Throughout the past several months, we have written several blog posts on the important relationship connecting language, society, and perception. A significant application of this concept is the need to maintain endangered languages (link to Yurok blog post), which often include indigenous languages spoken by shrinking native communities around the world. While the need to encourage the preservation of these tongues is urgent, so too is the need to provide quality language services to indigenous peoples who do not speak the official or principal language(s) of the region in which they live.
For these individuals, a lack of professional interpretation services can be devastating, even deadly. In his commentary [PDF] on the need for effective court interpreting in South Africa, John Hlophe laments the current shortage of language services for those who speak one of the nine indigenous languages in the region. He points out the danger involved in this unbalance; if a South African who speaks neither Afrikaans nor English does not have access to adequate assistance in the courtroom, the administration of proper justice could be at risk.
Similarly, the lack of interpretation services for native speakers of indigenous languages in medical settings could prove dangerous. Many of the immigrants working in California do not understand English or Spanish but instead speak a language native to their country of origin. In the event that such an individual is in need of medical attention, a lack of interpretation services could make proper treatment difficult, even impossible. This article, for example, discusses the challenges faced in hospitals that treat immigrant farmworkers. It describes a situation in which a child, a native speaker of Mixtec, did not receive the correct treatment for a blocked airway and died. According to a nurse practitioner and president of the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project familiar with the case, it is very possible language barriers played a role in the child’s death.
Recognizing these problems, several organizations and initiatives have been started in an attempt to provide language services to native speakers of indigenous languages. An organization receiving well-earned praise is Indigenous Interpreting+, an agency that offers professional interpretation services to “health care providers, community based organizations, public agencies and courts” in the United States. It specializes in languages spoken in Mexico and Central America. Similar programs have sprung up in other regions of the United States; certain hospitals, for example, are making an effort to provide language services to Native American patients. Certain countries in which large populations – and languages – have been marginalized are beginning to offer interpreting services to indigenous peoples; for instance, the Australian government has begun a new initiative focused on providing language services for Aboriginal Territorians.
As linguists, we must continue to identify significant challenges such as those faced by speakers of indigenous languages. It is crucial that we strive to break down linguistic barriers preventing people from accessing legal and medical services; nobody should be denied adequate care based on their native tongue. What are your thoughts on interpretation services in the indigenous community? What other shortages do you perceive in the language service industry? We’d love to read your comments below!
