Translation of the Bible: English to Ukrainian

ENGLISH ORIGINAL

(1) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

(2) Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

(3) And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

(4) God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

(5) God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day.

UKRAINIAN TRANSLATION

(1) На початку Бог створив Небо та землю.

(2) А земля була пуста та порожня, і темрява була над безоднею, і Дух Божий ширяв над поверхнею води.

(3) І сказав Бог: Хай станеться світло! І сталося світло.

(4) побачив Бог світло що добре воно, і Бог відділив світло від темряви.

(5) Бог назвав світло: День, а темряву назвав: Ніч. І був вечір, і був ранок – день перший.

ISSUES IN TRANSLATING TEXT FROM ENGLISH TO UKRAINIAN

(1) This sentence was fairly easy to translate. I was debating whether to use the word “ta” or “i” for “and” – I settled on “ta” because it seems more lyrical, but I do not think there is a difference in using one over the other. Ukrainian is a very poetic language so I choose the word that sounded like it fit in better.

(2) For this sentence, I was wondering if I should use “pusta” or “porozna.” I was planning to use the more colloquial word, “pusta,” but the other word was one of the dictionary’s suggestions. The formality seems more appropriate to the text.

(3) For this sentence: No serious hesitations about translation.

(4) The two options were to write:

1- God saw that the light was good (adjective);

2- God saw that it was good (more general statement about the result).

Choose the latter because it puts the emphasis on the sun in a formal way, in a sense that was not transmitted by the other way of translating it.

(5) Discrepancy over writing “the first day” -- either on the first day (possessive) –of that first day – or 1^st day (more nominative, ie it was the first day). I used the phrase that just emphasizes that it was the first day as opposed to that the events happened on the first day.

I realize that some of these explanations are confusing, but I really went with what “sounded” most appropriate – what I felt what right and what I was used to hearing. This translation exercise forced me to think of what style of writing is privileged in the Ukrainian language.

Arabic Web Growth Potential; Pardon my French?

The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions in the world and is experiencing a youth bulge while the rest of the world is aging. In fact, young adults (ages 15-29) constitute over 40% of the total adult population in most Middle Eastern countries. However, Internet access is not as widespread for Arabic-speaking countries as it should be. According to the article, “Arabic content is less than 1 percent of world totals though speakers constituting 5 percent of the global population.” Internet access is taken so for granted in the Western world; other areas of the world need to have the same access.

Microsoft and Google executives have taken note of the necessity to integrate Arabic language into both the Internet and technological ventures. I am glad that there is more focus on making the Internet more “local” – many Arabic-speakers would benefit from Internet access. I love the suggestion in the article that Arabic users can engage in more e-commerce and access news sites.

Last year’s decision to allow non-Latin script domain names should also help expand Internet access. This step will remove the language constraints of the web. ICANN’s decision of allowing IDNs (International Domain Names) will allow domain names to be written in native character sets (ie Arabic or Chinese). Non-English speakers can now engage in the World Wide Web as the language barriers have fallen. The next step is to fill more Arabic websites with up-to-date content.

For further information about the changing demographics in the Middle East, check out this publication from Stanford’s Center on Longevity.

Link: http://longevity.stanford.edu/files/Critical%20Demographics%20Mideast%20for%20publication%2003-17-09.pdf

More information about internationalized domain names can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internationalized_domain_name and http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10387139-93.html.

Article: Microsoft, Google eye Arabic web growth potential

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63N0V120100424

I found another great article in Saturday’s NYTimes about the future of the French language and the impact of French immigrants on French literature.

“The future of French is now in Africa,” or so claims Abdou Diouf, the former president of Senegal and current secretary general of the francophone organization. Today, there are some 200 million French speakers in the world but only 65 million are actually French. The majority of French speakers are from former colonies, mostly found in Africa.

However, native French people have fears about multiculturalism and its ability to tarnish the French language. President Sarkozy has a campaign that stresses the preservation of French national identity and the cultural exceptionalism of the French. I think that it is important to remember that many of France’s literary heroes were not from France or were immigrants.

