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Charles Tiayon
June 16, 10:12 PM
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A study in China found that AI can spontaneously develop human-like understanding of natural objects without being trained to do so. "Chinese researchers claim to have found evidence that large language models (LLMs) can comprehend and process natural objects like human beings. This, they suggest, is done spontaneously even without being explicitly trained to do so. According to the researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, some AIs (like ChatGPT or Gemini) can mirror a key part of human cognition, which is sorting information. Their study, published in Nature Machine Intelligence, investigated whether LLM models can develop cognitive processes similar to those of human object representation. Or, in other words, to find out if LLMs can recognize and categorize things based on function, emotion, environment, etc. LLMs created conceptual dimensions, just like humans
To discover if this is the case, the researchers gave AIs ‘odd-one-out’ tasks using either text (for ChatGPT-3.5) or images (for Gemini Pro Vision). To this end, they collected 4.7 million responses across 1,854 natural objects (like dogs, chairs, apples, and cars). They found that of the models created, sixty-six conceptual dimensions were created to organize objects, just the way humans would. These dimensions extended beyond basic categories (such as ‘food’) to encompass complex attributes, including texture, emotional relevance, and suitability for children. The scientists also found that multimodal models (combining text and image) aligned even more closely with human thinking, as AIs process both visual and semantic features simultaneously. Furthermore, the team discovered that brain scan data (neuroimaging) revealed an overlap between how AI and the human brain respond to objects. The findings are interesting and provide, it appears, evidence that AI systems might be capable of genuinely ‘understanding’ in a human-like way, rather than just mimicking responses. It also suggests that future AIs could have more intuitive, human-compatible reasoning, which is essential for robotics, education, and human-AI collaboration. However, it is also important to note that LLMs don’t understand objects the way humans do emotionally or experientially. AI understanding not based on lived experience
AIs work by recognizing patterns in language or images that often correspond closely to human concepts. While that may appear to be ‘understanding’ on the surface, it’s not based on lived experience or grounded sensory-motor interaction. Also, some parts of AI representations may correlate with brain activity, but this doesn’t mean they can ‘think’ like humans or share the same architecture. If anything, they can be thought of as more of a sophisticated facsimile of human pattern recognition rather than a thinking machine. LLMs are more like a mirror made from millions of books and pictures, reflecting those models at the user based on learned patterns. The study’s findings suggest that LLMs and humans might be converging on similar functional patterns, such as organizing the world into categories. This challenges the view that AIs can only ‘appear’ smart by repeating patterns in data. But, if, as the study argues, LLMS are starting to build conceptual models of the world independently, it would mean that we could be edging closer to artificial general intelligence (AGI)—a system that can think and reason across many tasks like a human."
Christopher McFadden
Jun 15, 2025 07:55 AM EST
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-information-sorting-mirrors-humans-chinese-study
#metaglossia_mundus
Researchers across Africa, Asia and the Middle East are building their own language models designed for local tongues, cultural nuance and digital independence
"In a high-stakes artificial intelligence race between the United States and China, an equally transformative movement is taking shape elsewhere. From Cape Town to Bangalore, from Cairo to Riyadh, researchers, engineers and public institutions are building homegrown AI systems, models that speak not just in local languages, but with regional insight and cultural depth.
The dominant narrative in AI, particularly since the early 2020s, has focused on a handful of US-based companies like OpenAI with GPT, Google with Gemini, Meta’s LLaMa, Anthropic’s Claude. They vie to build ever larger and more capable models. Earlier in 2025, China’s DeepSeek, a Hangzhou-based startup, added a new twist by releasing large language models (LLMs) that rival their American counterparts, with a smaller computational demand. But increasingly, researchers across the Global South are challenging the notion that technological leadership in AI is the exclusive domain of these two superpowers.
Instead, scientists and institutions in countries like India, South Africa, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are rethinking the very premise of generative AI. Their focus is not on scaling up, but on scaling right, building models that work for local users, in their languages, and within their social and economic realities.
“How do we make sure that the entire planet benefits from AI?” asks Benjamin Rosman, a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand and a lead developer of InkubaLM, a generative model trained on five African languages. “I want more and more voices to be in the conversation”.
Beyond English, beyond Silicon Valley
Large language models work by training on massive troves of online text. While the latest versions of GPT, Gemini or LLaMa boast multilingual capabilities, the overwhelming presence of English-language material and Western cultural contexts in these datasets skews their outputs. For speakers of Hindi, Arabic, Swahili, Xhosa and countless other languages, that means AI systems may not only stumble over grammar and syntax, they can also miss the point entirely.
“In Indian languages, large models trained on English data just don’t perform well,” says Janki Nawale, a linguist at AI4Bharat, a lab at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. “There are cultural nuances, dialectal variations, and even non-standard scripts that make translation and understanding difficult.” Nawale’s team builds supervised datasets and evaluation benchmarks for what specialists call “low resource” languages, those that lack robust digital corpora for machine learning.
It’s not just a question of grammar or vocabulary. “The meaning often lies in the implication,” says Vukosi Marivate, a professor of computer science at the University of Pretoria, in South Africa. “In isiXhosa, the words are one thing but what’s being implied is what really matters.” Marivate co-leads Masakhane NLP, a pan-African collective of AI researchers that recently developed AFROBENCH, a rigorous benchmark for evaluating how well large language models perform on 64 African languages across 15 tasks. The results, published in a preprint in March, revealed major gaps in performance between English and nearly all African languages, especially with open-source models.
Similar concerns arise in the Arabic-speaking world. “If English dominates the training process, the answers will be filtered through a Western lens rather than an Arab one,” says Mekki Habib, a robotics professor at the American University in Cairo. A 2024 preprint from the Tunisian AI firm Clusterlab finds that many multilingual models fail to capture Arabic’s syntactic complexity or cultural frames of reference, particularly in dialect-rich contexts.
Governments step in
For many countries in the Global South, the stakes are geopolitical as well as linguistic. Dependence on Western or Chinese AI infrastructure could mean diminished sovereignty over information, technology, and even national narratives. In response, governments are pouring resources into creating their own models.
Saudi Arabia’s national AI authority, SDAIA, has built ‘ALLaM,’ an Arabic-first model based on Meta’s LLaMa-2, enriched with more than 540 billion Arabic tokens. The United Arab Emirates has backed several initiatives, including ‘Jais,’ an open-source Arabic-English model built by MBZUAI in collaboration with US chipmaker Cerebras Systems and the Abu Dhabi firm Inception. Another UAE-backed project, Noor, focuses on educational and Islamic applications.
In Qatar, researchers at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and the Qatar Computing Research Institute, have developed the Fanar platform and its LLMs Fanar Star and Fanar Prime. Trained on a trillion tokens of Arabic, English, and code, Fanar’s tokenization approach is specifically engineered to reflect Arabic’s rich morphology and syntax.
India has emerged as a major hub for AI localization. In 2024, the government launched BharatGen, a public-private initiative funded with 235 crore (€26 million) initiative aimed at building foundation models attuned to India’s vast linguistic and cultural diversity. The project is led by the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay and also involves its sister organizations in Hyderabad, Mandi, Kanpur, Indore, and Madras. The programme’s first product, e-vikrAI, can generate product descriptions and pricing suggestions from images in various Indic languages. Startups like Ola-backed Krutrim and CoRover’s BharatGPT have jumped in, while Google’s Indian lab unveiled MuRIL, a language model trained exclusively on Indian languages. The Indian governments’ AI Mission has received more than180 proposals from local researchers and startups to build national-scale AI infrastructure and large language models, and the Bengaluru-based company, AI Sarvam, has been selected to build India’s first ‘sovereign’ LLM, expected to be fluent in various Indian languages.
In Africa, much of the energy comes from the ground up. Masakhane NLP and Deep Learning Indaba, a pan-African academic movement, have created a decentralized research culture across the continent. One notable offshoot, Johannesburg-based Lelapa AI, launched InkubaLM in September 2024. It’s a ‘small language model’ (SLM) focused on five African languages with broad reach: Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, isiZulu and isiXhosa.
“With only 0.4 billion parameters, it performs comparably to much larger models,” says Rosman. The model’s compact size and efficiency are designed to meet Africa’s infrastructure constraints while serving real-world applications. Another African model is UlizaLlama, a 7-billion parameter model developed by the Kenyan foundation Jacaranda Health, to support new and expectant mothers with AI-driven support in Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Xhosa, and Zulu.
India’s research scene is similarly vibrant. The AI4Bharat laboratory at IIT Madras has just released IndicTrans2, that supports translation across all 22 scheduled Indian languages. Sarvam AI, another startup, released its first LLM last year to support 10 major Indian languages. And KissanAI, co-founded by Pratik Desai, develops generative AI tools to deliver agricultural advice to farmers in their native languages.
The data dilemma
Yet building LLMs for underrepresented languages poses enormous challenges. Chief among them is data scarcity. “Even Hindi datasets are tiny compared to English,” says Tapas Kumar Mishra, a professor at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela in eastern India. “So, training models from scratch is unlikely to match English-based models in performance.”
Rosman agrees. “The big-data paradigm doesn’t work for African languages. We simply don’t have the volume.” His team is pioneering alternative approaches like the Esethu Framework, a protocol for ethically collecting speech datasets from native speakers and redistributing revenue back to further development of AI tools for under-resourced languages. The project’s pilot used read speech from isiXhosa speakers, complete with metadata, to build voice-based applications.
In Arab nations, similar work is underway. Clusterlab’s 101 Billion Arabic Words Dataset is the largest of its kind, meticulously extracted and cleaned from the web to support Arabic-first model training.
The cost of staying local
But for all the innovation, practical obstacles remain. “The return on investment is low,” says KissanAI’s Desai. “The market for regional language models is big, but those with purchasing power still work in English.” And while Western tech companies attract the best minds globally, including many Indian and African scientists, researchers at home often face limited funding, patchy computing infrastructure, and unclear legal frameworks around data and privacy.
“There’s still a lack of sustainable funding, a shortage of specialists, and insufficient integration with educational or public systems,” warns Habib, the Cairo-based professor. “All of this has to change.”
A different vision for AI
Despite the hurdles, what’s emerging is a distinct vision for AI in the Global South – one that favours practical impact over prestige, and community ownership over corporate secrecy.
“There’s more emphasis here on solving real problems for real people,” says Nawale of AI4Bharat. Rather than chasing benchmark scores, researchers are aiming for relevance: tools for farmers, students, and small business owners.
And openness matters. “Some companies claim to be open-source, but they only release the model weights, not the data,” Marivate says. “With InkubaLM, we release both. We want others to build on what we’ve done, to do it better.”
In a global contest often measured in teraflops and tokens, these efforts may seem modest. But for the billions who speak the world’s less-resourced languages, they represent a future in which AI doesn’t just speak to them, but with them."
Sibusiso Biyela, Amr Rageh and Shakoor Rather
20 May 2025
https://www.natureasia.com/en/nmiddleeast/article/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2025.65
#metaglossia_mundus
"Agence de presse Xinhua | 16. 06. 2025
Vêtu d'une veste traditionnelle Tang, complétée par une cravate ornée d'une exquise calligraphie chinoise, Joël Bellassen ne se contente pas de parler couramment le chinois : il vit et respire cette langue.
Depuis des décennies, ce Français passe sa vie à apprendre, à enseigner et à promouvoir la langue chinoise, dont il a fait une partie de son identité. Tout a commencé par un vif intérêt pour les caractères de la langue, qu'il a découvert pour la première fois en passant devant des restaurants chinois.
"Les caractères chinois ne sont pas seulement un outil", déclare-t-il à Xinhua. "Ils sont l'ADN de la culture chinoise".
M. Bellassen a été le premier inspecteur général de chinois au ministère de l'Education nationale et a dirigé l'élaboration du tout premier programme d'enseignement complet de cette langue, qui est actuellement utilisé dans toute la France.
Récemment, M. Bellassen est retourné à Beijing pour une visite académique organisée par le Centre mondial de sinologie de l'Université des langues et Cultures de Beijing, son alma mater, où il a approfondi ses études de chinois après avoir obtenu son diplôme de premier cycle en langue chinoise à Paris.
En 1969, M. Bellassen, alors âgé de 19 ans, a choisi de se spécialiser en chinois à l'Université Paris 8. Un choix inhabituel en France à l'époque, compte tenu des perspectives de carrière limitées associées à cette langue.
"C'était un défi", se souvient-il. "Ce qui m'a fasciné, c'est que j'apprenais quelque chose que personne d'autre n'osait faire".
En peu de temps, il est devenu passionné. Il a commencé à tracer des caractères et à enseigner à ses camarades de classe dès qu'il apprenait de nouveaux mots. Ce qui lui a même valu le surnom de "Chinois".
Pour M. Bellassen, la distance a toujours été synonyme d'opportunité.
"Des années 1970 à aujourd'hui, j'ai visité la Chine des centaines de fois", explique-t-il. "Chaque visite m'a permis d'approfondir ma compréhension de la culture chinoise. Plus j'en apprends, plus je réalise à quel point les caractères chinois sont indissociables de l'identité culturelle de la Chine".
Cette compréhension s'est davantage approfondie lors de sa visite des ruines de Yin à Anyang, dans la province chinoise du Henan (centre), en avril. Sur place, il y a vu les inscriptions sur os d'oracle, qui conservent des traces de la langue écrite chinoise d'il y a 3.000 ans.
Découvertes pour la première fois en 1899, les inscriptions sur os d'oracle font partie des quatre caractères les plus anciens du monde et ont été inscrites au Registre de la mémoire du monde de l'UNESCO.
"J'ai eu l'impression de faire un pèlerinage", indique M. Bellassen, en réfléchissant aux racines culturelles profondes de ces symboles anciens.
"Pour moi, les caractères chinois sont plus que des mots ; ce sont des réminiscences culturelles qui aident à expliquer ce qui semble impossible à traduire".
Selon lui, les caractères chinois possèdent même une dimension poétique.
