Why must African translators be more open to change and innovation? – Ady Namaran
The language industry in Africa is full of untapped opportunities. Kabod has ventured on a journey of identifying, documenting and highlighting inspiring stories and innovative projects from entrepreneurs, researchers and freelancers in the translation, interpretation and natural language processing communities.
Top 15 free CAT Tools every Translator Must Know
Are you a translator looking for ways to boost your productivity and make more profit? This is what you need:Get yourself a CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tool! And this article provides you with a variety of free CAT tools that you can use as you prepare to get a paid one someday. Advancement in technology has allowed the development of numerous translation software programs that facilitate the translation of different text types more efficiently and expeditely. An example of these tools are CAT tools. This article will demystify the concept of CAT tools and aid you in choosing those suitable for you, while indicating those that are free of charge. What are CAT tools?CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools have been designed to help translators in boosting productivity, translation quality and consistency. They facilitate editing, storing previous translations and using them for future projects. They include Wordfast, OmegaT, Trados, MemoQ, Memsource, Déjà Vù, Metatexis, Isometry, Phrase and a non-exhaustive list. Features of CAT tools There are many CAT tools on the market lately with different features included. Nevertheless, modern CAT tools tend to share several common features, namely: Top 15 free CAT tools There are many CAT tools on the market lately with different features included. Nevertheless, modern CAT tools tend to share several common features, namely: Top 15 free CAT tools There are two groups: desktop and cloud-based CAT tools. While desktop CAT tools are installed locally on your computer and can be used regardless of internet availability, cloud-based CAT tools require no installation but internet access. Most CAT tools are nowadays cloud-based. A. Desktop CAT tools 1.OmegaTOmegaT is an open-source software that facilitates translations (in Java) and runs on desktop computers (Windows, Linux and MacOS). It is compatible with Trados files, provides general translation and user glossary functionality, supports about 30 file formats including Microsoft Word, Excel, Power, XHTML and HTML, and Open Document Format. Download OmegaT 2.SimilisSimilis provides its users with a translation memory and supports XML, HTML, MS Word, OpenOffice, as well as Trados files.It offers a translation tool which allows you to translate Microsoft Word documents in interactive mode linked to a Similis server which helps to manage and pre-translate documents as well as helping with translation memory, glossaries, and alignment. The server dealswith all linguistic processes and stores data (memory, vocabulary etc.). Download Similis. 3.CaféTran EspressoOffering numerous powerful features such as MT integration, one-click replacement of suggested text, smart auto-completion as well as a customizable interface, it is a unique CAT Tool that can be used on Mac, Windows and Linux. With the free copy of CafeTran Espresso, you can access the tool forever. It allows you to work with TM files under 1000 TU’s in size and glossaries under 500 wordings/words. Download Cafetran 4.AnaphraseusAnaphraseus is a Wordfast macro for OpenOffice and works in the same way as Wordfast. It offers a TM editor, a translation tool, editing, and glossary creation. Download Anaphraseus 5.Poedit It is a localization management platform suitable for App localization, websites and game localization. Furthermore, it carries a traditional yet user-friendly interface that helps to start translating tools for WordPress translation. It syncs with popular repositories like GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure, enables translators to review the translation history of a string and recover previous translations if needed and provides an option to crowdsource translations for your software. Download POEdit 6.ForeigndeskIt is an open-source software produced by the Lionbridge company. Not only that, but it runs on Windows and offers: An integrated translation environment (translation memory, terminology management, contextual visualization and translation assistance)– Possibility to add native support for new file formats– Option to add native support for new file formats– A project management assistant.Download Foreigndesk 7.G-translatorG-translator is a specialized translation tool that translates software and is programmed for use on GNOME desktop environments. It is a po. file editor, similar to the PO edit method used by gettext for the GNOME desktop environment. It processes all po file formats, compiled (gmo/mo), compressed (po.gz/po.bz2 etc.) and all the utilities of a text editor such as find/replace, automatic translation, learning transcribed messages, a message table, and easy navigation through messages and comments. Download G-translator B. Cloud-based CAT tools 8.MateCatWell-known for offering a wide variety of features, MateCat is a free online CAT tool that is solely focused on giving its users access to machine translation databases in order to improve their working efficiency. It has the largest translation memory of approx. 12 billion words. Users can simplify urgent project management by easily splitting the rush projects as teams of various fields like translators,quality, etc., work simultaneously on the same project. 9.PootlePootle is an open-source online translation management tool designed specifically for translating applications. It provides its users with an easy-to-use interface. Due to its easy use, Pootle is preferred by many translators and companies worldwide. Users can have the benefits of translating in any language being spoken worldwide and receive suggestions for continuous translations. 10.Wordfast Anywhere As the name suggests, Wordfast Anywhere offers a connection to public translation databases. However, it must be used online. It allows its users to create private Term Bases (TBs) and Translation Memories (TMs). As it runs on a web browser, different users can easily collaborate and work together on a translation project. 11.SmartCATSmartCAT has great advantages of being free, user-friendly, and comprehensive. It offers collaborative space and freelance marketplace. 12.AcrossOffering a complete translation environment including terminology management, translation memory, quality assurance, and project management, Across is a fully-featured CAT tool. It is compatible with Word Excel, PowerPoint, XML, HTML, InDesign, FrameMaker, rc, exe, dll. While the basic edition is available for free, the premium version can be used on a monthly-charge basis.Download Across 13.GlobalSightAn open-source translation management tool, GlobalSight streamlines, automates, and manages localization processes of firms and can be used by translators, project managers, and editors alike. 14.VirtaalIt is a multi-format translation tool with a specific focus on software translation only. Written in the Python programming language, Virtaal is developed and maintained by Translate.org.za. Moreover, it
Why you must stop being a general translator and find your niche – Laetitia Sullivan from South Africa.
