Working as an FBI linguist is a challenging and rewarding calling. Gulotta also notes that we have more than 1,450 agents proficient in foreign languages who use these skills while performing their regular duties.Īnother post-9/11 note: we have increased our language capability in Arabic by 310 percent among linguists and 90 percent among agents. And we’ll be hiring hundreds more over the next several years. Since 9/11, we have had a huge influx of linguists, increasing our capability in all languages by 77 percent. “Today’s linguists, experts in the cultural and historical aspects of their languages, have access to the same intelligence information that our agents and analysts have, which helps them put the data they are working with into an even more useful context, particularly in our counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations.” She says that linguists also use sophisticated technology that enhances their ability to perform their job. The role of our linguists has grown in direct proportion to our expanded mission, according to Margaret Gulotta, who heads the FBI’s foreign language program. In addition, linguists testified at trials helped interview suspects, victims, and witnesses occasionally accompanied agents on searches or arrests and served as interpreters at overseas training sessions. Last year alone, they reviewed or translated millions of foreign language materials and provided over 22,000 hours of interpretation support. But FBI linguists may also be called upon to provide foreign language and cultural expertise in many more languages.Īnd our linguists, a cadre of highly specialized professionals, answer that call in a big way.
We consider nine languages critical to our investigations-Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. The Bureau has 1,400 linguists who work in 114 locations domestically and overseas.
So who do we call? Our very own “language busters,” also known as FBI linguists. And because of our international role, we need to understand a variety of cultures and often have to articulate our operational needs-and our law enforcement training-in many different languages. In today’s global society, much of the intelligence and investigative information that we gather is in a foreign language and must be carefully interpreted.
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