Service

Translating the message:
What’s Bengali for “surrender”?

NA World Services held a translations workshop in Delhi, India, in April 2005. You might be thinking, “Oh, no, not another article about a workshop—how boring!”

Okay, this may be a boring article on a workshop—but at least it’s in English. Think of all the addicts in my region who don’t have the luxury of reading NA literature in its original language. Imagine scores of addicts sitting quietly through a meeting where the readings are in English—a language they do not understand. Though recovery is an experience beyond words, we still need to have our literature translated into local languages so that every addict can have a clear sense of the essential message of Narcotics Anonymous. For us, recovery is a matter of life or death. So if you are tired, sleepy, or bored, splash some water on your face, say a prayer, call your sponsor, take a bath, do anything—but please read this article. Translation can bring life to a still-suffering addict.

The workshop was attended by thirty-four representatives from ten areas in the Indian Region: Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Orissa, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and South Mumbai. The nine languages spoken among these representatives were Bengali, Hindi, Kanada, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, and Urdu. More languages from a single region were simultaneously represented at this NAWS translation workshop than ever before in the history of Narcotic Anonymous.

Nine languages, ten areas, and thirty-four representatives! Could we possibly have clarity in such multiplicity? In spite of the great linguistic diversity of our region, we found that all faced the same essential problems and arrived at the same basic solutions while attempting to translate NA literature. For example, each language group agreed upon five steps that could not be avoided:

• Form a literature translation committee (LTC) with support from the service structure like the ASC.

• Contact NAWS to gather all required resources like translations information, glossaries, and other tools.

• Organize and prioritize translation work.

• Translate IP #1, with a glossary, with input from various members.

• Submit translated material to NAWS for evaluation and publication.

The main concern while translating from English is conceptual fidelity. Simple and obvious English words like “connection,” “addiction,” “using,” and “clean” are often difficult to translate into our regional languages. Conceptual fidelity implies the communication of a basic idea, not merely a literal rendering of the words of a sentence into a different language. The crux is to get the whole idea across clearly, rather than get stuck on those words that do not have precise equivalents.

While discussing conceptual fidelity in small groups of five to six members, we identified ways to deal with difficult words. We acknowledged that it is often preferable to transliterate (directly copy English words) that do not have direct equivalents in the target language. While translating into Hindi, for instance, it seemed practical to transliterate terms like “recovery,” “addiction,” and “addict” rather than use the suggested Hindi equivalents. The search for similar words and phrases that express the concept at hand is, of course, indispensable. The use of local idioms, colloquialisms, and traditional proverbs can often go a long way in helping to capture the spirit and essence of the NA message. Interaction amoung LTCs is highly beneficial and mutually rewarding. It is useful to stay in touch with NAWS and profit from their experience

My experience in translation service is that motivating LTC members can involve a considerable amount of creative effort. While discussing this issue as a group, we came up with some strategies to keep members involved. We agreed it is useful to regularly announce LTC meetings and hold meetings on weekends and holidays. We also thought it is essential to create awareness that translating NA literature can help us understand the information better for ourselves and keep us vitally in touch with the NA message. Involving both newcomers and experienced members in the translation process is a good idea. If we can, we want to cover the participants’ expenses, such as those for travel and food, whenever possible. Finally, we all agreed it is really important to acknowledge and recognize the hard work done by LTC members and possibly thank them with a piece of free NA literature or merchandise upon completion of a term or a project.

Are all NA members really qualified to be LTC volunteers? Technically, yes. It is certainly against the NA spirit to discourage anyone from active service! However, translation is an activity that requires specific linguistic skills. Not all members possess such skills, and those who do are, in some cases, the most hesitant to volunteer. A crowded LTC committee can become chaotic and ineffective. Who should volunteer for an LTC? What are the basic tools for efficient and effective translation? Our group discussions led us to five important guidelines:

• LTCs should have at least two members who have the necessary linguistic skills to translate from English into the target language.

• LTCs should have at least two members who have a deep familiarity with the NA message.

• The use of several modern, comprehensive dictionaries is imperative. An English dictionary is a must in addition to bilingual versions.

• Reading the original text and receiving the message in its essential form is of prime importance. Numerous readings of a single sentence may be required before an acceptable equivalent is determined.

• Networking with neighboring LTCs and sharing experience can go a long way toward boosting enthusiasm, strength, and hope.

SIRSCONA Society of Indian Regional Service Committee of NA NERF North East Regional Forum

It was amazing to be part of this mixed bunch of recovering addicts who had gathered to discuss translations challenges and solutions. The value of the small- and large-group discussion format was stressed and was very successful. This format emphasized the value of every participant and fostered group consensus. This is a beautifully simple discussion format for highly complex participants! Organizing nine languages, ten areas, and thirty-four participants proved enjoyable, interesting, and highly educational. Like most NA events, it was a lot of fun.

Participating in a workshop is interesting; writing about it is relatively easy; reading a long article on a workshop can, of course, be tediously boring and laborious—but here you are, at the end of the article. If and when you find yourself at a meeting where the language spoken is not one you understand, please remember this article, and use the experience as an opportunity to appreciate the value of translating NA literature to carry our message of recovery.

Ivan P, South Mumbai, India

 Editor’s note: Excerpts of Ivan’s article also appeared in the November 2005 issue of NAWS News.

Did you know	Ventura, California, USA, was the site of the first World Service Conference in 1976? That meeting was held in conjunction with the Fifth World Convention. At that time, there was an estimated 200 meetings in the USA, Australia, Canada, and Germany.
Did you know	there was not a quorum present for the second WSC, and that the third WSC was the first to be held separate from WCNA?
Did you know	in 1982, the seventh WSC approved the First Edition of the Basic Text, which was distributed in hardcover at the eighth WSC in 1983?
Did you know	a motion to hold the WSC outside of California resulted in the meeting being held in three US cities—Dallas, Texas; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Atlanta, Georgia—during the 1990s? The conference returned to California after a motion was made to hold the meeting within seventy-five miles of the World Service Office, primarily to contain costs.
Did you know	there were sixty motions included in the 1987 Conference Agenda Report, fifty-two in the 1998 CAR, and ten in 2002? The CAR for WSC 28, to be held in April 2006, includes three motions.
Did you know	the WSC opening roll call increased from seventy-seven participants—including fifty-nine regions—in 1991, to 112 participants and ninety-four regions in 2002?
Did you know	the two-year conference cycle began at the end of the WSC held in 2000 as the result of a motion passed by the conference in 1998?

The coffee guy We addicts all know who is important in our fellowship. At the CAR workshop for the South East Zone—held in Macon, Georgia, USA, last week—all the participants were asked their name, area, and service commitments. There were regional delegates, area and regional committee chairs, etc., but only one got the applause of all attending. Who was it? He was the coffee maker from a local group. There is hope for us yet! Phil K, Florida, USA

What’s new with the Basic Text project? As you may know, we have passed the deadline for submissions to the Basic Text project. Between now and July 2006, we will be putting the text together and looking to fill gaps in what we have received. We are not turning away late submissions, but we can’t promise they’ll receive the same level of attention as those sent before the deadline. In September 2006, the review and input draft of the text will be mailed out, with input due back in March 2007. And then the approval form will be available in September 2007. The July NA Way will have information on signing up for review and input.

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