Metaglossia: The Translation World

"More sign language interpreters will be hired to support the 400,000 hearing-impaired people nationwide, says the Social Development and Human Security Ministry.

 

They can offer support when such people are receiving healthcare services, struggling at work, or receiving information or legal assistance, said Minister Varawut Silpa-archa.

 

Only 202 sign language interpreters are registered with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEP), he said, adding the number was too small to meet demand.

 

There are 432,495 hearing-impaired people, with many requiring assistance at schools and hospitals, he said. The DEP will hire more of them, this year and next.

 

The ministry also plans to employ more hearing-impaired people to work as interpreters so they can provide a true-to-context translation service and help those afflicted with listening difficulties improve their quality of life, Mr Varawut said. Two universities in the kingdom offer a sign language interpretation programme: Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University offers a bachelor's degree programme while Suan Dusit University provides a one-year certificate programme.

 

The latest initiative is being divided into three phases, including a 135-hour training course in sign language for social security officers as a short-term plan.

 

In the medium term, the DEP is expected to pilot the initiative by hiring independent interpreters as department officers. They are required to work at the 77 Provincial Disability Service Centres in Thailand, with an 18,000-baht monthly salary.

 

In this fiscal year, the subcommittee on sign language interpretation encouragement approved Suan Dusit University and the National Association of the Deaf in Thailand (NADT) as sign language interpretation assessment units, while the Deaf Thai Foundation will design an interpretation skill test, said Mr Varawut."

 

PUBLISHED : 2 JUN 2025 AT 06:28

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3039892/more-interpreters-needed

#metaglossia_mundus 

Discover how to blend AI efficiency with NAATI-certified human expertise to deliver accessible, culturally appropriate translations that prioritise accessibility and ethical communication.

"As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in our daily lives, there’s a growing concern that these technologies are leaving many Australian communities behind.

While AI promises to bridge communication gaps, it often fails to account for the cultural and literacy nuances that make language meaningful. This is where culturally appropriate and accessible translations become essential in the Australian context.

Australia’s Multicultural Reality

According to the 2021 Australian Census, 27.6% of the population was born overseas, and 22.8% speak a language other than English at home. The top five languages spoken at home (excluding English) are Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Punjabi. This linguistic diversity reflects a deeply multicultural society—one that requires communication strategies that go beyond simple translation.

The Digital Divide in AI Language Models

Recent research from Stanford University highlights a stark reality: most large language models (LLMs) are trained predominantly on English or other high-resource languages, leaving speakers of low-resource languages at a disadvantage. These communities not only face reduced access to accurate AI-generated content but also risk being misrepresented or excluded altogether from important communications.

For example, while English speakers benefit from AI tools that understand idioms, tone, and context, speakers of languages like Swahili or Vietnamese often receive generic or inaccurate translations. This isn’t just a technical issue—it’s a matter of equity. As AI becomes a gateway to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity, the lack of culturally sensitive translation can deepen existing inequalities.

Why Cultural Context and Accessibility Matter

Language is more than words—it’s a reflection of culture, values, and lived experience. A literal translation might convey the basic meaning of a sentence, but without cultural context, it can miss the mark entirely. This is especially critical in sectors like healthcare, legal services, and government communication, where misunderstandings can have serious consequences.

But cultural appropriateness is only part of the equation. Accessibility is equally vital. AI-generated translations typically do not account for the literacy levels of the target audience. For example, a machine might produce a grammatically correct translation in Arabic or Simplified Chinese, but if the community reading it has an average literacy level equivalent to Year 7, the message may still be inaccessible—even if technically accurate.

The 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that while Australia’s Year 4 reading scores have improved overall, there is a widening gap between high and low achievers. This disparity is even more pronounced among students from non-English-speaking backgrounds and those in regional or remote areas. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring communication to meet the literacy needs of diverse communities.

This is where professional translators play a crucial role. They don’t just translate words—they adapt tone, structure, and vocabulary to ensure the message is understood by the intended audience. At Sylaba Translations, we prioritise this human-centred approach to ensure that every translation is both culturally appropriate and accessible.

Our Approach: AI + Human Expertise

At Sylaba, we’re big proponents of combining AI with human expertise. While we leverage AI tools for efficiency, we rely on NAATI-certified translators to refine and perfect the output. This ensures the final translation meets the highest standards of sensitivity and clarity.

We also advocate for plain language writing before feeding content into AI systems. Simplifying the source material not only improves translation accuracy but also makes the original message more inclusive for everyone.

Our approach is multi-layered: we start with clear, accessible writing, use AI for initial drafts, and then have professional translators review everything. This ensures the end product is not only accurate but also culturally relevant and easy to understand.

Looking Ahead: A Call for Ethical AI

As we move toward a more connected and automated world, the need for ethical, culturally aware AI is more urgent than ever. Policymakers, developers, and content creators must work together to ensure that AI systems are trained on diverse, high-quality data and evaluated for cultural sensitivity and accessibility.

The future of communication isn’t just about speed or scale—it’s about understanding. And that starts with recognising the value of every voice, in every language, and every culture."
BY ADMIN
JUNE 2, 2025
https://www.techguide.com.au/news/computers-news/why-culturally-appropriate-translations-are-the-next-frontier-in-ai-powered-communication/
#metaglossia_mundus

"Paraphrasis is a podcast dedicated to the art and practice of literary translation, brought to you by a team of graduate students in the Department of Comparative Literature at Harvard."

https://www.paraphrasispodcast.com/podcast

#metaglossia_mundus

Metaphor translation has been a matter of concern in Translation Studies because its interlinguistic transfer can be impeded by cross-cultural and crosslinguistic differences. Since the inception of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), which focuses on the conceptual structure of metaphorical language, a range of studies have emerged to investigate metaphor translation from a cognitive perspective, presenting an eclectic mix of research questions and methodologies. This paper is targeted at illustrating what the cognitive approach has offered to Translation Studies by providing a critical overview of recent research in metaphor translation from a cognitive perspective. It is pointed out that cognitive theory can get to the heart of metaphor, an essential cognitive device for meaning-making, as well as translation, a cognitive activity. Illustrations from the literature show that a cognitive approach can account for in-depth conceptual transfer in the analysis of product- and process-oriented metaphor translation. The cognitive approach also provides important insights into translation as cross-cultural communication by offering a redefinition of culture. Within this context, the paper provides multilingual illustrations while paying special attention to translation between culturally-distant languages, e.g. English-Chinese and French-Chinese translation. Lastly, it is argued that there is potential in combining cognitive theory with translation theories such as Descriptive Translation Studies and the Interpretive Theory of Translation.

Wenjie Hong, Caroline Rossi. The Cognitive Turn in Metaphor Translation Studies: A Critical Overview. Journal of Translation Studies, 2021, 5 (2), pp.83-115. ⟨hal-03342406⟩

#metaglossia_mundus

A certain amount of political baggage had to be shaken off before such a feat could be realised – not just in the right words, but in the right spirit.

"Waiting for Godot has been translated into Afrikaans: what took so long

At last, the most infamous latecomer in all of literature has arrived – not in the flesh, but in South Africa’s Afrikaans language. Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s best-known drama, Waiting for Godot, now also lives as Ons Wag vir Godot.

Published and staged in 2024, the translation was inspired by the official centenary of Afrikaans in 2025.

As a Beckett scholar, I think it’s worth asking why Afrikaans is so late on the scene – and why it matters.

 

Godot in many tongues
First written in French, En attendant Godot was published in 1952 and debuted on stage the next year.

The action involves two tramps, Vladimir and Estragon, who have a series of absurd conversations and encounters as they wait for a man called Godot who never arrives. Beckett would self-translate the drama into English in 1954, calling it “a tragicomedy in two acts”.

Since then, translations of the play have exploded. By 1969 – the year of Beckett’s Nobel Prize for Literature – Waiting for Godot could already be read in dozens of languages, including Albanian, Marathi, and even Icelandic.

Samuel Beckett and South Africa
Beckett’s connections with South Africa are surprisingly varied. As a young man, he unsuccessfully applied for a lectureship at the University of Cape Town. His 1951 novel, Molloy, was translated from French into English with the help of a South African student, Patrick Bowles. And in 1968, Beckett made a donation to the then-banned resistance party, the African National Congress, in the form of a manuscript for auction.

This gesture was unprecedented for the Irish writer, who was wary of political causes. Yet not only did Beckett feel strongly enough about apartheid’s injustices to make this donation, he also refused to let anyone perform his plays before South Africa’s racially segregated audiences.

Read more: The case of the acclaimed South African novel that 'borrows' from Samuel Beckett

Already in 1963 Beckett had signed the petition Playwrights Against Apartheid. He would continue to refuse performance rights in South Africa until 1980, when the Baxter Theatre was allowed to stage Waiting for Godot with a racially integrated cast.

Nevertheless, unauthorised Godots materialised before this. Athol Fugard, the South African playwright whose own dramas were influenced by Beckett, directed one of the earliest South African productions in 1962. Featuring an all-black cast, it testified to the play’s political charge, which Fugard emphasised:

Vladimir and Estragon … were at Sharpeville or the first in at Auschwitz.

It’s reasonable to think that Beckett would have supported this protest performance. But he would probably have denounced the first and unofficial Afrikaans version, Afspraak met Godot, translated by Suseth Brits and performed in 1970 at the Potchefstroom University College (now North-West University) behind closed doors.

For different reasons, Beckett would also have frowned on the substantial “borrowings” in Afrikaans novelist Willem Anker’s 2014 novel, Buys.

Domesticating a European classic
Fully sanctioned by Beckett’s estate and beautifully translated (from the French and English) by now-retired professor of French at the University of the Free State Naòmi Morgan, Ons Wag vir Godot arrives at a different moment altogether.

The translation retains the gallows humour of the original while adding local flavour. For instance, where Vladimir originally names the Eiffel Tower as a picturesque site to commit suicide, his Afrikaans counterpart nominates Van Stadensbrug, a bridge over a ravine in the Eastern Cape. The slave-like Lucky once entertained his master with European dances: “the farandole, the fling, the brawl, the jig, the fandango”. These now become a South African mix: “volkspele, die riel, die pantsula, selfs die horrelpyp” (folk games, riel dance, pantsula dance, a hiding).

In translation-speak, Ons Wag vir Godot is therefore fully “domesticated”: the play’s universality comes through even though – and perhaps even more so because – it’s anchored in a particular place and time.

This struck me when I attended the play’s limited-run production, expertly directed by Dion van Niekerk, at the 2024 Vrystaat Kunstefees (Free State arts festival). Its set managed to thread together subtle South African roadside details: a toppled rubbish bin, pylons on the horizon, a (broken) picnic bench.

