French to English American translator, Marcia Miner is one of the skilled translators who volunteer their time for Translators without Borders. In 2011, Marcia completed 41 projects, totaling 64,228 words donated to NGOs, making her the lead translator with Translator without Borders for the year.
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your career path.
A: I’m from Glen Ridge, New Jersey, am fluent in French, and began my translation career as a bilingual secretary at Peugeot’s American headquarters when the French company was exporting cars to the States. My specialty fields are medical, children’s education, the environment, arts and literature.
Q: Why do you work with Translators without Borders?
A: After the Haitian earthquake, I responded to TWB’s appeal for translators and was accepted. If anything I do can help in some small way to ease the burden on doctors, nurses, teachers, and administrators who are fighting to improve the lives of children and adults around the world suffering under unacceptable conditions, as well as preserve the environment, then I’m glad to do it.
Q: Any particular project / experience with Translators without Borders that you’ll never forget?
A: I especially enjoyed translating a pediatrics/nutrition exam for Doctors without Borders to help train nurses in Kenya.
Q: As a “translator without borders” with such a high count of translated words, what challenges did you encounter (or still do)?
A: I work without translation memory software, and could be much more productive with it.
Q: What do you think of the Translators without Borders Translation Center?
A: The Translation Center runs smoothly and the deadlines are manageable. It’s easy and reliable for me to send and receive documents. The administrators are very cordial and polite.
Q: How is the contact with client NGOs via the Translation Center so far?
A: Contact with client NGOs via the center has been fine.
Q: When you are not translating for TWB, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A: Raising our puppy and collecting dolls and antiques!