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Charles Tiayon
February 21, 2014 7:11 PM
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Zandisile Luphahla Since the world will be celebrating International Mother Tongue Day today, the Northern Cape Pan African South African Language Board will take cognizance of the efforts made by the Department of Basic Education to introduce the teaching of indigenous African languages at schools.
The board’s provincial manager, Boichoko Moremi, said their focus was mainly on previously marginalised indigenous African languages.
“Hence we will be visiting schools in the Galeshewe township in the morning that are teaching Sesotho, isiXhosa and Setswana for poetry, African literature, reading and motivation sessions on Mother Tongue Day and the importance of our languages.
“The relevance to Mother Tongue Day celebrations provincially would be a platform to also share with stakeholders the statistics South Africa 2011 census results on the language spread and profile in the province,” he said.
Researchers across Africa, Asia and the Middle East are building their own language models designed for local tongues, cultural nuance and digital independence
"In a high-stakes artificial intelligence race between the United States and China, an equally transformative movement is taking shape elsewhere. From Cape Town to Bangalore, from Cairo to Riyadh, researchers, engineers and public institutions are building homegrown AI systems, models that speak not just in local languages, but with regional insight and cultural depth.
The dominant narrative in AI, particularly since the early 2020s, has focused on a handful of US-based companies like OpenAI with GPT, Google with Gemini, Meta’s LLaMa, Anthropic’s Claude. They vie to build ever larger and more capable models. Earlier in 2025, China’s DeepSeek, a Hangzhou-based startup, added a new twist by releasing large language models (LLMs) that rival their American counterparts, with a smaller computational demand. But increasingly, researchers across the Global South are challenging the notion that technological leadership in AI is the exclusive domain of these two superpowers.
Instead, scientists and institutions in countries like India, South Africa, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are rethinking the very premise of generative AI. Their focus is not on scaling up, but on scaling right, building models that work for local users, in their languages, and within their social and economic realities.
“How do we make sure that the entire planet benefits from AI?” asks Benjamin Rosman, a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand and a lead developer of InkubaLM, a generative model trained on five African languages. “I want more and more voices to be in the conversation”.
Beyond English, beyond Silicon Valley
Large language models work by training on massive troves of online text. While the latest versions of GPT, Gemini or LLaMa boast multilingual capabilities, the overwhelming presence of English-language material and Western cultural contexts in these datasets skews their outputs. For speakers of Hindi, Arabic, Swahili, Xhosa and countless other languages, that means AI systems may not only stumble over grammar and syntax, they can also miss the point entirely.
“In Indian languages, large models trained on English data just don’t perform well,” says Janki Nawale, a linguist at AI4Bharat, a lab at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. “There are cultural nuances, dialectal variations, and even non-standard scripts that make translation and understanding difficult.” Nawale’s team builds supervised datasets and evaluation benchmarks for what specialists call “low resource” languages, those that lack robust digital corpora for machine learning.
It’s not just a question of grammar or vocabulary. “The meaning often lies in the implication,” says Vukosi Marivate, a professor of computer science at the University of Pretoria, in South Africa. “In isiXhosa, the words are one thing but what’s being implied is what really matters.” Marivate co-leads Masakhane NLP, a pan-African collective of AI researchers that recently developed AFROBENCH, a rigorous benchmark for evaluating how well large language models perform on 64 African languages across 15 tasks. The results, published in a preprint in March, revealed major gaps in performance between English and nearly all African languages, especially with open-source models.
Similar concerns arise in the Arabic-speaking world. “If English dominates the training process, the answers will be filtered through a Western lens rather than an Arab one,” says Mekki Habib, a robotics professor at the American University in Cairo. A 2024 preprint from the Tunisian AI firm Clusterlab finds that many multilingual models fail to capture Arabic’s syntactic complexity or cultural frames of reference, particularly in dialect-rich contexts.
Governments step in
For many countries in the Global South, the stakes are geopolitical as well as linguistic. Dependence on Western or Chinese AI infrastructure could mean diminished sovereignty over information, technology, and even national narratives. In response, governments are pouring resources into creating their own models.
Saudi Arabia’s national AI authority, SDAIA, has built ‘ALLaM,’ an Arabic-first model based on Meta’s LLaMa-2, enriched with more than 540 billion Arabic tokens. The United Arab Emirates has backed several initiatives, including ‘Jais,’ an open-source Arabic-English model built by MBZUAI in collaboration with US chipmaker Cerebras Systems and the Abu Dhabi firm Inception. Another UAE-backed project, Noor, focuses on educational and Islamic applications.
In Qatar, researchers at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and the Qatar Computing Research Institute, have developed the Fanar platform and its LLMs Fanar Star and Fanar Prime. Trained on a trillion tokens of Arabic, English, and code, Fanar’s tokenization approach is specifically engineered to reflect Arabic’s rich morphology and syntax.
India has emerged as a major hub for AI localization. In 2024, the government launched BharatGen, a public-private initiative funded with 235 crore (€26 million) initiative aimed at building foundation models attuned to India’s vast linguistic and cultural diversity. The project is led by the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay and also involves its sister organizations in Hyderabad, Mandi, Kanpur, Indore, and Madras. The programme’s first product, e-vikrAI, can generate product descriptions and pricing suggestions from images in various Indic languages. Startups like Ola-backed Krutrim and CoRover’s BharatGPT have jumped in, while Google’s Indian lab unveiled MuRIL, a language model trained exclusively on Indian languages. The Indian governments’ AI Mission has received more than180 proposals from local researchers and startups to build national-scale AI infrastructure and large language models, and the Bengaluru-based company, AI Sarvam, has been selected to build India’s first ‘sovereign’ LLM, expected to be fluent in various Indian languages.
In Africa, much of the energy comes from the ground up. Masakhane NLP and Deep Learning Indaba, a pan-African academic movement, have created a decentralized research culture across the continent. One notable offshoot, Johannesburg-based Lelapa AI, launched InkubaLM in September 2024. It’s a ‘small language model’ (SLM) focused on five African languages with broad reach: Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, isiZulu and isiXhosa.
“With only 0.4 billion parameters, it performs comparably to much larger models,” says Rosman. The model’s compact size and efficiency are designed to meet Africa’s infrastructure constraints while serving real-world applications. Another African model is UlizaLlama, a 7-billion parameter model developed by the Kenyan foundation Jacaranda Health, to support new and expectant mothers with AI-driven support in Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Xhosa, and Zulu.
India’s research scene is similarly vibrant. The AI4Bharat laboratory at IIT Madras has just released IndicTrans2, that supports translation across all 22 scheduled Indian languages. Sarvam AI, another startup, released its first LLM last year to support 10 major Indian languages. And KissanAI, co-founded by Pratik Desai, develops generative AI tools to deliver agricultural advice to farmers in their native languages.
The data dilemma
Yet building LLMs for underrepresented languages poses enormous challenges. Chief among them is data scarcity. “Even Hindi datasets are tiny compared to English,” says Tapas Kumar Mishra, a professor at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela in eastern India. “So, training models from scratch is unlikely to match English-based models in performance.”
Rosman agrees. “The big-data paradigm doesn’t work for African languages. We simply don’t have the volume.” His team is pioneering alternative approaches like the Esethu Framework, a protocol for ethically collecting speech datasets from native speakers and redistributing revenue back to further development of AI tools for under-resourced languages. The project’s pilot used read speech from isiXhosa speakers, complete with metadata, to build voice-based applications.
In Arab nations, similar work is underway. Clusterlab’s 101 Billion Arabic Words Dataset is the largest of its kind, meticulously extracted and cleaned from the web to support Arabic-first model training.
The cost of staying local
But for all the innovation, practical obstacles remain. “The return on investment is low,” says KissanAI’s Desai. “The market for regional language models is big, but those with purchasing power still work in English.” And while Western tech companies attract the best minds globally, including many Indian and African scientists, researchers at home often face limited funding, patchy computing infrastructure, and unclear legal frameworks around data and privacy.
“There’s still a lack of sustainable funding, a shortage of specialists, and insufficient integration with educational or public systems,” warns Habib, the Cairo-based professor. “All of this has to change.”
A different vision for AI
Despite the hurdles, what’s emerging is a distinct vision for AI in the Global South – one that favours practical impact over prestige, and community ownership over corporate secrecy.
“There’s more emphasis here on solving real problems for real people,” says Nawale of AI4Bharat. Rather than chasing benchmark scores, researchers are aiming for relevance: tools for farmers, students, and small business owners.
And openness matters. “Some companies claim to be open-source, but they only release the model weights, not the data,” Marivate says. “With InkubaLM, we release both. We want others to build on what we’ve done, to do it better.”
In a global contest often measured in teraflops and tokens, these efforts may seem modest. But for the billions who speak the world’s less-resourced languages, they represent a future in which AI doesn’t just speak to them, but with them."
Sibusiso Biyela, Amr Rageh and Shakoor Rather
20 May 2025
https://www.natureasia.com/en/nmiddleeast/article/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2025.65
#metaglossia_mundus
Words frequently used by ChatGPT, including “delve” and “meticulous,” are getting more common in spoken language, according to an analysis of more than 700,000 hours of videos and podcasts
"ChatGPT Is Changing the Words We Use in Conversation
Words frequently used by ChatGPT, including “delve” and “meticulous,” are getting more common in spoken language, according to an analysis of more than 700,000 hours of videos and podcasts
BY VANESSA BATES RAMIREZ EDITED BY ALLISON PARSHALL
After its release in late 2022, ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just two months, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Since then the artificial intelligence (AI) tool has significantly affected how we learn, write, work and create. But new research shows that it’s also influencing us in ways we may not be aware of—such as changing how we speak.
Hiromu Yakura, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, first noticed differences in his own vocabulary about a year after ChatGPT came out. “I realized I was using ‘delve’ more,” he says. “I wanted to see if this was happening not only to me but to other people.” Researchers had previously found that use of large language models (LLMs), such as those that power ChatGPT, was changing vocabulary choices in written communication, and Yakura and his colleagues wanted to know whether spoken communication was being affected, too.
The researchers first used ChatGPT to edit millions of pages of e-mails, essays, and academic and news articles using typical prompts such as to “polish” the text or “improve its clarity.” Next, they extracted words that ChatGPT repeatedly added while editing, such as “delve,” “realm” and “meticulous,” dubbing these “GPT words.” The team then analyzed more than 360,000 YouTube videos and 771,000 podcast episodes from before and after ChatGPT’s release to track the use of GPT words over time. They compared the GPT words with “synthetic controls,” which were formed by mathematically weighting synonyms that weren’t frequently used by the chatbot—such synonyms for “delve,” for example, could include “examine” and “explore.”
The team’s results, posted on the preprint server arXiv.org last week, show a surge in GPT words in the 18 months after ChatGPT’s release. The words didn’t just appear in formal, scripted videos or podcast episodes; they were peppered into spontaneous conversation, too.
“Empirical Evidence of Large Language Model’s Influence on Human Spoken Communication,” by Hiromu Yakura et al. Second version of preprint posted to arXiv.org on June 30, 2025, modified and restyled by Amanda Montañez
“The patterns that are stored in AI technology seem to be transmitting back to the human mind,” says study co-author Levin Brinkmann, also at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. In other words, a sort of cultural feedback loop is forming between humans and AI: we train AI on written text, it parrots a statistically remixed version of that text back to us, and we pick up on its patterns and unconsciously start to mimic them."
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chatgpt-is-changing-the-words-we-use-in-conversation/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Linguation Sets New Standards in Certified Translations
MUNICH, BAYERN, GERMANY, July 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Linguation.com, founded in 2019, is redefining how certified translations are delivered across Europe. With a fully digital platform, the company streamlines the entire process – from document upload to delivery – offering a fast, user-friendly experience without compromising on quality.
Certified Translations from Sworn Experts
Linguation collaborates with a broad network of court-sworn specialist translators. This ensures that every certified translation meets the legal and formal requirements of public authorities, universities, and institutions – whether for birth certificates, employment references, or marriage documents.
Focus on Security and Innovation
To meet growing demands for digital trust, Linguation has launched a verification feature that allows translated documents to be authenticated online. This supports customers in completing official procedures faster, especially in increasingly digital public administrations.
