In Conversation with Juliette Rutherford, one of the LINCS Assistant Professors in Translation and Interpreting
Today, we’re speaking with Assistant Professor Juliette Rutherford, one of LINCS’ specialists in interpreting and translation. A former professional translator who studied Chinese and Spanish before joining Heriot-Watt, Juliette now teaches and inspires the next generation of linguists. In our conversation, she explained why studying languages still matters in a world where machine translation and AI are on the rise.
Think machine translation is about to replace human linguists? Not so fast.
According to Assistant Professor Juliette Rutherford, translator turned academic at Heriot-Watt University, there’s still plenty of life left in learning languages – and more opportunity than ever.
Juliette studied Chinese and Spanish at Leeds University before working full-time as a professional translator. Now she’s helping the next generation of linguists see why their skills remain essential.
“Technology has come a long way,” she says, “but we’re nowhere near perfect human translation.”
Why Machines Still Struggle
During our conversation, Juliette shared a few stories that highlight why human translators and interpreters are still essential. Take the professional world. Law, medicine, and marketing all demand accuracy, the appropriate tone, and cultural sensitivity.
One example she mentioned?
Pepsi’s slogan “Come Alive, You’re in the Pepsi Generation” was once translated into Chinese as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.” That’s more than awkward… it’s a brand nightmare.
In law, a single mistranslation can invalidate a contract or stall a case. In medicine, there’s no margin for error – you can’t risk mistranslating dosage instructions or surgical reports.
And interpreting? Still one of AI’s toughest challenges. Speech recognition struggles with accents, dialects, and subtle meanings – especially in high-stakes negotiations.
“Key words have to land in a very specific way,” Juliette explains. “Machines just don’t have that subtle understanding of context.”
Languages Still Matter
But beyond careers, she sees deep educational value in language study. “It’s about learning how humans communicate. How we decode meaning. How culture shapes language.” These are timeless skills, not just for interpreters, translators or linguists, but for anyone working with people.
I asked Juliette why she picked learning a language as intense as Chinese? “People definitely raised eyebrows,” she laughed. “It was demanding but definitely worth it.” She is now in a career where her language skills make her stand out. That choice has shaped her career ever since. Today, Juliette is fluent in Chinese, French, Spanish and English, and she worked as a full-time professional translator for 8 years before joining the languages department at Heriot-Watt. She teaches across multiple programmes, collaborates with international recruitment teams in China, and has built a career full of opportunities to travel, teach, and connect.
China has the world’s second largest economy. Learning Chinese will open doors to career opportunities, cultural exchange and deeper understanding of one of the most influential countries in the 21st century (English et al., 2016).
Like Assistant Prof. Fanny Chouc, Juliette often hears the same question from parents and prospective students: “Is studying languages worth it? Does translation even have a future?”
Her answer is clear: absolutely.
Languages don’t just lead to jobs – they shape how we think, how we connect, and how we understand the world. Employers need graduates who can navigate different cultures, adapt quickly, and bring nuance to communication. AI can support that, but it can’t replace it.
So, if you’re even a little curious about studying languages – especially something unique like Chinese – take the leap. It’s not just about a degree. It’s about opening doors, building confidence, and gaining a perspective that will set you apart for life.
English, A.S., Allison, J. and Ma, J.H., 2016. Understanding Western Students: Motivations and Benefits for Studying in China. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 4(8), pp.44-55.