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"We’re using research in the Asia-Pacific region to highlight the importance of language of instruction to the education outcomes of children. This International Literacy Day, we’re using research in the Asia-Pacific region to highlight the importance of language of instruction to the education outcomes of children. With more than 3,000 documented languages, the Asia-Pacific region is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world. In Papua New Guinea alone, there are 839 spoken languages – the highest number for any country in the world. About 40% of the global population does not have access to education in a language that they speak or understand. Research within the Asia-Pacific region shows the impact that language can have on educational outcomes. Students whose mother tongue is not the same as the language of instruction face additional barriers to learning and are more likely to leave school early. This year, International Literacy Day celebrates the theme of ‘Promoting multilingual education: literacy for mutual understanding and peace.’ Drawing on findings from ACER’s research in the Asia-Pacific region, we’re highlighting the challenges that language of instruction can have on children’s learning, and how well-planned and resourced language in education policies can make education more equitable for all. In Southeast Asia, there are wide disparities between the numbers of students who attend primary education in their first language. For example, while 90% of students in Cambodia and Viet Nam attend primary school in their first language, only 25% in Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia do. Initiated in 2012, the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) is a cross-national assessment program that examines the learning outcomes of Grade 5 students in Southeast Asia. SEA-PLM 2019 found that children who did not primarily use the test language at home were more likely to perform poorly. In the Pacific, hundreds of languages exist. And while English is a common language of instruction in school, students may use different languages in the home. The Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) aims to monitor student achievement in literacy – reading and writing – and numeracy at the end of 4 and 6 years of primary school. Undertaken in 15 countries in the Pacific Islands, PILNA collects information on reading and writing through its literacy assessment. PILNA 2021 found that students who performed better in reading tended to use the language of assessment in more settings. This suggests that using a language in every day conversation may improve students’ reading ability. The complex discussion between mother tongue or the adoption of a common language of instruction continues to be fiercely debated. One critical issue is the need to not place unrealistic language demands on students, many of whom already face other challenging conditions. Providing children a solid basis for language development is key to their success. Governments in the Asia-Pacific region have approached language in education policies in a myriad of ways. They are often tasked with carefully balancing resource availability, politics and cultural expression. Language policies are often ambitious, despite the complex linguistic and resource-constrained environments. In some countries, there is no official accommodation of a child’s mother tongue. Many other countries have bilingual or multilingual policies for the first few years of primary school. Children may initially learn in their home language and have an ‘early exit’ transition to a second language (or third) by Grade 4. Often, policies may not be implemented in practice due to societal or community pressures to use more global languages and a lack of teacher training and materials in relevant languages. It is not easy to obtain evidence on the impact of using mother tongue language as the language of instruction on learning outcomes. However, available evidence suggests that while ‘early exit’ transition programs show early promise, outcomes are not sustained once mother tongue support stops. Students may lack the reading proficiency in their mother tongue to support a transition to reading with comprehension in another language. Where evidence of longer-term success exists, it relies almost exclusively on ‘late exit’ transition, with mother tongue instruction continuing at least until the end of primary school. This requires significant long-term funding backed by political will, as well as an environment in which the plan may be implemented. Students should not have to cope, at least in primary school, with so many languages. The core language of instruction should be decided early on and see children through their primary education. Building foundational language, especially spoken language skills, is key to school success. Children who do not speak the language of instruction at home need additional support. Curriculum and teaching practices may need to be adjusted to support these children to build a solid basis for language development. Our recent Multi-Year Teacher Development Study in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) has shown that there is a need to bridge the gap between the home and school language environments, such as through intensive support for ethnic students to build their oral language skills. This is now being implemented by the Lao PDR government. Planning and adequate resourcing is crucial to supporting the language development of students. There is often a gap between what is best practice, and what can realistically be achieved. Teachers must be proficient in the relevant languages of instruction and have good command of languages of their students, trained in appropriate learner-centred pedagogy and literacy development, and supported by a suitable curriculum and teaching resources. Steps should also be taken to involve community members in education. Getting the policy settings right and providing adequate support to effectively implement these policies is vital. What our research suggests is that children are being left behind. More support is needed to ensure that all children have the best possibility for success, no matter what language they speak at home." #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.acer.org/in/discover/article/understanding-challenges-with-language-of-instruction-in-multilingual-contexts
"L’Institut de Traduction de la Bible (ITB) et la Société Biblique Russe (SBR) ont publié le fruit de leur travail conjoint : la première édition de la traduction complète de la Bible en langue bouriate. La traduction a été soumise à une évaluation scientifique à l’Université d’État bouriate Dorji Banzarov et à l’Institut de Linguistique de l’Académie des Sciences de Russie (ASR)..." #metaglossia_mundus: https://orthodoxie.com/la-bible-en-langue-bouriate-a-ete-publiee/
Long-running cable service celebrates 25th anniversary by offering new language channel that will include Wolastoqey, Mi'gmaq Author of the article: John Chilibeck • Local Journalism Initiative reporter Published Sep 08, 2024 #metaglossia_mundus
"Released On: 03 Sep 2024. Available for over a year Africa is home to around one-third of the world's languages, but only a smattering of them are available online and in translation software. So when young Beninese computer scientist Bonaventure Dossou, who was fluent in French, experienced difficulties communicating with his mother, who spoke the local language Fon, he came up with an idea. Bonaventure and a friend developed a French to Fon translation app, with speech recognition functionality, using an old missionary bible and volunteer questionnaires as the source data. Although rudimentary, they put the code online as open-source to be used by others. Bonaventure has since joined with other young African computer scientists and language activists called Masakane to use this code and share knowledge to increase digital accessibility for African and other lower-resourced languages. They want to be able to communicate across the African continent using translation software, with the ultimate goal being an "African Babel Fish", a simultaneous speech-to-speech translation for African languages. James Jackson explores what role their ground-breaking software could play for societies in Africa disrupted by language barriers. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service"" #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct6x40
"Keep your brain young: Check out these expert-backed tips to fight brain ageing and boost mental agility at any age | Health Sep 08, 2024 11:08 AM IST Keep your brain young: Check out these expert-backed tips to fight brain ageing and boost mental agility at any age Like any other organ in human body, our brain also requires care and attention to stay sharp and efficient hence, engaging in habits that keep the brain active and alive is crucial for maintaining cognitive health, enhancing memory and reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. To ensure this, experts recommend adopting specific lifestyle choices that can significantly boost brain power, improve mental agility and promote long-term brain health.. Want a Smarter Brain? In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Srinivas M, Consultant - Neurologist at Sparsh Hospital in Yeswanthpur, shared, “Regular physical exercise, particularly aerobic activities like walking, swimming and cycling, play a vital role in keeping the brain active and healthy. Exercises that challenge coordination and balance, such as Yoga or tai chi, also enhance cognitive function. For young children, building a brain-friendly environment is essential.” He added, “Encouraging activities like puzzles, memory games and creative play stimulates brain development. Developing a habit of reading, alongside limiting screen time, is crucial. Additionally, quality sleep and proper nutrition fuel cognitive growth. These practices, when instilled early, set the foundation for a lifetime of brain health.” Daily Habits to Boost Brain Health According to Dr Vikram Huded, HOD and Director and Clinical Lead - Interventional Neurology at Narayana Group, five key daily habits to keep your brain active and alive, especially in your 40s and 50s are as recommended - First, engage in regular aerobic exercise, which boosts blood flow and promotes brain plasticity.
- Second, prioritise quality sleep to support cognitive recovery.
- Third, stimulate your mind with challenging activities like puzzles or learning new skills.
- Fourth, maintain a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3s, which support brain health.
- Finally, practice mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress and enhance mental clarity. Incorporating these habits daily can significantly improve cognitive resilience and protect against age-related decline. Even small, consistent changes can have profound long-term effects on your brain's vitality.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition." #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/habits-to-keep-brain-active-and-alive-unlock-the-secret-to-a-sharp-mind-101725772009844.html
"Working memory capacity (WMC) has received a great deal of attention in cognitive psychology partly because WMC correlates broadly with other abilities (e.g., reading comprehension, second-language proficiency, fluid intelligence) and thus seems to be a critical aspect of cognitive ability. However, it is still rigorously debated why such correlations occur. Some theories posit a single ability (e.g., attention control, short-term memory capacity, controlled memory search) as the primary reason behind WMC’s predictiveness, whereas others argue that WMC is predictive because it taps into multiple abilities. Here, we tested these single- and multifaceted accounts of WMC with a large-scale (N = 974) individual-differences investigation of WMC and three hypothesized mediators: attention control, primary memory, and secondary memory. We found evidence for a multifaceted account, such that no single ability could fully mediate the relation between WMC and higher order cognition (i.e., reading comprehension and fluid intelligence). Further, such an effect held regardless of whether WMC was measured via complex span or n-back..." #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383789461_What_Makes_Working_Memory_Work_A_Multifaceted_Account_of_the_Predictive_Power_of_Working_Memory_Capacity
International Literacy Day 2024: Theme and What UNESCO Does for Literacy Learn about UNESCO’s initiatives for International Literacy Day 2024 and how the organisation drives literacy programs to reduce inequality, improve education, and foster social resilience. International Literacy Day 2024 Every year on September 8th, the world comes together to celebrate International Literacy Day, a day dedicated to promoting the importance of literacy as a tool for empowering individuals and building more inclusive societies. Established by UNESCO in 1967, this day has grown into a global movement, drawing attention to the challenges of illiteracy and advocating for accessible education for all. At its core, literacy refers to the ability to read, write, and comprehend information. However, in today’s world, literacy extends far beyond these basic skills. Functional literacy, for example, encompasses the ability to apply reading and writing skills to solve problems, make informed decisions, and engage meaningfully in society. Similarly, digital literacy is the capacity to use technology effectively, and it has become an essential skill for navigating the modern world, particularly in the workplace and education. Related Stories — UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) September 7, 2024 Literacy empowers individuals by enabling them to access education, information, and employment opportunities. It serves as a foundation for lifelong learning, helping people participate more fully in their communities, improve their health outcomes, and escape poverty. For communities and nations, higher literacy rates are associated with improved economic performance, reduced inequality, and greater social cohesion. What is the History of International Literacy Day? International Literacy Day (ILD) was first declared by UNESCO in 1965, and it was celebrated for the first time on September 8, 1967. The purpose behind the establishment of this day was to highlight the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights. It also aims to promote global literacy as a critical factor in improving people's lives and creating more equitable societies. What is the Theme of International Literacy Day 2024? The theme for International Literacy Day 2024 is “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace.” This theme highlights the significance of multilingualism in education, emphasising that promoting literacy in multiple languages fosters better communication, mutual understanding, and peace across cultures. The day will focus on exploring ways to incorporate multilingual approaches into literacy education, aiming to build more cohesive and inclusive communities globally. UNESCO mentions: “This year, ILD will be celebrated under the theme of "Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for mutual understanding and peace”. There is a pressing need to harness the transformative potential of literacy for promoting mutual understanding, social cohesion, and peace.” “In today’s world, in which multilingualism is a common practice for many, empowering people by adopting a first language-based, multilingual approach to literacy development and education is particularly effective for its cognitive, pedagogical, and socio-economic benefits. Such an approach can help promote mutual understanding and respect, while solidifying communal identities and collective histories,” it adds. What UNESCO Does for Literacy? Since 1946, UNESCO has been championing the goal of literacy for all, firmly believing that literacy is a fundamental human right and plays a vital role in empowering individuals and communities. Learning to read and write throughout life strengthens education and brings numerous social and economic advantages. Despite significant progress, 754 million adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills. UNESCO recognises that literacy contributes to sustainable development, fosters better participation in the labour market, improves family health, reduces poverty, and expands opportunities in life. As the world becomes more digitised, UNESCO continues to adapt its approach to literacy, evolving the definition to include digital literacy and skills needed for modern societies. UNESCO International Literacy Prizes Since 1967, UNESCO has honoured innovative and impactful literacy projects through its International Literacy Prizes. More than 512 projects from governments, non-governmental organisations, and individuals have been recognised. These awards promote effective literacy initiatives and encourage the development of literate societies. The two prestigious awards currently offered are: - UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize: Established in 1989 with support from the Republic of Korea, this prize focuses on mother language-based literacy development. Each winner receives a medal, diploma, and US$20,000.
- UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy: Launched in 2005 with support from China, this prize emphasises functional literacy, including the use of technology in education, particularly for rural adults and out-of-school youth. Winners receive a medal, diploma, and US$30,000.
In conclusion, International Literacy Day 2024 is not just a day of celebration but a call to action. As the world faces unprecedented challenges, from climate change to economic inequality, the power of literacy to transform lives and build resilient societies has never been more important. By investing in literacy and making education more inclusive, we can equip individuals with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Diane Mbombo-Tite created Akula Interpreting and Translation LLC, a network of interpreters, to help new arrivals to the U.S. access services Diane Mbombo-Tite, the founder and proprietor of Akula Interpreting and Translation, a company that helps refugees across the nation through a network of translators who collectively speak 150 languages, at the Blake Annex on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Albany, NY.Jim Franco/Times Union Diane Mbombo-Tite speaks five languages: French, Swahili, Lingala, Tshiluba and English. She dreams in French. Growing up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, her mother spoke to her father in Swahili and he would reply in Tshiluba. She hypothesizes that her brain was exposed to multiple languages when her mother was pregnant with her. “Coming from a country where there’s 300 languages, it was just common,” Mbombo-Tite said. “You learn simultaneously, just talking to your grandmother, your school people, or you go to the market. You never really sit and start learning.” Advertisement Article continues below this ad Though her multilingual abilities may be more common in the DRC, in the United States her skills set her apart from many. Mbombo-Tite saw an opportunity to capitalize on that after she immigrated to the U.S. almost a decade ago by eventually founding her business, Akula Interpreting and Translation LLC, a network of interpreters who collectively speak 150 languages. Her company's name means “talk” in Tshiluba (sometimes spelled Ciluba), a language spoken in Kasaï, a province in DRC. Mbombo-Tite can’t recall a time when she didn’t have a job. As a child, her grandmother showed her how to run her own business selling sugar-coated peanuts. Children would also line up outside her house before school to buy fresh, warm doughnuts from her mom. From an early age, Mbombo-Tite observed how to run a business from the women in her family. She said she realized quickly that language could be key to her success. She taught herself English by flipping through her father’s English dictionaries and listening to the song “I Am Survivor” by Destiny’s Child. “I’d be listening to it on and on until that little thread gets broken,” Mbombo-Tite said, referring to a cassette tape. “That helped me to keep a lot of vocabulary. When you love something, you don’t even realize that you’re learning.” Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mbombo-Tite knew learning English would give her a competitive advantage in Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, with a population of 17 million people. With money from her first internship, Mbombo-Tite paid for formal classes to strengthen her English skills. She eventually got her first job with the United Nations as an electoral assistant in 2004, the first time the country held democratic elections. She recalls vying for the position with another qualified candidate who had more experience, but Mbombo-Tite was told she got the job because of her ability to communicate in English. Mbombo-Tite was proud of her highly sought-after position that paid in U.S. dollars and earned her five times her previous pay, but the position was also risky. She recalls being trapped in the office while surrounded by soldiers during political unrest. After two and a half years, she found a higher-paying job with the British Embassy. Though translation was never an official responsibility, if Mbombo-Tite was in the field with a British or American citizen, she would often serve as a translator. After increased political unrest and violence, Mbombo-Tite, who had a toddler and was pregnant at the time, felt unsafe in her home country. In March 2015, she fled to the United States to seek asylum. It was heartbreaking, Mbombo-Tite said, to leave her home country. She landed in New York in the middle of winter, dealing with the shock from the change in culture and climate. Mbombo-Tite also made it to Albany that year, but quickly ran out of resources and ended up homeless for a time. Though it was a challenging period, she took from it a resilience and resourcefulness that she said still impacts her business. Advertisement Article continues below this ad “I knew that I have little kids, and I am the one who is supposed to feed them and find a way that they can survive,” Mbombo-Tite said. “That never left my mind. I just have to think about what I’m going to do. What is the next action? This one didn’t work. What else do I need to do? That is how I’m always looking at my business.” Through social services that help homeless families, like the HATAS Programs and Family Promise, she was able to stay afloat. Family Promise was also instrumental in accelerating Mbombo-Tite’s asylum case and connecting her with a pro bono lawyer. After about a year, asylum was granted and she was able to secure an apartment, and receive food stamps and public assistance. During that time, she realized how crucial communication was in navigating various systems in the United States and was inspired to start interpreting. “There was other immigrants in the same case as me, but they needed interpreters,” Mbombo-Tite said. “The wait is already very long, but sometimes the case gets longer when there’s no interpreters.” Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mbombo-Tite said it was like “déjà vu” realizing the advantage that learning English was yet again. She started volunteering with organizations like Albany's RISSE, Refugee and Immigrant Support Service of Emmaus, as a translator. She then connected with the now-defunct Multicultural Association of Medical Interpreters, MAMI, where she was trained to be a medical and legal interpreter. The organization closed in 2018 after Mbombo-Tite had been working for a year. In that time, she had an established network of clients and interpreters in the area. She knew that even though MAMI was no longer, the demand for interpretation services still existed. “The needs really are there,” Mbombo-Tite said. “There are people from various backgrounds. Albany is very diverse and there are also newcomers.” She began working as a freelancer, going to individual sites and offering her services. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, she had to shift her plan. But Mbombo-Tite, who said her personal experiences have taught her to rethink and readjust, wasn’t concerned. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Her partner suggested that she start her own business. As an immigrant, she hadn’t considered that route. She knew running a business would be different from her past experiences in her home country. During the pandemic, she researched the legal necessities and strategies of growing a business. She started AKULA with 15 clients a month in August 2020. It’s grown to about 45. Her interpreters and clients are nationwide, with about 60 people on her payroll. Mbombo-Tite’s goal is to have clients in every state. She hopes to expand within the next year to have five more people locally staffed to assist with things like payroll, scheduling and dispersion of information. Mbombo-Tite's business acts as a connective service, pairing up clients in need of interpreting services with a skilled interpreter. If needed in person, the interpreter will accompany the client to doctor's appointments or court hearings, or they are available to assist online. Interpreters are available for a variety of needs — courts, medical, schools and social services. In July, Mbombo-Tite created another branch of her business, a nonprofit named for her late father, PETALL, Professor Edward Tite Alliance for Language and Learning. Teaching interpreters costs $750 to $1,000 for 65 hours of training. Through the nonprofit, she hopes to gain donations to support those training costs. It's a full circle moment for Mbombo-Tite to go from being on the receiving end of social services to helping others access them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While Mbombo-Tite’s job has expanded from being a sole interpreter, she still enjoys that part of the job. It’s rewarding, Mbombo-Tite said, to help someone access their civil rights. And for Mbombo-Tite, it allows her to be rooted in her culture while contributing in this country. She sees what she’s doing as a way to “preserve culture, legacy, and pass it to the next generation.” “Being an immigrant, it’s a plus. I want to keep it as much as I can,” Mbombo-Tite said. “I want to make sure I remain myself. I’m happy to be an American but also from the Congo. It’s just a beautiful way of serving my country.”
"A Fundação Biblioteca Nacional anunciou lançamento de edital para apoio financeiro à tradução e à publicação de livros brasileiros no exterior. Editoras interessadas em traduzir e publicar livros de autores brasileiros no exterior podem se candidatar até o dia 6 de outubro para obter apoio financeiro da Fundação Biblioteca Nacional. São Paulo – A Fundação Biblioteca Nacional (FBN) anunciou nesta quinta-feira (5) o lançamento de edital deste ano para apoio financeiro à tradução e à publicação de livros de autores brasileiros no exterior. Editoras interessadas em concorrer podem se inscrever até o dia 6 de outubro de 2024. De acordo com a FBN, que é vinculada ao Ministério da Cultura do Brasil, a atual edição do Programa de Apoio à Tradução e à Publicação de Autores Brasileiros no Exterior contará com recursos de R$ 1 milhão. As obras precisam ter sido publicadas em português, no Brasil, para a candidatura. O programa já apoiou a publicação de mais de 1.200 livros brasileiros em outros países com a tradução das obras para 45 idiomas, entre eles árabe, inglês, italiano, francês, russo, espanhol, catalão, chinês, polonês, húngaro, ucraniano, eslovaco, estoniano, turco, búlgaro, grego, macedônio, sueco, dinamarquês e croata. As editoras devem encaminhar o projeto de tradução com documentos exigidos no regulamento. Quando habilitados os projetos, elas assinam termo de compromisso e o apoio financeiro é efetivado em duas parcelas, uma na assinatura do contrato e outra em até 24 meses após a publicação da obra. O programa Instituído em 1991 pela política de internacionalização do livro, o programa tem por objetivo divulgar o patrimônio literário brasileiro. Ele é uma iniciativa da Biblioteca Nacional (BN) em cooperação com a Secretaria de Formação Cultural, Livro e Leitura do Ministério da Cultura do Brasil (Sefli/MinC) e com o Instituto Guimarães Rosa, vinculado ao Ministério das Relações Exteriores do Brasil." #metaglossia_mundus
"O ciclo de Gargântua e outros escritos, de François Rabelais, traduzido por Guilherme Gontijo Flores e publicado pela Editora 34, é o ganhador do Terceiro Prêmio de Tradução da Embaixada da França no Brasil. O livro vencedor foi anunciado no dia 30 de agosto, em cerimônia na Biblioteca Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. Depois do sucesso da segunda edição, que recompensou Uma temporada no Congo, de Aimé Césaire, publicado pela editora Temporal, e traduzido pelo trio João Vicente, Juliana Estanislau de Ataíde Mantovani e Maria da Glória Magalhães dos Reis, a Embaixada da França no Brasil, por meio do seu Escritório do Livro e do Debate de Ideias, e um júri de profissionais da tradução do francês para o português do Brasil, anunciaram o ganhador dessa segunda edição. O júri de 2024, composto pelos três talentosos tradutores premiados da segunda edição, João Vicente, Juliana Estanislau de Ataíde Mantovani e Maria da Glória Magalhães dos Reis, concordou em premiar O ciclo de Gargântua e outros escritos, de François Rabelais, traduzido por Guilherme Gontijo Flores e publicado pela Editora 34. Para o júri, a tradução desse texto, uma verdadeira miscelânea de narrativas, almanaques, cartas, versos, textos em prosa e tratados atribuídos ao autor do século 16, que alterna entre variados registros de linguagem, é um trabalho de fôlego muito desafiador, realizado com excelência pelo tradutor. O júri também quis destacar a conclusão do projeto editorial ambicioso de traduzir as obras completas do importante humanista francês. O Prêmio: O tradutor recebeu 2.500 euros para usar num projeto vinculado à tradução, que provavelmente será uma residência de tradução no prestigioso CITL (Collège International des Traducteurs Littéraires / Colégio Internacional dos Tradutores Literários) em Arles, na França. O tradutor: Guilherme Gontijo Flores nasceu em Brasília, em 1984. É poeta, tradutor e professor de latim na Universidade Federal do Paraná. Publicou os livros de poesia brasa enganosa (2013), Tróiades (2015), l’azur Blasé (2016), ADUMBRA (2016), Naharia (2017), carvão :: capim (2018), avessa: áporo-antígona (2020), Todos os nomes que talvez tivéssemos (2020) e Potlach (2022), entre outros, além do romance História de Joia (2019). Como tradutor, publicou A anatomia da melancolia, de Robert Burton (4 vols., 2011-2013, vencedor dos prêmios APCA e Jabuti de tradução), Elegias de Sexto Propércio (2014, vencedor do Prêmio Paulo Rónai de tradução, da Fundação Biblioteca Nacional), Fragmentos completos de Safo (2017, vencedor do Prêmio APCA de tradução), Epigramas de Calímaco (2019), Ar-reverso, de Paul Celan (2021) e os três volumes da Obras completas de Rabelais (2021, 2022 e 2023). Foi um dos organizadores da antologia Por que calar nossos amores? Poesia homerótica latina (2017). É coeditor do blog e revista escamandro. Nos últimos anos vem trabalhando com tradução e performance de poesia antiga e participa do grupo Pecora Loca. O livro: Terceiro e último volume das Obras completas de Rabelais publicadas pela Editora 34, O ciclo de Gargântua e outros escritos apresenta uma verdadeira miscelânea de narrativas, almanaques, cartas, versos, textos em prosa e tratados atribuídos ao autor, quase todos inéditos em português. Abrindo com o chamado “Ciclo de Gargântua”, que inclui as Grandes crônicas e O
verdadeiro Gargântua, publicados respectivamente em 1532 e 1533, esta coletânea traz em seguida os almanaques e prognosticações de Rabelais para os anos de 1533, 1535, 1541 e 1544. Exibindo na sequência a série completa de cartas do autor que sobreviveram até os nossos dias, que inclui uma missiva a Erasmo de Roterdã e uma súplica ao papa para não ser excomungado, o livro prossegue com um conjunto de poemas avulsos de Rabelais redigidos em grego, latim e francês. A parte final do volume traz a Epístola do limusino, de 1536, a Ciomaquia, em que o autor relata um espetáculo marcial oferecido a diplomatas franceses e italianos em 1549, a Crisma filosofal, um pequeno texto em prosa, e um interessantíssimo Tratado do bom uso de vinho, cujo original se perdeu e foi resgatado a partir de uma tradução ao tcheco. Por fim, fechando a antologia, temos os 120 desenhos do livro Sonhos bufonescos de Pantagruel, publicado em Paris em 1565, doze anos após a morte de Rabelais. Somente séculos depois estes bizarros retratos foram identificados como sendo da autoria de François Desprez (c. 1530-1580).
