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Translators for Canadian Military/Innocents Labeled as Taliban
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by albertacowpoke | November 3, 2009 at 04:40 am
120 views | 49 Recommendations | 15 comments
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A former language and cultural adviser to the Canadian Forces says that he witnessed at least two cases of individuals being labeled Taliban due to poor translators.
Jack Layton, Leader of Canada's New Democratic Party demanded to know what Canada was going to do about it.
As a result of these allegations the Canadian Minister of Defence, Peter MacKay has ordered officials to look into these allegations.
Apparently translation is a widespread problem in Afghanistan. According to former U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Thomas Hemmes, the U.S. Forces are facing the same problem in Afghanistan.
"We're willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make sure ice cream and steak is there," Hammes said in an interview from Washington. "And I would trade all of that for my entire tour if I could have one decent translator.
"Many times I'd trade body armour for a translator."
The problem of improper translation seems so widespread that it leaves a bad impression with locals.
Perhaps is time to cut back on steak and ice cream and concentrate on translation to prevent innocents from being labeled Taliban.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay has ordered officials to look into allegations that innocent Afghans may have been sent to jail because of botched translations by Canadian military interpreters.
MacKay's statement in the House of Commons on Monday came as a counter-insurgency expert said U.S. forces have been plagued with the same concerns.
A former language and cultural adviser to the Canadian Forces said he witnessed at least two instances where innocent people were wrongly labelled as Taliban supporters because Afghan-Canadian interpreters did not understand what had been said.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said it's a troubling development and demanded to know what the Conservative government was going to do.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (15)
at 04:58 on November 3rd, 2009
The power of words. I have seen major troubles arising due to poor or down right careless translations conducted by amateurs that some how received a diploma with out mastering the finesses of either languishes they supposedly know.
One of the worth cases was a Professor I meet whose translations could be seen as criminally flawed.
Off course there also those translators with an agenda or a grouch... Just as bad and dangerous then those that have no clue what has been said.
at 04:55 on November 3rd, 2009
Paschen I agree I have seen the same problems during my tours in Europe. Just knowing words necessarily makes a translator valuable. There local dialects and a knowledge of customs that come in handy when translating. A good example is when you use the google translator and compare it with reality. Thanks for your comments Uwe.
at 04:57 on November 3rd, 2009
Best are those that are native in both tongs even if they do not have a diploma, they surpass any professional translator by miles.
at 05:02 on November 3rd, 2009
Oh for the reality of a babel fish that could be placed in ones ear, but that's just not the case. Some languages are just too complex and different and communication can get confused.
W. E. Perkins (My father)
at 05:05 on November 3rd, 2009
Thanks for your comments, Babel and Paschen. The aim of any language training should be to think in that language. Your father is a wise man.
at 06:33 on November 3rd, 2009
If innocents can be killed, then what is harm in labeling anybody with any specific label?
at 07:03 on November 3rd, 2009
hussain, the problem was that they took people prisoner that were not Taliban or so it appears.
at 06:44 on November 3rd, 2009
ty for this story acp
at 07:40 on November 3rd, 2009
I have heard about this. I sometimes worked as a translator in Italy. I used to wonder about some of the people I knew, how they could work as translators.
It is one thing to help someone order in a restaurant and another when the issue is very detailed, and very abstract.
at 08:05 on November 3rd, 2009
Very true, as Babel said you have to think in that language.
at 09:13 on November 3rd, 2009
Well, here is another really good reason to repeal DADT
at 09:17 on November 3rd, 2009
Agreed. It's dumb policy to start out with.
at 10:02 on November 3rd, 2009
ACP, it's double stupid when we are in dire need of GOOD translators....
at 10:19 on November 3rd, 2009
We solved that problem in the mid 90s in Canada, without any negative effects on morale. Some of the Dinasaurs need to get their head out of the sand.
at 12:24 on November 3rd, 2009
We lost one great translator when that kidnapped journalist escaped. A great loss, not mentioned much in the MSM.