Dictionaries Rejected From School District Following DeSantis Bill - Newsweek - Dictionary

A school district in Florida could not accept a donation of dictionaries amid a new state law aimed at combating "wokeness" in classrooms.

The Venice Suncoast Rotary Club was prepared to give its annual donation of dictionaries to the Sarasota County Schools ahead of the new school year. But the district stopped all donations and purchases of books for school libraries until at least next year.

This came after HB 1467 took effect in July. The law requires school districts to have all reading and instructional materials reviewed by a district employee with a "valid educational media specialist certificate."

Sarasota County Schools does not currently have certified media specialists working in its schools and, therefore, has put a temporary freeze on book purchases and donations until January 2023, the district said.

This allows time for hiring and working through existing materials. It also allows time for the Florida Department of Education to provide rules and the district's curriculum team to provide interpretation and additional guidance on the legislation, the district told Newsweek.

Once this happens, the district said it will reach out to its education and community partners with updates.

"We value their support and don't wish to jeopardize the wonderful relationships we have in place," the district told Newsweek.

In a stock image, a large book is pictured open on a desk. A Florida school district denied a donation of dictionaries amid a recently enacted state law that puts new requirements on transparency with reading materials. bee32/iStock/Getty Images Plus

The Venice Suncoast Rotary Club told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that they have donated about 300 dictionaries a year. After donating a total of 4,000 dictionaries to date, this is the first time they were denied.

The Rotary Club partners with the Dictionary Project to send dictionaries to schools. Mary French of the the Dictionary Project told Newsweek that she sent the dictionaries to the schools at the request of the Rotary Club. She was told by the Rotary Club that there was nothing apparently wrong with the dictionaries, but the school district just needed time to conduct its review of all reading materials, in accordance with the new law.

The district confirmed two of its schools were recently approached by a local organization looking to donate dictionaries, but neither school was able to accept the donations due to the freeze.

These reviews from schools come as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues his efforts to keep "wokeness" out of schools and allow parents to have more of a say in their children's education.

HB 1467 also sets term limits for school board members and requires districts to make materials public. The Department of Education is required to publish a list of materials that were removed by school boards.

According to guidance the district sent to its schools, all books and materials must be age and grade-level appropriate. The required reading, outside textbooks, must support lesson objectives and be aligned with state standards. The reading must also be included on the course syllabus given to parents, and parents must be allowed to request an alternative text for any reason.

The bill I signed today provides protections for parents by ensuring curriculum transparency in schools.

In Florida, we are empowering parents. pic.twitter.com/nj4GSxZWEq

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 25, 2022

DeSantis said the new law "ensures curriculum transparency" in schools so parents can be involved in education.

"In Florida, our parents have every right to be involved in their child's education," DeSantis said in a statement following the signing of HB 1467 in March. "We are not going to let politicians deny parents the right to know what is being taught in our schools."

Earlier this year, the governor passed the Parental Rights in Education Act that prohibits schools from discussing sexual orientation or gender identify with students from kindergarten to third grade.

Today, I signed HB 1557, the Parental Rights in Education Act, into law.

It ensures parents can send their kids to kindergarten without gender ideology being injected into instruction and they will be notified and have the right to decline healthcare services offered at schools. pic.twitter.com/OLnW2GLrJl

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 28, 2022

A judge recently partially blocked the Individual Freedom Act (IFA), also know as the "Stop WOKE Act," that would expand anti-discrimination laws to prevent schools and companies from engaging in training that would place blame on students or employees based on their race, sex or national origin.

Newsweek has asked DeSantis' office and the Rotary Club for comment.

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Sarasota County Schools denies donated Venice Rotary Club's dictionaries - Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Dictionary

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PAIRAPHRASE INTEGRATES AMAZON TRANSLATE'S ENGINE INTO ITS TMS SOFTWARE - PR Newswire - Translation

The integration of Amazon Translate within Pairaphrase's translation management software enables organizations to achieve human-quality language translation using neural networks & deep learning.

BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise language translation software company Pairaphrase has integrated Amazon Web Services' machine translation engine into its premium translation software solution. Its users now have the option to translate with Amazon Translate to create custom translations, helping users get closer than ever to achieving human-quality translations.

Amazon Translate produces custom translations on demand by leveraging its own artificial neural networks and deep learning system, along with a user's glossaries and translation memories.

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Language translation software company Pairaphrase has integrated the AWS translation engine into its web application.

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"At Pairaphrase, we're thrilled to make the power of Amazon Translate's engine accessible to our TMS users. Users should expect to invest a little more time upfront building their glossaries and translation memories when using the AWS engine. However, this will yield a larger return over time by reducing translation-related costs and almost eliminating post-editing" says Pairaphrase CTO, Rick Woyde.

The company has confirmed that when using AWS Translate in Pairaphrase, the Pairaphrase user interface does not change. Pairaphrase now also supports CSV glossary files, making it easier for users to import the glossaries necessary for getting the most out of the AWS translation engine.

