1887
Volume 4, Issue 2
  • ISSN 2667-3037
  • E-ISSN: 2667-3045

Abstract

Abstract

This article analyzes the availability and accessibility of multilingual coronavirus information on the websites of the three largest cities in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to assess whether these websites fulfilled their objective of providing access to coronavirus information in the needed languages for the residents of the area. The research questions are: (1) How accessible were the websites in terms of findability, timeliness, and language coverage? (2) How did the practices on the websites reflect the translation policies of the municipalities? The material consists of website data, interviews, and municipal policy documents. The results demonstrate that the cities clearly saw the provision of multilingual information as a priority, and translations were available in up to twenty non-national languages. However, cities’ translation policies were poorly defined, they were unprepared for the timely publication of crisis information in multiple languages on their websites, and their crisis communication plans did not adequately address the needs of multilingual populations.

Available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/tris.23017.kin
2025-11-06
2025-12-06
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/tris.23017.kin.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.1075/tris.23017.kin&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Administration Committee Report 55/2014
    Administration Committee Report 55/2014. Accessed15 January 2024. https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/vaski/mietinto/Documents/havm_55+2014.pdf
  2. Baker, David L.
    2009 “Advancing E-Government Performance in the United States through Enhanced Usability Benchmarks.” Government Information Quarterly26 (1): 82–88. 10.1016/j.giq.2008.01.004
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2008.01.004 [Google Scholar]
  3. Benavides, Abraham David, Julius Nukpezah, Laura Marie Keyes, and Ismail Soujaa
    2021 “Adoption of Multilingual State Emergency Management Websites: Responsiveness to the Risk Communication Needs of a Multilingual Society.” International Journal of Public Administration44 (5): 409–419. 10.1080/01900692.2020.1728549
    https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2020.1728549 [Google Scholar]
  4. Berezkina, Maimu
    2018 “Managing Multilingualism on State Websites: How Institutional Employees Explain Language Choice.” Current Issues in Language Planning19 (1): 98–116. 10.1080/14664208.2017.1391495
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2017.1391495 [Google Scholar]
  5. Czapka, Elżbieta Anna, Raquel Herrero-Arias, Jasmin Haj-Younes, Wegdan Hasha, Ahmed A. Madar, Kathy A. Møen, Gaby Ortiz-Barreda, and Esperanza Diaz
    2022 “‘Who is Telling the Truth?’ Migrants’ Experiences with COVID-19 Related Information in Norway: A Qualitative Study.” Scandinavian Journal of Public Health51 (3), 454–462. 10.1177/14034948221135237
    https://doi.org/10.1177/14034948221135237 [Google Scholar]
  6. Espoo
    Espoo 2009 “Espoon kriisiviestintäohje” [Crisis communication guidelines for the City of Espoo]. Accessed3 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20161129201115/http://www.espoo.fi:80/fi-FI/Espoon_kaupunki/Tietoa_Espoosta/Julkaisutoo.fi>Julkaisuthttps://issuu.com/espoonkaupunki/docs/k__yt__nn__n_ohjeita_kriisiviestij_ (site discontinued)
  7. Espoo
    Espoo 2014 “Viestinnän käsikirja” [Communication handbook]. Accessed2 October 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20170301035132/www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Espoon_kaupunki/Tietoa_Espoosta/Julkaisut
  8. Espoo
    Espoo 2015 “Kriisiviestintäohje esimiehille” [Crisis communication guidelines for managers]. Accessed3 February 2021. https://Issuu.com/espoonkaupunki/docs/kriisiviestint__ohje_esimiehille (site discontinued)
  9. Federici, Federico M., Minako O’Hagan, Patrick Cadwell, Jay Marlowe, and Sarah O’Brien
    2021 “Ecosystems of Preparedness in New Zealand: Empowering Communities and Professionals with Crisis Translation Training.” InTranslating and Interpreting in Australia and New Zealand. Distance and Diversity, edited byJudy Wakabayashi, and Minako O’Hagan, 125–145. London: Routledge. 10.4324/9781003150770‑9
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003150770-9 [Google Scholar]
