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This study compares the quality of English-to-Arabic translations produced by Google Translate (GT) with those generated by student translators.
"Man vs. Machine: Can AI Outperform Student Translations?
Anas Alkhofi*
King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
This study compares the quality of English-to-Arabic translations produced by Google Translate (GT) with those generated by student translators. Despite advancements in neural machine translation technology, educators often remain skeptical about the reliability of AI tools like GT and often discourage their use. To investigate this perception, 20 Saudi university students majoring in English and Translation produced human translations in Arabic. These studentgenerated translations, along with their GT equivalents, were rated by 22 professors with experience in language-related fields. The analysis revealed a significant preference for GT translations over those produced by students, suggesting that GT's quality may exceed that of student translators. Interestingly, while GT translations were consistently rated higher, instructors often misattributed the better translations to students and the poorer ones to GT. This reveals a strong perceptual bias against AI-generated translations. The findings support the inclusion of AI-assisted translation tools in translation training. Incorporating these tools will help students prepare for a job market where AI is playing an increasingly important role.Incorporating such tools will help students prepare for a growing job market in which AI is playing a growing role. At the same time, educators should adopt strategies incorporating AI tools without sacrificing the development of students' core translation skills."
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence/articles/10.3389/frai.2025.1624754/abstract
#metaglossia_mundus
Award, to be shared between poet and translator, is a joint project by three publishers and will give a $5,000 advance for a new collection
New prize for translated poetry aims to tap into boom for international-language writing
Award, to be shared between poet and translator, is a joint project by three publishers and will give a $5,000 advance for a new collection
Ella Creamer
Tue 24 Jun 2025 15.00 BST
A new poetry prize for collections translated into English is opening for entries next month.
Publishers Fitzcarraldo Editions, Giramondo Publishing and New Directions have launched the biennial Poetry in Translation prize, which will award an advance of $5,000 (£3,700) to be shared equally between poet and translator.
The winning collection will be published in the UK and Ireland by Fitzcarraldo Editions, in Australia and New Zealand by Giramondo and in North America by New Directions.
“We wanted to open our doors to new poetry in translation to give space and gain exposure to poetries we may not be aware of,” said Fitzcarraldo poetry editor Rachael Allen. “There is no other prize like this that we know.”
The prize announcement comes amid a sales boom in translated fiction in the UK. Joely Day, Allen’s co-editor at Fitzcarraldo, believes that “the space the work of translators has opened up in the reading lives of English speakers through the success of fiction in translation will also extend to poetry”.
Translated work is a focus of the three publishers behind the prize. Fitzcarraldo has published translated works by Nobel prize winners Olga Tokarczuk, Jon Fosse and Annie Ernaux. “Our prose lists have always maintained a roughly equitable balance between English-language and translation, and some of our greatest successes have been books in translation,” said Day. “We’d like to bring the same diversity of voices to our poetry publishing, and this prize will be a step in that direction.”
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Four Nobels and counting: Fitzcarraldo, the little publisher that could
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The prize is open to living poets from around the world, writing in any language other than English.
The prize is being launched to find works “which are formally innovative, which feel new, which have a strong and distinctive voice, which surprise and energise and move us,” said Day. “My personal hope is that the prize reaches fledgling or aspiring translators and provides an opening for them, that it enables translators of poetry in particular to find a platform and encourages translators who want to work with poetry to do so.”
Submissions will be open from 15 July to 15 August. A shortlist will be announced later this year, with the winner announced in January 2026 and publication of the winning collection scheduled for 2027.
The “unique” award “brings poetry from around the world into English, and foregrounds the essential role of translation in our literature,” said Nick Tapper, associate publisher at Giramondo. “Its global outlook will bring new readers to poets whose work deserves wide and sustained attention.”
This article was amended on 24 June 2025. An earlier version incorrectly listed the prize money amount as $3,000 rather than $5,000 in the subheading."
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jun/24/new-prize-for-translated-poetry-aims-to-tap-into-boom-for-international-language-writing
#metaglossia_mundus
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jun/24/new-prize-for-translated-poetry-aims-to-tap-into-boom-for-international-language-writing
#metaglossia_mundus
Microsoft has unveiled its on-device small language model, Mu, that allows users to change settings through natural language queries.
"Microsoft introduces small language model Mu to change settings in Windows 11
Accessible to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Copilot+PCs, Mu responds to natural language queries
Microsoft on Monday (June 23, 2025) unveiled its on-device small language model, Mu, that allows users to change settings through natural language queries. The company said Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Copilot+PCs can access Mu.
The AI agent for Settings in Windows 11 was included in the existing search box for a seamless user experience, the company said.
“Mu is fully offloaded onto the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and responds at over 100 tokens per second, meeting the demanding UX requirements of the agent in Settings scenario,” Vivek Pradeep, VP, Distinguished Engineer at Windows Applied Sciences noted in a company blog.
Trained over multiple phases using Nvidia’s A100 GPUs on Azure Machine Learning, Mu followed a similar technique as Microsoft’s previous small language model family, Phi.
It was pre-trained on “hundreds of billions of the highest-quality educational tokens, to learn language syntax, grammar, semantics and some world knowledge.” Mu was then distilled from the Phi models to enhance accuracy.
Published - June 24, 2025 02:03 pm IST"
Updated - June 24, 2025 02:44 pm IST
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/microsoft-introduces-small-language-model-mu-to-change-settings-in-windows-11/article69731231.ece
#metaglossia_mundus
"A tale of trauma and the perils of misinterpretation
The debut novel by the Albanian American writer Ledia Xhoga tackles past trauma and communication breakdowns
Past trauma haunts the debut novel by Albanian American writer Ledia Xhoga. When the narrator, an unnamed Albanian interpreter, agrees to accompany Alfred, a Kosovar torture survivor, to therapy sessions, her life begins to unravel.
The interpreter lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Billy, a film professor. When she invites Leyla, a Kurdish poet seeking asylum, and her friend to stay for the weekend, Billy’s unexpected return exposes the cracks in their marriage. His angry reaction seems disproportionate until it becomes clear that the narrator’s compulsion to help fellow immigrants is taking a toll on their relationship. We are given a hint of her psychological entanglement when she says: “Sometimes words affected me physically, causing as much nausea as motion sickness.” This manifests in her work with Alfred, prompting his therapist to fire her.
As pressure builds, Billy accepts a six-month artist’s residency in Hungary, while the narrator visits Albania. The novel takes on a meditative tone as we learn of her mother’s inability to leave her home and the narrator’s troubled childhood. Xhoga raises the tension back in Brooklyn, as her protagonist faces the fallout from helping Leyla escape a stalker employed by her abusive ex-husband.
Xhoga writes perceptively about the alienation of immigrants – the narrator straddles two worlds, adrift in both – and the disconnect between privilege and precarity. Of Billy’s friend, a professional violinist, she observes: “How could Anna, who was born and raised in the West Village … understand water or electricity shortages, or helping out ageing parents and relatives who had worked all their lives only to end up with a retirement that didn’t even cover their basic necessities?”
Part of the pleasure of the novel, which is related in a direct, matter-of-fact tone, comes from second-guessing what the (occasionally unreliable) narrator has withheld or misinterpreted and how it affects others. Alfred misreads her compassion. She misconstrues others’ expectations, risking her marriage and mental health. The book is a nuanced exploration of communication failures, blurred boundaries and the emotional cost of unchecked altruism.
Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga is published by Daunt (£10.99)"
Lucy Popescu
22 June 2025
https://observer.co.uk/culture/books/article/the-perils-of-misinterpretation
#metaglossia_mundus
"ABSTRACT: Language is an underrecognized social driver of health that disproportionately affects Hispanic/Latino (H/L) patients and can negatively impact comprehension and engagement with medical care. Professional interpretation services can help overcome language barriers in the clinic or hospital setting; however, interpreters are not universally available and, even when they are, the quality of communication can be limited. In this secondary analysis of a qualitative study which examined the barriers and facilitators H/L patients and their caregivers experience when navigating rectal cancer care, we sought to explore how Spanish-speaking rectal cancer patients and their caregivers communicated with oncology providers and the ways in which professional interpretation may have facilitated or detracted from their care experiences. Methods We conducted a community-partnered qualitative study to explore H/L patients with rectal cancer and their caregivers’ experiences with medical interpretation during their oncologic care. We developed an interview guide based on the Ecological Model of Health Behavior and iteratively refined it with input from our Community Advisory Board. Data analysis utilized grounded theory and reflexive thematic analysis to identify core themes. Results Over a 6-month period, we conducted 21 semi-structured interviews. Three major themes related to language arose from our review of coded transcripts: (1) interpreters’ use of medical jargon; (2) dialect discordance between patient and hospital interpreter; and (3) lack of trust in the interpretation process. Conclusion Our sample of H/L rectal cancer patients and their caregivers reported barriers due to overuse of medical jargon and dialectic differences, both of which eroded trust in the interpretation process. Beyond simply hiring more interpreters, hospitals would benefit from re-envisioning the patient-interpreter relationship as a means of improving communication and fostering trust in the healthcare system."
June 2025
Supportive Care in Cancer
33(7)
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-025-09657-6
Eleanor Brown
Min Young Kim
Zaria N. Cosby
et al.
Aaron J. Dawe
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392797572_Interpreters_don%27t_tell_you_everything_experiences_with_medical_interpretation_among_Latino_cancer_patients_and_caregivers_with_limited_English_proficiency
#metaglossia_mundus
"Intercultural Preparation in Higher Education
ByNing Chen
Edition1st Edition
First Published 2025
eBook Published 27 August 2025
Pub. LocationLondon
Imprint Routledge
Pages112
eBook ISBN9781003661818
SubjectsEducation
ABSTRACT
Intercultural Preparation in Higher Education critically examines the complexities of intercultural preparation, challenging reductionist, competence-based approaches and emphasising critical reflection, linguistic sensitivity and intersectional perspectives, which offer transformative insight.
