| One of the major issues for both the American | | | | translation devices is that they can be |
| intelligence community and the military has | | | | programmed by a local interpreter to fit |
| been the paucity of professionals in their | | | | different missions. That is, if a competent |
| ranks who are fluent in Arabic. Like any | | | | interpreter can be located. The Defense |
| other major language, there are dialectic | | | | Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has |
| variations within the language that make | | | | spent $15 to $20 million a year in government |
| fluent translation and understanding that | | | | funds over the past five years developing the |
| much more difficult. One need only consider | | | | mobile translator technology, due to the |
| the vast dialectical differences in American | | | | shortage of humans with similar skills. |
| English to begin to understand the kind of | | | | |
| "nuance" that rigidly thinking machines will | | | | There are many translation devices on the |
| have to content with. | | | | commercial market that work through Palm |
| | | | Pilots and other handheld devices. The type |
| Technologists among us are developing | | | | of usage the military is seeking, however, is |
| equipment that can assist even the most | | | | a little more proactive. A platoon leader |
| hopelessly monolingual in uniform communicate | | | | facing a village official doesn't have time |
| with the citizens of the nation he or she is | | | | to go through a search process in order to |
| occupying. The United States Army is field | | | | find the correct phrase. On the other hand, |
| testing a hand-held voice translator device | | | | these devices can't really be programmed with |
| developed by Integrated Wave Technologies. | | | | the nuances required to get through a |
| | | | get-together designed to win the hearts and |
| This device is already in use in other parts | | | | minds of the village elders. |
| of the world and is being used by soldiers in | | | | |
| the field in Iraq. The device converts simple | | | | Often the few Arabic-speaking soldiers who |
| English commands into Iraqi Arabic or 15 | | | | did land in Iraq found that differences in |
| other languages. When the soldier says a | | | | dialect rendered their knowledge unusable. |
| simple phrase -- for example, "keep kids | | | | Think of the working class inhabitants of the |
| back" - the 'voice response translator' (VRT) | | | | American Deep South and British east London |
| matches that command to a more complex phrase | | | | attempting to communicate successfully. Both |
| in Arabic. In this case: "Keep your children | | | | are speaking "English," but it's highly |
| back from us or we will take action against | | | | unlikely either would understand the other in |
| you." Not exactly a friendly warning and | | | | anything but the broadest of terms. In |
| completely devoid of emotional content, | | | | January, President Bush announced that the |
| nonetheless it's better than a warning shot. | | | | Pentagon will devote hundreds of millions of |
| | | | dollars over the next five years to language |
| A firm called Voxtech makes a similar device | | | | training and, perhaps as important, training |
| called the Phraselator. Voxtech' CEO says | | | | in cultural awareness. In the meantime, |
| that one advantage of these portable | | | | technology will have to fill in. |