Pairaphrase puts advanced translation technologies into the hands of everyday business users to reduce the time and costs associated with the production of secure, high-quality translations. For more information about Pairaphrase, please contact Rick Woyde at [email protected] or visit https://ift.tt/sMNbhe1.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Rick Woyde
CTO
Pairaphrase LLC
[email protected]

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New initiative seeks to translate 'Original Testament' in every language to bridge the 'gap' - The Christian Post - Translation

Photo courtesy of Wycliffe Bible

A Christian group seeking to expand people’s engagement with God’s Word is working to accelerate the translation of the Old Testament to reduce the language barrier preventing some from reading the Bible. 

The 4.2.20 Foundation’s Institute for Biblical Languages & Translation trains translators and consultants in Hebrew, both in Jerusalem and online, so speakers of any language can absorb God’s Word, particularly the Old Testament. 

The organization’s goal is for complete Bible translations in every language to begin by 2033. As the 4.2.20 Foundation notes on its website, every fourth New Testament verse is a reference or a direct quote from the Old Testament, adding to the importance of ensuring people understand it.

In a Tuesday statement to The Christian Post, Ricki Gidoomal, chief of staff of the 4.2.20 Foundation, explained that the organization has a growing staff of over 35 people, including teachers. 

“Regarding funding, there is a continuing need to sponsor Bible translators and consultants who are trained in our programs, both in Jerusalem and online — these are those who will be returning to the field to ensure the Bible is translated into their mother tongues, as well as for the development of online curricula and exegetical resources for Oral & Deaf Bible translators,” Gidoomai wrote. 

The foundation worker stated that the organization works closely with over 47 Bible translation agencies to ensure “those who are trained continue to serve in projects into the future.”

Most of the world's languages — 90% — do not have a full translation of the Bible, the organization notes on its website. Of the over 400 sign languages worldwide, only one has a complete Bible.

During Pentecost this year, men and women gathered at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem to address “The Original Testament Gap,” which refers to how the Old Testament is under-translated and frequently misunderstood. 

“That’s what this consultation is all about,” David Swarr, president and CEO of the 4.2.20 Foundation, said in a statement published by CBN News. “We had people from around the globe that have gathered here very prayerfully to seek the Lord.”

“The Original Testament is the foundation for us to understand the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus came preaching,” he added.

David Hamilton, 4.2.20 Foundation’s vice president for strategic innovation, elaborated on why the group referred to the Old Testament as the “Original Testament.” Hamilton has also served Youth With a Mission (YWAM) for about 38 years, a group working on translating 30 Bible passages by the end of 2025 orally. 

“When something is old, you just want to toss it out and replace it with something else. Original speaks of [a] foundation that has legacy and value in a multi-generational way. The Original Testament was the Bible that Jesus and the apostles used, and we want everyone to have access,” he said. 

Hamilton noted that it would be impossible to read with New Testament without having read the stories of Abraham, Moses, David and other figures that appear in the Old Testament. 

“Or places like Jericho or Jerusalem and events like crossing the Red Sea or manna in the desert and you have no idea in your language what these stories were about,” he added. “What happened? Who were these people?” 

To illustrate this point, the 4.2.20 Foundation published the Gap Testament, a version of the New Testament without any references to the Old, according to CBN. 

“You can see as you go through the scriptures, different parts are just missing because when we read it without an understanding of the original … we do not get the full picture of God’s purposes,” Hamilton said. 

“So, we just want the fullness of God’s good Word to be available to all people. The goal? The whole Word for the whole world.” 

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What the @#$%! Everett mom publishes a dictionary of curse words | HeraldNet.com - The Daily Herald - Dictionary

EVERETT — If you’re going to swear, do it properly.

What’s up with that?

Erika M. Weinert, 42, is the author of “Cursing with Style,” a reference book on so-called “bad” words. Many can’t be printed in this newspaper, hence you’ll see asterisks substituting for letters in some words in this story.

Like abso-f***ing-lutely, the first word dissected in the book.

Weinert, a copy editor who does business as The Werd Nerd, spent about $1,000 to publish the dictionary of expletives.

“Cursing with Style” began as a spreadsheet she made for herself as a guide because of the time spent looking up how to correctly use swear words she came across while editing fiction copy. She figured it would be handy for other wordsmiths. She also edits copy for luxury home magazines with pretty words.

The book is $14.95 on Amazon.

“If a manuscript you’re writing or editing is sprinkled with s***s, damns, b***es and f***s, this book is for you,” it says (sans the ***) in the Introduction.

It defines over 100 words, from A to W.

Each word gets a page synopsis with “Part of Speech,” “Definition” and “Remarks.”

Pronunciation is not listed.

“Everybody knows how to pronounce all these words,” she said.

Weinert learned a few new words, as might you.

S***balls is her favorite word.

“It just spills out of my mouth.”

Her daughter, 13, isn’t allowed to curse.

“Not in front of me,” she said. “My mom never let me cuss. I’ve never heard her cuss.”

So, what does her mom think of the book?

“She f***ing hates it,” Weinert said. “She says she’s proud of me, but she wishes it was something else.”