  10. Federici, Federico M.
    2022 “Translating Health Risks: Language as a Social Determinant of Health.” InLanguage as a Social Determinant of Health: Translating and Interpreting the COVID-19 Pandemic, edited byFederico M. Federici, 1–35. Berlin: Springer. 10.1007/978‑3‑030‑87817‑7_1
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87817-7_1 [Google Scholar]
  11. Felberg, R. Tatjana
    2021 “Norwegian-Somalis Are Best Suited to Inform Norwegian-Somalis: Crisis Communication, Linguistic Diversity and Social (In)equality During the Initial Stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic as Represented by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK).” Journal of Language and Discrimination5 (2): 90–116.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. 2022 “Crisis Communication and Linguistic Diversity in Norway during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Focus on Interpreting and Translation Services.” FITISPOS International Journal9 (1): 125–145. 10.37536/FITISPos‑IJ.2023.1.9.304
    https://doi.org/10.37536/FITISPos-IJ.2023.1.9.304 [Google Scholar]
  13. Finell, Eerika, Marja Tiilikainen, Inga Jasinskaja-Lahti, Nasteho Hasan, and Fairuz Muthana
    2021 “Lived Experience Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic among Arabic-, Russian- and Somali-speaking Migrants in Finland.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health18 (5): 2601. 10.3390/ijerph18052601
    https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052601 [Google Scholar]
  14. Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
    Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare 2020 “Diverse Communications and Collaboration with Key Community Representatives as Strategies to Prevent Covid-19 among Migrant Origin Persons.” Accessed24 January 2023. https://thl.fi/en/web/thlfi-en/-/diverse-communications-and-collaboration-with-key-community-representatives-as-strategies-to-prevent-covid-19-among-migrant-origin-persons
  15. Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
    Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare 2021 “Number of COVID-19 Cases on the Rise Again in Finland after Several Weeks of Stability.” Accessed24 January 2023. https://thl.fi/en/web/thlfi-en/-/number-of-covid-19-cases-on-the-rise-again-in-finland-after-several-weeks-of-stability
  16. Gazzola, Michele, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh
    2024 “Language Policy and Planning. From Theory to Practice.” InThe Routledge Handbook of Language Policy and Planning, edited byMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh, 1–31. London: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. González Núñez, Gabriel
    2013a “Translating to Communicate with Linguistic Minorities: State Obligations under International Law.” International Journal on Minority and Group Rights20 (3): 405–441. 10.1163/15718115‑02003004
    https://doi.org/10.1163/15718115-02003004 [Google Scholar]
  18. 2013b “Translating for Linguistic Minorities in Northern Ireland: A Look at Translation Policy in the Judiciary, Healthcare, and Local Government.” Current Issues in Language Planning14 (3–4): 474–489. 10.1080/14664208.2013.827036
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2013.827036 [Google Scholar]
  19. 2016 “On Translation Policy.” Target28 (1): 87–109. 10.1075/target.28.1.04gon
    https://doi.org/10.1075/target.28.1.04gon [Google Scholar]
  20. 2019 “The Shape of Translation Policy: A Comparison of Policy Determinants in Bangor and Brownsville.” Meta64 (3): 776–793. 10.7202/1070539ar
    https://doi.org/10.7202/1070539ar [Google Scholar]
  21. 2022 “Translation Studies and Public Policy.” InThe Cambridge Handbook of Translation, edited byKirsten Malmkjær, 181–197. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/9781108616119.010
    https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108616119.010 [Google Scholar]
  22. González Núñez, Gabriel, and Nazaret Fresno
    2023 “‘Make a Reasonable Effort’: Translation Policy for Texas State Websites.” Across Languages and Cultures24 (1): 106–126. 10.1556/084.2022.00198
    https://doi.org/10.1556/084.2022.00198 [Google Scholar]
  23. Helsinki