Assim como nos volumes anteriores, os variados registros de linguagem de Rabelais são aqui recriados de forma brilhante pelo premiado tradutor Guilherme Gontijo Flores, autor também das notas introdutórias que abrem cada seção da coletânea, que indicam as referências históricas e literárias dos textos rabelaisianos e oferecem ao leitor um guia para conhecer as múltiplas facetas desse inimitável humanista francês. Ficha técnica do livro: François Rabelais
O ciclo de Gargântua e outros escritos
(Obras completas de Rabelais — 3)
Organização, tradução, apresentação e notas de Guilherme Gontijo Flores
Ilustrações de François Desprez
456 p.
16 x 23 cm
700 g.
ISBN 978-65-5525-157-9
R$ 109,00 O autor: François Rabelais, um dos nomes mais importantes do Renascimento, nasceu em Chinon, no interior da França, em data incerta: 1483, segundo as pesquisas mais recentes, ou 1494, segundo outros. Oriundo de uma burguesia de vínculos rurais, Rabelais se alçou até o alto escalão da nobreza francesa: estudou direito, foi em seguida monge franciscano, depois beneditino, abraçou a apostasia, teve três filhos, formou-se em medicina e trabalhou como secretário da família Du Bellay a serviço do rei Francisco I, tudo isso enquanto traduzia do grego ao latim, estudava hebraico, um pouco de árabe e pesquisava outras línguas vivas e mortas. Publicou suas obras mais famosas, as aventuras dos gigantes Gargântua e Pantagruel, verdadeiras sátiras aos poderosos que foram censuradas pela Igreja Católica, a partir dos anos 1530: Pantagruel (1532), Gargântua (1534), o Terceiro livro (1546), o
Quarto livro (1552) e o Quinto livro (publicado postumamente em 1564) de Pantagruel, além de uma miscelânea de almanaques, cartas, poemas e até um tratado sobre o vinho. Faleceu em Paris, em 1553. A Editora 34: Fundada em 1992 com o lançamento de O que é a filosofia?, de Gilles Deleuze e Félix Guattari, a Editora 34 possui hoje mais de 500 títulos em seu catálogo, que abrange as áreas de Ficção, Filosofia, Arte, Teoria Literária, Ciências Sociais, História, Psicologia e Psicanálise, Economia, Música, Poesia e Literatura Infanto-Juvenil, combinando textos clássicos e de referência com obras de ponta sobre temas contemporâneos. Ao lado de nomes fundamentais como Dante, Cervantes e Goethe, e de grandes escritores do século XX, como Kafka e Brecht, a Editora 34 mantém uma linha voltada para autores brasileiros, novos e consagrados, tanto na prosa como na poesia. A rica literatura da Rússia e do Leste Europeu é representada pela Coleção Leste, que tem publicado obras de Dostoiévski, Gógol, Tolstói, Púchkin e Tchekhov, entre outros, sempre vertidos do original por tradutores como Boris Schnaiderman e Paulo Bezerra. Outros livros parabenizados: Dentro das 51 candidaturas, o júri também quis parabenizar essas 3 traduções de grande qualidade: Zona e outros poemas, de Guillaume Apollinaire, traduzido por Rodrigo Garcia Lopes, publicado pela Companhia das letras.
Savannah Bay, de Marguerite Duras, traduzido por Angela Leite Lopes, publicado pela editora Temporal.
O próximo e o distante, de Roger Bastide, traduzido por Carlos Eugênio Marcondes de Moura, publicado pela editora Record. Gravação: A gravação da cerimônia está disponível no canal youtube na Fundação Biblioteca Nacional. Além da mesa do júri do Prêmio que debate sobre as candidaturas e os desafios da tradução do francês para o português brasilieiro, conta com uma mesa com sobre tradução e autoria afrodiaspórica, em parceria com o Goethe Institut.
Prêmio de Tradução da Embaixada da França no Brasil - 3ª edição - YouTube" #metaglossia_mundus
September 6, 2024 By Jamie Cho "Sitting closely around the conference table at Seattle’s Chinese Information Service Center, volunteers, advocates, and pro-bono lawyers surround Zhen Jin as she awaits her to turn to be heard by the Superior Court via Zoom. Anxiety on her face, she is worn down, disappointed and depressed. She has waited months for this hearing to request a permanent protection order. There have been two continuances (reschedules) already and, after waiting two plus hours in this conference room for her case to be heard, the judge has ordered a third continuance. Jin will have to wait three more weeks, and take another day off from work, for what she hopes will be a meaningful resolution. Jin, who is a survivor in this case, bears the unbelievable and overwhelming burden of re-living through repeat testimony the many different ways she has been victimized over three years. She has already been to court for over 10 hearings and another 10 plus times to get help. Her volunteer lawyers, multiple government agencies, and the media have interviewed or asked to interview her, and each time she must relive her trauma. Not only does she bear this hardship in the legal system, she also must carry the weight of having been victimized by an entity that should have protected her, her homeowners association. The inequities in the legal system have a parallel universe in her condo complex because the person wielding the power within the homeowners association is the racist neighbor who is making her life miserable in-person, in the courts, and in the association that had a fiduciary duty to her. What kind of justice can prevail when the victim has to prove to the aggressor that they are being harmed? Jin, who has limited English, has done her best to communicate and advocate for herself, which often includes using Google Translate, and relying on her friends to write and respond to emails. However, her need for interpretation or translation services and her request to have friends communicate on her behalf is often denied or ignored. This pattern speaks to racist microaggressions that re-traumatize and further isolate folks for whom English is not their first language. In multiple court hearings, the racist neighbor interrupts the interpretation. “She doesn’t need interpretation.” It is Jin’s right to request interpretation to be able to understand the nuances and legal jargon that is used in court. The refusal to allow someone to access support to be able to more fully engage in the legal process and the sense of entitlement that one can interrupt a court proceeding to try to deny someone else’s right and need are racist. The interruption and focus on herself take time away from Jin. Not only is the racist neighbor using her privilege to deny Jin’s full access but she is also wielding her power to suggest that Jin is gaming the system by requesting interpretation. Those who are racist fear losing any advantage that they perceive they have and feel entitled to deny others access when it is already an uneven playing field. Systems are already in favor of those who are native and fluent English speakers. To say that someone doesn’t need what they DO need is an active attempt to marginalize the other person and implies that those using interpretation are somehow taking unfair advantage when in fact, they are at a disadvantage even with interpretation. Despite the presence of an interpreter, people forget to pause for interpretation and are constantly speaking for too long before giving the interpreter a moment to do their job. Also, interpreters make judgments about how much to say or explain, thus one who needs interpretation is at the mercy of the interpreter who is only human and therefore fallible. It is a privilege to not have to think about needing an interpreter, and it is racist to deny that someone needs one. Furthermore, in our current inequitable systems, it is a vulnerability to admit that one might not have the full repertoire of the English language. Lack of fluency can be erroneously conflated with lack of intelligence, immigration status, or laziness. Given the negative connotation of being an English language learner, asking for help is a courageous act, especially in a public forum. In condo matters, Jin has also sought help from her friends to support her communication with the HOA board and the management company. Despite repeated emails and phone calls, water damage from a leak that took over two years to repair and her requests for management to enforce condo rules have been met with active resistance and defensiveness. This is a pattern that illustrates the power her racist neighbor has over the board members, the management company they employ, and also over other residents of the condominium. Whitney Lynne, who has been responding and writing emails on Jin’s behalf to request repairs and enforcement of rules, has been told by the management company manager, “I will not be responding to Whitney Lynne. We have never had any issue communicating [with Jin].” Again, this denial that Jin needs and deserves communication support is racist. It undermines Jin’s ability to advocate for herself and puts her at an enormous disadvantage with others who have a strong command of English. Furthermore, using this excuse, the manager has avoided all responsibility in dealing with issues that arise, choosing to ignore the emails that are sent by Whitney Lynne. This management company’s racist violence has far exceeded the harm done by the court system. He and his company have supported and amplified the racist neighbors’ behavior and chosen to not only condone racist behavior but engage in their own. Their negligence is racially motivated because the racist neighbors’ needs are being served whereas Jin’s are not, and decisions are made with extreme bias. When the management company was notified of the protection orders two of eight units had secured against the racist neighbor, the management company considered that information irrelevant. When Jin notified the management company that the president was flipping the bird to another homeowner, abusing her authority as a director and officer, the management company responded that it was allowed and not offensive activity because the racist neighbor had a dog with her. When informed that racial slurs were leveled against two Asian homeowners by the president, that was considered a “neighborly dispute”. When unconscious racial bias was raised as a concern, the management company refused to communicate any further because it would “not tolerate” being accused of racism. “I can understand her just fine.” This one small phrase repeated by many bad actors has ripple effects on the trauma that is experienced by people of color for whom English is not their first language. The aftermath of being judged within an inequitable and unjust system is that the overwhelming burden of proving one’s innocence is compounded by repeated insinuations and comments that asking for fairness is too much. One person should not be required to survive this ongoing maltreatment and discrimination. And a community, made up of individuals who have a conscience and moral compass, should not be silent or cowering or thinking only of themselves when such oppression is happening. We should not say, “I don’t want to get involved” or that “It’s a private dispute”. We should feel enraged and offended that anti-Asian hate is brewing in our neighborhood. We should be steadfast in our commitments to liberation, justice, empathy and kindness. We should all feel empowered to take action and feel responsibility to protect survivors like Jin and our community as a whole. Jamie Cho, Ph.D. is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Justice in Early Learning at the University of Washington." #metaglossia_mundus: https://nwasianweekly.com/2024/09/ad-nauseum-the-impact-of-language-injustice/
"Harris County long has provided free interpreters to people navigating criminal cases, but it does not always offer the same to those in civil cases. Harris County is poised to increase the number of publicly-funded courtroom interpreters under a $725,000 plan to expand language access in district and county civil courtrooms. The proposed investment comes nearly three months after the Houston Landing reported the county has long provided free interpreters to people navigating criminal cases, but it does not always offer the same to those involved in civil cases. Some legal advocates say the denial of publicly-funded interpreters in local civil courts has become so routine they rarely bother to submit requests. Now, county court administrators are asking to increase the number of contract interpreters from nine to 47, according to Harris County Local Administrative Judge Latosha Lewis Payne, who presides over the 55th state district court. The bulk of the funding, $475,000, is being proposed for the Office of Court Management, which helps oversee operations at the county courts of law and the justice courts. The remaining $250,000 would go to state district courts, which oversee felony, divorce and other civil matters that involve more than $200 in damages. The cost of interpreters can run to hundreds of dollars per hearing, which advocates say can create an unnecessary barrier for people who do not speak English to understand and participate in court proceedings. County leaders are engaged in budget hearings this week, with department directors making their cases to maintain or add funding for the fiscal year that begins next month. Commissioners Court is expected to vote on the final spending plan by the end of the month. District and civil court judges have accepted a new language access plan and are ready “to move forward with it with the support of funding this,” Payne said. “These are critical functions that are definitely needed in order to make sure that justice continues to move forward,” Payne said. In addition to the beefed up interpreter ranks, the plan calls for an annual review of languages utilized in the court system and whether others should be added, Payne said. The plan also calls for additional notice and signage about individuals’ rights to interpreter services. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 145 languages are spoken in Harris County. Earlier this year, the Office of County Administration said it first was contacted by Judge Lina Hidalgo in 2021 to draft a plan for providing interpreters in the court system. Commissioners Court may approve the additional funding for interpreters, but it will be up to the courts and judges to implement the policy. Ed Wells, court manager for Harris County, said last year that the courts fell $500,000 short when it came to interpreter costs, which had to be patched through a budget amendment and a special fund dedicated to language access. He said often the largest expense when it comes to interpreters is that they need emergency orders for languages outside of Spanish — which is twice the normal rate — because courts do not know until the last minute that one is needed. Cases also are often delayed because of the lack of interpreters. “For years we have asked for additional funding and we’ve gotten little pieces of it, but it’s never been enough,” Wells said. “We’re meeting the need today but again, there are limitations to that — too often judges and attorneys and everyone are left waiting.” For individuals attempting to navigate in the civil courts, the costs for interpreters can be steep. Interpreters in Houston can typically cost $200 or more an hour, and there often is a two-hour minimum for services. Case hearings often only last minutes, lawyers said, but clients remain on the hook to pay the minimum. Cases also are frequently postponed, which can create additional financial challenges for litigants. The costs and difficulty coordinating arrangements for interpreters often result in people opting to drop their legal cases, advocates said. Daniel Ramos, the county’s budget director, said once the language access plan is finalized and there is an “actionable plan,” he would support the increased funding. Nusrat Ameen, senior director at Daya, a non-profit that supports South Asian domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, said she is “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects of the courts getting additional funding. The organization regularly helps with interpreter costs, but struggles to meet the demand. It often requires creative solutions, such as covering other costs such as groceries or rent so clients can afford an interpreter. “I think there should be more money,” she said. “But it’s a good starting point. Hopefully it will be a positive step toward getting more people free interpreters.”" #metaglossia_mundus: https://houstonlanding.org/harris-county-proposes-more-funding-for-interpreters-language-access-in-civil-courts/
"The Brazilian National Library Foundation (FBN) is launching a programme to support the translation and publication of Brazilian authors abroad. Brazil launches programme to support the translation and publication of Brazilian authors abroad
In 33 years, the initiative has published Brazilian works in 45 languages
The Brazilian National Library Foundation (FBN) is launching a programme to support the translation and publication of Brazilian authors abroad. This is reported by Toda Palavra, a partner of TV BRICS.
