Welcome to the home page of the Society of Federal Linguists, a professional
organization of U.S Government employees whose occupations require professional
linguistic skills. Please note, that with the exception of this web site, the
SFL has ceased to function bringing to close 71 years of history.
Our Mission
The Society seeks to promote linguistic professionalism, to advance language
knowledge and linguistic competence, to provide a forum for discussion of
language problems and means of disseminating language information; to stimulate
interest in linguistic activity through professional and social programs; to
foster interest in foreign language careers by individuals presently outside of
Government Service.
Contact Information
Most of the communication between the SFL and non-members is through email. The
Society does not sell mailing lists or usually publish advertisements.
VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LINGUISTS
A GENERAL OVERVIEW
Conference Interpreting. Opportunities, though limited, exist for full-time and
free-lance simultaneous conference interpreters. The major employer of
interpreters in the United States is the United Nations, with over 100 persons
regularly employed who are required to have an active command of one and an
excellent passive knowledge of at least two of the UN official languages:
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. It is UN policy that
their interpreters work only into their mother tongue. The next largest employer
is the State Department in Washington, with a
office sex staff of about 20 consecutive and simultaneous interpreters who
provide service in most of the world's principal languages. Other organizations
such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American
Development Bank, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American
Defense Board, the Inter-American Defense College, the Pan American Health
Organization, and INTELSAT have secretary
sex very small staffs,
supplemented by occasional recourse to free-lance interpreters.
Essentially, there are few permanent interpreter positions in the United States,
turnover is slow, and entrance requirements are high.
Apart from sporadic assignments with intergovernmental and governmental
organizations, work in the free-lance market is confined to short-term contracts
to interpret at private international conferences in fields such as science,
medicine, or economics. To compete successfully for such assignments, it is
advantageous to be multilingual, with a widely spoken mother tongue and a strong
passive command of two or three other world languages. The principal languages
used in the free-lance conference field in the United States are English,
French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Because of the
irregular nature of their interpreting assignments, most of the some 200
free-lance conference interpreters in the United States combine that activity
with work in other fields, such as translating, teaching, or writing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Escort Interpreting. Escort interpreting offers more potential free-lance
employment, especially for people just entering the interpreting field.
Interpreters accompany foreign individuals and delegations travelling around the
United States and interpret for them in generally informal situations, but
involving in-depth professional exchanges on a wide variety of subjects. Many
more languages are in demand for escort
sexy secretaries interpreting than for conference
interpreting, although assignments are just as sporadic and uncertain.
The State Department maintains a contract roster of some 1,000 free-lance
escorts, covering almost every major language, who are hired to take short-term
travel assignments (usually 30 days at a time) as the need arises.
Travel agencies that organize tours for foreign groups and business concerns
that receive foreign clients are the other principal employers of free-lance
interpreters.
Escort interpreting should ordinarily not be viewed as a permanent career or as
a sole means of livelihood; while the work is extremely interesting and
educational and can be most rewarding as a contribution to international
understanding, most people eventually tire of the frequent
secretary legs travel involved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Court Interpreting. Several state court systems as well as the federal courts
call on free-lance interpreters to assist in trials and hearings involving
non-English-speaking persons. To qualify for such assignments, it is necessary
to pass an entrance examination administered by the court system concerned.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualifications for Interpreters. Interpreters employed by the Federal service
and international agencies must be exceptionally fluent in the language into
which they interpret, and speech must be free of any objectionable accent or
impediment. At the very least, the aspiring interpreter should be well and
broadly educated and almost bilingual, a fairly long period of residence abroad
being almost indispensable. Practical experience in several specialized fields
is helpful, and a knowledge of political science and economics is important.
But knowledge of language is only one prerequisite. The other is a genuine
aptitude for interpreting, which is by no means synonymous with being bilingual.
A surprising number of bilingual persons cannot listen to a speech or a
statement in one language and then repeat clearly and precisely in another
language the ideas just presented. And simultaneous interpreting requires an
additional knack of listening intently to one language while speaking another
language at the same time.
Since the work often calls for extensive travel, interpreters must have stamina
and the willingness to serve away from their home.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Translating. Translators, both staff and free-lance, are in greater demand than
interpreters for both national and international agencies as well as in private
industry. The UN has 250-300 translators; the State Department between 25-30;
most international agencies in this country and some U.S. agencies have small
translating staffs.
