Talks and other Events

Rhetoric includes poetics, the production of texts, as well as aesthetics, the analysis and appreciation of texts. But rhetorics vary from one culture to another. Each culture has its own hermeneutic circle for interpreting its own cultural references, but one culture’s hermeneutics may not be commensurable with another culture’s literary traditions or imaginaire.

The interpreter's role generally assumes three dimensions: the interpreter’s own attitudes towards his/her role, the institutional requirements specified in the codes of conduct for professional interpreting, and the expectations and attitudes that interpreting service users have of the interpreter.

Having graduated from a postgraduate course at the English Department of Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1965, Shi Yanhua began to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Between 1971 and 1975, she stationed at the UN headquarters to interpret and translate for China's permanent representative and deputy permanent representative.

Ambassador Wu is currently Member of the Foreign Policy Advisory Group of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Member and Vice President of the European Academy of Sciences, Member of International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, Professor of China Foreign Affairs University, and Honorary President of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE).

In November 1998, the Centre organised a Postgraduate Students Conference on "Translation, Culture and Ideology". First of its kind in the translation academic field in Hong Kong, the conference provided local postgraduate students with valuable exposure and an opportunity not only to exchange their views but also to benefit from the comments of local teaching staff who attended the conference.