The programme will provide US$1 million to publishers who want to translate and publish books by Brazilian authors in other languages.
Applications will be accepted until 6 October 2024.
For example, the programme, which has been in existence for 33 years, has helped publish more than 1,200 Brazilian books in 45 languages.
Financial support is provided in two stages: the first installment is paid after the contract is signed, and the second after the translated book is published.
The aim of the programme is to increase access to Brazilian literature abroad and to promote the national literary heritage.
#metaglossia_mundus:
https://tvbrics.com/en/news/brazil-launches-programme-to-support-the-translation-and-publication-of-brazilian-authors-abroad/ "
"The shortlist of five will be announced on October 23, and the winner, on November 23. Scroll Staff The JCB Prize for Literature has announced its ten-novel longlist for 2024. It features five books originally written in English, and five works translated into English from Bengali (two), Marathi (two), and Malayalam (one). The shortlist of five books will be announced on October 23, and the winner, on November 23. The winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh. If a translated work is chosen as the winner, the translator will receive an additional Rs 10 lakh. Moreover, each of the five shortlisted authors will be awarded Rs 1 lakh, with an additional Rs 50,000 awarded to the translator if the shortlisted work is a translation. The jury was chaired by author, translator, and poet Jerry Pinto, and includes scholar and translator Tridip Suhrud; art historian and curator Deepthi Sasidharan; filmmaker and writer Shaunak Sen; and artist Aqui Thami. The longlist was selected from a range of submissions representing writers from sixteen states and books translated from seven different languages. This is translator Jayasree Kalathil’s third appearance on the longlist after Moustache (2020 winner) and Valli (2022 shortlist), and V Ramaswamy’s second, after The Nemesis (2023 shortlist). The list also has four debut novels, two of which are translated works. Mita Kapur, the director of the Prize said, “The 2024 Longlist presents a diverse array of Indian fiction, showcasing ten books that offer an evocative portrayal of the varied and complex nature of life in India. This year’s Longlist explores a range of themes and experiences, capturing both the intricacies of daily life and the more profound, extraordinary moments.” Here is the longlist of ten novels, followed by short descriptions of each: -
Chronicle of an Hour and a Half, Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari, Context/Westland -
Hurda, Atharva Pandit, Bloomsbury India -
Of Mothers and Other Perishables, Radhika Oberoi, Simon and Schuster India -
Lorenzo Searches for the Meaning of Life, Upamanyu Chatterjee, Speaking Tiger Books -
The Distaste of the Earth, Kynpham Singh Nongkynrih, Penguin India -
Talashnama: The Quest, Ismail Darbesh, translated from the Bengali by V Ramaswamy, HarperCollins India -
Maria, Just Maria, Sandhya Ramesh, translated from the Malayalam by Jayasree Kalathil, HarperCollins India -
Sanatan, Sharankumar Limbale, translated from the Marathi by Paromita Sengupta, Penguin India -
Leaf, Water and Flow, Avadhoot Dongare, translated from the Marathi by Nadeem Khan, Ratna Books -
The One Legged, Sakyajit Bhattacharya, translated from the Bengali by Rituparna Mukherjee, Antonym Collections Chronicle of an Hour and a Half, Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari In the foothills of the Western Ghats, the village of Vaiga is enduring the worst storm it has seen in decades: ceaseless rain, fallen trees, flooded river, severe power cuts. But another, more insidious storm is brewing beneath the surface. It begins as a rumour of an illicit affair – a rumour that brings Saud and his sons to Vaiga in search of Burhan. The rumour soon takes on a life of its own, fuelled by feverish WhatsApp messages. In the ensuing chaos, Vaiga erupts into violence and a mob takes to the street, baying for blood. Hurda, Atharva Pandit Valentine’s Day 2013 Murwani, a village in Maharashtra. Three sisters – Anisha, Sanchita and Priyanka – disappeared from school that afternoon. No one knows where they went or why, but everyone remembers they were up to no good. Six years later, a journalist from Mumbai returns to the scene of the crime and tries to piece together what exactly happened that fateful day. Hurda is a story told through the voices of the many whose lives intersected with those of the three sisters. Based on a real-life incident, this novel takes a surgical knife to contemporary India and sets up for display its pervasive and deep misogyny. Of Mothers and Other Perishables, Radhika Oberoi The morbidly funny voice of a dead woman echoes through the walls of her beloved storeroom, a compact space that contains her earthly belongings: cupboards full of silk sarees and baby clothes, albums of black-and-white photographs, a collection of vinyl records, a record player, old leather suitcases, an ebony-and-gold sewing machine. She reminisces about the past, and about the disease that causes her untimely death. Her storeroom becomes a quaint bioscope of her life in Delhi as a young woman in the 1970s and 80s, decades that bring her romance, marriage, and motherhood. The novel oscillates between the dead woman’s yearnings and the immediacy and excitement of a parallel narrative – her daughter’s. Nicknamed The Wailer (from the band Bob Marley and the Wailers), the dead woman’s daughter offers a sardonic glimpse into the world of advertising – the night before a presentation, temperamental colleagues, the buzz of writers and art directors at work. But the peculiar dynamics of The Wailer’s advertising firm alter drastically when protests break out in the city of Delhi. Protesters swarm the streets, hollering against a new bill that persecutes the Muslim community. A Muslim art director is drawn to the pulsing heart of this movement. The Wailer, too, is inadvertently involved. Both narratives – the deceased mother’s digressional memories, and The Wailer’s palpable reality – also tell of Toon, The Wailer’s younger sister, who is the CEO of a coffee startup. Their worlds converge to offer shards of the past, and navigate through a turbulent present. Personal and political histories collide in this haunting tale of many betrayals. Lorenzo Searches for the Meaning of Life, Upamanyu Chatterjee One summer morning in 1977, 19 year old Lorenzo Senesi of Aquilina, Italy, drives his Vespa motorscooter into a speeding Fiat and breaks his forearm. It keeps him in bed for a month, and his boggled mind thinks of unfamiliar things: Where has he come from? Where is he going? And how to find out more about where he ought to go? When he recovers, he enrols for a course in physiotherapy. He also joins a prayer group, and visits Praglia Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in the foothills outside Padua. The monastery will become his home for ten years, its isolation and discipline the anchors of his life, and then send him to a Benedictine ashram in faraway Bangladesh – a village in Khulna district, where monsoon clouds as black as night descend right down to river and earth. He will spend many years here. He will pray seven times a day, learn to speak Bengali and wash his clothes in the river, paint a small chapel, start a physiotherapy clinic to ease bodies out of pain, and fall, unexpectedly, in love. And he will find that a life of service to God is enough, but that it is also not enough. The Distaste of the Earth, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih The novel imaginatively weaves an ancient world of Khasi kings and queens, warriors and plunderers, and chronicles the sorrows of a young man caught up in that world. This layered fictional history of a land where a queen falls in love with a pauper, where animals recount their tales of woe against man, and where retribution – destructive to both good and bad – arrives, sooner or later, begins in a pata, the local bar, whose patrons form a microcosm of the world around them. Nongkynrih masterfully equips these endearing characters to explore, through the tragic life of the protagonist, the nature of human existence, raising questions about earthly powers, godly dispensation, and where our anthropocentric attitude is leading us. Through a universe of fierce warriors and ruthless wars, the novel grapples with themes such as greed and oppression, revenge and justice, love and the tragedy of love, strife and the peace that comes when one “unyokes” oneself, “disconnected from the sources of wretchedness, a fluffy down in the wind of fortune”. The novel reimagines a world where man is a despot, where God is ostensibly absent, perhaps much like our own, outlining issues at once ancient and contemporary with startling clarity. Talashnama: The Quest, Ismail Darbesh, translated from the Bengali by V Ramaswamy Set in Sadnahati, a Muslim-majority village in West Bengal, Talashnama is the story of Riziya, an educated and headstrong woman with an anguished past. Hounded by a devastating secret, Riziya elopes with her tutor, Suman Nath, a Hindu, although it is Tahirul – the local Imam torn between duty and desire – who is her true love. On the day she leaves, she allegedly writes anti-Islamic graffiti on the wall of the village mosque - an incident that both baffles and enrages the villagers. Ten years later, Suman Nath takes his own life, and Riziya must return to a Sadnahati fraught with disapproval and condemnation. Maria, Just Maria, Sandhya Ramesh, translated from the Malayalam by Jayasree Kalathil Following the death of her grandfather, Maria has stopped speaking – not because she can’t, but because she doesn’t want to. Now in a psychiatric hospital, as she begins the process of “reconnecting with reality”, Maria recalls her journey of being “just Maria” – a girl born into a Syrian Christian family in Kerala, whose companions were a grandfather who took her along to wander around the village and its toddy shops, a great-aunt with dementia who challenged Maria's position as the youngest in the family, a dog with a penchant for philosophy, various long-dead family members including a great-grandmother with a knack for prophecies, a patron saint who insisted on interfering in people’s affairs, and Karthav Eesho Mishiha with whom Maria has regular conversations. The novel is an exuberant and moving story of a woman trying to find her place in this world. Sanatan, Sharankumar Limbale, translated from the Marathi by Paromita Sengupta, Penguin India Sanatan is the gut-wrenching story of Bhimnak Mahar and his ilk, who have been subjected to barbaric abuse and inhuman discrimination by the upper castes over centuries. The story begins with the young Bhimnak in pre-Independence India. It then traverses time and geographical boundaries to end with Bhimnak’s grandson. The circular narrative pattern is reflective of the endless cycle of pain that the Mahars are unable to break free from, no matter how hard they try, no matter where they go, no matter if they change their identity and religion. Using myths, the Puranas and historical texts as resources, Sharankumar Limbale rewrites Dalit history in this novel as he attempts to tell the truth, with an intention to build what he calls “a new and progressive social order”. Limbale not only brings his reader face to face with uncomfortable realities but also suggests what could be an alternative social order in the future. Leaf, Water and Flow, Avadhoot Dongare, translated from the Marathi by Nadeem Khan We live as social beings. But our being social includes power structures of various kinds – from the language that we speak and write into the state or anti-state actors that claim to run some of these structures. The novel attempts to grapple with these structures, the individuals who are part of these structures and also who are in conflict with these structures. There is Naxalite/Maoist politics, there is an egret who has seen a baby die in a village in central India, there is an author (perhaps the one who had written a novel titled The Story of Being Useless), there is a teak-leaf which is dying, there is a “professional revolutionary” who has come out of incarceration, there is an adivasi woman who was once part of a Maoist dalam, there is a wife of a police sub-inspector, and there is a reader who reads this novel and ends it with his comments. There are some more such voices in the novel. Some of them tell their stories, some of them try to contribute to the stories of others, and a few of them are perhaps also thinking about how to end this binary and be a part of every story. The One Legged, Sakyajit Bhattacharya, translated from the Bengali by Rituparna Mukherjee Rearing a child is not easy, especially with monsters lurking around and within. On one leg, leaning,
Picking tamarinds, swaying.