In the text itself, we encounter familiar place names, sayings and cultural clues. Consider how Beckett’s abstract phrase “the essential doesn’t change” is grounded in African mythology: “Jakkals verander van hare, maar nie van streke nie” (The leopard doesn’t change its spots). Then there’s the charming touch of the dog in Vladimir’s song snatching “’n stukkie wors” (a piece of sausage particular to South Africa) rather than a measly “bone”.

Godot and the Afrikaans canon
Ons Wag vir Godot achieves its most profound tribute to Beckett and Afrikaans through its intertextual richness. Both the French and English originals are highly allusive texts: they invoke other works of literature to increase their range of meaning and subtlety. Morgan is attuned to this subtlety and to the parallels to be found in Afrikaans literature. There are references to works by canonical Afrikaans writers like Eugène Marais, Totius and C.J. Langenhoven, each adding its own resonance.

 

Yet the dilemma any translator faces is not so much in bringing in the new, but in striking a balance with the old. Consider the judicious swapping of a line from Percy Bysshe Shelley for a line from C. Louis Leipoldt.

In the English version, Estragon looks up forlornly at the moon and half-quotes the English Romantic poet: “Pale for weariness … Of climbing heaven and staring on the likes of us.” In the Afrikaans, he gives us a fragment from the wistful poem, Die Moormansgat: “ek kyk na die lig van die volle silwermaan” (I behold the light of the full silver moon). At face value, this lacks the detached, woeful quality of Shelley’s line. But read in the context of Leipoldt’s poem, it is every bit as poignant.

The virtue of waiting
“Vladimir would agree,” Morgan concludes in the preface to her translation, “that a century is a decent amount of time to hone a language for the translation of one of the best-known dramas in world literature”.

 

And indeed, the riches of the Afrikaans language are on display in this sensitive, witty and allusive rendering of Beckett’s European classic. But it’s also true that a certain amount of political baggage had to be shaken off before such a feat could be realised – not just in the right words, but in the right spirit. Of course, if Beckett’s play teaches us anything, it’s the virtue of waiting."

Published: May 29, 2025 4.28pm SAST
Rick de Villiers, University of the Free State

https://theconversation.com/waiting-for-godot-has-been-translated-into-afrikaans-what-took-so-long-257345
#metaglossia_mundus

As English gains ground in Algeria, questions emerge about identity, access, and the cost of sidelining French in education, work, and public life.

"The shift from French to English reflects deeper struggles over postcolonial identity, global integration, and the politics of language...

Several factors are driving this shift...
English is largely seen as a pragmatic tool for global communication, rather than a cultural imposition. This perception distances English from the emotionally and politically charged connotations that continue to surround the French language, especially among younger Algerians who seek to redefine their identity in a postcolonial world.

Yet the pivot to English is far from straightforward. The transition raises profound structural questions, particularly for Algeria’s intellectual and academic elite. Professor Abderrezak Dourari, a linguist and specialist in translatology, warns of the risks of abrupt linguistic substitution on a national scale:

“Even if it is a sovereign decision, replacing one language with another reconfigures the structure and activity of national elites. Scholars and researchers who work in French or Arabic risk being rendered voiceless for a generation.”

The challenge lies not only in learning a new language but in reshaping the cognitive and professional frameworks that come with it.

“One cannot simply switch from French to English across all levels of discourse. The language used by educators is more conceptual and nuanced than that of learners,” Dourari explains, “for professors and researchers, forging a new linguistic habitus will take years, causing performance losses and disrupting the continuity of knowledge and social contribution.”

A multilingual future
This tension between global ambition and internal readiness is at the heart of Algeria’s language dilemma. While English may promise greater access to international networks, research collaboration, and economic mobility, the sudden displacement of French could destabilize long-established academic and professional ecosystems.

The impact of these shifts extends beyond classrooms. In business, media, and even everyday conversation, the competition between French and English reflects deeper questions about Algeria’s postcolonial identity and its orientation in the world. Public discourse on national language policy is gaining visibility, often framed around whether Algeria should pursue full integration into Anglophone global circuits or maintain its Francophone heritage as a cultural and intellectual anchor...

This ongoing transformation reflects broader global patterns where languages do not merely coexist but often compete in shaping access, power, and belonging. For Algeria, the challenge lies in managing this shift with foresight and inclusiveness, ensuring that the embrace of English does not come at the cost of continuity, equity, or cultural depth..."

By Nourredine Bessadi, researcher, independent consultant, and translator
2 June 2025
https://globalvoices.org/2025/06/02/algerias-shift-to-english-is-about-more-than-just-language/
#metaglossia_mundus

New rules in Quebec require French to be the dominant language on storefront and product packaging, sparking concerns about costs, compliance and fines.

"French must be “markedly predominant” on store signs

Under the new rules, French must take up twice as much space as other languages on store signs and commercial advertising. That means stores with English names, like Canadian Tire, Best Buy and Second Cup will have to include generic terms or descriptions in French on their storefronts that take up two-thirds of the space devoted to text.

Michel Rochette, Quebec president of the Retail Council of Canada, said businesses must ensure they’re complying with municipal bylaws and landlords’ requirements when changing their storefronts, which can be time-consuming.

“They want to comply with the rules. It’s not a question of willingness,” he said. “It’s a question of capacity and authorization.”

But last week, French-language Minister Jean-Francois Roberge said many companies have already updated their signs, and pointed specifically to food retailer Bulk Barn as being largely in compliance. “It’s possible to do it,” he said...

Labels on product packaging must already be translated into French.

But there’s an exception for trademarks in other languages, which don’t have to be translated.

The latest regulations take aim at generic terms sometimes included in trademarks, like “lavender and shea butter” hand soap, for example. Those descriptive terms will now have to be translated as well...

Smaller businesses must register with language watchdog

Quebec already requires businesses with 50 or more employees to undergo a “francization” process to ensure French is the dominant language in the workplace. That requirement is now being extended to companies with 25 to 49 employees.

The businesses must register with Quebec’s language watchdog, the Office quebecois de la langue francaise. Francois Vincent, Quebec vice president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the majority of small businesses in the province already operate in French...

Fines can reach $30,000 a day

Businesses in violation of the new rules can be fined $3,000 to $30,000 per day for a first infraction, and up to $90,000 per day for a third offence...

However, Roberge has said the language office won’t be looking to slap immediate fines on non-compliant businesses, as long as they’re taking steps to fix the problem.

Rochette and Vincent issued an open letter last week asking for an extension from the Quebec government. They say the province had promised companies would have three years to adapt to the new rules. Bill 96 became law in 2022, but the final version of these regulations was only published in June 2024.

The government confirmed Friday that the regulations would take effect on June 1, as planned. “In one year, there’s time to do a lot of things,” Roberge said earlier in the week..."
The Canadian Press
Maura Forrest
Jun 01, 2025
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/quebecs-tougher-language-laws-begin-for-signage-packaging-and-workplaces
#metaglossia_mundus

In a striking demonstration of real-time augmented reality, Rokid captivated international guests at a recent event in Hangzhou 

"...This immersive experience highlighted Rokid’s cutting-edge on-lens translation feature, turning the glasses into a live communication bridge between cultures. As one French delegate greeted the host city, his words were automatically rendered in Chinese on the receiving end:

“ Merci beaucoup, Monsieur le député-maire. Je suis très honoré de visiter votre ville. ”
“Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. I’m very honored to visit your city. ”

The Mayor responded and remarked in Chinese:

“Yuhang, c’est une entreprise créatrice qui a accueilli plusieurs milliers d’entreprises technologiques. Ce produit est l’une de nos entreprises créatrices qui a juste été développée.”
“Yuhang is an innovation hub that has hosted thousands of technology companies. This product is one of the innovative creations, which was just recently developed.”

The delegate echoed the sentiment, impressed by the system’s real-time performance:

“C’est très impressionnant et ça fonctionne plutôt bien. Je suis très impressionné par le système. J’espère que lors de la prochaine conférence générale, nous pourrons tous en profiter pour pouvoir communiquer tous ensemble.”
“It’s very impressive, and it works quite well. I’m very impressed by the system. I hope we can all use it to communicate at the next general conference.”

Many in the room were impressed by the spontaneous nature of the exchange. Conversations traditionally requiring human translators unfolded organically, with glasses as the bridge. The demonstration underscored the potential of Rokid’s real-time subtitle feature for international business and travel, education, and diplomacy. By eliminating communication barriers, the Rokid Glasses represent more than a technological leap. They mark a shift in how we connect as global citizens. This breakthrough moment in Hangzhou proved Rokid’s mission to “Leave Nobody Behind”, including language, access, and understanding."
https://www.laweekly.com/seamless-on-lens-translation-impresses-international-guests-at-rokid-event-in-hangzhou/
#metaglossia_mundus

"University of Washington team builds multi-speaker, spatial audio translation system

 

28/05/2025

A team from the University of Washington (UW) has developed a prototype translation system that tackles a challenge facing many public space translation tools: understanding and distinguishing between multiple speakers in real-world, often noisy environments.

 

According to a report from the University of Washington, the new system, dubbed Spatial Speech Translation, uses off-the-shelf noise-cancelling headphones equipped with microphones to isolate, translate and relay speech from multiple people in a space. Unlike conventional translation technologies that focus on a single speaker, the UW system preserves the direction and characteristics of each speaker’s voice and follows them as they move.

 

The project was presented at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Yokohama, Japan, on April 30 and the research team’s proof-of-concept code is now publicly available for others to build upon.

 

The system emerged from the frustrations of lead author Tuochao Chen, a UW doctoral student, who struggled to understand a museum tour in Mexico due to noisy conditions. “Other translation tech is built on the assumption that only one person is speaking,” said senior author Shyam Gollakota, a professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at UW, in an article on the university’s website. “But in the real world, you can’t have just one robotic voice talking for multiple people in a room. For the first time, we’ve preserved the sound of each person’s voice and the direction it’s coming from.”

 

 

 

The technology introduces three main innovations. First, it uses a radar-like algorithm to scan a space in 360 degrees, instantly detecting how many people are speaking. Then, it processes translations while maintaining each speaker’s voice quality and volume. Lastly, it dynamically adapts as users move, ensuring spatial audio cues remain accurate.

 

Rather than relying on cloud processing, which can raise privacy concerns around voice data, the system runs locally on devices powered by Apple’s M2 chip, such as laptops and the Apple Vision Pro.

 

The team tested the system in ten real-world settings, indoors and out. In user trials involving 29 participants, the prototype was preferred over baseline models that lacked spatial tracking. Another study showed that users found a 3 to 4 second translation delay more acceptable than shorter latencies, which tended to produce more errors.

