Morena Calvo

In 2009 I read Mario Vargas Llosa's Travesuras de la niña mala. I was then so curious to see how such a work could possibly be translated that I read Edith Grossmann's English translation. Up until this point I had intended on pursuing a career in translation, but witnessing first hand the beauty of translation as a literary art brought certainty to my career goals.

When I arrived at Pitzer College in the fall of 2005 my only ambition was to learn languages: in the short four years I spent there I reached my academic goal. I completed a major in Romance Languages and a minor in Linguistics. I personally created this major for the purpose of comparing the linguistic and cultural aspects of Spanish, French, and Italian. In addition to reaching advanced levels of all three languages and acquiring fluency in Spanish, I have studied both Latin and Greek because they are the basis of these languages.

Of the five foreign languages that I have studied, I have constantly placed an emphasis on Spanish. The language has always been an area of study at which I have excelled, and in January 2008 my life long dream of living in Spain became a reality. Living and studying in Spain not only strengthened my communicative abilities in my second language, but gave me a cultural understanding that is mandatory to the field of translation. My time spent in León, Spain is not my only experience in a Spanish speaking community: prior to my departure to Spain and upon my return, I twice completed the Spanish Practicum through Pitzer College. This program required that I spend a minimum of three hours each week in the home of a Los Angeles Mexican immigrant family where I was only able to communicate with the family in Spanish. Thus, I have spent a substantial amount of time with two different families whose sole language was Spanish. My familiarity with the Spanish language isn’t limited to social and academic interaction: for years I have viewed films, listened to music, read books, and subscribed to magazines all in the Spanish language.

Besides my passion for foreign language, I also have zeal for the study of linguistics that I am certain has bettered my comprehension of each studied language including Spanish. In Introduction to Spanish Translation, Jack Child states, "If translation is a science, its scientific base will be found in the field of linguistics."(63) Linguistics has been an asset in my study of foreign language and especially all of my translation related coursework. I have taken various courses in sociolinguistics, syntax, and language acquisition that have caused me to view English in a completely new light. I know that not everybody is qualified to translate his native language. I strongly believe that my grasp of linguistics has given me a unique understanding of English that benefits my abilities to apply English as both a source and target language in translation.

Pitzer College's educational objectives specifically include acquiring an interdisciplinary perspective and an intercultural understanding. These are educational objectives that I have fully met through my tailored curriculum. Studying a particular language is not about speaking that language, but rather it is about communicating with the native speakers of that language in order to create a cross cultural relationship with another people. After receiving my MA in Translation from Kent State University I entered the work force as an educated and qualified translator. In addition to translating I enjoy helping students of all ages succeed in learning Spanish and other foreign languages.