Susan Pickford
@libripotens.bsky.social
Professor of translation studies at the University of Geneva and academic translator. Recent books: Professional Translators in 19th-c France and Translating Science in the 18th & 19th c. Now working on an industry guide for aspiring book translators.
Petit footing autour du lac de Divonne. Les Lindor, ça se mérite
December 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Petit footing autour du lac de Divonne. Les Lindor, ça se mérite
(Probably) last bookpost of 2025. Looking forward to getting stuck in
December 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
(Probably) last bookpost of 2025. Looking forward to getting stuck in
Winter walk, micro to macro. Significant snowfall forecst this evening
December 24, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Winter walk, micro to macro. Significant snowfall forecst this evening
Accidentally ate a second grilled mackerel thinking it was left over after lunch but it was actually for the chef. He came out on his break to find me tucking into it. Most embarrassing moment of my life. IMEC archives, Caen, August 2010.
I think we need a mega thread of everyone's craziest archive stories.
December 22, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Accidentally ate a second grilled mackerel thinking it was left over after lunch but it was actually for the chef. He came out on his break to find me tucking into it. Most embarrassing moment of my life. IMEC archives, Caen, August 2010.
Lake Geneva from the train
December 20, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Lake Geneva from the train
Bold of HarperCollins to assume that poorly paid post-editing will add enough value to keep readers buying books rather than just cutting out the middleman and running a pirated original through DeepL themselves.
French publishing house Harlequin decided to use AI translation instead of human translations.
All their freelance translators (some of whom had been working with Harlequin for +30y!!!) were told they would no longer receive work from Harlequin
All their freelance translators (some of whom had been working with Harlequin for +30y!!!) were told they would no longer receive work from Harlequin
December 19, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Bold of HarperCollins to assume that poorly paid post-editing will add enough value to keep readers buying books rather than just cutting out the middleman and running a pirated original through DeepL themselves.
Go for an agglutinating language to pack more in
December 19, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Go for an agglutinating language to pack more in
More misty morning run
December 19, 2025 at 7:42 AM
More misty morning run
Misty morning run
December 18, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Misty morning run
Rather enchanted by this mid-19th-c portrait of relaxed fatherhood by François Bocion, now in Lausanne. Not sure I can recall seeing anything quite like it from the period (though I am by no means an expert here).
December 17, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Rather enchanted by this mid-19th-c portrait of relaxed fatherhood by François Bocion, now in Lausanne. Not sure I can recall seeing anything quite like it from the period (though I am by no means an expert here).
TIL the great classical trumpeter Maurice André was born to a mining family and worked in the pits himself from 14 to 18.
December 14, 2025 at 5:27 PM
TIL the great classical trumpeter Maurice André was born to a mining family and worked in the pits himself from 14 to 18.
Dusk and fog dans le Haut-Bugey
December 13, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Dusk and fog dans le Haut-Bugey
Your reminder that the UK has had at least one PM who spoke English as a second language
This is a really appalling editorial error on BBC Question Time
"Apparently one in three children don't speak English as a first language, why does this matter?"
Chair says "have English as a second language"
Caption changes the meaning entirely
"Don't speak fluent English"
"Apparently one in three children don't speak English as a first language, why does this matter?"
Chair says "have English as a second language"
Caption changes the meaning entirely
"Don't speak fluent English"
December 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Your reminder that the UK has had at least one PM who spoke English as a second language
TIL that Ghana's chief imam is still working at the age of 106 #amtranslating
December 10, 2025 at 2:09 PM
TIL that Ghana's chief imam is still working at the age of 106 #amtranslating
calling all literary translators - does anyone want to talk to me (on the record) about their gendered experience of **working as a translator** including e.g. the pay gap and the motherhood penalty?
December 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
calling all literary translators - does anyone want to talk to me (on the record) about their gendered experience of **working as a translator** including e.g. the pay gap and the motherhood penalty?
shout out to whoever chooses the Christmas menu at the local primary school. Quite tempted to go along myself
December 10, 2025 at 9:39 AM
shout out to whoever chooses the Christmas menu at the local primary school. Quite tempted to go along myself
Ghost train vibes en gare de Culoz
December 9, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Ghost train vibes en gare de Culoz
It's what Jesus would have wanted
December 8, 2025 at 4:54 PM
It's what Jesus would have wanted
Getting the train to Paris
December 7, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Getting the train to Paris
There is a candidate for Miss France dressed as an oyster
December 6, 2025 at 9:18 PM
There is a candidate for Miss France dressed as an oyster
Nothing says quality like a market stall selling "luxury carved" fleece throws
December 6, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Nothing says quality like a market stall selling "luxury carved" fleece throws
Teaching my OuLiPo translation class is always fun. A pat on the back to anyone who recognises the poem this is an N+7 translation of
December 5, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Teaching my OuLiPo translation class is always fun. A pat on the back to anyone who recognises the poem this is an N+7 translation of
Tune in on Monday to listen to me talking translation history at the MSH Paris Nord (Teams link 👉): lnkd.in/ek7rGK4m
December 4, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Tune in on Monday to listen to me talking translation history at the MSH Paris Nord (Teams link 👉): lnkd.in/ek7rGK4m