info@thefrenchalizer.com
  • en  English
    • fr French
@thefrenchalizer
@thefrenchalizer
  • Home
  • About
  • Portfolio
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Data Protection
×
Search Results

About

ABOUT ME

When the orientation test I did in middle school at the age of 12 gave me only one result: translator/interpreter, I dismissed it straight away. I wanted to study math, physics and computer science, and the science and languages are kept very separate in the French school system. At the same time, gaming had already become one of my main hobbies. It all started with my parents and the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade floppy discs in 1989, then I spent many rainy days playing point ‘n click classics such as Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle and Loom, as well as a wide variety of other games: from Doom to Sim City, Lemmings to Puzzle Bobble. I loved these games so much that I still play them every couple of years. It turns out this vocational test was correct - which I still think is a bit of luck on their part because it didn’t work for any of my friends - and I did an MA in translation in London after studying math, then English and Chinese applied to business in France. My scientific mind, my knack for languages and my love of games is now supplemented by my formal academic training in translation, my in-house experience as a localization translator and the continuous professional development I do in the form of online courses to keep me on top of things in the localization and gaming industries.

I am a member of the SFT (Société française des traducteurs).

Sandrine Guyennet

Sandrine Guyennet

Work Experience

Work Experience

My in-house experience is invaluable to the quality of my work as a localization translator. As a tester I learned to be extra careful about length restrictions, tags and placeholders. As a translator I learned how to find the context in the string IDs and a lot of terminology specific to each device. Both positions gave me a glimpse of the crazy deadlines in the gaming industry and skills for keeping them, but I also got to love the excitement associated with large, time-sensitive projects.

Freelance localization translator, since 2008

After completing my Master's degree in translation in 2008, I started working in-house as a localization tester, then as a localization translator for prestigious video games companies. I took the plunge and decided to set up as a full-time freelance translator in January 2014. Since then, I have become specialized in video game, mobile app and website localization, and, more recently, in IT and telecom translation. I have translated more than 10 million words so far.

The Rosetta Foundation, volunteer translator, since 2015

As a volunteer translator for non-governmental organizations (NGO) and associations, I have mainly translated IT-related documents.

Translators without Borders, volunteer translator, since 2014

As a volunteer translator for  medical and humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGO), such as Partners in Health, Action Against Hunger, Physicians for Haiti and Global Changemakers, I translated training PowerPoints, leaflets and other documents, mostly related to medicine, on topics such as pain management, palliative care, tuberculosis, AIDS, etc.

Big Fish Games, localization translator, 2011-2013

I translated almost 150 casual games at Big Fish Games, for a total of more than 2 million words. I also proofread and spot-checked the translations provided by the vendors, adapted the PC translations for iOS and Android and helped create and maintain the French style guide. I participated in the training of new French hires.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, localization tester, 2009-2011

I tested entire games for PlayStation looking for linguistic and display issues and checking that the terminology complied with the naming conventions. I also proofread translations and translated small batches of text, especially for PlayStation Home.

Jagex, linguistic QA tester, 2008

I tested the MMORPG Runescape for linguistic issues just before its release on the French market. I used the game scripts and worked directly with the developers to ensure my test was thorough. I also helped complete missing translations.

Education

Education & Professional Development

I completed my Master's Degree in Bilingual Translation at the University of Westminster, in London. My courses were divided into institutional translation, with topics such as finance, law and politics, and technical translation, focusing on areas like ecology, IT, architecture and medicine. I also learned subtitling, dictionary coding, and the use of CAT tools, with an emphasis on SDL Trados.
I am very focused on continuous professional development and take several university courses online each year, related to the video games industry or to translation and linguistics. I have been trained on SDL Trados and now have advanced level certification.

Master of Arts in Bilingual Translation with merits, University of Westminster, London, 2008

I studied both technical and institutional translation in various fields, including medical and legal translation, ecology, architecture, finance, pharmacology, etc. I was introduced to CAT Tools, dictionary coding and subtitling.

Serious Gaming, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 2017

In this MOOC we will learn the ins and outs of games that are designed to help us to train people, deal with societal challenges or raise awareness of contemporary social issues: serious games. We will define serious games and discuss the different types that have been developed. We will explain why people like to play them and what impact they may have. State of the art theories from game studies, philosophy and media psychology will be used to help you understand how serious games work and how they appeal to players. The potential impact of gaming is addressed in detail by discussing persuasive games, which aim at changing the player's attitude.

Introduction to Game Design, California Institute of the Arts, 2015

This course is an introduction to the primary concepts of gaming, and an exploration of how these basic concepts affect the way gamers interact with our games. In this course you will understand what defines a “game” and the mechanics and rules behind different types of games. Through four linked assignments you'll learn ways to create and describe a game concept, and specifically what makes a compelling game. Via Coursera.

World Design for Video Games, California Institute of the Arts, 2015

In this course, we will explore game worlds in existing games and study the art and influences that inform their themes and styles. We will also investigate key components of environment and level design as well as strategies designers use to define gameplay or advance it. We’ll also look at navigation and the elements that make your world as real (or unreal) as you want it to be. A weekly challenge will prompt you to explore styles and inspirations for possible game worlds, and you’ll learn effective ways to communicate your ideas from concepts to presentation-worthy proofs of concept. Via Coursera

Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics, University of Pittsburgh, 2015

This course is an introduction to the many-faceted study of languages. With the help of speakers of many other languages around the world, as well as with famous linguists such as Noam Chomsky and Adele Goldberg, this courses teaches how to understand and analyze how one’s native tongue is at the same time similar and different from many other languages. The course introduces the basic concepts of linguistics and some of the key features of big and small languages, and gives insight into what linguists do. Via Coursera.

Clinical Terminology for International and U.S. Students, University of Pittsburgh, 2015

The language of health care providers at U.S. clinical sites is heavily infused with abbreviations and technical terms. This course focuses on terms and abbreviations that will be heard or seen during early clinical work. Via Coursera.

Understanding Video Games, University of Alberta, 2015

A course teaching a comprehensive overview of analytical theory pertaining to video game media. Topics covered: play and game, emergence versus progression, game mechanics, story, interpretive theory, the culture of games, violence, sex and race in games, and finally, serious games. Via Coursera

Video Games and Learning, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2013

Video games can be powerful vehicles for learning. This course discusses research on the kinds of thinking and learning that go into video games and gaming culture, benefits and drawbacks of digital gameplay, tensions between youth culture and traditional education, and new developments intended to bridge that growing divide. Via Coursera.

Online games: literature, new media and narrative, Vanderbilt University, 2013

This course explores what happens to stories, paintings, and films when they become the basis of massively multiplayer online games (MMORPG). The course includes learning about narrative theory, some key topics in media studies and some of the history and theory of video games. Via Coursera.

Gamification, University of Pennsylvania, 2012

Gamification is the application of game elements and digital game design techniques to non-game problems, such as business and social impact challenges. Game thinking means more than dropping in badges and leaderboards to make an activity fun or addicting. It requires a thoughtful understanding of motivational psychology and game design techniques, as well as a sensitivity to limits and dangers. Via Coursera.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy & Data Protection
  • A miniguide to buying translation (ATA)
  • Code of professional conduct (SFT)
© Sandrine Guyennet