ThemostAmericanthingonthislistDavyCrockett.
Whoknewthereweretwooptionsfor"bathtubring"Checkthatoutandafewmoreinthenewly-addedsensessection.
#metaglossia_mundus
UnitedNationslanguagestaffcomefromallovertheglobeandmakeupauniquelydiverseandmultilingualcommunity.Whatunitesthemisthepursuitofexcellenceintheirrespectiveareas,theexcitementofbeingattheforefrontofinternationalaffairsandthedesiretocontributetotherealizationofthepurposesoftheUnitedNations,asoutlinedintheCharter,byfacilitatingcommunicationanddecision-making.
UnitedNationslanguagestaffinnumbers
Whatdowemeanby“languageprofessionals”
Whatdowemeanby“mainlanguage”
AttheUnitedNations,“mainlanguage”generallyreferstothelanguageofanindividual'shighereducation.ForlinguistsoutsidetheOrganization,ontheotherhand,“mainlanguage”isusuallytakentomeanthe“targetlanguage”intowhichanindividualworks.
Howarelanguageprofessionalsrecruited
WhatkindofbackgrounddoUnitedNationslanguageprofessionalsneed
Ourrecruitsdonotallhaveabackgroundinlanguages.Somehaveabackgroundinotherfields,includingjournalism,law,economicsandevenengineeringormedicine.TheseareofgreatbenefittotheUnitedNations,whichdealswithalargevarietyofsubjects.
WhydoestheDepartmenthaveanoutreachprogramme
THENEWSLAGOS—FrenchtelecomscompanyOrangeplanstopartnerwithMetaandOpenAItodevelopnewartificialintelligencemodelstrainedonAfricanlanguages.
Orange,amajormobilenetworkandinternetproviderinFrench-speakingAfrica,saidtheprojectwillcreatemodelsthatallowcustomers“tocommunicatenaturallyintheirlocallanguages”withitssalesandsupportteams.Thecompanysaiditwillofferthedevelopedmodelsforthird-partyhealthandeducationusesthroughafreelicense.
WolofandPulaar—twolanguagesspokenbyabout22millionpeopleinandaroundSenegalandGambiainWestAfrica—willbethefirsttobeconsideredfortheproject,OrangesaidonTuesday.Thecompany’slong-termgoalistoexpandAI’scapacityinlocallanguagesspokenwhereitoperatesinAfricaandtheMiddleEast.
Thepartnershipisduetobeginnextyear.
Alexander’sView
RoomForDisagreementKNOWMOREOrange’sprojectwilllookto“fine-tune”existingmodelsbyOpenAIandMeta.
OpenAI’s‘Whisper’automaticspeech-to-textmodelwasrolledoutin2022.Aboutathirdoftheaudiodatasetitwastrainedonconsistedofnon-Englishdata,accordingtoOpenAI.Meta’s‘Llama’textmodelpowerstheAIchatbotsfoundinthecompany’sapps,includingFacebookMessengerandWhatsApp.
Orangehopesthatadaptingtheselargelanguagemodelswillenhanceaccessfor“illiteratepopulations,whoarecurrentlyunabletobenefitfromthepotentialofartificialintelligence.”
ALEXANDER’SVIEWOrange’sprojectcomesamidstrisinginterestinmakingAItoolsavailabletoAfricanaudiences.Multipleeffortsareunderwaybutitmaynotbeaneasyundertakingforadiversecontinentinwhichmorethan3,000languagesarespoken.
InAugust,SouthAfricanstartupLelaparolledoutamultilinguallargelanguagemodel.Thecompany’sInkubaLMisdesignedtotranslateandtranscribeAfricanlanguages,beginningwithSwahili,Yoruba,IsiXhosa,Hausa,andisiZulu.Kenya-basedJacarandaHealth,whichistailoredtowardscaringforexpectantmothers,alsorecentlyupdateditsLLMinthesamelanguages.Fiveyearsago,twoNigeriansoftwaredevelopersmadeanoriginalattemptatcreatingamodelthattranslatedpidginEnglishspokeninthecountry.
InAfrica,telecomcompaniesareamongthelargestcompaniesandmaybethelargestplatformsthroughwhichconsumersinteractwitheachother,makingthemeffectivevehiclesformainstreamingAIuse.Orange’sannouncementthatthisprojectisaimedatimprovingcustomersatisfactionclearlyshowsthereisafinancialincentivefortheundertaking.Butthereisapotentiallywidersocialbenefitintheirintentiontofreelylicensethemodelsforpublichealthandeducation.
Africa’sbiggestAIsuccessstorysofarisacommercialone,followinglastyear’s$680millionacquisitionofTunisianAIstartupInstaDeepbyGermancompanyBioNTech.MaybeOrange’sLLMprojectwillbeamajorsteptowardscreating“ablueprintforhowAIcanbeusedtobenefitthosecurrentlyexcluded,”asthecompanysays.
ROOMFORDISAGREEMENTOrangehasnotdiscloseditsplannedapproachtoacrucialaspectofcreatinganLLM—howitwillcollectthevolumesofAfricanlanguagedatarequiredtotrainthenewmodels.
OpenAI’suseofKenyancontractorstotrainChatGPT,itsflagshipproduct,hasbecomeinfamousforwhatworkershavedescribedasexploitative,lowpayworkthatwasoftentoxic.
supportfororganisationshelpingAfricansdevelopdigitalskillsfromGoogle'seconomicopportunityinitiative,”Googleadded.
Deafpatientsarepayinghundredsofdollarsforin-personinterpretersatGPappointments,eventhoughspokenlanguageinterpretersarefree,areviewhasfound.
Currently,thegovernmentonlycoversthecostofAuslaninterpretersforover-65s.
Deafpatientsaged65oryoungerpayonaverage$245forinterpretingservices,thereviewfinds.Deafpatientsarepayinghundredsofdollarsforin-personinterpretersatGPappointments,eventhoughspokenlanguageinterpretersarefree,areview
MalikMuhammadDanishisayoung(serving)Pakistanidiplomatwithapassionforlanguagesandliterature—-‘apolyglot,athomeinUrdu,Punjabi,English,Persian,Chinese,andSpanish’.HeisanLLBfromLUMS,MAinPersianfromPunjabUniversity,andMSfromGeorgetownUniversity,US,asaFulbrightscholar.
TheinstantworkcomprisesavolumeofsixtypoemsinEnglish,pickedupandtranslatedfromthepoeticworkoftwentymodernPersianpoetswhosebriefprofileshavealsobeenaddedtotheappendix.TheyincludeNimaYooshij,FereydoonMoshiri,ForughFarrokhzad,AhmadShamlou,SohrabSepehri,HushangEbtehajSayeh,MehdiAkhavan-Sales,JalehEsfahani,YadollahMaftunAmini,RasulYunan,SiavashKasrai,NosratRahmani,RahimMoeiniKermanshahietal.
Thetranslator’sprefaceandintroductiontothecollectionservetoenlightenthereaderonhismissionandvisionvis-à-visthebookinhand.HerightlyascribesthereasonoftheirignoranceorconstrictedknowledgeofmodernPersianpoetryto‘dearthoftranslation’,andthinksthatclassicalPersianpoetshavealargerfollowinginnon-PersianlinguisticcirclessuchasEnglish,thankstothetranslationsbyfamedorientalists,EdwardFitzgerald,RANicholson,AJArberry,WMThackston,andAlanWilliams.ButtherearefewmultilingualwriterswhocouldbecreditedwithtranslatingmodernPersianpoetryinotherlanguages.
RenownedUrdupoetNoonMeemRashidtooktheleadbytranslatingsomesixty-onemodernPersianpoemsbytwenty-onemodernIranianpoetsintoUrdu.(Cf.hisbook‘JadeedFarsiShayeri’-1987).Inthesecondeditionofthebook(2010),headdedanothertwentypoems.FahmidaRiaz,MoeenNizami,UzmaAzizKhan,andAhmadShehryararepurportedtohavefollowedhimintheventure
MalikMuhammadDanish(translatorofthispublication)attributesitsemergencetohiserstwhileteacherandmentorDr.MuhammadAtharMasood,aservingcivilservant,areputedmusicologist,andscholarofPersian.HealsoexpresseshisdebtofgratitudetoM.AtharTahir,arenownedPakistanipoetofEnglish,whoreviewedthesetranslationswithduecareandconcentrationtogetherwithProf.NaziaBaraniEntezarhojatattheUniversityofSalamanca,SpainforadvisingandguidinghimontheintricaciesofmodernPersianverse.
InhisIntroductiontothebook,thetranslatorbrieflytracesthehistoryofPersianpoetryfromtheclassicalperiodwhentheArabsconqueredIraninthe7thcenturyAD,andcasttheirlinguisticandliteraryinfluenceonthelocallanguage,PahlaviwhichgraduallyevolvedintoPersian(c.224-651).Ferdowsi,Khayyam,Rumi,Saadi,andHafizwerethecreamofthisperiod(940-1390).Thetransitionfromtheclassicalandneo-classicalformsofpoetrytoamodernisticjargonandconstruct,tookplacearoundtheturnofthe19thcenturywhenNimaYooshij(1897-1960),alsocalledthefatherofmodernPersianpoetry,brokewiththeformaltraditionofversification,andwrotepoemswithhemistiches(mis’ra)ofunequalsizeandlengthinregardstometer.ThusheisregardedastheexponentofShe’r-eNau(NewPoetry)inPersian.Deviatingfromtheformalrulesofrhymeandprosody,hefollowedtherhythmandrhymeemanatingfromtheinnerrecessesofhisownpsycheandsoul.HewassupportedinhispoeticendeavoursbyhispeersandcontemporariessuchasAhmadShamlou,SohrabSepehri,MehdiAkhavan-Sales,ForughFarrokhzad,andShafieiKadkani.
Agroupofsocalledavant-gardepoetsinthelatterhalfofthelastcenturycomprisingAhmadRazaAhmadi,YadollahRoyaee,andMajidNafisicomposedpoetryof‘sheersymbolismandhyper-ambiguity’asapost-modernisticreactiontothecontemporaneouspoeticcompositionsthatwasunacceptabletothereadersandtheconnoisseursalike.TheIslamicRevolutionof1979wasamajoreventthatamongothers,alsoimpactedtheliteraryintelligentsiaandtheircreativity.Inthegivenpoliticalscenario,diasporicliteraturecametoattainadistinctivestatusinmodernPersianpoetry.TranslationofmodernPersianpoetryintosomemajorEuropeanlanguagesisawelcometrendissuingfromthischange.
