23 Aug 2018

ITI Profile: Dr. Alessandra De Martino Academic

Being born an Italian, I grew up in a multilingual country, constellated by myriad dialects which are, in fact, different languages.
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I have always been fascinated with words and the cultures they reflect, so delving into the meaning of words comes natural when I come across a piece of writing. I also love all forms of art, although theatre is my real passion. I have cultivated this interest since I was a teenager and it has never waned.

My career path could be described as unconventional. I hold a Law degree, which I obtained in Italy where I practiced as a lawyer for a while. In the UK I began working as a legal translator for the Italian Consulate, so that I could combine work with being a full-time mother of two young children. However, when my sons grew up, the passion for theatre prevailed and I obtained an MA in Italian Studies and a PhD in Theatre Translation from the University of Warwick.

Whilst teaching Italian language and culture and Translation skills to undergraduates at the University of Warwick, I have continued working as a legal translator for the Italian Consulate, so that I can continue practising my legal specialisation.

As an academic, I became an Academic ITI member to connect with other translators specialising in fields different to mine; to join the translator community and share my experiences in translation both as a teacher and a professional translator.

If I were to give a piece of advice to prospective academic members I would encourage them to experiment with translation. For example, I have been employing intersemiotic translation in language teaching and it works wonders!