The language industry in Africa is full of untapped opportunities. Kabod has ventured on a journey of identifying, documenting and highlighting inspiring stories and innovative projects from entrepreneurs, researchers and freelancers in the translation, interpretation and natural language processing communities. The final goal is to celebrate African professionals in the language industry and facilitate knowledge and experience sharing. Ms. Laetitia Sullivan is a sworn translator in South Africa. Her two working languages are English and Afrikaans. She is specialized in three fields, which are technological translation, legal translation and non-fiction book translation. She has shared about her experience in this interview. Do well to read it! Kabod: What attracts you to the role of translator? How did you start your career in the translation industry? I had an affinity for languages from a young age. My mother loves to tell the story of how I taught myself to read at the age of four because I was too impatient to wait for her to read to me. Many years later, when it was time to decide on tertiary studies, I wanted to study journalism but Stellenbosch University only offered it as a postgraduate degree. After finishing my bachelor’s degree and attaining more insight into what I would enjoy as a career, I settled on a postgraduate diploma in translation. After finishing our studies, a fellow student started working at a publishing company and because we kept in touch, she reached out to me to offer me my first translation job. The rest, as they say, is history! Kabod: How does your native language influence your fluency with other languages? It’s more a matter of the lingua franca in my country (English) influencing my native language (Afrikaans). Because I live in South Africa where we have 11 official languages (Sign Language to soon become the 12th), English is used for general communication so I have to constantly guard against the idiom of my native language being influenced by another language I hear and speak all day long. Kabod: What are some relevant projects you are currently working on? At present, I’m translating a series of books into Afrikaans on robotics and coding for primary school children. I also work on the User Interface localisation of software on a daily basis and I continue assisting people planning to emigrate with sworn translation services (Afrikaans into English). Kabod: What aspects of translation do you find most difficult? I find marketing translation or transcreation most difficult but also most satisfying, as you have to convey the message and the emotion behind the words rather than just the literal meaning of the text. Kabod: How do you market yourself and your services as a translator? I use various outbound and inbound marketing strategies such as my website, posting on LinkedIn, networking with my colleagues, and attending conferences, webinars and events. Kabod: How did you get your first contract? I received my first translation task from a colleague whom I kept in touch with after we both left university. She went on to work at a publishing house and I started translating cookbooks for her. Kabod: How can African translators position themselves to better tap opportunities in the global language industry? African translators should take part in conversations happening on social media regarding the language industry. This way they attract the attention of the ‘big players’ in the industry and can inform the rest of the world about the opportunities existing in Africa. African languages translators should also consider banding together to attract clients who are looking for ‘one-stop shops’ rather than dealing with individual translators. Kabod: What strategies do you use to increase your pool of clients while maintaining the existing ones? I post relevant information on social media to attract clients and I also send out a quarterly newsletter to past clients with translation industry news and language tips. I also reach out to past clients via email when I haven’t heard from them in a while. Likewise, I sometimes reach out to clients directly on LinkedIn if we have mutual interests or have built a relationship. Kabod: Do you have any translation areas that you specialise in? Why those topics? I’m a sworn translator admitted to the High Court of South Africa (Western Cape Division). So, my day-to-day translation work involves texts and documents of a legal nature for use in a court of law or for emigration purposes. I like the precise nature of legal language and producing documents that help people improve their lives. I also have a further specialisation in UI/UX translation where I work on large-scale software localisation projects for tech giants. Furthermore, I have always been interested in how technology can make things easier, quicker and more convenient, so I enjoy working on tech-related translation. My third specialisation is non-fiction book publishing, especially cookbooks and texts involving food and beverages. I started out working on this subject matter so it will always be close to my heart, but I also believe that the sharing of food can bring people together which no other way can. Kabod: Are you using Computer Assisted Translation tools? Which one do you prefer and why? I use CAT tools on a daily basis for consistency across my work and to improve productivity. I also use OCR software to convert documents sent as scans or difficult file formats to facilitate a better workflow. My CAT tool of choice is Trados Studio 2022 but I also regularly use Memsource (now Phrase) for agency work. I prefer Trados but only because I have been using it the longest and I’m more familiar with the user interface and functionality. Kabod: Do you think there is a viable market for African languages translation/interpretation? Are there enough economic opportunities for translators/interpreters in African languages? Yes, definitely. Economic activity on the content is projected to grow at a much faster rate than the rest of the world. Because the continent is home to more than a billion people,
3 Existing Awards in the Language Industry in Africa
Have your parents ever rewarded you with some toffees or money just because you did your homework well? How did you feel? Let me guess! You were very happy and made up your mind to always do your homework well to get more toffees, weren’t you? And again, how motivated were you to do something knowing that you would be rewarded for it? Indeed, the act of rewarding, as little as the reward may be, motivates one to do more. In the same way, awarding language professionals, whose job consists of helping people from different parts of the world bridge language barriers and connect, will benefit the language industry. Unlike industries such as football, music, and literature, which provide many awards for their heroes, the language industry provides few prizes, which are mainly for literary translations from and into various official languages. What are the existing awards in the African language industry? What are some awards that can be founded in Africa to promote the African language industry? Read to the end to find answers to these questions. 3 existing awards in the language industry In Africa Sol Plaatje Prize for Translation The Sol Plaatje Prize for Translation is a bi-annual prize first awarded in 2007 by The English Academy of South Africa with a cash prize value of R7 000 or $382 and an illuminated certificate. The English Academy is a non-profit organisation with over three hundred members from within and outside South Africa. They organise this prize in honourof Sol Plaatje. He worked as a court interpreter during the Siege of Mafeking, and translated works of William Shakespeare into Tswana. The Award, which bears his name, rewards excellence in the translation of a literary text (poetry or prose) of at least 1 000 words in one of the otherSouth African official languages into English. The purpose of the prize is to encourage effective mutual understanding in that multilingual country. Since then, the awards ceremony has been held. Previous Award winners 2019 – Michiel Heyns for The Shallows (Vlakwater by Lettie Viljoen), from Afrikaans 2018 – Leon de Kock and Karin Schimke for Vlam in die Sneeu, from Afrikaans 2017 – Held over to 2018 2015 – Not awarded 2013 – Daniel Sekepi Matjila and Karen Haire for Lover of His People: A biography of Sol Plaatje, from Setswana (by Seetsele Modiri Molema) 2011 – Daniel Kunene for My Child! My Child! by C. L. S. Nyembezi 2009 – Award withdrawn (Jeff Opland for Abantu Besizwe: Historical And Biographical Writings (by S.E.K. Mqhayi)) 2007 – Michiel Heyns for Agaat (by Marlene van Niekerk) Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature The Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature was founded in 2014 by the son of the world acclaimed language activist Ngugi Wa Thiongo, namely Dr Mukoma Wa Ngugi (Cornell University) together with Dr Lizzy Mabati (Short Story Day Africa). This prize “has the express goal of recognizing writing in African languages and encouraging translation from, between and into African languages.” The prize is named after its primary sponsors, Mabati Rolling Mills, a roofing company based in Kenya and Cornell University, an Ivy League university in Ithaca, New York. The Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature will now be known as the Safal-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature. The name change reflects the new parent organisation of one of its sponsors. Indeed, Mabati Rolling Mills of Kenya, a former major sponsor of the prize, is now a subsidiary of the East-Africa-based steel roofing conglomerate The Safal Group Limited. Despite the change in name, the objective of the prize remains the same. The award is a cash prize worth $15,000, which is divided among four different winners. 1st fiction/non-fiction Prize winner and 1st poetry Prize winner will receive $5000, respectively. Two runners-up, in any genre, will receive $2,500 each. From 2022 forward, the prize will only consider previously unpublished works. Previous Award winners 2021 Halfani Sudy for “Kirusi Kipya”(“New Virus”) (fiction) Lucas Lubago for “Bweni la Wasichana( The Girls’ Dormitory) (second-place winner, fiction) Moh’d Omar Juma for “Chemichemi Jangwani” (“Water Spring in the Desert) (poetry) 2020 Not awarded 2019 Lello Mmassy, Mimi na Rais (The President and I) (fiction) Moh’d Khamisi Songoro (poetry) 2018 Zainab Alwi Baharoon , Mungu Hakopeshwi (fiction) Jacob Ngumbau Julius (poetry), Moto wa Kifuu 2017 Ali Hilal Ali (fiction) Dotto Rangimoto (poetry) 2016 Idrissa Haji Abdalla_Kilio cha Mwanamke (fiction) Hussein Wamaywa_Moyo Wangu Unaungua (runners up) Ahmed Hussein Ahmed -Haile Ngoma ya Wana.” (poetry) 2015 Anna Samwel – Penzi la Damu (fiction) Enock Maregesi Kolonia Santita (runners up fiction) Mohamed K. Ghassani- N’na Kwetu (poetry) Christopher Bundala Budebah -Kifaurongo (runners up poetry) Marion Boers Prize for translation of work of fiction or non-fiction This prize is in honour of Marion Boers who was the President of FIT (International Federation of Translators) for two consecutive mandates from 2008 to 2014. She was also the Executive Director of SATI (South African Translators’ Institute) for more than two decades. This award is designed to promote the translation of works of fiction or non-fiction originally written in an African Language by a citizen of the 16 SADC (Southern African Development Community)countries. The prize may be awarded either for a single translation of outstanding quality or for the entire body of work of fiction or non-fiction involving at least one African language. Possible awards in the language industry in Africa Indeed, Kabod Group, the largest language service provider in Africa, together with partners will launch an Award Ceremony next year. The prizes are as follows: 1- Most innovative & successful African language project solutions Prize This prize is awarded to a freelance translator, interpreter or language service provider that comes up with an outstanding solution for any African language issue, be it in the area of collecting data and documenting African languages. 2- Best African languages software Prize This annual prize is presented to an individual or a group of people whose software has increased access or use of any African language. 3- Best Literary
Why you must never stop learning as a medical interpreter- Abdikadir Adan from Kenya.
