32 The Linguist Vol/61 No/1 2022
thelinguist.uberflip.com
INSTITUTE MATTERS
A life
with languages
From
civil
engineering
to
public
service
interpreting
and
community
language
teaching,
Leela
Chandrakumar
MCIL
explains
in
English
and
Tamil
how
her
language
has
shaped
her
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I have always been passionate
about my language, Tamil, but I
never thought that it would be a
big part of my career. In Sri Lanka,
I studied for a civil engineering
diploma in technology and
worked for the State
Development and Construction
corporation as an officer in charge
of building roads and bridges.
In 1980, I came to the UK with
my husband and, as we had
young children, I decided to stay
at home and raise them until
they were ready to look after
themselves. During that time, I
started to teach Tamil to British
Tamil children. I also wrote plays,
which the children performed.
Even though I wasn't earning
money, this gave me satisfaction.
Later I worked for the Home
Office and then became an
assistant immigration officer.
When I was asked to interpret for
Tamil immigrants, I realised that
this was the job that suited me the
most. I soon became a full-time
interpreter, working for appeal
courts in London while studying
for the DPSI (Law) and Met Police
test. For six months, I worked at
the Old Bailey on a criminal case,
first for the prosecution and then
for the defence. This gave me
the confidence to work anywhere
and in any situation.
While interpreting for the public
sector I also taught DPSI students
and did translation and voiceover
work, including voiceovers for
inflight announcements. During
this period I was asked to teach
Tamil to children in a community
school, and I later became a
head teacher there. I really
enjoyed this role and used the
opportunity to teach the children
moral values through stories.
My hobbies are playing music,
and writing stories and poems in
both Tamil and English. Writing
helps me to release my emotions.
Working as an interpreter for a
long time has given me a vast life
experience. My life turned out to
be one that I had never imagined
or planned. It's my language,
Tamil, that moulded me into what
I am now and I am grateful for it.
