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LANGUAGE BRIEF MAY 2020 COVID-19 OR KONORA? Communicating on the “disease that strangles” in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo People need information on COVID-19 transmission and prevention in clear, accurate, and accessible language. previous disease outbreaks, in particular the In crises like the COVID-19 pandemic it is current outbreak of Ebola virus disease. essential to communicate in language that is When talking about viruses, speakers of clear, accurate, and accessible. Only information in a language that people Congolese Swahili, Nande, and Lingala usually understand can save lives. use a generic term that means virus, bacteria, germ, microbe, or any disease-causing To guide that communication, TWB conducted organism. In Nande, the term used is ekihuka, a rapid focus group discussion with six meaning virus, bacteria, or insect. Lingala linguists working in Congolese Swahili, Nande, speakers use the term nyama, which Lingala, and French in eastern DRC. The group translates to virus, parasite, or bacteria. The discussed popular perceptions related to Lingala word bokono, meaning illness, is also COVID-19 terminology in these languages. used when talking about viruses. Urban This brief provides an overview to inform Lingala speakers commonly use the word humanitarian communication on COVID-19. microbi (microbes). Speakers of Congolese Swahili say kilulu to refer to viruses, bacteria, Several words exist for “virus” or disease-causing insects. Virusi, the Swahili translation of “virus”, is also used but not Health literacy levels are low in eastern DRC, everyone understands it. but most Congolese have a basic understanding of the medical concept of a COVID-19 is not covered by these generic virus and viral infections. This is due to terms. When talking of COVID-19, people in eastern DRC refer specifically to the serious than others. This is the case for coronavirus. diseases that carry the word “virus” in their name, like human immunodeficiency virus COVID-19 terminology varies (HIV) or Ebola virus disease. Using the word “virus” in relation to COVID-19, as in virusi ya Speakers of Congolese Swahili, Nande, and corona in Swahili or ekihuka kye korona in Lingala commonly refer to COVID-19 as Nande, can increase awareness of the severity “corona” or “coronavirus”. They understand of the disease. the term “COVID-19” as well, but as a more scientific word used mostly by health The terms used to describe professionals and in administrative symptoms cause confusion communication. Most people use “corona” to refer to the virus as well as the disease, and There is confusion about the differences don’t use the name SARS-CoV-2. We can between COVID-19 and other respiratory prevent confusion by using the terms most diseases like flu or asthma and how to people will recognize. distinguish between them. The spelling of “corona” and “coronavirus” The symptom “dry cough” is usually not varies by language. Nande uses a “K” to understood and people confuse it with other produce the sound of a hard “C.” Nande kinds of coughing. Descriptive translations speakers commonly refer to both the virus and explanations like “cough which doesn’t and the disease as ekorona. Lingala and produce liquids'' help people to better Congolese Swahili speakers commonly say understand and distinguish the symptoms corona to refer to the virus and the disease. specific to COVID-19. The term “asymptomatic” has no direct translation and The table below gives examples of several needs to be explained. A helpful descriptive terms from our COVID-19 glossary. phrase is “someone who has the disease but Humanitarians should use these terms to doesn’t develop any symptoms”. ensure clear and consistent communication on COVID-19. The technical term “severe acute respiratory infection” also causes confusion. In Swahili The word “virus” stresses the “severe” and “acute” are translated using the severity of a disease same word. Congolese Swahili speakers say maambukizi ya magumu ya sana ya kupuma, In popular language use, several metaphorical which translates as “serious infection of terms that highlight the seriousness of breathing”. In Lingala, the common translation COVID-19 have evolved. Nande speakers use of “severe acute respiratory infection” is the terms enziwu or enzighu, which translate bokona ya kopema, literally meaning as “enemy” and “misfortune”, to talk about the respiratory disease. Lingala speakers also say virus. Kinyarwanda speakers in North Kivu pema pasi, meaning breathing difficulty. The nicknamed the virus konora, literally meaning Nande translation, obukoni bwa mahuha, also “to strangle”, in reference to the impact the means respiratory disease. To stress the virus has on both the respiratory system and severity of COVID-19, Nande speakers social and economic life. sometimes use the word eribekúbéku, which signifies bronchitis. People generally perceive the word “virus” to indicate that a particular disease is more These translations make it difficult to 2 distinguish COVID-19 from other respiratory diseases and can cause confusion. This People need information, not creates a risk that COVID-19 is seen as just just instructions one disease among many. To address this confusion, people need detailed medical People understand basic information on the information in clear and accessible language symptoms of COVID-19, handwashing, and to understand COVID-19 specifically. keeping a physical distance. But they often Explanations that lack detail risk downplaying lack the detail and practical guidance to the severity of COVID-19 and can lead to understand why COVID-19 is different from misconceptions. other respiratory diseases and from Ebola or how they can practice physical distancing. “Social