languages

[Larry Peterson]

I think Ralph's advice is right on from my experience.  With two official
languages in Canada, and a big infrastructure for simultaneous translation
it is often a requirement to have it during plenary events (for political as
well as other reasons).  Diane Gibeault is the expert on this and is in
Spain at the moment, but I have done it quite a few times in
French-English-Signing, Inuktutuk-English-French, Cree-French-English, etc.

It is ok to have simultaneous translation happening while opening and
closing the space.  Pacing is important and preparing the translators so
that they know they key phases -- like the principles and law -- in the
languages being spoken.  Otherwise they can come out quite strange.

In some settings we have had individual translators to work with folks with
particular languages.  Signers for the hearing impaired followed them
throughout the event and spoke if necessary for them.  In breakout sessions,
groups have often not provided translators unless requested and let the
participants translate for each other.  You need to allow more time for the
conversations but it works.

Materials for reporting need to be in all languages being used, but
computers that have the right character sets.  Getting laptops in a local
dialect of Inuktutuk just seemed to happen.

Getting the reports prepared in all languages has been required by some of
my sponsors.  That has been onerous as it is costly here in Canada and
professional translators do not choose to work overnight.  I have done
convergence with reports in the language of the group putting it up, but it
takes some report back in plenary and that can kill energy.  So a creative
way to do it is important.   If your sponsor can turn around the report
overnight in three languages before convergence --  go for it.

Larry

Larry Peterson
Associates in Transformation
41 Appleton Ave.,
Toronto, ON, Canada, M6E 3A4
416.653.4829
Fax 416.653.0609

lpasoc at inforamp.net
www.inforamp.net/~lpasoc
www.openspaceworld.com

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