Education
Diploma of English, Official School of Languages, Madrid 1972
MSc Biology, University of Madrid, 1974
Sworn Interpreter, English. Office of Language Interpretation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Madrid, 2000
Professional Experience
I became bilingual in English because I lived in the United States at a very early age, while my father, a medical doctor, did a three year rotating internship in US hospitals. He subsequently became a civilian employee of the US Air Forces at Torrejón Air Base near Madrid, Spain, where, as an obstetrician and gynaecologist, he helped deliver over ten thousand US babies in the 35 years he worked there until his retirement.
My keen interest in sailing and my good English helped me approach British sailing yachts from our summer house in the NW coast of Spain, resulting in several cruises under sail which turned my accent more British and earned me the only Spanish membership in the exclusive Royal Cruising Club of London in 1974.
I was first asked to translate books because of my knowledge of sailing terms. Starting in 1977, I translated or revised the whole of the sailing series of the Swiss consortium United Nautical Publishers ("This is" series, such as This is Sailing, This is Sailboat Cruising, Boat Tuning for Speed, This is Racing, This is Competitive Sailing, Looking at Sails, This is Surfboard Sailing, etc.). Thereafter, I translated and published many books from various European and American publisher (Dorling Kindersley, Bantam Doubleday Dell, Elder Books, Scott Foresman, Time Life, National Geographic Society, Larousse, Macmillan, etc.) for my own company, Editorial Raíces, S.A., and for various other Spanish publishers. The largest books I have translated are the Macmillan Encyclopaedia of Animals and the Larousse Gardening and Gardens. I have translated altogether some 200 books.
Subject matters have ranged from sailing and natural history (zoology, botany, gardening, ornithology, mycology, medicinal herbs, aquaria, ...), to antiques, automobiles, golf, astronomy, cooking, history, nutrition, guitar, engines, sports, Alzheimer, travel guides, medicine, text books, etc.
I also began to translate for international translation agencies. For these I began to specialise in medical and pharmaceutical material, particularly clinical trial protocols, medical devices and drug registration, although I have done all sorts of things, such a patent applications, International Baccalaureate test questions, disease management handbooks (diabetes, hypertension...), pest control material, veterinary medicine material, and even insurance claims. In the course of this work I have translated for many pharmaceutical laboratories and medical device manufacturers wordwide.
In March 2000 I became a sworn English interpreter, a certificate issued by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs allowing me to act officially in legal matters, as a sort of Notary Public regarding translation.
Lastly, I have a very long experience in simultaneous translation, and I have attended in this capacity many congresses and business meetings, in Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, Australia, etc.
Sample Texts
Specialty:
Bacteriology & Virology
From:
English
INTENDED USE
The BD ProbeTec™ ET Chlamydiaceae Family (CF) Amplified DNA Assay, for use with the BD ProbeTec ET System, employs Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA) technology for the direct qualitative detection of DNA from organisms belonging to the family Chlamydiaceae (including, but not limited to Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydophila psittaci) from lower respiratory specimens (e.g., sputum,
To:
Spanish
USO PREVISTO
El análisis de ADN amplificado para la familia Chlamydiaceae (CF) BD ProbeTec™ ET, para uso con el sistema BD ProbeTec ET, utiliza la tecnología de amplificación por desplazamiento de cadenas (SDA) para la detección cualitativa directa del ADN de organismos pertenecientes a la familia Chlamydiaceae (incluyendo, sin limitación, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydophila psittaci) a partir de muestras de las vías respiratorias inferiores (por ejemplo esputo,
Specialty:
Cardiology
From:
English
Why is this research being done?
This research is being done to compare two different approaches to collecting information from your implanted device. You have been asked to participate because your doctor has determined that you should receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). An ICD is a small electronic medical device that is implanted into the body. An ICD can constantly watch your heart rhythms and automatically deliver electrical therapy
To:
Spanish
¿Para qué se realiza esta investigación?
Esta investigación se realiza para comparar dos enfoques diferentes de la recopilación de información de su dispositivo implantado. Se le ha rogado que participe porque su médico ha determinado que debe recibir usted un desfibrilador automático implantable (DAI). Un DAI es un pequeño dispositivo electrónico médico que se implanta en el organismo. Un DAI puede vigilar constantemente sus ritmos cardíacos y administrar automáticamente una terapia eléctrica
Specialty:
Pharmaceuticals
From:
English
Objectives
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) in men with erectile dysfunction and arterial hypertension who are taking two or more antihypertensive agents and to determine treatment satisfaction.
Study Population
Approximately 550 male subjects, aged 18 years and older (no upper age limit) with documented erectile dysfunction and arterial hypertension who are taking two or more antihypertensive agents.
To:
Spanish
Objetivos
Evaluar la eficacia y la seguridad del Viagra® (citrato de sildenafilo) en varones con disfunción eréctil e hipertensión arterial que están tomando dos o más agentes antihipertensores y determinar la satisfacción con el tratamiento.
Población del estudio
Aproximadamente 550 sujetos varones, de 18 años de edad y mayores (sin límite superior de edad) con disfunción eréctil documentada e hipertensión arterial que están tomando uno o más agentes antihipertensores.