"J'aime la poésie chinoise ancienne et les expressions idiomatiques à quatre caractères", explique M. Bellassen. "Ils résument des idées philosophiques profondes et complexes en seulement quelques caractères."
L'une des possessions les plus précieuses de M. Bellassen est une cravate dont les motifs sont inspirés du travail au pinceau du calligraphe chinois du XIVe siècle Zhao Mengfu. Offerte par un ami chinois, elle l'a accompagné dans d'innombrables déplacements universitaires.
"Les caractères eux-mêmes ont une beauté esthétique", précise-t-il, ajoutant qu'il s'est exercé à écrire son caractère chinois préféré, "wo", qui signifie "je", pendant des années.
M. Bellassen estime que l'apprentissage de l'écriture chinoise présente des avantages cognitifs uniques, en particulier pour les jeunes enfants.
"L'écriture des caractères aide à développer la coordination motrice, la conscience spatiale et le sens de l'organisation", explique-t-il. "Chaque trait a son importance ; chacun doit trouver sa place. C'est une façon différente d'entraîner à la fois la main et l'esprit".
De retour en France en 1975 après un programme d'échange de deux ans à Beijing, M. Bellassen a consacré les cinq décennies suivantes à introduire l'enseignement du chinois dans les salles de classe en France.
L'ouvrage intitulé "Méthode d'initiation à la langue et à l'écriture chinoises", compilé par ses soins, est devenu l'un des manuels de chinois les plus utilisés en France.
"La Chine a connu une modernisation rapide au cours des cinquante dernières années, mais ce qui est particulièrement remarquable, c'est le nombre de pratiques culturelles qui ont perduré", indique-t-il.
Un comportement artistique l'a étonné : dans un parc de Shanghai, il a pu voir un homme utiliser un grand pinceau, trempé dans l'eau, pour écrire des calligraphies sur le sol, appelées "dishu" en chinois. Généralement, les caractères sont amenés à disparaître lorsque l'eau sèche.
"C'est un phénomène culturel typiquement chinois", déclare-t-il. "Il reflète l'essence culturelle profonde de la Chine".
Son amour pour la culture chinoise va bien au-delà de la langue. Il est tombé amoureux de la cuisine chinoise - les boulettes de crevettes et les pattes de poulet de la cuisine cantonaise restent ses plats préférés. "Les Chinois et les Français accordent tous deux une grande attention à la nourriture", observe-t-il.
M. Bellassen espère depuis longtemps que davantage de personnes dans son propre pays apprendront à connaître la culture chinoise, en particulier la beauté des caractères chinois.
En 2019, à l'occasion du 55e anniversaire de l'établissement des relations diplomatiques entre la Chine et la France, il a participé au lancement du premier Festival des caractères chinois à Paris, qui mettait à l'honneur l'art du "dishu".
"J'espère que le festival deviendra un événement où les gens pourront découvrir de plus près la beauté des caractères chinois", ajoute-t-il. "Sans eux, je ne serais pas ce que je suis aujourd'hui"."
http://french.china.org.cn/china/txt/2025-06/16/content_117929959.htm
#metaglossia_mundus
"Le 16 juin. 2025 à 03h00 (TU) à jour le 16 juin. 2025 à 15h20 (TU)
Une initiative d'un collectif pour enseigner le patrimoine littéraire dans les langues régionales de France a reçu lundi un soutien inattendu, celui du secrétaire perpétuel de l'Académie française, Amin Maalouf.
M. Maalouf, écrivain franco-libanais, a été élu en 2023 à la tête d'une institution qui a pour mission de veiller au rayonnement et à l'intégrité de la langue française...
Ce dernier a écrit au Premier ministre, François Bayrou, et à la ministre de l'Éducation nationale, Elisabeth Borne, pour proposer un corpus d'œuvres en langues régionales destiné aux professeurs, afin de sensibiliser à la "richesse de la production littéraire" dans d'autres langues que le français.
"M. Maalouf, comme nous-mêmes, a la conviction qu'il est nécessaire que les élèves de France aient connaissance de ces trésors culturels", écrit le collectif à M. Bayrou, qui lui-même parle le béarnais.
"Je veux souligner à quel point le soutien d'Amin Maalouf est quelque chose de révolutionnaire. (...) Pour nous, c'est une chance extraordinaire...", a souligné lors d'une visioconférence lundi l'un des membres du collectif, le journaliste Michel Feltin-Palas.
"Ce qui le touche, c'est que notre démarche est universelle. Qu'est-ce qui est séparatiste? C'est le fait qu'il n'y aurait qu'un petit Basque qui connaîtrait la littérature basque, un petit Alsacien qui connaîtrait la littérature alsacienne. Alors que notre démarche s'adresse à tout élève français", a ajouté une autre membre,... Céline Piot.
Le Collectif pour les littératures en langues régionales a constitué, avec l'aide de spécialistes, un recueil intitulé "Florilangues" avec 32 textes, en langue originale, de l'alsacien au tahitien, en passant par le basque ou le corse, traduits en français. Il répond à une demande de M. Maalouf.
On y trouve entre autres un poème en provençal de Frédéric Mistral (prix Nobel de littérature 1904), "Mirèio", une chronique en breton de Pierre-Jakez Hélias, "Bugale ar Republik", un court récit en créole martiniquais de Raphaël Confiant, "Bitako-a", ou une chanson en picard d'Alexandre Desrousseaux, "Canchon dormoire" (plus connue sous le nom de "P'tit Quinquin").
Une attention a été portée à la place des autrices, même si elles sont en minorité dans Le recueil.
L'ouvrage doit paraître en 2026 chez un éditeur spécialiste de l'occitan, L'Aucèu libre, pour une diffusion nationale.
"Il ne s'agit pas de donner des cours de langues régionales mais de présenter des œuvres issues des littératures en langues régionales, que ce soit en français ou en version bilingue", précise le collectif.
Pour lui..., les élèves aborderaient des langues issues d'autres régions que la leur. "Pourquoi seuls les élèves antillais apprendraient-ils qu'il existe une littérature en créole?", demande le collectif."
https://information.tv5monde.com/culture/un-soutien-inattendu-pour-les-langues-regionales-amin-maalouf-de-lacademie-francaise
#metaglossia_mundus
"Un soutien inattendu pour les langues régionales: Amin Maalouf, de l'Académie française
Un soutien inattendu pour les langues régionales: Amin Maalouf, de l'Académie française
16/06/2025
Une initiative d'un collectif pour enseigner le patrimoine littéraire dans les langues régionales de France a reçu lundi un soutien inattendu, celui du secrétaire perpétuel de l'Académie française, Amin Maalouf.
M. Maalouf, écrivain franco-libanais, a été élu en 2023 à la tête d'une institution qui a pour mission de veiller au rayonnement et à l'intégrité de la langue française.
Mais il soutient la démarche du Collectif pour les littératures en langues régionales, qui suggère un enseignement de ce type au collège ou au lycée, a indiqué ce collectif à l'AFP.
Ce dernier a écrit au Premier ministre François Bayrou et à la ministre de l'Éducation Elisabeth Borne pour proposer un corpus d'oeuvres en langues régionales destiné aux professeurs, afin de sensibiliser à la "richesse de la production littéraire" dans d'autres langues que le français.
"M. Maalouf -comme nous-mêmes- a la conviction qu'il est nécessaire que les élèves de France aient connaissance de ces trésors culturels", écrit ce collectif à M. Bayrou, qui lui-même parle le béarnais.
Le Collectif pour les littératures en langues régionales a constitué, avec l'aide de spécialistes, un recueil intitulé "Florilangues" avec 32 textes, en langue originale, de l'alsacien au tahitien, en passant par le basque ou le corse, traduits en français.
On y trouve entre autres un poème en provençal de Frédéric Mistral (prix Nobel de littérature 1904), "Mirèio", une chronique en breton de Pierre-Jakez Hélias, "Bugale ar Republik", un court récit en créole martiniquais de Raphaël Confiant, "Bitako-a", ou une chanson en picard d'Alexandre Desrousseaux, "Canchon dormoire" (plus connue sous le nom de "P'tit Quinquin").
"Il ne s'agit pas de donner des cours de langues régionales mais de présenter des oeuvres issues des littératures en langues régionales, que ce soit en français ou en version bilingue", précise le collectif.
Pour lui, idéalement, les élèves aborderaient des langues issues d'autres régions que la leur. "Pourquoi seuls les élèves antillais apprendraient-ils qu'il existe une littérature en créole ?", demande ce collectif, qui présente son initiative à la presse lors d'une visioconférence lundi après-midi."
https://www.linfodurable.fr/un-soutien-inattendu-pour-les-langues-regionales-amin-maalouf-de-lacademie-francaise-51414
#metaglossia_mundus
"For the first time, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), has produced a Mandarin translated podcast of popular original ABC Kids audio series Soundwalks. The immersive and sensory-rich audio experience for children offers a variety of guided relaxations featuring the soothing sounds of Australian nature and is available on ABC Asia’s audio tab, ABC Kids listen as well as on third-party podcast platforms.
Hosted by bilingual performer, MC, voice and speech teacher Nikki Zhao, Soundwalks promotes mindfulness, calm and curiosity, helping children manage their emotions. The 10-episode series offers a gentle and playful introduction to language and can be used as an educational resource to support bilingual development in children.
ABC International Head Claire M. Gorman said: “This exciting new series will delight international and domestic audiences across the Mandarin-speaking diaspora and marks an important expansion of ABC International’s content offering via the newly launched ABC Asia audio tab.”
Executive Producer ABC Kids Audio Veronica Milsom said: “We are thrilled to be expanding our audio offering with this beautiful audio series that acts as a source of comfort and support for children and their guardians. Creating accessible and inclusive content is a key priority for our programming and by delivering this series in Mandarin we hope that even more children will be able to access the health and wellbeing benefits of this series.”
WAYS TO LISTEN:
Soundwalks in Mandarin is available wherever you get your podcasts or via the ABC Asia Audio tab or ABC Kids listen.
For all media enquiries, contact Annalise Ramponi, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, ABC International
Ramponi.annalise@abc.net.au
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. "
Posted 13 Jun 202513 Jun 2025
https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centre/publicity-media-room/abc-launches-mandarin-translation-childrens-podcast-soundwalks/105412570
#metaglossia_mundus
"La littérature sinophone au-delà des frontières chinoises : entretien avec l’auteure Zhang Lijia
Les auteurs doivent être libres de créer pour mieux raconter l’histoire de la Chine
Written (English) by
Filip Noubel
Traduit (Français) par
Rodrigue Macao
Lire cet article en українська, Español, English
Original posted 25/04/2025
Traduction publiée le 12/06/2025
Zhang Lijia. Photo utilisée avec permission.
Près de 50 millions de Chinois ne vivent pas en Chine. Cette population, souvent réduite à un simple acteur économique, est en vérité très active dans les domaines médiatiques et culturels, dont la littérature, particulièrement appréciée des citoyens de la diaspora chinoise qui peuvent écrire en chinois ou dans la langue de leur pays hôte.
Afin de comprendre les nuances qui entourent la littérature de la diaspora chinoise, Global Voices s’est entretenu avec Zhang Lijia (张丽佳), ancienne employée d’une usine de roquettes devenue auteure analysant la société, est née en Chine et alterne aujourd’hui une vie entre Londres et Pékin. Elle est l’auteure du mémoire « Socialism Is Great! » et du roman « Lotus », une œuvre abordant le sujet de la prostitution dans la Chine contemporaine. Son prochain ouvrage, un roman historique, racontera la vie de Qiu Jin, la première féministe et révolutionnaire chinoise à l’aube du 20 ᵉ siècle, souvent appelée « la Jeanne d’Arc de Chine ».
Filip Noubel (FN) : Ressentez-vous une certaine liberté lorsque vous écrivez dans une langue que vous avez apprise tard dans votre vie ? Est-ce que c’est une question d’autocensure ? Pensez-vous que cela vous permet d’étendre votre style et d’expérimenter avec le processus d’écriture ?
Traduction Citation d'origine
Zhang Lijia (ZLJ) : En tant qu’auteure chinoise ayant grandi en Chine et n’ayant jamais parlé que le chinois, il est vrai qu’écrire en anglais fut, étonnamment, assez libérateur. Politiquement parlant, je suis plus libre lorsque j’écris pour un public international. Cela me permet de contourner la censure chinoise, qui ne sert qu’à étouffer la créativité. En effet, je pense que cette censure est l’une des raisons pour laquelle la scène littéraire chinoise n’est pas aussi vibrante et dynamique qu’elle pourrait l’être.
Créativement parlant, écrire en anglais offre une liberté totalement différente. Puisque l’anglais n’est pas ma langue natale, je ressens un certain confort à tester les structures, les formes et les différents styles de la langue. Cette méconnaissance de la langue m’a permis d’ouvrir de nombreuses portes et de découvrir de nouvelles perspectives. L’anglais, en tant que langue adoptée, me permet d’explorer et d’articuler mes pensées d’une manière que je pensais impossible en chinois. Par exemple, dans le mémoire « Socialism Is Great! », j’ai écrit une scène de sexe bien plus explicite que ce que je me serais permis de créer en chinois, puisque les nuances linguistiques et culturelles auraient demandé un peu plus de retenue.
Écrire en anglais m’a permis d’ouvrir de nombreuses voies, tant dans une exploration créative que dans une émancipation personnelle.
FN : Écrivez-vous encore en chinois ? Comment décririez-vous la relation qui se crée entre ses deux langues dans votre processus créatif ?
Traduction Citation d'origine
ZLJ : J’écris rarement en chinois ces temps-ci, sauf lorsque je suis invité à participer à des publications chinoises. Le chinois est une langue très riche et expressive, autant culturellement qu’historiquement. Mais quand j’écris en anglais, je m’amuse à insérer des termes datés et des expressions classiques afin de rendre ma prose plus élégante, comme si je donnais un second souffle à des phrases oubliées. C’est une manière d’amener un vent de fraîcheur à une langue et de se connecter à ses racines enfouies.