The phrase “l’exception culturelle” refers to the legal exclusion of French cultural products from international free trade agreements in order to distinguish the French brand from the globalized or “American” brand. In France, globalization “really means ‘Americanization.’” France is one of the strongest (and most often cited) examples of nations that try to preserve their culture and language.

My favorite quote from this article was: “Culture is always about politics in the end.” As much as President Sarkozy may claim that he has the nation’s interests at heart in rhetoric of “l’exception culturelle,” what he really cares about most is maintaining his power.

Article: Pardon My French

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/arts/25abroad.html?src=me&ref=general

Humor Me

“A joke is a very serious thing.” – Winston Churchill

During Tuesday’s class, we discussed the importance of jokes in language. Because jokes are often set in a historical or political context and require background knowledge, different jokes indicate different cultures. Professor Boroditsky provided the following example. The common Navajo joke is “white people like apples.” To understand this joke, people need to have the necessary background. First, they must know that apples are red on the outside and white on the inside. Then, they must connect that piece of information with the historical context – the subjugation of Native Americans by colonizing powers. But by the time the joke is explained, it looses its effect.

In thinking about jokes, I realized that when I attempt to translate jokes from Ukrainian to English, the jokes lose their humor. For a joke to be successful, the listener must draw an instantaneous connection with the elements of the joke, to quickly catch the irony or surprise.

But is it really necessary that we understand jokes in other languages…

YES if you agree with a recent article I read.

The writer elaborated on an anecdote from his friend Ramzeen Azeez, who was told that he was given the Secretary’s post because the others were unable to joke in English. Ramzeen writes: “I was enlightened and lights flashed in the old grey matter: English speaking not only entails proper use of the language but also encompasses its humor.”

In retrospect, it makes sense that the final test of language ability is “the Joke Test.” It is important to understand various jokes. People bond over jokes and jokes are everywhere. English Puns are a cornerstone of English literature. Cultural jokes are prevalent among multi-ethnic communities. I hope that my languages classes incorporate more jokes, because we need to understand the cultures of the places we study…and if we can’t catch on to the subtleties, then the joke’s on us!

I loved the end to his article, so here it is:

“My late mother used to tell me that when someone jokes around, the world laughs with him/her, but if that’s all you do, the world laughs at him/her. The last laugh will reside with the person who can see and be beyond language and language politics, I think.”

Want to test your ability to understand English jokes? Check this out!

http://www.angelfire.com/on/topfen/jokes01.html

And a joke to end my post…

"The problem with political jokes is they get elected."

Article: Humour: the final frontier in language competency?

Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/04/21/fea02.asp

See What I Mean?: A Discussion about Sign Language

American Sign Language (ASL) is the fourth-most studied modern, foreign (not English) language in the United States. There is a nation-wide debate whether ASL should be considered a foreign language and universities differ in how they define language.

Northern Illinois University has declared ASL to be an official foreign language for two reasons – (1) it is different from spoken English and (2) students experience cultural immersion as in other languages. Other colleges define language by attributes such as having literature for study or sharing elements of culture not available in ASL. However, ASL has other kinds of cultural components, including poetry, history, and culture.

Sign language should be considered a language. We definitely need to have ASL-fluent citizens who can work with the deaf in fields such as education and health care. Furthermore, students who study ASL learn about a new culture. Cultural immersion in ALS includes a “silent dinner” during which students learn about deaf culture from their deaf instructor. Moreover, students learn to think differently. I was very interested in the example provided in the article.

"APPEAR tooth = PAIN ++BAD DENTIST GO NEED"

It means: "It seems I have a toothache; I need to go to a dentist."

Therefore, people who use ASL think differently in ASL when compared to English. The study of languages focuses heavily on understanding a new way of thinking and meaning. Because ASL learners need to find other ways of getting a point across, they are learning a different way of thinking, as evidenced in another article I read.