This concise yet comprehensive book draws on the author's extensive experience in preparing students and educators for diversity and intercultural engagement within Chinese and Finnish higher education – two distinct yet interconnected settings. Chen advocates for reflexive, context-sensitive frameworks that address power dynamics, ideological influences and epistemic inequalities shaping intercultural encounters. Synthesising global and Chinese research, the author deconstructs interculturality as an ideological construct and proposes expanding it to encompass diverse diversities. Through case studies of Chinese Minzu education, Finnish teacher training and China's mental health and well-being education, the author explores how to equip educators and students for glocalised (global + local) realities. The book argues that mental health education in China, for instance, can redefine interculturality beyond 'international' or 'ethnic' binaries. By interrogating dominant paradigms and proposing equitable alternatives, the author advances a balanced and inclusive vision of preparation for all in higher education and beyond.
The title is designed for educators, researchers, students and practitioners interested in intercultural studies, higher education, as well as internationalisation and globalisation."
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003661818/intercultural-preparation-higher-education-ning-chen
#metaglossia_mundus
"By Santa Barbara Unified School District
Tue Jun 24, 2025 | 11:43am
Students in Santa Barbara High School’s groundbreaking Translation & Interpretation Pathway graduated with professional certificates that qualify them to enter the growing field of interpretation and translation. This innovative Career Technical Education (CTE) program celebrates the bilingual assets of Santa Barbara’s many native Spanish speakers and empowers students to transform their language skills into viable career opportunities. Santa Barbara High School’s Translation & Interpretation Pathway, led by teacher Alison Mendoza, stands as the first and only high school CTE pathway of its kind in the state of California.
“Developing this pathway has been a career highlight”, says Alison Mendoza. “By committing to offering a Translation & Interpretation program, we have reimagined Spanish course offerings and connected language learning to the world that surrounds students in a new way. Students receive Language Other Than English (UC A-G) credit for participating and put their language abilities into practice. Watching this year’s cohort leave their high school experience with various college options, a tangible career possibility, a deeper sense of who they are, and pride in their linguistic backgrounds aligns with why I wanted to become a teacher. The collaboration with our local community partners, the district LAU team, and higher education gives students opportunities that they often hadn’t imagined yet”.
This year, the program significantly expanded its offerings to include “The Community Interpreter®” course and certificate. To earn this industry-recognized credential, students completed a rigorous 40-hour training led by Sofia Rubalcava of the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s highly regarded Language Access Unit. Programs like this are designed to strengthen the connection between classroom learning and real-world careers by integrating industry training, all while allowing students to embrace and connect with their home languages and cultures.
“This expansion of the Translation & Interpretation Pathway is a testament to our commitment to providing students with tangible skills that directly lead to meaningful careers,” said Superintendent Hilda Maldonado. “By empowering our bilingual students with professional certificates, we are not only opening doors to vital professions but also reinforcing the value of their linguistic and cultural heritage within our community and beyond. It is a testament to the resiliency of our teachers and staff. They started this even though we were in a pandemic. At SB Unified, we are resilient, strong, and bold!”
The Translation & Interpretation Pathway equips students with foundational skills in translation and interpretation, emphasizing cultural competence, ethics, and the critical importance of language access in diverse community settings. Students apply their learning through real-world experiences, serving their local community, and engaging with professionals currently working in the fields of court, medical, and community interpreting. This year alone, students in the pathway have interpreted the daily morning announcements at their school, created student-friendly translations with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, volunteered at the Unity Shoppe, established internship opportunities with the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, and provided crucial support to parents and the community at the Know Your Rights event alongside the Language Access Unit team.
Jose Navarrete, a court interpreter at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, is one of many professionals who actively support the program. He underscores the critical need to inspire a new generation of interpreters. “You need to bring up a whole new generation of interpreters. Approximately 35% of interpreters in the state are 65 years old or older. So they’re going to retire pretty soon. We’re going to need a new generation,” said Navarrete.
The program’s impact is evident in the students themselves. Rubiell Angel Fernandez, a graduating pathway senior, shared, “I’ve had Ms. Mendoza all four years of high school. It really means a lot, seeing how much the program and the pathway have grown throughout the years.” Student Jay Valencia added, “It’s a rigorous program, but even still, it’s served us well, it’s going to give us options for the future.”
This expansion solidifies Santa Barbara High School’s Translation & Interpretation Pathway as a national model for preparing bilingual students for in-demand careers while fostering cultural understanding and community engagement."
https://www.independent.com/2025/06/24/santa-barbara-high-schools-translation-interpretation-pathway-expands-to-provide-professional-certificate/
#metaglossia_mundus
Translation expertise significantly influences how translators manage cognitive resources, yet the specific ways in which professional and novice translators differ in their metacognitive strategy use remain incompletely understood. This gap is particularly evident in specialised contexts such as academic translation, where complex terminology and intricate syntactic structures pose unique cognitive challenges. This study investigated how professional and student translators deploy metacognitive strategies when translating academic texts from Chinese to English, focusing on differences in cognitive resource allocation across translation stages. The study compared 30 professional translators and 30 graduate students in translation studies as they translated two academic article introductions. Using keystroke logging, we recorded detailed temporal data about participants’ translation processes, including thinking time, writing time, and resource consultation patterns. Quantitative analysis revealed that professional translators demonstrated significantly shorter thinking times compared to students, while maintaining higher writing-to-thinking ratios. Analysis of cognitive resource distribution showed that professionals maintained more consistent engagement across translation stages compared to students’ more variable patterns. These findings suggest that translation expertise manifests not merely in faster processing times, but in qualitatively different approaches to cognitive resource allocation. Professional translators demonstrated greater flexibility in switching between automatic and controlled processes, adapting their strategies according to textual challenges. These results refine our understanding of translation expertise while offering practical implications for translator training, suggesting specific ways to help novice translators develop more efficient cognitive strategies. The study contributes to translation process research by providing empirical evidence of how expertise shapes metacognitive strategy use in specialised translation contexts.
"Interpreters of more than 130 languages have been called into New Zealand courts over the past decade - and the costs have soared by 229%.
The Waikato Times took a deep dive into the issue in the wake of remarks from Judge David Cameron about a case with a Filipino interpreter.
Thanks to an Official Information Act request with the Ministry of Justice, the Waikato Times can reveal the increased cost of court interpretation, the complete list of languages and the most - and least - common.
In 2014, it cost the Ministry $1,751,874 for interpreter services, a figure that rose to $5,619,896 in 2023.
The Ministry - and several law and linguistic experts the Waikato Times spoke to - said however that the spike in costs does not necessarily equate to more foreign criminals in New Zealand...
The Ministry said the cost increase between 2022 and 2023 - from $3,475,847 to $5,619,896 - was due to factors including the Coronial inquiry into the Christchurch terror attacks.
They also cited a 2023 change “to increase the fees payable to interpreters”.
Professor Tafaoimalo Tologata Leilani Tuala-Warren, Dean of Te Piringa Faculty of Law at the University of Waikato, also cautioned that there could be a few explanations.
“We may be seeing more witnesses, for both prosecutions and defence, in criminal trials needing interpreters. It could also suggest that the cost charged by interpreters has increased. It is important to not make assumptions without the benefit of examining the disaggregation of the data.”
Tineke Jannick, who is conducting doctoral research into court interpreting in New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington, told the Waikato Times the language list may simply be a reflection of “the reality of the highly multi-cultural and multi-lingual nation we live in”.
“Over a quarter of New Zealand’s population are born overseas and there are more than 150 languages spoken here,” she said...
Jannick also said interpretation services were “vital to our justice system, particularly as they pertain to fair trial rights”.
One defence lawyer who spoke to the Waikato Times on condition of anonymity cited the 2022 Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) for the spike in costs.
More than 150,000 visas had been approved since - most before increased English language requirements imposed in 2024, they said, and the scheme was “widely rorted”.
“Many migrants have paid money to agents to get a work visa and a job, only to discover when they arrive in New Zealand that the job offers very few hours, or is entirely fake.
“Some ... turn to crime to pay the bills. Others came to New Zealand with the express purpose of committing crime, knowing from the beginning that their job was fake, but using it to obtain a visa in circumstances where applications were being rubber-stamped by Immigration New Zealand in the post-Covid immigration boom,” they said.
“I have personally dealt with many people on AEWVs who turned to crime shortly after arriving on their visa.”
The data also revealed the five most translated languages over the past decade: Mandarin, Samoan, Punjabi, Tongan and Vietnamese.
Those least required are Bulgarian, Hiligaynon [a regional Filipino language], Lingala [a language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo], Ndebele [South Africa and Zimbabwe] and Oromo [Ethiopia].
Dr Simon Overall, University of Otago linguistics postgraduate coordinator, said the top five list was interesting.
“Two of them, Samoan and Tongan, have relatively small numbers of speakers, but of course significant numbers of those speakers live in New Zealand.
“Of the five, all except Vietnamese appear in the list of the top 20 languages spoken in New Zealand (according to 2018 census data).”
“I don’t know what demographic reason there might be for Vietnamese being there – perhaps the Vietnamese speaking community in New Zealand has increased in recent years?”
“All in all, the lists give a good picture of the New Zealand linguistic situation and to me it really highlights the vital importance of interpreters and translators, since we can’t simply expect that everybody (whether New Zealand citizens or not) knows English well enough to be able to represent themselves in court proceedings.”
Benn Bathgate
benn.bathgate@stuff.co.nz
June 23, 2025
https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/360732341/afar-zulu-130-plus-languages-required-translation-court-and-cost
#metaglossia_mundus
"Imagine microscopes, thermometers, balances, pipettes and bunsen burners having native names, and science and all subjects and courses, taught in our own languages.
We would have been able to compete favourably and equitably within the so-called global village.
The Ministry of Education should boldly prioritise Ghanaian languages in our education system.
