Translators1 without
Borders2 is an American nonprofit
group3. It provides4
language services to nongovernmental5
organizations like Doctors Without Borders. The group recently trained6 some new translators in Nairobi
in how to translate health
information7 into local languages for Kenyans.
For health translators, finding the right words8 is not only9 about
language. It is also about culture. Muthoni Gichohi is a manager10 for Family Health Options Kenya, the
group that organized the training11.
She says she has no problem expressing the names of body parts in English.
But, as a member of the Kikuyu ethnic group, she says there are12 some
words in her first language that could
cause problems13 if she says them in public. So, she finds a way14 to deliver15 the same
message with different words.
Trainer Paul Warambo says the same issue16 arises17 with one of Kenya's national languages,
Swahili. He says, in Swahili, people use euphemisms18
to describe19 some
words. A euphemism is a harmless20
word, name or phrase that replaces21
another word that may be22
offensive.
In Swahili, this is helpful23 to describe suggestive words, or words
relating to sex. The culture of a community will largely decide24 how words and expressions are
translated into socially acceptable25
language. Whether or not26
a community will accept27
or even28 listen
to a message is especially important in health care.
Lori Thicke co-founded Translators Without Borders in
1993. She says a lot of development29
organizations have often30
overlooked31 the
importance of language in changing health behavior32.She
says, people do not think of translation, but it is critical for people to get information33
about medication or how to find
supplies34 in a crisis35
situation. For VOA Learning English, I'm Alex Villarreal. (Adapted from a radio
program broadcast 24Oct2012)
Vocabulary
1. Translators = tradutores
2. without Borders = sem fronteiras
3. nonprofit group = grupo sem fins lucrativos
4. provides = fornece
5. nongovernmental = não governamentais
6. recently trained = treinou recentemente
7. health information = informações sobre saúde
8. right words = palavras certas
9. not only = não apenas
10. manager = gerente
11. training = treinamento
12. there are = existem
13. could cause problems = poderiam causar problemas
14. finds a way = encontra uma maneira
15. deliver = entregar
16. the same issue = a mesma questão
17. arises = surge
18. euphemisms = eufemismos
19. describe = descrever
20. harmless = inofensivo
21. replaces = substitui
22. may be = pode ser
23. helpful = útil
24. largely decide = decider amplamente
25. acceptable = aceitável
26. Whether or not = se ou não
27. Accept = aceitar
28. Even = até mesmo
29. Development = desenvolvimento
30. Often = frequentemente
31. Overlooked = negligencia
32. Behavior = comportamento
33. to get information = obter informação
34. how to find supplies = como encontrar suprimentos
35. crisis = crise