 

While the system currently supports common speech in Spanish, German and French, the researchers note that existing translation models can be expanded to cover up to 100 languages. However, specialised terminology and jargon remain outside the tool’s current capabilities.

 

“This is a step toward breaking down the language barriers between cultures,” said Chen in the original University of Washington article. “So if I’m walking down the street in Mexico, even though I don’t speak Spanish, I can translate all the people’s voices and know who said what.”

 

The research was supported by a Moore Inventor Fellow award and the UW CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund. Co-authors include Qirui Wang, a research intern at HydroX AI and former UW undergraduate, and Runlin He, a UW doctoral student."

https://www.inavateonthenet.net/news/article/university-of-washington-team-builds-multispeaker-spatial-audio-translation-system

#metaglossia_mundus

"Ottawa rushes to build its own AI translator as government use of free tools soars

Demand for official translation services is falling despite a rise in content creation. As public servants turn to free online tools, the government is racing to build its own AI translator.

 

By David Reevely and Murad Hemmadi

 

A stop sign in both English and French in Kingston, Ontario. The federal government employs 1,300 people to translate a range of documents. 

 

May 28, 2025

 

OTTAWA and TORONTO — The federal government’s translation bureau is rushing to devise an AI-based tool for public servants after being spooked by the use of free services on potentially sensitive materials.

 

“Industry is moving at lightning speed and the bureau needs to accelerate the cadence to transform its services,” says a presentation deck produced by the bureau last December, which The Logic obtained through an access-to-information request.

 

Talking Points

 

The federal government plans to roll out a single, AI-based tool for all public servants. Some departments have already built their own tools, while staff are also using insecure free online products on potentially sensitive documents.

Demand within the government for the translation bureau’s services is falling, but workers face pressure to handle larger workloads with the use of AI, according to their union

Starting in June, the federal department that houses the government translation service, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), is planning a trial run of an in-house tool it’s calling PSPC Translate, departmental spokesperson Jeremy Link told The Logic by email.

 

 

If PSPC Translate works for staff in the department of about 19,000 people, the tool will be used more widely. It’s the first “lighthouse project” under the federal government’s artificial intelligence strategy, meant to help the public service learn how to build and implement new AI tools and create something that can be scaled across government.

 

Although this effort long pre-dates Prime Minister Mark Carney’s run for office, he’s pinning a lot on PSPC Translate and projects like it, promising to use artificial intelligence to make the government more productive so the Liberals can spend less on operating expenses.

 

Translation is one area where public servants are already using AI to transform their own work—if not always for the better.

 

The 1,300 workers in the bureau translate between English and French, but also into Indigenous languages, foreign languages and sign languages when the government, or contractors doing government work, need it.

 

The unit reported a 17 per cent decline in demand for its services from federal departments and agencies in the 2023–24 fiscal year, the deck says, even though “all indicators are showing that content creation is on the rise.”

 

The reason, the bureau concluded, was that people were going elsewhere. Many public servants are using “free internet tools,” scattering government data all over the place, including onto servers outside Canada. Some departments are creating their own tools, wasting money through duplication and complicating the work of public servants who use different tools in different departments. 

 

 

While demand for the bureau’s services is dropping, its human translators face growing workloads because it’s outsourcing less to freelancers, according to Antoine Hersberger, vice-president for the Canadian Association of Professional Employees unit that represents the workers. The union claims the agency’s five-year business plan would cut a quarter of staff via attrition.

 

“We’re pushed to do higher and higher volumes, especially using AI tools to force us to work faster and [at] lower quality,” Hersberger said. AI tools are quicker for some translation tasks, but humans still have to check outputs. And, Hersberger explained, public servants using the bureau’s self-service tool can also ask for a human review of their AI translation, adding to the translators’ workloads. 

 

Many free services like Google Translate are powered by large language models, the same technology behind ChatGPT. The bureau’s translators currently use commercially available software from DeepL and TradooIT, which employs an older but more accurate form of AI called neural machine translation. 

 

But both kinds of tools, and even careless use of a dictionary, can generate errors. The deck includes images of bad translations, such as a sign at what appears to be a security screening site telling people what to do with keys, coins, pocket knives and smartphones. People reading English are told to put these items “in a bin.” French-speakers are told to Placez ces objets dans une poubelle—“put these objects in the garbage.”

 

In another example, a road sign in English tells cyclists to ride single file. The French mistranslation says to ride un seul fichier, using a word, fichier, that means a bundle of documents, not a line of people; à la file is what the writer wanted.

 

(A web search for “single file” turns up the Parisian-French idiom en file indienne as the favoured translation, which any Canadian public servant would avoid. Seul fichier is the next suggestion.)

 

 

The translation bureau has been dealing with such quirks its whole existence and has an “extensive repository” of bilingual texts that it has used to train AI models to create “accurate translations,” PSPC’s Link wrote.

 

In the absence of a centrally run translation tool, some departments have created their own. Justice Canada has been using its own AI-based translator, called JUSTranslate, since October 2023, according to the documents The Logic obtained. It uses Microsoft’s Azure cloud-computing platform and can translate text from multiple languages into English or French.

 

One of the Justice Department’s needs is secrecy: pasting documents subject to solicitor-client privilege into public cloud-based translation services isn’t allowed. JUSTranslate (like PSPC Translate) is approved for what the government calls “Protected B” material. That designation means that if it were released, the material “could cause serious injury to an individual, organization or government.”

 

Another issue is formatting. Not for official legal publications—those still go through human translators—but for materials like presentation decks and even written submissions to courts and tribunals. Those ought to look more or less the same in both English and French, but substituting text slide by slide is a pain and a time-sink.

 

In its first year the Justice Department has used JUSTranslate on about 20,000 documents, including in tests and experiments, the documents say, working out to more than 57 million words. Some of that work would otherwise have been done by the translation bureau, the department acknowledged.

 

For ordinary Canadians who use free AI translation tools, the money the federal government spends on the bureau may seem like a waste, Hersberger acknowledged. But clients who switch to AI tools “usually run back to human translators after a few months” after finding “massive mistakes or omissions in their documents,” he claimed.

 

As an officially bilingual country, Canada “needs to ensure the same level of quality for both languages,” Hersberger said, and “the technological tools are just not enough right now to do that.” Instead of shrinking the bureau, he called for the government to provide funding so that translators can experiment with new technologies like AI while maintaining the quality of their work.

 

Longer-term plans for PSPC Translate include specialized translation tools for technical fields, adding Indigenous languages, voice-to-text transcribers, and eventually AI-assisted live interpretation, according to the documents obtained by The Logic."

https://thelogic.co/news/exclusive/ottawa-rushes-to-build-its-own-ai-translator-as-government-use-of-free-tools-soars/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"Journal of Translation 21(1) (2025)

Journal of Translation 21(1)

The latest issue of the Journal of Translation, JOT 21.1 (2025), is currently being published on a rolling basis. At the end of the year once the issue is complete, the Editor’s Foreword will appear here and this file will be replaced with a single, full-issue PDF. For more information and to view articles already published in this issue, please visit https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/jot/21.1.

 

Amateur English-Kiswahili Interpretation in Tanzanian Pentecostal Churches: Challenges and Strategies

Mlundi, Simon

Interpreters apply different strategies to overcome challenges during the interpretation process. This study examines the frequency of strategies selected and utilised by amateur church interpreters in Tanzania in overcoming challenges of translation between English and Kiswahili. The analysis reveals that these interpreters use strategies such as expansion, compression, and skipping, as well as approximation, message abandonment, and incomplete sentences. More practice and self-training are recommended for amateur interpreters to use interpreting strategies more effectively.

 

The Great Taboo: Omission and Addition in the Mongolian Translation of “Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World”

Dorjsuren, Suvdanchuluun

In literary translation, alterations such as omission and addition are often made to adapt the source text to the target language. But how frequently do translators make such changes, and what motivates these alterations? This paper explores these questions by applying both qualitative and quantitative methods to compare Weatherford’s Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World with its Mongolian translation by Ganbold Gonchig. The theoretical framework of this study posits that translators modify the source text to accommodate linguistic, pragmatic, cultural, and ideological..."

https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/jot/21.1

#metaglossia_mundus 

"Oman launches sign language interpretation for social media posts

31 MAY 2025 

Muscat – In a move to promote inclusivity and accessibility, the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) has launched a new service to interpret its posts on the social media platform X into sign language.

 

The service, the first of its kind in the sultanate, ensures that vital consumer awareness messages, alerts, and campaign updates reach members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

 

The selected video posts will feature a sign language interpreter, making the content accessible to a wider audience.

 

“This initiative reflects our commitment to serve all segments of society and to promote equal access to information,” a CPA official said. “Sign language is a vital communication tool, and through this effort, we aim to bridge the gap and empower every consumer.”

 

The CPA plans to expand the service to cover a broader range of topics and interactive content in the coming months.

 

The initiative also aligns with Oman’s national strategy to improve digital accessibility and uphold the rights of people with disabilities."

 

https://www.muscatdaily.com/2025/05/31/consumer-authority-of-oman-launches-sign-language-interpretation-for-social-media-posts/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"Traductores en tiempos de IA: un oficio kafkiano “que da miedo”

El libro colectivo de relatos inspirados en el autor de 'El proceso', 'Una jaula salió en busca de un pájaro', sirve también como una reivindicación de la traducción humana

— La inteligencia artificial sacude el negocio de la traducción: “Las máquinas son más baratas que las personas”

 

Traductores en tiempos de la IA elDiario.es

Carmen López

 

31 de mayo de 2025 22:25 h

Actualizado el 01/06/2025 05:30 h

2

 

En 1917, el escritor Franz Kafka se retiró al pueblo de Zürau, en Bohemia, para recuperarse de la tuberculosis que le habían diagnosticado. Mientras convalecía junto a su hermana en aquel entorno idílico –pese a su enfermedad, pasó allí un tiempo bastante estupendo– pergeñó un centenar de frases crípticas que más tarde se reunieron en el volumen Los aforismos de Zürau. “Una jaula salió en busca de un pájaro” es uno de esos enunciados y la editorial Mutatis Mutandis lo ha escogido para dar título al libro de relatos que acaba de publicar. En él recopila diez historias kafkianas firmadas por autores tan diversos como Ali Smith, Charlie Kaufman, Elif Batuman, Joshua Cohen o Yiyun Li, entre otros, cada uno con su propio traductor al castellano (Magdalena Palmer, Ce Santiago, Marta Rebón, Javier Calvo y Laura Martín de Dios, respectivamente).