By doing so, we can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment for our students.
When students are taught in their native language, they are more likely to understand and retain complex concepts, leading to better academic performance.
Moreover, prioritising Ghanaian languages can help preserve our cultural heritage and promote national identity.
Our languages are an integral part of our history and traditions, and by promoting them, we can ensure their survival for future generations.
The current system, which prioritises foreign languages, particularly English, puts an undue burden on students, especially those from rural areas where English may not be widely spoken.
This can lead to a high dropout rate and poor academic performance.
By adopting a more localised approach to education, we can empower our students to succeed and contribute to the development of our nation.
It's time for the Ministry of Education to rethink our language policy and prioritise Ghanaian languages in our education system.
This can be achieved by developing curriculum materials in Ghanaian languages, training teachers to teach in local languages and encouraging the use of Ghanaian languages in schools and communities.
By taking these steps, we can create a more inclusive and effective educational system that benefits all students, regardless of their background or location.
It's time to put our languages and cultures at the forefront of our education system and give our students the tools they need to succeed.
Moses Sackie Agbemava,
Presbyterian Church of Ghana,
Dansoman Estates, Accra"
https://www.graphic.com.gh/features/opinion/ghana-news-ministry-of-education-prioritise-ghanaian-languages-over-any-foreign-language.html
Des centaines de personnes pratiquent le métier d'interprètes dans le réseau de la santé.
"Les interprètes, le « lien de confiance » pour les allophones dans le réseau de la santé
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L'interprète Olga Lacasse et la travailleuse sociale Geneviève Thibault discute avec une personne assise dos à la caméra.
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L'interprète Olga Lacasse et la travailleuse sociale Geneviève Thibault ont accompagné de nombreux patients ensemble.
Flavie Sauvageau
Publié à 9 h 00 UTC+1
La version audio de cet article est générée par la synthèse vocale, une technologie basée sur l’intelligence artificielle.
Des centaines de personnes au Québec pratiquent le métier d’interprètes dans le milieu de la santé. Ils côtoient au quotidien des patients qui ne parlent pas encore le français et permettent de faciliter leur lien avec les soignants.
Depuis 2022, Olga Lacasse pratique le métier d'interprète dans le réseau de la santé, à Québec. À la demande des professionnels de la santé, elle accompagne les patients qui ne parlent ou ne comprennent pas encore le français à leurs rendez-vous médicaux ou avec les services sociaux.
Moi, je traduis en ukrainien et j'ai commencé à cause de la guerre en Ukraine. Avec l'arrivée d'Ukrainiens qui ne parlaient pas français au début, il y avait un besoin urgent d’interprètes, se souvient celle qui travaillait auparavant en relations internationales.
Suivis médicaux, rendez-vous d’urgence, rencontres avec la DPJ ou encore accouchements… Elle est appelée à travailler dans toutes sortes de situations, pas toujours faciles à entendre, notamment lorsqu’elle aide les déplacés d’une guerre.
Un cahier posé sur des genoux. Une main qui tient un crayon pour écrire dans le cahier.
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Les interprètes répondent en moyenne à 270 demandes par jour dans le réseau de la santé.
AILLEURS SUR INFO : La confiance envers le ministre Drainville est entamée, disent la FAE et la CSQ
En tant qu’humaine, on ne peut pas rester toujours sans émotion, mais on essaye toujours de rester neutre, empathique, mais neutre pour s'assurer que les messages de médecins ou de notre client soient bien transmis, explique-t-elle, précisant qu’elle travaille toujours pour les deux parties : le médecin et le patient.
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Olga fait au moins 10 accompagnements par semaine. Elle rappelle que son rôle n’est pas de faire le travail des médecins, mais plutôt de les aider à transmettre leur message aux usagers, avec respect et de manière neutre.
Des services disponibles en 90 langues
On a des interprètes pour couvrir 90 langues, donc c'est quand même énorme, lance Stéphanie Fiset, adjointe à la direction de l'Hôpital Jeffery Hale - Saint Brigid's.
À travers toute la province, ils sont 400 interprètes à répondre à environ 270 demandes d’interprétation ou de traduction, chaque jour, indique celle qui est aussi gestionnaire de la banque d’interprètes. Au total, 80 000 demandes sont faites dans la province par année.
Et le recrutement est constant. Il s’adapte aux différentes vagues migratoires selon les régions.
Les qualités qu'on recherche? Un niveau qui est quand même assez élevé. [Il] faut vraiment être capable d'être en mesure de comprendre les nuances. Quand on parle de langage médical aussi, énumère la gestionnaire.
On a besoin des gens qui sont capables d'avoir une coupure professionnelle, parce que parfois ils entendent des choses qui ne sont vraiment pas faciles. Il faut être capable d'être humain, mais de rester quand même distant, croit-elle.
Les cinq langues les plus demandées pour les services d’interprétation
Langue
Nombre de demandes en 2024-2025
Proportion par rapport au nombre total de demandes
Espagnol 7250 36 %
Arabe 3150 16%
Swahili 1870 9 %
Népalais 1575 8 %
Rohingya 832 4 %
À elles seules, ces cinq langues représentent 73 % des demandes totales au CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale.
Source : CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale
Des « courroies de transmission »
La présence d’interprètes comme Olga Lacasse lors de rendez-vous fait vraiment la différence pour les patients, constate Geneviève Thibault, qui est travailleuse sociale à la Clinique santé des réfugiés et aux Services aux demandeurs d’asile de l’hôpital Jeffery-Hale.
Moi je suis vraiment là pour voir comment se passe l'adaptation et l'intégration au Québec, donc je suis là aussi pour évaluer, voir au niveau des chocs post-traumatiques, est-ce que ça se passe bien? La personne, au niveau psychosocial et psychologique, comment elle va? , décrit-elle.
L'interprète Olga Lacasse et la travailleuse sociale Geneviève Thibault.
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L'interprète Olga Lacasse et la travailleuse sociale Geneviève Thibault.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Bruno Giguère
Ces rencontres sont souvent des moments très émotifs entre l’intervenante et son patient, même si la barrière de la langue se dresse entre eux.
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D'où l'importance que les interprètes soient présents, souligne-t-elle, parce que je ne parle pas le swahili, je ne parle pas l'ukrainien, je ne parle pas le kinyarwanda. Donc eux sont vraiment notre courroie de transmission.
Et leur apport a un effet visible pour les patients dans son bureau. Pour eux, c'est le lien de confiance. C'est quelqu'un qui, souvent, partage la même culture. C'est quelqu'un qui a les mêmes référents culturels, fait que je le vois clairement, décrit celle qui a souvent travaillé avec Olga Lacasse.
Un de leurs souvenirs marquants ensemble : un suivi de grossesse. Je me rappelle qu'on a les petits yeux mouillés parce qu’on entend le cœur fœtal. Puis là, la maman est émue, puis là, Olga est émue. Puis là, je suis émue, raconte-t-elle avec le sourire.
Fusion des banques d'interprètes du Québec
L’automne dernier, la banque d’interprète du CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale a fusionné avec celle du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l 'Île-de-Montréal, pour créer la nouvelle Banque d'interprètes du réseau de la santé et des services sociaux.
L’objectif, c'est vraiment d'avoir un service 24/7 pour les personnes du Québec qui ne sont pas capables de s'exprimer en français, explique Stéphanie Fiset.
Le fait d’offrir des soins de santé dans une autre langue que le français ou l’anglais a été codifié dans la réforme de la Charte de la langue française."
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2174202/interprete-soins-de-sante-allophone-quebec
#metaglossia_mundus
The newly established Hellenic Language Institute (INEL) aims to position Greek as a global language of thought and cultural connection. At its inaugural conference at the Acropolis Museum, experts from 15 countries explored ways to preserve, teach, and revitalise Greek for future generations.
"...Greek is not a relic of the past. It’s a living, dynamic language with global potential—and a vital tool for the future. That’s the message at the heart of the new Hellenic Language Institute (INEL), led by Evangelia Georgantzi, a veteran educator with decades of experience teaching Greek as a second and foreign language.
Speaking to AMNA from the Acropolis Museum, where INEL’s inaugural conference recently took place, Georgantzi laid out the institute’s mission: to preserve, promote, and expand the use of Greek worldwide, not only among diaspora communities but for anyone seeking access to a language rich in philosophy, precision, and cultural depth.
A language of thought, not just tradition
Founded with support from the Qualco Foundation and Qualco Group, INEL envisions Greek not simply as a ‘heritage language’ but as a contemporary tool of expression, cognition, and intercultural understanding. An estimated 13–15 million people worldwide currently speak Greek, either as a first or second language. Georgantzi’s goal is to grow that number through education, cultural diplomacy, and digital innovation.
“The Greek language has an unmatched ability to express abstract concepts with philosophical depth,” she explained. “It offers both historical continuity and a modern voice, bridging the past and pointing toward the future.”
The challenge for the Diaspora: A living legacy
Georgantzi pointed to a dual challenge, especially for Greek communities abroad: preventing language loss among second, third, and now fourth-generation Greek Australians, while also making the language appealing to broader audiences...
Modern tools for a timeless language
INEL’s strategy includes initiatives like the Ellinika Gia Sas (“Greek for You”) program, supported in 11 languages, and the embrace of digital tools that support hybrid and personalised learning.
At the conference, over 20 universities from 15 countries shared innovative teaching methods. Notably, Australia’s use of the VoiceThread platform and the unveiling of Kri-Kri, a Greek AI language tool developed by the Athena Research Center as a companion to ChatGPT, drew major interest.
Sessions focused on experiential learning, intercultural mediation, and AI in education. “The exchange of best practices can benefit both Greek education abroad and domestic public schools,” Georgantzi added.
The future: A permanent global forum
A major outcome of the conference is INEL’s plan to institutionalise it as a recurring global forum. The next steps include creating a scientific network and building partnerships with international organisations and Greek language programs abroad..."
