James McMurtrie (translator)

(1)

I am a French translator. I have translated books and magazine articles for a Chaldean Catholic church in suburban Detroit.

I grew up in a bilingual home, majored in French at the University of Michigan and now teach French at the Ann Arbor Senior Center.  My excellent typing speed enables me to complete projects very quickly.

The French classes I took at the University of Michigan included these topics:  French civilization, French syntax and nineteenth century French literature.  I also took a translation course, which was one of my favorite classes.  It enabled me to translate materials in a variety of subjects from French into English and vice versa.

I majored in Elementary Education and Library Science at the University of Michigan.  After having worked as a librarian for a number of years, I decided I wanted to major in French, so this is what I ended up doing at the University of Michigan as well.  

While working as a librarian for the Detroit Public Schools, I also taught French and Spanish in an after school program.  This gave students the opportunity not only to speak the language but to enjoy the culture as well.  One of our activities, which was very appealing, was having dinner at Ann Arbor's Earle Restaurant, which serves French and Italian food.

I have been to France several times.  When I was a child, my family and I would go there every couple years to visit relatives on my mother's side.  I still go there to visit cousins.  The last time I was there was last year.

Technically, I am three quarters French.  My mother is a war bride.  My father met her in France, where they got married.  His father also married a French woman, who was a war bride as well.

French is the first language I learned, thanks to my French mother who taught me the language at a very early age.  I am a bona fide francophile and enjoy teaching and translating it.  I have spoken the language to my daughter since she was little, and she is bilingual as well.

I have traveled extensively to many different parts of the world.  The states I have been to include Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, California, Nevada, Utah, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.  The countries I have visited outside the United States are Canada, France, Spain, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.

I am a retired librarian.  In addition to teaching and translating, I volunteer at American House in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where I help lead a Trivial Pursuit game and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where I am a Eucharistic minister.

I play the piano and sing.  I have been in a number of choirs, including the Saginaw Choral Society, the University of Michigan Choral Union, the Ann Arbor Arts Chorale and the St. Francis Catholic Church choir in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Although I am interested in translating all different kinds of materials, I would especially enjoy translating more books.  This is why I would very much like to work for Babelcube, which I found out about on the Internet today.  

I started translating books and magazine articles for St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in West Bloomfield, Michigan in 2012 and have continued to work for them.  One of the books I translated for this church had to do with St. Ephrem's interpretation of the Eucharist.  I have found this work to be very interesting and have learned much new vocabulary as a result of pursuing it.  

I would be happy to provide you with references.  Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to talk about myself.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

James McMurtrie

 

 

 

 

 

Native language: English
Translates from: French
Translates into: English


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