Same Day Translations 

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The Ever Growing U.S. Market

Among the 281 million people in the United States aged 5 and over, 19.7% (55.4 million) spoke a language other than English at home (U.S. census).  This figure is up from the last year nearly 1%. In 1990 it was 14% (31.8 million) and 11% (23.1 million) in 1980. U.S. census states that 8.7% of the population over the age of 5 speaks English “less than very well.” Estimates of the number of people with limited English proficiency (LEP) range from about 11 million, or 4.2% of the U.S. population – who speak English “not well” or “not at all” – to over 21 million people (including those that speak “less than very well”). Pew Research Center reports that 82% of the population increase in U.S. through 2050 will be the result of newly arrived immigrants.

The rights of LEPs are recognized under core civil rights law. Numerous pieces of federal legislation address the needs of LEPs. One of such federal legislation peaces is called Public Health Service Act. It states that health centers, substance abuse services, and other health programs serving significant number of LEPs must provide competent personnel fluent in their language (“Language Rights: An Integration Agenda for Immigrant Communities”). In California, where over 40% of the population speaks a language other than English, a new law taking effect January 1, 2009 mandates health care locations that health plans provide LEPs with language assistance services. Senate Bill 853 requires that the health plans evaluate the language make-up of each of the communities that they serve. The legislation stipulates that all vital documents must be translated into these languages and interpretation services made available to the enrollees at all points of contact. The new California law an example for other states with large LEP populations.

Another regulation, still in the process of being finalized, will require lending documents to be translated. Beginning in April 2009, California Assembly Bill 512 would require that all consumer real estate mortgage loans be translated into the primary language of the borrower. This one is a “no brainer.” I wonder how much of an effect did language related misunderstandings have in the current housing/mortgage crisis. Marketing financial products to LEP speakers is also gaining popularity. It has been noticed that number of participants in the retirement and investment plans increases when the information about them (brochures, fliers, etc.) has been translated into the languages spoken by the LEPs.

The need for culturally and linguistically appropriate services for the LEP population is on a rise. Interactions with businesses that are not based in U.S. (global market) are increasing. A new addition of a dozen countries to a Visa Waiver Program (total of 35 countries) also should create a need for U.S. companies to more clearly communicate with their customers or partners abroad.

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Controlled English, Really?

I came across a website that offered a solution for technical document translations. It states that using “Controlled English” makes it easier for non-native English speakers to read, understand and translate. In fact, it states that only 1% of the English language is sufficient to communicate with customers in 180 or so countries.Is that possible? How many customers in those countries you can actually communicate with? 1% of the English language is sufficient, really? Even though the statement about 1% of the English language being sufficient appears to be outrageous, it is a claim that has to be backed up.Controlled English eliminates ambiguity, enhances readability and usability. Well, isn’t that just good writing? Well-written English texts eliminate ambiguity and enhance readability as well as usability. Any college graduate that took a course on technical writing may attest to that. In my Technical Writing class, I learned that well-constructed sentences go a long way. Technical writers should keep in mind that they are writing for translation and avoid idiomatic expressions, where possible stop using backward-pointing pronouns like “it,” “they,” “this,” or “these.” They should also include relative pronouns or conjunctions, connect phrases to the nouns that they modify, use punctuation correctly, use words with their primary meaning, avoid passive voice, etc.So the question remains, what is the solution? Is it Controlled English or Good English?

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Why Being Bilingual is Not Enough?

Some are convinced that translation is inherently a bilingual activity because it involves communication in two languages. Can anyone with a high-level of bilingual skills provide a high-end translation? Is bilingualism by itself enough to be a good translator?

Working in the translation industry for nearly a decade, I discovered that being bilingual does not guarantee a successful outcome. Typically, a translator cannot just pick up any text and produce a high-end translation. Translators work in a specific context and use specific vocabularies whose meanings and usage change within the subject areas. They must be experts of the subject in their target language.

Bilingualism is more than an ability to communicate in two languages. It also must be combined with a high-level reading skill in a source language and a high-level writing skill in a target language. It is said that for the translator, the most important skill is to be able to write well in the target language and with far better fluency than that of a native speaker. If the translator cannot express the message well in the target language, it will not matter how much expertise in a subject area or high-level foreign language reading skill a translator has.  

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Why is the use of native speakers so important?

Can’t a non-native fluent speaker of the target language produce the same translation as a native speaker of the target language?

Part of the correct translation process is the use of correct grammar and vocabulary. However, at the same time, the use of that grammar and vocabulary needs to be done in the right contextual circumstances, and under the right cultural conditions.

Native speakers of the target language are aware of such cultural conditions and under what context certain things should or shouldn‘t be said having lived under these conditions their whole lives.  Non-native fluent speakers of the target language are probably exceptionally proficient when it comes to grammar and vocabulary, but less than adequate when it comes to placing that grammar and vocabulary in the right context.

Let us consider a fictitious example of the problem of not using native speakers in translation. John Doe, and American college student, learns Mexican Spanish while living in Mexico for 3 years studying Chicano language patterns,and acquires a vast Border Spanish vocabulary.  Because of this he thinks that the Spanish he learned will suffice for translating a document from English to Spanish for an Argentine fruit company. As he translates he comes across the word “pineapple” which he unconscienciouslly translates to “piña” (the word that all Spanish-speaking Mexicans would use). However, unbeknownst to John, the Spanish word for “pineapple” that they use in Argentina is actually “ananá” and the word he uses means “a punch”(in the face!) Because of this mistake the Argentine fruit company loses thousands of dollars in revenue, due to the lack of correct translation. Now this is a made-up example, but you can see that fluency alone does not cut it when operating in a global, ever-changing language. Native speakers have that fluency, but are able to adapt that fluency to the cultural conditions of that particular country.

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Is a second step really necessary?

I am often faced with educating people (i.e. particularly clients, but also translators and others) about the need for a second, human-based step for all translations.  You will hear some call it “editing” and others “proofreading”, but the concept is the same.  For sake of this discussion, let’s call it “editing”.

What reasons can you think of why editing would be an important step for all translations?  I can think of a few.  Perhaps the most obvious is the fact that we all make mistakes when writing in our native language…believe it or not.  Have you ever written something (e.g. college term paper, email, letter, etc.), then put it down for a time to let your brain relax a bit, then returned to it later and found mistakes in your writing, whether it be spelling, grammar, etc.?  Not only is doing so a good technique to improve your translation skills, but it is essential when submitting your writing/translation for publication.

It would be like submitting a term paper in college without having your roommate read it first to find errors, give you feedback and make suggestions.  If you care at all at the quality of your writing, a second step is essential.  Of course, the same applies to all translations.  All writing intended for publication should be edited by someone else.  Do you agree?