Metaglossia: The Translation World

AI integration into Google marks the death of traditional search, and the birth of the chatbot era.

 

"The end of Google Search as we know it

AI integration into Google marks the death of traditional search, and the birth of the chatbot era.

Omer Kabir

15:25, 22.05.25

It happened the other day, at the opening event of Google’s annual developer conference. CEO Sundar Pichai took the stage and made an announcement that, while subtle, signaled a seismic shift: the business model underpinning Google’s operations is dead, or at least, that’s what he implied. Because there’s no other way to interpret Google’s main announcement at the event: the integration of artificial intelligence, what it’s calling “AI Mode”, directly into its search engine.

AI Mode is a full integration of Google’s Gemini chatbot into its flagship product. On the search results page, alongside the tabs for images, videos, news, and more, a new “AI Mode” tab will be added. Clicking it opens a conversational interface with Gemini, allowing users to conduct AI-driven searches, receive synthesized summaries, ask follow-up questions, and more. Initially launching in the U.S., this feature is expected to expand globally soon. And its implications are clear: traditional search, the multibillion-dollar engine powered by sponsored links, is on its way out. Long live the chatbot.

Google’s implicit admission that traditional search is fading marks the beginning of a new era on the internet, an era of AI-first search, where the race is on to become to AI what Google was to search. For Google, this means navigating a delicate transition: not only staying relevant to users but also preserving a business model that generated $50.7 billion from “Search and Others” just last quarter.

By integrating Gemini into Search, Google acknowledges that its 27-year-old engine is no longer the go-to tool for many users. Since OpenAI released ChatGPT in late 2022, more and more people have realized that chatbots, not search engines, offer the best answers: fast, concise, contextual.

E., a secretary in her 50s, now turns to Perplexity, an AI search engine. In the background, it identifies authoritative sources, synthesizes their information, and produces detailed responses, sometimes with visuals. E. can even ask follow-ups. She’s far from alone.

“Most people are lazy and hate making decisions. Chat engines fit them like a glove,” said Michael Lugassy, a software engineer at Forter who writes about AI. “You ask a question in natural language and get an answer in natural language, customized, intelligent. I use it for coding, research, product comparisons, and more. I only go to Google for very specific or breaking things.”

 

 

 

Lugassy has deep roots in the search world. Two decades ago, he won an online SEO contest by placing a previously unseen Hebrew phrase, “Latur Motor”, at the top of Google’s search results.

Back then, SEO was the hottest trend in tech. High Google rankings meant big business. But that industry is now in flux. “Real-time search is less important today. Most human knowledge is already in AI models,” Lugassy said. “If I were starting now, I wouldn’t build a search engine. The ad model is changing.”

 

Chatbots aren’t winning just because they’re good, but because Google search has gotten worse. “Google search is in trouble. It’s become a bad product,” said Revital Salomon, founder and CEO of The Shark Lady, a digital agency. “Users are frustrated. I’m starting to see more visits to my sites from chatbots.”

Still, Salomon doesn’t expect a rapid collapse: “Google will remain dominant in product search and image search. Older users aren’t as comfortable with AI yet.” But she agrees: “Google is clearly in decline. According to Statcounter, its global search share recently dropped below 90% for the first time in years. That’s not because Bing is suddenly hot. It’s because users finally have an alternative.”

For years, Salomon said, Google’s results were subpar. “It rewrites your queries, ignores keywords, and assumes what you meant. That’s intolerable. AI chatbots let you control what’s searched, refine the answers, and dig deeper.”

Still, chatbot search isn’t perfect. “On mainstream topics it’s fine, but for niche queries, it struggles to distinguish credible sources from junk,” she said. “And hallucinations are still a problem.”

The transition to AI-based search introduces major challenges, especially for Google. Search and related ads accounted for more than half its revenue last quarter. Most of that comes from sponsored links, where each click earns Google a few cents, amounts that quickly compound into billions.

But in chatbot-based search, results are presented as summaries. “You get a link to the source, but most people don’t click,” Lugassy said. “If the bot gives you a full answer, there’s no reason to leave. That changes the business model entirely.”

Still, Lugassy isn’t worried for Google. “They’ll adapt. Text and search-based ads may fade, but they’ll shift to video, podcasts, or business tools like enterprise LLMs. Gmail search, corporate data, there’s room to monetize that.”

The real puzzle, he said, is monetizing AI search itself. “Subscriptions like ChatGPT Plus cost $20/month, but that’s not sustainable, it costs more to generate the answers. Eventually, chatbots will include ads.”

These might come as embedded links, highlighted sources that paid for visibility, or even in-chat sponsored paragraphs. “It’s easy to embed personalized ads in chat,” said Lugassy. Affiliate links are another option: search for a product, and the chatbot displays reviews, prices, and a purchase link, earning commission on each sale. Some versions may allow direct purchases from the chat window itself.

Content sites face perhaps the hardest blow. Their ad-driven models rely on users clicking through to their pages. But if AI summarization removes the need to visit the site, traffic, and revenue, plummets.

This calls for new models: subscriptions, licensing data access to AI firms, or both. Some already are. OpenAI has deals with Reddit, News Corp, Condé Nast, and The Atlantic; Perplexity with Le Monde and the LA Times; Google with Reddit and the AP. More niche or expert sites may also be courted as LLMs seek high-quality content across more domains.

Even SEO isn’t dead - yet. “Chatbots still rely on traditional indexes,” Lugassy said. “They perform multiple searches quickly, and high rankings still matter. But OpenAI and others are building their own indexes. Sites will soon need to optimize for AI bots, not just Google.”

Salomon agrees: “You need to write for natural conversation. Long-tail keywords, pros and cons, objectivity, these are what AI models favor. And cite good sources. Original research and balanced analysis may help convince the bot to quote you.”

But, she cautioned, it’s still all speculation. What will AI search look like at scale? Will it be dominated by a few giants, or open and competitive? How will monetization work? And which players will thrive, or vanish into a footnote in a chatbot’s history summary?

Even Gemini and ChatGPT don’t have the answers to that."

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/4mb9xfbmp

 

#metaglossia_mundus

"‘Universities have to become agents of social transformation’

Eve Ruwoko  22 May 2025

Whatsapp

“Universities must move beyond their conventional roles as knowledge providers to become agents of societal transformation. This involves engaging in transdisciplinary research, forming community partnerships, and aligning their missions with global and regional development goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and [the African Union’s] Agenda 2063.

 

“ ‘The university we want’ is one that co-creates knowledge with society, addresses pressing challenges in collaboration with communities, and plays a proactive role in shaping equitable and sustainable futures,” Professor Birgit Schreiber told about 30 institutional leaders, including vice-chancellors, deputy vice-chancellors, academic managers and higher education policy-makers from the Southern African Development Community, in Lusaka, Zambia.

 

“Universities are now collaborative spaces, and they are now responsive to and engage more with communities. They want to make their research societally impactful and, therefore, the university renews itself, and becomes a partner in knowledge creation,” said Schreiber, who is the Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA) strategic lead on leadership and professional development.

 

 

 

She was speaking at a SARUA pre-conference workshop themed, ‘Leading Higher Education in Africa: Navigating with Impact’, in Lusaka.

 

Schreiber highlighted that, in an era marked with “wicked problems”, higher education institutions across Africa needed to reimagine their roles, reconfigure their systems, and embrace transformative leadership as a critical driver of change, impact and continued relevance.

 

She noted that university leaders must take up the responsibility to address existing challenges such as ethical decision-making, resource constraints, globalisation, social justice, and shifting societal needs by cultivating a forward-thinking approach and leveraging collective strategies to meet institutional and continental goals.

 

 

 

Transformative leadership

 

Leadership development, which has been identified as a key factor in achieving transformative change globally, has also been instrumental in enabling African universities to achieve their institutional purpose that contributes towards their national and regional socio-economic and developmental goals.

 

“To lead effectively in uncertain times, universities must build their capacity for collective democratic and equitable action and strategic foresight. This involves dismantling hierarchical approaches to addressing problems, exploring future scenarios, assessing risks and opportunities, and designing flexible strategies that can adapt to shifting conditions. Foresight empowers leaders to transition from reactive problem-solving to proactive visioning,” Schreiber noted.

 

 

 

“At the heart of transformation lie outdated institutional cultures. Leaders must nurture cultures that support equity, trust, learning and collaboration. Change is not simply imposed; it is cultivated through relationships, shared experiences, and collective reflection.

 

“In culturally diverse settings, intercultural communication and adaptability become essential leadership competencies. Understanding the nuances of high-context and low-context communication is critical to building cohesive teams and inclusive environments,” she explained.

 

Transformation within and beyond universities

 

She emphasised that traditional leadership models centred on control, hierarchy and stability were ill-equipped to address today’s challenges. However, leadership models rooted in equality, integrity, collaboration, and the courage to drive deep, systemic change towards social justice were now crucial.

 

Effective change management included risk-taking, community engagement, and anticipation of setbacks, underpinned by effective communication and value alignment.

 

Transformative change within universities would not be achieved through isolated interventions, but through systemic change which requires a re-evaluation of power structures, a dismantling of hierarchical governance models, and promoting relevant and engaged pedagogical approaches.

 

Mobilising internal and external stakeholders, cascading values into the system, identifying and elevating champions, upskilling staff, mitigating resistance, anticipating setbacks and managing risks were essential aspects of navigating with impact to achieve transformation within and beyond universities.

 

Schreiber pointed out that many African universities were applying good leadership practices to strengthen their institutions. There were examples in Zambia and Zimbabwe where leadership practices helped to achieve institutional goals, despite challenging conditions such as power cuts, minimal salaries and limited government funding.

 

Professor Paul Gundani, vice-chancellor of the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), who was part of the workshop, told University World News that it was essential “that we move away from power hierarchies towards a democratisation of knowledge, where universities become the driver of creating a better life for all”.

 

In response to Schreiber’s call that universities should be drivers of societal change, Gundani said: “Africa needs to redesign the concept of a university with a new approach that is not borrowed from the North and universities must allow students to develop a whole new view of life – and create community wealth instead of just wanting to be employed.”

 

Aligning the institution with social needs and adopting an engaged pedagogical approach, students and faculty members at ZOU have created short courses using the most pressing issues within surrounding communities, such as drug and substance abuse, financial literacy and learning in the digital age.

 

“These courses cut across different disciplines and are being created to help communities understand their own lives and this is done in partnership with our universities,” he said.

 

In addition to highlighting the inclusion of students in the designing of coursework, Gundani stressed that this initiative also confirmed the importance of lifelong learning and of democratisation of technologies.

 

To achieve this through teaching and learning, ease of access was being created through online applications such as YouTube and WhatsApp."

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post-mobile.php?story=20250522061748296

#metaglossia_mundus

Immigrants from Mexico and Central America are taking their ancient languages to new territories.

 

"The Mayan languages spreading across the US

 

3 hours ago

 

Juan Pablo Pérez-Burgos

 

Immigrants from Mexico and Central America are taking their ancient languages to new territories.

 

 

 

 

Three days had passed since Aroldo's father died. Aroldo was still mourning, and he couldn't even bring himself to tend the cornfields his father had left him in their community in San Juan Atitán, Guatemala. At dinner, as he stared into the flames of the wood stove, feeling the weight of loss on his chest, he told himself it was time to breathe fresher air. Turning to his mother, who was quietly eating beside him, he said in Mam, the Mayan language spoken in their town: "Nan, waji chix tuj Kytanum Me​​ẍ," – "Mum, I want to go to the white men's nation," meaning, the United States.

 

 

 

 

In Mam, his mother told him she would set things up, but first, he had to wait until the mourning period was over. A year later, with cousins in California willing to host him, Aroldo set out (the BBC has chosen not to name him in full to protect his identity). It took him more than four months to descend the slopes of the Sierra Madre, cross the deserts of Mexico and Arizona and reach the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

 

 

 

"[My father's] death put life in front of me and made me realise it was time to face it by myself," says Aroldo, in Spanish, which he also speaks. Behind him, a photo of his father, wearing a traditional hat and hand-knitted magenta shirt under a black capixay of San Juan Atitán, guards him on a chilly December night in the Bay Area.

 

 

 

 

One of the few things Aroldo took with him was his language, Mam, whose roots reach far back into the Mayan civilisations that ruled over Central America thousands of years ago. Today, Mam and other Mayan languages are expanding their reach, as indigenous people from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala are spreading them in the US through immigration. In fact, in recent years, Mayan languages, originally spoken across the Yucatán Peninsula, have grown so common in the US that two of them, K'iche' (or Quiche) and Mam, now rank among the top languages used in US immigration courts.

 

 

 

 

The rise of these indigenous languages in Latin American immigrant communities in the US is only beginning to be fully understood, experts say – and has important implications for the communities and their needs.

