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(U) Now You're Speaking My Language: NSA's Linguistic Resources
(Part I) - repost
FROM: SIGINT Communications and Renee Meyer, NSA/CSS Senior Language
Authority (SLA)
Unknown
Run Date: 10/25/2004
(U) To mark the Foreign Language Conference this week, we are reposting our series of articles
on language development at NSA. Here's part one...
(S) " NSA/CSS does not have enough Cryptologic Language Analysts with the skill level
necessary to prosecute cryptologic language missions, especially in the Global War on Terrorism
." This statement is the opening line of an NSA report to the Joint Requirements Oversight
Council on the status of our language capabilities. The ability to understand a target's language
is more crucial than it has ever been, and this shortcoming must be rectified. In this special
mini-series, we'll look at the nature of the problem and describe some of the NSA/CSS initiatives
to fix it.
(C) First, what kinds of cryptologic language skills does the SIGINT System need? The NSA/CSS
Senior Language Authority (SLA), together with target offices and experts, documents all
cryptologic language missions worldwide (2300+), along with the language skill level required to
prosecute those missions. Currently 85% of the NSA/CSS cryptologic missions require a
skill level of 3 or better , meaning that the cryptologic language analyst must be able to read
and listen "between the lines" to unformatted, unpredictable discourse that includes analysis,
commentary, opinion, arguments, diplomatic exchanges, and extended outbursts. In addition to
the level-3 nature of the discourse itself, the language analyst, as the unintended recipient of
the message, must deal with "Signals Intelligence factors" such as garbled text, incomplete
messages, lack of redundancy in the exchange, uncertain context, and distortion. The demands
on the language analyst are high.
(S) The SLA also maintains a real-time Language Readiness Index (LRI), which shows the
percentage of cryptologic language missions being prosecuted by "qualified" language analysts.
(There are over 6500 Cryptologic Language Analysts - CLAs - worldwide.) CLAs are considered
"qualified" if their language test scores are equal to or higher than the language level required
for their job. The overall worldwide LRI is 51%, with 80% representing a minimum acceptable
risk. In other words, only half of the missions are being prosecuted by qualified
personnel .
(C) The number of mission areas that demand high-level language proficiency continues to
increase, with over 25% of current cryptologic missions requiring a level higher than 3, requiring
the CLA to read and listen "beyond the lines." The language level for many missions, particularly
those related to counterterrorism and force protection, continues to be measured at the
extremely difficult 4/4+ level because the targets "talk around" the subject and use what
appears to be almost gibberish metalanguage and idiolects. Targets are communicating via a
variety of 21st century technologies, using very colloquial speech and writing in their particular
dialects, rather than the standard written language.
(C) The 2/2 language standard of yesterday can no longer suffice to provide the actionable
intelligence that is critically needed to support our troops and high-level policy leaders. In April
2002, DIRNSA documented for the record that the operational standard required for NSA/CSS
cryptologic language work is level 3/3. (See announcement .)
(C) As you can see, the demands are great... but NSA/CSS is taking steps to get the language
capabilities it needs. Read about some of them in part II, coming soon.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108