U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP)’s Post

Looking to create a language access plan in 2024? This is worth a read: https://lnkd.in/guJrDf7y #languageaccess #interpreting #translationservices

"One in five people speak a language other than English at home, and some areas of the US have become increasingly diverse in terms of languages spoken. This diversity underscores the need for businesses and organizations to maintain compliance with language access laws and create and implement a language access plan. Doing so will help you enhance customer service, reach more customers, connect to the community, and realize a competitive advantage. Here’s what you need to know about legal rights and protections afforded to consumers and the factors you should consider in putting together a realistic language access plan." MultiLingual Media #language #languageaccess #linguisticdiversity #interpreting #translation https://lnkd.in/dZ_GTP7q

Elon Musk asks a typical question of a person who does not live in a world where hearing - and therefore understanding - is a daily challenge. Let's start with some basics that many hearing people don't know because they've not needed to know. Sign language is not a visual representation of a spoken language - it is a language in its own right, with its own culture, grammatical structure and syntax. Just as there is not one spoken language in the world, there are many different sign languages and even regional variations or "accents". ASL, BSL, AusLan and NZSL are all different sign languages in English speaking countries. Portuguese Sign Language and Brazilian Sign Language are not the same, even though the spoken language of both countries is Portuguese. Asking why there isn't just one sign language is like asking why there isn't just one spoken language. The world doesn't work that way. Some Deaf are raised to lip read and not to sign. They need subtitles. Some are raised in sign and English is a second language for them. They need interpreters. I see Elon Musk's question as genuine rather than toxic. He is simply someone who sees the world from a hearing perspective. #elephantandeagles #powerof3 #Deaf #whyisign #signlanguage

**Disclaimer** The following video provides an insightful exploration of time expressions in Spanish. The narrator, a self-proclaimed linguistic adventurer, boldly asserts that, contrary to the richness of the Spanish language, the English lexicon appears to lack suitable terminology for the following temporal phenomena: 1. The day after tomorrow 2. The day before yesterday In response to heartfelt complaints lodged by younger adults (allegedly offspring of the narrator, as they share a suspiciously familiar last name), who expressed their dissatisfaction with the aforementioned linguistic void, the video's auteur diligently undertook a meticulous research expedition. The findings of this research expedition yielded the following illuminating facts: The terms designating the temporal nuances of "The day after tomorrow" and "The day before yesterday" are relics of middle English, relegated to the dusty annals of linguistic history. These words, while fascinating, have fallen into complete desuetude and are only summoned from linguistic obscurity during the most profound studies of the English language. In the event of Profe Arnaly engaging in jubilant interpretative dances to celebrate the unearthing of these linguistic curiosities, Lengualista hereby absolves itself from any potential consequences arising from such merriment. We wholeheartedly endorse linguistic revelry but cannot be held responsible for spontaneous outbreaks of joy. Thank you for embarking on this linguistic journey with us. Enjoy the video responsibly. *Lengualista Legal Department* (Just kidding, we don't have one. Dance freely!) 🎉🕺💬 Author: Profe Arnaly Adaptation to legal language: ChatGPT ____________________________________ I'm Arnaly Arriaga I teach Spanish with Adobo. I voice your Spanish script with Sazón. I translate your text to Spanish as clear as a morning in the Venezuelan Savannah. Like my content? Follow me. Want to learn Spanish? DM Want any script voiced in Spanish? DM too Want to connect? I'll the thrilled to! #Spanish #SpanishLessons #LearnSpanish #spanishlanguage