 

 

 

 

Getty Images

 

Market vendors in Guatemala, where Mayan languages are still spoken (Credit: Getty Images)

 

The San Francisco metropolitan area is one of the top destinations for Latin American immigrants. One in four of the Bay Area's more than seven million residents are Latinos, most with roots in Mexico and Central America, according to calculations based on US Census Bureau data.* The US government counts them all as Hispanic upon entering the country, a term denoting people from Spanish-speaking countries, even though for some of these migrants – like Aroldo – Spanish is not their mother tongue, but what they use to talk to those outside of their home villages. Others don't even speak Spanish at all, and only speak their indigenous language, according to several Mayan immigrants and experts interviewed for this article.

 

 

 

 

"Many Mam speakers come to the US and have a different set of needs, experiences and histories than monolingual Spanish speakers and those not from indigenous cultures," says Tessa Scott, a linguist specialising in the Mam language at the University of California, Berkeley. "If you call everyone from Guatemala 'Hispanic', you might assume everyone in that group speaks Spanish fluently, and they don't."

 

 

 

 

In California, a new law passed in 2024 requires state agencies to collect more detailed data on Latin American immigrants' preferred languages, including indigenous languages such as K'iche' and Mam, in order to better understand and meet their needs.

 

 

 

 

Mayan words have long made their way into different languages, through loanwords tied to Mayan inventions

 

Besides needing different interpreters, Mayans and other indigenous immigrants face unique challenges that mestizo or white Latin Americans don't, and that often go unnoticed when all are covered under the blanket term "Hispanic", Scott says.

 

 

 

 

"Indigenous Guatemalans, many from Mayan cultures like Mam, frequently face intense discrimination and violence by people in a different social category, and this is what often drives them to come to the US, where they may seek asylum," she says. Labelling all Latin Americans as Hispanic can hide these complex social, cultural and ethnic hierarchies, and prevent asylum seekers from receiving specialist services such as legal help and trauma support, she adds.

 

 

 

 

Getty Images

 

Many ancient Mayan ceremonies and customs are still upheld today, along with Mayan languages (Credit: Getty Images)

 

The growth of Mayan communities in the US has also given their ancient languages new platforms, adding to a long and rich history. Though the ruins and carved hieroglyphs of ancient Mayan cities may seem like relics of a long-lost civilisation, many Mayan communities survived the Spanish conquest of the 16th Century and preserved their culture and languages. In places like the Bay Area, you can now find Mayan languages on the radio, in local news outlets or even in classrooms.

 

 

 

 

"We are as involved with the world as any other society," says Genner Llanes-Ortiz, a Maya scholar at Bishop's University in Canada. "We continue to speak our languages and use them not just to write our history, but to write new ways to deal with what affects us."

 

 

 

 

Mayan words have also long made their way into different languages, through loanwords tied to Mayan inventions.

 

 

 

 

Cigars and chocolate

 

When the Spanish landed on the coasts of the Yucatán Peninsula in the 16th Century, they found around a dozen Mayan city-states tied to a shared past but also facing deep divisions. Some Mayan rulers saw the arrival of the Spanish as an opportunity to settle old tensions and allied with the Europeans to crush their rival cities. Learning the languages spoken in the area was crucial for the Spanish wishing to maintain these new alliances. And, once the Peninsula was conquered, they used the local languages to evangelise, administrate and create a new society.  

 

 

 

 

In his travels throughout the Americas, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, the Spanish missionary, described a widespread local custom: "sipping" and "sucking" burning herbs. In Mayan culture, tobacco was smoked and drunk in rituals. The act of smoking those "dried herbs stuffed into a certain leaf", as de las Casas put it, was named siyar in ancient Mayan, which later evolved into the Spanish cigarro and, much later, into the English word cigar, to describe a roll of tobacco leaves.

 

 

 

 

Another Mayan word that slipped into other languages is cacao, the beans that make up chocolate and that de las Casas himself introduced to Europe in 1544.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, more than 30 Mayan languages exist and are spoken by at least six million people worldwide. Although some, like Chicomuseltec and Choltí, have disappeared or are close to extinction, others, like K'iche', Yucatec and Q'eqchi, have around a million speakers each.

 

 

 

 

They all come from the same language, Proto-Mayan, spoken before about 2000 BCE. They are so different from one another, however, that speakers of Mam, which has around half a million speakers, can't understand K'iche', and Yucatecans can't understand Mam. Of Yucatec, Aroldo says, "it's like German to me" – a language he doesn't speak at all.

 

 

 

 

Getty Images

 

Ruins of Mayan temples, like this one in Mexico, are reminders of the culture's ancient heritage (Credit: Getty Images)

 

For nearly 2,000 years, Mayan languages had their own writing system, known as Classic Maya. Composed of hieroglyphs, it was only used by those at the top of the social pyramid. "If we want to make a historical equivalency, we can compare Classic Maya to Latin," says Llanes-Ortiz. "It was a prestige language. It was spoken by the elites, while the rest of the population spoke their own language that, little by little, mixed with Latin."

 

 

 

 

The Spanish missionaries deemed hieroglyphs pagan, and systematically purged them. The sons and daughters of the Mayan elites were forced to abandon hieroglyphic writing and learn to use the Latin alphabet, and most of the books written by that time, known as codices, were destroyed. But the oral languages were tolerated, and under a new robe – the Latin alphabet – have survived until the present day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The use of Mayan languages was so common and widespread during colonial times that community acts, balance sheets, wills, political declarations, memorials were all written in them, but everything was in Latin characters that remain in the archives of the city of Seville," says Llanes-Ortiz. "Even after Mexico's independence from Spain, Mayan languages continued to be used as lingua franca throughout the Yucatán Peninsula."

 

 

 

 

Western scholars began to study the Mayan hieroglyphs, long suppressed by the Spanish, in the 19th Century. While American and Russian linguists made significant progress in deciphering them throughout the 20th Century, Llanes-Ortiz says that huge breakthroughs were reached in the 2000s when Mayan scholars and speakers were included in the conversation. It was then that researchers understood that hieroglyphs represented not just complex concepts, but also syllables forming words.

 

 

 

 

The involvement of native speakers has advanced the study of Mayan languages, while inspiring a new generation of Mayans to reclaim hieroglyphic writing. Groups like Ch'okwoj or Chíikulal Úuchben Ts'íib are hosting workshops, and making t-shirts and mugs using ancient Mayan glyphs to resuscitate them and transmit them to future generations.

 

 

 

 

Mayan languages move north

 

Aroldo was five when he watched his first cousins leave San Juan Atitán for the US. He wouldn't see them again for years, but he listened to their voices on the cassette tapes they sent every now and then telling stories of a foreign land. 

 

 

 

 

The first Mayans known to reach the US, Llanes-Ortiz says, came as part of the Bracero Program, which brought Mexican workers to replace Americans who left to fight in World War Two. But the largest waves came decades later, in the late 1990s and 2000s, when Latin American migration began to peak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guatemalans living in the US went from 410,000 in 2000 to 1.8 million in 2021, all coming from a country of only 17 million. Among these migrants are many Mayans who have settled in states like Florida and California.

 

 

 

 

"The first migrants went to the US, tested the waters and saw how you could earn real money. Then they told their Mam friends, who followed, and soon, they began pulling others," says Silvia Lucrecia Carrillo Godínez, a Mam teacher living in San Juan Atitán, speaking in Spanish.

 

 

 

 

Getty Images

 

Mayan art is treasured by museums around the world – and Mayan languages are spreading, thanks to their speakers (Credit: Getty Images)

 

Migration has transformed San Juan from a corn- and bean-growing economy to one reliant on remittances, much like the rest of Guatemala. Today, nearly one in five Sanjuaneros moves to Mexico or the United States for better-paying jobs. "Migration is what sustains our village," says Carrillo Godínez. "The advice of the Mam people in the US to those here is learn to add, subtract, a little Spanish and go to the United States. It's the only way to progress."

 

 

 

 

For decades, Mayan immigrants in San Francisco settled in the Mission District. But, as housing costs soared in the 2000s and 2010s, many moved to the East Bay, particularly the cities of Oakland and Richmond. "There is a direct line to Oakland," says Scott, the linguist. "When I go to San Juan Atitán, and people ask me where I'm from, I don't say the US or California; but I say Oakland, and they know exactly where I'm from."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aroldo has found a local community tied together by Mam and Mayan traditions. They celebrate traditional events and festivals, and help each other through neighbourhood committees. Occasionally, he receives a WhatsApp message in Mam: At jun xjal yab' – someone is sick; or At jun xjal ma kyim – someone has passed.

 

 

 

 

Like many migrants, Aroldo sees his time in California as temporary – it’s a place to work until he can return to San Juan Atitán to build a home for his family. Although he still mourns his father and misses his family back home and the fog-shrouded mountains of his childhood, he finds solace in Mam.

 

 

 

 

"There are so many paisanos (countrymen) here that I rarely feel nostalgic. Language makes it harder to miss your land," he says. That's why he always reminds his nephew, who attends an English-speaking school in the East Bay, to speak Mam at home. "First comes Mam, then Spanish, then English," he tells him.

 

 

 

 

* The calculation for the Bay Area was made based on data from the US Census Bureau on the Hispanic population in the nine counties of the Bay Area and their country of origin."

 

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250515-the-mayan-languages-spreading-across-the-us

 

#metaglossia_mundus 

Kate Maunders, Global Head of Marketing Communications at Primark, on why the retailer has embraced accessibility.

" May 22nd 2025
Inclusive thinking leads to innovation
Kate Maunders, Global Head of Marketing Communications at Primark, on why the retailer has embraced accessibility.

Building brands and building a legacy is not easy at a time when it feels like the to-do list for the modern marketer is longer than ever. Primark’s new accessibility range of adaptive products is the result of inclusive thinking that has led to innovation that challenges an entire sector to do better.

At Creative Equals RISE conference Kate Maunders, Global Head of Marketing Communications at Primark spoke with Sophie Devonshire, CEO at The Marketing Society, about the new range and the importance of designing to bring audiences in.

Primark’s new adaptive collection is made up of fashionable clothing designed with accessibility in mind. The range includes clothing, nightwear and underwear that is both liberating and stylish, with features such as accessible openings, stoma access and large pockets for devices.

Pointing to the shocking fact that ‘there are more clothes designed for dogs than disabled people’, Maunders shared that Primark’s journey to create adaptive products was born from a genuine desire to drive inclusion. She explained: “At Primark we want to be a retailer for everybody and that means everybody.”

There are more products designed for dogs than disabled people.

Kate Maunders, Global Head of Marketing Communications at Primark
It was important to the team that the products were trend-led. Not only did they need to serve a purpose, but they also had to be fashionable.

“Be it a dress with a discreet zip for stoma bag, or places for tube access, bras with front fastenings,” says Maunders. The retailer is the first to bring stylish, accessible products to the mainstream market at an affordable price point.

Primark’s journey began with underwear. Maunders shares that this is because Primark already has a huge range and authority in the space. She advises other brands to start with what they are already good at.

“Underwear is the first thing you put on in the morning. It is the most intimate item you own, and if you can’t put that on yourself. We wanted to give people their dignity back,” she says.

To create the range Primark worked alongside Victoria Jenkins, Founder and CEO at Unhidden, an award-winning, adaptive and universally designed fashion brand as well as disability activist Shani Dhanda.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” says Maunders and by bringing in insight and expertise, Primark was able to create a product range that resonated with the audiences it sought to serve.

The experts were also helpful in educating the team at Primark and bringing everyone into the journey.

“We don’t always know the right language, and we can feel uncomfortable asking the questions. Shandi created a really safe space for us,” says Maunders.

Education about the product came first, and then accessible marketing followed. For all communications, the team made sure that alt text and descriptions were available. They also set out to ensure that their spaces were accessible too.

“There’s no point bringing to life clothes for the disabled community without having an accessible space,” Maunders adds, continuing: “We worked to create a blueprint so that any influencer event we hold in any of our 17 markets can be as accessible as possible.”

Now, Maunders urges the rest of the industry to get on board. “It's not often you say you want more people in the industry to do exactly what you are doing. Disabled people should have the option to shop anywhere. So actually, we want some competition,” she says.

She continues: “Not everything is about being the only. Let’s lead positive change within the whole of the industry. Start little fires, because that's how big fires start."
https://www.creativebrief.com/bite/voices/inclusive-thinking-leads-to-innovation
#metaglossia_mundus

"The Armenian conference interpreters association invites to associate membership2 minute readThe Armenian Conference Interpreters Association (ACIA), the first and only professional union in this field in Armenia, is pleased to extend an invitation to practitioners of Armenian and English conference interpretation to become Associate Members of the professional community.Associate Membership is the initial step towards full membership and offers the following opportunities:Participation in professional events, workshops, seminars, and conferences organised by the Association Access to up-to-date professional information regarding developments in the field, as well as the Association’s advisory and educational resources;Engagement in platforms for collaboration and exchange of experience.Should you be interested in joining, please write to info@targman.am by 31 May 2025.Upon receipt of your request, the application form and a list of required supporting documents will be sent to you, specifying the deadline for submission.You may acquaint yourself with the mission, vision, objectives, and Code of Professional Conduct of the Armenian Conference Interpreters Association here: www.targman.am.