A Clear Mission
“Our goal has always been to combine translation expertise with the convenience of digital services,” says a company spokesperson. “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get official documents translated properly and on time.”
More Information
Further details and instant quotes are available at: www.linguation.com
Daniela Engels
Linguation
EIN Presswire
Jul 11, 2025, 9:15 AM ET
https://www.wlns.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/830441869/linguation-sets-new-standards-in-certified-translations/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Nothing Gets Lost in Translation’ – Why Creativity in APAC Needs a Language-First Approach
Po Kay Lee of Forsman & Bodenfors Asia and Hannes Ben of Locaria on language, creativity, and technology in Asia’s marketing landscape
by BIA Staff
July 9, 2025
Po Kay Lee & Hannes Ben during their chat at Sport Beach
Stagwell brought Sport Beach back to Cannes for its third year, featuring an expanded lineup of athletes and sponsors. The beachfront activation hosted a diverse program of panels and speakers across four days at the festival.
Sport Beach is Stagwell’s dedicated space at Cannes Lions, bringing together athletes, marketers, and creatives to explore the intersection of sports, culture, and business. It leverages sport as a gateway to the broader conversations driving the business landscape community, globalization, fandom, and more. And there were workouts, too.
At this year’s event, Forsman & Bodenfors Asia President Po Kay Lee and Locaria CEO Hannes Ben discussed the power of language, the importance of creative integrity, and the evolving role of technology in Asia’s fast-changing marketing landscape.
Lee has seen the event evolve, but 2025, she says, stood out.
“We’ve had an incredible lineup at Sport Beach. It feels more connected. Love it.”
It’s not just the festival that’s evolving, so is the way global brands approach language and culture, particularly in APAC, added Ben.
Complexity is what makes Asia so interesting. Clients often want to find commonalities, and they do exist, in behaviors and attitudes. But not always in language.
“The complexity of language in Asia makes traditional translation, and even transcreation, insufficient in many cases.”
Finding the Common Thread in a Complex Region
Lee noted that cultural and linguistic diversity is what makes Asia one of the most compelling regions for creative work, but also one of the most challenging.
“Complexity is what makes Asia so interesting. Clients often want to find commonalities, and they do exist, in behaviors and attitudes. But not always in language,” she said.
She also emphasized the importance of balancing globally resonant ideas with deep local relevance.
“We need incredible insights that are universal and can spark a big, creative idea. But if that idea gets lost in translation, it loses its impact entirely,” said Lee.
“Beyond cultural insights and human truths, language shapes how a message truly lands with its audience. Capturing local nuance is essential and a great example is our work for global beauty brand SK-II in China and Japan.”
“We worked with Locaria to turn a simple translation into a script that resonated with the local market. Even for the simplest assets, the right words will deliver real impact.”
Lee added that language isn’t simply part of the delivery — it’s at the heart of the entire ideation process.
“In Asia, having a language-first lens on some of our work is super important. When we work with partners who can ideate with us in the original language, those ideas become so much more authentic.”
Sport Beach 2025
Early Collaboration = Stronger Creative
For marketers in this complex, diverse region—home to an abundance of cultural nuance across dozens of countries—authenticity comes not only from language expertise but also from a deep understanding of timing.
“The best partnerships are built on tight collaboration. We love it when we can bring in our localization and transcreation partners early, during ideation,” said Lee.
“That’s when you help shape the idea from the ground up, rather than reverse-engineering it later to fit different markets.”
By its very nature, the creative process is inherently iterative, especially when applied across borders. It evolves as more cultural perspectives and regional nuances are brought in.
“The key is working together to preserve the core integrity of the idea, while letting it flex where needed,” said Lee.
We know humans are never going to disappear from creativity or language.
Speed, Culture, and the Right Kind of Tech
The discussion turned to technology, a hot topic across the Croisette. While AI was the headline act at Cannes, both leaders agreed that tech is only valuable if it strengthens creative outcomes.
“We know humans are never going to disappear from creativity or language,” said Ben.
“But we are developing tools that can support them more effectively.”
As an example, Ben pointed to Locate, Locaria’s proprietary localization platform.
“It brings together the full process, research, transcreation, and versioning, into a single system.”
“It’s powered by tech, but human-led from a strategic perspective. That means more speed and more effectiveness, without sacrificing nuance.”
Lee echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the role of technology in driving meaningful outcomes.
“Things are moving fast, and we’re open to all of it. But what really matters is when tech enables better creativity, better insights, and a more culturally authentic end product. That’s what we’re after.”
Craft That Travels
The spontaneous conversation between the pair highlighted the larger point that in a region as diverse as APAC, it’s no longer enough to assume a creative idea will carry through language and culture intact.
Crafting ideas that travel means embedding cultural and linguistic thinking at every stage, from insight to execution.
Stagwell contributed to the creation of this article."
https://www.brandinginasia.com/nothing-gets-lost-in-translation-why-creativity-in-apac-needs-a-language-first-approach/
#metaglossia_mundus
"One of the world’s most historically important texts is to be translated, analysed and made widely available thanks to a global collaboration involving language experts at the University of Exeter.
At 6,000 pages in length, the Spanish-language General Estoria (GE) is the largest universal history ever written in Europe, and attempts to summarise the entire history of humankind.
Now, a partnership led by the University of British Columbia, Okanagan (UBCO), and supported by Exeter’s Department of Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies, will translate the 13th century epic into English and preserve it in digital format.
It has been funded by a grant of more than $2.1 million from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. It was announced this week by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
“This exciting project is the culmination of a close working relationship with UBCO, which includes three jointly-funded catalyst grants,” says Dr Katie Brown, Co-Director of the project, and Senior Lecturer in Latin American Studies. “As well as making the ‘General e gran estoria’ freely accessible to new audiences, this project will demonstrate the possibilities of large-scale, interdisciplinary, multicultural collaboration across the Humanities.”
The GE was commissioned by Alfonso X of Castile, who ruled Spain from 1252 to 1284. It was an effort to record the entire history of humans, from the origins of the world as narrated in the Bible up to the time the work was commissioned.
It was the first work of its type in a language other than Latin and includes the social and cultural history of the world, as well as its political history. Its authors also spanned multiple religions at a time when prevailing historical texts were usually written by Christians alone. It is housed in the Biblioteca Nacional de España in Madrid.
“While this is one of the world’s most unique and important texts, it is unfortunately not widely known,” says Professor Francisco Peña, Professor in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies at UBCO, and project director. “Many relevant texts written in medieval Spain have disappeared. Through our efforts, we hope to change that and preserve this valuable piece of literature forever.
“The text hasn’t been well understood to date because it’s impossible for a single scholar to tackle a project of this size and complexity. So, in the spirit of how the GE was written, we’ve assembled this team from across the globe to tackle it together.”
UBC Okanagan
The project, Confluence of Religious Cultures in Medieval Historiography: A Digital Edition of the General e Grand Estoria (DEGE)’, includes 55 scholars and practitioners from 18 partner organizations across Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, Colombia and Tunisia. Professor Francisco Gago-Jover, of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, is the third co-director along with Prof Peña and Dr Brown.
It will run until 2032 and generate no less than 28 student internships for Exeter, four per year. Each will receive CA$5000 funding and one week of intensive training and cultural immersion in La Rioja.
Dr Brown will be responsible for overseeing training and mentoring across the project, and with the interns, will create the first full English translation of Book 1 of the GE, as well as educational resources for use in Spanish language learning.
Exeter academics, including Professor Michelle Bolduc, Professor Tom Hinton, Dr Loreto Romero and Dr Rebekah Welton, will also be involved once the project moves towards public engagement.
“These Partnership Grants are very rarely offered to projects in the Humanities, so that speaks to its great potential to preserve a unique piece of cultural history and inspire future generations,” adds Dr Brown. “It’s also testament to the fantastic partnership between our universities dating back to when Prof Peña first visited the University of Exeter in 2019.”
To find out more, please visit the project website."
https://news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-humanities-arts-and-social-sciences/languages-cultures-and-visual-studies/university-to-work-with-global-partners-on-unique-translation-project/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Professional Ethics in Conference Interpreting - Relevance in uncertain times
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2025 | 04:00 PM - WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2025 | 07:30 PM
ORGANISER : CDP,
TYPE: OUTREACH
LOCATION : OECD HQ PARIS 2 RUE ANDRÉ PASCAL PARIS 75016 FR
Join AIIC's Staff Interpreters' Committee (CdP) at the OECD for a discussion on professional ethics and their relevance in our current day and age.
How do we apply the principles that have guided interpreters for over 70 years in the face of Artificial Intelligence, polarized political discourse, and declining multilateralism?
What ethics (and ethical) tools do the next generation of conference interpreters need?
Is ethics in interpreting becoming less relevant - or is it more vital than ever?
Following what promises to be a fascinating afternoon discussing these weighty questions, the OECD and CdP are pleased to invite participants to relax and connect over a glass or two in the Salon des Nations."
https://usa.aiic.org/client/event/roster/eventRosterDetails.html?productId=754&eventRosterId=8
#metaglossia_mundus
"Abstract: Love is a universal phenomenon, yet indigenous conceptualizations of love exist by the thousands in languages worldwide. In this paper, the authors propose that sharing linguistic knowledge (explicit semantic and implicit pragmatic) and cultural knowledge (explicit etic and implicit emic) of indigenous love concepts through intercultural dialogue can liberate people’s understanding of love “imprisoned in English” (Wierzbicka, 2013) from an indigenous psychology perspective. The authors propose an “Equivalent Indigenous Concept Model” for the intercultural understanding of love in Mandarin Chinese (爱; ai) and Ukrainian (кохаю; kohayu). In this study, two graduate students (a Chinese and a Ukrainian) enrolled in an Intercultural Understanding Pedagogy seminar at a leading Japanese research university discussed their indigenous conceptualizations of love. Results of an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) based on the students’ intercultural communication (in English) suggest that, at the semantic and etic levels, both 爱 and кохаю represent profound emotions in romantic relationships. However, at the pragmatic and emic levels, 爱 functions as emotional ties that connect the individual, family, and nation, with an emphasis on commitment and responsibility. In contrast, кохаю primarily describes romantic love, specifically applicable to romantic partners, and emphasizes its sacredness. The scope, historical roots, and expressions of love concepts—as well as the dynamic and bittersweet nature of love and its relationships with marriage and family—are discussed from Chinese and Ukrainian socio-cultural perspectives. These findings support the proposition that equivalent indigenous concepts such as 爱 and кохаю represent a universal phenomenon – love, in this case – yet are likely expressed and experienced differently in specific cultural contexts."
Fan Yang a,
David Dalsky b
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102237
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0147176725001002
#metaglossia_mundus
"Intercultural sensitivity, challenges, and perceived value in multicultural group work among third-year medical students at Alexandria university, Egypt (2023–2024)
Marium Mahmoud Abdulla & Aida Mohey Mohamed Ali
BMC Medical Education volume 25, Article number: 1038 (2025) Cite this article
Abstract
Background
With the advent of globalization, intercultural sensitivity (ICS) is a vital skill, particularly for medical students. At the Alexandria Faculty of Medicine (AFM), third-year domestic (Egyptian) and international students in the national program have been separated throughout all the years due to logistical challenges. This study aimed to assess the ICS of third-year national program students, identify its correlates, explore multicultural student groups (MCSG) work-related challenges, and evaluate the perceived value of multicultural group work.
Methods
A cross-sectional study using quota-convenience sampling was conducted among third-year national program medical students at AFM to proportionally represent domestic and international students. Participants completed an online questionnaire covering: general characteristics, the Arabic-translated version of: the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS), MCSG work-related challenges, and perceived value of intercultural group work. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman’s tests to examine associations between ICS and various factors.
Results
Among the 272 participants (170 domestic, 102 international), generally high levels of ICS were reported. Higher ICS was significantly associated with being an international student, higher English proficiency, multilingualism, and prior intercultural exposure (P < 0.05). Domestic students reported more MCSG-related challenges and a greater perceived value in multicultural group work (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
Third-year AFM students reported high ICS overall. Domestic students anticipated more MCSG work-related challenges yet perceived greater value in intercultural group work. Given the non-random sampling, findings may not be generalizable beyond the study population. The educational institution should foster opportunities for intercultural interactions among students, both within and outside the classroom."