The book is dedicated to her father: “The late David K. Moberg, who was as foulmouthed as they come.”

There are hundreds of books about cursing, including adult coloring books.

Weinert said her book is geared for editors and their clients.

“That’s what makes it different,” she said.

Associated Press style calls for not using obscenities unless they are part of direct quotations and there is a compelling reason for them.

Some might argue this story is not a compelling reason. And that my stories in general are a bunch of crap. In which case this one should be “craptastic” (page 63). Definition: “the crappiest of the crappy, hardly believable it’s so crappy.”

Weinert’s book has six of George Carlin’s “Seven Words You Can’t Say on TV” from 1972. He later added a few more.

“We have more ways to describe dirty words than we have dirty words,” Carlin says in his comedy monologue.

Netflix did a six-part 2021 documentary series, “History of Swear Words,” hosted by Nicholas Cage with a cast of comedians about the joy and etymology of expletives.

In cartoons and comics, a series of typographical symbols, such as @#$%&!, are used to represent swear words. There’s even a word for it: grawlix.

Profanity pays off.

Sandy Boo of Everett turned her word of choice into a business, My Curse Purse.

“I wanted a purse that had the F-word all over it, that’s how I got started,” she said.

Boo designs socks, totes, scarves, umbrellas and phone covers emblazoned with the F-word. She traded a career as a social worker to sell merchandise online and at craft markets in Edmonds and at Everett Mall.

Erika M. Weinert’s book “Cursing with Style,” shown with a bookmark. (Andrea Brown / The Herald)

The F-word is on page 97 of Weinert’s book, with variations that go on for another 20 pages, including FML. Hint: the ML stands for My Life.

The average swearing person says 80 curse words a day, according to the internet. Turns out, an F-bomb can be good for you.

Swearing can relieve stress and reduce pain. One study found it helped drivers cope with their frustration on the road.

(WTF: People actually get paid to study this stuff?)

Another study found that people who held their hand in icy water while cursing lasted 50% longer than those who used neutral words.

It might not be worth getting your mouth washed out with soap, though.

Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.

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US Health Agency Set to Mandate Machine Translation Post-Editing for 'Critical Text' - Slator - Translation

Professionals and lay people seem to agree: Machine translation (MT) systems are still not fit for use in certain medical situations, as evidenced by a 2021 study on the use of Google Translate in the ER.

Now, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has chimed in with its take on MT in a new proposed rule to Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. The proposed rule, among other things, outlines when and how machine translation (MT) may be used for healthcare-related communications.

Crucially, it states that MT output must be reviewed by a “qualified human translator” for content that is “critical to the rights, benefits, or meaningful access” of the patient, when accuracy is essential, and so on.

The document defines MT as text-based, automated, and instant translations between various languages, sometimes with an option for audio input or output (e.g., speech-to-text), that are produced without the involvement of a qualified human translator.

“While the technology behind machine translation has improved in accuracy, the possibilities of significant consequences from inaccurate translation continue to exist,” the rule states, adding that based on HHS’ review of the literature, “all studies indicated error rates so high as to be ‘unacceptable for actual deployment in health settings.’”

“Context-dependent nature of common words in specialized health and medical domains […] are causing subtle yet clinically significant errors and confusion” — Wenxiu Xie, Meng Ji, et al. in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

The rule also cites anecdotal instances of multiple US states and territories receiving complaints from individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) during the Covid-19 pandemic, related to inaccurate or confusing translations on official government websites, likely generated by MT.

While the HHS proposes that a qualified human translator review MT output in certain critical situations, it stops short of specifying just who might be considered “qualified” for the task.

In fact, the oldest study cited in the proposed rule — a paper from 2013 — acknowledged professionally-trained medical interpreters as the gold standard for communication between LEP individuals and healthcare providers, but noted how community practices increasingly turn to MT when interpreters are unavailable.

Limited Shelf Life of MT Studies

Another source, a 2018 review of 18 studies covering MT in clinical settings between 2006 and 2016, showed its age in its conclusions: “In comparison studies, statistical machine translation systems were more accurate than rule-based systems when large corpora were available.” 

A 2021 study cited by the proposed rule to Section 1557, on the other hand, attributed significant improvement in MT accuracy and quality to the advent of neural MT, widely accepted as the sine qua non in the field since roughly 2016.

That study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, introduced a “risk prevention mechanism” to help healthcare providers assess the risk of “clinically significant mistakes” when using MT (specifically Google Translate for English–Chinese). 

The authors concluded that complex medical jargon is no longer the greatest challenge for MT, suggesting instead that the “context-dependent nature of common words in specialized health and medical domains […] are causing subtle yet clinically significant errors and confusion.”

That said, a 2020 meta-analysis of published research (from 2000 onward) regarding the use of raw MT in healthcare “did not come across cases where MT was the documented cause of ill-suited medical advice or other serious healthcare issues.”

The paper did, however, point to “interactive phrase dictionaries” as potentially more promising than MT in healthcare settings — although, much like MT, “there is no standardized method for evaluating the technology in these contexts.”

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