Thetitles—-StillItsNight,CanaryBird,Birth,TearsontheProcessionofHistory,GrandeurofGrowth,HoneyedPoison,RootsintheGround,TheHiddenFire,Sin,Mirage,Life,HourofTryst,Lament,TheUnsaid,SongofRedRose,FallingintoOblivion,MyHeartYearnsforYouetc.—-ofthetranslatedpoemsarequitemeaningfulinthecontextofmodernism,withconcomitantissues.Thegeneralpatternofverseintranslationisiambicwithlittlerhymingconcord.Nonetheless,thelinesarelucid,racy,andrhythmicallyaffluent.Thespiritofromanticloveisthepervasiveforceresonatingtheselines.Its‘poison’and‘panacea’bewilderthemonologicspeakerhereandtherebutitcontinuestoinstateandfortifyhiminthefaceoftheoddsfallinghisway.
Atenderwave,twirlingwiththeessenceoflife,/Piercedthroughthedepthofmysoul/Ilost‘I-am-ness’/But‘we’remained/Walkingonthepathofeternity.(Oneness).Mypoetryismyhiddenfire/Dayandnightflamesburninmysoul(TheHiddenFire).WhereareyouhidingObird!/Areyoubehindthemeshofmoistfoliage/Oramidstthebranchesofyearning(TheHiddenBird).ComeOmyfellow-sinnertothispurgatory,/Whichisbothparadiseandinferno(ComeforaTrystEveryNight).Thereisasonginmyheart/AsongwhichIlovebutcannotsing/Asongwhateveritis…/Asongwhateveritwas…(TheUnsaid).Iftheflowerhasnothorn/Ifthehearthasnopain/Ifthecageisnotsmallforthepigeon,then…..Life/Love/Captivity/Strifeandamity/Wouldallbemeaningless…(ThornandFlower).Ourcenturyisanageofdeathofhumanity/Theworldisdevoidofanygoodness/Anymentionoftolerance,nobilityorempathyisfoolishness(TearsontheProcessionofHistory).Manyhavesaid,“donotfallinlove!/Itbeguiles,bewitchesandbewilders”/Butweentangledourheart,andfound/Itispoison,butpanaceatoo!(HoneyedPoison)
Thesequotesareintendedtodemonstratethetexture,tenor,andthematicpatternofmodernPersianpoetryastranslatedinthecurrentworkwhichalsobespeaksthecompetenceandversatilityoftheesteemedtranslator.
DeborahTreismaninterviewsJohnNathan,thebiographerofYukioMishima,about“FromtheWilderness,”Mishima'snewlytranslatedstoryintheNovember4,2024,issueofTheNewYorker.
Mishimawroteahundredandseventyshortstories,soit’snotsurprisingthatanumberofthemthatmerittranslationremainuntranslated.LookingforlateMishimatoincludein“VoicesoftheFallenHeroes,”Ihappenedonthisstoryinavolumeofhiscompleteworks,andfounditbeautifullyconstructedandmoving.PerhapsmostimportantlyIfeltcertain,readingitforthefirsttimeasatranslator,thatIcouldmakeitworkinEnglish.
IsMishimahardtotranslate
WalterBenjamin’sseminal(thoughmaddeninglyobscure)1923essay“TheTranslator’sTask”inspiredanongoingdebateonthesubject.Myowncommitmentistoconveyinginthetargetlanguagetheauthor’svoiceintheoriginal.Fromthatpointofview,Mishima’sworkis,atleasttheoretically,amenabletotranslationinawaythat,forexample,theNobelLaureateKenzaburoOe’sisnot.OeconsideredhimselfaliminalfigureinJapanesesocietyand,accordingly,developedalanguagethatconstitutedanassaultontraditionalJapanese,intentionallydeforminghisownsentences.Mishimaconceivedofhimselfastheultimateinsider,heirtoalongtraditionofJapanesebeauty:hiswriting,reflectingthisimageofhimself,isinharmoniousaccordwiththeinherent,unalloyedgeniusoftheJapaneselanguage.Awordmaster,hewasalsoameticulousmosaicist.Thetranslatorneedonlyfindtherightverbalstonesandinstallthemincomelysentences,incadencesthatmirrortheauthor’sown,andMishima’svoicewillemerge.Needlesstosay,thisiseasiersaidthandone.
Inthestory,anobsessedyouthbreaksintothehomeofawritercalledMishima.DoyouknowifthestorywasbasedonarealincidentIfso,howmuchdoesitstrayfromthenonfictionalreality
Thestoryisindeedbasedonanactualincident,widelyreportedinthepress,thatbefellMishimaandhisfamilyinApril,1966,severalmonthsbeforehewrote“FromtheWilderness.”Asforitsveracity,thereisnowaytoknowhowcloselyitfollowswhatactuallyhappened,butIsuspectthattherenderingisafaithfulone,includingwhatMishimahadtosayabouthimselfinthefinalpages,whichswerveintohighlypersonalrevelation.IsaythiswithJapan’slonghistoryofautobiographicalfictioninmind.Intheso-calledI-novel(orIch-Roman),theJapaneseauthorwasexpectedtoreveal—confess—aspectsofhisownlifewithnoattemptatcamouflage.AprimeexamplewasTosonShimazaki’s1919novel,“ANewLife,”inwhichtheauthorrevealedinmeticulousdetailhisincestuousaffairwithhisbrother’sdaughter.ThescandalthenovelcreatedobligedShimazakitomovetoFrancetoavoidaconfrontationwithhisownfamily.Theworkwasaccountedamasterpiece.
MishimawouldhavebeenawarethatwiththisstoryhewasevokingtheI-noveltradition,andhewouldcertainlyhaveknownthatthebasisforappreciatingthisgenreof“fiction”hadalwaysbeenitsdegreeoftruthfulness,themoredamningthebetter.Japanesecriticswereskepticalofthenarrator’sclosinginsistencethathehastoldthetruth,consideringitgimmicky,butitseemsplausibletomethat“FromtheWilderness”isanexceedinglyrareexampleofMishimaputtingasidehisproteanmaskandwritingsomethingclosetounvarnishedautobiography,aself-portraitinthefirstperson.ThelanguageisspareforMishima;thenarrativeisrelativelyunembellished,almostjournalistic.
Thestorybeginswithakindofproceduraldescriptionofabreak-in,firstasitwasexperiencedbythenarrator,andthenasitwasexperiencedbyhisparentsandhiswife.Itendsassomethingquitedifferentandmoreconfessional.DoyouthinkMishimaplannedtowritethestoryinthewayheendedupwritingit
Ican’tprovethis,butIimaginethatMishimasawbeforehebegantowritethatthedisturbedyoungfanwhobrokeintohishousewouldopenthedoortothehighlypersonalmaterialheendsthestorywith.
ThestoryendswithadescriptionofthemiseryanddesolationthatMishima(thecharacter,and,presumably,theauthor)hasfelt,hisfundamentalaloneness.Knowingthathediedbysuicide,fouryearslater—afterhisowndeluded,criminalactofdefiance—makesthisstoryevenmorepoignanttome.AmIdrawingafalseparallel
AninformedMishimareaderencountersasingularchallenge:draggingMishima’sworkoutoftheshadowofhisfinalact,withitscentripetalpullontheimagination,toassessitonitsownmerits.“FromtheWilderness”isacaseinpoint.PerceivingthelonelinessthatcolorsthestoryandbeingawareofMishima’sawfuldemisefouryearslater,howcanthereaderfailtobemovedbyapoignancythattranscendsthetext!
YouknewMishimapersonallyandtranslatedhisworkinthenineteen-sixties.Whatmadeyoudecidetowriteabiographyofhim
Newsofhisritualsuicidethreeyearslaterreachedmeasanabstraction,aconceptimpossibletocomprehend,muchlessfeel;andIdoubtIwouldhaveembarkedonabiographyifIhadn’treceivedaphonecallfrommymentoratHarvard,EdwinO.Reischauer,whohadbeenambassadortoJapanunderJ.F.K.,suggestingthatIowedittomyselftowriteone.HehadalwaysbeenfascinatedbyMishima,hesaid,butnothingheknewabouttheJapanesehadhelpedhimunderstandMishimaasahumanreality.Ifanyonecouldmakehimcomprehensible,heinsisted,itwasme.ThosewordsfromamanIesteemedwereallittook.
ArrivinginTokyointhefallof1971,IcontactedMishima’swidow,Yoko,andsheagreedtomeetmeatZakuro,arestaurantthathadbeenoneofherhusband’sfavorites.WhenItoldherthatIintendedtowriteabiographyandaskedifshewouldhelpme,shesighedandsaidshedidn’treallywantabiographybutifsomeonewasgoingtowriteoneitmightaswellbeme.IspentthatyearinterviewingpeopleinMishima’sdiverseworldswhowouldn’thavegivenmethetimeofdayifYokohadn’tcalledaheadandaskedthemtocoperate.Ononeofmyvisitstopickupbooksattherococohousewhereshestilllived—nowpreservedasamuseum—Iaskedasoff-handedlyaspossible,“WhenwillIhaveachancetohearYoko-san’sstory”
“Yoko-sanhasnostory,”shereplied.
Mishimawasfullofcontradictions,anenigma.Howchallengingwasittowriteadefinitivetextabouthislifesosoonafteritended
Mishimawasaconsummatemasquerader.Everyonewhohadknownhimconsideredhimselfabestfriend,butnoonehadhadevenaninklingthathehadbeenplanninghissuicideformorethanayear.ThepeopleImanagedtomeetfeltbetrayed,angry,andwereloathtosharethekindsofinsightIwashopingfor.Thiswasespeciallytrueofhismotherandfather,whoappearin“FromtheWilderness.”
ItbecameclearthatpeoplehadseenMishimajustashewantedthemtoseehim,andmyresponsetotheconflictingviewswastoformulateahypothesisandprojectitonhislife.IremainpersuadedthatMishima’ssuicidebyhara-kiriwasdrivenbyaneroticfascinationwithdeath,whichhehadfantasizedabout,andbeenintermittentlyterrifiedby,sincechildhood;the“patriotism”heprofessedsoardentlyduringthefinalyearsofhislifestillimpressesmeasameanstothepainful,martyr’sdeaththathislifelongfantasyprescribed.
Understandinghowcancerisdiscussedacrossdiverselanguagesandculturalcontextsiscrucial,especiallyonacontinentthathasmorethan2,000languages.
Languagecangivepeoplethepowertotakeanactivepartintheirownhealthcare,oritcancreatebarriers.
Effectivecommunicationraisesawarenessaboutdiseasesandiskeytodeliveringgoodcaretopatients.
