New Multi-Lingual LGBT Terminology Resource Launched
Image: Image: AGMC
Ryan Tran often struggled to find equivalent LGBTQI terms in Vietnamese, falling back on English terms that he said made him “question his own identity”.
A new online resource in seven languages now aims to improve conversations around sexual orientation and gender identity for multicultural LGBTQI community members and allies.
The vital resource created by RMIT University researchers in partnership with the Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council (AGMC), has hundreds of LGBTQI terms in seven languages – Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Korean, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese.
Multilingual Terminology
“There are very few bilingual resources available to help articulate sexual orientation and gender identity – and there are even fewer multilingual resources,” Project lead and RMIT Senior Lecturer in Translating and Interpreting, Dr Miranda Lai, said in a statement.
“The LGBTIQA+ Multilingual Terminology will help translators, interpreters, LGBTIQA+ community members and allies find the words to authentically represent identity in their own language.”
The two-year-long project started after translators and interpreters said they were finding it difficult to translate LGBTQI terms from English into their own languages. The research team conducted workshops with community members.
Tran was one of the participants in the project. “Having to only use English terms to define who I am made me question my own identity. I shouldn’t have to borrow foreign terms to talk about myself and my experiences. Being involved in the project has allowed me to reflect on my own language use and gain a deeper understanding of LGBTIQA+ terms,” said Tran.
According to Tran, the multilingual LGBTQI terminology resource is “a valuable tool for education, advocacy, and empowerment.”
