For me, skillful interpreting is about more than transferring what has been said into another language. It is also about enabling successful exchanges between people across language and country boundaries. Long periods of time spent in French-speaking areas (9 years) and in the Arabic-speaking world (12 years) have allowed me to perfect my language skills and acquire a broad range of social and intercultural skills which are deployed during my interpreting assignments and, indeed, contribute decisively to their success.
My aim is to interpret conversations or speeches so unobtrusively that the most direct communication possible results. What has been said is not summarized, embellished, explained or elaborated upon: it is simply reproduced as accurately as possible in words that come as close as possible to the register, phrasing and tone of the original. This demands empathy and intuition as well as linguistic competence – and sometimes also a keen sense of humour.
My work as a skilled and experienced interpreter is invaluable in many settings:
- the courts and the justice system
- consultations with lawyers or notaries
- expert witness reports
- the civil registry office
- other public authorities
- visits to the doctor, or stays in hospital
- pregnancy or crisis counselling
- women’s refuges
- and in many other situations
I can also assist business partners or delegations from abroad as an liaison interpreter. As a sworn translator and as a member of Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer (BDÜ), the professional association of interpreters and translators in Germany, I take my responsibilities to comply with the ethical standards of the profession very seriously. These include, in particular, neutrality and confidentiality.