METM25 presentation

Clearly able: sensitive editing for texts on disability

Julie Uusinarkaus, Helsinki, Finland

We edit our text for clarity, but for whom? The text may seem straightforward to you, but what does it imply for someone who uses a mobility aid, needs reading software, wears glasses or has dyslexia? How does a medical professional or a parent of an autistic child read the text? Editors and translators are increasingly required to consider our client’s viewpoint in the interpretation of the text, while at the same time we are becoming more aware of our own responsibility toward inclusion.

We’ll look at disability with a wide lens to find hidden ableism in a text and share how we might solve these issues or work with a client to make them more aware. This presentation covers approaching texts sensitively, whether the text deals with disability or will be read by people with disabilities. We’ll learn and discuss the human rights and medical models of disability, person-first and identity-first language, and a positive language focus.

This will be an interactive session where I first present principles for approaching a text with sensitivity, i.e. the awareness of how the text will be perceived by a reader with a disability, and then small groups will discover how to apply these principles through practical written examples. Since it may not be easy for everyone to participate in group work or a group discussion, I will apply psychological accessibility to my session, preparing the room to eliminate as many psychological barriers to participation as possible; for example, by making sure that the groups are clearly marked, the instructions are clear, and the whole group can interact easily. This session is for all language professionals who produce texts for clients and would like to more deeply consider their role as advocates for the intended audience of a text.
[Read a member’s review of the session.]

About the presenter

Julie (Jules) Uusinarkaus is an in-house translation revisor at the University of Helsinki and a freelance editor and language consultant. As a revisor, Jules focuses on stylistic issues and contributes to the in-house guidelines. Their areas of focus include sensitivity editing, style guides, the language of formal meetings, and design writing.