GOVERNOR LINGLE'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS TO BE TRANSLATED INTO SIX LANGUAGES
For Immediate Release: January 18, 2008
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle’s State of the State Address will be translated into six languages as part of the Administration’s continuing effort to increase public access to state information to all the people of Hawai‘i.
In addition to English, the text of the Governor’s address will be available in Chinese, Japanese, Ilokano, Tagalog, Hawaiian and Korean. The translations will be posted on the Governor’s Web site (www.hawaii.gov/gov) by Friday, Jan. 25. The English text will be posted immediately following the Governor’s remarks on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The Governor’s speech will also be interpreted in sign language.
“Language should not be a barrier to preventing all residents of our state from becoming involved in important state government issues that will directly affect their lives and the future of our state,” said Governor Lingle.
“By translating my State of the State Address, we are also emphasizing the importance of including various ethnic populations in the government process,” said Governor Lingle. “The translations also focus on the growing need to have a population that is able to speak another language in order to increase Hawai‘i’s competitiveness in the global marketplace as well as our strategic role in the Asia-Pacific region,” the Governor added.
The translation services are being provided compliments of professors or assistant professors from the Center for Interpretation and Translation Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa; Ka haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikolani College of Hawaiian Language, University of Hawai‘i – Hilo; and Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures, Ilokano Language and Philippine Drama Program, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Language Plus LLC and Korea Translation and Notary Service are also assisting with the translations.
According to the 2006 U.S. Census survey, 23.5 percent of Hawai‘i’s population speaks a language other than English at home.
In 2006, Governor Lingle signed into law a bill (Act 290) to require the state, as well as state-funded programs, to develop plans to provide interpretation services and translated documents to immigrants and residents who have limited ability to read or speak English. The bill also established the Office of Language Access within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
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For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043