YetinmanyAfricansettings,thisaspectofcareisoftenoverlooked.
Thefindingssuggestthattranslationsofkeyterms,including“cancer”,“malignant”,“chronic”and“radiotherapy”,commonlyconveyedelementsoffearandtragedy.Andthatthewordsusedmaycontributetofear,healthdisparitiesandbarrierstocare,andposecommunicationdifficultiesforhealthprofessionals.
Theresultsreinforcetheneedforculturallysensitivecancerterminology.Thiswouldimprovecancerawarenessandcommunication.
Forcancerpatients,thewordsusedtodescribetheirdiagnosisandtreatmentcanaffecthowtheyperceivetheircondition,theirwillingnesstoseektreatment,andtheirinteractionwithhealthcareproviders.
Ourstudyinvestigatedtranslationsofcancer-relatedtermsfromvariousAfricanlanguagesandexploredtheirculturalsignificance.Wesurveyed107healthcareprofessionals,communityhealthworkersandresearchersfrom32Africancountries,representing44languages.
Participantswereaskedtoprovidetranslationsof16commonmedicaltermsintheirlocallanguagesandexplainwhatthosetermsmeant.Theseweretermslike“cancer”,“radiotherapy”,“metastasis”and“survival”.
Resultsrevealedadiversityofterminologyandtranslations.Manylocaltermscontainedlinguisticreferencesthatreflectedculturalandsocialcontexts.
Thefindingsuncoveredastrikingpattern:manycancer-relatedtermscarrieddeeplynegativeconnotations.Oftentheywereassociatedwithfear,tragedyandincurability.Sometranslationsevenhadmalevolentspiritualmeanings.
Theterm“cancer”isoftenassociatedwithweightiness.Itcreatesafeelingofbeingoverwhelming,unbeatableandfrequentlyfinal.
Termslike“malignant”and“chronic”carrysimilarweight,frequentlycomingwithideasofhopelessnessandfatality.
Whatifthetreatmentmeanttosaveyourlifesoundedasterrifyingasthediseaseitself
Oneexampleinourstudywasthetranslationof“radiotherapy”.Inseverallanguages,thetermwasassociatedwithburning–beingscorchedbyfire,heatorelectricity.
Suchassociationscanmaketreatmentsseemmorefrighteningthantheyare.Theymightdeterpatientsfromseekingthecaretheyneed.
OnefascinatingexampleofhowlanguageshapestheunderstandingofcancercomesfromaUgandanparticipant.Theirtranslationof“metastasis”(meaning“spread”)inLugandawasekizibakyasindikaobwanabwayoahare.Thismeans“themothermasshassentseedlingsintoanothersite”.
Thisvividmetaphor,deeplyrootedinthelocalidiomsandproverbs,likensthespreadofcancertothedispersalofseedlingsfromacentralplant.
ItshowshowAfricanlanguagescanconveycomplexmedicalconceptsthroughculturallyresonantexpressions.
Inotherinstancescancerwasreferredtoasthe“woundwithwhichwewillbeburied”(translatedfromWolof),“forestdisease”(translatedfromDjerma)and“parasiticplant”(translatedfromShona).
Theseexpressionsextendbeyondliteraltranslation,providingvaluableinsightsintohowculturesthinkofcancerasapowerfulandpervasiveforceinthenaturalworld.
Thestudyhighlightstheimportanceofculturalsensitivityincancercommunication.
Whenthelanguageusedtodescribecanceranditstreatmentsinstilsfearorperpetuatesstigma,itbecomesharderforhealthcareworkerstoprovideeffectivecare.
Patientsmaydelayseekingtreatment,struggletounderstandtheircondition,orfeelhopelessabouttheirprognosis.
Thelanguageusedtocommunicateaboutcanceralsomattersbecauseitcanmakeadifferencetohealthdisparities.
Linguists,healthcareprofessionalsandculturalleadersshouldworktogethertocreatenewterminologiesoradaptexistingonestobemoreneutralorpositive.
Sucheffortscouldpavethewayformorecompassionate,effectiveandculturallyalignedhealthcarecommunicationacrossthecontinent.
NEWYORK(AP)—TheEnglish-languagetranslatorsofanItaliancollectionofshortstoriesandaFrenchbookofpoetryhavewonawardsfromtheAmericanLiteraryTranslatorsAssociation.
JamieRichards’translationfromtheItalianofMarosiaCastaldi’s“TheHungerofWomen”wasgiventheNationalTranslationAwardforprose,andColeSwensen’stranslationfromtheFrenchofPierreAlferi’s“AndtheStreet”wonthepoetryaward.
Eachwinnerreceives$4,000.Richardsisafull-timetranslator,whileSwensenisalsoaprize-winningpoet,herbooksincluding“Goest”and“Gravesend.”
“WeareproudtoadministertheNationalTranslationAwards,whichturnthespotlightonanumberofaccomplishedtranslators,writers,andthepublisherswhomakeitpossibleforthesemarvelousbookstoappearinEnglish,”translationassociationpresidentChenxinJiangsaidinastatementMonday.
Le1ernovembre,laToussaintestcélébréedansdenombreuxpaysàtraverslemonde.SienFrance,cettejournéeesttraditionnellementdédiéeàlavisitedescimetièresetaurecueillementenmémoiredesdéfunts,d’autresculturesontdesfaonstrèsdifférentesd’honorerleursancêtres.
LeJourdesMortsauMexiqueestl’unedescélébrationslespluscoloréesetemblématiques.Cettefêtejoyeuseetpleinedevies’étendsurplusieursjours,du31octobreau2novembre,avecdesoffrandes(ofrendas)coloréessurdesautelsdédiésauxdéfunts.Lesfamillesapportentnourriture,boissons,fleursetobjetschersauxdisparuspourcélébrerleurmémoire.
Quelquesjoursavant,le27octobre,denombreusespersonnesplacentdesphotosdeleursanimauxdecompagniesurlesautelsdujourdesmortsetleurlaissentdesoffrandes,notammentleursfriandisesetjouetspréférés.
AuxPhilippines,laToussaint,appeléeUndas,estunefêtefamilialeimportante.Lesfamillesseréunissentdanslescimetières,parfoisdèslaveille,pourpasserdutempsauprèsdestombesdeleursprochesdéfunts.Ellesapportentdesrepas,décorentlestombesetprientensemble.Lescimetièresdeviennentalorsdeslieuxderassemblementetdefête.
AuGuatemala,desimmensescerfs-volantscolorés,certainsmesurantjusqu’à20mètres,sontconstruitsavecsoinpourêtreenvoyésdanslecielenhommageauxdéfunts.Lefestivalsymboliselacommunicationentrelesvivantsetlesmorts.
EnCatalogne,laToussaintestcélébréeavecLaCastaada,unefêtepopulaireoùl’onmangedeschataignesgrillées,despatatesdoucesetdespanellets,despetitsgateauxàbased’amandesetdepignonsdepin.LatraditionviendraitdelanuitprécédantlaToussaint,lorsquelessonneursdesvillagescatalansfaisaientsonnerlesclochesjusqu’àl’aubepourcommémorerlesmorts.Leursamisetleursprochesleurapportaientdeschataignesetdespatatesdoucespourlesaideràtenirtoutelanuit.
EnPologne,laToussaint,appeléeZaduszki,estunecélébrationsolennelleoùlesfamillesserendentenmassedanslescimetièrespourallumerdesbougiessurlestombesdeleursproches.
IlexisteplusieursmarquesquivendentleursproduitsenFrance.Ventilateur,climatiseur,micro-onde,réfrigérateur,télévision,radio,caméra,machineàlaveretc.Touscesproduitsdoiventcomporterobligatoirementunmoded'emploi.Qu'enest-ildelalangueutiliséedanscesmanuels
EnFrance,onparlebienévidemmentlefranais.Etlalanguenationaleestégalementlefranais.Raisonpourlaquelle,danslesrayonsdesgrandessurfacesoudetouslescentrescommerciaux(petitscommegrands),lalangueutiliséeestbienévidemmentlefranais.Qu'enest-ildesmanuelsindiquantlemoded'emploid'unproduitcommercialisésurleterritoireLecommerantoulamarquea-t-ellel'obligationd'inclureunepartiedumanueltraduiteenFranaisOnvousdittout!
Neoliberalismhasbecomemuchmorethanamereeconomicdoctrine;itisasocio-politicalandeconomicframeworkthatinfluencesmanyspheresofsociety,includingimmigrationandlanguageservices....
SometwodozenworksofthelatePopeBenedictXVI'spre-papalwritingswillbemadeavailableinEnglish,manyforthefirsttime,inanewtranslationprojectledbytheacademicdivisionofWordonFireCatholicMinistries.
LibreriaEditriceVaticana,theVatican'spublishinghouse,hasgrantedWordonFiretheexclusiveEnglish-languagerightstotranslateandpublishthecollectedworksofCardinalJosephRatzinger,whichwerewritteninthelatepope'snativeGerman.
WordonFireannouncedthenewsinanOct.24pressrelease,withthenonprofit'sfounder,BishopRobertE.BarronofWinona-Rochester,Minnesota,describingthevalueoftheworksas"inestimable."
"Theywillservefuturegenerationsasagreatrepositorynotonlyoftheologicalandspiritualwisdom,butofthehistoryofaparticularmomentinthelifeoftheChurch,"saidBishopBarroninthestatement.
Priortohiselectionaspopein2005,Ratzinger,aprolifictheologianandanexpertwitnessattheSecondVaticanCouncil,hadheadeduptheVatican'sCongregationfortheDoctrineoftheFaith,aswellasthePontificalBiblicalCommission,thePontificalInternationalTheologicalCommission,andthedraftingcommitteeoftheCatechismoftheCatholicChurch.
Thelatepope,whosteppeddownin2013anddiedin2022,specificallydescribedhisvocationas"theological,"accordingtohisVaticanbiography.
YetonlyhalfofhisworksarecurrentlyavailableinEnglish,JasonPaone,editorofWordonFireAcademic—oneofWordonFire'sfourpublishingimprints—toldOSVNews.
Ofthe25volumesthataccordingtoWordonFirecomprisethecollectedworksofRatzinger,"roughlyhalfhaveneverbeentranslatedintoEnglishnorpublished,"saidPaone.
AcollectionofRatzinger'sworksunderthetitle"TheologyoftheLiturgy"wasreleasedinEnglishbyIgnatiusPressin2014,ayearafterthepublisherissuedthelatepope'sthree-volume"JesusofNazareth"set.
WordonFireAcademicplanstoworkwithIgnatius,aswellasotherpublishersandinstitutions,tocontinuetheseriestobringall25volumestothemarketoverthenext12years.