The language industry in Africa is full of untapped opportunities. Kabod has ventured on a journey of identifying, documenting and highlighting inspiring stories and innovative projects from entrepreneurs, researchers and freelancers in the translation, interpretation and natural language processing communities. The final goal is to celebrate African professionals in the language industry and facilitate knowledge and experience sharing. Mr. Abdikadir Adan, is a freelance Medical Interpreter in Kenya. He works with three languages which are English, Somali and Swahili. He is committed to service and gives his best to please his clients. Kabod: What attracts you to the role of interpreter? I get fulfilment from providing language services to clients who are not able to express themselves as a result of language barriers. As a medical Interpreter, I have been able to serve patients in critical health conditions and in many situations; save lives through 911 emergency cases and this is what drives me. Kabod: How did you start your career in the interpretation industry? I started my career in Medical Interpreting after Covid hit and like many people, I got laid off from my previous job. Interpretation gave me all the flexibility that I needed in my day to day activities as I do work fully remotely. Kabod: What type of interpretation do you find most difficult? For me servicing court sessions is the most challenging aspect to handle because you need intensive training and knowledge to be able to handle legal /court sessions. Kabod: How do you market yourself and your services as an interpreter? I market myself through the LinkedIn platform by sharing my achievements and certifications so far attained. Kabod: How did you get your first contract? I got my first job as an Interpreter through a friend who later became a colleague. Kabod: How can African translators/interpreters position themselves to better tap opportunities in the global language industry? We can position ourselves better by providing top notch services as translators and interpreters in whatever jobs we are contracted for. Kabod: What strategies do you use to increase your pool of clients while maintaining the existing ones? I do a lot of research on companies that offer contracts that are in line with what I do. It’s Important to follow up with them in case they have openings and in instances where they don’t, I usually ask them to keep my files for future projects . Maintaining my contracts with my current Language service Co’s requires High standards of customer service and complying with work ethics & Principles among others. Kabod: How do you leverage technology to facilitate your work as an interpreter? As an interpreter, I do use Google translator in some instances where I want to double-check certain words that I might not be sure of. Kabod: Do you think there is a viable market for African languages translation/interpretation? Yes I believe there are opportunities out there for African Translators and Interpreters, especially for Interpreters from countries that got affected by civil wars and hence forcing their citizens to immigrate and seek asylum abroad. Kabod: Are you a member of ALATT or any strong network of interpreters? Kindly mention them. For translators, I am not a member of any company but for Interpreters, there are companies with good call volumes, e.g Language Line, Language link and Akorbi just to mention a few. Kabod: What are the three top pieces of advice that you will share with a budding interpreter from Africa from your experiences? 1. Make sure to keep on sharpening your language skills every day and never stop learning. 2. Maintain relationships with colleagues 3. Be updated every day with whatever is happening in your industry. Kabod: How do you envision the future of interpretation in African languages? I see most language services companies exploring Africa at some point in search of Interpreters / Translators because of the costs involved in running those companies abroad v/s in Africa due to labour costs. Thanks, Mr. Adan, for your time and for sharing your experiences with us. Are you also in the language industry in Africa? Would you also like to be featured in our Knowledge Exchange Series, which highlight the journey and experiences of African language translators, interpreters, computational linguists etc.,? Then, reach out to languages@kabodgroup.com to express interest.
The African Behind The World’s First Live Translation Earbud
Today, Artificial intelligence (AI) translation technologies have been the solution for many globetrotters to travel to any country even if they do not understand the language spoken there. Businesses are reaching diverse nationals with their services or products with the help of these technologies. AI translation tools are engineered to translate text/speech from one language to another. These usually come as online software or mobile apps. But this article highlights an invention that will blow your mind. An earbud engineered to perform real-life translation into over 40 languages. An invention such as this must be flagged as top-notch ingenuity. The man behind this ingenious invention is a Ghanaian by the name, Danny Manu, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Mymanu – the designer and manufacturer of the world’s first live translation earbud that helps individuals and companies break language barriers with its inventions. Danny highlights the importance of AI translation technology in these words, “By breaking down language barriers, AI translation enables people and organisations to reach out to a wider community. From teaching new skills to deprived communities, sharing best practices with international colleagues to develop skills faster, and discovering new cultures to understand people better, this can have such a positive impact on communities globally”. Mymanu Products Mymanu first introduced the Mymanu click, a versatile wireless earbud, designed to break language barriers. With this earbud, you can listen to songs in HD sound, make calls, and have access to messages and notifications. In case you are travelling with it, no need to worry about the longevity of the battery- it can stay on for 30 hours. Apart from the functionalities above, the earbud can perform live voice translation that currently supports 40 languages. Mymanu click+ was produced in 2017 and the updated version in 2021 known as Mymanu Click S. This year, 2022, Mymanu Clik S was selected as part of the 20 finalists of the Amazon Launchpad Innovation Awards. Mymanu being featured on the Amazon platform testifies to the credibility of the product. The translation functionality of the device is powered by a messaging app MyJumo which is proprietary of Mymanu and designed to aid communication in multiple languages, the best gadget for travellers, and companies who want to internationalise. Mymanu Titan Early this year, Mymanu titan was unveiled and shook the telecommunication industry as the first voice-activated, e-sim-powered earbuds. A screen-free device that functions as a phone. This means you can choose to be without your phone and still make calls, listen to music in HD, send or receive messages and again with the MyJumo app you have a live translation. In a month, Titan will be on market, and you have the chance to secure a 51% early bird discount if you join the waitlist. Apart from earbuds, Mymanu also produces wonderful products such as; a magnetic 3-in-1 charger, magnetic phone case, wireless charger, and conference speaker. To know more about how Mymanu products are helping businesses make it big in this globalised world of diverse languages; travellers travelling without the fear of language barriers, and changing industries such as health and tourism, this blog might be of interest to you. There is no doubt that AI translation helps individuals and companies interact with audiences that would have been shut out because of language barriers. With these language technologies, we are marching towards an inclusive world without language barriers. I would very much appreciate that, and if you know of any language technology made by an African, do share in the comment section as well I would love to dig into it.
