Already an established chemist in his home country of Egypt, our latest Face of Gengo decided to pursue English so that he could publish his research in international scientific journals. Now a married father of one, Sebaey translates part-time in order to continue improving his skills, regularly submits research papers for publication and finds time to translate from English to Arabic for his coworkers, too.

What languages do you speak? How did you learn them?

I’m a native Arabic speaker and I learned English through my studies. I believed that being strong in English is a must, which led me to read more English books and stories. I also watch English news, dramas and movies regularly to enrich my vocabulary and improve my comprehension.

Do you have any interesting anecdotes from where work has taken you?

I have not traveled for translation work and I have no interesting anecdotes except that I travel 60km daily to reach my full-time job.

How did you get into translation? Do you translate full-time?

When I was working toward my master’s degree I sent in three papers to be considered for publication in scientific journals. Each time I was asked to send the paper to a native English speaker for language review, at which point my professor advised me to learn more about translation to write in a way that would sound natural to native speakers. After that, my papers were easily accepted at good, reputed journals!

Nowadays, I translate part-time after returning from work and sitting for some time with my wife and my little baby girl, but sometimes I translate all day on Saturdays. I turn on my computer, check my email, my Facebook, the scientific journals where my papers are considered for publications and Gengo.

What was your most enjoyable translation experience? Your most challenging?

Translation is one of the best ways to learn a language. My most enjoyable translation experience so far has been translating an English instruction manual for a laboratory instrument for my company. My most challenging was having to learn to operate that instrument and then having to give a training course about it to my colleagues in Arabic.

Describe your office setup or workspace. What is the view like? What kind of scenery do you look at every day?

I work with my laptop at my desk. The view outside my workspace is not that interesting either, just some houses and calm and quiet scenery. Depending on my mood, sometimes I like to listen to music on the radio while translating, while other times I feel that I need silence.

Based on your specific cultural expertise, what are the best books or movies you would recommend to others?

A friend of mine recommended The Quatrains of Salah Jahin. These short poems truly summarize the Egyptian folklore and contain a huge amount of philosophical meditations. I also recommend reading motivational books that can make a difference in one’s life, such as Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin. This book shows that success in any field is not determined by genetics or talent but by deliberate practice.

What is your favorite “translator’s snack” for while you work?

I don’t like eating while working. I prefer to just drink a huge, warm mug of tea.

What online productivity tool saves you most time?

Sometimes I use glossaries and Google Translate to get the gist of a piece. Translation would seem like a difficult task without them.

Finally, if you had to give advice to your fellow Gengo translators, what are the best ways to relax and stay sane as a translator? What is your top tip for those who are just starting out?
When you need a break, go ahead and take it! When you feel that translating is becoming routine work and you’re not enjoying it, you must make a change, like listening to music or watching TV or other interesting activities.

For those who are just starting out, I want to say that translation is an art, not a science, and you should focus on whether the translation communicates what the source language does. Remember, too, that being a native speaker of a language doesn’t mean that you will automatically make a great translator.

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