It is time to show the world the best part of Starska Translations – our very talented translators!
Are you curious about who is working with us behind the doors?
Ladies and Gentlemen, meet our lovely Hungarian translator – Hajnalka.
· Why did you decide to become a translator?
I always wanted to move to Adriatic-coast in Italy. My profession back then was computational linguist - by profession and love. Still, there was no way I could have found anything related to it in Riccione (IT), and then I began to translate regularly. I was passionate about languages, intercultural communication and the idea of a united Europe, so I thought the translation was a perfect way to combine these three ideas.
· What is the best part of working as a translator?
Freedom to be on vacation, whenever I want, and working wherever I want 😊
· What's your favourite topic of translating?
Wine (I am a certified Italian sommelier and a level 3 student of the WSET program).
· What was the most complicated translation you have ever completed?
A month before the most significant wine fair in Italy - Vinitaly - I received a call from THE DREAM CLIENT to translate their tasting portfolio. The head of marketing went on about how important the job was and how they appreciate my help. The only tricky part was: I was in labour full of labour pains three minutes apart. I pulled through the conversation without telling, got a healthy baby AND the job right.
· Can you tell us about any funny project you have worked on?
I had to translate a privacy statement using a tone for kids. The source text made me laugh all the time (for example, You have three superpowers: you can erase any of your data, you want etc.)
· Have you ever experienced any funny or embarrassing situations when working on a translation project?
A good client of mine once presented me a contract to translate, which was for cam girls - yes, live porn. Well, the list of things the girls were not supposed to do in front of the camera made me blush, but the real deal was when I had to ask them the meaning of a couple of abbreviations. :-)
· What's your favourite food?
Curry in London, or Greek salad in Greece. But sure, you are right: any native food of any given country is excellent. BUT: vegetarian, please.
· What are the three necessary things that are essential in your work?
Laptop, internet, time
· Are translators superheroes and why?
Obviously, we are. We work crazy hours, every day on a different topic or for a different client.
We are constantly changing our tone of voice, depending on the project we work on.
We learn, work, invoice, do marketing, have families, go on dates...we are a one-man-band. In today's life, we are all superheroes.
· In your opinion, how has Covid changed the translations industry?
Too soon to tell. The immediate effects are there. When lockdowns are more challenging, the workload gets easier. I never translated so many instructions on using masks, behaving in a building, software manuals for online meetings before.
· What is the best place you have been to on holidays?
Cuba in 2014. Food was great, and people were amicable so that I could dust off my Spanish; I felt very-very safe and on top of this: there was no internet, so it was the first time in 5 years then that I travelled without my laptop. :-)
· Give us an example of a complicated word in your language.
Ok, try this one: luxusmoszkvicskisbusz-slusszukulcs (Luxury Moskvitch minibus key), but you also could try just tyúknyak (chicken neck).
· What would you say to young people who want to become translators?
To plan a master in marketing and business too. Translating is way more than just the cultural equivalance of a text in another language.