Jeff Castle, MA
I am an experienced editor of English-language texts and translator of German and Czech into English. I specialize in the arts and humanities, tourism, marketing, and official documents.
How Can I Help?
Clients describe my work as detail oriented, nuanced, and professional. Whether you’re in need of a skilled editorial eye for your English content or a polished translation from German or Czech, I can help you produce accurate, readable, audience-ready text.
Bio
I’ve been working as an editor and translator for over a decade. Projects I’ve undertaken range from museum exhibitions to journal articles to novels and short stories. I hold a BA in Music and German from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MA in German and Translation Studies from the University of Illinois. I studied Czech at Charles University in Prague.
Professional Memberships: American Translators Association, Editorial Freelancers Association
Services
Translation
I translate from German and Czech into English. My work is characterized by clear, idiomatic writing that will give your text a vibrant new life in English! Each project has its own parameters and purpose, and I am happy to tailor my approach to your needs. My lines of communication are always open, so feel free to get in touch!
Certified Translation
Certified translations are often required when dealing with government entities (when applying for a visa or obtaining a drivers license), the legal system (civil and criminal proceedings), and educational institutions (having a diploma or transcript recognized in a different country). I have extensive experience working in these contexts, and I’d be happy to discuss how my services might fit your individual needs.
Copyediting
I will edit your English text with an emphasis on consistency, accuracy, and coherence. In addition to correcting errors in grammar and spelling, this includes pointing out unclear language, making suggestions for smoother transitions, and asking questions about logic and structure. I will also ensure terminological consistency, adherence to style requirements, and proper citation format.
Reference Checks
I will check each reference in your bibliography for formatting and accuracy. In addition to ensuring that each entry is styled correctly, in accordance with publisher guidelines or a particular style guide (Chicago Manual of Style, MLA, APA, etc.), I will check for correct spelling of names and titles, as well as for correct page ranges where needed.
Proofreading
I will check your text for spelling, grammar, typos, consistency, and proper layout. In most cases, proofreading constitutes the final check before publication. The focus here is on the details—giving your work a final coat of polish.
Selected Portfolio
Mordechay Lewy. “Jerusalem under the Skin: The History of Jerusalem Pilgrimage Tattos.” In Stigma: Marking Skin in the Early Modern World, ed. Katherine Dauge-Roth and Craig Koslofsky, 85-123. University Park: Penn State University Press, 2023. (Translator) 
Renaissance Quarterly. (Copyeditor and proofreader since 2017) 
The Robert Frost Review. (Copyeditor since 2023) 
Václav Kural. Conflict over Community? Czechs and Germans in Czechoslovakia (1918-1938). In Interwar East Central Europe, 1918-1941, by Sabrina Ramet. London: Routledge, 2020. (Translator, excerpts) 
Laurie Ruth Johnson. Forgotten Dreams: Revisiting Romanticism in the Cinema of Werner Herzog. Rochester: Camden House, 2016. (Copyeditor) 
Emblematica: Essays in Word and Image. (Copyeditor, proofreader, and typesetter from 2015 to 2018) 
Georges Hausemer. “The Fox in the Elevator.” Best European Fiction 2019, ed. Alex Andriesse. Victoria, TX: Dalkey Archive Press, 2019. (Translator) 
Jiří Kratochvil. “The Legend of Eternal Return.” Barricade: A Journal of Antifascism and Translation 1 (Spring 2018): 152–59. (Translator) 
The German Quarterly. (Copyeditor from 2015 to 2018) 
Volker Bauer, Elizabeth Harding, Gerhild Scholz Williams, and Mara R. Wade, eds. Women – Books – Courts: Knowledge and Collecting before 1800. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2018. (Copyeditor) 
Wolfgang Hildesheimer. Tynset. Victoria, TX: Dalkey Archive Press, 2016. (Translator) 
Christian Gasser. Animation.ch: Vision and Versatility in Contemporary Swiss Animated Film. Bern: Benteli Verlag, 2011. (Translator) 
Exhibition catalogue for Thomas Schütte retrospective. Museum of Modern Art. (Proofreader)
Testimonials
I’ve had the opportunity to work with Jeff on several occasions. He is a gifted, scrupulous translator, able to bring even knotty language elegantly into English. He is also a responsive correspondent and, best of all, a pleasure to work with.
Jeff is a very skilled translator who did great work for me for my book “The Queen’s Court and Green Mountain Manuscripts with Other Forgeries of the Czech Revival” (2018). He provided very polished and professional translations of some key articles about the manuscripts for publication in the volume, articles that sometimes had convoluted syntax and dealt with highly technical historical linguistic matters. He worked with me to harmonize the technical terminology with the translations I was making of Czech-language articles by some of the same authors. He was a joy to work with and the final product was of the highest quality.
Jeff translated an article on the topic of disability studies for my edited collection, “The Health Humanities in German Studies, from German into English.” It was a pleasure to work with him. I was impressed by Jeff’s attention to detail, his awareness of nuance, and his deep engagement with the issues discussed in the article. He was excellent at working with the author, incorporating feedback and asking the right questions, ensuring that the article would be published in idiomatic English, thereby maximizing its reach and impact.
Jeff Castle: Translation, Copyediting, and Proofreading 