PERSONAL PROFILE

Location

Cyberspace, for big chunks of my time, and the fact that you're on this site obviously means that you have my cyberaddress.

Non-cyberspatially my hometown is Pietermaritzburg, the "City of Choice" and capital of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Qualifications and specialisation

BA Hons (Natal) and MA (Potchefstroom), specialising in Afrikaans and general linguistics, both theoretical and applied.

Career

– Academic

Until 1995, a member of the lecturing staff of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg – an enriching and rewarding time. Enjoyed writing articles for academic journals and delivering papers at conferences when I felt I had something to say. (Brag item: First recipient of the Linguistic Association of Southern Africa's Excellent Conference Paper Award.)

A lot of translating and proofreading part-time, the bulk of it for the upmarket agricultural economics magazine Effective Farming / Effektiewe Boerdery (editor-in-chief Symond Fiske) from 1986 until its closure in 1998.

After resigning from the university I did stints of contract lecturing there for a few years (Applied Languages unit, Faculty of Education and Department of Afrikaans).

– Own business

Most of my work has been related to the "business of language", but also thrown into the mix have been: owner-managing a takeaway in partnership with my wife; vending my wife's cakes and sandwiches (mainly door to door!); marketing a study methods programme; doing a considerable amount of teaching of learning techniques, much of it in rural and peri-urban schools in KZN and Gauteng; and enjoying the challenges and varied rewards of network marketing.

The business of language

Primarily translation, copy-editing and proofreading of academic, semi-academic and journalistic articles and commercial copy (in English and Afrikaans), and also of books for both local and international publishers.

Have co-authored South African language textbooks (English and Afrikaans) and published many language-related newspaper articles.

I also conduct language-related seminars and workshops for professionals.

"The Write Stuff"

This was the title of a regular language column in The Witness, one of KwaZulu-Natal's major newspapers. The column ran for about four years. Click here for some examples of subject matter and presentation, and see my blog "Write thinking".

On a more personal note

I live in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. I am married to Marilyn (an English teacher) and we have three adult children: Denver, married to Tessa, born Pillay, now living in Dublin, Ireland (proud parents of the most gorgeous son, Evan); Beverley, working at UCT; and Curran, married to Ruth, living in Pietermaritzburg, both self-employed.

I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music and watching good music DVDs. I also make music on the piano for leisure and pleasure and pocket-money (see my Keys Alive website and Facebook page).

I play squash (not often enough) and jog (hardly ever). To compensate for my relative lack of exercise I gladly spend time watching others doing it.

One of the goals I aspire to daily: to exhibit a passion for excellence, and somehow to add some value to the life of everyone with whom I come into contact.

Some quotations I like

Man who says it can't be done must not interrupt man who is busy doing it. (Chinese proverb)

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. (Walter Bagehot)

The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving. (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. (Will Rogers)

It is better to wear out than to rust out. (Bishop Richard Cumberland)

The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment. (William Arthur Ward)

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try. (Beverly Sills)

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. (Unknown)

To succeed in life we must have courage, faith and chocolate fudge cake. (Who knows? Clearly someone who knows.)