The Linguist

@Linguist_CIOL AUGUST/SEPTEMBER The Linguist 29 INSTITUTE MATTERS A life with languages Ana Ilievska Zavrsnik MCIL writes in Macedonian and English about how her fascination with languages led to a vocation as a translator, teacher and language and culture consultant Born in Skopje, North Macedonia, and raised in Ljubljana, Slovenia, I grew up with two languages. My fascination with them set my future career path. That is the reason I use my Macedonian and Slovene equally. I am a translator, a lecturer and a chartered language specialist, working as a language and cultural consultant for public and corporate sectors across the UK and Slovenia, and as a volunteer translator for international human rights organisations. My work is more a vocation than a job, so I always go the extra mile. A big challenge for me is to make people aware that with the help of a good teacher anyone can learn a language, regardless of their talent and age, if they just put in the effort. It can be difficult to stay calm when someone provokes me with "you should know this, you are a translator!" as if I am a walking dictionary. However, it is really rewarding to help people learn Macedonian and Slovene, and discover my national heritage, and to enable so many agencies to be more successful in both of my countries. My classes are full of laughter, sharing language and cultural values in a relaxing atmosphere. At this point in my career, I can choose the translation projects which interest me, and I always learn something from them. In my free time, I like long walks while listening to podcasts and drinking good coffee, visiting museums and galleries, and reading linguistic and grammar books. I translate pro bono for some clients, and I like to discover interesting places and translate their stories for my trilingual blog. My projects give me the privilege of staying in military academies, and open doors to places which are not open for everyone. They also offer the chance to meet inspiring people and hear about different experiences along the way. I can hardly wait to find out where the next project will take me. !+(& $,, "*%+ #+* $- )- , -,% * +*$ %+% * (-*)(,&-) ,, '+&-"*). +, #, !-- (*%+, %+- )*%+ #, "* +&-- !&+'+%-(,')+: „(+- , (&*-+ $- + )-*(*, ',* "(* !&*'*$ '-", )*-&* !&*'*$ '-+( * ",' &*),%". +"*)+ #* ,"!+) '- (+- (+ )- #)+ #,)- ,# ,#-# !+#+)-(+ $- , )- -( #-%*$+)"%,+( , "+'*)*%,+( -,%, +(%&,'--( )-,+)-),(* +-("('-, - )- )*%+, %+#!-),, $- ,$-( "!*), '+ $'*(* *#,. +,(* -"+', #,) '--( '+ "#*- , &*-%",&-%, -#,*)(, -*$),%, "!+$* '-, -,), , % ( &), '&*$)+"(,. &*'*$ '-%,(* !&+*%(,, !-%, "(-) '--( "* !+,)(*&*"),, ,$*, )- +'- ),'+ '+ #+-(- %-&,*&- ,#-# !&*$)+"( $- , +$,&-# +),*, %+, '+ "** +,(* !&+*%(, #, +'+#+ '--( !&,',*,- $- !&*"(+ '-# $ &, , '+ '+*), -%-$*#,,, #, +('+&--( '&-(, )- #*"(- %+, )* "* $+"(-!), - "*%++, #, !& -( -)"- $- -!+)-'-# ,)"!,&-(,'), * , $- -# &-,), $+,' '--. $'- *%-# $- ',$-# %-$* * #* +$'*$* "*$),+(. "+$&-( !&*$,',% , #+-# )*(+ $- )- -# +$ ),'. + "++$)+(+ '&*#* !*--# " -, !+$%-"(, , !,*, $+&+ %-*, &*$+')+ !+"*( '-# # *, , -*&,,, ,(-# "(& ), %),,, *"!-()+ !&*'*$ '-# )- )*%+, %,*)(, , +(%&,'-# )+', ,)(*&*"), #*"(-, - $- , !&*)*"-# ),'),(* "(+&,, )- #++( (&,-,*) +. +$*)- '+ %+!*, *'*&)- -%*$+),- - !+&-")-(- '+ -)-, +'*),-, &-"(*' "+ $'- -,%-. +-(- '++$ *'*)+"( %+) ),' #, - %&*,&-* %-&,*&)-(- !-(*%-. -(+- !+$*$)-%'+ , %+&,"(-# #-%*$+)"%,+( , "+'*)*%,+( -,%. # !&*'*$ '-, !&*$-'- , +'-"(*) -,*) *%"!*&( %+ &-+(, '+ -'),+( , %+&!+&-(,'),+( "*%(+& '+ *,%- &,(-),- , +'*),-, - '+*$)+, , '++)(*&%- '+ #* )-&+$), )*'-$,), +&-),-,, - +'*%+', !&-'-. -+(-(- #, * !&*$-)+"(, - )* & (,)-, , -(+- "*%+- !&-'-# , !+'** +(%+% (+ * !+(&*)+. +*# !&*$,',% #, * $- , *$-# *(+ $*%-, "+ !+#+ )- $+-& ,(* , -%+ "*

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