Exploring language, identity, and translation with Dr. Will Buckingham

At a time when linguistic diversity is under increasing pressure, Dr. Will Buckingham, a faculty member from Parami University, is helping students and professional translators explore translation as both a creative and cultural practice. Over the course of a recent two-day workshop on mother tongue and heritage language translation, he encouraged participants to rethink how languages connect us across cultures—and why smaller, less dominant languages matter.

The workshop Heritage Languages in Translation & Cross-Cultural Dialogue was held on April 17–18, 2026, at National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. Participants explored translation between Taiwanese, Gaelic, Mandarin, and English through collaborative writing.

Shaped in collaboration with Taiwanese language writers Naomi Sím and Kiú-kiong, the workshop introduced innovative approaches—from exploring translation as a form of divination to examining the “turbulence” of meaning across languages. Their contributions highlighted the deeply human and creative nature of translation, especially in contexts where tools like AI still struggle with less widely spoken languages.

At its core, the workshop invited participants to step beyond their comfort zones and see translation not simply as a technical skill, but as a way of communicating across linguistic and cultural differences. Dr. Buckingham hopes participants leave with a stronger commitment to supporting heritage languages and creative ideas for how to do so.

The initiative behind this workshop began in 2024, when Dr. Buckingham and Dr. Hannah Stevens attended a conference in Taipei hosted by National Taiwan Normal University and the National Museum of Taiwan Literature. There, they identified parallels between language revival efforts in Taiwan and Scotland. This insight led to a collaboration between Taiwanese and Scottish writers, resulting in Tâigael: Stories from Taiwanese & Gaelic (2025), published with support from the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland.

“Language diversity benefits all of us,” Dr. Buckingham emphasizes. His own experience of learning Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien has reshaped his understanding of the world, reinforcing his belief that heritage languages deserve equal dignity and recognition.  

From reading literature translated from smaller languages like Hakha Chin to working across multiple linguistic traditions, he sees translation as essential not only for preserving culture but also for shaping and reshaping it.

Rather than viewing languages as fixed or separate, he encourages embracing multilingualism—even at the discomfort of not fully understanding. In doing so, he suggests, we become more open, more humble, and more attuned to the diversity of human experience.

This perspective is especially relevant within the Parami community. Students at Parami often speak multiple languages—sometimes three, four, or even more—yet many of these exist alongside dominant global languages like English. 

Drawing from his own experience as a language learner, Dr. Buckingham emphasizes that heritage languages deserve equal dignity and recognition, as they are vital carriers of culture, identity, and lived experience.

Looking ahead, he hopes this work will inspire further exploration of multilingualism at Parami University. While English remains the primary language of instruction, he sees the institution’s linguistic diversity as a source of creative possibility.

“We are a multilingual community,” Dr. Buckingham reflects, “and the many languages that students and faculty bring to the table help us together shape new possibilities.”