In one hand a pot of salt,
In the other, a knife.
Cutting ears, sprinkling salt, house to house. When the mouldy wall of the old mansion began to heave and the shadows of the cursed tree ruffled his nights, Tunu learned how darkness lives not only at night– that the home itself is like a sleeping giant, shrouded in secrets, grief and loss. As the receding history repeated itself, Tunu turned slowly, but definitely, into someone else." #metaglossia_mundus: https://scroll.in/article/1072901/2024-jcb-prize-for-literature-five-translations-four-debut-novels-make-the-longlist
"Drawing inspiration from Prince’s (2012) discourse on narrative events, this study investigates how translators reconstruct narrative events in novel translation. The results indicate that, in terms of narrative completeness, the addition of events such as detailed conflicts, background explanations, and narrative beginnings mitigates the cognitive disparity among target readers. This is achieved by furnishing them with the cultural knowledge necessary to decode text originating from a different cultural context. Regarding the temporal arrangement, the translator restructures the sequence of events by commencing with emotional events and reinstating the original chronological order to cater to target readers’ reading habits. Additionally, the reorganization of interconnected events according to thematic and character-based considerations enhances the readability of the target text. This research illuminates the significance of event reconstruction in novel translation and provides implications for both translators and scholars. By comprehending the effects of adding, rearranging, and reorganizing events, translators can adeptly adapt the narrative structure of a novel to align with the cognitive context and the reading preferences of readers in the target language..." #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-03679-x
"Mexico has 69 national languages — 68 Indigenous and Spanish — which places it “among the top 10 nations with the most native languages.” Puebla, Mexico, Sep 6, 2024 / 14:35 pm In September — the month the Catholic Church especially dedicates to the Bible — Mexico, a country with rich linguistic diversity, stands out for its efforts to translate the holy Scriptures into various Indigenous languages. According to official data, Mexico has 69 national languages — 68 Indigenous and Spanish — which places it “among the top 10 nations with the most native languages and occupies second place with this characteristic in Latin America after Brazil.” Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel, the bishop emeritus of San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas state, has led the Mexican bishops’ initiatives to bring the word of God to Indigenous communities. In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the cardinal stated that the Bibles that have been translated are mainly found in communities in the Chiapas highlands. Arizmendi said that since the first translation in 2003 into Tzeltal, a language spoken by more than half a million people, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference has facilitated the complete translation of the Bible in 2015 into the Tzotzil spoken in the Zinacantán area and of the New Testament into the Tzotzil spoken in the Huixtán region, both in Chiapas. The prelate said that this year the complete translation into the Tzotzil of the San Juan Chamula area, “spoken by approximately 350,000 people,” has been achieved. The ecumenical translation of the deuterocanonical books has also been made into Ch’ol, in collaboration with the Bible Societies. Despite this progress and the fact that there are partial translations made by local priests, the cardinal pointed out that many of these “have not been presented for approval by the bishops’ conference.” For example, he said that Nahuatl, the most widely spoken Indigenous language in Mexico “with almost 2 million speakers,” has at least six Protestant versions of the Bible, but “there is no Catholic [version]” available. “For centuries, Catholics gave more importance to liturgical celebrations than concern that the word of God reach these marginalized languages,” the prelate noted. Translation challenges Arizmendi explained that one of the greatest challenges in this process is that “many biblical words are difficult to translate into any language.” In the case of Indigenous languages, this is even more complicated, since “one must know the original culture well to find a way for the translation to be faithful to the biblical text and to the local culture.” For example, the expression “‘the Word became flesh,’ which is an inexplicable mystery in itself, must be translated in such a way that the content is expressed in terms specific to the Indigenous culture,” he noted. The same occurs with other terms, such as “baptism, priest, virgin, Eucharist, bishop, deacon, sin, salvation, etc.,” the cardinal added. Despite these challenges, Arizmendi emphasized that both the translations already approved and the local versions made in different languages have been “very well received by their speakers.” Those who speak these languages “feel recognized by the Church and that their culture has value,” which, he added, “has helped them to have more self-confidence and feel that the Church takes them into account.” This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Diego López Colín is a graduate of the Carlos Septién García School of Journalism (Mexico). He has been a correspondent for ACI Prensa in Mexico since 2023."
"In the latest episode of "Subject to Interpretation," host Maria Ceballos-Wallace sits down with Carola Lehmacher to discuss the development of a new code of ethics specifically designed for interpreters in educational settings. Tune in as they explore the unique challenges educational interpreters face, how this new code of ethics serves as a tool to clarify expectations for service users and the potential for similar updates in the codes of ethics from other fields, such as legal interpreting.
Carola Lehmacher-Richez is a seasoned freelance translator and interpreter with over 15 years of experience in government and industry. She holds a master’s in Conference Interpreting from Glendon College, York University, and degrees in Translation Studies from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. She is a federally certified court interpreter (FCCI), a certified court interpreter for Spanish and a registered court interpreter for German for the State of Georgia, as well as a certified medical interpreter for German. On top of her work with the courts, Carola works as a conference interpreter for various local and international clients, and is one of the voices of a major news network where she interprets live shows that are broadcasted to Spanish-speaking viewers. Moreover, she is a licensed trainer of “The Community Interpreter®” and dedicates many hours to volunteer as Chair of the Ethics and Standards Committee of AAITE, as Advisory Member to the Georgia Commission on Court Interpreters, and as President of AAIT, the Georgia chapter of ATA." #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7wORUfauT4
Arnab Neil Sengupta 07 September 2024 "That the world ought to be multilingual instead of being at peace with the global hegemony of a single language is a complete no-brainer. The advantages of multilingualism over monolingualism are probably far too many to count and way too obvious to labor. Yet, through the years, the world of communication has accepted, for better or worse, the dominance of English as a matter of course. As celebrations mark International Literacy Day on Sunday, Sept. 8, few can complain about the theme chosen by the UN: Promoting multilingual education: literacy for mutual understanding and peace. Being multilingual offers numerous advantages that go beyond mere communication. That multilingual speakers still outnumber monolingual speakers in the world’s population is, therefore, no small blessing.
The big question is, can multilingualism hold its own in the face of the challenge posted by relentless globalization, mass migration, increasingly accurate AI-generated translation, and the fragmentation of languages worldwide?
The answer, in the long run, depends on how the challenge is tackled.
The UN is justified in claiming that “adopting a first language-based, multilingual approach to literacy development and education is particularly effective because of its cognitive, pedagogical, and socioeconomic benefits.” The statement is true, as we will soon see, not just because the UN says so.
To start with, as a publication by the Harvard Graduate School of Education puts it, “two languages are better than one for children’s cognitive development.”
In adulthood, learning a second language can take a lot of effort, and success is not guaranteed, particularly if the language is “hard” or “super hard” from the perspective of a native English speaker (although, admittedly, learning a language should not be about perfection). By contrast, language learning seems to happen almost effortlessly in the first few years of life.
Research shows that children who can speak more than one language at an early age have improved overall cognitive abilities, which has a positive impact on other areas of education, and results in higher achievement in the core subjects of mathematics and reading. Enhanced cognitive abilities are believed to result in improved problem-solving skills, better multitasking, and increased creativity. Learning and using multiple languages can also delay the onset of cognitive decline and dementia in older age.
That multilingualism enhances career prospects was never in doubt. Many employers value multilingual employees for their ability to engage with a broader range of clients, partners and markets. Multilingualism can give people a competitive edge in fields such as international business, diplomacy and nonprofits.
Which takes us to broader networking opportunities. Being multilingual not only opens doors to a wider range of social and professional networks, but also can help individuals build relationships and collaborate with those from different linguistic backgrounds, expanding their personal and professional connections. Knowing multiple languages provides deeper insights into different cultures. Arnab Neil Sengupta Then there are the important intangible benefits of access to diverse perspectives. Multilingual individuals can access and understand a variety of viewpoints and information sources that may not be available in a single language. This can lead to more well-rounded knowledge and a deeper understanding of global issues.
Moving on to cultural insight and sensitivity, knowing multiple languages provides deeper insights into different cultures and traditions. This cultural awareness fosters empathy, appreciation, and respect for diverse ways of life, enriching personal experiences and interactions.
And yet, English has all but conquered the world. As an essay in the UK’s Guardian newspaper in 2018 pointed out: “English is everywhere, and everywhere, English dominates. From inauspicious beginnings on the edge of a minor European archipelago, it has grown to vast size and astonishing influence. Almost 400 million people speak it as their first language; a billion more know it as a secondary tongue. It is an official language in at least 59 countries, the unofficial lingua franca of dozens more. No language in history has been used by so many people or spanned a greater portion of the globe.”
While the monolingual Anglosphere’s cultural and economic elites may want their children to be multilingual, young men and women of the “global south” would gladly sacrifice their less-than-perfect multilingual skills for the sake of a good grasp of just one language: English.
Once again, the reasons are far too many to count, and obvious. English is the global language of business and communication. It enables people from different countries and cultures to communicate and collaborate effectively. This is vital in an interconnected world of Zoom conferences and messaging apps.
Many of the world’s top universities and educational institutions today use English as their primary language of instruction. Proficiency in English can, therefore, be essential for accessing higher education and academic programs. (The fact that so many Indian college graduates can speak English makes it easier for them to integrate into the diverse US tech industry, with the result that Indian Americans are among the wealthiest and most educated minorities in the US.)
Despite advances in online translation, English dominates the digital world, including software, online platforms, and programming languages. Understanding English can help people navigate and utilize technology more effectively.
Many international companies and industries, regardless of their geographical location, use English as their primary language of business. A good command of English can thus open doors to a wider range of job opportunities and career advancement, both locally and globally.
A vast amount of information, including academic research, professional publications and online content, is available in English. Being fluent in the language can give people access to a wealth of knowledge and resources that might otherwise be out of reach.
Despite forays by streaming media services such as Netflix into regional language productions, a significant portion of global entertainment, including movies, music, books, and games, is produced in English. Knowing the language allows people to enjoy and understand a broader range of media and cultural products.
Last, but certainly not least, no matter how many millions speak Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi or Swahili, English is commonly spoken in many parts of the world. Knowing the language can make traveling easier, more enjoyable, and allow for deeper cultural exchange and understanding.
All things considered, a good grasp of English can boost communication, career prospects, access to information, travel experiences, education, technological engagement, and entertainment options. But multilingual education is an even better bet: It offers an array of cognitive, cultural, professional and personal benefits that go beyond the ability to communicate in English alone. Moreover, as the UN states, “multilingual education aids in preserving nondominant, minority and indigenous languages.”
By starting education in the learner’s mother tongue and gradually introducing other languages, notably English, the gap between home and school can be bridged and the benefits of multilingualism can be reaped, as several linguistically and ethnically diverse countries have shown.
