A narrative is formed by text. Text is formed by phrases, phrases by words, and words by letters [technically, we skip a few levels, not to bore you]. Woordvorm transliterates characters from one ‘alphabet’ to another, for example from the Arabic alphabet to our Latin-based alphabet. We translate words and phrases from one language to another, but word-for-word translating is not enough to convey a narrative in another language. To be able to tell the story, one must understand the story, fathom the syntax, recognize the word forms and know the writing system. That requires a combination of thorough knowledge of the language, sharp linguistic insight, a cultured feeling for the language under study, and an accurate eye.
The stories
Being able to tell or translate a story into another language requires even more: one must feel at home in the language and its stories. To translate is to love the language, to caress the words and sounds, and to want to tell its stories. In that regard, Peter and Roy share both passion and background: they both studied Arabic [among others] and spent long periods of time in the Arab world. During their Linguistics studies, they have deepened and widened their understanding of the functioning of the language, knowledge that is useful for translating, editing as well as programming. They strive to optimally employ their knowledge of and love for language in their products and services.
More than text
A publication requires more than solid content and correct language in order to be successful: appearances matter. A page must look neat and orderly. A book should be easily accessible by means of a natural and logical layout, an organized table of contents, and a good index. Images, such as photographs, maps or illustrations, can be a vital part of a study, collection, or research proposal. In our view, a publication is not finished until these visual elements are decently implemented as well; Woordvorm has the proper tools and know-how for this. We have ample experience in the realization of academic publications, and thereby developed a good insight in the optimal organization of a text and the tools that make it accessible, such as a table of contents, footnotes, a bibliography, and an index. In our work we use the acclaimed desktop publishing [DTP] software InDesign from Adobe, amongst others. For the graphical parts of your publication, we use professional camera and scanning equipment and again rely on the indispensable software from Adobe, like Illustrator and Photoshop.
With all this know-how, experience, and love for language and layout, we are convinced that we can be of valuable service to you and your publication. How can we help you? Please contact us for more information, we are at your service!
