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Languages in Translation...
http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/news/shownews.jsp?content=n022611A#
This is a fascinating article at MACLEANS Magazine about how technical terms being used in English have been translated into the languages of Northern Peoples in the Canadian North. What is really fascinating to me is how terms come out when tranaslated back into English.
INUVIK, N.W.T. (CP) - A few terms commonly used in environmental assessments of mining and energy developments in the North, retranslated into English from their aboriginal equivalents:
Crown land - Land that is not settled, the federal government is the boss of it (Gwich'In)
Environmental assessment - Rules to prevent damage (Dogrib)
Ore - Good rock (Chipewyan)
Gold - Expensive rock (Gwich'In)
Risk analysis - Thinking maybe (South Slavey)
Acid rain - Rain water with bad medicine (Chipewyan)
Fragmentation - The land changed (Gwich'In)
Monitoring agency - The ones who watch (Gwich'In)
Mineral rights - We are the boss of what is under the ground (Gwich'In)
Expert adviser - Person expressing their wisdom (South Slavey)
Development proposal - Agreement is made to create jobs (Dogrib)
Source - Glossary of Terms, the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board
This is a fascinating article at MACLEANS Magazine about how technical terms being used in English have been translated into the languages of Northern Peoples in the Canadian North. What is really fascinating to me is how terms come out when tranaslated back into English.
INUVIK, N.W.T. (CP) - A few terms commonly used in environmental assessments of mining and energy developments in the North, retranslated into English from their aboriginal equivalents:
Crown land - Land that is not settled, the federal government is the boss of it (Gwich'In)
Environmental assessment - Rules to prevent damage (Dogrib)
Ore - Good rock (Chipewyan)
Gold - Expensive rock (Gwich'In)
Risk analysis - Thinking maybe (South Slavey)
Acid rain - Rain water with bad medicine (Chipewyan)
Fragmentation - The land changed (Gwich'In)
Monitoring agency - The ones who watch (Gwich'In)
Mineral rights - We are the boss of what is under the ground (Gwich'In)
Expert adviser - Person expressing their wisdom (South Slavey)
Development proposal - Agreement is made to create jobs (Dogrib)
Source - Glossary of Terms, the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board