 

La inteligencia artificial sacude el negocio de la traducción: "Las máquinas son más baratas que las personas"

 

Estos cuentos se escribieron a propósito del centenario de la muerte del escritor praguense a causa de la afección que le llevó a Zürau. En ellos se narran las acciones de control de máquinas que recuerdan a ChatGPT, ataques de pánico contagiosos, burocracias inmobiliarias que derivan en pesadilla o el periplo por balnearios de una mujer con fobia a los gérmenes. Son escenarios alucinados que generan inquietud y la pregunta inevitable de si podría llegar a suceder.

 

Si se atiende a los temas que estructuran estas ficciones, como la sospecha sobre la inteligencia artificial (IA) o la fragilidad de la salud mental, ¿es pertinente preguntarse si la actualidad es cada vez más kafkiana? Joaquim Feijóo Pérez, editor de Mutatis Mutandis, responde a elDiario.es que “Kafka tuvo que enfrentarse a, como diría Mark Fisher, lo raro y espeluznante de su tiempo, pero quizás hoy saldría corriendo de nuestra realidad”. Problemas como el acceso a la vivienda, la misoginia en internet o la brecha digital son algunos terrores actuales, según su opinión.

 

 

Los autores de los relatos se sumergieron en el universo del autor de El proceso, pero eso no significa que hayan tratado de emular su estilo. Más bien se han inspirado en su obra para “plasmar sus inquietudes y alguna que otra pesadilla —dice Feijóo Pérez— actualizando esa sensación a nuestros días para desarrollar un paisaje kafkiano contemporáneo propio”. En ese aspecto, el libro funciona como bandera del espíritu de la editorial que, según el editor, aspira a “ser una forma contracultural frente a la literalidad”, procurando aportar “soluciones teóricas y narrativas al atasco en el que nos encontramos hoy”.

 

 

Blindar contratos para tener traductores humanos

En su presentación, Mutatis Mutandis define el libro como “un homenaje al kafkiano oficio de traductor en los tiempos de la inteligencia artificial”. Sin duda, es uno de los sectores del entramado editorial más afectados por la aparición de esta tecnología ha revolucionado la realidad como se conocía hasta ahora, para bien, mal o regular.

 

Las reivindicaciones sobre la precariedad de las condiciones laborales de la traducción literaria no son nuevas ni mucho menos. Pero la llegada de la inteligencia artificial generativa ha sido la guinda del pastel y algunos de los traductores involucrados en Una jaula salió en busca de un pájaro valoran los perjuicios. Julia Osuna, responsable de la traducción al castellano del relato El suplicio de Tommy Orange, asegura que en los mercados de la traducción comercial la IA “ya está haciendo mucho daño” y en el ámbito de las editoriales el desarrollo de la situación “dependerá en parte de hasta qué punto los autores extranjeros y sus agentes blinden los contratos para exigir que sus obras sean traducidas por personas”, explica.

 

La opinión de Eugenia Vázquez Nacarino, encargada de pasar al castellano el relato de Leone Ross titulado Dolor de cabeza, es rotunda. Para ella, “una editorial que pretenda sustituir el trabajo creativo de sus colaboradores con IA para aumentar beneficios estará cavando su propia tumba”. Además, denuncia que el sistema se entrena con contenido protegido por derechos de autor y la ley del Ministerio de Cultura que debería regular esos permisos, fue rechazada por falta de respaldo en el sector.

 

 

Tarifas y luchas colectivas congeladas

A la vez, Osuna indica que la conversación sobre la intromisión de esta nueva tecnología en el sector de la traducción puede dejar en la sombra las reivindicaciones previas que no se han solucionado. Según explica la traductora, corren el riesgo de contravenir las leyes de la competencia si luchan en conjunto: “Se pueden infringir si, como colectivo o desde alguna asociación de profesionales, se intentan fijar unas tarifas mínimas o tarifas recomendadas. Cuando las leyes de la competencia deberían proteger al consumidor, que paga por un libro y merece calidad, acaban beneficiando al empresario que paga dos duros por un servicio profesional”.

 

En 2014, la Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) multó a un par de asociaciones y desde entonces “las tarifas han quedado más desprotegidas que nunca”, asegura Osuna, que también indica que “en cambio, hay una directriz europea de 2022 que ha empezado a proteger los derechos de los autónomos culturales y la necesidad de que se apoyen sus negociaciones colectivas”. La llegada de la IA parece haberse convertido en el problema principal del sector, pero las tarifas siguen congeladas. “La mayoría de los traductores editoriales no llegamos al salario mínimo interprofesional. Eso sí que da miedo”, completa.

 

Mis tarifas siguen más que congeladas y la mayoría de los traductores editoriales no llegamos al salario mínimo interprofesional. Eso sí que da miedo

 

Julia Osuna — Traductora

Y un detalle más: la intrusión de la IA en el gremio no solo se materializa en la sustitución del trabajador por la máquina. También ha pasado a formar parte de la realidad del oficio porque cada vez es más necesario utilizarla como herramienta. “Nos la están metiendo hasta en la sopa. Los buscadores normales cada vez filtran peor y están más sesgados, lo que nos obligará a tirar de esos nuevos recursos”, comenta Osuna.

 

 

La Tarifadora: “¿Es justo lo que cobras?”

En 2015, la Unión de Correctores (UniCo) y ACE Traductores firmaron un código de buenas prácticas con el convencimiento de que una colaboración entre ambos colectivos es beneficioso para ambos y para la calidad de la obra publicada. Uno de los frutos más recientes de ese entendimiento es La Tarifadora, una calculadora de tarifas para profesionales de la traducción, la corrección y la edición.

 

“Pretende ser una herramienta de denuncia de esas condiciones demenciales en las que estamos hundiéndonos. La idea es que sirva para que puedas explicarle con más claridad al editor o editora con la que negocias tu tarifa, en el caso de que puedas negociar, que lo que te ofrece no da para vivir, y que si quieren algo profesional, tienen que pagarlo”, desarrolla Osuna. Asimismo, con ella también quieren llamar la atención del Ministerio de Trabajo sobre su situación laboral.

 

Eugenia Vázquez Nacarino comenta que es necesario quitarle romanticismo a la industria del libro, porque muchas veces los traductores literarios trabajan a pérdidas. “Hay que hacer números y visibilizar la precarización del sector en un contexto que nos deja a merced de la ley de la oferta y la demanda, y de una interpretación tan restrictiva de la ley de libre competencia en España que ni siquiera permite a nuestras asociaciones profesionales recomendar una horquilla de tarifas”, declara.

 

 

Eduardo Iriarte, que firma la traducción de El casero de Keith Ridgway, está de acuerdo con que hay que reivindicar mejoras laborales y cruza los dedos porque se llegue a algo, pero también le inquieta que, en algunos casos, sea contraproducente. “Sigue habiendo editoriales que parecen decir: ‘Si todos pagan mal a los traductores, ¿por qué habríamos de pagarles mejor nosotros?’”, indica.

 

Sigue habiendo editoriales que parecen decir: ‘Si todos pagan mal a los traductores, ¿por qué habríamos de pagarles mejor nosotros?’

 

Eduardo Iriarte — Traductor

Él reconoce que es un privilegiado porque durante más de tres décadas ha vivido de la escritura —ha publicado seis novelas— y de la traducción literaria y, por el momento, no parece que su situación vaya a cambiar. Incluso se muestra optimista ante el porvenir: “Casualmente, estoy traduciendo la nueva novela de Ian McEwan, que transcurre en 2119: sigue habiendo futuro”.

 

La inteligencia artificial sacude el negocio de la traducción: “Las máquinas son más baratas que las personas”

 

Sin embargo, sus compañeras no se muestran tan esperanzadas. A Eugenia Vázquez le cuesta ver cómo se va a mejorar la situación actual cuando “desde las instituciones oficiales que deben velar por el sector cultural no se toman medidas firmes para proteger a un colectivo autónomo al límite de la subsistencia”, recalca. Mientras, Julia Osuna se plantea un mañana muy acorde al espíritu kafkiano del volumen de Mutatis Mutandis: “Una se pregunta qué piensan hacer con todos los que nos vamos a la calle, y me imagino filas de personal sobrecualificado regando con regaderas y mangueras centros de datos”."

https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/libros/traductores-tiempos-ia-oficio-kafkiano-da-miedo_1_12270070.html

#metaglossia_mundus 

Hiring for 20252026: ASL Interpreters in Carbon & Lehigh Counties, PA

"Blazerworks is seeking American Sign Language Interpreters for full-time roles in Carbon and Lehigh Counties for the 2025–2026 school year. Our team is working closely with districts to provide support for students in need of communication access. Whether you prefer working in an elementary or high school setting, we have options for you. We welcome interpreters with EIPA, RID, or similar qualifications. Take the first step toward a fulfilling school-year contract by applying today!

Location: Carbon and Lehigh Counties, PA

Qualifications:

History with Sign Language

Active SLI National Certification

EIPA of 3.5 and Written Test

Bachelor's Degree in ASL or Educational Interpreting

GA Licensure/Credentials

Job Details:

Start Date: August, 2025 End Date: June, 2026

Full Time Hours: 29-35 hours/week

Schedule: Monday-Friday

-High School Schedule: 8:00am - 3:30pm

Elementary Schedule: 7:30am - 2:30pm

Benefits:

Dental, Medical, and Vision Benefits

401(K) Matching

Weekly Pay via Direct Deposit

Competitive Compensation

Inquiries: Those interested in making a difference submit your updated resume to the link listed. For any questions or anything else use the number below to call, or the email to message. Let’s make a difference!

Kendall Demyron- Staffing Recruiter| Email: Click here | Phone number: (678) 497-0974"

 

https://www.blazerjobs.com/school-based-travel-jobs/schools-sign-language-interpreter-sugarloaf-pa/i/8798972-0/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"International Booker Prize 2025: ‘I call myself a writer-translator with a hyphen in between’, says Deepa Bhasthi
The translator of the Kannada short fiction collection Heart Lamp on why the act of writing and translating is always hyphenated, the criticism that the book has faced and why translating a work by a woman is very different to that by a man...

