Tell us a little about yourself!
I live in Angered, Gothenburg, and I am married with three children. I have been working as a translator for ten years.
I earned my PhD in Arabic in 1996. From 1997 to 1999, I conducted research at SOAS University of London and the American University of Beirut. I then held a research position at Uppsala University, where I participated in a major project focusing on languages in Western Asia. My role was to study Arabic dialects in Iran.
I made three fascinating and rewarding trips to Iran, where I recorded Arabic dialects in villages near Shiraz and in an area of Khuzestan near the Afghan border, close to the city of Birjand.
I have also taught Arabic at the University of Gothenburg on several occasions.
What qualities make you a good translator?
My area of specialisation in Arabic is syntax. My doctoral dissertation focused on word order in Arabic. The aim was to examine the order of verbs, subjects and objects in modern Arabic dialects and compare it with pre-Islamic prose, using 800 pages of prose by Ibn Ishaq about the life of Muhammad.
To carry out this research properly, I had to develop an in-depth understanding of syntax and text linguistics, which gave me a broad perspective on the language. I found this extremely interesting, and this background has been very valuable in my work as a translator.
I also worked as an interpreter from 2010 to 2014, which has provided valuable experience that I have often been able to apply to my translation work.
Why did you become a translator?
I had been interested in translation work for a long time. When I learned that it was possible to work as a specialised translator, I contacted Tolkförmedling Väst. Shortly afterwards, in 2005, I began working for them.
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
I appreciate the freedom that comes with the profession. I can plan my own schedule. Some days involve intensive work for a limited period, while on other days I translate from morning until evening, taking breaks for other activities such as jogging, picking up my children from school and driving them to their various activities.
I also continue to deepen my knowledge of the Arabic language and the Arab world, including its social, political and economic conditions.
Many texts present their own unique challenges, which makes the work both stimulating and rewarding.
What positive changes have you experienced in your daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Since I work from home, I haven’t noticed much difference during the pandemic. However, I appreciate that the pace of life has become a little slower in certain respects.