Academic Staff
- HHB809, Hung Hom Bay Campus
- +852 2766 7441
- han12.xu@polyu.edu.hk
ORCID ID
SCOPUS IDBiography
Prof. Han Xu is an interdisciplinary scholar in Translation and Interpreting Studies, Computational Linguistics, and the broader fields of Applied Linguistics and Digital Humanities, with a strong interest in the interface between language, technology, and professional practice. Her research adopts corpus-based and computational approaches to investigate cognitive, linguistic, and pragmatic aspects of translation, interpreting and other language phenomenon, with the aim of generating empirical insights that inform training, assessment, and real-world practice.
Her recent work focuses on the integration of Gen AI and LLMs into translation and interpreting workflows. Through quantitative and computational methods, she examines issues including linguistic simplification, cognitive load, emotional transfer, directionality effects, and the evaluation of accuracy and quality in both human and AI-assisted mediation. She has also contributed to emerging research on game localization, GenAI-assisted translation, and the evolving role of computational tools in translation and interpreting pedagogy.
Han’s research has been published in leading international journals, such as Applied Linguistics, Lingua, Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Journal of Quantitative Linguistics, Meta, Multilingua, Perspectives, Translation and Interpreting Studies, and Across Languages and Cultures.
Education and Academic Qualifications
- PhD, University of New South Wales
Research Interests
Selected Publications
- Zhao, X., Chersoni, E., Huang, C. R., & Xu, H. (2026). How do language models handle emotional content in video game localization? A computational linguistics approach. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 5(1), 100294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2025.100294
- Zhao, X., Chersoni, E., Huang, C. R., & Xu, H. (2025). Translating vulgar language in video game localization: a case study of Black Myth: Wukong. Perspectives, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676x.2025.2562027
- Xu, H., Gu, J., Liu, K., & Li, Q. (2025). Can professional interpreters truly convey the speaker’s sentiment? Exploring the potential of a computational approach. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, 40(2), 639-650. https://doi.org/10.1093/llc/fqaf017
- Chou, I., Liu, K., & Xu, H. (2025) Language Contact and Translation: Dependency Distance as a Lens for Source Language Influence in Fiction. Lingua, 321, 103937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2025.103937
- Huang, Y., Cheung, A. K., Liu, K., & Xu, H. (2025). Can sentiment analysis help to assess accuracy in interpreting? A corpus-assisted computational linguistic approach. Applied Linguistics, amaf026. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amaf026
- Xu, H. (2024). “Please make sure we don’t get this interpreter again”. Australian legal aid lawyers’ experience of working with interpreters. Translation and Interpreting Studies, 19(2), 257-276. https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.21070.xu
- Xu, H. (2024). Investigating interpreters’ interpreting approaches in interpreted lawyer-client interviews. Meta.
- Xu, H. & Liu, K (2024). Investigating Lexical Simplification: A Corpus-based Comparative Analysis of Interpreted, L2, and Native Speech. In Corpora in Interpreting Studies, 197-215. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003377931-13
- Xu, H. and Liu, K. (2023). Syntactic Simplification in Interpreted English: Dependency Distance and Direction Measures. Lingua, 294, 103607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2023.103607
- 2026 - 2028
Principal Investigator. Using dependency-based language typological measures to detect interference in interpreting. A corpus-assisted study of language contact. Hong Kong Research Grant Council. Early Career Scheme, HKD 426,000. P0057632
- 2020 - Present
National Treasurer, Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators
- 2025
Faculty Award for Outstanding Performance Achievement 2025 (Research & Scholarly Activities: Early Career Researcher (Individual)) - 2025
LST Teaching Excellence Award 2024/25 - 2025
Faculty Award for Outstanding Performance Achievement 2025 (Services (Team))