TheserieswillbeeditedbytheologianTraceyRowland,authorof"Ratzinger'sFaith:TheTheologyofPopeBenedictXVI"and"BenedictXVI:AGuideforthePerplexed,"andwinneroftheRatzingerPrizeforTheology.
Rowlandadmittedinthepressreleasethattheprojectposes"amammothtask."
PaonetoldOSVNewstheundertakingwillrequireintensivecollaborationamongGerman-languagetranslationspecialistsandtheologians,whowillstrivetoensurethatRatzinger'swordsarerebornintoEnglishwithprecision.
"Ratzingerisaterrificstylist,"saidPaone,addingthat"Germanisaparticularlydifficultlanguage.
"Germanslovereallylongsentencesandnestedclauses;capital(letters)areeverywhere,"hesaid."IthinkthatgettinganyGermantexts—especiallyacomplex,sophisticated,philosophicalortheologicalGermantext—fullytranslatedintoEnglishisatrick."
Attimes,saidPaone,"thetendencyofsometranslators,whenthey'redealingwithaparticularlydifficulttext,istosortofjusttranslatewordforword,andcreateawordforwordequivalenceinEnglish,whichwillresultinlikeareallylongsentenceandsomelikereallyawkwardconstructionsandnestedclauses.
"AndinEnglish,wedon'tlikethoselongsentences…(with)abunchofnestedsubordinateclauses,"hecontinued."ThenatureofGermanisgoingtobeoneofthebiggestobstacles."
Ratzingerhimself"isasophisticatedthinkerandsomeofhisworksareparticularlydifficult,fullofcitationstoworksinGerman,someofwhichhavebeentranslated,othershaven't,"Paoneadded."Sowe'regoingtohavetosortthroughallofthosecomplexities."
Henotedthatwhilesomeoftheproject'stranslatorsmaybegintheirworkusingartificialintelligencetorenderaroughdraftofthetextbeforeanin-depthmanualreview,"itwilltakecarefulshepherdingoftheprojecttomakesurewegetallthedetailsright."
RowlandsaidinthereleasethatbringingRatzinger'scompleteworkstoEnglish-languageaudienceswillmakea"long-termcontributiontoCatholicscholarship"thatwillbe"immeasurable."
PaonetoldOSVNewsthathesuspectsthatthelatepope,as"aself-effacingman,"wouldbe"kindofquietlypleased."
Avecl’ajoutdufranaisquébécois,GoogleTraductioncélèbrelarichessedesfrancophoniesrégionalesetoffreunetraductionplusprochedelalanguedetouslesjoursauQuébec.
GoogleTraductionintègrelefranaisquébécoisàsonservice,rendanthommageàuneculturericheetvivante.Cettereconnaissancesoulignel’importancedesrégionalismesdansunmondeglobalisé.
Depuisquelquesjours,GoogleTraductionproposeunenouvelleoption:lefranaiscanadien.LesQuébécoispeuventdésormaisretrouverdansleurstraductionsdesexpressionscommebraillerpourpleurer,oublondepourcopine,reflétantl’authenticitédelaBelleProvince.Cettemiseàjourapporteunsouffledefracheurens’adaptantauxréalitéslinguistiqueslocales.
Malgrécetajout,certainsutilisateursremarquentquecefranaiscanadienseconcentreprincipalementsurlesexpressionsquébécoises,négligeantainsid'autresvariantesfrancophonesprésentesauCanada.
MoniqueCormier,professeureéméritedelinguistiqueàl’UniversitédeMontréal,lorsd’unentretienavecTVAdéclaraitc’estunpasimportantverslareconnaissancedesrégionalismes,quienrichissentlalanguefranaisedanstoutesadiversité.ElleestimequecetajoutvaloriselepatrimoineculturelduQuébecetrapprochelesfrancophonesd’icietd’ailleurs.
Désormais,magasinerprendlaplacedefairedushopping,uneadaptationquienrichitlatraduction.Cependant,nousavonsétéquelquepeusurprisdevoirl’emploiquasisystématiquedupronomonàlaplacedenous,commel’illustrel’imageentêtedel’article.Siceteffortmontrel'engagementdeGoogleàrespecterl’authenticitédechaquefrancophonie,ilestessentieldeveilleràcequecettediversitésoitpréservéedanstoutessessubtilités.
CetteadaptationlinguistiquedeGoogles'inscritdansunedémarcheplusvaste,visantàreconnatrelesculturesrégionales.Aprèsl’ajoutdel'inuktitut,langueautochtonecanadienne,etdeplusieursdialectesrégionauxcommelecréolejamacainoulebalinais,legéantdunumériquemontreunevolontéd’inclureladiversitémondiale.Cegenred’initiativerapprochelescultures,expliqueunporte-paroledeGoogle.
Aveccetteadaptation,GoogleTraductionrendhommageauxcommunautéslocalesetauxfrancophonesdumondeentier.Cettereconnaissancelinguistiqueouvredenouvellesperspectives:etsileprochainchapitredelatraductionnumériqueconsistaitàhonorerencoreplusdelanguesrégionales
MohammedHarbinousafaitparvenircettedéclaration,àl’occasiondelapublicationparlesEditionsKoukoudesontémoignage,Uneviedebout,traduitenlanguetamazitparAumerULamara,sousletitreTudertdegise.
Al’heureoùà91ansjeprendsmaretraitepolitiquej’aienmémoiretouteslessouffrancesetlesluttescivilesqu’aconnueslepeuplealgérien(mouvementplébéienàNedroma,Skikda,Dechmya,autantd’interpellationsavantle1ernovembre1954).
Souvenons-nousdetouscesévénements.épargnonslesangdenotrepeuple.uvronstousensemblepourconstruireunenationdecitoyensetvivreenpaixavecnosvoisins.
MesopinionssurlaquestiondeslanguesenAlgériesontclairementexpliquéesdansmesouvragesetmespositionspubliques.Depuisl’oppositionouvertedeparentsd’élèvesdeJijel,enseptembre2018,dedispenserdescoursenlangueberbère(amazighe)àleursenfantscettequestionm’obsède.Lalangueberbère(amazighe)atraversédessiècles.Ilestvaind’empêchersoncheminementauxctésdel’arabeetdufranais.L’épanouissementdelanationalgérienneestàceprix.Lesfondementsdelasociétéalgériennedemeurerontinachevéstantquecettequestionn’estpasrésolue.Maintenantquecesmanifestationsonttouchélesenfantslasolutionurge.Ilnefautpasattendre.
MohammedHarbi
Publiéle:28octobre2024parMominéCOULIBALY
Enpoursuivant,cetteextensiondeGooglerenforceainsisonengagementdanslapromotiondeladiversitélinguistiquesursesplateformes.Désormais,lareconnaissancevocaledeGboardetlarecherchevocalecouvrent12languessupplémentaires,tandisqueGoogleTranslateprendenchargelasaisievocalepour13languesafricainessupplémentaires.
Googlen’enestpasàsesdébutsenmatièredepriseenchargedeslanguesafricaines,ayantdéjàintégréenviron200languesdansGboardetplusde60languesdansGoogleTranslate.CrépondantauxbesoinsdeplusieurscommunautéslinguistiquesenAfrique.Cetteexpansionviseàfavoriserdeséchangesplusfluidesetnaturels,permettantauxutilisateursdes'exprimerdansleurlanguematernelleetd’interagiravecdesoutilsnumériquescommeilsleferaientdansleurviequotidienne.
Aveccenouveleffortd’inclusion,Googleouvredenouvellesperspectivespourlecontinentafricainenmatièred’éducation,decommunication,etd’accèsàl’information,contribuantàunWebvéritablementmulticultureletmultilingue.
AsSub-SaharanAfricalookstoits'digitaldecade',PresidentofGoogleEMEAMattBrittindiscussesthebigopportunitiesandsomenewannouncementsfromGoogle.
Oct28,2024
3minread
ThenextdecadeissettobeSub-SaharanAfrica’sdigitaldecade—withemergingtechnologiessettosignificantlyacceleratethecontinent’sdevelopment.Forthefirsttime,overhalfthepopulationwillhaveaccesstotheInternet,whileartificialintelligencealonecouldcontribute$30billiontotheeconomyofSub-SaharanAfrica.
Theopportunityishuge,butitcanonlyberealizedwheneveryoneisincluded.Google’smissiontomaketheworld’sinformationuniversallyaccessibleandusefulcouldnotbemorerelevantthaninSub-SaharanAfrica.
ThisweekI’mdelightedtobeinNigeriaandKenya,seeingthisdigitalprogressinpersonandmeetingsomeoftheNGOs,entrepreneurs,Googlers,developersandbusinessesmakingtechthatnotonlybenefitstheircommunitiesbuttheworld.
Tokickoffthetrip,I’mdelightedtobemakingtwoannouncementsthatwillhelpbuildadigitaltransformationthatincludeseveryone.
Voicetechnologyisempoweringindividualstointeractwiththewebandcommunicatewiththeirfriendsandfamilyinthewaythatcomesmostnaturallytothem—theirvoice.Today,weannouncedthelaunchof15moreAfricanlanguagesacrossVoiceSearch,talk-to-typeonGboardanddictationonTranslate.
Lastweek,IcaughtupwithDaanvanEsch,TechnicalProgramManagerontheprogram.Hetoldmethattheupdate—builtbyGoogleSpeechwiththeResearchteaminAccra—willenablearound300millionmoreAfricanstousetheirvoicetointeractwiththeweb.
ThisprogressisaresultofadvancesinAI,specificallymultilingualspeechrecognition,whichconvertsspeechintotext.TheAImodellearnslanguagesinthewayachildwould,associatingspeechsoundswithsequencesofcharactersinwrittenform.Speechrecognitionmodelsaretrainedondatafrommultiplelanguagestotranscribespeechintotextinanyofthoselanguages.
GooglealreadysupportstypingwithcustomkeyboardsinGboardforaround200Africanlanguages,andautomatictranslationinTranslateforover60languagesspokeninAfrica.
Voiceinputhasnowbeenextendedto12morelanguagesonGboardandVoiceSearch—bringingthetotalnumberupto25.AndonTranslate,we’reextendingvoiceinputto13morelanguages,bringingthetotalto22.
ThenewlanguagesonVoiceSearchandGboardtalk-to-typeareChichewa,Hausa,Igbo,Kikuyu,NigerianPidgin,Oromo,Rundi,Shona,Somali,Tigrinya,TwiandYoruba.OnTranslate,Chichewa,Hausa,Igbo,Oromo,Rundi,Shona,Somali,SouthNdebele,Swati,Tigrinya,Tswana,TwiandYorubaarenowavailableforvoiceinput.
