Iwan Davies and Translutions

Iwan recently took some time out of his busy working schedule to answer some questions about his life, his work and his ambitions. Here, totally uncensored, are the results!

What made you go into translation?

I grew up with a great love of languages. I can remember being at middle school, at the age of 12, and pleading with the French teacher that I should be allowed to learn when to use the past historic tense! Despite efforts of other teachers at high school to get me to carry a science through to A-Level, I went on to take French, German and Economics. From there, it was a natural step to read languages at university, but I was sure that I didn’t want to study languages just for languages’ sake. I wanted to do something with my talent! Heriot-Watt University, near Edinburgh, offer an undergraduate course in Translation and Interpreting – back then they were one of only three universities to do so – and I was determined to make a place on that course my own. I nearly flunked it – I have always been a little too blasé about exams – but I finally got through.

And what about the present?

Well, until the end of 1999, we lived and worked in Germany – I for a software company, as Translation Team Leader, and my wife for a bank, as a staff-translator. Not long after getting married we came to the decision that, as we didn’t plan to stay in Germany for ever, we had better move back to Britain before the roots started to get too strong and held us back. We both enjoyed our life in Germany, and our work, too. But we felt it was time to make a fresh start, and I had always wanted to work for myself. Of course, my experience with DCW Software has helped me tremendously, not only in the field of localisation, but also in the areas of ERP and logistics, which have become two of my main specialisms. I am very grateful for the chance given to me by DCW, and feel privileged to have been able to work with my former colleagues there. I still enjoy working with them now, on a freelance basis.

And what of Translutions’ future?

Well, without giving away my plans... To start with, I really want to concentrate on building up my client-base. That means providing quality translations to people who can appreciate good work! So many translators are willing to sell themselves short, and that can damage the profession. I don’t believe in doing a small job at 90% because the client doesn’t have lots of work – I'll put as much effort into a £50 job as into a £5000 job. Having said that, though, I will also remain choosy about the jobs that I take on – I don’t mind doing small jobs, but I need to know that my clients are aware of the quality processes behind a good translation. Worthy ideals, of course... but it’s still early days, yet.

Tell us about your other hobbies.

A true Welshman, I am passionate about rugby, and my determination to succeed, despite not being a natural athlete, gave me a place in the school’s first XV, both in the fifth form and lower sixth. Of course, my lack of athletic prowess meant that I soon lost that place in the upper sixth, when more capable students moved up from the fifth form, but I was rewarded for my determination with the captaincy of the second XV. Needless to say, many members of that team shared my lack of athleticism, and we carried the proud record of no wins, 1 draw and two losses (not many schools in Staffordshire could raise a first XV, let alone a second XV). But I learned a vital lesson of leadership in adversity, and achieving that draw (a game which we would have won, had our fly-half kicked a penalty with 30 seconds on the clock – not that I’m bitter, of course!) really was a triumph of mind over matter. The team consisted of a bunch of guys who enjoyed playing rugby, disliked training, and didn't have a lot of physical talent. We should have lost that match by 30 points, but we almost won it. And that, for me as captain, was a proud moment. In the end, the boy who missed the kick graduated to the first XV, and has subsequently played regularly for Stafford firsts! Out of school, I did play once or twice for a local works’ third XV. I played hooker – in the centre of the scrum for those who aren’t au fait with the terminology – and the first match was a real eye-opener! My colleagues in the front row were in their forties (I was no more than seventeen), and they looked after me. I seem to remember playing quite well (for the average standard, at least) but I decided it wasn’t really for me. My relationship with rugby was summed up best by my best-man at our wedding in April, 1999: “Iwan’s role in the sport seems very much to have been an armchair and beer one!”.