Newsletter

International Mother Language Day

International Mother Language Day is celebrated every year on 21st February to promote unity and understanding of linguistic and cultural diversity and awareness of multilingualism worldwide. It is a proclaimed UNESCO initiative since 1999, that pays homage to four young students, who on February 21st, 1952, lost their lives during the Bengali – Urdu language controversy that transpired in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Today, especially, we recognize the vital role that languages play in global development with an increased responsiveness to preserving cultural and linguistic diversity, strengthening cooperation and attaining quality education for all.

As for Indigenous languages in Canada, some are thriving whereas others, such as Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca are on the brink of extinction. According to the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger project, “three-quarters of Indigenous languages in Canada are “definitely,” “severely” or “critically” endangered. The rest are classified as “vulnerable/unsafe.” Why is it important to protect & revitalize Indigenous languages?

Reminders for Interpreters during Public Health Alerts

• Please continue to practice good hand hygiene by washing hands regularly and using hand sanitizer;
• Look out for communications from interpreting agencies or healthcare organizations where you work for updates relevant to your role as an interpreter;
• Be sure that your latest mask-fit test is still valid (it is valid for two years) and know your size of N-95 mask (keep it with you on a card in your wallet or written on the back of your photo ID badge);
• Where Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements are in place, follow best practices for donning/doffing PPE. Ask healthcare staff if you have any questions;
• Follow Toronto Public Health’s recommendations for coronavirus prevention and self-care;
• If you have questions about the coronavirus, visit Ontario.ca/coronavirus for the latest information.

Interpreters Shaping Canadian History

Suzie Napayok-Short, an Inuit author, was born in Frobisher Bay and grew up on Baffin Island. She attended residential school before moving to Coral Harbour, Nunavut, and later to Iqaluit, Nunavut. She was employed for almost 15 years by the Language Bureau of the Northwest Territories in Iqaluit and Yellowknife as a legal interpreter for court cases invoving simultaneous interpreting for the Legislative Assembly and the Department of Justice of the Northwest Territories.

Peter Erasmus (1833 – 1931) was well-known in his time as a Metis interpreter between Indigenous languages such as Plains Cree and English. He translated for missionaries, traders, and Indian agents as well as, most famously, on behalf of Chiefs Mistawasis (Big Child) and Ah-tah-ka-koop (Star Blanket) at the Treaty 6 negotiations.

Thanadelthur (1697- 1717) is one of the few women to have been accorded a place in the history of the Canadian North, a remarkable Chipewyan Indian better known as the Slave Woman. Her fame rests on the successful outcome of an arduous journey undertaken for the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1715–16.

Review of Indigenous Languages as an Official Language of Canada 

•  Indigenous Languages in Canada: there are around 70 distinct Indigenous languages in Canada, falling into 12 separate language families

• House of Commons gearing up for Indigenous languages in chamber

• Speaking Indigenous Languages Finally Welcome In Canada’s House Of Commons

Other News:

• Over 1,500 interpreters and translators in the Netherlands have been on strike since January 13, 2020. The reason: “outsourcing the hiring of interpreters and allow unqualified translators and agencies to bid for work” with the police, courts, and immigration services.
• Sign languages grew from five independent lineages. scientists have identified primary lineages that originated independently of each other before diversifying throughout Europe and the Americas.

 

Order free copies of:

“Working with Your Professional Interpreter” guide

The brochure is intended for individuals facing language barriers, explaining the role of professional interpreters in healthcare and answering such questions as: 

• What does an Interpreter Do?
• Who is  a Professional Interpreter?
• Do I need an interpreter?
• How Do I Get an Interpreter?
• How do I ask for help?

The brochure has been translated into 17 languages:

Arabic, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, English, Farsi, French, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Nepali, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, and Vietnamese.

To preview the brochure and to order free copies, go to the OCCI Publications page.

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