An interview with Rié Hiramatsu, a London-based interpreter, about how she found herself on a path she once thought unrelated to her—English, studying abroad, and interpreting—and her perspective on learning English as a professional interpreter.
平松 里英 Rié Hiramatsu
A London-based Japanese–English conference interpreter and university lecturer. After studying abroad, she worked in-house at Japanese subsidiaries of foreign firms in Japan and at Japanese companies in the UK before becoming a freelance interpreter. Her areas of expertise include marketing, telecommunications, media (television, radio, internet), and website translation (transcreation). Drawing on her experience in announcer training, she also enjoys voice-over work. In addition to interpreter training and honing her English skills, she studies French to keep a beginner’s mindset in language learning, and plans to brush up her Spanish next. She holds an MA in International Media Studies from Ulster University (Northern Ireland), a PGDip in Interpreting from London Metropolitan University, and a PGCert in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language from IIEL. She is currently a regular columnist for Tsūyaku Honyaku WEB, writing the series Interpreter’s Notes from London.
Rié Hiramatsu is a London-based freelance interpreter working mainly in Japanese–English interpretation. Alongside interpreting, she also does translation and voice-over work. She has lived in the UK for about 10 years.
Her earliest memory of English dates back to kindergarten or first grade in Japan, when she visited a local LL (Language Lab) class. There, she was surprised to learn that “two” is pronounced “to͞o,” not “tsū.” However, she didn’t begin formal study until junior high school.
In junior high, her homeroom teacher—who had studied in Ireland—emphasized accurate pronunciation. This left a strong impression, especially in contrast with another loud, less precise English teacher at her school. She began noticing patterns between sound and spelling, realizing early on that English wasn’t just about rote memorization.
Although she considered herself a “science person,” English unexpectedly came more easily to her than math or physics, which required memorizing formulas. Unlike rote learning, English “went straight into her head.” She found enjoyment in recognizing sound–spelling patterns, which helped her develop vocabulary.
Around the same time, two older cousins who loved English and the Beatles sparked her curiosity. Listening to their conversations about Liverpool and foreign culture, she began to see connections between school English lessons and the wider world. Their passion and worldliness fueled her motivation to pursue English more seriously.
Initially, Rié aspired to a career in music and participated in orchestra and band through high school. However, when her parents rejected her wish to attend a music conservatory, she pivoted to English, her other strength, and entered an English literature program at university. She found syntax and phonetics more engaging than Shakespearean studies.
During high school, she spent three weeks in San Diego on a homestay, her first trip abroad. This positive experience left a lasting impression—American openness, friendliness, and the California atmosphere fascinated her. At that time, she imagined pursuing opportunities in the U.S., and her English leaned heavily toward American vocabulary and accent.
Her trajectory shifted when she met her first husband, who was from Belfast. This connection led her to Ireland and exposure to British English. She encountered differences in vocabulary and spelling (e.g., “blinker” vs. “indicator”), which required adjustment.
In her late 20s, Rié studied international media in Ireland, focusing on film, television, and cultural studies—not interpreting. Back in Japan, she worked as a bilingual secretary, where she was gradually introduced to translation and interpreting tasks. Initially, she never imagined becoming a professional interpreter, as she thought it required endless study and wasn’t suited to her personality. However, practical on-the-job experiences eventually led her toward interpreting, and later she pursued formal interpreter training in the UK.
Rié stresses that interpreting requires continuous study. Even experienced professionals must expand their “figure of speech” repertoire in both languages. She gave the example of “courageous decision” in British English, which carries ironic undertones rather than a straightforward meaning. Understanding cultural references, idioms, and humor is crucial.
She emphasizes the importance of face-to-face communication to learn subtle meanings, connotations, and humor. Misunderstandings or unintended word choices often reveal themselves in people’s reactions, helping her refine her awareness. Such live exchanges, she believes, are essential to deepening intercultural understanding and interpreter competence.
