About

CJ is a freelance Chinese English translator/interpreter.

My story

I have been working as a professional English Chinese translator and interpreter for quite a few years now and I absolutely enjoy it! I often ask myself, “how come I became a translator?” Not until the day that I read Mona Baker’s In Other Words that I realized that I am destined to be a translator. Mona Baker quoted the following:

Our profession is based on knowledge and experience. It has the longest apprenticeship of any profession. Not until thirty do you start to be useful as a translator, not until fifty do you start to be in your prime.

The first stage of career pyramid – the apprenticeship stage – is the time we devote to investing in ourselves by acquiring knowledge and experience of life. Let me propose a life path: grandparents of different nationalities, a good school education in which you learn to read, write, spell, construe and love your own language. Then roam the world, make friends, see life.

Go back to education, but to take a technical or commercial degree, not a language degree. Spend the rest of your twenties and your early thirties in the countries whose language you speak, working in industry or commerce but not directly in languages. Never marry into your own nationality. Have your children. Then back to a postgraduate translation course. A staff job as a translator, and then go freelance. By which time you are forty and ready to begin.

                   – (Lanna Castellano, 1988:133)

This is almost exactly a reflection of my own life. I have done the long ‘apprenticeship’, acquired knowledge and experience of life through many years of study in the universities and through various jobs both in China and in Australia. I had a good school education in China which I am very proud of. I was accepted in the elite high school and after much fierce competition I won a place in Nanjing University, one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in China. Chinese had always been my strong subject at school. When I entered the society, I had a few different jobs and met my husband, an Australian. He is a second generation aussie, his family was originally from England. We settled in Australia, raising our children and travelling the world whenever we are able to and making friends all over the world. Life is good.

After settling in Australia, I furthered my study in International Relations and Asian Politics as I am interested in world affairs. I spent most of my twenties and my thirties in Australia, an English speaking country. I worked various types of jobs, some were in languages and some not. Then I went for a postgraduate course at the University of Queensland major in Chinese and English translation and interpreting. I worked as an in house translator for a mining company, translating documents in various fields, such as technical, commercial, legal, marketing and general correspondence. The words that I translated from Chinese to English or Vice Versa have easily surpassed a million. I am now a freelance and absolutely enjoy the freedom and the opportunities a freelancer could have.

What is your specialized area? You probably want to ask this question. I would answer your question with another question. Who is your audience?  

I have done translations in many areas and you can check out the list at my work. If your audience is general public then I can be quite sure that I do not have a work boundary. One of the interesting aspects of being a translator is that you learn when you are at work. With the help of internet, learning and researching are made so much easier than previous decades.

If your article/document is for technicians and professionals, I would like to see the article/document first then I can let you know. One of my colleagues at the mining company I worked for once said, “Your mining technical translation is almost 100%, other than some of the terms are not quite standard. But we all understand what you mean.” Bear in mind, I am not a trained mining engineer.

I have a curious nature and I am eager to learn. Therefore when I see a piece of document needed to be translated is something that I am not familiar with, I am not afraid. I know that my languages skills are good and with some good research hours put in, the technical terms will be resolved. I am not afraid to ask either because I know that no one knows everything!

Hundred percent committed to this profession and absolutely enjoy it, this is my motto!

My qualifications

I graduated from the University of Nanjing in China in 1996, awarded Bachelor of Arts, major in Information Management/Librarianship.

I also obtained a Graduate Certificate from the University of Queensland in Australia in year 2000, major in International Relations and Asian Politics.

After two years of study, I graduated from the University of Queensland’s Master of Arts in Chinese and English Translation and Interpreting in 2006.

I have NAATI’s level 3 translator and interpreter’s accreditation in Chinese (Mandarin) and English.

I speak near native Cantonese as well.

My work

My client’s privacy is paramount to me. I do not wish to divulge my clients’ information therefore I will only list the areas that I’ve worked in.

Arts and Culture

Film subtitling

Art festival program and information

Interpreting for interviews for documentary

Program marketing and advertising material

News article translation

Commercial and Legal

Business Sales Agreement

Memorandum of Understanding

Confidentiality Agreement

Off take agreement

Cooperation Deed

Tax advises

Legal advises

Company ASX announcements

Business commercial and legal correspondence

Meeting minutes

Technical

Joint Ore Reserve Code (JORC)

Iron Ore mining feasibility study

Iron Ore mining optimization study

Iron Ore mining processing technique study

Computer operating system user manual

Environmental Public Review documents

Mining tenement annual reports

Mining technical discussions

Community

Medical interpreting for doctors and patients

Court interpreting for all cases

Psychological consultation interpreting

Telephone interpreting for government organizations, immigration, hospitals, utility services, courts, social services, etc.

Simultaneous Interpreting

Chinese Culture Consultation

Chinese Teaching

Chinese and English translation teaching

 My interests

I enjoy outdoor activities, Sun and Sea – the advantage of living in Australia.

I try to Recycle and Reuse – compost my food scraps and do my recycle bin, consider buying second hand first if I really must buy.

I support World Vision and UNHCR. I sponsor an African girl called Praise.