TETLIT'ZHEH/FORT MCPHERSON - Sisters Karen Mitchell and Eleanor Mitchell-Firth are used to being mistaken for women twice their age.

In her spare time, Eleanor Mitchell-Firth from Fort McPherson does Gwich'in translations on a contractual basis for several agencies. If she could make a living from it, she says she would do translations full time. - photo courtesy of Eleanor Mitchell-Firth

It often happens when strangers learn - before meeting them in person - that they are Gwich'in translators, and expect to see two elders, passing on the words of their ancestors.

But Eleanor and Karen, both 41, are part of a younger generation of Gwich'in helping to document a language still spoken by only about 275 NWT residents. They each have 16 years of experience translating English to Gwich'in and vice versa, often for the Gwich'in Language Centre in Fort McPherson. Their work is used to create teaching materials for schools, instructional pamphlets for government agencies and brochures for businesses. They take on contracts for translation assignments in their spare time while juggling day jobs and families.

"It's something that I can take with me wherever I may be," Karen said.

"As a translator, the English language is watered down for me. Like if I say 'I love you,' for me that word doesn't carry much meaning whereas if I said it in my language it just defines what I really mean by 'love.'"

Eleanor, who just recently completed a translation of a pamphlet that explains how to vote, said one of the biggest challenges is many modern English words don't exist in Gwich'in.

"There's a lot of words that we don't have in our language," she said, explaining that she uses new dictionaries developed by the language centre to aid in translation. "I guess a hundred years ago nobody heard about voting or things like that."

Translation work comes in spurts, and completing a job can take anywhere from a couple of minutes - say, for a sentence on a poster - to several hours for a detailed pamphlet.

"I don't get sick of it, but it's just exhausting," Eleanor said. "Especially when you do too many of those big documents. It really drains your brain."

When finishing translations, which they usually receive by e-mail, the sisters often consult with each other as well as an elder - sometimes their 89-year-old mother, Eunice Mitchell - to make sure the wording is precise in the "old version" of Gwich'in before typing it out using Gwich'in keyboard shortcuts and sending it off.

"What contributed to us still speaking our language today is that my mom, especially, and the family, they didn't allow us to speak English when we came home from school," said Karen, who is also part-time substitute teacher and casual language instructor at Aurora College in Inuvik. "Not even at lunch hour. My mom expected us to stay in the language."

They grew up in Fort McPherson, where Eleanor still lives, and were raised by their grandparents at the family's camp out at Eight Mile in an environment that helped them retain the language. Their brother, Arthur, does illustrations based on Gwich'in phrases to help young students learn the language, so the family often works together.

"As long as you hear it, I think you'll sustain it," Eleanor said. "You have to hear it, but I notice I haven't been hearing it very much lately."

Eleanor said she would like to offer translation services full time, if she could afford to do so.

"I don't think there's a lot of money out there being put into the language, so there's not very many full-time positions for people like me."

The sisters agree it's best never to rush a translation.

"I know I could be getting paid more for my work but then I think 'well, if my name's going to be on it, I'd rather keep my credibility than just produce something that's maybe three words,'" Karen said.

"I oftentimes just take it upon myself to give both translations - I'll give the real meaning and then I'll also give the condensed version."