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+49 9406 2847531 mh@margarethiley.com
About Me
Margaret Hiley, M.A., Ph.D., MITI, BDÜ
Margaret Hiley

I first began translating as a student and continued to work as a translator and proofreader while studying for my doctorate. After working as a university and college lecturer for a number of years, I decided to return to translation full-time in 2010 – and haven’t looked back since! I work with academics, cultural institutions, and entrepreneurs in the creative sector to help them achieve the highest possible standards in their work, tailoring their texts to their specific purpose and target audience – in short, helping them to produce words that matter and that will build their careers and businesses.

I am a published academic author, peer reviewer and published creative writer. Clients thus benefit from my past professional experience and ongoing links with the worlds of academia and creative writing, which I regard as great assets to my work. My long years at university both as a student and a lecturer have provided me with some invaluable skills — for example, I am able to read old German scripts such as Kurrent and Sütterlin, and can thus translate directly from original documents and produce transcriptions. I also know (Classical and Koine) Greek and (Classical and medieval) Latin as well as Italian, Spanish and French, which has proven extremely useful in dealing with academic texts from a range of disciplines (yes, I have been known to spot typos and errors in Latin texts!).

As a Qualified Member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and a member of the Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer (BDÜ), I am strongly committed to professional excellence. I regularly use the opportunities offered by these professional organisations to hone and develop my translating and editing skills further so I can offer clients an even better service. In 2020, I was specially commended by the ITI for their Award for Best Performance on a Translation Assignment.

In my spare time, I enjoy writing, singing and playing classical and folk music, yoga, gardening, and spending time with my husband and our two cats in our apple orchard.

I am happy to provide my CV upon request.

“We have been working with Margaret for many years now and are very satisfied with her professionalism, her reliability and her broad range of competence. Projects involving her run smoothly; Margaret is efficient and always keen to find solutions, and her ambition, drive and commitment go far beyond simply providing translations of academic texts.”

Anja Löbert

“Margaret has done a large amount of transcribing and translating for me, from handwritten letters of Anton Webern in Sütterlin script. She is reliable, and her work is always excellent.”

Dr. Kathryn Bailey Puffett

“Margaret Hiley has worked for many years for various projects of the Institute of History of Art and Musicology at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna. We have always been extremely satisfied with her translations, not least because of her excellent knowledge of musicology. Often, the English translations are more elegant than the German originals.”

Dr. habil. Robert Klugseder

“Many, many thanks for your congenial translations. You have produced a splendid English translation of the source text; its style is beautiful.”

Dr. Marcus Spangenberg

“Ms Hiley is one of those rare exceptions who succeed in making a translation’s style sound almost more honed than that of the original. Her broad knowledge and educational background allow her to take the style of Latin texts into account, as well as correctly translate specialist musical vocabulary. I particularly appreciated the smooth collaborative process.”

Prof. Dr. Roman Hankeln

“I am really happy with your work – it is punctual and exacting and I can always rely on everything running just as it should!”

Prof. Dr. Roswitha Skare

“I would like to thank you very much indeed for your meticulous work. Cooperating with you was a pleasure.”

Prof. Dr. Marko Ciciliani

“It always is a pleasure to read your polished versions of our texts, many thanks for reading and correcting them so carefully. Everything is perfect, it is a pleasure to work with you!”

Prof. Barbara Lüneburg

“I have been working with Margaret Hiley for several years now. She has assisted me in translating and revising highly complex texts on international and European criminal law and always does so with great elegance and care. It is admirable how she, not being a lawyer herself, captures complex legal issues and concepts and always proposes fitting translations. Margaret does not just translate or revise but often improves original ideas.”

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Kai Ambos

“I have been working with Margaret Hiley very successfully for several years. Very professional support, prompt responses and excellent translations in a field where language and semiotics are key to success. Highly recommended!”

Prof. Dr. Dr. Stefan Brunnhuber
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