Hi Lisa,
If you have the time for this kind of thing: what is the story behind these 5
different groups of people who are all immigrant farmers (or are only some of
them immigrant?)
I mean - do they live in the same geographical area - hence they need to
cooperate, have similar kind of issues at heart and need to build common
projects? Or is the conference organized for another purpose?
I am asking because: If they do live "together" they will have to find a
solution for the 5 languages both written and spoken in the day to day life
too? Or maybe they don't live "together" and won't need to speak to each other
in a day to day business of living? Am just curious to see the context of an
OS which sounds very intruiging... (maybe it was already given and I missed it?)
Thanks. (no hurry for the answer... can wait)
Lots of joy in all 5 languages.
i
Diane Brandon <di...@keysregion.org> wrote:
You remind me of this email that is making the rounds:
<<This is one of the many tricks to speed reading. They teach you to look at
the frsit & lsat letetr of a word and your brain will fill in the rest. Pretty
cool. If you can read this, you have a strange mind too. Can you raed tihs?
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uiner vtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the
olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs
is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as
a wlohe.
Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!>>
Diane Brandon, M.Ed., Coordinator
KEYS Coalition (CWC)
Landmark Hill Community Resource Center
518 Rte One Suite 4
Kittery, ME 03904
207-438-9100
Fax: 207-439-8764
di...@keysregion.org
www.keysregion.org
On Dec 16, 2006, at 5:00 AM, Phelim McDermott wrote:
Hi there Lisa,
If I had to do an open space for people with five different languages as a
performer i would have no hesitation now i know the format to do the
introduction in a language no one understands Gibberish!
Over the years training actors to use Gibberish IE made up sound language I
have been amazed by what actually gets communicated by the voice and the body.
Indeed after practice and clear feedback about what people get good gibberish
speakers can communicate virtually anything in nonsense language. (except
perhaps trade names). For further guidance check out Viola Spolins
improvisation for the theatre.
I can well understand that seems too far out for someone not used to that but
I WOULD recommend actually trying a rehearsal of the intro IN GIBBERISH without
anyone there to discover which bits of the process are being communicated not
by the words but by other means to reassure you people will get it in whatever
language you are speaking.
Phelim
On 15 Dec 2006, at 21:29, Wendy Farmer-O'Neil wrote:
Hi Lisa,
Just some initial thoughts
Once you hit five language groups you have gone from complicated to complex!
No wonder your super brain is fried! A complex challenge requires a complex
response: so why not Open Space for it? Would it be possible to convene a small
OS (or online) with representatives from each of the groups both literate and
non-literate, to create the action plan for providing accessibility support? I
have had recent conversations with both Brian B. and a GCP colleague, Marquis
Bureau, who have wrestled with some of these issues. One of the insights we
uncovered was that these groups have ways of communicating and functioning that
are unknown to us and that we need to access their expertise in
oral/non-literate and minority language culture.
Cheers from another rainy coastland,
Wendy
---------------------------------
From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Lisa Heft
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 8:12 AM
To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
Subject: Simultaneous translation at 5-language Open Space event [long]
Hello, dear colleagues
I am facilitating an event which will be in 5 languages.
It is a conference for immigrant farmers and the people who provide services,
support, advocacy, education and funding for them.
The languages spoken will be English, Spanish, Hmong, Lao, and Maay Maay
(Somali Bantu language).
I have indeed facilitated Open Space where many more than 5 languages were
spoken and while there may sometimes have been a translator on headset for
one or two main language groups other than English (my own language), others in
the group with other language needs simply sat with friends from their
countries and translation was handled casually as folks sat together grouped by
language in the big opening circle. Signs for principles, law, theme and so on
were of course in those several languages. And in the discussion sessions
folks helped each other translate, no matter what was the language. I have had
some clients provide translators to walk around and offer help during the
discussion sessions and though these folks are greatly appreciated they are
often smilingly waved away because the participants have self-organized to take
care of each other. Still, I think it is an important support (and message of
dedication to inclusion and access) for a client to
provide these roaming translators, if they have capacity to do so. And some
discussion groups do indeed use them.
Also, in these events, the main language, the language of the conference,
was in English, or Spanish, or some other main language. What I mean is that
most participants were bilingual - could speak both their home language and the
main language of the conference in whatever country it was in.
In this upcoming event, however, there will be about 5 main languages spoken
and many participants in each of those language groups. And there will be a
large percentage of monolingual people (only speak their own language).
