** TRIGGER WARNING **
Qin Liu’s answer A2 covers themes which may upset some readers:
kidnapping, murder, child murder
Qin Liu
Translator or interpreter (or both): both
Language(s) and direction(s): Chinese–English
Location: Melbourne, VIC
Practising as a translator/interpreter since: 2006
Member of AUSIT since: 2020
Main area(s) of practice: legal, immigration, statements, education, social, community, business
Q1:
How did you come to be a T/I?
A1:
I gained my Bachelor of Laws degree in China and my Master of Laws and Juris Doctor in Australia. While studying law at the University of Melbourne, I encountered some legal translation and interpreting scenarios which attracted my interest. As I’ve always had a passion for language, I decided to study T&I at RMIT, and I got NAATI accreditation. I practise as a solicitor and also as a translator and interpreter. My law background helps me greatly with T&I in the legal context, and my T&I skills enable me to better communicate with clients and to facilitate cooperation between other legal professionals and authorities.
Q2:
Tell us about a project you have worked on that was especially interesting or challenging (within the bounds of confidentiality of course).
A2:
I did an interpreting task for the police, on a homicide case, which was quite challenging. During the interrogation, the suspects described the whole criminal process in great detail, including their initiation into crime, how they approached and kidnapped the victim (a primary school child), and how they killed him and disposed of his body. Facing the suspects/criminals was itself a big challenge, and their story changed when being questioned and interrogated in different ways. You have to be very focused, and to listen, remember and interpret very carefully. When interpreting, it’s as if you put yourself in the scene and experience the whole criminal process. You work under fear and pressure, and you have to control your feelings and try to keep yourself as calm as possible to produce accurate interpreting. But you do feel that you are working for and contributing to justice, so although it’s very challenging, it’s also rewarding.
Stella Tulloch
Translator or interpreter (or both): both
Language(s) and direction(s): Thai–English
Location: Melbourne, VIC
Practising as a translator/interpreter since: 2017
Member of AUSIT since: 2020
Main area(s) of practice: legal, medical, law enforcement
Q1:
How did you come to be a T/I?
A1:
My love of languages started at a young age. I’ve always loved helping community by bridging communication gaps, ensuring messages are seamlessly conveyed in the way they were intended. When working for Qantas, I assisted Thai-speaking passengers as well as liaising with other stakeholders. Later on, I decided to go into interpreting as a career. My T&I journey commenced with my enrolment in an AUSIT one-day course. Since passing the NAATI test and becoming a professional in this field, I’ve never looked back or wanted to change career.
Q2:
Tell us about a project you have worked on that was especially interesting or challenging (within the bounds of confidentiality of course).
A2:
In one extremely challenging assignment, I interpreted for a patient who had been given a second chance to live by a donor. I tried to remain calm whilst interpreting, but the rollercoaster dynamic of the exchanged utterances rippled my emotional neutrality, and my mind felt churned in all directions. I was deeply touched by the generosity of the donor, the kindness of the medical professionals, the family bond, and the expressions of love, despair, encouragement, hope and gratitude. I had to deliver the messages, the tears and the joy as if they were my own – using the first-person pronoun and mirroring all aspects of communication. Inevitably, I could feel all those intense emotions myself. My mind was in constant battle throughout the session; however, as a professional, I had to endeavour to maintain the ethical neutrality of my rendition. Managing the overwhelming emotional intensity was challenging, yet it made this assignment an extraordinary and unforgettable experience.
