Emergency Language Services in the China-Myanmar Borderland: A Case of Multilingual Translation Center at Mengding

Abstract

Emergency language services (ELS) have gained increasing importance in China. Given the shifting multilingual profile in Yunnan, it is of great significance to investigate how language facilitates the access of linguistic minorities to public health information and other key messages in times of crisis. Based on the fieldwork conducted in January 2024 in Mengding, this study examines how a Translation and Interpreting Association (TIA) offers ELS in China’s border town. The findings indicate that both foreign languages and cross-border ethnic groups’ languages are frequently needed for crisis translation and interpreting. In particular, Myanmar is the most frequently needed foreign language, followed by Thai and English, and two cross-border ethnic groups’ languages (Tai and Kokang) are also needed for crisis communication. The findings also reveal that TIA acts as a language broker for offering non-standard Myanmar translation and interpreting services for various crisis events including the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigating border conflicts, and participating in different types of public health emergencies. Based on the findings, it is suggested that effective emergency translation and interpreting services at China’s border towns should take into consideration the multilingual profiles of border migrants of diverse backgrounds. This study can shed lights on emergency language policy and planning in China’s border provinces.