The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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34 The Linguist Vol/56 No/4 2017 www.ciol.org.uk INSTITUTE MATTERS Amanda Barton Dr Amanda Barton is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Manchester. Her publications on language education include Teaching Primary French. See p.18 Janice Carruthers A Professor of French Linguistics at Queen's University, Belfast, Janice Carruthers is Leadership Fellow (Modern Languages) at the Arts and Humanities Research Council. See p.22 Georgina Collins Georgina Collins is a PEN award- winning writer and translator with a special interest in Francophone African literature. She also works in marketing translation. See p.13 David Crystal Lecturer, linguist, writer and editor, David Crystal HonFCIL is widely published in the field of languages. He is a CIOL Vice-President and patron of the Association for Language Learning (ALL). See p.7 Boyd Davis Dr Boyd Davis is Cone Professor of Teaching and Professor of Applied Linguistics at UNC Charlotte, North Carolina. Her interests include socio-historical approaches to medical discourse. See p.26 Pavla Dohnalová Pavla Dohnalová MCIL CL is a translator specialising in the medical and pharmaceutical industries (PDCzech Translations.co.uk) and a member of the Translating Division Committee. See p.16 Sue Leschen Sue Leschen MCIL CL is a lawyer- linguist and the Director of Avocate, a legal and commercial interpreting and translation company (avocate.co.uk). She is a member of CIOL Council. See p.10 Margaret Maclagan Dr Margaret Maclagan is a retired Professor of Communication Disorders at the University of Canterbury, NZ. She studies language change over time, including in people with Alzheimer's. See p.26 Eva Ng Dr Eva Ng is an Assistant Professor in Translation at the University of Hong Kong, and recently launched a website (www.interpreting.hku.hk) and the Newssary app. See p.20 Alba Sort Alba Sort MCIL MCIM is an experienced marketer and DipTrans-qualified English-Spanish translator. She also works as a consultant, trainer and lecturer. See p.24 CONTRIBUTORS Virtual decision-making , From virtual meetings to deciding special cases, Judith Gabler reflects on the challenging work of the Membership Committee I have been a CIOL member since 1997, but living in Germany meant it wasn't always easy to attend the AGM or divisional events, so I'd occasionally felt on the outside looking in. That changed when I joined the Membership Committee last year. My first thoughts were 'will I fit in?' and 'will I be able to make a difference?' The practicalities of being based in Frankfurt suddenly became realities to be dealt with. Previously known as the Applications Committee, the committee recently changed its name to fully represent its wider remit. Our main responsibilities are to: 1 Maintain and increase membership in line with agreed standards. 2 Decide any 'special' cases that do not fit standard entry routes. This is the part I find most challenging, as I have to be acquainted with all routes, grades, languages and language combinations. 3 Review membership statistics. These give important insights into any trends and developments, and are usually tabled, expertly, by the staff team: Jane Galbraith, Head of Membership and Soheila Phillips, Membership Manager. 4 Ensure the committee's work supports CIOL's vision, mission and strategic aims. Thanks to digital technology, I have been able to attend every meeting held at the London office via Skype, and if we are lucky we have a stable connection for the entire 4-5 hour meeting. This is usually three times a year, with one face-to-face policy and strategy meeting. At first it felt a bit unnerving to be beamed into the committee room, but the Chair, Judith Ridgway, and committee members always draw me into discussions, making me feel fully integrated and valued. I also appreciate the fact that decisions are consistently fair, objective and democratic. The committee of 10 is a balanced mix of academics, practitioners and CIOL staff, representing the diversity of our membership. My background is in business, using German as a high-level communications skill. Volunteering for CIOL is a mutual win-win: I hope to bring my expertise to the table, but what I learn is much more. Languages are constantly evolving and the combination of a linguist's academic background and practical experience is no longer black or white. As CIOL is transitioning to a global organisation, the Membership Committee has a key role to play in ensuring that we grow and stay relevant to global communities.