Working languages:
English to German
German to English
German (monolingual)

Olaf Reibedanz
English to German
jccantrell
German to English
Engineering (general)
Johanna Timm, PhD
Friendly, fast & certified!

Canada
Local time: 07:22 PDT (GMT-7)

Native in: German (Variants: Swiss, Platt / Nieder (Low German), Austrian, Germany) Native in German
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Bio
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Here’s what I like most and what I do best: LEGAL TRANSLATIONS: contracts - estate matters, incl. Last Wills - business correspondence
IMMIGRATION PAPERS: personal records - professional credentials-  letters of reference
GENEALOGICAL RECORDS: documents written in the old German script (Sűtterlin)
MEDICAL DOCUMENTS: insurance claims
MINING: news releases - corporate profiles
MOVIES: scripts - voiceovers

Should I be too busy to accept an assignment, I will gladly refer you to a trusted colleague.
I am a fully certified member of the Society of Translators & Interpreters of B.C.(Canada), and known to be fast, flexible & easy to work with.
“Your writing style is elegant, the wording accurate, the translation excellent”
[This is my favorite compliment .... I’ve pinned it to my desk and am using it as my daily inspirational mantra...]

Together with Steffen Walter, I served almost 5 years as a Proz.com moderator.

In the year 2002, I incorporated my business and am now the cheerful owner of German Link Translation Services Inc.. If you live in the greater Vancouver area, feel free to call me up or come by my office to meet with me in person. I‘d be happy to discuss your translation needs with you - I also make an excellent cup of tea!


enthusiastic, efficient, experienced




Please visit my website for detailed information.

Personal & professional background
I was born and educated in Europe, am a native German speaker and have a broad range of interests. To support myself during my studies I held many interesting jobs: I worked in a jam factory, in delicatessen shops, waitressed in pubs, tutored, taught Middle High German, Old High German and Old Church Slavonic to undergraduate students, had lots of fun introducing a team of Serbian athletes to "German as a Foreign Language" and, as an afterthought, decided at the age of 35 to become a trained kindergarten teacher to get back to the basics, as it were... I am also an avid weaver and storyteller - have raised 4 children and 4 chickens who taught me patience. Well, the chickens don't live with us anymore, and the children have moved on to university and college...leaving me to divide my time between my desk, marathon running and an old, battered canoe [although I'm saving up for a really cool and speedy kayak;)]

I obtained an MA.(1979)and a Ph.D.(1981)in Germanic and Slavic Languages from a German university (Kiel) (my thesis focused on Heidegger's philosophy and its relevance for the Russian novel of the 19th century, in particular Dostoyevsky, or maybe it was the other way round...).
Since 1985 I have been living in Canada (previously in Toronto, now in Vancouver, BC).
I speak, read, and/or understand many languages (Russian, Serbo-Croat, Polish, French) and I have a rudimentary knowledge of Latin and Hebrew.
While I started out in my home country Germany as translator/court interpreter for Russian & Serbo-Croat, I presently accept only translations from English into German and vice versa.
Some of my literary translations (E-G, Serbo-Croat-G) have been published.


Past, present, and ongoing projects:
I work as freelance translator for law firms, agencies, and corporate clients in Canada and abroad and provide translations for a variety of industry sectors, with special focus on Law, Immigration, Tourism and Property management.
In the year 2001, I completed a major(+ 300,000 wds) project involving the translation of esoteric texts (numerology, astrology etc.), a contract that continued until 2007 and added up to several million words. One of my larger contracts included the translation of web content, CD-ROM files video presentations and brochures documenting sustainable forestry practices in Canada (~ 80,000 words). I enjoy an excellent working relationship with a number of genealogists and Canadian immigration consultants.

During a typical week, I will frantically work on the translation of one or two contracts, throw in a few personal documents and the odd medical report, while getting started with/finishing/editing at least one other major project.

I don't like pressure, but I love challenges!


Vancouver's reputation as the "Hollywood of the North" resulted in quite a few lucrative contracts for me in this field: voice-overs and coaching of actors etc. are especially entertaining after weeks and weeks of contract translations...

I am happy to provide you with a detailed resume upon request.

Equipment: Intel(R) Core(TM)i5-6500 CPU 3.20 Ghz desktop with CDRW
Windows 10 Pro, MS Office 2010, Powerpoint, MS Access, Laser printer,
Toshiba Notebook (Windows 10)

Large reference library





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This user has earned KudoZ points by helping other translators with PRO-level terms. Click point total(s) to see term translations provided.

Total pts earned: 13408
PRO-level pts: 13087


Top languages (PRO)
German to English7769
English to German5020
German199
Croatian to English16
Serbian to English12
Pts in 12 more pairs >
Top general fields (PRO)
Law/Patents2728
Tech/Engineering2196
Medical1999
Other1964
Bus/Financial1748
Pts in 4 more flds >
Top specific fields (PRO)
Law (general)1283
Medical (general)752
Law: Contract(s)743
Textiles / Clothing / Fashion431
Education / Pedagogy362
Finance (general)290
Certificates, Diplomas, Licenses, CVs281
Pts in 96 more flds >

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Keywords: fiction, non-fiction, voiceover, language coaching, personal documents, Einwanderungsunterlagen, Arbeitszeugnisse, certificates, medical, legal. See more.fiction, non-fiction, voiceover, language coaching, personal documents, Einwanderungsunterlagen, Arbeitszeugnisse, certificates, medical, legal, advertising, environment, philosophy, psychology, cancer research, manuals, certified translations, beglaubigte Übersetzung, Canadian immigration documentation, PR- card, Permanent Resident Card, Canadian, tourism, Canada, Kanada, Vancouver, B.C., Einwanderung, immigration, genealogy, astrology, journalism, children's literature, esoteric texts, academic papers, permanent residence documents, drivers licenses, Schadenfreiheitsrabatt, no-claims discount, KFZ-Versicherungsnachweis, birth certificate, marriage certificate, immigration consultation, mining company, Geologie, Bergbauunternehmen, news releases, Immobilienberatung, real estate, divorce decree, scheidungsurkunde, rush service, translator, translations, Übersetzer, Übersetzung. See less.





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