CIOL Awards | CIOL (Chartered Institute of Linguists)

CIOL Awards

CIOL's Annual Awards

CIOL's Threlford Cup and David Crystal Award celebrate and recognise outstanding contributions in the field of languages.

We also celebrate the exceptional achievement of candidates in our professional language qualifications in translation and interpreting.

You can find out more about each qualification via the links below:

Diploma in Translation
Certificate in Translation
Diploma in Public Service Interpreting

Threlford Memorial Cup

For the advancement and wider use of languages

2024 Awarded to:
Charity Translators

David Crystal Award

Outstanding contribution to the field of languages.

2024 Award winner:
Professor Michael Kelly OBE

CIOL Qualifications award winners

DPSI Best Candidate

Award winner: Rafał Byzdra

DipTrans Best Candidate

Award winner: Katarzyna Trzeciak

CertTrans Best Candidate

Award winner: Jenifer Atkins

About the Awards & Past Winners

Threlford Memorial Cup
David Crystal Trophy
Richard Lewis Trophy
Schlapps Oliver Shield
Fred Brandeis Trophy
Peter Newmark Award
Nuffield Trophy
Corsellis Cup
Jaffar Hamid Cup
Susan Tolman Award
NRPSI Award
McInally Trophy
Youhotsky Cup
Pilley Cup
Middleton Cup
Real Lives
Nick Bowen Award

Special Award for fostering the study of languages

First presented in 1935 by Sir Lacon Threlford, Founder of the Institute of Linguists. In the archives of the time the cup was described as "the world's greatest trophy for fostering the study of languages" and "of marvellous beauty".

Sir Lacon was, amongst other things, the Governor of Fiji, a Mason of outstanding rank, sponsor at the induction of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and has a window dedicated to him at the Church of St Lawrence Jewry in the City of London.

Current holder and past winners

2024: Charity Translators
2022-23: Joint winners:
Stephen Spender Trust / Lingo Flamingo
2021-22: Civil Service Languages Network
2020: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
2019: uTalk Junior Challenge
2018: Young Interpreter Scheme
2017: MFL Student Mentoring Project
2016: Sally Fagan, Business Language Champions
2015: European Masters in Translation Programme/Angeliki Petrits (programme leader)
2014: GCHQ Language Outreach Programme
2013: Lizzie Fane, Founder, ThirdYearAbroad.com
2012: Arsenal Double Club Languages
2011: Italian in Italy, Association of Italian Schools
2010: Luisa Ribeiro

Current and past winners

2024: Professor Michael Kelly MBE
2022-23: Chris Dennis
2021-22: Rev Nick Baines
2020: Bridget Kendall MBE
2019: Renée Van Hoof-Haferkamp
2018: Frank Gardner OBE
2017: Susie Dent
2016: Dr Lid King
2015: (not awarded)
2014: Shpresa Programme/Luljeti Nuzi
2013: Rosie Goldsmith, Journalist & Chair, European Literature Night
2012: Svetlana Carsten
2011: Prof Dr Erik Hertog
2010: Paul Hughes

About The David Crystal Award

Over a decade ago, CIOL was receiving strong Awards nominations year after year. In recognition of this, it was decided that an additional award should be presented and this was kindly donated by Professor David Crystal, a Vice-President of the Chartered Institute. The trophy recognises a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of languages in their life and career.

Diploma in Translation: Best candidate

A long-established company providing language training for business and industry, Richard Lewis Communications offers an annual trophy to the candidate who produces the best overall performance in any language combination.

Current holder and past winners

2021-22: Paula Gayol-Corral
2020: Madalina Onofras
2019: Maria Petrizzi da Silva
2018: Asuman Abdulazizoglu
2017: Vjosa Kalaveshi Shala
2016: Julien Ivers
2015: James Christopher Palmer
2014: Julie Mamou
2013: Irina Stanova
2012: Romina Vucic-Pranic
2011: Carla McMillan
2010: Marcus Richardson

Diploma in Translation: Best group entry

This shield is presented by Mrs Marjorie Elms FCIL, in memory of her late father, Mr G. A. Schlapps Oliver, an Institute Fellow for many years and a generous donor to the Institute's library.

