A Great Translation

I was born and raised in Admont, Austria, where I attended the Stiftsgymnasium (secondary school) and began to learn English, Latin, and French. 

From 1981 to 1984, I pursued a degree in Politikwissenschaft (Political Science) and Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (Mass Media and Communication Studies) at the University of Salzburg.  From 1984-1986, I worked  as a student representative and student adviser.

In 1986, I earned a 1st Diploma Certificate (comparable to Bachelor of Arts degree) in Media and Communication Studies/Political Science at the University of Salzburg (1986). The same year, I was also awarded a two-semester student exchange scholarship.

From 1986-87, I pursued studies in Mass Communication at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Bowling Green, Ohio. A year later, I received an additional one-semester graduate assistantship at BGSU and, during this time, also taught German at two Elementary schools in Bowling Green.
After spending 1990 and 1991 in Austria, I returned to the U.S. and, in 1992, completed my Master of Arts degree in Mass Communication at BGSU with the defense of my Master's thesis, "Music-Film Theory."

I began my career as an instructor of German in 1998 at the University of Toledo. I have taught and still teach, on a part-time basis, language courses in German and culture courses in English. I began my career as a professional translator in 1999. Since then, I have successfully completed many projects in various fields. I gladly provide professional references upon request.

In the video on the left, images are used quite fittingly to accompany a great tune by Pat Metheny. Some images express its theme and atmosphere, others show the composer and master guitarist.

Now, imagine for a moment that the tune - usually consisting of notes and sounds - consists exclusively of words in a particular language and that you, the translator, have to write and play these words in another language. You would use a completely different set of words, grammatical structures, and idioms. It means you would recreate the original composition for a new audience who is accustomed only to the musical words of their language.

The translation of a comprehensive text is indeed a complex undertaking and can be likened to the process of creating a new musical composition that must, however, be faithful, in many regards, to the original one. The translator's personal background, skills, and experience also infuse this process, making every translation unique.

In her book, Literature into Film: Theory and Practical Approaches, Linda Costanzo Cahir aptly writes:

“There is a hierarchy and intent within the dynamics of translating. In the large and small decisions that attend the work of translating, each individual translator must determine what is most crucial, what is of secondary importance, and what is of least importance: The literal letter of the parent text? Its structure? Its unique music – its rhythms and sounds? Its meaning? Its accessibility to a popular audience? Its beauty? While a translator may want to be faithful to all these features of the source text, translation, at its finest, is an art, with the translator’s values determining the subtleties of decisions that attend the complex process of translating.”

In order to arrive at a great translation, I apply my extensive and unique knowledge of both languages and cultures, a keen interest in and love for my work, respect for the original writer and the source text, and an innate linguistic talent.