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Staff Profile

Dr Dariush Robertson

Lecturer in Translation Technology

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 2300
  • Address: Address: Room 4.24, Old Library Building
    School of Modern Languages
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background

Established Freelance Translation Business

Since graduating from the T&I MA (Chinese strand) at Newcastle University in 2011, I established a successful freelance translation business that focused on localisation and game translation that I ran full-time for 10-years (after which it changed more to part-time consultancy). I also translated, transcreated, and reviewed a wide variety of texts, covering fine art, literature, business, and advertising, as well as working in AVT. By working with industry leaders in the field of localisation, I developed a specialism in Chinese to English video game translation. This includes working as a translator, reviewer, style guide creator, and cultural consultant on 80+ video game projects for numerous localisation agencies. In terms of other forms of localisation, I have also worked on advertisements, and various apps designed for use in education, rehabilitation, and driving.


Return to Academia

I become a full-time member of staff at Newcastle University in 2018, specialising in localisation of digital products (apps, videogames, and websites) and Chinese to English translation. I completed a PhD (2024) in: Chinese to English Video Game Linguists and Culture Specific Items in the Translation of a Wuxia RPG: a controlled partial-localisation case study. Retaining a close relationship with my industry contacts, I now bring vital industry practices and knowledge to my modules within the school, as well as providing employment opportunities for students within the industry. As Newcastle University's Lecturer in Translation Technology, I play a central role in the delivery the new Translation and Localisation pathway. This includes leading in the delivery of translation and localisation content. Specifically, module leadership of two new localisation modules, which focus on CAT tools, AI, MT, and the general localisation of digital interactive software products.


Education

Aside from being an authentic practitioner with industry experience (which is essential in this line of work), my educational qualifications are also directly relevant to my modules:


  • PhD, Chinese to English Video Game Linguists and Culture Specific Items in the Translation of a Wuxia RPG: A Controlled Partial-Localisation Case Study, Newcastle University
  • MA, Translation (Chinese to English), Newcastle University
  • Diploma, Translating and Interpreting (Chinese to English), Newcastle University


Research

Completed Research:

  • Monograph (Routledge): Culture Specific Items in Chinese to English Video Game Translation: Transmediality and Interactivity in the Localisation of a Wuxia RPG

This was based on my PhD thesis:

  • PhD thesis on: Chinese to English Video Game Linguists and Culture Specific Items in the Translation of a Wuxia RPG: a controlled partial-localisation case study

It involved the research of Chinese video games based on wuxia literature, localisation, ideology in translation, team translation, Bourdieusian Theory (Habitus and Cultural Capital), Norms in Translation, Skopos Theory, and User Centred Translation. The monograph also features the first theoretical framework which can contextualise and explain the translation of culture specific content in video games, and potentially other digital interactive products, such as apps and websites.


Current Research:

  • 'A Player Reception Study of Black Myth: Wukong: The Translation of Culturally Specific In-game Items' (2025). In Advancing Game Translation User Research, December 25, L10N Journal.
  • 'Analysing the Translation of Culturally Specific Chinese Video Games with Game Sense Theory' (2026). In Routledge Handbook of Chinese Translation.
  • Black Myth: Wukong: A Digital Journey West of Chinese Folklore, Mythology, and Philosophy (2026).
  • 'Constructing the Video Game Translatorial Habitus for Professional Video Game Localisation Linguists' (2026).


Future work:

My research interests are: game translation, game localisation, the localisation of digital products (including apps and websites), transcreation, CAT tools, MT, and the utilisation of generative AI in localisation. While I am interested in these topics from a general cultural perspective, due to my industry background and teaching, I am naturally drawn to the language directions of Chinese to English, and English to Chinese. However, I am also interested in collaborating with others in other language combinations.

I would be interested to collaborate with fellow scholars and researchers in related topics, who have similar interests and potentially - experience in the industry.


Funding:

  • 2023, Newcastle University HaSS Education Development Fund, 'The Testing and Analysis of Web-based CAT Tools to be Utilised in Localisation and Translation Modules'.
Teaching

Leading teaching and module design of the new Translation and Localisation MA Pathway:

SML8026 Localisation 1 - Module Leader (also co-taught by Dr Ya-Yun Chen)

SML8027 Localisation 2 - Module Leader (also co-taught by Dr Ya-Yun Chen)

CHN8035 Chinese-English Subtitle and Video Game Translation - (this is Dr Ya-Yun Chen's module, but I am responsible for the design and delivery of Chinese to English video game translation, and AVT content)


Chinese to English translation modules:

CHN7004 Translating 1 (Chinese to English) - Module Leader (also co-taught by Michelle Deeter)

CHN8037 Specialised Translation (Chinese to English) - (this is Michelle Deeter's module, but I am responsible for the delivery of some content).

Publications

  • Articles

    • Robertson D. Rethinking Localisation. The Linguist 2025, 64(1), 20-21.
    • Robertson D. 'Mapping the production stage of a video game localization project with actor-network theory'. Digital Translation 2025.
    • Robertson D. 'A Player Reception Study of Black Myth: Wukong: The Translation of Culturally Specific In-game Items'. L10N Journal 2025, Advancing Game Translation User Research. Submitted.
    • Robertson D. Getting China's Game. The Linguist 2018, (June/July 2018), 15-17.
    • Robertson D. Review of Thinking Chinese Translation. The Linguist 2011, (April 2011).

  • Authored Books

  • Book Chapter

    • Robertson D. 'Analysing the Translation of Culturally Specific Chinese Video Games with Game Sense Theory'. In: The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Translation. 2026. In Preparation.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Robertson D. Evolution of CSIs in Video Game Translation and Localisation: Interactive CSIs. In: Translation and Interpreting Studies Conference. 2023, Newcastle University: Confucius Institute at Newcastle University. In Preparation.
    • Robertson D. Bringing Industry Expertise to the Teaching of Video Game Translation and Localisation. In: ‘Inside the Academy / Outside the Academy’. 2019, Newcastle University: APTIS. Submitted.
    • Robertson D. A Video Game Localisation Workshop with Keywords Studios. 2019, Newcastle University: School of Modern Languages.

  • Report