But as important as those roles are, the skills developed in the Introduction to Translation/Interpretation class can have a much greater impact. In fact, they can be the difference between life and death.
“There are many examples of a patient’s family being unable to communicate with doctors or emergency room personnel, with tragic consequences,” Benavides-Garb said. “It has meant the difference between the appropriate medicine being given, or how the symptoms were described.”
Benavides-Garb shares those stories with his students to underscore the challenge they’re undertaking. Most of the fieldwork they complete, however, has its own challenges and is important in its own right.
Critical to the success is understanding social, cultural, and even legal aspects of accurate translation and interpretation. Without that knowledge, conversations or printed materials often miss the mark.
“This isn’t Google translate,” Benavides-Garb says. “You have to make a judgment call and use critical thinking. Interpreters must understand the concept of audience. Who is requiring their services? Is it a university professor or a child’s parent who hasn’t had any education beyond elementary school? You must consider the sociology of the equation to be precise about your translation.”
During fall semester, students had the opportunity to serve both of those demographics. When a delegation representing the Corporacion Nacional Forestal de Chile, the equivalent of the United States’ National Park Service, toured the area in October, the translation students served as the communication link between the visitors and Redwood National and State Park officials.
“It was a great feeling to know that our interpretation helped,” said Jocelyn López Ibarra, one of 26 student enrolled in the class. “We came away with a realization that the small exchange between groups gave the Alerce Costero National Park and Redwood National Park scientists access to new resources that could attract attention and ultimately help save the environment.”
In a heartfelt letter, Marco Del Valle, a member of the Chilean delegation, expressed his appreciation of Benavides-Garb and his students, specifically referring to the passion they applied to their roles.
“You and your students were the real protagonists of this trip,” Del Valle wrote. “You provided us with communication, sharing of knowledge through the voices of the translators. Each of your students provided a colorful painting of this trip with their charm, energy and warmth.”
While experiences like the Chilean visit are infrequent, a community outreach partnership with the Humboldt County Office of Education has provided ample opportunities for Benavides-Garb’s student to utilize their developing skills. Linnea Mandell, HCOE Curriculum Specialist whose role includes providing support for English-learners, serves as a liaison between Humboldt State, local schools and other organizations, identifying situations in which the university’s students can help serve Humboldt County’s rapidly growing Spanish-speaking population.
“The schools and other organizations are very grateful to have this type of service available,” Mandell said. “In recent years, it’s become apparent that there’s a real shortage of people who are bilingual. Schools and community organizations would do the best they can, trying to find someone to help out. That often meant bringing in someone who wasn’t ideal to do interpretation, like somebody’s big brother, or a staff member at the school who was not really expecting to interpret on the spot.”
As the native Spanish-speaking community has expanded, the need for better communication between those parents and their children’s educators has become a prime concern. Benavides-Garb’s students have stepped in to help fill that gap, assisting at PTO meetings and parent-teacher conferences where their young children previously were forced to translate.
“The parents feel like they’re participating. They feel integrated into the school system more than they had previously,” Benavides-Garb said. “When my students see that connection being made for the first time, it’s a magic moment for them. They understand how important this service is.”
Other projects the class has or is currently working on include developing brochures for the Discovery Museum in Eureka and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The translation of the latter group’s rules and regulations could have a significant impact on enforcement.
“They found out that many Hispanic people were breaking laws simply because they didn’t know the rules,” Benavides-Garb said. “We hope we’re making a difference for those people. The students feel it’s meaningful.”
A mini-survey of his students illustrates the value of acquiring interpretation skills. Pablo López and Omar Becerra are both considering careers in the field, feeling more encouraged about the impact they can have on an often-underrepresented population. Leah Tharp, who is a Recreations Studies, picked up a minor in Spanish, hoping to perhaps combine the two and travel throughout South America.
Another, student, Yutaro Takahashi, came to HSU after attending the Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages in his native country of Japan. For the first time, he is reflecting on translations and interpretation dynamics between Spanish, English and Japanese. Now, he would like to apply the knowledge to facilitate communications between these important cultures in a global context.
Starting as an upper division elective three years ago, the class has been added to the department curriculum as a class geared toward all HSU majors, and particularly students who will be confronting translation and interpretation challenges in the job market. A field study component offered in the spring incorporates more real-world training.
The program’s evolution, along with the successful community outreach, can be directly traced to its teacher.
“Rosamel has given us the knowledge and exposed us to experiences that change a student’s entire perspective on the importance of interpretation,” López Ibarra said. “Not only is he a great professor, lecturer and advisor he’s also a great guy.”