    Helsinki 2019a “Helsingin kaupungin viestinnän ohjeet” [Communication guidelines for the City of Helsinki]. Accessed30 September 2023. https://www.hel.fi/static/helsinki/muut-saannot/Viestinnan-ohjeet.pdf
  24. Helsinki
    Helsinki 2019b “Häiriö- ja kriisiviestinnän ohjeet” [Guidelines for disturbance and crisis communication]. Accessed30 September 2023. https://ahjojulkaisu.hel.fi/7E8659AB-AA87-C029-8FDE-6B2C94600000.pdf
  25. Higashi, Robin T., John W. Sweetenham, Aimee D. Israel, and Jasmin A. Tiro
    2021 “COVID-19 Communication from Seven Health Care Institutions in North Texas for English- and Spanish-Speaking Cancer Patients: Mixed Method Website Study.” JMIR Cancer7 (3): e30492–e30492. 10.2196/30492
    https://doi.org/10.2196/30492 [Google Scholar]
  26. Hill, Michael
    2005The Public Policy Process. Harlow: Longman.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Howlett, Michael, and Ben Cashore
    2014 “Conceptualizing Public Policy.” InComparative Policy Studies, edited byIsabelle Engeli, and Christine Rothmayr Allison, 17–33. London: Palgrave. 10.1057/9781137314154_2
    https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137314154_2 [Google Scholar]
  28. Jenkins, Richard
    2007 “The Meaning of Policy/Policy as Meaning.” InPolicy Reconsidered: Meanings, Politics and Practices, edited bySusan M. Hodgson, and Zoe Irving, 21–36. Bristol: Policy Press. 10.2307/j.ctt9qgv6w.7
    https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt9qgv6w.7 [Google Scholar]
  29. Järvelä, Sirkku
    2022 “Helsingin kaupunki ja korona” [The City of Helsinki and Corona]. Accessed24 January 2023. https://kaupunkitieto.hel.fi/fi/helsingin-kaupunki-ja-korona-toimintakertomus-pandemiavuosista-2020-2022
  30. Koskinen, Kaisa
    2020 “Translating in an Emerging Language Policy: Tampere City Council 1875–1887.” InTranslating in Town: Local Translation Policies During the European 19th Century, edited byLieven D’hulst, and Kaisa Koskinen, 115–137. London: Bloomsbury. 10.5040/9781350091030.0011
    https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350091030.0011 [Google Scholar]
  31. KPMG
    KPMG 2020 “Tilannekuva koronakriisin aiheuttamista sosiaalisista ongelmista ja palvelutarpeista” [Situation overview of the social problems and service needs caused by the coronavirus crisis]. Accessed30 September 2023. https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/fi/pdf/2020/06/KPMG_Tilannekuva-koronakriisin-aiheuttamista-sosiaalisista-ongelmista.pdf
  32. KPMG
    KPMG 2021 “Jatkoselvitys koronakriisiin liittyvien toimenpiteiden toteutuksesta” [Follow-up report on the implementation of measures related to the coronavirus crisis]. Accessed30 September 2023. https://www.hel.fi/static/helsinki/korona/jatkoselvitys-koronakriisin-toteutuksesta-raportti-08062021.pdf
  33. KPMG
    KPMG 2022 “Selvitys koronakriisin opeista, hyvistä käytännöistä ja muutostarpeista kriisijohtamisen näkökulmasta” [Report on the lessons, best practices, and necessary changes of the coronavirus crisis from the perspective of crisis management]. Accessed30 September 2023. https://www.hel.fi/static/helsinki/korona/selvitys-ok-koronakriisin-toteutuksesta-raportti-29082022.pdf
  34. Kuntaliitto
    Kuntaliitto 2010 “Verkkoviestintäopas” [Online communication guide]. Accessed30 September 2023. https://www.kuntaliitto.fi/sites/default/files/media/file/Verkkoviestintaopas.pdf
  35. Kuntaliitto
    Kuntaliitto 2024 “Usein kysyttyä kuntien viestinnästä” [FAQs on communication in municipalities]. Accessed12 April 2025. https://www.kuntaliitto.fi/laki/viestinta-ja-markkinointi/usein-kysyttya-kuntien-viestinnasta
  36. Krystallidou, Demi, and Sabine Braun
    2023 “Risk and Crisis Communication during COVID-19 in Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Communities: A Scoping Review of the Available Evidence.” InThe Languages of COVID-19: Translational and Multilingual Perspectives on Global Healthcare, edited byPiotr Blumczynski, and Steven Wilson, 128–144. London: Taylor & Francis.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. McDonough Dolmaya, Julie
    2020 “Translation and Canadian Municipal Websites: A Toronto Example.” Meta, 65 (3), 550–572. 10.7202/1077403ar
    https://doi.org/10.7202/1077403ar [Google Scholar]
  38. Meylaerts, Reine
