In the 7^th issue of our interview series, we introduce you to Ms. Hitomi Tendo-Fischer that translates from Japanese to German. After studying abroad in Germany she did work in the tourism industry and also worked as a secretary in German companies before she became a translator for us. She is interested in a lot of things and always wants to challenge herself with something new. She is a huge enrichment for us and we are looking forward to her future efforts.

With her German skills, she can freely translate Japanese into correct German at a level that even amazes German native speakers.

Please enjoy the world of Ms. Tendo that really loves the German language.

---

Which languages do you translate and what is your special field?

Mainly from Japanese to German in the field of chemistry and also from Japanese to German in the field of engineering and electrical engineering.

Please tell us more about your career before and since you joined transeuro.

Public relation department of the national tourism organization→ Assistant and secretary of German and English colleagues (German company) → Translator (S&E, Sonderhoff & Einsel patent and law office, transeuro, inc.)

Why did you decide to become a translator?

I wanted to work in a profession where I can use German. I am still grateful towards the HR personnel that lead to me being hired.

It has been three years since transeuro, that originally was the translation department of a law and patent firm became a separate firm. Did your attitude and thoughts about translation change?

I feel the importance of my translation for the company stronger than before. When a client is satisfied with a translation it will lead to future orders. On the other hand, when they are not satisfied this will not only have bad consequences for me but for the whole company. That thought is scary.

You are translating patent specifications in a different technical fields. How do you feel about that?

I want to do translation work in a lot of different fields. Of course, in the beginning, it takes time and effort when you work in an unfamiliar field, but that is the same for every profession. By completing projects in a certain field one day an unfamiliar field will become familiar. Now you will start to make a lot of new discoveries. I think the joy of acquiring new knowledge is splendid. But it is not only about new discoveries also the energy you need for challenging yourself with a lot of tasks is necessary for me.

What do you think will be expected of translators in the future?

Speed and quality are already being expected. On top of that, you should be interested in the field you are working in. I think that if you are not interested you cannot deliver the translation you are aiming for. Whether you are interested or not will have a huge impact on your speed and quality. You will have to invest some of your time to grow an interest. Unfortunately, it is also true that making that time is not always easy.

What are the strengths of transeuro?

It is a company of pro linguists (laughs). In my case it is German. When I tell someone that I work as a German translator they are always surprised about what a terrific job I am doing. But a lot of my colleagues at transeuro are even more terrific. Everyone has taken a different route to become what they are now. That is why we are a company where a lot of veteran translators with a lot of different experiences come together. I think that is our strength.

The CEO is talking about a “rocking!” translation company. What do you think this means?

I was expecting this question (laughs). But it is difficult to answer. … There is no clear answer to this question so if I have to say something I would say that in a rock band you need a vocalist, a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer.  They all are specialists in their field and in the end, they perform a song together. This is related to one of the previous questions but I think it means that people with different backgrounds come together in one company and create translations, doesn’t it? (My answer ended up as a question) By the way, the CEO that talks about a “rocking” translation company lives in the same city as I do. I wish he taught me about the true meaning of a “rocking” company one day.

What does Germany mean to you personally?

I was able to make a lot of experiences when studying abroad in Germany. So compared to other countries Germany has a special meaning to me. I started to learn the piano 2 years ago.  Now I would like to visit places related to famous German composers.

A message to the readers

Thank you for reading until the end.

My message to the readers … This also applies to me but when you feel that you want to try out something, do it right now. That is the best timing to start something new. Of course, it is not easy to make the time, but if you schedule your activities you can make time for anything. If you want to be a translator, first find a field that you are interested in. It can be anything. When you are interested in something you will pick up new information naturally and it is a lot of fun. I personally want to try out a lot of new things in the future.

Thank you for having me.

---

Previous issues of “Interview with the mysterious translators of transeuro “

Issue 1 – O. M.
Issue 2 – Mayuko Saito
Issue 3 – H. N.
Issue 4 – Hiroyuki Omata
Issue 5 – Satoshi Furuya
Issue 6 – Shunsuke Iizuka

---

Similar Posts

[jetpack-related-posts]