Information technologies the focus of International Mother Language Day 2011
International Mother Language Day – 21 February 2011
by A. Drame
Linguistic diversity is dwindling fast. Already, half of the world’s 6,000 languages are endangered, according to official UNESCO figures.
While the Internet is now the major driving force when it comes to the spreading of information, knowledge and culture, it is dominated by very few languages, like English, French, Spanish or Chinese. Even languages which are spoken by millions of people, like Kiswahili, Tamil, Hindi are virtually not present in the World Wide Web.
This fact has two major effects: it promotes the dominance of these languages as de-facto global linguas francas; it also still prevents the Internet to develop its full potential as global medium and repository of knowledge and culture. New information technologies these days have ventured into the remotest places of the Earth and reach more people than ever before in history. However, lacking content in “smaller” or less dominant languages hampers the possibilities that this development could open to promote democracy, equal opportunities and development, and to prevent discrimination. All because it still does not allow access to vital information, to education and resources for millions of people with limited knowledge of these few dominant languages.
The neglect of “smaller” languages in the new technologies has yet another adverse effect. While technological development and the evolution of the Internet proceeds ever more rapidly, those languages which miss out to follow suit now, risk to lose more and more of their functions ever faster. With increasing “monolingualisation” and simultaneous permeation of the Web to various social and geographical regions, even languages which may seem healthy and strong today may lose their ability to evolve and develop further through this medium.
At the same time, many contributions from speakers of other languages will not be heard now and in future. Many ideas and innovations that can best be expressed in a person’s mother tongue will thus be lost. The result is a true pauperization of our emerging knowledge societies.
The true danger is that the process reinforces itself to the advantage of some and on the costs of many others. And once gone it is hard to revive.
UNESCO set the theme for this year “The information and communication technologies for the safeguarding and promotion of languages and linguistic diversity” to highlight the new technologies’ enormous potential for safeguarding, documenting and promoting the use of mother languages.
TermNet supports this effort and, therefore, calls for joint efforts to promote linguistic diversity in the new media for the mutual benefit of all.
Diversity and Global Understanding Presentations online!
All the presentations are now online: http://www.workshops-on-diversity.org
ACUNS video lectures available online
The ACUNS Annual Meeting 2010 took place in Vienna from 3-5 June 2010. TermNet, a member of ACUNS, was there and had organized a round-table on “Cultural Diversity and the UN: Old Implications and New Challenges“.
The keynote speeches and panels can now be viewed online.
Citizens, governments and international organizations are confronted with an array of security challenges, including new forms of terrorism and international criminal activity; security implications of environmental degradation; instability in the financial system; militarization of space; unregulated flows of small arms; nuclear technologies and illicit goods; and fragile and failing states. These security dilemmas require innovative thinking beyond traditional national security approaches. Our conference brought together a diverse group of academics and policy practitioners to examine these 21st century challenges and explore responses.
More about ACUNS 23rd Annual Meeting.
http://videolectures.net/acuns2010_annual_meeting_vienna/
Google goes (further into) Africa
Google unveiled localized Swahili versions of Gmail, Google Maps and Google Chrome.
Localizing software makes the Internet more relevant for users everywhere, but in African countries it has the special benefit of bridging the huge Digital Divide and thus bring the local population closer to information that are relevant for economic development, education, health, democracy and their government. “Google is focusing on making the internet more relevant and useful to Africans by creating more African content online; raising awareness among consumers and businesses about the opportunities offered by the internet; and developing products that are locally meaningful” writes KBC online.
Joe Mucheru, Google Lead for Sub Saharan Africa, said in an interview with the KBC, “The Internet offers so many opportunities, and we want to make the Internet more relevant and useful to East Africans. Being able to use products like Chrome, Gmail and Maps in Swahili means that our users will now have a much better experience of the web in their day-to-day lives. And this is just the beginning.”
Google’s announcement coincides with the commencement of the East Africa Community Common Market in July 2010. The common market wants to see trade among the signing countries made easier and has as an ultimate goal a single currency. It represents a significant milestone for the people of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda & Burundi, which will create new opportunities for the free movement of capital, goods, services and persons across East Africa.However, experts do not see it is likely to be in full swing until 2015.