L’anglais et le chinois ne servent pas le même but dans mon processus créatif. Je me sers principalement de l’anglais pour raconter une histoire, c’est une langue qui me permet de briser mes chaînes et de tester de nouvelles choses. Mais le chinois reste tout de même la langue de monde intérieur, elle est liée à ma mémoire et à mon identité. Lorsque j’écris en anglais, c’est comme si je construisais un pont qui relie deux cultures, je traduis plus que des mots, je traduis des expériences, des émotions et toute une culture.
FN : On parle souvent de littérature sinophone transcendant les barrières linguistiques et géographiques, Xiaolu Guo, Ha Jin, Dan Sijie, Yan Geling, sans vous oublier, bien sûr. Pensez-vous qu’un tel genre de littérature existe réellement ? Si oui, quelle en est la définition ?
Traduction Citation d'origine
ZLJ : Effectivement, je pense qu’il est tout à fait valide de considérer la littérature sinophone globale comme un genre vivant. J’imagine que ce terme fait référence aux œuvres écrites dans des langues chinoises (comme le mandarin ou le hokkien) ou écrites par des auteurs d’origines chinoises qui ne vivent pas en Chine continentale. Ces œuvres abordent une large variété de thèmes et de situations qui reflètent la complexité d’interagir avec une langue, une identité et même avec la géopolitique intradiaspora chinoise.
Ce qui définit ce genre de littérature, c’est sa multiplicité. Elle n’est pas limitée par la géographie, par l’usage d’un style, ni par la perspective. Non, ce genre capture la réalité vécue par les communautés chinoises éparpillées à travers le monde, il explore des thèmes comme l’immigration, l’identité et le mélange culturel. Il redéfinit la notion de « littérature chinoise » en mettant l’accent sur la pluralité des voix chinoises.
En pleine ère de globalisation, je dois avouer que j’apprécie la reconnaissance de la littérature sinophone dans le monde entier. Cela représente une certaine opportunité de pouvoir approfondir nos connaissances de la culture chinoise et de ses fonctions au-delà des frontières nationales. Cela encourage une discussion sur le postcolonialisme et sur l’interconnexion mondiale.
À ce propos, la campagne « bien raconter l’histoire de la Chine » lancée par Xi Jinping vise à projeter une image favorable de la Chine dans l’esprit des étrangers via le soft Power. Si cette idée peut paraître louable, pour qu’elle réussisse, il faudrait que les auteurs soient libres d’écrire ce qu’ils souhaitent. À l’heure actuelle, la censure est encore bien trop présente pour que les auteurs puissent « bien raconter l’histoire de la Chine ». Si nous ne pouvons pas créer librement, ce projet ne sera rien de plus qu’une éternelle chimère. J’ai partagé cette opinion dans l’article suivant : Tell China’s Story Well: Its Writers Must Be Free Enough to Do So.
FN : Quels sont les auteurs chinois qui vous ont le plus influencés ? Qu’en est-il des auteurs qui ne sont pas chinois ?
Traduction Citation d'origine
ZLJ : Parmi les auteurs chinois, je pense que Cao Xueqin, auteur de « Le Rêve dans le pavillon rouge », est celui qui m’a le plus influencé. La manière dont il partage la complexité des relations familiales et sociales, le tout dans un décor de monde aristocratique sur le point de s’écrouler, n’a jamais été égalée, que ce soit sur le plan émotionnel ou littéraire. Je pourrais également cite Lu Xun comme une autre de mes influences. Ses observations tranchantes sur la société chinoise révèlent une compréhension de la psyché chinoise qui n’a jamais été surpassée.
Parmi les auteurs étrangers, je pense que Tolstoï surpasse tous les autres. Ses histoires grandioses écrites sur fond de récits sociaux et historiques sont tout simplement fascinantes, et pourtant il ne perd jamais de vue les petits détails qui rendent ses personnages humains.
J’admire également et grandement Arundhati Roy, surtout son roman « Le Dieu des Petits Riens ». Sa prose lyrique, son imagerie riche, mais aussi la manière poignante qu’elle a d’explorer les difficultés sociales et personnelles résonnent véritablement avec moi, elle inspire la façon dont je raconte mes histoires."
https://fr.globalvoices.org/2025/06/12/295214/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Avec Enfant, ne pleure pas, Ngugi wa Thiong'o a offert l’un des récits les plus poignants de la littérature africaine. Plus de 60 ans après sa parution, ce roman demeure un puissant témoignage sur la colonisation, la résistance et la quête d’émancipation. Le décès récent de l’écrivain kényan est l’occasion pour Samir Belahsen de revenir sur cette œuvre fondatrice, universelle par sa portée, ancrée dans l’histoire mais toujours résonnante aujourd’hui.
“L'instruction est le seul moyen de libération.”
“Le soleil brille toujours après une nuit sombre.”
Ngugi wa Thiong`o
Le décès de Ngugi wa Thiong'o, connu sous le nom de James Ngugi, était annoncé le 28 mai dernier. Ecrivain Kenyan né en 1938, il avait fait ses premiers pas en anglais, avant de faire le choix d'écrire dans sa langue maternelle : le gikuyu. Il a écrit des romans, des pièces de théâtre et des nouvelles, s'est tourné é également vers la littérature pour enfants. Wa Thiong a émigré aux Etats -Unis après avoir passé plus d’un an en prison au Kenya. Il y enseignera dans plusieurs universités, A Yale puis à l'Université de New York et à l'Université de Californie.
Décoloniser l’esprit : Une raison d’être
C’était sa raison d’écrire et le titre de son recueil d’essais publié en 1986, peut être aussi sa raison d’être…
Il est considéré comme son œuvre majeure, il y défend la décolonisation linguistique.
Selon lui, la langue maternelle est la base de la culture, de la résistance et surtout de la culture de résistance.
"Enfant, ne pleure pas" : une œuvre fondatrice
"Weep Not, Child", c’était la première de Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o en Anglais en 1964 sous le nom de James Ngugi. Il s'agit d'une œuvre importante dans la littérature africaine, traitant de la colonisation, de la lutte pour l'indépendance du Kenya et des conséquences sociales sur les individus et les familles.
L’histoire :
On est dans un village de Gikuyu au Kenya entre 1952et 1960, période marquée par la violence, dans un contexte africain et mondial anticolonialiste. Le Kenya était depuis 1920 une colonie de la couronne.
L'indépendance du Kenya a été déclarée en décembre 1963.
Njoroge, le personnage central dont le principal objectif tout au long du roman est de devenir aussi instruit que possible est envoyé à l'école par sa mère. Il est le premier enfant de la famille à y aller. Sa famille vit sur la terre de Jacobo, un Africain enrichi grâce à ses relations suspectes avec les colons, et surtout avec M. Howlands l’Anglais blanc, le propriétaire terrien possédant les terres qui appartenaient à l'origine aux ancêtres de Ngotho.
Kamau, le frère de notre héros Njoroge est apprenti chez un charpentier.
Boro, le grand frère est toujours perturbé par son enrôlement militaire forcé pendant la deuxième Guerre mondiale et la perte de son frère aîné.
Le père de Njoroge qui s'occupe des terres de M. Howlands, il travaille dur, plus motivé par son envie de préserver ses terres ancestrales que par une quelconque fidélité envers M. Howlands.
La grève :
Quand les travailleurs noirs appellent à la grève pour améliorer leurs salaires, Ngotho hésite. Il craint d’être licencié et d’être éloigné de sa terre et ses deux épouses sont contre.
En définitive, il va au rassemblement. Un inspecteur de police, un homme blanc, se fait assister par Jacobo pour tenter de pacifier les grévistes.
Jacobo (le traitre) veut faire arrêter la grève.
Ngotho attaque Jacobo et c’est l’émeute, deux grévistes sont tuées.
Jacobo promet de se venger.
Ngotho, fauteur de trouble, est viré et la famille de Njoroge est obligée de déménager.
Les frères de Njoroge tiennent à ce qu’il poursuive ses études et les financent.
Le procès de Kenyatta
Le procès du chef reconnu du mouvement pour l’indépendance, Kenyatta, finit par une condamnation. De nouvelles protestations nationalistes provoquent une grande répression contre la population noire.
Jacobo (le traitre) et M. Howlands (le colon blanc) font face au Mau Mau, un mouvement populaire qui organise la lutte pour l'indépendance du Kenya.
Jacobo soupçonne Ngotho d'être le chef des Mau Mau et tente le faire emprisonner.
Le pays s’enflamme : six hommes autochtones noirs sont exécutés dans les bois.
Njoroge rencontre Mwihaki, la fille de Jacobo revenue du pensionnat, il se rend compte que le conflit des pères n'a pas affecté leur relation.
Njoroge réussit bien à l’école et rejoint le lycée. Tout le village est fier de lui et organise une quête pour ses frais de scolarité.
Jacobo est assassiné dans son bureau par un militant du Mau Mau. Njoroge et surtout son père sont interrogés et torturés puis libérés. Ngotho succombe à ses blessures.
Les deux frères se révèlent être à l'origine de l'assassinat. Boro, le grand frère, était le leader des Mau Mau. Njoroge découvre que son père savait et qu’il encourageait ses frères.
Kamau est condamné à vie.
Njoroge perd tout espoir, il perd aussi son amour et même sa foi, impuissant et désespéré…
Que peut-on dire de cette fin tragique du roman "enfant, ne pleure pas", plus de 60 ans après ?
Le roman illustre le désenchantement face aux espoirs d'émancipation portés par les protagonistes : l'éducation et la lutte anticoloniale au Kenya durant la révolte des Mau Mau.
Njoroge, notre héros, voit ses rêves brisés, une défaite personnelle et collective…
Le roman est un témoignage poignant de l'histoire coloniale kenyane et des espoirs déçus. Il est considéré comme le premier roman en anglais publié par un écrivain d'Afrique de l'Est.
L’histoire ressemble à tant d’histoires, on aurait pu la placer au Maghreb, au moyen orient ou en Afrique de l’ouest ou du sud, c’est en ça qu’elle est fondatrice et toujours actuelle…
Il reste que le Kenya comme toute l’Afrique, en 60 ans, a traversé des étapes importantes sur le chemin de l’émancipation.
Des Njoroge, des Boro et des Ngotho, il y en a aujourd’hui des millions qui luttent encore, chacun à sa manière…"
https://www.quid.ma/culture/enfant-ne-pleure-pas-de-ngugi-wa-thiong-o-
#metaglossia_mundus
"Translation – the powerful mediator of cultures
On the second day of the Book Fair, a panel of translators from Kosovo and Albania emphasized the importance of translating works.
In the age of technology, when “translation” is condensed into a click, the experiences of true translators are approaching those of the writer himself, but the weight of a work in some languages is even greater than that. On the second day of the Book Fair, the panel with translators from Kosovo and Albania emphasized the importance of translating works and not only. It was appreciated that it is an exchange of cultures and the enrichment of the Albanian language. The experiences of translators of world works into Albanian were revealed.
Writer and literary scholar, Ag Apolloni, has said that translation is the best mediation of cultures.
"Of course, translation in itself is important, and if we think about what a translation is in our culture and memory, we see that we are removing the part that we have received from translation, our culture is very poor," Apolloni said at the Thursday afternoon panel as part of the events that have only one address: the lobby of the upper floor of the Palace of Youth and Sports where the Fair is held.
He said that world writers would not be what they are if there were no translation of their works.
"It is a phase that people face only in the form of a translator, otherwise they would be isolated cases. The writers we call world-class, if it were not for translation, would be simply writers. So it is a special pleasure when we see a publisher that brings translations of great authors," Apolloni considered.
Poet and translator Primo Shllaku has spoken about Baudelaire's "Flowers of Evil", which he described as extremely difficult and potentially embarrassing.
"'Flowers of Evil' was a book that I worked on for around 50 years - 1968-2018. Do the math. This was a very difficult book. The translation sheets, there were five or six translations that I received from time to time, I looked at them and when I saw that I had nothing to do, I said that now I will show my shame. Because Baudelaire shames you. I have seen Italian texts that I imagine that when he heard how they translated it, he turned back to his grave. I have also seen texts that made him turn back again," said Shllaku, who has also translated other French classics, such as Sartre and Balzac.
The panelists are translators of works from different languages.
Anna Kove translates from German. According to her, German sounds rough, but translation techniques have evolved, creating new opportunities for translators.
"We may even have opportunities to soften the wild and harsh German a little. Germans say: 'Thank God we were born Germans so we don't have to learn it as a foreign language.' It's that difficult. German literature is very philosophical. Even in simple love stories, there is a lot of philosophy inside, and this perhaps weighs down the reader a little, when they want to enjoy love and not hear it as part of philosophy," she said.
Sokol Çunga, who translates ancient Greek, has singled out the first female poet, Sappho, and her work "Erotic Epigrams".
"For me, it is untouchable for many reasons: for the refinement of the verse, of the word, and for what we usually encounter in any work that resists time. He wrote a work that still stands today, whether in terms of style or theme," he said.
Translator Granit Zela has highlighted the works of American writer John Updike, four of which he has translated.
"I was proposed by 'Albas' for four volumes and I was surprised. I was happy, because I was at the stage where I had decided to dedicate myself to translation full-time. It was my career after 20 years of dedication to literature. I was positively surprised and thought it was the right time. I discovered that I had a secret passion for translation. I had been preparing for a long time and now was the moment," Zela said."
Besarte Elshani
June 13, 2025 23:08
https://www.koha.net/en/kulture/perkthimi-ndermjetesuesi-i-fuqishem-i-kulturave
#metaglossia_mundus
"Traduire Kafka : Maïa Hruska reçoit le Prix Billetdoux 2025
Le Prix François Billetdoux 2025, décerné par la Scam, a été attribué le 12 juin à Maïa Hruska pour Dix versions de Kafka (Grasset). Cet essai littéraire interroge les premières traductions de Franz Kafka à travers le prisme de dix traducteurs, explorant la nature même de l’acte de traduire.