Most translator positions require the ability to translate from several foreign
languages into English, or to write informational, technical, scientific, or
legal texts in a foreign language at an educated native level.
Translators need a broad background of education and experience, as they may be
required to translate documents on many diverse subjects.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Vocations for Linguists. There are other vocational opportunities for
students of languages (such as bilingual secretary or teaching), but the most
widespread use of linguistic ability is as a supplement to other skills and
knowledge. Agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central
Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency require analysts who can
read foreign languages, as do other scientific and technical organizations. The
United States Information Agency uses foreign-language announcers and script
writers for Voice of America broadcasts.
In many fields of specialization the person who knows one or more foreign
language has a distinct advantage in competing for a job and in keeping up with
what is going on in his or her professional field in other parts of the world.
Examples of professions in which a knowledge of foreign languages is useful or
required are international banking and business, journalism, hotel and
restaurant management, travel and tour organizations, and diplomacy. Proficiency
in foreign languages is an asset for anyone aspiring to enter the U.S. Foreign
Service. Additionally, many cities and states that have large
non-English-speaking populations require social service, health, education and
law enforcement personnel who are fluent in another language besides English.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
INTERAGENCY LANGUAGE ROUNDTABLE
The Interagency Language Roundtable is an unfunded and unchartered gathering of
language service managers, language teachers and testers, foreign language
researchers, interpreters, translators, and students employed by the United
States' Federal or State government organizations. They gather to network in
their areas of interest -- training, testing, and management are the current
discussion groups or committees moderated by an individual selected by the
group. Representatives of commercial language services and research
organizations working under contract to the government and academicians are
welcome participants in the plenary sessions thus permitting the ILR to build
partnerships with the private and academic sectors in the national interest.
From its initial meeting in 1955 to the present, the ILR has evolved into a
loosely coordinated network of Federal and State language specialists and
managers who share a common goal of improving the nation's capability to learn,
teach and effectively use foreign languages in the national interests. Monthly
meetings from September through June are hosted by Federal and State government
organizations in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Each participant brings to
the ILR a unique perspective on the human skills and technology needed to
advance the common service within their own organization. It is most typically
the case that ILR participants find numerous opportunities for sharing
information, materials, and expertise across organizational lines in ways that
benefit their own agency and the broader ILR constituency. Sharing takes place
in committee meetings that precede the monthly plenary session. Self
introduction in both committee meeting and plenary session permits the
participant to raise issues of need, concern, or news of an acquisition or
accomplishment that is open for sharing with other government organizations. The
monthly plenary session leads off with self introduction by all participants,
followed by brief reports from committee moderators, and a program of briefings
or demonstrations developed by the host agency. In this manner, the ILR
participant is exposed to the host agencies language activities, needs and
opportunities.
The ILR has no operating budget and relies solely on the cooperative and
collaborative spirit of the participating agencies to afford their employees the
opportunity to spend a half day in each of 10 months attending ILR meetings.
Roundtable and committee moderators spend additional duty and personal hours as
necessary to perform the liaison and coordination necessary to achieve
informative and productive meetings and inform ILR participants of other
meetings and conferences of interest in the language field. Materials
development and other projects of primary interest to a single agency are
typically funded and carried out by that agency. However, projects having wider
applicability may be supported by the pooled resources of several agencies,
usually through interagency agreements. Much of the effectiveness of the ILR can
be attributed to its longstanding practice of interagency cooperation in making
available staff time and other resources to accomplish tasks of mutual benefit
to the agencies and to maintain the ILR momentum in collaborative activities.
Despite its informal status, ILR participants have made notable contributions to
the language teaching and testing field from its inception in the 1950's to the
present. These include:
• the Chinese-English Translation Assistance (CETA) project, begun in 1971 with
the participation of 10 agencies and members of academia;
• the refinement and adoption of language proficiency level descriptions on a 0
to 5 scale for each of the four language skills (reading, writing, speaking,
listening, and understanding);
• Level 2 reading tests in seven languages to screen linguist applicants in the
field;
• the definition and use of a common testing base among many ILR member
agencies;
• the development of an interagency training manual for oral proficiency
testing;
• the development of a modular-approach textbook for Chinese language
instruction;
• selecting, grading, and commenting on model reading passages in Spanish; and
• the development of translation proficiency guidelines.