6 ways to limit enslavement to foreign languages in Africa
Africa is a multilingual continent with diverse and numerous languages. According to the 2018 edition of the Ethnologue Global Dataset, we have 2143 living languages as well as over 8000 dialects in Africa, which is therefore the most linguistically endowed continent. Ngugi Wa Thiongo during a lecture in Johannesburg on Reviving African Languages iterated that “If you know all the languages of the world and you don’t know your mother tongue or the language of your culture, that is enslavement. But if you know your mother tongue or the language of your culture, and add all the other languages of the world to it, that is empowerment.” Few ideas have already been shared on how to ensure that African languages are being preserved and promoted. Here we shall look at more ways to improve those methods and minimise Africans’ dependency on foreign languages. 1) Enrich the vocabulary—the totality of words in African languages. In order for languages to increase and become better, they need a rich vocabulary. Creating more words would enhance the use and quality of African languages. For example, in Ghana and Ivory Coast, there is a language called Twi which is spoken by 17 to 18 million people. Although it is spoken almost everywhere, it does not have a strong vocabulary with technical words and expressions to describe certain aspects of reality. A practical example is the title of this article. I planned to write “Improving the quality, availability and accessibility of African languages” into Twi. I first used an application to to it and it gave “Mfasoɔ a ɛwɔ so, sɛnea ɛte wɔ Abibiman kasa ahodoɔ mu ne sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ yie” as a translation which rather means “The importance of it, how it is in various African languages and how it can be improved”. I then decided to ask a friend who is a Ghanaian to translate it. Unable to do it, he also had to ask another friend and later confessed: “Twi lacks a lot of vocabulary. Hence, quite a number of words in twi have the same connotations in English but the meanings are distinctive”. I was not able to convey the correct idea. It was quite difficult to convey exactly what I wanted and that shows the vocabulary of most African languages need to be enriched, especially if we want to use them as lingua francas. 2) Be proud of ourAfrican languages and encourage leaders to use it publicly. Speaking African languages will help everyone get familiar with them and we must seize every opportunity to use them in public. Like Ngugi Wa Thiongo said, “Make it both cool and clever to know an African language”. Imagine I am selling shoes. Even though all clients are important, getting Bill Gates or Alassane Ouattara (the President of my country) to buy my shoes, will make everyone think they are of good quality. Right? Now, let’s try to apply that same analogy to African languages. If presidents, ministers, or influential African leaders were speaking African languages during worldwide conferences and events, people would automatically see those languages as significant, and they would be considered with more seriousness. Ibrahim Anoba lists this and language barrier as one of the obstacles to achieve the continental project of the United States of Africa. IBRAHIM ANOBA What do you think ? Do you think this could be enough? Of course, no! Hence, let’s look at more ways! 3) Writing more books and multimedia content in African languages Books carry knowledge, they make physically available anything anyone would like to share. For example, when I was a kid, I used to write little stories about anything and those words were carrying my thoughts and knowledge. Now ! Imagine writers make books or anyone writes in their respective African languages. This is going to catapult the availability of African languages everywhere and will contribute to their development. We have authors like: Ngugi Wa Thiongo whom I quoted in the introduction, who decided to write only in his mother tongue since the year 2000. Nhlanhla Maake who has published twenty-five books of fiction and non-fiction in Sesotho and English. Sabata-Mpho Mokae who is the author of a biography The Story of Sol T Plaatje (2010) and novels Ga ke Modisa (2012), Dikeledi (2014) and Moletlo wa Manong (2018). Imagine that more Africans do well to write in their mother tongues. Can you imagine how this would result in the growth of African languages and creation of new businesses? 4) Teaching African languages everywhere possible to spread their use Teaching African languages in schools for instance or in different institutions will ease their availability on the market. For instance, there are some languages in Ivory Coast that I would not have known were existing if I did not see or learn them at school. Each African government must ensure that there are language schools where people, especially foreigners and tourists, can learn the indigenous language. People can’t speak our language properly if not taught, and places to learn them effectively must be created as much as possible through collaboration with language schools and the upgrade of selected local languages as official languages, despite the “representativity controversy” that this could generate. 5) Intensive and intentional promotion of content written in African languages There are trillions of books published in English, French and other international languages. But a tiny portion of books are directly published in African indigenous languages. Indigenous languages can grow quickly through media and culture, especially the movie, music and publishing industry. Below are examples of 3 notable publishing projects in indigenous languages from South Africa: The Indigenous Languages Publishing Programme which offers free reading material in isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sesotho, Sepedi and English, believes that being read to in your home language is an essential and powerful part of developing literacy skills, and one that makes all other learning easier. The reprint of South African classics in indigenous languages to promote the culture of reading and writing in indigenous languages, thereby
African translators must upgrade their command of African languages – Mouhamed Diop from Senegal
The language industry in Africa is full of untapped opportunities. Kabod has ventured on a journey of identifying, documenting and highlighting inspiring stories and innovative projects from entrepreneurs, researchers and freelancers in the translation, interpretation and natural language processing communities. The final goal is to celebrate African professionals in the language industry and facilitate knowledge and experience sharing. Mr. Mouhamed Diop, our next interviewee is the founder of AA-Langues, a translation company in Senegal. They provide translation services in three languages which are English, French and Wolof. Here is a fruitful interview we had with him. Kabod: What attracted you to the role of translator? How did you start your career in the translation/interpretation industry? I love languages and I started my professional career in 2015 after completion of my MA in translation at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal. Kabod: How does your native language influence your fluency with other languages? My native language is Wolof. It does not influence my other working languages very much because I have a strong command of both English and French and teach them as well. Kabod: What are some of the relevant initiatives or projects you are currently working on? I intend to carry out an academic research on the issues and difficulties accredited translators face in Senegal, and suggest long-lasting solutions. Kabod: What type of translation do you find most difficult? Legal translation is more difficult than any other translation type. Jurists have their own way to formulate sentences and the translator must always seek to translate as faithfully as possible while avoiding literal translation that might be nonsensical. Kabod: How do you market yourself and your services as a translator? 90% of my clients contact me thanks to my references on my blog, promoting websites like www.goafricaonline.com, www.astra-sn.com and my own website. Kabod: How did you get your first contract? I got my very first contract through my teachers. Kabod: How can African translators position themselves to better tap opportunities in the global language industry? African translators should work in creating well-organized and honest professional networks. Maybe it is good to have one’s own website or a LinkedIn profile, but being part of a bigger family seems much better. African translators must also upgrade their command of African languages because as translators, our first mission should aim to promote our local languages. Kabod: What strategies do you use to increase your pool of clients while maintaining the existing ones? I always respect deadlines. I do spotless work and I am available and honest. For example, I never accept to work towards a language that I do not have a command of though I have notions of it. Also, the deadlines I give are always respected. This is mostly enough for clients to keep contacting you and linking you to more people. Kabod: Do you have any translation topics you specialize in? Why those topics? I specialize mostly in the fields of animal health, agriculture, nutrition and food because I did my translation internships only with NGOs working in bettering equid animals’ lives. Kabod: Are you using Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools? Which one do you prefer and why? CAT tools are a must. 80% of clients often complain about being in a hurry and without CAT tools, tight deadlines will not be honored. I mostly use Trados Studio, Deepl, Wordfast and Memsource. Sometimes, clients express their needs in working with a particular CAT tool. Kabod: Do you think there is a viable market for African languages translation/interpretation? Are there enough economic opportunities for translators/interpreters in African languages? There is a growing interest in African languages. I do believe African languages specialists will be served sooner or later. Kabod: Are you a member of a strong network of translators? I am a first-hour and regular member of Astra (Association sénégalaise des traducteurs) created in September 2017 in Dakar. Kabod: What are the three top pieces of advice that you will share to a budding translator/interpreter from Africa from your experiences? 1) A translator must read a variety of texts 2) Watch documentaries 3) Discuss with resourceful people on any topic Kabod: How do you envision the future of translation in African languages? The growth of African languages has no limit. An unexplored or less explored thing always has the power of attraction, but the future of African languages will depend on the day Africans themselves will start to seriously learn their mother tongues and use them officially on top of “received or imposed languages”. Thanks, Mr. Mouhamed, for your time and for sharing your experiences with us. Are you also in the language industry in Africa? Would you also like to be featured in our Knowledge Exchange Series, which highlight the journey and experiences of African language translators, interpreters, computational linguists etc.,? Then, reach out to languages@kabodgroup.com to express interest.
