Learn more about me and jf Language Services

Julia Frenzel

Julia Frenzel

A passion for foreign languages

I already developed a passion for foreign languages and cultures while I was at secondary school, and later went on to make these my profession. During my university studies in interpreting and translating I lived in England for two years in order to master the subtleties of the English language.

After several years of being employed as a translator between English and German, I decided to become a freelancer in order to be able to offer a personalised range of language services. With this range of customised solutions, I would like to assist you to always find the right words for the right situation, be it through translation, editing, proofreading, gender-neutral speech, sensitivity reading or any other form of revision. I can help you find the correct tone to match your requirements.

For me personally, the biggest advantages of being a freelancer are location-independent working and the possibility of continuously enhancing my skills and services. That being said, I have found a second home in Iceland and I am currently working on extending my range of services to include the Icelandic language.

Qualifications

State-certification, MA, professional association and public appointment

Did you know that “translator” and “interpreter” are not protected job titles in Germany and many other countries? In theory, anybody can work as a translator or interpreter, even if they only learned their foreign language skills for holiday purposes. Therefore, you should pay special attention to assigning your texts to a qualified professional translator, even if it may seem costly at first glance. After all, you would not have your new house designed by a hobby architect just because it is cheaper. When the beautiful facade begins to crumble, expensive repairs will ultimately ensue. The same is true for non-professional translations!

To find out whether a translator/interpreter is qualified, check for the following:

  • A qualification such as “state-certified translator and interpreter”, “university-trained translator and interpreter” or an “MA in Interpreting and Translating” that can only be obtained by passing state examinations or university examinations

    I passed my state examination as a translator and interpreter at the Fremdspracheninstitut der Landeshauptstadt München (Munich’s municipal foreign languages institute) in 2008 and gained a Master’s degree in interpreting and translating at the University of Salford. Currently, I am working on an additional postgraduate diploma in translation from Icelandic into German.

  • Membership in a professional association such as BDÜ, ITI, ATA

    The Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators (Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer e.V. or BDÜ), for example, only accepts members with proven relevant training and qualifications. I joined this association in August 2012. From April 2015 until March 2018, I held a seat on the board of the Bavarian regional association with responsibility for public relations.

  • Public appointment

    A public appointment entitles translators to do certified translations, and interpreters to also interpret for the court as well as for public authorities.

    I was publicly appointed and sworn-in as a translator and interpreter for the English language by the Landgericht (district court) Nürnberg-Fürth in January 2011.

  • Specialisation

    A translator who not only possesses excellent language skills but also specialises in certain fields is usually familiar with the technical jargon relevant to their field of expertise and has the necessary background knowledge to produce high-quality translations even for complex texts.

I have developed my fields of expertise in various ways.

  • During my translating and interpreting degree course, I selected business/economics as my area of specialisation and have since deepened my knowledge of this subject over the course of my professional career.

  • Marketing became another focus when I was elected to the board of my professional translators’ association as PR representative in 2015. I have since also applied the knowledge and experience gained in this role to my translation work.

  • Education is a subject which matters to me personally. I have delved extensively into second language acquisition during early childhood, among other things, and for several years, I ran my own small language school for children while at the same time also working as a translator.

Are you convinced?