Jane Zemiro

Zemiro was born in Miles, Queensland in 1939 and she grew up in Maryborough, Queensland. She studied at the University of Queensland and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree.^[1]

In the mid-1960s, Zemiro travelled to France by ship. On board, she met French-Algerian waiter Claude Zemiro, whom she subsequently married.^[2] In France, Zemiro studied at the University of Aix-en-Provence where she gained a licence dès lettres.^[1] In 1967, Jane and Claude had a daughter, Julia. After returning from France, the family lived in Zemiro's home town of Maryborough before settling in Sydney in 1970.^[3]

Zemiro taught French in high schools and her husband opened two restaurants, Home Cooking and Crab Apple.^[2] Zemiro was subsequently appointed Senior Lecturer in Teaching Studies LOTE at the University of Sydney, where she also obtained a Master of Arts degree.^[1] As a lecturer she noted that while students might gain basic language competency in primary school, without follow-up in high school they would not become proficient in a foreign language.^[4]

Zemiro co-wrote the book series Tapis Volant^[5] and Mini Vol,^[6] and Révisions.^[7] She also translated poems in the online magazine Ekleksographia: wave two.^[8] In 2012, Jane Zemiro co-wrote an article on translating poetry, "An Act of Rash Bravado".^[9]

Zemiro is the partner of poet Pam Brown.^[10]

In 2000, Zemiro was awarded the Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French Government.^[11][12]