The market is very big for African Languages Translators – Stephen Kwadwo Boateng from Ghana
The language industry in Africa is full of untapped opportunities. Kabod has ventured on a journey of identifying, documenting and highlighting inspiring stories and innovative projects from entrepreneurs, researchers and freelancers in the translation, interpretation and natural language processing communities. The final goal is to celebrate African professionals in the language industry and facilitate knowledge and experience sharing. Mr. Stephen Kwadwo Boateng is next on our list! He is the founder of iTranscribe Consult in Ghana. They offer language consultation, translation, interpretation, transcription and transcreation services into Asante Twi and English languages, etc. Below is the result of a conversation with him about his journey in the language industry. Kabod: What attracts you to the role of translator? How did you start? My zeal to see African Languages reach the global world with no difficulties is what attracts me to the role of translator. I started as a translator in 2013 after gaining admission to the university to study Asante Twi. Since then, I have loved to work in the language industry and I am currently working more as a language consultant. Kabod: How does your native language influence your fluency with other languages? The Asante Twi dialect which is a part of the Akan Language is unique. Aside from its tonal nature, it has various sounds that are similar to other languages, especially the English Language. Kabod: What are some relevant initiatives you worked on? I have personally worked on the Google Gboard project which is a keyboard available on all stores that seek to have a word bank for suggesting words while users type in Twi. Kabod: What aspect or type of translation do you find most difficult? Why? Technology/Engineering Domain because with Akan where I work in, technology and engineering has very limited or almost no vocabulary. What we mostly do is to transliterate which becomes very difficult due to our alphabet. Kabod: How do you market yourself and your services as a translator? I have a website and on almost all language providers websites such as ProZ, freelancer, fiver, upwork. This helps people to reach out to us when they search for our services online. Kabod: How did you get your first contract? I had my first contract via Facebook after I sent a message to Kasahorow; one of the companies dedicated to promoting African Languages. Interestingly, they replied to my message after a year, but that was a breakthrough for me as a translator. Kabod: How can African translators position themselves to better tap opportunities in the global language industry? With the growing technological trends, African Language Providers should be very visible online by joining all Language Providers sites like the ones i listed above which are ProZ, freelancer, fiver, upwork, etc., and remain committed to clients for recommendations. Kabod: What strategies do you use to increase your pool of clients while maintaining the existing ones? Mostly after our first encounter with a client, we continue to send them messages during holidays. We also have personal contacts with some of them to still get in touch with them. We keep advertising to reach out to potentially new clients. Kabod: Do you have any translation topics or areas that you specialize in? Why those topics? Yes, and it is because no one is a repository of knowledge. When I get a project outside my domain, I spend time reading up on the subject and continue to update myself with other areas. Kabod: How do you leverage technology to facilitate your work as a translator? Which Computer Assisted Translation tool do you prefer and why? Yes, technology has been a very instrumental part of our work as translators. I use CAT tools and mostly clients give access to some of these CAT tools for their projects. I personally use OmegaT, WordBee and Trados. Kabod: Do you think there is a viable market for African languages’ translation? Are there enough economic opportunities for translators in African languages? Yes, I think the market is very big for African Languages Translators. However, solely freelancing as an African Language Translator is a bit difficult to sustain one economically. I will advise African Languages Translators to look for other opportunities such as Transcription, Transcreation, Subtitling in their language pairs. Kabod: Are you aware of any network for translators in African languages? Are you a member of a strong network of translators or interpreters such as ALATT? Kindly mention them. No, I personally don’t belong to any Network for African Languages. I think there are Country Based Networks, but not an African Wide one. However, I am a member of the International Literacy Association. Kabod: What are the three top pieces of advice that you will share to a budding translator/interpreter from Africa from your experiences? 1. Build online presence 2. Invest in yourself and CAT tools 3. Network with other Language Professionals Kabod: How do you envision the future of translation in African languages? I see a very great future for the language industry in African Languages, however, with the current trends of technology, I think machine translation even in African Languages will gradually take over the industry in the future. Thanks, Mr. Kwadwo, for your time and for sharing your experiences with us. Are you also in the language industry in Africa? Would you also like to be featured in our Knowledge Exchange Series, which highlights the journey and experiences of African language translators, interpreters, computational linguists etc.,? Then, reach out to languages@kabodgroup.com to express interest.
