Tell us a little about yourself!
I have been working as a translator for nearly forty years, and my expertise is based on my extensive experience with the languages I translate to and from. I consider myself a language enthusiast, and I truly enjoy my profession. I also regard myself as a professional translator.
What qualities make you a good translator?
I consider myself to be approachable, accessible, honest, reliable and dedicated. Despite the linguistic challenges that can arise during translation, I always strive to deliver professionally completed translations and ensure that my clients are satisfied with the work I provide. I believe I have succeeded in doing so throughout my many years in the translation industry.
Why did you become a translator?
I became a translator by chance. My career began in the early 1970s when I was working as a locally employed staff member at the Somali Embassy in Stockholm. I received a request from a government authority that needed assistance transcribing a cassette recording.
At the time, as far as I knew, there was a shortage of both Somali interpreters and translators. As a result, I gradually began receiving requests from various clients offering me different assignments.
During my first twenty years, I worked as a freelance interpreter, and in the late 1970s, I was contacted by the language department of the former Swedish Immigration Board.
Following this, I began working as a translator alongside my interpreting assignments and my work in the IT industry.
Since then, I have completed a wide variety of language-related assignments. Among other things, I have helped numerous clients develop examination materials for interpreters, collaborated with TÖI (the Institute for Interpreting and Translation Studies) and assisted the Swedish Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet) in authorising some of the very first interpreters in Sweden.
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
What I enjoy most about my profession is the freedom to manage my own working hours and the opportunity to work remotely, something that wasn’t always possible in the past.
What is the most challenging part of your profession?
One of the biggest challenges is the lack of colleagues and the fact that I often work alone, including weekends and evenings, to meet the deadlines I have promised my clients. Another challenge is the significant linguistic differences between Swedish and my native language, Somali.
The Somali written language was officially introduced in 1972, which meant that reliable dictionaries, vocabulary lists and terminology resources were almost non-existent, particularly at that time.