 

The Association places great value on promoting the role of the interpreter and advancing professional standards for the benefit of the profession and wider community."

 

12:29, 21 May 2025

https://armenpress.am/en/article/1220214

#metaglossia_mundus 

" Une nouvelle traduction et exégèse complète du Coran en français publiée au Maroc

May 22, 2025

Code de l'info: 3492307

IQNA--Une œuvre monumentale alliant traduction et exégèse du Coran en français vient de paraître aux éditions internationales Albouraq à Rabat, au Maroc.

 

Selon Al Jazeera, réalisée par le professeur Abdelhaq Azzouzi, cette œuvre se distingue par sa richesse linguistique, sa rigueur académique et sa profondeur spirituelle.

 

Composée de trois volumes totalisant 3 200 pages, cette traduction ne se limite pas à une restitution littérale du texte coranique. Azzouzi a cherché à préserver la beauté, la précision et la force du style arabe, tout en rendant le message accessible et fidèle dans une langue française claire et fluide.

 

Diplômé de l’université Al Quaraouiyine et formé dans plusieurs institutions françaises, il mobilise son expertise en sciences islamiques, historiques et humaines pour produire une œuvre à la fois savante et accessible.

 

Avant chaque interprétation, il consulte les plus grandes références classiques et contemporaines de l’exégèse coranique. Il commence son travail uniquement après avoir compris l’unité thématique des versets. Chaque passage traduit est éclairé par des explications précises sur le contexte, la grammaire, la rhétorique, et les subtilités du sens.

 

Abdelhaq Azzouzi intègre aussi les apports des sciences modernes – physique, médecine, biologie – pour montrer les signes divins dans la création. Il met en lumière les récits prophétiques et les grandes leçons morales du Coran, tout en soulignant l’importance de la réflexion, de l’éthique et de la spiritualité.

 

Ce projet, fruit de dix ans de travail et de quatre révisions intégrales, vise à offrir aux francophones – musulmans ou non – une compréhension juste, profonde et inspirante du message coranique, loin des traductions approximatives ou idéologisées.

 

4283844"

https://iqna.ir/fr/news/3492307/une-nouvelle-traduction-et-ex%C3%A9g%C3%A8se-compl%C3%A8te-du-coran-en-fran%C3%A7ais-publi%C3%A9e-au-maroc

#metaglossia_mundus 

"MA Interpreting, Translation and Applied Technologies

University of York

 

Masters Degree Description

Language services represent a rapidly growing and evolving industry which is key in today’s multilingual and interconnected world. Languages available: English, plus one or two from Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.

 

This course combines training in conference interpreting and translation with relevant aspects of computer science and will equip you with the specialist skills you need in order to get a head start in this exciting industry. You'll become a skilled professional linguist who's comfortable working with a range of topics, who understands different workflows and modalities, and who is capable of adapting to remote, hybrid and in-person learning and work environments. You'll work to find solutions to address various challenges, be they linguistic, cultural or technological.

 

Our technology modules will introduce you to the theory and functional principles behind the latest technologies being used and developed in the language services industry (such as AI). This technology-focused approach is also reflected across our translation and interpreting modules. We incorporate the latest software and hardware and provide opportunities for you to familiarise yourself with diverse settings and text genres. Our unique combination of training will enable you to thrive in an industry that requires versatility, a curious mind and the ability to learn quickly and effectively.

 

Entry Requirements

2:2 or equivalent in Languages, Translation and Interpreting, or another relevant discipline. We accept applications from candidates with varied academic and professional backgrounds

 

Find out more

Request Information

Fees

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more

 

Student Destinations

You'll develop professional skills such as project management and intercultural communication, and will develop an understanding of the language services industry. Embedded in our programme are opportunities for networking, development of employability skills, events with practitioners and industry partners and opportunities to practise your skills in real-life settings.

 

You'll also develop an in-depth understanding of technological foundations applied to translation and interpreting and will learn how to use applied technologies effectively and confidently both in dedicated modules and in the core translation and interpreting courses. This will allow you not only to use technology, but to have a say in its development and evolution as it applies to language services.

 

Career opportunities

 

conference interpreter

freelance translator

in-house translator

staff interpreter

consultant interpreter

translator-reviser

subtitler

project manager

localization specialist

content strategist

language software

developer linguistics consultant

Module Details

For module information for this course please visit – https://www.york.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/courses/ma-interpreting-translation-applied-technologies/#course-content";

https://masterscompare.umbraco.prcht.co.uk/masters-course/interpreting-translation-and-applied-technologies/57125

#metaglossia_mundus 

New Sign Language Translation Platform Revolutionizes Information Accessibility for the Deaf Community

"CirrusTranslate turns documents and videos into high-quality sign language translations within days

 

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cirrus, a leading sign language accessibility firm offering education-focused interpreting, today announced the launch of CirrusTranslate, a revolutionary new platform that brings written and spoken language to life for the Deaf and hard of hearing community through high-quality American Sign Language (ASL) translation. An ASL translation of this press release is available...

 

Cirrus’ dynamic translators help companies, schools, government agencies and non-profits connect with the Deaf community by delivering inclusive, ADA-compliant communication that deepens understanding, builds trust and expresses emotion. CirrusTranslate makes translation simple and efficient.

 

Users upload their content and the platform delivers video translations in multiple formats. These AI-assisted, human-delivered translations could provide equal access to information for the almost 7 million sign language users across the U.S. and the 70 million users worldwide.

 

"CirrusTranslate is the first U.S. platform to offer this level of scale, quality and simplicity in ASL translation,” said Christian Fillman, chief executive officer at Cirrus. "We created this service to bridge the gap between intention and impact, helping organizations understand and properly serve the Deaf community by providing translations that convey the true meaning of the content.”

 

Sign language is the preferred language for many Deaf individuals as traditional written language or closed captions often miss the nuance that sign language conveys. For example, medical institutions can now reliably and affordably deliver pre‑operative instructions in ASL, while schools can make lessons and standardized tests fully accessible to Deaf students in their native language.

 

This service empowers organizations to make their content accessible, allowing them to reach Deaf audiences in a clear, respectful and visually engaging way.

 

How CirrusTranslate Works

 

Upload Your File – Visit https://cirrustranslate.com/translate to upload any video or document.

The service can translate video (mp4, mov) or audio files (mp3, wav) and PDF documents.

Place Your Order – Through the use of AI, users can upload a file, receive a quote and pay for the translation - all typically in less than a minute.

Receive Translations – Your finished ASL translation is delivered in multiple formats, often within just 3-5 business days.

“Our mission is to ensure that Deaf and hard of hearing individuals have access to communication that is not only accurate, but also respectful of their language and culture,” said Rhett Youngberg, chief technology officer at Cirrus. “In a world where technology often threatens to replace human touch, we are committed to keeping humans at the heart of sign language translation.”

 

Interested organizations can request a demo or get started today by visiting http://cirrustranslate.com/.

 

Contacts

Media Contact

Natalie Caballero

ncaballero@daltonagency.com

 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250521376881/en/New-Sign-Language-Translation-Platform-Revolutionizes-Information-Accessibility-for-the-Deaf-Community

 

#metaglossia_mundus 

"English the official language:What India and Sri Lanka can teach US

2025/05/21

The United States isn’t the first country to wrestle with the idea of enforcing a single national language. In fact, two Asian democracies—India and Sri Lanka—offer cautionary tales about how language policies, when driven by nationalist ideals, can deepen social divides instead of healing them.

 

In a sweeping move that has sparked fierce debate across the country, President Donald Trump signed an executive order officially declaring English as the national language of the United States. The announcement came on March 1, 2025, along with the removal of the Spanish-language version of the White House website, signaling a renewed push toward what many are calling “linguistic nationalism.”

 

While supporters hail the decision as a unifying force, critics warn it could divide the nation further by alienating millions of Americans who speak languages other than English.

 

Why This Order Matters

 

The new executive order marks a sharp departure from previous language-access policies, notably reversing a Clinton-era rule that required federally funded programmes to offer assistance in multiple languages. Now, while government agencies are allowed to continue offering services in other languages, there’s no longer a mandate to do so. Instead, they’re “encouraged” to promote English proficiency as a gateway to opportunity.

 

According to the White House, the change is about “strengthening national unity,” claiming that a common language empowers Americans—new and old—to engage more fully in society.

 

“English is the language of our founding documents, of our shared culture, and of our national success,” President Trump stated in a press release.

 

The Reality on the Ground

 

However, the U.S. isn’t exactly a monolingual country. Far from it. According to the latest Census data, over 350 languages are spoken in American homes. Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic are just a few of the most common.

 

For many immigrants and ethnic communities, language is more than a tool for communication—it’s a part of their identity. Critics argue that making English the sole official language could marginalise these groups, reduce access to public services like healthcare and education, and ultimately create a more divided society.

 

“This policy sends a message that some Americans are more ‘American’ than others,” says Dr. Elena Cárdenas, a linguistics and civil rights researcher. “It doesn’t promote unity—it punishes diversity.”

 

What Other Countries Have Done

 

The U.S. is one of the few developed nations that has never had an official language—until now. Countries like France and China have long enforced language laws to preserve a national identity. But those policies have come with their own challenges, including the suppression of regional dialects and minority languages.

 

Meanwhile, nations like Canada and Switzerland have embraced multilingualism. Canada’s bilingual system (English and French) is often credited with strengthening its global trade relationships and social inclusiveness. Switzerland, with four national languages, shows that diversity in language doesn’t have to be a weakness—it can be a strength.

 

What’s at Stake: Brain functions and human rights

 

Supporters of the executive order argue that using a single language will make government operations more efficient and encourage immigrants to assimilate. They also point to the fact that more than 30 U.S. states already recognise English as their official language.

 

But many economists and education experts see it differently. Studies show that being multilingual boosts brain function, increases job opportunities, and improves a country’s ability to compete in global markets. In fact, the European Union operates with 24 official languages and considers linguistic diversity a key part of its economic and diplomatic strategy.

 

There’s also the legal angle. Critics say removing language-access requirements could violate international human rights agreements, including United Nations guidelines that promote linguistic and cultural inclusion.

 

A Political Flashpoint

 

This isn’t the first time language has become a political hot-button. Similar debates have played out in places like Sri Lanka and India, where promoting one language over others led to long-standing social unrest and even violence.

 

While the U.S. situation is different, the tension is real. Civil rights groups are already exploring legal challenges. Many Spanish-speaking Americans and other minority communities fear losing access to vital information—from disaster alerts to voting instructions—if those services are no longer offered in their native languages.

 

“This policy doesn’t build bridges—it builds walls,” said Congressman Luis Gutierrez. “It’s less about language and more about whose voices get heard.”

 

Sri Lanka: A Language That Sparked a Civil War

 

In 1956, Sri Lanka passed the Sinhala Only Act, which made Sinhala the sole official language of the country. This law was pushed by nationalist Sinhalese politicians to assert cultural dominance in a newly independent nation. But in doing so, it marginalised Tamil-speaking minorities—many of whom had lived in the country for generations.

 

The consequences were far-reaching and tragic. Tamil communities were excluded from government jobs, education, and public services. Over time, this linguistic injustice fueled ethnic tensions that escalated into a brutal civil war lasting nearly 30 years. Many experts and historians point to the Sinhala Only Act as a key trigger for the conflict. In short, language policy turned into a weapon of division rather than a tool of unity.

 

India: A Nation United in Diversity—But Not Without Tensions

 

India, too, has had its struggles with language politics. After independence in 1947, leaders attempted to make Hindi the sole official language. But this move met strong resistance, especially from southern states where people speak Dravidian languages like Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.

 

To prevent further unrest, the Indian government compromised by keeping English as an additional associate official language, alongside Hindi. Today, India recognises 22 official languages and supports many regional tongues. While tensions over language still flare up occasionally, the country has largely managed to celebrate its linguistic diversity rather than suppress it.

 

These international examples show us what can happen when language policies ignore the lived realities of multilingual societies. Instead of creating a shared sense of belonging, such policies can end up deepening divides—whether ethnic, regional, or cultural.

 

To understand the risks, look no further than Sri Lanka—a country whose well-intentioned language policy in 1956 led not to unity, but to decades of violence.

 

Sri Lanka: When Language Laws Divide Instead of Unite

 

In the aftermath of independence, Sri Lanka’s government passed the Sinhala Only Act, making Sinhala the exclusive official language of administration, law, and education. While meant to assert sovereignty and majority identity, it alienated Tamil-speaking minorities who had been integral to the nation’s social fabric.

 

The Tamil population faced systemic exclusion: they lost access to public sector jobs, university admissions, and government services. Peaceful protests were met with repression, and what began as a linguistic grievance eventually transformed into an armed ethnic conflict. By the early 1980s, Sri Lanka was in the grip of a full-blown civil war, one of the longest and bloodiest in Asia. Historians widely agree: the Sinhala Only policy didn’t just fail to unite Sri Lanka—it fractured it. The country is still healing from the scars today.