African translators should market their skills and showcase their work – Wandile Nkambule from South Africa
The language industry in Africa is full of untapped opportunities. Kabod has ventured on a journey of identifying, documenting and highlighting inspiring stories and innovative projects from entrepreneurs, researchers and freelancers in the translation, interpretation and natural language processing communities. The final goal is to celebrate African professionals in the language industry and facilitate knowledge and experience sharing. Today’s interviewee, Mr. Wandile Nkambule is an African languages freelance translator in South Africa. He translates from English into Zulu and English Siswati. Keep on reading to know more about him. Kabod: What attracts you to the role of translator? How did you start? My love and interest in languages and my desire to see people reading publications in their own languages attracted me to this role. I started as a volunteer translator in one non-profitable organization and received training through the Translation Techniques courses. Kabod: How does your native language influence your fluency with other languages? My native language touches the heart when spoken as naturally as possible, so as it is among the language group called the Nguni languages, it helps me to be able to make the difference between the grammar of my language and that of other languages which are closely related to it. What are some relevant initiatives or projects you are currently working on? Currently I am busy with translating books for children, evaluating and reviewing the Facebook community standard material and the User Interface which includes the display screen, appearance of a desktop. It is the way through which the user interacts with the application or the website. Companies need the website’s strings to be translated for their websites or their applications to be displayed on the computer. Kabod: How do you market yourself and your services as a translator? I market myself using social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook and registering on Translation websites such as translationdirectory.com, proz.com, translationcafe.com. How did you get your first contract? I got my first contact after applying for the position advertised by a translation company on Facebook. How can African translators position themselves to better tap opportunities in the global language industry? There is no other better way African translators could position themselves than marketing themselves and showcase their work and their skills. Kabod: What strategies do you use to increase your pool of clients while maintaining the existing ones? Producing quality services, delivering the tasks on time helps me a lot! The good reputation I have moves clients to recommend me to others. Kabod: Do you have any translation topics or areas that you specialize in? Why those topics? As a Freelance Translator, I don’t have a specific area or topic I specialize in. Companies assign me different topics to translate, and I do my best in all of them. Kabod: How do you leverage technology to facilitate your work as a translator? Are you using Computer Assisted Translation tools? Which one do you prefer and why? Technology is a helpful tool for translation. I use technology to research complex ideas. I use technology to get other useful tools which help me to do my job efficiently. Currently, I am using the OmegaT as my translation tool. But companies sometimes provide their tasks online and let me use their translation tools like word bee, Smartcat and Trados. The one that I am comfortable with is the Smartcat because it is very easy to use, not complicated, effective and fast. Kabod: Do you think there is a viable market for African languages translation/interpretation? Are there enough economic opportunities for translators/interpreters in African languages? Yes there is a viable market for African Language Translators because Africans nowadays enjoy reading materials in their own mother tongue. There are many economic opportunities. For example, people prefer to read lease agreements, sign contracts, and purchase things that they understand. So having things like that translated in their mother tongue would be great. So African Languages Translators may use opportunities like that to show that they have people’s interests at heart. Kabod: Are you aware of any network for translators in African languages? Are you a member of ALATT or any other strong network of translators? Kindly mention them. No, I am not aware of any network for translators in African Languages. I am not a member of any strong network of translators except being in the list of translators appearing in the websites mentioned above. Kabod: What are the three top pieces of advice that you will share to a budding African translator? My first advice is that translators must understand that translation is not simply to change source language words to vernacular, but to localize the ideas in a way that touches the heart of a reader. My second advice is that they must be free to negotiate with the clients about the deadlines of the projects because the lack of communication leads to rush translation jobs with many errors. And my last advice is that translators should if they can try to sharpen their skills through translation courses and learn how languages differ in grammar. Kabod: How do you envision the future of translation in African languages? I see it growing bigger and having a tremendous influence in all African languages, where people enjoy reading material translated naturally and in a way that touches their hearts. I also see myself being a full-time translator in African Languages as well. Thanks, Mr. Wandile, for your time and for sharing your experiences with us. Are you also in the language industry in Africa? Would you also like to be featured in our Knowledge Exchange Series, which highlight the journey and experiences of African language translators, interpreters, computational linguists etc.,? Then, reach out to languages@kabodgroup.com to express interest.
A Machine Translation Software For African Languages By An African
Machine Translation (MT) is a computational linguistics and language engineering technique that uses software to translate text/speech from one language to another. This occurs by feeding a text to a computer algorithm that translates it automatically into another language. There is no human intervention in the translation process. The machine does the translation by simply substituting words from one language into another. Examples of MT softwares are Google Translate, Microsoft Translate, DeepL, Reverso, Systran, Quillbot, etc. However, few of these MT software, focus on African languages. The low-resourcefulness[1] nature of African languages is purported to be a reason why just a small percentage of African languages are featured in existing machine translation softwares. This, however, does not mean there is no machine translation software dedicated to African languages. The purpose of this article is to share the functionalities and benefits of a mind-blowing MT Software developed by a Nigerian tech-savvy called Emmanuel Gabriel, founder of OBTranslate. OBTranslate, increasing the visibility of African languages while creating jobs. [1] Low-resource languages are languages that have relatively less data available for training conversational AI systems. OBTranslate is a deep learning company that develops online CAT (Computer Assisted Translation) tools, neural machine translation (NMT), and artificial intelligence platforms for African languages. OB Translate aims to translate over 2000 African languages. It has behind it a huge database, with more than 789 trillion dataset repositories, and uses neural networks to continue learning. According to Emmanuel Gabriel, “Our scientists are working hard to ensure that when people present training materials in African languages, they don’t necessarily tell the machines what to look for. The system should find patterns themselves, such as contextual clues around the source sentence”. Further, he added “Since its first inception during Spring of 2019, OBTranslate has evolved and been repurposed several times. This has led to the development of version 1.1.1 in the summer of 2020 and the growth of its functionality to the point where it is now in its latest version (1.9.6).” OBTranslate version 2.0 will come with big changes, starting with the architecture, components, and “neural models” we built, that understand many African and foreign languages on our “universal free text and speech translator”. Apart from the above functions, OBTranslate was created to provide jobs for African language professionals, who can work as freelance translators on the platform. Gabriel explains that “We created OBTranslate with an innovative business model to guarantee that the tool is sustainable to pay everyone whose translations are very accurate.” Affiliate marketers are also welcome on the platform, able to earn a 20% commission anytime a downline pays for any OBTranslate service. “We created OBTranslate with an innovative business model to guarantee that the tool is sustainable to pay everyone whose translations are very accurate. In the next five years, we hope to acquire thousands or millions of users to take up translation tasks on OBTranslate.” – Emmanuel Gabriel. You might also like to read on :● Developing and using African indigenous languages in the digital age● 5 Technological Solutions enhancing the access and use of African languages The need of adopting, using and promoting African Solutions OB Translate is an example of what we call “Afrolutions”, African innovative solutions to African problems. And I cannot agree more with Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who reiterated and demonstrated that African issues can be solved by Africans with African solutions. African linguistic challenges can better be solved with African solutions by Africans. Thus, the African Union should and must support such initiatives[1] engaged in the preservation and promotion of African languages. The more we adopt and use this MT software, the more we make it better as the machine learns from our inputs. As African language professionals, I believe it deserves our full adoption and support to become the most reliable MT software for African languages. The benefits of using a Computer Assisted Translation tools can not be overemphasized and having a software that focuses on African languages is a revolutionary attempt to promote and preserve African languages. I will undoubtedly use it to ease my work at Kabod Group as an African language translator as I provide language services into or from African languages (Ewe and Twi); and to numerous African language translators this software is worth using. It is about time we take the continent’s fate into our own hands to build the “Africa We Want”. If you know of other MT software that focuses on African languages, feel free to share it in the comment section or send resources you will like us to analyse at languages@kabodgroup.com [1] The efforts of Masakhane – a grassroot community that strengthens and spurs NLP initiatives and research by Africans and for Africans—must be supported in every possible way in order to preserve and protect our native languages.