Le 12/06/2025 à 13:03 par Dépêche
Créé pour récompenser chaque année un ouvrage littéraire en français portant sur les mondes de la littérature, du cinéma, de la radio, de la photographie ou de la télévision, le Prix François Billetdoux a distingué cette année Maïa Hruska pour Dix versions de Kafka. Ce texte, paru en 2024 chez Grasset, propose une approche à la fois érudite et vivante de la réception de Kafka à travers les premières traductions de son œuvre.
L’essai met en lumière dix figures traductrices – connues ou anonymes, de Borges à Vialatte en passant par Celan et Milena Jesenská – chacune incarnant une manière singulière de faire passer Kafka d’une langue à l’autre. Ce travail met en perspective les enjeux littéraires, politiques et intimes de la traduction, en questionnant ce que devient une œuvre lorsqu’elle circule dans d'autres idiomes, et ce que révèle ce passage d’un rapport entre deux voix, deux cultures, deux mondes.
Née en 1991 dans une famille franco-tchèque et élevée en Allemagne, Maïa Hruska vit aujourd’hui à Londres, où elle travaille pour la maison d’édition Wylie. Dix versions de Kafka est son premier essai.
Le prix, doté de 5000 €, est attribué par un jury composé notamment d’Ivan Jablonka, Pascal Ory, Lucile Bordes ou encore Michèle Kahn, fondatrice du prix et membre de la commission de l’écrit de la Scam. Il récompense un livre publié entre le 1er mars de l’année précédente et le 28 février de l’année en cours, à la suite d’un appel à candidatures adressé aux maisons d’édition.
L'année dernière, le lauréat était Gilles Sebhan, pour Bacon, juillet 1964 (Éditions du Rouergue)"
https://actualitte.com/article/124359/prix-litteraires/traduire-kafka-maia-hruska-recoit-le-prix-billetdoux-2025
#metaglossia_mundus
"L’influenceur algérien Imad Tintin s’en sort avec seulement 450 euros d’amende
« On peut menacer, tenir des propos violents et s’en sortir avec une petite amende », dénonce Chawki Benzehra.
« On peut menacer, tenir des propos violents et s’en sortir avec une petite amende. » Ce 10 juin, après plusieurs renvois d’audience, le tribunal correctionnel de Grenoble a condamné Imad Ould Brahim, alias Imad Tintin (ou Bledar de luxe) sur les réseaux sociaux, à une contravention de 3e classe d'un montant de 450 euros. Le parquet avait requis six mois d’emprisonnement, dont quatre mois avec sursis. Chawki Benzehra, le lanceur d’alerte à l’origine de plusieurs signalements contre des influenceurs algériens en janvier 2025, déplore cette condamnation. « Ayant été directement ciblé par le personnage, il y a forcément de la frustration […] mais aussi une inquiétude quant au signal envoyé », explique ce traducteur de formation, réfugié en France et contacté par BV.
Des désaccords de traduction
Initialement poursuivi pour « provocation directe à un acte de terrorisme » en raison de propos tenus dans l’une de ses vidéos TikTok, le tribunal avait décidé, à la fin du mois de mai, de requalifier les faits en « menaces de violences » après une nouvelle traduction. En janvier 2025, Imad Tintin était interpellé après avoir notamment apporté son soutien à l’influenceur Zazou Youssef, condamné en février dernier à 18 mois de prison pour provocation au terrorisme. Dans sa vidéo, Imad Tintin appelait, selon la première traduction, à « brûler vif, tuer et violer sur le sol français ». Ces propos s’inscrivaient dans une importante campagne menée sur les réseaux sociaux à l’encontre des opposants au régime algérien.
Fin mai, un expert agréé de la Cour de cassation a livré une nouvelle traduction de la vidéo. Il n’est alors plus question de « brûler, tuer ou violer ». Dans la nouvelle version, Imad Tintin déclare, selon l’expert : « Nous les Algériens, nous les gens du sang, nous avons grandi dans le sang, on va vous mettre le feu. […] Ici, si on te croise, on va te donner une raclée. Celui qui veut du sang qu'il avance. »
Après le verdict, l’avocat de la défense qui plaidait la relaxe n’a pas manqué de s’exclamer : « Tout ça pour ça ! » Un sentiment partagé par la presse algérienne. TSA Algérie, qui a consacré un article ce 10 juin au procès, dénonce ainsi « beaucoup de bruit pour rien ». « Les faits qui lui étaient reprochés se sont avérés infondés […] L’homme a donc fait de la prison [l’influenceur a en effet était placé en détention pendant deux mois, NDLR] pour des propos mal traduits », s’insurge le quotidien algérien. Même son de cloche sur TikTok. Davy Rodriguez, un influenceur qui se dit « fan de l'Algérie », a publié une vidéo pour « laver l’honneur » d’Imad Tintin. « Il a été calomnié, insulté, traîné plus bas que terre par la Justice française. […] Il a été foutu en taule pour des propos qui ont été mal traduits », s’agace le créateur de contenu aux 677.000 abonnés. « Je te présente mes excuses au nom du peuple français. […] Tu n’as pas fait grand-chose, OK des propos un peu violents », conclut-il. Et dans les commentaires de cette vidéo visionnée plus de 20.000 fois, de nombreux internautes approuvent et encouragent Imad Tintin à engager des poursuites contre l’État.
Visé par une OQTF
Au lendemain de la condamnation d’Imad Tintin, Chawki Benzehra « maintient la traduction » qu’il avait donnée des propos de l’influenceur algérien. « L’expert a retenu le mot "raclée" ainsi que l’expression "celui qui veut du sang qu’il avance". […] La nouvelle traduction n’est pas seulement moins violente mais elle est moins fidèle », assure-t-il. En janvier dernier, Bruno Retailleau avait qualifié d’« ignobles » les propos tenus par Imad Ould Brahim.
Pour rappel, Imad Tintin, marié à une Française et père d’un enfant, est toujours sous le coup d’une obligation de quitter le territoire français (OQTF)."
Clémence de Longraye
12 juin 2025
https://www.bvoltaire.fr/linfluenceur-algerien-imad-tintin-sen-sort-avec-seulement-450-euros-damende/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Le roman Une valse de Lynda Chouiten qui a reçu le grand prix Assia-Djebar en 2019, vient d'être traduit aux États-Unis par Skyler Artes. Désormais, A Waltz, version anglaise de Une valse de Lynda Chouiten, paru en Algérie aux éditions Casbah, est disponible aux États-Unis d'Amérique, au Royaume-Uni et en Australie. Lynda Chouiten nous parle, ici, de cette passionnante expérience.
L'Expression: Après avoir été couronnée par le grand prix du roman en langue française «Assia Djebar», votre roman Une valse a été traduit et édité aux USA, quels sentiments vous procurent de telles consécrations en tant qu'écrivaine?
Lynda Chouiten: J'ai eu la chance de voir mes textes bien reçus dès que j'ai commencé à publier, c'est-à-dire, dès la parution de mon premier roman, Le Roman des Pôv'Cheveux en Algérie, mes écrits sont lus et appréciés, et j'en suis heureuse. Mais il est normal que je veuille élargir mon lectorat et être lue un peu partout dans le monde; je crois que c'est le rêve de tout écrivain.
C'est pourquoi cette première traduction m'emplit de joie et d'optimisme: de mon deuxième roman, Unevalse, une traduction en langue anglaise me permettra d'être lue non seulement aux États-Unis, pays où la traduction a été publiée (par les Presses Universitaires de Virginie), mais dans tous les pays anglophones, voire dans d'autres pays dans le monde, puisque l'anglais est partout. Bien sûr, je ne m'attends pas à un raz-de-marée planétaire, mais commencer à être connue et lue à l'échelle internationale, c'est déjà un grand pas vers l'avant.
Comment est née l'idée de traduire votre roman?
Peu de temps après avoir remporté le prix Assia Djebar, un collègue algérien établi aux États-Unis m'a suggéré d'envoyer une copie à Mildred Mortimer, une amie à lui qui est professeure émérite à l'université du Colorado.
Comme j'avais déjà eu la chance de la rencontrer en 2012 (lors d'un colloque en Grande-Bretagne), j'ai trouvé la suggestion intéressante, même si je me doutais bien qu'elle ne se souvenait plus de moi. Après avoir lu et beaucoup aimé le roman, Mildred (qui, depuis, est devenue une amie) m'a proposé de le faire traduire par Skyler Artes, une ancienne étudiante à elle qui avait déjà traduit d'autres romans, notamment L'Arabe est un chant secret, de Leila Sebbar et Ce Pays dont je meurs, de Fawzia Zouari. Elle m'a mise en contact avec elle; la suite, vous la connaissez.
La traduction a-t-elle été faite en collaboration avec vous étant donné que vous maîtrisez également la langue anglaise?
Oui, dans une certaine mesure. Skyler Artes, la traductrice, m'a envoyé sa première tentative et j'ai formulé des remarques et des corrections - surtout concernant les passages contenant des expressions idiomatiques et/ou imagées.
Elle m'a promis de prendre toutes mes suggestions en considération, mais j'avoue que, prise par de nombreuses obligations, je n'ai pas eu le temps de lire les versions ultérieures.
Êtes-vous satisfaite du résultat final de cette traduction qui confère vraiment une autre dimension à votre oeuvre littéraire?
Oui, je suis plutôt satisfaite du résultat. Bien que je n'aie pas lu toute la traduction publiée, ce que j'en ai lu se lit remarquablement bien, comme si c'était la version originale. La couverture est élégamment conçue aussi, et la quatrième de couverture donne envie de plonger dans le livre.
Voilà mon sentiment, mais j'attends de recevoir des échos de ceux qui auront lu A Waltz outre-Atlantique.
Votre roman étant édité aux USA, comment sera-t-il mis à la disposition des lecteurs? Par quels circuits?
A Waltz est distribué sur tout le territoire états-unien ainsi que dans d'autres pays anglophones, tels que le Royaume-Uni et l'Australie. En principe, il est donc disponible dans les «bonnes librairies» (comme on dit) de ces pays-là. Mais il est accessible à tout le monde puisqu'il est vendu en ligne, en support électronique et papier, par les grands spécialistes de vente de livres que tout le monde connaît.
Le fait que ce roman ait été traduit en anglais vous donne-t-il envie d'écrire directement en anglais?
Oui, d'autant plus que c'est une idée qui me «turlupine» depuis deux ou trois ans déjà... Cela dit, je crois que je ne suis pas encore tout à fait prête pour cela; de plus, je suis consciente de la difficulté de se faire publier dans les grands pays anglophones, où la concurrence est féroce et où il faut souvent passer par des agents littéraires. Enfin, écrire en anglais viendrait peut-être à sacrifier le nombre plutôt important de lecteurs que j'ai déjà et qui ne maîtrisent pas forcément la langue de Shakespeare... Donc, je ne sais pas... J'écrirai peut-être un jour en anglais, si je sens que le moment est venu et si l'envie se fait très forte; en attendant, j'écris en français et je pense que c'est très bien aussi.
Aomar MOHELLEBI"
https://www.lexpressiondz.com/index.php/culture/etre-traduite-aux-usa-m-emplit-de-joie-394534
#metaglossia_mundus
"20 ans de Fedora-fr : huitième entretien avec Jean-Baptiste mainteneur de la traduction française
Posté par Renault (site web personnel) le 11 juin 2025 à 10:44. Édité par Benoît Sibaud. Modéré par Benoît Sibaud. Licence CC By‑SA.
9
Dans le cadre des 20 ans de Fedora-fr (et du Projet Fedora en lui-même), Charles-Antoine Couret (Renault) et Nicolas Berrehouc (Nicosss) avons souhaité poser des questions à des contributeurs francophones du Projet Fedora et de Fedora-fr.
Grâce à la diversité des profils, cela permet de voir le fonctionnement du Projet Fedora sous différents angles pour voir le projet au-delà de la distribution mais aussi comment il est organisé et conçu. Notons que sur certains points, certaines remarques restent d’application pour d’autres distributions.
N’oublions pas que le Projet Fedora reste un projet mondial et un travail d’équipe ce que ces entretiens ne permettent pas forcément de refléter. Mais la communauté francophone a de la chance d’avoir suffisamment de contributeurs et des contributrices de qualité pour permettre d’avoir un aperçu de beaucoup de sous projets de la distribution.
Chaque semaine un nouvel entretien sera publié sur le forum Fedora-fr.org, LinuxFr.org et le blog de Renault.
L’entretien du jour concerne Jean-Baptiste Holcroft, un des mainteneurs de la traduction française de Fedora.
Sommaire
Conclusion
Bonjour Jean-Baptiste, peux-tu présenter brièvement tes contributions au projet Fedora ?
Gêné par des traductions partielles de logiciels que je trouve super, j’ai aidé d’abords en signalant des problèmes, puis en traduisant, et ne voyant pas les traductions arriver, à fluidifier le processus de traduction.
Ayant compris le fonctionnement, grâce à la communauté, j’ai voulu aider cette communauté à être plus efficace, en migrant sur la très bonne plateforme de traduction Weblate, en permettant la traduction de la totalité de la documentation de Fedora (on parle ici de 3,5 millions de mots, de milliers de pages).
Transifex, la plateforme précédente, ne permettait pas un travail collectif efficace (entre les traducteurices et entre traducteurices-projets de développement).
Avec l’expérience, j’ai constaté que la communauté du logiciel libre propose une expérience désastreuse pour les traducteurs, le coût de traduction vs l’effort nécessaire pour traduire tout un système d’exploitation est monstrueux, j’ai maintenant voulu rendre cela perceptible et accessible à tous (ce site est moche, sa valeur est la mesure de traduction transverse).
Qu’est-ce qui fait que tu es venu sur Fedora et que tu y es resté ?
Ses valeurs en tant que communauté m’ont intéressées.
