The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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@Linguist_CIOL AUGUST/SEPTEMBER The Linguist 15 FEATURES the international volunteers. All parties were grateful for the substantial conversations that my presence enabled. While it was tough being the first to hear a shocking story, and then retelling it while controlling my emotions, I could not deny someone the opportunity to get things off their chest, and to educate us on the reality of the situation. I also covered for resident Arabic interpreters when they were unavailable. This included a meeting with resident tailors about re-opening the tailors' space, and carrying out the new residents' skills surveys, which is how Movement finds volunteers. Meeting Afghan families for the surveys allowed me to take the backseat, observe the Farsi interpreter and consider what I could learn from them. I enjoyed interpreting for a photography project and giving instructions during the photoshoot. I am a fan of socially conscious arts, and the project provided families with a high-quality family portrait, since many have no physical photos left. These formal assignments made me feel like a real interpreter, as professional demeanour and representing the client appropriately were as important as the linguistic process itself. This was especially true with the skills surveys, where we showed up unannounced at residents' doors. The experience taught me that there is no 'ordinary' day for an interpreter, as you are effectively stepping into the client's shoes. Most residents are Afghan but I don't speak Farsi, and as a humanitarian volunteer and a linguist, it was extremely frustrating not being able to communicate effectively with them. Some of my best memories are from the kitchen shifts, when I learnt some basic Farsi from resident volunteers, teaching them English and French in return. Kara Tepe is a welcoming environment for language learners, who are everywhere – from residents working on their English and Greek, to staff and volunteers picking up Farsi or Arabic. However, I still relied on the Farsi interpreters. The challenges of the job Interpreting in this context was a challenge. I often found myself in situations where several people needed my attention at once. Even in a monolingual context, it is tough processing several requests simultaneously while maintaining a professional demeanour; the multilingual dimension made it overwhelming, and my Arabic came out very slowly. The biggest challenge, however, was the emotional detachment and neutrality required. While interpreting during a meeting about a potential gardening project, it took effort to refrain from offering my opinion and taking sides, since I had built up a rapport with the resident gardeners and felt invested in the garden myself. It was a good lesson in why professional interpreters should recuse themselves in the case of a conflict of interest. The tensions that can arise in the absence of a linguist showed themselves over time. Without a linguist, volunteers and residents must make decisions based on assumptions: had this family come to their shop appointment at the wrong time or was there a glitch in the schedule? Is the woman in the shared kitchen unhappy with the stove or with the woman next to her? Unfortunately, such situations were common – as it is impossible to predict which linguist will be needed in any given place at any given time – and they could result in an inappropriate response or an all-out argument. My main motivation for volunteering in Lesvos was to witness the situation first-hand and to share this knowledge when I returned home. What I discovered is that linguists are needed in refugee-related work. During my placement, I was the only Arabic-speaking international volunteer with Movement; I saw many misunderstandings that could have been solved if a relevant linguist had been present. By the time you read this, I will have spent six weeks volunteering in Samos. I hope that working on another Greek island will widen my perspective and give me more to speak about. The journey continues – and it all began with CIOL! To find out more about volunteer roles for linguists visit movementontheground.com. Student Affiliate Anam Zafar won the inaugural Nick Bowen Award, a £500 grant for a young person to engage in an activity promoting international understanding; anam_101@yahoo.co.uk. VITAL COMMUNICATION Interpreting is required in all essential camp activities. Clockwise from left: Kara Tepe residents tend the vegetable garden; international Movement volunteers plant saplings; a young resident finds clothes; a resident volunteer at the clothes shop; and cooking in the shared kitchen