Simultaneous translation at 5-language Open Space event [long]

Sun Dec 17 07:36:57 PST 2006

Hi Lisa, 

  If you have the time for this kind of thing: what is the story behind these 5 different groups of people who are all immigrant farmers (or are only some of them immigrant?)

  I mean - do they live in the same geographical area - hence they need to cooperate, have similar kind of issues at heart and need to build common projects? Or is the conference organized for another purpose?

  I am asking because: If they do live "together" they will have to find a solution for the 5 languages both written and spoken in the day to day life too?  Or maybe they don't live "together" and won't need to speak to each other in a day to day business of living?  Am just curious to see the context of an OS which sounds very intruiging... (maybe it was already given and I missed it?)

  Thanks. (no hurry for the answer... can wait)

  Lots of joy in all 5 languages.

  i

Diane Brandon <diane at keysregion.org> wrote:
    You remind me of this email that is making the rounds:
  <<This is one of the many tricks to speed reading. They teach you to look at the frsit & lsat letetr of a word and your brain will fill in the rest. Pretty cool. If you can read this, you have a strange mind too. Can you raed tihs?  
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uiner vtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. 
Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!>>

    Diane Brandon, M.Ed., Coordinator
  KEYS Coalition (CWC)
  Landmark Hill Community Resource Center
  518 Rte One Suite 4
  Kittery, ME 03904
  207-438-9100
  Fax: 207-439-8764
  diane at keysregion.org
  www.keysregion.org 

    On Dec 16, 2006, at 5:00 AM, Phelim McDermott wrote:

  Hi there Lisa,  

  If I had to do an open space for people with five different languages as a performer i would have no hesitation now i know the format to do the introduction in a language no one understands Gibberish!

  Over the years training actors to use Gibberish IE made up sound language I have been amazed by what actually gets communicated by the voice and the body. Indeed after practice and clear feedback about what people get good gibberish speakers can communicate virtually anything in nonsense language.  (except perhaps trade names). For further guidance check out Viola Spolins improvisation for the theatre. 

  I can well understand that seems too far out for someone not used to that but I WOULD recommend actually trying a rehearsal of the intro IN GIBBERISH without anyone there to discover which bits of the process are being communicated not by the words but by other means to reassure you people will get it in whatever language you are speaking.

  Phelim

    On 15 Dec 2006, at 21:29, Wendy Farmer-O'Neil wrote:

      Hi Lisa,

  Just some initial thoughts

  Once you hit five language groups you have gone from complicated to complex!  No wonder your super brain is fried!  A complex challenge requires a complex response: so why not Open Space for it? Would it be possible to convene a small OS (or online) with representatives from each of the groups both literate and non-literate, to create the action plan for providing accessibility support?  I have had recent conversations with both Brian B. and a GCP colleague, Marquis Bureau, who have wrestled with some of these issues.  One of the insights we uncovered was that these groups have ways of communicating and functioning that are unknown to us and that we need to access their expertise in oral/non-literate and minority language culture.

  Cheers from another rainy coastland,
  Wendy

---------------------------------

  From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Lisa Heft
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 8:12 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Simultaneous translation at 5-language Open Space event [long]

  Hello, dear colleagues –

  I am facilitating an event which will be in 5 languages. 

  It is a conference for immigrant farmers and the people who provide services, support, advocacy, education and funding for them.

  The languages spoken will be English, Spanish, Hmong, Lao, and Maay Maay (Somali Bantu language).

  I have indeed facilitated Open Space where many more than 5 languages were spoken – and while there may sometimes have been a translator on headset for one or two main language groups other than English (my own language), others in the group with other language needs simply sat with friends from their countries and translation was handled casually as folks sat together grouped by language in the big opening circle.  Signs for principles, law, theme and so on were of course in those several languages.  And in the discussion sessions folks helped each other translate, no matter what was the language.  I have had some clients provide translators to walk around and offer help during the discussion sessions – and though these folks are greatly appreciated they are often smilingly waved away because the participants have self-organized to take care of each other.  Still, I think it is an important support (and message of dedication to inclusion and access) for a client to
 provide these roaming translators, if they have capacity to do so.  And some discussion groups do indeed use them.

  Also, in these events, the ‘main’ language, the language of the conference, was in English, or Spanish, or some other main language.  What I mean is that most participants were bilingual - could speak both their home language and the main language of the conference in whatever country it was in.

  In this upcoming event, however, there will be about 5 main languages spoken and many participants in each of those language groups.   And there will be a large percentage of monolingual people (only speak their own language).

  I think technology (headsets and simultaneous translators) can help in this situation, and this client has that capability.  To have 4 people walk the circle with me (which I have done before with 1 or 2 people) and repeat my words in other languages (and discussion session convenor’s words when they announce their session topics) would take 4 times as long.  It is doable, but hard on the energy for listeners.  Also: to create written topic signs – these might be in any of the 5 languages – how to help all participants know all possible sessions they could go to?

