Welcome to Pontifix Language Services
Reliable, fast, and creative translations from German and English into Dutch.
About me
My name is Astrid Werumeus Buning, and I started Pontifix Language Services in 2005.
I majored in translation at the University of Groningen, graduating in 1994. After that, I spent ten years working for several translation and editing agencies. During that time, I not only gained a lot of experience in translation, but also found out what my strengths and weaknesses were. I realized that technical transitions in software localization are not my forte, but that I loved taking on texts that required a creative overhaul.
In 2005, I decided to take the leap and started out as an independent professional.
Translation and editing
Translation
As is common practice in the translation industry, I only translate into my native language. After all, you’ll never be as comfortable with a second or third language as a native speaker or someone with a bilingual upbringing. Simply put, it’s much more difficult to express nuance in a foreign language than is to do so in your native language.
I translate from English and German into Dutch. My subject fields include the following:
Catalogs and brochures for office furniture manufacturers
Fashion
Marketing materials for several well-known fashion labels
Tourism
Websites, brochures, and other PR materials for hotels and travel agencies
Online retailers
- Descriptions of several baby and children’s products
- Descriptions of men’s, women’s, and children’s fashion
- Newsletters and online banners
Books
Popular science, nutrition, management
Editing
Dutch isn’t an easy language to master, and its ever-changing spelling and grammar rules only serve to complicate the matter. Although translation is my core business, I also offer editing services to help make your written Dutch text flawless. That means keeping a close eye on style and consistency, and correcting any grammar and spelling errors.
Pontifix?
Your company name is Pontifix… What kind of name is that?
“Pontifix” is a play upon the Latin word “pontifex”, meaning “one who builds bridges”. The way I see it, translators don’t just produce texts in a different language–they also build bridges between different cultures and languages.
They look beyond mere linguistics, also taking into account the social and cultural characteristics of a text’s source and target regions. The result is a translation that’s perfectly tailored towards the target audience.
Contact me
Pontifix Language Services
Astrid Werumeus Buning
Blauwmaad 39
8431 VA Oosterwolde
The Netherlands
Email: astrid@pontifix.nl
Business days
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Chamber of Commerce registration number: 01107135