ThefundingwillgotowardsequippingworkersandstudentswithfoundationalAIandcybersecurityskills,andsupportingnonprofitleadersandthepublicsectorwithfoundationalAIskills.
RecipientsofthefundingincludetheDataScientistsNetworkFoundation,whowillbeprovidedwitha$1.5milliongranttocreateaprogramthattrainsunemployedandatriskNigeriansindigitalandtechtraining—withthelong-termgoalofbuildingadvancedskillsindataandAI.Aspartoftheprogram,RaspberryPiFoundationwillworkwithYoungScientistsKenyaandDataScientistsNetworkFoundationtorolloutAIliteracyeducationforKenyanandNigerianyouth.
Thisnewfundingbuildsonthe$20millionofGoogle.orgsupportfororganizationshelpingAfricansdevelopdigitalskillsfromGoogle'seconomicopportunityinitiative.Inaddition,GrowwithGoogle,whichisseparatefromGoogle.org,trainedover6.5millionpeopleacrossAfricain2023aloneindigitalskillstohelpthembuildtheircareerorbusiness.
Googleisfocusedonsupportingthecontinenttounlockthebenefitsofthedigitaleconomytoeveryone.I’mexcitedtoseehowthesecommitmentsfurtherthat—enablingmorepeopletolearndigitalskillsandsurfthewebinthewaythatcomesmostnaturallytothem.
Avoirdenombreusestribusetclanssimilairesestunebénédictionetcefacteurpeutêtreutilisépourfaireduswahiliunelanguepuissante,selonleprésidentougandais.
YoweriMusevenis’exprimaitjeudilorsdelacérémonieinauguralederemisedesdiplmespourlapremièrepromotiond’étudiantskiswahilidanslescoursdel’UniversitédeKyambogo,oùuntotalde304cadresontobtenuleurdiplmeaprèsavoirterminéuncoursd’unansansétudesausecrétariatduMouvementderésistancenationale(NRM).
Etnouspouvonsmaintenantl’utilisercommenoyaupourconstruireunelangueinternationaletrèspuissanteenyajoutantplusdemotsdestribusetdeslanguesicidansl’arrière-paysparcequeleslanguestribalesiciontbeaucoupdevocabulaire,adéclaréleprésidentMuseveni,ajoutantqu’ilalui-mêmeintroduitdenombreuxmotscommeEmyooga,quisignifiedescompétencestellesquelamenuiserie,lapoterieetlacouture,entreautres.
Iladécritleswahilicommeunelangueneutre,nonethniqueetunificatricenéesurlactedel’Afriquedel’Estcommeunoutilpourfairedesaffairesetqu’ellen’appartientàaucunetribuenparticulier.
Cequevousavezfaitestunetrèsbonnechose,etjeremercielespersonnesquiontapportécetteidée,lesecrétairegénéralduNRM,RichardTodwong,etlatrèshonorableRebeccaKadaga,pouravoirpoussécela.Nousallonscertainementpousserleprogrammeplusloin,aassuréMuseveniauxcadres,qu’ilaencouragésàperfectionnerlevocabulaireetlestempsavantqu’ilsnesoientdéployéscommeenseignantsdanstoutlepays.
LeprésidentMuseveniaégalementcontribuéàhauteurde100millionsdeshillingsàleurSACCO.
Lapremièrevice-premièreministreetministredesAffairesdelaCommunautédel’Afriquedel’Est,latrèshonorableRebeccaKadaga,aremerciéleprésidentMusevenipoursonsoutienauprogrammedekiswahili.
LorsquejesuisalléauparlementpourannoncerquelecabinetavaitdécidédecommenceràenseignerlekiswahilienOuganda,onpensaitàtortquenousallionsempêcherlesOugandaisdeparlerleurlangueetnousattaquerauswahili.Maisaujourd’hui,cetteactivitéamontréquecesgensparlentleurlangue,l’anglaisetleswahili,etqu’ilsapprendrontbienttlefranais,adéclarélatrèshonorableKadaga.
Elleaégalementremerciél’UniversitédeKyambogopouravoiraccueillil’événementetl’écoledejournalismeetdecommunicationdemassedel’UMCATpoursonpartenariataveceux.
LesecrétairegénéralduNRM,letrèshonorableRichardTodwong,aexpliquélagenèseduprogramme,quiacommencécommeuneconversationetquidonnemaintenantd’énormesrésultats.IlaremerciéleministèredesAffairesdelaCommunautédel’Afriquedel’Estpoursonsoutienàl’initiative.
J’aireudesappelstéléphoniquesdecollèguesdelarégion,etilsfélicitentl’Ougandapouravoirorganiséceprogramme,adéclaréletrèshonorableTodwong,appelantàdavantagedesoutienpourl’enseignementdukiswahilicomptetenudelafortedemandeactuellepourcettelanguedanslepaysetlarégion.
Ilyaunefortedemandedanslepayspourdescoursdekiswahili.L’unedesraisonsestquenoscitoyensrencontrentdesdifficultéslorsqu’ilsrecherchentunemploidanslarégion.Certainsd’entreeuxneparviennentpasàobtenircesemploisparcequ’ilsneparlentpaslekiswahili.Nouspensonsqu’aveccetteautonomisation,nouspourrionsêtreenmesurederivaliseraveclerestedelarégion,adéclaréletrèshonorableTodwong.
Levice-chancelierdel’universitédeKyambogo,leprofesseurEllyKatunguka,aremerciéleprésidentMusevenipourlesoutiencontinuapportéàl’universitéetaappeléàunsoutiengouvernementalplusimportantpourconstruireunmurd’enceinteautourdel’universitéafinderenforcerlasécurité.
LecoordinateurnationalduprogrammeKiswahili,M.StephenBwire,ainforméleprésidentquesurles304étudiants,ilsallaientsélectionner150cadresquiserontforméspendant12moissupplémentaires(unan)afinqu’ilspuissentêtreenvoyésdanslesdistrictsetlescommunautéspourenseigneràd’autresOugandais.
L’idéederrièretoutcelaestquedansles10prochainesannées,nousvoulonsqu’aumoins50%delapopulationenOugandaparleleswahili,etàl’heureactuelle,c’estunemassecritiqueetnoustenonsàvousremercierinfinimentpourvotresoutien,adéclaréM.Bwire.
M.CharlesOgwel,fondateurdel’Ecoledejournalismeetdecommunicationdemassedel’UMCAT,dontl’institutionétaitleprincipalformateurducoursdekiswahili,aexprimésagratitudeauprésidentMusevenipourseseffortsinlassablesvisantàsoutenirl’apprentissageetl’enseignementdelalanguekiswahilienOugandaetpoursapositionfermesurl’agendadel’intégrationdel’Afriquedel’Est,pourlaquelleleswahiliestunfacteurimportantdansleprocessus.
VotreExcellence,vousavezfaitavancercetagendapendantplusieursannées,eteneffetvosaspirationssesontréalisées,etmaintenantentantquenation,nouspouvonsdirequenousavonsunelanguenationalequechaqueOugandaisdevraitparler.Votreprésenceicidémontrecesoutien,etnoussommesplusconfiantsqu’avantquelekiswahili,dansquelquesannées,seraunelanguelargementparléeenOuganda.Nous,entantqu’écoledejournalismeetdecommunicationdemassedel’UMCAT,sommestrèsfiersdefairepartiedeceprocessus,adéclaréM.Ogwel.
L’instructeurnationalenchefdelalanguekiswahili,M.RodgersNdawula,quiaégalementprislaparolelorsdel’événement,aremerciéleprésidentMusevenid’avoiracceptéd’approuverleprogrammepourgarantirquel’Ougandanesoitpaslaissépourcompteencequiconcernelekiswahili.
Leswahilicompteplusde200millionsdelocuteursetestl’unedestroislanguesofficiellesdesEtatsmembresdelaCAE:leKenya,laRDCongo,laRépubliquefédéraledeSomalie,leBurundi,leRwanda,leSoudanduSud,l’OugandaetlaTanzanie.
L’événementaégalementétésuivipardesresponsablesdusecrétariatduNRM,desdirigeantsnationaux,desinstructeursdekiswahili,entreautres.
WN/as/fss/te/APA
23octobre2024
RossPerlinaremportéleprixannuelpoursonlivreLanguageCity:TheFighttoPreserveEndangeredMotherTongues.
UnlivrequidécritcommentleslanguesenvoiededisparitionsontpréservéesdanslemondemodernearemportécetteannéeleBritishAcademyBookPrizeforGlobalCulturalUnderstanding.
LePrixannueldulivrepourlacompréhensionculturellemondiale,crééparlaBritishAcademyen2013,adécernéàl’écrivainaméricainRossPerlinleprixde25000￡(30100€)poursonuvrenon-fictionnelleLanguageCity:TheFighttoPreserveEndangeredMotherTongues.
LanguageCityretracel’histoiredelamigrationversNewYorkàtraversleslanguesdesdifférentesculturesentrantdanslarégion,écrasantleslocuteursautochtonesdeLenape.Ilretraceensuitecettehistoirejusqu’ànosjoursavecsixétudesdecasdelocuteursdelanguesmenacéesàNewYork.
Toutaulongdulivre,Perlinexaminecommentleslanguesenvoiededisparitionsurviventgraceàlarésiliencedeleurscommunautésculturelles,commentfonctionnentleurgrammaireetleursyntaxeuniques,etcequenouspouvonsapprendresurdiversesculturesenétudiantceslangues.
LavilledeNewYorkabriteplusde700langues–lavillelaplusdiversifiéelinguistiquementdansl’histoiredumonde–etenlesexaminant,Perlinouvredenouvellesfaonsdepenserlavariétéexubérantedecesaspectsdupaysagesonoreurbain,quinouspourrionsautrementtenirpouracquisouignorer,acommentéleprofesseurCharlesTrippFBA,l’undesjuges.
LesrecherchesdePerlinsontdynamiquesetimmédiates;ils’agitdecequisepassemaintenant,justedevantnous,alorsquenoussommestémoinsdufluxdelaviequotidienne.Cefutunréelplaisirdelirepourlesjuges,mêmesinotrelectureétaitteintéedepréoccupationpourlessujetsdecesrécitsenvotants,aajoutéTripp.
LeprofesseurJuliaBlack,présidentedelaBritishAcademy,acommentélestatutduprixdulivredel’académie,quirécompenselestravauxderechercheexceptionnelsetlesuvresnon-fictionnellesquimettentenlumièredenouvellesperspectivessurlaculturemondiale.‘LanguageCity’estunehistoiresocialemagnifiquementconueetunrappelbrutaldulienhumainquepermettentleslangues,a-t-elledéclaré.