Current holder and past winners

2019: Cardiff University School of Modern Languages
2018: Estudio Sampere (Madrid)
2017: Glossologia Professional Linguistic Studies
2016: Akademie für Fremdsprachen
2015: Dom-Schule Fremdsprachen
2014: Dom-Schule Fremdsprachen
2013: Dom-Schule Fremdsprachen
2012: Centre for Continuing Education, American University of Kuwait
2011: Dom-Schule Fremdsprachen
2010: Akademie für Fremdsprachen GmbH

Diploma in Translation: Best English-German candidate

Awarded in memory of Mr Fred Brandeis, a long-standing Fellow and friend of the Institute. The trophy was given by the CIOL Translating Division.

Current holder and past winners

2020: Heike Kurtz
2019: Cherokee Agnew
2018: Cornelia Oetting
2017: Ute Boronowsky
2016: Stefanie Ochel
2015: Erik Freitag
2014: Ramon Pils
2013: Julia Jira
2012: Katja Klier
2011: Inke Raupach
2010: Pascal Echt

Diploma in Translation: Best candidate in Semi-specialised Literature option

The Peter Newmark Award was kindly presented by the Translating Division to honour the contribution made by the late Professor Newmark, both to the CIOL and to the study of translation.

Professor Newmark had a long association with the Institute and was also an examiner for the DipTrans, marking various options, including Literature from French into English. The prize is given to the candidate who achieves the highest mark in the DipTrans semi-specialised Literature option in any language combination.

Current holder and past winners

2021-22: Rositsa Lafchieva
2020: Mihail Banica
2019: Luciana Taffarello
2018: Burcu Aydi-Soganci
2017: Ceyda Aldemir-Down
2016: Sophie Verschuur
2015: Consuelo Tesei
2014: Irina Aksenova
2013: Irina Stanova
2012: Joint Winners: Cahit Baylav and Katja Klier

Diploma in Public Service Interpreting: Best group entry

Presented by the Nuffield Foundation which has long been a supporter of the work the Institute has been carrying out in the field of public service interpreting.

Current holder and past winners

2020: Qualification not held
2019: Cardiff University School of Modern Languages
2018: Cardiff Univeristy School of Modern Languages
2017: Bridge Interpreting Translating and Training Services
2016: Peterborough Interpreting Academy
2015: Peterborough Interpreting Academy
2014: Edinburgh College
2013: Talking Heads
2012: Cable Language
2011: Everyday Language Solutions
2010: Herts. Interpreting and Translation Service

Diploma in Public Service Interpreting: Best candidate (Health pathway)

Presented for the first time in 2000 and donated by Mrs A. Corsellis OBE FCIL, former Vice-President and former Vice-Chair of Council, long-time activist in the development of the Public Service Interpreting profession and author of "Non-English Speakers and the English Legal System".

Current holder and past winners

2020: Qualification not held
2019: Alina Imiolczyk
2018: Judit Kocsis-Barna
2017: Eleanor Crossley
2016: Dominique de la Cruz
2015: Magdalena Herok-Broughton
2014: Nicola di Pasqua
2013: Agata Sobieraj
2012: Philippe Muriel
2011: Marcin Walkowski
2010: Kathryn Fowler

Diploma in Public Service Interpreting: Best candidate (Local Government pathway)

Jaffar Hamid was Secretary of the WordBank Group which raised sponsorship and funding to produce a set of innovative English glossaries for Public Service Interpreters.

Mr Hamid's grandfather was a pharmacist in India who made and dispensed his own medicines. His father came from India to gain a double first at Cambridge and then returned to India to become a well known and respected teacher. Mr Hamid obviously inherited his forefather's spirit of commitment for the betterment of society and his special focus was full access to justice for all. Mr Hamid died in 1998 and the Wordbank Group has donated this cup in his name.

Past winners

2020: Qualification not held
2019: Not awarded
2018: Not awarded
2017: Not awarded
2016: Not awarded
2015: Aisha Sohail
2014: Roxana Marinkovic
2013: Aysen McIntosh
2012: Gaya Noble
2011: Anna Pachocka
2010: Petra Hytten

Diploma in Public Service Interpreting: Best candidate (Law pathway)

Susan Tolman, born in Vienna, was a Vice-Chair of Council for the Institute and the founder and chairman of the Institute's London Regional Society.

