Translation in a Time of Crisis

Translation in a Time of Crisis

By Ariane Lelarge Emiroglou

Translated by Charlotte Doane

 

These are unprecedented times. The raging coronavirus pandemic has plunged us all into a public health crisis, eliciting fear and even panic the world over as its impact grows each day. Medical staff are being overwhelmed by the influx of patients. Meanwhile, in the world of translation, urgent requests abound as communication attempts to keep pace with changing information.

We have taken a number of exceptional measures to meet our clients’ needs. For example, most of our employees have volunteered to work evenings and weekends, and those affected directly or indirectly by the crisis have been afforded more flexibility than usual.

In the midst of closures, quarantine and economic slowdown, the translators of Cartier et Lelarge are busier than usual. As a small business, we are managing highly strategic files for companies and organizations in all industries, from old-age retirement, public transit and non-profit work, to mining, accounting and retail. These days, when so much is uncertain, we find ourselves acting as an emergency communication team for clients in crisis. Our professionals are translating vital messages for workers trying to stay safe and healthy while maintaining their operations. This often means being a link in the dissemination of precautionary measures, announcements, recommendations and important information to as many people as possible, all in both official languages.

We have taken a number of exceptional measures to meet our clients’ needs. For example, most of our employees have volunteered to work evenings and weekends, and those affected directly or indirectly by the crisis have been afforded more flexibility than usual. None of our staff have been diagnosed with COVID-19 to date, and we are very grateful for it. However, some of us have children to care for, while others are experiencing high levels of stress and need to slow down. Alternative schedules have been arranged to accommodate these employees’ needs.

Telework has already been part of our routine for several years, so we are quite adept at operating in a virtual workplace. Lockdown measures put in place to keep us safe and healthy have not kept us from making new connections online and coming together for meetings via videoconference. We have also set up a private social network on Workplace, where we can catch up with one another and keep things light between projects as we would in person.

It’s all hands on deck here at Cartier et Lelarge. Information and communication are more essential than ever, and translation is often the key.

From an operational standpoint, our translators and revisers are still managing our various clients’ translations, ensuring consistency and quick delivery times. Given how rapidly the situation is changing, it is important that we stay informed and are careful in our research. We have to understand all the new vocabulary needed to discuss the pandemic and ensure correct spelling and use. COVID-19, the disease, was formerly called 2019-nCoV ARD, the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease—not to be confused with the virus itself, SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Anticipating confusion, the Translation Bureau has published a glossary on the COVID-19 pandemic encouraging translators to use clear, consistent terminology and helping them to work more efficiently.

The terminology used by our clients is ever-changing, as safety protocols, emergency committees, response measures and new positions are created with each new development. All these initiatives come with their own names, which must be added to our term banks and communicated to all members of our team to ensure that we are using each client’s preferred language.

In light of the recent government decision to close all non-essential businesses, it’s all hands on deck here at Cartier et Lelarge. Information and communication are more essential than ever, and translation is often the key. We will continue to do our part to get through this all-encompassing crisis, remaining committed to our founding principles of quality, efficiency and clarity.