Do you write in Arabic and want to share your writing in English? Whether you are an academic or a literary author, we can help you transform your writing into clear and concise English. Contact us. Or to learn more, see our blog.
هل تكتبون بالعربية وتريدون أن تشاركوا كتاباتكم بالانجليزية؟ سواء كنتم أكدميون أو كنتم أدباء نستطيع أن أساعدكم بتحويل كتاباتكم إلى الإنجليزية بالوضوح والإيجاز. اتصلوا بنا أو لمعرفة المزيد راجعوا مدونتنا
Do you publish Arabic-related books? I provide translation, copyediting, and related consulting for Academic and Literary publications. Contact us. Or to learn more, see our blog and/or newsletter.
هل أنتم تنشرون في مجال مرتبط باللغة العربية وثقافاتها؟ نوفّر الترجمة (من العربية إلى الإنجليزية) والتعديل اللغوي (بالانجليزية) واستشارات ذات صلة للمنشورات الاكديمية والأدبية. اتصلوا بنا أو لمعرفة المزيد راجعوا مدونتنا و/أو النشرة الإخبارية
Want to connect? Contact me to set up a virtual coffee/tea!
Speaking and writing English and Arabic, and being comfortable in various cultural contexts, I function as an analyst of language and culture. I grew up wanting to access and appreciate multiple perspectives through languages and cultures. I wanted to fill in gaps in my own knowledge and in what was being taught around me. I wanted to know more about history and interactions between cultures in order to understand more about human societies today. I wanted to be able to enjoy artistic endeavors from multiple cultures in order to celebrate what humans have in common—our shared histories, emotions, stories, and aspirations.
Today I work to make these tools available to others in various ways: I help students and researchers learn Arabic. I help writers of Arabic move their art and ideas into English publication. I help publishers and educators in endeavors to increase the diversity of perspectives in international conversations.
Specializing in Academic and Literary texts, I work with publishers, academic institutions, and individual authors, including professors, researchers, and other writers.
In terms of Academic texts, my expertise is focused in Middle East Studies, although I also work in the Social Sciences and Humanities generally. I translate, transcreate, and edit to prepare fiction and non-fiction for publication for English-language markets.
In regard to Literary texts, it is fortunate that readers have different preferences – there is something for everyone! I prefer plots with a clear narrative arc and distinct, memorable characters. I enjoy subject matter that includes women and/or history, and I have interests in nature and fantasy/magic/supernatural elements. Bonus points for beautiful descriptions!
Representative Projects:
- Planning and compiling a bilingual Arabic-English digital corpus of Arabic literary texts, both Pre-Modern and Modern, complete with notes regarding historical and literary references, for a small college in the northeast (for private use by members of the college community, including students, faculty, and researchers)
- Speaking, as an Editor, at university events for faculty regarding preparing their work for publication and navigating the academic publishing industry
- Conducting a study on students in the Arabic community and how to support them better in RI schools, for PrepareRI/RI Dept. of Education (Final report here)
- Designing teaching materials for teachers of Arabic (See here for example)
- Meeting with someone interested in beginning literary translation of modern Arabic literature, providing tips and resources
- Assisting a professor to design a self-directed study of classical Arabic texts (philosophy and literature)
- Writing a reader report of an Arabic novel for a U.S. publisher interested in publishing the English translation, evaluating the book and its potential market
- Reviewing non-fiction book proposals in the field of Arabic studies for an academic publisher
- Evaluating the English translation of an Arabic novel for an academic publisher
“It has been a great pleasure to get to know you and work beside you. We are extremely proud to have such a precious translation corpus at Bowdoin which will be a great resource for faculty and students, especially those with an interest for the Arabic language and Arabic literature.”
– Faculty Member at Bowdoin College
“Melanie provided me with excellent advice, direction, and resources during my consultation concerning breaking into the field of literary translation. I appreciated her depth of knowledge and ability to draw upon on her own experiences as we talked about translation. I definitely plan to consult with her in the future as I begin to work on projects.”
– Christiaan James, Employee of the U.S. State Department
“I worked with Melanie on developing an Arabic cultural module for Khallina and I was impressed with her professionalism and excellent organizational skills. If your goals are high sensitive, Melanie is your go-to person.”
– Laila Familiar, Project Manager of Khallina.org – See here for the teaching module!
“Dr. Magidow provided a tailored discussion and relevant resources for questions that I had regarding Arabic to English Translation. She has been professionally translating for over a decade so she was able to provide practical advice and insight for someone looking to learn more about the industry. I highly recommend Dr. Magidow and I look forward to working with her again.”
– Chandra Whalen, Corporate Lawyer & Director of International Business Development at Al-Kathiri & Associates in Muscat, Oman
“Thank you for this very thorough and helpful report [on a novel translated from Arabic to English] and for the incredibly speedy turnaround! We’re delighted by your high opinion of the work, both in its original and translated forms…Thank you so much, again, for generously offering your expertise, time, and assistance on this project, especially during the current crisis. We really appreciate it! ”
– Syracuse University Press
“We needed some context and advice for a complicated multilingual library project, and Melanie was an incredibly helpful consultant in the process. We were very happy with the level of professionalism, the quality of communication, and flexibility. Highly recommended.”
– Christy Shannon Smirl, Owner
Foxtail Books & Library Services
“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”
Brené Brown, Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution.