Portfolio

Portfolio

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Summary of skills, experience and interests
Current CV
Testimonials
Samples of translation work
Membership of professional organisations

Summary of skills, experience and interests

Doctorate:	PhD in automated machine translation evaluation
Master's Degree:	MA in Applied Translation Studies (Pass with Distinction)
Teacher Training:	Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in modern languages
Degree:	BA Honours (2:1) in French and Italian

	Fluent in French and Italian
	Conversational skills in German and Spanish
	Sixteen years of experience in language teaching
	Fifteen years of experience in translation
	Four years of experience in demonstrating and teaching the use of CAT tools
	Four years of research in Computing
	Experience of training professional linguists in Microsoft Office, file management and efficient Internet use
	Nine academic papers published on Machine Translation evaluation and corpus compilation
	Interest in the Italian Renaissance and modern European art (1880-present), with one year of undergraduate study in Art History
	Piano, flute and guitar player with an interest in all kinds of music
	Harley Davidson owner and writer for the Aire Valley Times, the magazine of the Aire Valley Chapter of the Harley Owners' Group (HOG)

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Current CV

Please click here for the English version.

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Testimonials

Here are a few excerpts:

Translation agency, UK
… for prompt delivery of a complex technical report
Dear Debbie,
I thought you would like to know that I have now received approval from the client on this project, and been thanked for an excellent job, to boot. Many thanks for your contribution to this. It was a great help, and I'm glad that you turned out to be available at this time.

Centre for Translation Studies, University of Leeds, UK
…for working as a CAT tool demonstrator for the MA in Applied Translation Studies
Following completion of her MA in Applied Translation Studies, Debbie was identified by course tutors as an unusually proficient user of CAT tools and was thus invited to return as a paid demonstrator for other students on the specialised Masters-level module in translation technology. She worked in this capacity for four years and was valued by all the course team as an exemplary colleague throughout her involvement. Debbie was technically competent, an excellent communicator and strong linguist. In addition, her respect for deadlines, strong commitment to preparation in advance of classes and willingness to respond to feedback were always impressive - qualities which will of course be helpful in her work as a translator and reviser.

Centre for Translation Studies, University of Leeds, UK
…for work during Master's Degree
In a group of approximately fifty international MA students, Ms Elliott stood out as one of the most organised, committed and successful in the group, attaining the highest mark in both assessments in Computer-Assisted Translation, against stiff competition. Assessments combined practical use of advanced computer tools with intellectual analysis, research and writing skills. Ms Elliott excelled in all these fields.

Park Lane College, Leeds, UK
… for designing and writing the College's adult assessment materials for French, Italian and Spanish
I have circulated your NCFE Level One and Level Two assessment resources - what a huge amount of work there is! I am so grateful for your superb keyboarding and computing skills, never mind the language skills. I am very glad I didn't have to settle down and do it myself! Or even worse, organise a team to do it. Thank you very much.

Sherburn Community Education Centre, North Yorkshire, UK
… for adult language teaching
Debbie Elliott has been, and continues to be, an exemplary member of our team of Adult Tutors. She has guided a class of adults (complete beginners) to a nationally recognised certificate in an enjoyable and professional manner.

PGL Ski Europe, UK
… for working as a school ski representative, including ad hoc interpreting, in Italy
The role of Ski Representative is a complex and highly responsible one, ensuring that every aspect of a group's trip runs smoothly. Debbie carries out her role with enthusiasm, professionalism and cheerfulness and this is reflected in the excellent reports received from her groups.

Knottingley High School, West Yorkshire
… for full-time language teaching
Debbie's understanding and mastery of Information Technology have inevitably been of great use and this was much appreciated. In addition to her industry, efficiency and professionalism, she has also been a real pleasure to work with. Totally reliable, supportive, resourceful and willing, she has a delightful sense of humour, works easily with others in the team, works equally effectively on her own and is always sympathetic to other people's needs. She has been a superb colleague and will be greatly missed.

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Samples of translation work

Here are some extracts from recent projects, illustrating two different text types:

Technical Evaluation Report - French (France) into English (UK)
Constitution d'un référentiel documentaire	Creation of a documentation reference system
Les documentations analysées montrent qu'elles sont très hétérogènes d'une application à l'autre. Nous recommandons la constitution de modèles de documentation qui permettront d'unifier et de normer les informations sur chaque application :	An examination of the documentation has shown that it varies considerably from one application to another. We recommend that documentation templates be designed to enable the unification and standardisation of information for each application:
· Spécifications fonctionnelles · Documents d'architecture logicielle · Documents de conception technique · Manuel d'exploitation · Manuel d'installation	· Functional specifications · Software architecture documentation · Technical design documents · Operating manual · Installation manual
Nous avons constaté que certaines documentations existantes, constituaient un mélange d'informations diverses (fonctionnel, technique, exploitation), qui ne doivent pas concerner les mêmes interlocuteurs. La mise en place de quelques modèles simples avec des plans par défaut, devrait améliorer de façon significative, la lecture des documents. Par ailleurs, l'utilisation de règles de nommage adéquat permettrait sans doute un peu plus de clarté dans la documentation.	It was noted that certain existing documents contain a variety of different information (functional, technical, operational), all of which does not apply to the same users. The creation of a few simple templates with default layouts should make documents far more easily readable. Moreover, the use of appropriate naming conventions would undoubtedly provide a little more clarity in the documentation.

