Dr Frederique Guery

Who am I?

I am a Year 2 and Year 4 general and professional language Tutor here at MMU. I’m also an Erasmus programme Tutor, the Level 5 Year Tutor, a Personal Tutor and Ethics Committee Member. I am responsible for teaching general and professional skills in French language to a large cohort of students who come from across the globe and are enrolled in a variety of programmes. My specialist background is in interpreting and translating.

My sociological research focuses on how Public Service Interpreters deal with the demand for their invisibility, neutrality and impartiality in the workplace. In England, their role is to linguistically assist public service users with limited proficiency in English in accessing a whole range of health, legal and social welfare services. Practitioners are officially required to melt into the background as they mediate these social interactions, whilst often working in emotionally charged situations and dealing with ethical emergencies in ways that may clash with their personal values. I am particularly interested in exploring the enactment of this paradox in practice, following concerns that this new profession has taken on a dehumanizing aspect.

Languages and cultures are obviously my passions but I also have a keen interest in reading, music and travelling.

Why do I teach?

Multicultural and multilingual environments are to me very stimulating places in which to learn.  Part of my role consists in ensuring that students have a great experience in such an environment here at MMU. There’s nothing I enjoy more than sharing my passion for languages and these practices with students. 

Words of wisdom

Be inquisitive. Speaking French will open new horizons for you and benefit both your personal and professional lives. You will be encouraged to immerse yourselves in the French language and culture by taking advantage of the various learning supports that are at your disposal, in addition to the teaching material: books, films, TV, radio, the Internet, etc. Learning a language can be fun. Do not miss out on the opportunity to socialise with our Erasmus students visiting from France, to study or work in a French-speaking country.

Academic and professional qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Society, 'Learning to be a Public Service Interpreter: boundaries, ethics and emotion in a marginal profession', Manchester Metropolitan University.

Master of Research in Education and Society, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Legal Option), The Chartered Institute of Linguists.

Postgraduate Diploma in Translating and Interpreting, The University of Bradford.

BA. Hons in Modern Languages, French and Spanish, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Languages

French

Why study French?

Undergraduate courses

French Lector

Year 2 and Year 4 general and professional language Tutor (interpreting / translating / essay writing / summarizing / general / business / commercial texts both ways)

Erasmus programme Tutor (translating specialist and non-specialist texts from English into French)

Level 5 Year Tutor

Personal Tutor

Ethics Committee Member

External examiner roles

French UWLP, The University of Salford

MAs in Interpreting and Translation, The University of Essex 

Research expertise

My sociological research focuses on how Public Service Interpreters deal with the demand for their neutrality and impartiality in the workplace. In England, their role is to linguistically assist public service users with limited proficiency in English in accessing a whole range of health, legal and social welfare services. Practitioners are officially required to melt into the background as they mediate these social interactions, whilst often working in emotionally charged situations and dealing with ethical emergencies in ways that may clash with their personal values. I am particularly interested in exploring the enactment of this paradox in practice, following concerns that this new profession has taken on a dehumanizing aspect.

Publications

• Journal articles

Conference organisation

'Emotional labour in interpreter mediation', Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies, The University of Manchester, (Manchester, 2016).

'Learning to manage emotions within PSI: a critical analysis of ‘emotional labour’', International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies, (Belo Horizonte, 2015).

‘Public Service Interpreting: learning to do ‘ethics work’ in the workplace’, The European Conference on Educational Research, (Berlin, 2011).

‘Daring to ask for respect: Power and Status in Court Settings’, Annual Student Conference, The Education and Social Research Institute, (Manchester, 2011).

‘Public Service Interpreting: leakage and ingress in workplace learning’, The International Postgraduate Conference in Interpreting and Translating, The University of Manchester, (Manchester, 2010).

Symposium: ‘Learning to do ‘ethics work’ in Public Service Interpreting: professional, personal and economic value(s)’, The British Education Research Association, (London,2011).

Symposium: ‘The invisible work of invisibility at work: public service interpreters as ‘non-human beings’, The British Education Research Association, (Warwick, 2010).

Prizes and awards

I won the Outstanding Feedback prize at Manchester Met's Student Union Awards in June 2015.

Membership of professional associations

Chartered Institute of Linguists

International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies

Critical Link, International Council for the Development of Community Interpreting