23 June 2025 3:29pm
Twitter: @NeosKosmos
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2025/06/23/news/diaspora/greek-is-not-just-heritage-its-a-global-language-for-the-future-says-hellenic-language-institute-president/
#metaglossia_mundus
This collection of essays explores the translation of Petrarch’s vernacular verse (Canzoniere and Triumphi) in early modern Britain, from the first Tudor translations to its many literary transformations and cultural re-appropriations in the Elizabethan and Stuart periods.
"Translating Petrarch in early modern Britain gathers twelve essays by international scholars focusing on the translation of Petrarch’s vernacular verse (Canzoniere and Triumphi) into English, from the Tudor age to the mid-seventeenth century (and beyond).
Approaching translation as an interpretive process, but also a mode of literary emulation and cultural engagement with Petrarch’s prestigious precedent, the collection explores the complex and interconnected trajectories of both poetic works in English and Scottish literary milieux. While situating each translation in its distinct historical, material, and literary context, the essays trace the reception of Petrarch’s works in early modern Britain through the combined processes of linguistic and metric innovation, literary imitation, musical adaptation and cultural and material ‘domestication’.
The collection sheds light on the origins and development of early modern English Petrarchism as part of wider transnational – and indeed, translational — European literary culture."
Manchester University Press
Edited by Marie-Alice Belle, Riccardo Raimondo, Francesco Venturi
9781526173034
1 September 2025
Hardback
384pp
240x170mm
RFB
AUD$210.00
NZD$240.00
https://newsouthbooks.com.au/books/translating-petrarch-in-early-modern-britain/#:~:text=The%20collection%20sheds%20light%20on,%2C%20translational%20%E2%80%94%20European%20literary%20culture.
#metaglossia_mundus
Book Awards India: Writers express concern as JCB Prize for Literature quietly halts operations, ending a key platform for Indian languages.
Malayalam writer Benyamin, who won the debut award in 2018 for his book “Jasmine Days” translated into English by Shahnaz Habib, said that the news is “deeply disappointing”. “...as the JCB Prize was a highly promising recognition for Indian literature -- not just Indian English writing, but also regional languages. It was a respected and influential award that played a significant role in helping Indian literature reach a global audience,” the author of “Goat Days” told PTI.
In its seven editions, the award has gone to translated works of fiction five times. In 2020, S Hareesh’s “Moustache”, translated from the Malayalam by Jayashree Kalathil, won the award. M Mukundan’s “Delhi: A Soliloquy”, translated from the Malayamal by Fathima E V and Nandakumar K, won the prize in 2021. The award in 2022 went to Urdu author Khalid Jawed’s “The Paradise of Food”, translated by Baran Farooqui, followed by Tamil author Perumal Murugan’s “Fire Bird”, translated by Janani Kannan, in 2023. “This is a great loss for Indian languages. Malayalam translations have won the award three times, Tamil once, and Urdu has also been recognized. It's truly disheartening,” Murugan said.
The award in 2019 was given to Madhuri Vijay for “The Far Field”. Author Namita Gokhale said that it is possible that they might be “reconsidering the format”, while appreciating the work done by the JCB Prize...
Karthika VK, publisher of Westland Books, said that the prize added a “great deal to the publishing ecosystem”. "I am sorry to hear that it's shutting down. We can only hope others will come come along to fill the gap and sponsor prizes, grants, residencies, to support writers and translators,” she said.
In its run of seven years, the award courted controversy ahead of the prize announcement last year when over a hundred writers, poets and publishers came out with an open letter condemning JCB, the British bulldozer manufacturer and the organiser of the literature prize, for allegedly “uprooting” the lives of poor and marginalised in India as well as Palestine.
Benyamin said that the criticism “missed the point”. “...it’s not the equipment that should be blamed, but those who choose to misuse it. The same machines are also used to build also. I can't align myself with that kind of reasoning, especially when the prize itself had such a positive impact. I hope they will reconsider and they will reinstate the prize for Indian literature,” he said. The award followed the process of call for entry, a longlist of 10 books, a shortlist of five books and finally, a winner. Each of the shortlisted authors was awarded Rs one lakh, and if the shortlisted piece were a translation, the translator received Rs 50,000. If a translated work won the prize, the author would take home Rs 25 lakh while the translator received the prize money of Rs 10 lakh.
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jcb-prize-for-literature-makes-quiet-exit-causes-concern-among-writers-3596542
#metaglossia_mundus
Deepa Bhasthi’s translator’s note for Heart Lamp, winner of the International Booker Prize 2025, challenges translation conventions. As translators claim creative agency and push back against conventions like italicisation, the way a translator’s role is perceived is evolving.
"‘Against Italics’ - Deepa Bhasthi’s translator’s note for Heart Lamp, which won the International Booker Prize 2025, made headlines. The translator’s note section, which is usually skipped, drew attention this time. “Setting aside the futile debate of what is lost and found in translation”, Ms. Bhasthi talks about her deliberate choice to not use italics for the Kannada, Urdu, and Arabic words that remain untranslated in English.
Ms. Bhasthi ends the translator’s note saying, “Italics serve to not only distract visually, but more importantly, they announce words as imported from another language, exoticising them and keeping them alien to English. By not italicising them, I hope the reader can come to these words without interference, and in the process of reading with the flow, perhaps even learn a new word or two in another language. Same goes for footnotes – there are none”. While talking to The Hindu, Ms. Bhasthi says this translator’s note has been met with a lot of love and care, and attention by readers as well."
https://www.thehindu.com/education/beyond-heart-lamps-success-translators-are-slowly-getting-the-credit-thats-due/article69716831.ece
#metaglossia_mundus
"Cassava announces another MoU – to train LLMs in African languages and ‘context’
Cassava Technologies is building an African AI ecosystem, from its own AI factory to alliances with NVIDIA, developers and a solutions firm
Cassava Technologies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a startup Vambo AI to build “Africa’s own large language models” – that is, LLMs trained using African languages and culture. Vambo AI will be given access to Cassava’s AI Factory to train and deploy a series of open-source language models.
“We’re not just building tools, we’re building the future,” said Vambo AI’s CEO, Chido Dzinotyiwei.
This is just the latest tie-up in a recent flurry for Cassava, having teamed up with Zindi in May to court AI developers, and, inevitably, NVIDIA, the world’s biggest AI chip maker. As TechZIM put it, added to the deal with Vambo AI, this constitutes “a full-stack African AI ecosystem”. Then’s there’s also the recent tie-up with Sand Technologies, the a global enterprise AI solutions company.
It launched its own AI unit in July 2024. In March it announced “new strategic appointments to the leadership team as the organisation ushers in the next growth phase and ensures future competitiveness”. The new appointments were announced after the company closed several rounds of funding and investment, “underpinned by a strong balance sheet”.
Vambo AI’s multilingual AI tools
Vambo is building multilingual AI tools, for translation, transcription, content generation and smart search across 44 African and 20 international languages. Its imminent Jua Series of open-source models will be released under permissive licence which will allow local developers and researchers to build on top of it, without the bother of non-disclosure agreements or gatekeeping."
Annie Turner
16 June 2025
https://www.mobileeurope.co.uk/cassava-announces-another-mou-to-train-llms-in-african-languages-and-context/
#metaglossia_mundus
Salaire divisé par deux, moins de contrats, perte de sens… Les traducteurs percutés de plein fouet par l’IA générative
Publié le 22 juin 2025 à 09:31
Depuis deux ans, leur vie professionnelle a été bouleversée par la vague de l’IA générative. Récit du combat donquichottesque des traducteurs qui refusent de voir leurs métiers se paupériser, et qui dénoncent la réalité de l’impact de l’IA sur leur secteur, et plus largement sur la langue, la pensée, la culture et la société
« Toutes les semaines, on a des collègues (traducteurs) qui arrêtent. C’est l’hécatombe ». En novembre 2022, ChatGPT, l’agent conversationnel d’OpenAI, était lancé aux États-Unis, marquant le début de la vague de l’intelligence artificielle (IA). Si plusieurs études ont prédit la fin de certains métiers, le tsunami a bel et bien déferlé sur le secteur des traducteurs. Et près de trois ans plus tard : les professionnels de la traduction que nous avons interrogés sont unanimes. Il y a bien eu un avant et un après ChatGPT.
« Ces deux dernières années, la dégradation de nos conditions de travail s’est vraiment accélérée, notamment pour des personnes (indépendantes) comme moi qui travaillent pour des intermédiaires, comme les agences de traduction », confie Julie, qui a souhaité rester anonyme. « On n’en est plus à des commandes de traduction, mais exclusivement à de la post-édition », déplore cette indépendante qui traduit depuis plusieurs années des textes techniques et marketing.
Depuis deux ans, leur vie professionnelle a été bouleversée par la vague de l'IA générative. Récit du combat donquichottesque des traducteurs qui refusent de voir leurs métiers se paupériser, et qui dénoncent la réalité de l'impact de l'IA sur leur secteur, et plus largement sur la langue, la pensée, la culture et la société.
"Pour les néophytes, « la “post-édition”, c’est le mot qu’on utilisait avant pour l’IA générative », précise-t-elle : il s’agit de travailler non plus exclusivement sur le texte original, mais sur une première version « traduite » par des outils de traduction automatique (TAN) ou d’IA générative (IAG). « Les agences de traduction cherchent depuis longtemps à nous imposer l’utilisation de ces systèmes. Et jusqu’en 2023, on pouvait encore dire non. Mais depuis ChatGPT, c’est terminé », regrette la trentenaire.
Une rémunération divisée par deux
« On a vraiment vu un basculement du discours du : “c’est inévitable, maintenant, vous utilisez la traduction automatique/l’IA générative, et vous serez payés deux fois moins” », confirme Laura, une autre indépendante, membre du collectif de traducteurs IA-lerte générale. Résultat : « J’ai un salaire divisé par deux. Certains clients m’ont remplacé par Deepl » (une plateforme de traduction automatique grand public NDLR), souligne celle qui traduit des textes techniques et marketing. La tendance se constaterait dans tous les métiers de la traduction, bien que certains domaines soient plus touchés que d’autres.