Swahili is spoken by approx. 120 million people in the East African Common Market or 20% of all speakers of indigenous languages in Africa. “Swahili uniquely conveys much of our shared culture, is the lingua franca used in day-to-day interaction across borders, is one of the languages of the African Union and is becoming an increasingly important part of the internet fabric in Africa” says the Chairman of the Kiswahili and African Languages Department at Kenyatta University, Dr Leonard Chacha Mwita.
Google currently has offices in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal. This week, the company has also made localized versions of Gmail and Maps available in Amharic.
EU fears shortage of language professionals
The following article was originally published on EURACTIV on 29 June 2010.
EU backs linguist recruitment drive
The European Commission has joined other international organisations in calling for language learning in schools to be properly funded and career opportunities for professionals like interpreters and translators to be better promoted.
Background
The EU’s language industry is worth €8.4bn and is set to grow by 10% annually over the next few years after having recorded one of the highest growth rates of any industrial sector despite the economic crisis, according to a European Commission-backed study published in November 2009 (EurActiv 30/11/09).
The EU institutions employ translators and interpreters for all 23 of the bloc’s official languages, spending around €1bn on their language services every year (representing about 1% of the EU budget or €2.50 per citizen).
72% of EU documents are originally drafted in English, 12% in French and just 3% in German, while 88% of the users of the European Commission’s Europa website speak English, according to figures from the EU executive.
EU Multilingualism Androulla Vassiliou backed the so-called ‘Paris Declaration’, issued on 23 June, which saw the heads of language and conference services of 76 international organisations call for “the necessary budgetary resources” to be allocated to “effective succession planning” for upcoming staff retirements, as well as “pedagogical assistance activities” and examinations.
They were meeting at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris for the International Annual Meeting on Language Arrangements, Documentation and Publications (IAMLADP), which took place from 21-23 June.
The Paris Declaration warned that a “global shortage of qualified linguists” meant that without a new generation of professionals trained with the necessary language skills, “international organisations will be unable to perform their vital tasks”.
Commissioner Vassiliou stressed the EU executive’s commitment to supporting efforts to encourage language learning in schools and universities as part of EU multilingualism policy.
“We need to get the message across to parents and young people that languages open doors and linguists have excellent career prospects,” Vassiliou said.
Indeed, fears that the EU will face a “serious shortage” of interpreters within five to 10 years have led its institutions to run joint awareness-raising campaigns this year to encourage young people to consider language careers in Brussels.
European Commission representatives were in France last November alongside colleagues from the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice to advertise careers as interpreters at the European Education Salon in Paris (EurActiv 20/11/09).
November’s effort follows earlier initiatives to boost interest in EU language careers among native English (EurActiv 18/02/09), Czech and Latvian speakers amid fears of a “succession crisis”.
The Paris Declaration, meanwhile, urged national authorities to “promote the teaching of languages throughout the education system in order to ensure that young people can take advantage of the vast range of employment openings in international organisations”.
Source: EurActiv Website
Right to Interpretation in Trials for EU Citizens
The Global Herald reports about the new law for all EU Citizens. European Parliament has adopted a new law to ensure anyone facing charges in an EU country is given access to an interpreter and translation of documents. The directive was adopted by the European Parliament by 637 votes to 21, with 19 abstentions. This new regulation will assure fairer trials for EU citizens abroad.
The costs of implementing this directive will be covered by the Member States, irrespective of the outcome of the proceedings.
Read the full article: Global Herald
8 million words – the ICRC’s need for multilingual communication
Under the heading of MULTILINGUAL COMMUNICATION, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stresses the importance for communicating in various languages in its Annual Report 2009
“In keeping with its mission, the ICRC communicates with a wide range of stakeholders at the local, regional and international levels. In 2009, some 8 million words were processed at headquarters using internal and external resources. The ICRC’s language staff and their external partners edited, translated and proofread a broad variety of public communication materials, including media products and materials for the ICRC website, publications, donor documentation and public statements, and documents of a legal and operational nature.”
The ICRC’s Annual Report 2009 describes the harm that armed conflicts inflict on populations around the world, and what the organization is doing to protect and assist them.
In 2009, the ICRC distributed 88,515 tonnes of food to 4.07 million people. Its water, sanitation and construction projects benefited more than 14.2 million people – the majority of whom were women and children – while the number of patients treated at health facilities supported by the organization was close to 5.6 million.