This award was presented in Mrs Tolman's memory as a gift by her elder goddaughter, Mrs Anne Ivorson and on behalf of Miss Naomi Coombes (her younger goddaughter). Additionally, the Susan Tolman CPD Prize is a cheque awarded to the candidate with the best overall mark in the DPSI. The prize can be spent on anything connected with professional development (travel, conference, books/materials etc). The money can be spent on one thing or put towards a bigger purchase. The winner is asked to write a short article which will be published in the The Linguist explaining how he/she intends to spend the money.

Current holder and past winners

2020: Qualification not held
2019: James Mallinson
2018: Marion Nuding
2017: Lukasz Ciolek
2016: Agnieszka Charzyńska
2015: Kamila Czul
2014: Julia Zieba
2013: Pavel Slama
2012: Almut Gadow de Mayor
2011: Patrycja Westgate
2010: Anthony Adamberry

CPD Prize

2017: Eleanor Crossley
2016: Agnieszka Charzyńska
2015: Kamila Czul
2014: Nicola di Pasqua
2013: Pavel Slama
2012: Almut Gadow de Mayor
2011: Patrycja Westgate
2010: Anthony Adamberry

Diploma in Police Interpreting: Best candidate

The National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) is the independent voluntary regulator for interpreters working in the public services.

They say "Qualification standards are central to our registration criteria and the police are major users of the National Register. We are therefore delighted to provide the annual NRPSI Award for excellence in the Diploma in Police Interpreting, from its introduction in 2014, to the best examination candidate".

Current holder and past winners

2021-22: Tsegazghi Tesfaldet Michael
2020: Qualification not held
2019: Laura Pistininzi
2018: Lavinia Coaje
2017: Patricia Cassares
2016: Véronique Cubilié-Ratio
2015: Veronika Balkovska
2014: Anna Lesniewska

Certificate in Bilingual Skills: Best candidate

The McInally Trophy was originally presented for interpreting in the public services but was reallocated in 2013 to the CBS Police.

Donated by Jan Cambridge FCIL, a long-standing member of Council in their memory, the McInally's were - in Jan's words "dear friends and mentors to me; always encouraging and full of enthusiasm, they supported me wholeheartedly in my endeavours to promote safe interpreting practice in clinical settings". It is therefore perhaps appropriate that the Cup is still awarded for an examination that tests the linguistic competence of people working on the front line servicing communities of other language speakers.

Current holder and past winners

2018: Not awarded
2017: Not awarded
2016: Bruno Rebeschini
2015: Kincso Kovacs
2014: Magdalena Ahmed

Certificate in Bilingual Skills: Best group entry

Presented by the widow of Mikhail Youhotsky in 1965.

Youhotsky was one of the few top-level technical translators in Russian in the late 1950s and early 1960s and a prominent member of the Translator's Guild.

Certificate in Languages for Business: Best group entry

Awarded in memory of Mr A T Pilley, who was a long-standing member of Council, and Chair in 1954, the Pilliey Cup has been presented annually since 2016 to the school, college or university with the best performing candidates in the Certificate in Languages for Business.

2019: Shrewsbury High School
2018: King’s High School, Warwick
2017: King’s High School, Warwick
2016: Shrewsbury High School

Certificate in Languages for Business: Best candidate

The first candidates in the Certificate in Languages for Business took their exams in 2016 and the Middleton Cup is awarded to the Best candidate.

2020: Qualification withdrawn
2019: Victoria Ainsworth
2018: Africa Andrews Esteban
2017: Eleanor King-Turner
2016: Charlotte Traynor

Real Lives: Best Candidate

Real Lives is an exam series for Year 9 and 10 students that tests practical, applied language skills in real life scenarios. Focused on listening skills, the series has the potential to be extended to all skills in future.

2020: Exams not held
2019: Mariena Teo
2018: Alex Sicking

Nick Bowen Award: Participation by a young CIOL member in a project supporting international understanding of languages

In memory of CIOL’s late President, Dr Nick Bowen, this is a new Award in his name to celebrate his passion to develop the skills of young linguists.

2022-23: Kirsty Low, Best Candidate Certificate in Translation
2021-22: Not awarded
2020: Lucy Makepeace
2019: Emma Latham
2018: Anam Zafar