Please get in touch: Annabel Short: annabel (at) iliveherequeens.com
Feel free to contribute in the following ways. Participation is key to this project!
– Wording: Contribute the equivalent of “I live here” for one of the languages spoken in Queens. If your computer does not support the right script, you could write it down, scan the words and email the scan. And get in touch if the entry by one of the languages doesn’t look right to you. A literal translation may not work for some languages – the idea is to include a phrase that comes as close as possible to expressing the same as “I live here”.
– Videos: If you live in Queens, send a few-second video of yourself saying “I live here” in one of the languages. I plan to include a video alongside each one. See the videos so far on the I live here YouTube Channel and the example I’ve included below. Video recorded on a phone or webcam is absolutely fine.
– Comments and thoughts: Please share any thoughts or stories about languages spoken in Queens. Or suggest a potential wall for the mural! You can do that by leaving a comment on this website or emailing me annabel (at) iliveherequeens.com.
– Spread the word: Let people and organizations who you think might be interested in this project know about it.
Thanks so much for your support.
Here’s an example video so you can see how simple it is. This is “Ζω εδώ” – “I live here” in Greek:
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In Armenian- Ես ապրում եմ այստեղ
Italian – Io sto qua.
I love that you are doing this!
This project resonates with me especially since I once got into a confrontation with a stranger on the street who told me to “get out of my neighborhood”. I just replied “I live here!” and walked away.
Thanks for embarking on this project. I will get back to you on how to say “I live here” in my parents’ native tongue since I don’t see a translation yet.
Thank you!
Many thanks Katherine – nice anecdote. And I look forward to the translation. Annabel
Hello! Here are my translations:
Tagalog (official language of the Philippines) : Dito ako nakatira
Visaya (Filipino dialect) : Dinhi ako nakapuyo
🙂
Thank you! Both now added.
First off, Annabel, I just want to say you are AWESOME! As an immigrant from Colombia AND a resident of Astoria (35th Ave!) I think your efforts to bring this idea to fruition are to be commended, and I wish you all the luck in the world. Personally, I think there should be more than one mural, perhaps one along every subway stop of the N/Q line from 39th Ave. to Ditmars! Also, it could, no, SHOULD, be incorporated into the beautiful art at 5 POINTZ in LIC (www.5ptz.com)! Ohh, the possibilities!!
Thanks Carlos – it’s going to take time and commitment but we’ll get there! Love both the ideas for a wall, though imagine murals along the NQ subway stops would involve inordinate amounts of haggling with the MTA, and sadly a mural at 5 pointz would be shortlived: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/local-leaders-artists-gear-loss-5pointz-article-1.1326400 As you say though, oh the possibilities! There are many.
This is in Burmese
ငါဒီမွာေနတယ္ (Zaw Gyi font) ttf
Your idea…your project is the essence of humanity…being human…communication, understanding despite any differences of country or upbringing or religion or culture or sex or age…the only suggestion I have is to drop the word “translation” for as the Master Arabic Poet Adonis(Ali Ahmad Said Esber) of Qassabin, Syria has said “Translation is the destruction of poetry. Every translator of poetry must be a traitor.” “We have to take care of the translation in spite of the difficulties.”
Perhaps an attempt to provide the as-close-to-literal- feeling-meaning of each translation of the multiple languages on the streets of Queens would be an even greater triumph in regards to an understanding and respect of all the peoples of the borough of Queens as opposed to yet another from an English language point of view limited to the phrase “I LIVE HERE”…not a criticism of your wonderful project just a humble feeling suggestion…thanks for listening…B~