Noussavons,graceànotrepropretravailàl’Académie,quelerecoursàl’étudedeslanguesestendéclinetqu’ilesturgentd’inversercettetendance.Celivreillustreparfaitementlesenjeuxsinousn’agissonspasmaintenantpourpréserveretaméliorerleslanguesetleurétude.Nouspensonsqu’unesociétélinguistiquementdiversifiéeprofiteàtousetcelivreledémontreparfaitement.
Perlinestunlinguiste,écrivainettraducteurdelavilledeNewYork,qu’ildésignecommeLenapehokingsursonsiteWeb,faisantréférenceaupeupleLenapedontlesterressontdevenueslarégionallantduConnecticutauDelaware.
Ilestl’auteurdeInternNation:HowtoEarnNothingandLearnLittleintheBraveNewEconomysurletravailnonrémunéréetl’économiedesjeunes.Depuis2013,Perlinestcodirecteurdel’associationàbutnonlucratifEndangeredLanguageAlliance,aveclaquelleilsupervisedesprojetsderechercheaxéssurladocumentationlinguistique,lacartographie,lespolitiquesetlaprogrammationpublique.
Perlinestle12elauréatduBritishAcademyBookPrizeforGlobalCulturalUnderstanding,recevantlapremièrerécompensede25000￡(30100€).Lescinqautresnominésprésélectionnésreoiventégalement1000￡(1200€).
Sélectionnésparmi263soumissions,lescinqautreslivresprésélectionnésétaientMaterialWorld:ASubstantialStoryofOurPastandFutured’EdConway;Fuméeetcendres:leshistoirescachéesdel’opiumparAmitavGhosh;Laviesecrètedesnombres:unehistoiremondialedesmathématiquesetsespionniersméconnusparKateKitagawaetTimothyRevell;Lesapprivoisésetlessauvages:lesgensetlesanimauxaprès1492parMarcyNorton;etDivisé:racisme,médecineetpourquoinousdevonsdécoloniserlessoinsdesantéparAnnabelSowemimo.
Lelauréatdel’annéedernièreétaitNandiniDas,dontlelivreCourtingIndia:England,MughalIndiaandtheOriginsofEmpireracontaitl’histoiredelaGrande-Bretagneetdel’Indeàtraversl’arrivéedupremierambassadeuranglaisenInde,SirThomasRoe,audébutduXVIIesiècle.
Representativesfromallovertheworldareinthesamespace,exchangingideasandexperiencesthroughpresentationsandconversations.Howdotheydoit
However,inordertolistenandunderstand,weneedtospeakthesamelanguage.ThisisnotagivenattheSynod,whichbringstogetherpeoplefromalmost120differentcountries.Forexample,anAfricanbishopfromaFrench-speakingcountrywillhavetolistentothemorningprayerinMaori,Chinese,orPidginEnglish(spokeninNigeria),thenfollowpresentationsinItalian,Spanish,orPortuguese,andbewillingtochatwithaJapaneseorAustriancolleagueduringthecoffeebreak.
WhileLatinistheofficiallanguageoftheChurch,thisisnotthecasewithintheSynod,wheretheofficiallanguageisItalian.Itwasin2014thatPopeFrancisdecidedtoreplacethelanguageofCicero,unfamiliartoparticipants,withthatofDante.
However,Italian,whichisofficiallyspokeninnoothercountrythanItalyitself(apartfromthecantonofLuganoinSwitzerland),isfarfrombeingthelinguafrancafortheentireassembly,whichincludesaround20Italiansoutof368members.AndthisisdespitethefactthatmanyoftheparticipantshaveworkedintheCuria,orhavepassedthroughoneofItaly'spontificaluniversities.
Andwhenit'snecessarytolistenorspeaktothewholeroom,livetranslationisavailablethankstointerpretersinthesefivelanguages,plusGerman.Althoughexcludedfromtheofficiallanguages,Goethe'slanguageisavailablethankstofundingfromthecountriesconcerned.
Apartfromofficialspeeches,particularlyduringbreaks,memberscontinuetotalkamongstthemselves,oftenjugglingseverallanguages.
“Therearemanypeoplewhospeaktwo,three,orevenmanymorelanguages,andtheydon'thesitatetochangelanguagegroupstogetabroaderviewofwhat'sgoingonintheassembly,”explainsapersoninvolvedinSynodcommunications.“Peoplesometimeshavedifficulties,buttheyunderstandeachother,”shesays.
Forsome,however,thisinternationallinguisticcontextcanbetricky.Forexample,twomembersoftheFrench-speakinglanguagegroupadmittedthattheyhaddifficultyexpressingthemselvesinFrench,whichisnottheonlylanguagespokenintheircountry.Theyalsofoundthemselvesfrustratedbynotbeingabletospeakwithsomeonewhospokeotherlanguages.“Fortunately,someofthemactasinterpreters,”saysonemember.
“Theyaretheonlyoneswhohaveaninterpreterwiththem,”explainsapersoninvolvedintheorganizationoftheSynod.Itwasthankstothisinterpreterthatthetwobishopswereabletomaketheircontributions,aswellasexchangeviewswithPopeFrancis.
TheCrimeanTatarlanguageinLatinisnowavailableinGoogleTranslate.Source:RefatChubarov,ChairmanoftheMejlisoftheCrimeanTatarPeople,onFacebookDetails:ThisfunctionwaspreviouslyavailableonlythroughthetransliterationprovidedunderthetranslationinCyrillic.
TheCrimeanTatarlanguageinLatinisnowavailableinGoogleTranslate.
Details:ThisfunctionwaspreviouslyavailableonlythroughthetransliterationprovidedunderthetranslationinCyrillic.
"HaveyouallnoticedthatGooglecannowtranslateintoCrimeanTatarwritteninLatinscriptFornow,youcanchoosebetweentwooptions:LatinandCyrillic,"thepoststates.
TheCrimeanTatarlanguagewasaddedtoGoogleTranslateinJune2024.Atthetime,theUkrainianMinistryofForeignAffairsnotedthatthis"importantinitiativedemonstratesthattherichlinguisticandculturalheritageoftheindigenouspeoplesofUkraineisvaluabletotheinternationalcommunity".
Background:ACrimeanTatarlanguageandliteraturecourseforschoolchildrenhasrecentlybeenlaunchedinUkraine.Itwillbeavailablefor5-6thgradestudentsoftheNewUkrainianSchool.
TheMinistryofReintegration,togetherwiththenon-governmentalorganisationQIRI'MYoung,launchedanelectronicdatabaseoftextsinCrimeanTatar–theNationalCorpusoftheCrimeanTatarLanguage.Itcontainstextsofvariousgenresandhistoricalerasthatwillbeusedforeducationalprojects,researchandprogrammedevelopment.
TaxpayerspickupthebillfortranslationandinterpretationforhundredsofthousandsofpatientsasNHStrustsandIntegratedCareBoardsroutinelyconvertstandardhospitalandhealthliteratureintolanguagesincludingRomanian,Arabic,Urdu,BengaliandPunjabi.
FormerNHScancerconsultantKarolSikorasaid:"Withfundssotight...theprioritymustalwaysbepatientcare.Translationandinterpretationcosts,howevernoble,arenotanecessity.Inanidealworld,wecouldprovidethat.Butwithconstrictedbudgetsandconstrictedresources,frontlinesupportmustalwayscomefirst."
ProfSikora,right,added:"TheNHShastogetbacktobasics.Providingtimelyandefficientcare.
"Fundfrontlinestaffovertranslation/interpretationteams.UseGoogleTranslate."
AnNHSspokesmansaid:"Aswellaslegalduties,translationandinterpretationservicesarevitalforpatientsafetyanditisabsolutelyrighttheNHSinEnglandoffersthese."
UsingFreedomofInformationlaws,251NHStrustsand42ICBswereaskedthecostfortranslationandinterpretationservicesin2021/22and2022/23.
BirminghamCommunityHealthcarespent￡64,775translatingintoBengali,￡54,402onRomanianand￡53,405foritsPunjabiservices.
NorthCentralLondonICB'sArabicworkcostit￡59,458whilesimilartaskscostGatesheadHealthFoundationTrust￡24,964;ChelseaandWestminsterHospitalFoundationTrustpaidout￡20,521.
RoyalPapworthHospitalNHSFoundationTrustspent￡14,553onUrduservices,andtranslatingintoRomaniancostCambridgeshireandPeterboroughICB￡9,988.
RupertLowe,businessspokesmanforReformUK,said:"TranslationservicesinanNHSfacilityaresimplynotnecessary,particularlywiththeadvancementsofAI-poweredtranslationwhichisavailableoneverysinglesmartphone.Ifpeopleareusingourhealthservice,alreadywithnocost,thentheycancertainlyfundthetranslationorprovideafamilymemberwhocandoso.
"Thisisasignificantcost,whichshouldbedivertedtofrontlinestafforbacktotaxpayers.ItistheNationalHealthService,nottheinternationalhealthservice.
"Wearebeingtakenadvantageof-ifyouarereceivingtreatmentinanEnglishhospital,thenEnglishisthelanguagethatmustbeexpected."
Theaveragespendontranslationandinterpretationat132truststhatrepliedwas￡314,599in2021/22risingby8%to￡340,039ayearlater.
AverageICBspendwas￡326,962in2021/22increasingby13%to￡410,801.
JohnO'Connell,chiefexecutiveoftheTaxPayers'Alliancepressuregroup,said:"WiththeNHSstrugglingtokeepupwithdemandforservices,it'scrucialasmuchmoneyaspossibleisfreeduptodealwiththeongoingbacklog.
"Healthbossesshouldlooktocutcostsbymakingmoreuseofready-translatedmaterialandpoolingresources."
InJanuary,44%ofpatientswaitedmorethantwomonthsforcancertreatmentafteranurgentreferralfromaGP-thesecondworstresultonrecord.
InFebruary,29%ofpeopleatA&Espentmorethanfourhoursfromarrivaltoadmission,transferordischarge.
RICHMOND,Va.(WRIC)—8Newsiscelebrating“HispanicHeritageMonth”andistakingyoutoaplaceofjustice.Ourteamdoveintohowcourtinterpretershelpensureeveryonehasafairtrial—eventhosefacingobstacleslikelanguagebarriers.
8NewsReporterSierraKrughasreportedonmanytrialsinCentralVirginiaandwatchedtheincrediblewayinterpreterslistentoeveryvoiceinacourtroom,processitandrepeatitinadifferentlanguage—allinrealtime.