 

India: Diversity Managed Through Inclusion, Not Imposition

 

In contrast, neighbouring India avoided such a fate by adopting a more pluralistic approach. Though Hindi was promoted as a national language, protests—particularly from Tamil Nadu—led the central government to compromise. Today, India recognizes 22 official languages, with both Hindi and English used at the national level, and regional languages thriving within states.

 

While not without tensions, India’s inclusive linguistic framework has helped preserve national unity in a country of over 1.4 billion people and extraordinary linguistic diversity.

 

Conclusion

 

The ongoing debate in the United States over making English the sole official language may appear as a patriotic initiative aimed at fostering unity. However, history offers a cautionary tale. In 1956, Sri Lanka introduced the “Sinhala Only Act,” effectively excluding the Tamil-speaking minority from state affairs, education, and employment. Rather than uniting the nation, this policy sowed deep resentment, ultimately contributing to a devastating civil war that lasted nearly three decades and claimed over 100,000 lives. The lesson is clear: language is not merely a means of communication—it is a symbol of identity, dignity, and inclusion.

 

Today, India recognises 22 official languages and uses English as a neutral bridge, managing to maintain unity within diversity despite significant challenges. The Indian experience demonstrates that pluralism, though messy, can be a powerful safeguard against social fragmentation.

 

As the U.S. contemplates linguistic policy, it must recognise the complex emotional and political weight language carries. In a nation where communities speak hundreds of languages and dialects, enforcing a single linguistic identity risk marginalising entire populations and undermining social cohesion. Rather than repeating historical mistakes, the U.S. has the opportunity to lead by example—building unity not through exclusion, but through recognition and respect for its linguistic and cultural mosaic.

 

The lesson for the U.S.? Imposing a one-language-fits-all policy may seem like a path to national unity, but it risks alienating communities and undermining the very cohesion it aims to promote. As history shows, true unity often lies in embracing diversity—not erasing it.

 

(The writer, a senior Chartered Accountant and professional banker, is Professor at SLIIT , Malabe. He is also the author of the “Doing Social Research and Publishing Results”, a Springer publication (Singapore), and “Samaja Gaveshakaya (in Sinhala). The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the institution he works for. He can be contacted at saliya.a@slit.lk and www.researcher.com)"

https://island.lk/english-the-official-languagewhat-india-and-sri-lanka-can-teach-us/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"Matthew Rankin is a Canadian filmmaker who hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba. His work, which includes the acclaimed award-winning 2019 feature The Twentieth Century, has often been called ‘experimental’ or a slice of ‘absurdist comedy’. That’s partially true, but I’d go a step further and say that there’s a touch of humanist storytelling to his work, one that’s crafted from a globalist perspective. That mindset is accentuated with Rankin’s latest film, the tender and superb Universal Language, a Canadian film where characters speak in Persian rather than English or French, where a guide shows a group of bored tourists the banal sites of Winnipeg, where turkey shop owners wear pink cowboy hats, and where two young kids, Negin (played by Rojinia Esmaeili) and Nazgol (played by Saba Vahedyousefi), find money frozen in ice and seek a way to retrieve it so they can buy their classmate a new pair of glasses.

 

This is our world knocked off its axis ever so slightly. It’s a place which is familiar, yet distinctly different. It’s a place where cemeteries sit in the desolate concrete islands that exist within a sea of swarming highways. It’s a place that, for Matthew Rankin, is a version of home. The choice to present a Canadian story in Persian is not accidental, but instead it’s one that’s driven by Rankin’s affection for the work of the Iranian masters and for their distinctly considered perspective of the world. That kindness that sits at the core of Universal Language is a reflection of the innocence and kindness within the world of filmmakers like Abbas Kiarostami, particularly in a noted work like 1987’s Where Is the Friend’s House?, which sees a young boy trying to return the book of his classmate who lives on the other side of the village.

 

The foundation of kindness is one of the notions that is explored in the following conversation with Matthew, recorded ahead of Universal Language‘s national release in Australia on 22 May 2025. Throughout the interview, Matthew also talks about his journey into appreciating and valuing Iranian cinema, an affection which lead him to learn Farsi. Matthew also talks about the way his parents factor into Universal Language as a mirrored presence, before closing on the emotionality of bringing a version of their story to life on screen.

 

Universal Language is a work of pure kindness and comedy. There’s a sweetness to it that makes the film feel like an antidote to the times we are currently living through."

By Andrew F Peirce

May 22, 2025

 

https://www.thecurb.com.au/universal-language-interview-matthew-rankin/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"Deepa Bhasthi’s call for translations with accents.

PEN Transmissions is English PEN’s magazine for international and translated voices. PEN’s members are the backbone of our work, helping us to support international literature, campaign for writers at risk, and advocate for the freedom to write and read. If you are able, please consider becoming an English PEN member and joining our community of over 1,000 readers and writers. Join now.

 

The first time I found myself in London, many years ago now, I remember being told, no, not that atrocious ‘your English is very good’, but that I had a very Indian accent. The first time I heard it, it came as a shock.

 

Back in school, we were instructed to speak only in English, or risk severe reprimand, a note in our diaries to summon our parents or, worse, the disdain of our classmates. There were those among us who spoke the language even at home – the culture in the hill station I grew up in remains, like most other once-retreats for the colonisers, heavily influenced by the British class system. My parents insisted on speaking Kannada at home, but they did not particularly care when I discarded the language in our library for my growing collection in English.

 

Raised by our schools to embrace an alien tongue – and, by extension, an outlook that encouraged us to see our own languages and cultures as ‘one wasteland of non-achievement’, as Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o terms it – we sought to align with identities far removed from the multi-linguistic cultural landscapes we lived in. We were taught to erase every bit of our native cultures from our mouths and minds, and encouraged to cultivate a neutral accent. Our skin tones might give us away, but our English would be crisp, clean and un-placeable. Thanks to this Macaulayism, my Kannada, my Hindi, the other languages I speak now reek of the slight twang of an English medium education, still an aspiration for millions in my country.

 

Naturally, then, it bothered me slightly to be told I had an Indian accent, even though they couldn’t say which part of vast India it was from. ‘Well, I am Indian’, I remember muttering under my breath.

 

Back in India, my accent was again what it had always been – neutral, urban, upper caste, privileged. It would take me a few more years, and (accidentally) starting a career in translation, to realise just what a privilege it was to have any accent at all. I had started to translate from Kannada to English – mostly, as time went by, to feel closer to the former, something I had missed belonging to for decades. A kind of rooting, if you will.

 

Much has been said about translation’s challenges, joys, and nuanced politics of choice – of the decision-making it necessitates. Perhaps not many people think simultaneously in two (or more) languages, two cultures, two texts as intimately as a translator. In the course of engaging with the rewarding art of translating a text – and translating a reader, as the writer, poet and translator A K Ramanujan saw it – I found myself struck by thoughts on language and specifically on literature in India, far more than I wanted to be, some days. These evolving, shape-shifting metaphors and ideas started with an untethered phrase: ‘to translate with an accent’.

 

An accent is a wonderful mechanism for letting someone know that you have footholds in cultures beyond the language in which you are communicating. In India, an average person with some level of education and/or perhaps a job away from their home state is likely to be at least bilingual. Given how so many of us consume entertainment, from the popular Hindi film industry to independent music in many languages to social media, and given labour migration from one state to the other in a country as diverse as India, multi-lingual competence is not at all rare. On the other hand, it is also true that, chiefly in cities, there is a section of urbanised youth who count English as their first, and sometimes only, language. Alongside an increasingly strong push to promote Hindi for the whole country, backed by a right-wing central government that falsely claims it as a national language, sociolinguistics in India is a complex issue that needs to be approached cautiously, bearing in mind both the always-urgent need to decolonise culture, and evolving socio-economic realities.

 

Given these complexities, I have begun to think of us translators working in the Indian subcontinental context as occupying a unique position from where we choose to translate. I say this because, even if not party to tri-, or multi-lingual knowledge, most of us are likely aware of how pervasive and deep-rooted caste and class systems are across our respective countries, and the unique chokehold these have over every single aspect of life, including language. A thick accent, a grammatical mistake, a mispronunciation still invite judgement among the upper classes, here, because how well – or not – one speaks English is among the many indicators of what caste the person belongs to, therefore determining how they must be engaged with, if at all.

 

Language, especially English, is learnt with baggage in India, for obvious reasons. There is our colonised past and then, our globalised, hyper-connected digital lives that unfairly favour those adept at the language. Extending this to literature, it is true that Indian Writing in English (IWE) garners much more attention than what is called bhasha (the word means, literally, ‘language’, and denotes India’s many regional languages) literature, where attention, fame, legacy and income also depend greatly on the language, on the writer’s gender, caste and other factors.. For translations, it often so happens that a bhasha-to-English project finds more fame than the inverse. Worse off still is a bhasha-to-bhasha translation – even rarer to hear about, though perhaps the most interesting of translation practices. We will be the first to tell you that it is easier to negotiate exchange of cultures into and from the bhasha than to coax English to bend to our will.

 

Bhasha literature is an intensely patriarchal space. I wonder if it is easier for a woman writer to make a more visible career writing in English – limited though the audience many be – than in an Indian language. Here, I think of the likes of Banu Mushtaq, an extraordinary writer in Kannada who has, for decades, been reflecting in her short stories on the lives of Muslim women in particular, and whose work I am so privileged to be currently translating. While she is a respected figure in literature, the names most widely recognised in Kannada writing are those of men. I would redistribute some of this fame, if I could redo the list.

 

Writers in India have talked about these issues for decades. I choose to quote from two from my home state of Karnataka, both widely translated and read across the world. The late U R Ananthamurthy, of Samskara fame, was at times dismissive of those choosing to write in English, saying that it was a moral choice to write in one’s own mother tongue. An English professor himself, he chose to write in Kannada, calling it a political decision. It must be noted that a lot of bhasha writers have, over the decades in post-Independent India, chosen to see IWE as almost a betrayal, judging its writers for looking West in language and for validation. Shashi Deshpande, one of the best-known writers in IWE, has reflected on these issues extensively in her superbly titled memoir Listen to Me, pointing out that the writer has the absolute right to work in any language of their choice, irrespective of political correctness and the baggage tied to the language.

 

When I reflect on that for a minute, I find myself sifting through another argument in my head. How much time must pass before one starts to belong anywhere? A century? More? Less? English came via colonial rule, the generational trauma of which we will be unpacking and reckoning with for decades more to come. But when one reads the likes of Raja Rao and Mulk Raj Anand, even Kamala Markandaya, to some extent, certainly Agha Shahid Ali, one notices the way English has been moulded from the Indian soil. The phrases, the stories, the flavour in what can only be called Indian English is like the smell of hot pickle lingering on one’s fingers after a rice and curd meal. Faint, but there. Has English been in the region long enough to call it, however hesitantly, with all its problems, a subcontinental language? I would dare to say yes.

 

To put it in perspective, Hindi, the way it is spoken today, as a different register of Hindustani, from which Urdu also draws, is just over a century old. Language is a cindering battleground in India; violence has broken out time and again over the imposition of languages, and there have been many deaths. Culture – messy, non-linear, and so complicated – is really about the politics around it.

 

If, then, English is still an alien language, or a hegemonic beast that swallows what is truly of this land – which it absolutely also does; we need to decolonise this, and every aspect of our lives – where does a translation from a bhasha to English locate itself in this discourse? What does speaking, writing, translating into English mean in these post-colonial, post-liberation, globalised, post-truth, post-, ultra-nationalist times mean?

 

I submit to you this: could we as translators cultivate a practice of translating with an accent? And editors and readers process it and read it, respectively, while noticing said accent? I understand this is a tricky premise to begin with, for the lines between foreignisation and domestication are constantly shifting, the blurriness between the choices blurred further by the translator’s own language, experiences, and so on. But what if we could find a way to retain a phrase here, a word there, to remind the reader that the text comes from another language; that, in reading an unfamiliar word, they have just learnt something new, have learnt a word which they might never use themselves but whose meaning, should they see it again, they might remember? In doing so, in my case, Kannada gains another reader. It goes without saying that there is a fine balance to be sought, between keeping some source language and ensuring a reader in English (in this case) is not met with an impenetrable target text. Here is where I shall argue that we, as various parties in this transfer between cultures, should, instead of trying to contort the source language to fit the English idiom, look for ways to stretch English so that it too can speak somewhat with the accent of the original language. Because, devoid of the musicality with which retained accents enrich the translation, we would remain separate languages and cultures, condemned to bear the burden of the proper in our unaccommodating, un-elastic cultural lives.

 

Working in the English language as an Indian with many languages is a process in negotiating with its politics every other day. Decolonising the mind, and then our outer worlds, and therefore our culture is but a lifelong attempt. In the meanwhile, though, I wonder if perhaps we could see the English language, in this context, for its elasticity. Language is meant to stretch this way and that; when an elastic band snaps back in place, it often no longer retains its perfect round shape. When we speak with an accent, write with one, translate with many, the palimpsest of language loses not much, but stretches across the artificiality of bridges and borders. Like that only, as we would say here in India.