In this interview, Bhasthi, 41, speaks of the cultural elasticity that allows her to flit between languages, and why it is fine for people to not like Heart Lamp. (Credit: Penguin)
It is market day in Madikeri, Kodagu, and Deepa Bhasthi, back home from London after her International Booker Prize win for the translation of Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp, is immersed in the routine of the everyday as the interview takes off. Pots and pans clink in the background, the sound of birdsong wafts in from time to time. Even though she is on the other side of a telephone line, the cadences are as familiar as if she’s sitting across from me. It is this familiarity of language and rhythm, routine and purpose, that she speaks of in her foreword to the collection, a fine essay titled, ‘Against Italics’, in which she explains her process of translation, both for the collection, and in general, and the multilingualism that is the Subcontinental inheritance. “Here, speech is as much a physical, almost musical performance, where a word’s meaning depends on haava-bhaava – gestures and expressions – on tone, etc, as much as it does on the information it expresses,” she writes. In this interview, Bhasthi, 41, speaks of the cultural elasticity that allows her to flit between languages, and why it is fine for people to not like Heart Lamp. Excerpts:

I was recently reading Jhumpa Lahiri’s Translating Myself and Others in which she speaks of how the act of translation has transformed the way she writes, and how like reading — only more intense in the way that it gets under the skin — it pushes her to greater attention. What has your experience of translation been like?

To be honest, I don’t see the practice of translation and that of writing as two different things. In one, you’re translating somebody else’s thoughts, but when you’re writing, you’re translating your own thoughts into words, phrases and sentences. A writer and translator are both translators. In that sense. I am a writer first and foremost, I call myself a writer-translator with a hyphen in between when it comes to my translation work. But I agree with Jhumpa Lahiri that it makes you a lot more sensitive to words, to its musicality, to the way language works..."
Written by Paromita Chakrabarti
June 1, 2025 15:04 IST
Read more 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿
https://indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/international-booker-prize-2025-i-call-myself-a-writer-translator-with-a-hyphen-in-between-says-deepa-bhasthi-10041951/
#metaglossia_mundus

"Priyanka Rewri, who stars opposite Aryavardhan in her Kannada debut Yaarige Beku Ee Loka, tells us, “I believe that languages may differ from one place to another, but the craft of acting remains the same.

Language is no longer a factor for someone to say ‘no’ to a film. I simply have the dialogues translated so I can truly understand the underlying emotions,” says the actor who has been part of films and TV shows in other languages. “I love that acting allows me to live multiple lives. Through each role, I learn not only a new language, but also the culture of that place,” she adds."
...
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/languages-may-vary-but-the-art-of-acting-is-universal-across-industries-priyanka-rewri/articleshow/121513088.cms
#metaglossia_mundus

AI may soon be able decode whalespeak, among other forms of communication – but what nature has to say may not be a surprise

"We’re close to translating animal languages – what happens then?
AI may soon be able decode whalespeak, among other forms of communication – but what nature has to say may not be a surprise

David Farrier
Sun 1 Jun 2025 14.00 BST

Charles Darwin suggested that humans learned to speak by mimicking birdsong: our ancestors’ first words may have been a kind of interspecies exchange. Perhaps it won’t be long before we join the conversation once again.

The race to translate what animals are saying is heating up, with riches as well as a place in history at stake. The Jeremy Coller Foundation has promised $10m to whichever researchers can crack the code. This is a race fuelled by generative AI; large language models can sort through millions of recorded animal vocalisations to find their hidden grammars. Most projects focus on cetaceans because, like us, they learn through vocal imitation and, also like us, they communicate via complex arrangements of sound that appear to have structure and hierarchy.

Sperm whales communicate in codas – rapid sequences of clicks, each as brief as 1,000th of a second. Project Ceti (the Cetacean Translation Initiative) is using AI to analyse codas in order to reveal the mysteries of sperm whale speech. There is evidence the animals take turns, use specific clicks to refer to one another, and even have distinct dialects. Ceti has already isolated a click that may be a form of punctuation, and they hope to speak whaleish as soon as 2026.

The linguistic barrier between species is already looking porous. Last month, Google released DolphinGemma, an AI program to translate dolphins, trained on 40 years of data. In 2013, scientists using an AI algorithm to sort dolphin communication identified a new click in the animals’ interactions with one another, which they recognised as a sound they had previously trained the pod to associate with sargassum seaweed – the first recorded instance of a word passing from one species into another’s native vocabulary.

Humpback whale songs are incredible vocal performances, sometimes lasting up to 24 hours
The prospect of speaking dolphin or whale is irresistible. And it seems that they are just as enthusiastic. In November last year, scientists in Alaska recorded an acoustic “conversation” with a humpback whale called Twain, in which they exchanged a call-and-response form known as “whup/throp” with the animal over a 20-minute period. In Florida, a dolphin named Zeus was found to have learned to mimic the vowel sounds, A, E, O, and U.

But in the excitement we should not ignore the fact that other species are already bearing eloquent witness to our impact on the natural world. A living planet is a loud one. Healthy coral reefs pop and crackle with life. But soundscapes can decay just as ecosystems can. Degraded reefs are hushed deserts. Since the 1960s, shipping and mining have raised background noise in the oceans by about three decibels a decade. Humpback whale song occupies the same low-frequency bandwidth as deep-sea dredging and drilling for the rare earths that are vital for electronic devices. Ironically, mining the minerals we need to communicate cancels out whales’ voices.

Humpback whale songs are incredible vocal performances, sometimes lasting up to 24 hours. “Song” is apt: they seem to include rhymed phrases, and their compositions travel the oceans with them, evolving as they go in a process called “song revolutions”, where a new cycle replaces the old. (Imagine if Nina Simone or the Beatles had erased their back catalogue with every new release.) They’re crucial to migration and breeding seasons. But in today’s louder soundscape, whale song is crowded out of its habitual bandwidth and even driven to silence – from up to 1.2 km away from commercial ships, humpback whales will cease singing rather than compete with the noise.

In interspecies translation, sound only takes us so far. Animals communicate via an array of visual, chemical, thermal and mechanical cues, inhabiting worlds of perception very different to ours. Can we really understand what sound means to echolocating animals, for whom sound waves can be translated visually?

The German ecologist Jakob von Uexküll called these impenetrable worlds umwelten. To truly translate animal language, we would need to step into that animal’s umwelt – and then, what of us would be imprinted on her, or her on us? “If a lion could talk,” writes Stephen Budiansky, revising Wittgenstein’s famous aphorism in Philosophical Investigations, “we probably could understand him. He just would not be a lion any more.” We should ask, then, how speaking with other beings might change us.

Talking to another species might be very like talking to alien life. It’s no coincidence that Ceti echoes Nasa’s Seti – Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence – Institute. In fact, a Seti team recorded the whup/throp exchange, on the basis that learning to speak with whales may help us if we ever meet intelligent extraterrestrials. In Denis Villeneuve’s movie Arrival, whale-like aliens communicate via a script in which the distinction between past, present and future times collapses. For Louise, the linguist who translates the script, learning Heptapod lifts her mind out of linear time and into a reality in which her own past and future are equally available.

The film mentions Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf’s theory of linguistic determinism – the idea that our experience of reality is encoded in language – to explain this. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis was dismissed in the mid-20th century, but linguists have since argued that there may be some truth to it. Pormpuraaw speakers in northern Australia refer to time moving from east to west, rather than forwards or backwards as in English, making time indivisible from the relationship between their body and the land.

Whale songs are born from an experience of time that is radically different to ours. Humpbacks can project their voices over miles of open water; their songs span the widest oceans. Imagine the swell of oceanic feeling on which such sounds are borne. Speaking whale would expand our sense of space and time into a planetary song. I imagine we’d think very differently about polluting the ocean soundscape so carelessly.

Where it counts, we are perfectly able to understand what nature has to say; the problem is, we choose not to. As incredible as it would be to have a conversation with another species, we ought to listen better to what they are already telling us.

David Farrier is the author of Nature’s Genius: Evolution’s Lessons for a Changing Planet (Canongate)."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/01/were-close-to-translating-animal-languages-what-happens-then
#metaglossia_mundus

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Whether it is the translation and dissemination of Chinese wartime literature abroad, or the resonance sparked in China by foreign literary works on World War II, both reflect the shared aspiration for peace among people around the world. At the same time, they bear witness to the ongoing exchanges between Chinese and foreign literature. Let us explore the global journey of these classic works and rediscover their enduring literary charm and spiritual strength.

 

"Retracing the journey of mutual translation of Chinese and foreign anti-fascist literature

Aspirations for peace

By Zhang Pengyu

Published: May 28, 2025 11:25 PM

Daughters And Sons

Editor's Note:

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Whether it is the translation and dissemination of Chinese wartime literature abroad, or the resonance sparked in China by foreign literary works on World War II, both reflect the shared aspiration for peace among people around the world. At the same time, they bear witness to the ongoing exchanges between Chinese and foreign literature. Let us explore the global journey of these classic works and rediscover their enduring literary charm and spiritual strength.

 

The Field of Life and Death and Tales of Hulan River

 

Chinese anti-aggression literature: A full display of national integrity

 

Hailed as the "Literary Goddess of the 1930s," Chinese writer Xiao Hong is best known for her signature work The Field of Life and Death, a searing indictment of the atrocities committed by Japanese invaders and a striking expression of national consciousness. First published in December 1935, the book cemented Xiao Hong's place in the history of modern Chinese literature. Lu Xun, one of the most revered 20th-century writers in China, included the novel in one of his series and praised the work for capturing "the resilience of the northern people in life and their struggle against death," noting especially the author's "delicate observations and unorthodox style" deeply impressed him.

 

Overseas, US sinologist Howard Goldblatt developed a particular fascination with Xiao Hong. In 1971, he entered the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature at Indiana University to pursue his PhD, and chose Xiao Hong, who was then little known in the US, the subject of his research. In 1974, he completed his dissertation, which later formed the basis of the first comprehensive study of Xiao Hong in the West, Hsiao Hung, published in 1976.

 

This work played a crucial role in introducing Xiao Hong, who is also known as Hsiao Hung in the West, to the international literary community. The book went through multiple revisions, during which Goldblatt conducted interviews with Xiao Jun, Duanmu Hongliang, Shu Qun, Luo Bingji, Luo Feng, and Bai Lang - all individuals closely connected to Xiao Hong's life and times.

 

German sinologist Wolfgang Kubin offers an in-depth analysis of The Field of Life and Death in his book The History of 20th Century Chinese Literature. He argues that the novel not only depicts the Japanese invasion, but also elevates the idea of the "field" into a symbolic space. This symbolic power, he notes, is achieved through the novel's vivid imagery and masterful technique.

 

The strong visual quality of The Field of Life and Death gives it clear potential for theatrical adaptation. In 2004, a stage version directed by Tian Qinxin premiered to audiences in China. The following year, this was performed in South Korea by local actors in an intimate theater setting, where it strongly resonated with local audiences.

 

While The Field of Life and Death focuses on rural life, Four Generations Under One Roof turns its gaze toward the city.