WhileKrughasseentheprocessinaction,sherecentlyhadthechancetospeakwith,ManuelaCrisp,acourtinterpretertolearnmoreaboutthepassionbehindthiscareerpath.
“Thereisalotofpressure,”Crisp,arenownedcourtinterpreter,saidwhilestandingoutsidetheChesterfieldCountycourthouse.
IfyouliveintheUnitedStates,you’relikelyfamiliarwiththephrase,“libertyandjusticeforall.”ThejusticesystemisanintegralpartofAmericansociety,butabroadspectrumofculturesjointogetherinlegalproceedings.Oftentimeskeywitnesses,spectatorsandevendefendantsdon’tspeakEnglish.
“Thedefendant’sfreedom[and]futuredepends—notsomuchonyou—butonhowyouinterpretwhatheorsheissayingtohaveafairtrial,”Crispexplained.
Itcanbescaryenoughwalkingintoanycourthouse.Patronsusuallycan’thavephonesandit’shardtofigureoutwheretogo.Crispsaysaddingalanguagebarriertothatmixonlyamplifiesthatconfusion.
“Wehelpbyinterpretingeverything,”Crispsaid.“Andwedoitcompletelyandaccurately;meaningthatwecannotsummarize,wecannoteditoraddanything.”
There’sawidearrayoflanguagesthatneedinterpretinginanycourthouse,butforHispanicHeritageMonth,we’refocusingonSpanish—themostcommonnon-EnglishlanguageinVirginia.That’swhentheintegrityofatrialfallsoninterpreterslikeCrisp.Shesaysshecan’tspaceoutorloseconcentrationatanymoment.Herbrainworksamileaminuteforanentiretrialasshepicksupeverywordutteredandrepeatsitquietlyintoanaudiodeviceforthosewhocan’tunderstand.
“ThelegalenvironmentcanbealittleconfusingandalittleintimidatingtoevennativeEnglishspeakers,”Crispremarked.“So,justimagineifyoudonotknowthelanguage,itcanbealittlemoreconfusingorintimidating.”
Morethan908,000VirginiansareofHispanicheritageand33%ofLatinostudentsreporthavinglimitedEnglishproficiency.Interpreterscan’tbe“justcomfortable”—orevenfluent—inalanguage.Thejobrequiresendlessstudying.They’reconstantlylearningnewlegaljargoninmultiplelanguages.
“Iloveitwhensomebodycomesconcernedorworriedandtheydon’tknowwhat’sgoingtohappenandtheyunderstandeverything,”Crispsmiled.“Andyoucanseethatyoucanhelpsomebodythatotherwisewouldbestrugglingtobeinalegalproceeding.”
BorninMexicoCity,CrispisproudofherMexicanculture.Shelovessharingitwithherchildrenbutalsopassesdownherpassionforlinguistics—usingthebeautyoflanguagetohelppeopleonwhatcanbetheirhardest,mostvulnerabledays.
Crispsharedamessagetothenon-Englishspeakingcommunity.
“We’reheretohelpthem,”Crispassured.“Idon’twantthelanguagebarriertokeepthemfromfullyparticipatinginalegalproceeding.Wearehereforthem.”
Crispbringshertalentsallacrosstheregion,soshe’sneverjuststayinginoneplace.Shetold8Newsthatshe’sproudofherMexicancultureandenjoysbeingabletohelpmembersoftheLatinocommunityinsuchacriticalway.
Danslecadreducolloqueannueldel'APFUCC(AssociationdesProfesseur.e.sdefranaisdesuniversitésetcollègescanadiens)2025
écrituredessexualitésdelanguefranaise(1990-)
L’atelierproposéviseàrendrecomptedesécrituresdessexualitéscontemporainesdelanguefranaise,tantsurleplandeleurpotentielémancipateurquesurceluidel’inventionformelle.Longtempsconfinéetanttàlacatégoriedel’érotisme,tanttàcelledelapornographie,avectouslesproblèmesthéoriquesqu’unetelledivisionpose(Lavigne,2014),l’écrituredessexualitésestdeplusenpluspratiquéeetreconnuecommetelledanslechamplittérairedelanguefranaise.
Danssonétudedeproductionscinématographiquespornographiques,lachercheuseféministeLindaWilliams(2008)opèreunedistinctionentrelessyntagmesparlerdelasexualitéetdirelasexualité:danslepremiercas,parlerdeprésupposeunobjetd’investigationstable,tandisquedansledeuxième,lasexualitérenvoiepluttàuneconstructiondiscursive,unobjetincertainquiseconstruitaufuretàmesurequ’onl’écrit.Ainsi,ilnes’agitplusd’étudiersimplementlaoulesreprésentationslittérairesdelasexualité,maisbiendeseconcentrersurladimensionproductiveetvolontierscritiquedel’écriture.
Depuislesannées1990,romans,nouvelles,poésies,autofictionset,plusrécemment,témoignagesetautothéories(Fournier,2021),déconstruisentlesscriptssexuels(GagnonetSimon,1973)préconusetenimaginentparfoisdenouveaux,explorantdesterritoiresinédits.Ladernièredécennieestmarquéeparunepolitisationaccruedesdiscourssurlasexualité,enparticulierparunedénonciationsansprécédentdesviolencessexistesetsexuellesemblématiséeparlemouvementMeToo.Depuislors,denombreusesfemmes,écrivainesounon,ontprislaplumepourrévélerlesabusqu’ellesontsubisoudontellesontététémoins,dénonantparfoisnommémentunagresseur.Commentcesrécitsont-ilsétéreusparlepublicetparlacritiqueuniversitaireAncrésqu’ilsontdansl’actualitésocio-politique,quellelittéraritéleurestreconnue
Untourd’horizondespublicationscontemporainesmontrecependantquedestextespubliésautournantduXXIesiècle,telsqueceuxdeVirginieDespentesoudeNellyArcan,d’AnnieErnauxoudeMarie-SissiLabrèche,étaientdéjàpourvusd’uneforcecritiqueindéniable,fustigeantlescontraintespatriarcalesquirégissentlescomportementssexuelsetfaonnentlessubjectivités.Commentalorspensercetteèrepré-MeToo,etcommentl’articuleraucontextepost-MeTood’aujourd’hui,représenténotammentparGiuliaFos,Marie-ChristineLemieux-CoutureetVanessaSpringoraEntre-t-ondésormaisdansunagepost-post-MeToo,oùlesreprésentationsdessexualitésseraientbeletbientransforméesparlesprisesdeparolesfémininesetféministesdecesdernièresannéesSi,àtraverscettetrajectoire,cesontsurtoutlesfemmesquiontàlafoisdénoncé(dessexualitésviolentes)eténoncé(unappelàunepaixsexuelle),qu’enest-ildeshommesquiécriventsurlasexualitéOnt-ilsentendulemessageParviennent-ilsàreconfigurerlesvieuxpatrons
Viesaffectives,homosexualités,identitésetsexualitésqueer,travaildusexe,traumatismesliésauxviolences,pourneciterquecesquelquesenjeux:lescontributionspourronttémoignerdelarichessedesécrituresdessexualitéset,au-delàd’uneanalysedesreprésentations,proposeruneréflexionsurlesrecherchespoétiquesetlesreconfigurationsnarrativeseténonciativesmisesenuvreparlesauteurices.
Outrel’attentionportéeauxrécentesévolutionshistoriques,noussouhaitonsquel’atelierembrasseunepluralitéd’airesculturellesetgéographiques.Dansuneperspectivecomparatiste,lesrécitsdelasexualitéchargésdeproblématiquespostcoloniales,pensonsparexempleàceuxd’AbdellahTaa,deSamiTchak,deCalixtheBeyalaoudeLéonoraMiano,pourrontfairel’objetd’unelectureparticulière.
Defaonnon-restrictive,lescontributionspourronts'inscriredanslesaxessuivants:
-Représentationdessexualitésetreconfigurationsnarrativesetgénériques-écrituredusexeetengagementlittéraire-Violencessexuelles,répercutionsdeMeToodanslaproductionlittéraire-IdentitésetsexualitésqueersetLGBT+-Sexualitésetcontextepostcolonial-Récitsdutravailsexuel-Réceptiondesécrituresdusexedanslesétudeslittérairesetlesétudesdegenre
—
Orientationsbibliographiques:
ALLISON,Dorothy(2015[1994]),Peau.àproposdesexe,declasseetdelittérature,Paris,Cambourakis,2015.
BOISCLAIR,Isabelle,CatherineDUSSAULT-FRENETTE(dir.)(2013),Femmesdésirantes:art,littérature,représentations,Montréal,Remue-Ménage.
DESPENTES,Virginie(2006),KingKongThéorie,Paris,Grasset.
DETREZ,ChristineetAnneSIMON(2006),àleurcorpsdéfendant:lesfemmesàl’épreuvedunouvelordremoral,Paris,Seuil.
DUBOIS,Jacques(dir.)(2015),Sexeetpouvoirdanslaprosefranaisecontemporaine,Liège,PressesuniversitairesdeLiège.
FOUCAULT,Michel(1976),HistoiredelasexualitéI:Lavolontédesavoir,Paris,Gallimard.
FOURNIER,Lauren(2021),AutotheoryasFeministPracticeinArt,WritingandCriticism,Cambridge,MITPress.
GAGNON,John,WilliamSIMON(1973),SexualConduct.TheSocialSourcesofHumanSexuality,Chicago,Aldine.
HEKMA,Gert,AlainGIAMI(dir.)(2015),Révolutionssexuelles,Paris,LaMusardine.
LAVIGNE,Julie(2014),Latraverséedelapornographie:politiqueetérotismedansl'artféministe,Montréal,Remue-Ménage.
MERLIN-KAJMAN,Hélène,LaLittératureàl’heurede#MeToo,Paris,éditionsd’Ithaque,2020.
SAINT-MARTIN,Lori,RosemarieFOURNIER-GUILLEMETTEetMarie-NolleHUET(dir.)(2012),Entreplaisiretpouvoir:lecturescontemporainesdel’érotisme,Montréal,Notabene.
WILLIAMS,Linda(2014[2008]),Screeningsex.Unehistoiredelasexualitésurlesécransaméricains,Nantes,Capricci.
Informationspratiques
Lecolloqueannuel2025del’APFUCCsetiendraenpersonne.Lescommunicationsdevrontêtreenfranais.
L’adhesional’APFUCCestrequisepourparticiperaucolloque.Ilfautegalementreglerlesfraisdeconferencedel’APFUCC.Deplusamplesinformationsserontenvoyeesacesujet.