 

Deepa Bhasthi is a writer and translator living and working in Kodagu, South India. Her translation of Jnanpitha Awardee Dr Kota Shivarama Karanth’s novel The Same Village, The Same Tree was published in August 2022. Fate’s Game and Other Stories, a translation of short stories by Kodagina Gouramma, among the earliest women writers in Kannada in the early twentieth century, was published by Yoda Press in January 2023. She was one of the six winners of the inaugural PEN Presents for a sample translation of the short stories of Banu Mushtaq, who explores the lives of women in contemporary southern India, and in particular the experiences of Muslim women. The book-length translation is forthcoming.

 

Deepa writes on visual art, literature and politics of culture for publications including ArtReview, MOMUS, Literary Hub, Himal Southasian and MOLD. Her research interests are in the areas of sociolinguistics, land versus landscape and food politics. She occasionally works in visual art projects."

 

Personal essays

May 25, 2023

 

https://pentransmissions.com/2023/05/25/to-translate-with-an-accent/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"‘Radical translation’ of Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq wins International Booker prize
Translator Deepa Bhasthi’s pick of 12 of Mushtaq’s ‘life-affirming’ tales about women’s lives in southern India becomes the first short story collection to win the £50,000 award

 

Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, has won this year’s International Booker prize for translated fiction, becoming the first short story collection to take the award. The stories were originally written in Kannada, the official language of the state of Karnataka in southern India.

 

Described by the author and chair of judges Max Porter as “something genuinely new for English readers: a radical translation” of “beautiful, busy, life-affirming stories”, Heart Lamp’s 12 tales chronicle the lives of women in patriarchal communities in southern India. They were selected as well as translated by Bhasthi, the first Indian translator to win the award. She chose them from around 50 stories in six collections written by Mushtaq over a 30-year-period.

 

Receiving the award, Mushtaq said the win marks “more than a personal achievement. It is an affirmation that we as individuals and as a global community can thrive when we embrace diversity, celebrate our differences and uplift one another.”

 

“In a world that often tries to divide us, literature remains one of the last sacred spaces where we can live inside each other’s minds,” she added.

 

The £50,000 prize – shared equally between writer and translator – was presented at Tate Modern in London on Tuesday evening, where a video of actor Ambika Mod reading from the winning title was also shown.

 

Ambika Mod reads from Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi.
Writing about the shortlist in the Guardian, John Self said Mushtaq and Bhasthi’s “wonderful collection” would be a “worthy winner”. The tone of the book “varies from quiet to comic, but the vision is consistent”, he wrote.

 

Porter said he and his fellow judges – poet Caleb Femi, writer and Guardian critic Sana Goyal, author and translator Anton Hur and musician Beth Orton – spent six hours deliberating, during which they “argued a lot” before “unanimously” deciding the winner.

 

Though Porter said they were looking for the “best book” above all else, he called Heart Lamp a “really special book in terms of its politics”. The stories “contain the feminism for which [Mushtaq] is known. And they contain extraordinary accounts of patriarchal systems and resistance,” he added. “But they aren’t activist stories. First and foremost they’re beautiful accounts of everyday life and particularly the lives of women.”

 

Porter also praised Bhasthi’s translation, which he said “celebrates the movement from one language to another. It contains a multiplicity of Englishes. It is a translation with a texture.

 

“When one translates, the aim is to introduce the reader to new words,” Bhasthi said in an interview with Scroll.in earlier this year. “I call it translating with an accent, which reminds the reader that they are reading a work set in another culture, without exoticising it, of course. So the English in Heart Lamp is an English with a very deliberate Kannada hum to it.””"
Lucy Knight
Tue 20 May 2025 22.11 BST
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/may/20/radical-translation-of-heart-lamp-by-banu-mushtaq-wins-international-booker-prize
#metaglossia_mundus

"Google Beam Futuristic AI-Powered 3D Video Chats Are Coming This Year

Google Beam uses an AI model that turns video calls into a lifelike 3D experience. It could be the next best thing to being there.

 

Google's 3D Project Starline video chat system fits in a single flat-screen setup. The company's latest version is called Google Beam.

 

Beam me up, Google. Video chats could have a much more sci-fi feel with Google Beam, an AI-powered video communications platform that aims to make it feel like you're meeting up in person. 

 

Google announced Beam, an evolution of its Google Starline technology, at its annual I/O developer conference on Tuesday. Google has teamed up with HP to commercialize the system. 

 

Google Beam uses a six-camera array that captures the subject from different angles. An AI video model puts the views together in real time to create a 3D person. Google says the system features near-perfect head tracking, down to the millimeter, with video at 60 frames per second.  

 

The idea is reminiscent of any number of holographic communications systems seen in everything from Star Wars to Star Trek. Unlike the tiny, low-quality Princess Leia hologram from A New Hope, Beam is designed to be life-sized and lifelike. Google once described the technology as a "magic window."

 

The platform uses a light field display that doesn't require wearing any special equipment. CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti tried out Starline last year and called it "the closest thing to a hologram I've ever seen."

 

Speech translation, a feature Google is bringing to Google Meet, could come to Beam as well, Google said.

 

Google introduced Starline as a research project in 2021 and has been testing and refining prototypes ever since. Today's announcement means the technology is closing in on being ready for prime time.

 

Video calls have long been plagued with challenges. It can be hard to read expressions and gestures. Traditional video chats are missing a sense of eye contact. Zoom fatigue was a hot topic during the height of COVID-19. Beam wants to address those issues with a more immersive and lifelike experience.

 

Google said HP will share more about the platform at the InfoComm audio visual technology exhibition in June. Google is also working with Zoom and other audio visual companies. Beam will likely find its footing first with larger organizations that want to shake up the way they handle videoconferencing.

 

The first Beam devices will be available for early adopters later in 2025, so start practicing your "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

 

Beam isn't Google's only big announcement of the day. Check out everything that's been revealed at Google I/O."

By Amanda Kooser

May 21, 2025 12:22 p.m. PT

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/google-beam-futuristic-ai-powered-3d-video-chats-are-coming-this-year/

#metaglossia_mundus 

Effective communication involves active listening, choosing words carefully, and checking in with the person you’re talking to to improve understanding.

 

"7 Cs of Effective Communication: How To Communicate Well

 

Effective communication involves active listening, choosing words carefully, and checking in with the person you’re talking to to improve understanding.

 

 

 

 

What do sourcing raw materials, running sales promotions, and leading a team of workers have in common? They all lean heavily on your communication skills. 

 

 

 

 

Whether your intended audience is an overseas supplier, a prospective customer, or your in-house sales team, an important part of being a leader is having the ability to share information clearly and succinctly. It’s equally important to be able to take incoming information from these external sources and process it in a reflective and open-minded way. To do this successfully, you need to master the art of communication. 

 

 

 

 

The good news is you don’t have to be a motivational speaker or even a natural extrovert to be an effective communicator. You can improve your communication skills through small, achievable steps—maintaining eye contact and projecting positive body language can sometimes achieve more than a grand monologue. 

 

 

 

 

There are numerous tips and techniques that people use to communicate effectively. Read on to learn about some time-tested methods. 

 

 

 

 

What is effective communication?

 

Effective communication is the clear, efficient exchange of information that results in mutual understanding between those imparting the information and those receiving it. Effective communication goes beyond the scope of one’s vocabulary, the timbre of one’s voice, or a specific communication style. It involves active listening, choosing words carefully, and checking in with the person you’re talking to to improve understanding and create a meaningful dialogue.

 

 

 

 

We can all use effective communication skills as part of everyday life, but for business leaders, the skill is essential. Kara Brothers, the president of Starface, a skin care company that sells fashionable acne treatment patches, talks about this on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. For Kara, effective communication helps her rally her team, avoid misunderstandings, and create a positive workplace culture.

 

 

 

 

“I really lean on transparency and communication,” Kara says. “We’re constantly talking. We’re constantly dividing and conquering. It’s a collaborative process. We all have our own specific skills that we bring to the table, and constantly revisiting those and checking in is something that’s really working well for us.”

 

 

 

 

The 7 Cs of effective communication

 

Clarity

 

Conciseness

 

Concreteness

 

Correctness

 

Coherence

 

Completeness

 

Courtesy

 

Many people discuss effective communication by breaking it down into seven key principles, known as the seven Cs:

 

 

 

 

1. Clarity

 

Effective communication is easy to understand. It uses language your audience will find clear and cogent. It doesn’t cram in unnecessary words that may make a person tune out or feel intellectually inadequate. For example, if you’re teaching a first aid class, avoid medical jargon and focus on practical tips in plain, everyday language. 

 

 

 

 

You can also emphasise clarity by taking the time to check that your listeners have clearly understood what you’re saying and leaving time for questions. 

 

 

 

 

2. Conciseness

 

Effective communicators articulate their messages quickly and efficiently. They speak or write with purpose and quickly get to the point. They respect the other party and don’t take up more time than necessary. Effective communicators resist the urge to go off on tangents or tell meandering stories. If you want your message to be understood, don’t dilute it with asides, and work on sharing it as efficiently as possible. 

 

 

 

 

3. Concreteness

 

An effective message comes with concrete, specific details. This might mean relevant anecdotes, or it may mean hard data and statistics. Vagaries, by contrast, can confuse a listener or cause them to tune out. Whether you’re speaking or writing, challenge yourself to convey your thoughts as tangibly and concretely as possible.

 

 

 

 

4. Correctness

 

Any message worth communicating has to be factually correct. No matter how confident or concise you may be, your message will be much stronger if it’s factually sound. To improve your communication, take the necessary time to research what you’re going to say and fact-check your anecdotes and claims. This commitment to correctness shows personal and professional respect to your audience. 

 

 

 

 

5. Coherence

 

Effective communication flows smoothly, with all points connected and easy to follow. Whether you’re speaking or writing, structure your message to guide the receiver through your thoughts. Use transitions like “by contrast” or “on a related note” to help your audience follow the direction of your train of thought.

 

 

 

 

6. Completeness

 

The most effective communication provides all the necessary information a person needs to understand the message fully and take any required action. If your thoughts are incomplete, you lower the odds that your audience will buy in or fully trust you as a source. Balancing completeness with conciseness can be tricky, so scrutinize what you need to say, and if you decide it’s worth saying, do so comprehensively. 

 

 

 

 

7. Courtesy

 

Effective communicators show courtesy to their audience. They seek to understand their audience’s background and base of knowledge. They talk or write using language to align with that audience profile. They also leave room for dialogue, questions, and differing points of view. As a communicator, it’s wise to use respectful, polite, and positive language. This helps you develop trust and avoid conflict."

 

by Shopify Staff

 

May 21, 2025

 

 

 

 

https://www.shopify.com/blog/effective-communication

 

#metaglossia_mundus 

"...An online dictionary which has rediscovered lost Gaelic phrases and word meanings is one of 12 projects set to benefit from a share of £500,000 of Scottish Government funding.

 

Faclair na Gàidhlig (the Historical Dictionary of Scottish Gaelic) seeks to provide a better understanding of Gaelic’s history and culture.

 

It is the first dictionary of the language which aims to detail the origins and meanings of every known Gaelic word. Compilers expect that it will contain more than 100,000 entries. 

 

As part of the initiative, researchers have investigated historical manuscripts dating back to the 12th Century.

 

Rediscovered phrases and word meanings include: the phrase “Ciod fo na rionnagan” (“what under the stars”), which was used in the early 1900s to emphasise a point similar to “what on earth”; the Gaelic word for prickly pear fruit, “peur stobach”, was first used in a letter documenting a visit to Saint Helena in 1900; and “uircean”, which is the Gaelic word for “piglet”, also used to mean "whale calf" in the 1800s.

 

The investment will build on 20 years of work by helping Faclair na Gàidhlig to reach new audiences including learners, researchers, writers and speakers of Gaelic.

 

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes announced the funding as part of a wider £500,000 package to support the language’s growth across Scotland.

 

The investment will also support the publication of Gaelic language books, local mòd events throughout Scotland and Gaelic cultural activities including a summer school and musical events.

 

Ms Forbes said: “The dictionary initiative is providing researchers, writers, speakers and learners of Gaelic with new insight into the language and it will be a valuable resource for future generations. 

 

“Gaelic is a core part of Scotland’s culture, heritage and history. To support the language’s growth across Scotland, I am announcing funding for a range of Gaelic publishing, education, arts and community projects today.

 

“This will build on measures set out in the Scottish Languages Bill to strengthen Gaelic education provision and our investment of £35.7 million in initiatives to promote the language in 2025-26.”

 

Ola Szczesnowicz, Senior Editor of Faclair na Gàidhlig, said: “Faclair na Gàidhlig will be the most comprehensive dictionary of Scottish Gaelic compiled on historical principles, similar to the Oxford English Dictionary. This is a big undertaking, and we welcome the Scottish Government’s funding to help continue our work. Our dictionary entries are already going online, freely available to Gaelic speakers and everyone interested in the language.”

