Meeting the language challenges of NATO Operations : policy, practice and professionalization / Ian P. Jones, SHAPE (NATO), Belgium ; Louise Askew, Independent Scholar and Interpreter, UK
Introduction: Translation and Interpretation as the Focus of Language Policy -- 1. NATO Linguistic Services 1949-1994 -- 2. English as the Working Language -- 3. Bosnia-Herzegovina : Identifying the Problems -- 4. Bosnia-Herzegovina : Implementing Solutions -- 5. Kosovo : Following a Pattern -- 6. Kosovo : Implementing Solutions -- 7. Afghanistan 2003 -- 8. Afghanistan 2006 -- 9. Afghanistan from 2008 -- 10. NATO Doctrine -- 11. Conclusions
Summary
"After 40 years of Cold War, during which it never carried out a 'live' operation, NATO suddenly found itself intervening in three conflicts - in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Afghanistan - where the ability to communicate with local officials and populations was essential to the success of the missions. It was largely unprepared for this, leading to confusion and improvisation. This book explains how the Alliance responded to the language and cultural challenges it faced and how one man led efforts to reorganize and professionalize NATO's translation and interpretation support on the ground so as to ensure that the missions did not fail through lack of understanding. The book contrasts these challenges with the situation during the Cold War period and outlines NATO's language policy and practices, including the growing dominance of the English language. It finally recounts how NATO eventually developed a coherent doctrine on linguist support for military operations"-- Provided by publisher
