Could you briefly introduce yourself and describe what you do at the University of Bremen?

My name is Nicole Hober. I have been a research assistant and doctoral candidate in Professor Marcus Callies' working group since 2020. In this role, I teach in the field of English-speaking cultures and assist with various research and administrative tasks. I am also pursuing my own doctoral project, which deals with language contact between Mopan Maya, an indigenous Maya language, and English in Belize – a unique language contact situation in Central America.

How did you become interested in the topic of language contact between English and Mopan Maya in Belize?

My academic career at the University of Bremen, with a bachelor's degree in Linguistics and English Speaking Cultures and a master's degree in Language Sciences, has always been shaped by two interests: the global diversity of English and the Mesoamerican languages, especially the Maya languages. I originally studied Yucatec Maya, which is already relatively well researched. When it came to developing my doctoral project, I wanted to combine both areas of interest. Belize, as the only English-speaking country in Central America where Mayan languages are spoken, seemed ideal for this. Language contact has also fascinated me from an early age – I already addressed this topic in my bachelor's thesis, at that time in connection with Spanish.

What inspired you to pursue this specific project?

From the outset, it was important to me to conduct field research for my doctoral thesis. I wanted to collect my own data and not just work in an office. Field research means coming into direct contact with speakers of the language in question. My goal has always been to contribute methodologically to the discussion about what contemporary research should look like and what ethical principles it must take into account.

How did you come to translate ‘The Little Prince’ into Mopan Maya?

During my first stay in Belize in 2022 – funded by a DAAD scholarship – I established contacts with Galen University and began implementing my project. It quickly became apparent that there was great interest in not only speaking Mopan Maya, but also using it in writing. In conversation with Professor Stolz, who has worked extensively with translations of The Little Prince, the idea eventually arose to work on a Mopan version together with motivated speakers. Elvia Bo and Stanley Peck took on the translation, paying particular attention to ensuring that cultural and linguistic idiosyncrasies were appropriately taken into account.

What were the biggest challenges in translating the novella?

Despite a promising first draft, the translation process took a lot of time and intensive discussion – including about terms that do not exist in Mopan Maya, such as ‘airplane.’ The standardisation of the language is not yet complete, which complicates questions of orthography, punctuation and morphology. Regional variations within the language also posed a challenge. In addition, the irregular internet connection in some regions made communication considerably more difficult. Overall, the entire process took two years. There are also regional variations, with everyone saying things a little differently and speaking differently. Reaching a common consensus was also a challenge, but in the end everything worked out. However, we learned a lot from this experience about what still needs to be done and what we would like to do.

What particular aspects or grammatical features of the Mopan Maya language struck you most during your work?

Mopan Maya and English are fundamentally different. While English follows a subject-verb-object structure, Mopan Maya uses verb-object-subject word order. The language also has special phonological features, such as a phonemic glottal stop, which is increasingly lost among speakers who have acquired a second language. Other special features include the numeral classifier system and a high degree of semantic differentiation in actions. Pragmatically, there are also special features such as a formalised system of respect, which is undergoing changes through contact with English.

How did you organise your collaboration with the local speakers?

The Maya communities in southern Belize have had official land rights since 2015. Research projects are therefore subject to the Free, Prior and Informed Consent Protocol (FPIC), which requires the consent of the communities concerned. I made a conscious decision to take this approach in order to create transparency and trust. After receiving a formal invitation from the village community, I presented my project and was subsequently granted permission. Only then did I begin working with interested speakers.

What has the project meant for the people of Belize?

The official publication of the translation in March 2025 at the University of Belize showed how much interest there is in this project. The response was very positive – not only at the event itself, but also on social media. The fact that a book is available in Mopan Maya in its entirety for the first time was seen as a significant step forward. At the same time, certain translation decisions, such as the word for ‘prince’, led to exciting discussions about linguistic and cultural appropriateness.

You have not only produced the translation, but also an audiobook. What has been the response to this?

The audiobook was also very well received. As many Mopan speakers do not write the language but understand it, the audiobook makes it more accessible. It was narrated by one of the translators and supplemented by pupils from a local school. A QR code in the book provides digital access. Stanley Peck, the second translator, is the narrator of the audiobook, and teachers and students from the school in San José, the village where I am primarily based, read the characters. This makes it easy to read along while listening.

How did the project come to be featured on television in Belize?

A lecture at Galen University led to a TV interview in which the project was presented. Here, too, there was a lot of interest, especially because many Belizeans were not aware that Mopan Maya is a separate language. The report thus also contributed to the visibility of language policy.

What did you personally learn from working on this project – linguistically, culturally or even personally?

It has become clear to me how closely language is linked to ideology and emotions. I have also learned how important standardisation is for empowering speakers. It provides orientation and contributes to the acceptance of written language. Not to say ‘this is right and that is wrong’, but to provide a path that people can follow because there is a lot of uncertainty.

How do you see the importance of such projects for the preservation and promotion of indigenous languages?

I think projects like this can be valuable if the speaker community wants them to be. There are also speaker communities that don't necessarily want a European book to be translated into their language because that's not the context, or because someone who isn't a Mopan speaker is involved in the project. Or because the language isn't written at all, because people want to preserve its oral tradition. And for the context of Mopan Maya, it's very valuable. As part of my doctoral thesis, I'm also looking at social media, and people want to write. Individual words are used to express family relationships or to compliment someone. There are also people who write posts in Mopan, but it's sometimes difficult to understand because standardisation hasn't progressed far enough yet.

Are there any special moments or encounters during your work that have particularly stuck with you?

Many. The moment when I was corrected linguistically for the first time was particularly memorable for me. It was a sign that I was perceived as part of the community – not as an outsider who had to be treated with special politeness.

What are the next steps in your project? Are there any further translations or publications planned?

Well, for one thing, language activists like Stanley Peck and Richard Peck have unofficially formed a community for the Mopan language in Belize. During my last stay, we got together every week and worked on concrete standardisation. In addition, further school textbooks have already been translated and short stories for children have been written. We would like to continue along this path in the future – although this will depend on the funds available. These translations have now been completed and creative writing is underway.

Is there anything you would like to pass on to future students or researchers interested in language contact and indigenous languages?

Time is a key factor. You should plan ahead to familiarise yourself with cultural conditions, build trust and commit to a long-term exchange. Research is not just about collecting data, but also about maintaining relationships. This responsibility should be taken seriously.