The Linguist

@Linguist_CIOL FEBRUARY/MARCH The Linguist 29 INSTITUTE MATTERS Wow, what an amazing range of linguistic endeavours! Well I'm a teacher of translation at the University of Basra, freelance translator, editor and proofreader. I try to do different things and that way I feel more creative. I can teach in a better way if I translate, if I edit or know why people use one CAT product or another other – it's all part of being a linguist! How did you cope in the pandemic? At the beginning it was very difficult, not only for me but for every person in the world. It's something we hadn't thought about and it happened so suddenly. We didn't have any idea what to do or how to behave. From a teaching perspective it was difficult to support our students, because in Iraq we didn't have a culture of online learning and teaching. Because I studied in the UK, I already used online platforms, but for some people around me it was really difficult. I decided early on to use Google Classroom. I told my students: you can learn, I will help you and you can also learn from YouTube videos. This was quite hard at first – to convince my students – but we got there. Later the Ministry of Higher Education decided to use Google Classroom for all university teaching and exams, so my students were happy that I'd encouraged them to overcome their fears. I guess this is the positive side; the world does seem smaller now. It's so much easier to talk to someone in another country, as we are doing now. Yes, this is one of the advantages the pandemic has brought, being more comfortable online. You can attend a conference, club, workshop or course any place in the world, while before it was very expensive and practically difficult. And you know, I would like more of our events to stay online so that people from other countries can take part. When I applied to join The Linguist Editorial Board, I asked if the meetings would be online as I can't travel to the UK from Basra to attend, and I was really happy to discover that they are. It's so important because CIOL is an international organisation serving an international community, and online meetings enable global participation. Why did you want to join the board? I'm an academic person, teaching and doing research at a university, so I found it very important to be part of an academic journal, as I am at Queen's. But as a freelance translator, I am also interested in translation, the translation business and the translation profession. I was keen to join The Linguist Editorial Board because it is related to my wider interests and everything related to languages. I like this mix. So, when you think about your career and your life, have there been any moments where your work in languages has really helped you or others? Recently I talked to my students about sharing my experience as a translator with them, particularly with my final-year and graduate students. They liked the idea, so I designed and organised an online course on the fundamentals of becoming a successful freelance translator aimed at students and recent graduates. In universities, sometimes we don't really prepare students for how to join the world of work. Many lecturers don't tell undergraduates about translation technology or business, and not everyone can do a Master's. We teach them the language aspects, broadening their English, the basics of translation, how to translate scientific, literary and other types of texts, but we don't tell them how to get a job. I received such positive feedback! One of my students rather wonderfully told me that this course was more important for them than anything else in three or four years of translation studies, because he feels he is prepared and knows what to do next. That's wonderful, as so many young linguists have real difficulty getting launched into the world of work. I told them about professional bodies like CIOL too; that they can get Student Membership and join the CIOL community, that they will be up to date and find out about training courses, free webinars and other things. That's what I did. Great stuff. If I asked your students or colleagues to describe you in a sentence or two, what might they say? I don't know how to speak about myself, but I have a passion for work, I'm honest and very committed. I'd add that you've been very creative and imaginative too in terms of the ways you connect the parts of your working life and interests in languages. It has been lovely to talk to you Ruqaya. The Linguist Editorial Board welcomes expressions of interest from people of all backgrounds and areas of expertise via linguist.editor@ciol.org.uk. If your skills and experience do not fill a current gap, we will happily keep your expression pending in case you are able to join us in future. LINGUISTIC ENDEAVOURS Ruqaya at Queen's University Belfast (left); and eating out in Belfast city centre (above right)

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