An Unusual Intimacy (Book Launch)

Yang Que Yee has been acknowledged as the expert in compiling Malay-Chinese-English dictionaries in various combinations. This is the launch of his memoir, Tapping Words, Bridging Cultures, as well as a tribute to his intimacy with these languages. The unusual intimacy also refers to the close collaboration between Professor Yang and his wife Mdm Chan, who co-authored 17 dictionaries between them. The couple was jointly conferred the Singapore Book Council Achievement Award in 2021, in recognition of their work in lexicography and translation, thereby promoting inter-cultural understanding.

This event is co-presented with Pagesetters Services as part of the 2024 Singapore Translation Symposium.

With 17 dictionaries jointly authored with Yang Quee Yee, in various combinations of Malay, Chinese and English, Chan Maw Woh topped that with 17 Chinese books written or translated from Malay. And she has continued lending her expertise to various translation projects. Over 35 years she worked with major Chinese newspapers, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Lianhe Zaobao, translating Malaysian and Indonesian newspaper editorials into Chinese, beside writing numerous essays on Malay cultures and societies in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. An active member of various writers’ clubs, Chan has been conferred lifetime membership with Angkatan Sasterawan '50 (ASAS '50) and awarded the Malay Literary Prize, as well as the Malay Language Council of Singapore's Friends of Literature Prize.

Michael Lim Sze How was principally an educator. He closed his school chapter as Principal of The Seventh-day Adventist School, not before a two-year foray into the printing industry. Now retired, he spends his time with regular walks to keep fit, besides learning to use IT gadgets and software. With great effort, as he does not read Chinese but has spoken fluency in the language, Michael put his mind to stimulating work such as the transcreation of this title, Tapping Words, Bridging Cultures.

Chan Wai Han (Moderator), a Social Work graduate, edits and produces books for Pagesetters Services. (An irony indeed, considering that she dreaded writing compositions during school days!) She enjoys composing Chinese blessing poems for friends with their names, and working on issues of social conscience. She still dreams of becoming proficient in Bahasa Kebangsaan, our National Language.

The programme can be cancelled or postponed before the programme date if the minimum number of participants is not met. Participants will be fully refunded for workshops cancelled by us.

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Host or Publisher Singapore Book Council