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Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 47:1 (2023) ► pp.72–94

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Translation policies in times of a pandemic

An intercity comparison

ORCiD logo with link | KU Leuven | University of Melbourne
 | KU Leuven | University of Melbourne
 | KU Leuven
 | KU Leuven
 | University of Melbourne
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with KU Leuven.

Published online: 23 May 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.22053.bou
Abstract
In 2020–22, multilingual vaccination communication became an urgent priority around the world, requiring trusted communication in non-official languages. In Brussels, Melbourne and Shanghai, quite different legal frameworks and language policies were challenged by the need for behavior-change communication in a wide range of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. In all three cases, practices were developed that showed the limitations of existing translation policies. Here we use policy analysis to explore the nature of those challenges, to compare the different solutions found in the three cities, and to propose how policies might be developed and adjusted to enhance time-pressured trust-building communication.
Samenvatting
In 2020–22 werd meertalige vaccinatiecommunicatie wereldwijd een dringende prioriteit, waarbij vertrouwde communicatie in niet-officiële talen nodig is. In Brussel, Melbourne en Shanghai werden heel verschillende wettelijke kaders en taalbeleidsmaatregelen op de proef gesteld door de nood aan gedragsveranderingscommunicatie voor gemeenschappen die cultureel en taalkundig divers zijn. In alle drie de gevallen werden praktijken opgezet die de beperkingen van het bestaande vertaalbeleid blootlegden. Hier gebruiken we beleidsanalyse om de aard van die uitdagingen te onderzoeken, om de verschillende oplossingen in de drie steden te vergelijken, en om voor te stellen hoe het beleid zou kunnen worden uitgewerkt en bijgestuurd om onder tijdsdruk communicatie die vertrouwen opbouwt te verbeteren.
Resumo
En la jaroj 2020-22, multlingva privakcina komunikado fariĝis urĝa prioritato tutmonde, neprigante fidindan komunikadon en neoficialaj lingvoj. En Bruselo, Melburno kaj Ŝanhajo, signife malsamaj juraj kadroj kaj lingvaj politikoj frontis bezonon de kondutoŝanĝa komunikado en larĝa gamo de komunumoj kulture kaj lingve malsamaj. En ĉiuj tri ekzemploj, oni evoluigis praktikojn kiuj montris la limigojn de ekzistantaj tradukaj politikoj. Ĉi-artikole ni utiligas politikan analizadon por esplori la ecojn de tiuj defioj, por kompari la diversajn solvojn trovitajn en la tri urboj, kaj por proponi manieron por elkonstrui kaj alĝustigi politikojn por plibonigi tempopreman fidokonstruan komunikadon.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Brussels
    • 2.1Languages in Brussels
    • 2.2Belgian federal language and translation policy
    • 2.3Brussels-Capital Region language and translation policy
    • 2.4Multilingual vaccination information in Brussels
  • 3.Melbourne
    • 3.1Languages in Melbourne
    • 3.2Australian national language and translation policy
    • 3.3Victorian language and translation policy
    • 3.4Multilingual vaccination information in Melbourne
  • 4.Shanghai
    • 4.1The linguistic background
    • 4.2Chinese national language and translation policies
    • 4.3Shanghai government language and translation policies
    • 4.4Multilingual vaccination information in Shanghai
  • 5.A cross-city comparison
  • Note
  • References
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