 

"Judging from the novel's theme and structure, it is clear that Lao She set out to write an epic work, modeled on 19th-century European historical novels like War and Peace," remarked literary scholar David Der-wei Wang. As Chinese writer Lao She's longest novel, Four Generations Under One Roof is rich in meaning and detail, widely regarded as a monumental classic in the history of modern Chinese literature and an integral part of global anti-fascist literary heritage.

 

 

 

Lotus Creek and Other Stories

 

Set in a traditional Beijing alley called Xiaoyangjuan Hutong, the novel vividly portrays the lives and resistance of ordinary people in Japanese-occupied Beijing during Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Lao She painfully described how the cultural dignity of the ancient capital was trampled under the boots of Japanese forces, and how generations of peace-loving Chinese people were driven to the point of awakening, resistance, and ultimately, moral renewal.

 

The English translation of Four Generations Under One Roof was completed with the direct involvement of Lao She himself. In 1946, invited by the US Department of State, Lao She traveled to the US to give lectures. During his stay, he completed the third volume of the novel, Famine, and collaborated with US writer and social activist Ida Pruitt to translate the work into English under the title The Yellow Storm.

 

Ida Pruitt was born in China to missionary parents. After returning to the US, she joined the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives movement, launched by figures such as Edgar Snow, in support of China's resistance against aggression. Although she could not read Chinese, she could speak fluently. Lao She would read passages aloud, and Pruitt would translate them into English, confirming the meaning with him as they worked through the text together.

 

In February 1951, the English version of Four Generations Under One Roof was published. On February 11, The New York Times and New York Herald Tribune both ran reviews of the book. US writer Pearl S. Buck remarked that Lao She's firmly rooted Chinese perspective enabled Four Generations Under One Roof to "transcend a single nation, a single war, or a single era."

 

French Nobel laureate Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio held Lao She's work in high regard. In the preface to the 1996 French edition of this work, Le Clezio referred to Lao She as a "teacher." Though Four Generations Under One Roof is a novel about war, it ultimately transcends war itself. The book has since been translated into Japanese, Russian, and several other languages.

 

 

 

The Chinese version of The Moon Is Down

 

Foreign World War II literature: A multidimensional depiction of war and humanity

 

During the World Anti-Fascist War, a US writer's anti-war novel resonated widely in China. The novel was The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck, a renowned US novelist and a Nobel Prize laureate, enjoyed immense popularity in China during the 1940s, rivaling even Ernest Hemingway in fame.

 

The Moon Is Down was published by the literary star in 1942. It is an anti-war novel set in a small town in Northern Europe, depicting the local people's resistance against German fascist invasion. The author drew inspiration from firsthand accounts of refugees who had witnessed wartime's painful reality, the novel thus carries echoes of real-life struggles. Upon its release, The Moon Is Down quickly sold 500,000 copies and was adapted into both a play and a film.

 

Steinbeck's novel also attracted extensive attention from the Chinese intellectual community. The very next year after its publication, at least five Chinese translations emerged, including ones by translators such as Hu Zhongchi, Zhao Jiabi and Liu Zunqi.

 

Among these translators, Zhao had mostly profound interest in US literature. He developed such an interest as early as the 1930s, having immersed himself in Steinbeck's works including Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. In 1942, he encountered The Moon Is Down and devoured it in a single sitting. The novel's depiction of invaders' brutal oppression and the resilience of people being oppressed struck Zhao with uncanny familiarity - as if Steinbeck had written about China's own wartime story. This powerful resonance compelled Zhao deeply. 

 

The emergence of anti-fascist literature in the Soviet Union almost coincided with the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. During the war, over 1,000 ­Soviet literary figures joined the Red Army and guerrilla forces, while numerous writers supported frontline efforts from the rear. Writers who experienced the war firsthand or participated indirectly produced a remarkable body of internationally acclaimed anti-fascist literature.

 

China's translation and introduction of these works were remarkably timely. From its inaugural issue in May 1941 until the victory in its War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Jiefang Daily that was established in Yan'an published 152 translated Soviet literary works and related critical essays. Between 1980 and 2005, nearly 100 Chinese translations of novels on the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War were published.  

 

The Dawns Here Are Quiet stands out as the most popular among them. It was written by Boris Vasilyev. The story follows a sergeant and five female military warriors who engage in a desperate struggle against enemy forces in a dense forest. As each of the five vibrant young women - distinct in personality yet united in courage - falls in battle, a profound sense of tragedy and heroism emerges.

 

In 1977, after the relaunch of the journal World Literature, the book was serialized as a featured work in its first two issues. The novella's first standalone Chinese edition was published in 1980 by the Hunan People's Publishing House, followed by multiple reprints under the People's Literature Publishing House, becoming a long-term bestseller. In 2023, the Shanghai Translation Publishing House released a fresh translation, reintroducing the classic to a new generation of readers.

 

The Dawns Here Are Quiet has demonstrated remarkable artistic vitality through its adaptations into film, television series, picture books, and stage plays - reaching audiences far beyond the original readership. In 2015, the 70th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, China's National Centre for the Performing Arts premiered an original opera adaptation of the work, which later toured Russia in 2018.

 

The enduring impact of the original work stems fundamentally from Vasilyev's firsthand experience as a combatant during wartime, which enabled his unflinchingly authentic portrayal of war's brutality. More significantly, he achieved an extraordinary artistic synthesis - seamlessly fusing the grandeur of a heroic epic with the intimacy of lyricism.

 

German anti-fascist literature has also gained remarkable prominence in China, with Günter Grass's The Tin Drum standing as its most celebrated representative.

 

This novel, published in 1959, immediately garnered critical acclaim. Its 1963 English edition remained on The New York Times bestseller list for nine consecutive weeks, and the 1980 film adaptation won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The Nobel Prize committee hailed it as "one of the most significant literary works since World War II."

 

The novel follows the life journey of a boy named Oskar, who decides to stop growing after experiencing family and wartime trauma. In 1990, translator Hu Qiding's translation of this novel was published by the Shanghai Translation Publishing House. It caused a sensation, sparking a nationwide trend in China of emulating Grass's distinctive dark humor.

 

 

 

The Chinese version of Schindler's List

 

Mentioning The Tin Drum, it brings to mind another novel that was even more influential worldwide. The book Schindler's Ark was written by Australian writer Thomas Keneally.

 

Based on true events, the novel, whose US edition was titled Schindler's List, profoundly explores why Oskar Schindler, a Nazi Party member, risked everything to save upwards of 1,000 Jewish ­laborers. Keneally masterfully portrays his protagonist shifting between "righteous gentile" and "complicit opportunist," crafting a morally ­ambiguous yet ultimately heroic figure.

 

The book's Chinese translator was Feng Tao, the editorial director at the Shanghai Translation Publishing House. He once shared a story describing how he had arrived in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, as a student in 1995. The timing coincided with the release of the film Don't Cry, Nanking (the old translated name of Nanjing), which left him emotionally unsettled just as much as the movie Schindler's List had done.

 

Feng then felt that he wanted to do something after watching Don't Cry, Nanking. With meticulous care, he undertook the translation of Schindler's Ark. The Chinese edition, first published in 2009, has since undergone multiple reprints, selling approximately 80,000 copies.

 

These works mentioned above represent merely the tip of the iceberg in the vast ocean of global anti-fascist literature, within which many of them have been translated and published in China. These texts, imbued with profound moral urgency and unyielding righteousness, have served as calls to resistance and profound reflections on war's distortion,  and encouraged people nowadays to pursue justice, harmony and freedom.

 

The author is a reporter with the People's Daily Overseas Edition"

 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1335049.shtml

#metaglossia_mundus

"Banu Mushtaq's ‘Heart Lamp’ to be translated into 47 languages

This is also the first time that a short story collection has won the prestigious prize Booker prize.

 

BENGALURU: The anthology of short stories, ‘Heart Lamp’, which won the International Booker Prize, will be translated into 35 global languages and 12 Indian languages, said author Banu Mushtaq at a felicitation organised by the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), Bahuroopi Publications and Gandhi Foundation, here on Wednesday.

 

She said the stories will be made into movies, for which the rights have been acquired. “So much material is within us and this has to be made familiar to others. We have read their stories and novels and we practised their way of life for so long. But now, there is a need to familiarise them with our way of life, our ideologies and our characters and situations,” she added.

 

Congratulating her, KV Prabhakar, media advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said, “At a time when disruptive forces, fanaticism and fundamentalism are destroying the world, I appreciate that the Booker International Prize has been awarded to Banu Mushtaq for her fusion of humanity and Indianness.”

 

KUWJ president Shivanand Tagadur said, “The award brings a lot of pride to Kannada and to us as she was first a journalist and later became a lawyer, an activist and everything that she is today. I feel that being a journalist for a decade fuelled her power and courage.”

 

Writer, lawyer and activist Banu Mushtaq scripted history by becoming the first Kannada author to win the International Booker Prize with her anthology Heart Lamp. This is also the first time that a short story collection has won the prestigious prize."

Updated on: 

29 May 2025, 3:32 am

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2025/May/29/banu-mushtaqs-heart-lamp-to-be-translated-into-47-languages

#metaglossia_mundus 

"May 28th, 2025

Translations of city resources to become more culturally accessible through new partnerships

Avery Bleichfeld

New partnerships between the city of Boston and three community-based organizations aim to improve the translations of municipal documents.

 

Those contracted agreements with the Immigrant Family Services Institute, the Vietnamese American Civic Association, and the Asian American Civic Association will increase community understanding and better inform the city’s populations that don’t speak English as a first language.

 

“Knowledge is power and being able to know and understand what’s happening at the city level is really important for community members,” said Jennifer Pamphile, chief of programs at the Immigrant Family Services Institute, which will be providing reviews for resources in Haitian Creole.

 

 

 

The new agreements don’t create a pathway for new translations but rather create another level of review in the existing process to improve how documents are translated specifically for a Boston audience.

 

Generally, resources produced by the city’s various offices and departments are translated by Rosetta Languages, a Malden-based interpretation and translation company that contracts with the city.

 

Under the partnerships, in subject areas for which the city identifies a particular need, those translated resources will then be shared with the community-based organizations who will engage with the residents they work with to determine how factors like language history, religion, or community identity impact the way language is used locally, and what will be best understood by residents.

 

The partnerships looked to bring in organizations that “really had their boots on the ground and understood how the different parts — culture, religion, identity — affected the way that those communities in Boston use their language, or understood the language that is being used,” said Jeniffer Vivar Wong, the city’s director of the Office of Language and Communications Access.

 

Those reviews are also intended to streamline the process later. Once the version that the community-based organizations assess for cultural accessibility is completed and returned, the organization will meet with the city to share feedback and rationales that will be incorporated into how Rosetta Languages translates materials on similar subject matters the next time, Vivar Wong said.

