News and Events
MA graduate sharing Joshua Lau
| Being a full-time government translator, my classmates often teased me and said the MA programme would be as easy as ABC. No joke, the MA programme is not a walk in the park. Just putting down one perfect, error-free sentence is not as easy as people have always imagined for a translation assignment. There were countless sleepless nights when I struggled to write clear and concise subtitles, brainstorm discussion topics for translation studies and provide thought-provoking commentaries for the bilingual translation projects. |
| But aren’t these hurdles meant to be opportunities for us to grow and improve? To be honest, I messed up a lot of my assignments. But it is not just me who made mistakes, and so did my classmates. Together as a cohort, we bear the same fear of failure. And as the saying goes, “a sorrow shared and is a sorrow halved”. That is exactly what makes this MA journey challenging yet memorable. It is not just about learning from teachers, but also from our peers, and more importantly, ourselves. |
| The challenges of the MA programme not only prepare me for academic excellence, but they also shape my approach to the professional world. In the workplace, I am always told to render a translation as literally as possible. On the contrary, the MA programme has given me the freedom to be a bit “naughty” or, on a more positive note, a bit “audacious”. It allows me to explore and embrace a more idiomatic translation approach, especially in the context of translating arts and literature. My teachers and peers always encourage me to use more lively expressions and even add missing links to make the sentences flow better. Well, there seems to be a striking difference between working (a more literal approach) and studying (a more idiomatic approach). But at the end of the day, I am thankful for the training received thus far, as it has sharpened my critical thinking skills and heightened my sensitivity to the nuances of both Chinese and English. |
| P.S. Don’t forget that it is not all about studying. Whether you are staying on campus for one or two years, do spend time strolling around CUHK! Being the largest in the city, there is always something wondrous to explore. Take a sip of coffee at one of our many lovely cafes. Freeing your mind may give you better inspiration than relying on ChatGPT! Make new friends and savour the moment. A lot of exciting things are coming ahead! |
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