ITI Profile: Elinor Barbour Junior Associate

After igniting a passion for language and culture as a child (initially, through an obsession with the lyrics booklet accompanying a ‘Songs from around the world’ cassette!), I knew languages would be in my future in some capacity.

I studied Spanish and History of Art at Edinburgh University and did an Erasmus year abroad in Salamanca, where I truly fell in love with Spain and the Spanish language. I couldn't stay away, and after university I returned to teach English as a Foreign Language in Madrid, further strengthening my language skills before moving home to Scotland to complete a PGDE in secondary Spanish education. Although I am passionate about education and love being a teacher, I knew that I wanted to work with language differently and decided to study part-time for an MA in Translation at Portsmouth University. This was a challenging path, but with every step I felt more and more enchanted by translation and certain that I’d done the right thing.

I quickly became aware of ITI through a tutor recommendation and decided to join for the training and networking opportunities. I’ve felt very welcomed by the community, and it’s lovely to see that people are so happy to share their wisdom and experience with those new to the profession. I found the webinars offered by ITI so helpful - particularly the ‘Ask me anything’ with two very knowledgeable and generous translators! I’m also enjoying participating in the sector-specific networks offered by ITI, and have joined both the International Development and Cooperation Network and the Media, Arts and Tourism Network. Doing so has provided me with invaluable training opportunities and the chance to connect with others in my field. I've also joined my regional network and hope to be able to attend some in-person events too.

I love the freedom that comes with working for myself and the way I can diversify what I do and make my career work for me. It’s wonderful that I can continue teaching in a different capacity alongside translation, and I also offer proofreading. What drew me to translation was the chance to read about and research an endless list of topics, and I’ve found some specialisms that I particularly enjoy working with. I can use my experience from teaching for projects related to education, and my degree in History of Art for translations in the world of arts and culture. I’ve always been interested in international development, human rights and migration, so I also specialise in that area. I’m dedicated to using my skills to support people in vulnerable situations, particularly migrants and refugees, and have found some wonderful volunteer opportunities where I can develop my knowledge.

My immediate goals are to continue developing my skills in my areas of expertise and take advantage of the opportunities freelance work provides—specifically, the ability to travel and see the world! I’m still a passionate language learner and hope to add French and Italian to my working languages soon. As a keen reader, it’s a dream of mine to translate literary works, too! I know there are endless development opportunities, and I’m excited to see where the path leads next.