Summary
Witness a historic moment as we delve into the significance of the first Senate speech delivered in Spanish. Explore the impact of translation and interpretation services in this blog.
Early June of 2013 saw a new first in the Senate building in Washington, DC: the Senator from Virginia, Time Kaine, stood up to support an immigration overhaul bill, and did so entirely in Spanish. Sentences, references, and brief statements made in other languages have happened in the past, but not a 15-minute statement.
The Senator, who is finding himself using more and more Spanish in his representation of the east coast state, started planning the speech weeks in advance, and used two Spanish-speaking staff members to help write it. The immigration overhaul bill, he says, is such a huge deal, and so many people have so much invested in it, that “taking 15 minutes to explain the bill in Spanish just seemed like a good idea.”
Reactions to the speech have been varied. The Communications director of the League of United Latin American Citizens claimed it made her feel as if they are finally being heard, and can take pride in their work to bring equality to Spanish speakers in America. Contrariwise, a spokeswoman for the National Council of La Raza related that, while it was appreciated as a linguistic outreach, she feels that business is Congress is something that must be understood by the members of that cabinet, not just the onlookers.
While it is unlikely that the government will encourage speeches in languages other than English, it is heartening to see that governmental officials are keeping linguistic barriers in mind when it comes to important issues.