  It sounds quite complicated.  Or maybe I just have ‘Fried Brain Syndrome’ and I’m just not seeing the simple solutions here

  I would love to hear your experiences and recommendations for translation during the event. This client has funding and capability for various solutions – if you can help me think this out and add what you have done that has worked for you I would greatly appreciate it.

  We have:

  ___________________________________

  Activity – Plenary – welcome, introduction of principles-law-process (full group – 250 people)

  What’s Happening
  Lisa speaks English – so, I think, may the hosts

  Solution
  Everyone on headset, 4 translators translate Lisa’s words to their respective-language participants.  (By the way, when they register, participants are asked to identify their language needs – many of them have NGO representatives who are helping them register.)
  Other ideas?
  ___________________________________

  Activity -- Announcing topics and making those topic signs

  What’s Happening
  Convenors would speak in any of their 5 home languages to announce their topics

  Solution
  (Question: we are all on headsets and I understand how on our headsets is one translator – which is who we listened to when just Lisa was speaking – what to do when we each must switch to then hearing a translation *to* our own language *from* any one of 4 other languages?  One option is the lower-tech version where 5 translators are at microphones and the convenor’s session title is repeated 4 times)

  Another issue: convenors may not all be able to read and write.  Over 50 or 60% in this conference will be able to read.  Shall we have all session convenors come up to a table with 5 translators sitting at it, tell their topic and have the translators write the languages on a flip-chart page as the one topic sign?  And when their sign is done the convenor walks with it into the center to announce her/his topic, and other translators on headset (or in person at microphones) translate that topic title verbally as they announce it?  And: how will non-readers know what each session’s set of topics is?  I could adjust the design – we could do one round of announcing / sessions at a time, so people could hear just one set of sessions announced, then break out and go to those sessions, then reconvene in full circle as the next set of sessions is announced, and so on.  There are probably 20 sessions possible at a time.  Can people retain this sort of audio memory?

  See how complicated I am making it?  Or am I solving the problem?  Other ideas?
  ___________________________________

  Activity -- Discussion sessions (probably 20 discussion areas)

  What’s Happening
  In past events some of my clients have provided roaming translators.  Some groups might of course meet *by* language.  So maybe the other mixed-language groups would just signal roving translators’ help for whatever language they don’t have the capability to casually translate into.  But maybe they would need to ask for several translators.  What are your ideas and experiences?  Remember – the translators may only know their own language + English.

  Solution
  By the way, perhaps every person registering could receive colors for their name badge indicating the languages they speak.  The translators could also have colors on their badges. In this way the full group could see how their language needs could be met by the people sitting around them in addition to the roaming translators.  Other ideas?
  Other ideas?
  ___________________________________

  Activity -- Documentation of discussions

  What’s Happening
  Not all of these participants read and write. 

  Solution
  One idea is to post a scribe who ‘lives’ at each discussion area and sits with a laptop or flip-chart.  This person will need translation, too, perhaps, if the languages spoken in their little groups is not theirs.  And I am guessing it would be easiest for this client if the scribe wrote in English (the client could have the Book of Proceedings translated post-event into participant languages).  I just choose English as one language (the client’s language and that of about 50% of the mono- and bilingual participants).  I am guessing that it would be even better for this scribe to be bilingual English-Spanish (thus handling 2 out of the 5 languages, Spanish perhaps being the next largest language group at this event).  Having a scribe at each discussion area might still mean having a Newsroom – scribes could have some time at the end of each day to input and finalize their session notes.  Documentation may also include graphic recording, digital photos (later shared
 electronically and in hard-copy) and other documentation methods for non-readers.
  Other ideas?
  ___________________________________

  Activity -- Evening event

  What’s Happening
  This will perhaps be musicians of a few different cultures/countries and 3 farmers telling their experiences through story.  The 3 farmers will be speaking each a different language.

  Solution
  If the musicians sing something, the text could be pre-translated for those who read.  But / and I somehow feel that art can be *felt*, as well.  And I would like the graphic recorders to be creating documentation during this activity, as well.  I am guessing we would once again all be on headsets to hear the stories in our own languages.  Perhaps we should include ear massages, too!   ;o)
  Other ideas?
  ___________________________________

  Please feel free to tell me if and where I am making this much more complicated than it needs to be.  However, the client and I would love to provide more support to individuals who are non-English speakers as a way to equalize their access and inclusion in this event. 

  Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences,

  Lisa

  ___________________________
  L i s a   H e f t
  Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
  O p e n i n g  S p a c e
  lisaheft at openingspace.net
  www.openingspace.net

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