As a freelance translator, I rely on many tools and resources to help me deliver high-quality translations to my clients. One of the most important tools I use is a dictionary. But not just any dictionary. A dictionary that was written by someone I knew and respected: Roman Kozierkiewicz.
Roman Kozierkiewicz was a renowned Polish translator, lexicographer, and teacher. He wrote several dictionaries on various topics, such as business, finance, insurance, real estate, tourism, and more. His dictionaries are comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date. They cover thousands of terms and phrases that are relevant for translators and professionals in different fields.
I had the privilege of knowing Roman Kozierkiewicz personally. We were colleagues on ProZ.com, a platform for translators and language professionals. We often exchanged messages and discussed various topics related to translation and language. He was always kind, helpful, and generous with his knowledge and experience.
We both belonged to an active group of translators answering questions sent by other translators on the KudoZ™ terminology help network. This was one of the ways he helped young translators and shared his expertise with them. These questions also often stimulated our discussions and debates about translation and language issues.
I learned a lot from him through these interactions. He taught me how to research terms and phrases effectively, how to provide clear and accurate explanations, how to cite reliable sources and references, and how to be respectful and courteous to other users.
He also invited me several times to visit him in Warsaw so that we could meet in person and talk more. I always thought that there was so much time and I kept putting off this visit. I wanted to finish some projects first, save some money, or find a better opportunity.
Sadly, Roman Kozierkiewicz passed away in 2010. I never got the chance to meet him face-to-face and thank him for his friendship and guidance. I felt nostalgia and regret for missing this opportunity. But I also learned to appreciate life more and not to postpone things that matter.
One of the ways I honor his memory is by using his dictionaries regularly in my translation work. His dictionaries have helped me improve my skills and confidence as a translator. They have also helped me solve many problems and challenges that I faced with different clients and projects.
These days I solve most of my linguistic issues researching online , but I always keep Roman Kozierkirewicz’s Disctionary of Business Terms nearby, it is nice to know that it is on hand and at the same time it carries plentiful emotions and memories.