I think technology (headsets and simultaneous translators) can help in this
situation, and this client has that capability. To have 4 people walk the
circle with me (which I have done before with 1 or 2 people) and repeat my
words in other languages (and discussion session convenors words when they
announce their session topics) would take 4 times as long. It is doable, but
hard on the energy for listeners. Also: to create written topic signs these
might be in any of the 5 languages how to help all participants know all
possible sessions they could go to?
It sounds quite complicated. Or maybe I just have Fried Brain Syndrome and
Im just not seeing the simple solutions here
I would love to hear your experiences and recommendations for translation
during the event. This client has funding and capability for various solutions
if you can help me think this out and add what you have done that has worked
for you I would greatly appreciate it.
We have:
___________________________________
Activity Plenary welcome, introduction of principles-law-process (full
group 250 people)
Whats Happening
Lisa speaks English so, I think, may the hosts
Solution
Everyone on headset, 4 translators translate Lisas words to their
respective-language participants. (By the way, when they register,
participants are asked to identify their language needs many of them have NGO
representatives who are helping them register.)
Other ideas?
___________________________________
Activity -- Announcing topics and making those topic signs
Whats Happening
Convenors would speak in any of their 5 home languages to announce their
topics
Solution
(Question: we are all on headsets and I understand how on our headsets is one
translator which is who we listened to when just Lisa was speaking what to
do when we each must switch to then hearing a translation *to* our own language
*from* any one of 4 other languages? One option is the lower-tech version
where 5 translators are at microphones and the convenors session title is
repeated 4 times)
Another issue: convenors may not all be able to read and write. Over 50 or
60% in this conference will be able to read. Shall we have all session
convenors come up to a table with 5 translators sitting at it, tell their topic
and have the translators write the languages on a flip-chart page as the one
topic sign? And when their sign is done the convenor walks with it into the
center to announce her/his topic, and other translators on headset (or in
person at microphones) translate that topic title verbally as they announce it?
And: how will non-readers know what each sessions set of topics is? I could
adjust the design we could do one round of announcing / sessions at a time,
so people could hear just one set of sessions announced, then break out and go
to those sessions, then reconvene in full circle as the next set of sessions is
announced, and so on. There are probably 20 sessions possible at a time. Can
people retain this sort of audio memory?
See how complicated I am making it? Or am I solving the problem? Other
ideas?
___________________________________
Activity -- Discussion sessions (probably 20 discussion areas)
Whats Happening
In past events some of my clients have provided roaming translators. Some
groups might of course meet *by* language. So maybe the other mixed-language
groups would just signal roving translators help for whatever language they
dont have the capability to casually translate into. But maybe they would
need to ask for several translators. What are your ideas and experiences?
Remember the translators may only know their own language + English.
Solution
By the way, perhaps every person registering could receive colors for their
name badge indicating the languages they speak. The translators could also
have colors on their badges. In this way the full group could see how their
language needs could be met by the people sitting around them in addition to
the roaming translators. Other ideas?
Other ideas?
___________________________________
Activity -- Documentation of discussions
Whats Happening
Not all of these participants read and write.
Solution
One idea is to post a scribe who lives at each discussion area and sits
with a laptop or flip-chart. This person will need translation, too, perhaps,
if the languages spoken in their little groups is not theirs. And I am
guessing it would be easiest for this client if the scribe wrote in English
(the client could have the Book of Proceedings translated post-event into
participant languages). I just choose English as one language (the clients
language and that of about 50% of the mono- and bilingual participants). I am
guessing that it would be even better for this scribe to be bilingual
English-Spanish (thus handling 2 out of the 5 languages, Spanish perhaps being
the next largest language group at this event). Having a scribe at each
discussion area might still mean having a Newsroom scribes could have some
time at the end of each day to input and finalize their session notes.
Documentation may also include graphic recording, digital photos (later shared
electronically and in hard-copy) and other documentation methods for
non-readers.
Other ideas?
___________________________________
Activity -- Evening event
Whats Happening
This will perhaps be musicians of a few different cultures/countries and 3
farmers telling their experiences through story. The 3 farmers will be
speaking each a different language.
Solution
If the musicians sing something, the text could be pre-translated for those
who read. But / and I somehow feel that art can be *felt*, as well. And I
would like the graphic recorders to be creating documentation during this
activity, as well. I am guessing we would once again all be on headsets to
hear the stories in our own languages. Perhaps we should include ear massages,
too! ;o)
Other ideas?
___________________________________
Please feel free to tell me if and where I am making this much more
complicated than it needs to be. However, the client and I would love to
provide more support to individuals who are non-English speakers as a way to
equalize their access and inclusion in this event.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences,
Lisa
___________________________
L i s a H e f t
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
O p e n i n g S p a c e
lisah...@openingspace.net
www.openingspace.net
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