[OSList] How to deal with having many languages in open space?

[Carmela Ariza]

Dear Diane,

Thank you for your input. This is a big help!

Cheers,

Carms
 
If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having. -- Henry Miller



On Thursday, 17 October 2013, 1:57, Diane Gibeault <diane.gibeault at rogers.com> wrote:
 
Hi Carmela,

I will share my experience with and without interpreters.
 
First - Without interpreters as this is a
more common situation 
 
I have facilitated an international OS
conference organized by an NGO who did not have a budget for interpretation. This in fact is more representative of my experience with OS where there is a mix of languages. 
 
- Participants posted a topic in the
language in which they planned to start the discussion. 
- I encouraged all participants to add in smaller
print, circled at a bottom corner of their sheet, their topic in another
language, one they were familiar with or they could ask another participant to
translate it for them.  I showed
them an example as I explained this so it would be visual and easier to
understand. The intent was to allow more people to understand the topic and
join the discussion.
- Participants were invited to use the
buddy system: participate to a given group along with someone who is familiar
with the language of the posted topic. 
- A system of volunteers can be easily
created. Participants can volunteer to be language buddies as needed by wearing
an additional badge which indicates the languages they can offer help with. 
- Independently of these systems, what we
know is that the resources are in the group – someone can do the interpretation
- and if not, if people care enough, the participant or the group, they will
find external resources.  I was in
a group once where  someone
interpreted from Spanish to English and I interpreted from English to French
and it worked wonderfully. 
- In an OS where there are many languages,
often people select topics they want to join among those posted in a language they
understand. It’s a personal choice. OS is all about choices one makes. The law
of the two feet allows everyone to find the place the want in the given
context.
 
 
Now - With interpreters
 
I did an Open Space in Brasil with about
200 participants where interpreters simultaneously transmitted what was being
said in the large circle, in 4 different languages. 
- I gave interpreters in advance, an
example of the OS opening points so they could get familiarized with the OS terms and
concepts. I also spoke to them about the spirit of OS so that might influence
their choice of words to better reflect the intent.
 
- For the discussion groups, a team of about of
about 8 interpreters was available in the lobby; anyone could ask them to join
a group as needed. 
- In the groups, they would do consecutive interpretation, i.e. sitting
beside the person(s) wanting interpretation so they could speak in a lower
voice directly to them. 
- When those participants spoke, their comment would be
interpreted in the language of the rest of the group (in this case, often
English or Spanish). 
- The rest of the group would generally wait for the
interpretation to be completed before another person spoke, especially if the
statement being interpreted was lengthy. 
- Often interpreters were not busy, as
participants were doing the interpretation themselves.
 
 
In either approaches, with or without interpretation, the experience of
helping one another creates a very special bond among participants. 
That’s what we
say in the opening: OS is about collaboration and being creative. 
 
Hope this is helpful
Diane Gibeault
 


>________________________________
> From: Carmela Ariza <carmela_ariza at yahoo.com>
>To: "oslist at lists.openspacetech.org" <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> 
>Sent: Monday, October 14, 2013 7:45:49 PM
>Subject: [OSList] How to deal with having many languages in open space?
> 
>
>
>Dear OS practitioners,
>
>
>Good day!
>
>
>How do you address the need for interpreters/translators when doing open space, particularly Open Space sessions....wherein everyone is in different topic groups...?
>
>
>How many interpreters would be needed for a 200 pax out of 1000 pax (for example) - who do not really speak English well (if at all they do speak any English)?
>
>
>How do you deal with this situation?
>
>
>For the OS principles, law - we will definitely be having posters on the wall - in different languages....
>
>
>Looking forward to your helpful experiences and suggestions!
>
>
>Best,
>
>
>Carms
>
>
>
>
> 
>If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having. -- Henry Miller
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