Un sondage réalisé en mars 2025 par l’ATAA, l’association des traducteurs et adaptateurs de l’audiovisuel, et auquel ont répondu près de 450 traducteurs, montre une baisse d’activité particulièrement marquée entre le premier trimestre 2024 et le début de cette année. Parmi toutes les activités du secteur (doublage, sous-titrage, voice-over, audiodescription, adaptation de scénario et de jeux vidéo), ce sont la voice-over et les sous-titrages pour sourds et malentendants qui sont de plus en plus traduits automatiquement ou via l’IAG. Les premières digues à sauter avant les autres ?
« On a demandé à une confrère, qui s’était occupée d’adapter en français une série étrangère, de s’occuper de la nouvelle saison, mais pour la première fois, avec de la post-édition. Elle a dit non, je ne fais pas de post édition. On lui a répondu : entendu, tu n’adapteras plus cette série », rapporte Stéphanie Lenoir, traductrice, adaptatrice, et présidente de l’ATAA.
Une autre étude, menée cette fois en avril 2025 par l’ATLF, l’association des traducteurs littéraires de France sur les conditions de travail des professionnels du secteur, et qui paraîtra début juillet, montre une réelle baisse de la rémunération des traducteurs d’édition, « oscillant entre 30 et 64 % », nous détaille l’organisation.
« C’est comme si une personne qui n’y connait rien en plomberie imposait une clé aux plombiers »
Pour Laura, « il y a vraiment une bataille qui a été perdue ou évitée, on ne sait pas trop. Mais nous, on n’a pas souscrit à ça, on n’est pas d’accord avec le fait d’avoir été mis devant le fait accompli » – comprenez : être obligé de passer par de la post-édition, et donc par de l’IA générative (IAG), pour traduire un texte. Face à ces remous, certains se sont regroupés en collectifs comme IA-lerte générale, ou En chair et en os. Leur objectif est de sensibiliser le grand public à la réalité de l’impact de l’IA sur leurs métiers, mais aussi à la réalité du travail de traduction.
Il faut dire que dans ce domaine, les malentendus sont légion, soulignent unanimement les traductrices que nous avons interrogées. À commencer par l’idée même de la post-édition. Son postulat est de dire : ces outils d’IAG et de traduction automatique vont faire gagner du temps aux traducteurs en « prémâchant » un premier jet, détaille Julie. Le problème est que « ces outils nous sont imposés dans 99 % des cas par des gens qui ne sont pas traducteurs, et qui vont dire : “tu as ChatGPT, c’est super” », poursuit-elle. Pour Valentine, une autre professionnelle indépendante qui traduit deux langues étrangères vers le français depuis une dizaine d’années, « c’est comme si une personne qui n’y connait rien en plomberie imposait une clé à molette aux plombiers ».
Il faut dire qu’au premier abord, « si on prend un texte et qu’on le met dans l’IA, il en ressort des phrases qui sont, on va dire, grammaticales », reconnait-elle. « Ce n’est pas du charabia. Les gens sont impressionnés, ils se disent : j’ai appuyé sur “entrée”, j’ai ma traduction, alors à quoi ça sert de demander à quelqu’un de le faire, et de le payer », poursuit Julie.
« Mais la traduction, ce n’est pas cela. Ca se joue au niveau du sens, et le sens ne se réduit pas aux mots séparément », ajoute-t-elle. Les mots ne sont pas des choses bien distinctes et découpées. Un mot est un infini de possibilités, qui dépend de plusieurs facteurs culturels, émotionnels, inconscients, interpersonnels. Ce que fait l’IA, c’est mettre des mots les uns à la suite des autres. Et comme c’est probabiliste, de temps en temps, ça fonctionne, mais seulement en surface », estime-t-elle.
Même son de cloche chez Stéphanie Lenoir, traductrice dans l’audiovisuel et adaptatrice, pour qui : « les outils d’intelligence artificielle et de traduction automatique considèrent la langue comme un système de codage de la pensée. Traduire avec l’IAG, c’est passer d’un code A à un code B. Mais on ne peut pas réduire un texte à un code », tacle-t-elle.
« À la fin, on se dégrade »
Or, si les traductrices interrogées prennent le temps à nous décrire ce qu’est une traduction (humaine), c’est pour nous expliquer à quel point le fait de se voir imposer des outils de traduction automatique ou d’IA générative affecte leur travail en lui-même. Imaginez : « j’ai le texte source (dans sa langue d’origine) et j’ai la traduction automatique », expose Julie. Le problème est que « les LLM ne sont pas capables de faire toute l’analyse du texte. Il y a beaucoup de contresens, des mots pour lesquels le LLM va choisir le mauvais sens », sans compter « les répétitions, et la lourdeur de style », liste-t-elle.
Dit autrement, « je me retrouve à corriger un texte qui est bourré d’erreurs que moi, je n’aurais pas fait en amont, parce que je sais qu’il y a plein de pièges à éviter. Mais cela, la machine ne le sait pas. Et c’est extrêmement fatigant de faire cela. Je ne peux même pas dire que ça équivaut à reprendre le travail d’un débutant, parce que même un traducteur débutant ne ferait pas des telles erreurs », poursuit-elle.
« Pour en avoir discuté avec d’autres confrères et consœurs, reprendre de la post-édition, ça nous prend autant de temps, voir plus, que de traduire un texte de zéro. On est immédiatement pollué par les suggestions de la traduction automatique. Et c’est fatigant de passer son temps à se détacher de cette première impression qui est truffée de fautes et d’erreurs », regrette Julie.
Selon l’étude de l’ATLF à paraître en juillet prochain, les outils d’IAG et de traduction automatique sont peu utilisés aujourd’hui par les traducteurs littéraires. 93 % des professionnels interrogés déclaraient ne pas utiliser de tels systèmes pour traduire leur texte.
Mais certains comme Valentine y ont été économiquement contraints. La trentenaire explique avoir passé plusieurs semaines à faire de la post-édition « pas bien payée, où il faut aller vite ». Son constat : à la fin, « j’avais perdu toute notion de qualité, j’avais perdu la boussole à l’intérieur qui me disait : est-ce un bon texte ou pas ? Je me suis dit : “il faut que j’arrête tout de suite”. On dégrade nos compétences en fait, même sans le vouloir. On se dégrade. Et on n’arrive plus à écrire après », déplore-t-elle.
Si l’indépendante a aujourd’hui des commandes qui lui permettent de se passer de post-édition, elle ne sait pas combien de temps cela va durer. « Si j’étais à fond sur mes principes, je n’aurais pas de travail », reconnaît-elle. Pour Laura qui a fait le choix de refuser toute post-édition, les commandes sont devenues rares. « Si je n’étais pas en couple, je serais déjà aller travailler au Mc Do », confie-t-elle, avant d’ajouter : « beaucoup de gens n’ont pas le choix, ceux qui ont des enfants ou qui sont célibataires acceptent d’être payés deux fois moins pour régler les factures, et manger ».
Problème de sécurité, vol, travailleurs du clic…
Pour les traductrices que nous avons interrogées, la dégradation de la qualité des textes, de leur travail et de leur salaire est loin d’être le seul problème. D’abord, des textes particulièrement sensibles ou confidentiels peuvent finir dans la moulinette des outils d’IA, à l’image des notices d’utilisation de médicaments, de défibrillateur ou du nucléaire. « On risque d’avoir des erreurs grossières qui peuvent être graves. À côté du risque de se ridiculiser pour les textes marketing, pour tout ce qui est médical, nucléaire, très technique, la vie des gens est en jeu. On attend quoi, qu’il y ait un drame pour que les gens commencent à réagir ? », s’insurge Laura. Certains professionnels interrogés, engagés par des agences de traduction, se demandent même si leur client final sait réellement que leur texte est passé par de la « post-édition ».
Autre problème de taille : tout le système repose sur « du vol, des conséquences désastreuses pour la planète, et des travailleurs du clic » invisibilisés, déplore Laura, qui s’interroge : « finalement ça ne dérange pas trop les gens qu’on nous ait volé notre travail ». Les outils d’IA générative ont été formés sur des textes protégés par le droit d’auteur, sans l’autorisation de leurs auteurs et ayants-droit.
Les auteurs peinent à opposer leur refus d’utilisation de leurs œuvres dans ces phases d’entrainement. « Quand on pense qu’avant, on menaçait les adolescents qui téléchargeaient des films », lance Valentine, aussi membre du collectif AI-lerte générale, en référence à Hadopi qui envoyait des courriers et prononçait parfois des amendes en cas de téléchargement illégal.
Mais pour Stéphanie Lenoir qui considère les traducteurs comme des lanceurs d’alerte, touchés en première ligne par l’IA générative, le problème est bien plus profond. « Ce n’est pas tellement parce que nos métiers vont être les premiers à disparaître. Dans notre secteur, on est confrontés à ces sujets depuis cinq, voire dix ans. On a du recul et on est capables de bien comprendre les dérives que ça entraîne. Et le risque essentiel contre lequel il faut que les pouvoirs publics et le grand public se mobilisent, c’est la standardisation de notre langue à vitesse grand V, la normalisation de la pensée et de tous les modes d’expression ».
Car si notre système de langue est passé à une moulinette de traduction automatique (et de l’IAG), « on se remettra toujours dans le mode de fonctionnement de la pensée du modèle majoritaire (le modèle anglo-saxon NDLR) », développe-t-elle. « Ça ne permet plus d’exprimer de nuances, de positions divergentes. (On le voit avec) l’algorithme, fait pour fonctionner sur l’occurrence la plus fréquente. Donc ça ferme le champ de découverte, ça ferme le champ d’expression, ça ferme le champ de réflexion », martèle-t-elle.
