TGS 120 Chapter Emma Gledhill (née Gilkes) 1981 to 1988 
Chartered Linguist MA FITI FCIL | Switzerland

I’m coming over for the 120th anniversary reunion in January, and there’s talk of several others in my year group (1981-88) attending too.

It’s very pleasing to see TGGS focusing on languages so strongly.

I’d love to be able to share my experience(s) and hopefully inspire some of your current students to follow languages (even more than they already do). Language learning is addictive! But the key point is how many personal and professional doors language skills can open. I’d like to get your students considering that.

At school I took French and German at A-Level, Spanish at O-Level in the L6, and did two years of Latin from age 12-14 - and one of my life and career regrets is not being able to take Latin further, since German and Latin were incompatible in the timetable at the time (although I did subsequently start a Latin for Local History course until it folded for lack of numbers).

I did German and Music for my BA followed by an MA in Translation Studies and the Institute of Linguists’ Diploma in Translation. Over the years I learnt and work from Dutch and Italian, and I have been learning Romansch (Switzerland’s fourth language) for the last 7+ years.

Professionally I translate from German, Dutch, French and a little Italian to English.

I’ve progressed to fellowship of both the Chartered Institute of Linguists and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting, I’m a Council member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and chair of its membership committee, with a focus on diversification in language careers.

I recorded a podcast about Romansch earlier this year: https://open.spotify.com/show/5n30BD1EvWj7AxUdguR8N1
A Language I Love Is... | Podcast on Spotify

Emma Gledhill
Chartered Linguist MA FITI FCIL
Switzerland