In addition, ILR members have collaborated with the American Council on the
Teaching of Foreign Languages to make the proficiency level descriptions
available to the academic community and to produce a series of conferences and
training workshops on proficiency based language teaching and testing.
1998/99 Point of contact for further information.
Click on the appropriate article:
Where have we been?
Ray Clifford to Speak at Dec 4th meeting
Dec. Elections
State of SFL: President's Report
Past Programs
Challenges
SFL History: 1965-69 PROMOTION OF LINGUISTIC PROFESSIONALISM AND WELFARE
Don Hirsch: English Doesn't Seem That Hard
Thomas Coffey & Fred Lothrop: A Different Perspective
SFL Needs Help from its Members
Dues! Want to Save Money This Year?
Incorrect Translations Can Be Silly
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where have we been?
Several members have communicated their puzzlement as to where this Newsletter
has been. Our online version appeared in draft form in March and consequently
they wondered where was the paper version? Well, as we all know, SFL is a
voluntary organization, subject to the whims of its volunteers. I had originally
thought I would detail the items that kept me and others from publishing (not to
mention other SFL activities) but then that is not what this Newsletter is for.
I would be abusing this forum which was envisioned as a professional means of
communication. Indeed, quite a number of things have passed us by since March.
Members of the SFL participated in the Georgetown University Round Table for
Languages & Linguistics as well as the DECOLE99 meeting at Fort Huachuca, AZ,
then there was the invitation to all SFL members to attend the luncheon at the
National Foreign Language Center where almost half of those in attendance were
SFL members (and if we count former SFL members, we were in the majority).
But what everything boils down to is the fact that very few members have come
forward to offer their insight, experience, or their desire to volunteer. Now we
are faced with the task to find officers, but where are the volunteers? We need
a president, secretary, historian, and member-at-large. Want to contribute?
Write to the President or to the Editor in care of the PO Box, or email us at:
editor-sfl@federal-linguists.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you missed the superb luncheon at the National Foreign Language Center, you
will have another chance on December 4th.
Ray Clifford will address the SFL at the $10 catered noontime luncheon.
Reservations are necessary! Call an SFL officer or the Editor, Everette Larson
at (301) 588-0995. The NFLC is located at 1619 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite
806, in downtown Washington DC. Parking is available on the street and at pay
lots in the 1700 block of Massachusetts Avenue and on the corner of M Street and
Rhode Island Avenue.
Ray T. Clifford, the Provost, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
will speak to SFL on Dec 4th. In his current position Dr. Clifford is the
academic leader and manager of the world's largest language school. Dr. Clifford
earned his PhD in Second Language Education from the University of Minnesota in
1977. Prior to his military service he earned BA and MA degrees in German from
Brigham Young University. He has been elected to the Steering Committee of the
Joint National Committee for Languages (1995 - 1996), to the Steering Committee
of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (1992-1994), and to
the position of President of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages (1993). Following a catered lunch, Dr. Clifford will provide a brief
overview of DLIFLC operations and lead a discussion on language learning and the
use of technology for learning and processing purposes.
Reservations are necessary!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SFL ELECTIONS IN DECEMBER
If your 1999 dues are paid, you will have received a ballot inside your
Newsletter. If not, according to the Treasurer’s records, you owe $20 dues for
1999. You should send your check directly to the Treasurer, SFL, PO Box 7765,
Washington DC 20044.
The election committee has been able to fill all the slots. Although none are
contested, we still need the confirmation of the membership to elect the
following for the term 2000-2002. The candidates are: Everette Larson, as SFL
President; Glenn Nordin, Member-at-Large; and Sandy Kay, for Secretary. This
will be Dr. Larson’s fourth term as SFL President. Let’s hope that he can
stimulate more members to contribute to the SFL. This is our professional
society and we can make it into whatever we wish with only a bit of effort on
everyone’s part.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmm... If Everette Larson runs for President, we will need a new Editor for the
Newsletter! Here's your chance -- if you have a PC and a modem.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The State of the Society - January 1999
President's Report by Glenn Nordin
The membership is the heart of the Society and James Herndon (Past President and
Board Member) together with Everette Larson (Past President and Ex Officio Board
Member) have scrubbed the rolls and our membership list is about 100 and is
growing.