Multilingualism Week Conference 2022
BACKGROUND Multilingualism Week Celebration began as the International Translation Day in Ghana in 2017 at the Ghana Institute of Languages. A students’ initiative that sought to bring together language enthusiasts—students, lecturers and professionals to discuss topics related to the language industry. This initiative was birthed with the aim of broadening the perspectives of students of the Ghana Institute of Languages and the Department of Modern languages – University of Ghana. Thereby, creating the platform for deliberations on their respective courses of study; career choices in the language industry; discussion of current issues in the industry; and networking with language professionals. Each year since 2017, participants gain exclusive insights as we discuss pertinent issues that add great value to their professional and career development. The 2020 edition was held online because of COVID-19, which increasingly recorded global participation: with over 120 participants on Zoom and over 1500 on Facebook. 2021 recorded similar participation. Our event has hosted very prominent language professionals such as Kevin Quirk – President of the International Federation of Translators, Dr Emmanuel Kuto – Translator at African Union Court, Valter Mavric – Director General for Translation, European Parliament, Elizabeth Kouaovi – Head of Translation Department, WHO – Africa, Joseph Sessou – Conference Interpreter, Laura Fevrier – European Parliament, just to mention a few. MULTILINGUALISM WEEK 2022 This year’s edition promises to be more educative as we move from a day’s event to a three-day virtual event, starting from 28th September to 30th September. The 28th and 29th are dedicated to roundtable discussions and workshops and the 30th is dedicated to the celebration of International Translation Day. As part of our program outline for this year, the following topics will be discussed: Subtitling Podcasting Post editing Transcription Machine Translation Specialising in Translation Natural Laanguage Processing Technologies for Translation The climax of the event, which is the 3rd day, will be the celebration of International Translation Day – a day slated to celebrate language professionals globally for their role in serving as mediators between cultures, languages, and people. 2022 THEME The theme for this year, which is that of the International Federation of Translators—FIT is, “A World without Barriers: The Role of Language Professionals in Building Culture, Understanding and lasting Peace”, recognising the vital role of professional translation in connecting the world despite barriers of all types and bringing people together. REGISTRATION Registration to attend all sessions from the 28th – 30th is absolutely free. To register click here For more information on the conference, click here or contact us via this email multilingualismweek@gmail.com WHY ATTEND? This is the biggest event on the continent that focuses on the language industry; discussing pertinent issues, sharing of ideas and experiences, high-level networking with industry players, partnering with professionals and many more. This and many opportunities you are privy to when you attend; all this for free! On this note, we cannot wait to host you online from the 28th to the 30th.
5 Reasons Why Budding Translators Must Volunteer
People volunteer everywhere, every single day, in all domains. It is estimated that over 1 billion people volunteer worldwide. People volunteer for several reasons, but there is one overarching element for everyone — service. The beauty of volunteering is that it is a selfless act that brings joy and fulfilment. As a budding language professional, it is expedient to volunteer, as this comes as an opportunity for many reasons. Below are some reasons why you should start NOW! 1. Gain hands-on experience Volunteering as a budding language professional helps you get hands-on training, thereby giving you the opportunity to practise the knowledge you acquire in the classroom. My first volunteering experience was with Global Citizen Ghana where I gained experience on how to recycle bottles and pen holders, transforming old car tires into beautifully crafted chairs, transforming used sachet water into art, and above all educating market woman at the Madina Market in Accra Ghana on how to keep the environment in which they sell clean. This is where my journey of speaking to large crowds began. 2. Acquire new skills Another major reason why you should volunteer is the opportunity to learn new skills or develop your existing skills. Volunteers gain skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, time management, leadership, communication, presentation, and public speaking, among many others. Kabod Group International runs a flagship programme that gives room for volunteering and internships under its 3 main services: Languages, eLearning & Knowledge Management. In August, Kabod received Grace Yoboue as a volunteer, and after one month, she rejoiced over the numerous new skills she has acquired, namely; writing skills, blogging skills, research skills, networking skills and many others. 3. Improve your C.V / resume Volunteering falls under your career history; it is, therefore, highly necessary to add to your C.V. Having more volunteer experience increases your employability rate. Personally, walking in the corridors of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change in Lomé (Togo) as a translator for the Regional Collaborating Centre was a dream far beyond imagining. However, I would not have had that opportunity without the numerous opportunities I had volunteering with Global Citizen, Ghana International Model United Nation, and the United Nations Development Programme during the Africa Climate Week (ACW) in 2019. Heaven smiled on me as I won the best volunteer award which came with working with the UNFCCC office in Togo for 3 months. All this, captured on my CV, helped me land several contracts especially in the field of climate change and international relations. It’s also a strategic way of getting the corporate and professional experiences needed by recruiters. In this regard, Christian Elongué, our managing director at Kabod Group International, revealed that over 70% of his experiences before becoming a consultant were gained through volunteering and internship. “A company may be reluctant to recruit and pay you for an executive or managerial position because of your insufficient years of professional experiences, but feel more safe and open to give you an opportunity and chance to work in a managerial role as a volunteer or intern, because the risk is lesser and the implied cost or salary paid is more affordable and beneficial for the company”, has he confided to us during a Kabod Spark Session, one of our internal talent development program. So don’t hesitate therefore to seize every volunteering opportunity aligned with your career goals in the language industry. 4. Professional exposure Unemployment is one of the continent’s plagues. Volunteering in communities or organisations that require your skillset, especially while in school, increases your chances of employment after your studies. Research shows that 80% of employers value voluntary work experience, with 58% valuing it more than paid work experience. It is highly advisable to gain experience volunteering before applying for a permanent job. Volunteering with an organisation that aligns with your field of study helps you to know what lies ahead of you after graduation. I was a student when I started volunteering for the Ghana International Model United Nations. A year later, I moved to assistant administrator and finally head communications. These volunteering experiences prepared my entrance into the corporate world and helped me to avoid mistakes that fresh graduates usually do in their first job. 5. Network Volunteering positions you to meet experts and people who have a wealth of expertise in your chosen field and the work others are doing, which might drastically change your career perspective. These contacts, as a result of networking, mostly become resorts in times of need and want. My international contract as a freelance was as a result of networking while volunteering at the ACW. I met Richard (a Nigerian climate action activist) who recommended me to several people who needed translation and interpretation. Since 2019, he still contacts and recommends me, but where did it start? He saw me volunteering. This helped me grow my network of diverse nationalities. Since you have been reading till here, let me give you a BIG bonus! Below are organisations where language professionals can volunteer, either in person or remotely. Organisations you can volunteer with as a language professional. 1. Kabod language Services Kabod is a great place you want to consider when volunteering as a budding language professional because of the tailor made structures developed to help its volunteers and interns grow beyond their field of study. 2. UN volunteer The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the volunteer arm of the United Nations. Due to the presence of the UN in many countries, the need for language professionals is incessant. 3. BabelCube It’s a platform that connects writers and publishers with translators. You may contact the author directly and provide your assistance. You will basically be a volunteer, but you may end up collecting a part of the revenue when the work you translated is sold. 4. TED Talks Translators TED is a non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. You can join its team of volunteers to translate,
Africa will be the market for translation buyers globally – Alfred Mtawali