Data Management Report - French (France) into English (UK)
Principaux risques liés au couplage fort	Main risks associated with tight coupling
Si l'intégration directe entre applications permet souvent d'aller au plus vite pour intégrer deux applications, cette stratégie comporte des risques importants qu'il nous semble important de souligner :	Although direct integration between applications often means that two applications can be integrated very quickly, this strategy carries considerable risks that we feel should be emphasised here:
- Il y a un risque de dégradation des performances ; ce risque a d'ailleurs déjà été constaté sur le DataWarehouse, lorsque certains utilisateurs effectuent de la reprise de données.	- There is a risk of performance degradation; this risk has already been noted with regard to the Data Warehouse, when certain users carry out data retrieval operations.
- Il y a un risque important de trous de sécurité ; en effet, si les données sont transportées de système en système, les droits des utilisateurs associés ne suivent pas toujours. Certains utilisateurs pourraient accéder à des données sur un système, alors qu'ils n'ont pas l'autorisation de consulter ces mêmes données sur une autre application.	- There is a major risk of security holes; when data are transported from one system to another, the associated user rights are not always maintained. Some users would be able to access data on one system, when they are not authorised to consult the same data in another application.
- Il peut exister un risque important de coût et de délai d'évolution d'une application. En effet, le couplage fort implique souvent des impacts forts d'une modification. Par exemple, si des scripts SQL permettent de transférer les données d'une base à une autre, il est très difficile de modifier une structure de base sans impacter fortement la base cible.	- There may be a considerable risk to the cost and development time of an application, as tight coupling often means that modifications entail major consequences. For example, when SQL scripts allow data to be transferred from one database to another, it is very difficult to modify a database structure without having a strong impact on the target database.

Tourist guide - Italian into English (UK)
VENEZIA ACCADEMIA	VENICE ACCADEMIA
Il costante andirivieni di turisti e studenti, attratti entrambi dalle gallerie e, i secondi, anche dalla vicina sede universitaria, daranno un'impronta prettamente artistica alla passeggiata, che non mancherà comunque di riservare piacevoli soste in un bacaro o in una trattoria. Un curioso scorcio sullo squero di S. Trovaso e la vista, dalle Zattere, sulla Giudecca rendono il breve, ma intenso itinerario piacevolmente vario. Il percorso suggerito e le visite richiedono circa mezza giornata.	The constant bustle of tourists and students, drawn to the galleries and nearby university, gives a truly artistic flavour to this walk, which offers plenty of opportunity for a pleasant stop along the way in a bacaro or trattoria. A stroll around the squero di S. Trovaso and the view of Giudecca island from the Zattere make this short, but packed itinerary pleasantly varied. Allow around half a day for the suggested route and visits.
Ponte dell'Accademia È uno dei tre ponti che attraversano il Canal Grande. Quello attuale è il secondo rifacimento in legno del più antico (1854) ponte in ferro. Collega l'elegante e lungo campo S. Stefano con l'Accademia e, se si procede diritti, con le Zattere.	Ponte dell'Accademia One of three bridges crossing the Grand Canal, today's wooden bridge is a reconstruction of the older iron structure (1854), linking the long and elegant campo S. Stefano with the Accademia and further along, the Zattere.
Gallerie dell'Accademia La più significativa raccolta d'arte del Veneto, che ospita opere realizzate dal Trecento al Settecento, è allestita in un complesso di edifici formati dal Convento dei Canonici Lateranensi, progettato da Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), dalla chiesa della Carità, suggestivo ambiente ricostruito da Bartolomeo Bon (documentato tra il 1441 e il 1464), e dalla Scuola della Carità, la prima «Scuola grande» (si veda il riquadro dedicato alle Scuole, nel capitolo I CARMINI), risalente al 1260. Salita la rampa settecentesca, la visita inizia dalla grande Sala Capitolare.	Gallerie dell'Accademia The most important art collection in the Veneto region, comprising works dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, is housed in a complex of buildings converted from the Convento dei Canonici Lateranensi, designed by Andrea Palladio (1508-1580); the charming Chiesa della Carità, rebuilt by Bartolomeo Bon (documented between 1441 and 1464) and the Scuola della Carità, the first "Scuola grande" dating back to 1260. (See the section on the CARMINI for the panel dedicated to the Schools). The tour begins at the top of the 18th century staircase, in the grand Sala Capitolare.
Sala I - La sala capitolare, nel XV sec. salone delle adunanze della Scuola Grande di S. Maria della Carità, ha un soffitto a riquadri dorato. In ogni comparto figura un cherubino, e, nel tondo centrale, Dio, attribuito ad Alvise Vivarini (1445-1505), che sostituisce l'originaria Madonna della Misericordia.	Sala I - The Sala Capitolare, which served as an assembly room for the Scuola Grande di S. Maria della Carità in the 15th century, has a gold panelled ceiling, depicting a cherub in each section with God portrayed in the central tondo. This is attributed to Alvise Vivarini (1445-1505) and replaces the original Madonna of Misericord.
La sala ospita opere di maestri veneziani del XIV sec. e della prima metà del XV, tra cui Paolo e Lorenzo Veneziano (di Paolo si segnala il polittico con l'Incoronazione della Vergine, appena salite le scale, di fronte) e Jacobello del Fiore (la grande tavola raffigurante l'Incoronazione della Vergine in Paradiso si trova in fondo alla sala, a destra). Si noti anche il polittico di Michele Giambono (attivo tra il 1420 e il 1462), il più importante rappresentante del gotico internazionale a Venezia.	The room houses works by Venetian masters from the 14th century and first half of the 15th century, including Paolo and Lorenzo Veneziano (Paolo's polyptych showing the Coronation of the Virgin can be seen at the top of the stairs) and Jacobello del Fiore (the large panel portraying the Coronation of the Virgin in Heaven is displayed on the right at the far end of the room). Also of interest is the polyptych by Michele Giambono (active between 1420 and 1462), the most important representative of international Gothic in Venice.

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Membership of professional organisations

	Associate of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) View the ITI Code of professional conduct
	Committee Member of Yorkshire Translators and Interpreters

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