Training / Coaching
By means of in-company workshops or one-on-one coaching, I help people substantially improve their writing and/or public-speaking skills in English. That involves making them aware of their problem areas, giving them the tools they need to improve their performance, and providing opportunities for supervised practice in using those tools. People who use English as a second language often have no idea of the mistakes they commonly make. Those can range from subtle but highly significant grammatical errors to structural problems in their pronunciation of English. Such pitfalls for non-native-speakers often form an obstacle to clear and efficient communication. Sometimes they can even lead to embarrassing misunderstandings. With over 20 years of experience in helping mainly Dutch speakers communicate more effectively in English, I am intimately familiar with the specific range of problems they typically face when using English in writing and/or speech. I am also keenly aware of the differences between English and other languages when it comes to the conventions of business and scientific writing. While the most of the people I serve are Dutch speakers, my English language workshops or individual coaching programs can accommodate people from any background. Participants in my workshops often represent a variety of nationalities from…
Why a course or coaching in Business English?
Customised workshops or coaching English
Are you ready to upgrade your English? I offer both individual coaching and in-company workshops to refresh and rapidly improve the participants’ command of English in writing and/or speaking. Depending on your needs, my training programs range in length from one day to several days spread out over a number of weeks or months. Are you struggling with something you need to write? I can help get you back on track, steer your writing process and give you tips for tightening up your use of English. Do you want to gain confidence and sound more natural when using English at meetings or on the telephone? I can teach you how to talk the talk in a variety of (business) situations with in-company workshops or individual coaching. This could also involve working on your accent. Do you need an assessment of your current level of written and/or spoken English? On the basis of recent documents you have written and/or a brief conversation, I can assess your command of the English language and then design a program specifically targeted to your needs.
My background as a trainer / coach
For the past ten years I have been helping organizations and individuals in both the public and private sectors learn to get their message across more successfully and, in that way, to enhance their performance as professionals who need to write and speak English. As a writer [see Publications], I am well aware of the challenges my clients face in selecting the most relevant information, structuring it in a logical way and choosing the right tone to communicate with their readers. Having presented the results of my PhD research at numerous conferences and meetings, I am also familiar with the daunting task of giving lively and effective presentations. A three-month “Train the Trainer” program (KSG Berenschot, 2000) and a workshop on Presentation Techniques (Het Consulaat, 2003) provided me with the necessary tools and skills to help others communicate more effectively. In the meantime, my ten years of hands-on experience in giving workshops and courses have provided me with ample opportunity to use and further develop those skills. In addition to giving workshops as a trainer, I also teach the eight-week course “Writing in English for the Media” at Hogeschool Utrecht (since 2006). For three years while I was working on my PhD,…
Testimonials: Training / Coaching
Editing / Translation
Dutch-to-English Translations and English Editing With well over 20 years of experience in both translating and editing, I have a solid reputation for quality, speed and accuracy. You can be confident that your text is in good hands! Customized translation and editing services My background as a translator / editor My clients as a translator / editor Sample translation / editing projects My areas of expertise as a translator / editor What I most often translate / edit Testimonials: Translation Testimonials: Editing
My background as an editor and translator
I am a native speaker of English with an excellent (near-native) command of Dutch. I have university degrees from both the United States and the Netherlands. Thanks to my work experience in a variety of professional environments and my wide-ranging personal interests, I am familiar with the terminology of a broad spectrum of sectors. My most rigorous training in the art of translation was without doubt my PhD research (1992-1998) on the 15th-century Low Saxon translations of the Old Frisian legal texts found in a late-medieval Dutch manuscript. After carefully analyzing the various mistakes made by the early 15th-century translator and the scribes who subsequently copied his work, I was able to draw firm conclusions about both the content and form of the original Old Frisian versions of those texts, only one of which has survived as such. In addition to a critical, annotated edition of these medieval translations, I also provided a translation of each text in modern English. Five years (1998-2003) of working as an in-house translator and English editor at the renowned Dutch management-consulting firm Berenschot B.V. provided invaluable experience in dealing with contemporary commercial and technical texts including project reports, tenders, company brochures, psychological assessments, presentations,…
Testimonials: Editing
