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Return to Article: Lost In Translation

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  There is no shortage of linguists in United States, the only thing that causes this delima and problem is the unnecessary bureaucray, with too many unreasonable requirements for any federal job. These unreasonable and unnecessary requirements are specifically designed to keep people of color from getting these good paying jobs. For instance I was browsing online for a job on State department's career opportunities, I came across the requirements for the position of foreign officers. It says that if your immediate family members are not US citizens you are not qualified. First of all you can not find any immegrant who speaks fluently a foreign language without any family members living in another country. And if you find an immigrant who lived all his life in the US or probably was born here then this person doesn't speak his native language and since he never spent time in his country of origion, he doesn't know anything about the culture or history of that country. Now if you look at these stupid requirements for most federal jobs they make you laugh, either the persons or the bureaucrats who spent months if not years and hundreds of thausands of tax payers dollars to come up with such requirements, are stupid or had something else in mind while writing these requirements. For example I speak,read and write 5 critically needed languages, i.e. Pashto (with different dialects), Dari, Urdu, English and Arabic. I am a native Pashto speaker, but when I speak Dari or Urdu one can not tell if I am not a native speaker of these two languages. I have been looking for a job for the past 2 years to contribute by utilising my language skills, unfortunately these rules and regulations are getting in my way to get a job and be of any service to my beloved country. I am a US citizen by the way did I mention that I have two bachelor degrees as well. I am an articulate and educated person but I can not get a job with federal govt. due to the reasons I mentioned above. The government needs to get rid of these old fashion bureaucrates, who have been on the governments payroll for 15-20 years doing nothing productive, instead creating more backlogs and making it hard on the new generations to get in to public service and use thier capabilities and skills. I can go on and write books on this subject but it is getting late I have to go. Thank you for reading my article

  ZIA Posted September 19, 2008 3:17 AM
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  lot of Arab people are professional and experienced translators. I disagree

  suzan Posted November 22, 2007 8:00 AM
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  Yes, I agree that there is a big shortage & lack to professional & experienced translators & Interpters. For instance, Arabic Language. A devoted pesron who has a strong loyality to this Country looks for a job as an Arabic Language & culture instrustor as I used to teach it at the Army, moreover, I possess a teaching skills as I am an informative & knowledgeable person in addition to translation skills.

  Nasr S. Kamel Posted July 26, 2007 2:52 AM