About Me

My name is Karen Stokes and I have been running KES_Translate since 2002, providing French to English translation, proofreading and editing services to translation agencies, SMEs, international development organisations and individuals.


Most of my clients are based in the UK and France, and I am happy to communicate with you in either French or English.

Background

I studied Modern Languages at Oxford in the 1980s and then spent a number of years as a grocery buyer and new product development manager for one of the UK’s major supermarket chains. After living in the US for a couple of years, I returned to the UK and to languages, teaching French to adults and young people in further education and working as a business language trainer and private tutor. I qualified as a translator in 2001 via the Diploma in Translation awarded by the Institute of Linguists.

Skills

Good translators do not just need excellent knowledge of their foreign language. They also have to have:

  •    an ability to write fluently in their own language
  •    an in-depth understanding of the culture of the country or countries where their foreign language is spoken, and of their own country
  •    first-class research skills
  •    up-to-to date technical skills, tools and resources

Values

I believe translation is a job for professionals who are:

  •    qualified
  •    working into their mother tongue
  •    experienced in the subject area
  •    aware of their clients’ needs

In practice, this means your translation will be accurate, delivered on time and well presented, and that I will talk to you in detail before I start the job to be sure of exactly what you need.


I will make sure you understand how much the job will cost and how long it will take before I start work.


In return, I will ask you to help me produce a good translation by letting me have any useful background information you have available – and I’ll also ask you to read and agree to my terms of business, so that we both know where we stand before we begin working together.


If I’m not able to help you – perhaps because you need a translation from English into French, a subject area I don’t work in, or an interpreter rather than a translator, I will do my best to help you find someone who can.