A Shoutout for Lim Li Khee
I first met Lim Li Khee when she was studying in the Masters in Translation and Interpretation programme at Nanyang Technological University. She was one of the students in the course I taught on literary translation, and she did a couple of projects in the TLT-MTI scholarship-internship programme. I was impressed with her work on those projects, and she quickly became one of the translators I call when I need a little extra help.
One of the things about the MTI programme is that it trains students in an area of the industry that I do not work in myself: interpretation. I have never taken to interpreting, and I don’t feel at all drawn to do so. Fortunately, many of my students are very skilled in this area, having been trained by others in the industry who focus on interpretation. When a client needs an interpreter, I usually recommend my former students, and that works out well for all of us.
Li Khee was one of the students I called on to help out with interpretation since her graduation from the MTI programme. She has done some interpretation work for me and my clients, and I’ve recommended her to others who were looking for interpreters as well. She has done a great job interpreting at the various events she’s done, including the Singapore Book Council’s anniversary celebration last December, where she created a bit of a buzz among my circle of friends. I wasn’t able to attend the event myself due to some other commitments, but for several weeks after it, I kept hearing people praise Li Khee’s interpretation. And the buzz hasn’t abated one bit. In fact, when Li Khee was interpreting at a book launch yesterday, I saw something that I’ve only seen once before: the interpreter getting a spontaneous round of applause from the audience. The speaker spoke very fast and in large chunks before allowing space for interpretation, but Li Khee did such a good job interpreting it that the (mostly bilingual) audience couldn’t help but acknowledge the work she was doing with a a big round of applause.
What is so special about Li Khee’s work as an interpreter is not only that she doesn’t miss a thing, but also that she is adept at capturing the pacing and rhythm of the speaker. The result is that her interpretation is infused with the same enthusiasm and feeling the original speaker used. This is a real gift, and it is a pleasure to behold her working at her craft.
You will be seeing Li Khee’s name more often in connection with translation and interpretation. Her translation of Hu Wenxue’s Two-Way Street (《双向道》) will be appearing in an upcoming anthology to be published by Balestier Press. I’m sure you’ll also see her at work at many more literary events in Singapore in the very near future – she has definitely made an impression on the community, and I know she’ll get lots of calls to come and help out when an interpreter is needed.
It’s always a great pleasure to see a student succeed in their work, especially when they do work that surpasses what you could have done yourself in the same situation. It has been a great pleasure for me to see Li Khee do just that. It is a real joy to watch her at work!
©2023 Shelly Bryant