Meet the Community: Jagruti Trivedi

Meet Jagruti Trivedi, an English, Hindi, and Gujarati translator from Gujarat, India who has been a member of the Lionbridge Community since 2006. Read on to find out more about Jagruti.

How did you get into this field?

Since childhood, I had a natural inclination and inquisitiveness towards other languages and etymology. On the work front, I initially entered this field after advice from one of my professors. After getting wide experience in the field of advertising and PR, I decided to stick to translation, copywriting, review, and editing. And it's all thanks to my dad that I shifted from pen-and-paper to digital world.

Describe a day in the life of a Lionbridge partner.

As a full-time freelance translator, reviewer and editor working from home, it is all about balancing the home and work fronts, the desire for being with family, and having fun, while maintaining a dedication for deadlines. At times, I become a mobile dictionary and a rich source of finding an answer to "What’s the best word for this?" 

What advice would you give your younger self if they were just starting out in this field?

Read more. Learn ferociously. Keep focusing on originality.

Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

Reading, music, traveling, photography, water color painting, and cooking.

What is your favorite word or phrase in your native language and why is it your favorite?

My favorite phrase is ‘Jay Bhole’ (in both Hindi and Gujarati)—which means 'salutation to Lord Shiva.' And the answer to this “why” will be sought for the rest of my life. Having been in the field of translation for so many years, I consider other languages as my native language, too. So for English, my favorite phrase is ‘You never know!’ It can have many meanings, so I keep thinking persistently about it.

What is your favorite food and why?

In Indian context, my favorite food is any item made of rice, because it is the best item for people of all ages and of both the worlds—for the healthy and also for the not-so-healthy or ill. It is simple (including the way to cook it—just boil it!) and rich too, tasteless as well as mouth-watering and delicious! It can be eaten as a stand-alone dish, but there are also many varieties for foodies. As a whole grain or as flour, it is a miracle of Mother Nature.

What do you like most about the country you live in? 

It may sound clichéd, but the thing I like the most about India is its unity in diversity. I am proud of its cultural heritage, from the north to the south and from the east to the west. It is centuries old, and simultaneously evergreen! 

What, in your opinion, makes your field special?

Its existence as a solution for the need of any individual or corporate entity to cross the language barrier makes it special. The word translation/localization sounds so casual that it is widely believed that anybody can do it, and with rapidly changing digital advancements and availability of tools (from simple digital tools like MS Office to various CAT tools), the belief gets stronger. The truth—that great localization is something that takes a lot of skill—becomes clear only when one takes a deeper look and realizes the unfathomable depth of the industry. That’s the beauty and speciality of it.

What is the coolest language task you’ve participated in?

For Lionbridge, for substantial period, I undertook translation and review tasks for a leading international cell phone brand. I have also been able to translate a world famous novel from English into Gujarati.