John Barry Jensen

FIU Professor and former Chair of Modern Languages (ret. 2010), Dr. John Barry Jensen developed an illustrious career in linguistics, pedagogy of Spanish and Portuguese, and translations and interpretation. He is the author or translator of 16 books, more than 50 journal articles and chapters, and over 100 academic lectures. A world-class conference interpreter, Dr. Jensen participated in over 400 high-level international conferences spanning the diplomatic, political, legal, financial, technical, and healthcare fields. His generous mentorship continues to break down barriers and open doors for countless academics and language professionals.

John was a man of faith and works. After graduating from Brigham Young University, he served as Peace Corps Volunteer in Brazil (1965-1967) before going on to earn his Ph.D. in Linguistics from Harvard University in 1971. He was an NEH Fellow in Brazil and a Fulbright Scholar in Colombia. Professor Jensen taught at the University of Virginia, SUNY-Albany, and West Point, in addition to his home institution of Florida International University.

From 2000 to 2006, Dr. Jensen co-directed the State of Florida Interpreter Services Program under a federal grant from the DHHS, Office of Refugee Resettlement. With his Modern Languages team, he delivered interpreter training at 14 cities throughout the state to more than 3,500 bilingual health and social services professionals and first responders, representing 45 different languages, for the Department of Health, the Department of Children and Families, and volunteer agencies, including the Florida Center for Survivors of Torture. Dr. Jensen’s work was at the forefront of the struggle for language and equal access to rights, as well as the development of community interpreting ethics, protocols for trauma interpreting, and the recognition of vicarious trauma affecting frontline professionals everywhere.

Among his many contributions is the development of language-neutral training methods and pedagogical instruments for interpreters of any language and field, which have enriched interpreter training at FIU and globally. At the theoretical core of language-neutral training is his novel application of Chomsky’s linguistics to human information processing.

He has the eternal gratitude of his many colleagues, students, and friends.

John is survived by his wife Sula, sister Juliana, children Justin, Jeremy, Jennifer, and Jill, stepchildren Alister and Aleluia, grandchildren Wyatt and Rowan, and stepgrandchildren Inara and Zion.

A memorial service to celebrate his life is planned for his birthday, at 7:00 pm on December 30, 2020, at the LDS Kendall Chapel, 10000 SW 108th Avenue, Miami, FL 33176. Limited social-distance seating. Zoom details to follow.