Lost in Translation

Ever wonder about translating? When you listen to someone, take in their information, make sense of it, and then try to figure out how to relay that information to others so they actually understand not only what you are saying, but the meaning and intention behind it?

I am a translator of technology speak...kind of. I suddenly realized this week that on a daily basis I bridge the world between those that are just learning the language, and those that are native to it. In a bizarre twist of fate, however, I am also a translator of education lingo. My background and formal education are in education....and I sit juxtaposed between two worlds, every day.

Every day I must translate back and forth so that the Technology Native Speakers and the Educators can communicate with each other. No easy task. Imagine you are native to a foreign country, and you have cooking skills- and a recent immigrant asks you to prepare their favorite meal- New England Lobster- for a dinner party. In your native country, Lobster is a bottom feeder in the ocean- a scavenger akin to crow or buzzard or a raccoon and you cannot for the life of you imagine anyone wanting to eat its flesh. You know where to buy it, how to cook it, but you have no understanding of why anyone would want to eat it, nor do you understand all of its many secret and delectable culinary uses. I as the translator, have to listen to both sides of the story and convince you that it is a worthy endeavor.

I could be a world renowned negotiator. The negotiation skills I am honing are incredible, but my brain hurts. Every day it is something new.

"What does an ipod touch have to do with teaching-what can you do with it besides shop on ebay and play beer pong?" Point.

"The ipod touch will not connect to Google-it keeps asking me to sign into the wireless network. How come I can access ebay, but not Google?"

"How come teachers cannot have administrator privileges on their own machines? They cannot even run Adobe and Flash updates."

"The only time we ever get viruses is on machines where teachers are administrators."

And back and forth it goes. Point, counter point. The one thing neither side counted on is my tenaciousness and persistence. I do not give up. If something is useful and important I will bring it back to the table again, and again, trying not to offend either party. Negotiation and translation skills necessary.

Today I am back to the Teacher side of the table early in the morning, then to the Technology side of the table later on. Then back to my office to assess what was gained and lost for either side. If I make no headway, it probably means my translation for either side was not as good as it could have been.

It is an interesting psychology experiment, and fun to watch the second language develop on either side of the continental divide. The language comes easiest to those who admit they are still in the learning stages. Development is slower in those that think they have enough understanding to get by. There are both kinds in either group. I am learning to use my resources wisely, and use peer teaching whenever possible.

I am hoping today will go well. I am also hoping that soonr, rather than later, the language skills on both sides of the table will meet somewhere in the middle.