 

As well as the dictionary project, the £500,000 funding will also support Gaelic publishing and Gaelic cultural activities, including a summer school and musical events."

By Craig Williams

Reporter

21ST MAY

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25181445.funding-dictionary-rediscovered-lost-gaelic-phrases/

#metaglossia_mundus 

"À quoi bon l’université, si ChatGPT explique mieux, plus vite et gratuitement ? Loin de signer la fin de l’enseignement supérieur, l’IA l’oblige à se réinventer. Une chronique d'Amid Faljaoui qui bouscule, interroge, et pourrait bien déranger autant les étudiants que leurs professeurs.

 

Par Amid Faljaoui

Avec ses grandes bibliothèques et ses auditoires en bois, l’université est une institution que l’on croit éternelle. Mais l’intelligence artificielle est en train de bousculer le monde académique.

 

Prenons l’exemple concret de la traduction. Il y a encore dix ans, c'était une spécialité noble. Il fallait cinq années d'études, une grande rigueur grammaticale, une finesse culturelle. Aujourd'hui, une intelligence artificielle gratuite comme DeepL ou ChatGPT vous produit une traduction en quelques secondes. Bien entendu, cette traduction n’est pas parfaite mais dans 90 % des cas, elle est suffisante : correcte et fluide. Par conséquent, faut-il encore former des traducteurs comme auparavant ou faut-il désormais former des gens capables de collaborer avec les machines, de les entraîner et de les utiliser intelligemment ? C'est le premier petit pan de mur qui craque.

 

Illustration de l'article

À lire aussi : Dans un monde où l’IA fait les devoirs, à quoi sert encore l'école ?

Examens et infrastructures en question

Deuxième point de tension : les examens. Aujourd'hui, n'importe quel étudiant un peu débrouillard peut copier-coller son énoncé dans un chatbot et obtenir un devoir prêt à rendre. Faut-il revenir aux examens oraux ? C’est impossible dans un auditoire de 500 ou 800 étudiants. Certains parlent de revenir aux questions à choix multiples, mais ce type d’examen évalue surtout la mémoire et pas du tout l’intelligence.

 

L’IA ne rend pas l'enseignement obsolète, mais elle rend obsolète une bonne partie de son infrastructure, de ses méthodes et de ses routines. L’IA révèle les failles qu'on ne voulait pas voir : des cours parfois trop théoriques, des évaluations parfois déconnectées et une croyance un peu naïve que le diplôme garantit le savoir. Pourtant, tout n'est pas perdu, car l’IA ne remplace pas l'essentiel : l'échange, le doute, le sens critique, la capacité à articuler une pensée. Elle ne remplace pas un professeur qui inspire, qui fait réfléchir, qui déstabilise aussi. L'université est toujours précieuse, mais à condition de ne pas devenir une cathédrale vide, à condition d'oser se réinventer."

https://www.rtbf.be/article/face-a-l-ia-les-universites-doivent-se-reinventer-11549554

#metaglossia_mundus 

"UNESCO honours Sharjah Ruler for Arabic historical dictionary

Sharjah Ruler signs $6M agrmt. to digitise UNESCO global archive

 

May 21, 2025 / 9:01 PM

 

Sharjah24: His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, a Supreme Council Member and the Ruler of Sharjah, was awarded a distinguished UNESCO honour upon the completion of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language. At the official ceremony held at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, themed “Arabic Language: A Bridge Between Heritage and Knowledge”, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), was present, along with Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA).

Upon his arrival at UNESCO headquarters, His Highness was received and warmly welcomed by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO; Fahd Saeed Al Raqbani, UAE Ambassador to France; Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah’s Department of Culture; Jamal Al-Turaifi, President of Al Qasimia University; Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority; Ali Al-Haj Al Ali, UAE Permanent Delegate to UNESCO; and Mohamed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.

 

 

His Highness The Ruler of Sharjah delivered a speech during the ceremony, stating, “It is my honour to stand among you today in this esteemed cultural forum at UNESCO, whose noble mission we revere and whose fruitful partnership we cherish.” Together, we commemorate a groundbreaking scholarly and cultural milestone—the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language. This occasion is further enriched by its coincidence with the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a day designated by UNESCO to promote mutual understanding and respect among cultures, reinforcing our collective humanity.

 

Language, in all its forms, undeniably serves as the main repository of culture and the most authentic reflection of a community's identity. In celebrating the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language today, we honour a vital aspect of our rich human diversity, represented by the Arabic language, which carries a deep civilisational heritage and has had a significant scientific and humanistic impact.

 

His Highness subsequently emphasised the contributions of the partner institutions that played a role in the creation of the dictionary, stating, “Sharjah, through its Arabic Language Academy and in collaboration with the Union of Arab Scientific and Language Academies in Cairo, along with linguistic academies, institutes, and institutions throughout the Arab world, succeeded in the completion of this dictionary in one hundred and twenty-seven volumes, as you see before you both in print and online.” I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the numerous researchers and proofreaders from diverse Arab nations whose remarkable dedication has made this accomplishment achievable.

 

“For centuries, Arabic has been a dynamic and enduring language, embodying the heritage of an entire civilisation and encompassing a multitude of fields of knowledge. It serves as the language of the Holy Qur’an, the means of communication for philosophers and scientists, and the artistic means for poets and intellectuals. Even now, it persists in accomplishing its mission throughout the domains of knowledge. But unlike other languages, no academic work has yet been done to show how its lexicon and meanings have changed over time. Thus, the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language originated as a vision, evolved into a project, and has now come to fruition—thanks to the collaboration of efforts, the amalgamation of expertise, and a steadfast dedication.

 

His Highness emphasised that all languages possess an equal right to exist and evolve, stating, “When we restore to Arabic its rightful history and highlight the aspects of its development, we simultaneously affirm to the world that every language is entitled to existence, progress and celebration, and that cultural justice demands that humanity not be reduced to a single tongue, nor the civilisations of peoples confined to one model.” "Just as biodiversity ensures the continuity of life, cultural and linguistic diversity secures the ongoing evolution and revitalisation of human creativity."

 

He then conveyed his sincere appreciation to UNESCO for recognising the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language and for the collaborative cultural initiatives between Sharjah and the organisation: “Our celebration of this work within UNESCO’s premises sends a clear message that culture transcends borders and that Arab endeavours, undertaken with sincerity and a collective spirit, receive global acknowledgement and acceptance.” From this podium, I express my heartfelt gratitude to UNESCO and its member states for their strong belief in the significance of Arabic and for their collaborative efforts in various initiatives—most notably, the Sharjah–UNESCO Arab Culture Award, which represents our cultural alignment with this esteemed organisation and its members.

He wrapped up with a call for unity: “Let us move forward together, dear friends, hand in hand, to enhance our cultural dialogue, to protect our common human heritage, and to guarantee that every culture's voice is acknowledged, every language valued, and every people stay true to their genuine identity.”

 

 

At the ceremony, Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, presented a speech to welcome His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. She expressed her pleasure regarding the visit of the Sharjah delegation to Paris, acknowledging the emirate as a worldwide centre of knowledge and culture. Azoulay emphasised Sharjah's significant investments in diverse areas that align with UNESCO's mission, pointing out its achievement of multiple international cultural awards, including UNESCO's recognition of Sharjah as a "World Book Capital" in 2019. This acknowledgement highlights Sharjah's eternal commitment to literature, cultural heritage, the spread of knowledge, and cultural diversity.

 

Azoulay praised the foresight of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, which has placed culture and knowledge at the heart of Sharjah's policies. She recognised the emirate's arrangements for various cultural events, festivals, and exhibitions that span multiple areas of culture, arts, and history. These initiatives, such as the UNESCO–Sharjah Award for Arab Culture, promote intercultural dialogue and highlight the lasting collaboration between Sharjah and UNESCO that has continued for over 25 years.

She acknowledged Sharjah's initiative in signing an agreement to digitise UNESCO's archives, marking a significant step towards preserving the organisation's vast collection of books and documents, some of which date back over 80 years. This initiative guarantees the protection of precious historical documents that detail various events, agreements, and initiatives.

 

 

Azoulay conveyed her appreciation for the successful completion of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language, a significant accomplishment achieved under the guidance of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. Created by a multitude of researchers and editors from 20 linguistic institutions throughout the Arab world, this dictionary has earned recognition from the Guinness World Records as the largest historical dictionary.

 

consisting of 127 volumes. It has been officially included in UNESCO's library, offering educators, researchers, students, and Arabic language enthusiasts a thorough resource.

She highlighted the richness and value of the Arabic language, showcasing its adaptability over time and its importance to millions around the globe. Azoulay highlighted her investigation of the term "peace", tracing it back to the triliteral root of the Arabic word mase, represented by the letters (س-ل-م), and noting its semantic similarities in different languages.

 

 

At the conclusion of the ceremony, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah graciously signed a copy of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language and presented it as a gift to UNESCO.

• https://sharjah24.ae/en/Articles/2025/05/21/a7

#metaglossia_mundus

"Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe tabled a bill today that would force streaming giants to make French-language content more accessible.

 

"Holly Cabrera · CBC News · Posted: May 21, 2025 8:27 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

 

 

 

 

Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe tabled Bill 109, which would impose quotas on online streaming services to help improve the discoverability of French-language content. (Sylvain Roy Roussel/CBC)

 

 

 

 

Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe tabled a bill today that would force streaming giants to add French-language content and make it more easily accessible to users.

 

 

 

 

Bill 109, titled An Act to affirm the cultural sovereignty of Quebec and to enact the Act respecting the discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital environment, has been in the works for over a year.

 

 

 

 

It marks the first time that Quebec would set a "visibility quota" for French-language content on major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney and Spotify.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bill comes as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) undertakes a two-week public hearing on a new definition of Canadian content that started last Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

The proceeding is part of its work to implement the Online Streaming Act — and it is bringing tensions between traditional players and large foreign streamers out in the open.

 

 

 

 

Lacombe said at a news conference on Wednesday that Quebec is following the example of European Union countries' policy on streaming services by not limiting French-language content quotas to Quebec productions.

 

 

 

 

"This is the bet we are making, that is to say, to ally ourselves with the French-speaking community because [protecting French] is a common fight after all."

 

 

 

 

In an interview with Radio-Canada, Lacombe explained that making French-language content readily available to Quebecers on digital platforms is part of the Coalition Avenir Québec government's vision for protecting French.

 

 

 

 

Only 8.5 per cent of music people listen to in Quebec is in French, which is "very little," according to Lacombe. He said he wants to reverse that trend for younger generations.

 

 

 

 

"Discoverability means being able to stumble across something, to discover it when you weren't actively looking for it," Lacombe said.

 

 

 

 

Making French web interfaces the default

 

Bill 109 would apply to every digital platform that offers a service for watching videos or listening to music and audiobooks online, including Canadian platforms such as Illico, Crave, and Tou.tv. 

 

 

 

 

It would amend the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms to enshrine "the right to discoverability of and access to original French-language cultural content."

 

 

 

 

Big streamers argue at CRTC hearing they shouldn't have Canadian content obligations

 

Montreal movie producers warn Trump's foreign film tariff could devastate industry

 

If the bill is adopted, streaming platforms and television manufacturers would be forced to present interfaces for screening online videos in French by default. 

 

 

 

 

Those interfaces would need to provide access to platforms that offer original French-language cultural content based on the government's pending criteria.

 

 

 

 

Financial penalties would be imposed on companies that don't follow the rules.

 

 

 

 

If the business models of some companies prevent them from keeping to the letter of the proposed law, companies would be allowed to enter into an agreement with the Quebec government to set out "substitute measures" to fulfil Bill 109 obligations differently. 

 

 

 

 

"We don't want to exempt them. We're telling them, 'let's negotiate substitute measures,'" Lacombe told reporters.

 

 

 

 

Impact on trade relations?

 

Lacombe noted that the bill complies with the terms of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), but acknowledged that with the tense economic context, the Trump administration might view his initiative as a way to further disrupt trade relations.

 

 

 

 

If the U.S. administration challenges the bill once it's adopted, the Quebec government plans to invoke the exception that excludes cultural property from trade agreements, Lacombe said.

 

 

 

 

"We must not fear the United States' reaction and stop ourselves from taking action," he said, noting that the Biden administration was also opposed to the cultural exception. "If we do that, we would directly contradict the principle of cultural exception [in trade agreements]. What's the point if we don't use it?"

 

 

 

 

Lacombe said he thinks the bill will show that Quebec can stand up to major digital players.

 

 

 

 

"Initially, I think many saw me as a young, naive minister who thought he could control the giants. Since then, we have demonstrated that we have the capacity to act, and we are acting," he said.

