About Me
In-depth knowledge of French language and culture
CRYSTELLE MILLS-SMITH
CL (Translator), MITI
Translation has always been a part of my life
Having grown up speaking two languages (French and English), translation has always been a part of my life and I knew that I wanted to become a translator from a very young age.
I went to school in the UK and read French and German at the University of Sussex. I then went on to the University of Bradford to study for a Master’s in Interpreting and Translating in French and German. After being awarded my MA, I was recruited by the UK Ministry of Defence as an in-house linguist following an open competition and worked there for ten years. I then moved to the International Criminal Court in The Hague and spent a year working there as an English translator. During my time working for those organisations I benefited from the experience of highly skilled colleagues who helped me to develop my skills as a translator. I returned to the UK to set up as a freelance translator in 2007.
With my French background, I speak, read and write French on a daily basis and spend as much time as I can in France, usually in Ile de Ré, where my family originates from. Being immersed in the language helps me to really understand the idiomatic expressions and cultural references that invariably crop up in my clients’ texts. I use my in-depth knowledge of the French language and culture, coupled with my English language skills, to craft translations that are faithful to the original but also read well in English.
- MA in Interpreting and Translating (French and German), University of Bradford, 1995
- BA (Hons.) French & German, University of Sussex, 1994
- Qualified Member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (MITI) since 2001 [ITI qualified member and 25 years badges]
- Chartered Linguist (Translator) since 2008 [Chartered Linguist badge]
- ISO 17100:2015 qualified
- Language mentor for the ITI French Network