Fedora accueille les contributeurs, leur permet de gagner en responsabilité, de financer des initiatives et de grandir en tant que personne. Si mon implication varie dans le temps, ce n’est qu’une question de temps disponible.
Pourquoi contribuer à Fedora en particulier ?
La ligne est claire, au plus proche des créateurs de logiciels libre, en collaboration, que du logiciel libre et très fiable.
C’est une mentalité que je trouve excellente et dans laquelle je me sens à l’aise.
Contribues-tu à d’autres Logiciels Libres ? Si oui, lesquels et comment ?
J’ai contribué pendant quelque temps au projet YunoHost sur les thèmes de la traduction, de l’internationalisation et de l’empaquetage de logiciels.
Ce projet est mature et autonome sur ces deux sujets, ayant moins de temps, j’ai arrêté d’y contribuer.
Je continue à l’utiliser au quotidien, car je le considère aussi stable que Fedora pour gérer mon serveur personnel avec mes courriels, mes fichiers, mes contacts, etc.
Aujourd’hui, je m’intéresse plutôt à notre efficacité collective plutôt qu’un projet en particulier.
Est-ce que tes contributions à Fedora sont un atout direct ou indirect dans ta vie professionnelle ? Si oui, de quelle façon ?
Toute la culture technique gagnée en lisant l’actualité des projets, en contribuant via des rapports de bugs, des traductions, des développements m’ont aidé pour obtenir mon emploi actuel, et pour mon travail au quotidien.
Le logiciel libre et le fait d’y contribuer, même modestement est un lien réel, concret et palpable, très loin de l’informatique fantasmée qui ne fait le bonheur que du porte-monnaie et du pouvoir des puissants.
Dans le travail, qu’il soit lucratif, amical ou militant, je veux du concret qui nous aide à avancer, et c’est une valeur très forte du logiciel libre.
Tu as maintenu la traduction française de Fedora pendant des années, peux-tu nous expliquer l’importance de la traduction et même de l’internationalisation dans ce genre de projets ?
Le logiciel libre est un outil de lutte contre l’appropriation des communs par une minorité.
Si on veut qu’il soit un outil d’émancipation des masses, on veut réduire les barrières à l’utilisation, tout en respectant les singularités de ses utilisateurs et utilisatrices.
Un utilisateur de logiciel ne devrait pas avoir à apprendre une nouvelle langue pour utiliser un outil émancipateur et respectueux, d’où l’intérêt de ces activités.
Traduire un logiciel est une activité complexe, quelles sont les difficultés rencontrées lors de cette activité ?
Traduire est la partie facile, ça consomme très peu de temps, ce qui est compliqué c’est :
savoir où traduire - trouver quel logiciel affiche la chaîne, trouver où il est hébergé, comprendre quelle version est à traduire, etc
demander de pouvoir traduire un logiciel - tout n’est pas traduisible, notre pouvoir pour faire évoluer ça en tant que traducteurice est faible
comprendre comment traduire - l’idéal c’est Weblate directement lié au dépôt de logiciel du dépôt, le pire c’est l’ouverture de Pull Request
maintenir les traductions dans le temps - pour chaque projet
Tu as participé à la migration de la plateforme de traduction Zanata vers Weblate, peux-tu revenir sur cette tâche et les motivations derrière cette décision ?
Weblate est un outil de traduction performant, qui facilite la vie des créateurices de logiciels et des traducteurices. Cet outil est proche du dépôt de code source et permet beaucoup d’autonomie aux traducteurices pour s’organiser comme iels le souhaitent, tracer les modifications, être notifiés, etc.
Zanata, ben c’était un objet OK pour traduire, mais c’est tout, tout le reste était déficient.
À titre d’illustration, pour savoir si une traduction a été modifiée, je devais aller regarder sur chaque phrase l’historique des modifications.
Sur Weblate, l’historique est transparent et efficace, et permet de filtrer par langue, projet, composants et type de changements. Voici par exemple l'historique des changements de traduction en français sur tous les projets.
Quand Weblate est arrivé, j’ai activement démontré la pertinence de ce projet et poussé le sujet pour que nous soyons plus efficaces.
Tu as également participé à obtenir des statistiques de traduction au sein du projet Fedora, quel intérêt à cela et comment cela a été mis en œuvre ?
C’est un sujet génial, mais c’est légèrement compliqué, voici une simplification :
Une distribution Linux, c’est l’assemblage de milliers de logiciels, des lignes de code contenues dans les paquets.
Chaque paquet est disponible au téléchargement sur des miroirs, on y retrouve même les paquets d’il y a plusieurs années (j’arrive à exploiter les données jusqu’à Fedora 7 sortie en mai 2007).
En suivant de près le fonctionnement de Weblate, je me suis rendu compte que le créateur de Weblate a créé des petits outils pour : avoir des listes de tous les codes de langues connus, et d’auto-détection des fichiers de traduction.
La mécanique va donc :
télécharger chaque paquet existant dans Fedora
en extraire le code source
lancer l’auto-détection des fichiers de traduction
calculer pour chaque fichier le pourcentage d’avancement
agréger les résultats par langue grâce aux codes connus
puis générer un site web pour afficher les résultats
Avec mon ordinateur, cela m’a pris plus de dix jours de calcul en continu, et le téléchargement de 2 To de données pour réussir à avoir une vue sur plus de 15 ans de la distribution Fedora. Je n’ai malheureusement pas encore eu le temps d’en faire une rétrospective pertinente dans le cadre d’une conférence, faute de temps pour analyser les données. Pour l’instant, la seule partie visible est le site https://languages.fedoraproject.org. J’espère avancer sur ce sujet pour la rencontre annuelle 2025 du projet Fedora et le FOSDEM 2026.
La traduction est une activité spécifique pour chaque langue mais tout le monde a des problèmes communs vis-à-vis de l’outillage ou des situations complexes, y a-t-il des collaborations entre les différentes équipes de traduction dans Fedora ?
D’une façon générale, résoudre un problème pour une langue résous systématiquement un problème pour une autre langue.
Les traducteurs et traductrices se soutiennent beaucoup notamment pour ces raisons, soutenez-les vous aussi !
L’absence de centralisation dans cette activité rend la cohérence des traductions dans l’ensemble des logiciels libres très complexe. Peux-tu nous expliquer ces difficultés ? Est-ce qu’il y a une volonté francophone notamment d’essayer de résoudre le problème en collaborant d’une certaine façon sur ces problématiques ?
Un logiciel est une création, sa communauté peut être plus ou moins inclusive et pointue sur certaines traductions.
La cohérence vient avec les usages et évolue comme la langue de façon progressive et délocalisée.
On pourrait imaginer proposer des outils, mais si c’est un sujet très important, ce n’est pour l’instant pas mon combat.
Je vois ça comme un problème de privilégié, car spécifique aux langues ayant suffisamment de traduction, alors que la quasi-totalité des langues en ont très peu et sont incapables de tenir le rythme exigé par l’évolution de nos logiciels libres.
Je voudrais d’abord démontrer et faire acter à la communauté du logiciel libre qu’il y a urgence à améliorer notre efficacité avec des changements de processus et de l’outillage. Cet outillage pourrait sûrement permettre d’améliorer la cohérence.
Fedora n’est sans doute pas le projet le plus avancé sur la question de l’internationalisation malgré ses progrès au fil des ans, qu’est-ce que le projet Fedora pourrait faire à ce sujet pour améliorer la situation ?
Si on veut faciliter la vie des traducteurices, il faudrait envisager de permettre de traduire à l’échelle de Fedora, de façon distincte des traductions de chaque projet, comme le fait Ubuntu.
Le problème, c’est qu’Ubuntu utilise des outils médiocres (Launchpad) et n’a pas de moyen automatisé pour renvoyer ce travail aux créateurs de logiciels.
Fedora pourrait innover sur ce sujet, et réussir à faire les deux avec une bonne plateforme de traduction (Weblate) et beaucoup d’outillage pour partager ce travail avec les différentes communautés, les utilisateurices y gagneraient en confort, les traducteurices en efficacité et les projets en contributions.
Quelque chose à ajouter ?
Un grand merci à la communauté francophone de Fedora, à la communauté Fedora et à l’ensemble des communautés qui collaborent tous les jours pour nous permettre d’avoir des outils émancipateurs et qui nous respectent. Le travail réalisé au quotidien est exceptionnellement utile et précieux, merci, merci et merci.
Gardons à l’esprit que le logiciel n’est qu’un outil au service d’autres luttes dans lesquelles nous devons prendre notre part.
Merci Jean-Baptiste pour ta contribution !
Conclusion
Nous espérons que cet entretien vous a permis d’en découvrir un peu plus sur la traduction de Fedora."
https://linuxfr.org/news/20-ans-de-fedora-fr-huitieme-entretien-avec-jean-baptiste-mainteneur-de-la-traduction-francaise
#metaglossia_mundus
Here's the list of the countries with the most official languages in the world. From Bolivia’s 37 to India’s 22, learn how multilingual nations manage diverWhich Country Has the Most Official Languages in the World? Check Top 5 Countries
Country with the most official languages in the world: Bolivia leads the world with 37 official languages, according to Guinness World Records. India and Zimbabwe follow with 22 and 16 official languages, respectively.
ByKRITI BARUA
JUN 14, 2025, 20:49 IS
Which Country Has the Most Number of Official Languages in the World? Check Here
Language is more than just words. It's how we connect, share ideas, and shape cultures. Knowing multiple official languages shows a country's respect for its history and people. It also helps governments serve citizens in different tongues, ensuring no one is left out.
Official languages are the ones a government uses for laws, education, and public services. They decide what languages appear on road signs, in courts, and schools.
According to Guinness World Records, Bolivia tops the list with 36 official languages, followed by India and Zimbabwe with hundreds of recognised tongues nationwide, though not all are "official" nationally.
In this article, we'll explore which countries officially recognise the most languages, why that matters, and how it shapes identity, rights, and governance around the world.
Related Stories
Which Country Has the Most Languages in the World? List of Top 5 Countries with the Most Languages
Constitution of India: Official Languages Of Our Country
List of Official Languages of Indian States and Union Territories
Top 5 Countries with the Most Official Languages in the World
According to the latest data available on the web, here are the top 10 countries with the most official languages in the world:
Rank
Country
Official Language(s)
Number of Official Languages
1
Bolivia
Spanish + 36 indigenous languages
37
2
India
Hindi, English + 20 others (regional)
22
3
Zimbabwe
English, Shona, Ndebele + 13 others
16
4
Mali
French + 12 indigenous languages
13
5
South Africa
11 (soon 12) official languages
11
6
Peru
Spanish + 31 indigenous languages
32
7
Vanuatu
Bislama, English, French
3
8
New Zealand
English, Māori, NZ Sign Language
3
9
Luxembourg
Luxembourgish, French, German
3
10
Papua New Guinea
English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu
3
1. Bolivia
Source: iStock
Bolivia leads the world with an impressive 37 official languages, as recognised by its 2009 constitution. This includes Spanish as the most widely spoken, alongside 36 indigenous languages such as Quechua, Aymara, and Guaraní, each representing distinct cultural groups.
India is celebrated for its stunning linguistic diversity, officially recognising 22 languages under its constitution’s Eighth Schedule. Hindi and English serve as the primary languages of government and communication, while regional languages like Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu are each official in their respective states.
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3. Zimbabwe
Source: Britannica
Zimbabwe boasts 16 official languages, reflecting its complex cultural heritage. English is the main language of administration and education, but Shona and Ndebele are the most widely spoken indigenous languages. Other recognised languages include Venda, Tonga, Chewa, and Kalanga, each representing distinct ethnic communities.
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4. Mali
Source: iStock
Mali recognises 13 official languages, reflecting its rich cultural tapestry. French serves as the official administrative language, inherited from colonial history, while 12 national languages, including Bambara, Songhai, and Fulfulde, are widely spoken across the country. These languages are integral to Mali’s identity, used in education, media, and local governance.
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5. South Africa
Source: Vecteezy
South Africa is renowned for its linguistic diversity, with 11 official languages—soon to be 12, as South African Sign Language is set to be recognised. These include Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, and Setswana, among others, each reflecting the country’s multicultural heritage.
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6. Peru
Peru is notable for its recognition of 32 official languages, including Spanish and 31 indigenous languages such as Quechua and Aymara. While Spanish is the dominant language for administration and education, indigenous languages are widely spoken in rural areas and are integral to the country’s cultural identity.
7. Vanuatu
Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation, officially recognises three languages: Bislama, English, and French. Bislama, a creole language, is the most widely spoken and serves as a lingua franca among the country’s diverse linguistic communities. English and French are used in education and government, reflecting Vanuatu’s colonial history. The country is also home to over 100 indigenous languages, making it one of the most linguistically diverse places on earth.
8. New Zealand
New Zealand has three official languages: English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language. English is the most widely spoken, used in daily life and government, while Māori is recognised as the language of the indigenous Māori people, with efforts to revitalise and promote its use. New Zealand Sign Language ensures accessibility for the deaf community.
9. Luxembourg
Luxembourg stands out in Europe with three official languages: Luxembourgish, French, and German. Luxembourgish is the national language and a symbol of cultural identity, while French and German are used in administration, education, and business. This trilingualism reflects Luxembourg’s unique position at the crossroads of Europe, facilitating communication and cultural exchange.
10. Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is a linguistic hotspot, officially recognising three languages: English, Tok Pisin, and Hiri Motu. English is used in government and education, while Tok Pisin, a creole, serves as a widely spoken lingua franca. Hiri Motu is used in certain regions. The country is also home to over 800 indigenous languages, making it the most linguistically diverse country in the world by number of languages spoken.
Which Country has the Most Official Languages in the World?
Source: iStock
Bolivia holds the record for the most official languages in the world. According to the 2009 Bolivian Constitution, the country officially recognises 37 languages. These include Spanish and 36 Indigenous languages, such as Quechua, Aymara, Guarani, and others. The move was made to honour Bolivia’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity.