**Disclaimer** The following video provides an insightful exploration of time expressions in Spanish. The narrator, a self-proclaimed linguistic adventurer, boldly asserts that, contrary to the richness of the Spanish language, the English lexicon appears to lack suitable terminology for the following temporal phenomena: 1. The day after tomorrow 2. The day before yesterday In response to heartfelt complaints lodged by younger adults (allegedly offspring of the narrator, as they share a suspiciously familiar last name), who expressed their dissatisfaction with the aforementioned linguistic void, the video's auteur diligently undertook a meticulous research expedition. The findings of this research expedition yielded the following illuminating facts: The terms designating the temporal nuances of "The day after tomorrow" and "The day before yesterday" are relics of middle English, relegated to the dusty annals of linguistic history. These words, while fascinating, have fallen into complete desuetude and are only summoned from linguistic obscurity during the most profound studies of the English language. In the event of Profe Arnaly engaging in jubilant interpretative dances to celebrate the unearthing of these linguistic curiosities, Lengualista hereby absolves itself from any potential consequences arising from such merriment. We wholeheartedly endorse linguistic revelry but cannot be held responsible for spontaneous outbreaks of joy. Thank you for embarking on this linguistic journey with us. Enjoy the video responsibly. *Lengualista Legal Department* (Just kidding, we don't have one. Dance freely!) 🎉🕺💬 Author: Profe Arnaly Adaptation to legal language: ChatGPT ____________________________________ I'm Arnaly Arriaga I teach Spanish with Adobo. I voice your Spanish script with Sazón. I translate your text to Spanish as clear as a morning in the Venezuelan Savannah. Like my content? Follow me. Want to learn Spanish? DM Want any script voiced in Spanish? DM too Want to connect? I'll be thrilled to! #Spanish #SpanishLessons #LearnSpanish #spanishlanguage

This is likely the most detrimentally toxic approach to providing accessibility at the bare minimum. Similar to asking, why do we have BET and Univision if we have cable? Why do we make movies based on books when we can just read the books? Why do we have tutorial videos if we can just read the manual? So many of us are visual learners and most times, the visuals also provide representation in a way that we understand. When it comes to sign language interpreting, we can always say closed captions are enough, but it’s not. I can’t read captions at a festival. We have interpreters when national emergencies are going on. Captions cant be read if language deprivation is in play. English doesn’t always translate to ASL. Multiple parameters are in play to the point that providing an option of turning on interpreting would provide clarity to a multitude of people where clarity is not always a given and deemed more of a hassle. The next time a company, organization or group asks, “Why should we provide interpreting?”, the answer should be, “Because nobody likes the feeling of being left out while everybody else around them knows exactly what’s going on.” #Hearingloss #signlanguage #signlanguageinterpreter #access #learning #inclusion #disabilityawareness #accessibility #subtitles #languagedevelopment

If your organization gets federal funding, then it's discriminatory to not provide translation or interpretation services to non-native speakers of English. Repeat: you discriminate when you speak only English to someone who doesn't understand English well. The right to language services -- also called language access - is laid out in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Is your government organization in compliance? If not, you need a language access plan. MindLink provides help with language access planning and scheduling linguists via our online platform LinguistLink (link to demo in the comments). ➡️ DM us if you want to talk about compliance with Title VI. #Languageservices #languageaccess #interpretation #translation

I see more and more that Mr. Musk is indeed missing a great deal. I do applaud his asking of the question. I do hope he is open to listening to answers. I personally enjoy of being able to see both languages (captioned English and ASL) and hear the spoken language, there are times I miss hearing the spoken word because of other environmental sounds, or visual interference and distractions can impede visual access to both the ASL and captioned English, too. Sometimes, it can help seeing and hearing the differences and variations in signs, accents, word choices etc. Sometimes the other form of communication adds more information and a richness to the experience (note: many time the captions add information about the name of the artist and/or music being played that just listening to it doesn't provide). I also like how Deaf advocate, Matthew Maxey states his view:

If your organization gets federal funding, then the law says you are discriminating if you do not provide translation or interpretation services to non-native speakers of English. The right to language services – also called language access - is laid out in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Is your government organization in compliance? If not, you need a language access plan. MindLink provides help with language access planning and scheduling linguists via our online platform LinguistLink. ➡️ DM us if you want to talk about compliance with Title VI. #Languageservices #languageaccess #interpretation #translation

It’s the law to provide translation or interpretation services to non-native speakers of English. Anything else is discrimination. The right to language access is laid out in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Is your government organization in compliance? If not, you need a language access plan. MindLink provides help with language access planning and scheduling linguists via our online platform LinguistLink (link to demo in the comments). ➡️ DM us if you want to talk about compliance with Title VI. #Languageservices #languageaccess #interpretation #translation