About Toy Boat
Hannah Mueck, founder of Toy Boat Translation & Training
I love language, and I believe that every word matters in how we communicate with each other. To really excel in written and spoken communication, one has to be both precise and creative at the same time. I often come across translations that, while technically accurate, sound awkward or overly formal. Or texts that are littered with colloquialisms that have no place in business communication. My unique combination of professional experience in the fields of journalism, higher education and ESL teaching has helped me, over the years, to provide my clients with the best possible results when it comes to using the English language to get their message across.
A selection of my qualifications and relevant professional experience includes:
- Master of Arts in English and American Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in German & English
- Native speaker of (US-American) English
- German language skills certified by a perfect score (25/25 points) on the official Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache (TestDaF)
- Graduate of the EnglishBusiness AG Coach Development Programme
- Professional experience as a writer & reporter for multiple publications, including Entertainment Weekly Magazine, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal Online & Nylon Magazine
- Professional experience as an adjunct lecturer for the American Studies department at the Universität Hamburg
- Professional experience in resource management and pedagogical development for a language consultancy business in Hamburg
- Recipient of a Fulbright Teaching Grant
- Recognized by the German Consul General for exceptional achievement in the study of German language and literature
- self-employed translator since 2016
- self-employed language trainer and coach since 2007
Organizations and memberships:
ATA - American Translators Association
ATA - German Language Division (GLD)
HELTA - Hamburg English Language Teaching Association
Why are you called Toy Boat, anyway?
"Toy Boat": saying it once is easy. But try saying "toy boat" five times fast, and you end up with a real tongue-twister. (Go ahead, try it out!) That's how it can be, sometimes, with the English language in general. Tasks that seem simple at first glance prove to be more difficult than you first imagined. There's no need to be discouraged, however! Use my experience to your advantage, and conquer your English-language challenges with Toy Boat Translation & Training.