The Language Bureau was a government agency that provided language services in the 11 official languages of the Northwest Territories for nearly 25 years.
| Type | Government agency based in the Northwest Territories |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Defunct |
| Purpose | Provided translation and interpretation services, language literacy programs, training and certification of translators and interpreters, research in terminology and language development. |
| Location | |
Region served | Northwest Territories |
Official language | Chipewyan, Cree, English, French, Gwich'in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey, Tłı̨chǫ |
Parent organization | Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories |
| Affiliations | Interpreters/Translators Society of the Northwest Territories, Arctic College |
History
editThe Language Bureau was established in the early 1970s by the Government of the Northwest Territories. At its inception, the Language Bureau employed three permanent Inuit translator/interpreters and four temporary Dene translator/interpreters for nine elected members of Parliament.[1]
Along with providing translation and interpretation services, the bureau was responsible for language literacy programs, training and certification of translators and interpreters, terminology research, and language development.[2][3] The election of unilingual Aboriginal MLAs and changes to legislation and language policy, requiring services to be available in Aboriginal languages and extending the right to sit on a jury to unilingual Aboriginal people, increased demand for the bureau’s services.[4] In 1993, their staff had grown to 21, including 13 Inuit translator/interpreters and 8 Dene translator/interpreters.[5]
The Language Bureau was active for nearly 25 years. It was closed in the late 1990s.[6]
Responsibilities
editLanguage Services
editThe bureau offered translation of government documents into Aboriginal languages, simultaneous interpreting in Parliament, and interpreting at community meetings, in a number of ministries and in courts.[2][3] In 1993, services were being provided in 5 Dene languages (Chipewyan, Tłįchǫ, Gwich’in, North and South Slavey and Cree), 2 Inuit languages (Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun) and French.[1]
Terminology and Language Development
editThe bureau developed terminology in specialized fields like medicine and law, compiled lexicons and worked with linguists to translate "bureaucratic buzzwords".[5] It contributed to the preservation of oral Aboriginal languages, for example, continuing the development of a Dene writing system in Romanized orthography.[3][7] It also offered Dene language literacy courses jointly with the Department of Education, targeted to people becoming teachers or interpreters.[8]
Training
editBefore any translation and interpretation programs were available elsewhere in the Northwest Territories, training was provided by the Language Bureau.[4] In 1987 and with government funding, Arctic College began offering year-long certificates in translating/interpreting at two of its campuses.[4] The bureau and the college both offered certificates until the program was cut in 1996, and until the Language Bureau was closed in the late 1990s.[6][9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Daigle, Madeleine (1993). "La traduction et l'interprétation dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest". Meta. 38 (1): 108. doi:10.7202/002444ar.
- ^ a b Daigle, Madeleine (1993). "La traduction et l'interprétation dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest". Meta. 38 (1): 107. doi:10.7202/002444ar.
- ^ a b c Nicklen, Louise (1993). "Interpretation, Translation and Communication in Canada's Far North". Meta. 38 (2): 154. doi:10.7202/003732ar.
- ^ a b c Sammons, Susan (1993). "Challenges in Minority Language Programming in Canada's Eastern Arctic: The Training of Aboriginal Language Interpreter-Translators". Meta. 38 (1): 46. doi:10.7202/004023ar.
- ^ a b Nicklen, Louise (1993). "Interpretation, Translation and Communication in Canada's Far North". Meta. 38 (2): 153. doi:10.7202/003732ar.
- ^ a b Koenig, Sonja. "Interpreter training has been 'wiped off the face of the N.W.T,' say language advocates". cbc.ca. CBC News. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
- ^ Howard, Philip G. (1993). "Language Initiatives". Meta. 38 (1): 92. doi:10.7202/003143ar.
- ^ Howard, Philip G. (1993). "Language Initiatives". Meta. 38 (1): 93. doi:10.7202/003143ar.
- ^ Daigle, Madeleine (1993). "La traduction et l'interprétation dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest". Meta. 38 (1): 109. doi:10.7202/002444ar.
External links
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