The Linguist

@CIOL_Linguists WINTER 2022 The Linguist 33 INSTITUTE MATTERS Meet our members WENHUI ZHONG FCIL CL ON THE CHALLENGES OF BEING IMPARTIAL IN HIGHLY CHARGED JOBS, HOW CL STATUS BENEFITS HIM AS A CANADIAN, AND WHY HE'S STILL SOMETIMES SURPRISED TO BE A LINGUIST How did your languages journey start? My formative years were spent in China during the Cultural Revolution, which was a disaster for the education system. Growing up as an introverted boy, I had not envisaged being good at communication. My admission to a languages university, when the national entrance exam resumed in 1977 after a decade's suspension, was a surprise to me. My initial choice had been technology or science. It was an optional English exam, and an examiner who thought I had language aptitude, that changed the direction of my career. The four years of campus life gave me confidence and piqued my interest further. So what did you do next? I taught English for four years and then migrated to Canada. The BBC recruited me to work as a radio producer in London after I completed my doctorate. In 1997, before the handover of Hong Kong to China, I went to help out as a media relations officer for the Airport Authority. Hong Kong was an exciting place for cross-cultural communication as it attracted many multinational corporations. I also worked as an editor before returning to Canada in 2000 for my daughter's education. After a few years, I became a freelance linguist, offering mostly interpreting and translation to public and private sector clients. What has surprised you most about working as a linguist? I can't shake off the fact that I am still basically an introvert who prefers to keep to myself, yet I have ended up delivering public speaking in much of my work. Language was never my forte; I remember crying over my first writing homework because I didn't know how to express myself. But when the situation has called for it, I have given my best to be a writer, reporter, broadcaster, editor, translator and interpreter. The result is usually better than I thought. I believe there is potential in every human being waiting to be discovered. Anyone can do the kind of work I have done, given the opportunity, by learning the basics and practising the techniques. What has been the greatest challenge? An interpreter should be impartial, especially in highly charged situations. But I started to question my impartiality when working on an abuse case. I found myself too deeply immersed. The quiver in the alleged victim's voice, the long pauses and the tears in her eyes were reflected in my interpretation. It was almost like acting. Did I appear to be an advocate, or was I simply delivering the full picture? This requires a fine balancing act. Who has been your biggest inspiration? Dr Ruth Hayhoe, a professor in my doctoral programme – an excellent scholar and communicator, conversant in many disparate languages. She showed me how to express ideas clearly no matter what the language, and gave her inaugural address as director of the Hong Kong Institute of Education in 1997 in fluent Mandarin, Cantonese and English! Why is being a CIOL Fellow important to you as a professional based in Canada? I joined when I was in the UK in the 1990s. When Chartered Linguist status became available, I felt encouraged by this step to further the professionalism of linguists. I flew to London in 2008 for the interview. The main benefit for me is recognition and prestige. What do you hope to achieve next? I don't intend to change my freelance lifestyle, which has brought me all the freedom I want. But I would like to work on improving and maintaining my mental acuity by keeping healthy and fit. For each assignment, I feel like a spectator in a reality show; I get paid to see human nature played out in unusual and dramatic situations. LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/pub/wenhui -zhong/13/b14/196

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