Crisis and Citizen Translation: Jordanian Gypsies amid the Coronavirus/Covid-19 Pandemic
Alalddin Al-Tarawneh, Nader N. Albkower, Unknown author, Unknown author, Mahmoud Al-Khatib, Mohammed N Al-Ali Al-Khatib, Marwan Al-Absi, Eva Al-Absiov, David Alexander, Gianluca Pescaroli, Lilly Allen, Sam Duckworth, Joseph Amon, Margaret Wurth, Lawrence Arokiasamy, Sara Kwaider, Rani Balaraman, Patrick Cadwell, Sharon O' Brien, Timothy Coombs, Laura Corradi, Federico Federici, Federico Federici, Patrick Cadwell, Federico Federici, O' Minako, Sharon Hagan, Patrick 'brien, Cadwell, Isabel Fonseca, Kadia Goba, Werner Haug, Youssef Courbage, P Compton, Bruce Heald, Matthew Hunt, Sharon O' Brien, Patrick Cadwell, P O' Dnal, Mathna, Debra Kreisberg, Deborah Thomas, Morgan Valley, Shannon Newell, Enessa Janes, Charles Little, Claude Lecouteux, Deborah Nord, Epstein, Sharon O'brien, Federico Federici, Patrick Cadwell, Jay Marlowe, Brian Gerber, O'mathna, P Dnal, Carla Parra Escartn, Proinsias Roche, Jay Marlowe, Patrick Tobin, Jennifer Peterson, Dimitrina Petrova, Lois Ritter, Nancy Hoffman, Richard Schaefer, William Zellner, Saga Weckman, Li Yuming
Abstract
This study concerns the health of the Gypsy minority of Jordan amid the coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic, and language services available and their effect on the public health. The study finds that this minority group was excluded from consideration by the authorities in their attempts to counter the pandemic. This study is a qualitative investigation, adopting an ethnographic model to elicit data from the target sample. The findings reveal that the Jordanian Gypsies were overlooked, mainly because their language (Domari) is not one of the languages supported by the country’s translation services. Moreover, due to the minority’s paucity of schooling and high illiteracy rates, together with their belief in supernatural powers and superstitions, their concept of the disease is erroneous, and Covid-19 therefore has the potential to take a significant toll on both the Gypsies and the wider community in which they live. This study recommends that the authorities and related bodies, such as academic institutions, should launch a training program to qualify Gypsy volunteers to provide translation services in the form of citizen translators. Keywords: Citizen Translation; Covid-19; Crisis Management; Crisis Translation; Gypsy; Jordan.