The language industry in Africa is full of untapped opportunities. Kabod has ventured on a journey of identifying, documenting and highlighting inspiring stories and innovative projects from entrepreneurs, researchers and freelancers in the translation, interpretation and natural language processing communities. The final goal is to celebrate African professionals in the language industry and facilitate knowledge and experience sharing. The first to open up this knowledge exchange series is Mr. Alfred Mtawali, founder of the Kenyan translation company : Can Translators, which provides translation, transcription and proofreading services. Below is the fruit of Ms. Grace Yoboué conversation with Mr. Alfred on his journey and lessons learned working in the African language industry. Kabod: What attracts you to the role of translator? How did you start your career in the translation/interpretation industry? I started out as a Bible translator in 1992. I was 23 then. I attended an interview that had been organised by Bible Translation and Literacy (EA) who were looking for a Giryama translator to translate the Bible into the Giryama language. I passed and joined the translation team as one of the translators. In 1994, my colleague left to take up the role of provost and therefore I remained the lead translator until 1996 when another translator, Edward Chome joined. What attracts me to the translation profession is my passion for languages and my quest to see lives impacted through the translations that I produce. Also being a translator opens me up to the world of knowledge, whereby every kind of text I translate becomes my source of knowledge and new information. Kabod: How does your native language influence your fluency with other languages? My native language which is Giryama influences me to be more fluent in Swahili which is a Bantu language like Giryama. For instance, there are some words in my language that are similar to Swahili words. Also, both languages are agglutinating languages and therefore easy to write and work in them. For example in Giryama the word NINDARYANI means “What am I going to eat?” Whereas in English there are 6 words, Giryama glosses it as one word. Swahili has the same patterns too, for example WENDAPI-means “Where are you going?” in English. In a nutshell, my proficiency in Giryama contributes to my fluency in Kiswahili. Kabod: What are some relevant initiatives or projects you are currently working on? For the last couple of months, I was involved in training in house translators at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). These are translators who translate consent forms into Giryama. My role was to introduce them to translation principles and theories, translation research and community testing of medical terminologies. I have also been translating Joyce Meyer sermons into Swahili, proofreading translations and organising a translation conference popularly known as Africa International Translation Conference (AITCO) to be held in Mombasa next year 10-11 February 2023. Kabod: What aspect or type of translation do you find most difficult? The most challenging discourse of translation is Christian translation where one has to also be well versed with various theologies and registers. The second is I would say is translating scientific discourse including but not limited to medical translation etc. Kabod: How do you market yourself and your services as a translator? My website is my arsenal when it comes to marketing my translation services. I also have a YouTube channel where I share translation tips and also place ads on Facebook for a couple of weeks and that attracts traffic to my website. Finally, I always make sure I write about translation in all my social media handles, as a result all my followers and friends become a point of reference when asked to recommend a translator. Kabod: How did you get your first contract? I first landed my first translation job when I was still an in-house translator with Bible Translation and Literacy (EA). An author by the name Rudi Lack (now deceased) went around Nairobi looking for a translator to translate his mission book Breakthrough. He knocked doors in several organisations and my name popped up in some of them and he ended up contacting me to translate his book. I completed the translation and over 30,000 copies of the book were printed and distributed in Tanzania and Kenya. Kabod: How can African translators position themselves to better tap opportunities in the global language industry? African translators need to position themselves by going with global trends in the profession. For instance, they need to learn how to use CAT tools, be members of both their local translation associations and international ones, they need to attend translation conferences for their professional development and networking and finally improve their language skills. The translation ‘cake’ is huge, but we need to sit on the right corner of the table to take a bite. Kabod: What strategies do you use to increase your pool of clients while maintaining the existing ones? One strategy I use is to increase my knowledge in the profession by attending translation conferences in Europe and America and grow my network. I attended one conference and one attendee recommended me to a client that I have been working for since 2015. Another strategy is gifting my existing clients with branded merchandise like mugs, hoodies and water bottles. This gesture of appreciation helps to keep the client-vendor relationship intact. I am also a member of the East Africa Interpreters and Translators Association (EAITA), International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters (IAPTI) and the American Translators Association (ATA). Clients do contact me directly from the directories of these three associations. Kabod: Do you have any translation topics or areas that you specialise in? Why those topics? My area of specialisation is Christian translation and literary translation. Having translated the Bible in my language, I can comfortably handle translation of literary works and religious discourse. My second degree is on Children and Youth development and therefore, I can handle materials about youth and their development. Having translated for 30
Understanding artificial languages and how to create one?
Athchomar chomakea everyone! Do not be shocked, these two words are from the Dothraki artificial language used to say “hello” to non-Dothraki people. I know for sure that no one is a Dothraki here. Are you? “taH pagh taHbe’. DaH mu’tlheghvam vIqelnIS”. This beautiful sentence is in Klingon language for Hamlet’s famous line, “To be or not to be, that is the question.” (Translated by Nick Nicholas and Andrew Strader). You are certainly wondering what all this is about. Well, today we are going to discuss artificial languages. Language facilitates communication and helps us transmit vital information around the world. But have you ever wondered about the genesis of languages? Who creates languages? How do they come about? All languages start as artificial languages before being called natural languages and used by everyone. They remain artificial languages as long as they are not lingua francas, consistently being spoken by a group of people. What are artificial languages? Artificial languages are languages created by individuals for specific purposes. They are sometimes called planned languages. A study by Robert Isenberg defines artificial languages as “any language whose lexicon and grammar were developed by an individual source for the sake of itself. An individual source refers to either one creator or a select body of creators. A great deal of time might transpire over the course of its development, but when it is released to others, the language must be communicatively functional – i.e., the system can be used to convey many ideas”. Artificial languages are being created frequently, either for artistic purposes, study, or personal will. They reflect the beauty of language in the sense that they emanate from the creativity and imagination of humans and contribute to the multiplicity of languages in the world. One of the most popular artificial languages used in real life is Esperanto, invented by a Polish Jew in 1887. Esperanto, which literally means, “one who hopes” was created by Ludwig Zamenhof from a blend of English, German, Latin and Romance elements. Today, it is spoken worldwide by about two million people. Are you a fan of movies? Have you watched the popular series called “Game of Thrones?” or the movie Avatar? Did you know that the languages used in those movies and many others were created for the specific purposes of these movies? Let’s look at more examples of existing artificial languages! You would probably like to create your own artificial language as well. But do you know how to create them? Is there a process to follow? Are there rules? How do they go about it? Let’s look at that in the next point! The process of creating artificial languages Together, let’s explore how we can create our own artificial language. Conclusion To conclude, artificial languages are languages created by individuals for specific purposes. A lot of movies, books, etc., make use of artificial languages. The beauty of artificial language is seen in the way that it comes from creativity and imagination while contributing to the growth of the language industry. What a great deal it is to have such inventions in the world, with people ready to let their creativity speak. Fonas chek! After reading this, you might have decided to create your own artificial language. Do not hesitate! Do you know other artificial languages you would like to share with us? Feel free to do that in the comments and indicate in what way that language is special!