distancing” is not People need to know why and how they are understood supposed to follow prevention guidance. Clear, accurate, and accessible information is People don’t clearly understand the concept critical for effective health messaging. of “social distancing” and literal translations of Detailed information in plain language will be the term create confusion. People in the essential to control the transmission of former hotspots of the tenth Ebola outbreak, COVID-19. like Beni or Butembo, are familiar with keeping a physical distance from others. But they are unsure about the required distance to prevent What we have learned from transmission of COVID-19. In Goma many the Ebola outbreak don’t support the idea of keeping a distance, People don’t understand disease-related key feeling it’s impractical and not culturally concepts and seemingly simple terms in acceptable. This suggests that the fact that French and standard Swahili. In Goma, women COVID-19 is an airborne disease, unlike Ebola, over the age of 35 and men over 51 had is not yet widely understood. greatest difficulty understanding Ebola It is important to use contextualized messaging in these languages. In Beni, Swahili translations of “social distancing” to ensure is best understood in the version local to Beni, that the concept is conveyed correctly. The while women and older people in the Beni area more accurate term “physical distancing” can need information in localized Nande. Military help people better understand how to protect personnel and their families need information themselves and others from COVID-19. in Lingala. In Nande, “physical distancing” is explained as Some disease-related terms are socially and ekika ky’eribya hali oko ghundi, which literally culturally unacceptable. People consider translates as “the required distance to stay a those words harsh and offensive, especially little away from others.” In Swahili it is words they associate with death. Health translated as tusi jongeleane, meaning “let’s communicators replace these words with their not be close to each other”. A more precise own euphemistic explanations. These translation used in Swahili is kuwa ku metre alternatives can be inconsistent and vague, moja namiye, meaning keep one meter apart. potentially leading to misunderstandings. In Lingala the precise translation is zala A term like cas suspect (“suspected case”) musika tika distance ya un metre, which refers to a person who has symptoms similar translates as “keep one meter apart”. to the disease and whose diagnosis is not yet 3 confirmed. Lacking knowledge of French, program people understand the French word cas as the Nande diminutive ka. The French word Organizations involved in the COVID-19 suspect is interpreted in the criminal sense as response can increase their impact with three a bandit, thief or troublemaker. Instead of practical actions: “suspected case”, people understand the Base risk communication on language literal meaning of cas suspect to be “little data. TWB has produced language maps for criminal”. In the local understanding, response DRC, North Kivu and Ituri covering more than teams thus verbally reduce someone to a bad 30 languages. To identify the most effective person with little worth. languages, formats, and channels for People want complex and transparent communicating on COVID-19, organizations information in a language and style that is should include four language questions in familiar to them. They want in-depth needs assessments and surveys. explanations that relate to the latest Use glossaries to ensure consistent and developments. Yet health communicators accurate communication. TWB has often lack communication tools and training developed a COVID-19 glossary. It includes adapted to these developments, and struggle more than 150 terms related to COVID-19 in to provide clear and consistent answers. The Congolese Swahili, Nande, French, and resulting misunderstandings and English. We are regularly updating the glossary contradictions confuse people, and the lack of and adding further languages. detailed explanations creates further doubt and frustration. Apply plain-language principles. Plain language will enable people to better use the People place more trust in information they information they receive. Information in plain receive in face-to-face communication. These and accessible language reduces confusion give people the possibility to ask questions. and has the potential to prevent rumors. TWB Women in particular prefer to receive has produced plain-language guidance for information from someone they know and humanitarian organizations working in the trust. Local health communicators who are COVID-19 response. aware of cultural sensitivities can relay information more effectively. Do you speak COVID-19? Language affects whether a message and the messenger are trusted and believed. In For further information on the importance of crisis-affected eastern DRC, risk language in the response to the pandemic see communication in a language that is not our policy brief and visit TWB’s COVID-19 accurately understood prompts immediate webpage. distrust and fear. Women in particular TWB is developing a chatbot in local described not seeking professional health care languages to disseminate information on for Ebola, for fear of misunderstandings that COVID-19 from partners, answer frequently could result in a false diagnosis. Yet women asked questions, and gather data to tailor are the main caretakers when a family future communication. member is sick, and usually accompany them to the health center. For more information on TWB’s language support to the COVID-19 response, contact What this means for your corona@translatorswithoutborders.org. 4
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