 

 

 

 

Earlier Wednesday morning, Parti Québécois MNA Joël Arseneau told reporters that the government also needs to intervene to help local productions "find their public." He said Quebec producers risk hindering the quality of their content because of the need to cut costs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parti Québécois MNA Joël Arseneau speaks to reporters at a news conference in Quebec City on Wednesday, May 21. (Sylvain Roy Roussel/CBC)

 

"The government has to protect not only the public and the spectators but the industry, the producers, the jobs that are generated by a very high-quality industry that is fighting against giants, and they're not having the same arms to compete," Arseneau said. 

 

 

 

 

Based on reporting by Cathy Senay, Radio-Canada's Mathieu Gohier and The Canadian Press"

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-quota-streaming-giants-bill-lacombe-1.7539749

Google va déployer une fonctionnalité permettant au navigateur de changer automatiquement un mot de passe faible. 

"Google Chrome va changer automatiquement vos mots de passe faibles ou corrompus

  21/05/2025 • 12:13

Google va déployer une fonctionnalité permettant au navigateur de changer automatiquement un mot de passe faible.

 

Trouver un bon mot de passe devient de plus en plus difficile. À une ère où les cyberattaques se multiplient, cette mesure de sécurité montre ses limites. Bien qu’il existe des gestionnaires de mot de passe permettant de s’assurer de la robustesse des mots de passe, certaines entreprises comme Microsoft font le choix drastique d’abandonner ce système de sécurité pour d’autres plus performants.

 

Du côté de Google Chrome, les mots de passe perdurent. Après avoir simplifié la connexion aux sites web, le navigateur souhaite désormais renforcer la sécurité de ce système en proposant une fonctionnalité capable de remplacer automatiquement certains mots de passe.

 

L’utilisateur garde le dernier mot

Annoncée lors de la conférence Google I/O, cette fonctionnalité se concentrera sur les mots de passe jugés comme trop faible ou qui aurait été compromis, rapporte The Verge. Plus qu’un simple indicateur, Google Chrome veut permettre aux utilisateurs de changer automatiquement ces mots de passe et de les stocker dans leur gestionnaire.

 

Parisa Tabriz, vice-présidente et directrice générale de Chrome, précise que si le choix du mot de passe se fera automatiquement par Google, l’utilisateur devra donner son consentement pour qu’il soit changé, même s’il est compromis.

 

Google n’a pour le moment pas donné de date précise quant au lancement de cette fonctionnalité. L’éditeur invite les développeurs à préparer leur site web pour accueillir ce changement dans l’année."

https://www.frandroid.com/marques/google/2622173_google-chrome-va-changer-automatiquement-vos-mots-de-passe-faibles-ou-corrompus

How British Sign Language is rewriting the script on screen

 

Story by Rabina Khan 

 

Rose Ayling-Ellis was named Strictly Come Dancing champion in 2021 with dance partner Giovanni Pernice. (BBC/Guy Levy)

 

When Strictly Come Dancing crowned Rose Ayling-Ellis as its 2021 winner, nearly 12 million viewers watched history being made. Her win marked a turning point in UK media, reshaping how Deaf culture and British Sign Language (BSL) are represented. 

 

 

 

 

This year’s Deaf Awareness Week (5–11 May 2025) themed, Beyond Silence, focussed on breaking down barriers for a fuller recognition of Deaf identity and influence. Now, as Ayling-Ellis prepares to star in ITV’s Code of Silence (airing 18 May), she returns not just as an actor, but as a symbol of how BSL is changing what representation really means — on screen, on stage, and behind the scenes.

 

 

 

 

Has BSL moved from the margins of media to the heart of mainstream storytelling? Tobi St Clair, Director of Deaf Set — a consultancy agency that empowers Deaf actors — said Rose Ayling-Ellis' impact is undeniable.  

 

 

 

 

"She brought BSL into people’s living rooms and challenged what people think Deaf people can do," St Clair told Yahoo News UK. "It’s incredibly rare to see that level of visibility."

 

 

 

 

Rose Ayling-Ellis as lipreader Alison Brooks in Code of Silence. (ITV/Mammoth Screen)

 

But she cautions that one person’s success doesn’t equate to structural change across the industry.

 

 

 

 

"Rose’s visibility started important conversations, but systemic barriers remain," said St Clair, "We still don’t see meaningful change in access or opportunities for most Deaf creatives."

 

 

 

 

St Clair’s connection to the industry is personal. Her mother, Jean St Clair, was the first British Deaf actress to perform in the West End, starring in Children of a Lesser God, her screen credits include Crown Court, the feature film The Banishing, and the recent short Coffee Morning Club. 

 

 

 

 

“If she’d had the kind of visibility someone like Rose Ayling-Ellis has today, her path could have been very different. It’s been incredible to see progress — Matty Gurney leading Reunion in BSL feels like a real shift. If Jean were starting out now, I’ve no doubt she’d be a star. The industry just wasn’t ready to embrace sign language and Deaf talent in the way it is beginning to today.”

 

 

 

 

But representation is only part of the story.

 

 

 

 

Legal recognition, cultural impact

 

 

 

 

A 'BSL Act Now' banner is outside the Parliament during a rally in support of the BSL (British Sign Language) Bill in 2022.

 

 

 

 

There are approximately 151,000 BSL users in the UK, including 87,000 Deaf people who use it as their first language, according to the British Deaf Association. 

 

 

 

 

For decades, BSL lacked legal status — but that changed with the British Sign Language Act 2022, which recognised BSL as an official language of the UK and compelled government departments to consider BSL accessibility in public services.  

 

 

 

 

The long-awaited GCSE in British Sign Language is now delayed until at least 2028 — three years later than originally planned. The Department for Education had aimed for a 2025 rollout.

 

 

 

 

BSL interpretation is now standard on BBC and Channel 4’s coverage of major events, from the Queen’s funeral to Glastonbury.

 

 

 

 

BSL on screens

 

 

 

 

Television has seen a rise in Deaf-led content and BSL-integrated storytelling. EastEnders introduced its first regular Deaf character (played by Ayling-Ellis) in 2020. CBBC’s Magic Hands — a BSL poetry show — continues to win praise for blending accessibility with creativity. Meanwhile, the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT) funds Deaf-led programming that reaches thousands of viewers, offering everything from dramas to documentaries created by and for the Deaf community.

 

 

 

 

Deaf performers are also calling for deeper inclusion on- and off-screen.

 

 

 

 

Actor Tianah Hodding, known for her BSL performances in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Encanto, told Yahoo: "I'd love to see multiple talented Deaf actors in mainstream cinema, red carpets, Hollywood and massive series."

 

 

 

 

"Deaf-aware and trained crew working alongside Deaf, speaking, and BSL-using roles. A romance story in both worlds of Deaf and hearing like One Day. Deaf BAME actors shining through and representing not just the Deaf community but all ethnic groups as a whole," said Hodding.

 

 

 

 

The Rose effect

 

 

 

 

Rose Ayling-Ellis first broke through playing Frankie on the BBC soap EastEnders. (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

 

Ayling-Ellis' Strictly win wasn’t just high-profile — it was transformative. Google searches for "British Sign Language" tripled the week of her silent dance tribute. Since then, BSL courses across the UK have seen surges in enrolment.

 

 

 

 

Actor Jayden Reid, a Deaf performer in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Encanto, and appeared in numerous commercials and music videos, told Yahoo: "The rise in roles and content by Deaf people over the last few years has impacted my confidence to charge headfirst and work for what I want… It’s the joy in entertainment that I’d never want to let go of." 

 

 

 

 

Reid adds that more opportunities are emerging, and while there's room for growth, "I’m always happy with the way things are going."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rose Ayling-Ellis as Alison in Code of Silence. (ITV)

 

In interviews, Ayling-Ellis has emphasised that true inclusion means Deaf people shaping stories — not just appearing in them. In her upcoming ITV drama Code of Silence, where she plays a Deaf undercover officer, BSL is central to the plot redefining what Deaf-led storytelling can look like on prime time.

 

 

 

 

This impact isn’t limited to screens — it's transforming how Deaf audiences experience live entertainment, too.

 

 

 

 

Interpreters as performers

 

 

 

 

A British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter performing with Kae Tempest at Glastonbury 2022. (Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

 

BSL has reshaped the live events landscape with British festivals embracing interpreters who don’t just translate — they perform. Interpreters like Tara Asher have earned acclaim for turning music into powerful visual art. As Glastonbury’s first BSL coordinator, Asher helped shift Deaf access from afterthought to creative centrepiece.

 

 

 

 

The 2023 BRIT Awards featured BSL interpretation for the first time. At the Edinburgh Fringe, more productions are now being created with integrated BSL from the start — not as an add-on, but as a creative foundation.

 

 

 

 

As the UK entertainment industry adapts to a more inclusive future, the success of BSL isn't measured by presence alone — but by power, authorship, and authenticity. The revolution is signed, not subtitled. 

 

 

 

 

For St Clair, inclusion is deeply personal. She signed before she could speak and grew up watching her mother fight for visibility. 

 

 

 

 

"It’s getting better. There’s more consultancy, more awareness. But until Deaf people are routinely in decision-making roles, we’ll keep running into the same barriers." said St Clair.

 

 

 

 

Code of Silence starts on ITV1 on Monday 18, May and will stream on ITVX.

 

 

 

 

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at

 

 

 

 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/british-sign-language-bsl-uk-tv-110007554.html

"UAE launches Arabic language AI model as Gulf race gathers pace
By Reuters
May 21, 202512:19 PM GMT+1Updated 3 hours ago

DUBAI, May 21 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates launched a new Arabic language artificial intelligence (AI) model on Wednesday as the regional race to develop AI technologies accelerates in the Gulf.
The UAE, a major oil exporter, has been spending billions of dollars in a push to become a global AI player, looking to leverage its strong relations with the United States to secure access to technology.
The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here.
U.S. President Donald Trump said during a visit last week that an AI agreement with the UAE creates a path for it to access some of the advanced AI semiconductors from U.S. firms, a major win for the Gulf country.
Falcon Arabic, developed by Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), aims to capture the full linguistic diversity of the Arab world through a "high-quality native (non-translated) Arabic dataset," a statement said.
It also matches the performance of models up to 10 times its size, it said.
"Today, AI leadership is not about scale for the sake of scale. It is about making powerful tools useful, usable, and universal," Faisal Al Bannai, ATRC secretary general said in the statement.
Advertisement · Scroll to continue
ATRC also launched Falcon H1, which it said outperforms competitors from Meta and Alibaba (9988.HK), opens new tab by reducing the computing power and technical expertise traditionally required to run advanced systems.
AI was a central theme during Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia as well, which is pitching itself as a prospective hub for AI activity outside the U.S.
The kingdom launched a new company earlier this month to develop and manage AI technologies and infrastructure, which is also aiming to offer one of the world’s most powerful multimodal Arabic large language models, according to a statement.

Reporting by Yousef Saba; Writing by Sarah El Safty; Editing by Rachna Uppal"
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/uae-launches-arabic-language-ai-model-gulf-race-gathers-pace-2025-05-21/
#metaglossia_mundus

"In Mali, USAID funding cuts hit a local language learning program that empowered thousands

BY BABA AHMED

Updated 6:04 AM GMT+1, May 21, 2025

 

MOUNTOUGOULA, Mali (AP) — For Aminata Doumbia, an 18-year-old Malian, the “Shifin ni Tagne” project was a path for her life dreams. A phrase meaning “our future” in the country’s main local language, it refers to a yearslong program aimed at teaching around 20,000 young Malians to read and write in their local languages.

 

Backed by $25 million in funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, over five years, the project has now shut down following the Trump administration’s decision to cut 90% of the agency’s foreign aid.

 

“The joy I felt when I was selected for this project has been replaced by sadness,” said Doumbia in Mali’s capital, Bamako.

 

She had hoped to take advantage of the empowerment program to train as a pastry chef.

 

”I don’t have any hope of realizing my dream (again),” Doumbia said.

 

Poverty and illiteracy

Doumbia is among thousands of people who now find themselves stranded in Mali, a country ravaged by high poverty and insecurity levels and where 70% of the population of at least 22 million people haven’t had the opportunity to learn to read and write, according to Sylla Fatoumata Cissé, director of a government agency focusing on nonformal education and national languages in Mali.

 

The USAID funding cut also came at a time when Mali’s other development partners in Europe have withdrawn their support in the aftermath of the 2021 coup, which brought the current junta leader, Assimi Goita, to power."

https://apnews.com/article/mali-education-languages-usaid-b2bf965fd853de7f02b5a043ff7f4e48

#metaglossia_mundus 

Heart Lamp de Banu Mushtaq remporte l’International Booker Prize 2025
Le recueil de nouvelles Heart Lamp, de l’autrice indienne Banu Mushtaq et traduit de la langue kannada par Deepa Bhasthi, a remporté l’International Booker Prize 2025. C’est la première fois qu’un recueil de nouvelles obtient cette distinction internationale, qui récompense la meilleure œuvre de fiction traduite en anglais et publiée au Royaume-Uni ou en Irlande.