    2011 “Translational Justice in a Multilingual World.” Meta, 56 (4): 743–757. 10.7202/1011250ar
    https://doi.org/10.7202/1011250ar [Google Scholar]
  39. 2018 “The Politics of Translation in Multilingual States.” InThe Routledge Handbook of Translation and Politics, edited byJonathan Evans, and Fruela Fernandez, 221–237. London: Taylor & Francis. 10.4324/9781315621289‑15
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315621289-15 [Google Scholar]
  40. Mohamed, Sherif, and Xiaobo Qu
    2018 “Organizational Maturity for Disaster Preparedness: Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre Report.” Accessed11 April 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Municipalities Act 410/2015. Unofficial translation from Finnish
    Municipalities Act 410/2015. Unofficial translation from Finnish. Accessed24 January 2023. https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/kaannokset/2015/en20150410.pdf
  42. Määttä, Simo
    2024 “Invisible Multilingualism: Language Ecologies, Migration, and the Administration of Justice.” InThe Routledge Handbook of Translation and Migration, edited byBrigid Maher, Loredana Polezzi, and Rita R. Wilson, 13–26. London: Routledge. 10.4324/9781003287797‑3
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003287797-3 [Google Scholar]
  43. Määttä, Simo, Tuija Kinnunen, Svetlana Probirskaja, and Päivi Kuusi
    2022a “Improving Communication with Migrants for Crisis Preparedness in Finland: Lessons Learned from COVID-19.” University of Helsinki. Accessed30 September 2023. hdl.handle.net/10138/350703
  44. Määttä, Simo, Tanya Escudero, Tuija Kinnunen, Päivi Kuusi, and Svetlana Probirskaja
    2022b “Translation, Migration, and Democracy: Managing Multilingual Access to Information in the Greater Helsinki Area and in Tallinn.” Accessed10 September 2025. https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/fi/projects/translation-migration-and-democracy-managing-multilingual-access-
  45. Non-Discrimination Act 1325/2014. Unofficial translation from Finnish
    Non-Discrimination Act 1325/2014. Unofficial translation from Finnish. Accessed24 April 2025. https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/2014/eng/1325
  46. O’Brien, Sharon, Federico M. Federici, Patrick Cadwell, Jay Marlowe, and Brian Gerber
    2018 “Language Translation during Disaster: A Comparative Analysis of Five National Approaches.” International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction311: 627–636. 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.07.006
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.07.006 [Google Scholar]
  47. O’Brien, Sharon, and Federico M. Federici
    2020 “Crisis Translation: Considering Language Needs in Multilingual Disaster Settings.” Disaster Prevention and Management29 (2): 129–143. 10.1108/DPM‑11‑2018‑0373
    https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-11-2018-0373 [Google Scholar]
  48. O’Brien, Sharon, and Patrick Cadwell
    2021 “Communicating Covid-19 in Multiple Languages: A Maturity Model Assessment of Ireland’s Crisis Communication Practice.” Revista de Llengua i Dret, Journal of Language and Law771: 1–17. 10.2436/rld.i77.2022.3630
    https://doi.org/10.2436/rld.i77.2022.3630 [Google Scholar]
  49. O’Brien, Sharon, Patrick Cadwell, and Alicja Zajdel
    2021 “Communicating COVID-19. Translation and Trust in Ireland’s Response to the Pandemic.” School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, Dublin: Dublin City University. Accessed2 October 2025. https://www.dcu.ie/sites/default/files/inline-files/covid_report_compressed.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Official Statistics of Finland
    Official Statistics of Finland 2021 “Population Structure.” Accessed24 January 2023. https://www.stat.fi/til/vaerak/2020/vaerak_2020_2021-03-31_tie_001_en.html
  51. Official Statistics of Finland
    Official Statistics of Finland 2023 “Population Structure.” Accessed24 January 2023. https://stat.fi/julkaisu/cl8lprraorrr20dut5a0tywm5
  52. Peterson, Elizabeth
    2022 “The English Language in Finland: Tool of Modernity or Tool of Coloniality?” InFinnishness, Whiteness and Coloniality, edited byJosephine Hoegaerts, Tuire Liimatainen, Laura Hekanaho, and Elizabeth Peterson, 267–289. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. 10.33134/HUP‑17‑11