ICRC delegates visited around half a million detainees in 74 countries and four international courts, and handled almost 509,000 Red Cross messages, enabling family members separated by hostilities and other crises to restore contact. Around 143,000 of the messages were exchanged between detainees and their families.
The Annual Report is an in-depth country-by-country account of the ICRC’s operations in 2009. One section covers activities carried out at the Geneva headquarters, while operational statistics and a statement of accounts appear in a separate section. The report contains a current list of countries party to the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols.
Source: Annual Report 2009 of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
21 May: World Day for Cultural Diversity, for Dialogue and Development
In November 2001 UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. Further to this, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 21 May as World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development in its Resolution 57/249.
This day aims to celebrate and deepen understanding of the values of Cultural Diversity. This is why UNESCO appeals to the Member States as well as to all civil society to celebrate this World Day by involving as many actors and partners as possible.
From 17 – 27 May UNESCO celebrates the 3rd International Festival of Diversity and the realization that
“Yesterday’s world was set on its differences; today’s tends to unification. The task of our time is to bring ourselves to the realization that the unity of the human species lies in its diversity.”
We invite you to celebrate this day with us! Take some small or larger action in honour of a world of unity in diversity!
Download the programme of the festivities in Paris and learn more about UNESCO’s dedication to cultural diversity at the UNESCO Website
9 good reasons for terminology – and 1 good advice
Excerpt from G. Sauberer THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT TERMINOLOGY. HOW TERMINOLOGICAL METHODS AND TOOLS CAN HELP TO MANAGE MONOLINGUAL AND MULTILINGUAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMMUNICATION
Paper read at the Spring 4th International Conference on Knowledge Generation, Communication and Management, on April 8th, 2010, in Orlando
The proceedings of the conference, including TermNet´s paper, are available in electronic / printed form:
ISBN-13:978-1-934272-89-3 / ISBN-13:978-1-934272-87-9 (Volume I)
1: IMPROVE YOUR TECHNICAL AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATION AND DOCUMENTATION
2: ORGANIZE FLEXIBILITY AND CHANGES WELL
3: ASSURE THE QUALITY AND LIABILITY OF YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
4: BE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY: BENEFIT FROM STANDARDS
5: SHOW, SHARE AND SELL YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND PRODUCTS IN COMMON CLASSIFICATIONS
6: THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL: USE TRANSLATION AND LOCALIZATION
7: BENEFIT FROM TERMINOLOGY APPLICATIONS IN THE PUBLIC AND SOCIAL SECTOR
8: THERE IS NO EDUCATION AND SCIENCE WITHOUT TERMINOLOGY
9: MAKE BETTER USE OF WHAT IS THERE ALREADY
10: YOU ARE NOT ALONE: JOIN THE TERMINOLOGY COMMUNITY TO GET HELP AND ADVICE
Some interesting readings
Ma Lincong (Chief Editor); Christian Galinski (Coordinating Editor) 
CAS Special Edition on Managing Product Data Globally
Beijing: China Association for Standardization, 2009. 56 p.
ISSN: 1672-5700
In order not to miss the train of the latest finding and developments of product data management and to better understand the current trends in international and European standardization, CAS has published a special issue on global product management with a special focus on Interoperability of Multilingual Electronic Business Processes Managing Content and Communication – Reducing Complexity
ISO CENTRAL SECRETARIAT 
Roger Frost (Manager); Elisabeth Gasiorowski-Denis (Editor)
ISO Focus+ on Interoperability Vol 1, No. 2, February 2010
Geneva: ISO Central Secretariat, 2010. 49 p.
ISSN: 1729-8709
“Standards and interoperability are two sides of the same coin,” says ISO Vice-President Jacob Holmblad. “The rationale behind standards – whether for products, terminology, symbols or systems – is precisely to make “things fit together”, so that all stakeholders can communicate and understand each other seamlessly. This principle is the first and foremost prerequisite for effective interoperability.” This edition highlights some key examples of standards that are facilitating interopera-bility of products, services, processes and knowledge, such as for financial services. or interfaces for universal remote consoles for piloting a wide range of electronic devices in the “intelligent home”.
This year’s first issue of eDITion, DTT’s Terminology Journal, focuses on Terminology and Text Mining
Table of Contents
Download the articles (all in German)
