Homing Words Translations was created to give a name and a context to what I have been doing as a translator since 2012. When I decided I wanted to develop a concept for my professional profile, the thought of birds arose, perhaps because I have always loved the lofty freedom they embody and their ability to soar from place to place. Birds have always captivated me and aroused my passions…
I was especially inspired by homing pigeons, birds that have a special and instinctual ability to find their way back home, even over long distances. Because of their uncanny ability, these birds were used for ages to carry messages from one place to another.
In my case, I carry messages into my mother tongue, Spanish. And what else could feel more like “home” apart from the language of one’s own country, especially to those of us who have lived abroad or lead something of a nomadic life. From this sentiment springs the time-tested adage: “Home is where the heart is.” Although I am an enthusiast of widely varied languages (apart from English, I speak Italian, and a little bit of Finnish), my heart will always feel its cosiest in Spanish.
Homing Words is my way to celebrate the language I was born with. Likewise, it honours my everyday job of receiving texts in English and helping them soar into Spanish. I take up words and meanings and guide their flight into my mother tongue.
In June 2024, Homing Words evolved into a dedicated initiative for translating literary works by female authors, focusing specifically on contemporary writers at the moment.