Say buongiorno to our accomplished English-to-Italian translator Elena Zanatta, who boasts well over a decade of experience in translating specialist content. Elena, who collaborates with us on medical materials, gives us an insight into her work and how she got to where she is today.
What led you to a career in translation?
My passion for languages started early on, learning English as a child and later French and German at high school (sadly those last two are long since forgotten!). Initially, my dream was to become an interpreter, so I enrolled in the Translation and Interpreting course at Ca’ Foscari University in Italy, where I also had the chance to work with Simplified Chinese. I soon realised, however, that interpreting wasn’t quite the right path for me. One of my professors was a freelance translator, and it was then that I discovered my desire to become the very same. So, after earning my bachelor’s degree, I pursued a postgraduate degree in Technical and Scientific Translation. Once I had that in my back pocket, I started out as a freelance translator and I’ve not looked back since.
What are your areas of specialisation?
My primary area of specialization is medicine, with a particular focus on translating materials related to mental health and self-development. I have extensive experience in translating clinical trial documentation – which includes study protocols, informed consent forms (ICFs), patient recruitment materials, newsletters, patient-oriented apps, eDiaries, and informative videos.
Given just how regulated the medical field is, I am well versed in EU/EMA regulations and institutional terminology. This field can be quite challenging, as it requires a deep understanding of the subject matter; mistakes can have serious consequences and may even be life-threatening. However, it’s also extremely rewarding. I love the idea that my translations may help someone feel better, approach their condition with greater awareness, or understand new treatments. It gives me a sense of purpose!
When I’m not translating medical content, I enjoy translating HR materials. This includes content aimed at promoting wellbeing in the workplace, which is closely linked to mental health, as well as materials for hiring and retaining a skilled and engaged workforce. Recently, I completed a transcreation project for a listening and reading comprehension test used in hiring processes. It was very interesting to track down equivalent expressions that would resonate with Italian candidates while maintaining the same level of difficulty as the English source text.
When working from English into Italian, what do you need to bear in mind?
Typically, sentences in Italian are 20 to 30 % longer than the corresponding English. This can prove a challenge when translating content that has character limitations such as apps, websites, video subtitles, or promotional materials for social media.
Italian also distinguishes between formal (Lei) and informal (tu) forms of address, while English uses ‘you’ for all contexts. It’s therefore essential to understand the target audience to determine which form of address fits best. Moreover, Italian is a gendered language, meaning that some words, such as adjectives, articles and some verbs, must agree in gender. This can be particularly tricky when a client requests a gender-neutral translation or when creating voiceover scripts for patient-facing videos, as the use of gender-adapted options may be awkward or even unworkable.
Added to that, some English words can be translated in a whole variety of ways in Italian, depending on the context. As a result, a thorough understanding of the subject matter in question is essential for delivering accurate translations.
What’s the best thing about being a translator?
In my eyes, there are two key benefits of my work as a freelance translator. The first is the opportunity to learn new things. When conducting research for translation projects, I come across a wealth of valuable information that deepens my understanding of specific medical conditions and helps me grow my expertise overall.
The second aspect I appreciate is the flexibility to organise my own schedule. I love having the freedom to take a short walk if I have a couple of hours free, or to use that time to develop a new skill, attend a webinar or simply spend time with my family. This is one of the main perks of being a freelance translator.
What has been your favourite First Edition project so far?
In general, I get excited about the impact my translations can have on helping people understand a specific medical illness. So when I was contacted by the FE project management team to work on materials related to a therapy to treat an inherited brain condition, I was thrilled. This condition affects children, so the text particularly resonated with me as a mother of two.
Parla Italiano with us
Much like Elena, First Edition Translations has been in the business for many years now. We work closely with vetted, qualified professionals such as Elena to successfully bring your content to new audiences and unlock fresh opportunities. If you’d like to know more about what we can do for you, you can contact our multilingual project managers at enquiries@firstedit.co.uk.