Why So Many?
Bolivia is home to numerous Indigenous communities, each with its own language and traditions. By granting official status to these languages, Bolivia promotes inclusion and aims to preserve its linguistic heritage.
Kriti Barua
Executive Content Writer
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/countries-with-the-most-official-languages-in-the-world-1749914324-1
#metaglossia_mundus
"Le Comité d'experts de la Charte européenne des langues régionales ou minoritaires a tenu sa 82e réunion plénière du 10 au 13 juin 2025 à Strasbourg.
Au cours de la réunion, le comité a adopté le 6ème rapport d'évaluation sur l'application de la Charte par l’Arménie et le 6ème rapport d'évaluation sur l'application de la Charte par la République slovaque, qui seront tous deux transmis aux autorités pour commentaires éventuels dans un délai de deux mois après leur transmission. Les rapports d’évaluation et les commentaires des Etats seront ensuite rendus publics et soumis au Comité des Ministres.
Le comité a également adopté son rapport à mi-parcours sur la mise en œuvre de ses recommandations pour action immédiate par le Monténégro, qui sera publié dans les prochains jours et soumis au Comité des Ministres pour information.
Enfin, le 13 juin, le Comité d'experts a désigné Sarah Muller (Luxembourg) rapporteure pour l’égalité de genre du comité.
Le comité tiendra sa prochaine réunion plénière en novembre 2025 à Strasbourg."
https://www.coe.int/fr/web/european-charter-regional-or-minority-languages/-/comex-82nd-plenary-meeting
#metaglossia_mundus
New research shows that reviving Indigenous languages may do more than preserve culture—it may also improve public health. "How language revitalization boosts Indigenous health
New research shows that reviving Indigenous languages may do more than preserve culture—it may also improve public health. Jun 12, 2025 In British Columbia, First Nations youth who speak their ancestral language are less likely to die by suicide. In Australia’s Northern Territory, community-led language initiatives are linked to better mental health outcomes. A growing body of research is reinforcing what many Indigenous communities have long said: speaking and sustaining ancestral languages contributes to health and well-being. A new review, published in the journal Language and Health, brings academic weight to this knowledge. Led by an interdisciplinary team from the University of British Columbia, with participation from the University of Toronto and the University of Sydney, the scoping review analyzed more than 260 academic and community-based sources from Canada, the United States, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. About 78 per cent of the studies showed a positive link between Indigenous language vitality—such as speaking, teaching or revitalizing languages—and improved health outcomes, including better mental health, stronger educational performance, greater social connection and, in some cases, lower suicide rates. “It was very interesting to see the many different aspects of health that are positively linked with language use—not just mental health and spiritual well-being, but also physical health,” said Julia Schillo, a PhD student in the department of linguistics and co-author of the study. One of the most important findings was how language affects healthcare. Many studies showed that when health services are offered in Indigenous languages—or at least with proper translation—patients are more likely to understand their conditions, follow treatment plans and feel respected. In some cases, a lack of language support led to serious consequences. For example, one study found that Inuit children were often misdiagnosed during cognitive testing because the tests were given in English, not their first language, Inuktitut. The study also revealed links between language use and mental health. Communities where more people spoke their Indigenous language reported lower rates of youth suicide and depression. Language was also found to support identity, self-esteem, and cultural pride—key factors in mental and emotional wellbeing. In many cases, language learning itself was part of healing. Several studies showed that learning or teaching Indigenous languages helped individuals recover from trauma, including the long-lasting effects of colonization and Residential Schools. “Language was one of many parts of our Indigenous identities that histories of genocide attempted to eradicate,” said Karleen Delaurier-Lyle, co-author and librarian at UBC’s X̱wi7x̱wa Library. “Any support in rectifying that past for our ability to heal from that is important.” As the United Nations marks the Decade of Indigenous Languages, the researchers recommend that governments and health systems recognize Indigenous languages as a social determinant of health—something that directly affects people’s wellbeing—and provide lasting support for language programs, culturally safe healthcare and community-led research. “There are tangible actions found in the recommendations that, when leveraged, can have a huge positive impact on collective well-being,” added Delaurier-Lyle. “To me, that’s the most striking part of the study.” Examples of effective programs in which the co-authors are involved include adult immersion courses in Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) and digital revitalization efforts in partnership with the Heiltsuk Nation in British Columbia. “When I speak with community partners who work on language revitalization, they often tell me that language reclamation is a very important component of a healthy life,” added Schillo. “I’m glad this article demonstrates that there is a lot of support in the academic literature for what many community members have told me anecdotally.”"
https://news.ubc.ca/2025/06/how-language-revitalization-boosts-indigenous-health/
#metaglossia_mundus
Ofqual has published the provisional number of entries for GCSEs, AS and A-levels in England for this summer’s exam series.
"Spanish has overtaken French as the most popular foreign language at GCSE, figures suggest.
Provisional data for England shows exam entries for French GCSE this summer are down by 1.9%, from 130,650 last summer to 128,155 this year.
GCSE entries for German have also fallen by 7.6% over the past year, from 35,110 to 32,430.
But GCSE entries for Spanish have increased by 1.6%, from 129,935 in summer 2024 to 131,985 this summer, according to the latest Ofqual figures.
The rising popularity of Spanish could be because pupils are more familiar with the language because of the popularity of Spain, the Balearics, and Canary Islands as holiday destinations, a school leaders’ union has suggested.
GCSE entries for Spanish and French. Infographic from PA Graphics. See story EDUCATION Subjects. An editable version of this graphic is available if required. Please contact graphics@pamediagroup.com. Embed code for interactive version:
At A-level, entries for French and German are also down (by 8.3% and 6.8%), but entries for Spanish A-level are up by 1.4%.
The overall number of entries for this summer’s exams for both GCSEs and A-levels has decreased, according to the data published on Thursday.
GCSE provisional entries have fallen by 0.6% from 5,811,595 in summer 2024 to 5,777,020 this summer.
Meanwhile, A-level entries have decreased by 0.4% from 825,355 last summer to 821,875 this summer.
The decrease for GCSE entries this summer is because of a drop in entries for subjects in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) measure as well as non-EBacc subjects, England’s exams regulator Ofqual said.
The EBacc is a performance measure which aims to ensure pupils take English, maths, science, a humanities subject and a language at GCSE.
GCSE entries for computing – an EBacc subject – have decreased by 4.7% on last year, while entries for history are down by 5.9% on last summer.
In March, the interim report of the independent curriculum and assessment review said it will consider whether the EBacc remains “effective”.
The review suggested that the EBacc may “constrain the choice of students” in school, and it could limit their access to vocational and arts subjects.
The provisional figures also show GCSE entries for art and design subjects are down by 1.7% on last year, and GCSE entries for drama are down 1.5%.
The growing popularity of Spanish is really good news as there has been a long-term decline in modern foreign languages, but we do need to do more at a national level to boost language learning more generally
Pepe Di’Iasio, ASCL
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “The rising popularity of Spanish as a choice for GCSE probably reflects the fact that many young people may be more familiar with the Spanish language, because of the popularity of Spain, the Balearics and Canary Islands as holiday destinations, than they are with French and German.
“That then tends to be reinforced by what friends and siblings are studying.
“The growing popularity of Spanish is really good news as there has been a long-term decline in modern foreign languages, but we do need to do more at a national level to boost language learning more generally.”
The top 10 most popular GCSEs based on entries is unchanged from last year, with combined science in first place follow by maths, English language, English literature, history, geography, religious studies, art & design, biology and chemistry.
Outside the top 10, business studies has moved up from 14th place in 2024 to 13th this year, while PE has risen from 17th to 16th.
French has dropped two places from 12th to 14th, with Spanish moving up from 13th to 12th.
Vicky Gough, schools adviser at the British Council, said: “Spanish has grown in importance for the UK, both as a key global business language and through its popularity in tourism.
“It is now the second most widely spoken first language in the world.
“At the same time, we’ve seen a steady, if uneven, decline in the uptake of French and German, with German falling significantly year on year.
“Many pupils perceive Spanish as easier to learn and recognise its global reach and usefulness.
“While the rise of Spanish is encouraging, the decline in French and German is a real concern.
“These languages are spoken in the UK’s two largest non-English-speaking trading partners and continue to be highly valued by employers.”
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “It is hard to know for sure why entries have dropped in certain subjects – there is always some variability year on year.
“But one possibility is that with recruitment challenges really biting in schools, some simply don’t have the teachers they need to offer courses in certain subjects.
“Teacher recruitment targets were missed in computing, chemistry, physics and modern foreign languages in the last couple of years, and these are among the subjects which experienced a fall in entries.
“This underlines the need for the Government to address head on the fundamental causes of the recruitment and retention crisis gripping schools, which ultimately affects students as well as increasingly stretched leaders and teachers.”"
https://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/national/25234210.spanish-overtakes-french-popular-foreign-language-gcse-figures-suggest/
#metaglossia_mundus
A new Finnish study challenges the belief that similar foreign languages interfere with each other in learning. Instead, learning languages like Swedish and German simultaneously can support writing skills across both.
"Study finds similar foreign languages strengthen each other in learning
INFORMATION 10 JUNE 2025
A girl studying at home. Photo: Vesa Moilanen / LehtikuvaSTUDY
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New research from the University of Turku challenges a widely held belief about language learning: that studying similar foreign languages at the same time causes confusion. The study suggests the opposite, that languages like Swedish and German, when learned together, can support one another.
The findings come from the doctoral research of Veijo Vaakanainen, who examined the writing skills of Finnish learners of Swedish. His study found that language similarity can be a resource rather than a hindrance, especially in developing cohesive writing.
“Language similarity supports writing development in both Swedish and German,” Vaakanainen said in a university statement. “This contradicts the common idea that such languages interfere with each other.”
Writing in a foreign language involves more than vocabulary and grammar. It also requires the ability to construct coherent texts by linking ideas and expressing relationships between sentences, a challenge even for advanced learners.
Vaakanainen’s research focused on how learners form cohesive written texts as their language skills develop. He observed that as proficiency improved, so did the diversity and complexity of the learners’ text structures.
The study offers concrete guidance for how foreign languages could be taught more effectively in schools.
“First, language instruction should pay more attention to discourse-level features, not just words and sentences,” Vaakanainen said. “Second, we should develop multilingual teaching approaches that allow learners to use their full language repertoire without strict separation between language subjects.”
His findings support the idea of more integrated and flexible language education policies, where learners can transfer knowledge and strategies across languages instead of treating them as isolated systems."
https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/176-information/study/27097-study-finds-similar-foreign-languages-strengthen-each-other-in-learning.html
#metaglossia_mundus
"Grants to help preserve Indigenous languages
THE State Government has opened applications for the Indigenous Languages Grants program, offering $285,000 for a wide range of Queensland-based initiatives which help to preserve and promote the use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.
Applications are now open for grants up to $15,000 for art, drama, music and film, Yarning Circles, audio recordings, workshops, signage, books and posters.
The grants support Closing the Gap Target 16, to achieve a sustained increase in the number and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being spoken.
Queensland was once home to more than 100 Indigenous languages and dialects. Today, around 50 are still spoken, but fewer than 20 are used as first languages.
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Fiona Simpson said the government was proud to support community projects which strengthen traditional languages.
“Amidst the United Nations’ Decade of Indigenous Languages, preserving, revitalising and promoting Queensland languages has never been more important – especially as we look ahead to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Previous grant recipients include Centenary State High School P&C Association to embed Indigenous language into their curriculum, and the Angkamuthi Tribal Aboriginal Corporation in Far North Queensland to conduct biocultural mapping and language recording on Seven Rivers Country.”
Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek said the grants support language education in schools and communities.
“We know learning languages expands our understanding of cultures and history, none more so than our Australian Indigenous languages,” he said.
Applications close on 27 June. Application details can be found at www.qld.gov.au/firstnations/grants-funding/languages";
14 June, 2025
https://www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au/grants-to-help-preserve-indigenous-languages-2025-06-14
#metaglossia_mundus
"The Farsi language news broadcast for Voice of America was abruptly reactivated on Friday, calling back dozens of workers for the news network who had been put on paid leave as hostilities between Israel and Iran intensified, two staff members at the Farsi news service said.
Voice of America, a federally funded news network that reports the news in dozens of foreign languages, had previously included a news service in Farsi, also known as Persian, the language most commonly spoken in Iran. Workers for the Farsi news service were among the vast majority of staff at Voice of America who were placed on paid administrative leave after President Trump signed an executive order gutting the news agency in March.
Employees for the news service have since sued to have the service restored even as the Trump administration moves to all but eliminate the news network. Supporters of the network argued that the service provided credible news in places that lacked an independent press, while the White House accused it of leftist bias.
Kari Lake, a senior adviser for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, did not respond to a request for comment.
In an email reviewed by The New York Times, workers for the Farsi news service were told they were recalled “effective immediately” and told to “report to your duty station immediately.” Workers were also told to ensure that their security credentials had been reactivated.
About 100 staff members work at the Farsi news service. All the full-time staff members, about half of the total work force, were called back to work, a staffer at the Farsi language service said, but contractors have not been, creating problems as the news agency quickly ramped up production for a television broadcast late Friday evening.
The website for Voice of America’s Farsi language service was updated with a collection of stories on the conflict between Israel and Iran on Friday.
Journalists for Voice of America who were still on administrative leave lamented that staff members were only now being recalled in an emergency, adding that the situation in the Middle East showed why the network never should have been shut down.
“After months off the air, we’ve already lost a lot of audience and credibility,” Patsy Widakuswara, a former Voice of America White House bureau chief who was placed on leave and is leading a lawsuit against Ms. Lake and the U.S. Agency for Global Media, said in a statement. “They should bring us all back so we can respond to breaking news in all parts of the world.”
Jessica Jerreat, an editor at Voice of America who was also placed on leave, said in a statement that “by reducing programming since March, V.O.A. has cut off its audience right at the very moment they need it most.”"