There is no need for governments to launch linguistic commissions to stem the English tide by creating new words of their own. The challenge to English’s global hegemony must be grounded in pragmatism and rational choice, not nationalism or political correctness. • Arnab Neil Sengupta is a senior editor at Arab News.
X: @arnabnsg" #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2570478/amp
LLMs represent a punctuated equilibrium in human evolution, a sudden leap in cognitive capability, transforming thought, creativity, and decision-making in ways once unimaginable. Key points - LLMs mark a functional inflection point, a "punctuated equilibrium" in human cognitive evolution.
- This rapid leap in AI-driven thought extends beyond gradual tech progress, reshaping human cognition.
- LLMs catalyze a sudden shift, mirroring evolutionary bursts that redefine what’s cognitively possible.
History is often shaped by moments of profound change—inflection points that redefine what’s possible, much like cosmic asteroids that strike the planet and alter the course of evolution. Today, we find ourselves on the brink of one such transformative moment, not driven by a celestial force, but by the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence and, most notably, Large Language Models (LLMs). These technologies represent far more than mere advancements; they are the architects of a new cognitive landscape, offering unparalleled engagement between humans and machines. This revolution, akin to Stephen Jay Gould’s concept of punctuated equilibrium in evolutionary biology, marks a sudden and significant shift in human capability and thought. Gould’s theory suggests that evolution is not a steady, gradual process but one characterized by long periods of stability interrupted by rapid bursts of change. Applying this framework to the present day, LLMs are the catalysts of this evolutionary leap—not just in technology, but in the evolution of human cognition itself. We are witnessing the rise of machines that don’t just process information but engage with us in a way that extends our cognitive reach. LLMs: Partners in Thought, Not Just Tools At their core, LLMs are not simply computational tools; they are cognitive partners, amplifying human thought by enhancing our capacity to explore, iterate, and reflect. These models engage in dynamic dialogues that mirror the complexity of human thought, offering an iterative process that allows us to question, refine, and expand our thinking. Much like the Socratic method, they invite us into a collaborative exploration of ideas, unlocking new pathways to creativity, problem-solving, and knowledge acquisition. In business, this shift is profound. LLMs aren’t just automating processes or improving efficiency; they’re transforming decision-making, strategic thinking, and innovation itself. Through their ability to analyze massive amounts of data while engaging with human users in an iterative dialogue, LLMs provide new ways to forecast trends, personalize experiences, and generate ideas. They are not simply tools of analysis but co-creators in the process of shaping business strategies and market innovations. The Cognitive Revolution in Healthcare Healthcare, too, is experiencing a cognitive transformation powered by LLMs. These models are enabling breakthroughs not just in diagnostics and treatment but in how we approach complex medical challenges. By analyzing vast datasets in real time and engaging in meaningful dialogue with clinicians and researchers, LLMs are helping to unravel patterns and insights that were previously inaccessible. This iterative engagement between human and machine holds the potential to revolutionize personalized medicine, global health responses, and the very way we think about disease and wellness. article continues after advertisement Education and the Expansion of Human Potential In education, LLMs are reshaping the learning experience by personalizing and enhancing the cognitive journey of students. No longer confined to static textbooks or rigid curricula, learning can now be a fluid, adaptive process that responds to individual needs and thought patterns. LLMs offer an interactive learning environment where students can engage in dialogues that push their cognitive boundaries, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and intellectual growth. This dynamic relationship between learner and machine breaks down barriers, making education more accessible and intellectually stimulating. Creativity Redefined in the Age of LLMs Creativity itself is being redefined in the age of LLMs. These models are not merely tools for generating content; they are collaborators in the creative process. Whether through the creation of music, art, or literature, LLMs engage with human creators in a way that expands the boundaries of what’s possible, offering new ideas and perspectives that were previously unreachable. The iterative nature of LLMs allows for a deep exploration of creative thought, making them powerful allies in the pursuit of artistic innovation. The Ethical Challenges of Cognitive Expansion These models are unlocking new dimensions of cognition, enabling a symbiotic relationship between human minds and machine intelligence. The rapid engagement they offer—through iteration, reflection, and co-creation—transcends traditional notions of AI. Instead of replacing human thought, LLMs enhance and expand it, inviting us to explore deeper layers of our own cognitive abilities. However, with this cognitive expansion comes responsibility. The ethical implications of LLMs, from privacy concerns to potential biases, cannot be ignored. The power of these models require some level of governance to ensure that their potential is harnessed in a way that benefits humanity, without introducing new risks. Shaping the Future of Human Cognition As we enter this domain of thought it’s clear that LLMs are far more than technological advancements—they are the facilitators of a new Cognitive Age. This era is defined by an unprecedented partnership between human and machine, where our minds are no longer constrained by traditional limits. The asteroid has struck, and the cognitive landscape is being transformed. The question that remains is not whether we will adapt to this new reality, but how we will harness the immense potential of LLMs to shape the future of human thought. About the Author John Nosta is an innovation theorist and founder of NostaLab. #metaglossia_mundus
"Regional and cultural factors can create a range of different terminology in maritime and freight. A standard vocabulary across the industry could streamline optimization, but how can it be done? Uniform vocabulary would ensure everyone speaks the same language ·Thursday, September 05, 2024 Transportation needs clarity when it comes to vocabulary across the board. By Bart De Muynck The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. A few months back, I wrote an article on the need for more adoption and global harmonization of data standards in logistics. The current landscape of supply chain applications is marred by a lack of standardized data formats and definitions or what can be referred to as the supply chain lexicon. Regulations around the world are increasingly pushing for standardization. The EU Supply Chain Law and Deforestation Regulation, along with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s environmental, social and governance rules in the U.S., highlight the growing emphasis on sustainability and traceability. These regulations, coupled with initiatives like the U.N. Commission on International Trade Law’s Negotiable Cargo Document, are driving the need for standardized data exchange across the entire supply chain. ASTM’s F49 Committee is taking a bold step to address this challenge by harmonizing supply chain terminology across industries. By aligning commonly used glossaries with the Maritime Transportation Data Initiative (MTDI) lexicon, the committee is fostering a shared language that will enhance understanding, efficiency and, ultimately, the resilience of our supply chains. This initiative supports several U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous future for all. The initiative has already garnered significant support, with over 40 endorsements from industry leaders. “There are several overlapping vocabularies that support digitalization of cross-border trade, including those from UN/CEFACT, WCO, GS1, IMO, IATA, ICC and many more,” says Steven Capell, vice chair of the U.N. Center for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT). “While each organization has a different mandate and focus area, the overlaps remain. Mapping the overlaps via a common lexicon will release greater value to all supply chain actors by providing interoperability between overlapping vocabularies.” Standards in terminology create many benefits for the industry. A standardized vocabulary would ensure everyone in the industry, from ship captains to port workers, logistics managers to legal professionals, is speaking the same language. This reduces ambiguity, misunderstandings and the potential for costly errors. Clear communication is critical for safety at sea and in port operations. Standardizing terminology ensures that instructions, warnings and procedures are universally understood, minimizing the risk of accidents and injuries. Standardization streamlines operations and facilitates faster and more accurate communication as well. This leads to improved productivity, reduced delays and lower operational costs. A standard vocabulary would also simplify training and education programs, making it easier for newcomers to enter the industry and for experienced professionals to stay current on best practices. Standardization further enables smoother data exchange among different systems and organizations, fostering greater interoperability and improving the efficiency of digital solutions in the maritime sector. And finally, a common language facilitates communication and collaboration across borders, fostering international cooperation and harmonization of practices. For years, creating a standard was filled with challenges as the maritime industry has a long history with various regional and cultural influences on language. Reconciling these existing variations and achieving consensus on a standard vocabulary can be a complex and time-consuming process. Industry professionals may be resistant to adopting a new standardized vocabulary, especially if they’ve been using traditional terms for years. Overcoming this resistance and ensuring widespread adoption requires strong leadership and effective communication. The maritime industry is also constantly evolving with new technologies and practices. A standardized vocabulary must be adaptable and capable of incorporating new terms as they emerge. Finally, ensuring compliance with a standardized vocabulary across the industry can be challenging. It requires effective governance, communication and, potentially, enforcement mechanisms. To achieve a successful outcome, a wide range of stakeholders are involved in the development process, including industry professionals, regulatory bodies, educational institutions and technology providers. This ensures diverse perspectives and buy-in from the entire industry. A clear governance structure is put in place to oversee the development, maintenance and evolution of the standardized vocabulary. This includes mechanisms for updating the vocabulary as new terms and technologies emerge. ASTM continues to communicate the benefits of standardization to the industry and to provide resources and training to facilitate adoption of the new vocabulary. Technology platforms and digital solutions are being utilized to support the implementation and maintenance of the standardized vocabulary. This can include online glossaries, translation tools and data exchange standards. It is essential to foster collaboration with international organizations and maritime bodies to promote the adoption of a globally recognized standard. Creating a standard for maritime terminology is a significant undertaking, but the benefits far outweigh the challenges. By promoting clear communication, improving safety and increasing efficiency, standardization can contribute to a more sustainable and successful maritime industry. Look for more articles from me every week at FreightWaves.com. About the author Bart De Muynck is an industry thought leader with over 30 years of supply chain and logistics experience. He has worked for major international companies, including EY, GE Capital, Penske Logistics and PepsiCo, as well as several tech companies. He also spent eight years as a vice president of research at Gartner and, most recently, served as chief industry officer at project44. He is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and CSCMP’s Executive Inner Circle." #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/transportation-industry-needs-standard-terminology
"Understanding the power and limits of language. “Ohio.” “Brat.” “Cringe.” “Weird.” Coconut emojis. Viral memes are omnipresent this campaign season, distilling concepts, images and ideas into simple, replicable formats that spread rapidly online. Once a concept is meme-ified, it becomes easily adaptable, allowing people to create their own versions by adding text or altering content to fit different contexts. This replicability makes memes powerful tools in shaping digital discourse and reflecting how cultural and social identities are constructed in the online world. Viral memes are omnipresent this campaign season, distilling concepts, images and ideas into simple, replicable formats that spread rapidly online. Once a concept is meme-ified, it becomes easily adaptable, allowing people to create their own versions by adding text or altering content to fit different contexts. This replicability makes memes powerful tools in shaping digital discourse and reflecting how cultural and social identities are constructed in the online world. The meme “brat,” inspired by Charli XCX’s album, has come to signify confidence and attention-seeking behavior, while “Ohio” has become slang for anything odd or cringeworthy. Memes serve as bonding tools within groups, reinforcing shared identity and creating a sense of exclusivity. This dynamic fosters community in online spaces where people connect through shared content rather than face-to-face interaction. Memes also establish a clear distinction between those who are in the know (the in-group) and those who are not (the out-group). While memes and slogans alone may not win elections and most voters may not care whether a candidate embodies the brat persona, they play a crucial role in contemporary political campaigns. These tools simplify complex messages, mobilize supporters and shape a candidate’s overall vibe. In an era when voters are overwhelmed with information and when emotional resonance often outweighs detailed policy discussions, the battle for votes increasingly relies on slogans, catchphrases and vibe-producing memes. Understanding the power of these elements is essential for grasping the dynamics of contemporary electoral politics. In the digital age, control over discourse has become increasingly vital due to the rapid spread of information, media fragmentation and societal polarization. Politicians, experts, internet influencers and marketers actively shape public discourse to assert influence, achieve goals and manage reputations. With the ability to reach millions instantly through social media and online platforms, those who control the narrative hold unprecedented power over public opinion, policy decisions and cultural norms.Sophisticated language analysis, coupled with advances in artificial intelligence and big data, have further amplified this emphasis on discourse control. These tools enable microtargeting and the construction of tailored messages, making it easier to spread misinformation and disinformation. Traditional media once acted as gatekeepers, filtering news and information. However, the rise of the internet and social media has diminished their control, leading to a more democratic yet chaotic information landscape. This fragmentation has resulted in competing narratives, with various groups vying for influence, intensifying the struggle for discourse control. In a polarized political environment, controlling language is crucial for shaping public opinion. All sides seek to frame issues in ways that align with their values, using language to rally supporters and discredit opponents. For experts, controlling discourse is also about maintaining authority and credibility by shaping the frameworks through which issues are understood. Language has become a central battleground in the culture wars, as groups compete to assert their worldviews. The words we use profoundly shape public discourse and influence societal norms, giving those who control language a significant advantage in defining debates and shaping perceptions. Words wield immense power. Language enables us to convey complex ideas, emotions and experiences, structuring our thoughts and shaping our perceptions of the world. Shared language fosters community and cultural identity, while skillful use of language can sway opinions, motivate action and shift public discourse. Words can be weaponized, politicized or redefined, as in the case of terms like “freedom,” or through euphemisms that downplay contentious policies. Language reinforces social hierarchies, manufactures consent, creates in- and out-groups, and reshapes collective memory and national identity. Control over discourse is crucial for political partisans and extends to labeling, medicalizing, psychologizing and pathologizing behavior. Jargon asserts expertise and authority, while labeling certain language as unacceptable can silence dissent. In politics, business, academia, media and social movements, the ability to frame issues, define terms and guide public conversations is a key strategy for gaining influence and driving change. The heightened focus on discourse reflects broader changes in how information is produced, disseminated and consumed in the digital age, as well as a growing recognition of language’s power to shape perceptions, influence behavior and assert control. By controlling the terms, narratives and framing of issues, various actors can steer public understanding and debates to favor their interests, impacting consumer behavior, social attitudes and academic discourse. In the academy, discourse shaping can determine which theories gain prominence, allowing influential editors and scholars to guide collective interpretation. In an age of information overload, those who frame issues succinctly and persuasively can more effectively capture public attention, a crucial factor in marketing, public relations and social activism. As society grows more polarized, the struggle to control discourse intensifies, with ideological groups seeking to define language in ways that align with their values, extending beyond traditional politics to cultural and social justice issues. For businesses, controlling discourse is essential for managing brand reputation and consumer perception. The ability to control narratives during crises, such as public relations disasters or legal challenges, is critical for mitigating damage and protecting interests. Social movements use discourse control to assert identities, promote inclusive language and challenge existing power structures and influence cultural norms and values around gender, race, disability and sexuality. Media outlets, by choosing and framing stories, set the public agenda and influence how issues are understood, extending their power beyond news coverage to the framing of social and cultural issues. In this increasingly high-stakes environment, control over discourse has become a critical factor in modern power dynamics. The recent focus on the power of language and discourse is a significant reminder that ideas originating in the academy don’t stay confined within its walls—they shape and influence the broader world. Several scholars have been instrumental in shaping our understanding of how language and discourse function as tools of political and professional power. Their work reveals that language is not merely a neutral medium for communication but a potent instrument that can shape perceptions, reinforce social hierarchies and either maintain or challenge power structures. Whether through framing political issues, constructing identities or reinforcing ideologies, the control of language is central to the exercise of power in society. - Antonio Gramsci introduced the concept of “cultural hegemony” in his Prison Notebooks (1929–1935), explaining how a ruling class manipulates society’s beliefs, language and values to establish its worldview as the accepted cultural norm, thereby shaping public thought and discourse on social issues.