Le 20/05/2025 à 23:51 par Dépêche

Heart Lamp rassemble douze nouvelles rédigées sur plus de trente ans, entre 1990 et 2023. Ces histoires mettent en lumière les vies de femmes vivant dans des communautés patriarcales du sud de l’Inde. À travers des portraits de mères stoïques, de grands-mères opiniâtres, de maris cruels ou encore d’enfants résilients, le recueil explore les thèmes de la souffrance, de la résistance et de la solidarité féminine.

Avocate et militante pour les droits des femmes, Banu Mushtaq s’est inspirée des récits de celles qui sont venues lui demander de l’aide. Elle écrit : « La douleur, la souffrance et la vie impuissante de ces femmes suscitent une réponse émotionnelle profonde en moi, m’obligeant à écrire. »

Une traduction avec « un accent »
La traductrice Deepa Bhasthi devient la première Indienne à remporter ce prix. Elle décrit son approche comme une « traduction avec un accent », préservant la richesse linguistique et culturelle des textes originaux. Pour rendre fidèlement la réalité des personnages, elle a conservé certains mots en ourdou ou en arabe, reproduisant ainsi les rythmes de la langue parlée dans cette région multilingue de l’Inde.

Un prix prestigieux partagé entre autrice et traductrice
Le prix, doté de 50.000 £ (environ 58.500 €), est réparti équitablement entre l’autrice et la traductrice. Il a été remis lors d’une cérémonie organisée à la Tate Modern de Londres, animée par Max Porter, président du jury 2025. L’événement a été marqué par des lectures théâtralisées d’extraits des ouvrages sélectionnés et une performance musicale de Beth Orton, également membre du jury.

C’est la première fois qu’un livre traduit du kannada, une langue parlée par environ 65 millions de personnes, reçoit l’International Booker Prize. Banu Mushtaq est également la deuxième autrice indienne à remporter ce prix, après Geetanjali Shree en 2022. Quant à son éditeur, la maison indépendante britannique And Other Stories, il obtient ici sa première victoire, après plusieurs nominations.

Les critiques ont salué la sensibilité de Mushtaq et la finesse de la traduction. Le Financial Times souligne « la compassion et l’humour noir » de l’autrice, tandis que The Guardian qualifie le recueil de « digne lauréat » en raison de sa force littéraire et de sa forme originale."
https://actualitte.com/article/123937/prix-litteraires/heart-lamp-de-banu-mushtaq-remporte-l-international-booker-prize-2025
#metaglossia_mundus

Le navigateur web de Microsoft s'enrichit. Les nouvelles fonctionnalités permettront de traiter plus facilement les informations présentes au sein d'un PDF

 

"Edge traduit vos PDF tout seul (et ce n’est pas la seule nouveauté)

 

 

 

 

Par Samir Rahmoune

 

Publié le 20 mai 2025 à 16h44

 

 

 

 

Le navigateur web de Microsoft s'enrichit. Les nouvelles fonctionnalités permettront de traiter plus facilement les informations présentes au sein d'un PDF

 

 

 

 

Même s'il est toujours très loin derrière Chrome, Microsoft soigne son navigateur web Edge. Le géant américain travaille ainsi sur une intégration du modèle de langage IA Phi-4 mini telle qu'il pourrait être possible de l'utiliser pour traiter certaines tâches en local. Et aujourd'hui, c'est une fonction qui va s'appliquer au PDF que la firme de Redmond nous fait découvrir.

 

 

 

 

Une fonction de traduction sur les PDF beaucoup plus puissante arrive

 

La nouvelle conférence Build de Microsoft a été l'occasion de découvrir plusieurs nouvelles fonctionnalités dédiées à Edge. La plus intéressante est sûrement la nouvelle option de traduction de PDF, qui sera beaucoup plus puissante que celle actuelle, qui nécessite de sélectionner le texte sur le fichier.

 

 

 

 

Disponible dans Edge Canary, il est prévu qu'elle soit déployée en juin. « En quelques clics, les utilisateurs pourront ouvrir un PDF dans Edge, cliquer sur l'icône Traduire dans la barre d'adresse Edge et créer rapidement un nouveau document entièrement traduit dans la langue de leur choix » détaille Microsoft. La fonction sera disponible en plus de 70 langues.

 

 

 

 

Copilot Chat va permettre de résumer plusieurs types de documents dans Edge

 

L'IA sera aussi comme toujours au rendez-vous ces derniers temps. Copilot Chat, qui se retrouve dans la barre latérale d'Edge for Business, se verra aussi doté d'une capacité de résumer plusieurs types de fichiers issus de la suite Microsoft 365, à savoir les fichiers Word, Excel et PowerPoint.

 

 

 

 

Enfin, les agents IA vont aussi s'installer dans Edge for Business avec - objectif affiché par Microsoft - l'idée de permettre l'automatisation des tâches répétitives de l'utilisateur. L'ensemble de ces fonctions sont intégrées de façon à ce que le client puisse effectuer ces tâches, tout en ne quittant pas le navigateur - ce qui rendra son travail plus fluide. Les agents IA devraient être mis en service au début du mois de juin."

 

https://www.clubic.com/actualite-566160-edge-traduit-vos-pdf-tout-seul-et-ce-n-est-pas-la-seule-nouveaute.html

 

#metaglossia_mundus 

'You can't reproduce the language, but you can reproduce the effect it has on you when you read it'

 

"MAY 21, 2025

May 20, 2025 | Jaclyn Severance

 

Beautiful Choices: UConn Makes Its Mark on the World of Literary Translation

'You can't reproduce the language, but you can reproduce the effect it has on you when you read it'

 

 

 

 

 

On its face, the idea of translating a piece of literature from one language to another seems simple.

 

The English word “cat,” for instance, is chat when translated into French. In Spanish, it’s gato. In Turkish, it’s kedi. In Russian, it’s kot.

 

But with most forms of literature, the reality of translation is not so simple.

 

“There’s this equivalency assumption – that I can make an equivalent in the language that I am translating into,” says Catherine Keough, a literary translator and graduate student in UConn’s Department of English.

 

“But once someone starts engaging with the practice of translation, it becomes so clear that every single move that the translator is making to shift this text into the language they’re working in is a choice,” Keough says.

 

Choosing to put one word next to another can change that first word’s meaning.

 

Adding a third word into the mix can complicate things even further.

 

When it comes to a literary form like poetry, there’s also sometimes rhyme to contend with. And rhythm. And attitude.

 

A poem has tone. A poet instills a mood into the language they choose – it’s light, or it’s dark, or it’s somewhere in between. It could be humorous, or joyful, or sad, or none of those things, or all of those things, depending on choice.

 

A chosen phrase, the juxtaposition of words – it’s all done deliberately to convey something.

 

And when those phrases and words are crafted in Mandarin Chinese, or Arabic, or Hindi, the emotions they evoke and the cultural context they reflect typically don’t just translate word-for-word into another language, like English.

 

 

 

 

 

“Whether we’re focusing on the meaning, or the sound, or the rhythm, or the rhyme, or any of the formal features of the writing, every time we make one of those choices, we’re automatically making other choices impossible,” explains Christopher Clarke, a literary translator; visiting assistant professor in UConn’s Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages; and editor of World Poetry Review, UConn’s literary translation journal.

 

Because of this complexity, because of the myriad choices each translator must make when attempting to translate a text, translating poetry is as much of a skill and an art as writing original poetry itself.

 

And for the last nine years, UConn’s program in literary translation has been teaching hundreds of graduate and undergraduate students how to undertake translations – and how to do them well.

 

From Pond Hockey to Hockey East

 

Established in 2016, UConn’s program in literary translation has at times had as many as 125 undergraduate and 20 graduate students participating in its minor in literary translation and graduate certificate programs, respectively, or just taking the program’s course offerings as electives.

 

One year, Clarke noted, he had nearly 20 different languages in the undergraduate classroom at once – something that makes UConn’s program somewhat unique compared to others in the U.S.

 

“It is a multilingual workshop environment – everyone comes in with whatever other language they work with, and we build around that,” he says. “There are a few others like this in the country, but not many.”

 

Students in the program range from native bilingual speakers, to new learners of a foreign language, to creative writers looking for new techniques for expression, and they all share one common language to work toward: English.

 

They’re taught the tools and techniques for selecting, translating, and pitching translations, with many students publishing their work in literary journals or going on to pursue book-length translation projects.

 

“World Literature Today, one of the most respected international magazines in the field, has ranked us ‘among the finest translation programs in the world,’” notes Peter Constantine, a professor, literary translator, and editor and the director of UConn’s literary translation program. “This recognition reflects the impressive number of translations and peer-reviewed articles our undergrad and grad students have published, along with the prestigious awards and grants they’ve earned, including the NEA and PEN/Heim translation grants.”

 

World Poetry Review, the biannual literary journal founded in 2017 and based in UConn’s literary translation program, is just one of many outlets for literary translators seeking to have their work published.

 

And while it’s still a relative newcomer in a field that looks significantly different outside of the U.S. – only approximately 3% of all books in the United States are works in translation, compared to 45% in France and even greater numbers in other countries, according to Clarke – World Poetry Review is making its mark in the literary translation world.

 

 

(Word Poetry Review)

Four translations included in the journal’s Issue 10 were longlisted this spring for inclusion in the “Best Literary Translations” anthology, published annually by Deep Vellum.

 

One translation – Kate Deimling’s translation of six poems by the French poet Gabriel Zimmerman – will be included in the anthology’s 2026 edition.

 

The four longlisted works – translations from Deimling, Samuel Martin, Heather Green, and recent UConn alumna Zeynep Özer ’24 MA – competed amongst 400 submissions for inclusion in the anthology, a competition Constantine described as “particularly intense, as the anthology chooses the best translations of poetry, short fiction, and essays, drawn from U.S. literary journals and magazines.”

 

The 2026 anthology will mark the second time that a translation from World Poetry Review has been included in “Best Literary Translations.” The 2025 edition included work by the contemporary poet Yordan Eftimov translated from Bulgarian by Jonathan Dunne. UConn graduate student Xin Xu’s ’23 Ph.D. translation of the Chinese poet Yuan Yongping was longlisted that year.

 

For UConn’s literary translation journal and program, it isn’t quite the equivalent of winning the World Series or the Stanley Cup.

 

But it’s recognition that the program has grown significantly from the humble beginnings of skates on a pond to a team of real players in a growing and dynamic international field.

 

“It’s like if our team was invited to join a popular conference – like if suddenly World Poetry Review got to play in Hockey East,” says Clarke, the journal’s editor. “The bonus for us is that we will have work published next to work from other better-known journals or long-established journals, and our name listed among these many important other publications.”

 

Is the Original Beautiful? Is Yours?

 

There’s no golden rule on the kinds of translations that get accepted to journals like World Poetry Review, explains Clarke.

 

Texts can be contemporary or historical. Translators can be new to the field or established.

 

Every issue is different, though Clarke tries to curate his issues around submissions that complement each other in some way.

 

“We just launched Issue 11, and we’d received a really great submission of contemporary Ukrainian poetry, written in Ukrainian,” Clarke says. “And then, as counterpoint, I had another submission of Ukrainian poetry written in Russian. And then, as a late submission that I also really liked, we had some poetry from Russia, in Russian, and I thought it was a really interesting mix of aesthetic and political commentary to run the three together at the same time.”

 

The journal also launched a bonus dossier featuring 14 different translations of the 1926 poem “J’ai tant rêvé de toi” by the French poet Robert Desnos – a striking example of how each translator’s individual choices can impact the way a reader experiences the original text.

 

“I tell our students: You can translate this, and it might mean the same thing, but ask yourself, is the poem in the original language beautiful? Is yours?” Clarke says. “And if they aren’t both, then you’re doing a disservice and it’s not a good translation, even if it’s very accurate.

 

“You have to translate the way you react to it, and really what you’re trying to reproduce is not the language – because you can’t reproduce the language, you’re using different tools. But you can reproduce the effect that it has on you when you read it.”

 

World Poetry Review will have an open call for submissions for its next issue in August 2025 – an opportunity for both established and upcoming translators, including UConn students, to compete for a space that’s quickly become notable in the field.

 

“Competition for publication in World Poetry Review is considerable,” says Constantine. “World Poetry Review is not a student publication, but it has included outstanding translations by both UConn undergraduate and graduate students, work that holds its own beside that of widely published literary translators.”

 

That includes work like alumnus Michal Ciebielski’s ’20 (ENG, CLAS) translation of Grzegorz Kwiatkowski, which set off a remarkable career for the contemporary Polish poet, according to Constantine.

 

“Thanks to Michal’s translations, Kwiatkowski’s work was discovered outside Poland, leading to versions in German, French, Greek, and Slovene,” Constantine says.

 

“It’s a reminder of how literary translators can open doors and shape careers for the writers they translate, and it’s especially rewarding to see one of our own undergraduates play such a part.”

 

Issue 12 of World Poetry Review will launch in October."

https://today.uconn.edu/2025/05/beautiful-choices-uconn-makes-its-mark-on-the-world-of-literary-translation/

#metaglossia_mundus