I am a professional interpreter/translator with six years of experience as an all calls and various specialties interpreting. I am a dual citizen Moroccan American and fully proficient at my language pair.

Starting with an English and Linguistics major in college provided me with the basics to the business, including familiarity with semantics, phonology and awareness of cultural diversity. However, a major in a foreign language is not enough to excel as an interpreter. I believe the systematic study of human societies in sociology allow for deeper understanding of the nuances that arise as a result of cultural differences in both the source and the target languages I translate. While it is essential to abide by neutrality in translation and interpreting, understanding cultural differences is key to being an effective facilitator. Accuracy in interpretation is maintained through familiarity with the register, from legal, medical to street/slang. Idioms like “chicken with its head cut of, stop beating around the bushes, in hot water” can be difficult to translate in another language due to cultural gap, which can be facilitated through more focus on meaning. Closer attention to emotions, tone, volume and gestures are also important in communicating effectively.