience is varied - I have worked on various freelance projects, mostly with regards to legal & technical translation. I have translated over 60.000 words in the context of my internship, using SDL Trados and Memsource. I am an active volunteer translator in Coursera, translating specialized educational content from English to Greek. I am also familiar with localization, as I have translated an online game (The Wisdom and/or Madness of Crowds) as well as an Android App (I Don't Smoke).
I will shortly be a member of the Panhellenic Association of Professional Translators Graduates of the Ionian University (PEEMPIP).
I am a native Greek speaker with a solid education and experience in the field of Translation. I obtained my 4-year Bachelor's Degree in Translation from the Ionian University in Corfu, having English, Greek and French as working languages. My specializations during my studies have been Legal, Financial and Medical translation. During my studies, I also spent a year in Finland and learnt Finnish - I also have knowledge of Spanish, Italian and Russian.
My professional experience is varied - I have worked on various freelance projects, mostly with regards to legal & technical translation. I have translated over 60.000 words in the context of my internship, using SDL Trados and Memsource. I am an active volunteer translator in Coursera, translating specialized educational content from English to Greek. I am also familiar with localization, as I have translated an online game (The Wisdom and/or Madness of Crowds) as well as an Android App (I Don't Smoke).
I will shortly be a member of the Panhellenic Association of Professional Translators Graduates of the Ionian University (PEEMPIP).
Translation services
Translation to & from Greek & English
In the context of my 4-year translation education I have been trained in legal, financial, technical and medical translation to and from English and Greek.
Most of my professional experience involves business & financial documents (Management Reports, Financial Statements, etc.)
With regards to technical translation, I have translated, for example, technical specification documents in the context of construction project contracts.
I generally use Greek & English interchangeably in my daily life.
Most of my professional experience involves business & financial documents (Management Reports, Financial Statements, etc.)
With regards to technical translation, I have translated, for example, technical specification documents in the context of construction project contracts.
I generally use Greek & English interchangeably in my daily life.
Other languages: French, Finnish, Russian, Spanish
Studying to be a translator for 4 years 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. My experience with Spanish and Russian is more limited so my availability will depend on the type of source text.
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. My experience with Spanish and Russian is more limited so my availability will depend on the type of source text.
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 that 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).
