THE HISTORY, CURRENT STATUS, AND PROSPECTS OF CHINESE-PORTUGUESE INTERPRETING IN MACAO

The historical trajectory of Chinese-Portuguese interpreting activities in Macao spans over four centuries, commencing with the establishment of Macao in the 16th century with the roles of ‘jurubaça’ and ‘língua.' Subsequently, during the Macao-Portuguese administration, the evolution continued with government-sponsored training programs, culminating in its integration into the higher education system in the 1990s. The teaching of interpreting has transitioned from its initial focus on language instruction to the current targeted training in interpreting skills, marking a prolonged period of learning, exploration, and development. This evolution underscores the significance of interpreting as both a cognitive mechanism and a cultural communicative act. The fusion of interpreting skills training with diverse research perspectives has emerged as a novel trend in the development of Chinese-Portuguese interpreting. Throughout its history, Macao has maintained a strong emphasis on practicality in the teaching of Chinese-Portuguese interpreting. This approach has allowed the field to flourish by continuously adapting to evolving needs of the times. This chapter reviews the historical evolution and status of Chinese-Portuguese interpreting in Macao, emphasizing the unique contributions made by practical experiences to the teaching of Chinese-Portuguese interpreting. Furthermore, it anticipates that in the future, Chinese-Portuguese interpreting in Macao is poised to embrace the opportunities and challenges presented by the era of technological empowerment in interpreting education.