PANDEMIC INSIGHTS
14 The Linguist Vol/59 No/4 2020
thelinguist.uberflip.com
L
ife has changed dramatically in a few short months,
and these rapid changes have been reflected in
the language we use. From 'social distancing' to
'R rate' to 'self-isolate', words have entered common
usage at an alarming rate. The Oxford English Dictionary
(OED) made an 'extraordinary update' outside its usual
quarterly publication cycle to reflect these "extraordinary
times", according to its blog.
The Coronavirus Corpus of COCA (Corpus of
Contemporary American English) maps the frequency
of words and phrases in online searches, newspapers
and other platforms in English-speaking countries. It
shows just how quickly terms that were barely in use
before March 2020 have become prevalent, with 'social
distancing' in heavy use from March, 'flatten the curve'
peaking on 1 April and 'Zoom' in high usage since
April. But what impact does this have on understanding
and communication about the virus, both globally and
at a local level, at a time when mutual understanding
is vital?
How can we be sure that terms like 'shielding', 'PPE'
and 'lockdown' mean the same thing in different
countries and across languages? Such challenges are
familiar to Translators Without Borders (TWB). With more
than 30,000 volunteers, the non-profit organisation offers
language and translation support for humanitarian and
development agencies, and other non-profit
organisations, on a global scale.
According to Paul Warambo, TWB Kenya Manager,
who is based in Nairobi, issues often stem from the fact
that a concept, such as 'WFH' ('work from home'), is
lacking in the target language. In many African
languages, the idea of 'social distancing' is non-existent.
Translators into Swahili and Luo, a dialect spoken by
4.2 million people in Kenya and Tanzania, have
struggled with this concept in Covid-19 materials. There
is a general agreement to adapt it to something like
'keeping away from people', says Warambo. In India, the
two-metre distance is described as the length of the cow
due to similar issues.
Sensitivity to cultural concerns and beliefs is also
important when translating safety advice for local
communities. For the Fula people of West and Central
Africa, guidelines recommending the use of alcohol
wipes can be problematic because alcohol consumption
is forbidden. Spoken by 60 million people, the Fulfulde
language (also known as Fula) does not distinguish
between cleaning alcohol and drinking alcohol.
How are vital communications about Covid-19 affected
by rapidly emerging vocabulary, asks Romana Sustar
Life on new terms
ON ASSIGNMENT
Graz-based interpreter
Sofía Absenger-
Bustamante in a
booth prior to the
Covid-19 outbreak
©
SHUTTERSTOCK
