Indianz.Com > News > Native America Calling: When language translations go wrong
Native America Calling
Listen to Native America Calling every weekday at 1pm Eastern.
Native America Calling: When language translations go wrong
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
When language translations go wrong
The federal government issued translations on official documents to help Alaska Natives following destructive storms there.
The trouble is, the text is indecipherable for those it was intended to help. An investigative report found the Iñupiaq and Yup’ik translations from FEMA are essentially unreadable for those familiar with the languages.
One appears to be at least partly taken from a World War Two-era publication in the Soviet Union.
Guests on Native America Calling
Today on Native America Calling, we’ll check in with:
Tara Sweeney (Inupiaq), Principal and CEO of Tack 71 Strategies and former Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of Interior
Julia Jimmie (Yup’ik), translator and Yup’ik language programming producer
Sam Berlin (Yup’ik), translator and KYUK talk show host
Gary Houlton, linguist
Emily Schwing, freelance reporter based in Alaska.
Search
Filed Under
Tags
More Headlines
VIDEO: ‘Sacred, protected sites’
VIDEO: ‘Frustrated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs’
Native America Calling: Preparing for paperless transactions
Sacred sites face renewed threats amid political shifts in Washington
Cronkite News: Sacred site slated for development after legal setback
Tom Cole: Supporting the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ in Congress
NAFOA: 5 Things You Need to Know this Week (June 16, 2025)
Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation shines a spotlight on rare diseases
Native America Calling: Reversing public lands protections
AUDIO: Examining the President’s FY 2026 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior
Native America Calling: The U.S. Government’s liability for boarding school abuses
AUDIO: Legislative Hearing on H.R.411, H.R.2916, H.R.3620 & H.R.3670
Native America Calling: Cities take aim at homeless encampments
VIDEO: Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) – H.R.3444, Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act
VIDEO: Bill Tripp of Karuk Tribe – H.R.3444, Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act
More Headlines
VIDEO: ‘Frustrated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs’
Native America Calling: Preparing for paperless transactions
Sacred sites face renewed threats amid political shifts in Washington
Cronkite News: Sacred site slated for development after legal setback
Tom Cole: Supporting the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ in Congress
NAFOA: 5 Things You Need to Know this Week (June 16, 2025)
Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation shines a spotlight on rare diseases
Native America Calling: Reversing public lands protections
AUDIO: Examining the President’s FY 2026 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior
Native America Calling: The U.S. Government’s liability for boarding school abuses
AUDIO: Legislative Hearing on H.R.411, H.R.2916, H.R.3620 & H.R.3670
Native America Calling: Cities take aim at homeless encampments
VIDEO: Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) – H.R.3444, Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act
VIDEO: Bill Tripp of Karuk Tribe – H.R.3444, Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act
More Headlines