Open access
Published: 11 July 2025
https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-025-07597-7
#metaglossia_mundus
A freelance interpreter was dismissed after taking notes during a closed-door Zelenskyy meeting, raising suspicions of Russian espionage.
"Caught in translation: EU interpreter fired for alleged Russian spying
A freelance interpreter was dismissed after taking notes during a closed-door Zelenskyy meeting, raising suspicions of Russian espionage.
Magnus Lund Nielsen Euractiv Jul 9, 2025 18:51 2 min. read News
An interpreter working for the European Commission has been dismissed over suspicions of spying for Russia, after allegedly taking notes during a high-level meeting in Brussels last December, Le Monde reports.
At a closed-door meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and EU heads of state and government, a Ukrainian interpreter was caught taking notes – an act strictly prohibited in such a context, according to a report by Le Monde.
Leaders were discussing Ukraine’s battlefield posture and ongoing European military support in the wake of US President Trump's re-election the month before.
Czech interpreters reportedly observed the interpreter taking notes. Commission officials then entered the booth, seized the notes, and expelled her from Commission premises.
An internal Commission investigation has since concluded. Belgian authorities will decide whether to pursue the case further and assess if the incident is part of a broader Russian espionage operation.
Le Monde identified the interpreter as Ms M, a dual French and Ukrainian national. Of Russian descent, she has lived in Ukraine for several years. Together with her sister, she has freelanced as an interpreter for EU institutions, French ministries, and NATO for over two decades.
The European Commission confirmed the incident. “The notes were confiscated. After a careful examination of the facts, it was decided to no longer use the interpreter’s services,” a spokesperson told Le Monde.
Ms M remains formally listed as an interpreter with NATO, the French Permanent Representation in Brussels, and several French ministries. French authorities have stated they will “draw all the necessary consequences of the incident.”
The interpreter has been blacklisted by Ukrainian authorities, who suspect her of maintaining professional ties with Russian officials.
When questioned by Le Monde, Ms M responded that her work is bound by confidentiality and insisted she has always upheld "respect" for the ethical standards of her profession.
The case surfaces as Brussels continues to reel from a separate wave of lobbying and corruption scandals involving alleged influence operations linked to Chinese tech giant Huawei.
(aw)"
https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/caught-in-translation-eu-interpreter-fired-for-alleged-russian-spying/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Translator Kim Jung-ah completes decade-long Dostoevsky translation project
By Park Sae-jin
Posted : July 9, 2025, 19:26 Updated : July 10, 2025, 17:15
SEOUL, July 09 (AJP) - Translator Kim Jung-ah held a press conference in central Seoul on Monday to announce the publication of her Korean translation of "The Brothers Karamazov." With its release, she completed solo Korean translations of four major novels by Fyodor Dostoevsky, "Crime and Punishment," "The Idiot," "Demons," and "The Brothers Karamazov." The project took more than ten years from start to finish.
Kim is the first South Korean translator known to have completed full-length translations of all four works on her own. The total page count exceeds 6,600. Speaking to AJP, Kim said, "He's been the compass of my life. I've lived the last ten years as if we were connected by an umbilical cord."
She began with "Notes from Underground" around 2010, but started focusing on the major novels in 2018. Kim holds degrees from Seoul National University and Illinois State University, and also runs the fashion brand Space Nool. She did most of her translation work in the early morning hours, often beginning at 2 a.m. and continuing until just before heading to the office.
"'The Brothers Karamazov' drained me emotionally," she said. "There were nights I sobbed while translating certain passages. But it was in those moments I felt closest to Dostoevsky's view of humanity, not as fallen or broken, but as compassionate beings capable of redemption."
The physical toll was significant. During work on "The Idiot," she began translating while standing due to chronic back pain. "At one point, a doctor told me not to cry during work," she said. "But how do you read 'Karamazov' and not cry?"
One of her priorities was to correct what she identified as more than one hundred mistranslations in earlier Korean editions. "I wanted to stitch the Korean version together with care, as if I were repairing a beloved's sweater," she said. "I tried to offer something qualitatively different."
The books are now available in standard paperback editions. "The Brothers Karamazov" has also been released in a special leather-bound edition, limited to 300 copies.
Kim refers to Dostoevsky as "Teacher Do" and considers herself his lifelong student. "He's the most human of all writers. Fully ninety percent of my life was shaped by him," she said.
She has been nominated for Russia's Pushkin Medal, an award that recognizes individuals who promote Russian literature and culture abroad.
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com"
https://m.ajupress.com/view/20250709192359130
#metaglossia_mundus
UK-based GlobeScribe is charging $100 per book, per language for use of its services, but translators say that nuanced work can only be produced by humans
"AI translation service launched for fiction writers and publishers prompts dismay among translators
UK-based GlobeScribe is charging $100 per book, per language for use of its services, but translators say that nuanced work can only be produced by humans
Ella Creamer
Tue 8 Jul 2025 18.11 BST
An AI fiction translation service aimed at both traditional publishers and self-published authors has been launched in the UK. GlobeScribe.ai is currently charging $100 per book, per language for use of its translation services.
“There will always be a place for expert human translation, especially for highly literary or complex texts,” said the founders Fred Freeman and Betsy Reavley, who previously founded Bloodhound Books, which specialises in crime and thrillers. “But GlobeScribe.ai opens the door to new opportunities, making translation a viable option for a much broader range of fiction.”
GlobeScribe conducted “extensive blind testing” of its tool. Native speakers reviewed GlobeScribe translations alongside human-translated versions of texts without being told which method had been used. “The feedback consistently showed that readers could not reliably distinguish between them,” according to a company statement. “In some cases, reviewers even felt the AI-assisted versions were closer in tone and fidelity to the original English manuscript.”
However, prominent translators along with a translators’ organisation have expressed concern over the initiative.
GlobeScribe “may claim to unlock global access for fiction, but their approach sidelines the very people who make literature resonate across cultures,” said Ian Giles, chair of the Society of Authors’ Translators Association. “Suggesting that AI can match, or even surpass, the nuanced work of human translators on behalf of authors is flat-out wrong.”
“The best literary translations offer more than simple accuracy, more than literal fidelity to the words making up the sentences,” said Polly Barton, writer and translator of works including the bestselling Butter by Asako Yuzuki from Japanese to English. “They are engaging with the context from which the book has come, and reproducing the pacing, atmosphere, emotional timbre, rhythm, and all the other, less superficially obvious factors that ultimately determine how fulfilling and rich the reading experience is.”
Deepa Bhasthi, whose translation of Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp from Kannada into English won this year’s International Booker prize, said that “there are many words in Kannada that contain whole cultural worlds in them, where there is as much hidden or implied within a cultural context as is conveyed in literal meaning. And that needs a human being, with an understanding of these visible and invisible worlds, to translate such words”.
Asked about GlobeScribe’s testing method, Barton said that being a native speaker of a language “doesn’t necessarily equip one to judge all translations from that language with total authority”. Bhasthi added that “we are not told what kind of texts they were given, what kind of readers the test subjects were”.
GlobeScribe co-founder Betsy Reavley and Fred Freeman.
View image in fullscreen
‘AI tools should be embraced’ … GlobeScribe co-founder Betsy Reavley and Fred Freeman. Photograph: Elodie Giuge Photography
GlobeScribe’s founders said that while they “recognise that parts of the industry are understandably cautious about what AI might mean for the arts”, they “believe these tools are here to stay and that they should be embraced thoughtfully and responsibly”. They added that AI could enhance creativity and help professional translators “increase their productivity and output”. The founders “are clear that this is not about replacing human translators”.
Julia Sanches – the translator of works including Boulder by Eva Baltasar from Catalan into English – said: “Even though I don’t think Globescribe can translate the kinds of literary texts I translate, I am gloomy about the emergence of all these new AI ‘translation’ services. They give the appearance that translation is instant, which devalues my labour, and also that it is mediocre, which could make ‘good enough’ the new standard for the literary arts. And that’s a disservice to both authors and readers.”
“This doesn’t just end with translation,” said Barton. “Maybe translators are at the frontline of people being put out of work by AI technologies, but soon there will be more and more jobs threatened to be wiped out in this way. It lies in our hands to decide whether or not we want this to happen.”
https://share.google/U59Pgc6NHTJWCmYQu
#metaglossia_mundus
"L’examen du Code de la route traduit en langue des signes dès cet été
Par Mr M. -9 juillet 2025
C’est officiel : dès l’été 2025, l’examen du Code de la route sera traduit en langue des signes pour permettre aux personnes sourdes et malentendantes de bénéficier d’une aide pour passer leur examen.
Avoir un handicap peut être un frein pour passer un examen. C’est le cas du Code de la route, qui n’était jusqu’ici pas adapté aux personnes en situation de handicap auditif. En France, on compte 6 à 7 millions de personnes déficientes auditives, dont des sourds profonds, des sourds d’une oreille et des malentendants.
Chaque année, près de 4 000 candidats qui passent l’examen du Code de la route sont atteints de surdité ou de troubles sévères de l’audition, selon des chiffres du ministère de l’Intérieur rapportés par 20 Minutes. En plus de cela, 80% des personnes sourdes sont « en grande difficulté face au français écrit » comme l’explique Karine Fouet, professeure spécialisée à l’Institut national de jeunes sourds (INJS) de Paris.
En effet, la lecture s’apprend principalement par l’écoute, raison pour laquelle les personnes sourdes et malentendantes peuvent avoir des difficultés à lire. Ainsi, il peut être impossible de passer l’examen du Code de la route, qui demande de lire rapidement des questions et des réponses dans un temps limité.
Chaque année, 4 000 candidats ayant des problèmes auditifs passent l’examen du Code de la route. Photo : Pexels
Jusqu’à présent, un seul dispositif était mis en place pour faciliter l’accès aux personnes sourdes et malentendantes à l’examen du Code de la route. Ces dernières devaient demander la présence d’un interprète en langue des signes dans la salle d’examen, mais cette procédure était souvent longue et complexe.
L’examen du Code de la route sera traduit
Pour faciliter les démarches des personnes en situation de handicap auditif, la Sécurité routière a annoncé le 3 juin dernier la traduction de l’examen du Code de la route en langue des signes française (LSF).
« Faciliter l’accès au permis de conduire, c’est un puissant levier d’insertion pour la mobilité des personnes en situation de handicap. La traduction des questions du code de la route en langue des signes s’inscrit dans cette démarche globale de facilitation du parcours des candidats au permis de conduire, sans jamais transiger sur la qualité de la formation et des attendus en termes de sécurité sur la route », a déclaré Florence Guillaume, déléguée interministérielle, dans un communiqué de presse de la Sécurité routière.
Les personnes sourdes ou malentendantes auront accès à une traduction de l’examen en langue des signes. Photo : Pexels
Dorénavant, les personnes qui en font la demande pourront passer leur examen dans les bureaux d’éducation routière (BER). Des diapositives adaptées, dans lesquelles un interprète de la langue des signes est filmé, seront mises à disposition afin de traduire directement les questions et les réponses.
« Ce qui va changer, c’est qu’il y aura peut-être plus de disponibilités au sein des BER parce qu’il n’y aura plus la présence du traducteur. Donc ça va en même temps également réduire le coût du permis pour les candidats », a déclaré Céline Jallet, membre du pôle en charge de la gestion des examens du permis de conduire, à Handicap.fr.
Aider les personnes en situation de handicap
L’objectif de cette réforme est de faciliter l’accès au Code de la route pour les personnes en situation de handicap auditif afin de garantir « l’égalité des chances pour tous les candidats », selon Florence Guillaume.
Ces dernières années, plusieurs mesures concrètes ont été mises en place pour faciliter les démarches des personnes en situation de handicap. Pour passer l’examen du Code de la route, un temps supplémentaire peut être accordé si besoin. La Sécurité routière a également créé une carte qui recense toutes les auto-écoles aménagées qui aident les personnes sourdes ou malentendantes à passer leur permis de conduire.
– Lisa Guinot"
#metaglossia_mundus
"Indigenous communities push for interpreter program at Monterey County health clinics
By jose.romo
July 9, 2025 4:29 PM
Published July 8, 2025 6:21 PM
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Members of the Indigenous community advocacy groups gathered outside the county building to make their voices heard. Since a pilot program was proposed in June, advocates asked for interpreters to be placed in clinics within the county’s health care system.
