27 May 2022

An interpreter’s job is both challenging and rewarding. But what are the qualities required of a competent interpreter? The answer was revealed in a virtual public lecture conducted by Dr Cheung King-man, Lecturer of the School of Translation and Foreign Languages, entitled ‘What it takes to interpret a 15-minute speech’, on 27 May 2022. To meet overwhelming public demand, an additional session was held on 10 June 2022.

Dr Cheung gave the audience an overview of the different modes of conference interpreting, including consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting and sight translation. He then pointed out the qualities necessary to be a competent conference interpreter: both hands-on professional training in interpreting and good listening, speaking and language skills are essential for gaining one’s competitive advantage in the workplace.