Vousnepouvezsoumettrequ’uneseulepropositiondecommunicationaucolloque,saufsivoussoumettezégalementpourunatelierconjointentantquemembred'uneautreassociation,ousivoussoumettezunepropositionpourl'atelierdedéveloppementprofessionnel(atelier1).
Veuillezsoumettrevotreproposition(titre,resumede250-300mots,adresse,affiliationetnoticebio-bibliographiquede150mots)directementsurlesiteFourwavesavantle15décembre2024.
Reproductiverightsmeasuresareontheballotsin10statesafterheateddebatesoverterminologyandimpact—andthat’sjustinEnglish
Suchtranslationsaremeanttohelpnon-nativeEnglishspeakersunderstandwhatthey’revotingfor.Butvagueortechnicaltermscanbechallenging,evenmoresowhenitcomestoIndigenouslanguagesthathaveonlylimitedwrittendictionaries.
Inmostotherplaces,otherofficialEnglish-languagematerialincludingexplanationsofthemeasures'impactsaren'tgettingthesameattention,saidAllisonNeswood,anattorneywiththeNativeAmericanRightsFoundation,whichmonitorscompliance.
“NativelanguagespeakersshouldhaveaccesstoalltheinformationthatEnglishspeakershave,includingthelanguagethatexplainstheballotinitiatives,”Neswoodsaid.
Othertribeshavedecidedagainstwrittentranslationsandinsteadposttribaltranslatorsinsidepollingstations.Thelawallowsthis,despitequestionsaboutballotsecrecyandpotentialbiasthateventheinterpreterssaycanbeproblematic.
Forexample,Colorado’sAmendment79seemsrelativelystraightforward:A“yes”votewouldenshrine“arighttoabortion”inthestateconstitution.
Butthere’snosinglewordforabortioninthenativelanguageoftheUteMountainUtetribeinColorado’sMontezumaCounty,whosewrittendictionaryhasfewerthan10,000words,soUtelanguageteacherHelenMunozwilltranslateinpersononElectionDay.
OnephrasedescribingabortioninUtemeans“yourbaby,you’rekillingit,”Munozexplained.Anotherpointstoendingapregnancybeforetheembryodevelops,asin,“yourbaby,beforeitgrows,it’sdone.”
“Iwouldexplaintothemthatthat’swhatabortionis—itkillsitbeforeitgrowsintofullterm,”shesaid.“Iwouldaskthem:‘WhatdoyouthinkYou’retheonewho’sgoingintothatballotboxtomarktheoneyouwant.Whatdoyouthink'”
Section203oftheVotingRightsActrequirestranslationsinacountyorcitywheretheU.S.CensusBureauhasdeterminedthatmorethan10,000peopleare“limitedEnglishproficient”voting-agecitizenswhospeakthesamelanguage,orthatthesecitizensrepresentatleast5%ofthepopulationandtheirilliteracyrateexceedsthenationalilliteracyrate.
MostsuchplacesmusttranslateintoSpanish.Amongstateswithreproductiverightsmeasuresthiselection,severalArizonacountiesmustprovidetranslationsinthelanguagesoftheNavajo,Hopi,Apache,PaiuteandPueblotribes.OtherfederallyrequiredlanguagesincludeShoshoneandFilipinoincountiesinNevada;SeminoleinFlorida;UteinColorado;andChinese,KoreanandBengaliinNewYork.
Spanishshouldn'tbethatdifficult,asitisaLatin-derivedlanguagelikeEnglish,buteventhesecanfailwhenelectionadministratorsdependoncomputertranslations.AttorneyCesarRuizsayshisgroup,LatinoJusticePRLDEF,pushesforhumantranslatorsinstead.“It’saconstantworkinprogress,”hesaid.
InFlorida,GladesCountyElectionsSupervisorAletrisFarnamsaidSeminoleleaderstoldhernottobotherwithwrittentranslations—adecisionshewantsdocumentedsothatshe’scoveredifcompliancequestionsarise.
“Imetwiththetribeandtheytoldmetheirlanguagedoesn’tconvertlikethat—theydon’thaveenoughwordsintheirlanguagetowritetheballotlanguage,”Farnamsaid.“SowhatIdoishireaCreektranslatortoworkatthepollingstationwherealltheCreekvote.”
Munozknowsit’simportanttokeepheropinionstoherselfwhenpeoplearevoting.She'sa76-year-oldUteMountainUteelderwhosaidshe'sdonethiselectionsworkfor17years.Still,culturalsensitivitiescomeintoplay,andshesaidUtestendtobeanti-abortion.
“Ourtribehere,wereallydon’tbelieveinthingslikethat,”sheexplained.“Theyoungkids—evenifsomethingbadhappens,theygetraped—it’suptothemotherifshewantstokeepitorgiveitup,butwe’reconservativeonabortion.”
BecausethecharactersintheofficialKoreanversiontranslateroughlyto“dropthefetus,”civicengagementcoordinatorLuckyHowiththeAsianAmericanFederationsayshergroup'sownmaterialsinsteadusesymbolsthatmean“stoppingthepregnancy.”
“It’samorerespectfulwayoftalkingaboutthebodyofthewomanwhoisundergoingtheexperience,”Hoexplained.
NewYorkCitygoesbeyondthefederalmandatebyalsorequiringtranslationsinArabic,French,HaitianCreole,Italian,Polish,Russian,UrduandYiddish.Literalword-for-wordtranslationsdon'tmakesenseinsomeoftheselanguages,accordingtoAsherRoss,aseniorstrategistfortheNewYorkImmigrantCoalition,whichtrieditinCreole.
“Thephrase‘pregnancyoutcomes’doesn’treallytranslate,wasthefeedbackwegot,”Rosssaid.“Idon’tknowhowthefinaltranslationlooked,buttheydidtheirbest.”
Whilesomeelectionsdepartmentsstruggletomeetlanguagerequirements,CoconinoCounty,Arizona,coversmuchmoreground.IthirestribalinterpretersandsendsamobileunittoremoteNavajoandHopigatheringplaces,firsttoregistervotersandexplainwhat'sbeingvotedon,andthenlatertoaccepttheirballots.
“Iftheyneedlanguageassistance,theycangothereandgetit,”saidthecountyrecorder,PattyHansen.“Youcan'tmailtheinterpreter,youknow.”
Lalanguefranaiseest"lalanguedetouteslespersonnesquilaparlent"etnondesseulsFranais,etelleabesoinde"cesangnouveau",estimel'écrivainJean-MarieGustaveLeClézio,prixNobeldelittérature,dansunentretienàl'AFP.LeprixNobel2008delittératures'estexpriméenmarged'uneconférenceaux27eRendez-vousdel'histoire,àBlois,quisesontdéroulésdu9au13octobre.
Plusieursauteursfrancophonesparlantaussid'autreslanguesquelefranaisfigurentdanslasélectiondesprixlittérairesdelarentrée,commelefranco-algérienKamelDaoudoulefranco-rwandaisGalFaye,etpourJ.-M.G.LeClézio,celasignifieque"lalanguefranaiseestvivante".
"Lalanguefranaise,cen'estpaslalanguedesFranais,c'estlalanguedetouteslespersonnesquilaparlent.Quelquesoitlepaysdanslesquelsilsouellesvivent,l'inspirationquecespersonnesreoiventestliéeàleursexpériencespersonnelles,etellescontribuentauchangementdelalangue",ditl'écrivain,enmarged'uneconférenceaux27eRendez-vousdel'histoire,àBlois,dontilétaitl'invité.
Pourlui,cespersonnes"sontlesvecteursdecequel'onpeutattendredelalittératuredufutur"."Silalanguefranaisesurvit,etjesouhaitequ'ellesurvive,ellenelepourraquegraceàcesangnouveau,àcetapportdepersonnesquinecroientpastoutesdanslamêmechose"car"lesmotssontvariables",explique-t-il.
J.-M.G.LeClézioétaitàBloispourlapublicationd'unouvragedeJeanMeyer–dontilaécritlapréface–consacréàLouisRiel,fondateurdelaprovincecanadienneduManitobaetardentdéfenseurdesdroitsdesMétisetdeleursparentsautochtones.Unefigurehistorique"plusquejamaisd'actualité",soulignel'écrivain,agéde84ans.
"LouisRielpensaitquelaforcedel'espritestplusfortequecelledesarmes.Nousvivonsactuellementunegrandepériodedetension.Entredescroyancesreligieusesetcellesdeceuxquicroientdavantagedansl'esprit,danslapossibilitédesêtreshumainsdevivreensemblesurcetteplanète",poursuitJ.-M.G.LeClézio.Pourlui,"LouisRielestunexemplehistoriqued'unmalentenduquis'estsoldéparsacondamnationetsamortparpendaisonàRegina,le16novembre1885."
LelivredeJeanMeyer(LouisRiel.ProphèteduNouveauMonde,Gallimard)explique"lecombatinégaldesIndiensetdesMétispourfairereconnatreleursdroitssurleursterresfaceàlapuissancedessoldatsdel'arméebritannique,àleurméprisàl'égarddespopulationsfrancophones,àleurracismeenversceuxqu'ilsconsidéraientcommedessauvages",détailleJ.-M.G.LeClézio."Ilnousdonneaujourd'huiàréfléchir",insisteleprixNobeldelittératureen2008.
LeprestigieuxprixNobelvientd'êtreattribuéàlaSud-CoréenneHanKang,unerécompenseméritéeetattendue"delonguedate",a-t-ilestimé:"LaCoréecomptedegrandsécrivains.Ilétaittempsqu'unouunedesleurssoithonoré."
"HanKangaunesprittrèsnouveau,quinesefondeplusseulementsurl'héritagedelaguerre,maisquiparledelaCoréeactuelle,etdesrelationsentrelesgénérations.Commentlesjeunespeuventrestercoréenssansêtreexagérémentconfucianistes",décrypte-t-il.
"C'esttrèscompliquépourlesfemmes.EnCoréeduSud,ellesdoiventréussirtroischoses:leuraccomplissementpersonnel,êtrequelqu'un,leurrelationaffectiveaveclesautres,particulièrementlesrelationssentimentales.Etellesdoiventréussiràmaintenirlerespectdesanciens.Cequiesttrèsdifficile",poursuitJ.-M.G.LeClézio.
"HanKangenparletrèsbiendanssesouvrages.ElleévoqueSéoul,unevilleextraordinairementmoderne.Jecroisquec'estunedesvilleslesplusmodernesdumondeetc'estd'autantplusdifficiled'êtrejeunedansunetelleville",conclut-il.