À l’université, « on apprend déjà que le futur de la traduction, c’est la post-édition. En sortant de la fac, les jeunes ne font que ça. Donc en fait, ils ne savent pas traduire. Ce qui m’effraie, c’est qu’un jour, plus personne ne saura traduire, écrire par soi-même, penser par soi-même », souffle Valentine. La bataille n’est pour autant pas encore perdue, estime Laura. « Si j’ai un message à adresser aux traducteurs, qui sont dans la galère et qui ont envie de tout abandonner, c’est : gardez espoir. Plus on va être nombreux à sensibiliser, à défendre notre métier, à dénoncer, et plus on aura un impact. La traduction est un métier qui existe depuis des millénaires. Ce n’est pas possible qu’elle disparaisse comme ça, du jour au lendemain »."
https://www.01net.com/actualites/salaire-divise-par-deux-moins-de-contrats-perte-de-sens-les-traducteurs-percutes-de-plein-fouet-par-lia-generative.html
#metaglossia_mundus
Opposition parties allege that isiXhosa-speaking councillors are being silenced for speaking their mother tongue during council meetings.
"JEFFREYS BAY - The Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape is embroiled in a language controversy.
Opposition parties allege that isiXhosa-speaking councillors are being silenced for speaking their mother tongue during council meetings.
The Speaker, who reportedly does not speak isiXhosa, is accused of insisting that councillors use only English or Afrikaans, threatening action for non-compliance.
The Speaker maintains, however, that English has always been the primary language of council proceedings.
The caucus leader for the DA in the Kouga Municipality has dismissed the language bias claims.
Bornman Hattingh, who is also the mayor, says they've always used English and Afrikaans.
eNCA's Nceba Ntlanganiso filed this report.
https://www.enca.com/news-top-stories/language-row-erupts-during-kouga-council-meeting
#metaglossia_mundus
"The 20th International Congress on Minority Languages will be held from 24 to 27 June at Universidad Externado de Colombia in Bogotá. At the event, Kayleigh Karinen will present her research on the Basque language and well-being in Zuberoa, with support from the Etxepare Basque Institute.
Kayleigh Karinen
Researcher Kayleigh Karinen was awarded a grant by the Etxepare Basque Institute to undertake a research fellowship in Zuberoa in 2021. As part of this fellowship, she will present a paper on linguistic ideologies in the northern Basque Country at the upcoming conference in Colombia. Karinen was also a student in the Basque Studies language and culture programme in Helsinki, Finland, supported by the Etxepare Basque Institute..."
https://www.etxepare.eus/en/colombia-minority-languages-karinen
#metaglossia_mundus
"
By Press Trust of india -June 18, 2025
Puducherry: India, an aspirational nation in the world, cannot afford to be divided on the issue of languages, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Tuesday and appealed to the people to consider the future well-being of the country and “get over this storm.”
Also, he made a strong pitch for implementing the National Education Policy 2020 in letter and spirit, as it was a “game changer” in the education sector that could spur further development of the country.
Speaking at Pondicherry University, Dhankhar said, “NEP is not a policy of any government, and it allows our youth to fully exploit their talents and energy, and gives importance to all languages,” he said.
Dhankar, also the Chancellor of the university, said this in a veiled reference to political parties that oppose the implementation of NEP in the union territory, claiming the policy sought to impose Hindi.
The NEP, introduced after a gap of three decades, is a watershed moment in India’s academic journey, he said.
“India is the most aspirational nation in the world as a result of phenomenal development in the last decade,” the Vice President said and asked, “How can we be divided on languages?”
No country in the world was as rich as India when it came to languages. Sanskrit has global importance, and this language, along with Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Bengali, and Assamese, were 11 classical languages.
“In Parliament, the discourse is allowed by the members in 22 languages. Our languages indicate inclusivity. Sanatan teaches to be in togetherness for the same sublime purpose,” Dhankhar added. He appealed to everyone to “soul search, be reflective, and rise to the occasion and marvel at our great accomplishments.”
Further, he said: “Look at our destination, take into account the future, and let us get over the storm.”
On the NEP, the Vice President urged the states that have not implemented it “to rethink, revisit, because the NEP is a game changer”.
“I appeal to the states which have not adopted and those which are implementing it to realise what is given in the policy. Let our boys and girls be fully aware of the benefits of the policy through workshops,” he said.
The NEP is the best policy in the world as it offers the opportunity to pursue multiple courses and optimal utilisation of time.
He pointed out that the political leadership should bear in mind that there was no room for confrontation and that disruption and disturbance were not the mechanism which the framers of the Constitution taught us.
The VP has called upon universities to foster multi-disciplinarity, critical thinking, skill development, and innovation. He said that during the current march to achieve Vikshit Bharath in 2047, driven by a knowledge economy, our goal should be the creation of institutions of excellence.
The Vice President said that there was no greater equaliser than education. He appealed to industries, corporates, and business houses to invest in the education sector using the Corporate Social Responsibility scheme.
He said that there should be no endeavour to commodify or commercialise education as the mission should align with India`s gurukul system with emphasis on character development along with knowledge education. He said that the youth should come out of silos as silos restricted the vision to opportunities although opportunities were expanding exponentially for the youth in the country.
He praised the Pondicherry Central University for getting ‘A plus’ grade accreditation from the NAAC. This is a significant recognition for the University`s academic excellence and commitment. Lt governor K Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, and Vice Chancellor of the University P Prakash Babu were among those who spoke.
The Vice President, earlier, had an informal chat with a select team of newspersons before proceeding to the University. He said that the fourth estate was very fundamental to democracy and humanity. “We should keep our tempers down. A healthy democracy hinges on discussions and deliberations,” he said."
https://thekashmirimages.com/2025/06/18/india-cannot-afford-to-be-divided-over-languages-says-vp-dhankhar/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Kyivstar and Ukraine to build first national Ukrainian-language AI model
Veon and its Ukrainian subsidiary Kyivstar will partner with Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation to develop the country’s first national large language model (LLM) trained exclusively on Ukrainian-language data.
The initiative supports Veon and Kyivstar’s broader pledge to invest $1 billion into rebuilding Ukraine’s digital infrastructure from 2023 to 2027.
The LLM project aims to strengthen Ukraine’s technological sovereignty by creating a foundation for AI that reflects the country’s language, culture, and data privacy needs.
Developed using open-source architectures and trained entirely on Ukrainian data, the LLM will capture the full spectrum of dialects, historical context, and national terminology.
Crucially, all data will be securely processed and stored within Ukraine, an essential requirement for critical sectors such as healthcare, defence, government, and finance.
Beyond its cultural and linguistic relevance, the model is expected to underpin a range of AI-driven services, from legal and regulatory analysis to tailored applications for education, finance, and healthcare.
A first release is scheduled for December 2025, in collaboration with Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and the WINWIN AI Centre of Excellence.
“Today’s agreement is major milestone in building a sovereign, secure and culturally relevant AI ecosystem to drive economic growth, while empowering Ukrainians with tools that enhance their lives,” said Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of Veon Group.
“Ukrainian LLM will empower users to access augmented intelligence tools with the full cultural context and depth of their native language and national resources.”
Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar, added: “Leading the development of Ukraine’s national LLM is aligned with our vision as VEON’s digital operator in Ukraine. With Kyivstar’s deep technological expertise, AI capabilities, and commitment to national development, we are proud to contribute to Ukraine’s digital sovereignty.”
The project follows VEON’s other language-focused AI initiatives, including KazLLM in Kazakhstan and an Urdu-language LLM in Pakistan."
Saf Malik June 18, 2025 08:39 AM
https://www.capacitymedia.com/article-kyivstar-and-ukraine-ai-model
#metaglossia_mundus
Discrimination, Employment Barriers, Healthcare, Immigration, Language, Taiwan
Lost in Translation: How Language Barriers Shape the Integration of Southeast Asian Marriage Migrant Women in Taiwan
June 18, 2025
Introduction
Over the past few decades, Taiwan has quietly evolved into a multicultural society—home to more than half a million foreign spouses, the overwhelming majority of whom are women from Southeast Asia. By 2022, nearly 91 percent of all foreign spouses were female, with significant numbers arriving from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. [1] Such women, often labeled as “foreign brides,” play a central role in sustaining Taiwan’s care economy and demographic future—raising children, supporting aging in-laws, and bridging cultural worlds. Yet, while they are indispensable to Taiwanese households and society at large, these women are often rendered invisible, and their perspectives are frequently misunderstood, unheard, and overlooked.
At the heart of their marginalization lies a crucial challenge: limited fluency in Mandarin. For many of these women, this is not just a communication gap, it is also a deep-rooted barrier that shapes their access to healthcare, employment, education, and community life. Their lack of fluency reinforces social isolation, invites discrimination, and leaves them vulnerable within both public and private spheres.
These linguistic challenges do not exist in a vacuum. For over three decades, Southeast Asian marriage migrants have been stigmatized as “undesirable others” from “undeveloped countries” and reduced to tropes of passive victims, gold-diggers, or runaways. [2] Taiwanese public discourse often expects these migrants to embody the ideal of the “traditional, chaste, virtuous woman,” tasked with prioritizing their husband’s family and assimilating quietly. [3] Those who fall short—due to language, education, or cultural unfamiliarity—are further marginalized as “unfit mothers” who are incapable of raising the so-called “new second generation” (新二代) of Taiwan. [4] These damaging narratives compound migrants’ feelings of inferiority and disenfranchisement, silencing their agency and reinforcing their outsider status.
Despite recent government initiatives and grassroots support, language remains one of the most deeply entrenched—and yet most addressable—barriers to social inclusion. It continues to cast many Southeast Asian marriage migrants as perpetual outsiders, estranged even within their own homes and communities.
