THE LANGUAGES

An article excerpt from The Journal News, by Barbara Livingston Nackman:

Johnny Hill Jr., 53, of Parker, Ariz., tells them that his native Chemehuevi tribal tongue will exist as long as he does, but not much more. He dreams in it, and English is his second language.Raised by his grandmother, who died at 102 when he was 21, Hill completed his sophomore year of high school before beginning work as a farmer. He is now a heavy-equipment operator for the federal government.

He doesn't have any children and said there isn't anyone who wants to learn the language, and he is not sure he is capable of teaching it. His wife is from a Nevada tribe and speaks a different Indian language.

"I know I have something special," said Hill, who lives near the Colorado River with the Mohave tribe. "I could just about cry knowing that, soon, the language of my people won't be heard anymore. But a man like me, there isn't much I can do."

With increased demand for languages of limited diffusion in the interpreting community, and many of us wrestling to help meet this demand, a new film comes at a timely moment in our profession's history. Read this excerpt from a recent announcement on the LINGUIS list:

The exciting new documentary feature THE LINGUISTS was selected to world premiere in the newly minted "Spectrum: Documentary Spotlight" category at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

THE LINGUISTS is the first documentary supported by the National Science Foundation to ever make it to Sundance.

The trailer can be viewed at: http://www.thelinguists.com. Here's a brief synopsis:

It is estimated that of 7,000 languages in the world, half will be gone by the end of this century.

THE LINGUISTS follows David Harrison and Gregory Anderson, scientists racing to document languages on the verge of extinction. In Siberia, India, and Bolivia, the linguists' resolve is tested by the very forces silencing languages: institutionalized racism and violent economic unrest.

David and Greg's journey takes them deep into the heart of the cultures, knowledge, and communities at risk when a language dies.

Interpreters wishing to support the film in Utah are encouraged to attend one (or maybe all) of the following screenings:

Friday, January 18, 12 Noon - Egyptian Theatre, Park City

Saturday, January 19, 12:45 PM - Broadway Centre Cinemas V, Salt Lake City

Saturday, January 19, 11:30 PM - Prospector Square Theatre, Park City

Wednesday, January 23, 9:00 AM, Holiday Village Cinema I, Park City -
PRESS AND INDUSTRY ONLY

Wednesday, January 23, 8:30 PM - Holiday Village Cinema II, Park City

Tickets are available at http://www.sundance.org/festival/.

Interpreters across the world, let's all do our part to support this film and raise awareness about the importance of protecting these languages (and cultures).

Cultural Connector

A while back, I shared a sample story from my own experience, in order to give contributors to the From Our Lips project an idea of what types of stories might be of interest. I also encouraged trainers and educators to use the story in trainings, newsletters and other ways of reaching interpreters. I was pleased to see various individuals and organizations take me up on the offer.

In the October issue of The Cultural Connector, published by UMass Medical School's Office of Community Programs, The Right Answer was published.

This is just one of countless stories that exist regarding true-life experiences witnessed and lived by interpreters. Many more are coming in each day, and will be on their way soon in book format!

Gratitude

Medical Interpreter, thank you for enabling countless people to access health care services, helping to prevent public health outbreaks and improving the health and wellbeing of individuals so that they can contribute more productively to our society.

Court Interpreter, thank you for helping ensure equal access to justice for all those who are engaging with the legal system in order to help build a society that is fair and just.

Conference Interpreter, thank you for making sure that millions of people can understand the words of our political leaders and subject matter experts, enabling our governments to make decisions with key information, and to raise the levels of knowledge of our society.

Telephone Interpreter, thank you for enabling individuals to access services where they otherwise would have no ability to communicate, from filling a prescription to making a payment arrangement for a bill, you are the linguistic glue holding much of society together.

Community Interpreter, thank you for providing critical support in an array of social and public services settings, helping our native populations, refugees and immigrants alike to better understand each other, strengthening the bonds of our society.

Interpreters Everywhere, thank you for the work you do, as you impact the lives of individuals each day, helping to shape society as a whole.

Thank You.

May individuals across the globe be full of appreciation for the work of interpreters of all kinds, as they continue to help our world go 'round.

And to the American readers, Happy Thanksgiving.

Interpreting, a Commodity? Not a Chance.

Today, a press release went out to announce the appointment of the new President of the American Translators Association, the largest association for translators and interpreters in the United States.

It included an excellent quote:

"Our services tend to be commoditized and it is the Association's objective to demonstrate that neither translation nor interpreting is a commodity. Just as knowing how to cook doesn't make you a chef, knowing another language doesn't make you an interpreter or translator. There's a lot more to it than that."

This quote nicely echoes perfectly a recent post from this blog, which stated, "Interpreting is anything but a commodity".

It's reassuring to know that the elected representative of 10,000 interpreters and translators is leading with this exact motto. Starting off on the right foot, indeed.

And, it's nice to think that the "discount store" mentality that plagues our industry may be on its way out. Once consumers have a better understanding of the major financial and legal risks posed by inadequate T&I services, they will be better able to make purchasing decisions using the right criteria. For this to happen, client education is key. Many clients base their decisions only on price, because they simply don't know any better. Slowly but surely, the word is getting out.

Deadline for Submissions Extended!

Due to popular demand and the upcoming holiday season, the deadline for submissions to the From Our Lips to Your Ears project has been extended until February 8, 2008. Hopefully, this extension will enable the many contributors who were concerned about the fast-approaching deadline to devote more time to their submissions. However, interpreters who planned to submit stories are still encouraged to submit them as soon as possible, since the editing process is well underway on many of the stories already chosen for publication.