2500万美国人不会说英语:翻译和口译在大流行中至关重要
At the time of this writing, millions of Americans are have been ordered to stay home, 如果你会说英语,这些说明就很难理解了,对英语学习者来说就更难了 百分之八 of Americans considered limited English proficient (LEP). 随着新的更新和指导方针的发布,全天只使用英语交流, 在很大程度上,如果关键信息没有传达给LEP公民会发生什么? 坦率地说:如果2500万美国人不知情,永利登录网址怎么能阻止病毒的传播?
Several state and county websites are relying on Google Translate, 这种服务总比没有好,但往往不能准确、清晰地传达信息. 这种方法还假定LEP公民能够自己找到并成功地浏览网站. Cities like Boston are making efforts to reach all residents, despite their language proficiency or internet access. 该市推出了 multilingual text service for COVID-19 updates 还分发了介绍预防措施和城市资源的信息小册子.
And what about businesses, hospitals, and government agencies? 好吧, many are calling on the often behind-the-scenes language services industry, 主要由自由笔译和口译员以及语言服务提供商(LSP)组成,他们作为最终客户和独立承包商之间的中介.
Melissa Harkin of Harkin Translations, Inc., a boutique LSP specializing in Portuguese, 西班牙语, 和英语语言, 与去年同期相比,2月份的工作量增加了32%. “The spike is specifically related to the outbreak,” Harkin said. 她的公司每天都收到翻译与大流行有关的不同类型内容的请求:人力资源内部通信, 旅游报告, urgent scientific papers for the international research community, and new state or national policies, 等.
“大多数请求都很紧急,所以永利登录网址一直在加班,”哈金继续说道. “We’ve experienced similar spikes in the past, such as the H1N1 flu pandemic, 埃博拉病毒疫情, and the 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides.” What she’s not sure of is how long this will continue. 她说:“疫情对全球经济的全面影响还有待观察。.
史蒂夫长而柔软的, 总部位于丹佛的Cesco语言服务公司翻译服务副总裁, 科罗拉多州, has been pulling long days, 一周七天, to service COVID-19-related translation needs for clients since lateFebruary. “We’ve seen a huge spike in requests for translation services,” he said. “And everything is urgent. We have to get the news out fast.”
要求这些服务的客户范围从科罗拉多州公共卫生和环境部门(CDPHE)到医院, 诊所, 公立学校, nonprofit organizations, 以及社会服务. 他们夜以继日地工作,为LEP公众翻译重要的健康和安全信息. This includes factsheets for travel, memos on proper hand washing, as well as explanations of testing procedures and social distancing, among hundreds of others.
“Things are changing constantly. 有一天,, 永利登录网址为CDHPE翻译了一个标志,上面写着:“CDHPE不向公众提供COVID-19检测,’”兰克说. 第二天,政府宣布进入紧急状态,他们开始提供检测. “Then, we had to translate a new sign.”
For the remote team at Translations in Motion, Inc., 他们的一些承包商在COVID-19在中国爆发时为美国侨民的医疗服务发挥了关键作用. 当美国疾病控制与预防中心(CDC)将美国侨民从湖北省和武汉市空运回美国时, those who were infected were sent to hospitals for treatment, 而没有出现症状的人则被隔离在海军陆战队和空军基地. 译动公司签约为隔离在那里的LEP患者提供口译服务. 该合同后来扩大到为被隔离在其他基地的钻石公主号和大公主号游轮上的受感染乘客提供服务. Over the past few months, the company has sent a team of nine Cantonese, 普通话, 越南, and Lao interpreters to work long stints at the bases. 口译人员被视为医疗队的组成部分,在个人保护和培训方面受到同样的待遇.
In the meantime, Elena Langdon—owner of Alcolá Language Services & String and can的咨询和创始合伙人看到了视频远程口译(VRI)需求的增加。. “Several of my on-site interpreting jobs were cancelled, but I’ve seen an uptick in interest for remote or distance interpreting,”她说。. “我认为, as with everything related to this pandemic, if we remain calm and operate sensibly, 远程口译可以增加高质量的语言访问和多语种会议, despite social distancing measures.”
As a freelance translator, 我的工作从来没有像现在这样有意义,因为我(实际上)与世界各地成千上万其他语言的同事一起工作,以确保每个人都能同样地获得关键信息, no matter their native language. This is not a business-as-usual situation for anyone, 也许这是一个普遍的现实,在社会距离中把永利登录网址所有人团结起来, self-isolation, 和检疫.
“What’s been remarkable to me is how kind everybody has been,” Lank said. “和处于危机状态的人一起工作很好,但没有人会抨击他们. 我从早上5点开始工作.m. 到12:30.m. yesterday and feel okay doing it. This is everybody’s emergency.”
作者简介
Molly Yurick是一名西班牙语-英语翻译,并担任永利登录网址公共关系副主席, which represents more than 10,000 translators and interpreters across 103 countries. 欲了解更多有关ATA或笔译和口译专业人员的信息,请访问szski.gcherish.com.
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ATA为专业和贸易出版物提供内容,向广泛的读者传播见解. This article appears in the following publications:
- 多语种的见解 (2020年4月20日)
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