Ôèëîëîãè÷åñêèå íàóêè/7. ßçûê, ðå÷ü, ðå÷åâàÿ êîììóíèêàöèÿ

 

 

Gritskevich A.

Mariupol State University, Ukraine

MULTILINGUALISM AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS CITIZENS

As a democratic organization, the European Union (EU) has to communicate with its citizens in their own language. The same goes for national government and civil services, businesses and other organizations all over the EU. Europeans have the right to know what is being in their name in order to be able to play an active part [2, p.3].

Language plays an important role in the integration process of non-natives into the societies of Member States. Hence, the take-up of the host-country language should be promoted. At the same time, untapped linguistic resources in our society (different mother tongues and other languages spoken at home and in local and neighboring environments) should be valued more highly, for instance through developing a personal adoptive language.

Multilingualism of the EU had begun with four official languages: French, German, Italian and Dutch. Nowadays 24 official languages of 28 member countries are joined to the organization. This is a great achievement for the EU’s members that create an important difference between member countries and other countries which have not joined yet to the organization. Integration processes in these countries are based on the use of one language [3].

Multilingualism is a value for intercultural dialogue, social cohesion and prosperity. It plays an important role in lifelong learning, media and information technologies, as well as in the EU’s external relations. This communication demonstrates how the Commission aims to mainstream language policy to better realize the potential of multilingualism in Europe [4].

That is why the Commission intends to bring multilingualism closer to the citizens and to:

·  demonstrate the importance of language learning and diversity through awareness-raising campaigns;

·  evaluate language skills by using the Language Indicators and Eurobarometer surveys;

·  develop the professions of interpreters and translators in the legal field and enhance access to justice.

EU translators make documents available in all official languages since the EU institutions pass laws that apply directly to everyone in the EU. Organizations and the courts should also be able to follow in their own language the whole legislative process and furthermore have the possibility to address themselves to the institutions in their own language [2, p.3].

For example, conference interpreters help stakeholders communicate with each other, not by translating every word they utter, but conveying the ideas which they express [2, p.4].

EU interpreters are at the front line of multilingualism working to ensure that language has no barrier to understanding. The interpreting services of the EU are the world’s largest employers of confidence interpreters. Whereas translators deal with the written word, interpreters make sense of the spoken word. They understand what is being said in one language and render that the same message accurately and instantly in another. Interpreters act as a bridge between cultures and often find themselves at the very heart of the decision-making process [2, p.4].

It is fair to say that in summer 2009 was set up a business platform for multilingualism by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC). At that date the Commission released a Call for expressions of interest in participation in a Business Platform for Multilingualism. The Call was targeted at «sectorial branch organisations for companies and other commercial entities, Chambers of Commerce, trade promotion organizations, members of Enterprise Europe Network and similar associations, organizations representing the social partners, various non-governmental organizations and interest groups, and organizations representing institutions for higher education, vocational training or research».

At the same time, the Commission intends to:

·  encourage the use of subtitles and promote the circulation of European works;

·  support projects involving language and communication technologies;

·  give a conference on the role of translation in intercultural dialogue;

·  support cross-border administrative cooperation [4].

All abovementioned demonstrates that the different languages and cultures of the EU can be brought closer to the citizens via the media, new technologies and translation services. These can both reduce and cross the language barriers experienced by citizens, as well as by companies and national administrations.

 

References:

1.                    Christopher Kasparek «Prus' Pharaoh and Curtin's Translation», The Polish Review, vol. XXXI, nos. 2–3, 1986. – ð.135

2.                   European Commission. Interpreting and translating for Europe. / Directorate General for Interpretation, 2013. – p.24

3.                   ×åðåäíè÷åíêî Î. ². ªâðîëåêò: òåðì³íîëîã³ÿ òà ïåðåêëàä [Åëåêòðîííèé ðåñóðñ]. – Ðåæèì äîñòóïó: http://www.anvsu.org.ua/index.files/Articles/evrolect.htm. – Íàçâà ç åêðàíà.

4.                   Multilingualism – an asset and a commitment [Åëåêòðîííèé ðåñóðñ]. – Ðåæèì äîñòóïó: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/lifelong_learning/ef0003_en.htm