“The stories that you have heard today point to barriers in language,” says Francisco Rodriguez with the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council. “They point to cultural barriers.”
Members of Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena have been working with county leadership since June to develop a plan that would bring these interpreter services to the clinic sector.
“I think it's timely,” said Sarahi Martinez, executive director for CBDIO. “I think it's actually where right now with everything happening in the nation, we need a county that feels welcoming for our communities, that provides basic interpretation and navigation services at the clinics.”
In a statement Monterey County Health Department says, “we look forward to deepening our collaboration with CBDIO to strengthen culturally and linguistically appropriate services, ensuring that our indigenous-speaking patients feel heard, respected, and well-supported while receiving care.”
Martinez says the program would bring down barriers faced by her community when accessing health care. She adds they have developed five priorities. “Those priorities include not only the interpretation and navigation services at the clinic but also training for staff for more cultural sensitivity and how to better provide support to the community.”
The health department surveyed over 3,000 patients, receiving 119 responses, but Graciela Gonzalez says this does not show the full picture.
She adds interpreters have become a necessity, and they have gathered 500 signatures of patients who would benefit from the service. Veronica Aragon, one of the first indigenous interpreters hired through the Monterey County Health Department with Public Health Nursing, says it is crucial to have these services to maintain a healthy community.
“Not only is that the law, but it is the right thing to do. It is the safe thing to do. And a better-informed community, a better-informed and knowledgeable patient, understanding in their language, is a healthier and happier patient and community."
If approved, the indigenous communities ask that these resources be implemented permanently, as this can be an important first step for non-Spanish and non-English speakers. A full plan and decision will likely come from the Board of Supervisors by September.
jose.romo
Bilingual Reporter"
https://kion546.com/news/2025/07/08/indigenous-communities-push-for-interpreter-program-at-monterey-county-health-clinics/
#metaglossia_mundus
European Commission said it took action over “an incident related to note-taking” at a meeting with Ukrainian president.
"EU cuts ties with interpreter over Zelenskyy security fears
European Commission said it took action over “an incident related to note-taking” at a meeting with Ukrainian president.
JULY 9, 2025 8:02 PM CET
BY GABRIEL GAVIN AND ELENA GIORDANO
BRUSSELS — The European Commission has dismissed an interpreter hired by the European Union to attend major summits alongside world leaders over concerns of a potential security breach.
In a statement to POLITICO, the Commission said it had taken action over “an incident related to note-taking” during a European Council meeting attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Dec. 19, 2024.
The taking of written notes at sensitive sessions where issues like defense and security are discussed is prohibited under the Commission’s code of conduct. The rules were brought in as a response to fears of potential espionage and accidental transfer of information to hostile states like Russia.
“The notes were immediately confiscated,” the EU executive said. “After careful consideration of the facts, the Commission took appropriate measures to prevent this incident from recurring.
“In this particular case, it has been decided that the services of the interpreter in question will no longer be used in the future.”
The translator was a French-Ukrainian freelancer brought in to help leaders communicate with Zelenskyy, according to France’s Le Monde, which first reported the dismissal.
The newspaper said the investigation has now been handed over to Belgian authorities, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brussels has seen a series of espionage allegations investigated in recent years. In November, POLITICO obtained a missive sent to staff at the Commission that warned of a “real” threat from foreign agents.
“Brussels is one of the world’s biggest spy hubs, with hundreds of active intelligence officers who target our institution,” it said.
Last year, the European Parliament sanctioned former Latvian MEP Tatjana Ždanoka after a series of media exposés in which she was reported to have been working for the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the Soviet-era KGB."
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-interpreter-volodymyr-zelenskyy-security-fear-russia-spy/
#metaglossia_mundus
Classics Scholar Barbara Weiden Boyd in Conversation with Renowned Translator Emily Wilson By Tom Porter Winkley Professor of Latin and Greek Barbara Weiden Boyd will be discussing the challenges and the joys of translation next week with fellow classics scholar Emily Wilson.
"Classics Scholar Barbara Weiden Boyd in Conversation with Renowned Translator Emily Wilson
By Tom Porter
Winkley Professor of Latin and Greek Barbara Weiden Boyd will be discussing the challenges and the joys of translation next week with fellow classics scholar Emily Wilson.
The two will meet in conversation on July 16 as part of the Pascal Hall Authors Series in Rockport, Maine.
An acclaimed translator, Wilson will be discussing her versions of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey with Boyd.
“The publication of Emily Wilson’s translation of the Odyssey in 2017 was a momentous event, and not simply because it marked the first time that Homer’s remarkable poem had been translated into English by a woman,” said Boyd. She praises the “powerful and almost hypnotic strangeness” of Wilson’s translation, “especially compared to the great twentieth-century translations of the work by Lattimore, Fitzgerald, Fagles, Lombardo, and many other scholars—all of which, until now, had been staples in American education and among the reading public.”
Wilson’s translation of Homer’s Iliad in 2023, said Boyd, was considered by many critics an even greater challenge, tackling a poem noted for both its beauty and its brutality. “Wilson’s distinctive approach marks her as both a scholar and a poet, in the tradition of the great poet-scholars of antiquity.” Boyd recently taught Wilson’s Odyssey in a seminar on ancient epic and said she was struck immediately by its newness. “It caused me to read more closely this poem that I know and love so well. It also was remarkable to see my students take to it, as they began to consider the incredible challenge of translating something over 2,500 years old into compelling English verse,” said Boyd.
Barbara Weiden Boyd
Boyd’s scholarly specialization is Latin poetry, especially the works of Virgil and Ovid, about whom she has written four books. In 2017, Boyd published a book on Ovid's reception of Homer, Ovid’s Homer: Authority, Repetition, and Reception (Oxford University Press).
As well as teaching courses on Greek and Latin languages and literatures, Boyd has also studied responses to classical culture after antiquity, from Petrarch, Shakespeare, and Byron to Ted Hughes, Margaret Atwood, and Ali Smith. She has a lively interest in contemporary receptions of classical themes and has published articles on the BBC-HBO series Rome and on the Odyssey theme in the AMC series Mad Men.
The July 16 event is sponsored by the Authors Guild and will be held at Pascal Hall in Rockport at 5:30 p.m. It is being held in partnership with the Lesher Family Foundation and Maine Media Workshops. The event is free, but space is limited, and registration is required to attend.
“I look forward to this fabulous opportunity to explore both the challenges and the pleasures of a uniquely creative calling,” said Boyd.
Published July 09, 2025"
https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2025/07/classics-scholar-barbara-weiden-boyd-in-conversation-with-renowned-translator-emily-wilson.html
#metaglossia_mundus
"No language left behind:
McGill researcher helps advance the creation of a universal translator
Sociologist Skyler Wang envisions commercial prototypes being available within five years
Lire cet article en français
By Katherine Gombay
Senior Communications Officer, Media Relations Office
JULY 9, 2025
Imagine stepping off a plane anywhere in the world, slipping on a pair of smart glasses, and instantly understanding everything being said around you.
McGill sociology professor Skyler Wang is part of an international team working alongside researchers from Meta to develop a universal translator. The team envisions that within five years, commercial prototypes will exist that can provide near-simultaneous, offline translation.
Existing machine translation models and devices (such as earbuds, handheld translators, and smart glasses) currently support only a handful of widely-spoken languages, including English, Spanish, French and Mandarin.
More than 7,000 languages are spoken worldwide; the team’s goal is to dramatically expand machine translation’s linguistic reach. In their latest Nature article, they introduce SeamlessM4T (Massively Multilingual & Multimodal Machine Translation), a single state-of-the-art AI model that supports text-to-text translation in approximately 200 languages and speech-to-speech translation in around 100. While the model covers a significant portion of the global population’s translation needs, it still excludes many of the world’s languages. Efforts are underway to improve both the quality and language coverage of the team’s contributions.
Skyler Wang
To build the foundational models on which the systems rely, the researchers used a variety of publicly available and curated data sources. They also partnered with local communities and linguistics experts to gather additional translations, doing their best to ensure that the process was ethical and inclusive.
“We were very conscious about not wanting to be overbearing,” Wang explained, citing his effort to work with many low-resource language speakers to ascertain their needs through a community-centric approach. This philosophy led to the creation of the Open Language Data Initiative, an open-source repository where contributors can add translations of over 6,000 sentences extracted from English Wikipedia to help train and evaluate future machine translation models.
Wang, a sociologist with an interest in human-machine interactions and social-centred AI, emphasizes that human involvement remains crucial.
“The ethical side of this work is incredibly complex,” he said. “It’s not just about the speed and quality of this technology. It’s about respecting the people and cultures behind the languages and not engaging in a new form of digital colonialism.”
Wang said that, given the immense resources required to move the project forward, the collaboration between academia and big tech is essential to bringing the project to fruition. The team’s open-source approach enables others to build upon its foundational work. SeamlessM4T has already been used in Switzerland, where it has helped to bridge communication gaps between aid workers and displaced individuals.
The implications are profound. Wang said these tools could help preserve endangered languages, foster cross-cultural understanding and democratize access to knowledge.
“Translation isn’t just about access,” he noted. “It’s about preserving cultural heritage and enabling global knowledge exchange.”
Despite ongoing challenges, such as minimizing low-quality translations and developing user-friendly devices to support broad adoption, the project has already garnered international recognition. Notably, Time magazine named the SeamlessM4T project one of the top 200 inventions of 2023.
“It’s not perfect,” Wang said, “but the feedback from communities has been encouraging. We’ve contributed something that could truly have an impact on how the world communicates.”"
https://reporter.mcgill.ca/no-language-left-behind-mcgill-researcher-helps-advance-the-creation-of-a-universal-translator/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Traduire la littérature de l’Europe du Nord à l’ère technologique : reconfigurations culturelles, enjeux politiques et mutations professionnelles (Deshima n°20, 2026)
Date de tombée (deadline) : 15 Septembre 2025
À : Université de Strasbourg
Voir sur Twitter
Publié le 10 Juillet 2025 par Eloïse Bidegorry (Source : Cyrille François)
[English below]
Deshima n°20 (2026)
Traduire la littérature de l’Europe du Nord à l’ère technologique : reconfigurations culturelles, enjeux politiques et mutations professionnelles
Le monde de la traduction et de la littérature traverse actuellement une phase de profonds bouleversements. Ces évolutions remettent en question des méthodologies bien établies, des hiérarchies institutionnelles, des pratiques professionnelles, mais aussi des imaginaires culturels et littéraires. Elles affectent également les formations universitaires et les modes de circulation des textes, redessinant les contours du champ littéraire mondial.
Pour une revue comme Deshima, consacrée aux relations culturelles, littéraires et linguistiques entre l’Europe du Nord et le monde francophone, il nous semble essentiel, à la veille de son vingtième anniversaire, de consacrer un numéro thématique à la traduction, à l’orée de ces transformations. L’objectif est d’étudier comment des voix issues d’aires linguistiques et géographiques moins dominantes – en raison d’un nombre de locuteurs modeste ou d’un manque de visibilité dans les circuits dominants de la traduction – ont su se faire entendre et d’évaluer ce que peut modifier l’évolution des pratiques traductives.
Ce numéro souhaite notamment mettre en lumière les liens entre les littératures du Nord et du Sud, que ce soit à travers des réseaux historiques de traduction, des logiques d’asymétrie linguistique, ou des circulations indirectes par le biais de langues intermédiaires (comme le français ou l’anglais). Il s’agit aussi d’interroger les écarts – mais aussi les zones d’échange – entre « grandes » et « petites » langues, entre aires centrales et périphériques, entre pratiques traditionnelles et défis liés à l’émergence de nouvelles technologies.
Pour son 20ᵉ numéro, Deshima lance donc un appel à contributions sur le thème de la traduction littéraire, envisagée à la fois comme pratique textuelle, enjeu culturel, réalité socio-économique et objet politique. Les propositions pourront s’inscrire dans une perspective synchronique (études de cas contemporains, état des lieux actuels) ou diachronique (histoire des pratiques et des institutions de traduction).