New studies show that teaching a baby sign language will improve his ability to read. Readers transfer visual information (Print) into Phonological Information (like Spoken Language); that is how they are able to process print. People who know ASL develop neural pathways that connect the visual world with meaning. Thus, babies who learn ASL are more readily able to transfer visual information into linguistic information. In learning that visual symbols are meaningful, a baby can make the connection between what he sees and what something means.

All the more reason to learn ALS and give it the credit it deserves!

Articles

Is American Sign Language a ‘foreign’ language?

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-sign-language-20100416,0,2337497.story

Sign Language Can Help Children Learn to Read

Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/sign-language-can-help-children-learn-to-read

The Importance of Body Language; Does the NYPD Face Language Barriers?

What Every Parent Should Teach Their Child About Body Language

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/spycatcher/201004/what-every-parent-should-teach-their-child-about-body-language

We often focus on language in its written and spoken form, but body language is another important way through which we relay information to one another.

The author of this article claims that it is “every parent’s responsibility to socialize their children,” including in body language. I agree with the author. Body language helps us “read” one another more carefully. For example, a child might say that she is not upset, but if her arms are crossed, a teacher can understand that something has disappointed the child. Children need to learn about such cues in interpersonal relationships so that they can better communicate with one another. Body language helps people to gauge the intention behind what is being said.

I would like to study non-verbal communication and its differences across cultures. For example, in France, if you brush your hand along your cheek, that’s code for “c’est barbe” – that’s boring. Another gesture is pulling on one’s eye to say “I don’t believe it.” The French are especially known for their use of gestures. In fact, many international businesses address the differences in non-verbal communication – be it greetings (bow, handshake) or conversational conduct (eye contact).

Some highlights to help develop social and interpersonal intelligence:

- “Brain controls all your physical movements as well as all the faces and gestures you make. You have control over your body and the kinds of messages that your body sends out. You need to be mindful of this in the same way that you have to watch what you say.”

- “What your body says to me is more accurate than what you say and it speaks to me before you do. So always be aware that often we can tell what you are thinking or feeling before you speak.”

- “You can get along better with friends if you read their body language because you'll be able to tell if they are happy or sad, mad or playful, quiet or excited.”

Additional information on body language is available at http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/body_language.htm.

NYPD To Be Audited For Language Barriers

Source: http://www.wpix.com/news/local/wpix-nypd-language-barriers,0,1038616.story

The Justice Department of NYC is auditing the NYPD to see how the police treat non-English speaking New Yorkers. The goal of the investigation is to see whether the NYPD violates individuals’ civil rights and what role language barriers play. For example, if an immigrant cannot communicate in English, NYPD officers might mark the victim as “uncooperative.”

This is a great investigation to carry out in New York City. As a resident of the city, I have witnessed the frustration of police officers that do not understand the complaints of the victim or accused person.

Although New York City does have multilingual officers and the NYPD sometimes matches the language skills of officers with the neighborhoods in which they work, there needs to be more information available for the immigrants who cannot defend themselves in English.

NYC is certainly diverse enough to make this goal a reality, so I hope that the investigation increases the focus on language barriers and the Justice System in NYC.

A New View on Immigrants' Bilingualism and the Business of Learning English

Debunking myths on immigrant education

Source: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/political-bookworm/2010/04/debunking_myths_on_immigrant_e.html

Today, more than 5 million immigrant children are not proficient in English, yet Washington’s No Child Left Behind Act promotes English-only instruction due to some misconceptions bilingualism. I was once that immigrant child that could not speak English, so this article appealed to me.

Rosemary Salomone, a law professor at St. John’s University, recently published her book “True American: Language, Identity, and the Education of Immigrant Children,” in which she debunks the myths that bilingual school programs impair a child’s academic success and that bilingualism is threatening the future of English in America.