    https://doi.org/10.33134/HUP-17-11 [Google Scholar]
  53. Piller, Ingrid, Jie Zhang, and Jia Li
    2020 “Linguistic Diversity in a Time of Crisis: Language Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Multilingua39 (5): 503–515. 10.1515/multi‑2020‑0136
    https://doi.org/10.1515/multi-2020-0136 [Google Scholar]
  54. Prime Minister’s Office
    Prime Minister’s Office 2023 “Kriisitilanteita koskevan kansalaisviestinnän kehittäminen : Työryhmän loppuraportti” [Developing citizen communication on crisis situations: Final report of the working group]. Accessed15 January 2024. https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/164563
  55. Pym, Anthony, Bei Hu, Maria Karidakis, John Hajek, Robyn Woodward-Kron, and Riccardo Amorati
    2022 “Community Trust in Translations of Official COVID-19 Communications in Australia: An Ethical Dilemma Between Academics and News Media.” InThe Languages of COVID-19: Translational and Multilingual Perspectives on Global Healthcare, edited byPiotr Blumczynski, and Steven Wilson, 110–127. London: Routledge. 10.4324/9781003267843‑10
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003267843-10 [Google Scholar]
  56. Rodríguez Vázquez, Silvia, and Jesús Torres-del-Rey
    2019 “Accessibility of Multilingual Information in Cascading Crises.” InTranslation in Cascading Crisesedited byFederico Federici, and Sharon O’Brien, 91–111. London: Routledge. 10.4324/9780429341052‑5
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429341052-5 [Google Scholar]
  57. Samkange-Zeep, Florence, Liubov Borisova, Beatriz Padilla, Hannah Bradby, Jenny Phillimore, Hajo Zeeb, and Tilman Brand
    2020 “Superdiversity, Migration and Use of Internet-Based Health Information: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey Conducted in 4 European Countries.” BMC Public Health20 (1): 1–12. 10.1186/s12889‑020‑09329‑6
    https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09329-6 [Google Scholar]
  58. Skogberg, Natalia, Päivikki Koponen, Eero Lilja, Sara Austero, Sofia Achame, and Anu E. Castaneda
    2021 “Access to Information, Preventive Measures and Working Conditions during the Coronavirus Epidemic: Findings of the Population-based MigCOVID Survey among Persons who Have Migrated to Finland.” Helsinki: THL. Accessed24 January 2023. urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-343-632-9
  59. Spolsky, Bernard
    2004Language Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  60. STM
    STM 2012 “Kansallinen varautumissuunnitelma influenssapandemiaa varten” [National pandemic preparedness plan]. Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2012: 9. Accessed30 September 2023. https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/72870
    [Google Scholar]
  61. STM
    STM 2021 “Action Plan for Implementing the Hybrid Strategy to Curb the COVID-19 Epidemic in January–May 2021.” InEnglish and Finnish. Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Accessed9 December 2022. https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/162744
    [Google Scholar]
  62. Tahvanainen, Jenni
    2021 “Vantaan vieraskielisten matalan kynnyksen neuvontapalvelut” [Low-threshold counselling services for foreign-language speakers in Vantaa 2021]. Vantaa: Vantaan kaupunki.
    [Google Scholar]
  63. Tomaševski, Katarina
    2001 “Human Rights Obligations: Making Education Available, Accessible, Acceptable and Adaptable: Right to Education Primers No. 3.” Right to Education Initiative, University of Lund & SIDA. Accessed11 April 2025. https://www.right-to-education.org/resource/primer-no-3-human-rights-obligations-making-education-available-accessible-acceptable-and
  64. Vantaa
    Vantaa 2011 “Vantaan kaupungin kriisiviestintäohjeet” [Crisis communication guidelines of the city of Vantaa]. Accessed30 March 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20170703092027/www.vantaa.fi/instancedata/prime_product_julkaisu/vantaa/embeds/vantaawwwstructure/120281_kriisiviestintaohjeet.pdf
/content/journals/10.1075/tris.23017.kin
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/tris.23017.kin
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error