Voici quelques axes thématiques possibles (liste non exhaustive) :
Corpus traduit. Quel·le·s auteur·e·s et quelles œuvres sont traduits ? Qui est canonisé à travers la traduction ? Certains pays sont-ils sous-représentés ? Certains genres sont-ils davantage traduits (roman, polar, jeunesse, etc.) ?
Traducteur·ices. Qui traduit ? Traduisent-ils/elles de plusieurs langues ? Quel est le rôle du genre, de la formation ou du statut professionnel dans cette activité ?
Édition et publication. Quel·le·s maisons d’édition, collections ou réseaux éditoriaux structurent le champ de la traduction littéraire ?
Institutions et politiques. Quelles structures (États, fondations, programmes européens, etc.) soutiennent ou orientent les politiques de traduction ?
Réception. Quelle est la visibilité des traductions dans la critique littéraire, la presse, les médias spécialisés ? Comment les traductions du Nord sont-elles reçues dans les espaces francophones (et inversement) ?
Aspects linguistiques et stylistiques. Quels défis posent les structures grammaticales, la syntaxe ou la prosodie des langues du Nord dans la traduction littéraire ?
Paratextes et stratégies éditoriales. Quelle place occupent les préfaces, notes, choix typographiques ou stratégies éditoriales dans l’accueil des traductions ?
Étrangéisation vs. domestication. Les traductions valorisent-elles l’« exotisme » de la culture source, ou cherchent-elles à l’effacer au profit d’une lecture qui rend les œuvres plus familières au lectorat cible ?
Traductions indirectes (ou relais). Quel rôle le français joue-t-il comme langue de passage ? Certaines œuvres du Nord sont-elles traduites à partir de l’allemand, de l’anglais ou d’une autre langue ?
Traduction humaine vs. automatique. Comment les traducteurs littéraires du Nord (et d’ailleurs) perçoivent-ils les avancées de la traduction neuronale ? Quels débats ont cours dans ces milieux ?
Dans la revue Deshima, une attention particulière est portée aux langues nationales de la Scandinavie (et au finnois, à l’islandais, etc.), ainsi qu’au néerlandais. Le comité de rédaction encourage également les propositions portant sur des langues moins diffusées (comme le frison ou d’autres langues nordiques minorées), ou sur des espaces géographiques historiquement connectés à l’Europe du Nord.
Les études comparatives, les analyses de traductions vers d’autres langues que le français, ou encore les travaux sur les dynamiques croisées de traduction (via le français, ou entre espaces culturels) seront également les bienvenus, pourvu qu’un lien explicite soit établi avec la sphère francophone.
Modalités de soumission
Les propositions devront être envoyées à Roberto Dagnino (dagnino@unistra.fr) et Cyrille François (cyrille.francois@unil.ch) avant le 15 septembre 2025. Elles comprendront :
un titre ;
un résumé de 200 à 300 mots ;
5 mots-clés ;
une courte notice biographique (5-6 lignes).
Une réponse sera transmise aux auteur·e·s début octobre. Les articles complets seront attendus pour le 31 janvier 2026. Après évaluation en double aveugle, les textes acceptés seront publiés dans le numéro de novembre 2026.
Call for Papers – Deshima No. 20 (2026)
Translating Northern European Literature in the Digital Era: Cultural Reconfigurations, Political Stakes, and Professional Transformations
The fields of translation and literature are currently undergoing profound transformations. These developments are challenging well-established methodologies, institutional hierarchies, professional practices, as well as cultural and literary imaginaries. They also impact university curricula and the modes through which texts circulate, thereby reshaping the contours of the global literary landscape.
For a journal like Deshima, devoted to the cultural, literary, and linguistic relations between Northern Europe and the Francophone world, it seems essential—on the eve of its twentieth anniversary—to dedicate a thematic issue to translation in the context of these transformations. The objective is to examine how voices emerging from less dominant linguistic and geographical areas—whether due to a smaller number of speakers or a lack of visibility in the dominant translation circuits—have managed to make themselves heard, and to assess the extent to which evolving translation practices are contributing to this shift.
This issue aims in particular to shed light on the connections between Northern and Southern literatures, whether through historical translation networks, dynamics of linguistic asymmetry, or indirect circulations via intermediary languages (such as French or English). It also seeks to explore the gaps—and the exchange zones—between “major” and “minor” languages, between central and peripheral regions, and between traditional practices and the challenges arising from new technologies.
For its 20th issue, Deshima is therefore launching a call for contributions on the theme of literary translation, considered as a textual practice, a cultural stake, a socio-economic reality, and a political object. Contributions may adopt a synchronic perspective (case studies of the present day, current overviews) or a diachronic one (historical studies of translation practices and institutions).
Possible thematic axes include (non-exhaustive list):
Translated corpus. Which authors and works are being translated? Who is canonised through translation? Are certain countries under-represented? Are some genres more frequently translated (novels, crime fiction, children’s literature, etc.)?
Translators. Who translates? Do they work from multiple languages? What role does gender, training, or professional status play in this activity?
Publishing and distribution. Which publishing houses, series, or editorial networks structure the field of literary translation?
Institutions and policies. Which institutions (States, foundations, European programmes, etc.) support or influence translation policies?
Reception. What visibility do translations have in literary criticism, the press, and specialist media? How are translations from the North received in Francophone contexts (and vice versa)?
Linguistic and stylistic aspects. What challenges are posed by the grammar, syntax, or prosody of Northern languages in literary translation?
Paratexts and editorial strategies. What role is played by prefaces, notes, typographical choices, or editorial strategies in the reception of translations?
Foreignisation vs. domestication. Do translations highlight the “exoticism” of the source culture, or do they seek to erase it in favour of a reading experience more familiar to the target audience?
Indirect (relay) translations. What role does French play as a bridge language? Are some works from the North translated via German, English, or another language?
Human vs. machine translation. How do literary translators in the North (and elsewhere) perceive the advances in neural translation? What debates are taking place in these circles?
In the journal Deshima, special attention is given to the national languages of Scandinavia (and to Finnish, Icelandic, etc.), as well as Dutch. The editorial board also encourages proposals concerning lesser-used languages (such as Frisian or other minoritised Nordic languages), or on geographical areas historically connected to Northern Europe.
Comparative studies, analyses of translations into languages other than French, or research on cross-translation dynamics (via French, or between cultural spaces) are also welcome, provided a clear link is established with the Francophone sphere.
Submission Guidelines
Proposals must be sent to Roberto Dagnino (dagnino@unistra.fr) and Cyrille François (cyrille.francois@unil.ch) by 15 September 2025. They should include:
a title;
an abstract of 200 to 300 words;
5 keywords;
a short biographical note (5–6 lines).
Authors will receive a response in early October. Complete articles will be expected by 31 January 2026. Following double-blind peer review, accepted texts will be published in the November 2026 issue.
Responsable :
Deshima
Url de référence :
https://pus.unistra.fr/collection-revue/deshima/
Adresse :
Université de Strasbourg"
https://www.fabula.org/actualites/128624/traduire-la-litterature-de-l-europe-du-nord-a-l-ere-technologique.html
#metaglossia_mundus
Multilingual miscommunication can break your global manufacturing chain.
"How Multilingual Miscommunication Can Break Your Global Manufacturing Chain
Building a global manufacturing chain takes time, coordination, and trust. It also depends on one overlooked factor—language. When teams speak different languages, small errors can ripple through production.
A wrong word, misunderstood term, or vague message can delay shipments or stop lines. As a matter of fact, this is how you can easily break your global manufacturing chain. Many companies focus on logistics, suppliers, and materials. But without clear communication, even the best plans fail.
Translation Mistakes: Small Errors, Big Costs
Manufacturing instructions often include exact terms, measurements, and steps. If just one word is wrong, things fall apart. A worker may read “secure” as “tighten” or confuse inches with centimeters. These mistakes ruin products and lead to waste.
These issues don’t stop at measurements. Manuals that get translated poorly often skip details. One version says “fasten,” another says “lock.” Workers are left to guess. Besides, not everyone will speak up if something sounds off.
Clarity is critical. Guessing slows things down. Redoing work hurts deadlines. And confusion multiplies fast across time zones and teams.
It’s Not Just Language—It’s Culture Too
Words don’t always mean the same thing in every culture. What sounds polite in one place may sound vague somewhere else. Saying “we’ll try” in one country might mean “yes.” In another, it may mean “no.”
In contrast, technical language isn’t always shared either. A French engineer may use “résistance” for a part. A translator reads it as “resistance,” changing the meaning. That small shift can lead to big losses.
Idioms also cause trouble. An English-speaking manager might say “cut corners” in a meeting. In another language, it could sound like a good thing.
The $10 Million Email Error
A global auto parts supplier emailed its Asian plant with new instructions. The subject line read “Optional Brake Step.” The team read that step as not needed—and left it out.
Later, brake systems failed safety tests. Production stopped. Orders were delayed. The company lost $10 million.
Why? One word in one email wasn’t clear. Another key point—the local team didn’t ask for confirmation. They didn’t want to appear unsure. That silence was costly.
Why Miscommunication Can Break Your Global Manufacturing Chain
Language confusion slows production, raises costs, risks safety and it will break your global manufacturing chain. Workers get instructions wrong. Products get remade. Shipments go out late. Customers start to doubt your quality.
Besides, legal issues can pop up fast. A misread contract may skip key terms. A mistake in compliance wording can lead to blocked shipments or heavy fines.
Some companies even lose access to markets due to bad translations. Customs paperwork must match legal standards. A small error could mean losing an entire shipment.
As a matter of fact, even teams suffer. Workers get confused, feel stressed, and sometimes leave. New hires must be trained again, costing more money and time.
Fixing the Flow: Communication That Works Across Borders
Simple changes make a big impact. Start with clean writing. Use short, clear sentences. Stick to easy words. Avoid any idioms or complex terms.
Use translators who understand both the language and the work. Machines help, but people catch the real meaning. Tools miss tone, intent, and context.
Use pictures and diagrams. Visuals are faster to understand and often more universal. Add labels and step-by-step images where possible. Besides, create a shared company glossary. Define every key term. Update it often. Use it in all manuals, emails, and messages.
Train staff in communication skills too. Teach how to write clearly and confirm instructions. New hires should learn the company’s standard language and terms.
Before rolling out new documents or processes, test them. Ask someone from each team to review the content. Did they understand it fully? If not, revise it. Another key point—make confirmation part of your process. Don’t assume someone understands just because they nod. Get written proof that everyone is on the same page.
Building a Resilient Chain with Better Language Practices
Think of language as part of your quality control. Build your chain to handle misunderstandings before they happen.
Hire bilingual staff who can fill in gaps when translation tools fall short. Encourage everyone to ask questions and clarify.
In contrast, companies that move too fast often send out unclear messages. That leads to confusion and costly delays. Slow down just enough to be clear.
Bring in language experts to audit your documents. Many find issues you didn’t even know were there.
With this in mind, hold workshops on global communication. Make it a part of training and team culture. Reward staff who find unclear steps and fix them.
Use software that checks tone, clarity, and translation risks. Some tools even flag phrases that don’t translate well.
Summary: Language Is the Glue That Keeps Production Running
Miscommunication doesn’t seem like a big problem—until it is. By then, the cost is already high. A missed word here, a mixed-up phrase there, and your process starts to break.
Left unchecked, poor communication will break your global manufacturing chain. The good news? You can prevent it with the right steps.
In short, use clear writing, smart translations, visual guides, and staff training. Build language checks into your process. Keep your chain strong with shared understanding.
The better your teams understand each other, the smoother your production runs. Speak clearly. Produce better. Stay ahead.
Author Bio
Lena Martinez is a global logistics strategist at International Sea & Air Shipping, where she helps manufacturers streamline international supply chains. With over a decade of experience in cross-border operations and multilingual team management, Lena focuses on solving communication challenges in global production. She writes about practical solutions for real-world shipping and manufacturing problems."
Lena Martinez
July 2nd, 2025
https://www.globaltrademag.com/how-multilingual-miscommunication-can-break-your-global-manufacturing-chain/
#metaglossia_mundus
Instagram now allows search engines like Google to display posts on results pages, making it a powerful SEO tool for businesses.