Employment Barriers
While approximately 74 percent of new immigrant spouses in Taiwan are employed—according to data from the Ministry of Labor—language proficiency remains a critical determinant of job quality, stability, and mobility. For many Southeast Asian marriage migrants, limited fluency in Mandarin or Taiwanese acts as a barrier to better employment opportunities. In a recent national survey, “foreign country” spouses (mostly Southeast Asians and others) were much more likely than mainland Chinese spouses to report problems in Chinese literacy and communication while on the job. About one in four new immigrant workers said they faced job‐related difficulties; among women the top concerns were low pay, juggling family and work, and especially weak Chinese reading/writing skills.
This language gap often relegates migrant women to informal or low-skilled sectors such as domestic caregiving, factory work, or hospitality—fields where linguistic competence is essential for safety and communication yet seldom supported through structured language training. Even with Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy (NSP, 新南向政策) aiming to boost economic and people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and countries in Southeast Asia, the NSP has failed to address labor issues, and many Taiwanese employers do not hire non‐Chinese speakers beyond menial tasks. Mandarin proficiency is frequently treated as a baseline requirement for employment, and hiring decisions often depend on social referrals rather than formal channels. As one Indonesian resident explained bluntly, “Almost all jobs in Taiwan require at least understanding Chinese.” One study found that many employers explicitly associate Southeast Asian migrants with low-skill labor and express concerns over their communication abilities—even when candidates have prior experience or relevant education. This dynamic reinforces a pattern of “double exclusion,” where migrants are disadvantaged both structurally—through the lack of accessible language training, adequate formal job matching services, and inclusive labor policies—and through employer bias. [5]
Without adequate language proficiency, many migrant women remain trapped in a cycle of constrained opportunity—ultimately reinforcing stereotypes about their educational backgrounds and capabilities and perpetuating a broader pattern of economic precarity and social marginalization.
Healthcare Access and Utilization
In addition to limiting employment opportunities, language barriers are also a critical obstacle preventing Southeast Asian marriage migrants in Taiwan from accessing timely and effective healthcare. Most of these women, lacking basic language and literacy skills, struggle with low health literacy, making it difficult to understand medical information or navigate the healthcare system. In practice, this often results in missed preventive care, misunderstanding of diagnoses or treatment plans, and harmful outcomes. According to one 2019 survey, 17.1 percent of marital migrants cited language barriers when visiting doctors, frequently leading to miscommunication, incorrect treatments, or delayed care. One woman mistakenly fed her child the wrong formula due to instructions written only in Chinese; another was unable to convey a serious medication allergy, placing her in immediate danger. [6] In the absence of professional interpretation, many women rely on spouses, children, or informal helpers to communicate—raising significant risks to patient safety and autonomy.
These real-world consequences underscore the urgent need for a more systematic and equitable approach to language access in healthcare. A 2019 study found that 60 percent of migrant respondents wanted an in-person interpreter, while 51 percent requested medical documents in their native language. One Vietnamese interviewee reflected, “I couldn’t understand anything… medical information was beyond reach until a health center translator helped.”
Taiwan has taken steps to improve healthcare access for migrants under the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s 2016 “Multi-language Translation for Healthcare Service Initiative.” Measures include an online platform to match volunteer interpreters, pilot instant interpretation services, and the translation of 225 medical forms into 20 languages. Migrant-friendly clinics have also been piloted at Taipei Veterans General Hospital (north), Changhua Christian Hospital (central/west), Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital (east), and Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital (south). However, a 2020 study found that these initiatives remain fragmented, highlighting significant gaps in the availability of professional medical interpreters, the lack of a legal framework to protect medical interpreting, and insufficient dissemination of information about national healthcare resources to support migrants in Taiwan. [7]
Without treating language access as essential healthcare infrastructure—rather than an optional support—Taiwan will continue to underserve one of its most vulnerable populations.
Social Acceptance and Discrimination
Beyond services, language differences influence how society treats foreign spouses. As a result, public attitudes in Taiwan remain ambivalent. Surveys of expatriates praise Taiwanese friendliness, but many local citizens are still unaccustomed to non‐Chinese speakers. Even the common term “foreign bride” betrays bias: it implies pervasive xenophobia and discrimination against married immigrant women, casting them as outsiders and subordinates. Language aptitude—or lack thereof—often reinforces stereotypes. For instance, Indonesian brides who can speak the Hakka dialect are seen more favorably and have fewer issues communicating, while those who only speak their native tongue are often marginalized. [8]
These linguistic deficits also create dependency and power imbalances within families. Many new immigrant women rely heavily on their husbands or in-laws to navigate daily life. This dynamic can reinforce the stereotype of the “submissive foreign wife,” limiting their autonomy and increasing their vulnerability—especially in abusive households. Linguistic isolation is a known factor in preventing women from reporting domestic violence or accessing help, leaving many trapped in silence.
Outside the home, social and familial exclusion is common. A 2025 feature by the Taiwanese National Immigration Agency (NIA, 內政部移民署) lists “lack of social support networks” and strained family relationships—particularly difficulties with spouses and in-laws, including frequent conflicts with mothers-in-law—as key integration challenges faced by new immigrant women from Southeast Asia in Taiwan. Migrant women who speak “broken” Mandarin often find themselves ignored by colleagues or neighbors. Some face outright discrimination at work: long-time workers reported that such women often earned lower pay for the same work compared to their counterparts—i.e. local Taiwanese women—or were passed over for promotions by colleagues due to perceived language deficiencies.
Within the household, language barriers are also closely linked to stigma and interpersonal strain. Research shows that miscommunication with in-laws, especially mothers-in-law, frequently provokes conflict and emotional distress for such women in Taiwan. [9] One illustrative case involved a Vietnamese woman who could not understand her mother-in-law’s mixture of Mandarin and Hoklo, prompting the mother-in-law to call a government-supported hotline for translation assistance in order to communicate how to feed the baby properly. This reliance on third-party intervention underscores how limited language proficiency can disrupt even basic caregiving routines and familial trust. They also often feel disrespected or misunderstood, reinforcing their perception as outsiders in both familial and societal contexts. [10] Such linguistic exclusion compounds social stigma and isolates migrant women from broader community life and women often remain at home, unable to join local groups or events without language support.
Still, many foreign brides are eager to integrate. One survey notes that “many new immigrant women are eager to learn the language and understand local culture” in hopes of gaining respect and social acceptance. Yet, even these efforts are often met with limited institutional support—such as insufficient access to affordable and flexible language classes, lack of culturally sensitive social services, inadequate outreach programs, and minimal governmental or community resources to assist with their social integration—and public ambivalence. In this context, language barriers do more than isolate, they contribute to a wider system of structural and symbolic exclusion that keeps women on the margins of both family and society.
Grassroots Efforts and Policy Recommendations
In Taiwan, grassroots movements have proven essential in addressing the language-related marginalization of Southeast Asian marriage migrants—especially where state efforts fall short. The TransAsia Sisters Association, Taiwan (TASAT), founded in 2003, is a standout example. Originally launched to provide literacy classes to immigrant brides, TASAT has evolved into a dynamic advocacy force led by and for migrant women. It operates multilingual hotlines, peer-staffed workshops, and creative platforms like the TASAT Troupe, which uses theater to expose the lived consequences of linguistic and social exclusion.
Similarly, the Alliance for Human Rights Legislation for Immigrants and Migrants (AHRLIM)—founded by Taiwanese researcher and activist Hsia Hsiao-chuan (夏曉鵑)—has played a pivotal role in shaping national policy. Through large-scale grassroots mobilization, AHRLIM successfully pushed for major amendments to Taiwan’s Immigration Act (2007) and the Statute Governing Relations with Mainland China (2009), amplifying the voices of immigrant communities and strengthening legal protections for foreign spouses. [11]
Migrant women have been central to these movements, demonstrating that language barriers are not simply personal challenges—they are deeply political issues tied to legal status, access to citizenship, and public recognition. Yet, while grassroots efforts like TASAT and AHRLIM have made significant gains, they cannot shoulder this burden alone. These community-based responses must be reinforced by state-led, structural interventions that address the root causes of exclusion and remove linguistic barriers across all sectors—employment, healthcare, and other social services.
Based on my research, I propose the following targeted policy recommendations:
Expand language education: The government should subsidize Mandarin and Taiwanese language courses for immigrant spouses, both pre-arrival and post-arrival, through municipal service centers and trusted community organizations such as TASAT. These programs should offer flexible scheduling and provide on-site childcare to accommodate caregiving responsibilities, employ bilingual instructors and peer mentors to enhance accessibility, and be formally linked to residency and naturalization pathways, providing supportive—not punitive—language proficiency benchmarks.
Ensure Interpretation in Public Services: Public hospitals and clinics should mandate the use of professional interpreters to ensure effective communication. Services should be offered in major migrant languages such as Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tagalog, and Thai. Additionally, key forms, prescriptions, and educational materials must be translated into these languages. To further support diverse communities, multilingual assistance should also be expanded in schools and social welfare offices.
Enhance community outreach. Municipal integration centers should be established by local governments in partnership with the NIA under the Ministry of the Interior, and supported by trusted community organizations like TASAT. They should be financially supported by the NIA and staffed by local governments to offer valuable services such as peer-led language cafés and civic education programs. These centers can also provide parenting support and raise awareness of rights among immigrant families. To reach isolated or rural women, home visits should be conducted, ensuring that support is accessible to all members of the community.
Strengthen Parental Engagement: Schools should be equipped to engage immigrant mothers in meaningful ways by hiring bilingual parent liaisons who can bridge language and cultural gaps. Interpreted school events and translated materials should be provided to ensure accessibility for all families. Additionally, involving immigrant mothers as classroom assistants and cultural ambassadors can foster a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.
By treating language support as foundational, Taiwan can turn diversity into strength. In the words of one official, foreign spouses and their children “are a new generation of Taiwanese” who are worth the government’s attention. Reducing linguistic barriers will help these families fully participate in society—from the marketplace to the hospitals—and will not only improve the lives of these women but also build a more inclusive, cohesive Taiwanese society.
