Translators Without Bordersis an American nonprofit group.It provides language servicesto nongovernmental organizations such as, yes,Doctors Without Borders.The group recently trained some new translatorsin Nairobi in how to put health informationinto local languages for Kenyans.For health translators, finding the rights wordsis not just about language but also culture.Muthoni Gichohi is a managerfor Family Health Options Kenya,the group that organized the training.She says she has no problem expressingthe names of body parts in English.But as a Kikuyu she says there are some wordsin her first language that may be "provocative"if she said them in public.MUTHONI GICHOHI: "So I have got toreally put it in another waythat it is still delivering the same message,but the words will be different."Trainer Paul Warambo says the same issue ariseswith Kenya's national language.PAUL WARAMBO: "Sometimes you are also forced to use euphemisms-- use a language that is more acceptable to the people.For example, in Swahili, we will not call a body part-- the vagina, for example -- we will not call it by its name.We use kitu chake --- her thing.You do not just mention it by the name, you say 'her thing.'"The culture of a community will largely decidehow words and expressions are translatedinto socially acceptable language.In some cases, the way people in a culturethink about an activity or object becomes the translated namefor that activity or object.Paul Warambo explains how the term "sexual intercourse"is commonly translated from English into Ki'Swahili.PAUL WARAMBO: "We always say, in Ki'Swahili,'kutenda kitendo kibaya' -- to do something bad.So, imagine sex was associated with something bad,emanating from the African cultural context."Whether or not a community will accept or even listento a message is especially important in health care.Lori Thicke co-founded Translators Without Bordersin nineteen ninety-three.She says, in general, a lot of development organizationshave often overlooked the importance of languagein changing health behavior.LORI THICKE: "It is true that people do not think of translation.It is absolutely not on the radar,but it is so critical if you think about it,for people to get information,whether it is how to take their medication,whether it is where to find supplies in a crisis situation."Muthoni Gichohi and her team recentlyopened a health information center in a Maasai community.She learned that young Maasai cannot say certain thingsin the presence of elders.Also, men are usually the ones who speak at public gatherings,so people might not accept a message given by a woman.And that's the VOA Special English Health Report.