Research Symposium

BIO

Ella Alvarez is a second-year student studying Political Science and earning a Certificate in U.S. Intelligence Studies. She is breaking into the research world through this project with the help of mentors Benjamin Gunter and Idy Codington.

What was the role of Translators in Revolutionary Era Florida

Abstract

In Revolutionary War era West and East Florida, there were more languages than just English being spoken. Spanish was extremely prevalent due to previous and present Spanish influence in Florida. There were many documents written in Spanish from important officials detailing time sensitive matters relating to the Revolution… that went completely unread because there was no possible way of translating them. This is what I have been researching. Finding original Spanish documents is tricky when most sources simply reference a translated version. I found that there was one specific letter that was written in Spanish from Spanish Louisiana Governor, Bernardo de Galvez that was sent to the Continental Congress in Pennsylvania and was disregarded due to it being fully in Spanish. This document led me to research the availability and experience of translators during this period. Translators were rare but not uncommon in certain parts of the colonies; such as Louisiana and Florida. In the end, it was determined that while translators were a thing, they were not very common in people other than merchants who made a living in and around Florida and educated wealthy people. This led to a lack of Spanish speakers when I would argue the land was the most Spanish it has ever been. Combing through archives and government libraries afforded the opportunity to discover documents such as these that helped me piece together the role of translators in Revolutionary Era Florida.

Keywords: Translator, Florida, Revolutionary