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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thelinguist.uberflip.com APRIL/MAY 2016 The Linguist 13 MIGRANT CRISIS international NGO Internews, is heavily used by refugees and relief workers. Available every day via mobile phone, it consists of short articles in English, Arabic and Farsi for people travelling the Balkan route to Europe. TWB provide phrases in key languages for those working on the shores. Welcoming refugees with just a couple of sentences in their own language makes a huge difference when it comes to putting them at ease. Besides written texts for posters, TWB translators make voiceover recordings, radio messages and reviews. The level of knowledge among refugees varies according to language and nationality. Syrians (Arabic speakers) are by far the best informed. Iraqis are fairly well informed, whereas Afghanis (Dari speakers) tend to be the least well informed. They are also the least equipped for the journey and have the most health issues on arrival. The need for Dari (or Farsi) interpreting on the islands is dire. Rumours and confusion Another challenge, especially in the Farsi community, is miscommunication. There are a lot of misunderstandings caused by rumours. For example, many refugees believe that Angela Merkel has "personally invited" them to Germany and that they must go there. TWB is now doing crucial rumour tracking in order to deal with this. Terminological confusion is another challenge. In the Farsi team, for example, there has been confusion between the words for boat, raft, ferry and ship. Also concerning Farsi, there are four different scripts for the language, and literacy levels vary widely. Translators and aid workers confirm that providing facts and directions in the native languages of the refugees is vital; it enables them to retain their dignity and it empowers them to make informed decisions. Omid Xadem is a Farsi-Dari-Tajik Persian linguist and researcher, and part of a Rapid Response Team for the refugee crisis. He has visited crisis areas and experienced the urgent need for translations. "I could see the pain of those who couldn't communicate," he says. Seham Abdou Ebied, a member of the RRT translating between English and Arabic, agrees: "I think the translation done for refugees is as important as food and shelter. Translation alleviates the suffering of those in distress and reduces their sense of being away from their home country." Nelson Mandela famously said: "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." That is true, but there is more. Language barriers cost lives. If you talk to a man in a language he doesn't understand, he may die. And his family with him. If you provide an illiterate man with crucial information in writing, he may die. And his family with him. This can be prevented, and Translators Without Borders is doing everything in their power to do so. Volunteers required TWB creates and manages a community of NGOs who need translations, and professional vetted translators who volunteer their time to help. More than 3,000 volunteer translators a year donate 33,000 hours of their time, translating from and into 111 language pairs, and helping 160 partner NGOs focused on development and humanitarian aid. More than 30 million translated words have been donated so far, and counting. The charity is currently recruiting Arabic, Pashto, Farsi/Dari and Greek speakers in order to provide a rapid response to the migrant crisis. "Translation for NGOs and refugee crisis needs prompt responses, as there are new materials every hour. Sometimes I say, 'My work can wait but refugees can't,'" says Ebied. "What a wonderful feeling to do something for humanity and relieve someone in distress." For details or to see how you can help, visit www.translatorswithoutborders.org or email amyrose@translatorswithoutborders.org. "The translation done for refugees is as important as food and shelter. It alleviates their suffering" HARSH REALITY Syrian refugees arrive on Lesbos, Greece by boat from Turkey (left); and images taken by TWB volunteers of the camps on Lesbos (above) © TWB