Facebook fixes translation error that called farmers “peasants”
Facebook has removed its translation error from a recent covid-19 post on California governor Gavin Newsom’s page, according to Fox News. The translation originally read, “We’re focused on vaccinating our food workers, farmers, peasants and our essential workers as quickly as possible.” The correct translation is “We’re focused on vaccinating our food workers, farmers, farm workers and our essential workers as quickly as possible.”
Language barrier blocks UK Latinos from covid-19 vaccines
Spanish speakers living in the United Kingdom may have a hard time getting covid-19 vaccines, according to The Guardian. For a February 15th article, two immigrants from Latin America told the international paper that general practitioners had refused to give them the shot because they did not speak English.
Oromo and Somali translation needed
The city of San Diego, California is redistricting — a process where city council, state legislative and congressional districts are redrawn – and one Voice of San Diego says may be leaving African Americans out. Right now, information about the process is available in 12 languages but not Oromo or Somali, which the news site alludes are more prevalently spoken in the city than officials are aware. Target languages for translation are determined by population – a population that is measured in districts. Without information in their language, residents can’t participate in dialogue about the redistricting – which the site contends may further diminish their representation.
Epoch Times hides its identity on localized site
American media watch group NiemanLab has called out fake news site Epoch Times for leaving its name off Spanish translations. In the past, Epoch News has published in 22 languages – all under the website’s name. “Now the organization is, uh, expanding its disinformation services with Tierra Pura, a separate, Argentina-based website that spreads conspiracy theories and false information about covid-19, QAnon and US election fraud,” in both Spanish and Portuguese, writes NiemanLab’s deputy editor Laura Hazard Owen. The localized site does not reveal its Epoch ties.