How To Use Instagram Indexing To Your Advantage
It’s time to optimize your Instagram posts to increase the likelihood of them getting indexed by Google - and, therefore, being seen by more potential customers. Here are a few ways to do this:
Make sure you have a professional Instagram account, it’s public, and you’re opted in to the update.
Research: what is your ideal customer searching for on Google? What terms and keywords are they using?
Weave these keywords naturally into your captions and video screen text.
Add alt text to your images.
Utilize hashtags and use relevant keywords.
Apply these principles to static posts, carousels, reels and videos.
A great way to create SEO-rich content is focusing value-first educational posts - such as how-tos, case studies, tutorials, and guides.
Finally, optimize your bio with relevant keywords and ensure it’s consistent with your other digital channels.
Considerations For Businesses
It’s important to be mindful that your Instagram content will be more public and visible than it was before. When posting, consider if the piece of content is something you’d be happy to appear on Google search results.
It will also pay to audit your old content and consider if you’re happy for those posts to show up in search results, too. If so, give them an SEO update (such as adding keywords to captions).
If you’re uncomfortable with Instagram indexing your posts, you can turn it off in settings.
Instagram posts being indexed by search engines is an exciting opportunity for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to get more visible online. Start using Instagram as part of your SEO strategy and treat your posts as micro-landing pages. Using this to your advantage and being strategic gives you a huge opportunity to increase your reach and visibility.
What Google Indexing Instagram Means For Your Business Visibility
By Chelsea Tobin, Contributor. Chelsea writes about marketing, freelance life, and entrepreneurship.
Jul 10, 2025, 07 https://share.google/J0BV075vrPWN8cYP2
#metaglossia_mundus
'A Great Resistance against this "Great Reset" is beginning to take shape. Its Western stronghold is in Washington, while its Eastern bastion is here, in Budapest. How can we bridge the roughly 4,500 miles separating these two points? By recognizing that we share the same spiritual fundamentals.'
"INTERVIEW
Translating the Work of Russell Kirk — An Interview with Miklós Pogrányi Lovas
Tamás Gyurkovits/Hungarian Conservative
'A Great Resistance against this "Great Reset" is beginning to take shape. Its Western stronghold is in Washington, while its Eastern bastion is here, in Budapest. How can we bridge the roughly 4,500 miles separating these two points? By recognizing that we share the same spiritual fundamentals.'
Márton Lukács
— 08.07.2025
Miklós Pogrányi Lovas is a Senior Fellow for the Budapest-based think tank Center for Fundamental Rights. He is also a contributor to our Hungarian Conservative print magazine. Recently, he has worked on the translation of the book The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk, originally published in 1953, into Hungarian. He kindly gave us an exclusive interview to talk about that project.
***
Who was Russell Kirk, and what is his place in the history of American conservatism?
Russell Kirk was a remarkable American thinker of the 20th century who profoundly influenced political thought and practice in the United States—so much so that his impact can truly be considered world-historical. He shed light on the philosophical foundations of America’s moral and political order and clarified how American culture connects deeply with its European heritage. Kirk was also instrumental in sparking the conservative renaissance after the Second World War, a movement that, by the late 20th century, played a crucial role in overcoming the Soviet Union.
In fact, Kirk’s influence has become so ingrained that Americans themselves, including many conservatives, often aren’t even aware of it. His phrases, concepts, and book titles have quietly become part of the everyday vocabulary of American intellectual life. Conservatism certainly existed before Kirk, but its meaning was vague and lacked a broadly recognized intellectual framework. If today we see systematic self-reflection and therapeutic retrospection as distinctive elements in American political thought, this is very much thanks to his legacy.
What challenges did you face during the process of translating The Conservative Mind?
Let me begin by clarifying that the lion’s share of the translation was done by my colleague, Péter Lengyel Balikó. My role at the Center for Fundamental Rights was primarily that of an editor or supervising translator. I reserved for myself only those chapters that were of particular personal importance to me. Although I have experience translating scholarly texts, I do not consider myself an experienced literary translator.
One of the major challenges we faced was that many of Kirk’s key terms simply don’t have exact equivalents in Hungarian, so we had to create entirely new expressions—such as ‘prescription’. This is precisely why the book includes a translator’s foreword explaining some of our choices. Deciding on the Hungarian title also raised numerous questions. We ultimately settled on Konzervatív eszme (literally, ‘Conservative Idea’ or ‘Conservative Thought’). There were, of course, other options that could have worked as more literal translations, but we concluded that, in 2025, this title best captures the current relevance of Kirk’s work for Hungarian readers.
What significance does Kirk’s work hold for Europe? In your view, what are the main points of contact between American and European conservatism?
The term conservatism is today greatly overused and pretty much worn out—people apply it to just about anything. In Western Europe, even globalist forces now label themselves ‘conservative’, despite having abandoned the protection of unborn life, the defence of the family, and marriage. These self-styled conservatives have grown soft, compromised with the spirit of the age, and now repeat nothing but free-market mantras. They embrace the fiction known as ‘same-sex marriage’, even advocating adoption rights for homosexual couples. This capitulation has occurred throughout the entire Western cultural sphere. However, a Great Resistance against this ‘Great Reset’ is beginning to take shape. Its Western stronghold is in Washington, while its Eastern bastion is here, in Budapest. How can we bridge the roughly 4,500 miles separating these two points? By recognizing that we share the same spiritual fundamentals. Russell Kirk was, above all, an American, writing primarily for Americans, but he did so with such depth and insight that the entire Western hemisphere can—and indeed does—draw inspiration from him.
What justifies the translation of this work into Hungarian? What relevance or connection does Russell Kirk have for us, Hungarians?
There were several reasons for publishing a Hungarian translation. First, there’s a clear professional justification: The Conservative Mind is one of the foundational works that launched the conservative renaissance in America after World War II. Other key texts from this era, such as Hayek’s Road to Serfdom and Voegelin’s New Science of Politics, have already been translated—next on the wishlist is Richard Weaver’s Ideas Have Consequences. Second, in literary terms, Kirk’s mindset is very much at home in Hungarian intellectual culture. We Hungarians have a genuine affinity for the essay genre. Though culturally we belong to the German cultural tradition, our intellectual style is actually much closer to the Anglo–American essay form than to the philosophical cathedrals of German Idealism.
PHOTO: Tamás Gyurkovits/Hungarian Conservative
Third, there’s a historical debt to be repaid. During the Cold War, Hungary was isolated from the West. It wasn’t merely that we lacked access to Western consumer goods—that was the smaller issue—but rather that we were deprived of Western cultural thought. Only Marxist authors from the West managed to slip through the Iron Curtain, often producing writings even more foolish than those produced here at home, especially in a political sense. Jean-Paul Sartre was a prime example: a notable existentialist philosopher who, whenever he turned to political commentary, invariably spoke nonsense. From 1945 to 1990, countless valuable Christian and conservative authors were writing in the West, and it’s high time the Hungarian publishing industry fully caught up. In this sense, we’re living in a golden age right now—though we may fully appreciate it only later. Fourth, there is a political reason: I believe that a significant (counter-)revolutionary transformation is currently underway in the United States. We Hungarians have much to learn from their experiences. Perhaps we can avoid repeating some of their mistakes, and successfully adapt their best practices to our own circumstances. Amid the escalating hysteria of a new Cold War, we shouldn’t merely react to surface issues but pay close attention to the deeper underlying problems. Kirk himself did not merely critique liberalism or communism per se; he unveiled utilitarian thinking, which he identified as the common root leading to these ideologies. After all, the true essence of politics isn’t to dominate the moment…
‘From 1945 to 1990, countless valuable Christian and conservative authors were writing in the West, and it’s high time the Hungarian publishing industry fully caught up’
You’ve said that Kirk helped ignite the conservative renaissance in America. And yet today he seems to be something of a forgotten figure. How do you explain that?
American culture exists in the everlasting present. Their attention is constantly focused on tomorrow, and whatever happened yesterday interests only academics. Why? Because the consciousness-forming cultural industry is in liberal hands. And this is precisely the mentality of these progressive people. This timeless existence permeates the entire American public mindset, which is why they produce the same movies over and over again for each generation—for example, The Little Mermaid in 1989, then in 2023. Moreover, they even remake films specifically for themselves if they feel that the original doesn’t perfectly align with the present moment (e.g., Les Visiteurs from 1993 vs Just Visiting from 2001). The same phenomenon permeates philosophy as well: they adopt an old European idea, enhance it with charts and tables, and then sell it as their own, new idea. Samuel P Huntington did exactly this with the intellectual legacy of Christopher Dawson in his book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Huntington was at least fair enough to somewhat clarify that Dawson was the original source of the idea.
In this intellectual environment, it is self-evident that sooner or later everyone becomes a forgotten author, in some sense. Yet Kirk lives and breathes here among us: his ideas and gestures are present among intellectual conservatives in America, those who have read and continue to read him. I could go on listing examples at length, but instead, I would like to share only my latest reading experience: I’m currently reading Kevin D Roberts’s book, Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America. The opus of the president of the Heritage Foundation is pleasantly Kirk-inspired, something the author explicitly shares with us right at the beginning. It is wonderful to see a second conservative renaissance beginning to emerge in America, following in the footsteps of the great Catholic thinker.
‘It is wonderful to see a second conservative renaissance beginning to emerge in America’
The Conservative Mind was published by Kirk in 1953. The real social divide between liberals and conservatives in the US came about 15 years later, during the ‘hippie revolution’ of 1968. What can you tell us about that?
I don’t think Kirk really cared about what the hippies were doing at the time, as everyone could just assume what his opinion was on the matter. In 1968, all this only became visible to the public, the movement itself started in the 1950s. One of the main issues was the introduction of commercially available contraceptives to the market. The AIDS epidemic only started decades later. Between the two events, this ‘free love’ movement really flourished. Whatever people were doing in secret, and what people were really careful about doing to avoid making a baby—all of a sudden, all that ended. Because, simply put, women too had the opportunity to engage in one-night affairs relatively risk-free, which they previously would have thought through dozens of times. This completely changed sexual habits in America, and the whole of society started to adjust.
There are still many people who consider themselves conservatives, but on sexual matters, they are completely liberal. They basically have the same positions as the far left in the 1960s. Because that is the way life is comfortable for them. There is also a broader division of being liberal in one’s personal life while posting conservative things on Facebook. This started back then, but there still was a sort of discipline about it. For example, the so-called neo-conservatives—who were basically a friend group of Trotskyists, non-religious people from Jewish backgrounds—were quite left-wing, while also being quite conservative in their personal lives. It’s one thing that they had left-wing views on politics, but they also believed in monogamous marriage, they didn’t do drugs, and did not lead a more debauched lifestyle than average. When they realized that all this promiscuity had become so widespread in society, and drugs were spreading so fast, they said: ‘Okay, we need to set some boundaries to this.’ And this is basically how the neo-conservative movement started.
They were not fully accepted by traditional conservative circles for a long time. Only during the time of Reagan did these two groups start mutually appreciating each other. However, they soon split again. When Kirk got old, he withdrew to the background. He was never a politician, but he withdrew even more. He supported Patrick J Buchanan against Bush Senior in the 1992 Republican primary. In 2000, Buchanan started a third-party campaign with the Reform Party, but Kirk was not alive by then.
Russell Kirk starts his The Conservative Mind with Edmund Burke. If you look up the history of conservatism, most sources also start with Burke. Why is it so evident that that is when the history of conservatism started?
It’s not evident. Kirk too makes it obvious that conservatism, in the form it currently exists in America, originates from Edmund Burke. However, the whole thing is filled with pre-classical references. In his other main work—which, by the way, is way better than The Conservative Mind—, Roots of American Order, he explicitly lays out on what classical pillars the US stands.
You’ve got the biblical tradition, Jerusalem. This includes not only Christianity, but also the Jewish idea of being the chosen people, the secular version of which Americans adopted for themselves. You’ve got Athens, the Solonian model of good governance, and ancient Greek wisdom; Rome, the professional management of society within an imperial framework; and the fourth city is London. London encompasses everything, not just modern UK, but also the spirit of the medieval universities, and the entirety of the common law system. Essentially, Edmund Burke is a very important episodic figure in this story, who brought counterrevolutionary thought to conservatism. But, from a historical aspect, you need to use much older entities for reference, and you need to hold onto much older things than Burke.
