Overcoming Linguistic Inequities: Strengths and Limitations of Translation during the Pandemic

Abstract

The confinement period imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented event with severe human and social implications. Its effects further accentuated the marginalisation of migrants and minor linguistic communities, with access to essential resources, such as healthcare services and remote teaching, being considerably hampered by linguistic diversity. Communication was paramount to share information and reduce the uncertainty provoked by the enforced isolation. As a form of inter-lingual communication, translation has significantly contributed to containing the problems of multilingualism. By mediating expert-lay and peer-to-peer communication in multilingual contexts, translators and interpreters helped remove linguistic barriers. Nevertheless, language inequities as well as the inadequacy of government policies, which often overlooked the linguistic needs of vulnerable social groups, revealed that translation still awaits considerable improvements. With reference to scholarly works and large-scale examples, this paper discusses the strengths and limitations of translation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also outlines the principal areas that need further development if translation is to work as a fully effective form of communication in our multilingual and multicultural society.