December Linguist Spotlight

We at TLC have decided to take the time to introduce one of our linguists each month. We appreciate the amazing work they do as well as the trust we have built over the years.

Our hope is that through our monthly Linguist Spotlight we can humanize the translation process, helping our readers better understand the people that are involved in the production of top quality translations. Our desire is to see fair trade practices become the norm in the translation industry and we believe highlighting the people involved in production will help educate and inspire others to value fair trade as we do.

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Our December SPOTLIGHT falls on Sonja Scherling!

Sonja Scherling has been a linguist for us for a year and a half. She lives in Argentina in a town of only 40,000 people 1600km down South Patagonia where she can enjoy her favorite environment—a mountainous place with winding paths, lovely views, and fresh air.

Sonja always masters goals on which she sets her mind whether she is making cakes without following a recipe or tackling intense projects for some of our most challenging clients. Sonja exemplifies the go-getter—she eagerly accepts projects from a wide range of subjects and she educates herself on even the most technical projects. We are a stronger company because of linguists like Sonja!

Sonja, what are your working languages?

Spanish is my native language, English is my mother tongue. I translate from English to Spanish and vice-versa.

What did you study that led you to be a linguist?

I earned a Business Management degree as well as a Tertiary degree in Hotel Management. After that I worked in the Marketing and Media Department at Unilever Latam for over 10 years, where I learned to love working with words, ideas and concepts. That discovery brought me to my current work as a freelance linguist.

How did you find Teneo Linguistics Company?

I actually found TLC through Proz, by recommendation of a colleague. He said: “Choose carefully from the Blue Board”, and that is what I did.

When you are not translating for our clients, what do you like to do?

I love riding horses, bareback as a preference; galloping in the wind is my passion! I also enjoy knitting complicated patterns, inventing new things, and creating. I love sharing adventure with my family. The picture [to the left] is of my husband, daughter, sister and I on a four-hour mid-winter ride in the heart of Lanin National Park.

What is your favorite type of translation or a favorite project you completed in the past?

Well, there are many types of projects that I enjoy. I appreciate variety in itself. I’ve always enjoyed logic problems and I like it when I have to solve the unknown. Catalogues, health care, government and company policies are all good fun. There was once a very long law-suit, which was a bit of a mix-up and I really enjoyed the challenge of putting the pieces together.

What do you like or not like about working with TLC?

The whole team is very friendly, highly professional and always there for their linguists. They are very appreciative of our work and are willing to go the extra mile to solve any issues that may arise. They work as a team and make you feel like you are a part of it.

Also, TLC has of late implemented new translation technologies as well as project management software, which have really helped simplify our lives!

Thumbs up to TLC!

This month, we want to thank Sonja for her excellent work and attitude. Her flexibility and promptness make our lives easier. We always know we can rely on a quality translation from Sonja and, during the translation process, she regularly provides reflective feedback that often allows us to be proactive in the editing process. Best of all, she is inquisitive: always asking questions. She is fearless: never afraid to take on a challenging project. And she values teamwork: she understands the need for a collective effort.

Thank you Sonja!