American conservatives can be quite noisy, and their movement is rife with internal conflicts, as we can see now, for example, with the passing of the reconciliation bill—one could hardly call them unified. What’s the reason for this?
Conservatism is not an ideology. Consequently, it lacks a defined dogma to which individuals must submit. I prefer describing it as a cluster, where members often connect incidentally rather than through a coherent structure. In America, for instance, a pro-life, religiously observant, isolationist paleoconservative shares little common ground with a culturally religious, democracy-exporting neocon.
Are they similar in that way to the Hungarian right wing?
Let’s start with the pro-life question: unfortunately, Hungarian society widely accepts abortion, making it politically inconvenient to raise as a divisive issue. The primary cause of this was the mass rape perpetrated against Hungarian women by the Red Army during the Second World War. Consequently, we’d struggle to truly consider ourselves a pro-life society. Thus, conservatives aim to improve the situation through positive messaging and supportive family policies, hoping to reverse current demographic trends. This is a battle worth fighting, even if it seems hopeless, because life itself is sacred. Furthermore, our situation is not nearly as dire as the liberal media portrays. Our statistics align closely with other European nations, with one significant distinction: our natural population growth derives not from immigrant communities but from Hungarian families themselves. This fact alone is of utmost importance.
As for internal divisions, Hungary indeed experiences them as well. This inspired me to coin the term ‘right-wing tribal alliance’ (‘jobboldali törzsszövetség’ in Hungarian). I describe the Hungarian Right as a broad coalition resembling a tribal confederation—an organic community unified by shared ideals and interests, yet composed of diverse groups. Historically, the Right in Hungary has stood for law, order, and moral clarity, principles it continues to uphold. Hungarian conservatism rests on five key foundations: steadfast anti-communism, pragmatic politics based on realism rather than ideology, populist sensitivity toward ordinary people’s concerns, unwavering commitment to law and social order, and the defence of national sovereignty. These values deeply permeate our cultural and historical identity. I foresee future challenges emanating from a neo-Marxist Left masked in liberal language, frequently allied with political Islam, posing internal threats to European civilization. In such a context, Hungarian conservatism must undergo generational renewal—communicating effectively with younger citizens while firmly preserving its core convictions. Only then can it safeguard its national mission and moral purpose.
PHOTO: Tamás Gyurkovits/Hungarian Conservative
Where did your idea of using the concept of ‘tribal alliance’ to describe Hungarian conservatism come from?
The inspiration came from the title of an old American book: Jack McIver Weatherford’s Tribes on the Hill from 1981, though that work deals with a completely different topic. Márton Békés briefly mentioned this book in a blog post, sparking the thought that I could thoroughly elaborate on this concept in an essay. It’s gratifying to see that others have adopted this terminology, making it common property.
Does this mean there’s a mutual learning process between the American and Hungarian Right? If so, what specifically have they learned from each other?
After World War II, communists systematically dismantled Hungarian civil society, initiating a severe persecution of the Church. Priests and nuns were imprisoned, tortured to death, or executed. Religious orders and associations dissolved, and foundations looted. Civil society was essentially annihilated, and the State became omnipresent. This obliteration left Hungary without the social infrastructure needed to unify the nation following the regime change in 1989–1990. It had to be rebuilt from scratch. Significant conservative reconstruction required robust political support, achieved after 2010 when the moderate Right Fidesz party gained a two-thirds majority, accompanied by a strong, once anti-communist opposition party, Jobbik. This period marked the emergence of Hungarian conservative think tanks, modelled chiefly after American institutions. While some smaller institutes existed earlier, the large-scale development truly commenced after the ‘voting booth revolution’ in 2010. A key difference remains: in the US, influential foundations and think tanks facilitate political recruitment; in Hungary, politics established these institutions to secure long-term continuity.
What do you think the greatest challenges facing Hungarians are today?
If one closely follows CPAC, certain fundamental problems appear common to nearly all nations. Except for the US, most Western countries face demographic crises: populations either decline naturally or grow due to immigration, with ageing societies looming as a universal concern. Current wars threaten our comforts, prompting globalist elites to push political leaders toward increased national indebtedness. For Hungarians, the situation is more dire: the Russo–Ukrainian conflict directly impacts us, especially Transcarpathia in Western Ukraine, home to a significant indigenous Hungarian minority. This region has birthed many renowned Hungarians, including the parents of Milton Friedman, who emigrated from there around the turn of the century. Presently, these Hungarians face existential threats, as the Ukrainian state systematically deprives them of fundamental rights. The primary challenge for Hungarian politics—in this regard—is effectively supporting and protecting them."
https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/interview/translation-russell-kirk-conservative-mind-miklos-pogranyi-lovas/
#metaglossia_mundus
UCT’s Disability Service created a website that is fully accessible in South African Sign Language.
"08 JULY 2025 |
MYOLISI GOPHE.
Michelle de Bruyn has led the creation of a website that is accessible in South African Sign Language.
In a historic first for higher education in South Africa, the University of Cape Town (UCT) has launched a pilot project that makes its National Benchmark Test (NBT) website accessible in South African Sign Language (SASL).
The initiative, led by Michelle de Bruyn, UCT’s only full-time SASL interpreter, is a bold step towards inclusion for the country’s Deaf community and forms part of the university’s Vision 2030 strategy commitment to transformation.
De Bruyn, who was born by Deaf parents and joined UCT’s Disability Service in the Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC) in 2023, describes her journey into Sign Language interpreting as a calling. “The first time I saw a Sign Language interpreter was at a meeting my dad dragged me to,” she recalled. “I was blown away. I knew then that this was something I wanted to do.”
“I recognised that while there was plenty of written information on the NBT website, there was almost nothing accessible to deaf users who use SASL.”
Two years later, De Bruyn is at the forefront of a transformation milestone that is setting new standards for accessibility in higher education. The project began with a simple but profound observation: “I recognised that while there was plenty of written information on the NBT website, there was almost nothing accessible to Deaf users who use SASL – a language that, importantly, has no written form.”
Recognising this gap, De Bruyn approached UCT’s Centre for Educational Assessments (CEA) – which manages the NBTs – with the idea of translating key parts of the admissions website into SASL. Timing was fortuitous: the unit was already planning a website upgrade. What followed was months of collaboration, planning and careful execution, involving stakeholders across UCT and external partners like the audio-visual team from One Button Studio based at UCT’s Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT).
“We first identified standard introductory information that wouldn’t change for at least three to five years,” she said. “Then I began interpreting those pages, recorded the content, checked it for accuracy, and worked with One Button Studio to film and produce the final product – all without any cost to the university, thanks to their willingness to support this pilot.”
When the NBT website upgrade stalled, De Bruyn and CEA Administrator, Lynia Norman, came up with a workaround: upload the SASL videos to NBTs’ YouTube channel and embed them on the website using clickable links. This simple yet effective solution now allows any prospective student – or their parent – to access the admissions content in SASL with the click of a button.
But this is only the beginning.
“This is the first time a tertiary institution in South Africa has made a website fully accessible in SASL,” De Bruyn noted. “It’s a massive milestone, and we hope to flagship this approach across UCT and eventually the sector.”
The initiative also resulted in the university hosting its first-ever Deaf prospective student who completed the NBT with the assistance of a Sign Language interpreter – another national first for the benchmark testing system.
Beyond the website, De Bruyn and the Disability Service have also created SASL-interpreted informational videos about the NBT process in collaboration with UCT Libraries. A video library tour of UCT’s Oppenheimer Library, for instance, is in SASL, English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans – also the first of its kind in the country.
Transforming UCT one website at a time
De Bruyn’s long-term vision is ambitious but achievable. “We’re now working to make the entire OIC website accessible in SASL before the end of the year,” she said. “Then we’ll tackle the admissions website.”
UCT currently employs just one full-time SASL interpreter – De Bruyn – and she acknowledges that the road ahead is long. But the commitment is unwavering. “We’re making strides. We don’t want SASL inclusion to be the exception. We want it to become the norm.”
For De Bruyn, accessibility is not just about websites – it’s about culture. Through UCT’s partnership with the Cape Town Deaf Community, the university has rolled out SASL training for frontline staff in libraries, traffic services, residences and the visitor centre. These sessions equip staff with basic communication skills and foster greater awareness of deaf culture.
“We’re identifying gaps and working to build a more inclusive, Deaf-friendly UCT – one department at a time.”
“This is a holistic effort,” she said. “We’re identifying gaps and working to build a more inclusive, Deaf-friendly UCT – one department at a time.”
The project aligns closely with UCT’s Vision 2030, which places transformation at the heart of the university’s strategy. By making information accessible in SASL, UCT is not only meeting the needs of a previously marginalised group – it is also redefining what inclusivity means in a digital age.
“Ultimately,” said De Bruyn, “I would love for every UCT website to be accessible in SASL. This isn’t just about meeting a legal requirement. It’s about creating a university where everyone belongs.”"
https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2025-07-08-uct-breaks-ground-with-sasl-website-access
#metaglossia_mundus
Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf names Caroline M. Solomon as its new president.
"July 8, 2025
by Susan Murad
Caroline M. Solomon, dean of faculty at Gallaudet University, has been named president of Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf and vice president of RIT. She will begin her tenure at RIT/NTID on Aug. 18.
“NTID has revolutionized education for nearly 60 years,” said RIT President Bill Sanders, who began leading the university July 1. “Dr. Solomon brings a deep understanding and appreciation for NTID’s distinctive culture. She has the vision to champion NTID’s legacy while moving it forward for the next generation of students. I look forward to partnering with Dr. Solomon as we continue to advance NTID’s mission and ensure that the college remains a leader for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, both nationally and globally.”
Established by the U.S. Congress in 1965, NTID is the first and largest technological college in the world for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Solomon, who will become the first woman to lead the college in its nearly 60-year history, was raised in Delaware and is the daughter of a former professor at the University of Delaware. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and public policy from Harvard University and a master’s degree in biological oceanography from University of Washington’s School of Oceanography. She earned a doctorate in marine, environmental and estuarine sciences from University of Maryland.
She joined the faculty of Gallaudet University as a biology instructor in 2000 and rose to the rank of professor in 2011. She received Gallaudet’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2013 and was recognized by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography with their Ramon Margalef Award for Excellence in Education in 2017. She was appointed the dean of faculty in 2024.
A renowned scientist and researcher, Solomon has devoted herself to encouraging and nurturing deaf and hard-of-hearing students in STEM fields, and has presented on her research at national and international conferences as well as to RIT/NTID students and faculty. She has developed a database of science-based technical signs in American Sign Language.
Solomon, a past participant in the Deaflympics as a swimmer was inducted into the Deaflympics Hall of Fame in 2020.
In her new role, Solomon will serve as chief executive of NTID, providing leadership in developing and executing the college’s vision and strategic plan, and is responsible for NTID’s financial operations and budget, enrollment management, academic programs, external and federal relations, and fundraising.
“As a Deaf scientist, I’m deeply honored to join the vibrant NTID and RIT community—longstanding national leaders in advancing STEM education for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students,” Solomon said. “I look forward to working with President Sanders and collaborating with students, faculty, and staff to expand pathways in education, employment, and leadership. Together, we will ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive, lead, and drive innovation across every sector of society.”
RIT President Emeritus David Munson initiated the search before retiring June 30.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Caroline Solomon to the RIT community as the next leader of NTID,” said Munson. “Caroline brings an extraordinary blend of academic leadership, scientific and technical expertise, and a lifelong commitment to advancing access and equity in education. Her distinguished career at Gallaudet University and her well recognized work in STEM education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students make her superbly qualified to guide NTID into its next chapter.”
Solomon succeeds Gerry Buckley, who has served as president of NTID and vice president and dean of RIT for 15 years and will retire Aug. 17.
“Dr. Solomon brings with her an outstanding academic and STEM research record and wealth of higher education knowledge and experience,” added Buckley. “I’m so pleased that she will lead NTID into the future, and know NTID is in highly capable hands. I look forward to welcoming Dr. Solomon and her family to Rochester and the NTID community in the months ahead.”