 

The additional feedback is intended to take into account local cultural differences, as well as fill gaps where a foreign language might not, at a standardized level, have specific words or translations for some of the concepts the city is producing resources about. Vivar Wong gave the example of language around LGBTQ+ communities in Haitian Creole.

 

“In some languages … the words that we use here in the U.S. — such as removing gender from certain words, or we have words like nonbinary or queer — they may not exist or are still in development in different countries because of religious history or whatever it may be,” Vivar Wong said.

 

It’s also about making decisions not just on behalf of communities, but with their input, she said.

 

“On paper, it may just look like it’s a correct translation, but when it gets to the community, I feel like they will be feeling that they’re being seen, heard by the government that represents them and serves them,” Vivar Wong said.

 

The city’s new effort was well received by leaders from the community-based organizations working with the city through these partnerships.

 

Pamphile called it “refreshing” and said the support from the city is a welcome display of allyship as community-based organizations work to best support the residents they work with.

 

“The one thing I think is universal in CBOs is that we know that this work, we cannot do it alone,” Pamphile said. “You cannot be everything to everyone. You need partners; you need allies in this work in order to be successful.”

 

The organizations said they anticipate a host of benefits that will come out of the more culturally relevant translations.

 

Perhaps chief among them is the increased understanding and engagement that they hope it will foster.

 

“If you are not addressing the people right, they’ll feel excluded,” said Kamran Anjum, associate director of the Vietnamese American Civic Association which is partnering with the city to provide Vietnamese translation reviews. “The civic engagement of the Vietnamese population is going to … increase.”

 

Anjum said he expects that residents of the city’s Vietnamese community will also see better trust in the municipal government and improved access to city services.

 

“They would know what actual service is being offered, and they can plan accordingly,” he said.

 

Making a more knowledgeable community will allow residents to better engage and communicate their needs, Pamphile said.

 

“A lot of the times, a lot of the things that we do in the city, a lot of the things that we do as community-based organizations, we want to know that we’re being responsive to community needs,” she said. “How can you be responsive if the community doesn’t actually know what’s going on?”

 

And they said improved translations will help with emergency preparations and community safety. Top of mind for representatives at the community organizations was the COVID-19 pandemic and the experience of trying to communicate information about the public health crisis to residents who didn’t speak English as a first language.

 

“During COVID, everybody had a lot of questions and concerns about the vaccines and how to just basically exist in public,” said Aden Makris, grants and development coordinator at the Asian American Civic Association, which is providing translation review in Simplified and Traditional Chinese. “I think having that firsthand language experience and that connection with the actual population of speakers is super crucial.”

 

That sort of emergency situation is when “the systems are tested to their limits,” Anjum said.

 

More broadly, for immigrants who speak little to no English, those language barriers can present a challenge that forces them to stay in their own shell, Makris said.

 

“They’re very cut off from the rest of the world because language is too much of a barrier to do anything, really. So they tend to be very secluded, very, probably uninformed about what’s going on,” Makris said. “I think that there’s a very real social dimension to this as well.”

 

For the Immigrant Family Services Institute, many community members the group works with regularly speak little to no English, Pamphile said. That the information being disseminated by the city directly impacts their lives, and therefore must overcome those barriers, means that, for the organization, this work strikes a chord.

 

“We are sensitive to that and recognizing how people come with so many skills, but with the language piece — not being able to speak English and communicate in this language — sometimes can be such a hindrance for folks, this translation activity is that much more important for us in terms of how we work with people,” Pamphile said.

 

Leaders from the community-based organizations also said that previous translations of city materials have used language that didn’t communicate the right message, even if the words were translated directly.

 

Thuan Tran, executive director at the Vietnamese American Civic Association, said she recalled a Boston Public Schools document called “Pathway to Registration.” When it was translated to Vietnamese, the title read, approximately, “Registration Street,” she said (the Banner could not independently identify a document by that name, but there is a district document titled “Road to Registration”).

 

“They translated ‘pathway’ to become ‘street,’ and then it has a completely different meaning because it doesn’t capture ‘how to apply,’” Tran said.

 

The community groups involved in the partnership said they’re celebrating the steps the city is taking but hope that it’s the first of more efforts to better communicate with community members who don’t primarily speak English.

 

Pamphile said that this partnership is a critical start. She called it “great first, second, third steps,” but would like to see more open forums for community members to be able to engage with the information the city will put out through these translations in their native language.

 

Makris said he could see the program is well-suited to serve other communities across the state with populations that predominantly don’t speak English.

 

“At a larger level — at the state level, and particularly in other cities that have high immigrant numbers, I’m thinking of Brockton, Quincy, Malden, things like that — this would be an interesting project,” Makris said.

 

The city, too, sees room to grow, Vivar Wong said.

 

Future steps, she said, will also include taking into account how other cultural differences around visual design — for example, things like color choice for text — might impact how different language groups will understand and interpret city resources beyond just the words that are used.

 

She said the city is looking to expand the list of which languages they partner with community-based organizations to review. Currently, the agreements cover four languages, but there’s a list of 12 “threshold languages” that the city wants to offer this kind of improved translation.

 

The city defines those threshold languages as ones where the speaker population includes at least 1,000 individuals who speak English “less than very well”, according to the United States Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

 

Overall, this effort, as well as the future steps it hopes to take, is an effort to move toward what Vivar Wong called “language justice.”

 

“We’re kind of recognizing that every language has an equal footing,” she said. “No language is above any other, and you can just build a space where anyone can come together and interact freely.”

https://baystatebanner.com/2025/05/28/translations-of-city-resources-to-become-more-culturally-accessible-through-new-partnerships/

#metaglossia_mundus 

Lorenzo Tenisci, figure bien connue des réseaux sociaux pour ses traductions musicales virales, franchit une nouvelle étape dans sa carrière en lançant son tout premier single intitulé Je traduis. Cumulant près de 1,5 million d’abonnés et plus de 156 millions de vues, l’influenceur est désormais aussi auteur-interprète. Avec ce titre, Lorenzo transforme son amour des mots et de la musique en une création personnelle, où il exprime ses rêves et ses émotions.

 

La chanson, coécrite avec le chanteur Antoine Délie, débute sur un piano délicat avant d’atteindre un sommet émotionnel dans un final intense. Ce passage du format court des vidéos à l’écriture d’un morceau complet marque une évolution artistique significative. Habitué à mettre en lumière les hits du moment et à interviewer des artistes tels que Mentissa ou Chiloo, Lorenzo se place aujourd’hui sur le devant de la scène. Je traduis est bien plus qu’un titre : c’est une déclaration d’identité, entre vulnérabilité assumée et passion affirmée.

 

La sortie de ce single confirme la volonté de Lorenzo Tenisci de se faire une place dans l’univers musical francophone. Loin de se contenter de ses succès numériques, il choisit ici de prendre la parole avec sincérité. Cette première chanson reflète le cheminement d’un passionné qui ose enfin se lancer pleinement dans la création.

 

La participation d’Antoine Délie à l’écriture confère au morceau une profondeur mélodique et textuelle remarquée. L’instrumentale, tout en progression, accompagne l’évolution du message : une montée vers l’affirmation de soi. Pour un premier essai, Lorenzo offre une œuvre touchante et maîtrisée, qui ouvre une nouvelle porte dans sa trajectoire artistique.

Avec Je traduis, Lorenzo Tenisci transforme son rôle de passeur de chansons en celui de créateur. Ce premier single marque un tournant prometteur pour un influenceur devenu chanteur, bien décidé à faire entendre sa propre voix. À découvrir dès maintenant...

https://actuanews.fr/2025/06/01/lorenzo-tenisci-passe-de-la-traduction-a-la-creation-avec-je-traduis/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"Google says it will appeal online search antitrust decision
May 31 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab on Saturday said it will appeal an antitrust decision under which a federal judge proposed less aggressive ways to restore online search competition than the 10-year regime suggested by antitrust enforcers
"We will wait for the Court's opinion. And we still strongly believe the Court's original decision was wrong, and look forward to our eventual appeal," Google said in a post on X, opens new tab.
Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington heard closing arguments on Friday at a trial on proposals to address Google's illegal monopoly in online search and related advertising.
In April, a federal judge said that Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, with the U.S. Department of Justice saying that Google should sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company's publisher ad server and its ad exchange.
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The DOJ and a coalition of states want Google to share search data and cease multibillion-dollar payments to Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab and other smartphone makers to be the default search engine on new devices.
Antitrust enforcers are concerned about how Google's search monopoly gives it an advantage in artificial intelligence products like Gemini and vice versa.
John Schmidtlein, an attorney for Google, said at the hearing that while generative AI is influencing how search looks, Google has addressed any concerns about competition in AI by no longer entering exclusive agreements with wireless carriers and smartphone makers including Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), opens new tab, leaving them free to load rival search and AI apps on new devices.
Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Alistair Bell"

By Reuters
May 31, 20254:42 PM GMT+1Updated 16 hours ago
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/google-says-it-will-appeal-online-search-antitrust-decision-2025-05-31/
#metaglossia_mundus

Translations help in significantly enhancing cultural interactions and enriching the tapestry of global diversity.

 

"Translations are Vital for Understanding between Linguistic Communities

 

 

 

 

IN THE BACKDROP OF TWO BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE, NAMELY HEART LAMP BY BANU MUSHTAQ AND TOMB OF SAND BY GEETANJALI SREE, WHICH ARE BEING TRANSLATED INTO ODIA AND PUBLISHED BY DHAULI BOOKS

 

 

 

 

Translations from a diverse range of Indian languages can greatly enhance your linguistic skills in multiple ways. They provide access to new vocabulary, phrases, and expressions, helping to fill in gaps for concepts or ideas that may lack direct equivalents in your native language.

 

 

 

 

For instance, when translating technical or scientific documents from languages like Hindi or Tamil into a regional language such as Kannada, it can lead to the creation of new terms and expressions that enrich the language.

 

 

 

 

What’s more, translating works of literature, folklore, or poetry from languages like Bengali, Malayalam, or Punjabi introduces a variety of cultural viewpoints, which can deepen the emotional depth and broaden the perspectives of speakers in your language. Additionally, being exposed to different sentence structures, idioms, and grammatical subtleties from other Indian languages can spark creativity and inspire new ways of expression, making your language more dynamic and versatile.

 

 

 

 

Translating ancient or lesser-known texts from languages such as Sanskrit, Pali, or Odia into contemporary Indian languages is vital for the preservation of cultural heritage. This translation process significantly enhances accessibility, allowing a broader audience to engage with these important works.

