Sarah Bowyer
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Where do you live/work?
I live and work in Cuddington, Cheshire (close to where I grew up).
Are you mainly a translator or interpreter or both? What languages?
I translate from French and Spanish into English.
What are your specialist fields?
I specialise in legal texts because I’m also a qualified lawyer; I had a previous career working for many years in international law firms. I also work in sports and I’m carving out a niche in sports law, so it really helps that I’m a huge football fan!
What’s the strangest/most interesting project you’ve ever worked on?
I often get to translate interesting interviews with footballers, but some of the most surprising and fascinating have been with the other people working in and around the sport. For example, I recently worked on an interview with Juan Bernabé, a Spanish falconer responsible for training Lazio’s eagle mascot, Olimpia. Before every home match, Olimpia flies around the stadium and is supposed to land on a plinth on the pitch (if she doesn’t, it’s considered to be a bad omen for the game!).
Tell us about a particularly proud moment in your translation career:
Translating an interview with Juan Mata, one of my favourite Manchester United players, was a personal highlight, as was working with a team of amazing linguists on the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019, which really brought the women’s game into the spotlight. Beyond my day to day translation work, I was extremely proud to be asked to be a panellist on ITI and The Open University’s “SWATI” (Starting Work as a Translator or Interpreter) course. As a relative newcomer to the profession myself, I’ve had lots of good advice from colleagues and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to share some tips of my own to help those just starting out.
Tell us two reasons why you like being a translator/interpreter:
It brings me closer to the things I love: not just languages (which is a given) but also my subject specialisms. For many years, I had the misconception that I would somehow “ruin” my interests if they became work, but that just isn’t the case. I’m enjoying learning about people and their businesses and I’ve got to know some wonderful colleagues and clients.
I like being my own boss! I enjoy (most of) the business side of being a freelancer and am excited about where it might lead. My brand is very personal (it’s essentially me!), so I have much more freedom in terms of how I want to represent myself and interact with my clients.
What is the most interesting place where you have lived/visited?
I’ve been lucky enough to live in and explore many interesting places, but Barcelona has to win because of the incredible people and the long-lasting relationships I built. I spent most of my university summer holidays there, working for people I now consider to be an extension of my own family. As if the city itself weren’t magical enough, my Spanish “parents” made sure I had so many fantastic experiences, from meeting the President of FC Barcelona to watching the World Swimming Championships on Montjuīc. Their (very patient) grandad even sat and listened as I read my Isabel Allende books aloud to him to practise my Spanish accent!
What are your plans for professional development or a new field you’d like to work in?
At this stage, I’d like to deepen my understanding of my existing specialist areas, so I plan to take some more legal training courses in sports law. I’d also like to do some work on improving support for freelance translators’ mental health, starting with weekly online tea break chats – watch this space!
Tell us something not many people know about you:
I’m obsessed with music. When I was in the Sixth Form, I earned some pocket money by teaching the piano. My hidden talent is being able to ‘name that tune’ in only a few seconds, which is great for pub quizzes! Somewhat predictably, my ultimate feelgood song is World in Motion by England New Order, which I remember from the Italia ’90 World Cup (when five-year old me tried to persuade my mum to buy a new Fiat Panda car with specially-designed tyres that looked like footballs…).