By Minho Kim and Chris Cameron
Reporting from Washington
June 13, 2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/us/politics/voice-of-america-farsi-iran-news.html
#metaglossia_mundus
‘Prehistoric peoples were not hairy barbarians, but sophisticated technologists.’
"The Origins of Language, and How It Shaped Our World
‘Prehistoric peoples were not hairy barbarians, but sophisticated technologists.’
Crawford Kilian
YesterdayThe Tyee
Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.
Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global
Laura Spinney
Bloomsbury Publishing (2025)
Six thousand years ago, a small group of herders near the Black Sea had a word for “excrement”: kakka. They also had a word for “filth”: puH, pronounced “poo” with a kind of huff at the end.
No one ever wrote down those words, and the herders’ language is dead. But for 6,000 years, people speaking the descendants of the herders’ language have used those unpleasant words (or variants of them) for feces and rot.
We now call the herders’ language “Proto-Indo-European,” the first of an immense family of languages now spoken by half the people on the planet.
Laura Spinney, a British science journalist who wrote an excellent book on the global impact of the 1918-19 influenza pandemic, has now published a fascinating account of how a language spoken by a few hundred herders near the Black Sea became multiple families of languages spoken by half the world’s people.
Science journalist Laura Spinney’s new book dives into the complexities of prehistoric societies. Photo by Dominique Cabrelli.
But it’s not really about the language as such. The brilliance of Spinney’s writing is that she uses the story of the herders’ language, Proto-Indo-European, and its daughter languages, as a vehicle to uncover the turbulent history of the late Stone Age and the Bronze Age that succeeded it. We begin to understand that prehistoric peoples were not just hairy barbarians, but sophisticated technologists sustaining complex societies.
Combined with archeology and the new science of archaic DNA analysis, early language families let us glimpse a world far older than the Greeks and Persians we think of as “ancient.”
By definition, prehistory deals with events and peoples before the invention of writing. But we are beginning to understand much more about the very ancient world thanks to advances in three sciences: linguistics, archeology and DNA analysis.
Linguistics, working on sound shifts, has given us about 1,600 words in Proto-Indo-European, which no one has spoken in over 5,000 years. Archeology has identified cultures and their movements across Eurasia in the centuries that followed. DNA analysis has told us what the peoples of those cultures were like, and who intermarried with whom.
Five thousand to 10,000 years ago, the peoples of Eurasia included hunter-gatherers, herders and farmers. Many lived on the steppe — a vast territory of grasses and shrubs that extends from eastern Europe to Manchuria.
‘We tend to dismiss preliterate peoples as somehow not as “advanced” as we are. This is a mistake,’ writes Crawford Kilian.
On the move across the steppe
Almost everyone on the steppe was on the move. Hunter-gatherers pursued game; herders led their sheep and goats from pasture to pasture; farmers moved across the unfarmable steppe in search of new land to support their growing numbers.
About 6,500 years ago, technological change made a sudden impact on the world, comparable to the invention of the steam engine long after: people on both sides of the Ural Mountains, a north-south range that spans most of Russia from the Arctic Ocean to northwestern Kazakhstan, domesticated horses. Those on the east side of the Urals developed the breed that would eventually carry people from Mongolia in the east all the way to Poland in the west. On the west side, another horse breed was first herded and then ridden.
On both sides of the Urals, people suddenly had access to horsepower, energy to carry them long distances, while also providing meat and milk. Spinney makes it clear that riding horses was a relatively late development, but it was adopted so quickly around the Black Sea that it’s hard to say who the first horse riders were.
Among the early adopters west of the Urals were a herding people we now call the Yamnaya — a Russian word for “pit grave,” which was a common practice among this particular group.
The Yamnaya were also imaginative users of livestock: being lactose intolerant, they didn’t drink milk from horses or sheep but converted it into cheese and yogurt. They also knew how to mine copper, smelt it and forge it into tools and weapons, and they dramatically improved their mobility by building wagons and hitching them to oxen.
That, Spinney tells us, opened up the whole steppe to the Yamnaya. Instead of staying in the region between the Dnieper and the Don rivers, where their oldest genomes are found, they could move their herds and households anywhere they liked. And by exploiting the nutrients of the steppe more efficiently than anyone before them, they prospered.
“Their bones and teeth testify to this,” Spinney explains. “They grew significantly taller and stronger than their ancestors. Some of them were remarkably long-lived. Archeologists have retrieved sexagenarians, even septuagenarians. And very soon, there were a great many more of them: a veritable population explosion.”
The Yamnaya looked much like modern Europeans. DNA analysis showed them to be unusually tall at 180 centimetres (six feet), brown-eyed, brown-haired and with fair to dark complexions.
But such analysis also shows that at the time, they were one of four peoples living around the Black Sea, each as different in appearance from the others as modern Europeans are from modern Chinese.
As they expanded their range, the Yamnaya met other peoples and started new families with them; their appearance must have changed just as their languages did.
The mummies of the Taklamakan
Spinney cites another example, the mummies of northwest China, on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Well preserved in dry desert soil, they are the remains of hundreds of tall, fair-haired men and women with pale skin, prominent noses and deep-set eyes. Their clothing was woven in tartan patterns, much like those of the Celtic speakers far to the west.
Archeologists assumed the mummies were Tocharians, an Indo-European people who migrated far to the east many centuries after the Yamnaya.
“In 2021,” Spinney writes, “scientists from China and Germany put the speculation to rest. Having analyzed the genomes of 13 of the oldest mummies, they reported that those individuals were a genetic vestige of the hunter-gatherers who had inhabited the eastern end of Eurasia since before the last ice age. They had not interbred with any of the populations around them.... If they looked European, it was more likely to be because their ancestors had bequeathed genes shaping skin and hair colour to ancient Europeans, than because Europeans had come east.”
The Yamnaya spread out for centuries to the north, east, west and south. In the process they picked up words and customs from other peoples.
Spinney notes that Proto-Indo-European and its sister language, Proto-Anatolian, have completely different words for “wheel.” That suggests that their speakers encountered wheels only after Proto-Indo-European and Proto-Anatolian split from an earlier language.
An ancient word for ‘river’
Some words in Proto-Indo-European’s daughter languages have persisted. For example, the Scythians, a people who spoke Indo-European languages associated with what is now known as Iran, once lived in what is now southern Ukraine. “Donbas” is a contraction of “Donets River Coal Basin,” and “Donets” is a Slavic word meaning “small river.” “Don” comes from the Iranic word danu, meaning “river.” The same word is part of other Ukrainian river names like Dnieper (“river to the rear”) and Dniester (“river to the front”) — not to mention the Don itself as well as the Danube.
All those rivers, Spinney tells us, were named by the Scythians 3,000 years ago. Other peoples now battle to control the region, but they still use the Scythian words for its rivers.
We tend to dismiss preliterate peoples as somehow not as “advanced” as we are. This is a mistake. The Yamnaya and other Bronze Age peoples were just as smart as we are, if not smarter. They could mine and smelt copper ore, alloy the copper with arsenic or tin, and forge bronze tools and weapons. And they could teach their children all those skills. That must have required precise terms, clear arguments and attentive listeners who could act on instructions.
The same applies to their herding and wagon-building skills, which made them masters of the steppe. As Yamnaya groups separated from one another, their languages changed — but their technologies, and the stories they told, the myths and legends, stayed the same.
Spinney tells us: “From the Scottish isles to the Himalaya, there existed a chain of societies that was deeply interconnected through trade, custom, language and mythology.”
DNA analysis shows that the first Yamnaya men were closely related on their fathers’ side. They were part of a hierarchical, patriarchal society, and they seem to have replaced many of the peoples in Europe. It was probably not a genocide, Spinney suggests, but the consequences of a western European pandemic of bubonic plague.
English Is a Dead Tech Language
READ MORE
The Yamnaya would have moved west into an almost empty land. Indo-European languages kept spreading, and the plague survivors would have adopted the newcomers’ languages. In Europe today, only the Basques still speak a language spoken before the pandemic.
When writing finally reached the Indo-Europeans, it was through trade with the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, and then with the alphabet-inventing Phoenicians. But it was a slow, uneven process. Many Indo-European societies revered the bards who could recite from memory the histories of great kings and queens, wars won and lost. Only a tiny fraction of their epic songs, like the Iliad and the Odyssey, were preserved.
The Indo-European languages’ power of storytelling may have helped them spread around the world, inspiring each generation to emulate the heroes of the past. In her plain but fluent English, Spinney evokes the epic triumphs and tragedies of those whose names have not been spoken for millennia.
READ MORE: Books, Science + Tech
Here’s what we’re up against....
Global tech giants blocking Canadian news on their platforms. Political candidates purposely eroding trust in journalists. AI slop enabling a flourishing of misinformation online, with no accountability. Billionaire newspaper owners blatantly interfering with the editorial choices of their newsrooms.
To be a news publisher these days, committed to the slow, methodical work of talking to real people, verifying facts, is incredibly challenging. Not only are there bad actors that intentionally try to stymy good quality reporting, the business environment for journalism has been fundamentally disrupted, meaning that many of the institutions we used to rely on for high-quality journalism are struggling.
Against many odds, though, The Tyee is making it work, with the help of our readers. We’ve chosen a path that seems improbable -- we don’t have a paywall, and we’re very selective with our advertising partners that we work with. And we’ve been growing our team of professional journalists and increased our freelance budget. The only reason we can do this is because a small percentage of our readers chip in to our editorial budget through our Tyee Builders program.
This amazing group of readers means that The Tyee has persisted and published essential public-interest journalism for the past 21 years, and we have a good shot at being around for a long time in the future. But we can only maintain and grow our operations if readers continue to show up.
In this time of uncertainty we need good journalism now more than ever. If you appreciate what you read on The Tyee and would like to help our independent, non-profit do more, please consider joining Tyee Builders today. You choose the amount, the frequency, and you can cancel at any time.
— Jeanette Ageson, publisher"
https://www.thetyee.ca/Culture/2025/06/13/Origins-Language-Shaped-Our-World/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Bill Would Allow AI-Assisted Translation in Wis. Courtrooms
The proposed legislation would permit county courts to use “AI or other machine-assisted translation tools” with or instead of human interpreters in civil or criminal proceedings.
June 11, 2025 • Mitchell Schmidt, The Wisconsin State Journal
(TNS) — Non-English speaking Wisconsinites who find themselves in a county courtroom could receive their state-mandated interpretation services from a computer screen or tablet, rather than from a trained interpreter, under proposed legislation circulating in the state Capitol.
With the cost and demand for courtroom interpreters climbing annually in Wisconsin, the proposal is billed as an opportunity for county courts to capture the cost savings and efficiencies offered by artificial intelligence and machine-learning programs that seek to bridge language gaps. But AI and legal experts said they have serious concerns that the rapidly advancing technology is still years from being able to replace the skill and expertise of a certified court interpreter.
Florencia Russ, CEO of Transcend Translations and a certified translator with the American Translators Association, said the risks for mistranslations or errors in court proceedings — where individuals may be facing a jail sentence or offering crucial testimony — are far too high to incorporate unproven technology into a system built on the right to due process.
"I don’t recommend using AI in place of humans at this point at all," Russ said. "There needs to be a human in the loop anytime AI is used. Even if it translates things correctly, there’s context, there’s nuance, there’s words that have multiple meanings and it’s just not possible yet to have results that are accurate enough to be used in a court setting safely, legally or ethically, in my opinion.”
The proposal, co-authored by Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, and Rep. Dave Maxey, R-New Berlin, would allow county courts "to permit the use of AI or other machine-assisted translation tools as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, human interpreters in civil or criminal proceedings, certain municipal proceedings, and administrative contested case proceedings."
The measure also allows an interpreter to provide services via telephone or online link for criminal trials, which currently require in-person interpretation services. Many courts already allow for remote interpretation in other proceedings, such as hearings or civil cases.
"Importantly, counties that prefer to continue using human interpreters would retain the full authority to do so — this bill simply offers a flexible choice," the bill's co-authors wrote in a memo seeking cosponsors. "This legislation is essential for modernizing our court system and reducing the financial burden on counties."
Kapenga said the proposal seeks to capitalize on the rapid evolution taking place in artificial intelligence and see if specific programs geared toward language translation can be incorporated into the state's court system.
"I fully expect this will be a nationwide thing that everybody goes to," Kapenga said, adding that he envisions the bill to be the first step in implementing a pilot program that can be tested and refined as needed. The proposal does not identify a specific translation program, and would make the use of artificial intelligence in the courtroom optional.
"People will test them and they'll get comfort levels with the different platforms," Kapenga said. "That's why we're leaving it more wide open."
RISING COSTS
State statute requires that all individuals with limited English proficiency are entitled to a qualified interpreter during court proceedings. The Americans with Disabilities Act also guarantees those who are deaf or hard of hearing the right to an interpreter.
More than 167,000 Wisconsin residents, or nearly 3% of the state population, identified as speaking English “less than very well” in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey .
Courtroom interpreters must pass a multi-step testing process in order to be certified in Wisconsin. The process includes an orientation, an oral proficiency review and oral and written tests. The state currently has 135 certified court interpreters on its roster, including 71 certified in Spanish and 64 certified in other languages. Forty-one of the Spanish interpreters live in the state.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A COURT INTERPRETER?
The role of a court interpreter is much more complicated than simply converting written text from one language to another.
The specialized nature of the field, paired with rising demand nationwide, means counties are spending more each year for qualified courtroom interpreters — sometimes contracting with individuals from across the country, who either travel to Wisconsin to provide in-person interpretation or provide services remotely. The bulk of those costs are absorbed by individual counties, with the state providing a partial reimbursement.
All told, county courts spent more than $3.7 million on interpreter services in 2023, according to the bill's co-authors.
"The beauty is that we’re now in a day and age when AI is able to help us with these things, and why not take advantage of that cost savings?” Maxey said.