NTID offers associate degree programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and provides support and access services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students who study in the other eight colleges of RIT. NTID also offers certificates in healthcare interpretation and sign language specialties, bachelor’s degree programs in sign language interpreting and community development and inclusive leadership, as well as master’s degrees in secondary education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and in healthcare interpretation."
https://www.rit.edu/news/caroline-m-solomon-named-president-rits-national-technical-institute-deaf
#metaglossia_mundus
"Trump praises English of the leader of Liberia – where English is the official language
Trump inquired where Liberian president Joseph Boakai got his language skills during meeting with African leaders
Reuters
Wed 9 Jul 2025 22.41 BST
Donald Trump was basking in the praise of a group of African leaders on Wednesday, when the Liberian president took the microphone.
“Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States and we believe in your policy of making America great again,” President Joseph Boakai said in English at a White House meeting before advocating for US investment in his country. “We just want to thank you so much for this opportunity.”
Trump, clearly impressed, inquired where Boakai got his language skills.
“Such good English, such beautiful …” Trump said. “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated?”
Boakai seemed to chuckle. English is the official language of Liberia.
“In Liberia?” Trump asked. “Yes sir,” Boakai said.
“That’s very interesting, that’s beautiful English” Trump said. “I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”
Liberia was founded in 1822 as a colony for free Black Americans, the brainchild of white Americans trying to address what they saw as a problem – the future for Black people in the US once slavery ended. English is Liberia’s official language, though multiple Indigenous languages are spoken there as well.
Trump hosted the leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal at the White House on Wednesday, telling them that he was shifting the US approach to the continent from aid to trade and that the US is a better partner for Africa than China. Many of the leaders at the meeting spoke in their own languages through interpreters.
Trump said his administration was committed to strengthening friendships in Africa, which he hoped to visit at some point.
“We’re shifting from aid to trade,” he said at the start of a White House meeting. “There’s great economic potential in Africa, like few other places. In many ways, in the long run, this will be far more effective and sustainable and beneficial than anything else that we can be doing together.”
The African leaders, in turn, heaped praise on the US president for brokering peace deals around the world and expressed support for his receiving a Nobel Prize.
“We are not poor countries. We are rich countries when it comes to raw materials. But we need partners to support us and help us develop those resources,” said Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, president of Gabon. “You are welcome to come and invest. Otherwise, other countries might come instead of you."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/09/trump-liberian-president-english
#metaglossia_mundus
ITI's Chief Executive has written to senior leaders at the University of Leicester raising serious concerns about their plans to close the School of Modern Languages warning of the serious economic, cultural and educational risks of such a move.
"07 Jul 2025
by Sara Robertson
ITI raises concerns over proposed closure of LeCTIS
ITI's Chief Executive has written to senior leaders at the University of Leicester raising serious concerns about their plans to close the School of Modern Languages warning of the serious economic, cultural and educational risks of such a move.
For the attention of: Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Vice-Chancellor
Potential closure of the School of Modern Languages
The Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) would like to register its profound concern regarding the University of Leicester’s proposed closure of the School of Modern Languages and, specifically, the potential loss of the Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies (LeCTIS). We understand that Modern Languages is one of a range of study areas currently under threat as a result of the university’s actions to address budgetary pressures. In our view the closure of the school would cause significant harm to the UK’s educational, cultural and economic prospects, particularly given Leicester’s position as one of the leading centres for the study of languages, translation, and cultures in the UK.
Academic excellence
LeCTIS, established in 2011, draws together staff members who have diverse research interests in translation and interpreting. It is very well networked, maintaining active links with other research centres in the UK, Europe and Asia, including Leeds University, KU Leuven, and the European Society of Translation. LeCTIS organises regular research seminars and conferences, hosts visiting speakers, and has previously been involved in AHRC-funded events and EU-commissioned research projects.
More broadly, Leicester’s School of Modern Languages has been recognised as one of the leading centres for the study of languages, translation, and cultures in the UK, scoring in the top quintile for teaching, learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, and academic support in the 2023 National Student Survey. The department is also ranked in the top 20 in the 2024 Complete University Guide.
In addition, we note that the University of Leicester was ranked 30th in the Research Excellence Framework 2021 demonstrating the university’s commitment to world-leading excellence in research. To dismantle such a successful and well-respected department would therefore be a devastating loss to the academic community and would undermine the university’s hard-won reputation for research excellence.
Regional leadership and strategic importance
LeCTIS’s stated mission is to serve as an academic hub of translation and interpreting studies but also a bridge between academia and industry, particularly in the East Midlands. This unique positioning makes it essential for the region’s economic development and international engagement.
ITI is particularly appreciative of the team’s commitment to supporting the professional and practical development of the discipline. LeCTIS is a corporate member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting and plays an active role in the ITI East Midlands Regional Network. The “Building Bridges” networking events arranged in collaboration with the ITI East Midlands Network create vital links between students, academics and practising translators and interpreters – connections that have taken years to develop and would be impossible to recreate elsewhere in the region.
Economic considerations
The economic case for maintaining language provision is compelling. A 2022 study from the University of Cambridge and the not-for-profit research institute RAND revealed that removing linguistic barriers to trade could be worth an additional £19bn annually in UK exports. This supports the broader recognition that language capabilities are essential for the UK’s post-Brexit economic strategy.
Aston University’s LO-C 30 research on 415 UK SMEs revealed that companies making use of language capabilities are 30% more successful in exporting than those who do not. Failing to invest in language teaching therefore weakens the UK’s opportunity for sustainable economic growth. This point is well made in Languages for the Future, a report published by the British Council in 2017 which states:
“But all should recognise that the UK's language deficit remains a threat to our overall international competitiveness, influence and standing in the world, as well as to our citizens' ability to play a meaningful role in the global economy and in an increasingly networked world. We have now reached a critical juncture where investment in upgrading the UK’s language skills, which give unparalleled access to cultural knowledge and understanding, will pay important dividends.”
Furthermore, the proposal to close the School of Modern Languages risks undermining the UK’s skills and knowledge infrastructure at a critical time. Multiple studies have shown that employers in both public and private sectors place a high premium on graduates’ proven ability to learn languages. The additional skills fostered through language learning, such as improved literacy in the student’s native language as well as increased mental agility, creative originality and problem-solving ability enhance a student’s employability and their economic value to their future workplace.
Cultural understanding and international engagement
However, while future economic growth is clearly important, the broader benefits of language skills extend far beyond immediate economic returns. Language capabilities are essential for cultural exchange, diplomatic relations, and the UK’s ability to project itself effectively on the global stage. These capabilities are increasingly important as the UK continues to develop its post-Brexit international relationships.
LeCTIS provides essential professional linguistic training through its state-of-the-art interpreting facilities and comprehensive programme portfolio. This includes the BA Modern Languages and Translation, MA Translation (with multiple language pathways including Arabic and Chinese), and PhD and MPhil supervision in Translation Studies. Leicester’s graduates are therefore fully equipped to become the qualified translators and interpreters needed to support the UK’s international engagement. LeCTIS’s work in building international partnerships and fostering cultural understanding represents years of investment that would be lost permanently if the proposals proceed.
Conclusion
While we recognise, and sincerely regret, the financial pressures facing the higher education sector, we strongly urge the university to consider the many benefits of protecting the School of Modern Languages. LeCTIS represents precisely the kind of excellence that the University of Leicester has worked so hard to achieve in recent years. It embodies the university’s commitment to world-changing research and its role as a bridge between academic excellence and real-world impact.
We therefore call upon the University of Leicester to reconsider these far-reaching proposals and to work with stakeholders to find a sustainable solution that preserves this vital economic and cultural resource.
Yours sincerely
Sara Robertson FRSA FIIC
Chief Executive, Institute of Translation and Interpreting
https://www.iti.org.uk/resource/iti-raises-concerns-over-proposed-closure-of-lectis.html
#metaglossia_mundus
"Rwanda reaffirms commitment to promoting Kiswahili language
Source: XinhuaEditor: huaxia2025-07-08 20:13:16
KIGALI, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting Kiswahili language as part of the country's efforts to strengthen African solidarity and fraternity.
"Rwanda recognizes the importance of Kiswahili in achieving inclusive and equitable education. Our government made a decision in 2017 to designate Kiswahili as one of the official languages of the country, alongside Kinyarwanda, English, and French," Minister of State for Education Claudette Irere told the closing the 4th World Kiswahili Language Day celebrations in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on Monday.
"This move was not just symbolic. It was a deliberate strategy to position Rwanda within the East African Community and the broader African linguistic landscape, while also strengthening African solidarity and fraternity," she said.
Caroline Asiimwe, executive secretary of the East African Kiswahili Commission, said Kiswahili language is fundamental to building society, nations, and the EAC region.
She emphasized the commission's commitment to youth empowerment and digital innovation, urging young people to take ownership of Kiswahili's digital future and use it as a tool for entrepreneurship and peace building.
"Let us build AI tools, dictionaries, and platforms in Kiswahili not only to preserve the language but to empower the next generation of African innovators," Asiimwe said.
Co-hosted by Rwanda and the East African Kiswahili Commission, the two-day celebrations were held under the theme of "Kiswahili, Inclusive Education and Sustainable Development" to examine relevant policies, best practices, and stakeholder engagement.
The event drew more than 300 participants, including senior government officials, delegates from EAC partner states, academics, Kiswahili experts, and university students.
The celebrations featured a regional symposium, youth engagement sessions, and an exhibition. Participants explored how Kiswahili, artificial intelligence, and inclusive education can advance a culture of peace and drive innovative initiatives"
https://english.news.cn/20250708/ceac3d1006f74b0a903d77769da5b682/c.html
#metaglossia_mundus
The digital world is expanding, yet countless languages remain unheard, threatening the erasure of cultural identities across the globe.
" Preserving languages in a digital world: A call for inclusive action
8 Jul 2025
Preserving languages in a digital world: A call for inclusive action
The digital world is expanding, yet countless languages remain unheard, threatening the erasure of cultural identities across the globe.
At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, UNESCO convened a powerful session on the critical need to protect multilingualism in the digital age. With over 8,000 languages spoken globally but fewer than 120 represented online, the panel warned of a growing digital divide that excludes billions and marginalises thousands of cultures.
Dr Tawfik Jelassi of UNESCO painted a vivid metaphor of the internet as a vast library where most languages have no books on the shelves, calling for urgent action to safeguard humanity’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
Speakers underscored that bridging this divide goes beyond creating language tools—it requires systemic change rooted in policy, education, and community empowerment. Guilherme Canela of UNESCO highlighted ongoing initiatives like the 2003 Recommendation on Multilingualism and the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages, which has already inspired 15 national action plans.
Panellists like Valts Ernstreits and Sofiya Zahova emphasised community-led efforts, citing examples from Latvia, Iceland, and Sámi institutions that show how native speakers and local institutions must lead digital inclusion efforts.
Africa’s case brought the urgency into sharp focus. David Waweru noted that despite hosting a third of the world’s languages, less than 0.1% of websites feature African language content. Yet, promising efforts like the African Storybook project and AI language models show how local storytelling and education can thrive in digital spaces.
Elena Plexida of ICANN revealed that only 26% of email servers accept non-Latin addresses, a stark reminder of the structural barriers to full digital participation.
The session concluded with a strong call for multistakeholder collaboration. Governments, tech companies, indigenous communities, and civil society must work together to make multilingualism the default, not the exception, in digital spaces. As Jelassi put it, ensuring every language has a place online is not just a technical challenge but a matter of cultural survival and digital justice."
https://dig.watch/updates/preserving-languages-in-a-digital-world-a-call-for-inclusive-action
#metaglossia_mundus
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Zandisile Luphahla
Since the world will be celebrating International Mother Tongue Day today, the Northern Cape Pan African South African Language Board will take cognizance of the efforts made by the Department of Basic Education to introduce the teaching of indigenous African languages at schools.
The board’s provincial manager, Boichoko Moremi, said their focus was mainly on previously marginalised indigenous African languages.
“Hence we will be visiting schools in the Galeshewe township in the morning that are teaching Sesotho, isiXhosa and Setswana for poetry, African literature, reading and motivation sessions on Mother Tongue Day and the importance of our languages.
“The relevance to Mother Tongue Day celebrations provincially would be a platform to also share with stakeholders the statistics South Africa 2011 census results on the language spread and profile in the province,” he said.