Aidsfonds, Amsterdam Amsterdam Village Company, Amsterdam Axis Media-ontwerpers BV, Enschede Berenschot, Utrecht Boertien, Naarden Bos Theaterproducties, Amsterdam BuroDijkstra, Rotterdam Butt Magazine, Amsterdam Can Solivera, Forallac (Girona), Spain Castrum Peregrini, Amsterdam Design Academy, Eindhoven Ediction BV, Maarssen European Centre for the Experience Economy (Universiteitu2028 van Amsterdam, PrimaVera Research Program), Bilthoven European Cultural Foundation (ECF), Amsterdam European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA), Amsterdam u2028 Fantastic Man Magazine, Amsterdam Flowz, Amsterdam FOAM Fotografiemuseum, Amsterdam FOAM Magazine, Amsterdam Gemeente Amsterdam, Dienst Persoons- en Geo-informatie (DPG) Gemeente Amsterdam, Dienst Ruimetelijke Ordening (DRO) Gemeente Amsterdam, Ontwikkelingsbedrijf Municipal Health Department (GGD), Amsterdam Municipal Health Department (GGD), Rotterdam Municipal Health Department (GGD), Utrecht GlaxoSmithKlein, Zeist GoedBloed u0026amp; Partners, Amsterdam Hiv-Vereniging Nederland, Amsterdam International Child Support (ICS), Nunspeet International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR), Alkmaar International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD), The Hague Jules’ BV, Amsterdam Kennisinstituut Bier, Wageningen Kiek Holthuizen u0026amp; Ton Vorstenbosch, Amsterdam Koch Studios, Amstelhoek Lernert u0026amp; Sander, Amsterdam Maruboshi, Amsterdam Mosse Foundation, Madison, Wisconsin, USA Müller Van Tol, Amsterdam Museum Plantin-Moretus, Antwerp, Belgium Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei, Amsterdam Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), The Hague Netherlands Standardisation Institute (NEN), Delft Olaf Mooij, Rotterdam Omrop Fryslân, Ljouwert/Leeuwarden Optics11, Amsterdam PICNIC, Amsterdam PlusPulse, Amsterdam PNO, Arnhem…
Testimonials: Translation
Testimonials
TRAINING “Tom came to Frankfurt in February to hold a half day course on ‘Writing Concise Memos’ in front of about 60 employees of our specialist development-fund management firm, who had gathered from our 8 offices across Southeastern Europe. In the short time given, he managed to address both the very general principles of writing and the very concrete level: how to lay out a basic structure to be followed when making an argument, as well as highlighting common mistakes by way of anonymised examples taken from the working documents we had sent to him for his preparation. His course was very well received; people listened very attentively and want him back!” – Florian Meister, Managing Director, Finance in Motion GmbH, Frankfurt am Main (June 2010) EDITING “Echt super super super bedankt. De manier waarop jij stukken sterker maakt vind ik echt ongekend. Je stopt er zoveel meer energie in dan alleen een check op correct Engels, je denkt echt mee en komt met praktische oplossingen. Echt heel erg bedankt, we houden je op de hoogte hoe dit voorstel afloopt en ik kijk uit naar het volgende moment van samenwerking. – Bram Langen, Senior Program Officer, International Projects, Schorer …
Testimonials: Training / Coaching
“Tom came to Frankfurt in February to hold a half day course on ‘Writing Concise Memos’ in front of about 60 employees of our specialist development-fund management firm, who had gathered from our 8 offices across Southeastern Europe. In the short time given, he managed to address both the very general principles of writing and the very concrete level: how to lay out a basic structure to be followed when making an argument, as well as highlighting common mistakes by way of anonymised examples taken from the working documents we had sent to him for his preparation. His course was very well received; people listened very attentively and want him back!” – Florian Meister, Managing Director, Finance in Motion GmbH, Frankfurt am Main (June 2010)
Testimonials: Editing
“Echt super super super bedankt. De manier waarop jij stukken sterker maakt vind ik echt ongekend. Je stopt er zoveel meer energie in dan alleen een check op correct Engels, je denkt echt mee en komt met praktische oplossingen. Echt heel erg bedankt, we houden je op de hoogte hoe dit voorstel afloopt en ik kijk uit naar het volgende moment van samenwerking.” – Bram Langen, Senior Program Officer, International Projects, Schorer (December 2010)
Testimonials: Translation
“Tom is an excellent translator who is not only a language expert with a good eye for detail but Tom also communicates well with his client. He is keen to ensure that the meaning of a text remains intact. I highly recommend him.” – Karen Kraan, Flowz (May 2010) “I am very happy with Tom’s translations. His work is very precise and he always manages to maintain the spirit of the original text. It is always a pleasure to work with him.” – André Witbreuk, Rederij La Bohème (May 2010)
About
Education
Publications
Old Frisian Law Manuscripts and Law Texts (§54),’ in Handbuch des Friesischen / Handbook of Frisian Studies. Tübingen: Niemeyer, 2002, pp. 571–587. ‘The Middle Low German Translations of Old Frisian Legal Texts (§55),’ in Handbuch des Friesischen / Handbook of Frisian Studies. Tübingen: Niemeyer, 2002, pp. 587–594. ‘Het “Fivelgoër erfrecht” en de Nedersaksische Ommelander Fon lawm-traditie,’ in M. Vliegen u0026amp; J. van Maren (red.), ‘Uten Schatschrine des Herten.’ Vriendenboek voor Henk Meijering bij zijn afscheid. Amsterdam: VU Uitgeverij, 1998, pp. 63–69. ‘Text and Manuscript Composition as an Ideological Device: The Marketing of Old Frisian Law,’ in R.H. Bremmer Jr, T.S.B. Johnston, u0026amp; O. Vries (eds.), Approaches to Old Frisian Philology (Amsterdamer Beiträge zur Älteren Germanistik, Band 49), Amsterdam/Atlanta: Rodopi, 1998, pp. 179–214. Codex Hummercensis (Groningen, UB, PEIP 12). An Old Frisian Legal Manuscript in Low Saxon Guise. Leeuwarden: Fryske Akademy, 1998 (626 pp.). Click here for reviews of this book (Pdf). “Ene zie borch tho bouwenn”: A new look at the Pan-Frisian Dike Law in light of a Low German Ommeland version,’ in Us Wurk, 44 (1995) 1-37 ‘The Hunsingoer Statutes of 1252 in the Reddieboeck,’ in Philologia Frisica anno 1993. Ljouwert, 1994. pp. 140-155. ‘Hoe hat it no winliks…
Contact
For information on rates and availability, please contact me via the form, e-mail link or telephone number. Name: E-mail: Subject: Message: Or you can call me on +31 (0) 628 737 536.
A few of the books I have translated
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