New NVC books, Marshall's translators, attracting young people to NVC + all languages funding :-)

[Ray]

If in a hurry, please skip the small text.

It's fine to forward this, especially to more translators.

I have tried to write in "international English" and in a way that's easy for Google Translate. There is an explanation at the end.

FYI:

Neill is involved with Marshall's publications, and Lucy "put together" (my British English choice of phrasal verb) Marshall's book and the NVC workbook.

Dear Neill and Lucy,

I just listened to a podcast item* on the BBC world service website about a prize for translators.

I got very inspired about how it could relate to NVC articles, books, translations and youth!

I also saw how it could lead to international war-ending workshops.

I think about how tough it can be for translators to really follow fully what Marshall is saying and then express it in a "3rd" language.

It seems to me that having a workshop of translators (maybe with Lucy?) would be a completely fabulous experience with superb outputs.

It could be even better if we included some of the most gifted past translators, perhaps?

We could set up special sessions on other books, for example some of the best books in French and German.

(Wouldn't it be great to read these books in English or Chinese or Arabic or Tamil or Hebrew?!)

I can imagine that a group that works on chapter 1 of NVC2 (Marshall's book, second edition), and several key passages, would be brilliant for a completely new language.

NB I think several country networks would be interested to fund or part fund their own translator, and more than one book could be worked on. It would also be a super attractive project for a global crowdfunder, as there is a concrete outcome within months/a few years, and clear benefit to the networks/countries of the donors, and even the donors themselves, who could receive signed first editions. Also I think it would be very attractive for a german peace trust / foundation, and maybe some US/UK/Japan foundations or a philanthropist or perhaps female elders?

Easier still:

We select some short but very inspiring texts to translate into every possible language to help CTs and others with promotion, and catching the attention of younger people.

(I remember how we translated a 3 page article into Slovak, and how this inspired a student to translate Marshall's whole book into Czech for her Masters degree dissertation.)

If we added an audio person and a video person, a whole bunch of extremely useful podcasts and video clips could be made at bargain price, and with high authenticity, since you'd have so many NVC-immersed people all present at once.

The "story of the workshop" itself could be a fun video for people to watch. I imagine there would be.....

....laughter
....tortuous mental acrobatics with multiple languages
....and lots of sharing/connection, yoga and delights

Venue:

I propose we do it in Palau**, Cook Islands, the Seychelles or Maldives**, as

(a) out-of-season it's cheap to be there.

(b) more importantly they are 4 of the ten countries where it's most easy for every nationality to get a visa***.

(c) perhaps yet more importantly, many translators are parents and female, so it would be a massive advantage to be in a venue where children of all ages can be fully and cheaply and safely entertained

(sand castles and bury-the-volunteers, through PADI-certified training through studying coral, through NVC-family-camp-type activities).

Maldives would be especially good for countries at war/strife/tension in the middle east and around India, as already popular regionally, and a potential "peace workshop venue" in the future - I would have Embuudu Island on the shortlist.

I've specifically included a link for where Syrians can get a visa below***.

Making it happen:

If someone wants to work on this, I am willing to coach you on how to make it happen - call me!

Don't email!!

(Numbers/IDs for calls are below, and please remember I'm on UK time - 8am-8pm is fine.)

For now, I hope:

- someone will organise some calls on Skype, Zoom or (best) Hangouts-on-Air for translators

- someone else will identify short pieces of text that have been useful for helping people get interested in NVC :-)

Otherwise I am not currently available for involved discussions, as I'm prioritising famine-prevention work. However, if the Maldives or Seychelles were selected, I would be very interested as I think they offer brilliant scope for Israel-Palestine peace workshops and India_Pakistan and Pakistan-Afghanistan and Syria peace workshops. Maybe even USA-UK-everybody else and Brexit-Nexit workshops (Nexit = exit from Brexit :-)  )

With care,

Ray




*** Visas for Syrians: 

http://scoopempire.com/countries-syrians-can-travel-without-visa/ 

** Visas for everyone:

www.bootsnall.com/articles/12-12/the-top-10-easiest-countries-to-get-into.html 

* What the audio was about: In short, the translators of a Booker-prize-nominated book all got together with the author in a room at the same time, and the author read the book aloud in the original language. 

The author paused when asked, and also when wanting to explain subtle points.

The translators for each language were able to work simultaneously, and compare ideas for how to interpret words from the original author. They obviously didn't do a definitive translation in real time, but talked about how great it was to be able to discuss expressions with each other. I imagine within language families it would sometimes be especially helpful to do this.

The translators for each language were able to work together with the author in the morning. Then they worked intensively in the evening individually or in pairs. See below also*.

The audio about translators: It's about 30 mins from the start: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p054vh7j http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p054vhk3

If using iTunes or a smartphone, search 

"BBC weekend" or "BBC world service Weekend" and then select the episode for 11th June 2017

"International English"

I have tried to write in International English, so using simple grammar (eg short sentences e.g. few phrasal verbs i.e. not confusing phrases like "to get off with" or "to put up with" but rather single clear words like "tolerate" or "seduce"). 

I think this will also be better for Google Translate.


I've copied this email to:

the CT list and 3 international lists, not because I imagine every CT will want to be involved, but because I hope this email may spark and inspire others regionally to do their own versions, for example:

 workshops for 3-6 countries

 or for their own NVC publications

 or for their own language families :-)

I have also included some key people involved with translations, but in the BCC for personal safety reasons, and to limit bouncing email.

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