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Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | Teach everyone English?

Edward Potter — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 10:46:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Edward Potter
Post title: Teach everyone English?

Everyone else is learning it, why not the Iraquis? It is the de facto lingua franca of the world and would help their economy immensely in allowing them to speak with international businessman. It also might save their lives when a nervous monolingual soldier pays them a visit.

On the other hand, it would be nice if the soldiers would raise their level of the local language in order to be more effective communicating.

As someone on this thread mentioned, giving out gifts is a great way of communicating.

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | I don't think that would be possible

Viktoria Gimbe — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:16:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Viktoria Gimbe
Post title: I don't think that would be possible

What we are basically talking about is an electronic dictionary. They will never get to establish contact using just that, if you know what I mean.

How about taking the time to teach the army the most basic expressions they will need to use - a few days training. It would not cost more to teach 10 soldiers to say the basic stuff than to buy one of those gadgets. And once they have the strict basics, maybe they know just enough to pick up the rest as they go. Hasn't anybody thought of that?

I think it's a shame that the translators made so far were so crappy. I don't understand how they can make something so important to such a mediocre standard. Beats me!

But if they are unable to find better, let'em use it. It would be nice of the army to try to learn the basics of those people's language, though...

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | Electronic interpreters

Andres Pacheco — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 23:13:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Andres Pacheco
Post title: Electronic interpreters

Going back to the question of the devices, would it be possible to have little boxes which would reproduce the nuances in the originals? That is, I'd think, the main question to ask...

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | I know what you mean, Vito...

Nesrin — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 22:50:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Nesrin
Post title: I know what you mean, Vito...

The interpreter is just one, and scores of people are dying on both sides...
And of course the interpreters know what they are letting themselves into, and get paid accordingly.

But anyway, I don't believe that interpreters bring that much humanity and warmth into that terrible situation, so if a small (flawed) gadget, can take over, then so be it...

That's my humble opinion.

[Edited at 2006-11-01 23:19]

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | so the point is...

Vito Smolej — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 22:20:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Vito Smolej
Post title: so the point is...

[quote]Nesrin wrote:
(Results from a very quick web search):

a massive explosion that killed 14 Marines and the unit's Iraqi interpreter, according to witnesses and military...
[url removed]

abducted in western Baghdad on Saturday, by kidnappers who killed her Iraqi interpreter, the paper said in a statement calling for her release. ...
[url removed]

.....

...and I'm sure there's more. [/quote]

there could be one less (i.e. take out the interpreter) per every case? "I'm interpreter, and I want to get OUT"?. What about Peoria, IL national guard boys and girls? What about a whole lot instead of just one dead per case?

It's Iraq and its generic - sound crappy, but wth - human lives. We're not in Cansas anymore, Toto.

smo

PS: Oh btw, where's the civilan casualties...

[Edited at 2006-11-01 22:23]

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | Maybe inhuman(e), but better than this...

Nesrin — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:59:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Nesrin
Post title: Maybe inhuman(e), but better than this...

[quote]Patricia Rosas wrote:

You can't make friends with a handheld electronic communicator, you can't know what the other side's needs are, and you can't have a dialogue.

[/quote]

(Results from a very quick web search):

a massive explosion that killed 14 Marines and the unit's Iraqi interpreter, according to witnesses and military...
[url removed]

abducted in western Baghdad on Saturday, by kidnappers who killed her Iraqi interpreter, the paper said in a statement calling for her release. ...
[url removed]

shot dead in Iraq in March 2003 - was unlawfully ... Mr Lloyd's interpreter was also killed and his cameraman is missing believed ...
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6046950.stm

4 U.S. soldiers, Iraqi interpreter killed by roadside bomb de es it nl. BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) --
press.jrc.it/NewsExplorer/clusteredition/en/20060518,RSS-cnn-392f2b96b9118b4ec720d3fa2964320f.html

A 23-year-old Southfield man was killed in Iraq while serving as an interpreter for US military forces. Family members say Saher Georges died August 29th in ...
[url removed]

Two Japanese freelance journalists, Shinsuke Hashida, 61, and his nephew Kotaro Ogawa, 33, and their Iraqi interpreter were killed late yesterday in an ...
[url removed]

...and I'm sure there's more.

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | hasta la vista baby

Vito Smolej — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:50:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Vito Smolej
Post title: hasta la vista baby

in Arab? Just look how far a kid from Steiermark can get with proper hardware and software support...

When GIs came to Germany in 1945, they brought K rations and chocolate and cigarettes. And CARE rations to Slovenia,. my home country, cheddar cheese, flour ... well, it was Gen. Marshall to be concise, but you get the point.

It was much, much more efficient.

Deep in my heart, I do believe in this kind of US of A.

smo

[Edited at 2006-11-01 20:51]

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | (in)human(e) contact

Patricia Rosas — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 15:17:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Patricia Rosas
Post title: (in)human(e) contact

Rebecca:
Thanks for sharing that article. As someone who has been in the street protesting against our military actions in the Middle East, I have to say it is just one more thing that makes me ashamed to be an American. It is also yet another sign of Donald Rumsfeld's (secretary of defense) mismanagement.

You can't make friends with a handheld electronic communicator, you can't know what the other side's needs are, and you can't have a dialogue.

As professional translators, we all recognize that the Star Trek Universal Translator is science fiction and probably will remain that for centuries to come... After all, everyone has at one time or another experienced a breakdown in communication, even talking in our native tongue to our neighbors!

What we've needed for decades is a better educational system in the US that would train people in the languages and cultures of all the countries of this world, but it ain't happening, and I won't be surprised if it turns out to be too late to undo our tragic errors.

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices | For once, I'm all for the idea!

Nesrin — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:45:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Nesrin
Post title: For once, I'm all for the idea!

Just keep interpreters out of the firing line!

Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices

Rebecca Jowers — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 11:04:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Pentagon Commissions Translation Devices
Poster: Rebecca Jowers

An interesting article in this morning's Washington Post...

[url removed]