The main point: Limited proficiency in Mandarin lies at the core of the challenges faced by Southeast Asian marriage migrants in Taiwan. It underpins their struggles with employment discrimination, healthcare access, and social exclusion, reinforcing their marginalization within families and society. To break this cycle, Taiwan must invest in accessible language education, mandate professional interpretation in public services, and expand community outreach programs. Only by doing so can Taiwan ensure the full participation of these women, and build a truly inclusive society.
This research was supported by the Taiwan Education and Research Program (TERP) Fellowship at the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, George Washington University.
[1] Ministry of the Interior, Immigration Agency, ROC, “Number of Foreign Spouses and Mainland (Including Hong Kong and Macao) Spouses,” Data.gov.tw, https://data.gov.tw/en/datasets/13503.
[2] Danièle Bélanger, Hye-Kyung Lee, and Hong-Zen Wang, “Ethnic Diversity and Statistics in East Asia: ‘Foreign Brides’ Surveys in Taiwan and South Korea,” Ethnic and Racial Studies 33, no. 6 (2010): 1108.
[3] Hong-Zen Wang and Danièle Bélanger, “Taiwanizing Female Immigrant Spouses and Materializing Differential Citizenship,” Citizenship Studies 12, no. 1 (2008): 91.
[4] Pei-Chia Lan, “From Reproductive Assimilation to Neoliberal Multiculturalism: Framing and Regulating Immigrant Mothers and Children in Taiwan,” Journal of Intercultural Studies 40, no. 3 (2019): 318.
[5] Hae Na Kim, Yun Hsiang Hsu, Chih-Yu Chen, and Kuo-Jung Lin, “How Are Migrants Viewed in the Eyes of Employers? Double Exclusion among Immigrants in Taiwan,” Omnes 10, no. 2 (2020): 121–23.
[6] Feng-Yuan Chu et al., “Factors Associated with Access of Marital Migrants and Migrant Workers to Healthcare in Taiwan: A Questionnaire Survey with Quantitative Analysis,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 16 (August 8, 2019): 2830.
[7] Kuan, Ai Seon, Tzeng-Ji Chen, and Wui-Chiang Lee. “Barriers to Health Care Services in Migrants and Potential Strategies to Improve Accessibility: A Qualitative Analysis.” Journal of the Chinese Medical Association 83, no. 1 (January 2020): 95–101.
[8] Chih-jou Jay Chen and Te-lin Yu, “Public Attitudes toward Taiwan’s Immigration Policies,” Taiwanese Sociology, no. 10 (December 2005): 95–148.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Shu, Bih-Ching, For-Wey Lung, and Ching-Hsing Chen. “Mental Health of Female Foreign Spouses in Transnational Marriages in Southern Taiwan.” BMC Psychiatry 11, no. 1 (2011): 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-11-4
[11] Lu, Melody Chia-Wen, and Wei-Jun Jean Yeung. “The Rise in Cross-National Marriages and the Emergent Inequalities in East and Southeast Asia.” Sociology Compass 18, no. 5 (2024): 8–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.13219.
[12] Hsiao-Chuan Hsia, “Foreign Brides, Multiple Citizenship and the Immigrant Movement in Taiwan,” Asian and Pacific Migration Journal 18, no. 1 (2009): 17–46."
https://globaltaiwan.org/2025/06/lost-in-translation/
#metaglossia_mundus
"Preserving Languages and Amplifying Indigenous Women’s Poetry through the Art of Translation
Clare Sullivan
June 18, 2025
By Stephanie Godward, Communications and Marketing Director, College of Arts & Sciences
The driving force behind Clare Sullivan’s work as a translator of Indigenous poetry stems from the answer to this question: “Who are the people we hear from the least?”
“It was women,” Sullivan said. “And who do we hear from even less? Indigenous women, who are seldom read, and who are seldom recognized on so many levels. There's so much prejudice within their own countries against Indigenous people. I thought that would be a great place to start, to find these voices that are getting completely lost, and the languages that are getting lost, unfortunately. This felt like something urgent to do, that would give meaning to what I am doing.”
A Spanish professor in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Sullivan recently received a Distinguished Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research, and Creative Activity in Humanities within the College of Arts & Sciences.
Sullivan holds a PhD in Spanish from New York University and received a 2010 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to translate Natalia Toledo’s Olivo negro. Guie' yaase'. Published as The Black Flower and other Zapotec Poems(Phoneme Media, 2015), her translation was shortlisted for the Best Translated Book Award of 2015.
In her career as a translator, Sullivan said the most important aspect is time, because time creates the space for trust to grow.
"Natalia Toleda and I just finished a book together, and the book itself was a process of about ten years,” Sullivan said. “We have been working together for 15 years at least, maybe a little more, and she’s just starting to trust me, frankly. It takes a long time to build that.”
It also takes time to visit the writer’s home country and to get to know as much as possible about the language and culture, which is often difficult because there is no relation between the Indigenous languages of Mexico and Spanish or English.
“So, it’s starting from zero,” she states. “It takes a lot of learning and research. And besides time, it’s the dialogue that you develop with the author, and other people from the community. You have to ask tons of questions. Sometimes Natalia laughs at me and says, ‘More questions from you?’ You need to ask because you don’t know what you don’t know. Especially in poetry, you want to know the details. You’ve got to ask a lot of questions.”
Earlier in her career, Sullivan was a member of the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. She spent a lot of time with children there, and discovered a culture reliant on oral communication, with a lack of electricity and a lack of televisions.
“People spend a lot of time talking. The kids would always come over to me with riddles, or sing songs, and I was trying to share these things I was getting. I was also trying to read a lot in Spanish. I wanted to share with my family or friends from home. And that’s what got me started,” she said.
When she started teaching Spanish, she learned more and more about different cultures.
“It was amazing that initially I did not know there were more than 68 languages in Mexico besides Spanish, and it was this mind-blowing thing, and a part of the learning experience about language,” Sullivan said. “It showed us how diverse and complex language really is. It kept exploding, because then you realize there are so many more languages in every culture, on every continent, than you know about.”
Sullivan particularly focuses on translating poetry because of its universal nature amongst humanity.
“What I have always loved about poetry is that it connects people. That’s why there is poetry in every culture and in every language. It's very human,” Sullivan said. “It’s connected to senses, sight, sound, even taste, and it’s a way to reproduce experience, or more than ideas. It’s about sharing experience from one person to another and maybe from one culture or language to another. It lends itself to understanding other people and to connecting with other people.”
Sullivan says the key to translation is deep listening.
"I used to think that translation is the deepest form of reading. It is because you don’t just read something; you read it so many times. But it’s even more about listening. I love when a poet can give me a recording so that I can listen to the music of it,” she said. “In order to understand it, I have to listen to the poet and to the poetry. And it’sreally helpful to memorize a poem, too. You're drawn into another world in a way once you can hear that original and internalize it somewhat.”
As she reflects on her work as a translator and teacher, the line between the two becomes beautifully blurred.
“Translation and teaching are tied,” she says.
Through the act of translation, students gain deep insight into language, literature, and culture—developing research skills and critical thinking along the way. It’s a process that demands close reading, cultural inquiry, and ongoing curiosity.
And while Sullivan shares her expertise, she also continues to learn—from her students, from contemporary texts, and from the ever-evolving conversation between languages and lives.
“It’s a partnership,” she says.
One that keeps both the classroom, and the translation work vibrant, connected, and deeply human."
https://louisville.edu/artsandsciences/news/all/preserving-languages-and-amplifying-indigenous-women2019s-poetry-through-the-art-of-translation
#metaglossia_mundus
"Laura Spinney draws on recent evidence to tell this story by putting together linguistics, archaeology and genetic research to trace the movement of people and their language.
Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global
Ganesh Saili
Updated on:
22 Jun 2025, 1:30 am
... The Indo-European family of languages covers most of Europe, the Iranian plateau, northern India and parts of Asia. It is spoken by almost half of all living people, and they all stem from a common source. English, Hindustani, Spanish, Russian, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Norse and more than four hundred others can be traced to their origins. Laura Spinney’s new book tells the story of how Proto-Indo-European (PIE) may initially have been spoken as a kind of language of only a few dozen people evolved into the mother tongue of billions.
The words we use feel inevitable. We take them for granted. But they began to come alive some six thousand years ago, when copper was being smithed in the lands to the west of the Black Sea.
As the traders travelled, the words they shared went with them across the Black Sea and then around the world: from the forests of Romania to the steppe of Odessa, now with the development of larger and larger settlements, with steppe herders becoming global traders, now with roads, with the crossing of the Volga, sped up by the wheel, and on to the edge of China.
Laura Spinney draws on recent evidence to tell this story by putting together linguistics, archaeology and genetic research to trace the movement of people and their language. Making these links is not straightforward. PIE was not written down; it has been reconstructed by comparing the languages that evolved from it.
There are between 1,000 and 2,000 PIE words, and Spinney’s book is at its most interesting when dealing with them. Scholars think PIE must have existed among the coppersmiths because that is long enough ago for the various languages to have branched off from them, given what we know about language change. Intermarrying brought multilingual children. Spinney’s sees the Yamnaya nomads take PIE from the steppes to the edge of China, back into Europe, down through India and Iran. The combination of evidence from different disciplines makes this a compelling case. In India today, for example, speakers of Sanskrit-derived languages have more than non-Sanskrit language speakers.
Spinney concludes that people are moving around the sea today for commerce, war and climate change. The language you’re reading this in will change. It will change as it has always done. When PIE came to Europe around 2000 B.C., about seven million people lived there. It is as if Italy had taken over New York in the early 20th century. However scary we might find such a future, one in which languages rise and fall, cultures come and go, given our past, this too shall change.
Makes for an interesting read."
https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2025/Jun/22/the-story-of-language
#metaglossia_mundus
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