The Board is considering ways and means to expanding membership through various
outreach efforts - to students, to military language specialists and foreign
area officers, to commercial language service providers (independents and
corporate), to interpreters and translators in law enforcement, to the growing
populace of professional linguists who support our court systems.
Our Treasury is in good hands and will remain so with Charles Custer who is
ready to accept your 1999 dues and any donations that you would care to make.
Our luncheons have provided additional funds through your "donation" or "tax"
(if you prefer) that we add on to the luncheon bill. Thanks to Sandy Kay, our
Secretary and her attention to details and negotiations for locale and menu, we
contribute to our funds whenever we get together for lunch.
Our programs of the past two years have been varied and entertaining:
Marijke Van der Heide of the FBI provided insights into the need for and the
process of testing to validate translating and interpreting facility of
employees and contract linguists.
Father Lee Lubbers of the SCOLA broadcasting system told us of the history and
plans of this most unique national service of authentic foreign language video
broadcasts to the nation's government and public school language learning
systems.
Professor Marshell Morris of the University of Puerto Rico provided entertaining
insights into changes occuring in the Spanish language as a result of the
changes in culture and values.
The staff at the Library of Congress provided the Society and the Interagency
Language Roundtable with a wonderful venue and outstanding briefing on Library
activities related to foreign language holdings and interchange.
In College Park Maryland, we learned about the newly forming National Museum of
Language and their plans for 1998. They have now moved into new facilities,
established themselves as a not-for-profit institution, selected a Board of
Directors and Associates, and are moving forward with development, business and
program plans.
Jack Gurin, language specialist and technology developer, told us about his
experience in learning and applying his skill as a Japanese
translator/interpreter in World War II.
Dr. Larissa Titarenko, visiting scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center, spoke to
us about the society and cultural values emerging in the states of the Former
Soviet Union.
Henry Barringer, conflict resolver, retired diplomat and former Army Colonel
gave us insights into the world of the translator from his experience at
Bletchley Hall, the code-breaking center of the Allies in World War II.
Much of the credit for the fine programs must go to Ivonne Pabon-Marrero - Vice
President for the past three years.
During this year, we have lent our vocal support and prestige laden name to
research and conferences directed to setting national standards for interpreters
and translators. We have collectively and individually lent our support to our
member Ted Crump as he conducts a new survey of federal language needs and
capabilities. This survey is destined for publication by the National Foreign
Language Center at Johns Hopkins with support from the Department of Education.
We have lent our name and I hope our individual member efforts to Dean James
Alatis of Georgetown University as he seeks to reinstitute the traditional
Georgetown University Round Table of Languages and Linguistics.
Perhaps most importantly, thanks to the creativity and energy of Everette
Larson, we now have a presence on the bow wave of the future - the Internet.
With his tireless and skilled efforts, he keeps the site alive, interesting,
useful and always new. Jim Herndon's contribution in description of career
opportunities has won acclaim as a site that language students desiring a career
should consider a "must".
On that web site, you can find the Society's history - a well collected and
scholarly compilation of the persons and events of the past that have played a
key role in advancing the cause of the Federal Linguist. Our thanks to Sara and
to past Historian Lou Nolting.
I must also mention the mail service provided by Board Member Rita Interdonato
who collects the mail from our postbox and re-mails to the cognizant board
members. Without this service, our Board would quickly become dysfunctional.
So the Society is alive, well and faced with challenges and opportunities.
Challenges - maintaining and increasing membership.
attaining true IRS approval of our not-for-profit status.
finding suitable meeting places.
programs and venues that will attract a wider audience.
articles, letters and opinion for the newsletter and the website.
outreach and support to our membership outside the Washington area.
Opportunity - direct participation in the national and international revolution
in language awareness that is emerging. Collectively as the Society and
individually as concerned citizens and practitioners of translation and
interpretation we can help move the cause of better global understanding and
communication to resolve the conflicts that occur when peoples of various tribes
can only shout or shoot at each other.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click below to read the latest chapter in SFL History:
This page has been visited times since December 2001
Last modified: 08/13/2003