Salesian Translators

By our own correspondent

Valdocco, Turin, 5 March 2020 -- They are many but not very visible, however their absence is immediately and strongly felt!

Who are they? - Salesian Translators in GC28! Every day (and night) there are more than 15 Salesian translators - in and out of Valdocco who are making the Salesian Pentecost - GC28 - really possible!

The main (written) translated languages are basically five - Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French and English for the main documents (= hundreds of files during the whole chapter: from the morning minutes of the working sessions or assembly in the hall (4 languages) until the goodnight talk again in the hall (5 languages).

Then during the assembly sharing (various interventions) the interpretation is provided again in the main 5 languages via radio on the earphones of the GC28 delegates many hours every day.

There is a group of 'simultaneous interpreters' who are present in the Assembly hall (on the top, second floor - with a very warm temperature, committed to make everything understand that is happening within the Valdocco theatre walls. There is another group of translators who help to put the main documents daily in written form, basically working online, some of them even on the other side of the globe!

There are some brief moments when the translators are tired or need to rest, and their 'clients' are left watching and unable to follow.

There are moments when only some group of chapter delegates are laughing thanks to 'their language' translator. Just yesterday the juridical commission prepared a proposal (literally) 'to eliminate the general councillor for social communication' (later on turned down through the straw vote) but producing a hilarious atmosphere in the whole GC28 community.

The announcements in the large 300 seat refectory in the basement beneath the Basilica are provided only in Italian and English, however the common liturgies and prayers before and after the meal are held in dozens other languages according to which region takes the liturgy responsibility that specific week. In the second week it was the turn of the EAO region, and now it is the responsibility of the Africa-Madagascar region - that means every meal one or two different languages are used.

From the EAO region two confreres are present and working full time - Fr. Nestor Impelido (FIN, Italian-English) and Fr. Daijiro Okamoto (GIA, Italian-Nihongo).

We are very grateful to all translators who are making the GC28 Pentecost possible, at Valdocco or from any other locations. There is even one contribution/proposal from the EAO Salesian Translators Workshop (2019) in Myanmar to codify the ministry of the translators in our General Regulations: let's see and pray!

Proposed Art 33bis of our Regulations:

"To foster a more consistent expression of the Salesian charism in the many languages used in the worldwide Salesian community (C59), the Social Communication sector guarantees a comprehensive approach to translations: “Salesian glossary” (SDB terminology continuously updated), formation of translators of Salesian texts, and an advisory team of translators at world level. Likewise at the province level, SC delegates guarantee the consistency of Salesian terminology in their own cultural – linguistic context through their own Salesian glossary and translators team."

Related materials:

• The Manual - Handbook of the Salesian Translator
• The Salesian Dictionary (ed. 2019)
• EAO workshop of Salesian Translators 2019
  (REGULATIONS art 33bis - proposal of Salesian Translation - included)

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