Recent studies have provided evidence that bilingualism enhances “mental flexibility, creative thinking, and the capacity to read social cues.” In my Longevity class last term (psych/humbio) and in this article, another claim has surfaced – bilingualism may decrease the rate of cognitive decline in aging individuals. Professor Laura L. Carstensen said that continual intellectual engagement is critical to warding off cognitive decline.

Another benefit of bilingualism is that “children raised bilingually are better able to screen out irrelevant information.” Speakers of several languages are more adept at “reading” others’ mental states and behavior. This skill will be especially useful in the increasingly transnational and globalized world. According to the findings, dual language immersion program (when half of the instruction is in English, the other half in the native language) are the most effective means for developing proficiency in two languages.

I am glad that sociologists and psychologists are noting the emotional and academic gains that immigrant children have when they are able to communicate in both their native language and English. Not only are they able to communicate in their native language with their family and thus retain their heritage and relationships with family members, but these children understand the global community in which we live.

Although I see the concerns with bilingualism (immigrants might not learn English; resistance to assimilation), I do think that bilingualism should be encouraged in the United States.

Introducing the Accelerated English Language Program

Source: http://www.prlog.org/10613094-introducing-the-accelerated-english-language-program.html

This article was about a new six-week accelerated English language learning program at the New Hampton School. The program will provide the “quintessential American experience” to motivated international high school students through academics and extracurricular activities.

This program reminded me of Yihwan’s comment about Koreans’ obsession with learning English and receiving an American education. My boarding school had many Korean students and I learned that Korean families prioritize the advantages of getting an American education and knowing how to speak English.

I watched the program’s promotional video. The program’s highlights include being able to visit Harvard, Dartmouth, and New England boarding schools. This article exposed me to the business of language acquisition and emphasized the global power of an English education. With the rise of China as a global economic power, will international students choose to spend their summers in China as opposed to the US? I have seen the beginnings of this trend and wonder if it will continue.

Bilingual Education & English Words Mixed With Local Languages in Ghana

Dual-language classes on the way: Modesto schools will start with kindergarten in fall
Source: http://www.modbee.com/2010/04/05/1115018/dual-language-classes-on-the-way.html#ixzz0kIkA1bfe

Modesto City Schools (California) will now offer a dual-language program in the fall. The program will start with kindergarten and add on a grade each year, but enrollment is limited to 80-100 students. English-speaking and Spanish-speaking families alike are seizing this exciting new opportunity. They have realized the benefits of raising bilingual children. Bilingualism has been linked with better academic performance and provides students with advantages as they enter the workforce. School districts in the towns of Turlock, Patterson, and Riverbank, already have such programs. In those schools, subjects are taught in Spanish and English.

It’s great that the school district is recognizing the need for a bilingual education. It would be great to replicate this program in communities in New York. I see many benefits to having schools expand bilingual education beyond Spanish and English. In New York, possible combinations include English and … Russian, Arabic, Bengali, Yiddish, Cantonese, and many more. Bilingual programs can provide us with more speakers of Russian, Arabic, and Chinese – languages critical to our nation’s security interests.


Spicing local languages with English language is worrying - Khalid
Source: http://news.peacefmonline.com/social/201004/41349.php

Mr. Mahmud Khalid, the Upper West Regional Minister of Ghana, has recently voiced his opposition to the Ghanaian practice of adding English words to local languages. According to Mr. Khalid, the practice not only hurts language development in Ghana, but also erodes Ghana's culture.

He claims that Ghanaian society will become less culturally literate as formal education attainment rises. The addition of English words adds to the growing negative perception in Ghana that cultural dances and music are for the illiterate.

I find Mr. Khalid's argument compelling for I too have noted that educated societies sometimes diminish the value of cultural dances and music (folklore, traditional music) and see the unique aspects of the culture as archaic.

Many languages around the world are becoming increasingly Anglicized. Although globalization is associated with a myriad of benefits, its impact on language —namely the increasing use of English words in local languages—should be monitored. We know that languages are disappearing at an alarmingly fast rate. We should preserve languages, an integral part to every nation and society.