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Translation policy and indigenous languages in Hispanic Latin America

  • Rosaleen Howard EMAIL logo , Raquel De Pedro Ricoy and Luis Andrade Ciudad
Published/Copyright: April 12, 2018

Abstract

This article examines the status of translation policy as it relates to public service interfaces between the dominant Spanish-speaking sectors of society and speakers of some of the many indigenous languages of Latin America. The article focuses on Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, and Peru is used as a case study based on recent first-hand research. Translation policy is inherently bound up with language policy, where the latter exists. However, there is variation from state to state as to whether language rights legislation has been passed, whether it is implemented through policy, and the extent to which translation policy is part of the legislative framework. The case of Peru illustrates the need for translation and interpreting (T&I) services following conflicts and painful human rights infringements. Across the board, T&I have hitherto been ad hoc practices, giving rise to translation policy de facto. Formalized T&I training initiatives and legislative processes are now underway in Peru, and may give rise to explicit translation policies evolving there and elsewhere in the region in the future.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for funding our research in Peru (October 2014 - June 2016; Award No. AH/M003566/1), to the NGO Asociación Servicios Rurales (SER), our project partner, and to the Ministry of Culture (Indigenous Languages Division) for their support and collaboration throughout the project period. For further details also see http://research.ncl.ac.uk/traduciendoculturasperu/.

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Published Online: 2018-4-12
Published in Print: 2018-4-25

© 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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