As reported by ABC, CNN, and hundreds of other news sources, The US Drug Enforcement Agency is seeking candidates to “translate” from African-American English to, well, some other type of English.

Presumably, the ideal candidate would be able to translate into standard North American English, because DEA officials themselves might have trouble understanding a rapidly spoken “translation” into Birmingham (UK) English or US Cajun accent.

The issue has stirred up an old and racially-charged debate about whether African-American English is a language or a dialect. The answer is clear: it’s a dialect:

African American English (AAE) is a dialect of American English used by many African Americans in certain settings and circumstances. Like other dialects of English, AAE is a regular, systematic language variety that contrasts with other dialects in terms of its grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary.

(Source: Center for Applied Linguistics)

And, consequently, the Agency has become subject to criticism and ridicule for seeking out English-to-English “translators.”

For example, the BlackMen in America blog reacted with the following reflection:

Let me see if I understand this situation. The system that educates our children does not recognize Ebonics. However, the system that incarcerates our children recognizes Ebonics. Hmmmm.

But, keeping a sense of humor, the writer also wondered how to become a “certified Ebonics translator” and where to find “established ‘Ebonics’ language schools.”

It seems to me that what made this request newsworthy was simply the use of the word “translator,” which implies working from one language to another, as well as the controversial term “Ebonics.”

Although the DEA used awkward terminology, their search likely reflects just one linguistic need – among many others -- in law enforcement.

Betty Carlson

Nationwide parliamentary elections were held in Australia on Saturday. Following a historically close race, the leading Labor and Liberal parties still don’t know the exact results and won’t for days. It’s all certainly a very exciting political situation.

What caught my eye about this vote, though, is that the Australian Labor Party developed a marked interest in language interpretation services for the aged – and made it part of their final campaign strategy.

“The $5 million [promised by the Labor party] will include $2.2 million to engage interpreter services to help older people from non-English speaking backgrounds to communicate effectively when dealing with health and aged care matters,” reported the Australian Ageing Agenda website on August the 13^th. “The government said that this initiative will support around 14,000 hours worth of on-site visits and telephone interpretation services each year.” (The amounts cited are in Australian dollars.)

The article refers to the proposal as “a last ditch effort to win the sector over,” so the Labor party appeared to feel that this promise could sway some elderly or health-oriented voters.

Although offers of language services were apparently not quite enough to clinch the election for the party, it is interesting to see them used as a last-minute campaign argument.

Language Translation, Inc. offers all types of language interpreting services, including telephonic interpreting. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information about what language services can do for your company or organization.

Betty Carlson

courtesy media.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies

After writing this blog for over four years, I was starting to think I had covered about every example of mistranslation possible. Mangled menus, incomprehensible signs, counterproductive product instructions -- been there, done that.

Then a Language Translation Inc. staff member tipped me off to a Huffington Post slideshow of poorly conceived bootleg DVD covers.

As you can see in the above photo, where Scarlett Johansson is curiously lost in the movie “Finding Neverland,” illicit DVD covers provide some pretty funny examples of cultural confusion.

Many of the amusing problems on these DVD covers stem from poor translation or language use. Was it machine translation, bad human translation, or just no translation that produced this hilariously incoherent write-up in which Batman somehow becomes Spiderman?

Another linguistic error that seems to be common on “unofficial” DVDs is citing reviews without giving much thought to the remarks chosen. On one cover, the Hilary Duff flick “The Perfect Man” is noted for its “idiotic plot”, and the packaging proclaims that the film is “to be endured rather than enjoyed.”

Then again, they may not be that far off there.

Betty Carlson