- Roland Barthes, a key figure in semiotics, explored how language creates and manipulates cultural narratives that reinforce dominant ideologies. He argued that what we consider “natural” or “common sense” often results from ideological manipulation through language, influencing everything from personal identity to social norms.
- Michel Foucault, perhaps the most influential scholar on discourse and power, argued that discourse is not just a vehicle for expressing ideas but a mechanism for controlling and organizing knowledge and power. His concept of “power/knowledge” posits that those who control discourse also dictate what is considered true or false, normal or abnormal, and legitimate or illegitimate.
- Jürgen Habermas, in The Theory of Communicative Action (1981), introduced the concept of the “public sphere” as a space for rational-critical debate free from the domination of power structures. He also highlighted how language can both distort communication and reinforce power relations, yet it remains a crucial tool for achieving genuine understanding and consensus in society.
- Pierre Bourdieu, in Language and Symbolic Power (1991), examined how language serves as a form of power that legitimizes and reinforces social hierarchies. He introduced the idea of “linguistic capital,” where certain ways of speaking carry more social value, thereby reinforcing authority, education and social prestige and perpetuating social inequality.
- George Lakoff, in Moral Politics (1996) and Don’t Think of an Elephant! (2004), argued that the metaphors we use in political discourse reflect underlying cognitive frames that shape how we perceive and respond to social and political issues. Lakoff’s concept of framing has been particularly influential in understanding how political language can shape public opinion by activating specific values and assumptions.
- Teun A. van Dijk, in Discourse and Power (2008), focused on how language is used to convey ideologies and maintain power structures, particularly in media and political discourse. He analyzed how elites use language to control public discourse, manipulate information and perpetuate social inequality.
These scholars underscore the profound impact language has on shaping reality, guiding public discourse and maintaining or challenging power dynamics in society. Language is inherently political, shaping how we perceive and understand the world. Politicizing language involves using it to advance specific agendas, define social boundaries and influence group identities. Words and phrases are chosen not just for their descriptive power but for their ability to sway opinions, legitimize viewpoints and marginalize others. This extends to the medicalization and psychologization of behavior, where language casts certain actions or beliefs in a negative or pathological light. Medicalization classifies behaviors and conditions as medical problems, which can lead to overtreatment and overlook broader social or environmental factors. Psychologization frames behaviors and emotions through a psychological lens, potentially reducing personal agency and ignoring the social contexts that influence behavior. Pathologization labels certain behaviors as inherently diseased or dysfunctional, often carrying moral judgment. This can be used as a tool for political and social control, delegitimizing dissent and justifying the exclusion of nonconformist voices, especially in authoritarian regimes. Terms like “narcissist,” “sociopath” or “toxic” are frequently used to describe unacceptable beliefs or actions, often without nuanced understanding. In political discourse, the language of pathology discredits opponents by labeling them as “delusional” or “irrational” or merely “weird.” The widespread use of medical and psychological labels risks oversimplifying complex social issues and can lead to overdiagnosis, overtreatment and a culture of dependency on medical interventions. In today’s discursive environment, understanding both the functions and limits of language is crucial for navigating contemporary public discourse and engaging critically with the world around us. Yet while language can shape perceptions, frame thoughts and influence policy, it’s also essential to understand the limits of language’s power. Words can sway public opinion and political rhetoric can shape how issues are understood—whether by labeling a group as “radical” or “progressive,” a policy as a “reform” or “boondoggle,” or framing an issue as a “crisis” or an “opportunity.” However, while language is a potent tool, words alone can rarely change deeply held beliefs or resolve cognitive dissonance. Some realities, such as personal experiences, emotions and social dynamics, remain beyond the reach of rhetoric. Political strategies that rely too heavily on language manipulation risk neglecting underlying realities. Some realities are fundamentally material and cannot be altered by words alone. Personal experiences, emotions, social dynamics and cultural contexts shape perceptions in ways that language cannot always control or predict. Political messages or terminology that fail to resonate with these deeper realities are likely to fall flat or be rejected. As we all know in our personal lives, there are gaps language cannot fill. Words often fall short when we try to apologize or express condolences. In those instances, we stumble and language reaches its limits. In politics, too, it’s essential to understand language’s limitations. Slogans and memes may capture attention, but it’s ideas that fuel conviction and policies that win trust. While catchphrases can spark interest, substance is what ultimately holds the heart and leads to real change. Slogans can set the stage, but it’s leadership and ideas that ultimately prevail." #metaglossia_mundus: https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/2024/09/06/understanding-power-and-limits-language
Éthiopiques n° 114. Littérature, philosophie, sociologie, anthropologie et art. 1er semestre 2025. Traduction – Autotraduction - Retraduction – Voies et voix de l’universel Ce 114e numéro d’Éthiopiques a pour ambition de provoquer des réflexions autour de la problématique de la traduction et de la circulation entre les langues depuis le contexte africain. Il s’agira d’envisager les phénomènes de traduction, d’auto-traduction et de retraduction à la fois comme processus de création littéraire et comme pensée de l’altérité, et par voie de conséquence, comme passeport vers l’universel. Cette problématique centrale peut s’articuler autour de quatre axes : - La traduction : L’Afrique apparaît en effet, par sa diversité linguistique, comme un laboratoire pour questionner les phénomènes de mise en relation, de transfert, d’appropriation et de réappropriation de sens impliqués dans l’acte de traduction. Les textes y produits révèlent un usage particulièrement créatif du passage entre les langues ; il s’agira alors d’envisager tout d’abord les rapports entre traduction et création, à travers l’étude des questions de langues d’écriture en lien avec le multilinguisme et le postulat d’un lectorat africain/afropéen, des rapports entre l’oralité africaine et les modes de scripturalité, de la question des griots et des jeux internes d’auto-traduction. Cela conduit à étudier les modalités d’expression des spécificités culturelles et des phénomènes d’alternance codique pour un lectorat souvent exogène, par une écriture en quête d’un équilibre fluctuant entre « défamiliarisation (langue source) » et « déjà connu » (langue cible). L’activité de traduction, dans quoi se jouent et se reflètent les déséquilibres de pouvoir, apparait également comme un lieu particulièrement propice pour penser, à travers l’étude des circuits éditoriaux et les modes de réception des textes « africains » dans les grands centres littéraires, le rapport entre traduction et violence. En quoi, enfin, l’apport de la génétique de la traduction, du fait même qu’elle donne accès à la réalité des situations plurilingues des auteurs, permet-elle d’explorer et de mettre à jour l’épaisseur et la complexité de la « tâche du traducteur »? - L’autotraduction : Elle n’est autre qu’une forme de traduction, dont la spécificité réside dans le fait que l’auteur et le traducteur ne font qu’un. Ce type de traduction autographe et auctoriale peut être corrélée à un cas intermédiaire, celui de la collaboration avec l’auteur. Cette identité entre l’auteur et le traducteur (ou cette coopération entre l’auteur et le traducteur), permettent de saisir sur le vif l’inventivité et le travail de recréation à l’œuvre, et de mesurer jusqu’où l’autotraduction s’écarte de la version initiale pour donner naissance à un nouvel opus. - La retraduction : Il conviendra ici d’examiner plus particulièrement le phénomène de la retraduction qui, elle, consiste à offrir une nouvelle traduction d’un ouvrage déjà disponible dans la langue cible. La retraduction qui procède du désir de réinvestir et de recontextualiser une œuvre tout en confirmant son statut et légitimer sa place dans la langue d’accueil, offre aussi l’occasion d’interroger les motivations à la racine de ce besoin de renouvellement et de cette volonté d’ouvrir une nouvelle perspective. La retraduction implique une multitude de questionnements sur des pratiques et des enjeux profondément humains, culturels et sociaux ainsi que les visées idéologiques et politiques sous-jacentes, le tout ombiliquement lié aux raisons éditoriales, à la prise en compte du renouvellement des ressources lexicographiques, et à la socio-géographie de la traduction et de ses marchés. - La traduction, foyer d’universalisation : La traduction qui joue un rôle primordial dans les transferts culturels, scientifiques et politiques, occupe aujourd’hui une place devenue centrale, dans notre époque de plus en plus placée sous le signe de la mondialisation des imaginaires et de la rebabélisation du monde. En mettant sans cesse en relation les langues et les imaginaires, les femmes et les hommes, la traduction provoque une confrontation ininterrompue à l’autre, au différent et à l’inconnu, en même temps qu’une reconnaissance de la légitimité de l’autre. Elle est le passage obligé pour l’accès à une culture universelle, multiple, diverse. Elle jette un pont entre les cultures et les communautés et constitue un irremplaçable antidote au repli sur soi. Œuvre de l’universel, et universel à l’œuvre, « la traduction contribue à la tâche de réaliser l’humanité, et même mieux : elle s’y identifie » Souleymane Bachir Diagne[1]. Axes d’analyse - Traduction et création littéraire : traductions, versions, imitations, hommages ; adaptations et réécritures traductives ; - Enjeux esthétiques, culturels et sociaux de la traduction ; - Statut des langues mises en regard ; - Politiques éditoriales, culturelles et éducatives en faveur de la traduction ; - Étude des phénomènes de traduction entre la littérature et les arts ; - Analyse des œuvres d’art qui mettent en scène des traductions littéraires ; - Traduction intersémiotique et traduction intermodale : représentation artistique et/ou littéraire de la traduction intersémiotique ; - La traduction comme symbole de l’inventivité des langues et de la richesse des cultures ; - Traduction et malentendu : double sens, chausse-trappes, visions du monde contraires. - Philosophie et intraduisibles ; - Etc. Bibliographie sélective · Benjamin, Walter « La Tâche du traducteur », in Œuvres, vol. I, Mythe et violence, Denoël, Paris, 1971. · Berman, Antoine, L'Épreuve de l'étranger. Culture et traduction dans l'Allemagne romantique, Gallimard, Paris, 1984. - Pour une critique des traductions : John Donne, ibid., 1995. · Bulletin Hispanique, Les traductions vieillissent-elles?, 2013/2 n° 115-2, Presses universitaires de Bordeaux. · Cassin, Barbara (dir.) Philosopher