alan bairdTRANSLATIONS

INDEPENDENT TRANSLATOR · 14 LANGUAGES INTO ENGLISH

Translation into English.
Meaning intact.

I’m Alan Baird. I help businesses and individuals turn European-language documents and website copy into clear, natural English—with the original meaning and intended reader in mind.

The word translations handwritten in fourteen languages.
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

Master of Arts

MULTIPLE HONOURS DEGREES

German · French · Italian · Portuguese

UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

Russian · Serbian · Croatian

INSTITUTE OF LINGUISTS

Diploma in Translation

01 / TRANSLATION SERVICES

What do you need
to put into English?

Start with the text and what you want it to achieve. We’ll agree the scope, intended audience and delivery requirements before the translation begins.

01

Documents & correspondence

Letters, general documents and written communication that need to make sense to an English-speaking reader.

Useful for personal enquiries, correspondence and information you need to understand or share.

02

Business communication

Business documents, company information and customer communications, with attention to your terminology and tone.

Include any existing English material or preferred wording in your brief.

03

Websites & product copy

Website pages, product descriptions and other content for an English-speaking audience.

Tell me where the copy will appear and whether you have word or character limits.

Have a specialist or official document? Mention its subject and intended use so I can confirm suitability before you commission the work.

02 / LANGUAGES

Languages Translated

Translation into English from the languages below. Other languages such as Hebrew, Czech or Polish are available on request. Your language combination is the starting point; your audience, purpose and subject shape the brief.

Germanic

  • Dutch
  • German

Romance

  • French
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish

Scandinavian

  • Danish
  • Norwegian
  • Swedish

Slavic

  • Croatian
  • Russian
  • Serbian
  • Slovene
  • Ukrainian

Tell me about your translation

03 / YOUR TRANSLATOR

Hello, I’m Alan.

Academic depth. Broad professional experience. Personal service.

My clients have included organisations such as Siemens, Gucci and the University of Calgary. I translate legal, contractual, financial and medical documents, as well as board-level, corporate and financial reports, as well as marketing materials and manuals. I also work with specialist content in insurance, renewable energy, international shipping, defence and international real estate.

I hold an MA from the University of Oxford, Honours degrees in German, French, Italian and Portuguese, and a Diploma in Translation from the Institute of Linguists. My academic background includes a first-class Honours degree and the study of Russian, Serbian and Croatian at the University of Durham.

When you work with Alan Baird Translations, you deal directly with me. We agree your requirements, terminology and deadline at the outset, and I remain your point of contact throughout the project.

Email Alan

What we’ll clarify together

Your reader
Who will use the English version, and what should they take from it?
Your voice
Should it sound formal, conversational, technical or persuasive?
Your terminology
Are there names, phrases or established terms that need to stay consistent?
Your delivery
What format and deadline do you need, and are there layout requirements?

04 / A CLEAR PROCESS

Know what happens next.

01 — BRIEF

Describe your project.

Send the source language, subject, approximate length and preferred deadline. A short outline is enough to start.

02 — QUOTE

Agree the details.

I’ll confirm whether I can help, discuss any questions and agree the price, scope and delivery before work begins.

03 — DELIVERY

Receive your English text.

The translation is delivered in the agreed format. You have a direct contact for any questions about wording or terminology.

BEFORE YOU ENQUIRE

A few useful answers.

How much will my translation cost?

Each project is quoted individually. The length, subject, source language, formatting and deadline all help determine the scope. Share an approximate word count if you have one; if not, tell me how many pages there are. Pricing is agreed before work begins.

What should I include in my enquiry?

The source language, what the text is about, who will read it, its approximate length and your preferred deadline. Mention the file format, any layout requirements and whether you need British or American English. The enquiry builder below helps you prepare these details.

Can you translate an urgent document?

Include the exact deadline and time zone in your enquiry. I’ll confirm availability and a feasible delivery time before accepting the project. Sending an enquiry does not reserve a delivery slot.

Do you provide certified or sworn translations?

If a court, university, government department or other organisation requires a certified or sworn translation, explain its requirements before commissioning the work. Acceptance rules differ, so the required form of certification and my suitability must be confirmed first.

Can I send a scan or PDF?

Tell me the format of your original file and the format you need back. If it is a scan, the text needs to be legible. Tables, images and complex layouts may affect the scope, so mention them in your enquiry.

What if my document is sensitive?

Begin with a general description rather than pasting confidential information into your enquiry. We can discuss any confidentiality agreement and an appropriate way to share the files before you send them.

Which languages do you translate into English?

German, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Croatian, Slovene (also called Slovenian), Serbian, Russian and Ukrainian. The service is translation from these languages into English.

LET’S GET STARTED

Your next project,
in English.

Tell me a little about your text. I’ll discuss the brief with you and confirm the next steps.

Prefer a simple email? Use the address above. Or prepare a project enquiry alongside.

Prepare your enquiry

This prepares an email for you to review and send. It does not submit a form to Alan.