Language Needs Noted in New York Times Article

Friday, April 20, 2001

A front-page article on language and national security in the New York Times [1], "Washington Cites Shortage of Linguists in Key Security Positions," highlights the need for language-proficient personnel in the US government. The Times (April 16, 2001) cites the NFLC study, Language and National Security in the 21st Century: The Role of Title VI/F-H in Supporting National Language Capacity. Reporter Diana Jean Schemo notes the critical role language plays in intelligence analysis, international and domestic law enforcement, and US military operations abroad. NFLC Director Richard D. Brecht, co-author of the study with NFLC Associate William P. Rivers, was interviewed for the article, attributing the shortage of language expertise in the government to rapid changes in geopolitics, the world economy, and the demographics of the US, combined with budgetary pressures in federal agencies. The NFLC monograph is available from Kendall/Hunt publishers: www.kendallhunt.com.

Also quoted in the Times article is Theodore Crump, head translator at the National Institutes of Health and member of the Board of Directors of the American Translators Association. With support from the NFLC, Crump recently completed a survey of more than 80 US government agencies with language requirements. Updating his prior study completed in 1985, Crump has found that more than 200 languages are now required by more than 80 agencies, compared to 70 languages and 20 agencies fifteen years ago. The new. Crump study, Translation and Interpretation in the US Government 2001, is scheduled for publication by the American Translators Association [ http://www.atanet.org] in May, 2001.

1. The article is available only to registered users of the NYTimes.com site; however, registration is free.

The article is at http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/16/world/16LANG.html?searchpv=site04.