en langues, Les intraduisibles en traduction, Paru en novembre 2014, Éditions Rue d’Ulm. · Diagne, Souleymane Bachir, De langue à langue: L'hospitalité de la traduction, Albin, Michel 2022. · Derrida, Jacques, « Traditions, transferts, traductions » [discours d’ouverture du colloque de 1985 au Collège International de Philosophie], Traduire Derrida aujourd’hui, revue ITER, n°2, 2020. · Eco, Umberto, Dire presque la même chose, Grasset, 2007. · Hermès, La Revue, Traduction et mondialisation, volume 1, 2007/3 n° 49, CNRS Éditions. · Hermès, La Revue, Traduction et mondialisation, volume 2, 2010/1 n° 56, CNRS Éditions. · Gacoin Lablanchy, Pauline et Bastien-Thiry, Adèle B, Markowicz, André et les enjeux de la retraduction, Bulletin de l'Institut Pierre Renouvin 2014/2 N°40, Pages 83 à 94. · Meschonnic, Henri, Poétique du traduire, 1999, Collection : Verdier/poche ,2012. · Oustinoff, Michaël, La Traduction, Presses Universitaires de France, Que sais-je, 2022. · Oustinoff, Michaël, Bilinguisme d’écriture et autotraduction. Julien Green, Samuel Beckett, Vladimir Nabokov, Paris, L’Harmattan, 2001. - Traduire et communiquer à l’heure de la mondialisation, Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2011. · Samoyault, Tiphaine, La traduction agonique, dans Po&sie 2016/2 (N° 156), Pages 127 à 135. · Samoyault, Tiphaine, Traduction et violence, Paris, Seuil, 2020. · Sapiro, Gisèle (Sous la direction de), Traduire la littérature et les sciences humaines, Conditions et obstacles, Questions de culture, Ministère de la Culture - DEPS, 2012. · Steiner, George, Après Babel. Une poétique du dire et de la traduction, trad. Lotringer Lucienne, Paris, Albin Michel, 1978. · Zabus, Chantal, Le palimpseste africain, Indigénisation de la langue dans le roman ouest-africain europhone, Lettres du Sud, 2018, Karthala. 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[1] https://www.philimag.com/articles/souleymane-bachir-diagne-la-traduction-est-un-geste-dhospitalite
Zineb Jazoulivendredi 6 septembre 2024 - 19:17 "Longtemps reléguée au second rang au profit des langues étrangères, la langue arabe reprend sa place primordiale. Une reconnaissance récente pourrait ben changer les choses. Le site spécialisé dans les études linguistiques “ethnologue.com”, a récemment publié des statistiques qui classent les langues les plus parlées dans le monde en 2024. Selon ces données, l’arabe occupe la cinquième position avec un nombre impressionnant de 332,5 millions de locuteurs à travers le globe. Dépassant la langue française, l’arabe conquiert de plus en plus les cœurs des apprenants à travers le monde. Ce n’est pas surprenant qu’on trouve en tête de cette liste : l’anglais, la langue la plus utilisée dans le monde, parlée par plus d’un milliard et demi de personnes. Cette prédominance linguistique est suivie par le chinois, qui se hisse à la deuxième place avec plus d’un milliard et cent millions de locuteurs, témoignant de l’importance de cette langue non seulement en Asie mais aussi à l’échelle internationale. L’hindi, langue officielle de l’Inde, se classe en troisième position avec 608,8 millions de locuteurs. Cette langue, riche en histoire et en culture, continue de s’étendre grâce à la diaspora indienne et à l’influence culturelle de Bollywood. L’espagnol, largement parlé non seulement en Espagne mais aussi en Amérique latine et aux États-Unis, se positionne en quatrième place avec plus de 559,5 millions de locuteurs. Le français, souvent appelé la langue de la diplomatie, occupe la sixième place avec 311,6 millions de locuteurs, confirmant son statut de langue mondiale influente. Principalement parlé au Bangladesh et dans certaines régions de l’Inde, le bengali est à la septième position avec 278 millions de locuteurs. Le portugais suit de près à la huitième place avec environ 263,8 millions de locuteurs, une langue qui s’étend bien au-delà du Portugal, notamment au Brésil et en Afrique. Le russe, langue majeure de l’Europe de l’Est et de l’Asie centrale, occupe la neuvième place avec 258,2 millions de locuteurs. L’ourdou, langue officielle du Pakistan et largement parlée en Inde, se trouve en dixième position avec 230,9 millions de locuteurs. L’indonésien, langue nationale de l’Indonésie, un archipel aux multiples cultures et langues, est à la onzième place avec 199,1 millions de locuteurs. L’allemand, langue de la plus grande économie européenne, se classe douzième avec 132 millions de locuteurs. Quant au japonais, qui est riche de sa culture unique et influente, il occupe la treizième place avec 126,4 millions de locuteurs, Le swahili, langue véhiculaire de l’Afrique de l’Est, se trouve à la quatorzième place avec 98,4 millions de locuteurs, reflet de son rôle croissant dans cette région dynamique. In fine, la langue marathe, parlée principalement dans l’État du Maharashtra en Inde, clôt cette liste en quinzième position avec 95,8 millions de locuteurs. Telle une mosaïque, le monde est créé par et pour plusieurs langues, le métissage fait la force et, désormais, l’union est le mot-maître de cette ère où les frontières et les différences se dissipent." #metaglossia_mundus: https://fr.hespress.com/384375-5e-langue-parlee-au-monde-larabe-regagne-en-force.html
"Brenda Gauthier souligne l’urgence de changements structurels pour préserver la diversité linguistique dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest. IJL – Réseau.Presse – L’Aquilon Lors d’une présentation récente à l’Assemblée législative, Brenda Gauthier, commissaire aux langues des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, a réfléchi aux défis auxquels sont confrontés les langues officielles de la région, en particulier les langues autochtones. Son rapport annuel 2023-2024 a mis en évidence des statistiques alarmantes et des problèmes structurels persistants au sein des services linguistiques. Mme Gauthier, qui approche de la fin de son mandat de quatre ans, a présenté un aperçu complet des plaintes reçues par son bureau, tout en formulant des recommandations fortes pour des réformes. Les TNO comptent onze langues officielles, dont l’anglais, le français et plusieurs langues autochtones telles que le chipewyan, le gwich'in et l’inuktitut. Cependant, Gauthier a souligné que, malgré cette diversité linguistique, de nombreuses langues autochtones risquent de disparaitre. « Le rapport du Bureau de la statistique montre que le déclin du nombre de locuteurs des langues autochtones se poursuit, à l’exception de l’inuktitut, qui a connu une certaine croissance », a-t-elle expliqué. « L’anglais et le français restent forts, mais nos langues autochtones sont en danger de disparition. » Cinq plaintes en 2023-2024 Le rapport de M. Gauthier a répertorié les cinq plaintes officielles reçues par son bureau au cours de la période couverte par le rapport. Ces plaintes allaient de problèmes liés à la signalisation dans les bâtiments publics à des préoccupations concernant le manque de services d’interprétation lors de l’évacuation liée aux feux de forêt. Une plainte notable concernait le site web du Bureau de la commissaire aux langues, qui ne reconnaissait pas la langue Willa Day Dene. « Comme le Willa Day Dene n’est pas officiellement reconnu, le dossier a été clos », a expliqué Gauthier, soulignant les limites du champ d’action de son bureau. Deux autres plaintes concernaient la signalisation dans des bâtiments de Yellowknife : l’une dans le centre de soins primaires de YK Centre East et l’autre dans le bâtiment Northwest Hill. Le bureau de M. Gauthier a demandé des informations supplémentaires dans les deux cas, bien que les réponses aient été retardées. « Nous avons rouvert l’un des dossiers après avoir reçu les informations demandées, et nous continuons l’enquête », a-t-elle déclaré. Les deux dernières plaintes concernaient le ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux des TNO et les évacuations liées aux incendies de forêt. Dans les deux cas, le bureau de Gauthier a clos les dossiers en raison de l’absence de réponses aux demandes d’information. Malgré ces fermetures, Gauthier a assuré au Comité permanent des opérations gouvernementales que son bureau s’engage à rouvrir les enquêtes lorsque des informations supplémentaires sont fournies. Défis dans la gestion des plaintes Bien que son bureau traite les plaintes avec diligence, Gauthier a exprimé sa frustration quant aux pouvoirs limités du rôle de commissaire aux langues. « Mon rôle se limite à enquêter sur les plaintes et à promouvoir mon bureau. Je n’ai pas l’autorité d’engager directement des discussions avec les départements gouvernementaux pour résoudre des problèmes en cours », a-t-elle expliqué. Gauthier a également souligné la déconnexion entre les responsabilités de la commissaire aux langues et celles du ministre responsable des langues officielles. « Nous avons besoin de réformes structurelles pour garantir que les langues autochtones soient mieux soutenues dans toutes les institutions gouvernementales. » Elle a également révélé que certains départements gouvernementaux disposent de processus de plainte internes qui échappent totalement à son bureau. « J’ai découvert que certaines plaintes linguistiques sont déposées par des mécanismes alternatifs, et mon bureau n’en est pas informé », a-t-elle précisé. Ce manque de visibilité limite encore davantage l’efficacité de son rôle dans le traitement des questions linguistiques à travers le territoire. L’une des recommandations clés de Gauthier était la création d’une division dédiée aux langues autochtones au sein du gouvernement, similaire au Secrétariat aux affaires francophones. « Le Secrétariat aux affaires francophones fournit des audits systématiques, des conseils et un soutien aux institutions gouvernementales pour la gestion des services en français. Les langues autochtones méritent le même niveau de soutien et de reconnaissance », a-t-elle déclaré. La deuxième recommandation de Gauthier portait sur l’amélioration de la collaboration entre le gouvernement territorial et les gouvernements régionaux autochtones. « Nous devons adopter une approche plus cohérente pour fournir des services linguistiques dans toutes les communautés, en particulier en ce qui concerne les langues autochtones », a-t-elle insisté. Elle a également exprimé des préoccupations concernant la séparation actuelle des fonds pour les programmes linguistiques et culturels, suggérant que les deux devraient être liés pour une meilleure prestation des programmes. « La langue et la culture sont indissociables. Vous vivez et parlez votre langue, cela fait partie de qui vous êtes en tant que peuple autochtone. » Alors qu’elle approche de la fin de son mandat, M. Gauthier a exprimé un sentiment d’accomplissement, tout en reconnaissant les défis considérables qui subsistent. « Au cours des trois dernières années, j’ai constaté des améliorations dans la manière dont les langues sont traitées dans les services gouvernementaux. Cependant, il reste encore beaucoup à faire », a-t-elle déclaré. Elle a mis en lumière l’un des principaux problèmes : le manque de visibilité des programmes linguistiques et le faible nombre de plaintes reçues par son bureau. « Ce n’est pas qu’il n’y a pas de problèmes; les gens ne sont pas conscients de l’existence de notre bureau, ou ils craignent de déposer des plaintes en raison de préoccupations liées à la confidentialité. » En se projetant dans l’avenir, M. Gauthier a conseillé au futur commissaire aux langues de se concentrer sur l’établissement de relations avec les dirigeants communautaires et les organisations gouvernementales. « Il y a un turnover fréquente dans tous les organismes, il est donc essentiel de sensibiliser continuellement les gens au rôle du commissaire et à la manière dont nous pouvons les soutenir », a-t-elle expliqué.
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