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PL52112: Chinese / English liaison and public service interpreting

[Page last updated: 16 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Credits: 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 200
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: EXIC 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Liaison or Public Service Interpreting (Chinese) (EXIC 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, you will be able to demonstrate:
  • that you have assimilated the professional skills and techniques of liaison and public service interpreting by acting as an intermediary in a variety of situations simulating real business negotiations and public service scenarios
  • that you have the ability to analyse and fully understand negotiators' and clients' arguments and ideas
  • that you can communicate clearly and concisely in Chinese and English of an appropriate register
  • that you can research topic areas and build glossaries of relevant terminology, as well as explain cultural differences as required
  • that you have gained an understanding of the role of professional interpreters and how they interact with both clients and end-users
  • that you will be able to serve as a professional interpreter in difficult and challenging situations



Synopsis: Through role-play scenarios, you'll develop the skills of short consecutive and whispered simultaneous interpreting, (as well as sight translation) in both directions between English and Chinese. This will enable you to act as an effective intermediary in sophisticated dialogues. Some classes will be recorded in the TV Studio, giving you the opportunity to watch recordings of your performance and learn from your mistakes. In each session, you'll receive constructive feedback.

Content: The unit seeks to develop students' techniques, confidence and ability to deal with a range of realistic business and public service interpreting situations. Techniques are taught, applied and developed during simulated real-life scenarios in commercial, police, courtroom, healthcare and immigration settings, with students involved in playing the roles of clients. Initial sessions focus on interpreting short utterances consecutively in both directions. Whispered simultaneous interpreting and sight translation are introduced in subsequent weeks, while the consecutive utterances become longer, requiring support from notes. There is a particular focus on expression in the mother tongue and second language, as well as on body language, eye contact and presentation skills. The unit also includes a briefing on relevant issues of law, supporting the scenarios based on court proceedings. Students are provided with practice materials to use for individual and group practice. Individual, formative feedback is provided to each student in class in each teaching week, fostering continuous progress. Summative assessment consists of interpreting one 10-minute dialogue in a specialised commercial or public service situation for a panel of examiners, reflecting the format of professional accreditation tests.

Course availability:

PL52112 is Compulsory on the following courses:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.