 

 

 

 

Likewise, it reignites interest in the historical foundations of one’s own language, fostering a deeper appreciation for its evolution. By connecting the past with the present, these translations play an essential role in sustaining the rich traditions and philosophies that define our cultural identity, ensuring they are passed down to future generations.

 

 

 

 

Translations are essential in promoting understanding between various linguistic communities, as they help dismantle language barriers and encourage a feeling of togetherness. By facilitating communication, translations allow people from different backgrounds to engage with one another and exchange ideas, which significantly enhances cultural interactions and enriches the tapestry of global diversity.

 

 

 

 

Integrating elements from various Indian languages not only broadens the adaptability and richness of your language but also cultivates a stronger bond with the vast linguistic variety that India presents.

 

Bhaskar Parichha

 

May 31, 2025

 

(The author is a senior journalist and columnist. Views expressed are personal.)"

 

 

 

 

https://odisha.plus/2025/05/translations-are-vital-for-understanding-in-linguistic-communities/

 

#metaglossia_mundus 

Cinéma : Anaïs Duchet, traductrice, murmure à l’oreille des stars
"Née à Poitiers, elle a co-créé l’Association des traducteurs/adaptateurs de l’audiovisuel. Dans le cadre de son métier, elle a aussi assuré la traduction d’entretiens avec Coppola, Scorsese, Tarantino, Demi Moore, etc. Rencontre.
Née à Poitiers, Anaïs Duchet a co-créé l’Association des traducteurs/adaptateurs de l’audiovisuel. Dans le cadre de son métier, elle a aussi assuré la traduction d’entretiens avec Coppola, Scorsese, Tarantino, Demi Moore, etc. Rencontre.

Comment est né votre goût pour les langues étrangères ?

Anaïs Duchet : « Je suis née à Poitiers dans le quartier Saint-Hilaire, à l’ancien presbytère là où il y a un cèdre du Liban qui doit être vieux de plusieurs siècles. J’ai grandi dans un véritable bain linguistique qui m’a forcément influencée : mon père était prof d’anglais et maman traductrice indépendante. Ils se sont d’ailleurs rencontrés à l’université de Poitiers. Elle traduisait de beaux livres sur les volcans, les forêts tropicales, les baleines et puis aussi des romans. Avec mon petit frère qui est décédé aujourd’hui, il nous arrivait de jouer dans l’immense jardin avec les petits voisins du palier d’en face : Thomas et Benjamin Lavernhe. Avec Benjamin, il nous est arrivé de nous retrouver à boire un verre à Cannes et de nous dire que c’était dingue que ces deux gamins du 4, rue Saint-Hilaire, pas du tout destinés à cet univers, se retrouvent au Festival de Cannes. »

Comment est née votre passion pour le cinéma ?

« Par ma maman qui était très cinéphile. À la maison, on avait environ 300 cassettes avec deux films d’auteur sur chacune. Sa seule religion – elle était anticléricale– c’était ça. En regardant les classiques en VO, je me suis construit une culture. Comme elle critiquait souvent les sous-titres, ça m’a sensibilisée à ce qu’est une bonne traduction, une bonne adaptation. Ma mère travaillait à la maison mais jamais le soir. Alors on s’installait devant la télé avec mon frère et on regardait un bon film tous ensemble. Nous deux avions souvent envie de revoir nos préférés, mais ma mère nous en suggérait d’autres. Lorsque mes parents ont vu mon nom au générique du premier film que j’ai sous-titré, ils étaient très fiers. C’était L’Irlandais avec Brendan Gleeson et Don Cheadle en 2011. »

Vous souvenez-vous de votre première émotion de cinéma ?

« C’est la première fois que je suis allée au Castille à Poitiers. J’avais 5 ans et j’ai vu Fantasia. Je me souviens avoir été totalement émerveillée même si je n’avais pas tout compris. Sinon Mary Poppins est un grand souvenir de mon enfance. »

Le regard de Demi Moore
Qu’est-ce qui a mené à la création de l’Association des traducteurs/adaptateurs de l’audiovisuel et quelle est sa vocation ?

« En 2006 la profession s’est inquiétée de la dégringolade des tarifs due à l’arrivée de multinationales qui voulaient faire des économies sous des prétextes de volumes : il y avait des catalogues entiers de DVD à traduire, ils pensaient : vous avez la quantité, donc du travail assuré, mais vous serez payés moins cher. Pour lutter contre ça, nous avons créé une association permettant d’uniformiser l’information et les tarifs. On a réussi à arrêter la dégringolade et je suis fière d’avoir personnellement créé un événement fédérateur qui valorise nos métiers en incluant les distributeurs, les laboratoires, les chaînes, etc. Ça s’appelle Les Prix ATAA. La prochaine soirée a lieu le 5 juin à la Sacem car nous en sommes sociétaires puisqu’on nous considère comme les héritiers des pianistes qui accompagnaient les films au temps du muet. »

Comment se passe l’écriture des sous-titrages ou des dialogues de doublage ?

« Pour le sous-titrage, c’est le directeur technique du distributeur, celui qui s’occupe des copies, qui lance les travaux de doublage auprès d’un studio ou d’un laboratoire de sous-titrage. Je reçois un fichier vidéo protégé, parfois pas terminé. Le découpage, sous forme de cases vides, est déjà fait. Mais je peux le modifier car la manière dont je vais traduire influe sur le découpage. Pour respecter le confort de lecture du spectateur, je n’ai droit qu’à 15 signes par seconde, espaces compris. Un film est bien sous-titré si on a l’impression de l’avoir vu dans sa langue et si le confort de lecture est respecté – on oublie qu’on a lu les sous-titres. C’est comme lorsqu’on met des lunettes : au début ça gêne et puis on finit par les oublier. Mais on gagne tellement à entendre la musicalité d’une langue ! Et il y a tant de choses qui passent par la voix et le jeu. Quand on traduit, on traduit du sens, on respecte l’esprit, pas la lettre. C’est pour ça que l’intelligence artificielle ne pourra jamais remplacer un sous-titreur : un dialogue n’est pas un code à craquer. »

Combien y a-t-il de traducteurs adaptateurs en France ?

« À l’association, nous sommes 700. Ça inclut sous-titrage, doublage, voice-over de documentaire et audiodescription. Ce sont tous des métiers d’auteur. »

Comment êtes-vous devenue en plus interprète pour les interventions publiques des talents ?

« Un peu par hasard. En 2016, à l’occasion de l’avant-première de Captain Fantastic avec Viggo Mortensen, le distributeur a eu besoin d’un interprète en urgence. Comme j’avais créé les sous-titres, je connaissais parfaitement le film et le réalisateur Matt Ross. J’avais pris un cours à Poitiers de quelques semaines d’interprétation consécutive et j’avais adoré. J’ai sauté sur l’occasion et dans la foulée, j’ai postulé pour devenir l’interprète officielle de la Quinzaine des réalisateurs à Cannes, j’ai été prise et je le suis restée jusqu’à l’année dernière. »

Comment se prépare-t-on à une mission de traduction consécutive ?

« Je n’ai pas vraiment de stress à parler en public mais j’ai envie de bien rendre la parole de la personne que je traduis. Alors j’écoute des entretiens passés pour m’habituer à son phrasé et lors de la prestation, pendant qu’il ou elle s’exprime, j’écris des mots-clés directement dans la langue. C’est un travail où il y a de l’intimité car on répète les questions à l’oreille de l’artiste. Avec Scorsese, j’ai ressenti beaucoup d’attention, d’un regard il vérifiait quand il devait me laisser la parole. Laura Dern posait son poignet sur mon bras pour un contact direct. Pareil pour Demi Moore récemment : je n’avais pas eu l’occasion de la voir avant son entrée en scène et en plongeant simplement son regard vert dans le mien, beaucoup de bienveillance est passée. À force de contacts, on peut même développer une sorte de lien, presque une amitié avec certains comme, dans mon cas, avec Ruben Östlund qui a reçu la Palme d’or en 2022 pour Sans filtre. Je n’ai connu qu’une expérience désagréable, c’était avec Abel Ferrara : il était déjà odieux avec tout le monde en coulisses, puis il m’a empêchée de faire mon travail se lançant dans un interminable monologue et disant qu’il n’y avait pas besoin de traduction. »

Comment s’est passé votre festival de Cannes 2025 ?

« C’était ma première année en free-lance et ça s’est très bien passé. J’ai eu principalement des missions d’accompagnement d’équipes françaises ou francophones sur des interviews pour la presse internationale. Certains artistes sont bilingues, mais préfèrent le confort de la traduction, d’autant qu’ils sont souvent fatigués. J’ai entre autres travaillé sur le film de Laura Wandel L’Intérêt d’Adam avec Léa Drucker, sur 13 jours, 13 nuits de Martin Bourboulon avec Roschdy Zem et Lyna Khoudri. »"
Par Jacques BRINAIRE
Publié le 01/06/2025 à 07:00
mis à jour le 01/06/2025 à 07:00
https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/a-la-une/cinema-anais-duchet-traductrice-murmure-a-l-oreille-des-stars-1748554390
#metaglossia_mundus

"Hajj 1446: Le sermon d’Arafat sera traduit en 35 langues

Maroc Diplomatiqueil y a 1 jour

 

Le sermon d’Arafat sera traduit en 35 langues en faveur des musulmans des quatre coins du monde durant la saison du Hajj 1446/2025, afin d’enrichir l’expérience des pèlerins et de transmettre les valeurs de la modération et du juste milieu à l’échelle mondiale, a annoncé vendredi la présidence des affaires religieuses des deux Lieux Saints.

Dans une déclaration, le président des affaires religieuses de la Grande Mosquée de La Mecque (Al-Harâm) et de la Mosquée du Prophète, Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais, a indiqué que le sermon d’Arafat, qui sera traduit en 35 langues pour cette saison, prêche la fraternité entre les Hommes et les civilisations ainsi que la tolérance religieuse.

 

Lire aussi : Permis de Hajj: l’Arabie Saoudite impose des sanctions contre les contrevenants

 

La Cour suprême saoudienne avait annoncé que le rassemblement d’Arafat aura lieu jeudi 5 juin et que l’Aïd Al-Adha sera célébré le lendemain.

 

Les autorités saoudiennes œuvrent à améliorer les services proposés aux pèlerins en adoptant plusieurs mesures, notamment une technologie avancée basée sur des capteurs au sol et des lecteurs aux entrées, pour gérer et surveiller les foules aux entrées et sorties principales de la Mosquée sacrée.

 

Avec MAP"

https://maroc-diplomatique.net/hajj-1446-le-sermon-darafat-sera-traduit-en-35-langues/

#metaglossia_mundus