DANE COUNTY COURT INTERPRETER COSTS
Waukesha County, for example, spent more than $182,000 on court interpreters last year, compared with just $50,000 spent in 2014.
While Waukesha has seen an increase in demand for Spanish and other language interpreters, "there has also been a sharp decrease in the number of local, in-state interpreters available to attend the proceedings in-person," Monica Paz, Waukesha County clerk of circuit court, said in an email.
Dane is currently the only county court in the state with on-staff interpreters — one full-time and two half-time staffers. The county also contracts with interpreters from across the country for various language needs.
The Dane County court system spent more than $171,000 on courtroom interpreters in 2014. Last year, the county spent more than $408,000 to hire more than 90 different interpreters. This year is on pace to surpass that, with nearly $118,000 spent in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
"It's certainly a significant issue, so I think in that sense we really appreciate the Legislature looking at this in any sense to try to be forward-thinking," Dane County Clerk of Courts Jeff Okazaki said of rising interpreter costs.
ACCURACY OVER EFFICIENCY
But Okazaki also raised concerns about replacing highly skilled interpreters with artificial intelligence in an area where proper translation could play a crucial role in a case's outcome. Legal jargon is dense and complicated, the meaning or use of specific words can vary based on region, and some languages like Spanish are gendered, meaning all nouns are classified as masculine or feminine. All those factors create challenges for artificial intelligence programs built to translate language.
"The whole idea behind interpretation is that they are interpreting meaning and not just translating words," Okazaki said. "That's the most important piece, and the software does not yet have the ability to do that."
Such translation tools continue to become more common. Maxey recalled a recent ride-along with a police officer in which Google Translate was used to communicate with a motorist.
DANE COUNTY COURT INTEREPRETERS
The Dane County court system contracted with court interpreters from across the country in 2024.
But Maxey also underscored the importance of providing an accurate translation.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re there for a simple speeding ticket or you’re on trial for your life," Maxey said. "It needs to be accurate, and that’s where I think that being able to look at what you said on the screen and know that’s what it actually translated.”
Mark Lemley, a lawyer and professor at Stanford Law School, said AI translation is quick and cost effective, but such programs still make mistakes.
"If the alternative is not having a translator, it's clearly an improvement," Lemley said. "But if the idea is to replace existing human translators, I worry that we will see inaccurate translations with no easy way to question them, and that judges and government officials will think they are more reliable than they are."
Annette Zimmerman, a professor in UW-Madison's department of philosophy and co-lead of the university's Uncertainty and AI Group, described the human review process for AI interpretation in the courtroom as "crucial for accuracy" because the technology does not yet guarantee perfect outcomes. In high-stakes courtroom decisions, a human interpreter's expertise and human judgment "is essential for disambiguating potentially confusing claims," she added.
"Human review and guardrails are incredibly important in a high stakes domain like criminal justice, where even one small error can have life-altering unjust consequences," Zimmermann said in an email. "I don't think that the fact that counties would be able to choose not to use AI plausibly counts as a meaningful guardrail, by the way. We need a regulatory framework in place that isn't up to counties to opt in and out of."
Human input is also critical to the nature of courtroom proceedings because those involved in the judicial system "ethically owe it to that person to engage with them on an individual human level to provide the justification for that sentence."
"Taking shortcuts and trying to save costs no matter what risks undermine the deeper purpose of the criminal justice process," Zimmermann said. "Efficiency in our public institutions is an important policy goal, but considerations of efficiency shouldn't outweigh our important individual rights and freedoms."
If Wisconsin courtrooms begin using artificial intelligence for interpreting purposes, Kapenga said constitutionality and due process will be a part of that discussion.
"The court system will always err on the side of the person whose rights are potentially being infringed on, Kapenga said"
https://www.govtech.com/artificial-intelligence/bill-would-allow-ai-assisted-translation-in-wis-courtrooms
#metaglossia_mundus
"JLI: The Impossible Art of Translating the Bible
A conversation with Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, host of the 18Forty Podcast, and Rabbi Meni Even-Israel, director of The Steinsaltz Center, on the challenges and opportunities of translating Jewish literature, with a focus on the work of Koren Publishing House.
This interview took place with Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin and Rabbi Menni Even-Israel at the 18th annual National Jewish Retreat. For more information and to register for the next retreat, visit: https://jretreat.com."
https://crownheights.info/chabad-news/911096/jli-the-impossible-art-of-translating-the-bible/
#metaglossia_mundus
Open Lecture with Annalena Sund Aillet:
"Translating Indigenous Literature: The Case of Kukum by Michel Jean
WEBINAR
Date: Friday 27 June 2025
Time: 14.00 – 15.00
Location: Digitalt via Zoom*
Open Lecture with Annalena Sund Aillet
In May 2025, the Swedish translation of Michel Jean’s Kukum was published by Elisabeth Grate Förlag. In this open lecture, translator Annalena Sund Aillet will explore the challenges and responsibilities involved in translating Indigenous literature for a Swedish readership.
Taking Kukum—a powerful novel rooted in the oral storytelling tradition of the Innu people—as a point of departure, Sund Aillet reflects on questions of voice, cultural specificity, and linguistic nuance.
The event is organized by the Centre for Canadian Studies at Stockholm University."
https://www.su.se/centre-for-canadian-studies/calendar/translating-indigenous-literature-the-case-of-kukum-by-michel-jean-1.827421
#metaglossia_mundus
DeepL, which is valued at $2 billion, is a German startup that has created its own AI models for language translation.
"German startup DeepL says latest Nvidia chips lets it translate the whole internet in just 18 days
DeepL on Wednesday said it was deploying one of the latest Nvidia systems that would allow the German startup to translate the whole internet in 18 days, down from 194 days previously.
The announcement underscores how Nvidia is trying to broaden the customer base for its chips beyond hyperscalers, such as Microsoft and Amazon.
Valued at $2 billion, DeepL is a startup that has created its own AI models for language translation.
DeepL on Wednesday said it was deploying one of the latest Nvidia systems that would allow the German startup to translate the whole internet in just 18 days.
This is sharply down from 194 days previously.
DeepL is a startup that has developed its own AI models for and competes with Google Translate.
Nvidia is meanwhile looking to expand the customer base for its chips — which are designed to power artificial intelligence applications — beyond hyperscalers such as Microsoft and Amazon.
It also highlights how startups are using Nvidia’s high-end products to build AI applications, which are viewed as the next step after foundational models, such as those designed by OpenAI.
The Cologne-based company is deploying an Nvidia system known as DGX SuperPOD. Each of the DGX SuperPOD server racks contains 36 B200 Grace Blackwell Superchips, one of the company’s latest products on the market. Nvidia’s chips are required to train and run huge AI models, such as the ones designed by DeepL.
“The idea is, of course, to provide a lot more computational power to our research scientists to build even more advanced models,” Stefan Mesken, chief scientist at DeepL, told CNBC.
Mesken said the upgraded infrastructure would help enhance current products like Clarify, which the company launched this year. Clarify is a tool that asks users questions to make sure context is incorporated in the translation.
“It just wasn’t technically feasible until recently with the advancements that we’ve made in our next-gen efforts. This has now became possible. So those are the kinds of advances that we continue to hunt for,” Mesken said"
Arjun Kharpal
@ARJUNKHARPAL
JUN 11 2025 7:07 AM EDT
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/german-startup-deepl-deploys-new-nvidia-chips-translate-whole-internet-18-days.html
#metaglossia_mundus
While AI can crank out content faster than ever, speed alone doesn’t translate into compelling stories or emotional connection
BY HUM(AI)N ASSETS
JUNE 12, 2025
While AI can crank out content faster than ever, speed alone doesn’t translate into compelling stories or emotional connection. Digital spaces today remain saturated with bland, repetitive, and forgettable output. Why? Because creativity is more than volume; it’s about turning ideas into unforgettable experiences that resonate with audiences.
Human creativity — with all its nuance, judgment, and context — remains irreplaceable. AI isn’t “dumb,” but these uniquely human qualities can’t be easily taught to machines. The brands that succeed aren’t those who post the most content, but those who create work that truly moves markets. That requires coordination, alignment, and thoughtful execution — not just rapid production...
Rethinking creative processes for the AI era
So what’s missing? The answer lies not in more productivity apps or project management dashboards, but in reimagining creative workflows for the AI era.
It starts with simplicity. Briefs must be clear and concise — ditch the 40-slide brand bibles. Iteration cycles should measure in minutes or hours, not weeks. The workflow must flex seamlessly to handle quick-turn social reels, polished presentations, or nuanced ad copy — all briefed, created, iterated, and approved without chaos or bottlenecks.
The right workflow aligns teams fast, fosters open feedback, and keeps content flowing smoothly. Designers won’t guess tone. Clients won’t wait endlessly. Deadlines become firm targets. Content ships, not stagnates.
This new approach blends AI’s brute force with human discernment. It’s not man versus machine — it’s velocity paired with vision. AI accelerates. Humans elevate.
Building the future of creative workflows
Hum(AI)n Assets is building this future today. The Dubai-based startup offers a content production engine designed to match the realities of modern creative teams — delivering the horsepower of a creative studio without the overhead or delays.
“Everyone’s talking about AI tools, but nobody’s fixing the workflow,” Aydin explains. “You can generate assets in seconds, but getting them approved and aligned? That still takes weeks. It’s not a tool problem; it’s a system problem.”
The solution is smart augmentation, not blind automation. The brief is boiled down to essentials: audience, style, impact, and media type. AI handles formatting, first drafts, and rough image comps. Humans then refine tone, narrative, and aesthetics. The outcome? Faster, sharper, brand-aligned content that meets the demands of today’s business pace.
The platform’s founder, Bally Singh, experienced these workflow pains firsthand while running the Dubai-based Hoko Agency. “Our internal processes were often chaotic and time-consuming,” Singh recalls. “Too many handoffs, information gaps, and waiting rooms between idea and execution.”
Now, Hum(AI)n Assets is scaling fast. Recently, it absorbed Web3-native project Everdome through a strategic acquisition by Hoko Agency, further bolstering its creative engine.
Partnership with Motivate Media Group
The company is also partnering with Motivate Media Group to integrate its AI-powered workflow into Motivate’s publishing operations — a bold move in a sector still grappling with rapid change. This collaboration will debut with the first-ever AI-generated magazine cover, showcasing how improved workflows, human creativity, and AI speed can transform legacy media.
For Motivate, this isn’t just an experiment; it’s a statement. The partnership signals what leadership in the AI age looks like — embracing innovation to set the pace, not follow it.
As AI becomes integral to creative work, workflow is emerging as the keystone issue. Without a smart system, even the most powerful AI becomes noise.
What’s needed is structured speed — a creative operating system where briefs are clear, feedback is fluid, and human-AI collaboration is frictionless.
Hum(AI)n Assets is building that system: a smarter way to work that meets the urgency of today’s creative demands without sacrificing quality or clarity.
By combining agency polish, the momentum of real-time crypto marketing, and AI’s strategic power, the team isn’t just producing content — it’s reinventing the entire process behind it.
In the future, creative success won’t depend on who has the flashiest AI tool, but who can align vision and execution fastest.
And that future starts — and scales — with workflow.
https://gulfbusiness.com/content-boom-why-ai-cant-fix-creative-without-better-systems/
#metaglossia_mundus
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A study in China found that AI can spontaneously develop human-like understanding of natural objects without being trained to do so.
"Chinese researchers claim to have found evidence that large language models (LLMs) can comprehend and process natural objects like human beings. This, they suggest, is done spontaneously even without being explicitly trained to do so.
According to the researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, some AIs (like ChatGPT or Gemini) can mirror a key part of human cognition, which is sorting information.
Their study, published in Nature Machine Intelligence, investigated whether LLM models can develop cognitive processes similar to those of human object representation. Or, in other words, to find out if LLMs can recognize and categorize things based on function, emotion, environment, etc.
LLMs created conceptual dimensions, just like humans
To discover if this is the case, the researchers gave AIs ‘odd-one-out’ tasks using either text (for ChatGPT-3.5) or images (for Gemini Pro Vision). To this end, they collected 4.7 million responses across 1,854 natural objects (like dogs, chairs, apples, and cars).
They found that of the models created, sixty-six conceptual dimensions were created to organize objects, just the way humans would. These dimensions extended beyond basic categories (such as ‘food’) to encompass complex attributes, including texture, emotional relevance, and suitability for children.
The scientists also found that multimodal models (combining text and image) aligned even more closely with human thinking, as AIs process both visual and semantic features simultaneously. Furthermore, the team discovered that brain scan data (neuroimaging) revealed an overlap between how AI and the human brain respond to objects.
The findings are interesting and provide, it appears, evidence that AI systems might be capable of genuinely ‘understanding’ in a human-like way, rather than just mimicking responses. It also suggests that future AIs could have more intuitive, human-compatible reasoning, which is essential for robotics, education, and human-AI collaboration.
However, it is also important to note that LLMs don’t understand objects the way humans do emotionally or experientially.
AI understanding not based on lived experience
AIs work by recognizing patterns in language or images that often correspond closely to human concepts. While that may appear to be ‘understanding’ on the surface, it’s not based on lived experience or grounded sensory-motor interaction.
Also, some parts of AI representations may correlate with brain activity, but this doesn’t mean they can ‘think’ like humans or share the same architecture.
If anything, they can be thought of as more of a sophisticated facsimile of human pattern recognition rather than a thinking machine. LLMs are more like a mirror made from millions of books and pictures, reflecting those models at the user based on learned patterns.
The study’s findings suggest that LLMs and humans might be converging on similar functional patterns, such as organizing the world into categories. This challenges the view that AIs can only ‘appear’ smart by repeating patterns in data.
But, if, as the study argues, LLMS are starting to build conceptual models of the world independently, it would mean that we could be edging closer to artificial general intelligence (AGI)—a system that can think and reason across many tasks like a human."
Christopher McFadden
Jun 15, 2025 07:55 AM EST
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-information-sorting-mirrors-humans-chinese-study
#metaglossia_mundus